45 Titan and Styx

As Zatiel assessed the laboratory's defenses and its subunits, he encountered a challenge. His Eye of Life and Creation allowed him to visualize the energies powering these 'houses,' but understanding their power source didn't equate to knowing how to safely deactivate them. Complicating matters, the defenses were reinforced with runes, increasing the difficulty.

Runes, versatile in their applications, are commonly used in safeguarding laboratories. The runes in this particular facility were quite advanced, making their deactivation a formidable task. However, the laboratory had been abandoned for centuries, and the energy that once powered these runes was barely sufficient to keep them operational.

Zatiel spent considerable time studying the energy channels of the formations, searching for a way to disarm them. He couldn't help but reminisce about simpler times in his past life when he was less powerful and focused on survival and ascending the power hierarchy. Back then, he often used brute force to overcome obstacles, rarely engaging in intricate work like this. Despite being an exceptional runemaster, his skills in this particular area were average. However, his extensive knowledge was a valuable asset.

"My energy and consciousness should withstand the next level of memory upload. I'd prefer a safer location, but this will suffice. A.I. Chip, upload my memories," Zatiel instructed.

[Bip... The host meets the conditions for a safe memory upload. Beginning upload.]

The upload was intense, but Zatiel, having significantly advanced since his first experience, managed to endure it. The sheer volume of information, however, left him disoriented, unable to focus.

Ezequiel and Sophia, noticing Zatiel's odd behavior, approached him, only to be met with a blast of golden flames forming a cocoon around him. Sensing hostility from the flames, unlike their earlier experience in the dome, they quickly retreated. The flames now perceived them as potential threats and possessed the power to cause significant harm.

Inside the cocoon, Zatiel was aware of the situation but couldn't intervene during the ongoing upload. When the upload completed, he observed Sophia and Ezequiel standing ten meters away, their expressions laced with concern, as the golden flames continued to burn fiercely around him, melting the ground beneath.

"These flames are full of surprises," Zatiel noted, sensing complete control over them. When he was vulnerable, the flames had acted independently, seemingly protective. He sensed a rudimentary form of sentience from the small sun in his heart, akin to a child's desire to protect its father.

'It has some level of sentience, which could be problematic,' Zatiel mused, his expression turning cold. He prepared to channel the full force of his Primal Chaotic Consciousness into the heart's sun, ready to obliterate any consciousness within. However, he ultimately refrained from acting. Destroying the consciousness might impair the flames' abilities. Besides, its actions appeared protective, though he planned to implement safeguards against any unforeseen issues.

Deactivating the flames, Zatiel addressed Sophia and Ezequiel, who remained hesitant. "Come on, don't look at me like that. They acted on their own. It wasn't as if I thought you'd harm me."

"Really?" Sophia's expression softened, her smile returning.

Ezequiel, though less expressive, also relaxed.

"If I didn't trust you, you would've been dead the moment you learned any of my secrets. Now sit down and let me work. I need to break these defenses and find bloodlines for you," Zatiel said dismissively, turning his attention to the house with the weakest defensive protocol.

Despite his harsh words, neither Sophia nor Ezequiel took offense. They understood that while Zatiel showed genuine concern and affection for them, he was ruthlessly pragmatic toward the rest of the world, viewing others as mere pawns unless they proved their worth.

To breach magical defenses, Zatiel could employ various methods. With the aid of the chip, his third eye, and his rune mastery, he decided to sever the weakest links in the energy paths and alter the core runes of the defensive formation.

It didn't take long for Zatiel to break through the formation. He entered the door and used his consciousness to explore inside. The room was filled with shelves housing crystals and books of various sizes.

This space was the library of the ancient Magus. While such a discovery would have excited most, Zatiel was less tempted by the knowledge that this individual might have accumulated.

Despite this, he did not undervalue any Magus's work, even those weaker than him in his past life. Magi are known for their pursuit of diverse and obscure knowledge. Although Zatiel had amassed an immense amount of information through his power and the chip, he wasn't so arrogant as to believe he knew more than everyone less powerful than him.

Due to the passage of time, only a few of the crystals retained information, and most of the books were damaged, leaving only fragments behind.

Previously, Zatiel would have had to review each item individually to compile the information. Now, he simply used his consciousness, and all the data in the books and crystals were instantly accessible. He commanded the chip to save everything and then moved on to the next house.

The process of breaking through the defensive formation was similar in the next house. Inside, Zatiel found a space used for storing ingredients for experimentation, filled with plants and liquids of various colors and shapes. Most were in poor condition and no longer useful. However, when Zatiel's consciousness reached a corner of the house, his expression changed.

With a flash, Zatiel arrived in front of a box containing four egg-sized gems, each appearing to contain a nebula.

'Incredible! These are mirage crystals, and they're in perfect condition. This will simplify my time in this world significantly,' Zatiel thought, smiling with obvious excitement.

Mirage crystals are gems with space properties, formed during a world's initial stages. The only way for Magi to acquire them is to extract them from other worlds. Incredibly valuable, they're used in various applications, from simple space sacks to plane portals for transporting troops and materials. In the Magi World, these crystals are highly sought after.

The crystals Zatiel found were too small for equipment fabrication or portal creation, but for him, they were more than sufficient, especially considering the optimal usage methods mentioned in the second level of his memories.

Excited by his find, Zatiel double-checked the house to ensure he hadn't missed anything, then proceeded to the next. Although he knew it would be difficult to find something as precious again, he remained hopeful.

However, the subsequent houses were a disappointment. He discovered broken energy pools, a meditation facility, and other miscellaneous buildings of no use to him.

Eventually, only three houses remained: the central chamber and two flanking it.

Zatiel first explored the left house, which turned out to be a storage area for magical equipment. The place was nearly empty; if not for a few remaining pieces, its purpose would have been unclear.

'So the broken equipment at the gates came from here,' Zatiel deduced. He quickly surmised that someone had accessed this place and attempted to escape with the equipment, only to perish. The specifics of their demise were irrelevant to him.

His primary concern was that if this place was nearly empty, a similar fate might have befallen the room where bloodlines were stored.

Zatiel then headed to the house on the right. Assessing it, he realized that it had a much higher level of security. It took more time, but he eventually bypassed the defenses.

This house was where bloodlines were stored. It was disorganized, but fortunately, his worst fears weren't realized. The space was divided into two sections: the front, nearly empty with only a few broken vials remaining, and the rear, which contained containers inscribed with runes, emanating a significant amount of energy.

Zatiel approached these containers and began to open each one. The defensive formation of the containers was similar to the house's but on a smaller scale, so opening them didn't take long.

Inside each was a vial filled with a substantial amount of blood. Despite the long storage period, the blood should have degraded, but the containers harnessed surrounding energy to maintain the bloodlines in pristine condition, enhancing their purity.

Identifying the race of each bloodline based on appearance alone was difficult, but Zatiel's deep knowledge of bloodlines, assisted by the chip, made identification swift.

After assessing the vials, he stored all but two in his ring.

'These are exceptional choices for them: Titan and Styx, truly powerful bloodlines,' Zatiel thought, smiling with satisfaction at the vials.