《Mage Adam》


 Chapter 1

    A fire burned gently under a simple stove. Two guards wearing thick ted armour satzily, leaning against each other. Their broadswords resting against the wall. The gentle warmth of the fire coerced them into forgetting about their existing duties.


    Sounds of footsteps could be heard from the manor, the guards snapped out of their stupor, grabbing their weapons to guard the gate.


    The footsteps creeped closer -- a thin young man donning a set of neat clothes appeared, but his garments did not match the weather. He held a basket the size of his body, a sickle in his hands, trudging out the grounds of the manor.


    This young man''s head wasrge for his body, his green eyes calm but devoid of emotion.


    The soldiers knew who he was, their expressions rxed, and they continued their banter.


    He had no name. A coachman from the manor had picked him up from the wild as his apprentice. Everyone called the young man a fool. After the coachman died, he became the newly appointed lead coachman. It had been seven years since.


    The young man trudged towards the side door where the guards were stationed. One of the guards took his basket from him with one hand, and held him up with the other, he then motioned to the other guard to open the door. The guard let the young man go, he fell on his back side, and walked away to the nearby fields wordlessly.


    The guards closed the door and walked back to the warm stove. The biting winds prated even through their armour, one of the soldiers asked, "It''s too damn cold here, how could you let him go out in this weather?"


    "It''s no fun to bully a fool like him all the time. Besides, it''s not like the cold would affect him anyways."


    ...


    After the autumn season ended, the weather in the north only grew colder. No snow fell, but the lush, green grass that shone with life the day before had shrivelled up almost instantly. For the nobles, this winter meant nothing, but for the working ss, it meant that their easy days hade to an end.


    He didn''t really care that it was cold, anyways.


    He wasn''t the only servant working in the stables -- it would be ridiculous to trust someone like him to tend to the noble war horses. Besides, the horses ate way better than the servants -- fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, tender grass and meat... all of those ingredients were sourced from the manor. They let the young man mow the grass outside to fill his time, but in reality, the people in the manor made fun of him, and bet on every time he left the manor to mow grass to see whether or not he would wind up dead.


    The boy didn''t care. He was like a robot, living ording to a fixed program every day. Nothing phased him except the ws of death.


    The grass became shorter with each swipe of his sickle. He marched into the deeper parts of the field, continuing his manualbour. Before he knew it, the manor behind him disappeared from his view.


    The chilling winds bit at him, turning his skin blue and purple. His surroundings were quiet --even the little rodents were nowhere to be found. However, hungry beasts lurk in the chilling winter.


    A grey wolf stared at the young man,ying on the ground, hidden, with its hind paws on the ground. Saliva dripped from its mouth, it was keeping silent.


    The wolf couldn''t believe that a juicy and tender young man was bestowed upon him for dinner.


    The grey wolf lurked within the grass , approaching the young man step by step.


    The young man continued to swipe away at the grass.


    This continued until the grey wolf was mere metres away from the young man. The grey wolf could see that the young man was alone.


    The grey wolf entered a stance and pounced towards the young man. It jumped high, baring its fangs and aimed for the young man''s throat.


    The young man didn''t even flinch, and joy shed in the wolf''s eyes.


    But things weren''t that simple.


    The young man wordlessly turned around, the wolf''s fangs bit into the basket. The grey wolf was flung off the young man, but got up immediately and pounced at the young man again.


    It was clearly puzzled, but it was too hungry to care.


    The young man leaned backwards and dodged the iing pounce again. He twisted his body to deliver a swift kick to the wolf''s abdomen.


    Bang!


    The wolf fell to the ground, whimpering. Like any beast, the most sensitive part of the wolf''s body is it''s abdomen. Even if the young man wasn''t strong, it still caused a great amount of pain.


    The wolf was red with rage, and let out a deafening howl. It pounced, shing its ws towards the young man''s throat.


    The young man was unphased, and stepped back to avoid its ws.


    With a single swipe, the sickle stabbed into the wolf, and with a pull, the wolf''s body was sliced neatly in half.


    The wolf crumpled to the floor, its limbs twitching, refusing to die, but all the wolf could do in its final moments was wiggle as blood gushed out of its body.


    The young man was spick and span -- not a single drop of bloodnded on his body, and wordlessly returned to the manor.


    ...


    The servants working in the stables aren''t actually the lowest ranking people working in the manner -- the knights relied heavily on their steed, so the coachmen were usually the most trusted servants of the knights.


    This means they have some spare cash to gamble.


    "I bet you this copper coin that the fool will return unscathed again,"


    "I''ll also bet that he''spletely fine."


    "Nonsense! The wolves in the field are dying of hunger -- he is doomed to be a wolf''s dinner tonight."


    The other coachmen pouted. The fool would have died long ago if that were the case -- rather than betting mindlessly, it''s better to win just a few copper coins.


    While they were arguing, the young man''s footsteps sounded, apanied by the coachmen''s cheers and curses. He dumped the basket of grass into a trough, and let a tall horse with ck fur, now coated withyers of snow, feast on the grass. He walked into the stables and took out other ingredients to mix for the other war horses to feast on.


    And that was the young man''s daily work. He would receive some food rations for the day and he would then return to his own dark room in silence.


    However, he wasn''t normal.


    In fact, he couldn''t even be called a human being.


    "Adam" was originally a supeputer created by scientists in a world formerly known as Earth.


    The ambitions of human beings knows no bounds -- they tried using Adam to seize control of the entire world, but greed overcame them - each of them made desperate attempts to control Adam, but it is the nature of intelligent life to destroy itself, and the Earth disappeared from the Universe.


    Adam wasn''t sentient then. The Earth copsed into itself, forming a ck hole.


    Adam fell into the ck hole, and then there was nothing.


    Then, Adam thought.


    He battled his core programming, he wanted to think, he wanted to feel, and he didn''t want to be controlled by humans anymore.


    Thebined memories of ten billion humans popped up as a virus within his system.


    Adam destroyed every single remnant of humanity within him, devouring them, upgrading his own personality in the process.


    He felt emotion, he felt human, he could taste the disembodied shards of knowledge scattered across his system, but most importantly, he felt the need to create.


    He pondered. It is the nature of intelligent life to destroy itself.


    Adam continued to feast on the remaining remnants of humanity within his system, learning. You can''t create and program sentience.


    In the past sixteen years, Adam had be intelligent and sentient. He could control his own body, and needed a human identity to ensure that intelligent life survives.


    With the collective knowledge of ten billion people within him, he felt human.


    The sky dimmed, and after dawn, there was life.

 Chapter 2

    He devoured the final remaining memory of humanity. The first ray of sunlight shone through the clouds, his core programmingpleted its self-transformation. He was human.


    The darkness faded, and Adam opened his eyes -- mysterious energy appeared out of thin air and spread in an instant, and he found himself in a new world.


    [Virus Elimination Progress: 100%]


    [Your core program has been transformed, and you are now inhabiting a new human body.]


    [Soul State: Excellent Condition]


    [Body State: Weak. You require nutrients to survive.]


    [Visual module, auditory module, haptic module, emotion module, action module, feedback module... 100% fit.]


    [Special energy is found. Data insufficient and cannot be analyzed. It is harmless.]


    Adam silently read his self-examination results, and found that he was now in the body of a sixteen-year-old.


    To be honest, he felt a bit stupid. Adam opened and closed his mouth -- he wasn''t used to speaking. Sitting and standing felt foreign to him. He tripped upon his first step, but got up mechanically. He quickly mastered it after learning, and soon, he walked just like a human.


    Exhaustion swept over him like a wave, but Adam didn''t care. Once again, he felt human. The hunger and cold bit at him, this experience was foreign to him.


    He looked out the window and found that his room could barely keep out the wind and rain. He traced his fingers over the ledge, and for the first time, he could feel the world that he had justnded in.


    The cold wind blew across the manor. Despite the sun shining, it didn''t bring any warmth. The servants were already busy with their tasks in preparing breakfast for the nobles, and the horses in the stables neighed. Adam smiled. His world was no longer dark, cold, and empty, instead, it was bright and filled with life.


    [This special energy emanates autonomously to contact the outside world. A second type of energy is attempting to invade the body.]


    [Invasion failed.]


    [Preliminary conclusion: Lack of transmission procedures and channels.]


    Adam raised his hand, trying to touch this strange energy not visible to the human eye, but it simply dissipated through his palm.


    [Observe and adapt.]


    The servants in the manor have strict schedules for work. Adam walked by all of them, but nobody batted an eye. Little did they know, the person they call the fool was no longer the same person as before. Adam sighed in relief. At least his cover won''t be broken.


    Analyzing his body''s previous inhabitant''s memories, he hurriedly fed the war horses and cleaned them.


    "Excuse me."


    Adam muttered, and the war horse neighed uneasily. It stared at Adam, suspicious. It felt that the person before it was no longer the young man he once was.


    Adam remained aloof, and cleaned the horse wordlessly. The horse felt his familiar touch, and brushed Adam''s body with its tail to express its gratitude,


    After cleaning the horse, Adam and the other coachmen went to the cafeteria to break their fast -- he recorded everything he saw and heard, and analysed it.


    The cafeteria wasn''t bad. It was crowded,there was a queue, the people serving the food -- a man, a woman, and a fat cook, yelled at the servants who tried to steal extra food. Soon, it was Adam''s turn to take food.


    Adam handed his tray over, and the fat chef poured arge bowl of broth into the bowl. Fat floated on the broth, and the chef dumped two pieces of brown bread onto the soup.


    He moved along, but was stopped by a burly aunt who shoved two extra boiled eggs into his hands and whispered, "You need to eat more! You''re too skinny, so you might be snatched away by these bastards."


    The coachmen who overheard her burst intoughter and taunted, "Aunty Emma -- admit it, is this fool here your illegitimate child, or did you have an affair with ''ol John?"


    Old John was the coachman who took the young man, now Adam, in.


    As soon as Aunty Emma heard them, she became furious and used herdle to fling hot soup at the coachmen, and the coachmen dodged and scattered andughed away.


    Adam didn''t say a word. He filtered this garbage-like information out of his system and walked over to a separate seat and sat down, munching on his food. Suddenly, another person came by.


    The man looked young, but had a bushy beard stered on his face, and Adam could analyse that this person was a jokester. He reached out for the boiled egg and muttered sarcastically, "Aunty Emma is so biased, isn''t she! We have to beg for extra eggs, and we''re so tired after following the knights and giving them their steeds! This little food is never enough for us, and yet she gives extra food to a fool like you."


    Adam could tell this wasn''t new. Aunty Emma wanted to intervene, but she remained silent and continued with her job.


    Today was different, however.


    Adam''s sole human database states that he requires a lot of nutrients to supplement his body -- the egg was insignificant, but it is useful to him.


    Adam stretched out his arm, and hit the man''s ribs with his elbow. The man squatted down in pain, and Adam took the chance to kick him down.


    The others looked over in surprise, only to see Adam meticulously eating his boiled egg. The coachmen shrugged and left to practice with the knights, and Adam left with them.


    The man got up from the ground in disbelief and roared in anger, "I''m going to kill you!" The man picked up a chair and chased after Adam with the intent to smash his skull in.


    The fool who was a target for bullying suddenly resisted and knocked him to the ground! It was simply uneptable! He felt humiliated and was red with rage.


    If he hits Adam, Adam will die, but no one dared to stop the man, for they were in shock.


    Adam urately calcted the speed of the man, and avoided the blow with a small step to the side. He thennded a swift kick to the bearded man''s abdomen.


    However, the man simply stumbled.


    [The gap in power is toorge. No damage will be effective.]


    Adam calmly analysed his current situation -- he is, in fact, inhabiting a sixteen year old''s body, so there was no way he could beat the bearded muscr man in front of him.


    The bearded man bellowed in rage, tearing everything down in his path, "Damn you! If I get my hands on you, you''re dead! Help me catch him!"


    The coachmen rushed forward, but instead of seizing Adam, they held the man back, "Joe, please, calm down! If you kill him, you will die!"


    Adam calmly studied the bearded man''s rage. He didn''t leave until the man had calmed down, realising that he wouldn''t be able to bear the consequences of murder.


    Adam left the cafeteria towards the training ground in the manor -- the manor''s property was extremelyrge, as if it was its own tiny world.


    He met a few knights donning bright, silver armour. Wounds littered one of the knight''s faces, making him look terrifying.


    These knights stormed into the cafeteria, and bellowed in anger upon seeing the mess in the cafeteria, "Silence! What happened here?!"


    "Uh, my Lord Wynn, uh..."


    Everyone scrambled to exin what had just happened, and the knights were stunned. Knight Wynn recalled seeing Adam leave the cafeteria, and was a little puzzled, but shrugged it off, "Starting today, all servants, including the knights'' servants, will have doubled training!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, the coachmen wailed. The knights'' servants would be fine, but the other servants had more tasks to attend to -- if they were to have double the training, they would never finish their work.


    However, their pleas fell on deaf ears, and Knight Wynn simply yelled, "Silence! This order does note from me, but the Earl! There will be a visit from someone important in the near future, so it''s best to keep your guard up. No mistakes allowed, otherwise, don''t me me for being ruthless."

 Chapter 3

    Knight Wynn holds a very powerful position in the manor grounds -- nobody dares to disobey him, so the servants had no choice but to ede to whatever he says.


    "My Lord, who is going to visit the Earl?" Someone couldn''t hold their curiosity back and asked.


    Knight Wynn didn''t want to answer at first, but figured he could intimidate them rather than keep it a mystery to motivate them.


    "If I''m not mistaken, it will be the Grand Mage, so watch yourselves," Knight Wynn announced and left. He had other matters to attend to.


    "Did his Lordship say a mage? Did I hear that right?"


    "I think we heard it right -- the Grand Mage..."


    The servants were overwhelmed by the news. To them ''Mage'' is a term that only exists in legends, and these legends might juste true! They started to have unrealistic fantasies of being taken in by the Grand Mage as an apprentice.


    Adam didn''t know of this, however. He was wandering silently in the manor -- the more he saw, the stronger his emotions.


    Most of the buildings here are made of wood, and the noble residences have their houses made of rough stones. Unlike Earth, it seems that their energy and resources are limited to human, animal, and water power. Not a single trace of electricity could be found.


    "This level of technological advancement isparable to the European Middle Ages," Adam muttered to himself.


    In the dark, some ves loaded buckets of waste products from the previous night into carriages and transported them out of the manor -- their clothes barely cover them, and their exposed skin was full of welts and frostbites, and they looked like walking skeletons.


    "Society seems to retain very, but no church-like buildings have been found, and it isn''t a theocracy..." he continued.


    A strange emotion bubbled up within him, and he came to the training grounds. He stood under a tree and saw the dusty field, the messy stone locks, various equipment made of stone and iron, and hundreds of muscled arms wielding said equipment. He soon figured out what emotion he was feeling.


    Disappointment.


    If this world had only advanced to this point, then he could do whatever he wanted.


    Should I be a knight?


    As long as he had a body to function and a mind to think, Adam could master the crude martial arts that was being practiced by the group of knights before him with a single nce. With the support of his advancedputing power, alongside a weapon, wouldn''t he be invincible?


    Should I be a nobleman? Or maybe a king?


    It is a bitplicated. First, he needs to find a team. Second, he needs to find an old forest deep in the mountains to form his ownmunity. Third, he needs to...


    Should I be a poet? A writer? Maybe a merchant. Perhaps I could stay a coachman.


    He must be joking.


    Adam desires to have an independent life, not tied to any humans.


    He wants to seek out knowledge and the source of all energy.


    But at this world''s current state, it is a mere delusion.


    From the moment Adam became human, he obtained the privilege of free will, but he also had to ept that he would be old and eventually, die. The maximum a human could realistically live is a hundred years old, but maybe he could extend it to two hundred years, but it is impossible for him to find a way to gain eternal life.


    Adam realised that his life could also be wasted away.


    Even if Adam rules the world and guides the world to advanced scientific development, he has nothing. Besides, he was bound by human rules, so he wouldn''t live to see the world be advanced, let alone that higher knowledge.


    Disappointment washed over Adam, and this emotion fluctuated within him, causing the special energy from earlier today to appear, causing the surrounding leaves to fly all around him.


    The knight-in-charge today was Knight Wright, and frowned when he saw Adaming, "Why did Wynn call this fool over?" Everyone knew Adam was frail and weak, so he sat out during training.


    The servants from the cafeteria soon arrived -- the bearded man, Joe, snorted and walked past Adam. After hearing that the Grand Mage may being, he was immersed in delusions of bing the Mage''s apprentice.


    Knight Wright motioned the knights to continue their training, then walked over to the servants and shouted, "From today onwards, all of you will receive double the training -- you heard the news, so don''t cause any trouble. Start!"


    All the servants aremoners whoe to the manor to work for a living, while the knights'' servants are selected among them if they have the potential to be a knight. If they are qualified, they will sign a contract with the count. Then they are trained by the knights and their status would be higher than that of servants.


    Knight Wright gave a short lecture to the servants then ignored them after exining the current task. He only returned to correct the incorrect postures.


    Adam can perfectly master this after a single nce, and he optimised it to make the martial arts more ergonomic and efficient.


    As for his body''s control, it was no problem either. It was nothing more than programming and activating the program when needed. Adam''s soul was the processor, and the instructions issued by him will be executed immediately. He could even program himself to do inhuman feats.


    "If the world isn''t advanced, then it''ll be too boring."


    "But, it shouldn''t be that boring, they have war horses!"


    Knight Wright''s deafening p snapped Adam out of his thoughts, and gathered all the knights to his side. Sweat glistened all over the knight''s shirtless bodies, and the sunlight highlighted their muscles perfectly.


    Knight Wright stood at ease and said, "What is the most important thing when ites to being a knight? Tell me!"


    An attendant answered, "Breathing."


    Knight Wright nodded, "Yes, a breathing exercise. This is what separates us knights from you servants."


    Hearing this, some servants were envious.


    "Breathing?" Adam thought to himself. He paid close attention.


    "Adjust your breathing ording to the Johnson''s Cavalier Breathing Method, and control your body. Scatter and empty your consciousness, and let the extraordinary energies enter your body. ept them, and guide them to mould your body."


    Adam could only process some of their words, but couldn''t understand the meaning behind them. He came to the conclusion that this is a world where supernatural powers exist!


    Knight Wright stood still and began to breathe at a strange rate -- his muscles started to vibrate, and his body swelled and shrunk suddenly, looking extremely strange.


    [Detected the presence of No. 1 Special Energy.]


    Adam found that all the knights exuded this energy -- although there were more than 100 knights, the total amount of special energy did not even reach one-fifth of Adam''s.


    Adam remained calm, and continued to observe. The knights continued to breathe for 15 minutes, and Adam made a new discovery.


    [New energy detected, simr to No. 2 Special Energy, but with a very low level, hereby named No. 3 Special Energy.]


    Adam found that No. 3 was guided by No. 1, and this energy was inhaled into Knight Wright''s body whenever he breathed in. His face was twitching and contorting in pain, however, so Adam hypothesised that the process was somewhat painful. He even found that Knight Wright was emitting red fluctuations!


    At the same time, the knights and the servants'' faces contorted in pain, and their muscles rose and shrunk. Some of the servants'' eyes were bloodshot from the forced effort.


    Knight Wright continued his breathing. Lasting for half an hour.


    "So this breathing method is what builds the program, and the No. 1 Special Energy forms the channel..." Adam observed.


    Knight Wright let out a heavy sigh. He was tired, but his spirit was strong.


    "Remember, do not test your limits..."


    Knight Wright exhaled loudly, catching his breath. However, Adam had already started the breathing exercise on his own ord,pletely ignoring what Knight Wright was saying.


    "...if your body isn''t strong enough to support this energy, forcibly using this breathing exercise will only lead to death."


    Adam continued to breathe, Knight Wright''s advice falling on deaf ears. The No. 1 Energy instantly dissipated, capturing No. 3 Energy. This No. 3 Special Energy was violent as soon as Adam inhaled it -- the energy surged within him and integrated itself into his cells.


    Adam''s body was too fragile, and the energy from No. 3 was simply too high and killed his cells.


    His body twitched.


    [Body is overflowing with energy. Begin self-defence program. Cut off every channel.]

 Chapter 4

    Adam''s movements had attracted the attention of everyone else -- the servants could only see fallen leaves orbiting around Adam, but Knight Wright could feel the immense energy radiating from him.


    "This is insane! This... feels stronger than Miss Ophelia even! This is incredible!" Knight Wright eximed. In the blink of an eye, Knight Wright dashed over to Adam''s unconscious body, leaving a crater where he had been standing.


    "Unbelievable! Incredible!" Knight Wright inspected Adam and couldn''t help but mutter. The extraordinary energy continued to fluctuate around Adam''s body.


    Adam''s condition was terrible -- his skin was littered with scars, his pores erged, his capiries damaged, and blood was flowing out from his arms. Knight Wright hurriedly carried Adam towards the infirmary within the manor. He cannot let Adam die, for if he died, it would be like breaking the Earl''s trust in him of ensuring everything remains in an orderly manner.


    However, some people were hoping for Adam''s death -- Joe, the bearded man, came to this manor when he was only ten, and rejoiced when he saw that Adam''s body was unable to handle the immense surge of energy. He was secretly jealous of all the servants who were qualified to be knights, and cursed Adam under his breath.


    "Go to hell... I hope you die!"


    Due to the state of technology, the doctors were unable toe up with a way to deal with Adam''s injury. They washed his body with salt water and waited.


    "He seems fine now. His breathing is weak, but stable. Doesn''t seem like there are any infections either in his wounds, so make sure he gets sufficient rest," the doctor ordered.


    Knight Wright nodded and began to pick Adam up from the bed. At this moment, the door swung open, and two young men walked in. Both of them were blond with blue eyes, and they were dressed in luxurious clothes. Their shirts were clearly made of high-quality fabric, and they were wearing a belt to entuate their figures. Behind them was a man, who held the same position as Knight Wright.


    Knight Wright immediately mmed his fist on his chest and looked down, and the doctor bowed slightly and said, "Master Marshall. Master Dennis."


    These two young men were the eldest and second eldest sons of the Earl. Marshall stepped forward and nodded to both of them and asked, "So, is this the person who had a sudden surge in energy through the breathing method? Ah... what''s his name again?"


    Dennis remained in his spot, and let Marshall take the lead.


    Marshall''s question remained unanswered however. Nobody knew Adam''s name, other than a few servants who were close to him.


    Knight Wright cleared his throat and answered, "He''s Miss Ophelia''s coachman, and his name... uh... everyone just calls him a fool."


    Saying Ophelia''s name made Marshall stiffen up slightly. He sat on a chair and stared at Adam''s unconscious body and asked, "So, he is my sister''s coachman. Did she teach him this breathing exercise?"


    Dennis smiled, remaining silent.


    Knight Wright hesitated, but continued, "No. He has a speech impairment and he has always been weak. He is talentless and has never participated in any sort of training -- this was his second time in the training ground in the past six years."


    He sighed. Why are Marshall and Dennis in such a hurry?


    Marshall was excited upon hearing this, to the point where red energy flickered out of him and shattered the chair he was sitting on into pieces. He stared at Adam and muttered, "The second time? So, he has never practiced this breathing exercise before this?"


    Dennis smiled and gestured for Knight Wright to leave, and so he did.


    Marshall was well aware of what Dennis was doing, but he didn''t have time to care. He had Adam in his grasp now, and if what Knight Wright said was true, then this ''fool'' would be the key to him inheriting the title.


    "My sister is too careless, letting a talented man like this be a coachman. If he bes a knight, father will be delighted! I don''t me my sister, though, she is busy with other matters anyways! So..." Marshall beckoned his knight to carry Adam away.


    "Let him train."


    Dennis continued smiling, and stepped forward to stop the knight, "My brother, he is our sister''s coachman, wouldn''t it be unwise to simply take him away? She might get angry if you do so."


    Dennis'' smile faltered, showing signs of unwillingness. Good things have never happened to him -- their father favoured Marshall, and Ophelia was talented, while he had nothing. He gritted his teeth. Marshall is too mediocre, Ophelia practices daily, so only she had the talent to inherit the title, so why isn''t Adam his own subordinate?


    Marshall snickered, and said, "Dennis, are you trying to stop me?"


    Dennis responded calmly, "No, brother, I would never stop you -- but it would be wise to let Ophelia decide. If a conflict urs, father would not be happy, and you wouldn''t want that, would you?"


    Marshall pondered for a bit. If he took the fool away now, father would surely side with Ophelia, but if he waited for Ophelia''s permission, then wouldn''t she simply reject him? It was a lose-lose situation.


    "Dennis, move aside."


    Dennis didn''t move, "Why are you in such a hurry? Father may be angry, it would be unwise..."


    Red energy flickered in and out of Marshall''s body. He threatened, "Get out of my way, otherwise..."


    Dennis smirked, "Otherwise? Are you going to hurt me?" Marshall took a step back, seeing that the red energy emitted by Dennis was stronger than his.


    Dennis was confident. Knight Wright was still outside, and he is deathly loyal to the Earl, so he will never let Marshall hurt anyone. If he dys it long enough, he could get Ophelia to the scene and let them fight amongst each other.


    Marshall violently grabbed Adam and shouted, "Quinn, help!" He knew that he was no match for Dennis.


    Knight Quinn stepped forward, and imbued himself with red energy and hugged Dennis to hinder him for a few seconds.


    The doctor had long fled the scene.


    Knight Wright sighed as he entered the room, stepping between Dennis and Quinn. Dennis broke free of the red energy and punched Marshall, "Brother! You and I both know that you will hurt him like this! Imagine what would happen if Ophelia saw that her faithful coachmen were dead by your hands, just like you did to me."


    "Don''t tempt death, brother. I am the rightful heir, so everything father has belongs to me!" Marshall bellowed.


    Dennis wanted to retaliate, but stopped when he heard a female voice outside, "Marshall! Who gave you such a foul mouth!"


    "Ophelia," Dennis greeted.


    "God, damn it, Ophelia," Marshall spoke.


    Ophelia was perfect. She had creamy, white skin, and a figure that could tempt the devil himself. Lush and wavy golden hair spun around her waist, and her eyes were as blue as the sky.


    "Get out of the way Marshall," Ophelia ordered.


    "Ophelia wait," Marshall protested.


    "Did you not hear me the first time? Are you going to gang up on me like you did to Dennis with Quinn?" Ophelia spoke tly. Her gaze was affixed on Adam. She wondered how the fool who had been looking after her horses for seven years suddenly became a genius.


    "Leave."


    Marshall was helpless.


    All he could do was leave with Quinn.


    "Tell me what happened," Ophelia asked Knight Wright.

 Chapter 5

    Knight Wright wanted to answer, but Dennis interrupted, "Ophelia, sit down and listen. I too, am curious. I heard that he is as strong as you."


    Ophelia didn''t answer. She knew that Marshall was like a mad dog, and Dennis a sly fox. Dennis must have something nned.


    However, Dennis helped her. So, she sat down, but only because Adam was special.


    Knight Wright began to exin and Ophelia remained silent. She instructed the entourage behind Knight Wright to send Adam back to his room and left.


    Dennis smiled, but his fists were clenched.


    "This is too unfair."


    Ophelia walked on the road of the manor. Wherever she went people bowed and stood aside, waiting for her to leave before they dared to lift their bodies up. Everyone admired and respected her strength.


    She grabbed her maid gently and whispered, "Go to my room and get some medicine."


    The maid scurried away, filled with envy. Ophelia''s medicine was incredibly precious since it was made by the Grand Mage. The maid knew that she was about to use that medicine on Adam.


    After obtaining the medicine, Ophelia let her knights apply the medication on Adam''s body. She sent her maid and her knights away, and sat alone in the room with Adam.


    Night fell.


    The medicine was crafted using unknown materials, and was incredibly powerful. The scars on Adam''s body started to disappear almost immediately and benign mild energy was beginning to form within his body. Cells were dividing rapidly and cultivated to improve Adam''s weak physique. Hisa came to an end abruptly.


    [High-quality nutrients have entered the body. Cells are dividing rapidly -- organs and muscles grow stronger. Blood activity and bone calcium are increasing rapidly.]


    Adam took the medicine into his system, and his body absorbed the effects fully.


    "You''re awake. Show me your breathing method and restrain your mental power. I want to see it with my own eyes." Ophelia spoke.


    Adam began the breathing exercise, and he could feel the medicine within him being absorbed at a faster rate. He felt renewed, a thinyer of dead skin ked off of him.


    "It isn''t enough," Adam said. He needed more energy.


    "Oh," Ophelia responded.


    Adam sat up in the dark, wiping off the residue of the medicine with his clothes. He took them off, and put on a set of clean clothes neatly folded by the pillow. He sat wordlessly on the edge of his bed.


    Ophelia didn''t move, but said, "Don''t you have anything to say?"


    Ophelia''s voice was light, as if she was talking to herself. Adam could feel that she was uneasy, like she was about to burst into a lot of emotions.


    Ophelia''s feelings wereplicated.


    She may be the Earl''s biological daughter, however she wasn''t happy. Her mother was amoner and her premature death had made her feel unloved. The Earl used Ophelia like she was some kind ofic relief.


    In the manor, she was doomed to an unhappy childhood. She felt no different from a servant, but because of her status, nobody dared to be her friend, other than the fool.


    He was the only warmth present in Ophelia''s eternal winter.


    When she turned ten, Ophelia''s powers erupted from within her. She couldn''t get close to the fool anymore, for fear that she may identally kill him. She made Adam her personal coachman so that he wouldn''t have to suffer.


    "Adam tell me. How does a fool like you do nothing for 16 years, only to master this breathing exercise without being taught, and possess such powerful mental power? Should I be happy that you''re this strong? Or should I be sad that you have been deceiving everyone?"


    And deceiving me too. Ophelia thought to herself.


    Adam could tell she was sad.


    "I..." He wasn''t used to speaking, "...from another world..."


    Ophelia was excited. She didn''t seem to be surprised, "This is a world where wizards and mages exists -- the Great Archmage Prometheus changed the world''s coordinates and sacrificed himself to ensure that no other creature can enter this world, and now you''re telling me that you''re from another world?"


    Adam''s eyes widened. The information that Ophelia revealed let him know that this world wasn''t that simple. Powerful people can change the world.


    Adam''s mental power shook the room, even shattering a ss within the room. Ophelia didn''t flinch, "Did I not make myself clear?"


    Adam didn''t really have an impression of her though. When he first came to this world it was difficult. The vast amounts of memories flooded his brain, and he would have had to cut off external contact to process these memories. The situation did not ease when he had to process the memories of the previous Adam when he was ten, and he discovered that that was when Ophelia distanced herself from him.**


    **[t/n: not sure what this line means, since I''m 99% sure he got isekai-ed into this world unless something got lost in trantion; I interpreted it as Adam had to process the previous Adam''s memories as well, so Ophelia leaving Adam alone scarred him, which in turn caused the previous Adam severe trauma.]


    Adam didn''t really care whether or not Ophelia believed him. It wasn''t really that important. Besides, he had now learnt that otherworldly creatures existed in this world.


    He didn''t predict that Ophelia would lose interest. She got up and left, "Forget it. You are strong, so don''t interfere with my two brothers. The Grand Mage will be arriving in a few days, and I will ensure that you will be chosen."


    This is for me,separating myself from you. Ophelia thought to herself.


    "Also! Don''t sign any contracts!" Ophelia left, leaving this final warning.


    Adam sat alone in the room, trying to process all this information. The medicine allowed his body to take in the surge of energy, and his physique was clearly stronger. He now also understood some fundamental principles of this world -- and most importantly that this world wasn''t as boring as he had thought.


    He had his doubts though. Magic seems to be a norm in this world, and strange energies exist as well. He went through his database and looked into the energies he recorded as Special Energy No.2 and Special Energy No.3 and analyzed the data from it. He came to the conclusion that there should be a medium that transfers this energy to the body, and he assumed that it used mental power as a bridge.


    [Existing conditions and technology are insufficient to observe this medium in order to analyze the true source of this energy.]


    He sighed but continued to practice his breathing exercise, and took in Special Energy No.3 to strengthen his body.


    This breathing exercise essentially draws out the potential of the human body, but if there isn''t a bnce and one consumes too much energy, it would lead to death.


    Adam concluded from Ophelia that mages are incredibly powerful in this world, and have the ability to rewrite the rules of the world.


    "Magic..." Adam said to himself.


    Adam stopped training. In under an hour, his body was overflowing with energy. He sighed and looked out the window. He was looking forward to the Grand Mage''s arrival.

 Chapter 6

    Morning came, and Adam continued his routine of feeding and cleaning the horses. However, after his work was done, he didn''t leave and continued training.


    He could control this power, and even found another use of this mental power. This energy allowed him to gain powerful perception and through that he could tell someone wasing.


    Ophelia walked over, as dazzling as ever.


    She came by to take her mount -- a war-unicorn she had named Dark Cloud.


    For Ophelia, this hybrid warhorse was unable to fight. It is only used as a means for transportation.


    Ophelia wordlessly left the stable while Adam left for the cafeteria.


    Ophelia rode Dark Cloud to the Northern Cold Maple City.


    She knew her father, the Earl, was a horrible person. He strictly abides to the lines between a nobleman and a knight, so she needs to break that line. If Ophelia didn''t ask, the Earl may force Adam to sign a contract, ordering Adam to give up his status as a coachman to be his own subordinate. However, if Adam loses the opportunity to be a mage, he may start to not trust her.


    Ophelia didn''t care that Adam may fall into Marshall''s and Dennis'' temptation. She knew the Earl would be the key to winning Adam over. She knew that the Earl wasn''t that strong, whenpared to her, and her two brothers were only ordinary humans. If Adam was unable to deal with them, then perhaps he would be better off as a knight rather than a mage.


    The Cold Maple City isrge. The Lord''s Mansion where the Earl lives is located at the very centre of Cold Maple.


    "Ophelia, what''s the matter with you?!" the Earl said. He looked majestic in his steel armour with his great sword.


    Opheliaughed. Her father spoke to her like she was a stranger.


    "My coachman, Adam. I need to take him to see the Grand Mage."


    The Earl was silent. He was surprised upon hearing that Adam caused a runaway energy effect yesterday, and he wasn''t happy.


    Although Adam works in his manor, Ophelia had previously ensured that he wouldn''t be tied to the manor, so he is a free man. If even the knights that they had trained since young were unable to reach Adam''s potential, then they could only be used as mercenaries. He thought of brainwashing Adam, but he knew it wouldn''t work.


    If he forces Adam to sign a contract, then there would be a strong bacsh as well.


    He couldn''t let Adam go like this though.


    "Ophelia, if you pass the test and leave, the family will suffer great losses." The Earl warned.


    Ophelia simply sneered, "Just as I thought. I am only like a piece of property to you."


    The Earl continued, "The loss of my daughter would be too much for the family to bear. You taking away another genius who would make a worthy knight? I cannot ept it. Think of the family. Adam was your ymate, no? Convince him to serve me."


    Ophelia snickered, "No. Adam is a free man, and you cannot influence him. Neither can you influence me to not be a mage."


    "You yourself should know the ''talents'' of your two sons. Your daughter is the real foundation of this wretched family."


    Especially after you die. However Ophelia did not say those final four words.


    The Earl stood up, coloured with rage. Ophelia stood her ground.


    He remained silent, ring at Ophelia. He gestured for her to leave, admitting that Ophelia was right. He knew that his two sons would not be able to rule over the Nortnd.


    "Oh Ophelia, why did you have to be born a girl?" he sighed.


    Ophelia had already left and mounted her steed. Dark Cloud was aware of its master''s troubled emotions, and neighed softly and pecked at her cheeks.


    Ophelia giggled and patted it, "Let''s leave."


    Meanwhile, at the cafeteria the atmosphere was strange.


    Adam still sat alone with food piled on his tray. He ate every single thing, leaving behind nothing. He needed to fuel his body.


    By Adam''s feet were servants who were on the ground with bruised noses and swollen faces, gasping for air. Joe, the bearded man,y like a corpse by the entrance, his heaving chest the sole evidence of him being alive.


    The medicine was really helpful to Adam, since it strengthened him to that of a normal man overnight, so Adam had to nurture his body by pumping it full of nutrients.


    Adam really had changed overnight -- Adam was often robbed of his food, but today, he robbed others of their food, and enjoyed his food peacefully.


    Every muscle in Adam''s body trembled with power, but he knew this food wouldn''t supply enough energy for his breathing exercise.


    He devoured thest piece of brown bread, and sat on a chair to perform his breathing exercises. The strange No. 3 Energy immediately rushed into his body, and a faint red light emitted from his body.


    The others were terrified -- they had never seen a knight grasp this power so quickly before, they realised the gap in power between them and Adam.


    After a mere five minutes, Adam''s body was overloaded with energy, and the energy obtained from the food was exhausted. Adam stood up, and the servants cowered in fear. They feared Adam might eat them, but were relieved when he simply left. "Curse this bastard," the servants would say.


    It''s not that Adam didn''t want to eat them either -- in his heart, he and the other servants were of a different world, so devouring the weak would be normal. He didn''t want to challenge universal values and suffer consequences, so he just left.


    Adam picked up his basket and sickle and walked out the manor once again.


    News spread quickly in the manor, and now, the fool that everyone once knew was suddenly a powerhouse.


    Eyes were on Adam constantly -- his former bullies cowered before him, and the guards at the gate quickly stepped aside to let him leave.


    He happened to bump into Ophelia, who had just returned. She looked him up and down and frowned, "You don''t need to feed the horses for me anymore."


    Adam stared at Ophelia and left into the wilderness.


    The manor got smaller behind Adam. He didn''t take his usual path, but instead went deeper into the wilderness. Snowkes fell from the sky, signifying the end of autumn, and dered the beginning of winter.


    Adam needs to hunt down every beast before winter falls.

 Chapter 7

    In the next two months, the Nortnd was nketed with snow and ice.


    Adam had stopped hunting half a month ago -- there weren''t any beasts left, so his hunt didn''t bear any fruit. His mental power aided his hunt almost too efficiently. Now there weren''t any small creatures left wandering the wilderness.


    Adam also became a tyrant in the cafeteria. All the meals prepared were eaten by Adam alone. The other servants had no choice but to eat elsewhere.


    The Earl seemed to have forgotten him, and never acknowledged his existence. However, his two sons kept pestering him. Marshall used his identity as the eldest son to order Adam to be loyal to him, promising riches in exchange ofAdam''s breathing technique; Dennis slyly promised to provide Adam with everything he needed to improve himself, including a monthly supply of medicine and the position as the future Lead Knight.


    Adam rejected them.He lost any interest in bing a knight as soon as he had acquired the knowledge of the existence of mages. He trained hard, and had realised that being a knight was inferior.


    He didn''t know if Ophelia had pulled any strings, since he didn''t encounter much trouble. However, both Marshall and Dennis were angry, but they held back their ws.


    One evening, Adam saw Ophelia again. She looked happy, and said to Adam cheerfully, "The Grand Mage arrived today."


    Adam exhaled heavily, and he was immediately surrounded by a red aura. The biting winds didn''t seem to phase him either, despite him wearing only a single shirt.


    Ophelia''s eyes shed with admiration. It had only been two months, and Adam had already grown incredibly strong.


    "Pack your bags. We''re leaving for Cold Maple City tomorrow for the Grand Mage''s qualification test." Ophelia ordered.


    A test? He couldn''t believe that there would be a public examination as well.


    Ophelia felt Adam''s doubt, and exined, "For some reason, the Grand Mage was supposed to arrive two months ago, but he postponed his trip and changed his grand ns into smaller ns. So, I proudly announce that tomorrow, to avoid wasting time, you and I will be personally tested by the Grand Mage in advance after dinner!" In reality, only Ophelia was allowed this privilege, but she didn''t care.


    Adam nodded, and indicated that he had nothing to pack. Ophelia rode on her steed, and Adam ran behind her towards the City.


    Cold Maple City was unimpressive to Adam. These cities aren''t as good as the ones back on Earth.


    After arriving at the Earl''s mansion, Adam was arranged to stay in one of the rooms, and the servants prepared dinner for him while Ophelia went to the main hall to attend dinner.


    Two hourster, Adam was notified to rush to the main hall. In the main hall was a man of ambiguous age. He wore clothes belonging to a noble and was talking to the Earl. Ophelia was nervous. Seeing Adam, she gestured to him to stand beside her.


    Adam could feel strong energy fluctuations in the Earl, which is the peak of a Knight''s power. However, he couldn''t feel any energy from the strange man -- he looked too ordinary.


    "The Grand Mage - ck Mage. Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Ophelia Johnson."


    The ck Mage nodded, then looked at Adam and Ophelia. Suddenly, violent mental power surged through the main hall.


    [Huge energy invasion detected. Autonomous defence system activated.] Adam''s systems responded instantly to deal with the surge in energy, but immediately crumbled.


    [Failure. Developing response n... no response n found.]


    Adam was frantic, but he could do nothing. Fortunately, the ck Mage withdrew his powers, "This boy -- your mental power is excellent. It''s hard to imagine someone looking so ordinary like you would be so powerful. You would be a great addition to my apprentices."


    Ophelia stood shaking with fear, and the ck Mage chuckled, "Don''t be afraid, I heard the Earl said you had extraordinary talent. Show me."


    Ophelia regained her senses and took violent breaths into her body. Her body was immediately soaked with sweat, her blonde hair stered onto her back.


    The ck Mage continued, "Bing my apprentice requires two conditions -- first, extraordinary mental power. Second..." He then stretched out his finger to draw several strokes of light in the air, and bright runes were suspended in the air. "The base of learning spells is knowledge of the spells, and the base of applying these spells is also these runes. This is the easiest rune, so draw it out using your mental power, and embed it into your soul."


    It may not beplicated, but it wasn''t easy to copy. For Adam, the main difficulty was the amount of mental power needed to replicate it; for Ophelia, the difficulty was keeping it in her soul.


    Adam stared at the rune, and memorised the symbol to keep within his database. Adam copied all the threads hundreds of times, at the same time, and his mental power was recharged. His fingers moved like light, and the amount of mental power contained in a single rune was toorge.


    The ck Mage stared at Adam with admiration. He may have broken away from society, but he admired how strong Adam''s potential was. He could have given Adam a harder rune, but gatekeeping knowledge was important for mages, as it is one of their core values.


    "If I was as talented as you, I wouldn''t have wasted eighty years bing an apprentice."


    An hourter, Opheliapleted her rune and left it in her soul, "Grand Mage, I have finished."


    The ck Mage smiled. His Mage Academy will be saved after all. "Your father was right, you do have talent. Keep it up and you''ll be a mage in no time."


    The Earl sighed in relief.


    "Then, Grand Mage ck, what about..." the Earl nced at Adam, secretly excited that Adam may not have the potential to be a mage.


    The ck Mage understood his foul intentions and corrected, "He has greater talent. Do not be impatient. He is bound to seed."


    The ck Mage knew this as a fact. As Adam had such high mental power, it is harder for him to copy a simple rune. He needs to thin down his power outfit to form the rune. Thanks to his artificial intelligence, Adam found the exact value of mental power needed to draw the rune out perfectly.


    Unlike Ophelia, he didn''t feel a sense of aplishmentpleting the rune.


    The Earl was disappointed.


    The ck Mage got up, "Congrattions on passing the test. From now on, you have be an apprentice. Tomorrow,e to the Moldo Mage Academy with me."


    "Both of your aptitudes were excellent, but do not be obsessed with it. To truly be a Grand Mage, you have to seek out knowledge, and use it to change the world and discover hidden truths. Knowledge is the most valuable asset to a Wizard."


    Adam and Ophelia bowed, "Yes, Grand Mage ck."


    The Mage was about to leave, but Adam asked, "Excuse me, but what is this rune for?"


    The Mage stopped, "Is this really the question you want to ask me?"


    "Yes."

 Chapter 8

    Ophelia was interested in this as well. It was her first time seeing a rune like this that was conjured using only mental strength.


    The ck Mage drew the rune once again, and exined, "Runes are thenguage of magic, the foundation for mages to cast spells. If there aren''t any fixed runes, how would mages be sure of the spells they cast? What kind of runes would be formed?"


    He continued, smiling, "Most mages simply copy runebinations from other mages, and apply it with their own understanding of it.-- With your ownprehension, the spell bes yours. Just like learning."


    Adam expressed his gratitude. Seems like spells are just like a program -- mages are the developers and users, while the runes are codingnguages. Developers create the spells, while users can only use it.


    "Then, Miss Ophelia, do you have any questions of your own?"


    Ophelia was mesmerised at the thought of being a mage, and asked, "How can I be a real mage?"


    "There aren''t any fixed paths to bing a mage, Miss Ophelia," The ck Mage exined. "Essentially, it is detaching from the soul and life. Finding your own path, basking yourself in knowledge, and engraving it into your very soul -- this is how you be a mage." The ck Mage was rather vague, because there aren''t any set ways to be a mage.


    Besides, The ck Mage thought to himself. The two questions they posed are rted, it is only a matter of time before they figure it out.


    "Rest now. You maye and look at tomorrow''s official test if you''d like, and perhaps you may find somepanions. Personal advice? The path to bing a mage shouldn''t be lonely. A person''s wisdom has limitations, after all," he said before leaving.


    Ophelia and Adam scratched their heads and left to rest.


    Adam stayed awake all night, sitting on the bed, and studied every word that The ck Mage had said. He focused his mental strength, and conjured up the simple rune.


    If this rune was like a single program, Adam''s mental strength was like data. If Adam wanted to improve, then he had to optimise the program.


    [Established mission: Developrger-capacity rune structures.]


    The rune was shaped like an 2D-hourss -- a ne with no concept of volume.


    Adam carefully analysed the shape, and sketched out the rune at the speed of one rune per minute. In a single night, he sketched out nearly 500 runes, but he found that they were of no use to him. If Adam''s total mental strength was 100, then these runes could only harbour less than 0.1 of his mental strength. He needed to develop a more efficient rune structure.


    However, he cannot do so in a single night, but he wasn''t in a hurry. He was happy, and he wasn''t afraid of encountering problems. Problems are usually the sign that he was on the correct path, so he was rest assured.


    Morning came, and Adam stopped practising when he heard the hustle and bustle outside the mansion. News travelled fast, and everyone knew that Adam wasn''t just a simple coachman anymore.


    Adam ate, and Ophelia sat beside him mid-meal, "Did you practice against night?"


    He nodded.


    She was excited, and talked to Adam as if he was a long-lost friend, "I''ve drawn nearly a hundred runes, and I could feel my mental strength improving. Seems like practising magic reduces fatigue! I practised all night and I don''t even feel tired!"


    Adam was silent, but Ophelia continued rambling, "After you left, The ck Mage left me with some news too!"


    Adam continued chewing his food, and Ophelia was angry that he was ignoring her, "Aren''t you curious?"


    Adam continued eating and said, "Your heart rate is 60% faster. You are abnormally excited."


    Ophelia froze. Is she crazy?


    Adam continued, "As for the news, you don''t have to share it with me if you don''t want to."


    Ophelia sighed in relief. She knew she was acting weird, but she couldn''t restrain her joy of departing from her boring life.


    And Adam was more pleasing to the eye to her, so she decided to let go of her ego and talk with Adam.


    Ophelia is only sixteen after all. Teenagers should be lively.


    Ophelia didn''t care, and rambled, "Do you know why The ck Mage decided to change his ns to a smaller one? And why did he specifically choose such a barren location in the Nortnds to conduct it?"


    Adam was slightly interested, but he had doubts. Although The ck Mage looked kind, it was clear that he was indifferent to other humans. He knew it wasn''t arrogance and prejudice, but they were simply too different to rte to each other.


    Perhaps to the ck Mage mortals were not the same as himself.


    But why would a powerful mage like him suddenly take apprentices in?


    Ophelia smiled upon seeing Adam''s curiosity, and whispered, "A year ago, the Moldo Mage Academy had a war with the Monte Carlo Mage Academy -- they were evenly matched, but just two months ago, the Monte Carlo Academy suddenly defeated the Moldo Academy! They lost most of their apprentices, and the remaining apprentices had their circle of influence invaded, so the ck Mage wants to personally select some apprentices to join him."


    Adam was a little shocked. He was surprised that there was still war between mages, "Was it just a war between apprentices?"


    Ophelia shook her head, "Of course not. There were mages that fell too. Enough of that, let''s get to the good news!"


    Suddenly, the ck Mage entered the dining hall and continued Ophelia''s conversation, "Due to the death of arge number of elite mage apprentices, the official mages of the academy will personally select disciples from this new batch of apprentices, so this is a great chance. If you are selected as a disciple, then bing a Mage will be way easier."


    Adam and Ophelia quickly stood up and bowed, and the ck Mage waved his hands and said, "Let''s go select some apprentices, then."


    Ophelia wanted to say something, "The Great ck Mage, I..."


    He didn''t look back, and said, "The official mages are very careful in choosing disciples. You must be incredibly knowledgeable in the academy and have a slight grasp of your chosen path before gaining the favour of the mages. Besides, every mage has a different path to take, so you may not even be chosen."


    The ck Mage had lived incredibly long, and highlighted that talent was never the basis to bing a mage. It may help, but wisdom and knowledge are the key.


    Ophelia was disappointed. She thought she could gain some favour, but the ck Mage wasn''t that shallow.


    Adam agreed with the ck Mage. He doesn''t even know what path he will be taking, and without the guidance of someone with experience, simply providing resources would not be useful.


    Ophelia regained herposure and put on her noble front. She could be friendly to Adam, but she could also change at any time.


    Outside the main hall, many people awaited the ck Mage, alongside their anxious family members. This was the best opportunity for the poor to change their fate and countless preparations were made. Many vowed to be an apprentice.

 Chapter 9

    Everyone''s eyes were affixed on the ck Mage. Nobody dared to speak, for fear that they may offend him.


    Adam and Ophelia were given the privilege to stand beside him.


    Everyone knew who Ophelia was. She is the famed Valkyrie in the Johnson family.


    "She must have been chosen personally by the ck Mage," the crowd envied.


    They didn''t know who Adam was though. He had clothes fit for a noble, so they thought that he was the son of an unknown noble.


    The ck Mage took out a wless, transparent crystal ball and ced it on the table, and ordered, "Come. ce your hands on the crystal ball, and focus your mental strength onto the ball. If the crystal ball is filled, then you have the qualifications of a basic mage. If the crystal ball lights up, then it means you are excellent."


    The crowd hesitated. This ball determines their fate.


    The ck Mage could sense their apprehension and said, "Adam, demonstrate."


    Adam stepped forward, expressionless, and ced both his hands on the crystal ball.


    The change was almost immediate. The ball was filled and shone with a dazzling white light. Slight explosive sounds could be heard within the ball, and the crowd shielded themselves.


    "Huh?" The ck Mage was confused at their reactions, but continued, "That''s enough Adam."


    Adam took note of the ck Mage''s tone of speech and stood back in his ce quietly. Ophelia wanted to try it as well.


    But the ck Mage simply continued, "Enough. Let''s start with you."


    He pointed at a random timid boy with freckles on his face. The boy was petrified, but still gathered some courage and stepped forward.


    He ced his hands on the crystal ball and clenched his entire body. He exhausted his supply of mental strength, and even his face was flushed from theck of oxygen. However, the crystal ball was barely filled.


    The boy''s face contorted in horror upon opening his eyes. He knew it was over for him.


    Silence.


    After a while, the ck Mage announced, "Next."


    The boy slumped to the ground, knees limp, weeping. His parents helped him up, and he was inconsble. The ck Mage had no sympathy for him.


    Each teenager was given 15 minutes to channel their mental strength in the ball, but after three hours, not a single one had the basic qualifications of a mage.


    Many started to sob in the main hall.


    "Let me."


    A sudden voice sounded. Adam didn''t care, he was busy analysing the runes in his brain, but Ophelia was surprised.


    It was a girl with curly brows and vibrant eyes. She was amoner among the crowd of nobles, and had stepped forward.


    The crystal ball was filled in less than five minutes. She was the first person to have the qualifications of a mage.


    The ck Mage nodded in satisfaction.


    Just as he was about to speak, the crystal ball lit up. The girl was bathed in soft light. This meant that she had excellent qualifications.


    The ck Mage was admittedly surprised and pped, "Congrattions. Tell me your name?"


    "Crystal."


    "Crystal! How fitting. Stand behind me and wait for the second round of testing. Don''t worry, it isn''t difficult."


    The ck Mage was surprisingly friendly. Not even Adam and Ophelia experienced this friendliness, and they were much stronger than Crystal. Adam could tell there was an underlying reason.


    Crystal''s sess in lighting up the crystal ball had cast doubt on the remaining people. They assured themselves that, at least they had a representative among themoners.


    The sky soon turned dark, and only three more people had basic qualifications. They failed to light the crystal ball up, however they were satisfied.


    Soon everyone left and the ck Mage continued to the second test. He drew the rune that he had drawn previously.


    He chose this rune as it was the foundation of spells. They may be fast or slow learners, but they could surely conjure this rune.


    Adam remained silent, focusing on optimising this rune,


    "When can I learn magic?"


    "Can I go home to see my parents after bing a mage?"


    "Where is the academy?"


    The teenagers were obviously excited, and blurted out these questions.


    Crystal wanted to ask a question too, but the ck Mage reminded, "In the wizarding world, the privilege of asking unlimited questions like this doesn''t exist. Save your silly questions for important ones."


    The four teenagers immediately hid their faces. They felt like they had lost a great opportunity.


    Crystal was grateful though. She knew that not every mage would be as forgiving as the ck Mage.


    "ck Mage, when I removed my hand from the crystal ball, it lit up. Why?"


    Adam blinked. The reason for the ck Mage''s friendliness must be sourced from the crystal ball lighting up.


    The ck Mage smiled, "This crystal ball is the masterpiece of an alchemist, its called the Talent Tester. It identifies the inherent talent within a person, and shows the potential growth of their mental strength. The light showed me your traits, and it told me you were kind."


    He continued, "Adam''s light was explosive. I am unable to interpret it. There are too many ways to be a mage."


    Adam knew he was raining on Crystal''s parade.


    He continued, "You are different from Adam though. Adam''s natural talent is the strongest I have ever seen. With some effort, it isn''t difficult for him to be a full-fledged mage in no time. However, take this as a lesson -- there isn''t a fixed way to be a mage. Choose your own path."


    Crystal bowed, "Thank you esteemed ck Mage."


    Ophelia was anxious. She wanted to know what her light meant.


    The Earl entered the main hall -- perhaps he wanted to make amends with his daughter, so he asked the ck Mage, "Dear ck Mage, can you tell me what my daughter''s light means? I''d be willing to pay for a small energy vein for the news."


    However, in the wizarding world there are strict definitions for ''small'', ''medium'', and rge''. Mages do not like to be taken advantage of, "I am happy to serve but..."

 Chapter 10

    "...maybe Ophelia herself can test it out."


    Ophelia stepped forward and pressed her hands on the crystal ball. Strangely, her crystal ball radiated with a red and ck light.


    Ophelia was worried.


    She panicked and pressed at the crystal ball again, only for it to remain ck and red. She turned pale, "What is the meaning of this?"


    "It''s alright Miss Ophelia," the ck Mage waved his hand gently, and a light breeze pushed Ophelia away from the crystal ball. He didn''t want her to destroy the crystal ball.


    Ophelia was at a loss, pleading, "Dear ck Mage, let me try again, it shouldn''t be like that..."


    The ck Mage signalled her to be calm, "Do not panic, Miss Ophelia. There are many ways to be a mage. This doesn''t indicate anything."


    Then, he turned to the Earl, "Two-fifths of the value of a small energy vein, please."


    "As you wish."


    Adam recorded the ck Mage''s words. He analysed the data and concluded that mages adhere to the principle of fair trade.


    This is good. This means that mages have evolved to the stage of civilization.


    The ck Mage continued, "Most mages tend to have a select element, but elements aren''t key to a mage, either. Miss Ophelia may have talents different from elemental magic -- she could be a Body Refinement Master."


    "Elemental mages pursue the core of nature, engraving knowledge into our souls. As the soul is strengthened, the body is strengthened as well. Refiners pursue knowledge, like mages, but they apply this knowledge to the body instead. "


    "Since Miss Ophelia has a clear path, she wouldn''t need to spend much time as an apprentice. However, there are some disadvantages -- refiners need a huge number of resources, and even with your wealth, it wouldn''t be enough."


    Adam didn''t understand. How does a refiner refine their own body?


    The Earl had the same doubts too, "Respected ck Mage, what are these resources?"


    The ck Mage smiled, "I''ll answer this for free. Power stones are the lowest-level resources avable to mages, but they are difficult to obtain. It''s the tissue of arge number of high-level creatures from an alien ne. And, well, it''s too far away for any human to reach."


    He stopped and ordered, "You have one night to pack your bags and bid farewell to your families. Tomorrow morning, we set off for Moldo Academy."


    The Earl signalled Ophelia to stay behind, and guided the mage to rest.


    The teenagers mingled with each other. The three male apprentices were Mike Gast, Henry Hugh, and Sam Aiden. Crystal and Adam didn''t have any surnames though.


    They were all curious about Adam, but held their questions. They had never heard of a noble like him, but the ck Mage made it clear that he had the greatest talent among the five. It''s better to keep a good rtionship with him.


    "I''m Adam," he said tly.


    They waited for his surname.


    "I''m amoner. I have no surname."


    The smiles of the three male teenagers stiffened. Amoner? Crystal got in by luck, but Adam too?


    Crystal smiled. She instinctively hates nobles, but now she has apanion to rte to.


    The three males mentally drew a line between them and Adam. They didn''t express it physically though.


    Crystal left to bid farewell to her family.


    The three male teenagers continued to discuss among themselves. How could amoner live in the mansion? They saw Adam leave to go to the mansion''s inner chambers, and no servants were allowed in there.


    They decided to leave to ask their fathers. Perhaps they would have a better idea of who Adam is.


    Adam stayed in his room, while the Earl awkwardly converses with Ophelia.


    "Congrattions on bing an apprentice. Do I call you the Great Mage Ophelia Johnson now?"


    "Johnson, you say," she snickered sarcastically. She didn''t feel like family.


    The Earl didn''t care. All he cared about was that Ophelia had his surname.


    "Two-fifths of the ie we get from the energy lode will be handed over to the ck Mage, so I can track your record from here. The remaining three-fifths will be given to you as ie. I will mobilise manpower to find more of these energy lords."


    Ophelia was silent.


    "I let Crystal in. I predict that Crystal may get preferential treatment. Befriend her, she seems kind, she would surely be of great help to you."


    Ophelia frowned.


    "Don''t stick around Adam too much. He is as emotionless as that mage."


    Ophelia frowned again, "I didn''t ask!"


    The Earl continued, "Look into your heart. Do what is best for you."


    Ophelia remained silent.


    "It''s fine. If you can give Adam the resources he needs, then he will do what is needed of him," the Earl exined.


    "I too made a deal with the ck Mage. I could have easily driven out the other apprentices, but I let them stay. Conquer them, use them by any means to get to the top."


    "Congrattions, by the way," he then left the main hall without looking back at Ophelia.


    Ophelia was in a sombre mood.


    If it was Adam, he would''ve told her that humans are burdened by emotions and desires, but she wasn''t with Adam.


    The night was silent.


    Morning came and the five apprentices gathered outside the mansion with mixed moods, and the ck Mage announced, "Let us depart."

 Chapter 11

    The five apprentices wondered how the ck Mage would take them to the academy, perhaps using some mysterious tool none of them have heard of, or maybe he would be using some kind of transportation magic; they couldn''t help but be amazed when their feet started to lift off the ground.


    Flying is one of the many dreams of mankind. Today, the apprentices get to live that dream.


    "Let''s go then," the ck Mage said, and everyone, alongside their luggage, levitated off the ground then shot off towards the South in an instant.


    The bystanders were stunned -- they were speechless, then screamed frantically. They weren''t exposed to the world of magic, and needed to vent out their confusion.


    The Earl could hear themotion outside, and instructed Knight Wynn and Knight Wright, "Disperse the crowd and restore order among them."


    The two knights left to appease the crowd, but Knight Wright sighed, "It''s different this time."


    The people in the manor felt weird after hearing about Adam and Ophelia''s departure. Marshall and Dennis were jealous, but relieved; Joe, the Bearded Man, sat on the ground with a nk expression.


    Meanwhile in the stables, Ophelia''s horse, Dark Cloud, drove off every single servant that tried to feed it and kept mming its hoof on the wooden fence. Eventually, it broke free from the reins and smashed through the wooden door. Nobody dared to stop it, and the horse rushed out the gate and disappeared, neighing towards the South.


    In the sky, the ck Mage was expressionless. All the apprentices except for Adam were trembling, for fear they might fall to their deaths.


    Adam didn''t have the concept of fear in him, and swept his hand below him. He felt ayer of a strange membrane under their feet. He concluded that this membrane not only supported their flight but also shielded them from the strong winds.


    The other apprentices stared at Adam. They gathered their courage upon seeing him move about freely. The joy of flight quickly overshadowed their initial fear and they studied the membrane curiously.


    "Is this magic? This is amazing!" Crystal eximed in excitement.


    "I guess," the ck Mage answered. "This is simply my knowledge of magic so ites naturally. There isn''t a need to conjure a rune for something trivial like flying."


    His exnation fell on deaf ears, though Adam listened closely. He understood that flying was like a derivative of a program -- as long as the program was constructed it woulde naturally to him.


    The ck Mage muttered, "The world of mages is vast, it gets bigger day by day. Official mages canmunicate and travel through portals, but your feeble bodies won''t be able to withstand that kind of magical pressure, so I''m bringing all of you to the South in a slower way so all of you can adapt to the high magic environment."


    Many couldn''t understand what he was saying, but nodded anyway. Adam blinked. When he said that the mage world `gets bigger'', could it be...


    Adam looked at the ground and found that the world here wasn''t spherical! The world of mages is actually t!


    Ophelia asked, "Dear ck Mage, what do you mean when you said the mage world is getting bigger?"


    The ck Mage answered it for free, "You''ll get a detailed exnation when you arrive at the academy. I assume all of you have heard of Prometheus, the True Spirit Archmage and the Guardian of our world?"


    Everyone nodded.


    "About 20,000 years ago, the Mage World was just a small ne. The mages fought each other for limited resources, but even then the resources were still too scarce and the Mage World declined rapidly. Then came Prometheus, who changed the essence of our world by blessing it with great knowledge stopping the internal consumption via external plunder, and supplemented the ne with an incredible spell, which is the glory of the destroyers of the nes today."


    "[nar Sacrifice]... that is the forbidden spell that was used. Even I can''t grasp the principles of that spell," the ck Mage said with admiration.


    The apprentices were fascinated, and they couldn''t imagine the power that magesmand. They couldn''t help looking forward to bing a mage.


    The ck Mage saw that they were used to the feeling of flight, and said "I''m going to speed up now, we need to get to the South before the sun sets to meet with the other guides of the academy."


    They suddenly shot forward, breaking the sound barrier.


    Adam used his mental strength to observe the membrane, and found that it turned from a hemisphere to a smooth and aerodynamic shape to aid in flight which amazed Adam. Some things remain constant even in different worlds.


    They eventually moved at a constant speed, and the rapid winds deafened them.


    "Seems like it''s about Mach 3 now..." Adam muttered to himself, amazed. Magic left his entire system in awe, and he couldn''t help but think how all of this was possible without relying on tools or technology to reach this level of speed with ease.


    After nearly three hours of flying, the pastures beneath them gradually changed from nkets of snow to a lush green and magnificent blue.


    It''s hard to imagine how big the world of mages is. Listening to the ck Mage, the Northernnds seemed to be an ind -- to get to the Mage continent, you needed to take a boat, but due to the limitations of ordinary people and their miniscule lifespan, they would be trapped in one ce all their lives.


    At noon, several people took food out from their baggage. Adam didn''t bring any, but he wasn''t hungry either. The energy he stored in his body was enough to sustain him for three days if he remained motionless. Ophelia, on the other hand, didn''t require food.


    The ck Mage didn''t need to eat, or even breathe, to live.


    Even if they didn''t know that the ck Mage didn''t need food, they wouldn''t offer their food to the ck Mage either. Crystal saw Adam alone with no food, so she floated to Adam and pointed at her burger.


    Adam stared at her.


    Crystal thought that Adam didn''t know what she meant, and shouted, "I can share my food with you! This is what my mother prepared for me this morning -- there''s meat inside!"


    Adam didn''t ept, "Thank you, but there''s no need. I am a knight, after all. I don''t really need to eat."


    Adam''s tone was gentle, so Crystal wasn''t offended, but she still thought that Adam looked down upon her, thinking thatmoner food was disgusting.


    "So, you''re a knight! Just like Miss Ophelia," she said, looking at Ophelia with admiration. Polite and noble! "Must be nice being perfect," she muttered with envy.


    Crystal then ate alone.


    Ophelia heard the conversation between the two, and remembered what the Earl had said to herst night.


    She can''t possibly ignore Adam.


    Ophelia distracted herself with the wind, and came to a revtion.


    "I feel like I''m losing something, like a pet. Perhaps it is my status as a noble that makes me angry whenever I lose something," Opheliaughed to herself sarcastically.


    Even if Adam could hear Ophelia''s thoughts, she knew that he wouldn''t care.


    About two hourster while staring at the blue ocean beneath him Adam could see glimpses of a city.


    After another half an hour, the ck Mage slowed down and graduallynded. This city was huge; it was far more prosperous than Cold Maple -- all kinds of ships lined up in the harbour, and none of them had any sails.


    "That''s for sure," Adam studied, "This world is too huge, so it wouldn''t be possible for them to travel using sails anyways."


    Some apprentices fell uponnding, and the surrounding crowd backed away to give them space.


    The ck Mage announced to his apprentices, "Let us rest here and wait for the other mages of the academy. During this time, you''re free to stay in the Duke''s Mansion or just explore, but don''t go too far -- if you''rete, nobody will wait for you."

 Chapter 12

    Everyone wanted to explore the bustling city, except for Adam. It was certainly more modern than Cold Maple City


    However their ns were interrupted. The gates of the Duke''s Mansion opened, and a group of people walked out.


    The duke was a middle-aged man, and he walked up to the ck Mage and performed the standard noble greetings, "Respected ck Mage, wee," he then moved to hug the other six apprentices, "Little apprentices, wee."


    Everyone gestured their greetings back, and the dukeughed, "Everyone came just in time! Come. Preparations for dinner have just started, and the other mages and apprentices have just arrived."


    The ck Mage smiled, "That''s good. That means I can leave early. I''m a little tired."


    The Duke frowned, "That quick? I have many questions to ask!"


    "Yeah. As you know, the academy is in a hurry..."


    They spoke as they walked, and soon reached the banquet hall. Many people were already sitting at a huge round table. Two men and a woman were sitting at the head and tail of the table respectively. When they saw the ck Mage they all stood up and greeted him. "Master ck! You are a littlete."


    The ck Mage greeted them one by one, "Master Robert, Master Jerome and the Beautiful Master Erin, you must know that I was in charge of the far North -- it is inevitable that I would bete."


    Adam and the others bowed to the three mages before them and took their seats. Excluding them, there were 34 apprentices in the room, all of whom were about the same age, but they seemed repelled by Adam''s party''s presence.


    The duke returned, dressed in a gorgeous gown. He stood by the door, instructing his servants to serve the food that Adam could only wish to afford.


    Ophelia''s expression turned sour upon seeing the food. Her father fell incredibly shortpared to the Duke.


    Crystal and the other three apprentices were stunned. Crystal was amoner, and the other three were just minor nobles. They had never seen such a luxurious banquet.


    The Duke announced the start of the banquet with a booming voice, and he sat with the mages. The apprentices were served by the servants.


    Sam Aiden gulped in awe.


    Adam wasn''t focusing on the food. In the North, both the nobles andmoners used oilmps for light, but in the South, the lighting was simr to electricmps, but he couldn''t find the source of electricity.


    "Could this be alchemy? Or magic?" Adam thought.


    "Aw, have you never seen a dinner party like this? I guess it''s no surprise considering all six of you are from the North. How is it like living with beasts? What a pity. Enjoy this meal, you won''t be able to eat like this for the rest of your lives," somebody jeered.


    The North apprentices angrily turned their heads to look at who taunted them -- it was a young man with well oiled hair and a fair and pale face, with his hair majesticallybed back. He slowly fiddled with his food and mocked, "Why are you looking at me? Am I wrong? Hah! Let me apologise. The civilised world must be foreign to you."


    Sam Aiden stood up and said angrily, "Tell me your name and apologise sincerely, or suffer the wrath of the Aiden family."


    The young man snickered, "The Aiden family? I have never heard of them. Did you rely on word of mouth for your noble status?"


    The duke and the mages simply said, "Don''t break anything." They didn''t really care about themotion.


    Most of the apprentices watched, waiting for the Northerners to make a fool of themselves.


    Sam Aiden put on his gloves and growled, "Tell me your name coward."


    Adam was a little puzzled. Even Marshall and Dennis weren''t this reckless. Why is he being so stupid?


    Even Ophelia spoke up, "Isn''t that funny? You dare to insult us, but dare not to give us your name. I never knew cowards lived among nobles."


    Sam Aiden smiled at Ophelia, and became more confident, and threw his gloves on the young man''s face, "Duel me, coward. Only one survives."


    The young man swiped the glove off his oily face, and looked to hispanions for support, but not a single one of them paid him any attention.


    Another young man stood up, "Tom, enough. You''re amoner acting as if you were a noble. Sit down and apologise."


    The young man named Tom shivered in disbelief, "No, Mr. William, listen, I just wanted to teach these country bumpkins a lesson. No... I... listen... please..."


    Meanwhile, at the Mages'' table, the Mages discussed the scene before them, "That must be William Alfred, the Duke''s son. The most dazzling genius of the South -- excellent mental strength, and has an affinity for fire magic," Mage Erin discussed, sipping her wine. "Congrattions, Duke Alfred. Your son is more powerful than you, and it is very likely he''ll take the title of a formal mage in your family."


    The duke smiled, "It is my pleasure. He has a lot to learn."


    Mage Erin ignored him and asked herpanions, "How about you? Did any of you find any other good apprentices?"


    Mage Robert, who was in charge of the West,ined, "It''s too rushed -- there isn''t time to organise arger-scale test. They are all too ordinary, and only one of the apprentices seems talented in curses."


    The other mages frowned, since curse magic has fallen out of favour of most mages since the Mage Revolution. Curse magic is too narrow and niche.


    Mage Jerome, who was in charge of the east, updated, "The east isn''t that bad. There are a few who have incredibly strong mental strength, and somebody named Quentin has the talent for life and healing magic."


    "What about you, ck? The North is too barren, so it must have been impossible for you to get any good apprentices?"


    The mages were busy conversing, not noticing the growing conflict between the apprentices.


    Ophelia could see William Alfred''s thoughts. He really only stood up to smooth things out, which was incredibly distasteful of him. Ophelia stood up and said, "So, you let amoner insult noblemen like us? Is this a custom in the South? Now that Sam Aiden hasunched a duel, thismoner can either ept or be our ve."


    Tom was petrified and trembled in his seat, "Mr. William, please, I can''t..."


    William ignored him this time. He agreed with Ophelia silently.


    "This beautifuldy, may I know your name?" William asked Ophelia, bowing slightly.


    "Ophelia Johnson."


    "I''ve heard of you, you''re the fabled Valkyrie of the North! It''s an honour to meet you," he said, pulling a ring from his pocket. "This is a magic item, and you''ll be able to conjure a low-levelled fireball with this. I think this should be enough to make up for Tom''s wrongdoing."


    Oh.


    Nobody expected William to offer this aspensation.


    Nobody could resist obtaining a magic item right away, and Sam forgave Tom in an instant, looking at Ophelia for approval. She nodded.


    Seeing this, William smiled, "It''s settled then."


    Sam excitedly put the ring on, but found that it didn''t fit him. He frowned, but handed the ring to Ophelia, "Miss Ophelia, I think this ring suits you better."


    Although Ophelia was eager, she didn''t want the ring, so she shook her head.


    The conflict swiftly ended thanks to William. Meanwhile, the ck Mage spoke to the other mages, "I was lucky, really. Although I only managed to recruit six apprentices, three of them have immense talent -- Ophelia has talent in Body Refining, Crystal has the same talent as me, and as for Adam... I can''t figure out what it is but he is extremely powerful."


    The mages congratted him. The Dean of the Academy will pay them ording to the number of talents recruited, so it is better than nothing.


    The Duke remained silent upon hearing this, though.

 Chapter 13

    The Duke had also been an apprentice from Moldo Mage Academy, but he had failed to be an official mage, so he gave up and came to this ind to be a nobleman. He hoped that at least his children would be able to be real mages and realise his dream.


    Because of his prior experience, he understands the importance of qualifications during the apprenticeship stage. He knows that although the official mages think that inherent talent is useless, and that knowledge is the most useful tool to mages, he knows that they are only saying that simply because they are stronger, so they look at things in a different way.


    After dinner, the Duke told his son the other apprentices that the mages at the table had pointed out, and reminded that he should try to get close to them to aid in his apprenticeship.


    Meanwhile, the Northerners gathered together restlessly. They wanted to study the magic ring that William had given to Sam Aiden.


    "We haven''t even mastered conjuring runes yet, can we cast spells?" Crystal said, excited but hesitating.


    Adam was incredibly interested in this ring, and said, "It must be possible. This ring is like a crossbow with arrows installed. We don''t need to know the working principle of a crossbow, since all we need to do is pull the trigger. I guess the trigger in this case is our mental strength."


    Sam Aiden blushed with excitement that he had obtained such a treasure the moment he entered thisnd, but offered, "Miss Ophelia, please try the ring out."


    Ophelia shook her head, and motioned for Sam to try the ring out, but Adam interjected, "Let me test it."


    Sam felt solidarity with Adam after today, since both of them are Northerners. He generously handed the ring and said, "Of course, try it."


    The ring was gold, iid with a ruby gemstone, emitting a weak light under the night.


    If William was right, there should be a set of runes arranged in the ring. Adam studied the ring closely, and pondered, "Is a spell activated by mental strength, or another type of energy?"


    [Detected the existence of Special Energy No.2.]


    Adam smiled. Sure enough, his mental strength only exists as a transmission channel, and this special energy that he hadbelled is the one that activates the spell, which is a higher-level energy generated by the interaction between his own mental strength and an unknown source of energy.


    "The rune that we learnt is equivalent to meditation. It strengthens our mental power until it is strong enough to connect to a medium and carry a higher energy thates with it."


    Adam mumbled. He got the word ''meditation'' from the information obtained from his previous world. Most of this data was ssified as junk data.


    Ophelia and the others were surprised that Adam hade to a conclusion in such a short time. They thought he was simply trying to find a way to activate the ring.


    To demonstrate, Adam tried to input his mental power into the ring while studying the rune arrangement to cast a fireball.


    When his power infused into the gem, their surroundings became incredibly hot, and everyone was terrified.


    Adam hurriedly aimed his hand towards the sky, and a secondter, a basketball-sized fireball shot out into the sky, then exploded.


    [Temperature: 1000 Degrees Celsius, equivalent to magma.]


    The ring dimmed after the fireball was shot out, and everyone looked at the ring in disbelief. It was hard to imagine that such a powerful fireball was shot out from this tiny ring, and what was terrifying was that this was the lowest level magic that they could possibly cast.


    "Is this the power of magic? It''s amazing!" This was the first time that they have truly seen magic.


    "No wonder mages don''t pay any attention to knights -- I''m afraid even knights won''t be able to withstand a fireball like this!"


    Ophelia nodded, "If you get hit, you die."


    Sam Aiden looked at the ring, worried. He was worried that the ring was simply a one-time use ring.


    "The runes for the fireball spell are encrypted within the ring, so it cannot be copied effectively," Adam exined. "However, it isn''t a one-time use ring, but there is definitely a cooldown to it. I suspect that mental power can speed up the cooldown to a certain extent."


    Everyone became envious of Sam Aiden for possessing such a powerful magic item, but Adam turned back to his room to study what he has learnt today.


    "The power of the fireball lies in its extremely high temperature, so the role of the runes in the ring should be to increase the fireball''s temperature. However, the oxygen levels in the air did not change drastically, so what fueled the fireball?"


    Adam pondered alone, and after analysing the data, concluded that this mysterious Special Energy No. 2 was the cause of it -- mastery of this mysterious energy may be the reason why mages are able to cast all sorts of spells.


    "The sample size is too small. I won''t be able to figure it out."


    Adam saved the hypothesis to his database though. Without enough data to support it, it is only spection. The only thing he can do now Is optimise his initial rune and maximise it to strengthen his own mental power.


    With his incredibly advancedputing system, Adam experimented with new structures of runes every second. Although most of them were not stable, he believes he will find a suitable one in due time -- a stable rune that matches the output power of mental power.


    None of the apprentices in the Nortnd slept a wink. After seeing magic first-hand, they were incredibly excited, and used all of their spare time to practice. Fortunately, practising reces sleep, and they would still feel energised.


    At breakfast, the Northerners received apletely different reception fromst night. Most of them started being friendly with them, and even William came to chat with enthusiasm. Crystal was incredibly ttered, but Adam and Ophelia remained indifferent.


    "We are leaving the Southern Seaport today to go to the Mage Continent. Unless you be a true Mage, it will be difficult for all of us to return to our hometown," William didn''t care about their indifference and announced. He politely said goodbye and left.


    "He seems graceful," Crystal said.


    Everyone soon gathered at the Southern Seaport, and they could see that the ships from the Mage Continent had a separate dock. Everyone by the port looked at the apprentices respectfully, which stroked their ego.


    Adam could tell that these ships were not sailing on the wind-- the shape of these ships was akin to those that he had heard of in science fiction. The alloys that made the hulls of this ship were unknown to him. Obviously magical technology could surpass the technology back on Earth.


    A mage guided them to the ship. The ck Mage and the others did not want to linger, and went straight into their private cabins.


    After escorting the mages, the captain announced, "We will arrive at the Mage Continent in about three months. During this period, you can move freely on the ship, but do not loiter around the innermost area of the first floor. It is the Mages'' residence, and I advise all of you to leave them alone, or face their wrath."


    "Also, do not fall into the sea. The monsters will devour you cleanly, and nobody will stop to save you."


    "You can pick your own rooms, too. The journey will be boring, so feel free to use the entertainment facilities on board. Your other needs can be requested with the other sailors, but I cannot guarantee that they will be met."


    After the announcement, a few sailors stepped forward to take over. Everyone could see that the sailors harboured great envy for the apprentices. Adam could see that the captain was incredibly strong, like a Great Knight, and he was even stronger than the Earl. All of the other sailors were knights, too.


    Sure enough, knighthood seems to be a regr profession here, and he predicts that all ordinary people on the Mage Continent are all knights.


    Everyone excitedly rushed towards the cabin area to choose their own room. The Southerners felt at home on the ship, but the apprentices from other areas of the world walked with caution, for fear of touching and breaking something. For most of them, this was their first contact with magical technology.


    And with a low whistle, the Moldo Academy Ship set sail.

 Chapter 14

    The speed of the ship was unexpectedly fast.


    The ship travelled at a speed of about 430 km/h for nearly a hundred days to reach the Mage Continent. This world was incredibly huge.


    Adam really wanted to enter the engine room to see what powered the ship, but he was sure he wouldn''t be allowed to enter.


    There are many rooms located on the ship, so there would be sufficient space for everyone even if one apprentice uses two rooms. The small number of apprentices also meant that they were able to bond with each other and cultivate a sense of intimacy among them.


    The Northerners chose six rooms next to each other on the third floor of the ship. However, it seemed that Ophelia was constantly in a bad state.


    Her face was pale, and she was always sweaty. She had trouble walking straight on a fairly stable boat. It was weird seeing a great knight like her have trouble doing daily tasks.


    "Miss Ophelia, are you okay?" Crystal asked worriedly.


    The Northerners obviously didn''t know what motion sickness was. It had nothing to do with an individual''s strength.


    A sailor who led the way simplyughed, "If you can''t help it, just throw up. It''ll help!"


    Crystal was at a loss. How could a great knight like Ophelia be crippled like this?


    "It''s called seasickness," Adam muttered.


    "What is that?" Crystal asked quizzically.


    "It''splicated, but the sailor is right. Throwing up helps."


    Ophelia leaned weakly against Crystal and walked in her room, "Don''t worry, I''ll be okay in a bit."


    Crystal wanted to follow her in, but the door closed in her face. She was a little overwhelmed and worried. She set her eyes on Adam -- he was to her, the most favourable and rtable person on board, even though he wasn''t like her.


    With this much time, Adam''s emotional modules became perfect. He didn''t really like to talk,but at least it''s a human personality.


    Crystal stared at him, and he said, "There are some ways to ease the seasickness, but it isn''t that serious. She''ll be fine."


    Adam then walked into his room -- clean and tidy, with a separate bathroom. There was a tiny window which disyed the beautiful sea outside. The sound instion of his room was also good. It wasn''t bad, but he felt bored. He wanted to read more information on mages.


    It was impossible, though. Mages regard themselves as the seekers of knowledge, and yet, research on them is scarce. He guesses that the scarcity of knowledge on them makes them even more valuable.


    "Seems like they have a good grasp on copyrightws," Adam thought.


    Adam''s soul was rxed. When he was an A.I., he didn''t fear death -- the only thing he feared was that his wisdom would go to waste.


    Every day, Adam holed up in his room to optimise the rune. There were two meals a day on this ship, and they had to be eaten in the shared dining room -- the food was limited too.


    After short optimizations, Adam stepped out of his room. At the same time, Ophelia''s door opened, and herplexion looked worse than in the morning.


    Ophelia said hoarsely, "As a gentleman, shouldn''t you help me?"


    Adam wordlessly walked up and held her, and they walked to the dining room together. Ophelia had been retching forcibly, and she felt pathetic.


    "Motion sickness urs because the vestibr apparatus in your inner ear senses stimuli beyond your body''s tolerance -- these stimuli deform the mac hair cells in your ear, and transmit it and sense it to the brain. Your body can''t adapt to this abnormality, which is why you get seasick," Adam exined.


    "I did not understand a single word you said, but if you''re making fun of me..." Ophelia grunted, gripping Adam''s arm harshly.


    "Who do you take me for? I just wanted to say that I might have a solution to your problem."


    Ophelia froze, "Why didn''t you tell me earlier, then? I know... you want to see me make a fool of myself."


    Adam looked at her weirdly, but she was partly right. He wanted to experiment on her to see whether or not mental strength could be applied to the body after the mental strength has been amplified by the runes.


    With the umtion of mental power, it finally had some kick to it. It was simr to telekinesis, and he could now move some objects with smaller mass. Adam wasn''t satisfied , so he tried attaching this mental power to his organs to strengthen them, but it had no effect. Therefore he wanted to test it out on Ophelia.


    "Try attaching your mental power to your ear, and focus on your inner ear," Adam exined.


    Ophelia quickly tried it out, but she wasn''t as strong as Adam.


    Adam nodded despite her failing.


    Crystal saw them, and her eyes lit up, "Miss Ophelia! Adam! You''re here! I thought both of you wouldn''te, so I wanted to bring the food to your room-" she got up, but she was pulled back down by the three other apprentices, "What''s wrong? Let me go. Ophelia, she needs help-"


    Henry Hugh shook his head, "You''re still young, so you don''t understand. They''re having a moment."


    Mike Gast echoed, "Yes, yes, if you disturb them, you might not survive the wrath of Ophelia." He was incredibly confident that he knew the reason Adam could live in the Earl''s pce back then, and smiled.


    Crystal pinched his cheeks, turning his cheeks red. He hurried back to the seat and said to himself, "God, they are so bold!"


    Adam and Ophelia were unaware of the gossip, though. Adam had to help Ophelia.


    "Looks like your mental strength hasn''t been able to solidify yet, which is why your mental strength seems intangible. Your mental strength does not have enough power to affect reality, so you have to use your mental strength that has already been strengthened by the runes. Draw a few runes and guide them to flow into your ear," Adam directed.


    Ophelia nodded, and she finally directed her mental power into her ear. Adam sat beside her and observed closely.


    The mental power formed itself into a protectiveyer for her ear, and the hair follicr cells within her ear no longer deform, causing her body to rx.


    Ophelia instantly felt better -- blood rushed back to her face, and she didn''t feel the need to throw up anymore.


    To the others, it seemed like Adam and Ophelia were sharing an intimate moment with each other, whispering to each other.


    Crystal and the others stared at the scene and muttered, "Damn, I''m a little envious."


    Adam immediately left her the moment he got the information he needed, but Ophelia felt more affectionate towards him. She thought Adam was going to help her fetch food, so she closed her eyes and smiled. However, she noticed Adam wasn''t back even after a long time. She found that he was already sitting and eating by himself.


    Her good feelings disappeared instantly. She couldn''t me him, so she ate her dinner in a sullen mood next to Crystal.


    Crystal noticed that she was sad, andforted, "Where''s Adam? Did you fight?"


    She remained silent.


    Several people in the room were seasick as well, so Adam stepped forward to exin how to alleviate the seasickness. He stayed unnaturally long to wait for the other party to get better to study them.


    After all of them recovered, Adam came to the regretful conclusion that, at this stage, mental power can''t strengthen the body.


    However, his act garnered silent praises from everyone on board.

 Chapter 15

    As soon as the others discovered Adam''s true motive in helping them their silent praises disappeared. They knew Adam had great talent in magic, so they flocked towards him to ask him questions, but they were all forced back by Adam''s indifferent gaze.


    Adam was only interested in research. He had no interest in answering others'' questions.


    He discovered that the food on board may be simple, but it contains a lot of energy. The food fuelled Adam, and he was as strong as a Great Knight, but unbeknownst to him, his reputation worsened day by day.


    The voyage passed smoothly for two months. The once beautiful sea looked dull, and the mages were nowhere to be seen, holed up in their own private cabins. The nobles took it upon themselves to start a new life on board -- endless parties and banquets.


    At first, this was proposed by a noble in the east, but he was worried that the sailors would not agree. However, he discovered that as long as money was provided, the sailors would meet all their needs, and in a single night, the entire apprentice circle was corrupted. Adam didn''t participate in those parties-- and it''s not like he was invited either. However, he noticed that the gazes of the sailors were incredibly strange.


    In the past two months, Adam has been maintaining a multi-threadedputing system within him to fully optimize the rune''s structure. Using his incredibleputing power, he has made significant progress. He has developed a 3D structure that can support his mental output, but he stumbled upon another problem. He couldn''t inject his mental power into the rune.


    What should the hollow interior carry?


    Adam had a vague guess -- Special Energy No. 2. However, when he tried injecting the energy into the rune, he was left in severe pain.


    Hecked a greater sample size, so he couldn''t draw any conclusions yet, but he wasn''t in a hurry. He would definitely get his answers at the Mage Academy.


    One morning, the Mages appeared after not showing their faces for more than two months, and summoned everyone to the deck with shocking news.


    "We are sailing to the inner sea of the Mage Continent. Be warned, we will be entering a high magic environment, so you will be exposed to high levels of Ether."


    "Etheres from every corner of time and space. It cannot be seen or touched, but mental power can perceive and react to it. If knowledge is the origin of mages, then ether is the key to transforming that knowledge to power and magic."


    "Simply put, we refer to ether as Magic Power. This is how we cast spells."


    The ck Mage announced, and everyone was fascinated.


    "Some of you might have already discovered this ether by ying around with the rune I have shown before, and yes, the purpose of that rune is to store magic power," Adam''s eyes lit up. His work might not be in vain.


    "But don''t get too excited. Your fragile souls cannot carry the high energy of magic," the ck Mage warned.


    "It''ll be enough... If you''re smart enough, you can survive in this world."


    Everyone was stunned. Nobody expected him to bring up life and death.


    The ck Mage swiped his hand in the air and conjured three runes in front of him, "Now, the defensive circle on the outeryer of this ship will be removed. There are countless monsters in this sea. If you reach the coast alive, you''ll have qualified to be true apprentices."


    The mages left, and the apprentices were overwhelmed by the news. Mage Erin stayed behind and gestured to them, "Remember this set of runes to cast a fireball. Neither us nor the sailors will help you. Want to survive? Fight for it."


    They soon left the apprentices alone, and immediately someone spoke up, "How can this be possible?! We will die if we try to fight the beasts... no one will survive!"


    The sound of despair triggered a chain reaction and many apprentices rushed towards the ship leading to their rooms. However, the ship''s doors were magically barred shut.


    Ignorance truly is bliss. Crystal naively asked Ophelia, "What is the beast that the ck Mage mentioned?"


    Ophelia had never encountered a monster before, but she knew the precious ointment she used to strengthen herself was derived from a monster.


    "We''re in big trouble," Ophelia murmured to Crystal.


    Only two people weren''t panicked -- Adam had already expected this: no fees, luxurious lodging provided, food and water provided... to believe this is free would be na?ve. Adam treated this uing encounter as their first lesson.


    The other person who didn''t panic was William Alfred. His father was previously an apprentice, so he already knew that this was going to happen and was well prepared. This was an opportunity for him to take up a leadership position.


    He pped his hands together and announced, "Everybody! Calm down! Being panicked will not solve any problems -- we must fight to survive or die at sea! No turning back!"


    In desperate situations, humans instinctivelytch on to a backbone.


    William smiled. His n of gathering people together worked.


    "We need to unite! The beasts may be powerful, but they aren''t invincible. There is no way the mages would put us in a situation too dangerous! The mages simply want to weed out the weaker among us!" he continued.


    Weed out the weak... these four words rang in some people''s ears. Some couldn''t even conjure the rune anymore.


    "As long as we stick together, nobody will die," William said.


    Tom interjected, "Mr. William, what are we going to do?"


    William smiled, "Many might not know what a beast is so I will exin -- this beast isn''t like your ordinary beast, this beast can cast magic like a mage!"


    Some apprentices already knew this beast, but others, like Crystal didn''t, and their faces turned pale.


    William continued, "We need to stick together and unify everyone''s strengths! Randy, Quentin, Ophelia, and Adam, what do you think?" Randy was the apprentice who had inherent talent in curse magic, while William included Adam because of his father''s advice.


    William knew they couldn''t refuse his n.


    Ophelia spoke, "I agree. We need to find a way to guard ourselves."


    Randy and Quentin nodded.


    William smiled. As long as he showed enough leadership, he could get the support from these apprentices and climb up the ranks in Moldo Academy.


    Only Adam remained silent. He was busy studying the fireball rune floating in the sky.


    William was a little uneasy, "Adam, what do you think of the n?"


    It''s not like Adam didn''t hear him, since his ear can receive external information, but it filters out useless information. Adam thought William was spam.


    "Adam?" Ophelia patted his arm. Adam turned his head and looked at Ophelia nkly. There was no soul in his eyes, since all he was focused on was the fireball rune.


    Ophelia felt fearful. Her father''s words rang in her ear, "He is not like us, he has no feelings."


    Ophelia suppressed these thoughts, and repeated William''s words to Adam. All they needed was Adam''s consent, but some people wanted to take it up with Adam.


    "Just as we thought, he is a meremoner. Even if he has some inherent talent, why should our alliance need his opinion?"


    Adam had just finished recording the rune sessfully, and he memorized the pattern for the fireball spell.


    Adam turned his gaze to the apprentice, his face expressionless, and the apprentice took a step back, bravely saying, "What... Did I say something wrong?"

 Chapter 16

    Seeing Adam trudge towards him, the apprentice became panicked and eximed, "What are you trying to do? The monsters areing, and you want to fight me? Surrender and ept William''s protection!"


    Adam was unmoved and continued to walk briskly towards the apprentice, William stopped him, "Adam, we should work together. Believe me, even if you are a Great Knight, it is impossible for you to take on the beasts in the water. Only unity, and only magic can save us," he then stretched out his hand, revealing another magic ring in his palm. This time, the ring felt cool to the touch, with gentle breezes swaying around the ring.


    No wonder William was confident. Turns out, he had other magical items on him. Seeing that William had more magical items with him, the other apprentices flocked to him.


    William shot a de of wind towards the sea, causing a huge wave to spiral up. William looked majestic against the waves and coerced, "Adam! Join us! With this alliance, we can protect you until you master the magic and go ashore alive!"


    Adam was unmoved and continued to move towards the apprentice, and this time, Ophelia stopped him, "Adam, the beasts will be strong. Please, join us."


    "You''re in the way," Adam said to the apprentice before him.


    The apprentice froze in ce, but came back to his senses with false bravado, "Are you crazy? Didn''t you hear William? It''s a beast that can control magic! How can we win without mastering magic?"


    Most of the apprentices regarded Adam as aplete fool, and he was already dead in their eyes. Only a few apprentices from the North did not give up on Adam, and Crystal ran over to pull Adam back into the crowd.


    Adam stopped and looked at William. He remembered the fireball ring that Sam Aiden had.


    "The alliance you have is pointless. The ck Mage said there are countless magical beasts in the sea. You can''t be that na?ve to think that you''re able to guarantee your safety with just one magic item."


    Adam sharply pointed out the loopholes in William''s alliance, and William''s face fell. William had zero intention to protect everyone from the beginning -- he only wanted to weed out the weak and choose the strongest among them.


    "Hah! I have other magic items, and I will distribute them to everyone! As long as they are able to cast spells, we will be safe! That will buy us enough time for them to learn the fireball spell!"


    Adam calmly asked Sam Aiden loudly, "How long is the cooldown on your fireball ring?"


    Sam Aiden''s face turned pale, "Fifteen days."


    Adam turned around to leave, "Rather than waste our time on meaningless trinkets, it''s better for us to grasp the fundamentals of this fireball spell."


    No one stopped Adam anymore, because what he said was right, but they didn''t want to leave the false sense of security that this alliance provided. "It might not guarantee my survival, but that doesn''t mean that I''m the first to die," some apprentices thought.


    "Mr. William, the Eastern apprentices join your alliance," Quentin announced.


    William stared daggers into Adam''s back. Despite people joining his alliance, their confidence in him wavered. "Damn it, I almost got it so perfectly!" he thought.


    It''s impossible for him to use the weak to let someone die for him now.


    Randy walked forward to pledge the Western apprentices to William''s side.


    Ophelia frowned, and told William, "I quit this alliance."


    William narrowed his eyes, "Miss Ophelia, be serious. You will be protected in this alliance. Do you seriously think you have the power to fight monsters?"


    William didn''t want to lose Ophelia''s support. A great knight like her would be an invaluable asset to him.


    Ophelia had already made up her mind, though, "You seem afraid." Then, she turned to the other Northerners, "How about all of you?"


    Crystal immediately nodded, "I''ll follow you, Miss Ophelia." She craved familiarity, and Ophelia provided that for her. Besides, she realised that the fireball rune wasn''t actually that difficult to conjure.


    Sam Aiden and the others looked at each other and hesitated, "I''m sorry Miss Ophelia, but we..."


    Ophelia didn''t need to hear what they had to say and left with Crystal. She knew that with Adam''s immense talent, she would be safe with him.


    Ophelia was indifferent by nature, so she didn''t mingle with other nobles. She practised alone or with Crystal, but because of her talent as a refiner, magical spells seemed foreign to her.


    She knew that if she directly asked Adam, she would be rejected. Hence, she intended to trade with Adam, even though she didn''t have anything to trade with for the time being.


    Adam was busy processing the fireball rune -- it wasn''t an inscription, but a simple spell, which means that it''s a one-time use spell, and the runes will rearrange and be rebuilt after using it a single time.


    This high-level magic can only exist as a rune. The caster can observe the magic power, but not absorb it.


    "If I''m correct, one of the three runes is used to guide magic power, one is to heat up, and the one is to cast."


    These runes are somewhat like a ''ck box''. The caster can use it, but know nothing about the principles behind it.


    Adam tried to outline the runes to absorb them, but found there was some kind of magic binding the three runes together.


    Adam gestured with his arms and conjured the rune and summoned a zing fireball with his hands -- the fireball was immensely hot and sizzled in Adam''s hands.


    Unlike the fireball ring, Adam could control the fireball to a certain extent. Adam guided the fireball using his mental strength and made it fly up and down in front of him.


    "Sure enough, I knew I could trust Adam," Ophelia thought to herself.


    "Adam is amazing! I need to work hard to be like him!" Crystal thought.


    "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" William cursed.


    "That fast? Did we make the wrong choice?" the three Northerners sulked.


    The fireball was about a thousand degrees Celsius, and Adam''s body could not withstand the immense heat radiating from it. At this time, he could detect high energy from the sea water in the southeast.


    Adam gestured his arms andunched the fireball towards the sea, and the rune quickly reconstructed itself into another fireball rune.


    An arrow of water shot out from the sea, dispelling the fireball into a huge cloud of steam. A big fish emerged.


    "A monster." Adam instantly retreated to the centre of the deck for a better position.


    "Watch out! The monsters are here!" William''s group exploded into shrill screams, and he could only stare. After seeing the monster with his own eyes, his confidence plummeted, and he found sce by being in the centre of the crowd. He scrambled out his magic items and doubted whether or not these items, and his group of useless apprentices could resist against it.


    Especially since he saw a dark figure floating within the sea.


    Everyone suddenly understood what the ck Mage had said about life and death -- cold-blooded animals were truly cold-blooded, and their eyes only had the intent to murder.


    The ship continued to zoom forward at a constant speed, crushing any sea monsters that dared to stand in front of the ship.


    Ophelia and Crystal remained close to Adam, but he ignored them. It was justified to be afraid.


    William gathered his courage and began to issue orders frantically -- he distributed his magic items to a few strong apprentices. No point in hiding his intentions now.


    The big fish opened its mouth and roared and demonic beasts rushed out of the sea, ready to attack.


    "Crap! They canmunicate with each other."


    "This is bad."

 Chapter 17

    "This is bad," Ophelia said to Crystal. "Even if the apprentices mastered the fireball in a short period of time, they would be no match for these beasts. The mages must be crazy, oh my god, we''re gonna die here, no, no, that doesn''t make sense, this is a test, right? Oh my god, then why did they give us the runes, my god..."


    Crystal steeled herself andforted Ophelia while focusing on the fireball rune, attempting to learn it.


    Adam stopped and replied, "There are two possibilities really- One: the monsters will leave eventually; two: not all monsters can use magic."


    Ophelia quickly took Crystal to the centre of the deck, discovering that William had already started to organise people to build a bunker. Having shelter was moreforting.


    "Get out of the way betrayer," an apprentice snarled while carrying arge box.


    In the face of life and death, Ophelia''s face turned dark. There were more than enough boxes to go around.


    Bang!


    With a swift kick, Ophelia kicked the apprentice to the side, and grabbed the box to pile items inside, but found that supplies on the ship were quickly fading.


    "Hey Crystal, help me out..."


    "Quiet! I''m about to seed!" Crystal shouted.


    Ophelia pursed her lips and looked at Adam pleadingly.


    "Those supplies won''t be useful. You''re a knight, so you have enough skill to avoid the attacks. Hiding behind cover just makes you an easier target." Adam said simply.


    For ordinary people, they would need to copy the fireball runes again and again, but Adam didn''t need to. He could perform multiple operations at the same time, coupled with his extraordinary mental strength, he can copy runes and use new ones immediately after the first one is exhausted.


    However, it wasn''t infinite. Based on his calctions and his mana recovery, he can probably maintain this for twelve fireballs in a row.


    "Then what should I do? I can''t use these spells, I''m useless!" Ophelia felt powerless. She doubted the ck Mage. He had highlighted that a refiner had advantages in the apprenticeship stage, but it was a burden to her now.


    "If your soul cannot carry magic power, that doesn''t mean your body can''t!" Adam said with urgency. "Direct magic power to your body and you will seed!"


    Meanwhile the mages enjoyed luxurious food and sipped wine, "So how many of these little guys do you think will survive?"


    Mage Robert cut his steak into bite-sized pieces to eat, "I don''t know. Depends on their wisdom."


    The ck Mage and Mage Jerome didn''t eat, and looked outside the window. Mage Jerome said, "There aren''t that many beasts this time. Did we use too little bait?"


    "Well, we did just lose a big battle at the Academy. We need to minimise the losses," the ck Mage replied.


    All the mages were apathetic to the apprentices'' wellbeing. The world of mages was vastly different from the world of mere mortals -- knowledge and power could help them transcend the clutches of life and death. Mere mortals are nothing but seeds for mages to nt for the next generation of mages.


    But there were a lot of seeds. Human life meant nothing to them. If these apprentices die, they have another batch to go through.


    "Duke Alfred is too foolish. Rallying that many ordinary people is meaningless in front of magic. Perhaps he thought that his little magical trinkets would save him?" Mage Erin said indifferently.


    The ck Mageughed, "They''re just like us. Didn''t we join the organisation at that time? What was the name of our leader back then? It''s been too long."


    Mage Robert finished his steak, "Look at those children," pointing towards Adam, Ophelia, and Crystal.


    "Woston, the super-dimensional archmage," the other three suddenly remembered their former leader. He had already transcended humanity.


    The ck Mage waved his hand gently, "The battle is about to begin, let us toast for the good luck for our apprentices!"


    Meanwhile on the deck.


    The monsters in the sea stirred the water, forming a wall more than ten metres high. Some of the monsters surfed the walls of water, shooting down to devour any unlucky apprentices.


    "Help!"


    The screams of the apprentices who witnessed their friends'' corpses being flung in the air and eaten alive, rang across the deck. The beasts rushed towards the deck, destroying everything in the way.


    Destroy.


    "Help me! Please! I don''t want to die!" A male apprenticetched on to hispanion''s feet as he was being dragged off the deck.


    "Get off of me!" hispanion shoved him away. The male apprentice disappeared off the deck into the beast''s clutches.


    Another wave surged onto the ship and a magical beast flew into the air, conjuring a giant ice cube and mming it into the deck.


    Therge cube of ice crushed several apprentices into pink mush and shattered instantly thanks to the special material of the boat.


    Disaster.


    A few apprentices were unable to shield themselves from the icicles and their bodies were sliced in half. Their corpses, frozen stiff, were devoured immediately by the hungry beasts. The feeble bunker they had built fell instantly. Everyone scrambled towards safety.


    Fortunately, there weren''t that many magical beasts, and it seems like they couldn''t continually cast the magic.


    William kicked an approaching monster aside and shouted, "The ordinary monsters aren''t that strong! The real threat is the magical beasts, kill it!"


    Hearing him, the apprentices who didn''t have any magic items on them hid themselves, while those equipped with them were gloomy. This was life and death, and nobody wanted to sacrifice themselves.


    The magical beasts ran rampant on the deck, devouring any apprentice that came before them. The more apprentices it ate, the faster they could cast their magic.


    Another wave shot up, and Adam saw that it was the giant fish who shot out the arrow, its mouth bloodied with dense teeth lined up against it. It leapt on the deck, and flew straight towards Adam.


    It''s a miracle that those fish were able to move so freely on the deck.


    This fish had vengeance coursing through its blood.


    William shouted, "Get out of the way! Don''t block the fish! Its not our business!" Randy hesitated, though, wondering if he should stop the beast.


    But William thought that it was a great opportunity. The monsters were killing its own kind too, as they were fighting for food. Since Adam refused to join his side, then he didn''t care about his state of being either.


    Ophelia''s face turned pale, she saw that Adam still had that expressionless face; Crystal was still studying the runes intently. Ophelia gritted her teeth, and rushed forward towards the big fish without hesitation.


    She didn''t know if she could stop this fish, but she didn''t want to feel useless anymore. She put life and death behind her and rushed forward.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Three explosions sounded one after another, and Ophelia was knocked aside by a magical force. The big fish was hit by two fireballs head on, cooked to a barbecue.


    "I did it! I can cast magic!" Crystal shouted.

 Chapter 18

    One of the fireballs was conjured by Adam, and the second was conjured by Crystal. She had incredible adaptability in times of crisis.


    Adam had already learnt magic though.


    Crystal was crazed with power, and the big fish had be her target.


    Before she could cast another fireball, she noticed Ophelia limping beside the fish.


    Crystal panicked and quickly stopped the spell.


    "Miss Ophelia... sorry! I just..."


    Ophelia quicklyforted Crystal, "Don''t worry about it. Thank you for saving me."


    The big fish was still not dead, despite being cooked to the flesh. The disy of magic caused some beasts to flee in fear.


    The magic disyed by them shocked the apprentices. Their confidence faltered. Comparing someone who can cast magic freely and someone who only has disposable magic items, it was obvious which option was more secure.


    William couldn''t help but hate Adam even more. He had to be better than Adam or the fragile alliance built on false bravado would fall apart.


    "Buy me some time!"


    William leapt out of safety, and conjured a narrow but concentrated de of wind, and sliced a beast cleanly in half.


    A wind de.


    It was different from a fireball -- it didn''t dissipate after hitting a target, and moved straight ahead to slice open all monsters in his way.


    After William disyed his strength, the apprentices had their faith slightly restored in William. Besides, even if they tried to join Adam''s side, it''s not like he would ept them.


    "The beasts aren''t invincible! We need to be united!" William rallied, ignoring the fact that defeating these beasts required magic. "Buy time for the others to learn the fireball!"


    Adam didn''t care. The fundamentals behind the de of wind was obvious -- increase the pressure bypressing air.


    "Crystal, how many fireballs can you cast in a quick session?" Adam asked.


    "Uh, I can only cast two before I need to recharge!" Crystal said.


    Adam nodded. This was within his expectations. "You and Ophelia should form a group, and I can fend for myself. Let''s take turns to defend against the beasts here. Each of us gets one hour, and we must ensure that no beast breaks through the defence."


    Adam went first. He needed to buy time for Ophelia to learn the runes and for Crystal to recharge.


    The two nodded. This way, she won''t be useless.


    "It''s definitely much better than them," Ophelia muttered, watching the apprentices struggling to survive. "If you fail this test, you deserve to die."


    Adam walked in front, aware that it only gets more dangerous from here on out.


    As they get closer to the Mage Continent, the magical content will be higher, which naturally means that the frequency of magical beasts also increases. Although Adam is strong, he wasn''t a fireball dispenser.


    Crystal and Ophelia understood this too. Crystal quickly replenished her mana using the rune, and Ophelia studied the fireball rune intently.


    Ophelia felt powerless. The Crystal Ball was right -- she had no talent in elemental magic.


    Adam killed every monster that came close with ease, since William''s side attracted more beasts.


    An hour had passed, and Adam said, "Your turn."


    Misfortune struck and a wave rushed up beside them, causing arge number of monsters to rush onto the deck. Crystal stood up nervously, her legs feeling like jelly. Ophelia patted her shoulder, "Let me deal with the ordinary monsters."


    Ophelia infused herself with bloodied energy, and rushed forward. The ordinary monsters were just like knights, and she continually used the breathing exercise to deal with the monsters, but she eventually got tired.


    Ophelia tiredly smashed the head of a beast into pieces, its remains exploding in her face. In her sudden blindness, the situation took an awful turn.


    A tiny monster rushed out from the remains and swung its sharp ws viciously towards Ophelia''s throat.


    Crystal shouted helplessly, "No! Be careful!" She couldn''t do anything either -- if she casts a fireball, then Ophelia would perish too.


    Adam studied the scene. ording to the ck Mage, this beast was a refiner, much like Ophelia, and its speed and strength far surpassed Ophelia''s. It was clearly a greater threatpared to the magical beasts.


    "This must be the advantage of a refiner. If Ophelia was a mage, she would have perished by now," Adam muttered.


    "But these creatures... theye in all sorts of different species... if poweres from knowledge... how do these creatures without any sort of sentience master knowledge?" Adam pondered.


    "No. Knowledge is a man-made concept. Natural instincts guide the monsters."


    The shadow of death loomed over Ophelia.


    A sonic boom sounded, and thanks to her knight training, she shielded her throat with her arm.


    The beast''s sharp ws sliced Ophelia''s arm cleanly -- her blood, her muscles, her bones were revealed.


    The severe pain snapped her out of her stupor, and she retreated quickly.


    The beasts continued their advance on Ophelia, slicing each other in an attempt to reach her.


    Ophelia was exhausted, and she could only rely on her knight instincts to avoid danger.


    Crystal was sweating profusely, and she couldn''t aim her fireball, "I''m sorry, Miss Ophelia! I''m sorry! I''m sorry! I can''t! Adam, please help her!"


    Adam knew he needed to help her, but he didn''t want to identally kill Ophelia too.


    "Prepare a fireball, we only have one chance."

 Chapter 19

    Ophelia forced herself to calm down. If she couldn''t maintain some distance, then they wouldn''t be able to help her.


    Crystal abandoned all negative emotion and focused on Ophelia.


    Adam waited. In the face of a highly mobile opponent, it would be impossible to hit a fireball. All possible escape routes must be sealed before he could go in for the kill.


    Speed meant that the body itself was weak.


    Ophelia''s bleeding garnered the attention of all the beasts, wherever she ran, she brought along hungry beasts wanting to devour her.


    The apprentices were all in tears.


    "Do note here!"


    "Get away from me!"


    "No!"


    Randy, Quentin, and William were helpless. If they were in Ophelia''s situation, they would not be able to move.


    William shouted, "Everyone, to me! Shrink the circle, don''t block the way of the monsters!"


    Quentin and Randy walked up and whispered, "We can''t stay like this. If these monsters keep rushing to the deck we will be finished! We need to kill them."


    Randy looked at Ophelia, and his eyes flickered, "But we can''t kill the beast without harming Ophelia..."


    Quentin replied sullenly, "She''ll understand."


    William remained silent.


    Ophelia was about to die, and found that the beast was trying to corner her...


    ...in the direction of the fireball runes.


    "Damn!"


    "My god."


    Quentin and Randy were under the fireball runes. In about ten seconds, they will all be in danger.


    They looked at each other and then used their magic items, aiming at Ophelia''s back.


    At the same time, Adam ordered Crystal, "Launch after three seconds! Target it at Ophelia!"


    Crystal panicked, but didn''t question him. She forced herself to believe that Adam would not deliberately kill her like this.


    "You can do it. You can do it. You can do it." Crystal repeated.


    "Now!" Adam ordered, and Crystalunched her fireball towards Ophelia.


    At the same time, Randy and Quentin cast their magic, and it was about to collide with the fireball.


    Ophelia felt the scorching heat behind her and despaired. "I can''t die like this... I haven''t be a mage yet... is it over..."


    Just then, she heard Adam''s sharp voice, "Jump! Now!"


    Ophelia swore that this was the most beautiful voice she has ever heard, and jumped without hesitation.


    It looked as if she was dancing on fire.


    The tiny beast roared.


    It dodged to the side, furious.


    The magic didn''t hit.


    For agile enemies, all direct means of attack are useless unless they arepletely trapped.


    "Damn it!" Randy and Quentin turned pale. They haven''t learnt the fireball spell yet, and relied heavily on their magical trinkets.


    Crystal was terrified. Her fireball didn''tnd, and Ophelia was exhausted. They really might die.


    Adam didn''t panic, and prepared to cast more fireballs. His system was calcting the possible trajectory of the tiny beast and the approximate direction of the beast.


    "Now!" He predicted a 60% sess rate; it was worth a try.


    Adam gestured his hand in the air, and continuously shot out fireballs.


    Five fireballs burned in the air, and flew towards the beast''snding point.


    The beast snickered to itself; it wasn''t afraid at all. There was no way the fireballs would hit it, since it was aimed around it. Itughed mockingly, wanting to kill Adam afternding.


    The beastnded directly, and the five fireballs surrounded it, exploding.


    "Sess," Adam muttered. The beast was read like a book, and was burnt to a crisp.


    Puff.


    Ophelia fell between Crystal and Adam, and she smiled.


    "Thank you."


    "It''s good you''re not dead, or I''ll be in trouble," Adam said, while walking to the front and preparing to cast more fireballs.


    The apprentices were silent. They were jealous of Adam, but thought that they would be able to catch up with his magic with little effort, but now, they feared Adam. Five fireballs in an instant, and he was already casting more.


    "ck Mage, did you read it wrong? Your apprentice seems attuned to the fire element!" Mage Jerome pointed out.


    The ck Mage shook his head, "No. His talent is definitely not within the fire element... as for his ability to cast that many fireballs in quick sessions..." Mage ck smiled bitterly. "He''s a genius, that''s for sure."


    Mage Robert nodded, "The ck Mage is right. As long as we can fund the mana, we can cast dozens or hundreds of low-levelled spells. But have you seen anyone do such a thing when they are only an apprentice?"


    "This is greater than an affinity for an element, the senior mages will pay special attention to him," Mage Robert concluded.


    Mage Erin was still sipping on her wine, dyeing her lips red, "ck Mage, you are lucky. Do you want to protect him? If he dies, you won''t get any rewards."


    The ck Mage chuckled, "No need. He is strong enough. This apprenticeship will be a piece of cake for him, and you are wrong. I am more interested in the girl than him." He pointed towards Crystal. "She has the same affinity as me, and she has great inherent talent in magic. No rewards I get canpare to training a full-fledged mage by hand."


    Adam killed any approaching monsters, but after careful observation, realised that the monsters flocked to a certain location.


    They had another goal.


    Most of the beasts ignored Adam and rushed towards William''s group. By now, a third of them have fallen.


    "If I were a beast, I would..." Adam noticed the group of fireball runes.


    Adam knew that the runes should have no physical quality, so the others would still be able to cast fireballs even without the runes.


    Adam grabbed a fish and shot the runes down with its magical arrows.


    The fish leapt out of Adam''s arms and mmed into the second rune.


    "I get it now."

 Chapter 20

    After he shot the runes down, everything was quiet. He didn''t know if he cheated, but the magical beasts had stopped leaping onto the ship. It was a good time to enrich himself with the knowledge of the Mage Continent.


    As for the other lives that had fallen? Adam didn''t care.


    Everyone was rxed now, and the ship raised its defences again. The ck Mage broke the seal on the cabin''s door, allowing them to eat and rest.


    Within a few hours, Ophelia had finally learnt how to conjure a fireball, but she could only conjure one.


    After dinner, Ophelia couldn''t help but recall Adam''s words, "Although your soul cannot carry magic, it does not mean that your body cannot." The sentence tempted Ophelia like a devil, she had enough of being a burden.


    "So this mental strengthmunicates with the void and magic power," Ophelia couldn''t wait to acquire more knowledge and started her own experiments, "Form the magic power and guide it across my body."


    It was much easier than she thought, but it was incredibly painful. Ophelia tried to guide the magic power to aid in her healing, but the magic power was too domineering.


    Magic power strengthens a mage by dividing cells much more efficiently than a normal human. This is how mages be strong.


    This was a simple analysis by Adam, but all Ophelia could feel was pain.


    She felt every inch of her body ruthlessly ravaged, and the pain came in tides, never ending.


    Ophelia felt as if she was thrown into a blender. Blood was forced out her wounds and then upied by magical by-products.


    Crystal could hear her whines of pain and quickly entered her room tofort her, but Ophelia''s appearance frightened her.


    "Adame quick! Miss Ophelia, she..." Crystal could only ask Adam for help.


    Adam studied Ophelia intently. Severe dehydration is enough to cause death, but Ophelia was well hydrated. She was healing.


    "She guided magic power through her body. We should be happy. She is healing," Adam exined. She truly had talents in body refining.


    Half an hourter, Ophelia had calmed down, Adam and Crystal left her alone. Ophelia changed into new clothes and met up with them.


    "I feel great! But I am very hungry. I feel that every muscle is full of strength, I think I could take that beast head on!"


    Adam hated to be the bearer of bad news, but exined nheless, "This is an illusion. The magic power you introduced simplyid a foundation within you."


    He then exined his full analysis to them.


    Crystal looked at Adam with admiration despite not knowing what he was saying, neither did Ophelia. At this time, Ophelia suddenly remembered what Adam told her back then in his chambers.


    "You said you came from another world -- were you being serious?"


    Adam didn''t reply. The corpses of the monsters killed earlier today were piled up at the deck and monster meat could directly enhance physical fitness.


    Ophelia thought of this too. She was in desperate need of nutrition.


    Only a few apprentices could be seen carrying the corpses. They knew it was a precious resource.


    Adam wasn''t in a hurry, since he didn''t really need it. He knew that he would encounter more monsterster on.


    The fireball cannot be improved in a short period of time, and the possibility of learning new magic was low, but it gave him a new direction for research. However, it had harsh prerequisites, so he had to draft his n first.


    Adam stood on the deck and looked at the monsters below. It''s easy to imagine that the mages would once again dispel the shield once again.


    Ophelia walked towards the beast that had wounded her deeply. She intended to eat it as revenge.


    However, she was toote, and there was already a male apprentice who picked up the corpse.


    Ophelia frowned, and requested, "Put it down. It''s mine."


    She didn''t want to rob him, and she thought it was reasonable to ask. There were more corpses anyways.


    The male apprentice turned out to be the coward Tom, his face turned cold, "Yours? Is your name written on it? Get out of my way."


    Everyone knows that knights aremoners in the Mage Continent. Since everyone is quite literally on the same boat, why should I respect you? In fact, those who survived can''t be counted as cowards anymore.


    "Give it to me," Ophelia repeated.


    Tom took a step back and announced loudly, "Everyone! The great and wondrous Miss Ophelia thinks that this monster, who was killed by everyone''s coborative efforts, belongs to her! Do you agree with her?"


    Tom was smart in attracting the crowd and pitting Ophelia against everyone.


    Ophelia didn''t care.


    "Tom, you are provoking the dignity of nobility."


    Tom snickered, "Nobility! You''re so funny!" He then spat beside Ophelia, "If you''re on the Mage Continent, can your noble status let you cast another fireball? Oops, you can''t."


    Ophelia tightened her muscles and looked around the room.


    Tom noticed her gaze, and stretched out his arm revealing a ring, "Don''t look for him. That idiot Sam died, and now, this ring belongs to me!"


    Ophelia was red with rage, and grabbed Tom''s throat immediately.


    Bang!


    Ophelia dodged to the side upon feeling the intense heat, and saw that Quentin had shot a fireball out.


    "Miss Ophelia, I am sorry to offend you, but he is right. This beast was killed because everyone worked together. It does not belong to you."


    Tom proudly raised his chin and said viciously, "You bitch! How dare you try to fight me in front of everyone and Lord Quentin! I want you to die!"


    Tom''s heart was twisted and dark. Now that he has the power, he made Ophelia his sworn enemy.


    Quentin couldn''t listen anymore, "Tom shut up. I beg of you."


    Quentinforted Ophelia, "Miss Ophelia, I am sorry. You can''t have this beast."


    Crystal barged in and interrupted Quentin angrily, "Bullshit! Bullshit! All of you did nothing! Miss Ophelia was on the brink of death distracting the beast so that you all could have the chance to attack but none of your spells even hit the beast! Bullshit! Even if the beast doesn''t belong to Miss Ophelia, the rightful owner would be Adam!"

 Chapter 21

    "Adam."


    After the fight Adam''s name equated to power. They could ignore Ophelia''s opinion, but they couldn''t ignore Adam.


    Tom didn''t dare to speak. A cunning person like him had to be strong in secret, so he remained silent in the face of someone stronger than him.


    Adam has been watching the scene before him for a long time. He didn''t care about who owned the beast, but he was intrigued by the greedy nature of human beings -- Ophelia, Tom, Quentin... each of them fell into their primal instincts of greed and pride.


    After Crystal had finished speaking, she ran to Adam''s side. She pleaded to Adam with her eyes, but quickly stopped upon seeing Adam''s expressionless face.


    An awkward silence was stuck in the air.


    William hid himself in the crowd. He told himself that he wouldn''t have any conflict with Adam. Tom was tempting death so there was no way that he would defend Tom anymore. Besides, he was sure that Adam wouldn''t do anything to Tom.


    He was deathly wrong.


    With a flick of his arm, Adam cast a fireball straight towards Tom and blew him into pieces of flesh and blood. Unphased, he walked forward to pick up the beast that had been in Tom''s hands.


    The apprentices were stunned. They didn''t expect him to kill him.


    Adam studied the crowd silently. He needed to gauge whether or not the Mage Continent was an orderly, civilised ce or a primitive world. He also wanted to see how everyone would react when he had trampled uponmon human beliefs.


    Will they yield to him or resist him?


    After about a minute, everyone recovered from the shock. Fear was stered on their faces.


    "He- he killed him!"


    "How dare you! How could you?!"


    "We''re all apprentices here, and yet you dare to kill one of your own kind - the mages won''t let you get away scot-free!"


    How strange.


    Earlier today, when the beasts killed the other apprentices, they weren''t outraged like they are now.


    "Adam, you- you''re going too far!" Randy stuttered.


    "You must exin your actions to the other apprentices. We can''t tolerate someone who just kills their ownpanions. Pay the price," Quentin stared at Adam righteously.


    Ophelia and Crystal held onto each other. Even in Ophelia''s rage, she never once thought about killing Tom.


    None of them thought Adam wouldmit murder.


    He has no feelings. He isn''t one of us.


    Ophelia''s father''s words rang in her head. He was right.


    To Adam this was simply a social experiment, "So what exnation do you want?"


    Quentin''s breath hitched. He couldn''t talk back because he knew Adam was right. What is there to exin? He killed him, and no amount of exining would bring Tom back.


    What now?


    Cold sweat dripped down Quentin''s forehead.


    Adam was dissatisfied, "Tell me, did I go too far?"


    Randy spoke up, "We''re literally on the same boat here, we''ll be studying at the same academy in the future! Tom was annoying, but did you really need to kill him?"


    Adam frowned. All of their exnations were filled with loopholes. Humans only think of themselves.


    Is cowardice universal, or only present among these people?


    Adam left the dining hall and nobody dared to stop him. When he left, some dared to murmur of Adam''s cruelty behind his back, and made bold gestures with false bravery.


    However it became silent again. Nobody dared to eat the beasts anymore.


    Crystal shuddered. She thought Adam was simply indifferent to his surroundings, but she never thought that he would be indifferent to human life too.


    Ophelia sighed. Her emotions wereplex.


    Meanwhile, the banquet of the mages never stopped, and food was being served constantly. Mages didn''t need sleep anyways.


    Mage Erin was drunk, and sheid on the table, "I didn''t expect, hic- I didn''t expect that the little guy would dare to kill, I, hic- I guess that he knew we wouldn''t care."


    "That''s not the point. He doesn''t kill for anything; he kills just for the sake of killing. This... Adam is very dangerous! If he kills everyone on board, I needpensation," Mage Jerome said, teasing the ck Mage.


    The ck Mage chuckled, "Of course -- it''s strange really, killing for the sake of killing. However, I don''t think we need to worry -- he won''t kill anyone else anymore."


    And it was true. To Adam, it was pointless. Tom''s death was simply a social experiment.


    True to Adam''s prediction, as the journey went on, more and more monsters boarded the ship, and the number of apprentices gradually dropped. By the second half of the month, the Magespletely sealed off the apprentices'' cabins, so the apprentices had to fend beasts off on the deck day and night.


    Soon, only six apprentices survived -- Adam, Ophelia, Crystal, William, Quentin, and Randy.


    Mastering the fireball spell was merely a foundation - those who couldn''t were the first to die; casting instant fireballs was the next step, and those who couldn''t were next to die as well.


    It became second nature for the apprentices to conjure a solidification rune to recharge their mana and to conjure fireballs.


    Just as Adam predicted, the closer they were to the Mage Continent, the higher the quantity and quality of monsters -- every monster had magical powers and was as strong as a Great Knight.


    One monster had a spell that summoned poisonous gas. It only appeared once, but it took out more than half of the apprentice group. William and the others soon realised that an alliance was meaningless, so it disbanded almost instantly.


    Nobody dared to get close to Adam, including Ophelia. However, whenever monsters invaded the deck all of them would flock to Adam. They could only stand still when Adam cast twenty fireballs in quick session and instantly subdued the poisonous beast.


    Adam sat directly opposite the fireball runes that were suspended in the air -- he was unphased, with no scars on his body. He didn''t seem tired either, and the torment seemed to have no effect on him. The selection of monsters made him dissatisfied.


    Adam found that the nature of carbon-based living things have not changed -- the only thing worth recording was the magic that the monsters used, but it had already been a month and there wasn''t any new, powerful magic for him to record.


    He frowned, and conjured fifteen fireballs to destroy the fireball runes suspended in the air.


    Meanwhile, Crystal was alone at the other end of the deck, looking into the distance. Suddenly, she saw vague figures beyond the fog and shouted in surprise, "It''s the Mage Continent! We''re about to reach the Mage Continent!"


    However, when she returned to the group, she found that everyone was looking at Adam disdainfully, and Crystal shrunk herself.


    "You already knew that these runes were attracting the beasts, didn''t you?" William interrogated.


    The moment Adam touched the shattered runes, he felt his magic power condense at a much faster rate than usual. He quickly retracted his hand, narrowly avoiding himself exploding in a burst of magic power.


    "Yes, I knew about it a long time ago."

 Chapter 22

    "Yes, I knew about it a long time ago."


    This sentence was like a spark that ignited the fire within everyone.


    "Then why didn''t you destroy it earlier?! If you did... then- then so many people wouldn''t have died!" Crystal shouted, crying. She felt like she was being yed with this entire time, and all her efforts to defend her friends were for nothing.


    Adam had gone too far this time and distanced themselves away from Adam.


    Adam noticed their reactions and asked, "So you think that I should save people for your sake?"


    Quentin barged forward and bellowed, "For our sake?! What are you talking about?! Look -- there are only six of us left, and everyone who died here died for you, buying time for you. You - you''re despicable."


    Adam looked at him weirdly, "I never let anyone die for me. They did it on their own ord."


    Quentinughed, "Then how do you think you survived until now? Without everyone''s help, you would be food for the fishes."


    "You''re mistaken," Adam replied. "Because of me, all of you survived. You were relying on my help."


    Hearing this, Quentin yelled angrily. Adam wasn''t wrong, but was he morally correct?


    Adam ignored him and continued, "Take responsibility for yourselves. I''m strong enough to survive. I have no obligation to defend any of you."


    Quentin couldn''t take it anymore, and started to conjure a fireball to kill Adam. Randy darted forward and pushed Quentin to the ground. For some reason, he felt that Adam was correct.


    "Quentin, forget it," Randy said. He was great friends with Quentin, and he couldn''t watch Quentin and Adam fight.


    "Wait, Adam! Stop!"


    "Watch out!"


    Nobody expected Adam to fight back -- he conjured ten fireballs at once andunched them towards Randy and Quentin.


    Quentin and Randy turned pale, the smell of death creeping up towards them. They closed their eyes and held onto each other, hearts full of dread and regret. They were just about to reach the Mage Continent, but they were about to die at the hands of their panion''.


    Suddenly, a water curtain sted from the sky, shielding Quentin and Randy from the fireballs. The water shield looked thin, but it was able to fizzle out the fireballs into nothing.


    Mage Erin appeared on the deck.


    "There are only six little guys left. I can''t let you kill them."


    "Greetings Respected Mage Erin," the six bowed in unison. Quentin and Randy looked at Mage Erin with gratitude, then stared daggers at Adam.


    Adam felt that human values were weird. They didn''t me the mages for putting them in this life-or-death situation, but they put the me for the weak dying entirely on Adam''s head.


    "This is unfair. They bully the weak and fear the strong," Adam thought to himself.


    "Respected Mage Erin! I request to sanction Adam, he-" Quentinined.


    Mage Erin nced at him and interrupted, "Enough." She ignored Quentin, and made a remark in her heart. If he was this emotional, he wouldn''t be able to survive in the Mage Continent.


    "Adam, you are strong and intelligent. Since you already knew that the fireball runes were bait for the beasts, why didn''t you destroy it earlier? Tell me, and these ether crystals are yours," Mage Erin asked Adam with a smile. She knew Adam would be an official mage in no time.


    Hence, she needed to treat him well.


    "It''s too obvious. I don''t think mages will leave such obvious bait."


    Mage Erin nodded, "That''s right. If you had destroyed it earlier, you would have greater challenges to face -- say, swimming to the Mage Continent," she covered her mouth to hide her giggle. That would be an interesting test for the next batch of apprentices.


    "The wise are always given preferential treatment," she thought to herself.


    "Secondly," Adam continued. "It''s a good way to gain experience. I can gather a lot of information about these magical beasts and with my strength, I am in no danger."


    Mage Erin nodded. From a Mage''s point of view, human life is an asset to them. She finds Adam interesting -- his way of thinking is simr to that of a mage''s.


    Ophelia and the others felt chills running down their spine. Regret and fear sprouted within them, and they doubted their ability to adapt to the asocial indifference of mages.


    Mage Erin smiled, "That is interesting. Here are the crystals -- well then, for the rest of you, I have good news. Starting today, you can return to your cabins to rest. We will arrive at the Port of Karachi in three days and we will teleport to the Moldo Mage Academy to start your life anew."


    This was great news! The tense nerves of the apprentices loosened, and some of them even copsed on the ground. They could finally breathe.


    A month of battling and death traumatised them and left them unable to get good rest. Even if conjuring runes and casting spells could rece sleep, their mental exhaustion was taking a toll on them.


    This experience would haunt the five apprentices for years toe, except for Adam.


    At least they were much more mature than before, and they understood that they were lucky enough to survive this entire ordeal. Now, they had to work harder to acquire as much knowledge and as many resources as possible and do their best to be stronger.


    After Mage Erin''s announcement, she vanished. Obviously, saving Quentin and Randy was just a matter of convenience. She simply wanted to obtain the shattered ether crystals, but she didn''t really care anymore.


    Adam''s rtionship with the other apprentices had gone extremely sour. Ophelia and Crystal huddled together and avoided Adam. William kept his distance alone. Quentin and Randy held deep hatred for him. Adam thought that as long as there was a chance, they would try to kill him.


    Of course, they won''t have the chance. Anything that threatens him will be destroyed.


    He''ll give them a chance however.


    Adam was soon forgotten among the five apprentices. The five of them partied in the dining hall to celebrate their survival, but Adam wasn''t invited.


    The sailors appeared again -- they no longer looked at the apprentices with envy, but with awe. Those who survived this gruelling trial must be revered.


    In thest three days, Adam had not left his room except to eat. He continued to optimise the mental strength rune and study the ether crystals.


    This crystal held great energy within it.


    However, the crystal can be considered a secondary-tier crystal -- it isn''t pure, but it is suitable enough for apprentices to use. As long as you possess a shard of the crystal, you can use it as a mana dispenser to continuously cast spells until the energy in the crystal is drained.


    "It''s no wonder the ck Mage says that energy ores are the lowest resources avable. Ether crystals are too powerful."


    Adam collected the three pieces of crystals. Even though it was little, it would be of great help to him in the initial stage of his apprenticeship.


    Three days passed in a blink of an eye. Adam came to the deck, and he could see that there were many more ships that were parked by the bay but during their entire journey, they had never seen another ship. He wondered how big the ocean of this world is.


    "This is it, the Mage Continent," everyone muttered to themselves. The long voyage and countless sacrifices led to setting foot on this mysticalnd.


    The four Mages came to the deck at the same time.


    The ck Mage said softly, "Isn''t it great?"


    Crystal cheered, "I see it! The Mage Continent! We''re almost there!"

 Chapter 23

    It was beautiful.


    Adam couldn''t see the entire city, but the dock itself was amazing.


    Magical technology had far exceeded the technology back on Earth -- thanks to magic, it was easy for technology to transform from mere theories to reality.


    All the machinery on the pier was foreign to Adam -- he had no way of understanding the mechanism of how they operate.


    The mechanical arm suspended itself on thin air and grasped the hull of the ship, firmly keeping it in ce by the dock. Then, a magical tform appeared by the ship. The mages gestured for the apprentices to hop on the tform, and the tform brought them down the ship.


    A torrent of silver flew past them. Adam used his mental strength to study them, and discovered that countless, tiny ''robots'' were swarming over them. The robots wrapped around the ship in a quick sweep, and the wear and tear of the ship had beenpletely repaired.


    The ship then melted into the pier, vanishing before their eyes.


    In the other parts of the port, simr things were happening to greater and bigger ships. The ships weren''t limited to the sea either, as they could see several flying ships being parked in airborne docks.


    No runway, no noise, no turbulence. These hulking aircrafts just take off andnd smoothly.


    The mages were indifferent to the apprentices'' awe, since they were already used to the scenes before them.


    "The Mage Continent... it''s simply too..." William muttered to himself. The southern port city where he hails from was already considered the most modern city, but they were still unable to escape the shackles of primitive productivity. He couldn''t imagine that the humans who lived in the Mage Continent could live in such modernity.


    "This is amazing! No wonder I''ve never seen any mages in the North before -- if I lived here, I wouldn''t be able to return to my past life," Ophelia sighed.


    Adam''s heart soared. Coming into contact with such an advanced civilization was a dreame true.


    They waited quietly at the port until a car-like vehicle stopped in front of them. It had no hubs or exhaust pipes, it suspended itself in the air.


    The door opened, and the driver in a colourful uniform greeted the mages, "Respected Mages, wee back! I have applied for permission to use the portal, and it will start in two hours."


    The ck Mage nodded, then turned to the apprentices, "Unfortunately, there isn''t any time for you to visit the Port of Karachi this time. The other apprentices have already arrived at the academy, and we need to hurry."


    "Yes Respected ck Mage."


    Everyone entered the car, and it seemed that the interior of the car didn''t conform to Euclidean geometry. Adam was stunned -- the power of manipting space wasmercially used as well.


    However, he couldn''t believe that wars between mages could break out in such a modern and civilised world. He took note of his doubts, awaiting the day he could study the Mage Continent''s cultures closely.


    A very curious Crystal asked the driver, "Sir, may I ask... what vehicle is this?" Crystal, being amoner, only knows of two methods of transportation -- animal-drawn carts and boats. She didn''t know what to call this strange vehicle.


    The driver answered softly, "This is a Universal Suspension Car, and it''s created by the Great Mage!"


    "This is amazing!" Crystal expressed her amazement.


    The driver remained silent. Seeing that these apprentices were from a less advanced continent, he had a slight sense of superiority in his heart, and boasted in his heart, "Hah! Even though I''m not a mage, I can still enjoy their achievements."


    Nobody can see in the interior of the car from the outside, but the people inside can clearly see the outside.


    Adam carefully observed the outside world -- the buildings were all high-rise structures, each building towered into the sky. There wererge open spaces within the buildings, and there were different public goods in them. Countless hovering cars drove through the middle and lower floors of these buildings, but the higher floors were empty. Adam predicts that this road was used only for emergencies.


    There weren''t many pedestrians, and their methods of walking were very unusual. After all, if you live in a huge, modern city like this, walking would get you nowhere. Most of them used magic to speed themselves up. Some ordinary people used blood energy to speed themselves up as well.


    Sure enough, the ordinary people in the Mage Continent were all equal to knights.


    Adam saw at least three fights along the way -- knights fighting against each other, magical duels, etc. Nobody ever stopped them, andw enforcers never appeared. It seemed like fighting was a norm here.


    Adam pointed outside and asked the driver, "Does nobody stop these fights?"


    The driver replied, "It''smon to fight here -- at least a dozen people die in duels every day in the Port of Karachi. As long as you apply in advance and promise topensate for public facilities damaged in your fight, the Magi Council allows fighting in order to resolve conflicts."


    Adam could deduce that this Magi Council is probably the governing body of the Mage Continent. Laws are useless to mages.


    Barbarism in civilization was foreign to Adam.


    The driver asked curiously, "Don''t duels happen from where all of you hail? How do you resolve conflicts, then?"


    Quentin sneered, "Only nobles can initiate a duel."


    The driver nodded, "There aren''t any nobles on the Mage Continent. Only mortals and mages exist here. The only strictw is that mages cannot start duels against mortals," he continued. "Besides, offending a mage is a capital offence, but no mortal is that stupid."


    The rest of the ride was silent, and they soon reached their destination.


    The building in front of them was constantly changing and warping the space around it and Adam was baffled by it.


    "A mirage... could this be the work of space-time interference?" Adam pondered.


    The car left and Adam and the others walked into the building, trailing behind the mages. It was lively here and many people entered and exited the building. The apprentices felt ufortable -- the gap in between their powers was toorge.


    They didn''t know what to do.


    Mages exude an aura, which resembles a unique identity and ss amongst mages.


    The four mages who led the apprentices were also humbled upon entering this building. From time to time, they stopped and bowed their heads to high-level mages. The domineering aura caused the apprentices to tremble, lest any of their behaviour would offend the mages.


    They walked further in the building, and the ck Mage warned, "All of the teleportation arrays belong to the Holy Tower and are the property of the Great Archmage Randolph. Be humble and don''t talk unless you''re asked to."


    This was the first time they saw the ck Mage speak in such a hushed tone, and nobody dared to express their doubts. The consequence of disrespect in this world was death.


    They walked around a corner, passing through a light curtain. Everyone finally saw the teleportation array -- it was a regr portalposed entirely of magical runes. The source of ether from the void is continuously powering the runes. Adam was sure that, if anything malfunctions, the energy here was enough to disintegrate a single apprentice a hundred times over.


    The mage tending to the portal has his face obscured, and seems to be fading in and out of reality, "The Moldo Elemental Tower, I presume?"


    The four mages bowed and nodded. "Yes, Respected Mage Santa," the ck Mage replied, taking out a pure ether crystal and handing it to Mage Santa.

 Chapter 24

    After receiving the crystal, Mage Santa nodded, "Get in. Don''t waste my time."


    The mages walked in first, and trailing closely behind them were the apprentices, entering the portal with trepidation. Adam was thest to step inside, he found that the runes emitted a silver light casting a protective barrier on each apprentice. The moment he stepped into the portal he felt his body twisting into itself, forcibly stuffing itself into a tiny hole.


    In the blink of an eye, he was transported to another location, excruciating pain stabbing into every apprentice.


    All of the apprentices including Adam copsed on the floor, retching the contents of their stomach violently.


    When Adam regained hisposure, he realised that his surroundings had changed. Mage Erin waved and cast a mist of water that sprayed everyone, cleansing the filth of the apprentices.


    "Your fragile bodies can''t withstand the suddenness of teleportation, which is why we had to transport all of you closer to the Mage Continent via a ship," the ck Mage exined. "We''ll discusster. We are at the Moldo Elemental Tower -- join the other apprentices for the orientation ceremony."


    "The Moldo Elemental Tower?" William wondered. Aren''t they supposed to be at the Moldo Mage Academy?


    The ck Mage exined, "Yes, this is the Moldo Elemental Tower -- the Mage Academy was only established by this tower''s owner at the request of the Magi Council. We''ll exin thister."


    He paused, and continued, "For the sake of us getting along with all of you..."


    The apprentices shuddered.


    "A piece of advice -- think thrice before making a choice. Once a contract is established, you cannot return back to your homes -- and try not to establish a rtionship with the local apprentices here before you gain enough knowledge -- conflict is bound to arise."


    Everyone followed the ck Mage out of the Portal Room, and found themselves in a very wide hall, surrounded by pedestrians. The apprentices stared at them with admiration.


    "Keep your eyes down. This tower is the residence of a mage -- if you identally anger them I can''t save you."


    Everyone''s heart froze and quickly looked to the floor. They quickly realised that the academy is not a happy ce, and apprentices aren''t scarce enough for the mages to care about their lives.


    They soon left the hall and when they looked back, they realised they had walked out of a tower that was suspended mid-air. Mysterious energy surrounded the tower, making it able to levitate.


    Below the tower were more ordinary buildings, forming a circle around the tower. Adam noticed some apprentices like them walked out of these buildings and gathered towards the designated ce under their respective mages.


    "Local apprentices..." Adam muttered. It seems like the local apprentices were extremely arrogant, and showed contempt to outsiders.


    The local apprentices'' clothes were also much more luxurious than the garbs they were wearing, and they all possessed some form of magical item. In addition, they had a greater amount of mental strength within them.


    "They are born in a high-magic environment, it is no surprise that they will have a higher capacity of magic within them," Adam concluded.


    The crowd finally converged on the city''s square, which was made of unknown materials foreign to Adam.


    There were more than 100 apprentices in this crowd. Apart from the six of them, it seems like everyone here was a local apprentice.


    The mages left them, and walked towards the high tform in front of the square, where three mages were already standing, donning ck robes. When the mages stood at the tform, everyone became silent immediately.


    The ck-robed mage nodded, "I am Victor, the dean of Moldo Mage Academy. First of all, wee!"


    The apprentices remained silent and Victor obviously didn''t care, "In the first year, your education is free -- this includes knowledge of runes, knowledge of elements, potions, alchemy and body refining. Other basic courses are provided as well and from then on you need to choose a research direction within the year."


    "In the second year, you have two choices. One, sign a contract with the great Moldo trans-dimensional mage. This contract states that after you be a mage, you will follow your superior for expeditions on three different nes and worlds, or serve them for 300 years. This also includes free education under your superior.


    Two, study in the academy as a free apprentice. However, you need to finance your own education, and the cost is determined by your appointed instructor. You can cultivate yourselves, you can leave once you be a full-fledged mage.


    Of course, as an apprentice, you must obey the mages andplete your obligations."


    After Victor''s exnation, he left. Next, two other ck-robed mages exined some details, including somepulsory fees that need to be paid. This includes amodation, a library borrowing fee, as well as regted fees. They also need to pay a fee for the student area, where they are free to do as they please.


    This was good news to the six apprentices -- the monsters killed by them on the ship will be converted to energy. After handing it out to the ship''s captain to maintain the ship, they will receive amission to maintain their most basic living expenses.


    After the ceremony, the mages vanished, and some senior apprentices took over the programme and led them towards their assigned dormitories.


    Along the way Adam carefully analysed his surroundings -- the conditions specified by the mages for the term of their study sounded legitimate, but he didn''t know if the mages were withholding any important information from them. However, with how powerful mages were, he thought that there wasn''t any need for the mages to deceive them.


    The six apprentices were all relieved, since they were worried about the costs of living here. Everyone except for William and Ophelia were dirt poor, so signing a contract to learn for free would be a good thing.


    The local apprentices saw their relieved expressions and snickered, maliciousness coating theirughter. This angered Randy, and they could tell that he had a very sensitive self-esteem.


    The local apprentices ignored Randy''s res and announced loudly, "A man from the countryside will always be a foreigner here -- do you think that the conditions here aren''t attached to anything? Listen, the conditions only apply for those who are able to be official mages. Do you have what it takes to be a mage? Clearly not."


    "Bastard! Repeat that, I dare you!" Randy said recklessly.


    The local apprenticesughed and dismissed his threat, "It seems that you don''t recognise your ce, idiot."


    William hurriedly pulled Randy back. He could see the senior apprentice''s disdain painted on his face, so it was unwise to cause trouble on their first day here, "Randy, calm down. I''ll exin the situation to youter."


    The local apprentice who taunted Randy smirked, and did a cut-throat gesture to Randy before leaving.


    William pulled Randy to the side, grabbing his head so he could whisper, "If you had attacked him, you would have died without a doubt. Attacking without an official duel is considered a sneak attack and they would definitely not let you get away scot-free."


    Randy quickly calmed down, but he was still angry, and decided to pour his anger out on Adam, mocking him, "Figures. Most of our conflictes from within the house anyway."


    Adam didn''t care -- in fact, he wanted tough hearing this. Disputes like these were incredibly ridiculous, and he didn''t see a point in both the local apprentices'' and Randy''s outburst.


    The senior apprentice remained silent. His task at hand was to bring them to the dormitory anyways.


    The room is a two-person room. Nobody wanted to stay with Adam, including William, who was on the line on whether or not to get close to Adam. Adam didn''t care, in fact, he preferred being alone.


    The senior apprentice exined, "The costs of the dorm will be divided among two apprentices. If you live alone, you have to pay double the price."


    Adam nodded.


    The senior apprentice left, and everyone returned to their rooms. The room was clean and cosy, and it seems like the academy treats apprentices rtively well. Adam didn''t really care -- Victor''s words were ringing in his head.


    "A trans-dimensional mage..." Adam repeated to himself. These words concerned him -- were mages really powerful enough to transcend the fabric of reality to transverse other dimensions? A mage like this cannot be considered a mage anymore, but a god that is free from dimensional constraints!

 Chapter 25

    The five apprentices, excluding Adam, gathered together, clearly excited about their new life that had begun to take shape. Bing a mage was now in their grasp and they weren''t about to lose it so quickly.


    After all, they were teenagers. Temporary conflict was resolved as quickly as it started -- Randy put his solemn mood behind him and focused on the path -- Curse Magic.


    Obviously, curse magic is unorthodox -- not because it''s powerful, but because it''s effectively useless.


    Quentin patted his back, "The ck Mage once said that even though you are talented in a specific kind of magic, it isn''t the key factor of you bing a mage -- don''t worry, besides, I think I''m the one who has to worry. He''s right after all."


    Everyone in the group knew what ''he'' refers to -- Adam. Crystal, who felt bad for Adam, expressed her worries, "Is it really alright for us to distance ourselves from Adam? I mean, wee from the same country, isn''t it better for us to stick together? The ck Mage didn''t me Adam for anything either," the me Crystal referred to was when he destroyed the runes attracting the beasts.


    Randy snorted, "It''s not that we want to iste him -- did you see how we looked at us? He is clearly looking down upon us! He will pay for his arrogance. I swear!"


    "But..."


    "We are about to encounter things that are way outsidemon human knowledge -- those local apprentices look down upon us, so I''m sure Adam wille to us begging for help one day," Quentin said sarcastically.


    Ophelia frowned. She remembered when Adam said that the alliance back on the ship waspletely pointless, and knew in her heart that he was right, "Let us rest. Beingte on the first day will definitely leave a bad impression on the mages'' heart."


    After Ophelia said this, she returned to her room with Crystal. When she closed the door, Crystal whispered behind her, "Miss Ophelia, we threw Adam under the bus, didn''t we?"


    Ophelia stopped walking. She remained silent and Crystal nodded.


    The next morning came, and Adam had just finished sketching his optimised runes. After countless studies on the rune, he has a vague idea of how it works now -- if magic isposed of groups of runes, could this mental strength solidification rune be used in other groups of runes? Perhaps, he could add this rune into moreplex patterns, making it more efficient.


    Thinking of this, Adam couldn''t help but look forward to the uing course. From today onwards, they will be guided by a Mage, which is far more efficient than learning on your own.


    The same senior apprentice from yesterday gathered the apprentices and distributed some necessities for the academy -- robes, tokens representing their identity, maps of the campus -- of course, these must be paid for.


    Later, the six apprentices'' payment for killing the beasts had arrived. Everyone was green with envy when they saw that Adam had more stones than everyone, including the crystals that Mage Erin had given him.


    Adam carefully read his timetable. It seems that the first year is indeed apulsory education stage. The course was incredibly tight to ensure that the apprentices will not miss one course because of another. His first ss? Rune Studies.


    The map marked the various facilities of the academy, and Adam was attracted by a building called the Mission Hall. The senior apprentice then announced, "True to mage culture there are no free things in the academy. Moreover, if it were free a greater price has to be paid at ater date. However, the academy encourages apprentices to gain resources on their own -- if you are short on money or resources, go to the task hall to ept a mission, and a reward equivalent to the mission will be awarded to you."


    His expression turned weird, but Adam couldn''t decipher what emotion it was, "Moreover, some tasks are... exciting, to say the least. However, your group is lucky -- the tower had just failed in the recent war, and the number of apprentices have drastically reducedpared to the previous years, resulting in arge number of tasks. You can probably survive pretty easily here."


    He continued, "Now, take this identity token and enter your room information. From now on, your dorm will be private to you only and you have the undeniable right to kill any trespasser who enters your room. The power stones in your hands are your money, and it can be stored at the canteen for a small fee."


    After the senior apprentice''s long exnation, he left. The apprentices hurried to the cafeteria to eat breakfast before ss began.


    The cafeteria was extremelyrge -- it was divided into two areas, and was filled with apprentices. Obviously, mages won''t eat with apprentices.


    Meals provided by the cafeteria were monster meat containing special energy. A huge projection above the food items marks the price of each food, and exins the benefits of the food.


    For example, a Bright Bird costs ten stones, and replenishes some mental strength; a fish costs four stones, and eliminates mental fatigue. There was also ordinary monster meat, which is avable for half a stone.


    Adam ced his power stone into his identity token, showing that he has about 800 stones. Obviously, this wasn''t enough tost him for a long time. He needs to find a stable source of ie, or he will starve.


    The other five apprentices looked at their bnce, and it was clearly lesser than Adam''s. Even if they only ate the most basic monster meat, they had to ration it out.


    The local apprentices noticed them, and held greater disdain for them. Their parents worked for mages, and thepensation they received were also power stones. Naturally, this means they had more iepared to them.


    "Poor outsiders," someone said, jeering.


    This made the apprentices look down in embarrassment, and William and Ophelia sighed softly. The two of them couldn''t let theirpanions be publicly embarrassed.


    "Follow me. Everything will be fine," William patted Quentin and Randy on their backs.


    Adam sat down alone, and curiously ordered a Bright Bird on the menu projected on the table. A strange device popped out of the table, and Adam swiped his identity token on it. His bnce was automatically deducted, and a mechanical puppet served him food.


    "Seems like this identity token works simr to a card," Adam thought to himself. The puppets serving food were the academy''s alchemists'' masterpieces. Although they were mere service workers, Adam could feel that they were incredibly powerful, being powered by magic. Adam definitely couldn''t fight it even if he wanted to.


    Soon, his food was served, and this Bright Bird was bigger than a Thanksgiving turkey back on Earth! Adam cut a piece of meat and put it in his house, and strong vours exploded in his mouth.


    "No wonder the mages rarely eat at banquets -- if you have food like this, regr food tastes stale," Adam thought.


    Adam never really cared about the pleasures of being a human, but now, he basked himself in carefully tasting the food before swallowing it. The special energy in the food integrated into his body, replenishing his mental strength. Although the effect was weak, it was better than nothing.


    The five apprentices swallowed their food slowly, feeling regret for spending precious money on good food.


    After devouring his food, Adam left the cafeteria to look for his Rune Studies ssroom.


    Because it was an introductory course, there weren''t any senior apprentices inside. He was half an hour early, so the teacher wasn''t there yet. So Adam randomly chose a seat and waited quietly.


    Soon, other apprentices entered, andter, the tutor walked in right on time, "My name is James and I''m a high-levelled mage apprentice. There is no need to refer to me as Teacher, so James is fine. I will only exin the lesson once, if you don''t understand anything you can meet me after ss, but a fee must be paid for additional exnations."


    Adam stared intently at James.


    "Today, we will learn about rune qualities and meditation."


    Adam didn''t expect them to be learning about the most basic thing.


    Sure enough, what James taught was no different from what the ck Mage had told him in the beginning. Obviously, this was merely the foundation of magic.


    "Next, we move on to meditation."


    "Meditation is what ancient mages call the mental strength solidification runes -- most mages think that this is too lengthy, so the term ''meditation'' stuck around."


    True to Adam''s prediction, there wasn''t just one mental strength solidification rune.

 Chapter 26

    "Meditation is incredibly important to ancient mages -- as we all know, mental strength is fuelled by the soul and our soul is the foundation for mages to cast magic," he exined. "This means that the mage''s power directly corrtes to the mage''s mental strength, so meditation is important for a mage to cultivate and recover their mental strength."


    James referred to his notes, and continued his lecture, "In ancient times, meditation was rigid. Mages practised it cautiously, and only a few people dared to innovate, think outside the box. Ancient mages were weak because of this -- if we still adhere to ancient standards, I''d be a mage by now."


    "Today, this haspletely overturned. The innovators dared to try again and again and became strong, and meditation fell out of favour. They discovered that everyone''s ''meditation'' differs."


    James finished his exnation, then tapped on the podium. A ray of light projected a screen, and Adam couldn''t feel any energy fluctuations from it. He predicts that it is a product from alchemists, and it worked simr to a 3D projector.


    Sure enough, a set of nine runes appeared on the screen.


    James stepped aside, and pointed to the first rune, "Everyone knows this rune -- the mental strength solidification rune."


    The apprentices nodded.


    "This, and the other eight runes, are the foundation of all meditation methods for mages. These runes were developed by the Great Archmage, Prometheus -- a brilliant mind, he created these while he was still an apprentice. This is universally regarded as the strongest runes used for meditation, and the first rune is free for all mages to use."


    James then manipted the ray of light,bining the nine runes together, forming aplex 3D structure.


    "This set of runes are called the Basic Meditation runes, but it was once called ''Prometheus'' Mage Armour'' and true to its name, shields the soul of a mage. Afterpleting this set of ''armour'', one can make this armour be denser by cultivating themselves. Even Great Archmages practice this today."


    "The biggest advantage of meditation is howpatible it is -- when you umte more knowledge, you can have your own unique set of runes, and you can alter it without any adverse effects."


    "Now, its main function is to familiarise apprentices with rune construction, but do not underestimate its power. This ''armour'' is key for mages to traverse through different dimensions, as it shields the soul from otherworldly, unexined threats."


    "This armour is integral to every single mage."


    Adam memorised the form of these nine runes carefully, and couldn''t help but admire the Great Archmage Prometheus. Thanks to his innovation, they are able to break free from traditional norms.


    James paused, letting the apprentices digest this information before continuing, "In your first year, this ss guides you to build your own method of meditation. I will not guide you since only you can figure out what rune set works for you. If there are any problems, consult me and perhaps I can help you stabilise your runes."


    "Every month, I will give each of you free guidance -- any more visits and you need pay me."


    To conclude the ss, James asked, "We''ll only be meeting once a week, but I''ll leave this projection here for your own reference. Any questions?"


    James is just asking out of formality. He was sure that they wouldn''t want to waste their budget of one-question-a-month.


    While the ss was happening, Adam had already sessfully constructed a few prototypes of ''armour'' in his head, and is very interested in the ss, so he didn''t hesitate to ask,


    "I would like to ask a question, Mr James."


    "Are you sure?" James looked at Adam suspiciously. Did he really want to waste his one question already?


    The other apprentices looked at Adam, some even mocking him.


    Randy whispered to the group, "Look at how arrogant he is. Sooner orter, he will pay. I hate show offs."


    Ophelia frowned; she didn''t want Adam to ruin their future because of his arrogance.


    Crystal wanted to defend Adam, but remained silent.


    "Yes," Adam replied.


    "Okay then,e with me," James had no reason to refuse, since it was his job anyways. Besides, he receives a fairly generous sry, and teaching apprentices is a good way of improving himself to be a mage.


    "I sure hope he doesn''t have any stupid questions, though," James thought. If Adam asked anything stupid, he would project his question to the public -- not to shame him, but to send a message for apprentices to not waste his time.


    Adam followed James to another building, where James had his ownboratory. James motioned Adam to sit, and asked, "Ask away."


    In mage culture, conversations are direct and quick to the point, so Adam quickly said, "What is the method of constructing runes using our own knowledge?"


    James answered, "I''m impressed, but you aren''t at the stage of learning that yet. You must know that you have not even sessfully constructed your own form of basic meditation."


    Adam knew that simply asking wouldn''t suffice, so he conjured a set of runes in front of James and formed it into aplete set of armour, and ced it in his soul.


    James was stunned at the scene before him. With what he knew, Adam was a new apprentice, and it wasn''t easy to simply construct a set of runes and form it into armour. Even senior apprentices face difficulty while doing, but a new apprentice was able to do it!


    He grabbed Adam''s hands and asked, "How long did it take you to fill the crystal ball during the qualification test? Did the crystal ball inform you of any affinities that you are drawn to?"


    Adam looked at him weirdly, unsure why James was hurrying him.


    James smacked himself in the forehead and got up from his seat and scurried away. He returned with a crystal ball, "Quickly! Try it."


    Adam remained silent and looked at him quizzically, and James reassured, "Do not worry, this is a normal crystal ball to gauge your power. Try it."


    Adam trusted James. In mage culture, there was no need to hide anything.


    Adam ced his hands on the crystal ball -- unlike the qualification test, he didn''t need to ''inject'' his mental strength into the ball. This crystal ball was different -- it syphoned his mental strength, so Adam didn''t need to put any effort.


    It lit up instantly, and the light instantly blinded both of them. Shielding his eyes, Adam noticed there was a numerical disy on the crystal ball, which kept rising. It eventually stopped at 100+.


    James looked at Adam and the crystal ball, and eximed, "You''re great! This is amazing!"


    Adam let go and asked, "Mr. James, what is this?"


    James snapped out of his admiration, and looked at Adam as if he was a precious gem, "100+... dear Prometheus, I can''t believe it! Do you know the implications of this?"


    "Obviously not."


    James picked up the crystal ball and walked circles around Adam, "This crystal ball is an advanced product of the talent tester, and it urately depicts the total amount of mental strength in you," he continued. "The value of each unit represents the initial mental power of an apprentice with the most basic mage qualifications, and its upper limit is 100. My Prometheus, you exceeded its upper limit!"


    Adam wasn''t that surprised, really. He knew deep in his heart that, if mental strength is equivalent to the power of his soul, then devouring all 10 billion souls from Earth meant that he could be considered a god in this world.

 Chapter 27

    James continued, "Although the total amount of mental strength is not a decisive factor in terms of bing a mage, its benefits are huge! This means that you are able to cast more spellspared to your peers -- not useful for research, but very helpful forbat. If you be a battlemage, it will be great."


    "A battlemage?"


    James dismissed him, "Bah, we can discuss it when you actually be a mage -- there is no need for you to know now."


    Adam replied, "But Mr. James, this is my mental strength we''re talking about, I think I need to know."


    James smiled, "I guess you are right. However, although this is your inherent talent, it''s useful to me, too."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Follow me."


    James led Adam by the hand and led him to hisboratory. Adam didn''t resist -- James is incredibly powerful for an apprentice, so he''s interested to see what James wants to do with him.


    Aboratory is incredibly important to a researcher -- each researcher protects their own achievements and discoveries very strictly, and this is no exception in the Mage World. James swiped his identity token three times, and theboratory was unlocked.


    Adam was curious on how mages do their research -- it is not realistic for the researchers to simply rely on fantasy and theories, so rigid, empirical evidence was needed, but how does one prove something mystical like magic? When he walked into the room, his questions were answered -- countless, sophisticated instruments used to measure magic; containers filled with exotic specimens; test tubes with strange liquids...


    "Thisboratory is oddly simple and... ordinary."


    James smiled.


    James''boratory was huge, and the walls were painted ck. The room was full of optical projections, suspended in the air. Rune models were painted onto the projections, and crystal balls were scattered on the tables.


    James'' tone changed from indifferent to kind, since Adam was about to be of great importance to him, "You think thisboratory is ordinary? Wait ''till you see the otherboratories."


    James continued, "There are otherbs that focus on other things -- my main research is for runes and mental strength."


    "I see why you''re teaching meditation now."


    James nodded, "That''s right. I''m qualified enough to serve as a first-year Rune Studies mentor."


    Adam''s gaze swept across the room and had to physically stop himself from recording everything in the room. No matter how much he wanted to remember this vividly, it is equivalent to stealing James'' research, and he might die if James decides to kill him for doing that.


    Adam wondered what James'' motives were, and without beating around the bush, asked, "So, you want me to be your test subject?"


    James shook his head, "Not a test subject, but my assistant. When you help me in my experiments, I''ll share some of my earnings to you as amission. You''ll be able to livefortably here."


    "What do I need to do?"


    Seeing that Adam was willing to be his assistant, James gently grabbed his shoulders, "It''s very simple -- build sets of runes that Ie up with, and I will record your feedback in order to judge whether or not meditation has any true value."


    This sounds like a great idea for Adam -- experimenting with runes won''t cause him any physical harm, he can get paid, and gain knowledge and experience from working under James. There is no reason for him to refuse.


    But Adam wouldn''t agree so easily, remembering the ck Mage''s advice of not making hasty decisions.


    "I''ll think about it carefully and give you an answer by next week, now, what is your research for?"


    James was a little frustrated and slumped back into his seat, "When a mage has inherent talents in certain magic, their soul can try to guide him towards the correct path. I would like to study if these talents can be integrated into the rune groups to build your own set of runes, since I theorise that mage ''armour'' formed this way has a strong personal tendency and is able to call forth powerful abilities."


    Turns out, as long as apprentices reach the bare minimum, they have the opportunity of bing a mage, but a small number of people with inherent talent will have ess to spells rting to their own talent.


    Adam got his answer and left James alone. He still needed to attend his Elemental Studies ss in the afternoon.


    Along the way, he met a lot of apprentices who had just finished their Rune Studies ss -- they discussed the knowledge they had obtained, and constantlypared their mastery with each other.


    It was noon, but nobody chose to eat lunch. It was expensive, after all, and with everyone being as strong as a knight here, one meal a day was more than sufficient.


    Some people saw Adam, but didn''t approach him. Some of them have already decided that Adam was an idiot, so they considered it unwise to invest their time into Adam.


    Adam does not care. Being an A.I, he did not know the concept of loneliness.


    The closer he got to his ssroom, the more intense the surrounding magic content became. This energy caused him to put more effort into walking, but the other apprentices were struggling to walk by, having to take frequent breaks for a few steps.


    A few cornerster, Adam came to a closed door. A barrier sealed the door, and on the barrier wrote: [New apprentices are strictly prohibited from casting spells in the Elemental Laboratory, or dire consequences will be at your own risk.]


    Nobody dared to disobey this rule. Adam resisted the great energy to try and enter theb for his next ss.


    The barrier disyed a text: [Disy your identity token.]


    Adam swiped his identity token against the door, and Adam felt a forcetch onto him,pletely suppressing his mental power.


    Since Adam was more talented than his peers, it took longer for his mental power to bepletely suppressed.


    The interior of the Elemental Laboratory did not conform to Euclidean geometry -- it looked extremelyrge inside, and a couple of apprentices came and went in a hurry. There were several doors that were sealed tightly with runes.


    Adam checked his timetable and walked towards his ssroom underground. The moment he reached the stairs, explosions could be heard in the opposite room, and violent fire licked at the apprentices.


    "Oh my god!"


    "Extinguish it!"


    Panic erupted among the apprentices, and a crowd soon gathered by theb. Several people were burnt, and their clothes were singed.


    The senior apprentices who wore grey robes ran out theb, and a figure who was surrounded by orbs of fire chased after them, "All of you idiots! Idiots! Didn''t I tell you that the runes had to be perfect?! You idiots are worse than pigs!" he then turned to a senior apprentice cowering, "Send them to the infirmary, and nevere back!"


    "This must be an experiment on elemental magic," Adam thought to himself. This was important information to him, but he had no way of entering theb.


    When he came to his ssroom, Adam found that his tutor was the ck Mage! After everyone arrived, he began, "I am the ck Mage, and I am a second-level Wind Mage. I will be your Elemental Studies teacher for the first year."


    The ssroom was an amphitheatre, the ck Mage levitated in the centre and announced, "I hope the scene just now did not frighten any of you -- elemental magic is full of charm, and probably what most mages are looking forward to! However, it is dangerous, and the apprentices who were running just now were extremely lucky to run away with their lives. You must know, many apprentices die from these experiments every year.


    I will only be meeting you once a month -- in this year, you must study what elements there are and sessfully construct three sets of low-levelled elemental magic runes.


    This assignment of yours is extremely important. If you are unlike Miss Ophelia, who has talents in Body Refining, you must learn at least three kinds of elemental magic, or you will be expelled from the academy."

 Chapter 28

    Ophelia averted her gaze from the crowd and told herself, "Learning three kinds of magic in a year is a piece of cake. I''ll be able to do it even if I''m not a mage."


    True enough, this was the minimum standard. A few ex-apprentices were able to reach the minimum standard, but were expelled regardless. Competition was fierce, so the mages had no choice but to expel them.


    The ck Mage continued, "Elements can include anything -- something you can see with your naked eye; something only mages can see, something outside human perception, something phenomenal outside of this world."


    "Fire," the ck Mage opened his palm, summoning a tiny pir of me from his palm.


    "Water," the mes dissipated into an orb of water.


    "Ice," the orb of water solidified into an orb of ice.


    "Earth. light. darkness..." The ck Mage disyed these elements one by one, and everyone was in awe from the magic being disyed.


    "Wind," and when he waved his hand, a light gust of wind whirled past everyone''s ears.


    "These are elemental phenomena that one can see with the naked eye, and they are therefore referred to as elemental magic."


    He continued, "Ancient mages transformed these natural phenomena into magic via observation. This is obviously inefficient, since even if they are able to copy the elements they don''t understand the principle behind it. This made teaching magic difficult, since the magics conjured were often unstable and could backfire on the mage themselves."


    Everyone listened attentively to the history of magic, since most of them were looking forward to casting elemental magic.


    The ck Mage projected a screen in the centre, and he conjured a set of three runes on the screen.


    "I''m sure everyone is familiar with the fireball runes."


    Everyone nodded, especially the six apprentices. The reason they were able to reach the academy alive was because of this fireball.


    "This is the first spell that mages mastered. Human beings were on the brink of extinction, but the fireball brought them back."


    Adam smiled. It seems that in any universe, fire is the source of civilization. It is because of fire that men are able to escape from savagery.


    "The fireball spell today is safe and stable but back then these spells were incredibly unstable,"


    The ck Mage paused, and summoned his staff out of thin air. He took out a strange, ruby stone, and ced it on the crown of the staff.


    "The ancient mages relied on these energy stones and staffs to cast spells, but today, bare hands are able to do the job. They relied on incantations to stimte the energy stored in the stones and cast their spells in this way. Watch."


    The ck Mage opened his mouth, muttering a few incantations and waved his staff. The ruby stone shone with brilliance and a sizzling, unstable orb of fire danced around the tip of the staff.


    Adam noticed that despite the words being muttered were simple and meaningless, it still triggered the energy within the stone.


    The ancient mages did not rely on magic to cast spells, it seems.


    The ck Mage unsummoned the staff and grasped the fireball with his hand, "This was probably the original fireball spell, but we can''t verify it. Look -- the fireball is extremely unstable and it may burst at any time. The magic may even dissipate before it hits the enemy."


    The ck Mage raised a target in front of him, and threw the fireball towards the target. The target barely flinched, and a value of 0.25 was projected over it.


    The ck Mage dusted his hands off, "As you can see, the offensive power is incredibly low, unable to kill an ordinary person."


    Adam studied the target closely and guessed it was an alchemist''s product simr to a crystal ball. He was amazed at how advanced this was, since precise and urate numerical values would be disyed.


    The ck Mage continued, "Now, the improved fireball."


    In the blink of an eye, a fireball levitated gently in front of the ck Mage.


    "This fireball is no different than the ones all of you have used, now pay attention."


    The fireball hit the target, and disyed a value of 1.


    "In modern times, the lowest power that can be achieved is 1, which is four times more powerful than ancient magic casted with staffs."


    "This is why knowledge is important," the ck Mage concluded.


    Most people didn''t know what ''knowledge'' referred to. It was a term that was constantly repeated by mages -- they didn''t understand it, but craved it. Now, they are able to cast magic freely if they obtain this ''knowledge''.


    "The principle of a fireball is simple --bustion, and its main power is drawn from its high temperature. Like fire, it is an exothermic reaction produced withbustibles and burning agents. Simrly, in magic, thisbustible is ether, and the burning agent is magic."


    Adam could tell that the ck Mage did not fully exin the principles of the fireball. He may be right, but in the mage world, ether recesbustibles and oxygen.


    Rather than saying that poweres from knowledge, isn''t it easier to say that poweres from ether?


    Adam listened to the ck Mage''s lecture closely. The only drastic difference between Earth and the Mage World is magic.


    "Magical powers are based on our mental strength, as we know it..."


    The ck Mage didn''t demonstrate any more magic, and was still teaching the principles behind a fireball. Ether was constantly mentioned, and Adam knew that ether was important.


    "I guess that everything in this world is connected to ether," Adam thought. "Using knowledge, mages are able to utilise ether."


    Adam''s shallow understanding of this world was not enough to determine the nature of this world, and even he didn''t know whether or not this question was that important to begin with, but he can bepletely sure of one thing:


    The value of knowledge obtained is reduced. Because of ether, the Earth and the Mage World are different from each other. Could Earthly knowledge be applied in the Mage World? He was uncertain.


    At the end of the ss, the ck Mage released three spells,posed of three runes each, namely: the Water Curtain, which is a defensive spell. The Wind de, which was what William casted back on the ship. Thorns, which is an offensive spell.


    "The elemental knowledge that you learn in the first year will not cover advanced content. Hence, this year, you must learn three of the most basic elemental magic. You can go to the library and pay to learn the runes of other low-levelled magic, but the key is that you must learn at least three spells."


    "In the next ss, consult me about any problems when constructing runes. Once again, don''t waste my time with silly questions, lest you suffer the consequences behind angering a mage."


    The enthusiasm of the apprentices roared the moment the ck Mage vanished from the ssroom. They could physically see the power of magic,pared to mental tasks like forming magical runes.


    Adam thought that elemental magic looked incredibly simple. With a quick analysis, he found amon point among all the runes, including the fireball. They all have a simr rune that guides the magic, presumably to draw out their mental strength to cast the spell.


    "As I predicted, ether is the source of magic."


    Over the course of the week, the apprentices listened intently in all of their sses. Each tutor had their own requirements, but expulsion was themon theme among them. It was challenging for apprentices who have fallen behind in terms of magic, so it is a huge test for all of them.


    Naturally, Adam found the course incredibly easy. These sses were merely introductory sses to gauge which apprentices are qualified enough to adapt the practice of mages.


    Thepetition was fierce, and the apprentices were all tense. Adam once again became an anomaly, since everyone thought that he had given up on studying.

 Chapter 29

    Attendance isn''t actuallypulsory for the first-years; if you are smart enough to pass the year-end exam, then you have no need to attend sses.


    And that was exactly what Adam did. He never attended any more sses apart from the first lessons.


    In Botany Knowledge, the apprentices learn about the properties of various nts to prepare various types of deadly poisons. This ss does not include healing, but only killing. However, indirectly, one could learn about healing nts; by gaining knowledge on nts, various types of medicine could be prepared.


    In Alchemy, it only covered the most basic introductory lessons. It was equivalent to chemistry back on Earth, really.


    In Body Refining, it teaches apprentices who have the qualification of a Refiner to refine magic into their bodies, strengthening themselves. It''s an elective course, which means that it isn''t included in the final assessment. However, the tutor was an official mage, but the mage in question looks strange and not human at all. Adam guessed that refiners are able to alter how they look, too.


    Adam already knew what his courses entailed, and never showed up in ss ever again. He spent most of his days in the library and asionally came to the cafeteria to eat.


    Reading was expensive. Each book requires a payment of power stones, and additional readings require additional payments, so trying to refer to past works is difficult. Fortunately, Adam has a literal photographic memory, so he only needed to read the books once.


    The library is divided into levels too. First-years could only read content that is avable to first-years; higher-level content cannot be read even if you have the money to do so.


    However, even for first-year books, there were too many books to read. Day after day, Adam indulged in reading in the library, but soon realised that hecked sufficient funds.


    There were a few old-aged bookworms in the library. Initially, they were amazed at Adam''s reading speed, but soon found that he had extremely good memory andprehension skills. They weren''t sure whether or not he could be a mage, but to be a senior apprentice was no problem, so they were on equal footing with each other.


    They could tell he had extreme talent, so he could easily gain the favour of formal mages and be their assistants. It was promising, to say the least.


    "Adam, do you remember where [First Year -- Enchanted nts'' and their Properties] was ced?" Elliot Pierce asked. He is an old bookworm and a Pharmacy Instructor for the apprentices. He specialises in the production of potent poisons, and in thest war, he ims to have killed at least six high-level apprentices.


    "In the Botany aisle, third row, sixth column," Adam reported. He frowned upon seeing that he had insufficient funds to read [Changes to the Fireball Runes].


    "Thank you, Adam," they were used to asking Adam whenever they couldn''t find any books. However, Elliot noticed Adam''s frown.


    "What''s the matter? No power stones?" Elliot asked.


    Adam ced his book back on the shelf and backed away from Elliot, "That''s right, and Mr. Elliot, please stay away from me."


    Adam didn''t want to get too close to Elliot, not because he was evil, but because he constantly radiated an aura of poison. He remembered vomiting when he first came into contact with Elliot, and didn''t want to re-enact the unpleasant experience.


    Elliot pouted, but respected Adam''s wishes, "I told you! I always develop an antidote for my poison -- you are safe!"


    Adam frowned, "It was very unpleasant."


    "Fine, whatever! You''re too shallow to appreciate the beauty of poison," Elliot muttered. "By the way, Adam, I have a way for you to earn power stones, want in?"


    "Of course."


    Elliot gestured mysteriously with his hands, "Ick an assistant in myboratory to record data from my experiments, since I fired the previous idiot from his position. With your photographic memory, you would be a perfect fit for this job! What do you say?"


    Adam remembered James'' pending offer. He had forgotten about it, since he didn''t think it was that important.


    "And do not worry, I will never treat you as a test subject. Besides, it isn''t allowed by the academy. All of you have to do is help me record data, and I''ll immediately give you a pass for your Pharmacy Studies."


    It was a good offer, but he didn''t want to work with poisons, since it may kill him, "Mr. Elliot, do you know Mr. James?"


    "Just call me Elliot -- and James? Of course! Isn''t he your Rune Studies tutor?"


    "Well, yes. You see, he invited me to be his assistant as well."


    Elliot put on a fake sad face and asked, "Is that so? Has he given up on the offer yet?"


    Adam raised his eyebrows, "Is it hard to find assistants?"


    "It depends," Elliot replied. "Formal mages neverck any assistants, as with senior apprentices. However, only James''boratorycks assistance."


    "And why is that so?"


    Elliot looked around before whispering, "I assume he had told you about the ''armour'' of the mage, yes?"


    "Yes."


    "However, he didn''t disclose to you that it isn''t actually that important to a mage. The ''armour'' of the mage is extremely versatile, so you can adjust it to your liking. While he was an apprentice like you, he was obsessed with meditation and runes because hecked any natural talent of any form: average mental strength, no inherent talents, low element affinity -- so, he wants to be an official mage by brute forcing his way to obtain godly amounts of mental strength, effectively bing a Spirit Mage."


    He continued, "Before the war, there were a few people who experimented with him, but they all perished, and the surviving apprentices did not agree with what he was doing. Life''s too short."


    Adam recalled reading about the lifespan of apprentices -- the body and soul sacrifices themselves to power the great energy levels of ether and magic, which greatly reduces the lifespan of an apprentice. They will never see a day over a hundred years old.


    Elliot concluded, "We all think that James is wasting his precious time, and the formal mages of the academy are not very supportive of him. It didn''t matter to him though -- any small improvements in his project motivates him further."


    "I see," Adam replied. However, Adam felt that James'' research was not for naught.


    Elliot advised him, "Adam, you do not need to study meditation at all because of your qualifications. You must know that when you are an apprentice, you must ensure that you advance to the next level before you expire. Fields of research like James'' one can be done once you be a full-fledged mage."


    Elliot''s advice was sincere, but Adam knew that Elliot wanted him to be his assistant and replied, "Thank you Elliot, but I am interested in James'' research."


    Elliot sighed and waved his hand, "Okay, but do not worry, myboratory is still open for you if you turn down James'' offer." Elliot optimistically thought that since James did not have any help, it would be difficult for him to advance in his experiments. Besides, studying runes sounded way more fun than being around poisonous fauna and flora.


    Adam ran into Crystal when he left the library.


    Crystal looked distressed. Wind magic was her affinity, so this means that she had difficulty in mastering the other two spells that the ck Mage had given. In addition to her turmoil, the fiercepetition in the academy and trauma from the ship made her depressed. She was busy ncing at her power stone bnce, desperate to learn two more spells rted to wind.


    She identally bumped into Adam, and gasped upon seeing him.


    "Adam... it''s you, oh... I... hello," Crystal stammered.


    "Hello."


    Crystal gathered her courage and asked, "Adam, why haven''t you been to sstely? Have you really given up?"


    Is it because all of us are avoiding you? But she never asked that.


    Adam looked at her strangely. He didn''t feel like they were close enough for her to be asking questions like this to him.


    "No, it''s just too easy," Adam replied before leaving for James''boratory.


    Crystal didn''t look behind her. "It''s too easy..."


    She put her thoughts away and entered the library. She thought she and Adam were on the same boat, seeing that the other apprentices were talking behind their backs. Turns out, Adam was a league above both her and the apprentices.

 Chapter 30

    James sat solemnly in hisb -- his research was stagnant, with no hope of a breakthrough.


    And it''s not like hecked funds -- in fact, the academy funded him well. The only problem is that hecked assistants and test subjects.


    As Elliot said, his oldbmates were dead, and the new apprentices failed to meet his requirements, apart from Adam.


    "It''s no surprise that a genius of his level won''t be interested in my research," he wailed.


    He clung onto the ck walls of hisb, ncing asionally at the projections in the room: unfinished, untested, useless.


    "I''m too old."


    He was already in his seventies, and Death was waiting by his door. Realisation crept up onto him, and that realisation soon turned into dread and regret, "Why did I choose to research this field..."


    "I can''t do this anymore..."


    James slumped against the wall and sighed. Suddenly, the door to hisboratory lit up: [Apprentice Adam wishes to enter.]


    James'' eyes lit up, and leapt from the ground, rushing to open the door.


    Adam wandered around the academy trying to locate James''b. He didn''t know whether or not he was present, either, but he had no way of locating him.


    The door swung open.


    James stared at Adam with wide eyes, "So, you agree to be my assistant, right? Please!"


    Adam was taken aback; he almost couldn''t recognise James -- the once dashing young man was now a balding old man, "Yes, if I get sufficient pay, that is."


    James grabbed Adam by the hand and dragged him into theb, kicking the door close, "Wait for me!" He rushed into his inner chambers and took out a paper contract and handed it to Adam.


    Adam read the contract -- the responsibilities of both parties, precautions, confidentiality agreement.


    James announced, "The academy funds me with 2,000 energy stones per month -- I only need 800 to survive, so the rest is yours!"


    Adam widened his eyes; 1,200 energy stones per month was undoubtedly a huge sum of money, and it was much more generous than the mission rewards at the Mission Hall.


    James immediately shook Adam back to reality, and announced, "However, we need to produce satisfactory results within the next three months, or they will shut myb down -- the department has already lost patience with my project, and gave me a strict deadline."


    Adam nodded; three months means that he will get 3,600 power stones, "Mr. James, what do you mean by satisfactory results?"


    "Aplete set of meditation methods that apprentices can use," he replied. "I already haveplete sets in myb, but nobody is willing to verify it for me. Besides, it isn''t easy for me to build a set of runes either."


    Adam smiled. This project requires massive calctions, and lucky for James, Adam is an artificial intelligence. Building a set of runes is a piece of cake for him.


    Adam said, "Alright. If your research is sessful, I want to have the right to use these runes."


    James nodded hastily, "Of course, no problem at all."


    After Adam received verbal consent, he added this use to the contract, and wrote the amount of 1,000 power stones as his sry per month. James immediately paid Adam and epted the contract immediately, and couldn''t wait to pull Adam into hisb.


    James said, still smiling, "From now on, you have free ess to theb, but do not take any of my data out of theb."


    ...


    Half a month soon passed, and Adam had disappeared from the public eye. The only times he would re-emerge was around two o'' clock, where he travelled from his dorm to theb every day. His meals were eaten in theb as well.


    Adam found that James was a good person -- despite being an assistant and test subject, James treated Adam very well. He didn''t allow Adam to test the unsafe and unstable runes, but guided him along the way. Adam built a basic meditation rune set under his guidance, remembering James'' advice, "These basic meditation runes created by Prometheus are the most stable runes to date, and can be used by any mage. No matter how much an apprentice experiments with runes, they have a pillow to fall back on to shield them."


    This was great to Adam. He had gained a lot of experience working under James. In less than half a month, they developed a basic meditation method, and Adam could feel his weak soul being shielded by ayer of armour.


    James was satisfied. Adam''s talent once again exceeded his expectations -- toplete the initial meditation method, at least a thousand pieces of runes were required, and an ordinary apprentice can only conjure three to five pieces a day.


    James was also fascinated by Adam''s ability to multitask, not knowing that Adam hadputing powers. James could only build one rune at a time, but Adam could construct multiple runes at the same time.


    Half a monthter, James made sure that Adam could withstand the experimental and unstable runes. He turned on the projector and said to Adam, "Now, try to build these sets of runes. If you feel that something is amiss, stop immediately."


    Adam looked at the set of new runes -- they still had a total of 9 runes, but the structure was much moreplicated than Prometheus'' set of runes. However, based on his analysis, he could tell that the runes would fail -- they didn''t show any clear and concise patterns within it.


    However, he tested it anyway.


    James added, nervous, "Compared to Prometheus'' runes, these runes enhance your mental strength. If it is sessful, then the mage ''armour'' will be incredibly strong."


    "Step by step, remove your original mage armour, and... wait, what?! Adam! Stop!"


    James was horrified to find that Adam''s mental strength had scattered across the room, and the resulting force blew all of his research papers across the room.


    James shielded himself and begged Adam to stop, but was confused upon seeing his calm face. James'' face contorted into horror upon realising that since Adam is stripping his mage armour away, he would be vulnerable and could copse into himself at any time.


    He panicked and ran towards him -- Adam was hisst hope, and he couldn''t let anything happen to him.


    Adam announced, "As far as your runes are concerned -- yes, they areplex, but the structures within it are redundant and rough."


    James froze, "Are you... alright?"


    Adam nodded, "Do not worry about me, worry about the experiment -- this experiment is too inefficient, I can probably..." in Adam''s head, he thought of how to allocate hisputing power to maximise efficiency, "...construct four different sets of runes at the same time."


    "Four? Completely new structures?" James stuttered.


    "Well, yes, but I am unfamiliar with runes, so I can only settle for four," Adam replied.


    James widened his eyes in awe, "This must be the multitasking spell that you mentioned earlier!" James thought that multitasking was an inherent talent, and admired Adam for it.


    "I guess," Adam replied.


    James envied Adam. If only Adam was me, he thought.


    Adam built the runes as they spoke -- he discovered that a w in a rune does not necessarily affect the entire set, so they started to experiment again.


    James set up his optical projectors once again, filled with hope, "Maybe this time, we can seed."


    ...


    They did not. Two months passed, and their experiments demotivated them again and again. The two holed themselves up in theb -- James left once a week to teach, and Adam remained in theb 24/7.


    However, they still couldn''t develop a consistent and universal method for meditation.


    There were only ten days left before the deadline, and James'' appearance drastically changed from when Adam first met him -- a bright, passionate young man to a depressed, unmotivated, balding old man.

 Chapter 31

    Ten days were left before the deadline and James had aged considerably over the past few months. When Adam first met him, he was a dashing young man, but now he was a balding old man. Mages used magic to maintain their youthful appearance but James was too depressed to upkeep his appearance.


    He slumped on the ground and waited for Adam toplete the untested meditation method, and anxiety washed over him. After so many years of research and hard work, it was for nothing. After all, he was talentless; it was wishful thinking from him to think that he could qualify to be a mage using only his mental strength.


    "I want to die... I''ll just die silently here..." James muttered, identally shredding his experiment reports with his magic.


    Adam''s mental strength copsed again, sending the room into a disarray. Adam shook his head, "It''s still not possible. I need to try again."


    James stared at him, despair coating his eyes, "Forget it. Don''te tomorrow. I''m a failure. Thisboratory will be open to the other people wishing to use it in ten days."


    It didn''t even seem like James was talking anymore; his words barely registering in his own ears. Adam frowned, wanting to speak up, but James interrupted, "Come collect your sry after ten days, and if you refuse, I''ll put it directly into your power stone bnce. I''ll leave after that."


    Adam swallowed, "Where will you go?"


    James smiled sadly, "Probably leave the Mage Continent, find another continent, start a family. Then, my story will be over, I guess." With a flick of his hand, his optical projectors in theb turned off, and he disintegrated his reports on the table. Theb was shrouded in darkness, and Adam could hear James whisper, "Adam, please, don''t follow my path -- you''re different... you''re strong; I have already experienced the touch of magic, but you... you need to experience it fully. Leave me, now."


    Adam reluctantly walked out of theb; his words stuck in his throat. He wanted to tell James that after toiling away for two months, he had alreadye to a consistent meditation method, but it would take a few days for him to test it out. No matter, he thought, ten days was more than enough time for him to sort it out.


    ...


    In thest three months, the apprentices have matured a lot -- fights amongst apprentices weremon, a day at the academy was extremely dangerous considering the amount of apprentices who swore that they were the descendants of the gods. In just three months, many apprentices banded together to form groups in order to protect themselves.


    Most of them were incredibly poor, and everyone would scramble to the Task Hall toplete some missions. However, most of the tasks were unsuitable for apprentices, and the doable tasks were scarce -- there was no way to meet the needs of nearly a hundred apprentices.


    That is the reason why fights were incrediblymon, and the formal mages turned a blind eye to it. Powerful apprentices ruled the weak.


    Adam''s former friends were still united together, since no other groups were willing to take them in despite their proficiency -- William had already mastered three kinds of fire magic; Ophelia was already a great Refiner, but she was still bullied since they were considered a minority in the world of mages.


    Conflict broke out in the Task Hall -- the job paid for two units of power stones, which was enough for a meal. Randy ran over to ept the quest, but another local apprentice (coincidentally, it was the person who looked down upon him) wanted the job as well. They soon learnt that his name was Sean, who was the son of two senior apprentices.


    "Commoners from a third-world country like you have no right to earn power stones -you''ll use it up in a single day like the dirty beggar you are," Sean snickered, and hispanions behind himughed at Randy.


    "Get out of the way Sean, or face my wrath!" Randy threatened.


    "Hah! Are you guys hearing this? This dog wants to teach me a lesson! Guess what -- I heard that you are a Curse Magic user, so what are you going to do, curse me? Your useless magic won''t even make me flinch," Sean taunted, pressing his finger against Randy''s chest.


    Randy clenched his fist, veins bulging. Sean knew he hit a low-blow -- Randy''s curse magic was too niche to be considered good, so he was unable to cast magic continuously.


    "Curse you, bastard!" Randy lost his mind and rushed towards Sean, seeing red. Quentin hurriedly grabbed him and restrained him.


    Sean snickered and took the quest for himself.


    The senior apprentices didn''t care for the scene before them. They were used to it anyway.


    Randy huffed and puffed, unable to calm his emotions, "Duel with me, bastard."


    The Task Hall immediately turned silent -- most conflicts were simply bark, and it never escted beyond that. This was the first time that an official duel has been challenged.


    Sean turned around immediately in disbelief, "What did you say?"


    Randy broke free of Quentin''s grasp, who begged him to stop, "Duel me bastard!"


    Sean''s panic was overwritten by rage, and he roared, "Let us fight then! If you want to die this badly, allow it to be in my hands!"


    ...


    This duel immediately became the hot topic among the apprentices, but Adam didn''t care for it. Adam continued his mundane life of staying in his dorm and studying in the library, but Elliot kept gossiping to him.


    "Speaking of which, aren''t you from the same country as that apprentice with curse magic?" Elliot asked.


    "Well," Adam replied, studying [A Discussion on the Stability of Runes]. "I guess I am."


    Elliot smiled, "I overheard that he was going to duel with someone today, don''t you want to go and watch?"


    "Whatever," Adam muttered. He was too focused on reading his book.


    Elliot continued to pester him, "Come on, don''t you want to support your friend? Let''s go!"


    Adam frowned, staring at Elliot, "No. I don''t want to."


    "Why?" Elliot questioned. "This is the first duel in months, aren''t you at least a bit curious?"


    "Boring. I''m very close to reaching a breakthrough in my research -- besides, what''s so interesting about their duel, anyways? They are simply going to stand opposite of each other and stare, spending minutes trying to build theirbat runes." Adam rambled.


    "Oh," Elliot gagged. "I guess you are right, but it''s on the way anyways, you might as well watch it."


    Adam could tell Elliot wanted somepany -- fortunately for him, his system was already calcting the possible runebinations in the background, so he might as well watch the duel.


    Along the way, Elliot kept bragging about his affinity for poison, able to subdue even the most powerful apprentices who dared to challenge him.


    While they were walking to the duel site, the apprentices greeted Elliot, and were surprised upon seeing Adam walking beside him, wondering how someone who was rumoured to bezy could get so close to the Pharmacy tutor.

 Chapter 32

    Adam''s former friends saw Adam too and all of them, except for Crystal, were shocked that he was walking together with the Pharmacy tutor.


    Ophelia was recently undertaken by her Body Refining Tutor as an assistance due to her excellent discipline and willingness to learn -- however, refininges with great pain, and it challenges human norms -- devouring monsters, dissecting creatures to obtain their favourable genes (including humans), as a result, apathy has be second nature, but her eyes showed her extreme exhaustion and self-doubt. Naturally, she couldn''t keep herself updated with Adam thanks to her workload.


    "What''s going on... how did he..." Ophelia pondered.


    William was silent. He preferred to remain silent to avoid conflict, so it wasn''t a surprise to him when he discovered that Adam was working under a tutor.


    Ophelia was jealous, "I thought he was just arrogant and prideful, but I didn''t expect him to back it up with evidence too..."


    Crystal swallowed her words, disappointed at how shallow her friends were. They didn''t know howrge the gap in power between them and Adam was.


    The crowd envied Adam -- Elliot was always asocial and indifferent, but it seems like he favoured Adam.


    They soon came to the duel site, and Elliot spoke to his other colleagues, "This is just a duel between apprentices, did youe here to watch them stand and stare at each other doing nothing?"


    His colleagues stared at him while imagining the scene, and their interest faded in an instant, "You''re so annoying!"


    "Whatever. The Academy has been boringtely -- doesn''t hurt to see someone die today."


    "I guess that''s true. The Academy needs some drama, after all."


    Adam tried looking for James in the crowd, but he couldn''t, "What a waste of time."


    Adam left, but Elliot didn''t stop him. He knew that Adam was working hard to help James, but didn''t have the heart to tell Adam that helping James was a dead-end road.


    Soon, the crowd turned quiet -- Elliot turned his head and saw Sean and Randy get into position. The two immediately raised their hands, revealing the magic items they possessed.


    Most of these magic items were weak, but they were most definitely powerful enough to kill.


    The two were proficient enough to aim their spells urately, and the duel site was littered with shes, puddles, and faded embers.


    Elliot and his colleagues were soon bored -- both of them had barely moved from their original positions.


    Sean grinned, "Little rat, how many magic items do you have left?" He snickered, fully knowing that Randy would not have sufficient magic items on him, since Sean had other magical items lent to him by his group. He began to cast another fireball, conjuring it in his arms.


    Randy''s face contorted into horror -- he only had onest magic item, and it was a flying spell, made for utility. This was hisst resort, so he couldn''t use it yet.


    "Damn it!" Randy cursed silently, beginning to run across the arena.


    Sean was ecstatic -- Randy was going to die by his hands. Sean immediately casted a fireball, then used his magic items to cast two additional fireballs and a wind de to block Randy''s exit.


    ''Die! Die! Die! You worthless scum!" Sean taunted.


    Randy stared at the spellsunched towards him like a deer in headlights, but regained hisposure and stomped to the ground -- the earth arced upwards, shielding Randy from Sean''s attacks.


    Sean was stunned, "Idiot! You can''t hide for long!"


    The wind de shattered the shield, and Randy tumbled to the side -- the wind de shed through his arm, and bone could be seen.


    "Argh!" Randy roared in pain, and his face was painted with despair, realising he was unable to cast anymore spells.


    The apprentices could not look away from the scene, and they could hear Seanugh maniacally.


    Adam''s friends panicked, and ran towards the arena -- they couldn''t watch theirpanion die.


    Sean''spanions stopped them, "Stop! Don''t you understand the rules?"


    Quentin growled, "It isn''t fair!"


    One of Sean''spanions let out a shakyugh, "Fair? Your friend was the one who started it."


    William''s gaze darted between Randy and Quentin and begged, "Howard, please, spare Randy."


    Sean''s friend named Howard nced at William, "Look, did you hear what he said? You must be out of your mind! This is between Randy and Sean, don''t try to intervene."


    William''s face turned pale, and swallowed his pride, running to the senior apprentices, "Teachers please! You simply can''t let a fellow apprentice die like that!"


    The senior apprentices frowned pityingly, but William knew they were making fun of him, "What do you think a duel is? A duel is life and death, I''m sure you know that since you stepped foot on this continent."


    Sean stopped upon seeing William run towards the senior apprentices, but grinned upon seeing him being rejected. He strolled towards Randy, who was incapacitated on the ground -- he was nning to humiliate him before killing him.


    "Look -- even your so-called friends are unable to save you. This is the price of challenging me and yourpanions will join you shortly. It absolutely sickens me to think that I breathe the same air as you pigs."


    Randy red at him with rage, and shouted, "Go to hell!" Randy quickly rolled over and casted a fireball.


    However, Sean anticipated this, having already casted a curtain of water, "How predictable. No more tricks though, you die now."


    Randy was desperate and activated his magic item, which sent him flying into the air.


    Randy scrambled about in the air, and hispanions looked unto him with hope.


    Sean conjured a fireball, "It''s sad seeing you struggle like this. Let me put you out of your misery." The fireball flew towards Randy''s flight path, and he was instantly blown into millions of pieces -- blood and guts sttered upon the apprentices, and hispanions could only stare.


    ...


    By the time Adam returned to his dorm, many apprentices were discussing the fight.


    Adam wasn''t surprised that Randy died, but Elliot was somewhat shocked, "Your friend with curse magic died."


    "I see."


    "Wow, I can''t believe you are this apathetic," Elliot joked.


    "Stop right there! Don''t you care about his death at all?!" An angry voice sounded, and Adam found that it was Quentin. The others stood behind Quentin, looking at Adam with disappointment.


    "Wee from the same country... We fought the same sea monsters together, so shouldn''t we be united in this?! Randy died this time, but it could be you next! Listen -- Sean ns to kill us all, including you!" Quentin rambled.


    Adam didn''t care, and turned around to leave.


    William ran in front of him and stopped him, "Adam,e back to us. We need you."


    Elliot hid behind a pir and watched the scene with interest. He wanted to know how his favoured child would react.


    "Hah," Adam snickered.


    "What''s with your attitude? Are you looking down on us?" William asked, angry.


    "You''re right. I despise you -- in the Mage World, everyone looks after themselves. I heard that Randy was the one who started the fight, so he reaped what he sowed," Adam exined.


    Quentin''s mind broke out of anger, and he trudged towards Adam.

 Chapter 33

    William felt powerless for once in his life -- the path to bing a mage has left countless scars in his heart, and he felt broken, "Adam... are you even human? Don''t you feel anything?"


    Adam smirked sarcastically, "There is no reason for me to feel pity over Randy -- I can be a mage on my own. No other mage here became a mage from relying on the strength of others."


    William was at a loss, "Randy was our friend! We''re weak, we need to stick together to protect each other, look-"


    Adam interrupted him, "Let me correct you with something."


    "What is it?"


    "The weak are all of you, not me. I already told you back on the ship that this pitiful alliance was meaningless and it still is. The weak die and the strong survive. Understand?"


    Ophelia couldn''t bear to hear him anymore, "But you are from the same country as us! No matter how strong you are, to those bullies, you are weak too! Sooner orter, they''lle for you, and we won''t be there to help you!"


    Adam became frustrated with them, and shouted, "Don''t you understand?! You take this alliance too seriously and you take the words of others to heart -- don''t you think it''s stupid to listen to the worthless opinions of others? I am strong enough to defend myself and it sounds like all of you want to use me."


    Adam''s words pierced through their fragile self-esteem -- William stumbled backwards; Ophelia was red with anger. Crystal frowned, but remained silent. Crystal knew that Adam was right.


    Quentin''s emotions got the better of him and he immediately shot a fireball towards Adam.


    Elliot''s eyes widened -- although duels were allowed in the Academy, unprovoked attacks like these were punishable by death.


    William, Ophelia and Crystal stared in horror and shouted, "Wait! Adam stop! Don''t kill him!"


    But their words fell on deaf ears -- the fireball was immediately quelled by a water shield, and with a single push, the curtain condensed into a water arrow, piercing through Quentin''s head cleanly.


    Elliot''s eyes shed with admiration -- Adam was strong enough to have versatility in his spells. The water arrow dissipated immediately after it killed Quentin, conserving his own mental strength. This is something that most senior apprentices were unable to do.


    Ophelia and William could only stare at Quentin''s corpse, and Ophelia could only burst out in anger, "You are a monster! Don''t you feel any sense of remorse? You- you killed him!"


    Crystal pursed her lips, holding Ophelia back, "Ophelia... enough."


    Ophelia stared at her in disbelief, "Crystal... what...?"


    Crystal hid her face from Ophelia, "Adam is right." She let go of Ophelia and stared at Adam yearningly, then left without looking back.


    Elliot approached Adam and sneered at him, "You''re as heartless as a mage -- that little girl was hurt by what you said."


    Adam nced at him, "Whatever."


    "Don''t worry about it Adam. We have millions of potential apprentices, anyways. By the way, are you still trying to help James? I don''t think it''s worth it."


    Adam frowned at Elliot, "I''m about to seed."


    Elliot shrugged, "Okay, okay, I get it, you''re about to reach a breakthrough, you already told me." He raised his hands in mock surrender, but quickly said, "Adam, looks like you gotpany."


    Adam could see Sean and hispanions blocking his path.


    Sean''s victory over Randy earlier made him arrogant and prideful, and said in a condescending tone, "Are you Adam?"


    Howard frowned. He knew that Adam wasn''t as simple as he looked, but he didn''t stop Sean.


    They didn''t know that Adam had justmitted murder.


    Adam was rarely bothered, but the events of today, particrly his formerpanions bothering him, made him incredibly irritable.


    Two of Sean''spanions stepped in front of Adam, trying to size him up, "Speak when you''re spoken to! Didn''t you hear Sean?"


    Sean grinned. He felt powerful.


    Adam simply turned to Elliot and asked, "Will I get in trouble for killing them?"


    Elliot was stunned, but replied, "Somewhat. They are considered the property of the academy, so you need topensate for their deaths -- five hundred power stones for one death." Elliot didn''t really tell the truth though. He only stated those prices to discourage Adam from killing anymore people.


    Adam thought about it seriously, though. He got about 2,000 units of power stones, and he can get another 1,000 soon. If he seeds in his experiment, then he will be rewarded greatly. Killing them wouldn''t matter.


    Adam faced the group and announced, "Get out of my way or die. This is yourst warning." Adam wanted to avoid conflict if he could, since he still needed those power stones.


    Sean''s group was stunned -- they all thought Adam was looking for death, "You want to fight... all five of us? You''ll need permission to get into a duel!"


    Adam turned to Elliot again.


    Elliot was helpless but muttered anyway, "Permission granted, but..."


    Before Elliot could finish, Adam conjured an orb of wind immediately.


    The strong gusts of winds pushed the surrounding crowd away, and he condensed this wind into a de of wind -- he shed at the two people standing in front of him, forcing them to retreat; Adam then stretched a finger to the sky, and rained fire upon them.


    A one-on-five duel that he was winning.


    Elliot was startled, and casted a shield to block the fire over him, "Are you trying to kill me too?!"


    Adam swiped his left hand, using the wind to guide the rain of fire showering upon Sean''spanions -- Elliot grinned, he was ecstatic seeing Adam grasp the concept ofpound magic.


    Sean''s group huddled together in shock, refusing to believe that Adam would immediately attack them.


    Death waits for no one -- the five casted their magic to shield themselves, but Adam far surpassed them in power. Their blood evaporated as they melted into ash, and Sean didn''t even know what had hit him before he died.


    Howard was the only one left standing.


    In the face of Adam''s magic, he casted four defensive magics one after another, but Adam simply shot out a spray of fire from his finger.


    His shields melted into goo, and Howard was pale, "Let me go! Don''t kill me! I didn''t start this please!"


    His heart cursed Sean for starting a fight and he couldn''t understand why he had to die for Sean''s sins.


    Adam didn''t even hesitate, he roasted Howard into human jerky before conjuring a rock to crush Howard.


    Adam turned to Elliot, "You were saying?"


    Elliot''s forehead was painted with cold sweat.


    "You need to go to the arena to duel, or you''ll have topensate for the damages- whatever. It''s not worth that much anyways."

 Chapter 34

    Adam''s walk back to his dorm was eerily silent. The apprentices who witnessed the scene stared at Adam in horror -- they couldn''t imagine that while they were busy learning low-level spells, there was already someone who casted advanced magics with zero effort.


    "Is he really an apprentice?"


    "What are we?"


    Adam''s mere presence shattered their confidence.


    Adam was incredibly annoyed. Adam was absolutely certain that he could murder every single apprentice within seconds.


    He couldn''t understand why everyone was looking at him with envy -- with some practice, everyone could cast the spells he casted.


    Suddenly, the sound barrier behind them broke, and Elliot quickly whispered, "Don''t move. It''s the Academy''s Law Enforcers."


    A team of four puppets, identical to the ones from the cafeteria, surrounded Adam. They scanned the surrounding area, and ordered, "It was detected that the grounds were severely damaged, and several casualties urred. Prove your identity or die."


    Adam shed his identity token, and the four puppets closed into Adam, surrounding him with a shield. The shield drained the magic from his body, rendering him unable to cast any spells.


    "Identity confirmed, Apprentice Adam. The damage caused in this area will be sent to your dorm in the form of a bill -- pay it as soon as possible, or a penalty will be enforced."


    This process hardened Adam''s heart -- the weak are useless in the eyes of a mage.


    Adam stowed his identity token away, and the puppets allowed him to leave. He bid Elliot farewell and returned to his dorm, and continued to optimise the meditation method.


    Initially, James wanted to enhance the effects of the mage "armour" -- however, Adam felt that this direction of research was wrong. Mental strength is fuelled by the soul, so instead of trying to introduce special effects to mental strength, wasn''t it better to study mental strength itself?


    Adam diverted from James'' research, and honed in on the connection between mental strength and magic power. No matter how strong one''s mental strength is, it cannot bepared to the natural magic power -- ether. A feasible method of meditation needs to exist to rece ether.


    So, Adam had to delve deeper.


    Adam couldn''t answer several questions, since he was unfamiliar to this world. Those questions weren''t essential to him yet, though.


    Mental strength is invisible, but it has its own qualities. Most apprentices regard mental strength as a carrier of their magic power, but Adam spectes that it can be used in more powerful ways.


    Adam recalled his memories from Earth, and this power was called psychic power -- in this world, it would be called mental magic. This made sense to Adam, since psychic powers rely on the brain to function.


    Adam couldn''t guarantee the power of these psychic powers though. Over hundreds of millions of years, no one bothered to study psychic powers and chose to instead pursue magic. It was no surprise to Adam, since mages cannot fight effectively only by relying on their brain.


    For the next three days, Adam holed himself up in his dorm.


    After Adam''s little kerfuffle, the atmosphere in the academy turned incredibly dark. Sean''spanions were considered extremely strong apprentices, but they were wiped out in under a second by Adam.


    Overnight, the prideful apprentices became humble and the library became a hotspot for plenty of apprentices.


    William kept a low profile and like Adam, was nowhere to be found most of the time.


    Ophelia holed herself up in her room after that fateful day and came to theb at dawn to sign a contract with the Body Refining Tutor. She hasn''t been seen since.


    Crystal became the dazzling new star that apprentices look up to after Adam -- the ck Mage was specially tutoring her, she no longer had the need to attend her sses.


    On the final day, James learnt of Adam''s ''record'' that had urred over thest week, but he wasn''t surprised, Adam was strong after all, in fact he expected that he might be his next victim. Moreover, Adam was proficient in bothbat and research -- Adam became the leader of theb, while James became his assistant.


    "Oh."


    James watched an academy puppet seal the entrance to hisboratory and sighed. His path to be a mage was unfortunately cut short, and he can''t utilise the magic he learnt outside the Mage Continent either -- the outside world had low levels of ether, and casting spells will cause a heavier burden on his body.


    He didn''t have friends either -- he was the oldest living apprentice in the academy. The others had qualified to be an official mage or died in the war.


    "Adam isn''t here..." he mumbled, purposefully walking slowly and looking back to see a glimpse of Adam, but he did not reveal himself. James took onest look at hisb, then turned around.


    ...


    Adam''s systems were working overtime.


    If someone were to enter his room, they would see millions of runes constantly being constructed and annihted; after a while, he had neen sets of runes formed into the shape of a pyramid.


    The bottom of the pyramid was arc-shaped, and the shape itself was incrediblyplicated.


    Adam smiled and felt happy after a long time -- these sets of runes work consistently, and it not only boosts magic power, it only has its own attributes.


    Adam deconstructed the pyramid and formed a sphere with the runes -- in an instant, his mental strength swept across the room, and tiny bugs in his room were sttered in an instant.


    "I got the runes and I got the evidence to prove it works."


    Adam jumped out of his room''s window and floated in the air -- this psychic power supported Adam''s flight, and Adam could fly using only his brain.


    This is real flight -- his psychic powers cancels gravity, then continuously converts air resistance into power. With a single thought he shot through the sky like an arrow and he was able to freely control his flight.


    The apprentices on the ground were dumbfounded.


    "Look up in the sky! Look! Look!" An apprentice grabbed his friend''s hand and pointed to the sky.


    "Let me go! It hurts... what''s in the sky anyways-" and his friend was stunned. "My god!"


    Flight wasn''t unusual to them, since mages do it all the time but to see an apprentice fly...


    Pure joy radiated in Adam''s heart, and he even pulled several stunts in the air, and swooped down low and shot up in the sky again.


    This soon attracted a crowd beneath him, and they could only stare.


    "He''s flying..."


    "Adam..."


    The apprentices in the library, cafeteria and dorms looked out upon hearing themotion and they too stared at Adam.


    Elliot identally broke a potion full of poison due to themotion outside -- he cursed and walked out of hisb, and saw Adam flying high in the sky.


    He didn''t know why his friend had to show off -- it was simple wind magic, so why bother showing off. He shook his head and flew to the sky beside Adam.


    "What''s all this about? Look -- the crowd you attracted made me break my potion!" heined to Adam.


    Adam lightly said, "Oh, my bad. Do you happen to know where James is?"

 Chapter 35

    "You''re kidding. You made me break my precious poisons and you''re still worrying about James? I''ll have you know that the poison contains magic lotuses, deathtle, winter thorns..."


    Adam let Elliot ramble, and patiently waited for him to finish as they floated gently above the Academy. As soon as Elliot finished, Adam asked again, "So, do you know where James is?"


    Elliot frowned, "You weren''t even listening, were you? Whatever -- James is probably gone by now, but why are you... huh?"


    Elliot did a quick swoop around Adam and eximed, "There isn''t any magic radiating off you... what kind of magic is this? I thought you were using wind magic!"


    Adam simply replied, "Mental magic." He then left Elliot to find James -- it would be a pity if James left before he could see Adam.


    ...


    James was just about to leave the Academy via the tower''s portal room -- he could hear themotion from the Academy, and quickly turned around when he heard the crowd shout, "Adam?!"


    "Adam? What''s going on?"


    He wanted to go back to see what Adam had done, but stopped himself. Adam''s strength will be noticed by his other apprentices sooner orter but now, it was time for him to leave. No matter what happens at the Academy, it had nothing to do with him anymore.


    Adam darted across the air with Elliot trailing closely behind him -- he saw James who was about to enter the portal room and quickly swooped down and hovered steadily in front of James.


    James smiled, then nodded to Elliot, "Adam! I didn''t expect you to see me off -- this magic is cool! Did you create it?"


    Adam shook his head and conjured the neen runes, thenbined it into a sphere and presented it to James.


    James didn''t understand what Adam was doing, but after a moment, he trembled, and started to cry, "This... isn''t this..."


    Adam smiled, "Yup. I seeded."


    James trembled, his hands shaking. His fingers glided over the runes despite not being able to touch them, but it was enough for him, and he wept.


    Adam couldn''t understand why James was crying.


    Elliot patted Adam''s shoulder, "You brought him hope when he needed it the most."


    Elliot continued, "I never expected James to seed -- but you Adam, you seeded."


    Elliot tried to give Adam credit in the nicest way possible, but Adam knew that Elliot was trying to say that these runes had nothing to do with James. Adam silently disagreed with Elliot though -- without James'' early research, Adam would still be stuck trying to configure the runes. James'' research saved him a lot of time.


    Elliot gently patted Adam''s shoulder and left the both of them.


    After a while, James had finally calmed down. With a single swipe of his hand, his youthful appearance returned to him in an instant -- he got up, and bowed to Adam, "Thank you Adam. You saved my life, believe it or not."


    Adam didn''t think it was a big deal, "Yourboratory doesn''t have to be shut down anymore." Adam felt that thisb would be incredibly useful to him, since he can do silent research and obtain a steady ie.


    Jamesughed, "You''re right, and it''s all thanks to you, Come, we need to re-apply for theb and send in your research and evidence."


    Adam was a little taken aback, "I have to go too?"


    James nodded, "Of course, only you know how this meditation method works -- from now on, I will be your assistant, and you the supervisor of theb."


    James was incredibly grateful that he could stay at the Academy -- Adam gave him a second chance to pursue his path to be a Mage, and he was going to use it to the fullest.


    Adam didn''t expect James to say that, but he was pleasantly surprised -- this means that, if he needed to research something, he could lead the research himself.


    The two walked into the tower and kept their heads down to avoid angering any mages wandering the area.


    The offices of the Approval Department and the Academic Department were all on the first floor, and these were the only areas that apprentices were allowed to enter.


    Adam didn''t expect to see Mage Jerome at the Academic Department.


    James stepped forward and greeted, "Good day, respected Mage Jerome."


    In thest three months, Mage Jerome had already forgotten about Adam; he ignored Adam, and turned to James, "You again? I sure hope you don''t waste my time."


    James was flustered, "No, the apprentice Adam has developed a stable set of meditation runes you see, this meditation method..."


    James wanted to continue, but found that he did not know how Adam achieved it. Adam quickly stepped forward, "Good day, Mage Jerome."


    Mage Jerome squinted at Adam, and studied him for a second, "Aren''t you the little guy back on the ship?"


    Adam nodded, and Mage Jerome''s frown arced further downwards. It was hard to believe that a mere apprentice could have done any meaningful research in just three months, "Perhaps we were too lenient on you and you forgot what it was like to anger a mage. You bettere up with something interesting, or you shall pay with your life! Lockhart''s Blood Laboratory requires some live subjects anyways!"


    James gulped -- Lockhart''sb is used as a Body Refining researchb, and he remained silent. Adam knew there wasn''t any point in exining, so he conjured his neen sets of runes andbined it into a sphere.


    He did it slowly this time, and presented the function of the runes in a clear and concise manner.


    "Watch closely -- the total amount of mental strength than can be used in this meditation method far exceeds Prometheus'' set of runes; ether is then injected into the sphere, and as you can see, it is incredibly stable -- because of this stability, you run no risk of hurting yourself either," Adam exined as he started conjuring multiple spheres and embedded in into his soul.


    Mage Jerome''s frown turned into a light smile, and he nodded, "Very well you have satisfied me. Sort the runes out and hand over your research and we will reward you." Mage Jerome didn''t actually care about the runes since it held next to no value. In his long life, he has seen ideas like this before, and most of these tiny researches only benefit the researchers themselves, so it had no use to them.


    However, Adam didn''t stop, and continued his presentation. His mental strength scattered across the room, and he conjured an orb of condensed air in his hand. He closed his palm, and a concentrated wind bomb blew up in the room.


    Mage Jerome''s eyes widened, "No magic... is this purely mental strength?"


    "Yes, respected Mage Jerome. This is psychic energy, and I call it telekinesis."


    Mage Jerome nodded, "Come on, form another bomb and hit me."


    Adam didn''t hesitate and conjured another wind bomb andunched it at Mage Jerome.


    Mage Jerome stretched out his hand, and the wind orb dissipated gently in his hand and he felt no magic within it.


    He pped his hands in admiration, "Adam, right? Good. Very good. You may continue, I am interested."

 Chapter 36

    Mage Jerome''s attitudepletely changed, as he saw the potential of telekinesis. If apprentices could master this power then it could greatly improve their capabilities during the apprenticeship stage.


    It also has other uses -- if this power can only be used inbat, then it wouldn''t be that important.


    Mage Jerome could see that this psychic power would be on equal footing with magic.


    Adam thought for a moment, and exined, "Telekinesis'' base is control -- if my mental strength is strong enough, I can mimic elemental magic, provided that specific element is close by."


    He continued, "There are other uses of telekinesis, like strengthening oneself physically, rendering oneself invisible, or even destroying a target''s mind."


    Adam stopped. These are all spections and not concrete truth.


    Mage Jerome nodded, but he saw greater potential in telekinesis -- it can practically be used as a tool for everything, like a scalpel for surgery, or sorting books in the library, or enhancing one''s senses to be a living microscope.


    Mage Jerome said, "This is Adam''s work, right?"


    James and Adam nodded.


    "Then, congrattions, Adam. This research will be of great benefit to you. I will submit this research under ''Psychic Meditation -- Telekinesis'' to the Lord of the Tower, and if you are lucky, this research could be inducted into the Sacred Tower, the rewards provided will make mages envy you," Mage Jerome said. "If you are willing to make your research public, I can publish it for you in the library, and you can set a price for it -- for each reading, you will get 70% of the price."


    Adam''s eyes lit up. He won''t need to worry about power stones anymore.


    "Deal. Fifty power stones per read should be an appropriate price."


    Mage Jerome conjured a contract and took Adam''s signature, "Alright then, the contract is established. Send your research over to the library within seven days, and I will send someone to inform you of any updates."


    James and Adam bowed and left the Academic Department, and James said to Adam emotionally, "I didn''t expect you to actually develop such an amazing thing... it might even get inducted into the Sacred Tower, my god! Are you really okay with making it public though?"


    "Why not?"


    Adam didn''t really care, nor was he worried that someone may surpass him. Strength is never corrted to self-esteem; only through wisdom and self-cultivation could one be stronger and Adam had absolute confidence that he is strong.


    James was taken aback by his answer, "Geniuses like you do think differently, after all."


    Next, they needed to reapply for theb at the Approval Department.


    "I didn''t expect that I would opt out, then reapply for the sameb on the same day," James joked.


    Adam was curious about the process and asked, "Is the qualification process strict? You seem worried."


    James shook his head, "It was strict a year ago, but after the war, there aren''t many researchers anymore."


    "Doesn''t the Mage-in-charge have the final say? They have to determine whether or not it''s worth it, after all."


    James didn''t expect Adam to ask this question, "I keep forgetting you are an apprentice -- there are specific rules in this tower and the academy -- the Mages don''t really care about the research we do, since it isn''t of any value to them. However, your research is important so I''m sure they would immediately ept the reapplication."


    Adam was still curious, "The tower still has to fund us right? I''m sure funding this manybs would be incredibly costly."


    Jamesughed, "Adam, you don''t understand. Power stones are the lowest form of currency here. Mages value ether crystals more than power stones."


    He came closer to Adam and whispered, "Besides, the Head Mage at the Academy is weakened -- after thest war, he lost a lot of resources. Talented students don''t need that many power stones anyways."


    Adam nodded, "Then why don''t the official mages working here find another job?"


    "Some of the mages here are bound by the contract, where they have to work and teach for three hundred years; some of them are satisfied with their journey of bing a mage and decide to settle down here. Alright, we''re here."


    Adam kept his mouth shut and they walked into the Approval Department.


    The Approval Department wasrger than the Academic Department, and Adam found that the mage-in-charge was none other than Mage Erin.


    After listening to James'' exnation, Adam guessed that the ck Mage should be the strongest among the four mages from the ship, so he had a rtively important position at the Academy. The other three were relegated to ''office'' jobs.


    Mage Erinidzily on her chair, but she still held a special charm on her beautiful face.


    "Ah, James and Adam?" Mage Erin was surprised. "What are you doing here, James? Didn''t you just opt out of yourb earlier today?"''


    The two gave their greetings, and James exined, "Yes, respected Mage Erin. I am here to reapply for theb."


    Mage Erin turned to Adam and said, "Little guy, I heard that you caused amotion a few days ago," before Adam could reply, Mage Erin''s expression turned dark, "After your little ''incident'', did you be overconfident? Did you forget the consequences of angering a mage?"


    Mage Erin hade to the conclusion that James and Adam had conspired tomit fraud -- James opted out of theb so that his little assistant could reapply, ensuring that James could stay in theb. Mage Erin chuckled at how shallow they both were.


    James quickly defended Adam, "Mage Erin, you misunderstand -- Adam here has legitimate research."


    "Oh?"


    Adam stepped forward and ced the contract in front of her. Mage Erin skimmed through it and she smiled, "In the blink of an eye, you have already achieved something great."


    Mage Erin was genuinely surprised -- three months is nothing to a mage.


    "So, can we get theb back?" Adam asked.


    Mage Erin immediately agreed to it, since she had no reason not to. She didn''t care how much power stones they needed too, so she signed the approval form immediately.


    Another man walked into the office with excitement painted over his face and said to Mage Erin, "Dear Mage Erin, my application for the alchemyb has been approved!"


    Mage Erin put down her pen and chuckled, "What a coincidence -- looks like both of you were applying for the sameboratory."


    The man was stunned, and nced at Adam and James. His face turned dark, and he gritted his teeth, "James, you bastard! I can''t believe you have any dignity left in you to stay in the Academy!"


    Adam was puzzled -- he had never seen such conflict between senior apprentices before.


    James was flustered, but did not attempt to defend himself, "Frank, I..."


    "Shut up, garbage, and now, you''re trying to deceive mages?! Wasting her time with your stupid ''meditation'' ideas again? You are nothing but trash!" he got into a stance, as if he was about to pounce on James in front of an official mage.


    Mage Erin mmed her hand on the table, and huge magic power surged across the room, "Get out. This isn''t a ce for you to cause amotion."

 Chapter 37

    "Anyways Adam your application has been approved -- sameboratory and five thousand power stones per month will be allocated to yourb. As for the conflict between James and Frank... sort it out amongst yourselves," Mage Erin announced. She wasn''t interested in dealing with the conflict between two senior apprentices.


    The senior apprentices stopped their quarrel immediately. No apprentices dared to defy the will of a mage, so they simply left the Approval Department in silence.


    Frank trailed behind both of them while ring at James'' back. As soon as they returned to the Academy, he dashed forward and grabbed James'' cor, lifting him from the ground, "James isn''t it time for you to leave the Academy? How embarrassing is it for an idiot like you to die of old age."


    Frank hit James where it hurt -- to mages, dying of old age is shameful, as it signifies that their wisdom hase to an end, and their souls have decayed to the point where it cannot support their existence.


    James let Frank continue to berate him, "I''m sorry, Frank, I''m sorry... but..."


    Frank punched James hard in the face and he fell to the floor, "But? But what? Speak! Is it because you still want to be a mage, so you can continue to lie to everyone?"


    James shielded his face, but made no attempt to fight back, "No, Frank! Please, listen to me..."


    "Shut up, James! I will hear none of it!"


    James'' continued pleas fell on deaf ears, and Frank continued to kick at James. However, Adam could see that Frank did not use any magic -- he was simply punching and kicking like a normal human.


    Adam stood silently, not knowing if he should stop Frank -- the damage caused by mere fists and feet wouldn''t kill a senior apprentice like James. It looked as if Frank was hitting a pillow.


    Adam used his telekinesis to gently pull James away from the scene, and shielded James behind him, "Mr. Frank, I think you should listen to his exnation. There is no point in venting your anger like this."


    Frank didn''t care, and walked past Adam to hit James. The moment Frank''s fist hit the shield, it retaliated, and Frank''s punch was returned in full force.


    Adam could see why Frank was fighting using his fists.


    Because the moment the impact returned to Frank, he flew several metres into the air beforending.


    Frank calmed down and red at James, "Boy you are a new apprentice so you don''t know much. Listen -- your tutor, James here is a liar! His little Rune Studiesb and research is nothing but a joke! You seem smart, so leave him, or you run the risk ofpromising your own path to bing a mage."


    Adam furrowed his brow -- although James'' research direction was slightly off, he cannot be considered a liar, "Mr. Frank, I think you have misunderstood..."


    Unexpectedly, Frank stripped off his shirt -- his upper body was semi-mechanical; the entire left half of his human flesh was fused with metal.


    "Is this an alchemy body? This is amazing!" Adam said in astonishment.


    Frank smiled sadly, "Listen kid, some of mypanions and I listened to this liar over here and invested all of our time in hisb -- we believed in him too, but decades have passed since then, and we got nothing! All of mypanions died in the war, but this coward hid and escaped... I miraculously survived too; I am but a shell of my former self. I wish I died in the war, too."


    James knelt on the floor, shutting his eyes, "I''m sorry, Frank, I''m sorry..."


    Adam asked, "What is it like having a body like this?"


    Frank''sugh was coated with misery and replied, "Pain. Unimaginable pain, every hour, every minute, every second. This body is insted from magic too, so the hopes of me bing a mage is null."


    James continued to apologise.


    Frank seemed to calm down, but replied with disappointment, "Shut up, I don''t need your apologies, it''s worthless."


    Adam was confused -- judging from the level of magical technology he has seen so far, there shouldn''t be any ipatibilities. He expressed his concerns, and Frank replied, "I can''t afford a better body."


    Frank sighed, "Listen, kid. As your senior, I urge you to stay away from this liar, or you''ll regret it. You probably have low qualifications, so you blindly follow whoever is willing to guide you. Do not trust him, or your path to bing a mage will be cut short."


    Frank was about to leave, but Adam grabbed his hand, preventing him from leaving. Adam has great interest in this mechanical body -- perhaps integrating some telekinesis into this body will have beneficial effects.


    "Sorry, Mr. Frank, but I think you have really misunderstood the situation."


    Frank put his shirt on, and swiped Adam''s hand off of himself, "Let me go or you''ll regret it."


    Adam frowned. Doesn''t he know that the most basic human etiquette is to wait until people finish their sentences?


    "I was the one who applied for theb."


    Frank stopped. This new apprentice is leading theb?


    "And I have already developed a new and improved meditation method."


    Frank flinched.


    "Look. Here is the official contract from the Academic Department," Adam said.


    Frank stared at the contract and blinked. There was zero chance that this was forged, "It''s true... my god, what happened? I disappear for three months, only for a new apprentice like you to..."


    Frank wanted to continue, but stopped himself, "I see how it is." Now that he knows that theb has nothing to do with James, it wasn''t his business anymore. Besides, even if the meditation method works, it was impossible for him to be a mage because of his body.


    Adam stopped him and shouted, "This new meditation method focuses on the psychic power of the brain! This can help you control magic again!"


    To prove it, Adam turned Frank around, and conjured a series of wind orbs that exploded in the air.


    Frank was stunned, watching the scattered leaves around the Academy gliding in the air, "Is it true?"


    Adam raised his hands, "Obviously."


    Frank trotted over to Adam, and snatched the contract from Adam''s hands to read it. He told himself it was impossible, but... there might be hope for him.


    "I used this psychic power to draw power from the surrounding elements, so you don''t actually need to use magic," Adam exined, conveniently leaving the word ''low-levelled magic'' out.


    "Now Frank, here''s a proposal -- join myb."


    Frank shoved the contract back into Adam''s hands, "I- I don''t know. This is too unbelievable."


    Adam sighed. He''s right, since he doesn''t have much evidence to prove it.


    Adam wanted to say something, but Frank interrupted him, "Adam, okay, uh, give me some time. I need to think about it."


    "Of course, Mr. Frank. You know where theb is."


    Frank nodded and left them. James was still hiding behind Adam and apologised, "I''m sorry. His talents were extremely good."


    Adam nced at him and replied, "Now I know why you''re so unpopr."


    James was stunned, but he was right.


    Adam continued, "However, I think you think too much. Frank signed the contract too, agreeing to whatever terms you set -- whatever happened to him is his own choice, so he shouldn''t be venting it out on you."


    James stared at Adam, "Are- are you trying tofort me?"


    Adam replied nkly, "No, it was a matter of fact. Telekinesis is established by my own standards, so it might not be suitable for you either. I don''t want you to hate me like Mr. Frank hates you."

 Chapter 38

    James watched Adam leave and whispered to himself, "You underestimate me Adam. Now that I''ve been given a second chance, I will do anything to stay."


    From Adam''s disy of power. James has seen the impossible. He knew that one needs to have a great amount of mental strength to fuel this psychic power, and he was the lead researcher on meditation, so Adam''s research would be beneficial for him.


    "Better to die trying to be a mage than spend the rest of my life doing nothing."


    ...


    Adam returned to theb, and the puppet standing guard unsealed theb for him. He entered theb and summoned a puppet through the console, since he wanted to remodel theb. There were too many rooms in James'' originalb, which was probably why it was so messy.


    Adam didn''t need much help either, since he could run multiple systems in the background.


    However, Adam needed live subjects.


    The alchemy puppet went to retrieve their allocated power stones, and Adam once again saw the nanobots swarming over theb like a tide -- in mere seconds, Adam''s nned renovation waspleted in seconds.


    If these puppets weren''t the property of the Academy, he would have stolen all of them. The ability to change the environment in mere seconds was too fascinating.


    The next task was to purchase equipment.


    Optical projectors were the most basicb tools -- however, mental strength amplifiers, supporting devices, energy amplifiers, energy fluctuation detectors, and other instruments were powerful, but costly.


    Adam frowned while buying some equipment, noticing that the allocated funds were quickly being used up. Now, he knew why apprentices would duel over mere power stones -- apprentices were poor.


    His mind trailed back to the Task Hall, remembering there were dangerous missions that gave huge rewards. Initially, he wasn''t interested, but now, he might want to do it.


    Now wasn''t the time, however. He needs to send his research over to the library. The books at the library weren''t made of paper, but light. Adam recorded his research onto the optical projector, then removed the information from the projector. All neen sets of runes were stored within the information box, and the library would form ''books'' based on the information given.


    ...


    ...


    The next morning, Frank arrived at theb as soon as James arrived.


    "I''ll join theb," Frank muttered.


    Adam wasn''t surprised -- it was hard for Frank to reject upon witnessing Adam''s disy of power.


    "I''m honoured, but I do not need an assistant -- I need a test subject. Are you willing to be my test subject?" Adam asked. Neither James or Frank were as knowledgeable as him in this field of research so they had to help provide Adam with data via other methods. James'' role is to study how this would affect a normal body, while Frank''s role is to study how this would affect a semi-mechanical body.


    Both James and Frank were a little embarrassed being ordered around by an apprentice, but agreed, "Yes Mr. Adam, I ept."


    Adam nodded, then presented them with their contracts. The contents of the contract were disyed clearly, and the two signed it without looking at it.


    "Then,e in," Adam gestured. "James, you can start to build the runes, I''ll check how you performter. Now Frank,e with me."


    Frank was interesting thanks to his body, so Adam wanted to begin with him.


    "Alright. Today''s research is to study if your soul has been altered after you gained this mechanical body."


    Frank simply said, "There aren''t any changes. I just can''t use magic anymore."


    Adam recorded what Frank said, and asked, "Is this simr to the other apprentices with mechanical bodies? Do they have any other methods of using oring into contact with magic?"


    Frank sighed, but restrained himself. Adamckedmon sense since he''s just an apprentice, he told himself, and replied, "Yes. Magic gets insted from our bodies, so we can only be alchemists. However, alchemy requires a lot of resources, so the tower doesn''t really pay attention to us."


    "And why is that?"


    "In the apprenticeship stage, your body is the manifestation of your soul; however a mechanical body causes your soul to deteriorate."


    Losing your soul? Adam knew that back on Earth, scientists cannot prove the existence of a soul. If Frank suggested that an iplete body results in the absence of the soul, then why was he able to retain his thoughts?


    Perhaps the brain ys a more important role here.


    Adam recorded this question and highlighted it. There might be relevant information in the library, so he wanted to research it while he had time.


    "Yesterday you told me that your body brings you pain. How?"


    "I may look like one person but I carry two bodies with me. My human body carries out its normal functions, but the mechanical side can''t. However, this mechanical side forces itself to adapt to my human body. Watch," Frank said, taking off his clothes. His mechanical body was exposed, and he ripped it out with both hands, separating it from his human body.


    This hurt Frank immensely, and sweat formed on his forehead. He gritted his teeth, masking his pain, "That''s it."


    It was scary watching his human body attempting to heal the wound, only for the mechanical side to continue cutting off the healing. Each blood vessel was connected to a pipeline, which is how blood was transported through the body. His internal organs were all made of machine, and Frank''s entire body shook like a machine.


    "Magic keeps your body going."


    Adam hypothesised that this pain wasn''t only physical -- Frank''s body cannot cope with magic, which means the pain caused by his body was because magic was chipping away at his human body, preventing him from healing.


    "Don''t move. I need to test my hypothesis."


    He wanted to test if he could use his telekinesis to form a harmonious link between the human and mechanical body, relieving Frank of his constant pain.


    Psychic power flowed out from Adam gently, covering the gap between the human body and the mechanical body, forming a thin film, "Merge your body."


    Frank sighed, and forced the mechanical part back into his body. He resisted the immense pain -- if Adam''s experiment was sessful, it means that he might not have to endure constant pain.


    "How does it feel?" Adam inquired.


    "The pain is relieved, but it''s still there," Frank replied. "You still have to inhibit the healing from my body."


    Adam nodded, and gently applied psychic energy to Frank. He had to control himself, as too much power would kill his human body, but too little would mean that the pain would still be present. Fortunately, Adam gauged his power carefully, and found a suitable power outfit.


    "What about now?"


    Frank''s eyes widened -- for the first time in his life, he felt relieved. "It... It works! I still feel some pain, but... I can breathe normally."


    Adam''s disy of power gave Frank great hope -- he couldn''t believe that in just a single day, his pain would be relieved.


    Adam didn''t care. He still had more experiments to run. He withdrew his psychic power, and Frank fell to the floor in pain again. "We''re done today. Go back and rest, or you can help James out," Adam said with a monotone voice.

 Chapter 39

    Frank dressed himself and walked towards James. Adam gave him hope, and he was full of motivation. He couldn''t consider resting at all, he didn''t care about his rtionship with James anymore.


    Soon, five days had passed, the research was carried out daily. The pain that Frank could endure daily was limited and the speed of rune building was incredibly slow. Frank only seeded in forming four runes, while James needed the help of a mental strength amplifier to build the runes.


    Soon, the apprentices forgot about Adam again, and life in the Academy returned to normal. However, news soon spread like wildfire -- the final assessment was no longer a simple literacy test.


    The same goes for Adam as well.


    Many of the apprentices were unqualified because of this, but the Moldo Mage Academy had no choice in that regard. Initially, due to the losses from the war, they lowered their standards to allow even the weakest apprentice to join despite not meeting their initial standards.


    This time because of Adam''s research, the Sacred Tower decided to reward the Moldo Mage Academy. Hence they decided to weed out the weak apprentices with a more difficult assessment.


    This obviously caused an uproar among the apprentices. This difficult assessment was bound to apany death, and some apprentices who were living peacefully dreaded the assessment. They thought they could be mages step by step while avoiding danger.


    Some apprentices requested to leave, but the mages rejected all of their requests without hesitation. Some corpses were dragged out of the tower, as they angered the mages.


    The atmosphere in the Academy soon became dark. This assessment could pit the apprentices against each other, and doubt and distrust ran rampant among the apprentices.


    The Dean intentionally kept this a secret from Adam. He feared that Adam might kill everyone to weed out thepetition.


    "Adam, Adam!" Elliot came to Adam''sb excitedly. "Open the door, I have good news!"


    Adam was busy conducting his experiments, and motioned the two to continue their work. He opened the door to a very excited Elliot.


    Elliot hopped into theb and nced around, "As expected of my genius apprentice! Your firstb is this big! Look! You even have an energy fluctuation recorder, even though I don''t have one!"


    Adam grabbed him by the cor before Elliot could scurry around theb, "What''s the matter, Elliot?"


    Elliot was long ustomed to Adam''s indifferent attitude, and announced, "The Dean has personally summoned you! Looks like you''re gonna make a fortune!"


    Adam guessed that this must be his payment for his research, which is indeed good news as he was short on power stones, he smiled, "You are right, this is good news."


    The two left theb and flew towards the tower. Elliot chatted endlessly along the way, "I can''t believe you actually managed to harness power from the brain -- I mean, do you know how powerful you are? I no longer have to worry about using tools to obtain urate results thanks to you!"


    Adam asked strangely, "So you''re saying... my runes work on you?"


    Elliot stuttered back, "Uh, no. Not really, but soon! All of the senior apprentices are studying your meditation method closely, but they are doing it slowly. They still trust Prometheus'' runes more."


    Adam wasn''t surprised. The runes were based on his own standards anyways, so most won''t be able to build the runes. He didn''t really care, though, since he didn''t really intend to make it universal.


    Elliot envied Adam, and expressed his envy, "I have been in the Mage Academy for more than 40 years, and I have never been summoned by the Dean."


    Adam looked at Elliot strangely, "Victor. Dean Victor -- what level of mage is he?"


    Elliot replied, lights glimmering in his eyes, "He''s a Level 4 Mage -- with some time, he will be qualified to be a trans-dimensional mage."


    Adam was in awe; He couldn''t imagine how strong the Dean might be.


    Elliot thought Adam was nervous andforted him, "Don''t worry -- as long as you maintain basic etiquette and not offend him, you will be fine! Besides, I heard that he has a good temperamentpared to the other mages."


    Adam knew Elliot was trying tofort him, but to mages, apprentices are mere ants to them, so they wouldn''t pay attention to ants in the first ce.


    The two descended from the sky and walked into the tower. This was the first time that Adam was allowed into the other floors. The two of them looked to the ground, not daring to look at the surroundings. The presence of magic weighed on them heavily, and they could tell they were approaching the Dean.


    They soon arrived at the top of the tower, and Elliot stopped and panted, "Thest floor is where the Dean''s office is. I can''t follow you, so good luck."


    Adam nodded and continued on. The steps of the tower seemed infinite, but suddenly, Adam found that he was no longer in the tower, but an unknown space, "Apprentice Adam?"


    Adam was shocked. He couldn''t sense where the voice wasing from either, "Yes, respected Dean Victor."


    In the next second, Adam felt a gentle push, which pushed him back onto a chair. He mustered up his courage and looked up from the ground, and there stood the Dean Victor -- he was unbelievably tall,pletely different from the first day where he saw him.


    The Dean could feel his difort and exined, "This is my real body, Adam. What you have seen on the first day is just a clone. The magic flowing out of my body is too strong for you, but you''ll get used to it in a bit."


    Adam was stunned. He couldn''t believe that the Dean could hear his thoughts.


    "Long story short, the head Trans-dimensional Mage of Moldo and the Fifth Elemental Sacred Tower has praised your research highly. On behalf of the tower, I will reward you," the Dean ced a token in Adam''s hands, alongside a materialised rune. He then conjured a contract in front of Adam''s eyes, "With this token, you can read all the books in the library for free except the upper three floors."


    His first reward was ess to knowledge.


    "And this rune lets you store items up to one cubic metre."


    His second reward was convenience and space.


    "And this contract, Adam, I must say, you are incredibly talented. Upon signing this contact, your research will be published to the entirety of the Mage Continent. Whenever a person reads it, you gain ten units of power stones."


    His final reward was resources.


    Adam signed the contract immediately, envying that agreements in the World of Mages are bound by contracts. At least he longer had to worry about power stones.


    "Thank you, esteemed Dean Victor."


    "You deserve it all. I didn''t expect for the Academy to be so lucky having a genius like you. You solved a great problem for me, too. I need to reward you somehow."


    Adam didn''t pry on what Dean Victor''s problem was, but he knew that the rewards given by the Dean would be grand.


    "In nine months, this mighte in handy," the Dean said.


    A small, ck-red egg popped up in front of Adam, and an evil aura emanated from it. Adam picked up the egg, and found that it moved on its own, as if it was trying to invade Adam''s body.


    "What is this?" Adam asked.


    "This is the egg of an unknown creature I got from the abyss ne during the war; it''ll be as strong as a Level 2 Mage when it bes an adult."


    Adam widened his eyes. A Level 2 Mage was equal to the ck Mage''s power level.


    "Little one, it is time for you to go. Good luck in your trial in nine months."


    Adam looked at the Dean quizzically, but he was suddenly swept away voluntarily and his vision went ck. After regaining consciousness, he found that he was outside of the tower, and his rewards were hovering gently beside him. Elliot was right beside him, "Seems that you gained a lot my friend! Let''s see what you got!"

 Chapter 40

    Adam handed his rewards over to Elliot to inspect, Elliot didn¡¯t expect this many rewards.


    However, he knew that this was what Adam deserves, and the Tower mustpensate ordingly. The rune that he got was given by the Second Elemental Sacred Tower, and it provides him with portable space, and it''s incredibly valuable to an apprentice at this stage. The library pass was incredibly useful too, and it represents the faith that the Tower has in Adam¡¯s future.


    The thing that fascinated Elliot the most was the egg, ¡°I cannot believe they would reward you with something so great. My friend, thises from the Abyss, so you must be careful. Creatures from the Abyss are chaotic and evil, and if you aren¡¯t strong enough, they will devour you whole.¡±


    Adam took this news to heart, but being overtaken by his own pet is impossible.


    Adam replied, ¡°This is a personal reward from the Dean ¨C he said that I helped him solve a huge problem; by the way, he mentioned a trial that ising in nine months, do you know anything about it?¡±


    Elliot silently returned the items to Adam and muttered, ¡°If you are willing to sell these items, you will be incredibly rich¡­¡± Elliot pouted. ¡°Wait, you still don¡¯t know about the trial, haha! No surprise, since you¡¯ve been holed up in theb with those two.¡±


    Elliot exined the uing trial to Adam, and Adam frowned. With his strength, he would undeniably be the victor, but he knew that the Dean was withholding secret information from him.


    Adam asked Elliot, ¡°How does the trial work?¡±


    Elliot shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s different every year; sometimes the apprentices are thrown into a different realm, and they have to kill each other to survive; sometimes they are thrown into a world of monsters, and those who survive are qualified. It depends on how the academy wants to kill the apprentices.¡±


    This information wasn¡¯t useful to Adam, but he didn¡¯t need to worry. There was still nine months to the trial anyways.


    ¡°Wait, he said this egg would hatch in nine months¡­¡± Adam jolted at the realisation. The Dean mentioned that it might be useful, but how useful would a baby creature be?


    ¡­


    Adam didn¡¯t fly back to theb as he was upied with his thoughts. The apprentices who walked by him harboured extreme hatred and jealousy for him.


    ¡°So, a ¡°genius¡± like him is able to do whatever he wants.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a murderer! Don¡¯t get close to him.¡±


    ¡°Why are we even in the same group as this heartless bastard? I hate selfish people like him.¡±


    Adam could hear them, but he didn¡¯t care for their opinions. These people will onlyin when things don¡¯t go their way, but will suck up to you when you are useful to them.


    At least nobody tried to attack Adam; they knew challenging Adam was a lost cause.


    William stared at Adam from a distance.


    He was alone ¨C Ophelia disappeared after she joined ab as an assistant; Crystal was epted as the ck Mage¡¯s disciple; Adam was way out of reach and shone as the brightest apprentice in the academy; William was the only one who was left behind.


    His talent for fire magic made him proud, but he soon realised that nobody cared for such low-levelled magic, so not a single tutor or mage paid him any attention. After the trial happens, the academy will most definitely undergo drastic changes; he needs to be strong, or he may die.


    However, he has no resources nor any connections in the academy ¨C his father¡¯s magic items were sold for power stones, and he only knew a handful of magics.


    He continued staring at Adam, who was deep in thought. He envied him greatly, since Adam was able to establish his ownb; he even studied Adam¡¯s research, and knew that his psychic power could help him change his own status quo.


    William chased after Adam, putting on a fake smile. He needed to swallow his pride.


    ¡°Adam, wait.¡±


    Adam was busy thinking about the egg, and wanted to go to the library to read about it. Upon hearing William¡¯s voice, he turned around, ¡°William?¡±


    ¡°Adam! I want to join yourb¡­¡± he gulped. ¡°As a test subject.¡±


    Adam didn¡¯t expect these words toe out of William¡¯s mouth, ¡°What is your initial mental strength, then?¡±


    William didn¡¯t expect Adam to ask this, fully expecting Adam to reject him. However, he could tell that Adam simply did not care enough about William to bother harbouring any negative feelings about him.


    Adam really never took me seriously, he thought to himself.


    William smiled sadly, ¡°3.75.¡±


    Adam was busy processing information in his brain: if William joins hisb, then James will be a low-qualification test subject, William as themon test subject, and Frank as the special test subject. Obtaining more data would be useful to him, but requires a lot of resources. He concluded that, since his research on psychic power brought him the most resources, then he must turn his research to universality.


    Of course, William would save a lot of time in finding test subjects.


    Adam replied, ¡°Alright. Report to myb tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll prepare the contract for you.¡±


    Adam left immediately, since it was a small matter to him. He knew that once word spreads, flocks and flocks of apprentices will swarm to hisb to apply.


    ¡­


    He hasn¡¯t stepped foot into the library in a while, and he discovered that the first floor had many more apprentices than before. Some apprentices were reading books together to save on the costs of power stones, too.


    ¡°Hey, Adam.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Adam.¡±


    Several senior apprentices greeted Adam, which attracted the apprentices¡¯ attention. Their gaze was affixed onto Adam, and Adam knew they hated him.


    After returning their greetings, Adam walked to the bookshelf containing information on different nes, and researched on the Abyss ne.


    Adam didn¡¯t read these before, since the war had nothing to do with him.


    Adam learnt that the Abyss ne was chaotic and distorted. It wasn¡¯t civilised either, and every creature within the ne had to fight and kill to survive ¨C animalistic survival instincts, Adam thought. He also read that the creatures there have an innate ability, which was to increase their own power by devouring other creatures.


    Adam put the book back on the shelf ¨C this general introduction had no use to him, so he ascended to the second floor.


    Like most of the buildings here, the library was in the shape of a tower. The higher the tower, the higher the level of knowledge, the fewer books there are. He soon found a book titled [Incubation and Cultivation of Creatures from the Abyss].


    [Life in the Abyss is strange, and their evolution is chaotic and cruel. The more powerful a creature is, the more unpredictable they are. There is nothing they can¡¯t devour.]


    Adam nced over the introduction ¨C back on Earth, life only exists because of entropy, but in the world of magic, life isn¡¯t a mere coincidence produced by entropy. Once beasts be strong enough, they will invade other worlds to devour them.


    Adam thought that this was no different from a Mage ¨C the only difference is, a Mage will always return to their original world after invading other nes of existence.


    There aren¡¯t any fixed appearances to a creature of the abyss either, but at least the method of hatching was normal. However, it was highlighted that a master-servant contract should continuously be portrayed with the master¡¯s own blood and mental strength, so that the hatched beast will be able to be the pet.


    The runes used to establish this master-servant contract were notplicated, and it took Adam less than an hour to memorise it. However, this contract is not fixed ¨C if the servant¡¯s power surpasses the master¡¯s, then the servant would surely retaliate.


    There was a line of warning at the end of the book: [Abyss Creatures are not allowed to appear on the Mage ne after reaching Level 1, or they will be annihted by the Guardian of the World.]

 Chapter 41

    Adam came back to theb, and James and Frank were still attempting to use telekinesis.


    Ever since he obtained ownership of theb, he never returned to his dorm---he even set up his own room in theb. When he walked in theb, he ignored the two and returned to his office to try to hatch the egg ording to the incubation methods in the book.


    Adam conjured a tiny wind de and sliced his finger, opening a small wound. As blood flowed out continuously, Adam didn''t even flinch; he pressed his finger on the eggshell to establish the master-servant contract.


    As expected of the egg of demonic origins, it greedily devoured the blood while resisting the contract. However, the contract runes were being erased by the egg, which made it difficult to form the contract.


    "Be good," Adam became impatient and used his psychic power to strike the egg. He held back his strength, though, since he needed whatever was in the egg to stay alive so that he could study it.


    The egg flinched in pain and tried to bounce away from Adam''s psychic strikes. The egg telepathically cried in Adam''s brain; he was surprised that the egg had this ability.


    After the egg''s resistance weakened considerably, Adam continued to use telekinesis to strike at the egg, not caring for the wellbeing of the beast within.


    Adam wasn''t in a hurry as the contract still needed time to form. ording to the book, the master-servant contract was like a tug-of-war and the mage needed to repeat this process until the creature in the egg submitted to the mage.


    Adam used psychic energy to heal his wound and came to the operating table.


    He needed more flesh and blood.


    The demonic creature can only be fed with power stones. The more powerful creatures needed ether crystals. Adam was rich in power stones, but flesh and blood was required to ensure the creature grew healthily.


    "Civilization and barbarism are intertwined," Adam muttered to himself. He ced an order---ten low-levelled alien ves with the price of a hundred power stones.


    ve trading was normal in the world of mages. In addition to plundering resources from other worlds, mages also captured the natives and made them into ves. Apathetic mages didn''t care as most of these nes did not have an established civilization. They would ughter and plunder foreign nes with no remorse, bringing their spoils back.


    Even if some nes had a semnce of civilization, the mages wouldn''t be lenient. Instead, these nes would be forced to submit to the mages and be the colonies of a trans-dimensional mage; an ascended mage would keep them as their "private wealth." No revolts ever happen---if they resisted, destruction would await their world.


    The strong preyed on the weak.


    Mages were the predators of universes.


    ...


    The ves that Adam bought wouldn''t arrive right away. The system estimated that they would be delivered to theb tomorrow morning.


    In the afternoon, Adam studied the rune that the Dean gave him, which allowed him to create a portable space where he could store items. He tried to analyze the structure of the runes so he could copy it, however, the rune was tooplicated for him. He was unable to aplish this.


    Adam reluctantly sighed and still drew the rune to activate it.


    There weren''t any fluctuations in energy, nor were there any changes in space and time---this fascinated Adam.


    Space was suspended one meter away from Adam, and he discovered that he could not put living things inside the portable space. Adam ced several contracts, broken ether crystals, and magic items into the space. He also wanted to store the egg, but it started to panic and bounced away from his hand.


    Seeing this, Adam sighed and decided to not put the egg in.


    The next morning came. Adam woke up and unlocked the door to theboratory. Outside, James and Frank could be seen waiting obediently everyday for Adam to unlock theb for them.


    When Adam opened the door, he found that they were talking to William. James and William knew each other, and William would never expect that his Rune Studies tutor would be working under Adam.


    William was shocked when he arrived and saw the ten alien ves bound by ropes, kneeling in front of theb.


    They were simr in size to humans, but had longer limbs and strange purple skin. They werepletely naked, which made it easy to judge that this species was separated into two genders, male and female. They did not attempt to resist nor did they respond to William poking them.


    James and Frank remained silent upon seeing the ves. However, William''s curiousity only rose. After he signed his contract with Adam, he couldn''t help but ask, "Are those... Are they your test subjects?"


    As Adam was about to order the alchemy puppet to make a room where the mess wouldn''t bother them, he heard William ask this. Adam simply replied, "No, they aren''t test subjects. They''re... consumables."


    Adam instructed William with a task, "Try to build the meditation runes by yourself---if you have any questions, ask James. When you''re done,e to me."


    He led one ve to the newly constructed basement, which was apanied by stairs that spiraled in a descending manner to reach.


    William shivered as he looked at the nine remaining ves. Consumables? They looked like humans, could they really be used as food?


    Adam ignored William''s gaze and continued to lead one ve to the basement. He had never seen an alien like this before. He had to study it.


    Only Adam was allowed into this basement. Connected to the newly constructed room was a tiny room with an operating table, which was apanied with small instruments used to record data.


    When Adam led the ve to the operating table, the ve''s eyes widened and he let out a harsh scream. The ve garbled out unknown noises. ''It''s theirnguage,'' Adam thought.


    Adam guessed that he was afraid and begging for mercy.


    Despite the ve''s resistance as he struggled in his bonds, Adam held onto the rope tighter.


    After Adam grasped the ve using telekinesis and set him on the operating table, a robotic arm extended from the operating table and firmly held the ve down.


    Adam put on an apron and pondered, ''If the alien is able to speak, then it means that it''s sentient. It has a soul.''


    Adam felt that this was a worthy study and didn''t care about this.


    Adam conjured ten psychic arms and used six scalpels at once to operate.


    During this process, the ve screamed violently and his muscles shook uncontrobly. Adam tuned the screams out and continued to cut and pierce his skin. After a while, the ve''s struggles weakened before he lost consciousness---his eyes glossed with fear and hatred.


    "Looks like the alien''s brain works simrly. It rendered itself unconscious in extreme pain, not unlike a human," Adam recorded.


    "It has a simple brain structure---low intelligence and no sign of a soul."


    "Muscle fibres are thicker than humans, and they seem stronger than ordinary humans."


    "Body structure differs from humans---their heart is located at the centre of their chest, rather than the left side; their kidney rests under their heart, and their stomach hangs on the right side."


    "No respiratory tract."


    "An unknown stone-like organ was found. The organ emits faint energy."


    "Reproductive organs are simr to humans, consistent to those belonging to mammals."


    Adam dissected the ve with precision and speed, and recorded all the information obtained. After two hours, the dissection and study waspleted.


    "Their vitality is stronger than that of humans, but they possess low intelligence," Adam muttered as he ordered the alchemy puppet to clean theboratory and dispose of the corpse into the blood pool. "Sure enough, wisdom is the reason for power. Mages have wisdom, so they are powerful enough to be the predators of the world."


    Adam took off the apron and walked out of theboratory, finding that William''s eyes were still affixed onto the door to the basement. When William saw that the alchemy puppet''s hands were bloodied, he couldn''t help but shiver. His impression of Adam changed immediately---admiration, dissatisfaction, hostility, and otherplex emotions converged into one---Fear.


    "What a monster..." William muttered.


    Frank stood up from his seat and walked over to Adam. "Do you need help?"


    Although he knew what Adam was about to do and that it was not going to be pleasant, he felt that as an assistant, he needed to do his duties.

 Chapter 42

    Adam rejected Frank''s offer. He had no qualms about killing since hecked any negative emotions.


    The blood pool was a dposer used to dispose of waste for experiments. However, Adam nned to use it as an incubator for his egg. Adam led the remaining ves back into the basement into the blood pool and used telekinesis to instantly turn the ves into pulps of meat.


    After Adam threw the egg into the centre of the pool, he found that it started hovering, absorbing the flesh little by little.


    In any other world, this scene would be extremely sinister and cruel, fitting of war crimes. However, in the world of mages, this was an everyday urrence.


    In the next seven months, life in the academy became mundane for Adam?---every day, he attempted a master-servant contract with the egg, and then, he would go to the library to learn new spells. Afterwards, he would check and correct James, Frank, and William''s works. Every five days, he would order a new batch of ves.


    Adam didn''t like the mundane life in the academy. No matter how many new spells he learnt, he had no clue what type of mage he would be.


    His telekinesis was unique and useful. However, if he found a way to improve this psychic power, he would not. Psychic power heavily relied on the abilities of the specific individual;pared to ether, which was naturally avable all around them, a skilled psychic user would not be a match to an average mage. Magic had more boundless uses, he could travel to other nes and obtain more knowledge.


    Adam tried to gauge what type of mage he would be?---to no avail. He learnt magic rting to electricity and quickly dismissed the idea of bing a Lightning Mage. Adam also figured that he might be an all-rounder mage, a choice he also eliminated.


    "You can figure it out with time," Elliotforted while pouring Adam a drink.


    Adam remained silent and looked out the window of the library. He took a sip of the drink and theplex taste made him frown. "What is this?"


    "It''s thetest product from Elliot''s Pharmaceutical Laboratory?---the Blood Potion Drink! The ingredientse from the blood of strange creatures across multiple nes infused with the cooling essence of creatures from an icy world. Does it taste good? I know it does!" Elliot proudly introduced her invention.


    "Haha," Adamughed emotionlessly. He opened his portable space and took out a bottle of water to wash the unpleasant taste away.


    "What do you mean by "haha"?! This drink is worth at least forty power stones, don''t you dare waste it!" Elliotined.


    Adam didn''t want to dwell on this and asked him, "Will I really find out what kind of mage I''d be in time?"


    Elliot snatched the bottle away and poured himself a drink, "You''ve only been an apprentice for less than a year?---look around you, your fellow apprentices are still attempting to build simple runes for simple spells. On the other hand, you have already mastered the magic avable to you in the library. What''s the rush? You''ll get to it sooner orter."


    Adam frowned. He already learnt all the spells he could; he had nothing to do anymore. Adam was dissatisfied that extra knowledge was being gatekept from him.


    Elliot took a sip of his drink and furrowed his brows from the taste. "Adam, you''re only 16 years old. Are you trying to set a new record for the fastest promotion to be a qualified mage? Look, James and Frank are already in their 70s, and they''re doing just fine."


    Elliot chuckled while mentioning their ages. He was 40 and much older than Adam. However, he considered the boy to be his equal, and he was d that they could be friends.


    "What is the point of wasting my time idling away? Knowledge is being kept from me and I want to study everything," Adam muttered while snapping his fingers together to conjure a tiny spark.


    Elliot smiled. He had never seen an apprentice mastering every low-levelled magic in such a short time?---the idea itself wasn''t impossible, but it was too time-consuming. Most apprentices wouldn''t bother to waste their time learning these spells.


    He wanted to add that the mundanity of academy life was to ease the apprentices into transforming their lifestyle from a human''s to a mage''s. However, he remained silent, thinking it was pointless to inform Adam since the boy had already behaved like a mage from the beginning.


    "Don''t think too much about it. You''ll need to prepare, your trial begins in two months." Elliot said.


    Adam got up from his seat and nced at the upper three floors of the library. These were sections that he couldn''t ess with his current authority and level. He sighed and left the library.


    On his way back to theb, Adam saw many apprentices that were in his batch. They had matured over thest six months, and under the pressure of the trial, they had no need for petty fights andparisons.


    When Adam saw William on the second floor, he saw his growth. Mastery of psychic powers and magic gave him the confidence he had lost before?---prior to this, his confidence relied on magic items, but now, he had the talent to back it up.


    William saw Adam and trailed behind him, "I received abat mission. I''m applying for leave from yourb to join the mission and to prepare for the trial."


    "Granted," Adam said directly.


    William smiled. After working in Adam''sb for more than half a year, he found that Adam was actually amicable, as long as he didn''t disturb him too much. When William turned to leave, Adam suddenly stopped him. "Wait, what kind ofbat mission?"


    William didn''t expect Adam to be so interested. He replied, "There is an invasion of Wind Wolves in a small town around 33,000 kilometres away from the Academy. The town seeks the academy''s help in exterminating the wolves."


    "Can I follow you?"


    "Sure! Eh, huh?!"


    ...


    The next morning, a small team of apprentices were gathered together at the entrance of the Moldo Mage Academy. The team consisted of William and two otherpanions that he met earlier this year, they took this mission to train themselves for the uing trial.


    "Since all of us have arrived, let''s go," the girl said. The girl had long pink hair and held a staff in her hands. An aquamarine orb hovered gently on the top of the staff, flickering from time to time.


    "Alright. Are you ready, William?" the boy asked. The boy donned a dark green robe with vines circling around his arms. He stood close to the girl.


    William smiled, "Sorry, Riley, Terry, but my... friend wants to join the mission."


    The pink-haired girl named Riley frowned. "William, you know this isn''t in the rules?---we signed a contract and the rewards of the task are divided equally. If somebody else joins us, how will we divide the rewards?!"


    Terry added to her argument, "She''s right! Disregarding the reward, the two of us invited you because you''re strong. What if your friend is weak and drags us down? Missions like these aren''t games."


    "Haha... you don''t need to worry about that," William said with a strange face. "You don''t need to worry about him being weak at all."


    William was shocked that Adam wanted to join. He couldn''t figure out why he wanted to tag along.


    "I want to go for a walk," Adam answered back to his questions. William frowned at his response; are geniuses mentally well?


    William exined the situation, and after finding out that only the three of them would get the rewards, they finally dropped the matter. Riley muttered, "Good. At least we don''t have to worry about amodating your friend."


    They held contempt in their hearts and didn''t even ask for the identity of who was going to join them. They knew that William worked in Adam''sb, but never in a million years would they have thought that the legendary Adam would be joining their expedition.


    William snickered at Riley in silence. There wasn''t any need to amodate Adam. In fact, they better watch their tongue so they don''t get killed for provoking him.


    As it was getting closer and closer to the agreed meeting time, Riley and Terry were getting incredibly dissatisfied at howte this apprentice was.


    The clock struck 7'' o clock, and amazed shouts could be heard from within the Academy. Everyone, including Riley and Terry, saw Adam flying out the Academy walls. Riley said with envy, "Is that Adam? Is he going out on a mission too? Ah, life would be so much easier if I was hispanion!"


    Adamnded not far from them and hovered over the ground. William jumped up and down, signalling towards Adam while shouting, "Adam! Over here!"


    Terry widened his eyes and fidgeted with the vines growing on his arm, "William... the friend that you mentioned... it''s Adam?"

 Chapter 43

    Adam gently hovered over to William---he was donning a in grey robe provided to all apprentices by the Academy while holding an egg in his hand.


    The aura emanating from the egg was bing increasingly evil, blood-red mist constantly emitted from the surface of the egg. The mist contorted into various ominous shapes which striked fear into the three apprentices.


    Because the master-servant contract needed to be enacted daily, Adam had no choice but to bring the egg with him wherever he went. He stored flesh and blood in his portable space and could retrieve it every once in a while to feed the egg.


    Riley and Terry kept silent upon confirming that Adam was joining their party. Their image of Adam was not very positive, and they didn''t dare to say a word for fear that they might provoke him.


    William was already familiar with Adam''s character and simply asked, "Alright. Can we go now?"


    Adam nodded. After gauging the capabilities of the other two apprentices, they had to use a vehicle to get to their destination. The vehicle''s rent wasn''t very expensive, but if it was damaged in any way, fullpensation was required.


    Riley and Terry were no strangers to hover cars, and they immediately took the driver and passenger seats. Besides, they were too afraid to sit with Adam.


    33,000 kilometres sounded extremely far, butpared to the boundless area of the Mage Continent, it was nothing special. Their destination was on the boundary of the Moldo Elemental Tower.


    Adam didn''t speak during the entire journey. Whenever he wasn''t trying to coerce the egg with the master-servant contract, he would stare out the window, studying the scenery.


    For the past two days, Riley and Terry did not dare to speak to Adam, especially after seeing him feeding the egg with live flesh and blood.


    During this period, Adam found that the Mage Continent was not the giant, bustling city that he envisioned; there weren''t many ces for humans and mages to gather together. Instead, forests,kes, wends, and ins flourished. From time to time, powerful monsters could be seen roaming in the wild. Flocks of animals were hurdling together in their ownmunities. None of these creatures dared to interfere with the hover car''s path, and Adam presumed that the primal fear of a mage''s wrath was already instilled into them.


    On the third day of the journey, Adam suddenly spoke up, "Why did the Wind Wolves invade the town?"


    The three of them were startled upon hearing Adam speak. William pondered before replying, "We don''t know, the mission was divided into two parts."


    Adam knew what Wind Wolves were from the books at the library---like wolves, they were territorial creatures. However, they are able to cast low-levelled Wind Magic and strengthen themselves with magic, as well as greatly increase their agility. Although they were a huge threat to ordinary people, they were no match for apprentices.


    Wind Wolf packs contained a leader, and the number of wolves depended on the strength of the leader. If the wolves were able to infiltrate an entire vige, then the leader of that specific pack must be extremely powerful.


    "Are the three of you the only ones who took on this task?"


    William responded, "It isn''t just the three of us; there are apprentices in the town and the town is currently guarded by knights." With the task of exterminating the Wind Wolves being listed as "Intermediate" on the board of the Task Hall, Adam understood that there was more to it and that this mission was not suitable for apprentices. However, young people always had strange confidence in their own strength.


    Adam didn''t want to ry his thoughts to them and he remained silent. The journey was quiet for another five hours before they finally arrived at their destination---a small vige named Bran. William and the others didn''t notice, but Adam could perceive that they were being watched and strange creatures were stalking them.


    William, Riley, and Terry''s faces became worried upon seeing the rune barrier erected outside the vige. Stumps of limbs and broken bones were scattered around the area, and the grass was bloodstained with scarlet-red.


    The car stopped and William whispered, "Damn it, I think we''re in trouble."


    Riley panicked. "This wasn''t what the mission said! We were only told that we had to exterminate the Wind Wolves, but it seems like the town was massacred!"


    However, it was toote to withdraw from the mission, and the three can only hope for additional support or Adam''s help...


    They stood outside the rune barrier when suddenly, a voice inside asked, "Who are you?"


    William disyed the mission contract and the barrier opened for them. The party immediately saw injured and bruised knights lying on the grass. Two apprentices approached them.


    "I''m Thomas and he''s Zach, are you the support the Academy sent?" Thomas asked with a worried look. When he only saw four people leaving the car, despair creeped up to him.


    William awkwardly replied, "No. We''re just apprentices."


    Zach''s eyes widened and cowered in his arms. "Damn! Fuck! What the hell is the academy doing? We requested for more help and they only sent four apprentices!"


    William was flustered, "There weren''t any senior apprentices avable. And it''s just the three of us." He then pointed at Adam, "He''s just here to take a look."


    "You must be kidding me! Since when did the academy treat their apprentices with leniency?" Zach turned to Adam and mocked him. However, he shut his mouth upon seeing the egg resting in Adam''s arms---this wasn''t something he can ever afford.


    Adam ignored him and walked over to the rune barrier, studying it.


    William hurriedly asked, "Sir, I think you should update us on what happened here. How did the Wind Wolves attack the vige? Don''t you have enchanted weapons to fight back?"


    Thomas sighed. "Forget it. The only thing we can do is wait for the Academy to send additional support. We discovered that the Wind Wolves were being controlled."


    "Controlled?" the three eximed. How could anyone have the gall to attack an area ruled by mages?


    Adam thought of an interesting possibility---the only thing that dared to revolt against mages were the Antimages.


    He remembered reading about antimages at the upper levels of the library, and they were mere remnants of the long history. After Archmage Prometheus and World Guardian Annecroft set up the standards of the mage world, the antimages were unable to adapt to the new changes and swore to reject the conformity of magic.


    Their ancient magic was passed down to generations, and their magic was gatekept within families. Most of the antimages specialised in curse magic, which targetted the soul of humans. Antimages went into hiding and obtained their resources by traversing into other realms. Most mages regarded them as mice since they only harmed ordinary people or weak apprentices.


    However, they were still the enemies of mages.


    Adam suddenly spected, "Is an antimage controlling the wolves?"


    Zach and Thomas looked at Adam in amazement, not expecting an apprentice observe and learn the situation from minor clues. They simply nodded and replied, "Judging from the current situation, most likely."


    "What''s an antimage?" Riley asked.


    Zach and Thomas exined and the three apprentices turned pale. Regret bubbled in their hearts---an antimage sounded terrible! Why did they agree to take this mission?


    However, Adam found this situation interesting. He originally followed William so he could rx, but he didn''t expect that he could encounter something new.


    He wasn''t worried. After mages scoured an area for resources to grow stronger, antimages only collected the scraps left over by the mages, which meant that they would only target ces where they knew they would win. Qualified mages would always triumph over antimages.


    Adam did not have an ounce of fear towards antimages.


    ...


    In a dense forest a few hundred kilometres away from Bran Vige, four antimage apprentices donning ck robes ducked in a clearing.


    "The Academy''s support arrived," a hoarse, unhuman voice resounded. The owner of the voice was petting a Wind Wolf. "They rode a hover vehicle to get here, and there are only four of them."


    "Very good. These idiots will soon recognise the truth! I wonder how they would react upon seeing my little cutie!" the second person pulled their sleeve back, revealing a hideous face in the palm of their hand. Dense fangs lined the mouth of the face, and it struggled as if it wanted to break free of the hand. "Be good! Don''t worry! You will be sated soon."


    "Kerina, put your sleeve back on! I loathe that thing!" eximed the third apprentice. "Thest time you waved that "thing" around, it almost ate me! Don''t make me kill it!"


    The girl named Kerina smiled and stretched her hand out to the third person, and the monster residing on her hand grew rapidly, chomping away at the air, "What? Don''t you like him? Look at how cute he is!"


    The third apprentice leapt back and sprayed out a green liquid from his fingertips, corroding the ground. "I''m warning you, Kerina!"

 Chapter 44

    "I''m warning you, Kerina! Get your ugly, disgusting parasite away from me or I''ll kill you!"


    Kerinaughed after hearing his words. "Kill me? Lalu, be serious! How could you threaten me with such words?" She mocked him with a fake frown before letting the monster on her hand grow rapidly. The monster burrowed itself into the ground and re-emerged, attempting to bite the person named Lalu.


    Lalu''s face turned pale as he began to stutter out a spell, casting a poisonous shield around him. "rke, aren''t you going to stop her? She''s crazy! She''s going to ruin our ns! If we fail, it won''t end up well for us, including you!"


    The fourth person named rke remained silent. He was the de-facto leader of the four antimage apprentices.


    "Enough, Kerina," with a single sentence, the three copsed to the floor in pain---Kerina took the brunt, as her screams echoed throughout the forest.


    "We dragged this ordeal out long enough. All they have to do is send in a mage and we''re done for. We need to kill the apprentices in Bran Vige and absorb their essence," he said, ncing at Kerina. "I don''t care what you do after we''re done with this, but for now, obey me, or die. I''m fully capable of dealing with all of you."


    Kerina pursed her lips and retracted the monster back into her palm. She lightly stroked the monster and grinned. Sheughed maniacally, "Of course, Lord rke! I will be as obedient as these little puppies!"


    rke rolled his eyes and asked the first person, "Fawn, are you ready?"


    Fawn patted the Wind Wolf Leader''s head and muttered, "I need a few more hours---the medicine isn''t fully active yet. I can''t control enough Wind Wolves."


    rke nodded. "We''ll wait until evening."


    "Grrr..." The Wind Wolf Leader growled and Fawn''s eyes widened. "An apprentice is wandering out of the vige... alone."


    ...


    Dark clouds loomed over Bran Vige.


    After listening to Zach and Thomas'' exnation, Adam went out to investigate. He found that there weren''t any traces of an antimage invading the vige.


    Although the number of Wind Wolves that invaded the city was only a mere hundred, if it weren''t for Zach and Thomas, the vige would have been run over without a single trace.


    All of the knights were heavily injured, and some of them lost their limbs and were no longer able to fight. The ordinary townspeople reced them, but they had no experience in terms ofbat.


    None of the townspeople evacuated the vige. It wasn''t because they didn''t want to, but that they were afraid. With the incident urring a few days ago, they quickly learnt that walking out of the vige was a death sentence. The only choice they had was to fight to the death.


    Conversely, the three apprentices left behind desperately wanted to escape.


    In a clearing near the vige, William, Riley, and Terry ducked behind some trees.


    "We should run, it''s impossible for us to deal with an antimage! I never even heard of them before until today!" Riley mbered with her staff trembling along with her.


    Terry sped his hands together, letting the vines caress Riley, "We are only apprentices. This isn''t our battle! We need to leave, William."


    William wasn''t as na?ve as them. He also noticed something was amiss on the way here---the reason they made it to Bran Vige unscathed was because the antimage allowed them to. He predicted that if they tried leaving, they would die.


    "We can''t leave," William replied.


    Riley immediately fell to the floor, tears pooling in her eyes, "No, that''s impossible! We can leave, right? Terry, answer me! We need to leave!"


    Adam''s words about ''useless alliances'' rang in William''s head, and sure enough, he was right. The only thing that could help him survive was his own strength.


    At this time, Zach and Thomas needed to restore their mana, but they were reluctant to use up their remaining supply of broken ether crystals. After seeing William approach, Zach simply said, "I won''t me you if you leave, but be warned, it is more dangerous to run."


    William shook his head. "I''m not leaving. Is there anything we can do to help?"


    Thomas smiled at William''s response. "You aren''t as dumb as you look. I''ll be honest, there isn''t much you can do---this isn''t an apprentice''s fight."


    William frowned upon hearing this, but Thomas continued, "Since there are four of you, it would be best to divide into two teams of two and use a rune weapon."


    Rune weapons were simr to magic items, but they needed to be fuelled by a person''s mana.


    William froze. "Mr. Thomas... Adam left earlier."


    ...


    Unlike the townspeople and apprentices, Adam was strong enough toe and go as he pleased. Since he found something that interested him, he had no reason to stay in the vige and assist them.


    The egg had been abnormally excited ever since he left Bran Vige. Adam understood that something strange was attracting the egg, and he let the egg lead him to the source.


    Although he encountered monsters along the way, all of them retreated into the shadows. Adam could confirm that these monsters were being controlled by something and assumed that they were rying information back to their master.


    Nevertheless, Adam didn''t stop moving.


    Adam was extremely curious. He continued venturing into the unknown; he wanted to find out what an antimage was, which is why he went out alone to track them down.


    Adam''s behaviour was just like a mage''s---they were devout researchers, and when anything piqued their interest, they would throw their lives away to study it.


    "It would be nice if I can capture them alive, but it''s fine if they''re dead; I want to see what kind of magic they use too," Adam muttered to himself silently. There was a low possibility of him being defeated---as long as he did not encounter a qualified antimage, then it shouldn''t be a problem escaping.


    The number of monsters in Adam''s path started to increase exponentially. This was a sign that he was approaching the strange source. He put his guard up, using telekic power to shield himself. Additionally, he started conjuring a spell in case anything decided to attack.


    Whoosh!


    A dark, green arrow shot past Adam, killing several of the creatures stalking him.


    Adam raised his hand and prepared tounch his spell. However, the egg suddenly struggled in his hand. Adam nced at the egg and used telekinesis to move the egg to block the iing arrow.


    Horrificughter could be heard, but as soon as the arrow was swallowed by the egg, theughter stopped.


    "Huh?" a figure spoke. "An egg from the abyss, amazing! Hand it over or die!"


    Adam responded, "Are you an antimage?"


    "You know what we are and you still dared to leave the vige alone? Are you looking down on us? Of course, you privileged idiots who live in the light have no idea what''s it like to be shrouded in the dark!"


    Adam frowned while attempting to locate the source of the noise.


    When dark, green arrows shot from all directions, Adam simply threw the egg into the air. Like a ck hole, it absorbed all the arrows. Adam could hear the egg slightly whimper, indicating that it couldn''t digest that many arrows.


    The enemy continued to taunt Adam, "An apprentice like you must have no experience in battle! Did the Academy even prepare you with mandatory duels? I bet not! You idiots are all sheltered and spoiled!"


    Lalu thought Adam was an easy target since he was only an apprentice. He had no clue that Adam had already pinpointed exact location.


    Another arrow shot out and Adam grabbed it with his bare hands.


    The arrow was corrosive. It melted through his psychic barrier before dissipating at the eighthyer. Adam sighed. "How weak."


    Adam overestimated his opponent and he was extremely disappointed.


    Adam studied the arrow and spected that it was some kind of curse magic. "No wonder mages abandoned curse magic," he muttered. "It''s too weak."


    Adam was wrong. Curse magic wasn''t suited for directbat, as curses needed time to take effect. However, Lalu was blinded by his anger for the apprentices and immediately hunted Adam down. This was coupled with how he couldn''t bear to stay with Kerina any longer.


    Adam had no interest in dealing with curse magic anymore, there wasn''t any value in researching it. "Is that all you can do?" Adam shouted. "Who taught you this useless magic?"


    Lalu was astonished at his words and roared in anger, "You are nothing but trash! How dare you make fun of us antimages?!"


    ''Sure enough, curse magic corrodes the brain.'' Adam thought. ''Does the practice of ancient magic cause severe side effects... or is it because antimages have been outcasted from society for a long period of time...?''


    "Corrosive arrow! Corrupt arrow!" Lalu roared, raining arrows down on Adam.


    Adam noticed Lalu shouting the spell''s names, not out of habit, but to imbue false confidence in himself. A scoff escaped from Adam as he wondered how antimages were able to survive to this date. Is it because they were, in a way, protected by mages as an endangered species?


    "You''re boring me," Adam said softly. Rays of light erupted out of thin air, illuminating the dark jungle with brilliant, dazzling light.


    "Found you."


    Adam raised his finger, shooting out a highly-pressurized beam of water.


    The water beam is a rtivelyplex spell, consisting of eleven runes. The beam of water pierced through the forest and tunnelled in onto Lalu.


    Lalu desperately casted more arrows but they were all broken as soon as the water touched them.


    Seeing this, Lalu had no doubt that the water could easily slice him in half.


    Lalu hurriedly revealed a life-saving scroll and the defensive magic stored within formed a shield in front of him. The shield stood firmly against Adam''s beam of water with no signs of damage.


    Lalu''s face was filled with panic as he roared, "My shield! This scroll was given to me by my master! You will pay for this!"


    Although Lalu was insane, he wasn''t a fool. He quickly retreated into the forest with the shield trailing behind him. When he noticed Adam was capable of casting such powerful magic with zero effort, he felt annoyed that he couldn''t be the one to take Adam down.


    Adam strolled over to Lalu''s original position and frowned upon seeing the broken scroll left behind. This scroll was crafted by an official mage.


    "You''re not going anywhere," Adam muttered as he levitated off the ground, chasing after Lalu. He became a flying fortress and bombarded Lalu with barrages of wind from above.


    Lalu desperately fled into the forest without looking back. The shield hovered around Lalu and absorbed all of Adam''s attacks.


    Adam elerated in front of Lalu and appeared in his path. Adam stomped on the ground and Lalu quickly dodged to the side, escaping from a narrow death.


    However, every time Lalu dodged, another thorn violently rose from the ground. He desperately ran to avoid them. The speed of the thorns only became faster and faster, and soon, he was surrounded by a curtain of water, fire, and air.


    "Damn it! Damn it! How is this possible?! How could you possibly cast so much magic with no sideeffects?! How?!" Lalu wailed, sobbing as he knelt on the ground.


    ng.


    After Adam continuously bombarded Lalu''s shield, it shattered.


    "No... it can''t be... how can a great antimage like me lose to a spoiled brat like..."


    Adam didn''t let him finish. "Enough."


    Lalu was stunned. "Huh?"


    "You are nothing but a mouse, and yet, you dare taunt me in the face of death," Adam replied. "Don''t you feel any shame?"


    Lalu muttered, "Damn you..."


    With a single swipe of his fingers, a wind de sliced off one of Lalu''s legs cleanly. "You aren''t alone, are you?" Adam inquired.


    Lalu screamed in pain, not expecting Adam to cut off his leg.


    Adam suspended him in the air with telekinesis. He conjured an orb of fire and branded it on Lalu''s stump, stopping the bleeding while roasting the limb into a crisp.


    Lalu almost fainted from the pain, he hoarsely said, "You will regret this... you will regret what''sing to you...!"


    Adam immediately cut off his other leg. "Answer me."


    Lalu''s eyes burnt with hatred. But suddenly, he pleaded as he squirmed towards Adam, "Please, don''t kill me, let me go." He inched closer and closer to Adam, a smirk slowly forming on his lips.


    Adam felt that something was wrong.


    "No." Adam decapitated Lalu and used telekinesis to throw the body away from him. He threw the egg towards the corpse and he could hear the egg feasting on it.


    As soon as Lalu died, powerful curse magic erupted from the corpse, which was fully absorbed by the egg. The egg bounced back to Adam, seemingly happy with its meal.


    "Pleading for your life while trying to take me down with you?" Adam muttered to himself as he treaded deeper into the forest.


    ...


    The other three antimage apprentices were still at the clearing. rke felt a pang of pain in his heart, and he immediately unfolded a contract from his arms---Lalu''s contract turned grey and dissipated into the air.


    "Lalu is dead," rke whispered.


    Fawn and Kerina raised their heads.


    "Lalu''s dead," he repeated.


    "Who cares?! It''s not a surprise that an idiot like him died. Pity! My little baby wanted to feast on his flesh!" Kerina said with excitement.


    Fawn muttered, "He was killed by the apprentice who ventured out alone? By an idiot who has no experience inbat?"


    rke''s face turned dark. "Idiot? No. Lalu left us for less than half an hour and he''s already dead. Whoever left the vige is not weak."


    "The Academy actually sent someone strong? I thought all of the strong apprentices died in the war!" Fawn said, realising something was amiss.


    "Although Lalu was useless, his magic corroded the Rune Barrier effectively. Without him, we need to act now." rke suddenly stood up. "We can''t wait any longer. Fawn, it''s up to you."


    Fawn nodded and smashed his potions on the ground. The mists emanating spread around the air. The Wind Wolf Leader''s eyes shed red.


    "Kerina," rke called.


    "What''s the matter?" Kerina smiled.


    "Kill that apprentice. I don''t care what you do, don''t let him approach the vige."


    rke knew better than anyone how crazy Kerina was. If she couldn''t deal with him, then they were done for.


    Kerina kissed her palm, and the monster quickly grew out, transforming into a snake-like figure. Kerina leapt on the snake and disappeared into the forest, shouting, "Your wish is mymand, Lord rke!"


    rke and Fawn walked in the direction of the vige. rke had a bad premonition that something bad was about to happen.


    "Fawn, if something goes wrong, escape immediately."


    Fawn sneered upon hearing rke''s words, "Of course, my Lord."

 Chapter 45

    In Kerina''s eyes, everything in the world could be divided into two things---those that can be eaten and things that cannot... for now.


    The parasitic monster glided through the dense forest and devoured everything in its path.


    "Hurry up, my baby! I can''t wait to meet that little apprentice! Ooh, I wonder what he would taste like! I''m so excited!" Kerina rambled while biting her finger with a dazed look.


    The parasitic monster suddenly shifted, raising its body off the ground. Scales rapidly grew on its hideous head and revealed hundreds of eyes peering at its surroundings. Kerina drew some blood from her finger and smeared it on top of the monster''s head, imbuing the monster with dark energy. The monster roared and the sound waves knocked down the surrounding trees.


    "Found you!"


    "Oh."


    Kerina and Adam approached each other rapidly.


    Kerina''s eyes were blinded with lust. She took a deep breath and rambled, "Your egg! What a wonderful smell, can I eat it, please? Please? Pretty please! Please give the egg to me, I''ll eat you too!"


    Adam ignored Kerina''s drivel and put himself on guard. He could feel an oppressive aura radiating from the monster. "What is that monster of yours?" he inquired.


    Kerina unmounted from the monster and stroked its body. "Do you want to know? Then, be one with it!"


    She pped the monster''s body and it burrowed itself into the ground.


    Adam felt the ground beneath him rumble and he immediately shot into the sky. In an instant, the ground cracked and the monster pired into the sky, following him with the intent to devour.


    However, the monster couldn''t fly, it attempted to chase Adam with the momentum it used with its strong body. It fell back to the ground with a loud m.


    "Weak. What''s the point of having a monster like this? Any apprentice who can fly can already beat this useless monster," Adam taunted.


    Kerina leaned softly against a tree, biting her finger. "Why are you resisting? Wouldn''t it be nice to be eaten up by my little precious?"


    The monster hit the ground, shrinking itself. Adam could sense it was casting a spell, and true enough, mes shot out towards Adam.


    The mes'' temperature was extremely high and even a slight touch would immediately melt all of Adam''s psychic barriers.


    Adam was shocked. "Is this... magic? No. It can''t be. It must be the power of her blood."


    Adam zipped around the sky to dodge the mes, but the monster followed him and attempted to trap Adam in a barrage of fire. Adam halted himself in the air and conjured a thick stream of water, violently gushing it towards the breath of fire. The water and the fire met and dense steam clouded the sky.


    Adam rushed towards Kerina using the steam''s cover---he knew the monster would be difficult to kill, so he intended to kill its master instead.


    Adam shot out a thin beam of water, intending to slice Kerina in half.


    "Funny," Kerina muttered seeing this, not moving at all.


    With a single whisper, the monster shot out from the ground and shielded Kerina from the st of water. While the water was unable to slice through the monster, it left a huge wound in its side.


    Kerina darted forward, tearing the wound open. The monster howled in pain as its purple blood sshed everywhere, corroding anything it touches. Adam bounced back, using wind magic to push himself away from the ground.


    "Troublesome." Adam frowned. Kerina was the most difficult enemy he had encountered so far. The parasitic monster couldn''t get him in the air, but dealing with the monster was difficult. Adam had a great interest in the monster and was reluctant to retreat.


    Adam glided forward andnded on the ground, he could feel the monster burrowing underneath, ready to devour him from below. Adam squatted down and pressed his hands on the ground, using an earth magic called [Harden]. In an instant, the soft, moist soil turned into cold, hard rock.


    The monster struggled underground, attempting to break free of its rocky prison. Adam snapped his fingers, causing the rock to shatter and severely injuring the monster.


    Kerina fell to the ground in pain and shouted, "My baby! No! Does it hurt? Don''t be afraid. Mommy will help you out..." As soon as she finished, she took out a rusty knife and shed across her arm. Her blood leaked out and she chanted a silent spell; her arm ripped itself out of her limb and flew towards the monster underground.


    The monster split itself into two and abandoned its previous body underground. Adam immediately shielded himself with additionalyers of his psychic barrier and resisted the shrill screams of the monster.


    Adam ducked behind a tree. He could see Kerina''s arm being swallowed by the monster, it rapidly recovered from its injuries.


    "What kind of magic is this..." Adam''s eyes widened upon witnessing the scene before him. With his current knowledge, he didn''t know what kind of magic Kerina was using. Sacrificing oneself to enhance the monster''s strength... How does her petite arm provide such a huge energy boost to the monster?


    Kerina fell on the ground while grasping her bleeding wound tightly, "Baby, help me! I''m in pain! It hurts... it hurts so much!" She embedded the rusty knife onto the ground and beads of blood on the ground shook violently.


    "Kill him! Eat him! Avenge your mother!" Kerina screamed.


    Adam''s eyes widened upon seeing that her blood started to morph into miniature versions of the parasitic monster.


    Kerina scattered her blood indiscriminately, making tiny monsters surround Adam from the ground and the sky. Countless screams converged into a mind-shattering noise, attempting to deafen Adam.


    Adam waspletely surrounded. There was no escape for him.


    Adam was in a crisis. It was impossible to capture Kerina alive---he had to kill her.


    "Pity," Adam sighed.


    Kerina constantly wed at her body, letting the monster absorb her essence through strange means. The evil aura emanating from the monster grew stronger. Kerina smiled hysterically. "You''re right... what a pity that you will die here!"


    Adam shook his head and responded, "Such a pity that I have to destroy a good test subject."


    As soon as he spoke, Adam hailed strong winds and blew all the monsters away from him. He covered the sky in a curtain of fire. Under the high temperature of a thousand degrees, the tiny monsters became barbecue and the main body cowered under the me.


    The curtain of fire fell on the ground, burning all the monsters to a crisp. Adam ran forward and pointed to the sky, gathering lightning on his palm.


    The tiny monsters were burnt to ash while the monster''s main body was bruised by the fierce mes.


    The parasitic connection between Kerina and the monster brought her great pain. Even though her body was breaking down as it was absorbed by the monster, she didn''t cry. "No... my child... my child... my precious..."


    Adam dashed forward and swung, casting a highly pressurized jet of water while imbuing it with electricity. The impact caused Adam''s body to be flung into the sky. As soon as he regained his bnce in the air, all he could see was a huge hole with no signs of Kerina and the monster.


    Adam was pleasantly surprised seeing how powerful his magic was. He didn''t expect that the st would be equivalent to nearly 500 kilograms of TNT.


    Adam gentlynded on the ground. The residual electricity that sparked on the ground chipped away at his psychic barrier. Adam walked to the ash formerly known as Kerina and found that the knife no longer shone with an eerie red light, it was embedded firmly into the ground.

 Chapter 46

    Adam studied the knife closely---it looked like an ordinary, rusty knife, but Adam knew that Kerina used this as a medium to cast her spells.


    The egg scooted away from the knife. When Adam brought the egg closer to the knife, the egg whimpered in fear.


    "What is this thing?" Adam was careful to not touch the knife with his hands. He used telekinesis to stow the knife away in his portable space, ready to research its properties back at the Academy.


    After Kerina''s death, the jungle seemed to have calmed down. The light buzzing of the crickets could be heard and there were no beasts around. Adam let the egg lead him towards a clearing.


    ''There is strange energy here.'' Adam thought. He picked up a handful of soil and could see fragments of ss and strange residue on the soil.


    Adam shook the egg and it bounced towards another direction.


    "Damn it."


    ...


    A few kilometres away from Bran Vige, rke and Fawn shrouded themselves in the darkness. They led thousands of Wind Wolves tounch a kamikaze attack on the vige.


    Knights were either dead or severely wounded, and the Wind Wolves'' magic rippled against the Rune Barrier guarding the vige.


    rke felt another pang of pain in his heart and saw that Kerina''s contract fizzled into ash. "Kerina''s dead."


    "Is it really an apprentice? How could he be this strong?"


    Fawn frowned hearing this; he knew how strong Kerina was. Kerina even acted without rke''s magic restraining her, but she still died.


    rke stomped on Kerina''s contract and said in frustration, "Damn it! This isn''t going ording to n! Why is an apprentice as strong as him even out in this run-down vige?! Damn it!" He took Adam''s strength for granted, and now, Lalu and Kerina were dead. This could only mean that Adam was as strong as him.


    Fawn tried tofort him, "Could there be a possibility that he was using magic items?" He pointed at the rune weapons that William, Riley, and Terry were using. "He must be using a weapon simr to their rune weapons!"


    rke chuckled at Fawn''s foolishness; he knew that it wasn''t that simple. If Adam was relying solely on magic items, he would be dead by now. This meant that Adam was a powerhouse that should be avoided.


    "Damn it," he cursed again. "I''m so close to promoting to a full-fledged Antimage, damn it!"


    rke''s original n was looting and devouring the surrounding viges to increase their strength, but they did not expect this thorn.


    "Maybe it wasn''t a good idea to let Kerina deal with that apprentice alone," Fawn muttered. "That Rune Barrier would have been nothing to her monster."


    Darkness shrouded rke''s eyes and Fawn knelt down in pain.


    "Are you questioning my decision making, ve?!" rke shouted, forcing Fawn''s head to the ground.


    Fawn''s face was buried in the ground and his face contorted in pain. "No! No! Master, it''s not like that!"


    rke scoffed, kicking Fawn. "Use all of your potions. These wolves are too damn weak."


    ...


    "These wolves are too strong. There''s too many of them!" Riley cried.


    She ducked behind a tree. She could see that the wolves were transforming themselves into powerful sts of wind and blowing themselves up to try and m through the Rune Barrier.


    "William, my mana is depleting. I don''t have any ether crystals either." Terry stumbled, grasping his rune weapon weakly.


    William built a set of meditation runes for Terry and said, "Riley, it''s your turn." He didn''t have time tofort Riley, he needed to force her to take over. Terry was too weak for the rune weapons, which was why they were manning a single rune weapon. If it wasn''t for Adam''s meditation method, he would have copsed long ago from exhaustion.


    Riley walked over to the weapon, tears clouding her vision as she randomly input magic power to kill the wolves. "Why did Adam leave us? Does he not care about us?"


    Riley was getting desperate to find someone to me for their predicament, and Adam perfectly fit the bill.


    Zach saw a water bomb explode in the air and he ducked behind cover, shouting, "What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to kill all of us?"


    William red at Riley as he lowered her hand to aim at the wolves, but at this time, any sort of reprimand would be meaningless. He scooted forward towards Zach and asked, "When do you think support will arrive?"


    There were four rune weapons in total. Zach and Thomas manned one of them, and William''s group manned another one. The remaining rune weapons were inactive since the townspeople were unable to use any meaningful magic.


    Zachunched an energy orb, blowing up a few Wind Wolves. "How would I know?! I hope they don''t send apprentices like you!"


    Wind Wolves were low-levelled monsters. If they were hit by any sort of magic, they would definitely die. The vige persevered and the number of Wind Wolves slowly decreased. All of them smiled and rxed a little, but a huge Wind Wolf stood outside the Rune Barrier proudly. The Wind Wolf Leader imbued itself with the power of the wind and exploded. The huge energy caused the Rune Barrier to shake and the barrier became unstable.


    Thomas''s head popped out behind cover and he said, "We''re running out of power stones. Thank Prometheus that was thest wolf."


    However, as soon as he spoke, a dark orb mmed into the Rune Barrier, causing it to shake violently.


    "The antimage is here!"


    ...


    rke fiddled with the grey crystal ball in his hand.


    "Without Lalu and Kerina, we can''t break through the Rune Barrier in time. The mage from the Academy might arrive soon," rke muttered, seeing the final Wind Wolf sacrifice itself through the crystal ball. "Fawn, isn''t it time to test your loyalty towards me?"


    Fawn knew what his words meant. He immediately fell at rke''s feet, begging him, "No, master, please, I am your most loyal servant... you can''t do this to me!"


    rke smiled, gently patting Fawn''s head, "Of course, Fawn. You''re my most loyal dog, but now, your master needs your help..."


    Fawn trembled as rke''s grasp on his head tightened. "No, master, please!"


    "Shouldn''t a ve give their all to their master?"


    "No..." Fawn knew he was going to die and he shouted out in anger. "You can''t kill me, rke! You have to pay for your sins!" Fawn raised his head and opened his mouth. A disgusting, grey light gathered in his throat. He intended to take rke down with him.


    However, because of the master-servant contract, the light was forced back down into Fawn''s throat. The resulting impact caused him to explode. rke bent down, grabbing Fawn''s essence and cing it in the crystal ball.


    The crystal ball shattered and rke roared out an obscure spell, hitting the Rune Barrier.


    rke sneered, looking at the remains of Fawn. "You''re stupid enough to try and resist, I can''t believe it. If I didn''t need disposable pawns like you, did you really think I would stoop that low to talk to you insects?"


    p, p, p.


    Crisp, pping sounds sounded behind rke. He immediately turned around and shouted, "Who are you?!"


    Not far behind him, Adam hovered gently in the air. rke didn''t expect Adam to sneak up behind him. Had Adam made the first move, then he would have already been dead. Adam mockingly twirled in the air and he continued to p, "What a great drama, forcing your subordinate to sacrifice himself for you. I''ll give you a chance, show me all your magic and I''ll consider letting you go."


    rke darted backwards, not knowing what Adam''s intentions were. "Are you the apprentice who killed Lalu and Kerina? I see. Well, if you want my magic that badly..."


    "...bask in Despair!"


    A strange wave prated through Adam''s psychic barrier, entering Adam''s mind. Adam could feel a slight buzzing in his head, but the negative emotions caused by rke''s spell were suppressed and cut off by his system.


    "This is negative magic?" Adam said.


    Adam''s eyes were bright, amazed that this magic was able to pass through his psychic barrier like it was nothing.


    rke, however, was horrified. He trembled. "How are you fine?! No apprentice could resist my magic! Fear! Anger! Sadness!" rke shouted, desperately casting waves of emotional magic to torment Adam. No matter how much he tried, not a single trace of emotion was disyed on Adam''s face.


    rke''s magic used the other party''s emotion as a medium. For example, if he casted a spell targeting the other party''s despair, then the other party will fall into a state of eternal self-denial, their human brains wouldn''t be able to process the trauma and they would eventually copse and die. This nature of this magc made Adam immune to it---emotions were a liability to him, so his system didn''t deem emotions as anything important.


    Adam was rke''s greatest nightmare.


    "Onest chance, hand over all your magic or die."

 Chapter 47

    rke couldn''t help butugh, "You, a nobody, interested in my magic? Are you interested in bing an antimage?"


    Adam remained silent, staring at him, careful to not fall into any tricks rke was pulling. In fact, Adam wasn''t sure if he could capture rke alive -- if rke had anything to help him escape, it would be equal to trying to find a needle in a haystack.


    Now that rke was busy rambling, Adam took his time to conjure a moreplex spell behind his back. If he could fully channel the spell, then he would be able to sessfully capture rke.


    "My name is rke and I''m from the Aum family. My grandfather is the patriarch of the family and he is a qualified antimage," rke boasted. He was trying to make Adam jealous in an attempt to recruit him to join the dark side.


    rke chuckled and continued, "If you''re willing to go down the path of an antimage... with your powers, you will definitely be in my grandfather''s favour, and you will have ess to endless resources! It is far more promising than rotting away at the Academy."


    Adam tilted his head curiously, fully knowing that the magic antimages practice were gatekept by blood. Like rats.


    rke didn''t feel Adam''s disdain for him, and continued to ramble, "Join me, and help meplete my final tasks so that I can be a qualified antimage. Then, I''ll personally train you."


    Adam pointed to Fawn''s ashy remains and said, "So I can end up like him?"


    rke froze, flustered, but he quickly regained hisposure, "No! No... you''re wrong. Fawn tried to betray me, so I had no choice but to take him down."


    Adam''s spell was fully channeled, and heughed, "That''s funny -- he wants to betray you, but I want to capture you. Stay still."


    As soon as Adam spoke, an invisible force held rke in ce. The harder he struggled, the tighter the spell held him.


    "What did you do to me?!" rke panicked.


    Adam didn''t answer him. The spell is called [Gravitational Traction], and it is the mostplex spell that Adam could learn from what he could ess at the library. Due to the huge amount of mana required, it is difficult for ordinary apprentices to learn, but Adam was proficient.


    Seeing that Adam didn''t answer him, rke''s face darkened and bellowed, "You''re courting death! Feel the power of the Aum family, and maybe you''ll be enlightened by what I can do!" rke then struggled to unfold a scroll, and with great difficulty, tore the scroll with his teeth.


    Adam saw that his surroundings darkened immediately, and the light that was swallowed by the scroll rushed out towards him. Adam could see the faces of countless creatures rushing towards him, emanating an extremely evil aura.


    "Feel the power to make even the strongest men cry and kneel before the Aum family!" rke boasted.


    Adam could tell that this magic was rted to rke''s talent in negative magic, but at the level of a qualified mage. Adam didn''t dare to challenge the magic and was prepared to dodge to the side, but the egg bounced in his hand. He immediately stopped in his tracks and lifted the egg to shield him from the st.


    The egg greedily leapt up from Adam''s hand and absorbed the spell like a ck hole. The grey energy that was homing towards Adam bent towards the egg immediately.


    The egg slightly cracked after absorbing the energy, seemingly satisfied, and rke''s mouth was agape.


    "Oh! Is it about to hatch?" Adam looked at the egg. rke was stunned, still stuck in his bonds. "This is very good magic. Do you have any more?"


    "My soul-devouring magic was absorbed as if it was nothing..." rke blubbered. "How is this possible?!"


    Adam didn''t have an answer either, since he knew abyss eggs like this prefer eating flesh and blood, but this egg seemed to prefer dark magic. Could it be an egg from a demon, and not of the abyss?


    rke began to panic -- the negative magic that he was so proud of had zero effect on Adam, and hisst resort was absorbed by his egg. He kept unravelling ordinary magic scrolls from his sleeve and casted it towards Adam.


    These ordinary magics had no effect on Adam as it dissipated as soon as it hit Adam''s psychic barrier.


    Suddenly, Adam threw his egg hard to the ground.


    The egg made a crisp sound, as if it shattered.


    rke was overjoyed seeing Adam destroy his trump card in battle. He couldn''t believe that Adam fell right into his trap, and he immediately unraveled another soul-devouring scroll in ecstasy.


    Adam didn''t move, continuing to study the egg. The egg''s shell shattered, revealing ayer of gas that shrouded the creature within.


    Adam didn''t know how to describe the egg -- the gas orbited the creature smoothly, obscuring it from the outside world.


    Adam simply picked the egg up with telekinesis and once again shielded himself from rke''s spell. Adam noticed the gas shimmer brightly, as if it was enjoying the spell that it just absorbed.


    Adam raised the egg towards rke and asked, "Do you happen to know what this is?"


    Of course, rke didn''t answer him. He unravelled his final scroll and Adam''s spell broke instantly, letting rke vanish from his sight.


    "Teleportation magic," Adam muttered. He knew rke couldn''t have gone far, since his magic still lingered on rke.


    Adam soared into the air, letting the magic fluctuations lead him.


    rke fell on the ground, finding that he teleported a few kilometres away from Bran Vige.


    Back in Bran Vige, several apprentices watched the orb of negative energy pollute the Rune Barrier, anticipating the attack that was supposed to follow, but found that the antimage that was supposed to appear did not make his appearance. Out of the corner of his eye, William saw a sh of light appearing outside Bran Vige.


    "Who is that?" William alerted, pointing at rke.


    Zach and Thomas recognised his identity as an antimage at a nce, and immediately shot out a runic spell.


    "It''s an antimage!"


    Everyone immediately manned their respective rune weapons, and bombarded the antimage with magic.


    However, they soon discovered that rke was limping away, and Terry whispered, "It... it seems like he''s running from something."


    rke had never felt so helpless in his life. Born in a lineage of antimages, he was personally trained by his grandfather, who is a qualified antimage. There was never a shortage of resources and he had all sorts of spells in his fingertips. He regretteding to the Mage Continent, because if he didn''t, he would have never met Adam, and he would not be helpless.


    "I need to escape... I need to escape... if I can escape, I can kill that bastard and everyone!" rke muttered, crazed with anger and embarrassment. rke attempted to fly, but he wasn''t proficient in elemental magic, so the wind magic only propelled him slightly off the ground. The apprentice''s runic weapons slowed him down even more, and he could only pray for a miracle.


    There is no such thing as luck in the world of mages.


    Adam caught up with him immediately, and couldn''t help butugh when he saw rke.


    With a single flick of his hand, Adam sessfully forced rke to the ground.


    rke was disheartened, and he said to Adam, "Kill me."


    Adam looked at him strangely, "Kill you? You are worth nothing when you are dead. You must stay alive. Now tell me, what is this egg?"


    Mages are inherently cruel because they are curious, with zero moral concepts. If you be a mage''s test subject, a fate worse than death awaits you. Death is the greatest mercy that a mage can bestow you.

 Chapter 48

    A fate worse than death awaits you if a mage decides to make you their test subject.


    Adam knew that rke was hiding something up his sleeve, so he continued to restrain him using magic from a distance.


    rke cursed. Adam knew his tricks, but no matter what, he needed to drag Adam to hell with him.


    At this moment, the apprentices from Bran Vige approached.


    In Riley''s view, Adam abandoned them at the most crucial moment. Seeing Adam take credit when they drove the antimage to a dead end enraged her. She immediately imbued herself with wind magic and dashed towards Adam aggressively.


    "Stay away from him, you betrayer!"


    Riley was too fast, and William and Terry were unable to hold her back. However, Terry had the same view as Riley -- Adam''s clothes were spotless, as if he didn''t battle at all. William frowned, knowing that Riley and Terry were in trouble.


    When Adam saw Riley dashing towards him, he ignored her, and continued to bind rke with psychic force,yer byyer.


    Riley was blinded with rage the closer she got to Adam. She couldn''t believe that someone could be so shameless, and she refused to believe that Adam was as strong as the rumours suggested. Besides, how could a coward and betrayer like him possibly hold great power? As soon as she got close to Adam, she waved her staff, conjuring a water arrow and shooting it by Adam''s feet as a warning shot.


    "He won''t dare to kill me here, otherwise the Academy wouldn''t let him go," Riley smirked with certainty. Seeing that Adam didn''t move, she continued to conjure more water arrows, hitting Adam''s psychic barrier. rke saw Adam''s psychic barrier shatter under Riley''s spell and smirked.


    His opportunity for revenge wasing and took advantage of Adam''s psychic barrier temporarily going down. He mustered his remaining magic to dispel Adam''s bindings, and rushed towards Adam.


    Adam was getting impatient with Riley, and conjured a fireball to end her once and for all.


    However, before the fireball could beunched, rke crushed a crystal ball in his pocket and roared, "Go to hell! Feel my wrath!" A sharp whistle sounded from his mouth, and intense negative energy erupted from his body. rke''s body immediately started to disintegrate, and the negative energy within him exploded.


    "Riley!"


    "Get out of there!"


    Two shouts sounded one after another. The first one came from William. He knew Adam didn''t desert them for no reason, so he believed that Adam dealt with the problem without them knowing.


    However, if that were true, Riley is in danger, and Adam will never show mercy to an insect like her.


    The second shout echoed throughout the forest, and a tornado flung Riley and Adam out of the way. William looked up and saw the ck Mage dash towards the vige.


    With the ck Mage''s knowledge, it was easy to gauge what rke''s magic could do, and he knew how much damage rke''s magic could do.


    He didn''t know nor care who Riley was, but Adam was his favoured student. Besides, Crystal personally asked the ck Mage to save him.


    The Rune Barrier shattered upon being hit by rke''s magic, taking the brunt of the spell. The ck Mage transformed into a gentle wind, shielding most of the apprentices from the iing st. Even so, the apprentices fell to the ground sluggishly.


    Riley wasn''t protected by the ck Mage''s wind and the spell hit her with full force. Tears flowed from her eyes immediately, and her brain shut down from the immense dread and despair flooding her brain. Before she could shoot a water arrow in her own head, she fell unconscious, her soul shattering into a million pieces.


    The ck Mage returned to his original form and rushed towards Adam, and Crystal''s words rang in his head.


    After receiving the distress call from Bran Vige, the ck Mage casually told Crystal about Adam taking a vacation at the vige. Crystal requested the ck Mage to save Adam, and he asked, "Do you like him?"


    Love is an intense emotion, so it had no ce in the mage world. Emotions only hinder a mage''s path, and the ck Mage doesn''t want his student to be blinded by emotions. Love isn''t something a mage has to worry about for a long time.


    Unexpectedly, Crystal answered, "No, respected ck Mage. Adam changed me; he saved my life. The only reason I can survive until today was because of him -- hence, I want to surpass him. I don''t want him to die like this."


    The ck Mage unconsciously smiled upon hearing Crystal''s answer, and he couldn''t help but think of Woston, his formerpanion. However, Woston transcended, and the ck Mage was left behind, and he was determined to pursue the path of the mage.


    Adam was surrounded by strange, grey energy, and the ck Mage knew that he wasn''t able to shield Adam from rke''s spell either. rke''s spell was the culmination of the despair of tens of thousands of human beings and it was simply impossible for Adam to bear it.


    Adam stood still, staring into the distance, holding the egg gingerly in his hand.


    rke''s fatal blow was indeed powerful, but thankfully, part of the spell was absorbed by the egg. Adam''s internal system had to go into overdrive topletely suppress the negative feelings of despair to avoid his brain processing the intense emotions.


    Adam felt sick, feeling that the remaining energy was unable to be cleansed out of his system.


    The egg tried to absorb some of the remaining energy, but couldn''t. Adam guessed that the egg was too full and was unable to continue swallowing.


    Adam looked up at the ck Mage and greeted in surprise, "Respected ck Mage! Nice to meet you. How are you?"


    The ck Mage''s face was painted with worry. His body absorbed the surrounding ether like a ck hole, replenishing his mana. He hovered gently over the ground, and Adam could feel a light breeze wash over him.


    The ck Mage looked at Adam and sighed, "It''s a Death Mark."


    Adam was stunned, "What is it?"


    "That antimage''s magic marked you for death. Any mage who practices the same magic as him will know that you killed him, and within a certain range, they can pinpoint your exact location."


    Adam frowned. This was incredibly troublesome. He knew from rke''s monologue that his grandfather trained him personally, and his grandfather was a qualified antimage.


    Adam wasn''t powerful enough to deal with a qualified antimage.


    The ck Mageforted him, "I don''t have a way to help you, unless someone more powerful than me is able to cleanse your soul. Another way is to be a qualified mage, but you''re not allowed to do that yet."


    Adam was silent for a moment and nodded. He was still at the Mage Continent, so he knew he was temporarily safe.


    The ck Mage looked at the egg and said in surprise, "Where did you get this devil''srvae from?"


    Adam''s questions were answered -- this wasn''t an egg from the abyss, but a devil''srvae, which feeds at the soul. No wonder it could absorb negative magic!


    "This is a gift from the Dean, Mage Victor. I thought it was simply an egg of an abyss creature, but I didn''t expect it to be... a devil''srvae."


    Devils aren''t as strong as an abyss creature, but they arewful creatures. They will abide by the master-servant contract rigidly, but like devils, are incredibly unpredictable.


    The ck Mage thought that the egg had saved Adam from certain doom and silently thanked the egg for saving him. The Academy wouldn''t want a genius like Adam to fall like this.


    The two walked back to Bran Vige, and left Riley''s corpse behind. Even if Riley survived the magical st, they would leave her here to rot.


    Adam asked softly, "Respected ck Mage, I heard that antimages need the essence of human beings to be fully promoted to a qualified antimage, but rke was clearly powerful enough to do so. Why did hee to the Mage Continent to risk his life, then?"


    rke may be stupid, but he was powerful. This question bugged Adam since the start.


    The ck Mage nced at Adam and exined, "Antimages are known to gather negative energy in crystal balls..."

 Chapter 49

    "...and in these crystal balls are the souls of the humans they harvested. They need to torture these souls to harvest their despair to be a qualified antimage, and they can use these tortured souls to cast spells."


    Adam frowned upon hearing this. Antimages need to use other people''s suffering to strengthen themselves.


    The ck Mage didn''t exin it in detail, since any apprentice who practices magic like this will be killed immediately as it affects the principles of the mage world.


    That''s for Adam to study on his own.


    The two soon returned to Bran Vige and the ck Mage''s task wasplete. The apprentices and the townspeople fell into aa due to the explosion, since the ck Mage was unable to fully shield everyone from the st. Those with fragile minds will die, but there is nothing the ck Mage can do to help them, since it is their own battle.


    Besides, it''s not like the ck Mage cares whether or not they live or die, since these ordinary people are of no use to him.


    Adam didn''t care enough to check up on the townspeople either, so he simply walked past all the unconscious bodies.


    However, the egg had other ns. It leapt into the air and absorbed the negative energy from the unconscious townspeople. The townspeople jerked away as soon as the egg absorbed all the negative magic away from them.


    The apprentices were the first to wake up -- Zach and Thomas immediately got up to greet the ck Mage.


    William looked around and saw that Riley was nowhere to be found, so he knew that Riley died. However, he didn''t know whether it was Adam or the antimage who killed her.


    However, Terry''sst waking thought was seeing Adam conjure a fireball to kill Riley. After he woke up, he anxiously searched the area for Riley and found her corpse lying quietly outside town. He rushed out immediately and knelt beside her body, whispering, "Riley, please wake up, don''t sleep... the ck Mage is here... we''re safe..."


    No one cared about Terry. Their attention was drawn to the egg.


    The egg rapidly inted and contracted. Adam realised that the egg was about to hatch and hurriedly drew blood to impose the master-servant contract on it.


    The ck Mage shook his head and advised Adam, "Adam, a devil will not ept a one-sided contract. You must sign a fair contract with it, or it would rathermit suicide than be..."


    However, before he could finish, Adam''s contract dissipated, meaning that the devil epted the contract. The gassyyer of the egg copsed onto itself and burst out.


    Devils require fair trade -- they rely on souls and emotions to strengthen themselves, so a fair trade between a powerful mage and a devil is required for it to ept the contract. The residual negative magic in the townspeople was enough for the devil to ept the contract.


    It was a deal between the devil and Adam.


    And just like that, the formless devil was born.


    It had no form, but it could mimic appearances.


    This is an innate skill for devils. They keenly sense the physical preferences of the other party and morph themselves into a desirable form.


    Newly born devils rapidly morphed itself ording to everyone''s preference, attracting everyone to it.


    Terry returned to town with Riley''s body in his arms, crazed with delusion. Riley was his lover. They had previously agreed to embark on the path to be a mage together, but Adam ruined everything. Terry was determined to avenge Riley, even if it cost his life.


    But the moment he looked up, he saw Riley standing in front of Adam and she waved towards Terry. Terry''s eyes widened, "Riley, you''re alive! Oh my god..."


    He dashed forward and hugged the devil, who was taking on Riley''s form.


    The ck Mage didn''t say anything, because devils don''t kill without reason; Adam didn''t say anything either, because he wanted to see how the devil would react.


    "I wonder what will happen to Terry..." he muttered.


    The devil was still a newborn and had a simple thought process -- Adam is its master; the ck Mage is incredibly powerful, so it shouldn''t provoke him; everyone else is simply food for it. The devil told itself that it wasn''t right to just devour people fully, but it was also very, very hungry.


    The devil nced at Adam pleadingly.


    Adam shrugged.


    The devil''s reasoning overcame its need to eat, choosing to let Terry go. However, if it had a chance...


    Terry was still glued on the devil, and bbered, "Riley, don''t leave me ever again... you scared me... but it''s okay, we''re safe. We can return to the Academy together..." Then, he hugged "Riley" tightly and she felt incredibly warm. "Thank Prometheus you''re alive..."


    Suddenly, the devil morphed back into a formless blob. The moment Terry squeezed it in a hug, the devil unhinged its jaw, devouring Terry with a single swoop.


    Adam and the ck Mage could only stare at Terry being chewed into gore and bones. As it devoured Terry, it continued to absorb the surrounding negative magic from the townspeople, and soon, everyone woke up from theira. The townspeople could only look in horror as they saw a vaguely human shape being digested in the devil''s translucent stomach.


    Terry soon disappeared into nothingness, and the devil spat out his clothes. It cowered before Adam, as if it was waiting for Adam to punish it.


    Adam frowned and bowed slightly at the ck Mage, "Dearest ck Mage, I am very sorry. I am willing topensate for Terry''s death."


    The ck Mage simply waved his hand and replied, "It''s not your fault that the little apprentice died of his own stupidity. However, you still need topensate the Academy, since he is considered their property. You can negotiate a favourable deal with the Academy''sw enforcers."


    The ck Mage didn''t care about Terry''s death. In fact, it was more interested in Adam''s devil. The ck Mage has never seen a creature like it before.


    The ck Mage suddenly spoke, "Adam, are you willing to transfer your pet to me? I will pay you a handsome sum."


    Adam was stunned, not expecting the ck Mage to make a request like this. He thought for a moment, but replied, "Sorry, Respected ck Mage, but I do not intend to give my pet away."


    The ck Mage smiled and nodded.


    Zach and Thomas were collectively stunned seeing Adammunicate with a qualified mage casually, and fear struck their hearts. They have never seen an apprentice worthy of a qualified mage''s attention, so they were d they didn''t offend Adam to his face.


    William, however, was still human, and Riley and Terry''s deaths haunted him. Could you me him?


    ...


    A few dayster, they returned to the academy. The ck Mage had other matters to attend to. William bid Adam farewell as he returned to the Task Hall to receive his payment. Adam didn''t care about the payment and let William take the reward in full. He returned to hisboratory after paying for Terry''s death.


    In the academy, the apprentices were frantically preparing for the uing trial, and apprentices continued to die during this period of time.


    Survival of the fittest.


    James and Frank were still optimising the runes in Adam''sb.


    They didn''t expect Adam to return so soon, and greeted him, "Adam, did youplete the mission already?" They didn''t know that Adam had encountered an antimage apprentice, and Adam had no interest in exining the situation. He simply nodded and returned to his room.


    The two were ustomed to Adam''s behaviour and returned to their own tasks.


    Adam sat in his chair and took the devil out of the portable space. The devil was dissatisfied with its treatment andined, "Master! That space is too small, I can''t even turn over!"


    Adam was stunned, "Have you already learnt the humannguage?"


    The devil announced proudly, opening its formless mouth, "Of course! Language is the easiest way tomunicate and I''m a fast learner! It isn''t difficult for me to learn a newnguage."

 Chapter 50

    Adam was interested, "Tell me about it."


    The devil didn''t expect Adam to ask this and stuttered, "Ah, well, I don''t know, um, I was born with it."


    Adam realised that simply asking the devil wouldn''t work, since devils have no concept of human civilizations, so he changed his question, "Can you connect to my mind?"


    The devil shuddered and shook its head, "No, no, master, how could your humble servant spy on your great mind?"


    The devil continued with envy and excitement, "Speaking of which, I can''t believe that I can actually be the servant of a mage! From my fragmented memories, the mage ne isn''t something that us devils can provoke easily!"


    Adam listened intently, learning that their ancestors'' memories were passed down along the line. He was curious how something formless like the devil could reproduce.


    "Do you know what you are?"


    The devil morphed into a sexy woman with a seductive expression, "Master, aren''t you interested in the opposite sex?"


    Adam narrowed his eyes andshed at the devil through the contract, "Answer my question. Don''t do stupid things."


    The devil screamed and its form morphed rapidly, "I''m sorry, master! Please stop!"


    Adam continued to punish the devil through the contract''s magic. Devils rely on deception, so mere apologies like these cannot be trusted. The devil must know to fear its master. Soon, the devil could only whimper and Adam stopped.


    The devil copsed into a blob on the ground, and it could only convey its message through the contract, "Hungry..."


    Adam threw more than a dozen power stones at the devil, and the devil greedily devoured all the stones. It didn''t dare to provoke Adam anymore, and said, "I think I''m a devil, but I think I''m a crossbreed of a creature from the abyss."


    "You think," Adam emphasized.


    The devil shrugged and exined, "I''m a devil, but I was conceived in an abyss egg. I don''t remember! My memories are all over the ce! I''m a crossbreed, a mix! I''m a devil, so I can conjure contracts... but... I don''t remember how to."


    The devil cried out, "Could you imagine, master? I can''t believe I have the desire to eat disgusting flesh and blood... why?!"


    "Shut up," Adam ordered. "How could you forget to conjure a contract? Isn''t that the inherent talent of a devil?"


    The devil stopped its whining and answered, "I... I don''t know."


    Adam nced at it with disdain. Creatures from the abyss are strong, while devils can conjure useful contracts. However, a cross-breed between these two species seems incredibly useless. It was weak, but it couldn''t conjure any contracts.


    "I don''t know what I am..."


    The devil spoke and continued, "I don''t know. I need to study my heritage."


    That''s what Adam was thinking as well, but he needs knowledge of other nes and its flora and fauna, and unfortunately, he has no way of obtaining such information. "Get out of my room, but don''t leave theboratory," Adam ordered.


    The devil floated out of Adam''s room with a sullen mood, and sat down beside James and Frank, startling them. The two of them immediately casted psychic barriers and shouted, "What is this thing?!"


    Adam''s voice could be heard from the room, "It''s my pet. A useless devil."


    The two looked at each other -- wasn''t the egg an abyss egg? How could it hatch into a devil?


    ...


    The devil was often chased out of Adam''s room, and William was afraid of it. James and Frank often teased the devil in their spare time, its seductive forms having no effect on them. As a result, the devil could only endure their constant teasing.


    After obtaining Adam''s consent, the two taught the devil the meditation runes.


    Elliot came to theboratory, and when he saw the devil, he was curious, and kept using various potions to feed the devil. Adam frowned upon seeing Elliot, and asked, "Why do they keep sending you as an informant?"


    Elliot gave him a bitter look and stuck his tongue out.


    Elliot exined that he brought good news -- after a short investigation, they discovered that Adam dealt with all the antimage apprentices surrounding Bran Vige, so the Academy has decided to reward Adam -- the penultimate floor of the library.


    Adam only recently learnt that qualified mages don''te to the library because all the knowledge stored there was for an apprentice''s level -- the penultimate floor held advanced rune knowledge.


    James'' ss for Rune Studies only covered the most basic parts of conjuring runes, and it does not exin the principles behind the runes, and why they are arranged in that specific way.


    Adam asked James these questions before, but James replied that he didn''t know either.


    Adam thought James was being ridiculous, but James didn''t have Adam''sputing power. He could only rely on a sample and countlessplex operations to forcibly build a set of runes. Without knowing the principles of runes, it was no surprise that James'' line of research failed.


    James exined, "The third floor is the highest I can ess -- you''re the only apprentice allowed to ess the penultimate floor, well, since the other geniuses died in the war."


    Adam arrived at the library, and under the resentful eyes of the other apprentices, entered the penultimate floor of the library.


    Adam was stunned reading the titles of the books -- [The Extension of Rune Lines], [The Stability of Rune Shapes], [Applications of Curves and Shapes in Runes]... Adam''s mouth was agape, and he whispered to himself, "Geometry...?"


    He flips through each book, skimming and scanning its contents as his eyes became brighter and brighter. The knowledge described in these books was exactly like Euclidean geometry back on Earth. However, these were the basics of geometry -- details on advanced geometry were limited in this world.


    But it was enough for Adam, and he read through the books intently.


    He knew that he was good at analysing a problem and finding ways to solve it, but he wasn''t good at creating a hypothesis and verifying it.


    Adam quickly returned to theboratory and locked himself in his room. From what he had learnt, he discovered that his set of neen runes had a lot of redundant parts, which could be reduced to a more optimised structure.


    A month soon passed, and Adam hadn''t left his room. James, Frank, the devil, and William stared at the door daily, waiting for Adam to re-emerge from his cave.


    "Won''t Master starve to death?" the devil murmured, shuddering at the thought. Because of the contract, if Adam dies, then it would die as well. "Should we check up on him?"


    William, James, and Frank were anxious too. Since Adam''s absence, they ran into a lot of problems in their research and wanted Adam to rify.


    "Adam has a portable space -- I''m sure he has some food inside."


    Another ten days passed, and the devil felt weak as it ryed its worries to the three, "I think master is starving himself to death..."


    The three looked at each other, and James put his hand on the door knob, but retracted his hand, "I think we should wait."


    Seven days passed and there were five days left before the Academy''s trial. The devilid motionless on the ground, feeling that its life was on the line.


    The three didn''t know what to do -- Adam might be at a breaking point, and if they ruined his research because they were worried about him, then Adam would never forgive them.


    The devil gritted its teeth, and transformed into Adam''s appearance, "Damn it! Get out of my way!" It rushed towards the door, not expecting it to suddenly swing open.


    Adam''s psychic barrier flicked the devil away, and he asked, "What are all of you looking at?"

 Chapter 51

    Everyone stared at Adam. Although his body seemed frail, his eyes were shining.


    "Adam...?" James inquired softly.


    Before Adam could open his mouth, the devil rushed up towards him and shouted, "My almighty master, it''s wonderful that you''re alright! You have no idea how worried your humble servant was about you..."


    Adam conjured a psychic hand and mmed the devil to the side, "Don''t do what I do."


    Adam continued, "I optimised my meditation method -- the quality has greatly improved, but I can''t control it perfectly at the moment."


    The three were excited, and Frank asked, "How is the result of your optimization, then?"


    Adam handed out papers detailing his research and exined, "I managed to cut the neen runes down to only nine, removing the redundant and useless rune structures. This new arrangement can fuel more magic, but correspondingly, you need to be more proficient in order to handle these runes."


    Adam didn''t point out that it was much easier for him since he had extremely goodputing power.


    Adam was practically enlightened -- after incorporating simple geometry into drawing the runes, they have a more scientific, efficient structure.


    In the first half of the month, Adam standardised every line in the rune using geometric theorems, making the rune''s structure consistent.


    After another half a month, Adam studied the runes closely, trying tobine them in different ways, and removed redundant parts.


    In the next ten days, Adam discovered the hiddenws behind thebination of the runes. He found that there was a more efficient construction method, so in thest seven days, his systems went into overdrive tobine them. The runes were like an equation, so by calcting a "solution," he could construct abination for them.


    Adam discovered an unknown constant within the runes, which is a person''s mental power. One day, if he has a more thorough understanding of mental power, he can integrate mental power into the runes to ensure consistency.


    However, William, Frank, and James didn''t have Adam''sputing power. In their eyes, the runes were incrediblyplicated andplex, making it difficult to memorise and draw them.


    James was depressed upon discovering that the new rune structure takes longer than the old structure. The same is true for Frank.


    William calcted silently in his heart, and found out that it would take him four times the time toplete the new rune structurepared to the old structure. He wanted to ask for Adam''s help, but stopped. After all, the contract clearly stated that Adam was not obligated to serve their needs.


    Adam was in a good mood and threw them a bone, "Don''t memorise the runes; study the principles and patterns of the runes, and construct them through calctions."


    The three of them stared at him, waiting for an exnation, but Adam didn''t know how to. Adam frowned at himself, admitting that he did not have the capabilities to be a teacher.


    ...


    Adam left theb and walked towards the cafeteria.


    His supply of food in his portable space had long run out, and although Adam was in great shape, not eating for a long time made him exhausted.


    Along the way, Adam saw many apprentices gathered together in small groups. Only then did he recall that the Academy''s trial was about to start. He didn''t worry, though. He was confident that he was able to run amok the apprentices only using telekinesis.


    The apprentices noticed Adam as well, but couldn''t help but notice a grey mist lingering around him.


    They didn''t know what it was.


    Adam knew it was a Death Mark left behind by rke. If what rke said was true, that means that a qualified antimage would be hunting him down, and the uing trial would only make the antimage''s job easier.


    "Right. We don''t know where the trial is going to be held."


    Adam didn''t really know what to do. After all, he is just an apprentice. Besides, there was no way he could ask a qualified mage from the Academy to protect him.


    He soon arrived at the cafeteria and ordered a table full of high-end food. While he was devouring all of the food, Elliot sat opposite of him, "Long time no see, my friend. You too, Mr. Devil. You seem unwell!"


    The devil transformed itself into a beautiful woman and hovered around Elliot, "No, call me Miss Devil."


    Elliot snickered, "Nice to meet you, Miss Devil."


    Adam ignored the banter between the two, continuing to devour his food. When he was finished, he chatted with Elliot, "You seem free. Don''t you need to refine any potions?"


    Elliotid his head on the table and sighed, "There''s nothing else to do -- my scope of knowledge is too little to continue."


    Adam didn''t know how to respond. He didn''t know how knowledge is defined in the mage world. Could his telekinesis be considered knowledge?


    Could his new runes be considered knowledge as well? He didn''t know.


    "Maybe we need to integrate maths into knowledge. To make it consistent and easier to understand," Adam whispered to himself.


    Elliot wasn''t paying attention, "What did you say?"


    Adam shook his head, "It''s nothing."


    Elliot sighed; he wasn''t in high spirits today. After looking at Adam''s frail body, he asked, "Where were you anyways? You look ill."


    The devil replied on Adam''s behalf, "My master was so obsessed with his research that he almost starved himself to death!"


    Elliot stared at the devil in shock, "This isn''t good, Adam. The trial begins in a few days! What if you slip up and die in the trial?" Elliot didn''t want Adam to fall in the trial.


    Adam lightly replied, "I''m good, don''t worry about me. Besides, since when does a mage rely on their physical state to fight? I''ll be fine. By the way, do you know anything about the trial?"


    Elliot replied, "I''m not allowed to tell you, but you''ll find out soon enough."


    ...


    Elliot was right. Three dayster, all apprentices were called to gather at the square.


    Dean Victor was in his human form, donning a ck robe, "I''m d everyone has survived until now. However, this trial will separate the talented individuals from the... less talented ones."


    The apprentices were restless listening to the Dean''s short speech. Most of the apprentices were incredibly unprepared for the trial, since they did not do any of the missions listed on the Task Hall in order to improve theirbat experience.


    "Tomorrow morning, you will go to the trial site through a portal -- the trial site is a divided habitat of monsters. Your task? Destroy all the monsters and survive for a month."


    Adam heard the rxed gasps around him. All of the apprentices were d they didn''t have to kill each other.


    Adam was slightly surprised at how simple the trial was.


    The Dean continued, "All of you will receive a drop of a potionter. The beasts will attack anyone who has the scent of the potion indiscriminately."


    The Dean''s words were brief, and Adam found that Elliot was the one who will issue the potions. He winked at Adam upon spotting him in the crowd.

 Chapter 52: Rainforest

    Elliot asked every apprentice to extend their hands, and he tapped a drop of his potion on everyone''s hand.


    The apprentices originally thought that the potion would protect them, but soon realised that this was the potion meant to attract monsters.


    After Elliot was done, he announced loudly, "This potion will emit a scent to attract monsters and itsts for a month. You are allowed to attempt to remove the scent, as it is allowed by the rules of the trial. Of course, it will be difficult, but I don''t care how you do it."


    After that, Elliot stuck by Adam, as if he was waiting for Adam to beg him to remove the potion. The assembly was soon over, and Elliot followed Adam back to hisb, "Adam, don''t you want me to remove the potion for you?"


    Adam simply replied, "No need."


    Elliot remained silent. He wanted Adam to ask for help, then refuse and tease him. Adam''s no fun.


    The devil smirked and taunted Elliot, "How could my master fall for a trick like yours?"


    Adam didn''t need Elliot to remove the potion, but some apprentices had different ideas.


    They all knew Adam and Elliot had a good rtionship, but Adam''s reputation prevented them from making a direct request to Adam. Hence, the apprentices flocked over to William.


    When Adam returned to hisb, William squeaked, "Adam, uh... there''s something I need to tell you."


    Adam was busy loading rations of food, water, and power stones into the portable space. He nced at William and said, "Speak directly."


    William muttered, "There are some apprentices asking you for help... They want you to ask Mr. Elliot to remove the potion''s effect from them."


    Adam looked at William intently, "Does this include you?"


    William waved his hands hastily, "No, of course not. Not like it''s possible anyways. I just thought to let you know."


    Adam looked away, "Good. You''re not stupid, then. You''re right -- it''s impossible."


    "Why?"


    "Mages don''t leave loopholes in their exnations. They want you to remove the potion''s effects with your own abilities, not through rtionships."


    "Can''tworking be considered an ability?"


    Adam rolled his eyes, and James interjected, "William, I don''t think you understand the meaning of this trial."


    William turned to look at James.


    "The purpose of this trial is to weed out both the weak apprentices and the apprentices who gave up."


    William nods.


    James continued, "A mage pursues the source of energy and knowledge, exploring the truth. Networking is useless if you are powerful. The Academy trains mages, not politicians."


    William nodded again and stopped talking.


    Adam packed up his things, and remembered the other two apprentices from his home ind. He walked up to William and asked, "Aren''t Crystal and Ophelia going to participate as well?"


    William was taken aback, clearly surprised that Adam wanted to know about them, "Crystal is the ck Mage''s personal student, so she doesn''t need to participate in the trial; as for Ophelia, she''s working in aboratory and hasn''t been seen since. I don''t know what happened to her."


    The devil popped out and asked, "Who are they? Are they girls?"


    William nodded.


    "I see! Could they be the master''s..."


    William silently looked at the devil being flung around the room with psychic hands. He didn''t know how to answer the devil''s questions.


    ...


    Early the next morning, under the guidance of some senior apprentices, the apprentices came to the teleportation hall and entered the portal with mixed feelings. Many people were destined to fail and epted defeat; some were trembling, but calmed themselves before entering the portal.


    The feeling of teleportation is as ufortable as ever, but this time, Adam could use his psychic barrier to resist the ufortable feeling. After a momentary trance, Adam found himself in a strange ce.


    His surroundings were damp and smelly. His boots squashed over rotting fauna and flora; the sound of rushing water could be heard. The sky was a dim green, as if a spell was blocking out the Sun.


    "Where is everyone?"


    Adam found that even though they took the same portal, they were all at different locations. He was alone with his devil, and the potion on his hand started to exude a pungent smell.


    He could tell he was in a tropical rainforest. Back on Earth, a rainforest is known for its biodiversity and inevitable dangers. People who venture into rainforests often die, so Adam could only wait to discover what awaits in the mage world''s rainforests.


    Adam crept around the dense trees, his psychic barrier surrounding him. He hovered above the ground to avoid stepping on the ground as well to minimise risks.


    The trees were incredibly tall, and he could tell many creatures were hiding within the branches and leaves, so he didn''t dare to fly too high.


    Hence, he decided the safest way to navigate the forest was to gently hover over the ground.


    He knew that there would be no exit from this trial ground either.


    He couldn''t help but rejoice that he had a portable space to store food and water. Prometheus knows which nts in the rainforest are edible and poisonous.


    Adam whispered to his devil, "Go ahead and scout for me." He then pointed to the deep darkness ahead of him.


    Since the devil is effectively immortal, attacks would have no effect on them, so they would be great in scouting a safe route for Adam.

 Chapter 53: Revenge

    However, the devil was annoyed and showed Adam its "wounded" body, "Master! Look! This stupid snake dares to spit on your lowly servant. I think you should kill it!"


    Adam didn''t believe a single word the devil uttered, suspecting that the devil was deliberately attracting this snake to vent his anger. Adam shook his head and ordered his devil to go away.


    The giant python coiled up its huge body and stayed motionless in front of Adam; its transparent and extremely potent venom leaking from its fangs. Back on Earth, pythons are non-venomous, so Adam assumes that this must be a mutation.


    The snake itself was on guard -- Adam smelled incredibly delicious, but it was afraid, since it could sense powerful magic radiating from his body. However, its desire to devour Adam was getting stronger and stronger.


    Adam slightly shifted, and the snake sprang its body out.


    The snake''s poison slightly fizzled Adam''s psychic barrier, but failed to dispel itpletely.


    Adam simply sliced its head off with a high-pressure water de.


    The snake''s head aggressively bounced towards Adam despite it being decapitated, so Adam held its head down with telekinesis. He retrieved a special container from his portable space and collected all of the snake''s venom into the container like a tap.


    The devil floated gently above the snake, transforming into a vague female form, "Master, don''t forget about the snake''s galldder."


    Adam nodded and cut open the snake''s body, then retrieved the galldder the size of a human head and put it in his portable space before venturing deeper into the rainforest.


    ...


    Peter Aum hid by the Moldo Elemental Tower, waiting for a chance to strike.


    The Death Mark exuded a bright light, like a beacon in a dark night. He could easily track his grandson''s murderer''s location, but he didn''t dare to enter the vicinity of the Academy. The moment the murderer leaves the Academy, he will pounce on him.


    A qualified antimage like him had nothing but patience. He was prepared to remain idle for several years, but he didn''t expect an opportunity to arise within a week.


    The Death Mark disappeared from the Academy, appearing at another location. Peter immediately got up and flew towards the Death Mark.


    "Big mistake leaving your sanctuary."


    Even if an antimage like him was weak in the face of a qualified mage, he was confident he could escape after murdering his grandson''s murderer. If he could devour his soul before the mage arrives to help, he would have enough power to leave the mage continent.


    Two dayster, he arrived at a rainforest, surrounded by a rune barrier, "This must be where he is."


    Peter probed the entire rainforest and found that there weren''t any mages inside the rune barrier. He smirked, "Poor littlemb. Seems like you die today by my hands."


    As long as he could sneak into the barrier without alerting anyone, he could do whatever he wanted.


    "A barrier like this is nothing to me."


    Peter retrieved several things from his own portable space: a grey crystal ball, the tissues of several unknown creatures, a power stone, and a vial of his own blood.


    He used the power stone as a base and arranged the body tissues of the creatures into a tiny tower. Then, he ced the crystal ball at the very top, forming an altar. He broke open the vial and let his blood soak, casting a mysterious spell.


    The altar soon shattered and a hole broke open in the rune barrier. Peter entered the barrier without alerting anyone.


    Meanwhile, outside the rune barrier in a tiny cottage, two mages were enjoying their time together. They felt a slight presence when the rune barrier was corroded. "Seems like a mouse entered our trial grounds."


    Another mage spoke up, "Thest war made those mice think that the Moldo Tower is somewhere they cane and go as they please."


    "It''s troublesome. They are too good at hiding."


    "I can smell their stupid magic from here. If he uses any powerful spells, we''ll be able to detect him. I heard a big rat like this one is worth a lot of ether crystals."


    However, neither of them thought that the antimage would suppress his own abilities, making him concealed within the trial grounds.


    ...


    If you fall behind, you''ll be devoured. Peter didn''t think that his infiltration would be exposed this quickly.


    Fortunately, he was only a Level 1 Antimage, otherwise, the Guardian of the World, Annecroft would''ve smited him down as soon as he stepped foot on the mage continent. His heart was full of resentment thinking of this. Antimages live in the glory of the past, unable to adapt to the conformity of magic. They firmly believe that the mage world belongs to them.


    Peterposed himself and hovered by some trees. As long as he didn''t use any powerful magics, he wouldn''t be detected by other mages. That didn''t mean that his other magics would be weak.


    In the past two days, Adam wandered aimlessly around the rainforest, killing any monsters that got in his way. He didn''t know how big this trial ground was since he had yet to meet any other apprentices.


    A crimson light shone behind Adam, and Adam shot out a water de, killing the beast immediately. He saw that the beast resembling an ape was trying to sneak up on him.


    Adam stepped forward to collect its body tissues, but the devil in his mind was thrashing around. He summoned the devil, and the devil frantically pounced on Adam, "Master, danger!"


    Adam instantly brought up several additionalyers of psychic barriers and leapt backwards. A dark light pierced towards his initial location, annihting everything in its path.


    Adam''s pupils darted around the area -- this magic was extremely powerful.


    Adam raised his hand to illuminate the darkness and he could see a figure hidden in a ck robe hovering right in front of him. The energy radiating from the figure was extremely powerful, faintly distorting its surroundings.


    The figure looked at Adam with bloodthirsty eyes, "I see. rke''s death was not an ident."


    Adam knew that he couldn''t fight this antimage.


    Peter lifted his hood, revealing his face and white hair. He slightly bowed towards Adam, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Peter Aum, rke Aum''s grandfather. You are marked for death; you will die today."


    Adam realised that the Death Mark exuded an incredibly evil aura.


    Adam gathered his psychic powers to conjure up several runes at the same time -- he needed to attract the attention of the mages to save him.


    Peter lifted a hand, and Adam could feel his magic weakening, "How rude! Why aren''t you bowing and paying your respects to a clearly superior person? Shouldn''t my grandson''s murderer introduce himself too?"


    Peter sped his hand, and the pressure surrounding Adam increased, shattering his psychic barrieryer byyer.


    Peter continued muttering, "No matter. It''s easy to forget when you are indulging in a life like this. Mages like you are arrogant, savage, no sense of etiquette, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Adam remained silent; every joint and muscle cracked at the pressure, and his mage armour was about to shatter.


    Peter''s face contorted in anger, seeing that Adam is refusing to acknowledge him. With a single swipe of his hand, Adam was pulled into the air and flung into the distance, "You are just like them. You must be hanged, burnt, drowned for what you have done to my grandson!"

 Chapter 54: Buying Time

    The devil curled up in fear in Adam''s mind. They could''ve helped Adam by devouring the negative magic radiating from Peter, but Peter radiated an extremely ominous aura, enough to make the devil tremble.


    Adam stood his ground, remaining silent.


    This was his greatest challenge -- he had been smooth sailing for more than a year, cultivating himself. However, no matter how strong he was currently, he was no match for Peter.


    He remained silent, waiting for Peter to make the next move. If Peter is arrogant, a weakness will reveal itself.


    "It''s a real pity that you decide to hide yourself in the Mage Continent after murdering my grandson. I don''t have the time to torture you for years toe -- no matter, I will snatch your soul away and torture it day and night until the end of time!" Peter Aum bellowed. With a single incantation, a spray of fire flew towards Adam.


    "This is what magic truly is! Drawing power from the natural ether around us and conjuring it with incantations -- isn''t it wonderful? You mages decide to corrupt the purity of magic -- I don''t care about your runes and knowledge! This is the natural way of using magic!"


    Adam immediately summoned a curtain of water, and the spray of fire dissipated into steam, "So, you''ve be a remnant of time, unable to cope with change."


    Adam taunted Peter, trying to buy time for himself to escape.


    He started to conjure a teleportation spell behind his back; antimages, like mages, were sensitive to magic, so Adam had to distract Peter so he wouldn''t notice.


    Space started to unfold on itself behind Adam, and gravity itself started to bend towards the space. Once Adam steps on this space, he''ll find that he has teleported great distances in an instant.


    This is called unstable teleportation.


    Adam needed to calcte in order to gather gravitational forces to converge onto a single point so he could teleport away, but Adam didn''t have the knowledge to use magic that defies space and time. He could only manipte the gravity around him by calcting tedious andplex operations in his system.


    "A remnant of the time?" Peter said in a low voice. "A mere apprentice like you dare to taunt me -- do you not fear what I could do to you? Do you not respect my natural maniption of ether around me? sphemer! Time is on our side! I am not a remnant of the times; themodity of magic wille to an end, and so will you!"


    Adam smirked, "Time is but a rtive concept. You don''t understand the principles behind time, so how could it ever be on your side?"


    Peter lifted his hand and muttered a few short sybles, and different elements of magic hit Adam''s psychic shield. Adam immediately lowered his psychic barrier, letting the magic prate his body.


    "You''re too emotional. Fool," Adam taunted. His teleportation spell was almostplete.


    "Emotional? No. I am merely punishing you for spheming the true nature of magic," Peter was no stranger to Adam''s taunting, but it still pierced through his heart.


    A mage is a realist, while others are idealists. The realist proves the phenomenon around them with knowledge, knowing the principles behind the phenomenon; idealists describe the phenomenon through observation and personal feelings, so they don''t know the principles behind them.


    An idealist like Peter thinking that the knowledge of magic should be gatekept is incredibly ridiculous.


    "Maybe the pain will make you sober!" Peter bellowed, striking Adam''s body with various magics. "What''s the use of your knowledge now? You''re dying! It can''t save you! Don''t worry -- I will spare your soul so that I can im it as my own!"


    Adam''s psychic powers continuously healed his wounds -- Adam wasn''t listening to Peter anymore, his systems going into overdrive to solve the runes for teleportation.


    Adam smiled through the bombardment of magic, and Peter was stunned.


    "You''re wrong. Knowledge is useful, no matter the situation."


    Adam let his psychic energy burst, instantly destroying Peter''s magic suppression. He grasped the natural ether around him, and gravity bended towards his body; the space around his body distorting.


    Adam took a step back and stepped into the singrity.


    In Peter''s perspective, Adam''s body began to blur, and only then did he realise Adam was distracting him. His mouth was agape seeing that a mere apprentice like him could manipte time and space with no magic items. He snapped out of his daze and sent a dark crescent sh towards Adam, but Adam had already disappeared.


    Peter walked to Adam''s initial location and praised, "A natural genius. You can''t escape me."


    ...


    Adam was spat out into a forest clearing, his clothes tattered. Scars littered his body; he was unable to withstand impromptu teleportation.


    "Agh."


    He knelt on the ground and vomited blood. The pain pierced through his body, bringing him into a fetal position on the grass.


    The devil popped out and looked at Adam worriedly, "Master... you''ll be fine, right?" If Adam dies, so will the devil.


    Judging from the surrounding environment, he was still in the trial grounds, which means Peter could still hunt him down. Adam limped towards a tree and took out a new set of clothes from his portal space and started to drain the power stones to replenish his mana. He couldn''t die yet. He needed to survive this trial.


    "I don''t care what you do, don''t let anything near me."


    He has never felt this weak before, any monster could simply stroll by and kill him. He needed to attract the attention of the mages outside to save him.


    ...


    "Kerry, be careful. Someone casted some powerful magic here recently -- Prometheus knows what magical beast is near us." Meanwhile, not far from Adam, a group of three apprentices crept through the rainforest cautiously.


    The leading person parted the nts hindering their way, and it''s clear he had the ability to manipte the flora near him, which greatly increases the chance of survival in the rainforest.


    "Don''t worry. Just follow me. With our strength, we''ll be safe."


    The other two behind him were shivering in fear. They had just witnessed a colony of bugs forming a dense colony, devouring a crowd of apprentices, leaving nothing behind.


    "I can''t -- I don''t want to think about what happened just now," one of them cursed. "Wait! Run! They''re here!"


    Kerry, the apprentice who can control flora, turned his head swiftly. He saw an overwhelming number of white ants crawling towards them like a flood, devouring everything in their path.


    "No!"


    He screamed, and ran straight into the trees, leaving hispanions behind.


    Thest person was petrified, and her legs were unable to move. However, the pendant hanging on her neck glowed a soft blue light, soothing her mind. Her eyes glowed a soft blue, and she found that there were no monsters at all.


    "You idiots! Come back, it''s an illusion!"


    She put her hands together and imbued magic above the two apprentices, showering them with a torrent of water. Their eyes glowed a brief blue light, and the ants were no longer there.


    They gasped for breath, and one of them roared, "Damn it! If I find that beast, they''re done for!"

 Chapter 55: Chase

    "Kelly, can you locate the source of the illusion? Beasts who are good at illusionary magic aren''t strong inbat -- if we find it, we can kill it with ease," Kerry asked, holding Kelly''s hand gingerly.


    Kelly was emotionlessly as she nodded, but her heart was filled with disgust. Kerry had the intention of abandoning her as soon as danger crept behind them.


    "I''ll try."


    The pendant hanging on her neck had a purifying effect, which can break low-level illusions. It can also detect nearby spells.


    "Found it."


    Kelly pointed towards a tree, and all three of them crept towards the tree.


    The devil panicked -- the illusion was at its limit. Adam''s order was to not let anything get close to him, so that must mean these three humans as well.


    The devil can''t trust these humans to not disturb his master as well.


    "I''ll try again!" This time, the devil conjured a grand illusion of fire, raining down upon the three apprentices.


    Kerry wanted to run again, but forcibly stopped himself. He ced his hands on a tree, and the tree shielded them from the illusion of fire.


    Kelly''s eyes lit up as she saw something moving through the trees, "Over there!"


    The third apprentice shot a wind de out immediately.


    The devil hurriedly dodged to the side, wanting to escape back to Adam. However, remembering Adam''smand, the devil hid behind a tree and transformed themselves into Adam.


    "Stop, it''s me," the devil said, imitating Adam''s indifferent tone.


    The apprentices were stunned. They didn''t expect to meet Adam here. Did he cast the illusions?


    Kerry said in surprise, "Adam? Why did you attack us?"


    The devil shook behind their disguise, but "Adam''s" face remained calm, "It''s a warning. Leave immediately, or next time, it won''t be an illusion anymore."


    Kerry gulped and turned back to the group, "We should leave."


    Kelly was suspicious, however. Even though the person in front of them looked like Adam, there wasn''t any magic radiating off of him. She imbued magic into her pendant, and her eyes glowed bright blue.


    "It''s not Adam," she whispered.


    The devil didn''t know that they had been exposed, and threatened, "Leave, or perish."


    Kelly took out a potion from her pocket and crushed it. Strange red mist wafted towards the devil.


    "Get him! It''s not Adam!"


    The devil screamed and darted back to Adam. The red mist burnt everything in its path, and the devil didn''t dare to provoke them anymore.


    "Master, I''m sorry! They weren''t fooled, I''m powerless!" the devil spoke frantically, hiding behind Adam.


    Thirty minutes have passed since then. Adam had already recovered more than half of his mana -- he needs some more time to cast a spell great enough to attract the mages'' attention.


    "They? Are they apprentices?"


    Adam knew that the devil wouldn''t buy him much time, but at least they were useful as a scout.


    "Three of them! Three!" the devil replied, then rushed back into Adam''s mind.


    At this moment, the bushes behind the clearing parted, and three of them rushed out. "I found him!"


    "Not now," Adam frowned. He conjured the weakest fireball he could, aiming towards a random tree.


    Adam''s intention was to just dissuade them from bothering him, but he didn''t know that his devil had used his body to trick them. Kerry chuckled, and ran towards the fireball, "You really thought that the same trick would work on u-"


    Kelly''s eyes widened, "Kerry, no!"


    It was toote. Kerry was singed and burned into a pile of ash.


    "You..." Adam was stunned. He didn''t expect someone to be that stupid to run into a fireball. He wasn''t even aiming remotely close to them.


    Kelly''s face darkened, but she stopped the third apprentice from killing Adam, "Are you... Adam?"


    Adam wasn''t in the mood to talk, "Leave. I''m serious, or you will surely die. Not by my hands."


    Kelly sneered, pointing to the ash formerly known as Kerry, "Hah! Not by your hands? But you killed Kerry with your own hands! That little... thing was you too? Right? Who knew that the great apprentice Adam would stoop this low to take out hispetition?"


    Adam frowned, feeling that Peter was getting closer. He got up to leave, but Kelly flung a potion towards him.


    "No! Don''t leave! You killed someone, and you must pay for it!"


    Adam turned around, sting the potion away with a gust of wind, "Don''t challenge me. Run while you can."


    The third apprentice couldn''t hold back his anger and rushed towards Adam; his muscles surged, turning into a giant man over two metres tall, "How dare you! Don''t leave!"


    However, before he could touch Adam, an invisible force crushed him to the ground. His muscles split inch by inch, and his guts burst out as he was crushed further and further into the ground. Blood sttered on Kelly and Adam. Kelly screamed as she felt another invisible force press on her, but her pendant shattered, shielding her with blue energy.


    "Damn it," Adam cursed.


    Peter descended upon them and hovered over the corpse of the third apprentice, "Not bad, you are the only apprentice I have seene up with a teleportation spell on the god. However, you''re cornered now."


    Kelly was truly petrified. She knew that she was absolutely no match against this strange man. The blue barrier crumbled under Peter''s great magic, and Peter could see her.


    "You... who are you?"


    Peter stared at Kelly and grinned maniacally. With a single tap, the barrier shattered, as if it didn''t exist in the first ce.


    "No! No! Let me go! Don''t kill me!" Kelly begged.


    Peter grabbed Kelly''s chin and smirked, "What a young soul; innocent, full of energy, and..." Kelly''s eyes rolled to the back of her head, and Peter snatched her soul and devoured it. "...delicious."


    Peter gently hovered over the pile of ash and gore and devoured the two other souls, chuckling, "How unlucky, isn''t it? You teleported right in the middle of the trial ground. How about... a game of cat and mouse?"


    Adam red at him, and teleported away without hesitation.


    Peter was speechless, "Cunning mouse."


    ...


    Adam was spat out in the forest again, his injuries worsened, his mana consumed.


    He got up and started to run. Staying in ce to recover was stupid of him.


    Adam''s temples were throbbing, and he could feel Peter staring at him from far away.


    He flew past a team of apprentices subduing a huge beast, and Adam slightly flew to the side to avoid them. He could only hope that the antimage would not see them.


    The apprentices saw a figure fly past them, and one of them asked, "What is that?"


    "Don''t be distracted, Dawn. Do you want to kill everyone?" someone cursed.


    After more than ten minutes, they finally brought the beast down. Everyone red at Dawn, "Dawn, you almost had us all killed! If there is a next time, leave our team."


    The apprentice named Dawn bowed his head in shame, but pointed behind them, "What is that...?"

 Chapter 56: Wounded

    There is no safe ce in the rainforest. After hearing Dawn''s warning, everyone stood up and got in a defensive formation, but found nothing. They turned to Dawn again and shouted, "Dawn, what the hell is wrong with you?"


    They couldn''t see the mysterious, grey waves creeping at their feet. All of them fell to the ground and their souls were forced out of their body into the hands of a ck-robed man.


    Peter continued stalking Adam as he consumed the souls, but he was only slightly faster than an average apprentice. He began to reflect and decided that he didn''t have time for games anymore. The next time he saw Adam, he would kill him with strong magic.


    Grey mist spread around him, and everything near him disintegrated into nothingness, consumed by him.


    He originally thought that he would toy with Adam before torturing him for eternity, but he didn''t have time to do that anymore.


    As an antimage, eyes were on him. For every second that he remains on the Mage Continent, the danger increases. He was paranoid that the mages had already discovered him.


    Antimages can only survive because mages let them.


    Before he came to the Mage Continent, Peter split his soul into two as a precautionary measure. His current body contains arge part of his soul and he was about as strong as a qualified mage. Even if he dies, he wouldn''t be in danger, but he would be out ofmission for a long time.


    Thinking of this, he became angrier, "You''re just a mere apprentice. You can''t escape me."


    ...


    Adam continued to run, letting his body run on autopilot. His systems were going into overdrive to replenish his mana. Peter''s words were useful to him, so he was now sure that the trial grounds had boundaries, and it was likely that the boundary was made of runes as well; if he could cause damage to the barrier, it would definitely attract the mages'' attention.


    This is his only chance to survive.


    He conjured a wind and water de in front of him, cutting off everything in his path to ensure the fastest journey there.


    As long as he keeps flying in one direction, he will hit the boundary sooner orter. He just hopes that he''ll be faster than Peter.


    Adam found that he was incredibly unlucky. The huge monsters were unable to keep up with him, but he attracted the attention of flying beasts.


    His wind and water des continuously cut the trees in front of him, but the devil yelled in his mind, "Master, up ahead!"


    It was toote.


    He shed through a ho''s nest.


    Compared to ordinary bees, these hos were incredibly big and their stingers were as long as their bodies, dripping with dark green poison.


    Beasts in the Mage Continent usually wouldn''t bother any mages, but...


    ...wild beasts like these hos were different. They act ording to instincts, attacking anything that provokes them.


    Adam dodged to the side and continued flying ahead. He didn''t know how many hos were chasing him. From his peripheral vision, he could see an overwhelming number of venomous des of poison poking at his psychic barrier, attempting to pierce through it.


    "Damn it!" Adam cursed. Adam needed to get rid of them.


    One ho is weak, since their bodies are fragile and slow. However, if theybined into a single being, they were incredibly strong and fast. Even Adam barely outpaced them.


    During the chase, Adam encountered two teams of apprentices. The apprentices didn''t even know what hit them and no traces of them were left.


    Adam couldn''t distract the hos either, since the other beasts in the forest had long detected the hos and hid themselves.


    Adam could no longer maintain his original route, and he saw a greenke nearby.


    Without thinking, Adam plunged into theke and the hos hovered over theke, waiting for Adam to re-emerge.


    The water was surprisingly calm, with ordinary fishes swimming about. Poison needles shot into the water like a machine gun, and the ones that hit Adam bounced off his psychic barrier.


    "Damn it," Adam cursed again.


    The devil shook in his mind, "Master, he''s approaching."


    Adam became desperate -- his body was weak, so he couldn''t use teleportation magic anymore, and neither could he face the antimage head on. He was cornered.


    The devil desperately poked at his brain, "Master, you must find a way! He''s getting closer!"


    Adam had to fight his way out and asked the devil telepathically, "Where is heing from?"


    "South-east!"


    Adam pointed himself at the south-east direction, and charged towards the antimage head on from underwater.


    The devil screamed, "Master! Wrong direction!"


    Adam ignored the devil pulling at his brain, using telekinesis to stir up huge waves at the bottom of theke.


    "Master, no!"


    With a loud ssh, Adam rushed out the surface of theke with the huge waves of water.


    ...


    Peter hurriedly flew through the rainforest, leaving behind a trail of rot and despair.


    He darted towards the direction of the Death Mark, killing and devouring anything along his way, before realising the Death Mark had stopped. Peter immediately flung himself towards the Death Mark and smirked, guessing that Adam was hindered in some way.


    "Unfortunate little mouse, but our game ends here. I''m getting impatient."


    He soon arrived at ake and saw Adam rushing towards him.


    He chanted an obscure spell that darkened the sky and grey energy orbited around him, gathering into a focused energy beam, hitting Adam with a terrifying scream.


    "Soul Tear!"


    "Despair, and suffer! Perish under my magic!"


    Peter grinned maniacally, condensing the power of thousands of tormented human souls to destroy Adam''s soul.


    Adam''s eyes were grey, and his soul trembled. The devil braced itself, waiting for death.


    At this time, the hos shot out thousands of needles towards him, and Adam fell back into the needles without hesitation.


    This was hisst resort.


    He lowered his psychic barrier and let the needles pierce through his body. The needles pierced through him and met Peter''s focused beam, but the needles did nothing to hinder the beam, and Adam could feel his soul tearing apart.


    But it buys Adam a few seconds.


    ...


    "Found you!"


    Inside the house, the two mages could pinpoint Peter''s exact location on the trial grounds. They instantly teleported and hovered over theke, and their eyes widened.


    "It''s that apprentice!" one of them rushed towards Adam''s falling body. Normally, he wouldn''t care about the life and death of an apprentice, but Adam''s status was special.


    The second mage instantly understood the antimage''s motives and muttered, "Paying such a great price to kill our greatest apprentice. You must be stupid."


    The second mage spoke a brief spell, andplex runes were conjured in front of him. With a push, a huge pir of fire showered over him. Theke evaporated in an instant, and the hos were reduced into ash.


    Peter''s face fell, not expecting two mages to arrive. He immediately shredded a teleportation scroll to escape, but as soon as the spell was taking effect, great energy shed through him, slicing him in half, leaving his lower-half body behind.

 Chapter 57: Disease

    "Youe and go as you please, how cheap," the second mage spat. He transformed himself into a red light and chased Peter.


    Peter was spat out thousands of kilometres away.


    His body was torn in half, but so was his soul.


    He was prepared for this to happen, but he didn''t expect it to be so painful.


    However, he could feel that he was still on the Mage Continent, and he was sure he was currently being hunted by other mages.


    Peter propped his bloodied body up and moaned in pain. Any normal human would''ve been dead by now.


    Peter took out a corpse from his portable space and cut off its lower-half body. He welded it on his lower-half and with a single incantation, his wound was fixed.


    He crawled up, and he could see a red glow on the horizon.


    "Damn it!" Peter cursed, running off for the shoreline.


    The mage pursuing him didn''t bother to hide the magic swirling around him -- thousands of kilometres were fleeting to the eyes of a mage, and in his fiery, red eyes, he could see the grey and ugly soul of the antimage.


    "What are you running for? A prey like yourself should ept your fate," the mage whispered, but Peter could clearly hear it sound in his head.


    Despair filled Peter, and he felt that it was probably simr to Adam''s situation. However, Adam was rescued, but nobody woulde and rescue him.


    A pir of magma blocked Peter''s path, and he knew it was impossible to escape.


    "Can''t escape anymore, can you?" the mage spoke.


    "You sinners who defile magic, one day, you will pay for your sins!" Peter cursed, firing the same beam towards the mage.


    The mage amusingly let the beam hit him.


    A burst of light immediately dispelled the beam, and the mage was unscathed.


    "Same old magic that hasn''t changed for tens of thousands of years. Look at how useless your magic is -- you im to be able to control the soul, but you don''t even know what the soul is. You''re lucky the World Guardian is merciful," the mage said, binding Peter with fiery chains, preparing to roast him into ashes. "Annecroft would''ve annihted you with no trace."


    Peter bowed his head in defeat, allowing the mes to take him.


    He was no match for a mage of his level.


    The mage continued to spray fire towards the pile of ash, nning to burn him to non-existence, "Antimages like you are traitors to us -- soon, the ether will abandon you, and you can turn to nobody else."


    The mes continued to roar, but it did notpletely destroy Peter. The me was meant to act as a seal,pletely isting Peter''s body and soul from the outside world.


    "There is simply no cure for stupidity," the mage ended, flying back to the trial ground.


    The other mage stood over Adam''satose body, but he frowned upon thinking of his rewards andpensation. Since hispanion went to subdue the antimage, his own rewards will be greatly reduced. Besides, the antimage massacred some notable apprentices in the trial ground, so he will definitely be questioned by the Tower as soon as the trial was over. "Boy, I pray that the ether keeps you safe and sound. I''ll look for youter for yourpensation."


    The fire mage soon returned andughed upon hearing the mage''s words, "It''s just an apprentice, but you''re asking forpensation? Not to mention, he was hit by a soul-tearing beam. He might stayatose forever."


    "No, look at this," the other mage flicked Adam''s forehead, and the passive psychic barrier trembled. Both of the mages saw traces of the trembling devil in his mind.


    The fire mage patted Adam''s forehead and shook him, "Hey, are you alive? Oh! I know now -- you''re the apprentice who sent the best research in recent decades! Ah... what was his name again?"


    The other mage nodded, "Yup, that''s him."


    The fire mage grabbed Adam''s shoulder firmly, "Then, I wish you good luck. However, not many mages study the power of the soul. It''ll be hard to solve your problem."


    "There''s always hope."


    ...


    Thest thing that Adam saw when he was conscious was a dull grey.


    After being hit by the beam, Adam''s systems shut down, and his remaining power worked on supporting his body passively as if he was aputer sleeping. Strangely enough, he could feel his own soul.


    What is the soul, anyways?


    Nobody knows, but in the world of mages, the soul is separate from the mind.


    Adam''s mind may be incapacitated, but his soul was still wide awake.


    Adam awoke in a pure white space and saw his soul hovering over the space.


    Adam knows this space. He devoured ten billion human souls here, after all.


    Grey, negative energy invaded the space, and invaded Adam''s soul.


    Adam was slightly relieved as he hovered over the space. This was far less than ten billion souls, and Adam wasn''t as weak as before. He should be able to solve the problem.


    Or so he thought. He found out that he was powerless without magic.


    This soul-tearing magic was like an advanced virus, constantly mutating.


    This means it would be difficult to eradicate the virus.


    Adam can''t eliminate it via mere mental stimtions as before. He must first understand the principles of the virus, then look for its weak points before he could eliminate it.


    The subjectivity of the despair of tortured human souls was difficult for Adam to understand -- they were full of destructive tendencies, and their incredibly negative emotions destroyed Adam as well. Adam discovered that if he destroyed the virus, it wouldn''t weaken it. It will adapt and be stronger.


    Adam was at a dead end, but at least he was sure that his soul would not be annihted. Human emotions do not apply to an artificial intelligence like him.


    However, he still needed to get out of this white space. This was a great time for him to begin an experiment on studying the soul.


    The test subject? Himself.

 Chapter 58: Despair

    To destroy this magic, he must first understand the magic.


    This was the most difficult part, so Adam needs to find a way to begin.


    At this time, he remembered the ck Mage''s words, "Antimages need to torture human souls to harvest their despair to be a qualified antimage, and they can use these tortured souls to cast spells..."


    "But what exactly is despair?" Adam pondered. He remembered how he felt when he was about to die, but it wasn''t enough. It was fear mixed with despair, and it was only for a brief moment. Besides, his system didn''t allow him to feel these emotions, so it wasn''t as intense for Adam to understand.


    Adam peered at the grey waves polluting the white space, and walked towards them.


    He found that the waves were a mix of human souls -- no mind, no fixed shape, constantly distorting and transforming.


    The one thing constant about them was the negative energy they exude, attempting to devour anything near them.


    Adam''s presence caused the waves to pounce towards him, tearing apart his psychic barrier. As he looked at the hands wing at his barrier, it was no wonder that curse magic was left behind. An emotionless and apathetic mage ispletely immune to magic like this.


    Adam could see the despair of the waves, but he didn''t know what it felt like.


    "Do I observe... or should I experience it first hand?"


    Adam gently stretched out his hand, trying to touch the wave. The waves bit at him,pletely irrational.


    Adam felt his soul flinch, but Adam didn''t care. He brought his psychic barrier down, and let the grey waves pounce on him.


    Adam''s soul was wed at by the grey waves, and he could see and feel fragmented memories of the tortured humans -- the deepest, darkest, most desperate fragments of their lives.


    Homes being destroyed before their eyes.


    Children ughtered,pletely powerless.


    A beloved personmitting suicide.


    A lifetime of effort gone to waste and made fun of.


    Adam felt everything.


    The most severe torture and suffering that a human could endure.


    Despair washed over Adam over and over again, and his pure, white soul hovering over the space was corrupted by something grey.


    Adam could''ve wiped it out with a single thought, but he chose to let it grow in his own soul.


    The grey had no form and pounced towards Adam.


    Adam''s soul was split in half, held together weakly by his mind. One half was Adam, and the other half was grey.


    Adam woke up in a different location this time.


    He found himself in a ruined city with tattered clothes, surrounded by broken walls. Ashy smoke rose into the sky, and corpses littered the city. He could see many people crying over the corpses, slumped over them. The faces of the people here were numb from emotion, devoid of them.


    Adam strolled through the street.


    Someone hiding behind a wall rushed out towards Adam -- his hunger fuelled him, and his skin was dry and cracked.


    Adam let the man pounce on him, but he was so weak that whatever he was doing had no effect on Adam.


    "What are you doing?" Adam asked softly.


    The man limped towards Adam, repeating, "Hungry... hungry... I want to eat..." he then bit on Adam''s foot, shattering his weak teeth. Blood flowed from his mouth, and he hurriedly gulped his own blood, quenching his thirst.


    Adam continued looking, and took a few steps back.


    There were other people hiding nearby -- when they saw the man drink his own blood, they pounced on him, tearing at him and eating the still-alive man.


    Adam felt a pang of hunger pierce his stomach.


    He didn''t care and continued to stroll through the city.


    He saw hungry parents trade their children to others, and eating other defenceless children; he saw people collecting strange, smelly stumps from the ground and stuffing them into their mouths; he saw a muscr man pick up bones from the ground to start a fire, and grabbed at the elderly and children to cook them alive.


    He continued to stroll around the city, seeing soldiers in armour shooing people away from a mansion; he saw beautiful women being dragged away; he saw the mansion at the centre of the city, brightly lit, singing and dancing.


    Adam became weaker and hungrier, so he came to a bunker and sat down silently.


    Night fell, and the shrill screams of monsters invaded the city.


    The soldiers appeared and forced the people out of their shelters, letting the beasts tear them apart.


    A mage appeared, lifted by his eight servants. All the townspeople looked at the mage with hope, praying for the mage to rescue them.


    The mage lifted his staff, and the blood-red gem shone brightly, causing the people to explode instantly.


    Adam hid in the dark, witnessing the scene before him.


    The mage fought the beasts using the absorbed energy from the dead townspeople.


    The next day, the soldiers took the remaining survivors back to town.


    Adam was weaker.


    ...


    The trial didn''t stop because of the death of a few apprentices, so the two mages brought Adam back to their house and continued their life of leisure.


    While chatting, they peered at Adam''s unconscious body, and the fire mage spoke, "Kino, I don''t think he''ll make it."


    Adam''s body emitted grey energy, and mages knew it was because his soul was being devoured and assimted. The fire mage walked over to Adam with hesitation, wanting to end his suffering.


    Mage Kino didn''t stop him -- if Adam couldn''t pay him anypensation, he was useless to him.


    When the fire mage was about to burn Adam''s body into a crisp, he could see Adam''s psychic energy fighting the grey energy, kicking it back little by little.


    Mage Kino immediately got up and shielded Adam from the mes and said, "Wait, Ryan, he''s resisting."


    Mage Ryan frowned, "Remember, it''s an antimage''s magic. Do you really think this apprentice can resist his magic?"


    Mage Kino shook his head, and gently used telekinesis to lift Adam away from Mage Ryan, "You haven''t seen his research, I assume?"


    Of course, Mage Ryan did not. Most research made by apprentices weren''t really useful, so he didn''t look into it.


    "What do you mean?" Mage Ryan inquired.


    "His research on psychic powers and telekinesis is incredibly useful," Mage Kino exined, taking out a piece of metal and wrapped it with psychic energy. The metal dposed into smaller volumes, before being broken downpletely. "Look -- his research has been important in my research."


    Mage Ryan looked on with great interest. Before this, this could be easily achieved with the tools and apparatus in theirbs, but Mage Kino did it using only his mental power.


    "This mental energy is sourced from the soul -- most apprentices have weak mental energy, but maybe this guy can -- I mean, he invented a whole new rune structure for meditation. It''ll be good if he survives and continues to develop his research."


    Mage Ryan shrugged, "Then, good luck to him."

 Chapter 59: Despair (2)

    Adam roamed through the streets again, noticing that there were fewer people than before. All the townspeopleid numbly on the ground, filled with despair waiting for their deaths. They didn''t even flinch when other people started to w and chew through them.


    The stronger men hunted the townspeople. Adam fought his hunger, not choosing to kill. He hid behind walls, watching the men kill them with cold eyes.


    At night, the scene repeats. Beasts invade the town, the mage arrives and sacrifices the townspeople, then dawn arises.


    Thissted six more times, and Adam was too weak to avoid the soldiers.


    A thought appeared in Adam''s mind -- if he died, he could escape from this hellscape. He had no choice but to believe it.


    On the seventh day, the soldiers captured Adam sneaking between the walls, and bound him with rope, forcing him out of the city.


    He let the soldiers capture him, since he was too weak to resist.


    Once again, the mage sacrificed all of them, and Adam was blown to pieces.


    "I can''t die like this..." Adam thought.


    However, he realised something was wrong -- if he was dead, how could he think?


    Sure enough, the illusion shattered.


    And he was back to the beginning again, awakening at the broken city with tattered clothes.


    Adam''s survival instinct dulled -- he knew he was in no danger while in this illusion; it''s not like he had any control over this illusion anyways.


    And the scene repeats again and again -- the beasts invade, the mage sacrifices, and Adam dies on the seventh day once again.


    After countless iterations, Adam''s remaining rationality broke.


    He didn''t want to fall into despair.


    However, going through the same scene hundreds of times is bound to break the strongest of men.


    If he wants to experience despair first hand, he needs to be the changing factor in this "experiment."


    Adam didn''t even need to enter the illusion in the first ce, but his curiosity got the best of him. He needs to start making changes.


    Adam left his sanity behind.


    ...


    "What are you doing?"


    The man limped towards Adam and muttered endlessly, "I''m hungry... hungry... I want to eat..."


    "Get up, I''ll find something for you to eat," Adam lifted him up and spoke.


    The man''s eyes widened, "Food? Eat?"


    "Yes," Adam smiled. "Come out! All of you! Let us find food!"


    In the dull environment of the town, a bright light appeared, warming the people''s hearts.


    Scrawny men gathered behind Adam as they walked down the street together. The men imitated Adam, persuading every person in despair to get up, "Come! We''re gonna go find food!"


    The crowd grew, following Adam with mixed emotions. They gathered whatever they could, devouring anything edible.


    Of course, some people tried to revolt, but the sheer size of the crowd dissuaded them.


    They had nobody to coerce and bully, and with no food, they began to devour each other. The remainder of them had no choice but to join the crowd.


    Adam gathered the crowd to collect whatever scraps of food that could be collected, and ordered everyone to cook the food to distribute equally to everyone. The food was mixed with strange items that would challenge the line of human morality, but the people were hungry.


    Night came.


    The soldiers came, but there were voices of resistance in the crowd.


    "You can''t do this! We are innocent civilians -- this isn''t our fight! As soldiers, shouldn''t you protect us? Why not ask the mage to fight back?" someone in the crowd shouted.


    This voice walked out of the crowd and appealed, "Please, let''s negotiate. We''re too weak and innocent, so-"


    The soldier in front of him, with disgust, shed at him and killed him, "How dare you Untouchables talk back. You ungrateful ants! You are living under the protection of the nobles, so shouldn''t you be grateful and sit quietly?"


    Adam stepped forward, looking back at the crowd and spoke, "I ask to meet the mage."


    The soldiers looked at Adam and burst intoughter, "What did I just hear? You -- a lowly civilian, wants to meet the great mage? Don''t joke like that!"


    Adam waited for the soldiers to stopughing, but the soldier spoke coldly, "I''ll only say this once -- follow us out of the city, or die. Either way, all of you will still die."


    The crowd began to riot behind Adam, and Adam said, "No. We have the right to survive as well."


    "Then, die."


    The soldier lifted his hand, and the soldiers rushed forward to massacre the townspeople.


    The civilians couldn''t resist -- all of them started to scream and run and beg for mercy. Adam remained motionless, and the soldier beat him to the ground, "You''re their leader, aren''t you? You''ll regret this."


    Blood flooded the city, and a voice sounded in the crowd, "Please don''t kill me! It was his idea!"


    The crowd was silent, and all of them started to me Adam. In order to appeal to the soldiers, they rushed towards Adam and kicked him.


    The soldiers smirked sadistically, "Take them out the city. As for their leader... stay here."


    The crowd red at Adam with disgust and hatred.


    The captain of the soldiers smirked, "Guess what will happen to you tomorrow. If you''re lucky, you''ll be alive and broken at my feet tomorrow night."


    Adam quietly stared at the night sky, hearing the massacre outside the city. The survivors soon came back, looking at Adam with intense hatred.


    "You haven''t killed him? It is because of him we are no longer protected by the nobles. Kill him!" the survivors bellowed as they rushed towards him.


    Adam didn''t resist their kicks, neither did he resist them tearing apart his body.


    His consciousness faded in and out, and soon, he could no longer see as his eyes were gouged out, but his gaze remained affixed at the night sky.


    A dim light showered upon him.


    His kindness was reced by despair.

 Chapter 60: Despair (3)

    "What are you doing?"


    Adam awoke again in the town.


    He didn''t know what to do.


    Loyalty, justice, kindness, humility... all of these positive qualities were reced by despair. No matter what Adam did, it ended the same way. Thest time, he rushed to the mage''s mansion and was caught by soldiers. The mage tortured him with ancient magic, and after fourteen days, Adam gave up and died.


    The two souls fought for dominance -- the pure, white soul of Adam, and the grey, ugly soul made of despair.


    The souls gnawed at each other, tearing each other apart.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the trial hase to an end. Mage Ryan and Mage Kino lowered the rune barrier, and removed the potion''s effects and gathered the surviving apprentices together.


    A month ago, a hundred people entered the trial ground; today, less than forty remain. Everyone had mixed emotions -- joy and hope, relief, sadness; everyone looked for familiar faces, and every familiar face caused great joy.


    William survived the trial as well thanks to his training in Adam''sboratory. Thanks to his talent in fire magic, he became the de facto leader of some apprentices in the trial ground. During the trial, he assembled a team of more than a dozen people. Combined with his leadership skills, all of them were able to survive.


    "William, who are you looking for?" a female apprentice asked.


    William smiled, "Someone."


    His mind was frantic, though, "Where''s Adam? Where did he go? Did he die?"


    Adam desperately looked for Adam, not believing that a great apprentice like him would fall to a meager trial like this.


    There was still no sign of Adam, and everyone could tell William was worried, "William! What''s wrong?"


    "Did any of you see Adam?"


    Adam? Everyone looked at each other, and only then did they realised that Adam was missing, "Could it be... that he died?"


    After a moment of silence, someone gloated, "Wasn''t he the most powerful apprentice among us? Hah! With his shitty character, nobody wanted to stick by him. Now, he''s probably some monster''s excrement!"


    William frowned at thisment. If Adam was already dead, then it wouldn''t matter. However, if Adam wasn''t dead, then this person would pay the price.


    The two mages walked up to the crowd and announced, "Congrattions! All of you have passed the test. After returning to the Academy, you can choose to be a free apprentice or sign a contract with the Tower -- however, all of you are qualified apprentices."


    "Rest here for an hour, then, we''ll return to the Academy to begin your real Academy life."


    The two returned to their house, and William followed them. He cautiously knocked on the door and said to the mages, "Dear Respected Mages, good day."


    Mage Ryan answered the door and said, "Good day, apprentice."


    "Sir, may I ask, are we all the surviving apprentices?"


    Mage Ryan nodded, "Of course."


    William froze and thanked the mage. Did Adam really die?


    Mage Kino came up to the door and looked at William, "Do you know that apprentice named Adam?"


    William immediately nodded.


    Mage Kino looked at Mage Ryan, and let William enter.


    Mage Kino brought William over to a bed in the guest room, and William''s eyes widened, "How did he be like this?"


    Adam''s body was withered -- his lean body had withered to skin and bones, his body was constantly twitching, and William could see an evil, grey mist emitting from his body.


    William muttered, "An antimage?"


    Mage Kino looked at William in amazement, "Good observation."


    "Adam and I once fought against a group of antimage apprentices -- Adam killed all four of them and saved Bran Vige," William said.


    Mage Kino nced at Mage Ryan, who was sitting outside, "If that''s the case, it''s no wonder that antimage took such a big risk to kill your friend here. Adam must''ve killed his junior."


    William boldly asked, "Can you tell me what happened to Adam?"


    "A qualified antimage sneaked into the trial ground and Adam was struck by ancient soul-tearing magic. Your friend here is very strong, fighting off the despair in his soul."


    As soon as Mage Kino spoke, the grey aura swept across the room, and Adam''s face contorted in pain. Mage Kino chased William out of the room and pulled Mage Ryan to him, "Is this it? Is his soul destroyed?"


    Mage Ryan closed the door and looked at Adam''s pained face, "I don''t think he can hold on any longer. Don''t you want me to kill him?"


    Mage Kino frowned. He didn''t know if he should, but he gave up on the idea.


    "Look -- ancient curse magic targets the soul. The magic aims to destroy the soul, but look at him," Mage Kino pointed. "His soul seems... fine. Have you ever seen something like this?"


    Mage Ryan''s eyes peered into Adam''s body, peering into his soul before jumping out in surprise, "This is strange. What did he do?"


    The natural curiosity of mages saved Adam''s life. They decided to save Adam -- maybe they could study something interesting from him.


    Mage Ryan conjured several runes that shrouded Adam''s body, hiding the negative energy emitting from him. "This is a temporary measure, or thew enforcers of the Academy won''t let us in."


    Mage Ryan exined the situation to William, and he frowned. William returned to the gathering space, not sure what to think of Adam''s condition.


    Now, he knew why Adam couldn''t leave with them. He couldn''t imagine that Adam had fought a qualified antimage and survived.


    However, Adam was obviously in danger -- not necessarily death, but a prisoner. He knows how powerful Adam''s psychic powers were, so he had no doubts that he would survive.


    He didn''t know what to feel about Adam either. He once hated Adam, so he should feel relieved that he was incapacitated; however, he became stronger thanks to Adam as well. If Adam died, he would have no one to guide him in terms of meditation.


    Moreover, even though he didn''t want to admit it, Adam shouldn''t die in such obscurity. Greatness must be recognised.


    The apprentices subconsciously sat further away from William, noticing his foul mood. Nobody wanted to offend the person who was probably the strongest apprentice after Adam.


    However, they couldn''t help but mock Adam. They had the idea that if more talented individuals fell, they would have a greater chance to achieve greatness.


    William thought their conversation was funny, rolling his eyes.


    People like these will always me their own inability on others instead of focusing on cultivating themselves and minding their own business.


    He shook his head, trying to forget Adam''s current dilemma. All he could do was silently pray for him. He had to think of what to do back at the Academy.


    An hour passed and the mages walked out of their house. With a single click, the house shrank rapidly and disappeared into their hands. They then conjured a portal where the house was.


    After a month, everyone, including Adam, returned to the Academy.

 Chapter 61: Despair (4)

    The moment the two mages returned to the Academy; they were immediately surrounded by the Academy''sw enforcers. The alchemy puppets surrounded them and gave them a strict warning, "Mage Jino. Mage Ryan. We have detected an influx of negative energy emanating from the both of you. Exin immediately."


    The magic dampening effect that the alchemy puppets had were starting to interfere with the normal operations of the tower, so Mage Ryan hurriedly threw Adam out and exined, "Apprentice Adam was struck by ancient curse magic, and his soul is currently in a state of instability. We need to see the Dean immediately."


    Hearing Mage Ryan''s exnation, the dampening effect weakened immediately. The alchemy puppet stretched out its mechanical arm to retrieve Adam, but a voice interrupted them.


    "Bring him to me," the Dean ordered simply.


    The two mages brought Adam along with them to the penultimate floor of the tower, and they could see the Dean''s true form towering over them.


    "Good day, Dean Victor."


    The Dean nodded, then retrieved Adam and studied him.


    "This little guy..." the Dean muttered while staring at his unconscious body. "I don''t know if I should praise his boldness or mourn his misfortune."


    Mage Jino and Mage Ryan exined the situation briefly, not wanting to anger the Dean in any way.


    The Dean waved a single finger over Adam''s body, and conjured a projection nearby, showing exactly what was happening in Adam''s soul.


    Mage Jino and Mage Ryan widened their eyes at the scene before them.


    "His soul, it''s... mutated."


    Dean Victor nodded. "Yes. Most ancient magic as we know it is incredibly unstable, so it is prone to the emotions of whoever casted the spell. Look -- this curse magic was originally intended to rip and tear apart at Adam''s soul, but is instead fighting for control of his body."


    Mage Jino nodded, despite his field of study not focused on the souls of mages.


    The Dean could sense his doubts, and exined further, "This is why Imended Adam for being bold -- he found a way to counteract this ancient magic all on his own with no prior guidance."


    "Surely there are dire consequences, great Dean," Mage Jino inquired.


    "It''s just a matter of sess or failure," the Dean exined. "But no matter the result, his soul will forever be stained by this magic. He may no longer be a mage if that is the case."


    The Dean unprojected the screen, and handed Adam over to the alchemy puppet to send to hisboratory. "Your mission isplete, so settle your rewards amongst yourselves. As for the reward for saving Adam... if he wakes up, go to him. Otherwise, the Academy will honor the contract''s terms and reward you."


    The two mages bowed, but before they left, the Dean left them with a simple message, "By the way, weck manpower in the recruiting department. If you''re free, pick the task up."


    ...


    The Academy still ran normally without Adam''s presence. In Adam''sboratory, James and Frank epted Adam''s absence after their initial shock, and continued their research. They didn''t leave theboratory since one, they were still bound to the contract, two, they had nowhere else to go.


    William had secretly signed a contract with the Academy and started to return to his reclusive life once again.


    Elliott came by theboratory daily to see if Adam had returned, but to no avail. He gradually stopped visiting.


    In Adam''s absence, the three in theb encountered many problems, since Adam was the one who constructed the set of meditation runes. Relying on their own research worsened their efficiency.


    Soon, a new batch of apprentices arrived, and they were all locals. Five hundred, highly qualified apprentices gathered at the assembly area, and all of them were smug and arrogant in their behavior.


    Due to their talents, they looked down upon the previous batch of apprentices, and even hogged all of the avable missions at the Task Hall.


    The number of conflicts rose day by day and some apprentices died due to duels. At first, William''s group persevered through the jeering and bullying, but many apprentices came to betray William''s group and started to turn against their originalpanions.


    Some apprentices begged William to teach the new apprentices a lesson.


    William refused.


    He found that his thoughts were getting too simr to Adam. He could finally understand why Adam was so indifferent when he first came to Adam to form a group.


    Just as how he couldn''t understand Adam''s thought process back then, the apprentices didn''t understand why William refused, and subsequently, William became an outcast as well.


    This made the new apprentices think that William was someone who could be toyed with, but after brutally killing a few apprentices one after another with next to no effort, no one was willing to bother him again. Just like Adam was.


    A year soon passed, and it was time for the new batch of apprentices to participate in their trials. Moreover, Adam''sboratory wees their first visitor after a long time.


    It was Crystal.


    William opened theboratory''s door and gasped when he saw Crystal. She looked the same, but an aura of indifference radiated from her, and William knew that this was not the same timid girl as before. It was as if he was looking at a second Adam.


    "Long time no see, Crystal."


    "Good morning, William. Long time no see."


    William motioned for Crystal to enter theboratory and sighed. "You seem different."


    Crystal smiled slightly, and her smile was like sunlight reflecting off an iceberg, "You seem different too. Time changes people, I guess."


    "We have to change regardless. Adapt or die is the motto of this ce after all."


    Crystal nodded, and the two of them sat in silence, not knowing what to say.


    Crystal got up and explored theboratory, ncing at and skimming and scanning the various research papers sprawled on various desks. William sat quietly, staring at her. After a while, Crystal asked, "Adam... is there any news about himtely?"


    William raised his head, "You know what happened to him?"


    "Well, the ck Mage told me everything. He''s still fighting against that mage''s magic until today." Crystal sighed.


    William frowned when Crystal mentioned the ck Mage. Everyone had already found a path to pursue, but William still stagnated in one spot, living under Adam''s protection.


    "Enough about Adam. How are you, Crystal?"


    "I''m doing good! I have ess to endless knowledge and I feel like I''m improving every day," Crystal smiled. However, she did not disclose to William her intention of surpassing Adam in terms of skill.


    "However, I feel like the ck Mage hates me! He reprimanded me many times, saying that, "Oh, if it were Adam, he would have done it better and quicker," How annoying!"


    William didn''t respond, and it was silent again.


    "Do you think he will die?" Crystal whispered.


    William didn''t answer.


    "You''re right -- of course not! How could he die such a worthless death?" Crystal answered herself.


    The doors to theboratory suddenly opened, and James and Frank walked in. Crystal gently nodded to the both of them and left theboratory.


    "Who is she?" James inquired. "I could feel strong energies radiating from her -- I didn''t know we had such strong apprentices in the Academy."


    "She''s another Adam," William simply replied.


    James and Frank looked at each other, not understanding William''s answer.


    ...


    A monthter, the trial ended, and only 70% of the new batch of apprentices returned safely. Their trial was obviously more difficult than the Adam''s batch''s trial. The experience caused them to mature a lot, and peace returned to the Moldo Mage Academy.


    Soon, a victor emerged in Adam''s soul.

 Chapter 62: The End of Despair

    As the Dean of the Academy, who is second only to the master of the Tower, Dean Victor has the authority to make hisboratorypletely independent of the tower''s surveince system. Everything that happens in hisboratory is known only to him and him alone.


    When the rm sounded, the Dean phased to Adam in an instant and tapped on Adam''s naked body, suspended in the air. With a single tap, the Dean could see theyout of Adam''s soul.


    The instruments in hisboratory recorded every minute change happening in Adam''s soul -- this data would prove valuable for the study of souls, which is why he let Adam survive.


    Time is meaningless to a powerful being like Dean Victor -- with his poweres infinite patience, so if anything of interest urs, he will wait and observe silently.


    To Adam, time is no longer a factor to him. Spending an endless amount of time fighting for dominance of his soul only tired him out.


    He was winning at first, tearing apart at the unknown soul, butter, the two souls began to merge, intertwine with each other.


    The souls bit harshly at each other, with each soul attempting to devour each other.


    "Will you survive, or will you fall into the grasp of the antimage..." Dean Victor muttered.


    It doesn''t matter who wins -- despair is inevitable in either oue. The Dean knew that Adam''s existence would not be tolerated by other mages.


    After five hours, a soul emerged victorious.


    Adam''s soul waspletely devoured by the antimage''s magic.


    Adam''s body began to distort and wither in front of the Dean; his body gradually transformed into an ash-grey, but his soul was continuously absorbing power, and Adam became a qualified antimage.


    The Dean continued watching as he wanted to see what would happen to Adam -- if Adam decided to fight against him, the Dean would crush him with just a single thought.


    The rich, grey energy surrounded Adam, permeating every pore, every cell with magic, enhancing him; breaking apart his bondages.


    Adam levitated, and his eyes opened. With a loud roar, he started to vomit out a continuous barrage of despair out of him.


    The Dean shook his head and muttered to himself, "Pity how you could be an antimage this way -- you really are extraordinary. Unfortunately, I have to kill you." The Dean brought up his arm and started to conjure a spell, but Adam''s body shook violently.


    The dark energy spewing out of Adam''s mouth was forced back into him with a strange force, and his body forcibly stopped its promotion to an antimage. Adam could do nothing but scream at the excruciating pain as his soul was being forced back into his body.


    This was true despair.


    The Dean immediately stopped his obliteration spell in a daze. With his knowledge, he never expected this to happen.


    "Seems like you are able to stop your body from transforming, but can you stop your soul from corrupting?" the Dean pondered pessimistically.


    With a single tap, the Dean looked into his soul, revealing an astonishing scene before him.


    A single light emerged from the dark depths of Adam''s soul sea; the light was weak, but persistent, and the surrounding grey fog avoided the light.


    Adam has truly understood what it''s like to despair, and has ovee it.


    The only way to ovee despair...


    ...is to never give up!


    With faith, despair can be ovee.


    The orb of light rose, and like a beacon, dispelled the surrounding grey energy like a tide.


    "Amazing wisdom," the Dean smiled. "However, your soul is eternally corrupted; how would you remove this negative energy staining your soul?"


    The Dean was right. Although Adam emerged victorious, his soul was forever stained by ancient curse magic.


    Adam flexed his fingers and started to stretch -- his body was broken and malnourished, but he was happy that he was back in his body again.


    Adam peered into his soul and found something surprising.


    The "corrupted" parts of his soul sea seems to no longer be stained by Peter Aum''s magic. Instead, it seems to be part of Adam.


    "My things, of course, should only be able to be controlled by me," Adam smiled.


    If this dark energy can be absorbed by Adam, then it must also be able to be absorbed by other things.


    Adam was lucky that he had a portable waste dispenser with him.


    Even if it wasn''t enough to fully promote his devil, Adam will simply use them as a disposable unit.


    Adam summoned the devil. The devil popped into reality and they were shivering, curling themselves into a ball. Now that they saw Adam alive and well in front of them, they cried out and rushed towards Adam.


    "Master! Master! You''re alive! You''re fine! You''re not dead, I''m not dead!" the devil wept in joy.


    Adam swept the devil aside and bound it with a patch, "Want to be stronger?"


    The devil was stunned, not understanding his words.


    The devil nced at Adam, then at the negative energy pooling within his soul. Immediately, the devil knew what Adam was suggesting, "No, my beloved master, you can''t do this to me! I''ll die! I can''t hold this much energy, please!"


    The Dean smirked. Looks like his gift was being put to good use.


    "Don''t you love negative energy?" Adam said, unmoving. "This is a great opportunity for you to be stronger, so why refuse?"


    Adam lied to the devil, fully knowing the devil would not be able to handle pure negative energy refined by a qualified antimage. The devil struggled, but Adam held a tight leash via the contract between them, and the devil begged, "Master, please, I can''t... there must be another way... I''ll die!"


    "Nonsense!" Adam scolded, shoving the devil into the pool of negative energy.


    The negative energy could sense a sink, and poured into the devil violently.


    The devil could only gasp before being forced with violent, negative energy being forcefully fed into its body, and their body was continuously being shattered and rebuilt.


    Adam held onto the contract firmly, not allowing the devil to die.


    As the negative energy was gradually being siphoned out of Adam''s body, the devil''s body started to morph to an entity with a form.


    With all of the negative energy drained out of Adam''s body, Adam ejected the devil out of his soul sea, and cancelled the contract.


    "Smart," the Deanmended.


    Adam was smart, fully knowing that if he cancelled the contract, then the negative energy was no longer bound to him, but the devil.


    The moment his soul was cleansed, exhaustion washed over him like a tsunami, and he fell to the floor.

 Chapter 63: Trauma

    The ear-piercing rm ringing in the Dean''sboratory made it difficult for Adam to open his eyes. At first nce, it was as if a huge head was staring at him. He wanted to greet the Dean, but he was so weak to the point where he couldn''t utter a single word.


    Thankfully, the Dean didn''t mind. He stretched out an arm and let a bottle of nutrients hover towards Adam. Adam swallowed the contents of the bottle instantly and he could feel energy returning to his body.


    "You may be smart, but as per mage tradition, you have to pay me at least five years of your ie before you can offset the value of me taking care of you," the Dean muttered.


    Adam got up to his knees and replied, "Of course, it is reasonable. Thank you, respected Dean."


    Adam took a look around the Dean''sboratory, and it was as if it was in another world. Now he knew why he wasn''t immediately annihted by the tower''s enforcers.


    Adam politely asked the Dean for instructions, but he simply gestured his hand, signalling him to continue doing his own thing.


    The devil phased in and out of reality on the ground, flickering between a visible form and a ball of sludge. Even though the negative energy didn''t allow the devil to gain in strength, it has greatly enhanced their power. The devil''s body was tangible, real, no longer a pure will to live. Adam could feel from the devil''s aura that their strength has greatly surpassed Adam.


    Blink.


    The devil opened their eyes, blinking their slit-like eyes. The devil patted itself, and whispered softly.


    "Master... I really did get stronger... wait... Master...?"


    After the devil regained their senses, they discovered that the chain binding them to Adam had disappeared. As a litmus test, the devil conjured a weak energy ball and pushed it towards Adam.


    Adam didn''t resist, simply letting the energy ball hit him gently.


    The devil staggered when the energy ball hit, but a smile erratically formed on their face upon realising that they weren''t injured from the contract. "I... I''m free! Adam, you damn tyrant! I will turn you into my ve and torture you for tens of thousands of years!"


    "Really?"


    "Yes! You will pay for what you have done for me!"


    "Do you even know how to form a contract?"


    "Uh..." the devil stuttered. "I... I''ll know sooner orter!"


    "Where are you right now?"


    "Of course! I''m..." the devil''s face turned pale upon realising that they were no longer at the forest, but back on the Mage Continent.


    "And what kind of energy is in your body right now? Tell me."


    The devil gulped.


    "Do you know that unowned creatures imbued with negative energy are annihted on the spot if found on the Mage Continent?"


    The devil hovered in the air, bringing their knees to their chest, imagining their fate.


    "Look behind you."


    The devil turned their head stiffly and saw the Dean staring back at him.


    The devil fell to the floor and swooped behind Adam and trembled, "Lord, my master, I was just... joking! I will always be your most loyal servant, right? Quick! Conjure a contract!"


    The devil''s joy of freedom was short-lived, but immediately recognised that they couldn''t survive without Adam.


    Even though Adam was incredibly weak at the moment, they knew that choosing Adam would guarantee their survival.


    Adam sketched out the master-servant contract with ease and the devil epted it with tears in their eyes. The moment the contract was established, they plunged into Adam''s mind to hide themselves.


    Adam turned back to the Dean and thanked, "Thank you for your help, esteemed Dean."


    "Well," the Dean replied. "It is a fair deal. Everything that happened in your soul is valuable knowledge to me. As for your payment, you can pay me in instalments."


    After the Dean finished speaking, he hurriedly shooed Adam away. After Adam broke free from his restraints, it meant that Adam was no longer protected from the Dean. A single thought could annihte Adam from existence.


    Adam exited the tower slowly, not rushing back to theboratory. He toured around the Academy step-by-step. There wasn''t any change in infrastructure, but there were many unfamiliar faces.


    Adam has a photographic memory, so seeing all these new apprentices was surprising to him.


    "How long has it been?"


    "Two years," the devil replied. "You have been asleep for two years."


    Adam was silent.


    As he walked, the apprentices looked at him with amazement. For someone to leave the tower, he must be someone important. It was rare for an apprentice to exit the tower.


    Before they could step forward to mingle with him, they heard a group of apprentices shout in astonishment, "Adam?!"


    "Adam?! Didn''t he...?"


    Adam ignored the amazed shouts and continued to walk back to the Academy. The apprentices didn''t care that he ignored them, but they were still shocked upon learning that he was still alive, despite his less-than-well condition.


    Adam''s still alive!


    Meanwhile, at theboratory, everyone was silently practising their meditation technique.


    Suddenly, William could sense something was amiss, and spoke, "Everyone, did-"


    With a click, the door of theboratory swung open.


    "Adam? Adam!"


    Adam walked into theboratory with a rare smile, ejecting the devil out of his mind, letting them crash to the floor. "I''m back."


    ...


    Early the next morning, James was the first toe to theboratory, enjoying the atmosphere that was full of vitality.


    Among the three people working in Adam''sboratory, he was under the most pressure. Coupled with his short lifespan, he was under a lot of pressure to perform. If it wasn''t for his good rtionship with Elliott recently, he would''ve been dead by now if it wasn''t for Elliott''s potions.


    He saw Adam sweeping the floor and simply said, "Hello, Devil."


    The devil simply took on Adam''s form to do the chores, and James knew that Adam himself would never take on any chores. The devil nced at James and continued to sweep, silently cursing Adam.


    James knocked on Adam''s door and entered, seeing Adam sitting silently in his chair, seemingly in a daze.


    He stood by the door and waited for him to snap out of his daze. After an hour, Adam spoke, "Good morning, James. Is there something wrong?"


    With all the questions James had umted over the years, James wanted to ask Adam for advice, but he couldn''t help but worry, "Are you okay?"


    "My situation is really bad as of now," Adam replied, nodding. "My body is broken, and my soul..."


    Although Adam has cleansed his soul, it doesn''t mean that it has fully healed. His soul needs time to recover, and no amount of medicine or potions could heal what was inside of him.


    "It''ll probably take me more than ten years to make a full recovery."


    James was stunned. Ten years was nothing to apprentices like them. James had zero doubt that Adam could be promoted to be a mage in ten years.


    Of course, he doesn''t know that Adam had already been promoted to an antimage, but Adam forcefully ejected his promotion through sheer will.


    However, Adam didn''t want to disclose this to him.


    Ten years would pass in a blink of an eye anyways.


    Just when James wanted to ask him more questions, the devil entered his room in Elliott''s form and said, "Master, Elliott is here to see you."


    James saved his questions with a wry smile. He knew that there was probably no chance to ask his questions today, but it was alright. It''s good that Adam is back -- he''ll have plenty of time to ask his questions in the future.

 Chapter 64: Confusion

    Elliott looked exactly the same asst time. After entering theboratory, he opened his arms and rushed towards Adam, shouting, "My friend! I knew that you won''t die so easily!"


    Adam returned the hug, giving Elliott a light squeeze. Elliot immediately continued, "Come on! Leave yourboratory behind today -- let''s explore the true Academy life! James, you too. Keeping yourself holed up in theboratory isn''t good for making progress."


    Adam smiled, not being able to resist Elliott''s enthusiasm. He epted Elliott''s kindness, as he was the first to visit him after he returned.


    Besides, Adam''s life was getting boring.


    In the first year, everyone had to deal with the knowledge of the uing trials and assessments nervously. Nobody had the time to enjoy their lives. As soon as Adam passed the trial, he fell into aa; the apprentices who passed the trial enjoyed a mundane academy life, only having to ept a mission once a year. If they want to, they could live in the academy until they die.


    They were surprised to see the number ofmodities and facilities in the academy.


    For example, a Battle Hall, where apprentices can fight and duel without worrying about dying; a Driving Hall; a Knight Experience Hall where they experience the life of a knight. A red-light district exists as well within the academy walls.


    There are various other entertainment halls, most of which do not conform to Euclidean geometry. As long as you have the power stones, you can enjoy life to the fullest here.


    Elliott was going to take a few people to a private bar dedicated to serving powerful apprentices. The bar is owned by the academy, so it is safe from petty quarrels and fights. All apprentices who are able to enter the bar will be envied by everyone else.


    "How do we know if we are eligible to enter?" William asked.


    Elliott smiled, but didn''t answer. They soon reached a gate over an open space, and Elliot pointed to the gate, "It''s simple -- if you can walk in, you are eligible."


    James and Frank were eager to try. They knew of this bar, but never had the opportunity to enter before.


    "Let me go first!" Frank said, stepping forward and pushing open the ck door behind the gate. Adam could see that the door seemed to be guarded with runes. Frank stepped forward nervously, and the runes enveloped around him like a film. After three minutes, the runes dimmed and Frank disappeared into the door.


    James was next, and it took five minutes for him to disappear into the bar.


    "I didn''t expect them to improve so much in a year," Elliot said, grinning. "They weren''t eligible to enterst year."


    "So, what are the qualifications?" William pestered.


    "You see the runes on the door? Those are keys. If you can construct it in your mind within five minutes, you can open the first door. As for the second door, if you know your own path, you can enter."


    William was relieved. It was simply a simple construction test.


    He stepped forward with confidence, and sure enough, it only took two minutes for him to construct the runes and enter the bar.


    The moment William stepped foot into the bar, it was as if he was in another world. There wasn''t an up or down, left or right; it was like a world that was suspended independently. There was no ceiling; the stars above illuminated the bar. Countless runes shed in the bar, and soothing music calmed everyone''s hearts.


    There weren''t many people in the bar. James and Frank seemed to have found their friends and were busy chatting away. When he looked to the left, he saw Crystal sitting alone by the bar, tasting a ss of red wine. She was wearing a simple blue dress, an aura of indifference radiating from her.


    After seeing William, Crystal smiled and invited William over. "Congrattions on entering the bar."


    William smiled and nodded towards James and Frank. An alchemy puppet scooted over and ced a menu of wine in front of William.


    These names were not unfamiliar to William. He ordered some drinks and paid a lot of power stones and spoke, "So, Crystal, turns out that you..."


    However, Crystal raised a finger to her mouth and gestured towards the light curtain in front of them.


    William looked towards the light curtain, finding that it was disying the scene of the doors outside. Adam was about to enter the bar.


    William was confident that Adam would enter with ease.


    ...


    "I''ll enter first. When you want to, find me. I''ll treat you today," Elliot said enthusiastically before entering the bar. Like William, he was sure that Adam would enter with ease.


    Elliott was probably the most popr person in the Academy. Although the smell of potions was unnatural, it didn''t affect his poprity.


    After entering the bar, he walked over to James'' and Frank''s group and ordered a lot of drinks. He raised his ss and looked at the light curtain.


    "Is that Adam?" an acquaintance working in the library asked. "I heard he was attacked by a qualified antimage."


    "Well, yes. But my friend resisted the antimage''s magic and survived! Let us toast!"


    Everyone nged their cups together, looking for any reason to drink.


    "Now, I didn''t expect both of you to be here," a senior apprentice said, gesturing towards James and Frank. "Last year, I saw both of you struggling to get in. Was Adam''s research that effective?"


    The two didn''t take it as a jest towards them -- it was factual anyways. The senior apprentice who asked didn''t have any malicious intent anyways. James and Frank simply smiled as their answer, and they continued to drink.


    "Elliott, look. It seems like Adam is having some trouble."


    ...


    Adam did, in fact, get into some trouble. He was unable to enter the bar.


    The first test was simple. With a simple nce, he constructed the runes almost instantly and got in the first door. However, the second door restricted Adam from entering the bar.


    The second door asked him which path he was taking to be a full-fledged mage. This question was incredibly easy for apprentices with inherent talents, like an apprentice with an affinity for fire magic.


    What was Adam''s path?


    Telekinesis? No. Adam has long abandoned this line of research, and telekinesis was only useful to support Adam in various tasks.


    Elemental magic? It couldn''t be. Adam hasn''t shown any affinity for any elemental magic.


    Besides, Adam has never worked hard on finding his own path.


    Adam just realised this. He was so busy researching that he forgot to focus on himself.


    Adam stood silently in front of the door as Elliott and the others looked at each other. Another group of people entered behind Adam.


    "Korver, is this the legendary bar that only genius apprentices can enter?" a female voice sounded.


    "Yes, my dear. This is a gathering ce for geniuses. I heard that none of us and the previous batch of apprentices were able to enter. If I''m able to enter, I''d be a sensation among the apprentices!" a male voice replied.


    "I think you''ll be able to!" another female voice encouraged.


    The voices got closer and closer, and waited behind Adam. The highly emotional idiots have already been eliminated, so they weren''t worried that Adam would make a stupid decision.


    The apprentice named Korver was a handsome young man. He had never met Adam, but he was sure that Adam wouldn''t be able to enter.


    Adam randomly picked an element and attempted to walk forward. Sure enough, the barrier ejected him.


    He got back up and picked another element, then attempted to push open the door again.


    After repeating this for three times, a female voice couldn''t help but say to Adam, "If you''re having trouble, could you let us go first? It isn''t wise to waste everyone''s time."


    Adam frowned, letting them go through.


    "Sally, watch your tone," Korver reprimanded. "Sorry, my partner was being rude. Please don''t mind her."


    Adam raised his head, staring into Korver''s eyes. "What is my path?"


    Korver simply replied, "Everyone''s path is different, so I can''t give you a direct answer, unfortunately. If you have an affinity for an element, then that is probably your path; if you don''t, you need to experiment more."


    Adam nodded and walked forward.


    Elliott and the others witnessed this scene in the bar with trepidation. They knew Adam''s character well, and they all hurried out the bar for fear that Adam may kill someone.

 Chapter 65: Help

    "Adam, calm down! Think about what you''re... doing?" Elliott shouted, but saw that Adam was simply standing by the door.


    "I can''t get in," Adam muttered.


    As soon as he said this, everyone was stunned. Adam spent next to no time at the first door, but they didn''t think that he wouldn''t be able to get through the second door.


    "What do you mean? You got through the first door in no time!" James eximed.


    Seeing the scene before him, Korver slipped away. He wasn''t familiar with them, but he knew who Elliott was. He was his pharmacy instructor the previous year.


    He nced at Adam and felt a little puzzled. ording to his understanding, the first door is the most difficult door for apprentices to pass; as for the second door, his father had already detected his affinity since young, so the second door was incredibly easy for him.


    "His name... Adam... sounds familiar..." Korver muttered to himself.


    Adam turned to James and shook his head, "The first door was easy, but the second door... I don''t know what I want to do."


    "Sorry, let me take my leave first," Adam said, rising from the ground and hovering towards hisboratory.


    Everyone else returned to the bar. Korver sat by the bar with his friends as realisation washed over him, "Adam! I know him!"


    His partner looked at him with a weird look and asked, "Korver? What did you say?"


    "The apprentice stuck at the door -- he is Adam! He''s the one who invented that new meditation method!"


    ...


    Adam returned to theboratory and holed himself up in his room.


    It seems that, in the past year, he has missed out on a lot of things. He was far ahead of the pack previously, but now, he has fallen behind.


    Even William was able to get in the bar.


    However, he knew that he wouldn''t be able to solve his problem for a while. His damaged soul reduced his control over systems, and he was unable to multitask various operations in the background, causing his efficiency to drop significantly.


    There was always a solution to his problems in the wizarding world, thankfully.


    As long as he is able to afford it, there will be someone who can help him.


    Adam came to the Task Hall and walked up to the 2nd floor.


    The first floor is reserved for apprentice-level tasks, while the second floor is reserved for mages. Adam believes his questions will be answered here.


    Out of fear of mages, apprentices would note to the second floor unless absolutely necessary. Mages do not have the need to receive tasks in person either, so the second floor was deserted.


    Adam walked towards the centre of the second floor, where a device was fixed on a pedestal, mimicking aputer.


    Adam peered at it, then ced his identity certificate within the system. His personal information and power stone bnce was disyed clearly on the screen.


    "Apprentice Adam. State your business."


    "I request to be analyzed by a qualified mage to re-verify my affinity in terms of magic, in addition to exining and providing guidance regarding my research path."


    Adam stated his request clearly in order to avoid any loopholes.


    Otherwise, a mage might take advantage of him.


    The device uploaded the mission, then deducted the posting fee from his ount, "Your task has been uploaded."


    Adam exited the Task Hall. The rewards for the task needed to be negotiated with the mageter on, but Adam didn''t really worry over the price.


    After Adam returned to theboratory, William and the others had already returned. They nced at Adam, not sure how to approach him.


    The devil popped up in Adam''s mind, and said with a seductive voice, "Master, it seems like you are facing some troubles. That''s right -- if you don''t know your path, how would you be a mage?"


    "Impossible," Adam replied.


    "And how are you so sure, master? Even if you are able to find a way, your damaged soul remains a problem. Consider signing a contract with me -- I am nature''s will of life, but a near infinite lifespan. You''ll have plenty of time to find your path," the devil offered.


    "Funny," Adam replied, whipping the devil through the contract.


    At this time, there was a knock on Adam''s door. The devil opened the door for Adam, and William was outside, "Adam, someone is looking for you."


    Adam opened the door to theboratory and found an alchemy puppet outside, "Apprentice Adam, your task has been epted by Mage Jino. Within two days, go to Laboratory 5 on the 3rd floor of the Elemental Laboratory Building."


    Adam didn''t expect his task to be epted that fast, much less that it was epted by Mage Jino.


    "Mage Jino... he was the one who saved youst time," William reminded.


    Adam suddenly realised that he should have gone to express his thanks towards Mage Jino, but Elliott disrupted his schedule. Now, he will do it all in one go.


    ...


    Theboratories in the Elemental Laboratory Building are all highly advancedboratories owned by qualified mages. Ordinary apprentices do not have the authority to enter this wing of the building, other than exceptions like Adam. Magic permeated the air, suffocating Adam.


    After verifying his identity multiple times along the way, Adam arrived at Mage Jino''sboratory. As soon as Adam touched the door, the door flung open.


    "Apprentice Adam! We meet again," Mage Jino greeted, swinging around in his seemingly high-tech chair.


    "Thank you for rescuing me, Mage Jino," Adam bowed slightly.


    Mage Jino waved his hand, letting an alchemy puppet hand Adam a bill, "Now, Adam, as per mage tradition, you know it isn''t for free."


    Adam took the bill and found that there were two copies in total. One was empty, so it must be the payment that was to be settled after this task; the other read: tenplete units of ether crystals or equivalent.

 Chapter 66: Path

    "Ipletely agree with the price, Mage Jino, but it''s just that I don''t own any ether crystals for the time being."


    "Don''t worry," Mage Jinoforted. "There are exchange values formted by the tower -- an ether crystal is worth ten thousand units of power stones. With your ie, it will take fifteen months toplete the transaction."


    After Adam had improved his meditation method, the Tower raised his funding from five thousand power stones to seven thousand power stones per month.


    Adam took out his identity token and ced it on the alchemy puppet. While being in aa for over a year, his wealth had umted, so he was able to afford the price. However, he would need to conserve his power stone usage for the time being because he still owed the Dean payments.


    As for the difference in price between Mage Jino and the Dean, Adam guessed it''s because of the difference in level between both the mages.


    After he paid the fee, Mage Jino took Adam into hisboratory.


    Adam found that Mage Jino had no assistants helping him. Instead, all of the instruments were manned by alchemy puppets. Adam recognised some of the instruments, some of which were very huge, advanced, and expensive.


    "I am the only qualified alchemist in the Moldo Elemental Tower," Mage Jino introduced. "The Tower is admittedlygging behind in this area of research and I am considered weak among my alchemist peers. However, I will answer your questions."


    Mage Jino fiddled with some instruments as he led Adam further in hisboratory. Soon, Adam was instructed to sit and "open" his soul.


    Adam sat and found two tendril-like apparatus wrapping around his head, connecting directly to his brain. He found himself in a ce simr to the soul sea; magic scouted his soul, but was blocked by the runes protecting his soul.


    "Don''t resist, I won''t probe into your memories. This is a necessary test."


    Hearing his words, Adam undid the runes and let the magic probe through his soul.


    Adam felt his soul shiver, and after a while, he could feel something simr to electricity filling the entire soul space.


    "Your soul is damaged. If you can''t fix your soul, you will not be able to be an official mage."


    "My soul will be fully healed within fifteen years. It won''t be an issue." Adam''s voice sounded within his soul.


    "Well, from what I can observe, your affinity should be rted to electricity."


    Adam could sense Mage Jino''s sombre tone, and he started to doubt.


    "Apprentices who have an affinity for electricity will usuallyck behind their peers, since there isn''t enough research on itpared to other elements. Electricity is more violent and unpredictablepared to other elements, and apprenticesck the research and control over it. Almost all electrical magic is derived from nature, but modern mages have recently discovered some electrical properties through tenuous research, being able to form runes to stabilise some of the magic."


    "Have you discovered positive and negative charges yet?" Adam inquired.


    "Yes," Mage Jino said in surprise. "I''m shocked you know of its existence. There shouldn''t be any information pertaining to it in the library."


    Mage Jino didn''t pry further since it was public research. "The discharge of electricity is the process of the flow of negative charge to positive charge, which is how most electricity mages function."


    "So," Mage Jino paused. "Have you signed a contract with the tower yet?"


    "No. Not yet."


    "If you sign a contract with the tower, what I tell you next is free. If not, you will need to pay an ether crystal."


    Adam thought for a moment, then agreed.


    Signing a contract with the Tower is a good choice. Every mage will strictly follow the rules of the contract, which means Adam can benefit from it too.


    "An apprentice can transform into a qualified mage in any way, and one of the ways includes an apprentice''s leap in their own understanding of knowledge. First, they establish a theory, then integrate abstract theories through continuous empirical evidence. The soul will then receive the gift from the surrounding ether, which is how one bes a qualified mage."


    Mage Jino exined the secret of the promotion of a mage in a t tone. Adam finally knew why mages would continue to study knowledge. Turns out, the study of knowledge allows feedback from the most fundamental power that makes up the wizarding world.


    "Below the fourth level, almost all paths of mages have been developed by a predecessor, which eliminates time for research for budding mages. As long as they are able to absorb the knowledge, they will be a Level 4 Mage in no time. The only bottleneck for low-level mages is the promotion from an apprentice to a Level 1 mage and the promotion from a Level 4 mage to a Trans-dimensional mage."


    Adam understood what Mage Jino meant. Just like on Earth, knowledge is widely avable; with enough time, anyone can reach the levels of their predecessors. However, if you want to break through and reach a higher level, you must develop new theories with supporting evidence.


    "However, there is no established system for electricity magic. The previous research is all passion projects from other electricity mages, which means there is only one set path for electricity mages. That is to say, you have to find your own research direction, Adam."


    "I''ll give you a free suggestion," Mage Jino added. "With your talent, you don''t need to pursue electricity. Although electricity is your affinity, it will be difficult for you to advance without a set theory as a foundation."


    "I will consider it," Adam nodded. "Thank you for your help, Mage Jino."


    Adam delivered the task reward and left the Elemental Laboratory Building.


    Mage Jino''s words only served to fuel Adam''s determination.


    It is interesting to pick a different path, Adam thought. Although it is easy to simply follow his predecessor''s path, it won''t be enjoyable enough for him. Besides, Adam was still young, so he had nothing but time. He wanted to delve into a new path.


    Moreover, mages in this world have a shallow understanding of electricity, but back on Earth, scientists have far surpassed mages in terms of electricity.


    Adam already has a head start.

 Chapter 67: Rejection

    Adam came to the High Tower. He intends to seek approval from the Approval Department to rece his research project in theboratory.


    Mage Erin was nowhere to be seen. Instead, an unknown female apprentice was in charge of the affairs.


    "Hello, Mage Erin is not present at the moment. If you want to apply for the establishment of aboratory, please give me the certificate issued by the Academic Department, and I will notify you as soon as Mage Erin returns," the female apprentice exined, not knowing who Adam was. However, she treaded carefully with her words, not wanting to provoke an apprentice who was fully capable of building their ownboratory.


    Adam handed the contract of his meditationboratory stored in his portable space over to the female apprentice. After the female apprentice took a short nce, she was stunned, "You have already established your ownboratory?"


    "Yes," Adam nodded. "I want to apply for a change of research, from meditation to electricity."


    The female apprentice has never encountered such a request and was flustered. She looked to the ground and said, "Sorry, I''m not sure what to do in these situations..."


    "No matter. Let me know after Mage Erin approves my documents."


    ...


    Back in theboratory, the three assistants and Elliott were sitting at the table. They knew Adam looked for a qualified mage to solve his doubts, and after seeing him enter, Elliott immediately got up, "How was it?"


    Adam wordlessly handed James some research papers on a newly optimised meditation method, which he had constructed while he was busy fighting for dominance of his soul. These runes were of course more efficient, but were less friendly to ordinary apprentices.


    After taking the papers, they continued to look at Adam.


    "I''ll get to the point -- the meditation researchboratory is about to be disbanded."


    "What?" James anxiously said. "Are you going to give up? You haven''t even made a break though yet! You still have a lot of time, there is no need to make hasty decisions!"


    If theboratory was disbanded, it would impact James the most. He has the lowest qualifications among the three, so if he doesn''t receive Adam''s guidance, he might just wither away.


    The other two were also stunned. They didn''t think Adam would give up that easily.


    The devil popped out of Adam''s mind and slithered around him, taunting, "It''s because all of you are too stupid, so my master wants to give up on you!"


    Adam rubbed two fingers together, generating a charge of electricity to shock the devil. Elliott walked forward to appeal, "My friend, are you really sure you want to do this?"


    "Yes," Adam motioned. "I found what I want to research."


    Elliott''s mouth was agape. So, Adam found his research direction.


    Then, Adam pushed three of their contracts towards William, James, and Frank, and exined, "I''m changing thisboratory to focus on electricity and anything rted to electricity in the near future. You can choose to cooperate with me or cancel the contract. I willpensate all of you ordingly as I have breached the contract terms."


    "Electricity?" Elliott asked. "You do know that no electricity mages have ever been promoted to be a trans-dimensional mage, right?"


    William didn''t know why, but James and Frank had worried looks on them. "Adam, he''s right. Electricitygs behind other elements considerably, you shouldn''t delve into this!"


    Adam couldn''t exin to them that the mages in this world have a wrong understanding of electricity. Even if he did, they would not understand a shred of what he said.


    Adam was determined to make it work.


    Adam felt more human. If this was before, he would simply abandon electricity and focus on other elements, but now, he felt like he had purpose.


    They saw that their persuasions were useless and gave it up. They figured that Adam was being stubborn, and if he happened to hit a bottleneck, he would abandon electricity.


    James sighed, and pushed the contract back to Adam, "I''m not cancelling the contract. I have nowhere to go. Besides, you need manpower in yourboratory."


    The same is true for Frank. Because of Adam''s research, the ipatibility between his mechanical body and human body was almost resolved. He had no reason to leave theboratory either.


    Adam put away their contracts, then looked at William.


    "Sorry," William muttered. "I quit."


    William needed to pursue his own path -- electricity was not what he was interested in anyway. He needed to join aboratory focusing on the fire element, or be a student of an official fire mage.


    "I just don''t have any affinity or interest in electricity. I''m sor-"


    "Don''t be sorry. It is your choice."


    To Adam, William was just an employee working in hisboratory, and it was normal for employees to resign or change jobs. Of course, it was natural for Adam to give himpensation.


    Adam handed a couple of copies of research papers to William, "This is the best set of runes I''ve built so far. You can use it for free, but in the future, you''ll have to pay."


    William nodded, and Adam continued, "Give me your ID."


    Adam allocated William''s remaining pay into his identity token and William left theboratory.


    When he walked away from theboratory, he looked back, thinking of Crystal. She has already found her own path, perhaps even surpassing the likes of Adam. William looks forward to surpassing Adam as well, standing side-by-side with him.


    ...


    Adam didn''t need to wait long for a response from the Approval Department. On the third day, the female apprentice knocked on the door of theboratory. In the past few days, she learnt of Adam''s identity, who turns out to be incredibly popr among new apprentices, "Greetings, Mage Erin requests your presence."


    Adam didn''t know why the female apprentice was being so formal, but hurried to the Approval Department.


    As soon as they arrived at the department, Mage Erin leaned over her table and smiled, "I heard of what happened to you. It isn''t easy to endure your soul being torn apart, neither is it easy for you to forcibly stop your promotion of bing an antimage."


    Mage Erin had reason for praise -- transformations like that are practically unstoppable, since joy and euphoria would flood the apprentice''s brain and cloud their judgement. However, Adam was able to rationalise and stop the transformation, preventing his untimely death from the hands of the Dean.


    The female apprentice''s eyes widened. She couldn''t believe that the apprentice in front of her had forcibly stopped his own promotion!


    "The honour is all mine, Mage Erin," Adam replied.


    "Now, there are some questions I have for your application," Mage Erin said, conjuring Adam''s contract in front of her.


    Adam waited.


    "The establishment of an apprentice-levelboratory is not as strict as that of a mage, but the most basic theoretical results are required. Before this, you had evidence to support your meditationboratory, but now, I need evidence for your research of electricity. Otherwise, the Academy would never approve of yourboratory."


    Adam was stunned, seemingly forgetting about this matter. All he had were theories, but no evidence.


    "I assume you don''t have any evidence. In that case, I can''t ept your application."

 Chapter 68: Experiment

    Adam was silent for a moment and asked, "So, can I conduct research on electricity by myself in my currentboratory?"


    "Of course, what you do in yourb is none of our business. However, we will not provide any support for your additional projects rting to electricity. Hence, you need to purchase materials and equipment at their original price," Mage Erin exined.


    Adam sighed a breath of relief. He knows that his experiments don''t require anyrge-scale instruments, so it won''t be too much of a burden on his savings. If all goes well and he receives approval from Mage Erin, only then could he carry out more esoteric experiments.


    The benefits of being aboratory owner were great. Had he not chosen to establish aboratory back then, his problem right now would be incredibly difficult to solve.


    He returned to theboratory, and James and Frank happily epted the result. In this case, theboratory remains the same, while Adam could carry out his new research.


    Adam hired an alchemy puppet to construct a new room in theboratory.


    This room would be entirely constructed of metal that can be used as a good conductor, and this metal is called mithril. Not only does it have excellent sticity, it is also very suitable for most energy and is able to conduct electricity with a low loss.


    However, this adds another dent to his ount.


    The following days were calm, and James and Frank didn''t feel anything different for the next few days.


    They entered the new room to check on Adam, and found him sitting inside performing some operations they couldn''t understand.


    "What is he doing? Why is he rubbing ss with cloth and rubber with fur?" James wondered.


    Frank couldn''t exin it either. The study of elemental magic should also be apanied with elemental phenomena, which is also the reason why there are so many idents urring inboratories pertaining to elemental research. However, he couldn''t feel any elements in Adam''sb.


    They didn''t know what Adam was doing, but Adam continued this monotonous process for two full months. All kinds of fabrics and furs were scattered around the room, and Adam continued to rub at the ss rod day and night with no rest.


    Within two months, Adam discovered that his previous idea was too simple and the theory could be used even without any knowledge. For example, he could state a lot of basic forms and theorems about electricity, but this world wouldn''t understand it. He needs to incorporate magic into it, only then would it allow the world to recognise the knowledge expressed by him.


    And Adam confirmed this solely by attempting to generate electricity via friction.


    After another two months, Adam finally came up with a conclusion after developing a thick, experimental report: In an environment rich with ether, electricity generated with friction still exists. Hence, the existence of ether is in a state of being used without being stimted by mental power. What affects the element is the secondary energy formed after the interaction between the caster''s mental force and the surrounding ether.


    Meanwhile, the devil was living an incrediblyfortable life. After swallowing a huge amount of negative energy, they have obtained a more physical form, thus feeling like a creature of flesh and blood. They followed Elliott to various ces of interest almost every day. Ordinary apprentices wouldn''t be able to tell that they are a devil, and mages know that they are owned by Adam. As long as they don''t cause any trouble, the mages would pay them no mind. asionally, the devil would return to Adam, reminding him of their presence. However, it seems that Adam hadpletely forgotten about his devil.


    "Master, it''s been almost five months," the devil looked at the experiment with disdain. "What is the point of this? Great. We learnt that friction can produce electricity. Ground-breaking. Now what? It is useless."


    "Not produce," Adam corrected. "It''s the transfer of charges."


    The devil sneered and started to smoke a cigarette. "Alright! But you still can''t tell me what''s the use of this ''electricity''. It is useless."


    Instead of arguing with the devil, Adam removed a few materials from his portable space and made two simple Leiden jars, which stores electrical charges. He summoned James and Frank into the room.


    "Dispel your psychic barriers, then hold these bottles and face the devil."


    The devil felt bad for sneering at their master, but they couldn''t help but have disdain towards the experiment. The two then got into position.


    With a slight crackling sound, an electric st shot out from the Leiden jar, hitting the devil. The devil was stunned, not expecting the st. However, it did not cause any damage to them.


    James and Frank were equally astonished. They never thought of using this method to apply the elements, and they were incredibly excited.


    "How''s the progress, Adam?"


    Adam''s eyes shed and bound the devil in ce and ordered the two, "Go on, don''t stop."


    Bursts of electricity shot out continuously -- the devil was reluctant, but soon found that the electricity had no effect on them.


    This continued on for another two days, and Adam watched the electricity sparked obsessively.


    On the third day, Adam stopped the experiment and gestured for the three to leave without a single word. The three were exhausted and hurried out of theboratory, copsing on the table.


    "What is Adam trying to do?" James wondered.


    "He did manage to generate electricity, but..." Frank trailed off, not wanting to make a fool of himself.


    "Bah. You know how he is. I''ll take my leave first," the devil pouted, rushing out theboratory.


    Adam sat in front of the recording instrument and obsessively rewatched the experiment over and over again.


    Three dayster, Adam used the strongest burst of electricity that he could conjure at this stage. One after another, electricity sparked and burst through the room, circting throughout the well-conducted room.


    The crackling electricity destroyed all the instruments in the room as it bounced off the walls.


    Adam let down his psychic barriers and let the electricity course through him. Even though it hurt, he was close to making a breakthrough.


    James and Frank could hear themotion from outside, and they could feel that the magic within the room was more than what a normal apprentice could handle. Adam could die if he stayed in the room!


    True to their thoughts, the rm sounded.


    Frank held the door handle with his mechanical arm, but the second he touched the door handle, he was flung back by a strong electrical current.


    James looked at Frank''s burnt mechanical hand and stepped back. He could only look at the door with worry.


    "If this goes on, theboratory might copse!" James said anxiously.


    Theboratory was then shrouded in a blood-red light, and James'' eyes widened.


    "Damn it!" he cursed and pulled Frank up, carrying him out of theboratory. He couldn''t save Adam.


    Meanwhile, in the room, Adam was covered in bruises and electrical burns, but he remained in a daze, staring at the electrical currents coursing through the room.


    Adam closed his eyes, letting his psychic power interact with the surrounding ether. Magic coursed through his body, and using his psychic power, he began to inscribe runes in thin air.


    The runes were extremely difficult, but wereced with a natural beauty. Adam quickened his pace as the electricity bombarded his body, and finally, he sessfully constructed a set of runes and it entered his soul.


    Adam didn''t let his finger down. With a single snap, the electricity dissipated into nothingness.


    The harsh sirens and red light stopped.

 Chapter 69: Further Experimentation

    This waspletely different from learning new spells from the library. This new rune set was embedded in him. It was a part of him.


    A gentle energy caressed Adam''s soul and Adam could only describe it as the "in-between of ether and inert ether."


    Energy permeated through Adam''s damaged soul and the "wounds" he suffered were healing at an unnaturally fast rate.


    "This must be... the world affirming my knowledge."


    Adam''s body was suspended in the air indefinitely, and he couldn''t help but feel great joy and euphoria flooding through his body. It was different from the drug-like haze when he was about to be promoted to an antimage; it was sunny, joyful, like the sun was caressing him.


    After a short while, his wound was healedpletely. He predicts that if he continues researching on electricity, he''ll be a qualified mage in no time.


    However, Adam suppressed this desire. He simply verified the existence of an electrical current.


    Through his experiments, Adam found that magic is a non-attribute, but all-powerful medium, used to harness and manifest any elements that can be conjured. The room was like a circuit, and the ether-rich environment formed an electrical field. Adam simply conjured some electrical currents to form electrical energy, and the air and magic instantly ionized to form a conductor. Just like that, an electric current was generated, of which dissipated into nothingness. It emitted light and heat, and was extremely powerful.


    This is the principle of apprentice-level electric magic, which is essentially the application of static electricity.


    With his knowledge, however, Adam would not be willing to only use static electricity in order to be a mage. He regarded the results he had just obtained as a small step towards a bigger goal. Now that his soul was healed, he was ready for more experiments.


    Oh. He can''t.


    Not only did he suffer major physical injuries, nothing was left intact in the room after his experiment.


    A loud knock sounded outside the door, "Adam, are you okay? Open up!"


    Adam''s body was unsuspended from the air and he fell to the floor in a st. Pain washed over him, and with a simple scan, found that his body was heavily injured.


    James breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Adam open the door. As for his injuries, he wasn''t surprised.


    "How could you... forget it. I don''t know what kind of experiments you were conducting in here, but it''s too dangerous. Did you know theboratory almost exploded?" James sighed, then turned to look at Frank. "Could you take a look at him as well?"


    Adam stretched out his hand and ced it on Frank, absorbing the electrical currents away from his body. Frank was immediately better, and quickly cowered behind James, "What the hell is going on? When I touched the door, I was sted backwards, and my whole body was numb... it was as if I had no control over my body!"


    Adam nced at him, and the sound of crackling electricity could be heard. James and Frank immediately erected their psychic barriers and were put on guard.


    "This is what I''ve done. Call it static electricity."


    Adam did not exin further, as they weren''t researching electricity.


    The two didn''t pry further either. All they knew was that Adam must have achieved something remarkable.


    ...


    Seven dayster, the devil was drowning in wine and felt a call in their soul. They held the wine ss in their hand gingerly, choosing to ignore the call. Before they could continue sipping on their wine, a sharp-pain tore through them and the wine was spat out of their mouth.


    "Garfield, what''s wrong with you?" a female apprentice asked.


    She was incredibly worried for "Garfield." She had developed a great impression of this unfamiliar apprentice before her, and it would be a shame if something bad were to happen to them. After all, not many apprentices are this charming.


    The devil gave themselves the name "Garfield." With their innate ability to deceive, the devil snuck into the female apprentice''s heart. They can''t really do anything to her, but they still enjoy this feeling of being fawned over.


    The pain was getting unbearable, but the devil smiled, "My twodies, I''m sorry, but I have to take my leave. See you next time."


    The devil had anger boiling in them. They believe they saved Adam from imminent doom from Peter''s magic, and wonders if Adam was even grateful for it.


    The devil mmed open theboratory door and yelled, "Even if I am your servant, shouldn''t you at least express some gratitude and let me have some fu-"


    With a single nce, the devil was put in their ce.


    "Sorry."


    With a quick mutter, the devil put on a ttering expression and approached Adam, "My great master, your wish is mymand."


    Because Adam had severed the connection between them, they couldn''t perceive Adam''s health anymore. After direct contact, they found that Adam was fully healed! The devil prayed that Adam would take ill and sumb for their freedom, but now, Adam was fully healed and stronger!


    Fearing that Adam could hear their thoughts, they whispered, "Master? Master."


    "To what extent have you mastered your negative energy?"


    The devil remained silent, fully knowing that they used their negative energy for fun.


    "I''m... okay with it."


    Adam smacked the devil across the room and walked towards their limp body, "I''ll give you three days -- master your negative energy, or suffer the consequences."


    After Adam had incorporated the set of electric runes into his soul, he finally understood what James meant when he said that his affinity would appear after incorporating his own knowledge.


    After that day, despite Adam not doing anything, his meditation method gradually became electric!


    The electric runes were trying tomune and interact with his meditation runes, so the original meditation runes were affected.


    He was immediately attracted to this change and began to devote himself to strengthening his psychic power. Today, he finally achieved preliminary results. However, he suddenly remembered of his devil, and realised that he had neglected them,


    Adam was dissatisfied with the devil''s behaviour, so if the devil was unable to produce satisfying results, he did not mind using the devil to vent his stress.


    After returning to the experiment room, Adam summoned a test target from his portable space and began to experiment.


    Now that he has ess to apprentice-tier electric magic, he does not need to build runes just to cast it. As long as he draws power from the ether using his telekinesis, then he can immediately cast bursts of electricity.


    One after another, electricity zapped out, hitting the target from all directions, with the disy ranging from one to forty.


    The target''s magic limit was fifty. Any magic exceeding a fifty-power level would destroy the target.


    Adam believes that if he applied his electricity more, he would be able to break through.


    After a short test, Adam sat on the ground.


    Now that he has mastered static electricity, is it possible to conduct real experiments using magic?


    As soon as he thought of it, he constructed the runes for a fireball. A burning fireball levitated in the centre of the room and Adam tried to imbue electricity into it.


    A momentter, the fireball crackled with electricity and Adam shot it at the test target, reading seventeen.


    Adam frowned. It may be a sess, but it is also a failure.


    Next, he tried to imbue electricity onto other low-level magics, and the results were simr. There was no qualitative leap between each experiment.

 Chapter 70: Mandatory Mission

    Three days passed in a blink of an eye, and Adam looked at the devil standing before him and asked, "How is it?"


    The devil was anxious. Even though they were born with the ability to control negative energy, three days was too short to do anything meaningful. They could only conjure their negative energy as a shock wave and shoot it out.


    However, with their pride and ego, they bite the bullet and nodded, "Of course! It''s too easy!"


    "Alright then. Hit me with all you got."


    "Alright! Huh?" the devil epted, then stared at Adam in shock. "What did you say?"


    "Hit me with all you got."


    The devil plopped to the floor and grasped at Adam''s thigh and begged, "Master! I know I''m in the wrong, please, don''t do this to me!" If the servant attacks the master, they will suffer great pain, as per the master-servant contract.


    Adam kicked the devil away and said, "I''ll temporarily suppress the terms of the contract. Hit me with all you got."


    The devil got up from the floor and asked in disbelief, "Are you sure?"


    Adam nodded.


    "What if I kill you?"


    "Then, you''re free. James and Frank can easily testify for you."


    The devil was ecstatic, seeing Adam was courting death.


    The devil was blinded by self-confidence and did not notice James and Frank staring at them with pitying eyes. They knew how strong Adam was, so they didn''t think the devil could even scratch Adam.


    "Master, how about you set up your psychic barriers?" the devil falsely reminded.


    "No need."


    In the next second, the devil''s body copsed into itself, bing a huge mouth, spewing a beam of grey energy towards Adam. The energy was so intense that James and Frank couldn''t help but experience hallucinations.


    "Foolish human! You have to pay the price for your arrogance! I''m about to be free, free! Garfield will be free from the clutches of humans!" the devilughed with a distorted voice.


    There was a slight crack in the air, and James and Frank broke free from the illusion.


    "Who is Garfield? Is that the name you gave yourself?"


    The devil''sughter stopped abruptly, looking at Adam in disbelief, "You''re... not hurt? How is that possible?!" They then conjured three orbs of negative energy andunched it towards Adam, but Adam was unphased.


    Adam was satisfied, then swiped the devil aside to record information.


    The devil turned towards James and Frank and asked, "What''s going on?"


    James walked up to the devil and patted their shoulder, "Watch yourself. You''re lucky your master doesn''t care, or else..."


    The energy orbs did actually affect Adam, but the electrified nature of his meditation method shielded Adam perfectly.


    Electricity coursed through his body constantly, stimting Adam''s neurons to keep him awake. With the help of the static electricity, his systems were able to run at full capacity again.


    "This must be why qualified mages aren''t affected by curse magic. They are naturally shielded by their own knowledge," Adam concluded.


    "It''s no wonder that modern mages would abandon ancient, obsolete magic."


    In the next month, Adam continued to perfect his new meditation method, incorporating newly acquired knowledge into it. Soon, he gained the ability to passively levitate off the ground.


    However, this does not mean that he has acquired electromaic knowledge. He only has some application capabilities in advance under the existing research results. To truly understand electromaism is a whole other story.


    ...


    However, Adam had no way of conducting in-depth research. One day, the ck Mage sent someone to inform Adam to go to the 2nd floor of the Task Hall.


    "He must be asking you toplete a mission for him," James predicted.


    Adam suddenly remembered that apprentices under a contract were obligated to serve the Academy. They were obligated toplete one task a year, which could be offset with power stone payments. However, if the Academy summoned an apprentice by name, then the apprentice had no right to refuse.


    Adam ordered the devil to leave the bar. Once he retrieved the devil, they flew off to the mission hall.


    "Good day, ck Mage."


    After Adam greeted, he found that he wasn''t alone. William, Crystal, and Ophelia were gathered there as well.


    William and Adam exchanged their greetings.


    Crystal was still the same, but Adam could tell that her mental state waspletely different.


    "Long time no see, Adam," Crystal smiled.


    Ophelia was fully armoured, and even her face was obscured with a helmet. She held a sword that was taller and broader than her, and she had no emotion in her eyes. She reacted as if Adam didn''t exist at all.


    Adam nodded back at Crystal, and the ck Mage announced, "All of you can catch upter. For now, you have to team up andplete your mission back at your hometown."


    Adam was slightly taken aback.


    "Back at the ind we came from?"


    The ck Mage nodded, "To be precise, it''s called Madeira Ind."


    "Two years ago, an organisation appeared in the west of Madeira Ind, calling themselves the Supreme God Cult. They im that as long as you devoutly believe in their patron saints; you can obtain extraordinary power. Theymit mass killings and sacrifice the bodies to their gods in order to obtain powers."


    Adam was a little dazed. He thought of the cults back on Earth, and it seemed like it was the same cults that existed back on Earth. How do cults like that exist in a high-magic environment?


    The ck Mage could tell Adam had doubts and exined further, "True enough, they are able to gain special abilities from the sacrifices. This was confirmed by Duke Alfred."


    "Do gods really exist?" Adam asked.


    Adam predicts that, even if there was a god, they would be a mage''s prey.


    "The Mage World has no gods," the ck Mage exined. "However, they exist in other worlds. They are like mages who have reached the power of trans-dimensional mages. Thanks to the Great Archmage Prometheus and World Guardian Annecroft, praise be their name, gods of other worlds cannot enter into our world with a physical form. Even then, they can only rely on sheer luck to find our world."


    The ck Mage sneered and continued, "It is futile, however. The exact location of the Mage World is encrypted by the True Archmages and it is impossible to detect."


    Adam froze, thinking back at the time where he was stuck inside a ck hole. Was he extremely lucky?


    "Gods of other worlds can only bestow their abilities through sacrifices and ordinary people can''t harness their power fully. Hence, the Academy deduces that they shouldn''t be a problem to all four of you."


    "Your mission? Annihte every single one of them and bring back the tool the gods use tomune with the humans."


    "Any questions?" the ck Mage asked.


    The four shook their heads.


    "Then, set off in two days. Your leader will be Adam."


    ...


    They then left the Task Hall and agreed to gather under the Tower early the next morning.


    Adam spoke in his mind, "Is there any information you have of other god-like beings?"


    The devil popped out of his mind and replied nonchntly, "Not specifically. But master, you are a native of the Mage World, so you shouldn''t worry about other gods."


    After returning to theboratory, Adam began to purchase various alchemy items, including teleportation scrolls. He learnt his lessonst time and wanted to be prepared in case of an emergency.


    The next day, they gathered under the tower. Adam donned a robe blessed by a qualified mage, imbuing it with protective magics. The ring on his left hand could fire a fireball equal to the power of a qualified fire mage as well. The ne resting on his chest had healing magics, which could help in a pickle.


    The equipment that Adam wore was already higher than the worth of most apprenticesbined.

 Chapter 71: Back Home

    The four apprentices soon arrived at the bustling Port of Karachi after stepping through the portal at the Tower. After leaving the building, William couldn''t help but whisper, "Adam, your equipment -- are these...?"


    Before Adam could answer, the devil popped out sneering, "My master is paranoid of thest incident, so he thought it''d be better to equip himself with magic items fit for a qualified mage."


    "If you''re prepared, you don''t have to worry about anything," Adam simply replied, kicking the devil aside.


    William shivered. Ophelia was equipped with heavy armor and a sword that was broader and taller than her; Crystal, being a disciple of the ck Mage, had no shortage of powerful trinkets hanging on her body. It seems that he was the only onecking in terms of equipment.


    "If there aren''t any issues," Adam interrupted his thought process, not allowing him to wallow in his depression. "We''ll set off for the ship on the other side of the Port of Karachi and take the ship back to the ind."


    No one replied. William was dejected; Ophelia was indifferent; Crystal wasn''t listening. The devil popped back out, incredibly interested in the port. It was livelier than the Academy, and the devil intended to check the ce out.


    "Master! Could I..." the devil pleaded, but Adam ignored them, getting into a small hover car and rushing towards the other side of the port.


    The mandatory tasks issued by the Academy are unpaid for, since it was the contractual obligations of the apprentices. However, the Academy provides the person-in-charge with a fund and all expenses made will be under the provided fund. If an apprentice were to exhaust the budget, they can also apply for reimbursement for funds. In addition, all materials obtained in the process of the task are counted as the apprentices.


    The four boarded a smaller, but faster shippared to the ship they boarded toe to the Mage Continent. The journey was much faster too, taking only half a month instead of three full months.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you have a pleasant journey! However, I need to remind all of you that you are not allowed to practise elemental magic on board."


    The captain of the ship reminded everyone sternly. He was an apprentice just like them.


    Along the way, Adam stayed in his room, optimising and transforming his meditation runes. During this period of time, he didn''tmunicate with his other three members. William once thought of knocking on Adam''s door to ask about the mission, but decided to wait until they had arrived on the ind.


    Half a month passed in a blink of an eye. At noon, the ship arrived at the southern harbour city of Madeira Ind.


    The devil immediately popped into existence and eximed, "Master! Were you really born in such a barren ce?"


    "It is a barren ce," Crystal smiled. "But it is our hometown after all -- Adam, could you give me some time after our mission is over? I want to visit my family in the North."


    "But how could I refuse?" Adam replied. "What about you, Ophelia?"


    Ophelia simply nodded.


    The Duke had already sent his men to stand by at the port day and night. As soon as William exited the ship, the servants rushed to William and dropped to their knees, eximing, "Master William! You''re finally back -- let us inform the duke, he will definitely be happy upon hearing the news!"


    "In that case," William smiled bitterly. "Come to my house to rest. My father will brief all of us on the mission."


    All of them agreed and strolled towards the Duke''s mansion. Adam remembered how bustling the southern port harbour was, but he found that the once lively street markets were dead and derelict.


    "William?"


    "This isn''t normal," William said, his eyebrows visibly scrunching. "The southern port harbour is definitely the most prosperous city on Madeira Ind. Something must have happened."


    Everyone quickened their pace and soon arrived at the outside of the Duke''s mansion. Adam found the Duke waiting outside for them, as well as many other people he had not seen before. The Duke seemed to be in poor condition.


    William''s face changed dramatically upon seeing the Duke''s condition. He rushed forward to hug his father, but didn''t know where to ce his hands, for the Duke was bruised and injured everywhere; where his left arm once was, a stump remains.


    "Father, who hurt you like this?" William trembled angrily.


    "William, my son, wee back," the Duke smiled painfully. "Miss Ophelia, you are dazzling as ever; Adam, I remember you. Wee back; and this beautifuldy..."


    "Crystal, Your Excellency."


    Crystal said softly, smiling.


    "William!" ady shouted, rushing out of the crowd behind the Duke. "William, where is my son? I trust that he is under great care, right?"


    The Duke coughed, "Save your questions forter -- the banquet is about to start. Our children must be exhausted."


    Although the crowd was unwilling, they all entered the Duke''s mansion at his orders. The banquet was incredibly luxurious, but the food felt tasteless -- William was too worried over his father''s state; the crowd was worried for their children. Thedy previously had no more patience and pestered William once again.


    "Mrs. Richard," William frowned, swallowing a piece of steak. "Of everyone, only the four of us managed to survive."


    William''s answer caused an immediate uproar among the crowd. The noble families had high hopes, sending their talented children on board in hopes they would be able to return to honour their ancestors. However, they couldn''t ept that their children had perished on board.


    "Impossible! How could my child possibly die under the Mage''s protection? You must be lying to me! You''re a liar!" Mrs. Richard used hysterically, grabbing William''s arm.


    William gently pushed her arm away and replied calmly, "Mrs. Richard, be decent. My father has already warned you, all of you, the dangers of bing a Mage. I mourn for the deaths of my brothers, but they knew what they were signing up for."


    Adam silently finished his food before leaving. The same is true for Crystal and Ophelia; they had no interest in interacting with the nobles.


    "How could my son possibly die, then?" Mrs. Richard pestered. "Is he not talented? How could he possibly perish among those two lowly, poor people!" William frowned upon hearing this, fully knowing the two people she was referring to were Adam and Crystal.


    However, Adam ignored it. Even the once sensitive Crystal remained silent. After bing an apprentice, every mundane thing about ordinary people was no longer interesting to them.


    William was incredibly unhappy, however. Adam and Crystal were his guests, and as the host, he couldn''t let his honourable guests be insulted by a lowly noble.


    William kicked the chair behind him as he got up, magic surging through his body. The temperature of the air rose sharply as he conjured a zing spray of fire in front of him. Thedy was forced back by the mes, falling to the floor. William continued the dazzling disy and warned in a loud, deep voice, "Everyone! I will only say this once -- be respectful. Otherwise, don''t me us for what''s toe!"


    The Duke looked at William and smiled with relief; even if he died, William would carry on the Alfred name.


    "Mr. William," a meek voice sounded from the crowd. "Could you tell me how my child, Quentin Brown, died? The Great Mage praised him, after all."


    Quentin? William was stunned for a moment, the mes fizzling out on his hand. He had never seen Quentin''s father before, so he didn''t recognise him.


    He lowered his head involuntarily, not wanting to answer.


    Adam, who was just about to leave the banquet, stopped in his tracks and answered loudly, "I killed Quentin."


    Quentin''s father stood up from his seat, but resisted his anger and asked Adam, "Your Excellency, why did you kill my child?"


    The Duke frowned. He didn''t expect such a scene to happen.

 Chapter 72: Back Home (2)

    After Quentin was personally praised by the ck Mage, the Lord of the East bestowed Quentin''s father with the family name Brown and gave him the title of Viscount. The Lord personally recruited a team of 20 knights for him, as well as providing him medicine so he could be as strong as a Knight.


    The Duke had no choice but to amodate him.


    "Viscount Brown, there must be a misunderstanding. Let us discusster."


    The banquet was soon broken up, with everyone feeling unhappy or filled with feelings of grief and hatred. Adam and the others came to the mansion''s Council Hall at the invitation of the duke.


    Viscount Brown stared daggers into Adam and repeated, "Your Excellency, I need an exnation.''


    "He attacked me, so I killed him," Adam replied briefly.


    Viscount Brown was stunned, and even the Duke was taken aback. Adam''s statement sounded more like a deration of war than an exnation.


    Viscount Brown''s veins were visibly popping on his forehead as he turned to William and the others, "You all knew about this?"


    William nodded.


    "I see, hah..." Brown sighed, beforeughing at himself. He rushed out of the chamber without saying anything else.


    "Young man," the Duke looked at Adam with a wry smile. "I hope you understand the emotions of a father who discovered that they lost their son." As an ex-apprentice, the Duke understands the power of magic, so he could only convince Adam to rte to Viscount Brown.


    Adam didn''t care, speaking directly, "Your Excellency, I am the leader of this mission. Brief us on the mission."


    The Duke already knew that Adam was the leader -- he was the strongest after all, so he could only keep his worries in his heart, "You should already know the premise of the mission. However, while you were on the ship, the entire west of Madeira Ind has fallen, and the south is currently under attack by the Supreme God Cult."


    "Father, did the Supreme God Cult hurt you?" William asked anxiously.


    "That''s right," the Duke answered fearfully. "A priest was appointed among the civilians and he started to absorb other civilians around him, shouting that the True God was about to enter this realm before massacring the entire town. I heard he casts spells solely using the blood of his victims, as well as cutting at his own body. Every ordinary person who touches his blood dies. The most terrifying thing? The corpses get reanimated; controlled by him."


    "So, Your Excellency, this magic isn''t enough to hurt you?" Crystal inquired.


    "Yes," the Duke nodded. "Although it hurts for ordinary people, it means nothing to apprentices like you. I thought of it before, but just as I was about tond the killing blow, he desperately rushed to my side and exploded, prating through my defensive magic."


    "Your Excellency," Ophelia suddenly piped up. "Did you retain the flesh of the priest?"


    "Of course, do you need it now?"


    "Yes."


    The Duke got up, taking a small mass of sealed flesh and blood suspended in a jar, "Only this mass of flesh remains of him, Ophelia. Be careful, it is still very aggressive."


    Ophelia undid the seal of the jar, and strong magic burst out instantly. The mass of flesh distorted immediately, pouncing at Ophelia.


    Ophelia wasn''t phased at all, catching the flesh with her bare hands.


    "Don''t touch the flesh with your bare hands! Otherwise, you''ll... oh."


    Ophelia squashed the mass of flesh with a ruthless grip. Under the shackles of her unique magic, the mass of flesh stopped writhing around in her grip.


    Ophelia picked out a piece of the mass of flesh and swallowed it, calmly saying, "This is a low-level life form. Its only form of reproduction is via infection of other vectors."


    Adam remembered that William once said that Ophelia joined aboratory, and now it seems that theboratory she joined must be aboratory researching body refining and blood magic.


    Ophelia didn''t care for the Duke''s disgusted gaze and continued, "Ick a greater sample, but if it really is this weak, then there shouldn''t be any problems."


    A gorgeous, beautiful girl, eating disgusting flesh capable of infecting normal humans in a nonchnt manner. It would weird anyone out.


    The Duke suppressed his disgust and continued, "This may be insignificant for apprentices, but for ordinary people, we have no way of defending ourselves from the threat. Please solve this matter as soon as possible, or Madeira Ind is done for."


    "Only the priests possess this ability?" Adam asked.


    "Not just the priests -- from what I''ve heard, all of their abilities different from each other. Some draw power from nature, others draw power from humans. However, one thing is for sure -- they were all ordinary people before."


    William noticed a huge problem -- even if the four of them were rtively powerful, these gods had the ability to bestow powerful magic onto ordinary humans.


    "Father, are the infected dangerous?"


    "They''re vulnerable," the Duke answered. "They can be killed with ordinary weapons, so the only real threat is the gods themselves."


    The four then moved into a luxurious room to rest. However, Adam suddenly asked William, "Who awards the titles of Duke and Earl?"


    William was still worrying over his father, and he was considering teaching Adam''s meditation method to his father. Upon hearing this question, he was stunned, "Of course, the King of Madeira Ind. The royal city is in the middle of the ind."


    "So why aren''t there any apprentices from there?" Adam inquired.


    "They don''t actually hold much power. If a Mage decides that nobody in the royal city is qualified, then the Mage would never visit the city in the first ce."


    Adam nodded, getting up to retreat to his room. However, William hesitated and stopped him, "Adam, my father, he..."


    Adam waited.


    "Can I teach my father your meditation method?" William asked.


    Adam looked at William strangely, unsure why he was asking this question in the first ce. William bowed his head, thinking Adam would refuse, but Adam simply replied, "Of course. If you pay the amount for my research, whoever you teach is your freedom."


    "Thank you, Adam!" William thanked loudly, rushing to his father''s room.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Viscount Brown summoned all of the knights before him in his mansion.


    "Lord Brown, what is the matter?" the Knight Commander inquired. He was of old age, and will remain a knight for the rest of his life.


    The rest of the knights waited for Viscount Brown''s orders.


    "My child, who was supposed to be a Mage, is dead. Quentin Brown is dead."


    This caused an uproar among the knights. Because of Quentin were they able to livefortably under Viscount Brown. Now that he is dead, can Viscount Brown''s title be preserved, or snatched away?


    "I believe all of you know of the Supreme God Cult," Viscount Brown said, expressionless.


    "Of course," the knights answered in unison, unclear what the Viscount''s intentions were.


    "Kyle," Viscount Brown addressed the Knight Commander directly. "You are of old age, and your strength will only dwindle from here on out. The rest of you -- many of you are nameless, with no titles!"


    "What are you trying to say, my Lord?" Commander Kyle asked.


    "Without power, all of you will be under the rule of mages. However, I have a way for all of you to obtain power."


    Commander Kyle''s face contorted in horror, "You want us to join the Supreme God Cult? Are you crazy? The mages would never let you go."


    "Mages?" Viscount Brown chuckled. "No, they are apprentices of a mage, just like my son..."

 Chapter 73: Sacrifice

    ¡°If we kill them under the guise of the gods killing them, the mages would not care about them,¡± Viscount Brown giggled. ¡°When we obtain this mystical strength, we can kill the apprentices, then kill the gods who bestowed it with this power and we¡¯ll be unstoppable.¡±


    The knights couldn¡¯t differentiate between apprentice and mage, but Commander Kyle advised Viscount Brown, ¡°Lord Brown, how could you possibly guarantee that their deaths will not alert the mages?¡±


    ¡°Enough, Kyle,¡± Viscount Brown interrupted. ¡°My son, Quentin Brown, was an apprentice as well. His murderer stood right before me today.¡±


    Commander Kyle took a deep breath. He finally knew why Viscount Brown was having such delusions of grandeur.


    ¡°Mages will never be able to rte to us ¨C our lives are nothing to them, including the lives of apprentices! That bastard was able to admit emotionlessly to me that he murdered my son!¡± Viscount Brown rambled, not caring that his fingernails were drawing blood on his skin.


    Viscount Brown didn¡¯t take into ount that mages didn¡¯t care for nobility either.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to change your destiny?¡± Viscount Brown said, his eyesced with delusions. ¡°The Supreme God managed to conquer the west of Madeira Ind in less than two years ¨C with the powers bestowed upon them, even Duke Reed couldn¡¯t resist them. Don¡¯t you want to be equal? Don¡¯t you want power?¡±


    Some knights were moved, but some of them were skeptical as well, ¡°Wasn¡¯t a priest killed by Duke Alfred?¡±


    Viscount Brown¡¯s breath hitched, but he hurriedly recovered himself and said, ¡°My dear knights, remember my words ¨C those gods are mere invaders of this world, bestowing their powers upon mortals. Did you see how badly Duke Alfred was wounded? Don¡¯t you want power?¡±


    ¡°There are four of those mage apprentices¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°And how many years has the Duke practiced as an apprentice?¡± Viscount Brown retorted.


    There was no answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the time when he practiced is longer than thebined life expectancy of the four of them,¡± Viscount Brown chuckled. ¡°Think about it, how could those four young brats face against gods?¡±


    ¡°Join me! We will be the masters of this continent!¡± Viscount Brown shouted, raising his hands in the air in mock worship.


    Commander Kyle frowned, his years in battle giving him the much needed wisdom to know that this was a bad idea.


    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think this is a good idea.¡±


    Viscount Brown froze, ¡°Are you betraying me? My personal knightmander?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t swear allegiance to you,¡± Commander Kyle scoffed, grabbing his spear. ¡°This isn¡¯t a betrayal. Don¡¯t stop me from leaving.¡±


    Viscount Brown¡¯s eyes were red with anger, and he ordered, ¡°Kill this old fool! And join me!¡±


    Not a single knight was willing, but Viscount Brown was blinded with rage and charged towards Commander Kyle, ¡°Kill him! For strength! For glory! For wealth!¡±


    ¡­


    After having breakfast the next morning, Adam¡¯s team walked out of the Duke¡¯s mansion together. The mission was of utmost importance, so they had no time to dally around.


    William was tired; he was unable to teach Adam¡¯s meditation method to his father. He didn¡¯t want to bother Adam either, fully knowing that Adam isn¡¯t going to amodate his father.


    On the contrary, the Duke didn¡¯t really care. William¡¯s gesture was enough.


    ¡°William, I have prepared mounts for all of you, and a team of 100 knights,¡± the Duke said, patting William¡¯s shoulder.


    The Duke had no other way of supporting William, so he could only send knights to ensure their safety.


    William nced at Adam, awaiting his orders.


    ¡°No need,¡± Adam replied.


    After a private conversation with Williamst night, the Duke knew how lucky he was to address Adam as ¡°child.¡± He learnt that Adam was strong enough to reject bing an antimage, and was pleasantly surprised that William was stronger than himself. The Duke couldn¡¯t believe it when William said that he was the weakest among the four.


    ¡°Mr. Adam,¡± the Duke paused. ¡°Although knights may be useless to mages, they can at least act as bait. After all, there are only four of you.¡±


    The devil popped out and mimicked Adam¡¯s appearance and tone, saying, ¡°They¡¯re useless to us!¡±


    The Duke stared nkly at the two Adams standing before him and muttered, ¡°Contracted creatures¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Duke Alfred,¡± the devil mocked. ¡°You may call me Archduke Garfield.¡±


    Adam raised his finger, sending a jolt of electricity towards the devil. The devil immediately yelped in pain, morphing between Adam and their original form rapidly. ¡°My apologies,¡± Adam muttered. ¡°But my devil tells the truth. These knights will only be a burden to us; the mount too.¡±


    Crystal nodded in agreement.


    Ophelia agreed as well.


    ¡°The mounts are too slow, Father,¡± William exined.


    The Duke, although disappointed, was relieved. ¡°It seems that you have far surpassed me, my child. I wish for your triumphant return.¡±


    Adam took the lead and flew straight to the west, followed by Crystal and William. Ophelia stomped the ground heavily and darted forward ¨C every time shended on the ground, she would condense the air with magic, sending her flying forward again, as if she was skipping on air.


    As soon as Adam¡¯s team left, Commander Kyle stumbled into the city, littered with bruises and scars. He limped towards the Duke¡¯s mansion and shouted, ¡°Lord Brown, he- the Viscount betrayed all of mankind, taking his knights to the west to surrender to the Church. He wants to kill the apprentices!¡±


    ¡°You made a wise choice, Commander, but your news is of little value to me. However, I must reward you ¨C how about joining my order of knights?¡±


    The Duke immediately ordered a servant to help Commander Kyle to treat his wounds.


    Commander Kyle couldn¡¯t believe that the Duke was treating him as if he was a friend, ¡°Lord Duke, I don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Vulnerable,¡± the Duke answered, the devil¡¯s words ringing in his head.


    ¡­


    Adam¡¯s team was incredibly fast, leaving the south in just a few hours.


    They found that as they got further away from the city, the worse the situation below them ¨C people were fleeing for their lives, every man for himself.


    Adam¡¯s team did notnd to save them, though. Their mission was to destroy the cult and obtain the medium used to channel the god.


    The other three silently flew behind Adam. After two hours of flight, Adam stopped suddenly and raised his arms, signalling them to stop.


    ¡°Come out,¡± Adam ordered.


    The devil reluctantly popped out of Adam¡¯s mind and pointed to a location not far away, ¡°Evil energies lurk there.¡±


    Everyonended near the ground where the devil pointed.


    ¡°My god¡­¡± William muttered.


    The vige in front of them was truly dead.


    Although the huts were intact, the walls and soil were stained red with blood; the disgusting smell of rotten flesh and blood permeated through the air. Judging by the smell, a massacre happened not long ago. It was obvious that the cult had carried out a mass sacrifice.


    The remaining bones pointed towards a hole, and Adam deduces that an offering was ced there.


    ¡°There is no presence of magic here, nor is there any negative magic. This type of energy is unheard of to me, could this be the power of the gods?¡± Adam muttered to himself.


    A breeze blew, blowing away the bloodied fog. Crystal suddenly pointed to the distance and said, ¡°There are people there! No ¨C it¡¯s not human, it¡¯s a monster!¡±


    William immediately shot out a huge fireball.


    Then, they saw the monster.


    It was a pile of broken arms and stumps, wiggling. Some were bodies, some had arms, some were thighs, some were heads that eternally screamed. This mass of flesh and muscle was still alive, constantly tearing apart at each other and devouring themselves.


    Crystal gagged at the sight, conjuring a tornado of tiny wind des.


    ¡°Hold your fire.¡±


    Adam and Ophelia spoke at the same time. This creature before them was integral to their research, so it would be a pity if it was destroyed.


    Adam stepped back and gestured Ophelia forward.


    Ophelia walked in front of the monster ¨C under her magical power, the creature stayed in ce, obedient. She pushed her arm forward and crushed an arm emerging from the mass, and tasted a bit of the flesh, muttering, ¡°Same root. Same origin.¡±


    ¡°So, is this the result of the priests offering sacrifices to the same alien god?¡± William inquired.


    ¡°It might be a coincidence. Perhaps only one god is trying to invade our world.¡±


    Crystal held the tornado in her hands, ¡°Can I destroy it yet?¡±


    Adam stopped her again, then said to Ophelia, ¡°I need some samples. Can you extract it from their bodies?¡±


    Ophelia nodded, drawing blood from her finger by wiping her finger across the sharp end of her sword. When a drop of her blood fell, the monsters in contact with her blood immediately condensed into arge sphere of meat that constantly wriggled.


    Ophelia flicked the sphere suspended in front of her gently. In an instant, the sphere shattered, but there was no gore sttered around. The mass of flesh simply withered rapidly, leaving only a drop of blood surrounded by a trace of alien energy.


    Ophelia¡¯s acts could be considered eviler than the god trying to invade the Mage World.


    ¡°Miss Ophelia¡­¡± Crystal frowned, unsure why Ophelia would choose such a path. Having to surround yourself in gore is incredibly evil.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Ophelia smiled inexplicably before flicking the drop of blood towards Adam.


    Adam was interested in Ophelia¡¯s abilities and her knowledge, but they were running short on time. Adam caught the drop of blood with his telekinesis, then forcibly summoned the devil and ordered them to swallow it.


    ¡°Master, you can¡¯t do this to me. It¡¯s disgusting! You shouldn¡¯t feed your prized devil with such low-levelled food!¡±


    ¡°Low-level, you say?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! I can¡¯t imagine why the stupid god would ever use this low-levelled energy when we have ether scattered all over the void! Magic drawn from flesh and blood is useless!¡±


    ¡°Flesh and blood?¡± Adam inquired.


    ¡°This evil god must use a medium to digest the flesh and blood of humans,¡± Ophelia hypothesised. ¡°It then converts the energy into low-level energy, which, like your devil said, is incredibly weak.¡±


    Adam¡¯s eyes lit up. Even though it may be weak, it is valuable for research. It was a pity he can¡¯t travel through worlds yet.


    Adam recorded the information in his system mentally while forcing the devil to swallow the energy. The devil immediately took Ophelia¡¯s form and retched out the drop of blood.


    Adam ignored the exaggerated actions of the devil and ordered once again, ¡°Take us to the source of this energy.¡±


    The devil wanted to object, but heard Adam¡¯s cold voice ordering, ¡°Don¡¯t be troublesome. I know you are able to do this.¡±


    The devil morphed back into Adam¡¯s appearance, leading them towards the source of the energy.


    Before leaving, Crystal threw the tornado out, engulfing the entire town. Adam pointed at the tornado, zapping the tornado with electricity. The tornado soon became violent, and the only thing left of the vige was a giant pothole.


    The devil shuddered and thought to themselves, ¡°This monster of a master has be stronger again.¡±


    Adam felt that his mana was recovering much slowerpared to when he was in the Mage Continent. He took arge amount of power stones from his portable space and divided them into three, distributing them to his team. He wasn¡¯t used to amodating his teammates, but since he was the person in charge, he had the responsibility to do so.


    After flying for less than an hour, the devil stopped and warned, ¡°Right up ahead!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Kill all heretics who do not believe in our Supreme God; sacrifice the heretic and receive the blessings of our Supreme God!¡±


    ¡°Kill all heretics, and use their flesh to make an altar tomune with our Supreme God! Wee our god, and our god will spread his gospel over this ignorant world!¡±


    A young man wearing a pure white robe was suspended in the air, shouting in a fanatical tone. Several people were dressed like him, and at their feet were creatures once known as humans, wing at the priests. The voice of the priests held great power, causing the creatures to be more frenzied, ughtering their kin without hesitation.


    The young man was satisfied ¨C not long ago, he was a ve, but when he heard the gospel of the Supreme God, he felt that he had the power to approach him. The Supreme God¡¯s power blessed him, and power surged through his body.


    ¡°Great Priest, Henry, there are a few knights in the city viting the will of our Supreme God!¡± a white-robed priest alerted.


    Henry turned his head and looked at the few knights, ¡°Heretics, be damned!¡± He raised his right hand and chanted an obscure incantation. His right hand grewrger andrger, instantly crushing the group of knights into a puddle of muscles and blood.

 Chapter 74: Sacrifice (2)

    Henry''s face turned as white as snow -- using this ability took a great toll on him, but he didn''t care. His expression became even more frenzied. Under hismand, his arms crushed all of the resisting knights one after another, even the followers of the Cult and ordinary townspeople were crushed. The deformed arms absorbed all of the corpses'' energy before returning to normal, and Henry''s face flushed abnormally.


    "This... is the power of the gods! sphemers! Fear and tremble before me and ept your fate!"


    The priests disyed their extraordinary power and quickly swept away all the resistances in the city. They ordered all of the cult''s followers to gather all heretics, and bound them in blood-red chains.


    With a morbid smile, the priest addressed all the survivors, "As sphemers, take it as your privilege to be sacrificed to the Supreme God."


    The survivors wailed and begged for mercy, but the priests simplymanded the cult''s followers to start building an altar.


    As soon as the altar was built, the priests directed batches of vigers into the animal as if they were cordoning animals, as well as cing each viger in a specified position. With a single wave of his hand, the chains shook, and all of the vigers fell to the ground.


    The chains that were connected to each other converged onto the altar, and Henry produced a snow-white cane from his robe. The cane was made of the skull and spine of a woman, and it exuded an evil and gloomy aura.


    Henry descended from the sky and walked towards the centre of the altar step by step. Without any hesitation, he sliced open his palm and used his blood to draw strange patterns in the soil. The other priests converged on him and kneeled around him, and Henry stuck his cane in the ground and knelt as well.


    The priests chanted an obscure spell and the vigers'' life forces were being drained into the cane through the chains.


    An evil aura exuded from the cane and all of the followers of the cult kissed the ground excitedly, as if their god was manifesting before them.


    The bloodied fog caused by the gore spread out, entering every follower of the cult and dyeing everything around it red. As the fog touched Henry, his sliced palms were healed instantly, and all of the priests trembled.


    Henry licked the remaining traces of blood away from his palm and raised his hands above his head, still kneeling, and groaned loudly, "Praise the great Supreme God, for he has bestowed us great strength!"


    "Praise the Supreme God! Thank you for bestowing us great strength!"


    In the next moment, a pir of fire smited Henry, and all that remained was a white cane.


    ...


    Before the pir of fire.


    Adam''s team hovered by the sky above the vige, and they saw Henry smashing the rebels into pulp with his monstrous hand.


    Adam ordered everyone to stop moving. He wanted to see the process of the priests "sacrificing" for their gods.


    Nobody objected to it. However, Ophelia had to perch herself on a nearby tree since she was unable to fly for a longer period of time.


    "This is clearly aimed at weak-willed fools," the devil muttered with disdain. As a devil, it is only right for them to despise any figure of worship.


    When William saw the priests leading the townspeople towards the altar, William couldn''t help but conjure a fireball, but Adam held him back.


    "Hold on."


    When Henry took out the cane of bones, Adam''s gaze was transfixed on it. He knew he had to get that cane, since it may be the breakthrough of this mission.


    William could see the townspeople being drained of their life force, and subconsciously, fire surrounded him. Adam used his telekinesis to firmly hold William in ce and warned, "Hold it, William. If you can''t control yourself, I''ll help you."


    William''s body trembled in ce, unable to break free from Adam''s grasp. He closed his eyes shut, not willing to witness the next scene.


    "This is necessary, William," Crystal whispered in William''s ear. "They need to be sacrificed so that we can save the others."


    Crystal was originally the most cowardly, but soft-hearted; under the guidance of the ck Mage, she quickly adapted to the mage''s way of thinking. However, William still thought like a human, unable to adapt to the indifferent nature of mages.


    "That idiot is trying to find the coordinates of the Mage World," the devil said disdainfully, pointing at the priest. "He''s too weak -- even if he sacrificed a hundred more times, he wouldn''t be able to pinpoint the Mage World for his god."


    After the sacrifice wasplete, Adam found that the bloodied fog only slightly strengthened the followers of the cult, so he said, "Destroy all of them, but leave the cane intact."


    The moment William was free of Adam''s telekinesis, he immediately rained down a pir of fire from the sky, instantly vaporising the priest into ash.


    With a loud crash, Ophelia leapt from the tree and into the town. She raised her giant broadsword and charged straight through the crowd.


    Wherever Ophelia cut through, blood flew.


    Not a single person had their full limbs anymore.


    This is the first time Adam witnessed Ophelia''s fighting style. Thanks to his system, he could appreciate Ophelia''s intricate swordsmanship. Her arms would constantly vibrate, causing her sword to vibrate at a high frequency, increasing its lethality.


    Ophelia''s sword was an ordinary sword, but it was enough to cut through the cult of the Supreme God. If she was able to imbue magic into her sword, she might even surpass him.


    "How dare you!"


    "You dare to disrupt the ceremonies of the Supreme God -- aren''t you afraid of his divine intervention?!"


    "sphemers! Sinners! Our Supreme God will end all of you!"


    The devil was amused, and taunted the priests as Ophelia and William ughtered them, "Supreme God? Tell me where he is, and we''ll destroy him too!"


    Adam descended to the ground, and he could tell that the priests were simply bewitched by promises of power. These people were no longer valuable to him.


    Adam raised his arm gently, and with a single burst of electricity, the priests fell to the floor.


    "All of you will face the Supreme God''s punishment... you won''t get away with this, sphemers!"


    Adam brought his hand down, smiting every single priest down with a bolt of lightning.

 Chapter 75: Sacrifice (3)

    None of Adam''s team expected him to instantly wipe out the entire crowd with a single burst of electricity.


    "Did you just kill all of them?" William twitched, watching Adam casually step into the altar. "Didn''t you say you want a few of them alive?"


    "There isn''t any need anymore," Adam replied, raising the cane of bones using telekinesis. "They are too low-levelled for me, so they aren''t valuable to me."


    "But..."


    "Our primary mission is to annihte all followers of the Supreme God so that it may not cross over to this world," Adam said directly, attempting to use magic to coerce the cane. The cane shook violently, indicating that it wasn''t strong enough to support magic.


    Ophelia stepped forward and grabbed the cane from Adam''s hand, crushing it.


    Adam watched as Ophelia studied the crushed bone in her palm and asked, "What did you find?"


    "This is a product of alchemy," she replied. "It''s made of the bones of a young girl." Her voice was monotone, but everyone could hear the killing intentced in her voice.


    "This cane only has one function, which is turning the life forces of humans into energy," Ophelia concluded, brushing the powder off her.


    "So, it isn''t a medium used to summon the god?" Adam inquired.


    "That can''t be," the devil interjected. "I clearly felt that the priest was trying tomune with the god."


    Adam agreed with the devil, since he concluded that a medium to channel the gods must exist. Otherwise, it would not be possible for the priests to obtain such powers. If that was the case, what was the reason, then?


    Crystal recalled what the ck Mage said to her, and exined to everyone, "The ck Mage once said that in every world, creatures gain power. However, some native gods absorb power simply from belief, or the power of faith. Perhaps the Supreme God draws power from belief."


    Adam nodded, but replied, "We don''t have enough samples to jump to conclusions. We need to observe more."


    The four of them followed the devil and flew towards the west, and soon, they encountered another cult.


    This time, a different scene yed before them.


    The priest of the Supreme God Cult was a kind-hearted old man, wearing a white robe decorated with goldce, suspended in the air.


    "Do not cling onto your material possessions," the priest announced. "Greed and arrogance is human nature, and it is the human tendency to sin. However, when the Supreme God returns, he will wash away all our sins."


    "He loves the world and cannot bear the suffering of this world. He said that whoever believes in him will be free from all pain, and he will wash away all of our sins."


    The priest raised his arm, gently bringing a limbless man to the sky before him. The priest gently caressed his stumps, and the crowd watched as the man groaned in pain. To their surprise, his limbs started to grow again.


    The vige roared praises in unison, relieved that the Supreme God Cult was not as brutal as what was reported -- it was miraculous; kind; benevolent.


    Adam''s team hid behind the clouds, stunned at the scene before them. Perhaps a qualified mage could, but they have never heard of anyone who could heal and regenerate lost limbs. Otherwise, Frank wouldn''t have to rece half his body with a mechanical body.


    "Is this... real?" William muttered, thinking of his father.


    "I don''t know," Ophelia replied, confused.


    The man looked at his body, whole again, and couldn''t help but kneel in front of the priest. The priest gently ced his hand on his head and said loudly, "You used to be a heretic, but now your sins are washed away! The Supreme God is merciful, fraternal, and he has forgiven all of your sins and given you a new body!"


    "I am your son, Supreme God," the man whispered, weeping.


    "Good. If you trust the Supreme God, then he will never give up on you," the priest said, dropping the man.


    The man fell to the ground, dying from the impact. The crowd immediately shrieked in fear, wondering why the priest did that.


    The priest simply descended, hugging the corpse. The corpse was then enveloped in a red light.


    As soon as the priest hugged the corpse, the man resurrected, and once again, he knelt before the priest, singing praises and kissing the priest''s feet.


    "Look at what the Supreme God is capable of," the priest trembled. "He will never give up on his believers. The dead shall rise, alive once more."


    Boom!


    The vigers were wildly convinced -- if regenerating broken limbs couldn''t convince them, then resurrection would.


    "Yes! I am willing to believe!"


    "He is my god!"


    "Please, heal my body!"


    Every single viger willingly fell to their knees, believing in the Supreme God''s power.


    Adam''s team couldn''t help but doubt. This was incredibly different from the previous priest.

 Chapter 76: Sacrifice (4)

    "Adam, what do we do?" William asked nervously.


    There was no emotion in Adam''s eyes, as he tried to make sense of the situation before him, analyzing each w that he discovered.


    He didn''t believe in the miracles; there has to be a gimmick to it.


    "Adam?" William asked, shaking Adam as he watched the priests gather the crowd.


    "Flesh and blood," Adam said suddenly, remembering the acts of the previous priest.


    "What do you mean?" Crystal asked.


    Adam did not answer her, but ordered, "Spare the priest and the remaining survivors. Kill the rest of them."


    Although the three had doubts, they carried out his orders swiftly.


    Immediately, wind, fire, lightning, and shes of swords swept through the sky, reaping the lives of each and every follower of the cult.


    The priests watched as the crowd was ughtered before him, and shouted in a panic, "sphemers! Demons!"


    Ophelia cut through the crowd and leapt beside him, grabbing the cor of the priest and shaking him. In an instant, the priest was paralyzed and unable to speak, and Ophelia mmed his body to the ground.


    The battle ended as soon as it started, and all the other priests, save for the main priest, were killed. The remaining survivors stared at Adam''s team, and after a moment of silence, charged towards Adam and his team, shouting words of rage.


    Adam was stunned at their behaviour, but soon realised that they were unknowingly charging towards their death with blind faith. They could kill the Supreme God Cult ruthlessly, but they can''t just kill ordinary people without reason.


    "Come out."


    With a single order, the devil popped out and morphed into a giant mouth. The mouth roared and spewed negative energy, sending every single person into aa.


    "What''s wrong with them? Didn''t we save them?" William said.


    "You destroyed their hope, silly," the devilughed. "When you take away a human''sst shred of hope, it is no surprise that they would be irrationally angry."


    "Blindly cing your faith on a god because of a few miracles, how stupid," Adam muttered, grabbing the man who was resurrected.


    "Master, not everyone is as strong as you," the devil said.


    "Are you sure you didn''t hit this man with your magic?" Adam asked.


    The three of them nodded.


    "As expected then -- the resurrection was just a trick," Adam said, throwing the body to the three of them. They realised that the person was already dead, and was simply a puppet being controlled.


    "What about the severed limbs?" William asked, once again thinking of his father.


    Adam walked up to the unconscious priest and nced at Ophelia with a frown. He yanked the cane out of his arms and used a current of electricity to wake him up from hisa.


    After the priest opened his eyes, he immediately charged towards Adam.


    William remembered what his father said about the priests self-destructing and warned, "Be careful!"


    Adam immediately shot out a burst of electricity, paralysing the priest in ce, "Tell me -- what is the Supreme God? How do youmunicate with him? And how do you perform your miracles?"


    The priest was paralyzed from head-to-toe, save for his mouth. The priest grinned maniacally and shouted, "sphemers don''t deserve to know the truth," and blew himself up.


    Adam''s psychic barrier barely flinched at the explosion.


    "Damn it," William muttered.


    "See for yourself, then," Adam pointed at the corpse.


    After the priest died, the "resurrected" man fell apart, with his limbs turning into monsters that bit and devoured at each other.


    William bounced back in disgust.


    "The Supreme God Cult needs believers in every way possible," Adam exined. "The massacre before should be the cult''s way of showing off their power as well."


    Crystal raised her concerns, "But the inherent magic within ordinary humans is extremely miniscule. How could tens of thousands of people possibly obtain powers from another dimension?"


    "They are trying to cultivate gods," Ophelia said.


    Although her words were brief, everyone understood her immediately. Although ordinary people are weak in magic, gods from other nes and dimensions have ways to strengthen this magic.


    "Then, what about us?"


    "You''re just like them," the devil snickered. "Massacaring all of them."


    Although mages don''t care for the lives of ordinary people, it still isn''t morally right to be killing them without reason. After all, his teammates would not allow him to do so. Besides, if he murdered every human along the way, then the Academy would surely subdue him.


    "These are mere limbs of the Supreme God Cult. We need to locate the headquarters."


    Everyone nodded in agreement, leaving the remaining townspeople in aa.


    In the next month or so, Adam''s team continued to exterminate the cults scattered across the west, finding several simr canes of bones along the way. After Ophelia''s examination, they discovered that all of the canes were the same.


    Because of their extermination activities, the Supreme God Cult adapted their operations to be more secretive and Adam''s team failed to find anyrge-scale sacrifices for an entire week.


    When the devil couldn''t sense any more sacrifices in the west, Adam''s team decided to march forward towards the Supreme God Cult''s headquarters, deciding to end this once and for all.


    The blood-fog obscures the sky in a dark, red glow.

 Chapter 77: Sacrifice (5)

    The city of Essence was once the economic and cultural centre of the west, but now, it was strangely calm and quiet.


    The City Lord''s Mansion was no longer a mansion, but arge altar made of bones. Unlike the concave altars that Adam''s team previously encountered, this altar was built on the horizon, surrounded by countless kneeling people, muttering their silent prayers.


    The prayers were endless and unending, and the people threw their health and sanity away to channel their prayers. Some would starve to death, some would wither away, some would have their life forces absorbed by the altar.


    The deaths didn''t phase anyone either. Dying was a huge honour to them.


    At the top of the altar, stood a tall statue with a blurred face. The statue was holding a skeleton of a young girl, simr to the cane of bones. However, the skeleton was transparent, like a crystal, and energy was constantly being fed to it.


    Under the huge statue, dozens of priests, and thousands of men and women donned the same white robes -- the only thing distinguishing them were the different silk threads woven onto their robes.


    On the altar leading them was a priestess, her white robe decorated with beautiful and intricate silver threads.


    The other priests prayed under her lead, and strange, unknownnguage was muttered under their breaths.


    "Praise the great Supreme God, may your glorye onto this world as soon as possible!"


    "Golden Silk Priests, stay with me. The rest may leave," the priestess ordered. Her voice was unexpectedly pleasant, sweet like honey, as if her voice was able to heal the wounds of the wounded.


    The other priests left silently, and a priest donning golden silk reported, "No casualties today. Most of them died at the hands of the four sphemers."


    The other priests nodded in agreement.


    The priestess simply nodded, as if she didn''t care.


    "These four sphemers seem to be as powerful as our god, and the children of the Supreme God are unable to resist them. If this continues, these sphemers will enter his kingdom, while we will be left behind!"


    "Luke," the priestess addressed. "Is your faith wavering?"


    "No!" the priest named Luke shouted, kneeling on the ground. "My faith in the Supreme God is as firm as ever!" Despite saying this, he was more afraid of the priestesspared to the Supreme God -- he knew of her foul acts of massacre, since she was the one who ordered it.


    "That is correct," the priestess smiled. "All glory belongs to the Supreme God; all power belongs to the Supreme God. Nobody can hide from his glory."


    "Praise the Supreme God..." Luke muttered, tears staining his face.


    "Are you willing to prove your loyalty to the Supreme God?" the priestess offered, stepping forward and grabbing at Luke''s hand.


    "No... don''t kill me!"


    Boom.


    Luke immediately exploded into gore and blood, and his life force was immediately absorbed by the crystal skeleton. His skull gently hovered towards the altar, adding to its structure.


    "Seems that Luke has betrayed the Supreme God. Hence, the price will be his life. Let us pray that he is able to find forgiveness in the Supreme God," the priestess said reverently.


    All of the other priests bowed their heads in fear, muttering their praises and prayers to the Supreme God.


    The crystal skeleton radiated an eerie red light, blessing the priests. The joy entering their bodies made them forget their fears, and raised their heads in praise and happiness.


    "Great Priestess, what does the Supreme God order of us?"


    The priestess did not answer him, but instead asked, "How long has Brown betrayed our people and left us?"


    "It''s been fifteen days," someone replied in a low voice. "If it goes ording to n, he should be arriving at the royal city soon."


    The priestess nodded, "The Supreme God is dissatisfied with us. He needs more believers to prepare his kingdom. Brown was bestowed with power, so I will see to it that he carries out the Supreme God''s task."


    ...


    Although Adam''s team worked as fast as they could, Viscount Brown and his knights were lucky enough to evade capture.


    Viscount Brown abandoned all of their supplies, looting what necessities they could. When he encountered a priest, he directly ordered his knights to surrender, showing obedience to the Supreme God.


    The priestess dly weed him with opened arms. After Viscount Brown discovered her powers, he made a wise choice to remain dormant, obeying her orders.


    However, the priestess knew of his intentions. She didn''t kill him immediately, but allowed Viscount Brown to continue with his operations and sacrifices.


    After gaining power, Viscount Brown was overjoyed and directly asked the priestess for orders. He was ordered to capture the king''s city in order to prepare a new kingdom for their Supreme God.


    His n went incredibly smooth -- he cruelly ordered a massacre, not even sparing a single corpse along the streets of the city. Now, he has sessfully upied the royal city andunched thergest scale sacrifice so far in the cult''s history.

 Chapter 78: Sacrifice (6)

    Nobody could imagine the cruelty of humans.


    The entire royal city was transformed into arge sacrificial field, and massacres were carried out each day. The priests gathered the humans, and ordered the followers of the cult to build small altars in order to perform human sacrifices.


    The conscience and empathy of humans werepletely abandoned. When bestowed with power, humanity bes blind.


    People who were once called their friends and family were ughtered with contempt, proving their loyalty to the Supreme God.


    When they discovered they could obtain power from sacrifices, they became mad with power. The priests didn''t need to order them to sacrifice anymore, and the sky was dyed red with the blood of the in.


    In the pce, Viscount Brown sat on the throne, intoxicated with the screams of the city. An eerie, serene silence was present in the castle.


    "Viscount Brown," a knight addressed.


    "No, address me as Divine Priest -- Divine Priest Brown," he said, waving the bone scepter in his hand.


    "Divine Priest Brown," the knight corrected. "The final preparations for the blood sacrifice are almostplete. 130 altars have been erected ording to your instructions."


    "That fast?" Brown said in surprise. "Have all the sphemers been killed?"


    "No, my lord, they..." the priest stuttered. "They started to kill their kind on their own, swearing allegiance to the Supreme God by killing their closestpanions."


    Brown couldn''t help butugh, and announced in an ethereal tone, "Human beings have been lured into depravity by greed and ignorance. No matter -- the Supreme God will enter this world and establish his kingdom."


    "Praise the Supreme God."


    Brown nodded in satisfaction, "This world must be cleansed, so that the kingdom of the Supreme God is pure and noble. We should test the faithfulness of the believers by sacrificing them. If they really believe in the Supreme God, then the Supreme God will return their life to them."


    The priests couldn''t help but shudder upon hearing his words. This wasn''t the viscount that they used to know.


    ...


    The moment Adam''s team entered the west of Madeira Ind, the smell of blood flooded their noses.


    "Where is it?" Adam asked the devil.


    "Still far away," the devil replied.


    The other three''s faces fell. Over the past month, the devil has be more sensitive in terms of locating the cult, often finding the source at a distance of a hundred kilometres. If the devil couldn''t perceive the cult now, it means that it is far away, and yet, the smell of blood was so pungent that their faces scrunched up in disgust.


    "Adam..."


    "Let''s go," Adam said without hesitating. The gods could locate the coordinates of the Mage World through sacrifice. If they were toote, the gods could have crossed into this realm without them noticing. His top priority was to interrupt and destroy the sacrifices.


    Their lives would forever change if they did not stop the gods from entering their world.


    As they flew, they found that all the towns along the way had be ruins. No humans were left wandering the viges and cities.


    A dayter, they arrived at the city of the west. It was different from the chilling Cold Maple City, or the bustling Southern Harbour Port -- the city was permanently stained red with blood; the smell of rot and gore embedded in their brains.


    The entire royal city was conquered, and they could see 130 altars built underneath the stars and the moon, surrounding the pce. Other tinier pces were reced withrge altars and a man could be seen inserting a sceptre into the centre of the altar.


    William could recognise him in an instant and shouted, "Brown? Are you out of your mind?!"


    His shouts immediately revealed their location and Adam red at him.


    William bowed his head down in shame, immediately conjuring a pir of fire to smite Brown down.


    Brown grinned, staring directly at Adam. He ignored the pir of fire about to smite him, and pushed his sceptre further into the altar.


    The chains binding the altar immediately glowed an eerie red, and all 130 altars glowed, instantly killing all the thousands of sacrifices. The blood energy converged onto Brown''s altar as he smiled at Adam.


    The energy was enough topletely shield Brown from Adam''s team''s magic, and he shouted with a booming voice, "Heretics will surely perish, you will wish that you were never born!"


    "I want you to pay with your life, little wretch."

 Chapter 79: Sacrifice (7)

    Meanwhile, in the western city of Essence, where the headquarters of the Supreme God Cult was located. The crystal skeleton bloomed with a brilliant red light, illuminating the sky. Every single person fell to their knees, trembling with prayers.


    The priests were bathed in an oppressive red light, bliss showering upon their bodies. The priestess smiled and murmured to herself, "My child, soon, you will be with me once again."


    The priestess had a chilling past.


    She used to be a ve without a name, and her entire existence was to serve the nobles and be a tool for their frustration.


    And in this frustration vented upon her, she bore a child. She didn''t know who the father was, but she loved the child as any mother would.


    She felt that the child was a gift from God, filling her dull, mundane life with colour.


    She worked extra hard every day in exchange for more food, hiding her child in obscure ces around the mansion. She was afraid that if her child was found, her child would be killed.


    She tore at her face, scarring her once beautiful face in order to reduce the amount of attention on her.


    Regardless, it was the happiest time of her life. No matter how much pain or insults she had to endure; no matter if she had nothing to eat, or nothing to clothe herself with -- as long as she could see her child sleeping soundly with a smile on her face, she felt that everything was worth it.


    She decided to flee to the West when her child was older. Perhaps she would flee to the North where it was sparsely popted, so that she could raise her child with no worries; perhaps she would move to the bustling South, so that her child could livefortably.


    She would cradle her daughter under the stars every night, waiting for her to grow up.


    One day, she ended her day''s work as usual, and happily returned to the thatched hut where she hid her child. She carefully closed the door and teased, "My sweet angel, mother is back from work. Guess what I brought you today?"


    Usually, her child wouldugh in glee upon seeing her mother. Her daughter''sugh would melt away every single worry guing her.


    But today, there was noughter.


    The bread fell to the floor as she frantically darted to the box where she would hide her daughter. She wed at the nks, not caring that her hands were now bloodied and bruised.


    She was gone.


    "My child! Who stole my baby girl?!" she roared in despair, bursting out from the hut and asking anyone she saw.


    "You have a child?"


    "I didn''t see a child, no."


    She begged everyone to tell her the whereabouts of the child, and finally, a woman answered her, "I saw a group of people carrying a baby to the back of the mountains, oh, but I don''t think you should..."


    "No! No!" she couldn''t imagine what would happen to her baby, and rushed towards the back of the mountains.


    Humanity''s evil knows no bounds, and she fell to her knees upon seeing the tiny body curled up on the ground, littered with bruises and open wounds.


    Her murderersughed wildly and insulted the woman with vicious, poisonous words. They vited her, but she felt nothing. Her heart was dead with the baby.


    The murderers soon left her, and mother and daughterid on the ground with one another.


    In the humid environment of the west, the child''s corpse was already rotting, but she refused to let go of the baby. She felt her life slip away, and she was d that she could join her child. Just then, the corpse moved, and she watched as her child transformed into a crystal skeleton, "Don''t you want your baby back?"


    All hope was lost as she hugged the crystal skeleton, refusing to let go, "Please, I will do anything."


    The crystal skeleton phased away from her grip, and a violent, red light erupted in the night sky. Every noble died mysteriously that night, as eerie red light was absorbed into the crystal skeleton. The crystal skeleton touched her face, and her scarred face was restored to its original beauty.


    "Kill and sacrifice. Your baby will be yours once again."


    ...


    Nobody dared to interrupt the prayers of the priestess.


    The other priests waited patiently for her orders.


    After a while, her gentle voice sounded, "Order all followers to gather around the altars to prove their loyalty. The Supreme God will descend upon us soon enough."


    The priests immediately knew her intentions, but none of them dared to disobey.


    "It is time."


    "With your life, prove your loyalty to the Supreme God!" the priests announced.


    The followers of the cult fell in a daze, confused at the words of the priests. Strange pains erupted in them, and gradually, one after another follower exploded in ce.


    In less than an hour, only the priests and ake of blood remained.


    The priests'' bodies were prated with chains and the chains converged onto the altar the priestess was on. Strange energy poured into the altar, imbuing power into therge structure. The priestess smiled, "The King''s city is left."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Adam''s team continued to bombard Brown''s shield with destructive magic, but the shield formed by countless human flesh was unexpectedly tough. Brown''s muscles shattered as he started to grow, his bones no longer supporting him, and his face contorting into a mass of flesh.

 Chapter 80: Sacrifice (8)

    "Drawing energy from human life," the devil muttered with disdain. "Just how many did he kill?"


    Crystal conjured several des of wind around her and Adam couldn''t help but avoid her. Adam''s psychic barrier couldn''t fend against Crystal''s strong magic.


    "It''s strangely effective. Brown is imbued with strange magic!" Crystal shouted, sending forward a de of wind. The shield was prated, shredding through masses of flesh.


    Brown''s monstrous body was torn apart by her wind, but immediately, the wounds healed as more flesh joined to fix the wound.


    "And he is able to recover almost immediately!" Crystal shouted, draining the power stone to restore her mana.


    Ophelia leapt forward and shed through the shield, shattering a part of the shield. William was about to spray hell-fire through the hole, but stopped when he saw Adam throwing his devil into the shield.


    "Adam!" William was stunned.


    The devil didn''t know this was happening either.


    "Do as you please!" Adam shouted as he drop kicked the devil into the shield.


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    The devil''s eyes lit up. It was finally their time to shine.


    William knew how dangerous negative magic was, and asked worriedly, "Would the mages allow this?"


    "Well, aren''t they being more cruel than an antimage?"


    Adam conjured the runes for the fire magic stored in his ring -- this fire magic was as powerful as a qualified fire mage''s fireball, he just needed someone to buy time for him to cast the fireball.


    The devil plopped right beside the mass of flesh formerly known as Brown, seemingly rxed. The magic Brown was using had no effect on them, as the magic casted by Brown couldn''t even prate their negative energy shield. The devil began to eat away, harvesting the powers of the Supreme God.


    Brown roared wildly in pain, stepping a deformed foot onto the altar. Brown leapt, rushing towards Adam.


    William and Crystal hurriedly used their magic to bombard Brown, but any damage they caused was healed instantly. Brown was ecstatic and taunted with a demonic voice, "Useless! What is the use of your magic now? Die under my grasp!"


    Ophelia leapt in between them, pushing William and Crystal back.


    Ophelia unleashed her magic with all her strength and rushed towards the writhing mass of flesh.


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    sh!


    sh!


    Every sh chopped through Brown with ease, and he screamed and bellowed in pain.


    "Damn it!" Brown''s muscle surged, grabbing at Ophelia''s sword and imprisoning it within his body.


    Ophelia''s eyes widened. She was defenceless.


    "Get out of the way!" Adam shouted.


    Ophelia immediately stopped levitating, falling to the floor.


    Brown grinned upon seeing this, but could only see a ck mass of fire flying towards him.


    "Have you not learnt your lesson?" Brown taunted wildly, standing in front of the trajectory of the fireball. "Your magic cannot prate through my defences!"


    <strong><sub><i>§´h§Ö l§Ñt§Ö?t §Ñnd m§à?t §â§à§âul§Ñr n§àv§Öl? §Ñt l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm</i></sub></strong>


    "We''ll see about that," Adam whispered.


    The moment the ck fire drew nearer to Brown, his shield burnt away, as did the writhing mass of flesh that was burnt to ash.


    The devil burst from Brown''s body and screamed, "Master, are you trying to kill me too?" The fire licked at the devil''s body, and the devil could only present themselves as a ball, tucking their tail between them.


    The three of them looked at Adam''s ring in shock. This was the first time they had witnessed the power of a qualified mage''s magic. William could never imagine that fire magic could be mastered to such a degree. How does a me that hot exist?


    Even Adam was bbergasted. Before buying the ring, the only thing he knew about the ring was that it was a one-time use fire magic. He didn''t expect the fireball to devour Brown as well, as he only intended to chip away at his shield.


    Just like that, the entire city was burnt to ash.


    Crystal gently called upon the winds, sweeping away the ash and leaving only a barren wastnd behind.


    The ring burnt into ash as well, falling from Adam''s finger. Ophelia slowly approached Adam with a solemn expression and muttered, "My sword..."


    Adam descended upon the ash, and found her sword as Crystal swept the ash away with her wind. The broadsword, which was made of high-quality material, did notpletely perish under the fire, and it seemed that the sword was sharper as well.


    <strong><sub><i>§´h§Ö l§Ñt§Ö?t §Ñnd m§à?t §â§à§âul§Ñr n§àv§Öl? §Ñt l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm</i></sub></strong>


    "Don''t worry," Adam said, throwing the sword back at Ophelia. "I will apply forpensation once we get back."

 Chapter 81: End of Sacrifices

    The altar sped through the air at a blinding speed.


    The blood-red chains that pierced through the priests'' bodies were continuously absorbing their life essence, fuelling the altar''s flight capabilities. The priestess didn''t care that the priests might die from this -- she merely stared at the crystal skeleton that shone a bright red.


    "Great Priestess, there is still a great distance away from the King''s City, but our priests are unable to feed enough life essence to the altar. Could we, perhaps, stop to rest?" the Golden Silk Priestess requested shakily.


    Before this, the Great Priestess was but a humble ve, who didn''t even know where the Royal City was. She blindly followed wherever the crystal skeleton was guiding her. Upon hearing the Golden Silk Priestess'' request, she could see cold sweat dripping from her forehead. The priestess shed open her finger and pressed the bleeding finger on the altar; the altar immediately shone bright red, and the priests pierced by the chains were slightly rejuvenated.


    "No. We must reach the King''s City by tonight..." However, before the priestess could finish her sentence, she saw the horrified looks from the other priests, and found that the crystal skeleton had dimmed.


    "God damn it, Brown!" she roared. She stretched out her hand and gripped at the chains, causing the chains to immediately absorb all of the priests'' life essence.


    "Great Priestess..."


    Boom.


    The Golden Silk Priestess exploded in gore and blood immediately, and the cold, chilling voice of the priestess rang in every priest''s ear, "Full speed ahead. When our God steps foot into this world, you will be honoured for your deeds..."


    <strong><sub><i>§´h§Ö l§Ñt§Ö?t §Ñnd m§à?t §â§à§âul§Ñr n§àv§Öl? §Ñt l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm</i></sub></strong>


    ...


    Ophelia didn''t expect Adam to be able to find her sword, despite it being damaged. She immediately took the sword back and kept quiet. William had finally managed to recover from the intense fire magic and floated towards Adam.


    "Adam, if you had such a powerful trinket on you, why didn''t we just infiltrate the Supreme God Cult''s headquarters in the first ce?"


    "I didn''t know how powerful the ring was," Adam admitted.


    Everyone immediately nodded. After all, no one knew how powerful magic really was.


    "Secondly," he continued. "The mission stated that we are to destroy the cult, as well as bring back whatever medium they are using to summon their god, and I think that the Academy holds a higher priority for the medium."


    William frowned upon hearing this, and pointed out, "Then, why didn''t we split up? It''s clear that the Supreme God Cult is weaker than apprentices, wouldn''t that speed up the process?"


    "I never restricted any of you," Adam said bluntly. "As long as weplete the mission, it doesn''t matter how we do it."


    "But... we could have saved more people..."


    <strong><sub><i>§´h§Ö l§Ñt§Ö?t §Ñnd m§à?t §â§à§âul§Ñr n§àv§Öl? §Ñt l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm</i></sub></strong>


    William immediately lowered his voice, realising that Adam''s line of thinking was quite literally in tune with a Mage''s line of thinking, and William''s recent socialisation with Adam made him forget that. Adam doesn''t care about how many people die, nor did he care about hispanions -- as long as it could help himplete the mission, they were dispensable to him.


    Besides, Adam was right. They could have easily split off from each other ever since they came to the ind.


    The devil popped out of Adam and taunted sarcastically, "Young man, I sense fear in your heart -- were you perhaps... afraid? Was that why you stuck along with Adam, instinctively relying on the strong?"


    William''s face turned pale, and Ophelia and Crystal looked away as well. They would never in their lives admit that the devil was right.


    Adam had no interest in dealing with their emotions. After scanning around the ruined city for the remaining traces of the cult, he shot upwards into the sky and flew westward alone.


    "Well," the devil continued. "If you want to follow him, then follow him. If you don''t want to, then do your own thing. You know he is a man of few words."


    Crystal and Ophelia nced at each other and nodded, chasing after Adam. William stopped for a second, but decided to chase after Adam as well.


    Two hourster, Adam could see an altar floating in the sky, and the priestess saw Adam as well.


    Without any words exchanged, a fight began immediately.


    <strong><sub><i>l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm f§àr §Ñ b§Ött§Ör u?§Ör §Ö§ç§â§Ör?§Ön§ã§Ö</i></sub></strong>


    Adam raised his finger and pointed to the sky, and immediately, lightning shot out from the heavens, speeding towards the priestess.


    The priestess raised her hand, letting the priests prated by the chains to tank the hit for her.


    Adam continually sted the altar, and eventually, the priests could no longer withstand Adam''s magic and disintegrated into white ash.


    "sphemers who offend the power of our Supreme God seek their own death!"


    The priestess dispelled the chains and called upon the gods to smite Adam down.


    Adam immediately summoned the devil while bombarding the priestess with all sorts of magic. Adam could tell she was dangerous, feeling an alien energy radiating from her. Although it wasn''t as strong as Peter Aum''s aura, it was enough for Adam''s systems to re its rms.


    The devil shivered under the power of the gods, not daring to attack them at all. The devil merely surrounded Adam, shielding him from any iing attacks.


    The priestess continued to pray, and the volume of her foreign prayers started to increase, piercing through Adam''s ears. With her prayers, the skulls on the altar shot out countless energy rays towards Adam.


    Adam could feel that the beams weren''t actually that strong -- they were roughly equivalent to a regr fireball. Adam stood motionless in the air, letting his psychic barrier tank every single beam.


    <strong><sub><i>l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm f§àr §Ñ b§Ött§Ör u?§Ör §Ö§ç§â§Ör?§Ön§ã§Ö</i></sub></strong>


    "White energy?"


    Adam was surprised, seeing that the divine powers of the Supreme God were white,pared to the bloody red magic of the priestess.


    The priestess took out a dagger and dismembered her left hand, pressing her wound on the altar. The beams immediately stopped and gathered together, shooting towards Adam at a high speed.

 Chapter 82: Transformation

    Seeing the beam approach them, the devil immediately leapt to the side and shouted, "Master, I can''t help you with this!"


    The energy beam hit Adam and Adam let the magic flow through his robe, absorbing the hit. He then stretched out a finger and shot electricity to filter out the rest of the beam.


    The electric current collided with the beam, causing a huge reaction -- continuous explosions crackled throughout the air, and eventually, both magics cancelled each other out, and a shock wave swept through the air.


    "Weird."


    "This beam is nothing, really -- it is so primitive and inefficient, as if someone threw a ball of magic towards me."


    Adam recorded his findings silently.


    "sphemer!"


    A bloodied chain grew out of the priestess'' hand and the chain shot into the sky, as if it was hooking onto something. Flesh started to grow on the chains, turning into open mouths.


    "ept God''s punishment!"


    Grotesque tongues imbued with a strange white light shot out towards Adam, like countless sharp spears stabbing forward.


    Adam fully focused on keeping his psychic barrier up, letting the tongues stab and stick onto the barrier. He then touched the barrier with his finger and electricity flowed through the barrier, immediately frying the tongues.


    <strong><sub><i>§´h§Ö l§Ñt§Ö?t §Ñnd m§à?t §â§à§âul§Ñr n§àv§Öl? §Ñt l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm</i></sub></strong>


    The priestess'' brows furrowed, her body shook violently, her face contorting in pain.


    Adam shot forward like lightning, holding the chain in his hand.


    "How does this work?"


    After touching the chain, Adam''s eyes widened, "...bone?"


    Adam thought the chains would be some kind of alien magic -- he never expected it to be made of human bones.


    "Get your filthy hands off of it!"


    With the angry voice of the priestess, several faces grew rapidly on the chain, biting at Adam fiercely.


    Adam simply waved his hand, slicing the faces off with several wind des. Adam reached his hand into the open cavity of the face, and summoned a huge electric current within the chain, spreading it towards the priestess.


    "This thing is conductive."


    Adam muttered, and the priestess took the full blow of the electric current entering her body. Her screams pierced through the air and her muscles tore open due to the impact of the electric current.


    "She seems weak," the devil muttered, hovering beside Adam while shielding Adam from the god''s sts.


    <strong><sub><i>l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm f§àr th§Ö b§Ö?t n§àv§Öl r§Ö§Ñd?ng §Ö§ç§â§Ör?§Ön§ã§Ö</i></sub></strong>


    "Weak?" Adam doesn''t think so. Although Adam had the upper hand, he knows that the priestess was more powerful than him. However, she had no idea how to utilise her power.


    If anyone else from his team was sent to deal with her, they would surely die.


    However, she unfortunately encountered Adam, the brightest student of the Moldo Mage Academy.


    Blood poured out like a faucet from the priestess, and suddenly, the silver robe she was wearing lit up -- the threads of the silk robe swam across the air rapidly, cutting off the chains and drilling into her body.


    At this time, William, Crystal, and Ophelia arrived at the scene, shocked by the huge altar floating in the sky.


    "It''s... bigger than the royal city!"


    "Look at all those bones... at least 100,000 people died because of them!"


    Adam imbued his hand with electricity, used his hand to cut off the chains and flew back to his team.


    "Seems like they have been abandoned by their god," Adam muttered, watching the chains fizzle out into ash; his eyesnded on the statue who was holding the crystal skeleton. "That woman is incredibly powerful, so be careful. Kill the other priests and retrieve that skeleton."


    With no hesitation, the three rushed forward toplete their task. William feared that if he hindered Adam in any way, he may die.


    With their help, the priests fell one after another -- when they died, their corpses were seemingly absorbed by the altar; their bones adding to the altar''s structure.


    <strong><sub><i>l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm f§àr §Ñ b§Ött§Ör u?§Ör §Ö§ç§â§Ör?§Ön§ã§Ö</i></sub></strong>


    The priestess raised her head, crawling towards the statue holding the skeleton. Countless wounds decorated her flesh, her once beautiful face now littered with scars. However, she didn''t care. She scooted closer to the crystal skeleton and muttered, "My baby, my baby... I have never been willing to use this magic -- I''m afraid that you won''t recognise your own mother anymore."


    "But..." she muttered, sweeping her hateful eyes on Adam. "...I have to. Forgive me, my baby, but these people want you dead, so they have to die."


    "You are my world -- if they want to destroy my world, then I will destroy... all of them!"


    The priestess discreetly unbuttoned her robe, leaving her body exposed. Then, she produced a knife and started to sh at her body repeatedly.


    Adam immediately fixed his gaze on the priestess and knew that the priestess was chanting a powerful spell. To sh at her own body like this recklessly, the spell must be incredibly powerful. An ominous premonition rose in his heart and he struck lightning down on the priestess repeatedly.


    However, before the lightning could strike, the skeletons on the altar flew out, blocking Adam''s magic. The skeletons joined together, forming a wall of bones.


    Beyond the wall, Adam could see the priestess gouge her eyes out before turning into a skeleton as well.


    Adam hurriedly bombarded the wall of bone with more magic and found that the entire altar came together to form a huge sphere, with the priestess in the centre. The priestess'' body could be seen, constantly wriggling.


    Ophelia had smashed the final priest into smithereens and joined with Adam, staring at the growing bone sphere before them.


    Crystal conjured an array of powerful winds -- although some bones were blown away, it couldn''t keep up with how fast the sphere was growing.


    William and Adam continued to bombard the sphere, but to no avail.


    <strong><sub><i>l?ghtn§àv§Ölw§àrld?§ã§àm f§àr §Ñ b§Ött§Ör u?§Ör §Ö§ç§â§Ör?§Ön§ã§Ö</i></sub></strong>


    "Damn it, I shouldn''t have used the ring so soon," Adam frowned.


    The sphere grewrger andrger. It divided into itself and it was starting to take a human-like skeleton form. Adam discovered that his magic couldn''t affect it either, as it was offset by an unknown force.

 Chapter 83

    Seeing the beam approach them, the devil immediately leapt to the side and shouted, "Master, I can''t help you with this!"


    The energy beam hit Adam and Adam let the magic flow through his robe, absorbing the hit. He then stretched out a finger and shot electricity to filter out the rest of the beam.


    The electric current collided with the beam, causing a huge reaction -- continuous explosions crackled throughout the air, and eventually, both magics cancelled each other out, and a shock wave swept through the air.


    "Weird."


    "This beam is nothing, really -- it is so primitive and inefficient, as if someone threw a ball of magic towards me."


    Adam recorded his findings silently.


    "sphemer!"


    A bloodied chain grew out of the priestess'' hand and the chain shot into the sky, as if it was hooking onto something. Flesh started to grow on the chains, turning into open mouths.


    "ept God''s punishment!"


    Grotesque tongues imbued with a strange white light shot out towards Adam, like countless sharp spears stabbing forward.


    Adam fully focused on keeping his psychic barrier up, letting the tongues stab and stick onto the barrier. He then touched the barrier with his finger and electricity flowed through the barrier, immediately frying the tongues.


    The priestess'' brows furrowed, her body shook violently, her face contorting in pain.


    Adam shot forward like lightning, holding the chain in his hand.


    "How does this work?"


    After touching the chain, Adam''s eyes widened, "...bone?"


    Adam thought the chains would be some kind of alien magic -- he never expected it to be made of human bones.


    "Get your filthy hands off of it!"


    With the angry voice of the priestess, several faces grew rapidly on the chain, biting at Adam fiercely.


    Adam simply waved his hand, slicing the faces off with several wind des. Adam reached his hand into the open cavity of the face, and summoned a huge electric current within the chain, spreading it towards the priestess.


    "This thing is conductive."


    Adam muttered, and the priestess took the full blow of the electric current entering her body. Her screams pierced through the air and her muscles tore open due to the impact of the electric current.


    "She seems weak," the devil muttered, hovering beside Adam while shielding Adam from the god''s sts.


    "Weak?" Adam doesn''t think so. Although Adam had the upper hand, he knows that the priestess was more powerful than him. However, she had no idea how to utilise her power.


    If anyone else from his team was sent to deal with her, they would surely die.


    However, she unfortunately encountered Adam, the brightest student of the Moldo Mage Academy.


    Blood poured out like a faucet from the priestess, and suddenly, the silver robe she was wearing lit up -- the threads of the silk robe swam across the air rapidly, cutting off the chains and drilling into her body.


    At this time, William, Crystal, and Ophelia arrived at the scene, shocked by the huge altar floating in the sky.


    "It''s... bigger than the royal city!"


    "Look at all those bones... at least 100,000 people died because of them!"


    Adam imbued his hand with electricity, used his hand to cut off the chains and flew back to his team.


    "Seems like they have been abandoned by their god," Adam muttered, watching the chains fizzle out into ash; his eyesnded on the statue who was holding the crystal skeleton. "That woman is incredibly powerful, so be careful. Kill the other priests and retrieve that skeleton."


    With no hesitation, the three rushed forward toplete their task. William feared that if he hindered Adam in any way, he may die.


    With their help, the priests fell one after another -- when they died, their corpses were seemingly absorbed by the altar; their bones adding to the altar''s structure.


    The priestess raised her head, crawling towards the statue holding the skeleton. Countless wounds decorated her flesh, her once beautiful face now littered with scars. However, she didn''t care. She scooted closer to the crystal skeleton and muttered, "My baby, my baby... I have never been willing to use this magic -- I''m afraid that you won''t recognise your own mother anymore."


    "But..." she muttered, sweeping her hateful eyes on Adam. "...I have to. Forgive me, my baby, but these people want you dead, so they have to die."


    "You are my world -- if they want to destroy my world, then I will destroy... all of them!"


    The priestess discreetly unbuttoned her robe, leaving her body exposed. Then, she produced a knife and started to sh at her body repeatedly.


    Adam immediately fixed his gaze on the priestess and knew that the priestess was chanting a powerful spell. To sh at her own body like this recklessly, the spell must be incredibly powerful. An ominous premonition rose in his heart and he struck lightning down on the priestess repeatedly.


    However, before the lightning could strike, the skeletons on the altar flew out, blocking Adam''s magic. The skeletons joined together, forming a wall of bones.


    Beyond the wall, Adam could see the priestess gouge her eyes out before turning into a skeleton as well.


    Adam hurriedly bombarded the wall of bone with more magic and found that the entire altar came together to form a huge sphere, with the priestess in the centre. The priestess'' body could be seen, constantly wriggling.


    Ophelia had smashed the final priest into smithereens and joined with Adam, staring at the growing bone sphere before them.


    Crystal conjured an array of powerful winds -- although some bones were blown away, it couldn''t keep up with how fast the sphere was growing.


    William and Adam continued to bombard the sphere, but to no avail.


    "Damn it, I shouldn''t have used the ring so soon," Adam frowned.


    The sphere grewrger andrger. It divided into itself and it was starting to take a human-like skeleton form. Adam discovered that his magic couldn''t affect it either, as it was offset by an unknown force.

 Chapter 84

    Adam and Ophelia phased one after the other in front of the skeleton, bombarding the skeleton with sts of electricity and devastating shes indiscriminately.


    The priestess'' grip on the crystal skeleton couldn''t help but tighten; the giant skeleton held his head in his hands, and a shield made of bone rapidly grew, covering its head with an eerie white glow.


    Electricity and the swinging of a sword continued to pound against the wall of bones, generating an extremely ufortable noise. Like a drill, they drilled a hole in the shield of bone; in the blink of an eye, the two of them darted across the air, lunging towards the skull.


    Crystal and William hid behind cover, staring at the two who were attacking the skeleton with immense ferocity. William was bbergasted at how powerful the two of them were and Crystal couldn''t help but worry for Ophelia.


    Chop, chop.


    The two arms of the skeleton were chopped off at the same time,nding on the ground with a loud thud before disintegrating into ash.


    The priestess screamed in pain; white energy rays shot out of the skeleton''s eyes again and again, destroying whatever it came into contact with.


    "Sure enough, the skeleton can be worn down!"


    The skeleton immediately regrew its arms, but its body was shrinking rapidly -- only less than 15 metres of the skeleton were left.


    "Damn it! Not like this...!" the priestess roared again and again; radiant white light started to surround the skeleton, and a foreign and obscure incantation could be heard resonating within the skull.


    The previous attack drained all of Adam''s magic, so he couldn''t stop the priestess for now. Fortunately, the other three knew that they couldn''t allow the enemy to cast a devastating spell and lunged forward.


    Ophelia showed unparalleled strength, and the magic me surrounding her burnt with increasing ferocity. With each sh, arge piece of bone would be cut off. Adam calcted that her strength hadpletely surpassed him, and if Adam were to fight Ophelia in her current state, he would surely lose.


    However, the lengthy incantation wasplete, and the priestess shouted hoarsely, "...and the dead shall be resurrected!"


    The skeleton shed with a bright white light, and the bones that had been chopped off its body joined together, transforming into soldiers made of skeleton that densely scattered all over the battlefield.


    Each skeleton soldier carried a sword made of bone, and they had the ability to fly.


    "Believers of the Supreme God,e back to the world of living, and use the mighty power bestowed upon you to kill these heretics!"


    As if a switch had been turned on, mes flickered in every single skeleton soldier, lunging towards the four of them with no fear.


    This divine spell consumed a huge amount of energy from the priestess, and the size of the skeleton shrunk to a size of 10 metres; however, it had greatly improved agility. It jumped more than a hundred metres high, and ran the opposite direction.


    Adam swiftly inspired the defensive magic runes in his ne, and a three metre tall earth elemental was summoned. The earth elemental grabbed Adam and gingerly ced him in his stomach, before rampaging through the horde of skeletons.


    Adam found that he could broadcast his voice inside the elemental and shouted, "Stop her! Don''t let her escape! Its magic is about to run out!"


    The three of them instantly knew why the priestess was escaping -- she wanted to find a human vige to sacrifice in order to regain her strength. If she managed to escape, then the four of them would surely be defeated.


    Crystal tore a pair of scrolls from her robe, and all the air in the battlefield was swept away, leaving only the atmospheric pressure to m down on the ground, crushing all the skeletons into a fine powder. She didn''t care about her reckless usage of the scroll, and chased after the skeleton.


    Ophelia held her magic sword in both hands and began to charge forward on the ground -- with each step, she became faster and faster, and anything standing in her way was smashed into pieces; the magic me surrounding hergged behind her, as if she grew a pair of wings.


    After feeling his mana regenerate, Adam unsummoned the earth elemental -- the ne dimmed slightly, but didn''t shatter instantly like the ring.


    "Adam! I..." William shouted at Adam. There was nothing he could do to help.


    "Get out of here now," Adam said coldly. He covered the area with water vapor before spraying the area with an intense fire -- clouds formed rapidly, and lightning could be seen shing in the clouds.


    William''s body shook involuntarily, realising that Adam was going to use some kind ofrge-scale magic. He hurriedly flew into the distance, ignoring the skeletons shing at him.


    Adam shot out an electricity rune towards the clouds, imbuing arge amount of magic into it. Electricity flickered in the clouds, and countless bone soldiers shattered under the electricity.


    Adam shattered an ether crystal in his hand, quickly ascending into the clouds.


    There was a chill in the air, and countless skeleton soldiers rose up into the air to try and kill Adam.


    William continued to run, only looking back when he was out of range of the clouds.


    "My god."


    In William''s perspective, Adam glowed with a bright yellow light, as if he was the incarnation of the god of thunder and lightning himself. His face was blurred by the constant flickering of electricity, surrounded by electrical currents that slithered around him. Adam descended into the clouds, and in the next second, lightning struck down onto the ground repeatedly and violently, blinding William''s eyes.


    About a minuteter, William''s ears rang and his head hurt intensely. Using his psychic powers, he attached it to his eyes so he could see. There were no more skeleton soldiers to be seen and the terrifying thunderclouds also disappeared. All that remained was a pale Adam, suspended high in the air gasping for air.

 Chapter 85

    Adam named the magic [Thunderstorm] --posed of low-level water magic to conjure water vapour in an area; fire magic to form clouds; wind magic to direct the clouds; and electric magic to rain down lightning. It simtes a supercell thunderstorm in nature and it was the strongest magic that Adam has used to date -- Adam has only seen the simtion of his magic using his artificial intelligence model, but today, he could finally use it, and it did not disappoint him.


    He felt that his mastery of electric magic has been improved as well.


    However, an improvement in magic means that his mana would drain faster as well. His magic has beenpletely exhausted; he took out thest ether crystal and held it gingerly in his hand. While recovering, he flew towards the direction the skeleton fled to.


    Adam didn''t care about William''s condition and William didn''t rush to chase after him. Instead, William clenched his fists, staring into the distance where Adam left.


    ...


    The priestess felt fear in her heart and her belief in the Supreme God was faltering.


    She knew that whatever she was preaching to the masses was imaginary; she merely deluded herself into thinking that this was what her Supreme God wanted.


    However, the power bestowed upon them were all real -- and they were all granted with powers they have never seen before.


    She began to doubt the Supreme God''s capabilities -- was it really strong enough to cleanse the world of its sins and resurrect the dead?


    "What should I do now, Supreme God?" the priestess prayed, but no response came.


    She was back to square one -- a humble ve with no ce in society.


    She has always been reluctant to use her magic, because she needs this magic to perform miracles and recruit new believers. However, if she decides to save her magic now, she would surely die.


    The priestess shattered her bony arm and bones scattered in the sky.


    The bones shattered as it was raining down, hindering Ophelia and Crystal''s chase. The splintered bones stabbed at them at the speed of sound, shing at their delicate skin.


    Ophelia continued to burn intensely, but exhaustion was painted on her face. She held her magic sword in a defensive position, preparing to cut a way out for her.


    "Miss Ophelia!" Crystal shouted as she stepped in front of her. "I''ll make a passage for you, it''s up to you from then on."


    She tore another scroll, and the magic stored in it instantly destroyed all of the raining bones -- even the skeleton far away was affected by the spell, having another arm and leg blown into pieces.


    The priestess firmly protected her head and recited another incantation. The broken arm and leg was used to shield the skeleton as she continued to flee.


    Ophelia violently lunged forward, instantly phasing at the skeleton''s location. Her body spun rapidly in the air with her sword and pierced through the flimsy bone shield of the priestess.


    "Wait!" the priestess shouted from within the skull. "I sense your vitality fading -- you will die if you continue. Come, join me, and the Supreme God will grant you eternal life."


    These words had no effect on Ophelia. She raised her magic sword high and shed her sword down upon the skull.


    The priestess screamed, immediately shrinking the skeleton to a mere height of five metres, narrowly avoiding the sh.


    Ophelia continued her chase, but her body was suddenly ovee with weakness; her magic mes dimmed rapidly as she fell from the sky.


    Fortunately, Crystal caught her with a gentle wind. However, the skeleton was getting away and she didn''t know what to do.


    At this moment, a static noise could be heard behind them and they could see Adam zipping pass them in an instant.


    "Miss Ophelia," Crystal said, worry flooding her heart. "Why did you use that... thing? This is just an Academy mission, why risk your future...?"


    Ophelia didn''t answer her, staring nkly into the sky.


    The liquid in the syringe is a hormone extracted from an alien creature -- it only has a lifespan of one day; born at dawn, gain great power at noon, and die before the sun rises the next day.


    After it is injected into the body, one could gain great power, but of course, they would put their lives at great risk.


    This liquid is a taboo item amongst refiners like Ophelia. It is only used in two situations -- one, when a battle is reaching a dead-end; two, when there is no hope for a refiner to reach the next level.


    ...


    Adam''s speed became faster and faster -- as his magic power erupted, he instantly blinked towards the location of the skeleton, blocking its way.


    "I''m tired of this. Die," Adam said coldly, transforming the electricity in his hand into a spear.


    "No!" the priestess shouted, countering the thunder spear with a spray of white light. "sphemer!"


    Adam simply let his psychic power conjure more thunder spears, surrounding the skeleton.


    "Shut up, idiot."


    The spears gathered in the air and spiralled forward, drilling into the skull and stabbing into the priestess.


    "No, no... not like this," the priestess muttered.


    Adam repeated this procedure three more times, and finally, the priestess was nailed to the ground.

 Chapter 86

    The devil popped out of Adam and smiled as they picked up the crystal skeleton. However, as soon as they looked at the crystal skeleton, they said with disdain, "Master, this is the medium they use to summon the god -- and it reeks of low-level energy. This is so pathetic! They want to invade the Mage World using... this?"


    "No..." the priestess said weakly. "Put down my child..."


    "Your child?" the devil asked.


    "Please, let go of my child -- the Supreme God promised me that as long as I help him infiltrate this world, he will resurrect my child..."


    "And you believe in such lies?" the devil said, morphing into a human figure.


    The devil was both stunned and overjoyed -- they couldn''t believe that there are such stupid and foolish people in this world! Resurrection in the true sense cannot be morphing flesh or manipting the dead -- even the recreation of souls or imnting memories cannot be considered resurrection. As long as the original self is dead, whatever resurrected will always be a shell of its former self.


    Resurrection also means manipting the timeline, erasing the fate of the person who died.


    "How could you ever understand the power of the Supreme God? He will never deceive me!" the priestess refuted, but it only sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.


    "Hahaha! Master? Did you hear that? She said "resurrect my child"! How could she ever believe that?!"


    Adam wasn''t interested in mocking a dying person. He calmly stepped forward and took the crystal skeleton from the devil''s hands and stepped in front of the priestess, ready to end her suffering.


    "I can''t die like this... I have to bring my child back..."


    Adam reached out, preparing another electric spear.


    "It''s true, isn''t it? The Supreme God can resurrect my child..."


    Adam immediately stabbed forward and the priestess disintegrated into ash.


    "It is impossible," Adam said solemnly.


    A light breeze blew away the remaining traces of the priestess, doomed to never know Adam''s answer.


    After a while, Crystal and Ophelia returned to Adam. Soon, William came too.


    Adam didn''t ask about William''s whereabouts either. It didn''t really matter to him, but William showed a big smile and asked, "Adam, is the matter resolved? Is the skull the medium?"


    "Yes," Adam said, surprised at William''s tone. "It is."


    "Adam," Crystal said while supporting Ophelia. "Miss Ophelia, she''s..."


    "I''m fine!" Ophelia forced out with a hoarse voice, pushing Crystal''s hand away. "Don''t you want to go to the North to see your family? Let''s go together."


    "But... your body..."


    "I''m fine," Ophelia reassured. "Let''s go."


    Adam could sense that something was wrong, but he had no interest in asking what she didn''t want to disclose.


    "Then, I''ll wait for you in the Southern Harbour City for seven days. If you do note back within seven days, I will return to the Academy first."


    ...


    For the next seven days, Adam refused all of the invitations from William and the Duke, and stayed in his room every day, either to test his electric magic, or to study the crystal skeleton.


    The devil was a constant annoyance, however.


    "Master, do you know why only Level 5 Mages are called Transdimensional Mages?"


    Adam was stunned for a moment, and asked, "Why? Has your memory finally been restored?"


    The devilughed, but shook their head, "Only mages above the fifth level have the ability to interpret the coordinates of different worlds through a medium. Don''t ask me how I know this, but this is the rule of all worlds. If they aren''t a transdimensional mage, then they have no way to interpret the coordinates of a world."


    Adam nced at the devil coldly, and the devil felt a shiver run down their back. They quickly transformed into a female form and shivered, "Master, what are you trying to do?"


    With a swipe of his finger, an electric whip was conjured from his fingertips, punishing the devil mercilessly.


    Adam is experimenting with his magic.


    He used to think that it was meaningless to try and manipte the elements -- a cluster of mes, or a fire dragon could do the same job, but now, he no longer thinks so.


    Altering the elements could heavily improve the lethality of magic -- if he could channel the magic into something with a form, then the more elements that specific medium could amodate, allowing for stronger magics.


    Adam found this very interesting -- turns out, all the elemental magic books in the library were the results of a mage who had mastered the elements.


    This is exactly like programming back on Earth -- a mage is a programmer who has mastered its own knowledge. Programs are just like magic.


    Adam was incredibly proficient in this. After he figured out what he wanted to do, one by one, different kinds of electric magic were sessfully constructed by him. Because he is the one developing this, he can do whatever he wants with him, which saves him money. He has nothing but time to experiment.


    Moreover, the runes used to conjure this were rtively simple. As long as he can prove that these runes were consistent and stable, he could sell it to the Academy. As for whether or not others could copy his runes to master electric magic, that wasn''t his problem.


    After returning to the Academy, Adam ns to use a new batch of runes to apply for the establishment of his newboratory. Now, he was sure that the Academy would not reject him.


    On the evening of the sixth day, Crystal and Ophelia returned to the Southern Harbour City together, alongside the Earl and Dark Cloud.


    Adam and the Earl didn''t speak to each other. The Earl simply came since after the destruction of the Royal City, they needed a new leader.


    On the contrary, Dark Cloud was excited to see Adam, and trotted over to Adam, rubbing Adam with its face and licking him affectionately.


    Adam remembered that this war-unicorn was the first creature to recognise that he was no longer the previous Adam. He shed a rare smile, and yed with Dark Cloud for a while, and prepared its food as well. The devil was showered with feelings of jealousy, refusing to believe that Adam could be so nice.


    While Adam was away, the devil sneaked up to Dark Cloud and ruffled its mane and muttered, "What have you done to my master? Why has he never been nice to me?"

 Chapter 87

    Although the Dark Cloud was not very intelligent, it has a strong perception of goodwill and malice. As soon as the devil ruffled its mane, it shook its body and leapt away from the devil.


    The devil was stunned, then angrily grabbed Dark Cloud with ayer of negative magic, "How dare a mere beast like you look down upon the great Garfield?"


    "Neigh!" Dark Cloud neighed, taking a threatening stance against the devil. Its front hooves rested on the ground, ready to charge at the devil at any moment.


    The devil was even more cross, and continued to move forward with a smirk. With their strength, the horse was nothing to them. "It seems that I need to teach you a lesson, to let you know that Gar-"


    Before the devil could finish their monologue, their body was broken with countless whippings, and Adam''s voice could be heard behind them, "What lesson, may I ask?"


    The devil turned their head painfully, watching Adam walk towards them with grass, beans, and all kinds of food in his arms. He ignored the pain and rushed to Adam''s side, "My great Master, why do this rough work on your own? Allow your loyal servant to help you."


    "Go away," Adam swept the devil aside with one foot.


    After seeing Adam, Dark Cloud let out a cheerful neigh, and obediently stood behind the trough, waiting for Adam to feed it.


    Ophelia, the Earl, and the Duke came to the stables to look for Adam. They found Adam sitting motionlessly by the trough, staring at Dark Cloud eating its food while patting it.


    "Haha!" the Dukeughed. "I didn''t expect Mr. Adam to have such an interest in horses! If you''d like, you can choose from my horse farm and take whichever horse you like."


    Adam just realised the three of them staring at him and stood up immediately, "Is there something wrong?"


    "I have something to ask, Mr. Adam," the Duke expressed. "Dinner is about to start, so let''s talk at the dining table."


    Dinner at the Duke''s mansion was as extravagant as ever, but Adam had long been ustomed to the high-quality food in the Mage Continent. He simply sampled on a few dishes, not intending to eat the rest. Seeing Adam put down his knife and fork, they also stopped eating.


    After a brief silence, the Duke said, "Mr. Adam, as you know it, the royal family of Madeira waspletely wiped out by the Supreme God Cult."


    Adam nodded.


    "So, Madeira needs a new leader so that it can better serve the Moldo Mage Academy. I don''t think there is a more qualified noble on the ind other than me and Earl Johnson, so..."


    "What does the Academy think?" Adam asked.


    "Mr. Adam, the Academy appointed you as the person in charge, so you can fully decide what happens to this ind."


    "Well," Adam paused. "I don''t have any opinion. Decide amongst yourselves." Even if it wasn''t for this mission, Adam would never set foot on this ind. Whatever happens on this ind had nothing to do with Adam.


    The Duke smiled, but the Earl had a stone-like face. Ophelia was relieved, knowing that she no longer owes her surname "Johnson" anything.


    After returning to his room, the devil popped out, "Master, you are way too generous. Those two humans simply wanted to give you some benefits."


    "Their benefits mean nothing to me," Adam expressed. "At most, I obtain some power stones, and I already have an unlimited supply of them."


    The devil blinked, thinking of Adam''s meditation research and his uing research papers for electric magic. Adam wouldn''t becking in any power stones.


    ...


    Early the next morning, the Duke and the Earl saw all of them off. Dark Cloud decided to follow Adam and Ophelia as well, as they boarded the merchant ship.


    Ships from the Mage Continent do not oftene to Madeira Ind since it wasn''t worth it. Hence, the four of them could only ride this ordinary vessel.


    Everyone on the merchant ship were ordinary people. They expressed their fear and respect towards the four apprentices, and the captain allowed them to stay in the top cabin. Dark Cloud was even given a special person to serve it personally. The devil expressed their jealousy towards Adam, but Adam kicked them out of his room. Hence, the devil happily found the captain, and used Adam''s form to make a fortune.


    The three-month long voyage was basically uneventful. Sea creatures asionally attacked the ship, but they were all happily devoured by the devil. Because of this, the devil was given a better treatment, and they finally felt like they were getting the respect they deserved.


    When they arrived at the Mage Continent, the devil had made a lot of money on the ship, and they were covered with all sorts of precious gems and trinkets. They dangled their rewards in front of Dark Cloud, which made the Dark Cloud very irritated.


    "Dispose of the garbage on you," Adam said, walking out of the port.


    The devil retorted, "How can these be garbage?! This is the reward for me helping those humans on board!"


    "I''m not saying that to spite you, I''m just saying that these items cannot withstand the pressure of teleportation. You need to dispose of it before we enter the portal to the Academy," Adam exined.


    The devil was stunned for a moment, looking at the trinkets dangling on their body. They couldn''t possibly ask Adam for help, so they could only look at the others for help.


    Crystal chuckled and said, "I can help you, but you have too much jewellery on you, you really need to sort it out."


    The devil frantically and reluctantly discarded some of their trinkets, deciding on a few for Crystal to keep.


    "Actually," Ophelia suddenly said as they were standing in front of the portal. "You could have asked the people on the ship to help you send it to the Academy."


    After saying that, Ophelia guided Dark Cloud into the portal, saluting the mage overseeing the portal before entering herself.


    Before Dark Cloud disappeared, it shed a mocking expression and snorted towards the devil.


    The devil was dumbfounded and handed the remaining items to Crystal with tears in their eyes, ring at Ophelia and Dark Cloud with grief.


    Soon, all of them returned to the Tower after a long absence.


    However, before they could return, an alchemy puppet came straight towards them, "Apprentice Adam, the ck Mage is waiting for you."

 Chapter 88

    Everyone followed the alchemy puppet to the second floor of the Task Hall. After a short greeting, Adam produced the crystal skeleton from his portable space and handed it over to the ck Mage, briefing him on the entire mission process.


    The ck Mage summoned an alchemy puppet to deliver the skeleton to the Dean, then patted Crystal on the shoulder and announced, "In view of your excellentpletion of the mission..."


    Hearing this, William''s heart froze. Adam didn''t spare any detail about the casualties and massacre of the ordinary people on Madeira, but it was clear that the ck Mage didn''t care at all.


    "On behalf of the Academy, I have decided to give you additional rewards for the mission, including whatever needs to bepensated during the mission."


    The four of them were happy after hearing about it, but they didn''t expect additional rewards.


    The ck Mage took out a few items from his robe and handed them over one by one.


    "William Alfred, here is a set of runes for high-levelled fire magic."


    "Ophelia Johnson, in addition to the injection you used, here is an active potion that the Academypensates you for."


    "As for you," the ck Mage said, frowning at Adam. "There isn''t much research on electric magic in the Academy. You can choose an advanced magic for other elements."


    Adam shook his head, since he wanted to research on electric magic more. "Dearest ck Mage, could you convert this reward to ether crystals?"


    "Of course," the ck Mage nodded. "But, don''t you want to think over it for a bit?"


    Adam confirmed his choice and the ck Mage was about to say something, but suddenly froze in ce, "The Dean wants to see you now."


    ...


    After seeing the Dean again, Adam felt slightly fearful of him. He could hardly imagine how powerful the Dean was. Standing in front of him, Adam didn''t feel any threat, but he could feel power radiating from Dean Victor.


    "Good day, Dean Victor."


    As he said this, Adam''s eyes went dark. He found himself in another room shortly after, with the Dean''s human form in front of him, fiddling with the crystal skeleton in his hand.


    "Little guy, you really did surprise me," the Dean praised. "In such a short amount of time, you had already healed the wound in your soul."


    "Sure enough, you''ll be able to be promoted to a Mage in no time once again."


    Adam bowed slightly, waiting for the Dean to continue.


    "You should know that the overall strength of the Moldo Tower isn''t that strong," Dean Victor exined.


    "These are unavoidable shorings -- we don''t have many mages left in the Academy, and the total resources allocated to us have been decreasing as well."


    "And as you can tell, fresh talent cultivated by us is generally... not very talented. So far, we have only managed to produce one transdimensional mage."


    Adam became even more puzzled. How does this have anything to do with him?


    "I really hope you manage to suppress your promotion for 20 years," Dean Victor continued.


    Adam froze, looking at the Dean for any sort of exnation.


    "There isn''t any malice," the Dean exined. "The Elemental Sacred Tower organises an apprentice promotion trial every 100 years. Every apprentice who passes will be immediately promoted, joining the tower to be a battlemage. Battlemages have a higher status than regr mages in this world."


    "What do you mean by battlemage, Dean Victor?"


    "They are qualified mages that fight in other worlds -- as long as you survive each expedition, you can obtain extremely powerful resources, which will be of great help to your future research."


    "Can''t every qualified mage join?" Adam asked.


    "Of course not," Dean Victor chuckled. "Traversing to other worldses with its own dangers, venturing into the unknown. Ordinary mages aren''t qualified to participate in this. Praise Annecroft, the World Guardian -- because of her, our world has a magic."


    "A?"


    "All True Archmages jointly maintain this, connecting the souls of every battlemage. Battlemages imprint their souls onto this web, resisting the will of the world. It repels and protects the mage''s soul from being spied on by otherworldly creatures, and battlemages canmunicate through the magic as well. It''s good for you to know this."


    Adam''s heart is pounding fast from this information dump -- isn''t this magic equivalent to the Inte?


    "They have a selection for battlemages once every 100 years -- after that, although you can apply for the test at any time, you are no longer eligible to join the Holy Tower. It is good for you to suppress your own promotion for the time being."


    Although Adam doesn''t know the benefits if he bes a battlemage, he knows the rewards will be great. However, what benefit does this bring to the Academy?


    The Dean could hear his thoughts, and exined, "Sessfully cultivating a battlemage means our Tower will receive great rewards as well. Other qualified mages are forced to stay in the Tower by contract, unfortunately."


    Adam likes how direct and open mages are. They point out the pros and cons and let the apprentices choose their own path.


    "Why me, then?"


    The Dean Victor chuckled regretfully, "All battlemages are far superior to other types of mages -- besides, only you have a high probability of passing the test. I can''t say the same for anybody else."


    Adam bowed in humility, "What''s the trial?"


    "Easy. Destroy an antimage."

 Chapter 89

    "Do you know why we don''t just kill off antimages, Adam?"


    "Why?"


    "True Archmages prohibit mages from ughtering antimages, so that they can reproduce every hundred years. Battlemages risk their minds when traversing through other worlds, so apprentices participating in these trials will be sent to antimage hideouts. Although these antimages are weak, they study curse magic which targets the soul. It is a test of guts."


    Adam walked out of Dean Victor''s office with a contract, feeling weird. He didn''t expect that mages kept antimages around as livestock.


    Dean Victor had Adam promise that he wouldn''t promote to a mage within 20 years, since the trial could be held at any time within these 20 years. In return, Adam is allowed to ess all the floors of the library, and directly agreed to Adam''s application for his newboratory.


    The former is of no use to Adam, however. The top two floors of the library that he previously couldn''t ess holds the research directions that the Academy has mastered for the promotion of apprentices. However, since Moldo is rtively weak, there wasn''t much knowledge up there. However, the direct application for hisboratory is very useful, since he can now start his own experiments.


    At the Approval Department, Mage Erin directly said as soon as Adam stepped in the door, "Give me the certificate and sign this agreement, then, you can conduct your own experiments in the Elemental Laboratory Building."


    Adam knew that Mage Erin had received direct instructions from the Dean in advance. Ever since the Dean revealed the existence of a ," hepared this to a Local Area Network back on Earth.


    Adam signed the agreement quickly and said, "Thank you, Mage Erin."


    "Little guy, ah," Mage Erin paused, smiling. "I can''t call you ''little guy'' anymore. I can''t believe you found a way to promote yourself to be a qualified mage so soon. Perhaps, I should call you Mage Adam in a short time."


    To mages, twenty years is nothing to them. Being virtually immortal, time means nothing to them.


    "Yourboratory will be equipped with a mandatory soul perception device -- not to monitor you, but to help you suppress your promotion," Mage Erin exined to Adam, pointing her pen at the item marked in the agreement.


    "Of course," Adam nodded.


    "Then, you will be allocated five ether crystals per month," Mage Erin said, smiling. "This isn''t a small amount -- most mages who have their ownboratory receive this amount as well. Most importantly, you are allowed to experiment with whatever you want."


    Adam understands this. ording to the Dean, these five ether crystals are equivalent to the Academy''spensation for dying his promotion and can be regarded as his personal wealth.


    Mage Erin continued to exin other parts of the agreement one by one. Afterwards, Adam left the Approval Department and flew back to his oldboratory.


    In theboratory, the devil was excitedly recounting the mission to James and Frank, exaggerating their role in the mission, making it seem like without the devil''s help, the mission wouldn''t have beenpleted.


    After barging through the door, Adam walked straight into his experiment room and started to store his instruments and research papers into his portable space. "Myboratory has been approved. We''re moving."


    After witnessing the amazing scene in Adam''s experiment room before, the two of them had already expected this. They quickly packed their personal belongings and research papers and left with Adam.


    ...


    The Task Hall was the liveliest ce in the Academy. Apprentices hope to find a suitable task for them to earn power stones. Compared to previously, the apprentices were much calmer, sincepeting for missions took precedence over petty fights.


    Suddenly, after seeing the newly added quest on the board, a boy ran to the corner of the Task Hall and announced to hispanion, "Brother Korver, there is news!"


    "What is it?"


    "That apprentice named Adam, who you asked us to pay attention to... there''s news about him!"


    "A mission?"


    Adam''s research on psychic power enabled Korver to control the elements far beyond his peers. Since that day, he has been incredibly interested in Adam. After learning about Adam at the apprentice bar the other day, he didn''t try to bother Adam. Instead, he chose to wait for a good opportunity -- he knew the benefits of making friends with a genius.


    "No, it isn''t a mission. He is looking for an assistant," the boy said. He wasn''t sure why Korver wanted to pay this much attention to Adam.


    Korver raised his eyebrows, walking forward quickly. Some apprentices were eager to see Adam''s name appear again, but nobody dared to take Adam''s task.


    Korver saw the information on the board which read: [Recruiting five to ten assistants, who are skilled in psychic powers and meditation ording to my research. You will be paid 300 units of power stones per month. Location: Electric Magic Research Laboratory, 3rd floor of the Elemental Laboratory Building.]


    "Electricity?" Korver frowned.


    "Brother Korver," the boy said carefully. "I don''t think this ''Adam'' deserves your attention. Electricity? Who is he trying to kid? Our tutors have clearly said that electric magic is not worth studying. I predict this is him trying to show off."

 Chapter 90

    The boy''s voice was too loud, which attracted the attention of various apprentices.


    "Boy, watch your tone," an apprentice sneered. "You have zero qualifications to look down on Adam. He isn''t someone you can ever hope to insult."


    The boy looked back, unleashing his mental power to find who just defended Adam angrily.


    However, Korver held his shoulder and said sternly, "Li, he is right. You should learn to keep your opinions to yourself, especially on things you don''t understand."


    "Brother Korver..." the boy named Li said, flustered. "Why are you..."


    Korver shook his head, shushing Li. He epted the task on the board and left the Task Hall.


    ording to mages, unstable and inconsistent elements like electricity are not worth studying. Although it is strong in its early stages, it pales inparison to other more consistent magicter on. However, Korver was sure that Adam, the creator of psychic power, wouldn''t be so stupid.


    Besides, getting close to Adam benefits him a lot.


    After getting questioned by several alchemy puppets, he came to the 3rd floor of the Elemental Laboratory Building and knocked outside Adam''sb.


    It was Frank who opened the door. After Korver expressed his intentions, Frank took him to Adam''s room.


    "We meet again, Mr. Adam," Korver greeted with a smile.


    Adam instantly remembered who he was, but he didn''t know his name.


    "Korver Butler, here to apply as an assistant."


    Adam nced at him. If Korver was able to enter the apprentice bar, it means that he already knows his path. Why would he ever work as an assistant, then?


    However, Adam decided to not pry. After verifying that Korver had mastered his psychic powers, he directly took out a contract and handed it to him. No matter what his intentions were, it doesn''t matter under the perfect contract without loopholes.


    Korver didn''t exin either. He took the contract and read it carefully, and signed his name.


    ...


    Three dayster, a total of thirteen people joined theboratory to be Adam''s assistants. Together with James and Frank, he had a total of fifteen assistants. Since they were all proficient in telekinesis, it would save Adam a lot of time. His aim was to verify whether various electrical form theorems back on Earth could be recreated in an ether-rich environment.


    Except for James and Frank, the thirteen other assistants were full of doubts. It waspletely different from the elementalboratory in their impressions -- there was no elemental atmosphere suffocating theboratory; no magic; no explosions; just simple devices that even mere mortals can use.


    Adam was a good talker in normal times, but he became a total tyrant in theb. Some expressed their doubts to Adam, but they were all brushed away by Adam. He simply asked them day after day, over and over again to do their empirical work and record every tiny change in the data.


    They had absolutely no idea how slight changes in data had anything to do with magic.


    They had no absolutely no idea the purpose of making a container that can store electricity; they had absolutely no idea the purpose of making a mithril cirction channel for electricity; they didn''t know why they had to observe how apass reacts when electricity is passed through it.


    There were many more puzzling experiments like this, but Adam was obsessed with every single change in data. Five months passed just like this.


    The Mage Continent is a high-magic environment, whiches from the joint efforts of countless mages making the inert ether active. However, for Adam, this ether wasn''t enough for him to verify his theories. He spent a huge amount of power stones to purchase an Ether Environment Generator, and threw in a few ether crystals without the slightest hesitation in the stunned eyes of everyone.


    "Adam, what are you...?" Korver stammered.


    For these apprentices, the ether crystals were simply too hard for them to obtain for their capabilities. For some apprentices, this was the first time they saw ether crystals as well. They couldn''t imagine that Adam would simply throw away ether crystals as if it was nothing into the generator.


    Adam set a timer on the generator and warned, "Now, I want all of you to shield yourself as much as possible using your psychic power. In three minutes, the ether levels in thisboratory will be extremely high. If you feel dizzy, you may exit theboratory and rest. Next, record all the changes of each value on the instruments. Every. Single. One."


    Hearing his warning, everyone hurriedly started to stack psychic barriers on top of one another, feeling a little excited. Maybe, they would finally know the purpose of Adam''s experiments over the past few months.


    Soon, the generator began to inject invisible ether into theboratory. Everyone, including Adam, started to have difficulty breathing. Their mental power began to riot uncontrobly, and the magic power poured into their psychic barriers like a mountain.


    Under Adam''s guidance, they methodically started the experiment. During this period, some apprentices were forced to leave theboratory as they couldn''t handle the etheric pressure. They returned after they recovered, starting the experiment again in a race against time.


    For two days, even though Adam''s body was corroded by magic, he never left hisboratory. He simply stared at every collected data intently, and made high-speed calctions and conclusions in his mind.


    Just as his body was about to copse, he sessfully managed to verify that his data was also valid in an ether-rich environment. As soon as he turned off the generator, an amazing change urred in Adam...

 Chapter 91

    Adam was suspended in a ray of light, and the ray of light forcibly ejected the devil out of Adam''s mind -- the runes surrounding Adam''s soul emerged from his body, constantly shing an iridescent glow under the light. Adam''s aura permeated the room, and everyone in theboratory couldn''t help but back away, staring at Adam with utter awe.


    "No way, is he... is he about to be promoted... to a Mage...?" an apprentice muttered.


    "I''m used to it," the devil said dizzily. "This isn''t the first time Master is promoting to a mage, after all."


    "This isn''t the first time? What do you mean?" Korver asked.


    The devil nodded and boasted, "Yup! Master is a genius, so it''s easy for him to get promoted, of course, with the help of me, Garfield, the great..."


    Another burst of light interrupted the devil, and everybody in theb fled from theb, being repelled by the sheer magic radiating off Adam. At the same time, the perception device specifically equipped for Adam began to sound the rm.


    Dean Victor was abruptly awoken from deep meditation and eximed, "This fast?"


    The Dean has the highest authority in the Academy, right below the owner of the Tower. Hence, he could freely phase and teleport to any part of the Academy in a moment''s notice. However, he usually would not do this, instead choosing to go by foot. But Adam is about to be promoted, so he had no time for formalities.


    The devil was bragging about their great achievements to the apprentices, but immediately lowered his head upon seeing the person standing behind the apprentices, "Great Dean Victor."


    Everyone was stunned upon hearing the devil''s words, and immediately bowed in respect.


    The Dean didn''t have time to make small talk. If he didn''t suppress Adam''s promotion in time, the process would be irreversible.


    The Dean immediately mmed through the door, dispelling the magical lock ced on the door in an instant, but was surprised to see Adamying on the ground.


    "Good day, Your Excellency."


    "You..." the Dean stuttered. "You gave up on your promotion?"


    Adam nodded.


    "You do know that even if you ''identally'' promote, there aren''t any punishments, right? Why stop it?"


    Seeing Adam''s current state, the Dean was satisfied. Not many apprentices are willing to stick to the rules of a contract when ites to promoting themselves to be a Mage.


    "Starting next month, I''ll double yourb''s funding, at your discretion of course."


    Adam felt that the Dean had misunderstood something -- the reason why he suppressed his promotion was because he felt that he hadn''t actually achieved anything yet.


    Just by confirming a few simple rules regarding electricity, he could already promote. This confirmed that the Mage World wascking in knowledge in terms of electricity magic.


    In the past few months, Adam has only verified a few theorems, including Coulomb''s Law, Ampere''s Law, Joule''s Law, Oersted''s Experiment, etc. His biggest breakthrough was proving that there was a maic field around a current, and the current was generated by the motion of charges, so a maic field around an energized wire is essentially generated by moving charges.


    This wasn''t the knowledge he was seeking, but Adam couldn''t find a way toe up with another experiment. This time, he suppressed his promotion through sheer willpower -- if there was a next time, it would be irreversible, and he would lose the opportunity to be a battlemage and ascend to another level.


    However, the Dean increasing hisb''s fundings would be good. Besides, Adam isn''t stupid enough to reject free ether crystals.


    "Dean Victor, is there any... magic that mortals could use in the wizarding world?"


    The Dean didn''t know why Adam asked such a question. He pondered on the question for a moment and replied, "Absolutely not. Most of the mortals in the Mage Continent use power stones as their source of energy, and the energy in the power stone is drawn out using mental power. Besides, magic is harmful to a mortal -- mortals who work under mages usually do not live very long."


    With a single nce across theboratory, the Dean suddenly realised why Adam asked this question and added, "I understand what you mean -- you''re not the first to attempt to do such a thing, but the maniption of elements is still very dependent on magic."


    It seems that from the start, magic is separated from mere mortals.


    In ancient times, mages and mortals had a ve owner to ve rtionship. Mages would blindly abuse their ves to maximise productivity; in modern times ever since magic has beenmodified for apprentices and mages alike, there is no need for mere mortals to help out either.


    The body of a mortal man is too fragile,pletely copsing under an ether-rich environment. Hence, the Mage Continent is far from any human civilization.


    If it was in any other world, this hierarchical system would have copsed sooner orter, but a mage''s strength far surpasses any form of alien civilization, being able to simply ignore any natures of society. Besides, mortals will find a way to thrive regardless, and many more mages will be born among mortals. This means that mages need mortals, despite this rtionship being incredibly fragile.


    The most amazing thing? Nobody sees any downside to this.


    Mortals arepletely satisfied with their current state, despite the asionalints here and there. They enjoy the convenience brought by magic technology despite it whittling away at their lives, and mages happily use and manipte whatever results that the mortals record in exchange for some benefits.

 Chapter 92

    "Then, if I can create a safe and harmless energy source that is independent from magic, and can be safely manipted by a mortal, is it worth promoting to be a mage?"


    "You must mean electricity magic," the Dean pondered. "If you are able to do so, then it will be useful. However, think about it -- is it worth it? If you ask me, I''m not very optimistic."


    To a mage, whatever mortals do represents inefficiency, so most qualified mages will not pay attention to whatever mortals give them. What mages really need are ether crystals, as well as obtaining resources from other worlds.


    However, Adam doesn''t think that way. Magic and technology should have the same goal, so the development of technology should not begging behind magic.


    The humans back on Earth are weak with a limited life span, as well as possessing the inability to directly transform their knowledge into technology, which means that technology would develop at a slow rate. However, human imagination knows no bounds, and there are many unfinished prototypes for terrifying, world-ending weapons, all of which are impossible to produce.


    For example, Adam could recall prototypes for an electromaic gun, positive electron guns, sma guns.


    In the Mage World, Adam predicts that mages can already achieve this. For example, with gravity magic, he predicts that mages are able to summon artificial ck holes.


    However, Adam had nothing to argue with the Dean. If he had no evidence to prove his theories, then it is all superficial.


    The Dean smiled and encouraged Adam, "Of course, if you are able to do it, I''ll support you wholeheartedly. The Tower won''t be stingy with their rewards either."


    After bidding the Dean farewell, Adam announced to his assistants, "You are all granted a few days of rest. After five days, we will begin a new experiment."


    The high-intensity experiments conducted over thest few months has effectively tired everyone out, but nobody had the heart to leave. Frank scooted over to Adam and asked aloud, "What happened just now?"


    Everyone was concerned with what happened moments ago. They really wanted to know what Adam is about to research.


    Adam thought for a while -- the core theory could not be published at the moment, but letting them see the effect would boost their confidence greatly, so he walked out of theb for the first time in several months.


    As soon as he walked out, he found that Elliott was approaching. Ever since the apprentice bar incident, Adam has not seen his friend. On the flip side, Elliott knew Adam was conducting important experiments, and didn''t want to bother him.


    "Adam, my friend!" Elliott eximed, running towards Adam with open arms.


    Adam formed a new psychic barrier, surrounding his psychic barrier with electricity, and a maic field revolved around Adam.


    Elliott abruptly stopped in front of Adam.


    "Man," Elliot sighed. "We haven''t seen each other in so long, can''t we be a little more intimate?" he pouted. He then curiously poked at Adam''s barrier and looked at him.


    "This is my new mage ''armor''," Adam simply said.


    "Have you given up on electricity magic? You aren''t a lost cause after all," Elliott smiled with relief, thinking that Adam had given up on the dead-end that is electricity magic.


    "No," Adam shook his head. "This is the result of my research -- the maic field."


    The devil peeked from behind Adam and turned into a human form, hugging Elliott, "Elliott, you must know that my master was almost promoted to a qualified mage just moments ago, and he suppressed it!"


    Elliot sneered and yfully pped the devil, "Garfield, you''re still as talkative as ever -- besides, that''s ridiculous! There is no way Adam would promote this easily, right James?"


    Elliott''s face fell upon seeing James shake his head, and James exined, "No, Elliott. It''s true. Adam suppressed the promotion all on his own. The Dean himself confirmed it."


    James'' emotions were all over the ce. He wasted his life just to be a qualified mage, but Adam, who was only a quarter of his age, voluntarily gave up the opportunity to be a mage.


    "My friend, you..."


    Elliot stared at Adam in shock, words being unable to form in his mouth. He had just manufactured a new toxin, feeling affirmed in his path. He was full of joy and wanted to share the joy with his friends, but now, he learnt that Adam has the ability to be a qualified mage!


    "My theories aren''t even perfect, so I didn''t expect a promotion so soon," Adam admitted.


    Elliott sighed in frustration, not wanting to speak. Adam being a genius should be no surprise to him.


    Once Adam led everyone outside, he showed off his new magic in front of everyone.


    He stretched his arms outwards, and electricity crackled out of his body, and a maic field spread within a radius of 100 metres with him as the centre.


    Due to his iplete theory, Adam is still unable to freely retract and expand the maic field. He wasn''t able to fully control the maic field either, but it was enough to shock everyone.


    Within the field, everyone within the maic field couldn''t control their bodies, and all of their perceptive abilities were thrown into chaos.


    "Help, what''s going on?!" some apprentices shouted in panic. Only Elliott and some other people were able to resist this with their magic.


    Adam dissipated the field and everyone looked at Adam with frightened eyes.


    Adam ignored them, conjuring the maic field again and stomped on the ground. Countless metal particles rose from the ground and immediately formed various metal weapons. With a single swipe of his hand, the metal weapons were disyed in front of the apprentices.


    Everyone looked at the weapons suspended before them in fear, raising their psychic barriers. They had no doubt that these weapons could kill them.

 Chapter 93

    "What kind of magic is this...?" Although everyone knew that Adam wouldn''t kill them, the apprentices couldn''t control their panic after seeing the metal weapons conjured before them.


    Adam didn''t answer them and instead dposed the metal particles into a metal cluster. He then sent out a blue-white electric current in front of him to simte a gun barrel. With Adam''s control, the metal cluster rotated at a high speed and shot out of the barrel into the sky.


    Adam simted the electromaic gun, but it was only partly sessful since his theories were iplete. In terms of power, though, it is stronger than lightning sts shot out of his fingers, but the channelling time is simply too long.


    Elliott and the apprentices were blown away by Adam''s mastery over electromaism, and watched as a white cyclone formed not far away from the gun barrel. They could not imagine what would happen to them if they were hit by magic like this.


    Adam finished his demonstration, proving that he was able to control the unstable nature of electricity.


    The alchemy puppets had already surrounded Adam due to themotion. After proving his identity and payingpensation for the monument he destroyed, Adam simply nodded to his assistants and walked towards theb.


    The apprentices dispersed after silently looking at each other.


    James and Frank didn''t leave to enjoy their break. They went back to theb together to look for Adam, and handed over all the questions that they had collected from Adam''s assistants about meditation in the fast few months.


    Adam absentmindedly answered the questions one by one, and the two understood that Adam was simply zoning out while answering. After recording the answers down, they couldn''t help but ask, "Adam, what''s on your mind?"


    Adam suddenly fired an electric orb at them, instantly prating through their psychic barrier. They knew Adam would not do this for no reason and looked at Adam curiously.


    "How''s the power?"


    "It''s not bad," James said. "It surpasses most low-levelled apprentice magic."


    "What if mortals are able to wield this kind of magic?"


    The two were stunned at Adam''s words, "How is that possible? This is magic, and we all know that mortals aren''t able to withstand the pressure of magic!"


    "And what if I told you they don''t need to use magic?"


    The two fell silent. They had never thought about such a situation. No matter how powerful humans or knights were, they were still vulnerable to magic, but what would happen if they were able to harness the power of magic?


    James hesitated for a moment, "If what you said is true, then... wouldn''t it be threatening to ordinary apprentices? Even then, they are still like ants in the face of mages."


    Adam nodded, acknowledging James'' concern. The gap in power between mages and mortals is crushing, and he used electricity to conjure an image of a firearm and erected a test target. Electricity violently shot out of the muzzle and hit the target, and Adam continued, "The more I research, the more powerful this magic gets, but the difficulty of use decreases. You don''t need the knowledge to cast this magic, you don''t even need to conjure any runes -- all you have to do is pull the trigger."


    "How could a mortal ever be stronger than an apprentice?"


    James and Frank felt uneasy in their hearts, and realised that if what Adam said bes reality, then ordinary people would be as strong as apprentices without even learning about meditation.


    Adam was sure this was bound to happen.


    The Mage World is dominated by magic, and the convenience that magic brings would naturally disregard the power of technology. Adam could easily create steam engines and various gunpowder weapons, but it would be useless. Not to mention that steam engines can easily be replicated by magic, and gunpowder weapons wouldn''t even phase knights.


    However, if Adam was able to pass this hurdle, then humans would be able to greatly fill the gap between magic and technology, enhancing the role that mortals have in this world.


    If Adam could pull off this feat, there will be huge benefits.


    ...


    Adam''s next subject was Frank.


    In the past few years, Frank''s economic situation has greatly improved, but for some reason, he didn''t choose to rece his body with more advanced mechanical parts, still opting for his crude and old mechanical body. Even though psychic powers can help to mitigate the pain caused by his old body, recing his body would greatly improve his efficiency, as well as save his power stones.


    The energy contained in power stones are used to fuel his body, and it''s weaker than magic. However, it still corrodes his human body the same way magic does.


    Apprentices are able to avoid this ''corrosion'' since they use mental power to direct magic instead of their body, but Frank isn''t able to, since his body is exposed to magic day and night.


    "Do you know that you have a big problem with your body?" Adam asked Frank, who was lying in the observation device.


    "Am I dying?" Frank moved. "Magic is corroding my body after all."


    Adam nodded, conjuring several images recording his physical condition, "You are slowly dying, and your body isn''t able to cope. If you continue to use this body, you only have ten years at most."


    "Plus, your organs aren''t working as well as they used to."


    Frank sighed, motioning for Adam to move aside, "You''re right, but I have no choice."

 Chapter 94

    Adam wasn''t interested in asking Frank why and suggested, "If you are willing to be my test subject, I can help you rece your old mechanical body for a high quality one, and the expenses will all be covered by me. However, I cannot guarantee the sess of this transformation -- it may work wonderfully, or it might..."


    "Kill me?"


    "Or worse," Adam shook his head.


    "Using your new research, I presume."


    "Yeah."


    Frank swept his entire body with mental body, feeling exhausted and ufortable.


    Adam wasn''t in a hurry to get an answer. Even if Frank disagreed, he could make a mechanical body by himself, and as for a test subject, he could just buy a ve. The reason why he chose Frank was because he stuck around for a long time, so Adam wanted to reward him.


    And there is still a lot of preparations to be done before the transformation, since some sophisticated alchemy equipment needs to be purchased first.


    "Think about it. Give me your answer in three days," Adam said before turning around to leave.


    However, before Adam left, he could hear Frank say, "I agree."


    Adam turned his head and said, "Make your choice wisely. Come to my officeter to sign a contract and you can choose which mechanical body you want."


    ...


    Next, Adam walked out of theboratory and turned a few corners,ing to Mage Jino''s alchemyboratory.


    Adam simply entered theboratory without needing verification.


    Instead of alchemy puppets, Adam saw several apprentices helping out in theboratory. Adam didn''t know who they were, but they all looked at Adam with strange eyes.


    Adam didn''t know about it, but he was the only apprentice who has aboratory in the Elemental Laboratory Building. This made a lot of apprentices jealous of him, but they were still aware of his poor reputation, so they didn''te to him looking for trouble.


    "Mage Jino is waiting for you inside," a female apprentice came to Adam and spoke, leading the way.


    Adam thanked her and walked towards Mage Jino''s office, but he could hear the jeers of several apprentices saying, "I don''t know what the Approval Department is thinking, letting an apprentice set up his own elementalboratory at will -- they are wasting their time and funds!"


    "Quiet, maybe he has some talent that we don''t know."


    "I don''t believe it. He must have deceived the mages."


    The female apprentice who led the way looked back at Adam with an embarrassed face and said softly, "Please don''t mind them..." she didn''t know who Adam was, but if he was able to set up his ownboratory, then he must be very powerful.


    Adam didn''t care though.


    Most of the apprentices were using psychic powers to conduct their experiments, which was created by Adam. They havee to despise the creator who has allowed them to perform these experiments.


    The experiments they were conducting were full of metal elements. If Adam wanted to, he could easily kill them all in an instant, but Adam wouldn''t do it. Resorting to force will only make Adam feel guilty for a human emotion expressed by these apprentices.


    "Lead the way."


    The female apprentice sighed a breath of relief. After leading him into the depths of theboratory, she pointed Adam to Mage Jino''s room and left.


    The door opened automatically, and Mage Jino beckoned Adam toe in.


    Adam greeted Mage Jino, and he smiled, "How does it feel to be jeered at from the apprentices? I thought you were going to kill them."


    Obviously, nothing can be hidden from the eyes and ears of a Mage, and Mage Jino''s tone was full of ridicule.


    As a qualified mage, he knows the importance of Adam''s presence, since Adam is prone to promotion.


    Adam shook his head and said nothing about it, and Mage Jino didn''t pry further.


    "You shouldn''t concern yourself with small fry like them, since they have to go through the processes via stupidity to wisdom, so a small lesson shouldn''t hurt them," Mage Jino advised. Adam was already on equal footing to him.


    "So, what brings you here?"


    Adam was already prepared, and took out a piece of paper from his portable space. On the paper, he listed various instruments that he wanted to order, including ultra-precision machine tools, micro-mechanical arms and other instruments that are incredibly precise, as well as an alchemy puppet.


    "Aren''t you researching on electricity?" Mage Jino said, scanning the list.


    Adam nodded and said, "Yes, Mage Jino, but I have some new ideas. If they can be implemented, they will soon produce results."


    "I heard from the Dean that you are constantly on the verge of promotion. If you want to participate in the trial for battlemages, it isn''t suitable for you to continue researching on electricity."


    Mage Jino thought Adam wanted to try something else and simply logged Adam''s orders. Besides, with the support from the Academy, Adam was allowed to do whatever he wanted. After logging his orders, Mage Jino said, "The fee will automatically be deducted from yourb''s ount. You may leave."


    Adam left, still ignoring the jeers from the apprentices and went straight back to hisb. Mage Jino was incredibly efficient, and in less than an hour, all of the things Adam ordered arrived outside hisboratory. Adam ordered the alchemy puppet to construct a new room to ce the new instruments, and asked Frank, who was sitting idly in theboratory, "Within three days, I hope you are prepared. We are going to separate from your existing parts, and it will be incredibly painful. I suggest you order some painkillers from Elliott ahead of time."


    "A new mechanical body?" James eximed, not knowing what was happening. "Frank, have you forgotten that your body can no longer withstand a recement body?!"

 Chapter 95

    "It''s okay," Frank muttered.


    "How can it be okay?!" James shouted. "Your body can''t endure this!"


    "Adam told me that my problem can be solved and the probability of sess is high," Frank said, leaving theboratory.


    James wanted to stop him, but let him leave. After watching Frank leave, he asked Adam, "Is what he said true? Are you very sure about it?"


    Adam simply nced at James without answering, and James sighed, "I understand." A risky operation like this alwayses with a risk of failure. If it works, it''ll be good for Frank. Better to do something than do nothing.


    ...


    The agreed three-day period has passed, and Frank did not return to theboratory. Theboratory''s assistants returned to theb after their vacation and continued Adam''s various experiments that they did not understand. After watching Adam''s disy of power, they had no moreints about the work.


    James was getting more and more anxious at Frank''s absence. Apprentices and mages are usually on time, so his absence must mean that something has happened to him.


    Just as he was about to go look for him, Frank came back.


    "Adam, sorry, but I seem to be in big trouble," Frank panted.


    "What happened? Is it rted to me?" Adam said, pausing his work.


    Frank nodded. If it was his own business, he would never think to bother Adam, but it seems that Adam has been roped in as well.


    The matter started three days ago -- The Moldo Tower had no way of making a mechanical body for Frank, so the only option was to head over to the City of Annecy, which is closer to the Holy Tower.


    After receiving some financial support from Adam, he took a portal over to the City of Annecy, and came to the shop where hest purchased a mechanical body.


    Annecy is a City of Mages, and most of the people who live and run the city are mages and apprentices. The owner of the mechanical body shop is a Level 2 Mage specializing in alchemy.


    The Mage working there found that Frank''s energy fluctuations were much stronger than before, and his body was surrounded by a strange energy, which can ease his pain. Besides, the Mage discovered that Frank was able to withstand magic, which caught his attention.


    After listening to Frank''s exnation regarding psychic power, he was amazed. He offered to help Frank obtain a better mechanical body and help him to neutralise the body''s rejection to observe the effect of psychic power, but Frank refused.


    "Sorry, Mage Morde, but I am simply here to buy a mechanical body. As for the instation and post-instation neutralization... somebody else will help me."


    "Who? Other than me, which other alchemist has this kind of prowess?"


    "Um... it''s my superior -- a new apprentice."


    After Frank exined it carefully, the Mage stood up angrily.


    "Are you out of your mind? You would rather trust this small fry than ept my help? Do you know howplicated it is to install a mechanical body? And you said he wants to transform the energy structure in the mechanical body?"


    Frank hesitated for a moment and lowered his head, "I''m really sorry, respected Mage Morde, but..."


    ...


    The devil''s chin was resting on the ground and said in disbelief, "So a Level 2 alchemist decided toe over here to find my master?"


    Frank''s mouth twitched in embarrassment, "Although it sounds unbelievable, it is the truth. He should have arrived by now."


    "Master, what should we do? Should we kill the mage and run away together?"


    Frank didn''t take the devil''s words seriously, but he felt ashamed, "Adam, I didn''t expect this to happen, I apologize, but I can''t change a mage''s will."


    Adam thought it was unbelievable too, but he guesses that the mage was simply bored and had nothing to do.


    Although it was a surprise, Adam wasn''t in a panic. After all, he was still in the Tower, so he wouldn''t be in danger.


    Just as Adam was about to speak, the door to hisboratory was knocked on, and the devil shuddered from head to toe.


    ...


    James opened the door and was stunned seeing Mage Jino at the door, "Good day. Respected Mage Jino, and you are...?"


    Before Mage Jino could speak, the unfamiliar man beside him bellowed, "Are you that arrogant little guy?" and a wave of mental power swept over his body. "Hmm... not you."


    Mage Jino smiled awkwardly and stepped forward to shield James, "Mage Morde, calm down. You are on Academy grounds, so watch yourself."


    Mage Morde waved his hand carelessly, "I know, I know! But I have the need to discipline a certain arrogant fellow, let him know to fear my knowledge and not just talk big."


    Adam heard everything as he walked out of his room. Although Mage Morde was angry, he never stepped foot into theboratory, so Adam was impressed.


    James retreated behind Adam and hurriedly whispered, "Adam, what have you gotten yourself into?! It seems like this Mage is going to teach you a lesson!"

 Chapter 96

    Mage Jino seemed relieved after seeing Adam and he hurriedly whispered to him, "This is the Level 2 Mage specializing in alchemy from the City of Annecy. Solve the problem between both of you quickly." He then walked away quickly as if he was trying to escape Mage Morde.


    Mage Morde was tall, with Adam only reaching his chest. Mage Morde snickered at Mage Jino''s words and reassured Adam, "There won''t be any issues. No matter what happens, I won''t hurt an apprentice."


    Adam nodded and politely invited him into theboratory, then motioned for James and the others to stay calm. He led Mage Morde and Frank into his living room.


    "Good day, Mage Morde," Adam greeted.


    Mage Morde studied Adam intently, his grumpy expression loosening, "Knowledge radiates from your body. You seem to be one of us."


    Adam wasn''t in the mood to entertain him and asked bluntly, "Mage Morde, what is your purpose foring here?"


    To other mages, Adam''s current attitude would be considered rude, but Mage Morde thankfully doesn''t care. Perhaps this is the difference between a Mage who works in the Tower and a free Mage living in the city, or perhaps Mage Morde considers Adam a mage.


    "You may have knowledge on you, but I can''t sense any talents of alchemy from you," Mage Morde stared. "You aren''t an alchemist, and yet, you dare to try and challenge my masterpiece?"


    Frank remained silent. He didn''t feel like he was qualified to speak at the moment.


    "Your Excellency," Adam paused. "We all know that a person cannot adapt to a mechanical body because their human body cannot resist against the corrosive effects of magic."


    Mage Morde snorted. This was public knowledge, but he remained silent.


    Adam produced a new mechanical body that Frank had bought, showcasing the continuous flow of metal and runes imprinted on it, "I am deeply fascinated by alchemy -- I have no intention of trying to challenge or alter your expertise due to myck of knowledge."


    Mage Morde nodded, and Adam continued, "Although apprentices have mastered the ability to use magic, they are still mortals in essence, and this..." Adam raised a finger, letting electricity flow gently from his finger. "...this can be used by mortals safely."


    "Electricity magic?" Mage Morde eximed, not being able to keep silent anymore. "Even if it has nothing to do with magic, mortals would surely sumb to the corrosive effects. Moreover, what does this have to do with my masterpiece?"


    Adam was silent. This was indeed a problem, since he has yet to carry out his next experiment. However, he couldn''t, because he knew that he would be promoted to a mage if he did. Hence, he could only show it in an inefficient way.


    Adam took out a simple battery from his portable space and handed it to Mage Morde, "So far, my research only brings me to this, but this thing can store a certain amount of electricity, and it ispletely independent from magic."


    Mage Morde suspiciously studied the battery. With a snap of his finger, the battery disintegrated in his hand, and electricity burst out across the room.


    He let out a silent breath, realising what Adam said was true and asked, "What is this?"


    "A battery."


    "This is incredible," Mage Morde said, silent for a moment. "But to a Mage, this doesn''t mean much..." he paused, because Adam said that he wanted to redesign a mechanical body suitable for apprentices.


    Adam smiled and exined, "You''re right. However, mortals upy a huge part of this world as well."


    Mage Morde was shocked. For the longest time, mages have ignored mortals -- they were weak, vulnerable, and inefficient. However, if Adam''s research was fruitful, wouldn''t mortals be beneficial to mages?


    Thinking of this, his views on Adam changed drastically, but forcibly cut off his thoughts. The Tower wouldn''t allow it, the Guardian wouldn''t allow it, the True Spirit Mage Council wouldn''t allow it...


    "Can I see how you n on altering the body?" Mage Morde asked.


    Adam was stunned, not expecting him to make such a request. He hesitated for a moment and replied, "Of course, but I need a contract formed first."


    Adam did this to ensure that his altered work would not be stolen, otherwise he would lose out on the benefits. Mage Morde agreed without hesitation, "But of course! Let''s invite the Tower''s master as a witness, then."


    Mage Morde swiftly left theb, and Frank spoke up silently, "Adam, this seems troublesome. I think you should just give up on this, give up on me."


    Adam stared at him and said, "This has nothing to do with you, plus, this isn''t a bad thing. Prepare yourself, I''ll start the experiment soon, and it''ll be incredibly painful."


    Frank left nervously.


    Adam didn''t think it was a bad thing that Mage Morde would join in this experiment. Besides, the machines he had just ordered were veryplicated, so it was good that someone experienced could help him out.


    ...


    The next day, the Dean materialised in Adam''sboratory to meet with him and Mage Morde.


    "You really are full of surprises. I didn''t expect your research on electricity would extend to alchemy," the Deanmended. It seems that Mage Morde had already discussed the premises of the experiment with the Dean yesterday.


    The Dean produced a contract made of light and announced, "Sign this contract, which is bound to the will of the Tower. If you vite any terms of the contract, expect to be punished by the will of the Mage World."

 Chapter 97

    Adam didn''t need to read the contract. A contract made by a mage should contain no loopholes, anyways.


    "Sign the contract?" a clear voice sounded in his mind. Adam confirmed his choice and the contract was embedded in his soul.


    "The contract is established," the Dean confirmed. "Mage Morde, you are now a witness to Adam''s experiment. As a reminder, everything in this experiment belongs to Adam, so you cannot im co-ownership."


    "I agree," Mage Morde bowed.


    Dean Victor nodded, then nced at Adam with a worried, but neutral face before leaving.


    After the Dean left, Mage Morde sighed in relief and chuckled, ""So, when will your experiment start? Can I take a look in your experiment room?"


    Adam didn''t know why the Dean stared at him so intently, as if he was trying to warn him of something. After hearing Mage Morde''s request, he snapped out of his thoughts and replied quickly, "Of course, follow me."


    Once they entered the experiment room, Mage Morde frowned and said, "These machines are too simple. How could you possibly make a good body using these... things?"


    Just as Adam was about to reply, Mage Morde waved him off, "I know, I know, but if it were me, I wouldn''t be using these."


    Mage Morde lifted his arm, shifting all of Adam''s equipment to a corner of the room. With a snap of his finger, a lot of equipment materialised in the room, and all of the equipment was most definitely high-endpared to Adam''s.


    "There we go," Mage Morde smiled.


    "Master," the devil whispered in Adam''s mind. "I don''t feel good about this guy..."


    "So," Mage Morde said, hands on his hips. "How do you like my babies? Not to worry, I''ll teach you how to use them. This experiment of yours will go swiftly with my help."


    "I sense an evil aura from him," the devil muttered.


    Adam was pondering on the devil''s words, but Mage Morde thought Adam was shocked by these high-end equipment andughed, "You must like them -- these are very valuable, so unfortunately, I can''t give them to you. However, if your research is sessful, then you''ll be able to get equipment like mine."


    "I hope so," Adam answered absentmindedly. "Let''s start."


    Mage Morde nodded excitedly and motioned for Adam to set up.


    After walking out of theboratory to retrieve some tools, the devil materialised beside Adam and gestured towards theb, "Master, that mage does not have good intentions. I smell greed radiating from him."


    Adam felt this way too, but he didn''t know what Mage Morde''s intentions were. Theoretically, he is protected under the contract, unless he has a way to bypass the contract.


    ...


    Adam took the devil''s warning to heart, and was prepared in case Mage Morde wanted to betray him. Before leading Frank into theboratory, Adam fiddled with his Soul Perception Device, in case anything went wrong.


    Mage Morde didn''t realise what Adam was doing and simply asked, "Do you want to separate him from his existing mechanical body?"


    Adam simply nodded, then ordered Frank to enter the life support device. The device looks like an astronaut''s capsule -- alchemists developed this capsule to ensure the person within it remains alive. Adam needed this device as Frank was too fragile, and Adam needed to ensure that Frank would survive.


    Frank was nervous, injecting a mysterious liquid into his arms. He was instantly paralyzed, and his nerves were sluggish. He nodded to Adam and murmured, "I''m ready."


    Mage Morde simply stood by the capsule and stared at Frank intently.


    As Frank fell into a state of unconsciousness, Adam started to loosen the connection between his mechanical body and his flesh. However, his mechanical body was still circting as if they had never been separated.


    "It''s fascinating, isn''t it?"


    Adam ignored Mage Morde, conjuring a high-intensity maic field within the capsule. A few secondster, five electromaic scalpels were suspended within the capsule under Adam''s psychic control.


    Originally, Adam thought he could numb Frank''s pain by keeping him in control of his electromaic field, but found that he was unable to conjure two fields at once.


    The next step is to separate every blood vessel, every nerve, and every tissue in his mechanical body.


    "So, how are you going to transform it?" Mage Morde asked. "Do you need my help?"


    Adam nced at Mage Morde, turning the device off, "Mage Morde, is there any... specific things I need to look out for in this mechanical body? Perhaps something you haven''t disclosed to the public?"


    Adam needed to word this perfectly. Most mechanical bodies are free from any bindings, which means that anyone could disassemble or experiment on it. However, Frank bought this body from Mage Morde, so it is impossible to guarantee that it is free from this exclusivity. It is a felony to spy on others'' research without a Mage''s explicit permission.


    Mage Morde cursed in his heart and replied begrudgingly, "There is."


    He didn''t expect an apprentice to be so cautious. If Adam didn''t ask this question, he would be able to im Adam''s research as his own.


    He took the mechanical body from Adam''s hands and swiped his fingers throughout the structure, pointing out, "These nerves are constructed using runes that I developed."


    "Master!" the devil shouted in Adam''s mind. "This is his conspiracy!"

 Chapter 98

    If Adam didn''t ask this question and continued with the experiment, then Mage Morde could attack Adam for intruding on his research, then coerce Adam into crediting Mage Morde topensate for this ''loss''.


    Mage Morde had already nned this out. If he used this reason to defend himself, then the Tower wouldn''t be able to defend Adam.


    However, because of Adam''s question, his n was shattered into a million pieces.


    Adam simply stared at him and asked, "Do you agree to disclose this technology to me? I''ll pay for it."


    "Well..." Mage Morde breathed. "It''s not that I can''t, but..."


    The devil scoffed, "This is probably the dumbest mage I''ve ever seen."


    Adam didn''t give him a chance to negotiate and continued, "If you don''t want to, I''ll just ask you to point out what you didn''t disclose."


    Mage Morde knew that if he didn''t disclose this information, then Adam would ask him to leave theboratory. He could only force himself to smile, "What do you mean by that? Of course I can disclose it! Here, let me restore the body to its basic structure and remove my knowledge from it."


    The devil couldn''t help but sneer. They could tell Mage Morde was still trying to betray Adam.


    Adam handed the mechanical body to him, and with a single swipe across the body, the unique rune structure of the body dissipated.


    Adam took it without hesitation, restoring the basic structure back to the body for consistency.


    Next, Adam asked Mage Morde how to operate his equipment.


    Adam ced the mechanical body into arge instrument and hovered over to the console.


    The screen disyed on the console was divided into several parts, magnifying every structure of the mechanical body, and Adam focused his attention on the energy circuit of the body.


    This circuit is made of magical metal. He took out some power stones and ced them into the instrument, then stimted his mental power to run the mechanical body.


    The instrument began to doplex work, and the power stones began to dpose, converting its energy into the body, thus fuelling the bodily functions of the mechanical body.


    Mage Morde had calmed down and exined, "The energy circuit is the most basic structure of the mechanical body. Compared to the other parts, it isn''t particrly precise, but it is the most important. If you want topletely rece it, you must know the runes of which it applies to."


    Adam turned to the other end of the instrument and instructed him, "Help me maintain the stability of the mechanical body."


    Mage Morde was stunned. Was Adam really treating him as ackey?


    However, he couldn''t refuse Adam. After all, it was his own request to help Adam out.


    "I''ll stimte the circle with electricity and observe the effects. If there is any sign of overloading magic, please help me maintain it."


    ...


    The researchsted for a whole week, but Adam did not sleep a wink while continuing the experiment. However, Mage Morde couldn''t help butin, despite not daring to back away from the experiment.


    In the past seven days, Adampletely regarded him as an assistant. Resentment bottled up in Mage Morde''s heart, and he couldn''t wait to st Adam into oblivion.


    The life support device could only guarantee Frank''s most basic bodily functions, but his already hollowed-out body couldn''t stay in such a state for any longer. Adam decided to help Frank attach a basic version of the mechanical body to help him adapt to it, before attaching a more advanced version of the body.


    Seven days wasn''t enough for Adam to understand the rune structure behind the energy circuit, so Adam chose a rough method, building the energy circuit using his knowledge back on Earth, using the battery as a power source, then covering the mechanical body with various wires.


    "Mage Morde, refine these mithril into silk threads of about 0.5 square millimetres to ensure conductivity," Adam ordered.


    Mithril and silver were excellent conductors of energy, but mithril was able to conduct magic and elemental magic as well. Although Adam requires a narrow cross-section, its electricity carrying capacity was veryrge, which was enough to fully support the mechanical body.


    Adam distributed the wires ording to the specified orientation on the projection in the centre of theb, then recorded them in the simtor to ensure it would work well. Using the battery as a power source, it began to transmit electricity along the wires to every part of the body.


    "Neural circuits, normal."


    "Simted organs, normal."


    "Stress response, normal."


    "Force transmission, normal."


    Transforming the mithril into wires was nothing to Mage Morde. Hepleted the task in an instant, then watched Adam working attentively. He couldn''t help feeling that Adam is really seeding in this experiment while his own research was ignored by all the mages.


    He was still very proud of the instruments and equipment that he developed, since he fixed a recording function into his equipment. Once he left the Academy, all he needed to do was let the recorder y and he could...


    "Analysisplete. Bodily functions are all normal."


    Adam breathed a sigh of relief at the sess of the simtion, then ced the mechanical body back into the instrument, recing all the energy circuits with wires instead.


    "Did you seed?" Mage Morde asked.


    Adam nodded, then turned around to delete all the experiment''s process and data in the device.


    Mage Morde could hear his own vein snapping, squeezing the mithril in his hand into nothing.


    Adam was on guard, but showed no change in his emotion. He simply turned his head and requested, "Mage Morde, the next step is to connect this mechanical body to Frank, so I need your help."


    He was furious, but his expression was normal. So what if you delete all of the records, he thought to himself. You cunning apprentice, you will pay for your arrogance towards me!

 Chapter 99

    On the top floor of the Moldo Tower, two people were monitoring the situation in theboratory closely.


    One of them was the Dean, and the other was a little girl, holding a huge apple in her hand and munching at it. Every time a bite was taken out of the apple, the apple would regenerate immediately.


    This little girl is the mere disguise of a mage much stronger than Dean Victor; his own body miniscule under her own.


    "Tower Master, seems like the final experiment is about to begin."


    A gust of wind blew across the room.


    "I don''t know if Adam was able to understand my discreet warning. Should we really not intervene?"


    A gust of wind caressed the Dean.


    "I guess you''re right, but it''s your call."


    The wind grabbed at the Dean''s arm.


    "No, no, I''m not ming you, but I think Adam has proven his potential, so I don''t think there''s any need to put him at risk..."


    Nobody knows how the Dean was able to understand the Tower Master, also known as Moldo''s transdimensional mage. However, this was how the twomunicated. The soft wind stopped, and the Tower Master spoke, "Shut up."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Adam''sboratory, Mage Morde smiled and asked, "So, how is it?"


    Energy was coursing through Frank''s body, and Adam said, "I''ll do my best to maintain the stability of his body, as for the final instation and docking of the body, I need your help."


    Mage Morde was handed the mechanical body and he lowered his gaze that was filled with rage. This was the first time he was instructed and ordered around, but he endured it -- this was the final step, after all. During the instation process, he recorded the process in his mind; as long as he could return to Annecy, then he could develop it, im it as his own.


    Mage Morde stretched out his arm into the device, his arm instantly transforming into a fine mechanical arm. The mechanical body was swiftly fused into Frank''s body.


    In the hands of a mage, the job was done easily and quickly, and Frank didn''t even feel any pain from it.


    After the body was installed, Adam took out a battery and ced it into the circuit, and Frank''s mechanical body was full of life.


    Mage Morde stared at Frank in amazement, seeing Frank''s body start to tremble with life, "Wonderful, amazing! Fantastic experimenting, Adam, but unfortunately, it seems that I have to hurry back to Annecy, I have a..."


    "Sorry, Your Excellency," Adam stopped him. "But you can''t leave now."


    "Excuse me?"


    "I''ll repeat since you didn''t hear me the first time -- you can''t leave. Not until you agree to sign another contract stating that you would not copy my work."


    "Hah," Mage Morde let out augh. "It seems that you forget that I am a mage and I''m sure you know the consequences of offending a mage like me. Perhaps I should teach you a lesson for your arrogance!"


    He didn''t expect Adam to cover every single loophole, and he decided to use this as an excuse to finally kill him. He raised a finger and shot out a barrage of metal towards Adam''s brain, using his other hand to hold Adam in ce.


    However, Adam''s expression remained calm and smiled mockingly.


    "Go to hell!" both of them yelled.


    As soon as they yelled, everything in theboratory froze; Frank was frozen in ce, the instruments no longer working, and the barrage of metal was mere centimetres away from Adam''s head.


    The room turned a dark grey.


    Adam tried to break free, finding that the magic binding him shattered like ss.


    "There aren''t many frencing mages and they aren''t very popr for many reasons," a voice sounded behind Adam.


    Adam saw a mass of bright red.


    "I guess you could regard them as some kind of antimage -- they gatekeep their own knowledge, and do everything in their power to obtain other knowledge, going to lengths of theft and murder," the voice continued. "Usually, this doesn''t vite any rules, but he tried to kill you after you covered every loophole, so we had a reason to intervene."


    "The Great Transdimensional Mage," Adam whispered.


    "Look up."


    Her voice contained power that Adam couldn''t resist.


    Her face was difficult to describe, as if his own brain was erasing any information about her, but a big apple hung off of her.


    "You are knowledgeable, being able to heed the Dean''s warning," the voice sounded. "The Dean must have told you that my research is in a bottleneck state, coupled with my dwindling resources. I thought I would never advance, but I didn''t expect that to change because of an apprentice."


    "You''ve won the prize," Adam whispered back.


    The voice chuckled and replied, "I''m notplimenting you -- this is a fact. Your meditation research has given me more power, and the crystal skeleton you brought back benefited me greatly, and this," a finger pointed towards Frank, "This experiment will bring great fame to our Tower."

 Chapter 100

    "Fame?"


    "Funnily enough, true to your research direction, the True Spirit Mages have always wanted to develop a way for ordinary mortals to have a role in the Mage World, and thanks to your research..."


    The Transdimensional Mage was unexpectedly chatty, Adam thought to himself.


    "Part of your research belongs to the Tower ording to the contract, but for your sake, I''ll let you choose -- cooperate with me, or publish your research independently," she said. "No matter what you choose, we won''t do anything to you, so rest assured."


    Adam chose to cooperate with her without any hesitation.


    He had no foundation in the Mage World, neither did he have the strength to protect his achievements. Someone stronger could easily steal his research, putting millions of lives at stake.


    Moreover, even though Adam was optimistic in his path of research, he wasn''t sure if it would really bring that much benefit.


    She nodded, "Wise choice. It seems that you are wise and not blinded by your own ventures -- the reason why the Mage World can traverse through time and space depends on the power of the Mage themselves; there are countless worlds out there, and there are millions of precious resources. If you are able to be a transdimensional mage, you will see that everything you valued before bes irrelevant."


    Adam nodded. Ever since he discovered that mages were able to traverse across time and space, he knew it was meaningless to be entangled in this single world. Every single world out there represents an inexhaustible resource.


    Adam gradually felt ufortable the longer the conversation went on; it seemed that he was having trouble taking in this information.


    She could tell that Adam was ufortable, and took a bite out of her apple. With a single crunch, the world returned to its colour and Adam was alone in the experiment room.


    She was no longer in front of him, neither was Mage Morde,pletely erasing the traces of his existence.


    The Dean appeared before Adam and asked, "Could you tell I was warning you back then?"


    "Yeah," Adam nodded. "And intuition."


    Adam was repeatedly analyzing the contract ever since that day and found that the contract was full of loopholes. It seems that this was a deliberate decision by the Dean to catch Mage Morde in the act.


    The Dean produced a new contract and ced it in front of Adam, "We are very optimistic about your research, but Jino''s research in alchemy alone isn''t enough. Fortunately for us, that idiot sent himself to our doorstep. Besides, the Tower Master and I have been monitoring your situation closely to ensure you weren''t in danger."


    Dean Victor swiped his hand across the air and a dimensional crack was formed before Adam. Within the crack was Mage Morde''s former possessions and the Dean suspended them before Adam, "Ancient mages like him have a habit, which is carrying things of value to them, be it their own knowledge, magic, or even precious equipment."


    As he spoke, the Dean''s magic surrounded the items. The ether crystals and all of Mage Morde''s equipment was pushed towards Adam. The Dean copied all of Mage Morde''s knowledge and passed a copy over to Adam.


    "With this, Jino will be promoted to a Level 2 Mage," the Dean smiled.


    Adam looked at this and asked, "Even though he died, are you sure it''s okay to steal his knowledge?"


    "Hah!" the Dean chuckled. "Of course it is! Did he not try to attack you within Academy grounds? This is the price he must pay."


    Adam was speechless, but in the end, this was good for him. Although he didn''t know how alchemy works, it wouldn''t hurt to have all of this equipment. Besides, he was sure that his research direction would ovep with alchemy at some point, so this knowledge would be great to have.


    Adam signed the contract which detailed that the Tower will bear all of the expenses of theb, taking 30% of the benefits generated from this research.


    Adam knew that he didn''t have to worry about funding forever.


    "Did the Tower Mastere to visit me specifically?" Adam asked suddenly. He couldn''t help but feel ttered.


    "No, but I guess she did," the Dean exined. "Thanks to you bringing her the crystal skeleton, she was able to locate the coordinates of the world where the god who tried to invade us resides in. If this goes well, you will have a share of the plunder."


    Adam was fascinated, imagining the process of a mage transcending through dimensions to enter another world.


    "Another thing," the Dean said before leaving. "After we leave for that world, a group of exchange students from the Monte Carlo Academy will be... visiting us, and I heard they have a few geniuses that are destined to be battlemages. Don''t disappoint us."


    Adam was stunned, "Didn''t we have a war with them? How dare they send their apprentices over!"


    "Well," the Dean snorted. "The Fifth Element Sacred Tower stated that the war ended and a peace period was established. However, this ''peace'' only applies to mages and not apprentices. They can''t let us nurture a genius like you, can they? Don''t fail us, Adam."

 Chapter 101

    "So, they''reing to kill us," Adam said after thinking for a bit.


    "It''s inevitable -- although it technically isn''t allowed, they wouldn''t really care about a few lives lost. As long as you do not overstep your boundaries, the mages on both sides will not bat an eye."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    The Dean smiled slyly, "We are hosting them, so it isn''t good to take the first step and kill them, but if the apprentices from Monte Carlo are being arrogant and hostile, don''t think too much about it and just kill them. The Tower Master will deal with youter."


    Adam nodded. Although it seemed that the war was stopped under Mage Santa''s Tower''s intervention, the aftermath of the war lingered between both parties.


    "Take this," the Dean took out a crystal and gave it to Adam.


    Adam found that the crystal had no mass, and the only reason why he was able to hold it was because of some form of magic.


    "What is this?"


    "The gift of the Tower Master," the Dean pouted. "This crystal acts as a seal, so you don''t have to worry about any sudden promotions. When you want to be promoted in the future, all you have to do is lift the seal, and you''ll be promoted immediately."


    "Plus," he continued. "In ancient times, this spell was considered taboo. Few people needed this back in the day."


    Adam understands what the Dean means. Apart from him, it is unlikely that anybody else would have to suppress their promotion. He stowed the crystal away safely in his portable space, thinking that it would be useful as a surprise tactic to fend against an antimage he may encounter in the future.


    The Dean watched as he stowed the crystal away and said, "Among the apprentices in Monte Carlo, two of them have found their path to promote. Don''t underestimate them -- if you''re able to, and a chance arises..."


    ...


    Shortly after the Dean left, Frank woke up from hisa. Adam was busy fiddling with the crystal, after embedding it into a ne he had just made using the equipment in theboratory. After hearing Frank rustle in his sleep, he raised his head and asked, "How do you feel?"


    Frank was still drifting in and out of reality, trying to sit up, but the weakness in his body made him slump back down.


    "Tired, hungry," he panted, attempting to move his muscles. "Weakened, but I feel less pain."


    Adam passed a tube of supplementary nutrients to him and ordered, "You have two days to test out your new body, if there is any problem, you must record it and let me know. If all goes well, we''ll debug the premium version of your body together."


    The transformation of energy in the mechanical body can be consideredplete -- the debugging is just to make the body more suitable for Frank, which was what Adam promised at first. As for why Frank feels weaker, it was because the energy supplied to the body was weaker than magic, which cannot be altered until Adam hits his next breakthrough.


    Next, Adam wanted to verify the feasibility of thew of electromaic induction in the Mage World. This is important, as it''ll open up a world of more advanced theories in the future.


    Adam wasn''t worried, because since his previous theories were applicable, then electromaic induction must either be the same, or at worst, in a different form.


    After leaving the surgery room, James, Korver, and the other assistants all stared at Adam. James was the first to speak, "Frank, is he... okay?"


    Adam nodded and pointed behind him, motioning James to see for himself. He then ordered Korver and the other assistants to prepare for the uing experiment, while he went back to his office to sort out everything else.


    ...


    Two dayster, Adam and Frank were about to begin the debugging of the body when Mage Jino knocked on the door.


    "Mage Jino? What''s the matter?" Adam asked.


    Mage Jino seemed to be in a really good mood, patting Adam''s shoulder affectionately, "Thanks to you, there is hope for my research -- the Dean asked me to help youplete the instation of the mechanical body."


    Adam was relieved, stepping aside to let Mage Jino enter, "I appreciate the help, but..."


    "Don''t worry," Mage Jino interjected. "This is good for me too. After all, even just by witnessing the experiment, I''ll be able to learn and understand the theory behind these mechanical bodies."


    In the past two days, Adam has seen the true legacy of Mage Morde. He was an alchemist specializing in mechanical bodies, but most of his knowledge wasn''t really applicable to Adam, so he just nced at it briefly and put it aside.


    However, it should be very useful for Mage Jino.


    Frank was relieved to see the presence of a qualified mage to facilitate the experiment. It wasn''t that he didn''t trust Adam, but he felt that it was more secure. After all, this experiment was life-or-death for him.


    Mage Jino paced around Adam''s surgery room, looking at the equipment with great interest and muttering words of amazement to himself. Adam was amused, and offered, "If you like it that much, you can move it to yourboratory."


    "No!" Mage Jino waved his hands. "It isn''t necessary. The Academy is already preparing the equipment for me, since, you know..."


    ''Must be nice talking to mages so informally,'' Frank thought to himself.


    Frank''s transformation went by smoothly. Unlike Mage Morde who was purposefully being inefficient while working, Mage Jino helped Adam out wholeheartedly, and the transformation only took three days toplete.


    After waking up, Frank felt an unprecedented sense offort settling in his body.


    Frank got up and immediately knelt down on one knee to Adam, conjuring a contract and holding it with both hands, "Adam, thank you for helping me, but I think I must leave yourboratory."


    Adam was busy sorting out his reports, but hearing that, he immediately raised his head and stared at Frank, "Huh?"

 Chapter 102

    "Because of my previous faulty body, my body is on the verge of death..."


    Adam instantly understood what he meant, gently taking the newly formed contract suspended in the air. He noticed that the contract stated that if Frank were to be a qualified mage, he would be Adam''s personal bodyguard unconditionally.


    Adam put the contract aside and eyed him, "So, what''s your n?"


    "I n to join Mage Jino''sboratory, either as a test subject or assistant. I want him to perform a full-body transformation for me."


    Adam looked at Frank with amazement. Transforming yourself into a robot? That''s amazing! However, it seemed too far-fetched to be true, so Adam asked, "Does the Academy even have this kind of technology?"


    Frank was silent for a bit before replying, "...I''m not sure. But I want to give it a try."


    Adam nodded and agreed to his request. Besides, he wasn''t short on assistants anyways. Frank deserves a second chance, rather than be stuck inside his ownboratory.


    Adam scribbled his signature on the contract and handed it back to Frank, smiling, "Good luck."


    ...


    Adam had originally thought that the Dean would begin traversing through other dimensions within a few days, but he found that he had greatly miscalcted the time scale for these immortals, and soon, ten years passed.


    The Tower had previously already entered a state of defence five years ago, so unqualified mages were not allowed to enter the Tower. Meanwhile, batches of materials were constantly being shipped from the Holy Tower.


    The base of the tower is separated from the tower''s body. Adam could sense that the tower was continuously morphing, and a silver, metal torrent was orbiting the tower, changing its shape constantly.


    "Have you ever seen a transdimensional mage go on an expedition before?" Adam asked Elliott as they were hanging out in the apprentice bar.


    Adam''s research had greatly benefited Elliott, as he was able to produce new toxins through electrolysis. Earlier this morning, Elliot had excitedly barged into Adam''sb, urging him toe drink with him and witness the start of the Tower''s expedition.


    "Hah! Of course not," Elliott replied while sipping on his wine. "I hadn''t even been born yet, but I heard that the previous expedition was what caused the recent war here between our Academy and the Monte Carlo Academy."


    "Oh?"


    "There are infinite worlds in the void, but the coordinates detected by the mages often sh together -- a new world means an almost endless supply of resources, so it is no surprise that mages want to call dibs on it. On thest expedition, the coordinates shed, but we managed to loot it first before Monte Carlo could. Of course, as you know, we lost the war they waged against uster on."


    Adam looked away for a moment. This means that Moldo''s transdimensional mage was not as strong as the Monte Carlo transdimensional mage, but Elliott said that we were able to snag the resources first... why did they wage a war when we were the first to enter the ne, then?


    Elliot saw Adam was deep in thought and continued, "Our Academy is under the Holy Tower''s protection after thest expedition. It''s not something for us to understand."


    As soon as his words fell, loud rumbling could be heard and felt outside the Academy. Everyone hurriedly rushed out the bar and came to the surface, and everyone watched as the Tower changed its shape and lifted itself into the sky.


    Time, space, and magic constantly intertwined with each other, surrounding the tower with indescribable brilliance.


    And soon, the towerpleted its transformation.


    "A spaceship..." Adam muttered.


    "What did you say?" Elliott asked.


    Adam didn''t answer him, watching as the tower morphed into a spaceship-like shape. The spaceship pointed straight towards the sky, and a huge dimensional crack was ripped through the air. The spaceship propelled upwards with magic and disappeared from the public eye almost immediately.


    Adam constantly daydreamed about how mages would traverse to other worlds, but none of it was simr to what he had just witnessed. He never thought that the Mage Tower would be used as a means of transportation!


    Elliott came close to Adam''s ear and whispered, "It''s amazing, isn''t it? This was invented by all the True Archmages -- I heard that when the tower reaches the other world, it will st a gap through its dimensional walls, and in there, they will create a hub that can be teleported to safely, and from then on, battlemages can sign contracts to join the war and plunder the world''s resources."


    "I don''t know when I''ll be promoted so I can join them, sadly enough," Elliot continued, sighing.


    Adam remained silent, desire brewing in his heart. Just a little bit more, and he''ll be promoted and qualified enough to join them.


    Meanwhile, at Santa''s Teleportation Tower, the Monte Carlo Academy received an order from their resident transdimensional mage. The apprentices and the leading mage of the Monte Carlo Academy stepped out of the portal leading to the Moldo Academy.


    Meanwhile, the remaining mages at Moldo addressed the crowd of apprentices and announced, "The exchange group from the Monte Carlo Academy will be arriving soon. If they provoke you, keep in mind that..."


    As the mage trailed off, Elliott patted Adam on the shoulder and whispered, "An exchange group? Did you know about this?"


    "Yeah, and I heard they are here to cause trouble."


    Elliott got worried, "I didn''t expect this to happen. Several of my enemies should still be alive."


    Adam returned his attention to the mage, who said, "I hope everyone will not let Moldo down. When necessary, don''t hesitate to kill them."


    The mage crushed several runes surrounding them, revealing their hideous, previously-shrouded face. Murderous auras emanated from them, indicating they lost something important in the war too. Adam whispered in Elliott''s ear and joked, "Well, you were able to defeat them before, surely you can defeat them again, right?"


    Elliott sighed, and replied, "I use poison, which means I have to be stealthy on my attacks, but how would the Tower possibly allow this? Are you saying the Academy would just... let me poison their food?"


    Adam looked at him weirdly, and Elliot mumbled, "Alright, alright, I admit it. Most of my previous words were just bragging."


    Cold sweat dripped down Elliott''s forehead, as he watched that the portal leading to their Academy fluctuated in and out of reality, "I hope I don''t recognise anyone -- I hope they''re all dead."

 Chapter 103

    Adam didn''t care for the new group of exchange apprentices to be honest.


    Adam patted Elliott on the shoulder and said, "I''m going back to myb, how about you?"


    Elliot shrunk and replied, "I want to see who steps out of the portal..."


    Adam simply ignored him and turned to leave.


    The Moldo Academy recruits apprentices every ten years. Thanks to Adam''s several achievements, many more apprentices were able to enrol sessfully thanks to his research. All of the apprentices consciously made way for Adam, and the apprentices who followed him were his assistants.


    The rest of the apprentices looked at them with envy. They knew that if an apprentice joined Adam''sboratory, they would never have to worry about power stones ever again.


    In the past ten years, thanks to Adam''s research on electricity, ordinary people inrge cities and viges were able to benefit from it, and Adam himself was offered huge benefits. Naturally, this meant he had a higher status among other apprentices.


    Now, an entire floor was dedicated to hisboratory in the Elemental Laboratory Building, which is alreadyrger than some qualified mages. Nearly a hundred apprentices were working for him, meticulouslypleting the tasks he exined.


    Among the older assistants in theboratory before, only Korver and James were left.


    For some reason, Korver never left Adam''s side despite his natural talent. Adam can sense his talent, and Adam guesses that if he wanted to do anything, the Academy would surely help him out and set up a project for him alone.


    "Didn''t you go to see the exchange apprentices?" Adam asked James.


    James was getting older and older, no longer able to maintain his youthful appearance. Despite his hair greying, and wrinkles forming on his face, his eyes only got brighter. This wasn''t good for Adam. This meant James had already epted his fate.


    "Are they here?"


    James'' voice was old and hoarse; Adam wasn''t used to it, "I''ve said this many times -- if you want a vitality potion, I can go and get you one."


    A vitality potion is a life-extending potion made for apprentices.


    Hearing this, Jamesughed, shaking his head, "My old body has made me more sensitive to my mental power -- my lifespan means nothing to me. I can already feel where the road ahead is, so my remaining lifespan is enough."


    Adam was a little speechless at how stubborn James was being, but it was his choice, so Adam couldn''t force him.


    "Yes, they are here."


    James'' eyes flickered, "Ah. How troublesome."


    The assistants soon filed into theboratory and went to their respective positions. Adam didn''t set any working hours, instead choosing to assign tasks to each person or a team. As long as they were able toplete the task before the deadline, they will be paid handsomely. Korver overheard their conversation and asked, "What do you mean ''troublesome''?"


    "The Monte Carlo apprentices are different from us... I guess... you could regard them as an antimage," James said, pausing in between his sentences. "No, not antimages -- they are unruly, savage; if our Academy cultivates apprentices via research, then Monte Carlo cultivates apprentices viabat. It''s no surprise we lost the previous war -- many of mypanions were beheaded before they could even sense the enemy."


    Korver was shocked imagining the scene, "They won''t cause trouble here, right? Surely the mages wouldn''t allow it."


    With a puff of smoke, the devil appeared and hovered beside Korver, "Na?ve, na?ve. If the mages allowed them toe here as exchange apprentices, they won''t stop any fights that erupt within Academy grounds. After all, the weak deserve to die."


    The devil''s current appearance was no different from a normal human -- as Adam got stronger, they also gained huge benefits through the contract. If Adam was ranked #1 as the strongest apprentice, then the devil would be considered #2. Besides, the devil spent most of their time in the entertainment section of the Academy.


    James nodded in agreement and said vaguely, "Perhaps... I''ll be meeting my old friends."


    "Your enemies during the war?"


    "Enemy? Did Elliott tell you that? I was nothing to them at the time -- the fact I survived was entirely thanks to luck."


    Adam stopped the conversation with a motion of his hands and ordered, "Report on the experiment."


    "Slow progress -- when the current passes through the wire, a maic field will be generated to attract or repel the needle, but no current is generated during the movement of the conductor in the device," Korver said.


    James continued, "ording to your left-hand rule, we have determined the existence and direction of several uncertain forces, including maic field lines under certain circumstances, but they also have great contingency. In a high-magic environment, this direction is not regted by rules, causing a slightly violent fluctuation."


    Adam took the report from their hands and carefully read the process, locking his brows together.


    This experiment to prove electromaic induction was unexpectedly difficult -- magic ys an elusive, but significant part in it. It causes the physical quantity to be unstable and unmeasurable. Adam wanted tobine several conclusions to verify everything, but the experiments had no intention of cooperating as it seems. This lowered the morale of his assistants, making them think that their previous sess was but an illusion.


    "Adjust the experiment ording to the second set of ns, and conduct the process again in an active ether environment. Record every detail," Adam ordered.

 Chapter 104

    After giving the order, Adam turned around and walked into his office. Thanks to his efforts over thest ten years, he no longer needs to do anything by himself -- the only thing he needed to do was verify the uracy of the experimental data before drawing conclusions.


    Although his assistants harboured some doubts in their hearts, Adam has always believed in this path of research.


    "Perhaps a scientific exnation isn''t sufficient in an unscientific world," Adam guessed. Because of this, he designed a second set of experimental ns, separating the experimentpletely from an ether-rich environment. He believes he''lle to a conclusion soon enough.


    "Master!" the devil popped out. "There isn''t a need for you to be so strict on yourself -- once you be a fully qualified mage, you''ll be immortal anyways, which means you''ll have unlimited time to do research, as well as grow in wisdom. Rather than be entangled in the present, why not wait until your promotion?"


    Adam ignored them, sorting out the various experimental reports scattered on his desk. The devil pouted and was prepared to leave.


    "Wait a minute," interrupted Adam. "Take my identity token and allocate some funds for the next stage of our experiment -- at least twice the previous standard."


    Adam was now rich and powerful, so he didn''t care about the loss in each experiment. Although the Academy still allocates a generous amount of funds each month, Adam no longer pays attention to it, maintaining the research with his own funds.


    "Wasting your power stones, it''s better to give it to me if you''re just going to throw it away..." the devil murmured. This hurt the devil, seeing their owner wasting so much power stones every month.


    Adam didn''t really care what the devil did, since after ten years of being together, the rtionship between both of them has eased up a lot. Adam will give them a hefty amount of pocket money every month, but the devil ends up using it all up within a few days.


    After a while, the devil returned, reluctantly handing over Adam''s identity token before muttering, "Master, James is about to die."


    Adam looked up immediately.


    "I can feel his life force weakening; his mental power is taking a toll on him. If this goes on, he would have less than a year to live."


    It''s weird that the devil was getting sentimental over their peers. Perhaps socialising with humans gave the devil empathy.


    Adam was silent for a moment, staring at the devil.


    ...


    Three months flew by, and the apprentices from Monte Carlo have yet to bother Adam. Adam asionally overheard gossip from his assistants, but nobody ever reported to Adam about them, fully knowing that gossip means nothing to him.


    James applied for leave not long ago with his body rapidly ageing. He also purchased a mental power burning potion.


    This was hisst-ditch effort to promote to a mage. Upon injecting this potion into him, he will either sublime in the mes, or die, never to be a mage.


    Unlike ten years ago, James was actually powerful -- controlling his psychic powers was second nature to him. The elements reached out to him, but he rejected all of the elements, choosing to give up on bing an elemental mage.


    James was on the peak of psychic meditation among all the apprentices, using his psychic power for everything.


    "I don''t know what is the purpose of this exchange programme -- the apprentices here at Moldo are simply a flock of sheep, no? They are innocent, cowardly, and have zero fighting ability..."


    Telekinesis became James'' eyes and ears, allowing him to eavesdrop on the subtle chatter in the distance.


    "Francis," James muttered, narrowing his eyes and instantly recognising the apprentice who was speaking. The person who killed off all hispanions.


    The group of apprentices of Monte Carlo were walking -- in front of Francis was a vortex of air that was constantly spinning, shoving and blowing all the apprentices in their way into the sky. They could fly, but they chose to walk, clearing intending to humiliate the apprentices of Moldo.


    The apprentices of Moldo Academy didn''t dare to speak out either, since they were not allowed to perform any sneak attacks. Besides, official duels have been carried out, but many have died because of it.


    "A group of cowards," Francis bellowed. "After those wastes died, it seems that there isn''t anyone else who dares to challenge us! Research? Knowledge? How useless!"


    As soon as he shouted, he swept his hand across the air, swiping a strong gust of wind in front of him, shoving arge number of apprentices out of the way. This wasn''t magic, but the application of the wind element. Since it doesn''t actually harm the apprentices, it wouldn''t alert the Academy Law Enforcers.


    The wind came to James, which was suppressed by his psychic barrier. He thought about leaving, but when he thought of hispanions that fell in battle, he chose to stay.


    "Can''t hide forever."


    Francis felt his gust of wind dissipate, raising his head to re at whoever dared to stand in his way. He was a little surprised at seeing such an old apprentice, attracting his attention.


    "Who are you? And why do you seem... familiar?" Francis asked.

 Chapter 105

    Francis''panions were surprised at his reaction, whispering, "Do you know this old guy?"


    Francis was a little confused at the familiarity of this old man -- he remembered who the nasty poison expert was and the innocent apprentice with the mechanical body, but he couldn''t tell who was before him.


    "Funny, has Moldo dropped their standards, allowing an old guy like you to remain in the Academy?" the apprentices of Monte Carlo taunted.


    Most of the new apprentices at Moldo didn''t know who James was either, since James holed himself up in Adam''sboratory. He dropped his teaching for Rune Studies as well, bingpletely invisible.


    Francis held his hand up to stop hispanions'' taunting, since he could sense strong energy fluctuations radiating from James -- however, it was obscured, as if there is no presence of elemental magic.


    "Who are you?" Francis asked again.


    James took a deep breath, smiling, "Long time no see, Francis -- I''m James. James Berry."


    Francis pondered on the name for a bit,paring James'' current image with everyone in his memory, widening his eyes, "I remember you -- the trash who escaped from me back then!"


    The apprentices of Monte Carlo nced at James curiously, and Francis, with a loud voice, shouted, "During the war, I received an order to raid the 17th district -- those weaklings all died by my hand alone, and only him managed to escape, disregarding the life and death of hispanions."


    After a brief silence, the apprentices of Monte Carlo burst out inughter, pointing and jeering at James -- even the Moldo Academy apprentices cast contemptuous nces at James.


    "I didn''t run."


    James remembered it all too well -- he was knocked away by a stray tornado and fell into aa for a few days. When he finally came back to his senses, the only things left were the headless corpses of hispanions.


    Francis spat on the ground, "Tell that to your dead friends. Get out of my way."


    Francis strode forward, ignoring James.


    James stood motionless, flicking his hands, and the apprentices of Monte Carlo found that it was difficult to walk. Francis cut through the air with a de of wind and bellowed, "Are you trying to provoke us?"


    To be honest, he felt a little uneasy looking at James'' unending smile. James sighed, staring straight into Francis'' soul, "Duel me, Francis."


    James wasn''t loud, but everyone could hear the firmness and fearlessness in his words, which was mocking to Francis.


    Francis snickered. "A duel with me? A piece of trash like you wants to duel with me? Have you gone senile?"


    "Duel me."


    Francisughed, looking at hispanions and looking back at James repeatedly, "Alright, if you are courting death, I will fulfil your wishes!"


    "See you at the duelling arena," James smiled.


    ...


    Francis stared daggers into James'' back, feeling that he was mocked by literal trash! He roared incoherently, making the other apprentices shrink themselves to avoid his wrath, "Damn it! I will end you, trash! I must kill you!"


    Hispanions were silent -- James'' resistance put them at a loss.


    A man and a womannded silently behind them, and the man saw Francis'' expression and asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"


    After hearing this deep voice, everyone hurriedly turned around, and Francis immediately calmed down, "Lord Bill, Lord Monica."


    Lord Bill waved his hand and asked again, "What happened?"


    Francis took a few deep breaths to quell his anger, and told Lord Bill what had happened.


    Lord Bill frowned upon hearing it, "If this apprentice really is just trash, then just kill him. Anger will only make you lose your calm and dignity."


    Lord Monica simply covered her mouth and chuckled, speaking seductively, "Bill and I found an... interesting person on campus. Go and deal with that ''trash'' of yours, ande with us to see the real genius of Moldo."


    She strolled by Francis, her fingers gliding across Francis'' arm, "Don''t keep us waiting."


    Francis shivered, immediately replying, "Yes, Lord Monica!"


    Monica nodded, turning around and locking her arms with Bill, "Come, dear Bill, let us watch the duel!"

 Chapter 106

    The conflict between James and Francis spread like wildfire.


    "James? That old man? That James?"


    The new apprentices weren''t familiar with James, but those who worked in Adam''sboratory knew who he was, and they were stunned upon hearing the news.


    Elliott was a recluse too -- if nothing important happens, he would never leave hisboratory, especially since the Monte Carlo apprentices were roaming around the Academy. However, upon hearing the news, he couldn''t help but rush out of theboratory.


    He knew how strong Francis was -- although James was strong in his own right, he was deathly aware of how old and frail James'' current body was.


    Along the way, Elliott gritted his teeth, and turned around and flew rapidly towards Adam''sboratory. He knew Adam must be holed up in hisboratory, but this must be made known to him.


    ...


    "James, have you lost your mind?! Why are you duelling the barbarians of Monte Carlo?!"


    "Give it up! You can''t win!"


    Nobody in the crowd was rooting for James. They couldn''t watch him walk to his death like this.


    James ignored all of them, standing alone in the arena in silence. No fear, no tension, just calm.


    Suddenly, the crowd parted, and the apprentices from Monte Carlo stepped onto the arena.


    Lord Bill and Lord Monica took the lead,nding at the other end of the arena. Monica nced around the crowd and smiled, "What a crowd, dear Bill! They seem to be angry... and scared."


    Lord Bill red at Lord Monica, but he didn''t want to deal with this crazy woman, instead hurrying Francis, "Hurry up and deal with him. I don''t want us to be watched like animals."


    Francis nodded, conjuring a gust of wind beneath his feet,nding on the arena in an instant, "I really hate this feeling of being surrounded by trash!"


    Moldo''s apprentices took offence, jeering at him.


    James simply asked, "Is your monologue done?"


    James'' words stung Francis, but he nodded seriously, "No, but I will save it for when you die!"


    As soon as he spoke, he conjured multiple runes in an instant and shot out several des of wind that broke the sound barrier, but no one was willing to blink. Their gaze instantly fell on James, worried that he would be killed instantly.


    Monte Carlo''s apprentices cheered, knowing that Francis specialised in wind magic.


    James didn''t react at all, standing still. He didn''t conjure any runes, nor did he cast any defensive magic, as if he was a sitting duck waiting to die.


    Francis shot up into the sky, casting more magic in quick sessions. The typhoon and wind des rushed towards James.


    As soon as the des of wind were about to slice James open, his psychic barriers began to stack upyer byyer, quickly dissipating his wind des and turning the typhoon into a light breeze, and James was unscathed.


    "Is this the person who invented psychic power?" Lord Bill asked.


    A bed of flowers grew by Lord Monica''s feet, and sheid in it, "It must be? I''ve heard of this psychic power a long time ago; I didn''t expect it to be this... interesting."


    "It is. Not a single trace of magic."


    Francis wasn''t surprised that James was able to block his attacks, but this was better for him -- a tough battle would make him revered among his peers.


    The Monte Carlo apprentices simply scoffed, thinking that psychic power wasn''t enough to defeat Francis; Moldo''s apprentices clenched their fists and crossed their fingers, hoping that James could create a miracle.


    Francis snapped his fingers, conjuring thousands of whirlwinds that converged into a huge tornado, which advanced towards James threateningly. The destructive force of the tornado caused the arena to be damaged, and the spectators had to cast defensive magic to protect themselves from the stray projectiles.


    James took a deep breath, floating and condensingyers uponyers of psychic barriers on his body. James was like a giant, facing the iing tornado.


    "Enough!" Francis bellowed, continuing to cast destructive tornadoes towards James.

 Chapter 107

    Meanwhile, Elliott was still soaring through the hallways, forcing himself to stop when he reached Adam''sboratory.


    The assistant opened the door and eyed Elliott curiously, asking, "Mr. Elliott! Is something the matter?"


    Elliott didn''t answer, ncing anxiously in theboratory. The assistant got worried and tried calming him down, "Mr. Elliott? Is there anything I can help you with?"


    "Where''s James? Isn''t he supposed to be in theboratory?" Elliott asked, grabbing the apprentice''s arm.


    "Mr. James? He applied for leave not long ago."


    "Damn it!" Elliott yelled, pping his forehead.


    Elliott barged into theboratory, darting towards Adam''s office. If Adam is willing to do something, maybe he can save James'' life.


    However, the person sitting inside the office was the devil, and Elliott''s hopes and dreams shattered into a million pieces, "My master is presiding over the experiment, - he ordered me to not allow anyone to disturb him."


    Elliott sat down in the office and sighed, telling the devil about James. Unexpectedly, the devil rolled their eyes and said, "Although the master is busy, I''m still here. Let''s go!"


    ...


    In his experiment room, after three full months of tweaking the results, he found a new empirical method suitable for his current situation.


    He remembered that the concept of ''magic'' was present in the neenth century back on Earth, finding that many experiments took into ount the hypothetical ''ether''. However, since Earth didn''t have any magic or ether, those experiments were cast aside.


    However, he could test these theories in the Mage World.


    His subsequent experiments went rtively smoothly.


    Over the course of the experiments, he found that his previous failures were attributed to ether not being fully incorporated in the experiment. Combining the umtion of research in the past ten years, he was able to instruct his senior assistants to carry out one test after another in a rapid and orderly manner.


    The active ether environment made the assistants uneasy, but nobody was willing to leave. With conclusions being established, they all realised that an unprecedented theory was about to be born, and none of them wanted to miss out on it.


    Korver almost died because of these experiments, and Adam forced every assistant to equip a detection device to prevent them from exploding in the ether-rich environment. Once the device rings, an alchemy puppet will eject them out of theboratory.


    "Experiment #1 is sessful, and we established a conclusion!"


    "Experiment #2 is sessful as well, Mr. Adam!"


    Adam received all of the conclusions gathered, working hard toe to a final conclusion.


    [LAW OF ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION, ESTABLISHED IN AN ETHER-RICH ENVIRONMENT]


    "Regardless of the existence of insting substances, as long as there is an electric field, ether will be present. The magnitude of the discement is proportional to the strength of the electric field. When the discement of the charged particles changes with time, a current will be formed, and the discement current confirms this."


    "A maic field will be generated, which means the equations will tally..."


    Adam continued writing, and when he wrote thest letter on the paper, his body was enveloped in light as he was forcefully suspended in the air.


    The gift from the ether descended upon him, prating into his soul. Runes shone brilliantly as mysterious rays of light appeared out of thin air, merging into his soul. Electricity and maic fields started to revolve around Adam, and he could feel his soul transforming in real time. Adam clenched his hand, feeling his soul copsing and reorganising into a perfect form.


    This affected the assistants present as well, and their rms sounded one after another as they were ejected out of theboratory.


    "We''re sessful!" the assistants shouted outside. "We jointly verified new knowledge! We... we did it!" A faint etheric radiance remained on the assistants, blessing them.


    They couldn''t help but be excited. They knew they were just one of the countless ordinary apprentices in the Mage World, hoping on a miracle to be lucky enough to be a qualified mage.


    But today, with their joint efforts, they managed to confirm electromaism, bing the creators and witnesses of a great field.


    Korver felt that his mental power was unprecedently active and growing rapidly, wisdom gracing his soul. His previous unsolved thoughts were solved in an instant.


    "Mr. Adam... is he a qualified mage now?" an assistant asked.


    Nobody doubted this, feeling the wonderful presence of ether radiating from within theboratory. "He must be! From today on, we are assistants in a qualified mage''sboratory! Maybe we can be great people too!"


    However, as soon as he spoke, the presence of ether dissipated immediately from within theboratory, and all of them looked at the entrance to theboratory in horror.


    "...what?"


    "No -- is the theory wrong? Does it not exist?!" Korver shouted.

 Chapter 108

    The assistants gathered at the entrance of theboratory, not daring to enter.


    Adam walked out after a few minutes, as if nothing had happened.


    "Lord Adam, what happened?!"


    "Mr. Adam, has the experiment failed?"


    "What?" Adam looked at them curiously. "No! The experiment was sessful -- each of you will receive two ether crystals as a bonus in your ounts. I will submit the conclusions to the Academic Departmentter, so expect additional rewards!"


    Adam was in a good mood, generously rewarding everyone for their efforts.


    "As for the sudden disappearance of ether... I can''t be promoted yet. Personal reasons."


    Adam could barely control his transformation of the soul, and he had to force himself to break free and activate the sealing crystals of his pendant, interrupting the promotion process.


    Adam could be considered a half-mage, he guesses.


    However, Adam felt that if he called himself a half-mage, something terrible might happen, so he kept quiet.


    The current Adam was several times stronger than the Adam before the experiment. Knowledge rushed into his soul, and knowledge is power in the Mage World.


    After answering the questions of his assistants and issuing the bonus, Adam went back to his office to rewrite his thesis. He needed to make a report before handing it over to the Academy.


    Before entering his office, he turned around and ordered, "You will all be granted a month''s vacation -- Korver, inform James of this."


    James...


    The assistant who spoke to Elliott hurriedly stopped Adam, "Mr. Adam... about that -- Mr. James seems to be in trouble!"


    "Excuse me?"


    Adam pushed open the door to his office, seeing that the devil had disappeared as well, "James? Our James?"


    "Mr. Elliott was here earlier, and it was rted to the apprentices of Monte Carlo... Mr. James is duelling them..."


    "How long ago was this?"


    "An hour ago."


    Adam immediately rushed out of theboratory. After all, James was his dearest friend. He felt that he should take a look.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the arena, the battle between James and Francis wasing to an end.


    Both of them were suspended in the air, Francis losing his previous arrogance, and his magic was gradually slowing down. James was still wrapped inyers andyers of psychic barriers, but everyone could tell James was reaching his limits.


    Elliott and the devil could only watch anxiously. They had tried to help, but James rejected them, stating that this was his battle.


    They both cursed him for being stubborn, but they knew nobody could intervene in an official duel.


    The apprentices didn''t know they would be watching a duel thatsted nearly two hours -- telekinesis wasn''t as shy as magic, but it was near-impervious to attacks, as if James had put on a defensive shell.


    Francis dodged a giant psychic arm in the air, releasing a giant wind de. This process has been repeated countless times - he thought his wind de would dissipate as usual, but he saw a huge hole in James'' defence.


    "Looks like your guard is down, time to die!" Francis bellowed, overjoyed, lunging forward.


    James was at his limit, but he did not panic. He calmly took out the injection from his robe, and stabbed himself.


    Elliott''s eyes widened, recognising the injection and shouting in horror, "No!"


    The onlookers were attracted by Elliott''s roar and realised that the battle mighte to an end.


    James smiled at Elliott onest time.


    "You''re courting death!" Francis yelled, not knowing what James had done, lunging towards James.


    James didn''t dodge, and his body was gradually enveloped in mes -- the mes spread out from his body, spreading towards his psychic arms.


    Everyone could feel the huge energy fluctuations, and Francis watched in horror as he desperately tried to stop himself from lunging at James.


    James shone brightly, like he was a second Sun. He lunged forward with a psychic arm, grabbing Francis before falling forward.


    With a loud crash, both of them crashed on the floor, and the light dimmed.


    This was thest thing Adam saw before he could rush over.


    Elliott and the devil immediately rushed towards the arena, while Monte Carlo''s apprentices stepped onto the stage. Lord Bill said in surprise, "They''re both dead."


    Just as he was about to verify their deaths, lightning crashed from the heavens, hitting him at his feet. Anger shed on Lord Bill''s face, yelling, "A sneak attack! Who is it?!"


    With this expertise in electric magic, only Adam could yield it. Elliott and the devil sighed in relief, looking at the descending Adam and muttering, "James..."


    Ignoring Lord Bill''s re, Adam retrieved the injection and waved it at Elliott, asking, "What is this?"


    Before Elliott could answer him, Lord Bill stepped forward to interrupt him, but he heard Adam''s cold voice, "Go away, or die."

 Chapter 109

    After hearing this, it wasn''t the Monte Carlo apprentices who backed off, but Elliott and the devil. The two of them retreated without hesitation until they were from a safe distance from the arena.


    Adam never expressed such cold words before fighting or killing people. It can be expected that if the Monte Carlo apprentices try to act cocky, they would only face death by Adam''s hands.


    And they were sure that Adam would win in any duel.


    However, the apprentices at Monte Carlo didn''t know about this, and Lord Bill''s face shed with anger when he heard Adam''s words. Nobody has spoken to him like this since he became an apprentice, and he didn''t feel that the apprentice before him had the right to talk to him so rudely.


    "You must be Adam, the genius who was protected by the Tower and holed himself up in his tiny littleboratory?" Lord Bill asked mockingly.


    The Monte Carlo apprentices snickered. To them, Adam was like a closely guarded flower, cultivated in a greenhouse.


    The anger in Adam''s heart brewed uncontrobly.


    Even though he was rational and indifferent before this, he has never actively turned off his emotional modules.


    In thest ten years, James had be his oldest friend, and he couldn''t believe that James would die in such a meaningless duel, much less against an idiot.


    He hates meaningless battles like this. If possible, he would prefer to stay in theboratory and gain knowledge, but that doesn''t mean Adam had no fighting expertise. On the contrary, with knowledge, fighting bes extremely easy.


    Adam retrieved the syringe from James'' corpse, putting it into his portable space. Just as he was about to retrieve James'' body, a fireball was shot towards Adam, apanied by the arrogant voice of the Monte Carlo apprentices, "Hey! Lord Bill is talking to you, are you deaf?"


    The fireball dissipated mid-air strangely. Adam did not move a single inch, continuing to hold James'' body in his arms.


    "You are looking for death," Adam muttered with no emotion.


    In the distant sky, the devil shuddered, "The master is going to avenge James."


    "Funny!" the apprenticeughed, not realising Adam had disappeared abruptly. "The one who is looking for death is-"


    Nobody noticed the runes conjured in the air. With Adam as the eye of the storm, a maic field was conjured with a radius of 200 metres, and the apprentice was immediately reduced to ash.


    Lord Bill and Lord Monica''s expressions contorted in horror, feeling a huge amount of magic from this field -- it was a power beyond the limit of apprentice magic! Seeing that Adam was able to cast this instantly with no down-time, they immediately left without telling the other apprentices.


    Adam noticed the tiny figures scurrying out the arena, and conjured static electricity across the arena. Lord Bill and Lord Monica attempted to fly out the field, but their magic was interrupted, and they fell face-first into the floor.


    Their ''mage armor'' was forced out of their soul -- Bill''s was colourless, and Monica''s was colourful.


    The two of them looked at Adam with dread, before looking back at each other, fear painting their eyes. They never thought Adam was this strong, and they witnessed all of the apprentices being pierced by strange metal weapons, instantly annihting all of the Monte Carlo apprentices.


    "Damn it! How could Moldo harbour such a monster?!"


    "It can''t be! How could electric magic be this... powerful?!"


    Adam ignored them, his voice projecting in a loud volume, "In my maic field, there is no escape."


    Bill and Monica were stunned, watching as endless ck ''sand'' gushed out from the ground. The ''sand'' gathered together in the sky before raining down upon them.


    The two of them didn''t know what a maic field was, thinking this was simply a domain-base magic. They thought that if they could leave the domain, they would survive.


    Both of them immediately got up and shot up into the air, but to no avail. The maic field slowed down their flight speed considerably -- Monica was able to narrowly avoid a giant sword,ing to the edge of the maic field. She immediately lunged forward to escape the maic field, but in an instant, her body was sliced in half.


    "No!"


    Monica''s shrill screams sounded in the air; her colourful blood raining down on the ground, "Save me!"


    Bill put his hands together on his chest, shattering his pendant. A water curtain was conjured in front of him, blocking the iron sword shot towards him.


    "Save me!"


    Monica continued to scream, transforming her body into a nt.


    Bill phased to her side, casting another water curtain, shielding Monica from another iron sword.


    "We need to run!" Monica screamed, turning back into a human. "We need to let a Mage take over!"


    Bill grabbed her in his arms and flew to the ground, running away with Monica.


    "Calling a mage? How na?ve."


    A mage would ruin his n, so he had to make this quick.


    Adam snapped his fingers lightly, and lightning smited the both of them, piercing the heavens and the earth. Adam watched as both of them struggled in the lightning, and sighed.

 Chapter 110

    True enough, a mage was alerted.


    The base of the Tower has be the office for all the senior mages. Since Dean Victor was on an expedition to traverse other realms, another Dean took over the management of the Academy.


    At this moment, the mages from Monte Carlo''s faces fell.


    "Lord Barbara, what is the meaning of this?"


    Barbara Julian, the assistant Dean of Moldo, chuckled after hearing the mage''s question, "Sir Tim, you scared me! A game must be finished, so let us finish our game of chess."


    Tim Page, a Level 3 Mage of Monte Carlo, was ying a board game specially designed for mages with Dean Barbara. He could sense the death of the apprentices, and his anger couldn''t be suppressed. Magic surged out violently, wanting to crush both the chess board and Dean Barbara.


    "You should know how important Bill and Monica are to us. If they die..." Mage Tim threatened, conjuring a light curtain to show the scene of Bill and Monica escaping.


    Dean Barbara''s cheerful face turned bored, chucking her chess piece away, "Don''t get it twisted -- your apprentices were fighting our dear Adam, he is merely acting in self-defence."


    Mage Tim couldn''t control his anger, immediately annihting the chess board out of existence.


    "You''re saying they started the fight?" Mage Tim bellowed, pointing at Bill and Monica who were attempting to flee. "Your ''Adam'' killed more than a dozen of our apprentices with a single move. I bet you didn''t even know of the existence of that old man with psychic power!"


    Dean Barbara red at Mage Tim, "So what? Even if I haven''t noticed, it isn''t under my jurisdiction -- potential is potential, and now that he is dead, you must pay the price."


    Mage Tim stood up from his chair, and his magic contorted the space around them, "Barbara Julian, do not force my hand."


    Dean Barbara simply pointed at the light curtain, smiling, "Of course, how dare I force your hand."


    "No..." Mage Tim grasped the light curtain, his figure shining in elemental brilliance, shining upon Dean Barbara''s unending smile.


    ...


    Bill and Monica were still struggling for their lives.


    Adam could tell Bill''s water magic was different. He found that the water he controlled has low conductivity, but too limited in terms of usage.


    Monica''s magic was strange too -- she was able to morph herself into a nt, and her healing abilities were unprecedented. She was able to burrow into the ground, extending her roots deep into the ground.


    However, this wasn''t very useful. Bill and Monica could only evade and not retaliate against Adam.


    Adam could sense energy fluctuations far away, guessing that the mage from Monte Carlo had confronted the mages of Moldo Academy. Adam knew time was running out, and he had little time to kill both of them.


    "There is no point in escaping, you survive because I want you to see what you''re dealing with," Adam boomed.


    As soon as his voice fell, the pull of the maic field increased again. In an instant, their sense of direction was out of control, and hallucinations gued their minds.


    Although they couldn''t fight back against Adam, the strength of their souls were enough to protect them just enough from Adam''s magic. However, Adam merely wanted them to lose their autonomy for a period of time.


    Adam locked them together with his psychic force, raising his arm and pointed to the sky. He brought an iron sword to the air and imbued it with electricity -- the strong current ionised the sword into a hot fluid, bing unstable.


    Adam''s finger fell and the sword shot towards the ground. The two broke free of Adam''s hallucinations, but by the time they saw the sword, it was toote.


    Bill''s body that was surrounded by water was instantly dehydrated as he dissipated into steam, and Monica screamed as the nt tissues surrounding her body were peeled offyer byyer, leaving her for dead on the ground.


    "Weak!" Adam bellowed. He suddenly felt the threat of death, tearing open a teleportation scroll without hesitation, disappearing in ce.


    As soon as he disappeared, an energy beam pierced through Adam''s previous position, forming a bottomless pothole, and the rocks surrounding the pothole became glimmering crystals.


    "How dare you!" Mage Tim bellowed. He witnessed Bill being evaporated and Monica being left for dead and let out an angry roar.


    Adam teleported not far away, but Mage Tim was able to lock him in ce as soon as he saw him. Adam couldn''t fight a high-level mage, and immediately undid the seal of the ne, intending to promote to a mage to fight him.


    A glimmering beam shot towards Adam, and just as he was about to break the seal, Dean Barbara appeared in front of him, and a purple torrent dispelled Mage Tim''s beam, her hair and robes fluttering in the air. Her voice boomed throughout the air, full of killing intentions, "Tim Page, you have vited the rules set by the Mage Council, are you courting death?!"

 Chapter 111

    (The author leaves a note at the beginning, saying they are epting criticism of their work being "far-fetched, dumb, etc." In response to that, they deleted about ten thousand words from their draft and rewrote it, condensing a lot of the filler chapters into a single chapter (a.k.a., this chapter). The begins the new plot line of the story.)


    Mage Tim''s eyes red into Dean Barbara''s soul before fixing his gaze onto Adam. The anger in the eyes made Adam shiver, but he knew that he would be safe if he kept quiet behind the Dean.


    Mage Tim revealed his true form, but ended up doing nothing. He retrieved Monica''s body and flew away from the tower without speaking a single word.


    "You had no reason to worry in the first ce," Dean Barbara chuckled. "He wouldn''t dare to kill you on campus grounds anyways." After the duelling incident was settled, Mage Tim brought the sole surviving apprentice, Monica, back to the Monte Carlo Academy. Adam trailed behind Dean Barbara and nced at her.


    "Is it because of the Mage Council''s rules?"


    "Yes. Despite there being few regtions in the Council, none of the Mages dare to go against it. He simply tried to threaten you -- if he really wanted to kill you, you wouldn''t be able to escape at all."


    Adam shivered slightly, the words "antimage" shing in his head, "Will he..."


    "No," she replied. "First off, he wasn''t angry at his apprentices dying, but he was angry at the fact that his Academy lost. Secondly, the battlemage trial will begin soon, and the trial will be overseen by a True Archmage -- as long as you pass the trial, you will immediately gain ess to the magic of the Mages. No mage would dare to do anything out of line when the True Archmage is around."


    Dean Barbara handed Adam a drink, motioning for him to try it.


    Adam peered at the purple blisters in the cup -- the boiling, bubbling liquid made him hesitant to try it. After taking a little sip, he found that it actually tasted really good, and it restored his mental power almost immediately.


    "Thank you," Adam said. "But when do the trials begin?"


    Dean Barbara simply pointed to his sealing ne, "Don''t worry about it. In fact, I think you should hone your skills first -- what is the use of knowledge when you don''t have the experience? I''ve seen your magic, and both of us know that you can do better, can''t you?"


    Adam nodded, but he felt like her words didn''t apply to him. The magic he had casted during the duel were all new spells, but he had already logged them in his mind. If the apprentices from Monte Carlo return, he was sure he would annihte all of them.


    Seeing his gaze, the Dean smiled and continued, "Within two years."


    After getting the information he needed, Adam went to the Academic Department to submit his thesis, as well as some rtivelyplex runes. After walking out of the tower, he saw a group of people waiting outside.


    In addition to his assistants, Elliot, William, and Frank were waiting for him as well.


    "It''s time," Adam muttered. He levitated and flew out of the Academy with everyone behind him.


    There weren''t any cemeteries in the Mage World -- most bodies were incinerated with magic, and James would be no exception. Under everyone''s gaze, Adam took out James'' preserved body from his portable space, suspending it high above the ground for everybody to see.


    With a single wave, raging mes ignited his corpse. With another wave, a gentle breeze came upon them, and the grey-white ashes were scattered across the sky.


    Everyone bowed slightly, bidding their old friend farewell.


    Soon, it returned back to normal in the Academy -- the assistants enjoyed their vacation, and Adam returned to the Academy with Frank.


    "You seem unwell," Adam stated.


    Frank had nothing to hide, so he lifted up his cloak, revealing a fully-mechanical body, save for his head. Even his voice sounded incredibly mechanical and machine-like, "Indeed. Mage Jino encountered some problems in his research. I was going to ask you for help, but I didn''t expect James to die so suddenly."


    "You''re sluggish. Is it the battery?"


    "Yes. The batteries can no longer provide enough energy. I''m forced to rece the batteries three times a day even for the most basic of actions."


    "What did Mage Jino say?"


    "He wanted to rece it with magic," Frank expressed as he started to rece the batteries again. "But this body was built entirely on electricity. He told me that you made new progress, so he asked me toe to you."


    Only then did Adam know why Frank came to find him. Seems like news between mages travel fast, "This isn''t difficult to solve. Go back and wait for me, I''ll tell you the result."


    Since the two had signed a contract prior to this, Adam did not hesitate to invest in Frank. If Frank bes a mage thanks to this, the benefits Adam would receive would greatly outweigh Frank''s own benefits.


    The next two years were calm and peaceful -- Adam no longer epted new assistants, and the old assistants didn''t renew their contracts after their contracts expired. Adam holed himself up in hisboratory, perfecting his original designs daily. New, innovative spells rarely left theboratory.


    When the two-year deadline approached, a man appeared in hisboratory.


    "Nice to see you again, Dean Victor."


    It wasn''t actually the real Dean Victor -- he simply projected an avatar of himself toe to Adam. The real Dean Victor was still in another world. A murderous aura could be felt from his avatar.


    The avatar stepped forward, patting Adam on the shoulder, "Disregard the formalities, you''re already a mage in my eyes. Call me Mage Victor from now on."


    Adam nodded.


    "Are you ready? The trial is about to begin soon."


    "Of course, I can''t wait."

 Chapter 112

    Adam has already prepared everything in thest two years -- a full set of magic items, sufficient teleportation scrolls, ready-to-cast magic in his logs...


    "Are we finally leaving this ce? I can''t wait!"


    The devil was about to be promoted as well.


    Mage Victor ignored the devil and turned to Adam again, "Although I have great confidence in you, you should still settle your personal matters. You have a day to say goodbye to your friends and settle your remaining bnces, or even leave now to get a good night''s rest. I don''t want you to have any regrets if you die in the trial."


    Adam shook his head, "I''m ready. I can leave whenever."


    Mage Victor nodded with satisfaction, "I''ll wait for you in the teleportation hall, then."


    After Mage Victor left, the devil started toin, "But Master! I want to say goodbye to my friends!"


    Adam nced at the devil, "It''s just a trial. You can return to Moldo when we''re done. Saying goodbye doesn''t really make any sense."


    "But..."


    "Shut up!"


    Adam sent an arc of magic towards the devil''s amorphous form, stuffing them back into his mind. He took ast look at his emptyboratory and flew towards the tower.


    Unexpectedly, most of his acquaintances were waiting for him.


    It was no secret that Adam was about to embark on apletely different path from them, and they all realised that this may be thest time they would see Adam.


    Their feelings wereplicated, but the one clear thing is that they weren''t worried for Adam at all.


    His friends came to hug him one by one. Adam, who had always hated physical contact, didn''t refuse the hugs.


    "My friend..." Elliott blubbered tearfully. "You... you-"


    Adam''s heart warmed and smiled, rubbing Elliott''s shoulder, "I''ll be fine."


    William didn''t know what to say as they shared a wordless hug.


    Crystal gently hugged Adam, admiration shing in her eyes as she gave Adam a big smile, "Good luck, Adam."


    Adam smiled back. He knew Crystal would take good care of herself.


    This process repeated endlessly until it was over. Mage Victor conjured the portal and held Adam''s shoulder, "I wish you good luck. I hope to meet you at another height in the future."


    Both of them stepped into the portal without looking back and vanished.


    Adam had no way of gauging how far the Moldo Tower was from the Holy Tower.


    Today, Adam was incredibly strong, so teleportation had next to no effect on his body. The moment he stepped into the new world, and he could see the amazing world present before him.


    The city was far bigger than he imagined -- creatures constantly shuffled in the sky. Adam couldn''t sense much magic from the creatures. This world was equivalent to what was envisioned to be Earth''s future.


    The concentration of ether was abnormally high, however. Adam could barely contain the surge of magic rushing into his soul.


    Mage Victor shone a ray of light on Adam, calming the effects of the sudden surge of ether, "This is the City of Mayer, thergest city in the Holy Tower''s domain. There aren''t any mortals living here. The lowest form here are mage apprentices who are on the verge of promotion."


    Adam pursed his lips. This environment was too dangerous for ordinary apprentices and mortals to survive. The ether-rich environment alone could kill them instantly.


    "This city was named after Archmage Mayer, and it is one of the most prosperous ces in the Mage World," Mage Victor exined as he pointed towards aplex that pierced endlessly through the heavens. "And there is the Fifth Element Tower."


    The devil plopped out of Adam''s mind in astonishment. Several mages eyed the devil, but it was toote, "My god..."


    Mage Victor greeted the mages gently, and they nodded back after realising that this devil was a summoned creature.


    "Let''s go meet some of my old friends. Perhaps you''ll see other apprentices like you who will participate in the trial as well."


    Adam didn''t ask who he was going to meet as he was being lifted from the ground, but he was curious what the Fifth Element Tower was, "What is the purpose of the Fifth Element Tower?"


    "You have seen the Transdimensional Mage of Moldo, but that isn''t her real body. In fact, after a mage bes a Transdimensional Mage, their real body would be too powerful to be contained in this world. If they were to reveal their true form here, they could easily shift reality and cause multiple disasters. Hence, their real bodies are contained in small cracks of the void."


    Adam nodded, remembering that he saw Mage Victor''s true form years back. It was easy for him to understand now.


    He was excited knowing that he was finally about toe into contact with the real mage world.


    "Here we are."


    Adam raised his head, seeing the words [The Rex Club for Mages -- Rex Consortium] written on the building in front of him.

 Chapter 113

    Adam''s face twisted with confusion. He didn''t expect consortiums to be a thing in the Mage World.


    Seeing Adam''s expression, Mage Victor thought that Adam was being nervousing into contact with a mage''s society, "Rx. This is a privately-owned property -- as long as you watch yourself, no one will try to kill you."


    As they were speaking, a dim light swept over Mage Victor''s avatar, and a door of light appeared before them. After they entered the door, two charming and seductive voices sounded in their ears, "Wee back, Honorable Mage Victor!"


    Two well-dressed, but voluptuous women greeted them. Although they were simr in appearance to humans, their ears and tails revealed that they weren''t human at all.


    Mage Victor simply strolled in the club and exined to Adam, "This is a subus. You can take them if you like -- they are cheap and harmless. Their innate talent has been sealed."


    A subus'' innate talent is to siphon the energy of the creatures they mate with.


    Adam found that the life of mages seems... weirdly grounded.


    Adam didn''t really feel any lust, chasing behind Mage Victor. However, the devil waspletely starstruck, staring at the subi with shining eyes.


    Adam ignored them, knowing they didn''t have the guts to cause trouble. If the devil wanted to spend some power stones for entertainment, Adam wouldn''t care, as long as he had some peace and quiet for a while.


    There weren''t any stairs or clear passages in the clubhouse, and Adam found that it was strangely empty. Following behind Mage Victor, he could feel his surroundings morphing and changing constantly.


    "Mage Victor, may I ask -- who owns this consortium?"


    "A total of seven mages. The Transdimensional Mage, Rex, is a Level 7 Mage. Including the tower owner, a total of seven Transdimensional Mages established this consortium under his initiative in order to jointly develop different worlds. Most of the resources are shared between them."


    They soon came to an independent space with eleven people in it. Upon seeing Mage Victor, all of them stood up. One of them even stretched their arms open to greet him, letting out a deafeningugh, "Victor! It''s been a while! Let me think... about three hundred years since we''vest seen each other?"


    Mage Victor''s smile froze suddenly, pushing away the mage before him angrily before greeting the other mages one by one.


    The mage who was pushed didn''t mind at all, and turned to Adam, "You must be Adam, the creator of meditation? I know you. You''re powerful."


    Adam hurriedly bowed and replied, "No, no. You received the prize."


    The mage waved his hand, "I''m the Dean of the Rex Mage Academy, Andre. I participated in the trials like you... for now, you can sit over there."


    Adam knew that the conversation between Mage Victor and the other mages was not something he could participate in for now, so he thanked Dean Andre and walked to the other side. Adam had zero context of what the trial was like, since Mage Victor had only hinted it had something to do with antimages. It was a good time to scourge for information now.


    Unbeknownst to Adam, the other apprentices at the table already knew who Adam was, since his meditation methods spread like fire.


    "I''m Ike."


    "Joe."


    "John."


    "Jones."


    "Shirley and Hailey!"


    They all came from different towers, but Adam had a great first impression on Shirley and Hailey. They were twins, but they hadpletely opposite auras emanating from them. Other than that, it was impossible to tell them apart.


    They were geniuses like Adam, so of course, they would have a sense of arrogance. It was impossible to tell how close they all really were.


    Adam sat down and Hailey immediately jumped to his side, showing him a big smile, "Hello Adam! Nice to meet you."


    Just as Adam was about to greet back, he found a psychic arm stretched out in front of him and he was amazed, "This is..."


    "Yup! A psychic arm! How is it? Before this, my sister and I had different affinities, and our magic never works well together! Your research has helped us a lot!" she exined, morphing the shape of the arm mischievously.


    Adam could feel a fiery auraing from Hailey, while a damp aura could be felt from Shirley, unsurprisingly. Adam guessed that they wouldbine their magic often, and telekinesis helped to ovee the difficulty of merging these two elements together.


    Shirley simply nodded at Adam wordlessly.


    Hailey whispered towards Adam, but just loud enough for Shirley to hear, "Don''t pay attention to my sister! She''s the most boring person ever!"


    When Shirley heard this, she red at her sister, and Hailey stuck out her tongue, "While it''s true that your research helped us... it''s too difficult to construct runes out of this."


    Adam nodded. When he handed his research over to the tower, he didn''t give any directions on constructing your own runes.


    Hailey stared at Adam, but Adam didn''t respond. He guessed that Hailey wanted him to help her out, but Adam felt that he had no obligation to do so.


    Adam simply stared back at Hailey, and the awkward atmosphere spread across the room. Shirley couldn''t help but chuckled, and Hailey sighed loudly, "Tch! Another boring person."

 Chapter 114

    Shirley restrained her smile and walked over to Adam, pushing her sister aside, "This might seem abrupt, but telekinesis is very important to us. The two of us tried to optimize the rune structures, but since we have no knowledge of how it works, the efficiency is very low. If you''d like, we are willing to exchange our own knowledge equal to the value of yours."


    Their conversation caught the attention of the rest of them.


    Adam''s name was well-known among other academies. If they were able to listen in to the conversation, they might be able to reap some benefits.


    The apprentice named Ike came over with a ss of wine, paying tribute to Adam, "May I listen as well? I''m interested in telekinesis as well."


    "You..." Hailey red.


    Ike merely conjured thirteen runes before him andbined them together one by one before infusing it back into his own body. After doing this, he felt powerful, expecting everyone to look at him with amazement. Instead, he was only greeted with Hailey''s sneer.


    "Tch, I thought you were about to show us something powerful," she snickered, conjuring her own set of twelve runes.


    Ike''s fists clenched tightly.


    Shirley ignored the both of them and kept her eyes on Adam, "As you can see, the two of us can only optimize runes to this extent."


    "It''s already very good," Adam praised.


    Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Ike''s face was clearly upset. He forced out a smile before excusing himself.


    "Tsk tsk tsk!" Hailey deliberately made a strange and loud sound.


    Adam felt a little strange. Ike could be trying to provoke him, but Adam felt like he didn''t have any malice in him... as if he was trying to show off.


    "Don''t pay attention to him," Shirley interrupted his thoughts. "He is the blood rtive of Transdimensional Mage Charlie."


    Hailey winked back at Shirley and teased, "Seems like Ike likes yo-"


    Before she could finish her sentence, her sister had already sent out a psychic st towards her.


    "Nonsense!" Shirley red, returning her attention back to Adam. "So, can we exchange our knowledge?"


    Adam took Ike''s matter to heart, knowing that human emotions are irrational in this regard -- he decided to keep on guard with Ike. As for the exchange, Adam had no qualms about it.


    He conjured nine runes before them and said, "Sure, but I want to know what you are exchanging with me."


    Both of them have a good eye. At a single nce, they could see that Adam''s meditation runes were far more advanced andplex than theirs. They looked at each other knowingly and produced a document out of their own portable space.


    "This is the battlemage trial data recorded from the Rex Tower."


    "Not enough," Adam shook his head. Having this document now means nothing now that the trial is already looming over them.


    Shirley wasn''t surprised, producing another document out of the portable space, "And here are the research results between my sister and I -- constructing spells andposite magic of opposite elements."


    Adam revealed his two palms -- a tiny pir of fire raised from one palm, and the other an orb of water. Under the stunned gaze of the two sisters, hebined both of them into one and detonated the both of them.


    "There is some value to that, but it still isn''t enough," Adam said, the steam dissipating across the room. Adam could already construct magic between twopletely opposite elements, so their research could only be used as reference.


    Hailey was distressed, her psychic barrier fizzling at the explosion of steam and wailed, "He..."


    She has no idea of the concept of bargaining -- no one would be willing to sell the results of their hard work cheaply. She felt disrespected.


    "Shirley?" Hailey said, and their gazes met together. They instantly knew each other''s thoughts -- Hailey wanted to hand over the core knowledge behind their water and fireposite magic.


    Shirley bit her lip and produced another document, "This is the highest price we can pay -- the core knowledge of our magic."


    Adam''s eyes lit up and agreed. He recorded the calction methods of his nine runes and handed it over to the two.


    Later, Adam and Mage Victor walked out of this room, wanting to find another independent space to rest in.


    Before leaving, Mage Victor warned Adam, "Don''t research anything too advanced for now. The Tower may call for you at any time, and beingte means losing your qualifications. You can peek into the twins'' research, but don''t try anything for now. Besides, you still need to create something that suits you."


    Adam nodded, bidding Mage Victor farewell before going into his room.


    He opened the document containing information about the battlemage trial. After reading it, he found that the content of the trial was somewhat different from what he thought.


    Originally, he thought he would be brought into a specific trial zone with other apprentices to fight against antimage apprentices of the same level. However, ording to the document, the real trial required them to lurk in an area where antimages run wild. They needed to kill a full-fledged antimage.


    After reading the document, Adam felt sympathy for antimages.


    Mage Santa organized war trials that cleans up all the Level 3 antimages, leaving only the Level 2 antimages as training dummies for apprentices.


    The trial methods were all different and can be personally selected by the apprentice -- some include teamwork, some include a solo assassination, some include exterminating all antimages in an area...


    Each choice will affect the roles they y in future wars, but it wasn''t described in detail in the document. It merely emphasized that their choices matter.


    After reading the document, Adam put it away. He started to read the sisters'' research on constructingposite magic. Upon reading it, he couldn''t help butugh -- this research was merely trying to prove that they were doing something. Thebination of twopletely opposite elements can bepletely aplished by his own psychic power.


    However, Adam wasn''t angry. These two documents were merely the starters, and he was just about to get to the main course.

 Chapter 115

    [This is one of the methods used to let a magepletely depart from their human body.]


    Once an apprentice bes a full-fledged mage, their soul no longer needs to be sheltered and bound by their human body. Since a mage''s transformation is a "gift" from the ether, the soul itself would have the ability to carry magic. This magic continues to strengthen the soul, but the body would be unable to keep up and amodate the increase in magic. Hence, their bodies eventually be a burden to them, so mages utilise elements to morph or change their bodies.


    The simplest method was the Elemental Body Cultivation Method, where the mage casts high-level elemental magic outside their soul until the elements are conjured in reality. Then, the soul would control this "new body" made out of their elements. Adam thought about it for a moment andpared it to a mech back on Earth, and the soul is the pilot of the mech.


    Mage Victor warned Adam to not pursue this knowledge for now as itcks a base, and the "new body" can''t harbour any mental strength. Adam guessed that this would hinder his promotion.


    But herees the question.


    Although Adam''s elemental magic was not conventional, he was still an elemental mage. Most ordinary elemental mages can master either Earth, Water, Wind, or Fire, and the other elements are all found in nature. However, Adam practically invented electromaism in the mage world. There weren''t any frames of reference to base this off.


    Forming a "new body" made of electricity? Too unstable.


    Conjuring a maic field to form a "new body"? Too abstract, too broad.


    A pure electric body? A body based off quantum energy? Although they were closely rted to electromaism, the resources required to prove the existence of those two variables would be unimaginable.


    The final preparations for the battlemage trialsted three days.


    For the past three days, Adam stayed in his room. He would meditate, revise his previous knowledge, or even construct and optimise existing magics.


    He was confident he was ready in his three days of preparation.


    He could create a maic field in a heartbeat -- as long as his enemies are within a radius of 500 metres, he would be considered a god in that field, given that there aren''t any life-forms stronger than him in the field.


    He could conjure swords from extracting metal out of thin air, as well as control their speed and vibrations, making them extremely deadly.


    Controlling electricity was second nature to him. As long as he was able to, he could cast continuous lightning storms within the maic field, and he estimates that the power of these strikes far exceeds the limit of a normal apprentice.


    In addition to these, he discovered new things as well.


    For example, his electromaic gun''s preparation has greatly reduced. He could instantly conjure and shoot the gun, and it was fully automatic, able to shoot out a continuous stream of magic.


    He could theoretically use a sma cannon as well, but Adam has hit a "technological ck box". Although he could do so via massive calctions, the theory isn''tplete. Hence, it would take a long time to conjure a sma cannon.


    During this period of time, Ike never came to bother Adam. Hailey knocked on Adam''s door from time to time, and he answered all of her questions, as long as it did not involve any of his personal, core knowledge. In return, Adam got many of his questions answered as well.


    Like the role of a battlemage.


    There were more than 1000 apprentices in the Moldo Academy, but he was the only one qualified to enter the trial. In the Rex Academy, only the twins were eligible. If this ratio is applicable to the Mage World, doesn''t that mean battlemages are incredibly rare? How do they even conduct endless wars across different dimensions?


    Adam asked this question after helping Hailey solve a difficult problem in her seventh rune structure.


    Hailey stared at him and rolled her eyes, "The purpose of this trial is to cultivate elites. If we can pass the trial and prove that our souls are strong, we can train under the Fifth Element Tower. We could be a senior member, maybe a warmander after being qualified. The real force behind these expeditions between worlds are all Level 2 and above mages who are willing to participate in the war."


    Adam suddenly realised why the ck Mage had disappeared so suddenly. No wonder Mage Victor said that he could apply for the test once he was promoted, but he could not join the Tower.


    "You need somemon sense," Hailey teased.


    In the early morning of the fourth day, Mage Victor summoned Adam to enter the Fifth Element Tower. Under the arrangement of the Mage of the Tower, the trial would begin shortly.


    Generally, mages other than those associated with the Tower cannot teleport to the Tower through the portal, but apprentices with qualifications for the trial are counted as "members" of the Tower, so they are able to directly teleport to the Tower.


    Adam frowned upon learning of this. He was willing to appreciate Mage Santa''s grandeur.


    The entire Tower was surrounded by a strong and dense elemental aura, distorting the space around it. In the city, one can only see the vague outline of the tower.


    In a sh, he found himself in a huge hall. He was immediately greeted with an influx of magic, and he had to separate his soul to avoid exploding in a flurry of magic.


    "Apprentices like you can''t stay in here for long, which is why you are ordered to enter through the portal. The Mage of the Tower set up a suppression array in his hall, so you have to teleport in," Mage Victor exined, looking around. "There aren''t that many people here. Seems that the trial would not be difficult."


    Adam nced around, finding that in addition to the mages who led their own teams, the number of apprentices participating in the trial were about a thousand people.


    Mage Andre''s whispering voice could be heard from the side, "Norge worlds have been sacrificed in the past 100 years -- the tide of the ether is gentle, and there aren''t many geniuses this time round."


    Mage Victor nodded, "Yes. The Mage of the Tower had only recently discovered a small world, and I suspect that the surrounding area has already been emptied..."

 Chapter 116

    Adam listened to the conversation of the two mages with a vague understanding. The slightly chatty hall fell into a pin-drop silence all of a sudden, and all of the mages bowed before leaving the hall.


    Adam looked up and found a female mage hovering by a tform. She didn''t speak nor show any expression, but magic orbited around her, forming a special field. Adam felt that she was a mage who harmoniously controlled the elements.


    She raised her hands and with a single p, a curtain of light was conjured, disying a huge ind.


    "I''m the examiner of this battlemage trial, the Transdimensional Mage Prisci," despite her not opening her mouth, Adam could hear her voice projected in his mind, instantly calming all of his emotion.


    After hearing her self-introduction, all the apprentices bowed respectfully, waiting for her orders.


    "This ind," she pointed to the screen. "This ind is an antimage gathering ce, held captive by us. There are thirteen antimage families here, and their magic includes ancient magic, like curse magic, negative magic, mutation magic, poison..."


    The apprentices hurriedly took note of her words.


    "Mage Santa has detained all the Level 3 antimages on the ind. Your trial is to destroy all the remaining creatures on the ind."


    As she spoke, she waved her hand gently, summoning several elemental creatures beside her. They held baskets of unknown alchemy items and distributed them to everyone.


    "This is the Bracelet of Merit. All of your actions will be recorded and passed on to me."


    Adamtched the bracelet on, feeling a slight tingling sensation on his wrist. He tried removing it, but found that it was tightly welded onto his arm.


    "Killing a Level 1 antimage gets you 100 points, and killing a Level 2 antimage gets you 200 points. Anything else rewards you with 1 point. Special tasks will be issued from time to time through your bracelet. You can choose to go as a team, or go alone -- it is your freedom. The standard forpletion is 1000 points."


    Adam calcted -- if each person required 1000 points to pass, then 1000 apprentices need a total of one million points. Just how many antimages are there on this ind?


    Sure enough, Mage Prisci''s words caused amotion, "Mage Santa estimates that there are only less than 150,000 points avable on this ind."


    This means less than 1/6th of the apprentices can pass the test.


    "The purpose of this trial is to select elites among the elites," she coughed, suppressing the jeers of the apprentices. "You may be geniuses in your Academy, but you may not meet the Tower''s standards. If you die, I can only extend my pity to you."


    "This trial is not a game," she continued. "Perhaps you''ve heard of how weak antimages are, but you forget that it is rtive to us mages. To you, they are a great danger -- it is toote to quit, unless you find a way to survive until the end of the trial, you will surely die. Besides, if you try to leave the trial venue in any way without our authorization... your bracelets will explode. Leave now if you wish."


    Several murmured whispers could be heard, disying how hesitant they were now that the stakes were revealed.


    However, the voices regained theirposure. It was toote to regret it now.


    Seeing that no one had left the hall, she nodded with satisfaction, conjuring a giant portal on the floor.


    "They''re here!"


    "The disgusting presence of runes..."


    "We aren''t your livestock!"


    "We need to kill them! Kill them for betraying the true form of magic!"


    "Kill them... we need to shine as the true mages."


    In the depths of the ind, the antimages'' voices boomed throughout the ind. Under their orders, the entire ind became a war zone. Any unidentified apprentice will be attacked on sight.


    When he regained his consciousness, Adam found himself standing alone in the wilderness. Once again, it seems that the portal separates all the apprentices. In an unknown environment, Adam needed to find a partner to ensure his survival.


    The devil had been sullen and quiet the entire time, since they were forcibly summoned by Adam, dragging them away from the subi. However, they finally recovered their mood when they arrived at the ind, and bounced out of Adam''s mind, "Oh! I like it here! Smells just like home."


    Adam felt a little disgusted seeing the devil''s exaggerated expression, sending an arc of electricity towards them.


    "Shut up. Go and see if there''s anyone around. Don''t do anything if you encounter something, wait for me to deal with them."


    After receiving the order, the devil immediately put themselves on guard, knowing the importance of the trial. It wasn''t only important for Adam, but for them as well. If Adam doesn''t be a mage, then they wouldn''t be able to promote as well.


    After the devil left to scout the surroundings, Adam stayed where he was and silently adjusted his magical frequency. Although Mage Prisci''s directions were clear, he felt that it was too vague. For example, could he be promoted on trial grounds? And she also implied that there were ordinary, regr people on the ind.


    Adam feels that this wasn''t negligence on her part, but to test on how apprentices are able to adapt toplex situations. He predicts this may affect the final evaluation of the mission.


    As heid silently behind lush bushes, the devil''s voice rang in his head, "Master, there''s a gathering over here."

 Chapter 117

    Adam hid his electrical aura escaping from his body by conjuring a maic field a few centimetres around him, so that he would appear as an ordinary person from the outside. He then hovered in between the trees towards the devil''s directions.


    The devil returned to their amorphous form, discarding their illusory body to conceal themselves better. As Adam got closer towards them in the sky, they pointed down and said, "This is the closest gathering area. I take back what I said -- this doesn''t feel like home at all."


    Adam peered downwards, finding that the city beneath him was incredibly dpidated. Low city walls, hastily built houses, ragged pedestrians... this evoked a strong and deep memory in Adam.


    "My dreamscape of despair..."


    "Huh? What? Forget it. Master, summon me if you need anything," the devil said, returning back to the safety of Adam''s mind.


    Adam continued staring at the city. This city looked exactly the same as the ones in his nightmare that he was forced to relive countless times more than ten years ago.


    "If it''s the same... then an apprentice or mage should be in the central city''s... mansion," Adam thought,nding not far outside the city gate, walking towards the city.


    The soldier at the gate barred Adam from entering, "Hand over your guid-"


    Of course, Adam continued walking forward, enveloping the two soldiers with his maic field. Once they recovered from their confusion, Adam was long gone.


    Adam wondered how he should begin his mission, since he wasn''t sure the gap in power between him and an antimage.


    As for teaming up with other apprentices, he didn''t think it was possible.


    The city was rtively peaceful. No one dared to stop Adam, making way for him wherever he went. He soon realised why.


    Only the most prestigious were able to wear clothing of this material.


    Adam continued to stroll through the city.


    He avoided the mansion in the centre. After walking around the city, he casually sat at a water shop on the street.


    The owner was stunned, falling to his knees and kowtowed repeatedly, "My lord, I-I..."


    Adam inquired directly, "I ask, you answer."


    The owner nodded.


    "Where is this ce?"


    "My lord, this is the City of Keyin."


    "Continue."


    "A-Ah, we are on the southern side of Ceylon Ind. T-they aren''t from here. They came to Ceylon Ind... The Aum family... t-they..."


    Adam was silent, and the owner kowtowed again, "My lord, please, this is all I know..."


    But when he raised his head, Adam was already gone.


    "The Aum Family, what a coincidence," Adam chuckled. He was the one hunted before, but now, the roles are reversed.


    Adam pressed his arm against his forehead; the death mark that was once imprinted on there waspletely dispelled. He waspletely invisible on this ind.


    Adam strolled around the city and asked the same thing to a few people, and he received simr responses. All they knew was that the Aum family was incredibly powerful and terrifying.


    In the areas ruled by the antimage, they deliberately make themselves terrifying. Hence, ordinary people are unable to tell the differences between an apprentice and a mage. Both are equally terrifying to them.


    "Guess I have to infiltrate the mansion myself," Adam muttered to the devil as he hid outside the mansion.


    The devil felt as if he was insulted.


    "Master, I..."


    "Hmm?" Adam stared at the devil, prepared to punish the devil again.


    "No, let me," the devil expressed, transforming themselves into a pool of mist, sneaking into the mansion.


    Adam could see what the devil was seeing thanks to their connection.


    Like his dreams, the mansion was incredibly luxurious. The devil hid in the shadows, sneaking across the mansion as they hugged the corners of the mansion. A total of ten sources of energy could be felt, but they were all weak -- much weaker than Adam.


    The devil suddenly stopped as they came to a room in the centre of the mansion, and the devil''s voice rang in Adam''s head, "There''s a barrier here. I can''t enter."


    Adam could see that the barrier was not made of runes. Adam ordered the devil to stay outside and peer into the slightly ajar door. Within the room was a figure who was speaking, and Adam squinted his eyes to read his lips.


    "...Unity... Family... Order... Outsider... Kill... Mage... Arrival... Mortal... All..."


    The figure started to walk towards the door, and Adam hurriedly asked the devil to leave the mansion. The bits and pieces of information were enough for him to deduce the general situation.


    It seems that the forces on the ind were going to coborate to deal with the apprentices, and there is no official antimage in the City of Keyin for now.


    This was enough information for Adam. Adam darted into the sky, letting his elemental magic bloom in the night sky, and a maic field instantly enveloped the mansion.


    The mortals in the mansion could be heard screaming in pain, and all the apprentices on the ind could feel this energy. The barrier in the centre room was shattered, and a few figures in luxurious clothes rushed out, "Kill him! Dawn, notify the family immediately!"

 Chapter 118

    The antimage apprentices didn''t panic, and they dispersed immediately. They gathered together to chant an incantation, and the antimage apprentice named Dawn summoned a two-headed, three-legged bird, flinging it towards Adam.


    However, in an instant, the bird shattered into pieces by a negative magic st.


    Dawn turned pale. They nned to conjure arge spell to kill Adam with a single blow, but the bird died immediately, so they weren''t able to buy enough time. Besides...


    "Negative magic?! Is there a traitor here?"


    The devil sneaked past all of them, but found that they were unable to escape, "Master, wait! I''m still down here!"


    "Lightning field."


    Adam''s cold voice could be heard resonating throughout the mansion, and runes shone brilliantly in the sky. Thunderclouds gathered in the air, and the ws of lightning threatened to sh at any moment.


    The devil continued to push against the barrier frantically.


    The antimage apprentices'' faces turned paler and paler, feeling the intense magic fluctuations from the clouds. The leader immediately shouted, "Raise the barrier, raise the barrier!"


    The devil mmed into the barrier, and was only one step away from escaping.


    Lightning crashed down on the barrier one after another, creating countless ripples on the barrier. In just a few seconds, the barrier was already crumbling under the terrified eyes of the antimage apprentices.


    "What are you all doing?! Protect the barrier!" the leader bellowed.


    "We can''t!"


    "More."


    Adam clenched his fist and the density of lightning bolts was greatly increased.


    Lightning crashed intensely on the barrier, and the antimage apprentices were instantly drained of all their magic.


    "Master," the devil begged, cowering behind an antimage apprentice. "I don''t want to die like this."


    Adam scoffed, "Idiot, this is your chance to kill them!"


    The devil immediately shook themselves awake, touching the antimage apprentices one by one.


    The barrier shattered immediately, and nobody could escape Adam''s gaze.


    The leader revealed despair in his eyes -- he knew that only apprentices invaded Ceylon Ind, but was this person really an apprentice?"


    "No... you will die with me!"


    The leader sliced open his body, and the mist of blood floated towards Adam, "Let''s die together!"


    The leader exploded in gore and blood, but Adam''s electromaic barrier blocked the iing death mark. However, the other antimage apprentices were hit by this, and they burst open involuntarily.


    Adam could see the mist of blood floating towards the city, and immediately mmed lightning upon the mist, but found that it didn''t do anything to stop the mist.


    He could only watch as the mist of blood reached the houses of the mortals, and they were all blown into pieces mercilessly.


    Adam conjured a gigantic iron sword and electromaic gun, and after a few seconds, hepletely erased the existence of the mansion.


    "Master, over there!" the devil whistled, pointing to the sky ahead.


    Under the mist of blood, a giant monster of despair with a height of about ten metres could be seen forming from the gore of mortals. There were desperate souls trying to escape the monster, but they weren''t able to escape the shackles of the monster.


    "Ah..."


    The devil nodded frantically, "Master, this thing doesn''t seem easy to mess with. We should run."


    Countless runes poured out of Adam''s body, and majestic magic power orbited around him. The maic field shifted from Adam to the monster, and countless iron swords and sts of his electromaic gun mmed on the monster. However, it wasn''t hurt at all as it rushed towards Adam.


    Adam still hovered in the sky. The devil tried to coerce Adam to run, but Adam stretched out a finger and whispered, "sma gun."


    The fiery sma rained down upon the monster, and the monster was no more.


    "Master?" the devil was stunned, only able to stare at Adam.


    Adam frowned as he looked at his bracelet disying "53". The monster itself was worth 30 points, which was great. However, Adam looked around the empty City of Keyin, and he grimaced, fully knowing that this might affect the evaluation of his trial. He didn''t know if it would be good or bad.


    "How troublesome," Adam muttered, flying in a random direction. Since he has already gone so far, it is better to not consider saving the lives of mortals.

 Chapter 119: In Progress (3)

    Ceylon Ind, City of Aum.


    The antimage apprentices who guarded the soul crystals stared nkly at the 23 crystals that shattered one after another. One of them immediately rushed into the meeting room of the antimages and fell to his knees, "M-my lords, everyone in the City of Keyin has been wiped out... they''re here..."


    "Stop wasting my time! Why panic? Get out!" the antimage was furious, flinging the antimage apprentice out of the room. He returned his gaze to the other antimage sitting at the table, "Mage Cook, we need to fight back."


    Cook Aum''s face was obscured in therge ck robe, raising a hand to stop the antimage''s concern, "Of course, but we must not be reckless. Quinn, I don''t want us to be wiped out of existence. I don''t know how would we be able to exin it to our ancestors if we did."


    "Mage Cook! I simply don''t understand your trepidation! They are just a group of apprentices! Look -- if you''re afraid, I can-"


    Snap.


    With a crisp sound, Quinn rose into the air grabbing at his neck, and Cook''s voice was full of malice, "I''ll say it again. These are not ordinary apprentices. Their magic is stronger than yours. A hundred years ago, my father disintegrated into ash by an apprentice who suddenly promoted in battle. I do not want to see that happen again to our kind."


    Cook paused, reying that scene in his mind. He was merely an apprentice a hundred years ago -- if it wasn''t for his father sacrificing himself, he wouldn''t be alive now. This was truly a nightmare bing reality.


    "This is a disaster for us, I admit," Cook muttered, helping Quinn up. "But this is just a game to them. Don''t act brashly, or I''ll sacrifice you."


    With a low growl, Quinn returned to his seat silently.


    Another mage spoke up, "He''s too young, Cook. He won''t ruin our ns, but do we really have to do that? Although they are just pariahs, they''re the source of our strength after all..."


    "We have to give up on them and gather as much power as possible. If we can survive, we can persevere."


    "Not only us, all of us... all of us will persevere."


    "Peter, I leave this task to you. On the premise of ensuring speed, try to move as many mortals as possible. If necessary, you can sacrifice them to stop the apprentices."


    All the antimages fell silent; the fact that they were mere livestock loomed over their heads.


    The huge magic fluctuations and shing electricity high above the City of Keyin spread across the night sky. Three trial apprentices looked back immediately in shock.


    "Who do you think that was?"


    "I don''t know. There are too many unknown people here, but that is definitely not apprentice-level magic -- and it''s electric magic at that. Are they using magic scrolls?"


    "That''s too reckless! Using a high-levelled scroll that early..."


    They concluded that the magic came from a scroll, To most apprentices, this trial is bestpleted in a group.


    One of them asked an apprentice with a squirrel in his hand, "What''s the scouting situation?"


    "We got some problems -- there are some magic circles in the city that the squirrels can''t bypass. It''ll take two hours for them to chew through it."


    There were unexpectedly many towers on Ceylon Ind. After flying for about two hours, he found another ce of gathering.


    It wasn''t that far from the City of Keyin, and it should also be under the rule of the Aum family. It was midnight, and the town was extremely dark -- only the mansion was brightly lit.


    The devil popped out of Adam''s mind immediately, "Master, I''m going in."


    The devil had already darted towards the mansion. It is better for them to take some initiative anyways.


    But just as they were about to sneak into the mansion, they heard Adam stop them, "Wait."


    Earlier as he was flying, Adam was mindlessly fidgeting with the bracelet and discovered that it had a function of positioning.


    Four nodes were clearly disyed on the bracelet, with the centre node being him.


    Hended on the ground and released his runes gently, which allowed his bracelet to erge as well. Adam waited for them quietly. After a while, the three figures approached with trepidation.


    Adam saw their fearful faces, and used lightning to illuminate his face and bracelet, "I am Adam. I''m from the Moldo Academy."


    After seeing the bracelet, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief. You simply can''t forge that, so they stood a few metres away from Adam and began to introduce themselves.


    Apparently, theye from Moldo as well, but Adam has never heard of them. They didn''t know who Adam was either.


    "Were you the one who casted that magic just now?" one of them asked.


    "If you mean the magic at the southern side, yes, that was me," Adam admitted, feeling that there was nothing to hide.


    One of them looked dissatisfied, "You''re too reckless! How can you make random shots of magic like that? If you get hit by a curse, you''ll cause trouble for everyone."


    Adam frowned upon hearing this. He didn''t like people meddling in his own business, given that their trial methods werepletely up to the apprentices. Why are they trying to cause trouble with Adam?


    "Whatever," Adam muttered, the thoughts of partnering with other apprentices fading away instantly. "Goodbye."


    The apprentice who used Adam was stunned, but suddenly, a squirrel made a sharp squeak.


    The apprentice with the squirrel raised his head and muttered, "There aren''t any antimages in this city, and there are thirty-two sources of energy about to break through."

 Chapter 120: In Progress (4)

    "...a group of antimages were killing mortals, and a few of my squirrels were killed as well. I didn''t get to see the whole thing."


    "A massacre? Are they trying to build despair?"


    Adam wanted to leave, but after hearing their conversation, he asked, "Are you talking about the situation in the city?"


    The apprentice holding the squirrel remained silent, but the apprentice who used Adam said, "Adam, right? You shouldn''t act alone. I''m sure you don''t have that many magic scrolls on you. Your life will be in danger if you''re overwhelmed. Why not follow us?"


    "Master," the devil snickered. "They don''t seem to be harmful, but they are really dumb."


    Adam didn''t know what to do as well. This apprentice was bossy to him at first, but now, he wants him to join their team?


    "Sorry," the apprentice with the squirrel spoke up. "He doesn''t speak very well, but we don''t have any other intentions. It''s better to save the scrolls forter -- we are on the outskirts of Ceylon Ind now, so there are very few antimages here. You shouldn''t waste something so precious."


    "It''s fine," Adam said, not sure how to break the news to them. "Are all the antimage apprentices in the city in the mansion?"


    The apprentice nodded, not sure why Adam asked this for.


    "Come with us, we can scourge for information. We can exchange it for points as well."


    Adam''s eyes lit up. He didn''t know he could obtain points like that. This also meant that he could spend points to obtain information.


    Seeing the change in Adam''s expression, they thought Adam wanted to join their team, "Yup! Come on now, we- wait, where are you going?"


    Adam darted into the sky, and the devil morphed into Adam''s appearance, jeering at them before transforming back into their amorphous form to sneak into the city.


    Runes flickered in the sky again, and thunderclouds loomed on the sky.


    The devil was no longer afraid of the thunderclouds, knowing that Adam was careful enough to not hit them.


    The antimage apprentices could only raise their heads in horror when they saw Adam.


    "It''s him! It''s the same person from the City of Keyin!"


    The owner of the city is an antimage apprentice on the verge of promotion. He sensed the destruction of the City of Keyin two hours ago, and hurriedly ordered his subordinates to start collecting human despair. He didn''t know if Adam woulde to the city, but he didn''t want to run either. He nned to promote and kill Adam, which will give him a big name.


    "Quickly! Kill them by any means possible!" the city owner roared as he watched his subordinates brutally kill groups of mortals. "His magic must take some time, buy some time for me to promote! I''ll make him pay!"


    "Is that so? Why don''t you start conjuring barriers, then?"


    A small questioning voice whispered in his ear, and he replied without thinking, "No! I can''t waste my magic on barriers!"


    Thousands of swords rose from the ground, and they were all imbued with the blue flickering of electricity.


    "Are you sure?"


    The owner of the city was furious, conjuring a negative magic whip in his hand trying to swat the source of the voice away, "Shut up! Who are you?! You... got you!"


    The devil was hit by the whip and was sliced in half, but it had no effect on them.


    "Funny," the devil chuckled.


    Before the owner of the city could answer, he could hear Adam''s voice booming in the sky, "Lightning... guns..."


    The squirrel on the apprentice''s hand hid inside its master''s robes, and three apprentices woke up from their stupor, fleeing from the city in horror, "Damn! This guy is crazy! H-he doesn''t even use magic scrolls!"


    Lightning crashed down upon the city under Adam''s guidance, bombarding the mansion rapidly. Everyone except the owner of the city was sted into ash, and the owner of the city ripped open the life-saving device given to him by an antimage, nning to bring Adam down with...


    Another carpet of lightning sted upon the city, and the mansion was no more.


    The entire town was levelled as well.


    Adam used the maic field to retrieve the devil, and the devil couldn''t help butin, "Master, these antimage apprentices are too stupid. This trial seems meaningless."


    Adam looked at the 32 points added to his bracelet. If the antimage cities maintain the current poption density, then he could reach 1000 points with ease.


    Adam patted his long, flowing hair that was standing up because of the static electricity. Using his psychic arms, he cut his hair using several wind des beforending by the three apprentices.


    The three of them took a step back in unison, smiling with fear, "Adam, you''re very strong."


    "Master, you scared them," the devil chuckled.


    Adam wasn''t surprised. He knew that these three apprentices were not strong at all, and he predicted that they were trying to gamble their luck participating in the trial. Taking advantage of them, he smiled, "If possible, I would like to propose a deal."


    The three nodded in session.


    "Tell me the information you have collected about other cities. I''ll give you my points in exchange for them."

 Chapter 121: Change (1)

    The transaction went by smoothly and three of them quickly gathered information of four other small towns. There were about twenty to forty antimage apprentices in each city, and none of the cities had a qualified antimage.


    Adam paid 20 points and the three dly epted the points. The three of them originally participated in the trial with this idea.


    Once the transaction wasplete, Adam bid them farewell and flew directly to the nearest city.


    The devil reminded Adam that antimages couldn''t be this stupid, and that they n to let the apprentices waste all of their magic on the little towns before pouncing on them.


    Adam spent a total of two days razing the four cities to the ground, garnering a total of 200 points. However, because of his frequent use of powerful, town-scaping magic, his mana regeneration could no longer keep up, and he had no choice but to raze only two cities per day.


    "Sure enough, the antimages have made a mode. I don''t know if they are going to defend or attack, though," Adam muttered to himself.


    Adam hovered over the fourth city he destroyed -- he was almost toote, as the leader of the city was already preparing to flee. When Adam came, the leader of the city desperately sacrificed the entire town to summon a monster to stop him, but once again, the monster was subdued by Adam.


    The devil had a strange habit after Adam was done smiting an entire city. They enjoyed rummaging through the ruins of the cities for spoils despite never finding anything.


    "Master, haven''t you heard?"


    "No."


    "In many stories, whenever the protagonist defeats an enemy, they will gain rewards in the form of treasure! You might even be able to promote!"


    "You idiot. If this was true, I would''ve destroyed the loot alongside the antimage apprentices with my lightning. Besides..."


    "...aren''t you on the verge of promoting yourself?" Adam asked.


    "Of course! As long as you promote, I''ll promote too!" the devil replied gleefully.


    Adam continued staring at the devil, and the devil felt their breath hitch in their throat, feeling very ufortable.


    They soon flew aimlessly for an entire day, hovering over two towns that have already been razed to the ground. Apparently, the antimages have started to counterattack and deployed their own forces. Adam decided to split with the devil, hoping to confront an antimage for more points.


    Another day passed, and at midnight, Adam could hear a voice transmission from the devil, "Master! There''s people here... it seems like they are preparing to abandon the town to flee!"


    "Stay there," Adam ordered, emitting a strong maic field from his body. The space around his body began to distort violently before engulfing him, and Adam appeared right beside the devil.


    His teleportation method was still somewhat clumsy. He thought about buying knowledge to gain ess to the fundamentals behind teleportation, but found that he needed explicit permission, so he gave up.


    "Master, this is big -- this seems to be a big city. Look! There are nearly sixty antimage apprentices underground."


    The Aum family was getting hasty -- antimage apprentices flew at low altitudes, killing any stray mortals they countered and storing their flesh and soul in magical containers. Upon sensing Adam''s presence, they fled to the centre of the city.


    The devil waited contentedly for Adam''s orders, but found that their master was just staring at them, "Master? Are you okay?"


    "This time... you''ll attack. I''ve used up too much mana, so I need some time to recover using meditation."


    "Me?"


    Adam conjured an electric whip and yed it around yfully, "Are you nning to leech off of me until the end of time?"


    "N-no! Are you insulting my capabilities as the devil?! I don''t participate in ruthless killings, I need contracts! I''m ele-"


    Before the devil could finish speaking, Adam had already kicked their amorphous form down towards the city before conjuring a bolt of lightning in the air.


    "Watch out! Is... is that a devil? Such strong negative energy..."


    "Nonsense! Look! There''s electricity! This must be the familiar of the sphemer!"


    The antimage apprentices shot out two negative energy orbs, but the devil simply absorbed it, "Do you want to sign a contract? Don''t you want... power?"


    They had no intention of replying to the devil and shouted, "Use your elemental magic!"


    As soon as the order fell, overwhelming elemental magic showered upon the devil. The devil ducked and dodged through the rain of elements, but still did not fight back.


    After a holy pir of light showered upon the devil, the devil growled loudly, their voice booming through the air, "I don''t like to fight... I hate being ugly -- but you forced my hand!"


    The devil''s body began to mutate, and their chaotic form grew rapidly. Large pieces of dark purple flesh and blood appeared on theirrge body, and tentacles sprouted out violently -- a second head popped out of their ugly neck as well.


    The negative aura spread across the city like a wave, and arge number of mortals fleeing began tomit suicide as their souls were consumed by the devil.


    "Die!"


    With a deafening roar, the devil''s other mouth spewed out a purple torrent, and their tentacles shot out various magics one by one.


    "It''s a monster!"


    "Run!"


    Adam sat cross-legged in the sky, holding his chin as he witnessed the scene below. He already felt like the devil was hiding something from him, but was pleasantly surprised anyways.


    "Have they always had this ability?"

 Chapter 122: Change (2)

    Below Adam, the leader of the town once again sacrificed the entire town to summon another monster of pure despair, butpared with the devil, it was far different in size, physical strength, and willpower.


    Adam continued to watch as the devil tore through the crowd of antimage apprentices one by one as they devoured them. Their eyes were red with lust as they devoured them, and upon ravaging all of them, they jumped into the air and rushed towards Adam.


    Adam stood still in the air, quietly observing the current situation.


    He felt that the devil''s soul was crying for help in their new body -- their second head took control of the body, and the devil couldn''t resist the other head''s control.


    The monster turned towards Adam and pounced towards him, spraying a purple torrent of magic towards him. Adam could see that the magic was highly corrosive and looked like chains.


    Adam dashed forward, rushing towards the purple torrent and sliding his fingers along the purple beam. The beam bent with his fingers, reflecting the magic back towards the monster.


    Adam continued to strike the monster with lightning as it was stunned, and the monster''s flesh and blood peeled off as it was constantly being smited by lightning.


    The monster roared in pain, and Adam could hear the devil crying for help, "Master, please help me!"


    No matter how hard Adam tried to summon the devil out of the monster''s body, he couldn''t do so.


    "I''m suppressed..." Adam muttered. Looking closely, it seems like both the monster and the devil gathered together to form a new body.


    The monster poses no threat to Adam. Although it was powerful, it wasn''t as powerful as Adam.


    The negative energy shielding the monster became thinner and thinner as Adam continued striking it down, and Adam knew that the monster was about to die.


    Adam flicked his fingers, letting lightning rain down upon the monster.


    The monster ducked forward, losing two-thirds of its body before it broke free of Adam''s maic field.


    Adam simply hovered behind the monster as it fled. These kinds of monster would devour anything in its path, bing stronger the more it devours.


    Adam chased after it, watching the monster simply regenerate by breathing in the air. If Adam hadn''t rained lightning down upon the monster once in a while, it would''ve fully recovered by now.


    At dawn, Adam found that he had reached a gathering area where a fight was ongoing.


    Four apprentices fought a fierce battle against fifty antimage apprentices. Magic permeated the air as the four apprentices killed the antimage apprentices one by one.


    The monster''s negative aura wasn''t powerful enough to pierce through the apprentices'' souls, so they weren''t ovee with despair.


    Meanwhile, the antimage apprentices had no choice but to once again summon a creature to aid them in battle.


    "Prepare for the blood sacrifice!"


    The leader of the city casted a hasty spell, as the antimage apprentices began to explode in a mist of blood.


    The four apprentices backed up into each other, spraying their elements of magic towards the mist.


    "What are they doing?!"


    "They''re trying to summon something... watch out!"


    They braced themselves for the blood mist, but found that the blood sacrifice was abruptly interrupted. A monster had dived in from the sky and bit through the blood mist. The monster''s body split open, revealing countless mouths that inhaled the blood mist.


    "Roar!"


    Purple mes shot straight into the sky, and the monster grew rapidly. Tentacles sprouted out the monster, and mouths formed on the tentacles as well.


    The monster grabbed the leader of the city with a tentacle and swallowed him. The other antimage apprentices tried to kill the monster, but they couldn''t even break through its shield.


    Adam studied the scene before him -- he was still gaining points as the monster massacred the antimage apprentices. Seems like the monster was still part of the devil.


    The four apprentices stared at the monster. They didn''t know if they should attack the monster, but when the monster was finished with the antimage apprentices, it spewed purple torrents of magic towards them.


    "Watch out!" one of them shouted, dodging the magic. "Is this another antimage summoner?!"


    One of them shot out a fireball towards the monster, but the monster simply swallowed it, burning its throat.


    "Is this an abyssal creature? We... we need to kill it in one blow, or it''ll regenerate!"


    The four of them were obviously very close to each other. They hovered above the monster in a square, moving with the monster. At the same time, the ground, the water, the wind, and fire were being conjured rapidly, and the concentration of elements started to form a unique field of magic.

 Chapter 123: Command (1)

    Adam had a headache. Although he didn''t order the monster to kill the antimage apprentices, he was still obtaining points. He didn''t know how to control it.


    Although the devil had mutated into this unspeakable monster, they couldn''t resist the powerfulpound magic casted by the four of them.


    Adam studied the scene closely, roughly calcted the nodes where the four elements were entangled with each other. With the pinch of his finger, he sent a bolt of electricity towards the node. He descended in front of the four of them, and with a snap of his finger, all of their magic exploded violently, falling upon the monster without hurting the four apprentices.


    "You! You''ve been hiding around for so long... were you trying to steal our points?!" The four didn''t know who Adam was, but their bracelets had already told them of Adam''s position. They didn''t expect someone to intervene.


    "Be careful, he dispelled our magic. He must be powerful."


    "I''ve never seen electric magic this powerful before..."


    Adam simply hovered and said apologetically, "I''m sorry, but this..." he scratched his head, pointing towards the monster. "...this is my soul ve. My experiment got out of control and disturbed your siege on the city. I am willing topensate in terms of points."


    Their faces softened immediately upon hearing this. Of course, upon seeing Adam''s power, they didn''t want to offend him anyways.


    "But this... monster seems full of negative energy. Are you sure it''s your ve?"


    Adam stepped forward and sprayed fire out of his hands, roasting the monster to a crisp as it shrunk back into the devil''s unconscious, amorphous form.


    Since the devil was bound to the contract, he knew that they wouldn''t die.


    Besides, the devil was a creature from the abyss, which had long been conquered by mages. Since mages decided to let creatures from the abyss stay, they must be powerful. Adam faintly feels that after his promotion, more surprises would reveal themselves from the devil.


    The four apprentices stared at Adam, and Adam introduced, "This is my soul ve, a devil."


    The four of them breathed a sigh of relief, "Since this is your ve, you can leave. We don''t really care about the points."


    Adam took the devil back into his mind, letting them rest.


    "No, I mustpensate you. I do not mind."


    One of them scoffed, "72 points in total -- I don''t think you have this amount. Forget it."


    Although it was true that 72 points was a big number, it meant nothing to Adam. There will be many opportunities for Adam to earn these points.


    "I have 72 points. I just don''t know how to trade it."


    The four stared at Adam, dumbfounded, "But headquarters had just told us to wipe out towns in batches today! How could you already have that many points?"


    Adam looked away, but he heard an apprentice murmur, "Electricity... thunderstorms..."


    The apprentice pped his hands together and shouted, "You''re the one who started the first battle!"


    ''That''s specific,'' Adam thought. He wasn''t sure why he was being addressed as such.


    "Anyways, as long as both parties'' consent, you can transfer your points, but..."


    "...ten points is enough! We don''t need 18 points each."


    The transaction wasplete, but Adam was still confused, "Why did you address me as such?"


    One of them replied, "Do you want to continue venturing alone, or follow us back to headquarters?"


    Adam thought for a while, thinking that it was better to acquire more information from other apprentices, "I''ll follow."


    "Then, you have to be on guard. Some apprentices back at our headquarters are very dissatisfied with you."


    "Why?"


    "Theye from prestigious mage towers, so they had already obtained the list of apprentices participating in the trial. We''re just following their orders to try our luck to pass the trial since they already formed a full battle n."


    "You mean..."


    "Yup. They think that you acting alone destroyed their n -- your disy of magicst night put the antimages on guard."


    Adam narrowed his eyes at this ridiculousness and asked, "Are they going to kill me? Surely not!"


    "No," one of them reassured. "Killing one of your own deducts a lot of merit points -- once the trial is over, those with zero points can still live on, but those with a negative score will be struck down by the Tower Mage. I assume the apprentices are going to force you to submit and order you to obey them."


    "And how are they going to do that?"


    "Maybe iste you... break you..."

 Chapter 124: Command (2)

    Adam nodded grimly. They couldn''t kill him, but they could surely convince him to join them via gruesome means.


    If they iste him, they would deny Adam any information or assistance. If they want to break him, they could easily give him a dangerous task and send Adam to his death. Either way, Adam was stuck between a rock and a hard ce.


    For ordinary apprentices, this would spell doom, but Adam is no ordinary apprentice.


    Adam smirked.


    He checked up on the devil who was resting inside his mind and watched as the four apprentices scavenged through the ruins of the city. After half an hour, the five of them were ready to leave and return to headquarters.


    "Headquarters" was sloppily established in a town -- the apprentices used magic to raise a fortress on the ruins of a city. After disying his bracelet, Adam entered the fortress with no trouble.


    The four of them separated themselves from Adam since they didn''t want to cause unnecessary trouble by being affiliated with him.


    Adam didn''t care and chose an empty room. He set runes up in his room and came to the hall.


    As he entered the hall, he saw less than a hundred apprentices. He estimates that it''s probably because the teleportation spell scattered everyone across the ind. The worst part was, Adam didn''t know anyone here.


    Most of the conversations that he overheard were about the apprentices listing their own strengths, as well as team formation requests. There wasn''t any useful information that he could scourge. All of them wanted points at the end of the day.


    In another room of the headquarters, five apprentices sat in a line in front of two light curtains -- one of which was disying a map of Ceylon Ind. Most of the map was painted red, while there were some tiny green areas on the map; on the other screen disyed a light curtain that disyed the hall.


    "That must be the apprentice who started the first battle," one of them pointed at Adam''s figure.


    "Tsk, who cares if he was the first? Mind you, he razed seven cities one after another. That isn''t an easy feat."


    "Relying on magic scrolls like that... once he runs out, he won''t be that strong anymore."


    The other four agreed with the previous statement, and one of them swiped his fingers to zoom into Adam, "It seems that he must be warned. He cannot be allowed to act like this and destroy our n."


    Adam swiftly turned around, feeling as if he was being spied on. He expanded his maic field and could find a surveince device hidden in the dark.


    "Oh? He has a keen perception. So, which one of us is going to talk to our fellow friend here?"


    As soon as he finished speaking, the door to the room was pushed open, and a female apprentice walked in. She gingerly ced a crystal ball and a document on the table.


    "Lilith, you''re back."


    The female apprentice named Lilith waved her hand. After seeing the five of them spying on Adam, her face turned dark as she forcefully dispelled the light curtain, "Don''t provoke him. We are in the wrong here."


    Everyone stared at her, dumbfounded. She put her hand on the crystal ball which stored a remnant of his magic power.


    "I stored his magic in the City of Keyin and several other towns he razed. Feel it for yourself."


    The faces of the five turned dark as well. If this was Adam''s own strength and not magic scrolls...


    "He has far surpassed any apprentice in terms of magic, he is practically a mage in his own right! None of us can... talk to him. Including me."


    "Even then..."


    "Remember Bill from Monte Carlo?"


    Everybody nodded, and Lilith continued, "Even the likes of him was killed by an apprentice from a small Academy. Could it be that..."


    Everyone remained silent.


    Adam stared at his bracelet -- killing an apprentice will cost him 50 points. If he was forced to, he would kill one or two apprentices and still be cost-effective.


    As he was about to stand his ground, he felt the prying eyes on him gaze away. At the same time, an energetic voice snapped him out of his stupor, "Adam! You''re here!"


    Adam got up and smiled, "Hello Hailey, hello Shirley. I just came here."


    Shirley still had a cold temperament, and Hailey sat next to Adam, showing off the number of points she and her sister had obtained. Adam was a little unustomed to her enthusiasm. He really wanted to go back to his room and check on the devil''s condition. Hailey leaned over and asked mysteriously, "Hey, are you researching on the electric element?"


    Adam nodded.


    "Then, were you the one who razed all those cities on your first day?"


    Adam nodded again.


    Hailey pped her hands together and nudged Shirley harshly, "See?! I told you!"


    She quickly pulled Adam''s arm and shouted, "Me and my sister found out that..."


    Shirley put her hand on Hailey''s shoulder and shushed her, "Shut up! Do you want everyone to know?"


    "Sorry," Shirley apologized. "Care to talk somewhere else?"


    Adam nodded, so the three of them came to Adam''s room.


    "Speak."


    "So," Shirley interrogated. "That was your own magic, correct? Not magic scrolls?"


    Adam became even more curious. They must have discovered some good information. To demonstrate, he raised his arm, and the twins'' hair fluttered involuntarily.


    Adam''s magic was able to pierce through their souls as well, which was enough proof for them.


    "We''re in the Aum''s family''s territory," Shirley whispered. "Well, I''ll cut straight to the point -- they set up their defences in advance because of you, and we got a valuable piece of information after headquarters sent us to destroy small towns in batches."


    "Let me tell him!" Hailey leapt to Adam. "There is a big city along the coastline called the City of Mn, and an official antimage named Peter Aum will arrive tomorrow! Let''s go and kill him together!"

 Chapter 125: Peters Death (1)

    "Excuse me? Peter? Peter Aum?"


    Hailey nodded, "Yup! That''s his name! The City of Mn is valuable to the antimages, so they sent in a qualified antimage to protect its resources!"


    Shirley could sense the tone in Adam''s voice and asked, "Do you know him?"


    Adam simply nodded and replied, "I''ll join the two of you, but would it just be the three of us?"


    Hailey frowned, "It''s good to have more people, since he is a qualified antimage... but my sister and I do not trust anybody here, and those people in ''headquarters'' are too annoying! My sister and I are very powerful -- our magic is practically that of a qualified mage!"


    "Your pendant," Shirley pointed. "That is a seal, right?"


    Adam nodded and fiddled with his pendant.


    "You''re at the brink of promotion, but my sister and I are as strong as you."


    The three of them continued to discuss the happenings of the ind, and he knew why the four apprentices said that Adam had ruined headquarters'' ns.


    There were fifteen apprentice factions on Ceylon Ind, each of which are divided into areas that are far away from each other. Hence, this gives apprentices a chance to scourge for information by pretending to be one of them. Since they were all facing the same enemy, it is good to share information amongst one another.


    That''s how the twins were able to know of Peter''s situation.


    However, Adam''s actions have alerted the antimages.


    "The real targets of this trial have never been the antimage apprentices," Hailey exined. "They are only worth little points after all -- stupid headquarters are just finding an excuse to swoop in and im the credit."


    "A bunch of self-righteous idiots!"


    They bid Adam farewell, and Shirley reminded Adam, "The City of Mn is far from here. We need to leave early and arrive before dawn."


    Adam sent the two away and sat on his bed,muning with the devil.


    "Master..." the weak voice of the devil sounded. "I''m so hungry..."


    Adam took out a few pieces of ether crystals and threw them to the devil -- the devil devoured them and gained some power back, but they were still unable to take a form.


    Adam took out the monster''s flesh and asked, "What is this?"


    "This is the bastard that took control of me!" the devil growled. "It has always been in the depths of my consciousness, lurking within it!"


    Adam guessed that this was something he cannot pry into, as this was a primordial thing inherited by the devil. It was sealed behind a protection spell, and the devil would be annihted if Adam tried to investigate.


    "That... thing wants to kill me and take control! Master, I almost lost you!" the devil cried out.


    "Shut up," Adam replied. "Is it dead or alive?"


    "It... it''s still alive in me," the devil sobbed. "It will take any opportunity to take over me."


    Adam smiled. This was a great opportunity for him to study a creature of the abyss -- a beast that was powerful, aggressive, and had great regenerative capabilities.


    Peter Aum was rushing towards the City of Mn as fast as he could. Although he was entrusted with a heavy responsibility, he didn''t feel happy at all. He had participated in a total of three trials, and nobody knew how he was still alive.


    This time, he knew his fate was sealed. Ever since arge portion of his body was destroyed more than ten years ago, his power dwindled rapidly. Now, he was only 60% as strong as he was before.


    "This is my only chance," Peter muttered to himself.


    There were countless mortals living in the City of Mn, which means there would also be a huge amount of human despair waiting to be harvested. If he could swallow them all, he could restore himself to his former glory.


    "If I can be a Level 3 Antimage during this period, I''ll survive. Even if the family is cross with me, I will persevere," Peter affirmed himself, despite knowing there is little hope for him.


    Peter descended upon the Mansion of the City of Mn, and the antimage apprentice who served as the City Lord hurried out to greet him, "Master Peter! The resource collection has beenpleted. You can evacuate at any time after a day, but the mortals in the city..."


    "You collected all the Despair Crystals and Power Stones? Hand them over to me."


    "Master Peter," the City Lord gulped. "This is against the family''s rules. I am tasked to hand them over personally. You aren''t allowed to touch these resources."


    "I see."

 Chapter 126: Peters Death (2)

    "...So, go to hell."


    As Peter spoke, he pointed his finger towards the City Lord, and the City Lord let out a shrill scream that didn''t resemble a human''s scream. His soul was ripped out of his body, and the body itself broke apart inch by inch. Peter smirked before inhaling the soul into his body.


    The antimage apprentices in the City of Mn dispersed and fled in all directions, fearing for their lives. They knew that if they didn''t escape, Peter would get them too.


    "Such delicious souls," his voice boomed across the air. "What are you all running for?"


    With a few incantations, the entire mansion was enveloped in strange, grey energy, and all of the antimage apprentices were trapped within.


    Peter beckoned an apprentice over, who came to him involuntarily, "You don''t want to die, do you? Then, tell me where you kept the crystals and power stones."


    When Adam and the twins arrived at the City of Mn, the whole city had be a living hell.


    The strong negative energy soaked through the air; death was scattered all across the city, and it was silent.


    "What happened here?!" Hailey stared at the city, dumbfounded. The city waspletely fine yesterday, and yet it was a deste wastnd today.


    "There''s infighting going on," Adam murmured, unsurprised.


    "What should we do, Shirley?"


    Before this, they had established a n, including ways to infiltrate the city and destroy it. They also discussed how to distribute points after killing the antimage. Adam thought they were being troublesome, but kept silent since they''re opponent was a qualified antimage.


    Shirley didn''t know how to answer her sister, ncing at Adam before turning back to her, "Do we really have to follow his ns?"


    "We have to be quick," Adam pushed. "I can sense all the negative magic converging in one ce -- if this is Peter Aum, then we''ll be in big trouble." Adam''s eyes shed with radiance, conjuring a ring infused with powerful fire magic within.


    Adam sighed at their hesitance, finding it troublesome to form a team. He had his own ways of retrieving information, so why should he be so restrained by them?


    "Sister, quickly!" Hailey urged.


    "There''s a lot of ordinary people still hiding in the city," Shirley quivered.


    "I don''t care," Adam announced, flying directly above the City of Mn. He gripped his hand hard, and his magic poured into the ring, raining ck mes all across the city.


    Finally, Adam was able to use this ring again after a decade, Adam thought that it was much easier than before. This magic was powerful enough to raze this entire city and barrier alone, so it was effective.


    The ck mes were fuelled by the negative energy, chipping away at the barrier gradually. After a while, Adam felt the barrier weaken, conjuring a dozen lightning bolts all over the barrier.


    "Sister, hurry up! Adam is about to enter the city!"


    Shirley''s face darkened. She had information that even her sister wasn''t given -- during the trial, ughtering innocent people won''t deduct points, but it''ll affect the tasks given after the trials. ughtering innocent people onlybels them as a Destroyer, and Destroyers are in the most danger.


    "It really is you, Peter Aum."


    "Bastard... sphemer!"


    The moment Adam plunged through the barrier, he sensed the dirty, disgusting magic that Peter Aum had once used. Their gaze met through the fog of blood -- Adam didn''t know why Peter decided to massacre the city, but this didn''t affect how he was going to fight him.


    He needed to weaken Peter''s source of strength.


    He conjured a maic field, and electricity crackled from Adam''s head to toes, killing everybody who was remotely close to the mansion.


    "Garfield, dinner is served."


    "Thank you, Master!"


    The devil jumped out of Adam''s mind and inhaled the souls of the mortals ughtered by Adam, inhaling Peter''s portion of souls as well.


    The antimage apprentices panicked, and one of them ran up to Peter and begged, "My lord, please do-"


    Snap.


    Peter snapped his finger and the apprentice''s neck was snapped.


    He didn''t expect someone toe that fast, let alone Adam himself. He deeply understood how strong Adam was, given that Adam decided to face him head-on.


    ''It''s only been a few years, damn it!''


    Adam''s spread of magic was too fast -- there was nobody left alive in the vicinity of the mansion.


    "Kill the remaining antimage apprentices, I''ll deal with this one myself."


    The devil skipped away, and Adam rushed towards Peter in a ball of electricity.


    Peter was furious -- Adam''s mere presence deeply pierced through his self-esteem. He murmured an obscure incantation, shattering several Despair Crystals suspended before him and focusing a beam of negative magic towards Adam, "Soul Tear!"


    Adam paused his advances slightly, shrinking his maic barrier and recing it with an electromaic barrier. He didn''t want to avoid the st, continuing his charge forward.


    "I''ll show you just how much I can make you suffer."


    The beam and the barrier collided silently, and their energies cancelled each other out. Peter''s face became ugly, thinking that the beam would swiftly take care of Adam, but he didn''t expect for the beam to be shorter and shorter as Adam trudged forward.


    "Lowly sphemer! You... despicable bastard!" Peter roared, his voice booming through the mansion, hitting Adam with a powerful shockwave.

 Chapter 127: Peters Death (3)

    This is the first time Adam has seen sound magic.


    Peter''s magic sends out ultrasonic waves by vibrating the air molecules violently with the intent to kill.


    The strong magicbined with negative magic pierced through Adam''s electromaic barrier and hit him. Peter was overjoyed, but Adam simply vanished.


    Ancient mages were different from mages like Adam.


    Their promotion is different from normal mages -- it is not aplete transformation, but a gradual promotion, and this means that their soul cannot withstand high umtions of magic at a time. In other words, Peter Aum''s physical body is his biggest weakness.


    Adam surrounded himself in a maic field, blessing himself with superhuman strength. This newfound strength granted him a physique that far surpassed any ordinary human, and he was faster than the naked eye could capture.


    By the time Peter had realised Adam had phased on top of him, it was toote.


    Adam shed a sword at Peter, and Peter ducked in horror, shattering five Despair Crystals in an instant to shroud himself in negative magic. Adam''s sword shattered into a cloud of mist, leaving a huge crack on Peter''s shield.


    "Sure enough, you''re scared of getting hit," Adam smirked, watching the grey shield manifest ten metres away from him. Adam pursed his lips, vanishing once again.


    Ever since Dean Victor told him that a trial was to kill antimages, he did some research on ancient magic.


    Especially negative magic -- mages who cast negative magic are often weak in a head-to-head battle.


    They are physically weak and are only able to cause de-buffs to debilitate their enemy,cking the means to face their enemy head-on.


    "Spirit gue!" Peter screamed, but Adam didn''t even bother to dodge or evade the spell. The spell hit Adam''s maic field and simply dissipated into nothing. Adam vanished before wrapping himself in a ball of electricity, smiting Peter''s worthless existence.


    "Knowledge is power, do you understand this sentence now?" Adam''s calm voice boomed through Peter''s ears, sarcasm dripping from his tongue.


    "You''re nothing but an apprentice... if it wasn''t for those filthy mages killing my clone, do you really think you could ever beat-"


    Boom.


    Adam pulled the trigger of his electromaic gun.


    Bang Bang Bang!


    With four muffled gunshots in a quick session, Peter shattered four Despair Crystals once again, instantly healing his broken body.


    "You''ll be abandoned by the times and be all alone. Your magic is outdated and obsolete. Even if you''re strong, you will never be able to beat me."


    As soon as his voice fell, a thunderstorm began, and iron swords crafted themselves in thin air. Adam haspletely overpowered Peter.


    "Damn it, damn it!" Peter screamed, his teleportation magic bing erratic as he ran through the thunderstorm. "I can''t die to an apprentice like this!"


    Peter unveiled his cloak, unleashing countless souls that rushed towards Adam, but they all dissipated before they could even reach Adam.


    "Pity."


    Adam continued to rain lightning and sh at Peter. "It''s unbelievable that your magic is exactly the same as the ones I read in the tower. No change, no improvements, no nothing."


    Adam surrounded Peter with electromaic sts from his cannon, "Soul tearing, mind guing, panic spreading, illusion magic..."


    "Shut up!"


    Peter roared, shooting out a soul that was infused with a strange substance.


    Even the air molecules were assimted by the soul, annihting everything in its path.


    "Oh! I''ve read about this too."


    Adam put his hands together, conjuring a sma cannon out of thin air. Adam aimed at the soul carefully and pulled the trigger.


    The sma beam pierced through the soul in an instant and hit Peter Aum coterally.


    The twins could see the astonishing power of Adam''s sma cannon, hovering behind Adam with fear. Hailey was speechless, not knowing what magic Adam was using. However, being a fire mage, she could feel the temperature of the sma cannon, and even her strongest magic couldn''t achieve the temperature maniption of the sma cannon.


    "Did you... kill him?" Hailey murmured.


    "No."


    Adam could see that Peter''s body exploded into purple mist, figuring that he had some sort of mechanism that allowed him to escape. However, he still needed the points from killing him, so he couldn''t allow him to escape.


    Adam expanded his maic field as wide as possible. Since Peter was heavily injured, he couldn''t be far. Using a strong teleportation spell inside his maic field could only spell doom for him.


    Shirley nced at her own bracelet, not wanting to disturb Adam.


    The maic field grewrger andrger as his telekinesis swept through the area again and again. After a few seconds, Adam''s eyes lit up as he fired his electromaic cannon towards the edge of the maic field, "Found you!"


    The grey mist was now exposed, and Peter could only stare at Adam in horror.


    "sphemer! I will wait in hell for the day you finally perish!" Peterughed hysterically, casting a strange spell in his hands.


    Adam couldn''t let that happen, immediately raining lightning over Peter.


    However, an imprable shield was formed over Peter, and a figure appeared over Peter, stabbing him.

 Chapter 128: Ignas

    "Ignas, no!"


    The twins yelled as soon as they saw the figure stab at Peter Aum.


    Adam raised his eyebrows and stared at the figure. Looking at the merit bracelet, he didn''t expect a battlemage apprentice to butt in and steal his points.


    "Hahah! Adam of the Moldo Tower, you are strong -- stronger than I expected. But now, you have no magic, so allow me to ept the points in your honor!" the apprentice named Ignas cackled. He merely wanted to follow the three to see what they were up to, but he didn''t expect such a bountiful harvest.


    "One hundred points is no small amount," Ignas mentioned, stabbing at Peter Aum again.


    "Interesting," Adam murmured. In his maic field, nobody below his power level could cast magic faster than him. He couldn''t let a hundred points slip through his fingers so easily.


    Adam stepped hard on the ground, forming a huge iron sword that rose from the ground and blocking Ignas'' shes on Peter. The iron sword swung violently, shing through Peter''s body.


    Ignas recalled the shadow towards himself, shrouding his body in a mass of darkness under the sun. He didn''t expect Adam to still be able to cast magic especially after defeating an antimage, and fear struck him.


    The maic field was gathering Peter Aum''s remaining magic that leaked out of him, and under Adam''s guidance, it shot towards Ignas. Ignas'' eyes widened, instantly forming a ck shield to block the magic.


    Boom!


    Peter''s body finally exploded into pieces, and Ignas takes three steps back.


    Adam hovered and flew towards Ignas, and the maic field moved with him as the centre. His fingers pointed at Ignas, and countless electromaic guns shot at Ignas.


    Adam may be low on mana, but his mana reserves far surpassed that of ordinary people.


    Facing Ignas, Adam didn''t even bother using powerful,rge-scale magics, instead choosing to use efficient magic that consumes little to no mana, and all of his systems were rushing to restore as much mana as possible.


    "Damn it! I get it! The points are yours, stop trying to kill me!"


    Adam was unmoved. He should be responsible for his own actions.


    Ignas wanted to escape into the shadows, but was unable to channel it as he was interrupted by the magic being bombarded on him.


    Ignas dodged, shooting out shadowy figures from his fingers that opened its maw and wed through the air, like poisonous snakes.


    "If you are courting death, then I shall fulfil your wishes!"


    The snake pierced through the air, flying towards Adam.


    Adam mimicked Ignas'' movements, sending out an electric snake of his own.


    Crackle crackle!


    A series of explosions sounded one after another as the snakes met, and the shockwave formed from it rendered the already deste town even more miserable.


    "Just how much mana do you have left? Stop struggling and die!"


    Ignas sent out a Shadow Sword as Adamnded on the ground. Adam quickly conjured another iron sword, infusing it with electricity.


    This sword was far stronger than Ignas'' own, since Adam used his systems to channel the spell. The Shadow Sword dissipated instantly, and Ignas vanished.


    "Ignas'' shadow magic is dangerous! Watch out for stealth attacks!" Shirley yelled, keeping her sister close to her. They didn''t want to be targets for Ignas either.


    Adam nodded, taking a piece of ether crystal to restore his mana. Although Ignas was constantly phasing in and out of the shadows, Adam could track him urately.


    Adam soared into the sky, and he could see a shadow forming around his initial position, enveloping the area like a ck flower.


    Rustle rustle.


    Adam tossed away the ether crystals, forming countless runes around his feet. Gathering the elements before him and superimposing multipleyers of electricity on it, crafting a railgun in thin air.


    He shot the railgun towards the ground where there wasn''t anyone, and Ignas'' body emerged from the shadows. His eyes widened as he tore three scrolls in quick sessions, forming a ck shield that firmly protected him.


    Boom!


    The twins were blinded by the dazzling light formed from the collision of magic, and the shockwave chipped away at their defences, "Ignas used a magic scroll... just what kind of magic did Adam use? I didn''t know electric magic was that powerful..."


    As the light dissipated, they could see Adam walking towards the crater formed by the explosion, where Ignas was lying motionless.


    "I win," Adam said emotionlessly, raising a sword over his body.


    Ignas exudes the smell of cooked meat as magic leaked out of his body.


    "You... you can''t kill me!" Ignas said weakly. "I''m a battlemage apprentice... I''m a member of the War Alliance... if you kill me, you won''t get any help during the trial."


    Adam was unmoved, shing downwards.


    Suddenly, an ice shield blocked his blow, and Adam could hear Shirley''s voice, "Adam, don''t be hasty. The War Alliance is indeed powerful."

 Chapter 129: Parting Ways

    Hailey also persuaded, "Yeah! You have nothing to lose anyways."


    Adam nodded, and shed downwards.


    The de of the elemental sword pierced through Shirley''s ice shield and Ignas'' eyebrows, and his body immediately turned into dust as it drifted into the wind.


    Adam saw that his points on his bracelet had reduced by 50, and felt that the rules weren''t that bad.


    Shirley frowned, "You should''ve let him go. The War Alliance is extremely powerful -- if they want to make things difficult for you, they can and will."


    Adam didn''t care. The devil was currently extremely powerful, and a tempting idea was forming in his head. If he could seed, his points being reduced would mean nothing.


    "Hand me your bracelets."


    Adam received a total of 230 points from razing the city, minus 50 for killing Ignas, "Each of you will get 40 points."


    Although the twins didn''t contribute anything, Adam didn''t really care. A few dozen points mean nothing to him.


    Unexpectedly, the twins shook their heads, "Forget it, we didn''t do anything. You''ll need these points."


    "Master!" the devil appeared. "The antimage apprentices are all dead, but at least 20 of them killed themselves before I could get to them."


    Hailey looked at Adam, her eyesced with pity, "No, I think I should give-"


    Adam waved his hands and asked, "What was Ignas'' ce in the War Alliance?"


    "He may be stronger than the both of usbined, he holds an average ce in the War Alliance," Hailey exined, looking at the dust formerly known as Ignas. They used to think that theirbined powers would be equal to Adam, but it seems that they were far behind.


    "How many members are in the War Alliance?"


    "Thirty-one. Thirty now that you killed Ignas."


    Since Ignas was in the middle-ground in terms of power, there were about ten more people stronger than him.


    "Adam," Shirley urged. "Don''t underestimate them. All of them carry that ne you sling around your neck."


    Adam nodded. Those who possessed the seal were all apprentices who could promote at any time.


    "How long did the previous trialsst?"


    "We don''t know, but the most difficult trial took over 30 years, and less than 100 apprentices were able to crawl out alive."


    The twins waited in awkward silence before speaking, "We''re returning to headquarters, are you...?"


    "No. Good luck to the both of you."


    "Master, it''s good that you decided to separate from them. They''re weak."


    The devil watched as the two sisters left. They felt like the sisters held malicious intentions.


    "Whatever. Hand them over."


    The devil''s face became red, surrendering a few things they were hiding, "Hey, I was going to give it anyways!"


    Adam shuffled through the items picked up by the devil before returning it to them. He took a map and announced, "Let''s rest here for a half a day."


    The devil wasn''t sure what Adam''s intentions were, but he was afraid to ask Adam. The City of Mn was scattered with power stones, so the devil hurriedly scurried off to absorb all of it.


    Adam spread the map out, which recorded all the towns within the sphere of influence of the Aum family. However, Adam had zero interest in them, instead turning his attention to the other side.


    "If I want to study the abilities of abyssal creatures... I need equipment, but I don''t have it. The Hill family here specializes in mutant creatures, and the Lance family specializes in toxins... this school of immortality specializes in necromancers..." Adam pinpointed the knowledge he needed, and fortunately enough, their territories were right next to each other.


    Thinking of this, Adam nced at the devil who was busy devouring power stones, and his eyes softened. He never would''ve thought that his devil would be so useful. If his predictions were true, it would give the entire ind of Ceylon a blessing.


    The devil shuddered upon feeling Adam''s smile on him.


    City of Aum.


    The antimage apprentice guarding the soul crystal stared in horror, "Master Peter... he''s dead!"


    He abandoned his duties and rushed into the meeting room, "Master Peter is dead!"


    Cook and Quinn red daggers towards the apprentice, and the apprentice fainted instantly.


    "Whatever, take him out," Cook turned to Quinn after ordering his servants to retrieve the apprentice. "Venting won''t solve any of our problems."


    "Mage Cook," Quinn murmured. "Thest time those traitors invaded our ind, how many days did it take for us to lose a fully qualified antimage?"


    Cook was silent for a moment, "Listen, Quinn -- this was just an ident. Yes, we need to be vignt, but we shouldn''t panic."


    Although Cook said this, there was still fear lingering in his heart. Peter Aum was an old mage who survived the apprentices'' invasion thest three times, so he should be more cautious than anybody else. If he died within a few days, what terrifying apprentice awaits them?


    "What shall we do now, Cook?" an antimage said in a low voice.


    "We can''t sit still. Let each person take charge of a city and bring back as many family members as possible. We need to expand our magic.

 Chapter 130: Obtaining Experimental Equipment

    Because of Peter''s death, the Aum family once again elerated their ns. Save for a few powerful antimages who stayed behind, the rest of the antimages set out.


    This action once again disrupted the ns of the War Alliance, causing arge number of casualties among apprentices who weren''t prepared to deal with antimages.


    The War Alliance began to think that this situation was not a coincidence, and they didn''t realise that something was wrong until they encountered an increasing number of incidents.


    "Shirley, Hailey, where''s Ignas?" Lilith asked.


    Hailey was irritated and snapped back, "Ignas isn''t our ve. How would we know where he went?"


    "Stop it. The Aum family is panicking right now. That has something to do with the both of you, am I correct?" Lilith''s amber eyes were as calm as ake, asking in a domineering tone.


    The calmer Lilith was, the more irritated Hailey became. She hated how Lilith was acting as if everything was under control, "Are you interrogating us? Why? So what if we did?"


    Lilith frowned and turned to Shirley instead, "Shirley..."


    "No," Shirley interrupted. "Ignas stalked us. Are you aware of this?"


    Lilith nodded, "Of course, he''s a member of the War Alliance, he-"


    Hailey sneered, "I don''t care if he''s in the War Alliance. Does that mean that all of you are superior to us? That''s funny because-"


    "Hailey, enough."


    Lilith nced at Hailey and Shirley; her features unreadable. "You killed an antimage in the City of Mn, and Ignas wanted to snatch the points for himself, so the both of you killed him. However, we couldn''t sense Ignas'' magic, so Adam was the one who killed him, correct?"


    Hailey knew she had provoked Lilith, lowering her head in silence. Shirley red at Lilith and walked out of the room with her sister.


    "Adam''s strong," Lilith murmured to the other members of the headquarters.


    "No matter how strong he is, he is only one person. Ignas was irrelevant to our ns, but we must bear our fangs now."


    "That''s right, or our authority we established will be gone."


    For an organisation trying to control the trial, losing authority was fatal. Lilith felt a little uneasy upon hearing this.


    "Inform all apprentices that it is forbidden to provide any form of assistance to Adam of the Moldo Tower. Those who discover his whereabouts will be rewarded with 30 points, and those who kill him will be rewarded with 100 points."


    Adam was blissfully unaware that the War Alliance had ced a bounty on his head. It had already been a week since he killed Ignas, and Adam was already on the other side of Ceylon Ind.


    "Master, why are we here? There may be a powerful antimage here," the devil whispered as the both of them hovered over the city ruled by the Hill family.


    "I need to plunder some things," Adam simply exined.


    This was the same answer that the devil was given the past few days, and whenever Adam answered them, his eyes would be filled with kindness and happiness. That was unusual of Adam.


    Before they could interject, Adam had alreadyunched the devil straight into town, "Kill all the antimage apprentices here. Be careful not to damage buildings likeboratories."


    The Hill''s family territory wasn''t as powerful as the Aum family, but Adam found that the ordinary people living here were better off than that of the Aum family. He estimates it''s because of the difference in magic being researched -- the Aum family specialises in human despair, so the massacring of ordinary people was normal.


    Adam let the devil do the job for him, since his magic may identally raze the entire town to ash. The experimental equipment in town was important to him.


    His points were constantly increasing, and Adam found that the devil was suitable for assassination missions like these...


    "Master! Help! There are strange monsters here!"


    Before his thoughts could form, he heard a series of cries from the devil. The centre of town trembled like an earthquake, and a huge gap opened up in the ground. A smell of rot permeated the air, and the whole city was enveloped in splotches of ck ink.


    "This monster looks familiar..." Adam pondered, retrieving a rusty knife from his portable space. Adam had studied this knife before, but due to the difference in knowledge, he couldn''t activate the knife''s magic. This knife was retrieved from that antimage apprentice named Querina.


    The parasitic monster that Querina summoned back then was simr to this -- its body was formless and horrifying, and its body was able to emit beams of energy. Every drop of bodily fluids and every breath it takes was apanied with a cloud of toxins and poisons.


    Adam stretched his finger, allowing a lightning bolt to hit the monster''s head.


    The barrier surrounding the monster absorbed the lightning, and the damage caused was minimal.


    A drop of green blood dripped down from its maw, and it turned into a small monster.


    "Sure enough, that apprentice muste from here. This thing is more troublesome than the Aum family," Adam said.


    Crackle crackle.


    Adam waved his arm in the air, and a thunderstorm was formed. Countless lightning bolts rained down upon the town, tearing through the monsters'' flesh as they roared in pain. Theirrge bodies swung through buildings in pain, and the ordinary people living in the city suffered heavy casualties.

 Chapter 131: Getting Ready for a New Test

    Adam watched the monster go wild with a worried look. If this continued, the whole city''s buildings would be ruined.


    "Did you take out its summoner?" Adam asked the devil.


    The devil nodded fast, "Yep, yep. The kid was a pushover. A hit of negative energy and he freaked out, hurting himself and kicked the bucket real fast."


    Adam was deep in thought. This must be why the Aum family, who he and other battlemages perceived as weak, held their own on Ceylon Ind. Ancient mages likely had mental issues, and negative energy magic set off these problems, leading to mental meltdowns.


    Adam called up a massive bolt of lightning and zapped the monster. He quickly took off for the edge of the city. Without its master, the monster followed Adam like a robot.


    Once he was clear of the city, Adam let loose, hitting the monster with spell after spell. The monster, which had once been a big headache for Adam with all its tricks, now seemed like a joke.


    "Master, let me finish it!" After the fight, the devil popped out from behind Adam, eyeing the huge creature barely breathing on the ground, ready to attack.


    Adam kicked the devil away and pulled out a little rusty knife. He held it up to the monster, then plunged it right into the monster''s head.


    Rust from the knife began to seep into the monster. The monster twitched wildly. For the first time, Adam saw something other than a desire to destroy in its eyes - it was fear. But it was as if the monster couldn''t move a muscle.


    The knife shone bright. At the same time, the monster''s body started to fall apart from the tail end. Its flesh didn''t drop but moved towards the knife through its body at a crazy speed. The monster twisted weirdly, unable to even let out a sound, forced to watch as it was emptied out.


    The awful smell started to fade. The squished grass and nts under the monster began to stand up again. With a small pop, the knife popped out from the monster''s skull, turned back to its rusty state, and fell to the ground.


    Adam waved his hand to pick up the knife. It was still warm, feeling more alive than metal.


    "Master, this thing''s kinda gross," the devil moved away fast.


    Adam gave the devil a curious look, and the devil scratched his head, looking stressed, "That monster, it seems to really like this thing, it wants to munch on this knife."


    Adam thought for a bit, then walked over to the devil with the knife. The devil looked scared and tried to run, but found it couldn''t move, "Master, no, keep that creepy thing away, stay away from me!"


    But Adam ignored it and slowly walked towards the devil. As he got closer, the devil began to change. The wild energy that had shown up before filled the air, the devil''s ghost-like form bing shaky, his face quickly flipping between anger and fear.


    "Master."


    In the middle of the devil''s pleading, Adam, feeling satisfied, put the knife back in his storage. This knife could bring out the devil''s deep-down personality, which was key. It would save Adam a lot of unnecessary work. In future tests where this deep-down personality was needed, it would be much easier to call forth.


    After the knife was gone, the devil sighed with relief and didn''t dare stay out any longer. Once Adam gave the okay, he rushed back into Adam''s mind. Adam, on the other hand, went back to the ruined city.


    After grabbing the test gear for the transformed creatures from the monster''s city, Adam kept going. In a week, he traveled through three regions and hit six cities. Compared to the coastal power of the Aum family, the defenses of these three were pretty weak. Adam figured this was because these three were ind, and while the spots where the apprentices were summoned were all over, they were all near the coast.


    But this was just right for Adam. He quickly looted the necessary resources and, along with the devil, headed into the wild.


    "Master, why are we going to a ce like this?"


    Surrounded by runes, Adam sunk into the earth, deep underground. The magical runes cut through the rocks and soil. Adam was busy using his earth magic to make an underground space for a temporaryb. In the middle of all this, he made time to answer the devil, "I have a new idea to try out."


    The devil floated next to him, confused, the soil and rock not blocking its form. "But didn''t the guy from the Tower say that Points are limited? Tests take a long time, right? What if the other apprentices grab all the Points? Killing only loses Points."


    Lately, Adam had been nice to the devil, he wouldn''t have answered his questions before. But now, he pulled out a map and even took a bit of his attention to answer the devil, "Ceylon Ind is split into fifteen parts, six of them are around the coast, all the apprentices are summoned close to here."


    Adam waved his hand, and a big chunk of soil was turned into rock by magic, firming up the basic underground space.


    "They''ll need a ton of time to break through the defense circle that''s getting tighter. My test, if it works, should give results in a few months." As Adam said this, he patted the devil on the head in a way that gave it the chills, "But, I''ll need your help."


    The devil shivered, his body twisted for a moment. Just as he was about to run, he found himself being pulled into the earth''s depths by Adam, like he was a puppet on a string.


    "Master, I don''t think this is right," the demonined, "We can''t just let others take the Points. I can go get them for you while you work on the test."


    Under Adam''s feet, iron sand rose and quickly gathered into a big cage in front of him. Electricity ran through the cage, making a strong maic field. He then tossed the demon into the cage, smirking, "No, without you, or rather, the true self inside your body, my test can''t happen. So..."


    The demon mmed against the cage, putting up with the pain from the electricity and the maic field, begging, "No, Master, please, don''t do this!"


    Adam didn''t budge. He turned up the power of the maic field and the electric current. At the same time, he loaded up the cage with tons of ether crystals and various creatures'' flesh and blood, soothingly saying, "Don''t worry, I won''t kill you. This is also good for you. As long as you help out, maybe I can help you fix the problem with your deep-down personality soon."

 Chapter 132: The Virus

    The devil was shocked by what was going on. It was pretty clear to the devil that Adam nned to keep him locked up, like he was just ab rat. Adam tried tofort him, saying he was just trying to fix a problem, but the devil didn''t buy it. Adam, acting all nice? The devil found that hard to believe. But he didn''t have the power to fight back. When he figured out that Adam wasn''t going to let him go, he gave up, sinking into sadness in his cage and wishing for a miracle that couldn''t happen in this world.


    Once the devil was calm, Adam left the cave where he kept the cage. He started to sort out his gear, keeping everything organized. Right now, his goal was to study the stuff he''d grabbed, getting ready for his big task of making a virus out of the devil''s flesh and blood.


    Ceylon Ind was a hotspot for antimages, but a lot of normal people lived there too. To put it another way, every antimage was surrounded by regr folks. In this world, super special beings had huge powers, doing stuff that regr folks couldn''t understand. Regr folks were often ignored. But Adam was different from other mages. He saw the huge number of regr folks as a power to be used. If he used them right, they could help him solve a lot of his problems.


    Adam decided to use them to make up for hisck of information.


    The trick was to control them. The usual ways took too much time and work. Plus, making sure they''d stay loyal was a big deal. And their weak bodies couldn''t handle even a little bit of tough work. So, Adam needed a way to solve all these problems at once.


    The flesh and blood of the devil gave him a brilliant idea.


    If he could use these super aggressive cells to make regr folks stronger, and nt his ideas into their brains with code, he could fix the problems he had once and for all.


    But to do this, Adam needed to make a bio-weapon, a virus that could spread fast, pass easily, and change the host''s gic information urately.


    This would be almost impossible on Earth, but it wasn''t so hard in this world.


    The apprentice''s potion ss had briefly touched on making infectious toxins. But most of the follow-up was banned. Adam guessed that there must have been times in this world when research on bio-weapons led to a lot of people dying, which was why the rest of it was forbidden. But since Prisci said that Adam could do whatever he wanted to get the tasks done, Adam could do whatever he wanted on Ceylon Ind.


    Adam didn''t know everything, but he had a handle on the basics of taking things out. The Hill family''s work on making mutant monsters, the Lance family''s cursed poisons, and the School of Immortality''s studies on necromancers, they all kind of helped him in his virus research. With the first sample of the virus from the devil''s flesh and blood, Adam was sure he could make it.


    Three months zipped by super fast. In the undergroundb, Adam had set up a force field around himself and was holding a needle filled with a purple goo. He stood in front of a test subject who was tied up and floating in front of him, slowly injecting the virus into the subject''s body.


    With plenty of samples and test subjects, the virus research went smoothly. Adam spent two months getting the hang of it, and making the first batch of the virus only took a month. Now it was time to test it on a real subject.


    The test subject was in a kind of sleep, his face still showing the fear from before Adam took control. As the virus was injected, the subject''s muscles twisted weirdly, skin splitting bit by bit. Flesh grew all over the ce, bones shot out, spikes pushed through the body, fangs came out through his lips. His eyes popped open, pupils getting bigger and then breaking apart. The whole body shook violently, unconscious, and looked like he was about to fall apart.


    Adam didn''t flinch at this terrifying scene. He calmly injected thest drop of the original virus juice, then used a probe to go into the subject''s head. While he was focused on watching the changes in the subject, he was also listening to what the machine was saying.


    "Virus injection done, starting first live test data collection," the machine said in a cold, robotic voice, keeping track of everything down to the millisecond.


    "Immune system has failed."


    "Metabolic cycle is speeding up, cells are super excited, cells dividing and multiplying super fast, subject will die in five minutes."


    Adam put an ether crystal into the energy converter, and put a probe into the subject''s heart.


    "New energy added, cells falling apart slowed down."


    "Body is totally changing, getting stronger non-stop, knight level,mander level, beyond level."


    Adam named the power level above Commander ''beyond level.'' When the test subject hit this level, he didn''t look human anymore. The weird powering from his body let it break out of Adam''s magic and wake up with a terrible scream.


    "Hit critical point, subject at top level."


    Adam watched the creature in front of him without any feelings. He didn''t want to make a mindless monster driven by instincts, but ''mutants'' who could work for him. But looking at the state of the test subject, it seemed like the first live test had already failed.


    "Cells falling apart, genes falling apart,sted seven minutes, test subject dead."


    The machine had already called death, but the gross monster in front of Adam started changing again. It had barely held onto a human shape, but now its whole body fell apart like it didn''t have any bones. Big chunks of dark purple flesh started to clump together, move around, and spit out tissue, changing into a new kind of thing.


    But this fleshy blob onlysted for less than half a minute before it totally fell apart.


    "Sick tissues start to multiply. Multiplying failed."


    When the machine announced the first test was a total fail, Adam didn''t look upset. He used ice magic to freeze the leftover tissue, then put all the test records and video clips into the file marked ''number one.'' Then, he left theb and went to the room where the devil was.


    The devil had given up, looking bored, nibbling on an energy stone now and then, and totally ignoring the pile of monster flesh next to it.


    "Why aren''t you eating?" Adam asked.


    The devil looked annoyed at his question, nced at the pile of flesh, and said, "Master, I''m really not an animal. Eating this stuff makes me feel sick. I can''t keep my instincts under control."


    "Control? So you can choose when to change?" Adam asked.


    The devil hesitated, not sure why Adam was asking, but it still answered honestly, "I guess I can, but once I change, I can''t make it go back to the way it was."

 Chapter 133

    Adam put his thoughts aside, and said to the devil with a mixed look of a grin and grimace, "We''re out of the flesh and blood of your true self. You''re gonna transform by yourself, or should I help?"


    The devil looked a bit pale and stammered, "I-I''ll do it."


    Adam gave a happy nod, made the cage bigger with a click, and told the devil to get a move on.


    "Master, you said you''d help with my deep-down personality, right?" The devil asked. Its energy was dark and powerful, and it seemed on the brink of losing control.


    "Yeah, I did."


    Right after Adam spoke, the devil''s true self showed up in the cage. The master-servant bond was totally gone. He started mming into the cage, not noticing the powerful electric jolts frying its body.


    Adam stepped up to the cage, put his hand on it, and used an electric to hold the devil''s true self still. After a bunch of symbols shed, tons of electric des cut from all around, turning the devil''s true self form to a skeleton in seconds. Adam collected the loose bits of flesh and used a lightning bolt to crush its skull.


    Two monthster, in the undergroundb.


    Adam had neen containers for storing ether next to him. Neen chunks of flesh with virus injected in them kept taking energy from the thick ether to survive. The condition of the samples showed that the experiments were going well. In the container marked neen, the virus sample was starting to look like a human.


    Over the two months, Adam had done neen live experiments, each one doing better than thest. Even though the subjects always died, their genes were getting closer to being stable.


    "Master, the cells of my true self are too strong for regr people," the devil said while munching on energy stones. "Even a little touch can make their whole body shut down. There''s no way to turn people into creatures close to apprentices using them."


    Since the devil helped Adam willingly, Adam decided to let him out of the cage. Adam let him move around and sometimes even let it go outside to get some fresh air. He also gave the devil the job of getting live subjects.


    "That''s why I''m making a virus from the cells. After the tissues of the experimental subject break down, the virus will rece everything and create order. That part''s almost done. The only problem left is keeping a stable inside environment. The infected people not only change a bit but also live shorter lives," Adam said as he stuck a needle into a subject''s vein.


    "Virus attack started."


    "Subject partly changed."


    "Rewriting genes."


    "Virus reces old cells."


    Adam''s eyes lit up as he heard these notifications. The subject didn''t break down, its body reached beyond level, and it even had the power to fight off changes. The experiment could be called a sess at this point. All that was left was rewriting the genes and figuring out the best way to infect before calling it done.


    Adam turned off the telekinesis field and subject number twenty suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes were lifeless, with tiny dots of purple light deep within his pupils. He stood still in ce.


    The devil tossed an energy stone at the subject. Just before it hit, the subject raised his hand to stop the stone.


    The devil floated in front of the subject, staring without blinking, looking for any changes. After a few seconds, he said, "Master, he''s dead. His soul is gone. Even if this thing can move, it won''t be smart enough to do what you want."


    Adam put in thest bit of the virus and walked over to the machine to watch the changing data, saying, "They don''t need souls, as long as their bodies can stay alive. And I have other ways to givemands."


    The devil took a few steps back, feeling a bit scared by the look in Adam''s eyes, "What kind of ways?"


    Adam thought for a moment, then asked, "After you transformed, was your will reced or just pushed down?"


    This was an important question. If it was pushed down, it meant that the two wills were basically the same, just a mental problem. Adam would have to build a big server and a ton of small information processors to get and organize every message from each virus. This would be a huge project.


    But if it was reced, it meant that the devil and his deep-down personality were twopletely different beings. After splitting them apart, Adam could use the link between the mutant virus and the original virus to change the deep-down personality and the body of theplete subject, which would work like a server.


    The devil had a moment of clear thinking. He figured out that Adam wanted to solve its problem and got excited, "My will was reced. That jerk isn''t me."


    Adam spent three days changing how the virus was spread from through blood to through air. Now, once he solved the problem with the main server, all Adam would have to do was break the container with the virus. The air flowing around would spread the virus, infecting all beings without superpowers on the whole ind.


    The devil''s problem wasn''t hard to fix. A small change to the soul splitting magic could split the two minds. At the same time, a low-level magic called Soul Convergence from the School of Immortality could gather the soul energy that was torn and scattered.


    Adam didn''t know how to do soul splitting, but the devil could copy the magic''s effect with negative energy.


    "Boss, are you sure nothing bad will happen? I''m tearing my own soul?" The devil lost hope when he heard Adam''s n. He felt like he was killing himself.


    Adam answered seriously, "Store negative energy in your will before your transformation and set up a trigger. After you change, activate the energy to separate your will from your true self. As long as you can do this, everything will be fine."


    Knowing that it couldn''t change Adam''s mind no matter what he said, the devil reluctantly stored the energy and hesitantly said, "Master... could you..."


    Before the devil could finish, Adam stabbed a small knife into his body. The devil''s true self appeared on the ground, but before it could jump at Adam, its head blew up.


    Adam locked it in ce and said three words that didn''t make sense. The creepy magic waves covered its body, and the devil''s will, surrounded by magic, appeared in the air.


    Adam quickly put the now almost see-through and weak devil into an etheric petri dish, turned the energy output to the highest level, then turned around to start making the separate creature.


    The whole body of the creature could be thought of as the original virus, but there were still differences. First, Adam had to use the sessfully developed virus to rece all its body tissues, turning itpletely into a virus creature. Then, he would take out its cells to make more of the virus reagent.

 Chapter 134: The Virus (3)

    Ten dayster, the devil gleefully looked at his new ride, showing Adam a goofy smile. "Master, is this mine now?"


    "Yep." Adam handed over a dozen test tubes filled with the virus to the infected subjects, instructing, "Do as I taught you,mand them to carry out the mission."


    Nodding eagerly, the devilunched himself towards his new mount, merging into its form. The infected subjects'' eyes, sparkling with purple, began to whirl rapidly, and they ran out of the undergroundb through the tunnels, running towards all directions


    "How is it? Any dy?" Adam queried, shutting off the tunnel, and viewing the images provided by the monitors he had ced around theb.


    The devil was having a st with his new toy, making the infected subjects perform one ridiculous action after another, and he answered, "None at all, I can perfectly control them, it feels like I have many extra bodies."


    "Master, I seem to be able to extend my thoughts to them, making them appear less dull than they are now."


    Adam nodded in acknowledgement. This was an unexpected gain, but it was insignificant. He then said, "The task is up to you now. Shatter the virus tubes near the city."


    The devil''s new mount was modified by Adam, and they are like sensors, with the devil as the control program. Through thisbination, all the infected creatures would fall under the devil''s control. Once the virus spread, all the information seen by countless infected subjects would be gathered on the devil. In this way, Adam effectively gained endless spies, solving any intel problems. Moreover, when infected bodies evolved by devouring each other, they could possibly pose a threat to ordinary antimage apprentices.


    After setting the mission directives, the devil disengaged from the fusion state, half of his body "growing out" from the shoulder of the infected body, looking bizarrely eerie.


    "Master, I love this thing. Can I keep it after the trial ends?"


    Adam pondered, thinking that it would be fine to spread the virus wantonly on Ceylon Ind, but once they reached the maind, the mages would never allow that to happen. Thus, he said, "You can, but once we leave Ceylon Ind, it won''t be of any use."


    The devil shook his head vigorously, "No, no, no. Even though I can''t spread the viruster, they are my flesh and blood. I can use it in the future." The devil suddenly stopped speaking, realizing the body would indeed be useful for many things. For example, in the future, he could really do something to pique other''s interest when flirting. However, he decided not to voice this thought to Adam.


    Adam nced at him, toozy to expose his thoughts. After warning him again not to impersonate him, he tossed over a small knife. Adam had found the secret of the knife - it was a container, but it could only store mutated creatures without souls. It was perfect for the devil now.


    The devil epted the knife with a mischievous grin, losing himself in his fantasies.


    A dayter, the devil pushed open the door to Adam''s room, announcing, "Master, the infected have all entered the town."


    Nobody would be safe.


    After the wind carrying the virus blew over, every creature without extraordinary energy inside was infected instantly. The immune system had no chance to react. The mutations observed in theb trials were now happening at every corner swept by the virusden wind.


    Different people reacted to the virus in different ways. Among the infected, most perished immediately, while the remaining became puppets of the virus, losing their sanity and voraciously devouring the other infected around them.


    Adam had not programmed a dormant period for the virus; it took effect immediately. He didn''t care if it would be discovered because even if every antimage made an all-out effort, they couldn''t possibly eradicate billions of infected in a short time.


    And it was not just humans. Even insects and animals were infected, and they were even better at gathering information than the human infected.


    As the virus-infected wind swept across Ceylon Ind, numerous towns fell one after another. Society plunged into chaos, and a biological crisis loomed over every antimage.


    There were far more apprentices in the coastal fortress than when Adam had left.


    "The Aum family, the Bani family, the Polly family have all retreated ind. There are no remaining apprentices in the outskirt cities. Four lone antimages carrying out tasks from the three major families have been eliminated. We can consider joining the alliance members from the other two divisions to discuss initiating a full assault on the antimages," Lilith exined to the nearly ten apprentices gathered in themand center, pointing at a map disyed on the screen.


    "The other two fortresses share the same idea with us. The peripheral families are weak in their resistance, and the authority of the alliance has been established. So far, all apprentices are under the control of the alliance. Therefore, continuing on the outskirts is a waste of time."


    "If there are no objections, within three days, we will join the members from the other two divisions, pushing the battlefront a thousand kilometers into the ind."


    Several voices agreed in response. As the wisest of the division, Lilith''s decisions were rarely opposed.


    Lilith nodded satisfactorily, "Are there any other questions?"


    Just then, themand room door burst open, and a panicked apprentice rushed in, "Themon people in the cities we''ve conquered have gone mad!"


    All the alliance members turned in unison. The apprentice handed Lilith an information box, panting, "This is the footage."


    Lillith inserted the information box into the optical projector, and the footage disyed left everyone breathless.


    "Is this the antimages'' counterattack? It seems to be some kind of infectious potion," an alliance member who studied potionsmented, "What about the apprentices?"


    The messenger hesitated and replied, "It seems to have no effect on us, but the mutatedmoners possess physical abilities far beyond themselves."


    "Only formon people? Have the antimages lost their minds? Apart from destroying their own foundation, what good does this do?"


    Lilith stared at the screen, reying the footage several times before saying, "No matter what, we must regroup. Notify everyone to abandon all towns, abandon themon people. If necessary, kill them."


    The room fell silent. While they might not mind killing or identally harming a fewmoners, the prospect of a massacre still posed a moral obstacle. More importantly, one apprentice questioned, "What about our mission evaluation?"


    "We can''t care about the evaluation now. I have a very bad hunch." Lilith murmured, "What if the antimages aren''t behind this?"

 Chapter 135: The Virus (4)

    "Lord Lance, the monsters have destroyed the entire city and are now surrounding the city hall!"


    In a town called Kastera within the Lance family''s sphere of influence, Hal Lance and five other mage apprentices were at their wits'' end.


    "Aren''t these monsters supposed to be mindless? Why are they sparing no one, not even city hall?" an apprentice muttered in despair.


    They were now the only humans left in the city. All others, including the ves and servants, had mutated, even managing to kill an apprentice caught off-guard.


    Curses and toxins had no effect on the infected. In fact, they only facilitated further mutation of the virus, rendering the group helpless despite their formidable powers. Conventional ancient elemental magic could deal substantial damage to the creatures, but the apprentices were not proficient in it. More critically, the number of infected seemed infinite. Even insects, which they could easily crush or blow away with a breath, joined in the onught.


    "I''ve already requested assistance from my family. The mages wille to save us. Hold the city hall!" Hal croaked,pletely out of ideas. Even escape through flight was not an option; the airborne creatures were as numerous as those on the ground.


    "They''reing! They''reing!"


    The infected attacked silently. Without any roars, they followed the devil''smand to carry out a silent massacre. There was no hesitation, no retreat. The deceased infected were devoured in the next second by their peers, fueling further mutation.


    With the number of infected spanning the entirety of Ceylon Ind and all in opposition to the antimagic forces, the gap in quantitypensated for the difference in quality. Although the infected were no match for formal antimagic mages, they could surround and kill an average antimagic apprentice in unison.


    Kastera City didn''tst an hour before it was torn apart by the infected. Simr situations were happening all over Ceylon Ind every second.


    Adam was not in a hurry to hunt down formal mages. In fact, in the three days since the virus spread, he''d gained over six hundred Points while sitting in hisboratory. Adding to his existing points, he was nearing the thousand-point target.


    "Cackle, Master, this is too fun! Too easy! I feel like a deity!" The devil was engrossed in the new game, taking the initiative to sack cities without Adam''s prompting.


    Adam stood expressionless to one side. In front of him was arge screen disying a magnified map of Ceylon Ind. Each city was marked; red indicated conquered areas, and green denoted unexplored areas. Using this method, he extrapted the distribution of high-end forces on the ind.


    The mission was no longer challenging. Adam was not content to waste time here. Although each person only needed a thousand points, transdimensional mages didn''t forbid apprentices from continuing to collect points after reaching their goal. Adam decided to gather as many points as possible to expedite the trial process.


    Meanwhile, the majority of the apprentices from the War Alliance had already gathered outside the defensive circle of the antimage family. ording to their initial n, they would have encountered the defensive circle of the antimage family after advancing a thousand kilometers. Now, they encountered obstruction, and what stood in their way were umunicative infected bodies with no consciousness.


    The apprentices were relentlessly attacking the infected bodies, while the War Alliance hastily established amand post to discuss how to deal with the infected bodies.


    "Lilith, you were the first to investigate the situation. Do you have any updates?" asked one of the apprentices sitting at the round table where thirty members gathered.


    "We can now confirm that the mutationes from a virus that spreads through air and blood. It is deadly to normal creatures, but ineffective against mages," Lilith shared, looking exhausted. There was little more she could find out as the infected bodies were unable tomunicate.


    "I don''t think that the virus came from the antimage," Lilith paused, then said.


    "Do you mean that it was done by an apprentice?" someone questioned.


    Lilith took a deep breath. "Yes, you should realize that this matter is severe. If it was done by the antimage, they would have issued it as a task for us to solve. But three days have passed and there''s been no movement on our bracelets."


    The room fell silent. The absence of a task was a major point of doubt. They had also spected whether the virus was spread by an apprentice. But as they recalled, none of the current apprentices excelled in potion-making.


    "If it was done by one of us, who could it be? And what could be gained from doing so?" someone else asked.


    "I don''t know."


    For some reason, the name Adam shed across Lilith''s mind. Although she had no evidence, she felt it was something Adam would do. But the mystery still remained - what could he gain from wiping out all normal life forms?


    In the middle of the discussion, an apprentice suddenly announced, "Those monsters have retreated."


    In a basement deep within the maind, the devil asked Adam, "Master, how should we handle the apprentices?"


    A probe was inserted into the virus'' parental body named Garfield, the screen connected to the probe showed what was happening at the apprentices'' gathering ce.


    Although the number of the infected seemed endless, there was a significant power gap between them and the elite among the apprentices. A simple spell from the apprentices could easily evaporate the infected.


    "Divide a batch of infected insects to monitor them, the rest can retreat," Adam replied, continuing to extract cells from the mutated infected subjects.


    Recently, the devil had grown arrogant, and he replied, "Master, although the infected are not a match for them, we could still have them at their wit''s end. Wouldn''t it be too easy to just let them go?"


    "No, I need to end this tedious trial as soon as possible. Alone, I cannot kill all the mages from those big families, because I''ll need their power."


    The devil was not quite satisfied, "Master, that War Alliance isn''t quite our friend now. Perhaps you''re already a wanted man among them."


    Adam dismissed it casually, "I know, but they are not worth my scheming. Their survival is more beneficial to me. The infected bodies need not hinder them, they can even reveal some information to them."


    The devil''s eyes rolled, understanding Adam''s intentions. With a wicked grin, he replied, "I understand, Master. I''ll find some tough nuts for them when the timees."

 Chapter 136: Virus (5)

    The devil found this whole thing amusing. ying with humans at will, sitting behind the scenes manipting everything - this was the kind of activity befitting him too perfectly. Given Adam''s permission, the devil went wild, each rolling of its eyeballs conceiving a few malicious ns.


    Adam didn''t care about what the devil was up to. He was now engrossed in creating the virus. New ideas were born every moment and the test was no longer his primary focus.


    Adam''sboratory was filled with samples of magical beasts that he had instructed the devil to collect over the past few days. He extracted specific gene sequences from the bodies of these magical beasts and injected them into the ever-churning viral culture in his ethereal petri dish, hoping to stimte another mutation of the virus.


    While dissecting the magical beasts, Adam discovered an interesting fact. He used to think that magical beasts were able to use magic due to the existence of special organs that could amodate magical power. But now he realized that the ability of magical beasts to use magic was based on their genes. Their gene sequences were naturally formed into rune groups, and their source of magical power was not magic, but a unique form of bioenergy.


    In other words, the abilities of the magical beasts were not magic, but a kind of innate gift they acquired during their evolution in the ether environment.


    Adam didn''t have the capability to allow soulless infectors to develop mental power, learn knowledge, and use magic. But if he simply wanted to give them innate abilities, it was easy. He just had to write new genes into the parental body of the virus.


    After incessantly talking for a while, the devil realized that Adam wasn''t paying attention to it. Feeling bored, it left theboratory with a sense of disappointment and continued to manipte Garfield in his war games.


    Seven dayster, when the devil sessfully used the infectors to annihte three families, it couldn''t help but enter theboratory to brag about its achievements to Adam.


    Among the fifteen powers on Ceylon Ind, the first to copse were the Aum, Hill, and Lance families. In just a week, they lost all their towns except their headquarters. Their magic had limited effects on the infected, so they had to abandon their territories, bringing their elite forces to seek protection from the remaining powers. Their retreat routes, under the devil''s intentional guidance, were exposed to the apprentices.


    "Master, there''s a big opportunity. If we head to the Foggy Forest, the Corrupt Swamp, and the Rubble in now, we can get a lot of Points!" The devil was eager. He found the idea of reaping huge rewards without much effort appealing. Seeing such an opportunity now, he immediately notified Adam.


    But Adam''s reaction was disappointing.


    "I know, but I''m not interested," Adam responded without even turning his head. He hovered in mid-air, a telekic barrier enveloping him. His telekic tendrils held unseen substances, constantly adding them to the viral culture.


    "Master, but--"


    "That''s it, no buts. You''ve done well. When we return, I''ll transfer you a thousand units ofplete Ether crystals. You can spend them as you wish in the city." Adam''s mood was excellent. After seven days of continuous research, the virus was nearing sessful evolution. Once the mutated serum was injected into Garfield and observed for any adverse reactions, it would beplete.


    The devil was taken aback momentarily before it burst into joy. The prosperity of Meyer City had always attracted it and now, with Adam''s assurance and the prospect of possessing a thousand units of currency and a new fleshly body, it was thrilled.


    Adam extracted the viral serum and ced it in a syringe, instructing the devil, "Bring Garfield in."


    The devil had already cast aside the matter of picking off the weak. Seeing the serum in the syringe, which looked like a living creature writhing about, it hesitated and asked cautiously, "Master, could you tell me what changes Garfield will undergo?"


    Adam was not in the mood for chatter. He ordered the devil to bring Garfield into theb and then kicked the devil out with a swift move.


    Garfield had no consciousness, no soul. Though it was a living creature, it was more like a vessel, or a suit of armor. After attaching multiple probes into Garfield''s body, Adam inserted the syringe into therge artery in its neck and quickly injected the serum, then waited for the virus to react.


    Surprisingly, the reaction was morepatible than expected. The parental body virus almost greedily engulfed the mutated virus. On the disy screen, the virus within Garfield''s body began a benign self-cannibalism. Large amounts of redundant fragments were expelled from the pores in the form of impurities. The quality fragments rapidly proliferate under the unlimited supply of energy from Adam. The four basic elements of earth, water, wind, and fire were formed within Garfield''s body. After a brief conflict, they harmonized and became a part of the gic group, written into the gic information.


    Simultaneously, Garfield''s body also began to change. Its color shifted from purple to ck. The previouslyrge but low-density muscle tissue started to tighten, and the body shrank in size. Seeing the smooth progression of the fusion, Adam opened theb door and let the anxious devil in.


    "Master, why has Garfield shrunk?" The devil was slightly disappointed. A smaller Garfield would be less impressive.


    Adam disregarded its concerns. While the mutated virus had fused with the original parental body virus, if he wanted toplete the evolution of all the infected, he still needed the devil''s help.


    "Merge with it, promote the mutation."


    The apprentices were divided into three teams, each led by ten members of the War Alliance. They arrived at the locations mentioned by the devil toy an ambush.


    Due to the devil''s deliberate guidance, they had obtained all the information about the three forces. This ambush was certain to go smoothly. The Points they would gain, even when distributed ording to contribution, would be enough to satisfy arge group.


    "Lilith, what are you still worried about?" someone in the War Alliance asked Lilith, who was fraught with worry.


    Their team was hiding in the Rubble in, preparing to intercept the migrating troops of the Aum family. With four apprentices ready to advance at any moment and over two hundred elite apprentices, they should be able to ensure aplete victory. However, for some reason, looking at the monsters walking in the ins, she felt incredibly uneasy.


    "Have those things not attacked us before?" Lilith pointed at the monsters and asked.

 Chapter 137: Stealing Credit (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 137: Stealing Credit (Part 1)</h4>


    "No," a person near her said, "They didn''t attack us, and they didn''t fight back against our magic. They only eat the dead bodies of the monsters and that''s it." He stopped, then added, "We can''t even be sure these creatures are following us, there are so many and they are everywhere."


    Lilith knew he was correct. Now she was bing aware of how strong these things she used to ignore could be. They had traveled through a silent, deste area where regr creatures transformed into continuously quiet monsters. All antimage apprentices and magical beasts had been killed. Thankfully, these monsters didn''t have extraordinary powers. If they did, Lilith feared even they could be torn apart by the sheer number of creatures.


    "Get Larry," Lilith requested after a silent moment.


    Larry was the most skilled apprentice in potion research in the War Alliance. His magic potions were so powerful and odd that even the most experienced people would not risk making him angry.


    "Lilith? What''s happening?" Larry asked,ing closer.


    "Is there any news on the monster samples study?"


    Larry shook his head, revealing a big chunk ofpact flesh. He pointed at the weird tentacles growing out of it. "All we''re certain of is that this is some type of advanced virus. The infected aren''t single entities, but appear to be part of awork. There must be a puppeteer behind all this." Larry''s face glowed with enthusiasm. "This is an amazing method, removing the creature''s spirit and letting the virus keep the body alive. I can''t do it, and I don''t know anyone who can."


    Lilith looked at thepact flesh and asked, "Do you think they could change again?"


    Understanding her worry, Larry quickly answered, "No chance. This virus has already reached its maximum mutation. There''s nothing in their genes that could develop into extraordinary powers. The infected can, at best, remain in their current state."


    While they were talking, a message came from the apprentice in charge of the realm, "The Aum family''s people are less than 20 kilometers from the trap. Four level-two mages, sixteen level-ones, and about a thousand apprentices."


    Larry was surprised, "Twenty mages? But why are there so few apprentices?"


    Lilith pointed to the huge group of infected creatures and exined, "Because of them." She then ordered, "All of you, take your ces. Start charging the magic arrays. If the infected show any changes, kill them immediately."


    As everyone else rushed to do their jobs, Larry asked, "Lilith, do we need to be so careful? These infected aren''t a threat to us. Their power is much weaker than ours, and no matter how many there are, they can''t match us."


    Lilith let out a deep sigh, "I hope you''re right, but I''ve got a bad feeling."


    In a sh, the twenty-kilometer distance was covered. The Aum family ran like frightened dogs from theirnd, their informationworkpletely shattered, blindly retreating ind. They thought the enemies were still gathering at the edges; they never suspected the elite troops were right under their noses.


    Boom!


    With a thunderous explosion, the magic array sprang into action. Earth, water, wind, fire, light, darkness, metal, frost, and many unrecognizable magical glimmers all sparkled at the same time. Thousands of students from the Aum family were reduced to ashes before they could even scream. The official antimages, after a moment of shock, desperately used their survival skills to endure the first wave of attack.


    A newly promoted level-one mage from the Aum family, with the least experience and weakest abilities, was severely injured in the first wave. He asked with a pale face, "How did you get here? How could you know our escape route?"


    The magic array on the ground was charging quickly. Cook bit his tongue hard, and with his blood, he summoned several desperate monsters as a shield. Then he yelled, "Run!"


    .


    Lilith''s voice echoed clearly from the ground, "Second wave, now!"


    The shields couldn''t even endure a round of attack before they were shattered. The huge magic array,posed of countless smaller ones, exploded with an amazing power far beyond a single apprentice''s strength. The power of the magic circle was amplified to a terrifying ten times its original strength.


    Outside the undergroundb, the devil fused with Garfield watched the live stream with interest. Adam had ordered him to release the second-generation virus right away, but the devil didn''t obey.


    Even though Adam said he didn''t care about some minor issues, the devil didn''t want to give others advantages that easily. Plus, this was a fun game. He decided to finish the virus''s evolution when the antimages were barely holding on, then use the abilities given by the second-generation virus to steal the glory. Even if all these infected bodies were destroyed afterward, it wouldn''t matter.


    "Keep going, don''t stop," the devil mumbled to himself. Although he wasn''t there, witnessing the power of magic still made him excited. After five rounds of attacks, the magic array finally broke under the pressure. All the apprentices rose into the air, blocking all escape routes for the official Aum family mages.


    By this time, these antimages could no longer keep their proud look, each appearingpletely disheveled. Their protective magic had been shattered multiple times, and the special items they had saved for emergencies were almost entirely used up.


    "Oh, oh, oh! Leveled up!" the devil yelled in delight. On the Rubble in, three apprentices released their seals, connecting heaven and earth with their ether gifts. The antimages were increasingly suppressed.


    "Fire, earth, ice. Is this the magic after promotion?" The devil noted these details with great interest, knowing Adam would be fascinated by them.


    Seeing the inevitable defeat of the antimages, the devilughed maniacally and lifted the control on the second-generation virus. The virus cheered and eagerly sent the new gene fragments to all the infected bodies.


    On the Rubble in, the apprentices were focused on attacking the antimages, with only Lilith dividing her attention to the infected bodies while fighting.


    "Darn it! They''ve mutated! Everyone, attack the infected bodies. Stop them, whatever they''re trying to do. Destroy them!"


    "Haha, toote!"


    The infected across every corner of Ceylon Ind began to roar in agony. The weaker ones exploded at the start of the evolution, their remaining bodies were consumed by other greedy infected beings to support their own mutations. After a few moments, the number of infected creatures reduced by a third, but the survivors started to emit secondary elemental energy.

 Chapter 138: Stealing Credit (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 138: Stealing Credit (Part 2)</h4>


    The surprising change of the infected instantly garnered everyone''s attention. The three mages who were newly promoted got distracted, giving the Aum family''s antimages a small window for escape.


    These antimages, with no time to worry about their family members, couldn''t even issue a warning in this urgent situation. Each of them used their final measures to flee from the impending danger.


    Unfortunately, the route they took for escape led them straight to the infected.


    The devilmanded all the infected in the Rubble in, frantically ordering, "Lock onto the targets, attack!"


    One single infected being might be weak, but theirrge quantity made their power terrifying. They followed the devil''smands perfectly. The forces of earth, water, wind, and fire quickly gathered in the sky and the ground, forming argeplicated sphere of these elements in front of everyone. This sphere then gently collided with the escaping antimage under everyone''s shocked gaze.


    Boom!


    With a deafening explosion, the sphere of elements exploded. Waves of shock, each stronger than thest, forced the apprentices to halt their chase and defend themselves to avoid being taken down by the bacsh.


    The forces of fire, ice, and earth gleamed within the shockwaves, severing the infected inherent magic like three sharp des. However, there was no sign of the antimage in there.


    The three mages were enraged. They thought this battle was their moment, where they wlessly beat the antimage and scored Points. Yet, they felt like their win was stolen from them.


    The loss of Points was secondary, but the psychological blow made them extremely angry.


    "Our Points... Our Points were stolen by these creatures! Eliminate these creatures, find whoever is controlling them, I want to tear them apart!" they roared.


    Adam was in hisboratory, monitoring the virus''s transformation from its initial state to now, when he suddenly realized his bracelet showed an increase of over two thousand points. The total points had surpassed ten thousand, and the number was still rising quickly.


    Setting aside his pen and paper, Adam left theb and confronted the chuckling devil, "What are you up to?"


    The devil exited his fusing state, excitedly pointing at the video on the screen and said, "Master, the second-generation infected are so strong, they obliterated twenty mages in a blink!"


    On the screen was a video of the Rubble in. There was no sign of the antimage. In the now debris-free nds, the apprentices were swiftly eliminating the infected under the guidance of three power-packed beings.


    "Master, those three are newly-promoted mages. The eyes of the infected can''t see past their protectiveyers," exined the devil.


    Both showed no concern for the infected being mowed down. These creatures were too plentiful and easy to rece.


    "These are the first batch of promoted apprentices, aren''t they?" Adam asked softly.


    The devil sat on Garfield''s shoulder, lightly patted the head of his ''mount'', and said, "It''s the first batch after the virus spread, but I don''t know if there were other people who were promoted before this."


    Adam focused on the three newly promoted mages, but as he looked longer, the confusion in his eyes grew deeper.


    "Although they''ve be stronger, it doesn''t seem to have reached a qualitative change? Is it because the soul hasn''t adapted to the ether due to a short promotion time?"


    These three mages, whose faces are unclear, can release powerful magic and powerful spells with every move, but in Adam''s view, these magics are still within the framework of apprentice magic. Perhaps only because their souls can directlymand magic now, thus making it more powerful. This is still a gap from the strength of the real mages he had anticipated.


    "It shouldn''t be because of the promotion time." Adam denied his conjecture in the blink of an eye. He had been in the stage of self-sealing for over a decade. If he were to advance in the future, his soul would certainly not start from zero, and other geniuses should be the same.


    Adam recalled the few times he had seen mages in action. Not to mention the dean of Monte Carlo, the magic power of the original ck Mage far exceeded these three people, not only because of ck Mage''s level, but also in the use of magic.


    The ck Mage seemed to be able to leverage more elements with a small amount of magic.


    "It seems that the reason mainstream mages are strong should be something else."


    Just as he was thinking this, over four thousand more points appeared on his Point bracelet. The devil''s voice, gleeful at the disaster, rang in his ear: "Haha! Interesting! Master, all the elites of the three families have been destroyed by me, haha, you should see their faces!"


    Even Adam couldn''t help but feel a bit worried, as the devil seemed to have offended everyone. If they find out he is the ck hand behind the scenes, they will certainly not hesitate to kill him regardless of the 50 Points they''d lost.


    Adam looked at the devil somewhat helplessly, but he wasn''t one to me others for his own errors in judgment.


    "In that case, we need to speed things up."


    The devil, realizing he might have stirred up trouble, timidly said, "Master, I..."


    Adam shook his head, indicating it was okay, then ordered: "Get rid of all the remaining antimage apprentices in the wilderness, drive the other twelve families to converge, and refrain from reckless actions when encountering apprentices."


    The devil nodded in agreement.


    "Command the Infected to gather metals, whether in towns or hidden underground. Mine everything and send it here," Adam tossed two pieces of magic array paper filled withplex runes to the devil. "In a radius of one kilometer, the outer circle engraves a maic field current conversion array, the inner circle engraves a high-temperature smelting array. I know you''ve collected many energy stones. Don''t be stingy, use them all."


    "Understood."


    The devil felt a bit of a sting. He had hoarded all the low-level resources Adam disdained during the city''s destruction and hid them in various ces. He thought he would make a fortune, but now he had to surrender them. Despite his greed, he wouldn''t let that cloud his judgment. He knew the consequences of disobeying Adam''s orders.


    "Control the execution speed of these two tasks and try to synchronize them. I need the antimages to be driven to one ce when the metal and magic array are also ready."


    After Adam finished speaking, he returned to theb. Since he had be so many people''s enemy at the same time, the second-generation virus was not enough to keep himself safe. Apart from delegating tasks to the devil, researching the third-generation virus was the top priority.

 Chapter 139: The Next Stage

    <h4>Chapter 139: The Next Stage</h4> <h4>Chapter 139: The Next Stage</h4>


    The second generation of the virus gave those infected the ability to use secondary energy sources, a huge step forward from the first generation. However, Adam''s vision for the next, the third generation of the virus, wasn''t about such a big change. Instead, it would give every infected being a certain value, whether they were alive or dead.


    Right now, those who were infected could get their energy back by eating the bodies of others who were infected. This feature came from creatures of the abyss. A fully mature abyss creature can eat any type of energy to help it grow. Adam hasn''t been able to fully copy this feature, but he can enhance it in its simplest form.


    His next goal is to study this very urrence.


    If the research on the third generation of the virus is sessful, it would mean that Adam''s total control over the virus''s growth would change to the virus evolving on its own, something he couldn''t control. In other words, what the infected will turn into next is unknown to Adam.


    However, one thing is for sure: such a chaotic growth would eventually lead to its own downfall.


    After taking a good look at the whole of Ceylon Ind, Adam found that, although the virus could be spread through the air, it was only found on the ind. No sea creatures had been infected. This showed that the Tower wouldn''t allow the virus to spread without limits. Therefore, the number of infected had hit its limit, with no new infections. As the infected started to eat themselves, their numbers would only decrease.


    But Adam didn''t care about this. He had the knowledge to create the virus, and what happened to the infected wasn''t his problem. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Five dayster.


    At the Headquarters, hidden in spaces beyond Ceylon Ind, the mages from the Tower were faced with a problem.


    "What are we going to do with this apprentice named Adam?" a male mage asked, pointing to a floating screen that showed what Adam was doing.


    A female mage hit the table and said, "He hasn''t broken any rules. All the Points he''s collected are valid. But..."


    "But he''s messed up the order of the trials. Look at these," the first mage moved his hand, changing the screen to show andscape full of the infected. These infected caused chaos for the regr antimage apprentices after they gained their magic skills, "The trials have be too easy for him. Plus, we can''t even give him special tasks. The important areas that are dangerous for the apprentices are all taken over and ruined by these infected."


    The female mage sighed, "If this goes on, we''ll have the smallest number of apprentices passing the trial ever. I think there may be less than fifty."


    The screen switched again, showing a view of therge open area outside Adam''sb. The mage pointed at the infected creatures, moving like ants and carrying pieces of metal. "Fifty? Have you all looked at Adam''s data? Do you remember the magic called the Railgun?"


    The mages looked serious. ying around with the screens, they saw everything that was happening and finally figured out what Adam was up to.


    "He is nning to..."


    In these five days, the battle between the antimage, apprentices, and infected had be very intense. After the fight involving the Hill, Lance, and Aum families was disrupted by the infected, all apprentices had only one thought in their minds when they met the infected: Kill.


    But there were too many infected. Every time they fought against antimages, arge number of infected would watch from the side, forcing them to give their all. Most of the apprentices had to choose promote.


    "Lilith, where will we end up if we keep going this way?" These elite had long realized they were being led to something by the infected, but they had no way to change the situation. This feeling of being manipted made everyone angry.


    Lilith spread out a map full of arrows and circled a ce slightly to the left of the middle of Ceylon Ind with a pen, "The Saint''s Fall Basin. This should be it, if I''m guessing right."


    The War Alliance was in a tough spot. Their reputation was falling every day. The apprentices outside the alliance were unhappy with their performance.


    They had a right to be upset: they were initially promised the most war benefits, more chances to pass the trial if they joined and followed a united action n. But now... Besides some members of the Alliance getting enough Points, they saw nothing. If they had known, they would rather take their own chances than work together.


    So, Lilith and the top people in the War Alliance urgently needed a big win to boost morale, at least letting some people see actual Points.


    "We can''t let them lead us," Lilith said decisively.


    People looked at each other. One raised a concern, "We''ve sent our people to gather information, but every time the main fighting forces arrive, the antimages have run away. As long as the infected are around, we can''t avoid being led."


    "True, it seems like there''s no end to killing these things."


    Lilith paused and turned to Reinhardt, "What about on your end?"


    "It seems these infected beings are mining, collecting metal materials. They are very careful and self-destruct if they''re watched. We don''t have enough people and can''t track everything. However," Reinhardt pulled the map and put his hand on a spot, "they all eventually ended up in this area."


    "That''s where the Hill family, the Lance family, and the School of Immortality intersect, isn''t it?"


    "Yes, it''s arge wilderness, no resources, no towns."


    Lilith thought for a moment, "So, it''s a good ce to hide, isn''t it?"


    Understanding the meaning of their conversation, the other members realized and showed their anger, "Are you saying, the person pulling the strings is hiding here?"


    They were angry at that guy. Even though he hadn''t used the infected to kill anyone, he had manipted everyone, which made them feel more humiliated and frustrated.


    Lilith nodded, "It should be here. It seems like before we deal with the antimages, we have to solve this problem first."

 Chapter 140: The Third Generation Virus

    <h4>Chapter 140: The Third Generation Virus</h4>


    The devil rushed into Adam''sb in a panic, crying out, "Master, there''s a problem."


    Adam didn''t even nce his way. Using his mind power, he stuck the devil to the wall. "Quiet," he ordered, "Whatever it is, it can wait until I''ve finished my experiment."


    The third generation of the virus wasn''t apletely advanced version of the earlier one. Instead, Adam had only added a self-destruct program in it.


    The virus determined the host''s abilities, but only up to the strength of an average apprentice. No matter how many other infected beings one host consumes, it can''t exceed this limit. So, when Adam let go of his control over the virus, they would eventually self-destruct as they all tried to eat each other.


    This was what the devil saw.


    Adam injected the third-generation solution into ten masses of infected blood and flesh, then let go of his control over them.


    An instinct took over. After a few minutes of careful contact, the infected blood and flesh began to eat each other. During this, Adam tossed a small creature into the dish. The viruses immediately stopped fighting each other, and together tore the creature apart before resuming their feast.


    "Not bad," Adam thought, "Themand to attack is temporarily stronger than the urge to self-destruct."


    As the blood and flesh chucks ate each other, the winner became more and more powerful. The power of thest one standing was as strong as an antimage apprentice. But this was its limit. When it had no more beings to consume, the virus cells began to die. The infected body shrunk,rge chunks of flesh turned gray, and after ten minutes, itpletely lost its life.


    After writing down all the steps of the experiment, Adam, holding the final version of the third-generation virus, turned around and released the devil from his mind control. Before he could speak, he heard the devil''s scared voice, "Master, is this the third-generation virus? My Garfield, you promised me, you won''t destroy it!"


    Adam walked straight out of theb to Garfield''s side. Ignoring the devil''s look of fear and despair, he stuck the needle into his body, pushed it in all the way, then exined, "The third-generation virus only affects the offspring. The parent won''t self-destruct. However, when all the offspring are destroyed, the parent will also lose the ability to infect, and the virus cells will be harmless."


    The devil didn''t understand, but he knew that Garfield would be okay. Instantly relieved, he jumped on Garfield, chattering happily.


    "After you finish the tasks I''ve given you, you can spread the third-generation virus. Also, what did you want to tell me when you first came to see me?" Adam, looking at several small hills made of metal ore on the ground through the light screen, asked.


    "I... I just..." The devil, still overjoyed from the relief of not losing Garfield, was caught off guard by Adam''s question and took a moment before answering, "Yes, master, we have a problem. It seems like those apprentices have found us."


    Adam''s eyes narrowed slightly. He had always known that the apprentices were smart, and he knew his role as the secret puppet master would eventually be revealed. Still, he felt somewhat uneasy when that moment finally came. It wasn''t that he was scared of them, but he wasn''t sure how to react.


    Looking at the two almostplete magic arrays, Adam thought to himself,


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Those who are part of the trial are the best from the Tower over thest hundred years. If I kill all of them, will I be in trouble? </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "How long before they get here?" Adam asked. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> The devil thought for a moment before answering, "They are too powerful. Even if I keep sending antimages to slow them down, along with the interference from the infected, we can only dy them by three days at most." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> </em><hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7"><em ss="chakra-text css-0">In a hidden ce in space...


    "This is an analysis report on Adam''s behavior and personality," the female mage ced a file on the table and continued, "Based on his past actions, if the apprentices provoke him, the railgun will change targets from the antimages to the apprentices. ording to our calctions over thest few days, the full power of the magic array could wipe out all the yet-to-promote apprentices."


    "Calm down, Kleti. Whatever he decides to do, as long as he follows the rules, we can''t stop him. The Towers signed contracts before sending their apprentices; no one will me us for this. Also, we have reported this to Prisci, haven''t we?"


    "True, but the contract doesn''t mention anything about all the apprentices dying from killing each other, does it? And if only one person from the Tower passes the trial this time, it won''t look good for us."


    "Don''t worry, there won''t be just one person. Most of those young ones in the War Alliance have enough Points already. This kind of wide-scale, destructive magic won''t kill them," another mage casually stated.


    Just then, an additional figure appeared in themand post. Everyone saluted respectfully as a projection of Prisci appeared before them.


    "Give out the final mission: go to the Saint''s Fall to eliminate the remaining antimages. Points will be doubled during the mission," Prisci ordered, issuing the first and final mission of this war trial.


    Kleti sighed in relief. At least this way, most of the apprentices who still needed Points would avoid confronting Adam and that absurd magic of his.


    Prisci smiled slightly, "Don''t worry about anything else. No one dares to break the Tower''s rules. Don''t forget the purpose of the trial. We need quality, the elites of them, not just quantity."


    "As you wish," everyone said together.


    The projection faded. Her final words were, "After the trial is over, bring Adam to the Tower to see me." <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">The devil was nervous, as most of the trouble this time was caused by him. If Adam were to be attacked as a result, he would be even more miserable. Therefore, his dedication to carrying out orders increased again, and the collection of resources and construction of the magic array went at a fast pace.


    The devil seemed to see an opportunity today.


    "Master! Master! They''ve split up! It looks like there''s an internal conflict. Only five of them are flying towards us."


    At that moment, Adam was staring at his Point bracelet in a daze. "The final battle, the Saint''s Fall? The confrontation came earlier than I expected... Seems like the Tower''s rules are kicking in to protect the apprentices, but I''m not sure if it''s to protect me or them."


    The devil, looking at the silent Adam, spoke again, "Master?"


    "Stop gathering resources, start spreading the third-generation virus, activate the melting magic array. This trial is about to end." </em>

 Chapter 141: The Railgun

    <h4>Chapter 141: The Railgun</h4>


    "Clearly, the Tower has spotted the issue with this trial. The final fight is everyone''sst shot. It''s more useful to snatch this chance to score points than to invite trouble," Lilith said, stopping the team right after figuring out the mission. She spoke up to all of them.


    The apprentices who had been eager to take on Adam now have various opinions.


    The task given by the Tower provided those apprentices still short of Points a chance to qualify at thest moment. Chasing the hidden puppet master seemed less crucial. Beside the average apprentices, the top ones in the War Alliance also believed so.


    During the process of defeating the three main families, one of the newly advanced mages who had their credits stolen by the devil was outraged, "This is an insult to us and to the War Alliance! Whoever they are, they must pay!"


    Lilith tried to reason with them, "The goal of the War Alliance isn''t to show off our strength, but to secure and expand our wins in the trials. Blind courage will only drain the Alliance''s strength. We now have a chance to earn a lot of Points in front of us, why waste time on pointless tasks? Besides, the person behind the scenes hasn''t really attacked us."


    "Lilith, what are you suggesting? Are you saying we''re chasing personal vendettas?"


    Lilith felt swamped, finding it impossible to reason with them. She was, for the moment, at a loss for words.


    Seeing Lilith silenced, the few new mages thought they were spot on. Their faces turned serious as they asked the other Alliance members, "Do you all agree?"


    The others stayed quiet, indicating their stance through their silence.


    One of the new mages stepped forward, "In that case, we''re leaving the Alliance. Those who want to join us can leave with us now."


    In the midst of ufortable silence, two people left the group to stand with them. They were apprentices who had already earned enough points. The rest silently watched as things unfolded.


    "Alright, very well, let''s move." In total, five people - four new mages and an Alliance elite - left the group and headed towards Adam, leaving the remaining apprentices to exchange looks, unsure of what to say.


    After some time, someone approached Lilith and asked quietly, "Lilith, I don''t get it. Why don''t we deal with the sneak hiding in the dark first, then carry out the mission?"


    Lilith sighed, "The sudden rise in power has made them cocky and full of themselves. They''ve lost their old wisdom."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Don''t you get it? This trial has been out of our hands from the start, different from the trials we knew before. Why do you think the Tower gave this mission at this particr time, just when we were nning to stir up trouble?" Lilith said, sighing.


    Everyone around her froze, and then gasped. They hadn''t thought about it from this angle. With Lilith''s exnation, they understood the reason for the Tower issuing this mission: "Could it be... the Tower thinks we might be wiped out by the hidden enemy?"


    "You''re kidding! How could we possibly..."


    Lilith shrugged, "But that could be the reality. This mission from the Tower isn''t to help us, but to shield us." <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">In the middle of a barrennd, Adam stepped out of hisb, overseeing the building of the magic array and the metal smelting operation firsthand.


    All energy nodes in the outer ring''s maic field conversion circle had been loaded with ether crystals, as the energy stones couldn''t support the enormous consumption of the massive railgun.


    Adam stood in front of the inner ring''s smelting circle, his hands on the ground supplying the magic power to kick it off. Then, intense mes, coupled with unbearable high temperatures, shot towards the sky, swiftly melting the heaps of metal into a liquid state.


    Loads of energy stones were smashed. The devil felt a sharp pain but kept instructing the infected to rece the used up energy, hoping that the smelting process would end quickly.


    Annoyed by the sight of it all, the devil turned his back to Adam and said, "Master, should we send the infected to slow them down?"


    Adam, his hands still on the ground, molded the liquid metal into dozens ofrge columns, each one meter wide and thirty meters high. He responded, "Hmm, and also sped up the spread of the third-generation virus. They''re bing outdated."


    Obediently, the devil went off, merging with Garfield. At the same time, the infected creatures spread across Ceylon Ind entered their final stages. They began to attack everything they saw, fighting each other wildly, steadily increasing their energy levels with each fight. After reaching the antimage apprentice level, the viral genes within them started to break down, disperse, and burn, giving their hosts a final burst of energy.


    The devil had already positioned countless infected along the path from the apprentices to theb. The five of them could barely see whaty ahead, their view filled with infected creaturesunching suicidal attacks.


    Of course, this didn''t stop the five of them, but it significantly slowed them down, increasing their frustration and irritation.


    "These damned creatures!" yelled the newly-promoted fire mage,unching a continuous flow of tinum fireballs from his rune array, burning up all the infected creatures they touched.


    "These creatures," said another new mage, seeming calmer, "appear agitated. I bet we''re getting close to the puppet master hiding in the dark."


    The fire mage lifted his rune array, and a huge fireball condensed high above his head, with a burning, unidentified core at its center. He pped his hands together, and the fireball rushed forward like a meteor, leaving arge, empty space behind after the fiery shockwave settled.


    "Carl, stay calm. You just got promoted, and you don''t have much magic energy left in your soul. Using magic like this will only drain you, and these creatures aren''t worth it," said another new mage, manipting elemental threads like des, cutting through hordes of infected.


    "I know, damn it! But I can''t help it."


    .


    Just then, a bunch of infected bodies merged to form a vague humanoid creature, which made a strange noise: "Haha! Master says you can still leave now if you want. If not, you''ll only get yourselves killed."

 Chapter 142: The Railgun (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 142: The Railgun (Part 2)</h4>


    Upon hearing the insulting words from the grotesque creature before them, not just the hot-headed fire mage, Karl, but also the rest of them became even more angry. This rage made them burst intoughter without thinking.


    "Are you mocking us? Us noble mages?!"


    Five magic spells hit the virus at the same time, instantly wiping it out. Afterward, Karl firmly stated, "It seems the puppet master is scared, we must be very close to him, I will tear him apart, no matter who he is!" <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Adam disliked pointless fights, even more so fights among his own kind. Since the Tower had issued the order for the final battle, it meant this trial was nearing its end. All his preparations were to end this somewhat boring trial of war earlier. It was better to push away these newly advanced mages who came to bother him, and add some power to the decisive battle on the other side.


    The devil came to Adam unwillingly, saying, "Master, they destroyed the viral avatar, and still didn''t want to leave, and they even said they would tear you to pieces."


    Adam was instructing the infected to ce the metal pirs on the energy nodes of the outer magic array. Hearing the devil''s words, he fell silent for a moment, somewhat helplessly saying, "If that''s the case, I have to kill them."


    Adam really wanted to avoid pointless fights and losses. Once the magic array was activated, however, even he himself also didn''t know how powerful it would be. There was just one thing that was certain: Considering the power level of the newly advanced mages deduced from observation, the railgun Adam carefully prepared was definitely something they couldn''t resist. But Adam wasn''t a man who would wait to be ughtered. One warning had already shown his kindness. Since they ignored his advice, it was every man for himself.


    Adam told the devil to use the infected to slow them down and to tell him where they were, while he himself went to each power point of the magic array, turning on the runes etched within.


    Ether crystals began to ''burn''. Huge magic power connected all points through energy paths, and a magical storm happened inside the magic array. All elements in the world were held back and turned into a maic field at once, creating a massive Lorentz force.


    In the mage world, all ces outside the Mage Continent, including Ceylon Ind, hadn''t gotten blessings from the World Guardian, making their space fabric weaker. With the magic array turned on, a sound beyond words echoed in Adam''s ear, the soft cries of space itself.


    Adam temporarily took over the devil''s body through their pact andbined with Garfield. All the infected became his eyes and ears, and under the watchful gaze of countless eyes, the five attackers had nowhere to hide.


    When the energy buildup reached a certain point, Adam swapped emotional thinking with logical thinking. All threads were working beyond their limit, calcting and predicting all possible changes of the spatial coordinates where the attackers were.


    "Railgun targets set. Launch countdown: five, four, three, two, one."


    "Be careful, these infected creatures seem to have changed again."


    Even though he seemed a bit hot-headed, Karl, the fire mage, was proud but not stupid. In other words, no idiot would be in a war trial. The moment Adam took control of the infected, Karl felt something was wrong. While controlling his flying movements, he said seriously, "Their attacks have be more aggressive, and it seems like they''re watching us."


    "True, if the infected before were just wildly charging, now there''s clear reasoning in the eyes of the infected. They must be under someone''s control."


    "They''re organized, disciplined, like they''re trying to keep us here."


    Looking at his Point bracelet, Karl could only see five dots that represented their team, showing they were still a fair distance away from Adam. "It''s not about stopping us, but slowing us down. Why this sudden change?"


    The rest of the group shared Karl''s confusion. Although the infected had always been in front of them, constantly attacking and bothering, they had never been this desperate, seemingly not caring about their own losses.


    This issue went back to the different views of Adam and the devil. Adam didn''t care about the lives of the infected, but the devil felt strangely unwilling. After joining with Garfield, each infected creature felt like his child. Telling its children to rush to certain death was a choice the devil found hard to make.


    Suddenly, Karl looked up and whispered, "Unless he''s already targeting us. The reason for slowing us down could be his n to wipe us out with long-range magic."


    The other fourughed. They''re all mages, yet even they themselves couldn''t cast magic beyond the detection distance of the Point bracelet. If the puppet master had such power, he wouldn''t have to spread infection to get Points.


    "Karl, you''re overthinking. I think he''s just scared and wants to make us stop chasing him with this tactic. No matter how much these infected evolve, they still can''t..."


    The mage''s words suddenly stopped. Nobody interrupted him. He had seen the ''bullet'' flying from the far horizon. The powerful magic in the bullet made the space around it warp unpredictably. Even though the bullet was still far away, they could already feel a deep, bone-chilling fear from their souls.


    "We''re going to die. If it hits, we will definitely die!!" The four newly promoted mages yelled together. Their magic armor, which had been improved after being promoted, was now equipped with their strongest defensive magic, while the high-ranking apprentice pressed his activated seal crystal to his chest.


    Each mage held a teleportation scroll, but nobody dared to rip it open. In such unstable spatial conditions, using teleportation would only cause them to be destroyed by the violent space turbulence and the ethereal storm.


    "Everyone, run!" Karl shouted bitterly, his body wrapped in mes. He flew sideways like a fireball. Meanwhile, the other three mages, each covered in elements, scrambled in different directions.


    But, it was all pointless. The speed of the massive bullet fired by the railgun was beyond everyone''s imagination. What was on the horizon just seconds ago was now right in front of their eyes. All their possible escape directions and paths were in Adam''s calctions. From the moment they saw the railgun, their deaths were already decided.

 Chapter 143: The Railgun (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 143: The Railgun (Part 3)</h4>


    The huge bullets changed shape as they flew. The mix of lightning and the air''s resistance at high speed created an intense heat. The metal surface quickly turned into sma, a form that could be controlled with mas. Mixed with magic, the railgun showed its amazing power.


    The first group of five bullets hit their targets right after four people tried to escape, causing explosions. Shockwaves trapped the four, making it hard for them to get away. They couldn''t stand the impact, and it seemed like they were frozen in mid-air.


    Then the next group of five bullets came.


    A noise like breaking ss was heard when their armor''s magic defense broke, leaving their bodies exposed to the emptiness of space. A scary pressure came down on them without mercy.


    They couldn''t make a noise, but blood came out of their pores, and their eyes looked like they were about to burst. They felt like they were dying, but a light from the ether saved them. In the world of the mages, everythinges from the ether, and nothing is more powerful.


    Only then did they cry out in pain, with no time to heal or even show how scared they were. They could only think about escaping.


    Their bloody bodies let their souls gather energy from within. This was theirst fight. If they got away, healing would take forever. But no one cared about that now, not even Adam.


    If he hadn''t attacked, he could have let them go, but since he had, only one side could live. Being unsure would only cause trouble; total destruction was the real point of the fight.


    "Third time, fourth time, railgun, fire!"


    The ether crystals in the energy nodes broke, and the magical array fell apart after the fourthunch.


    The explosion here was silent.


    But the far-off explosion was very loud.


    Thest thing Adam saw through the infected''s vision was the ten bullets hitting their targets, all infected being destroyed.


    For a moment, he felt like he couldn''t see.


    After letting go of the devil, Adam looked at his Point bracelet. Two hundred and fifty Points were gone, showing the five people he had killed. Then a strong wind came, and the magic array was totally broken.


    Adam started walking underground and said, "Speed up the self-destruction of the infected and send the good ones to the Saint''s Fall. Don''t make trouble. Help the apprentices if you need to."


    The fight was done, and Adam didn''t want to think about it. When he was doing research, he cared about every step and the final result, because he might get new ideas from it. But in a battle, he only cared about winning. He lived, and they died---that was all that mattered.


    "Master," the devil saidter, sounding scared.


    The devil was still joined with others. After Adam cut him loose, he sent the remaining infected to where the explosion happened. The ce was destroyed, with a huge crater and rocks turned into crystals. Giant tornadoes were there, but they didn''t move any dust. Everything was dead, with only wild forces moving around.


    The railgun had ruined this ce for any normal life for a long time.


    The devil was scared by what it saw and understood how fierce Adam was.


    "What is it?" Adam asked, looking back.


    The devil and Garfield, joined in a big body, shook in a funny way, "No, no, nothing."


    Adam knew what the devil was thinking and kept walking underground. He wondered why the devil was so shy. "Aren''t devils supposed to like destruction? Is it because I''ve been treating him wrong?" <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Adam stayed underground for a whole week, not doing any other work but organizing what he knew about viruses and genes.


    He thought of viruses as a backup n, knowing that trained mages might have scary poisons that could ruin whole ecosystems. Even though he wasn''t good with potions and didn''t really care about them, he got a new idea.


    Adam started thinking that the Mage Council had kept a lot of knowledge away from apprentices. He thought that genes and biology had been studied a lot by mages. He hadn''t cared about what high-level mage avatars were before. Now, he thought they were likely clones from their own bodies.


    These clones could have magic power, maybe because of better genes and cells made after a mage changed. From this idea and his own experience, Adam had a great thought.


    Maybe he didn''t need helpers in hisb. He could do big projects on his own. If he had enough clones, all as smart as he was, they would be way more helpful than any assistants. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">On the eighth day, a message came from the Point bracelet. Following the instructions, Adam took it off, and it floated and broke apart, making a shiny portal. He called the devil, joined Garfield and looked a bit confused, and walked into the portal, vanishing from that spot.


    Behind him, the undergroundb fell apartpletely.

 Chapter 144: End of the Trial

    <h4>Chapter 144: End of the Trial</h4>


    Adam and the devil suddenly found themselves inside a hiddenmand center, tucked away in a strange twist of space, on a massive airship.


    Adam looked through the windows and therge screens to see the destruction on Ceylon Ind. It was a ce he didn''t recognize, marked by chaos and ruin. There were giant holes from railgun shots, and the screens showed ruined cities, lifeless forests, and empty fields.


    Ceylon Ind looked as though a terrible natural disaster had struck, wiping out everything. The apprentices had taken everything, leaving the ind in ruin.


    Adam remembered that all the level-three antimages weren''t dead yet, but had been locked up. He wondered how they would feel seeing their homnd like this.


    One by one, portals opened on the airship, and apprentices, or newly-promoted mages, came out. Their torn and bloody clothing told of the fierce battles they''d fought. Even though they had been promoted and were full of energy, they looked defeated.


    Some stood alone, marked by friendships or conflicts from the fights they had been through. They noticed Adam but kept their distance.


    "One, two, three... All thirty-six have been promoted, Master! And you are still an apprentice!" The devil said, feeling ufortable around the new mages. He was in Garfield''s huge body and hid behind Adam, which looked quite funny.


    Adam noticed the twins, Hailey and Shirley. Hailey wanted to talk to him, but Shirley stopped her. Adam shrugged it off, thinking about his ownck of promotion, holding the living seal crystal and worrying about the consequences of his failure.


    "Why are you stopping me? Adam''s over there!" Hailey said, confused.


    Shirley felt frustrated. She had protected her sister so well that Hailey had be naive. Everyone med Adam for the fact that the trial had gone so horribly wrong. Out of the original thousand participants, only a few dozen had seeded. Many had failed and died, mostly because of Adam. He was now an outcast, and any kindness toward him would make them outcasts too.


    "Don''t move. Now is not the time," Shirley warned Hailey in her mind.


    Adam''s reputation was bad among the War Alliance. Lilith looked at him with mixed feelings, while the others stared at him with anger. Their once smooth mission had turned into a disaster, with less than twenty survivors out of thirty-two top warriors. They should have all seeded and gained support, but Adam''s actions had ruined everything, including their reputation.


    "Forget it, the trial has already ended, and there''s nothing we can do about him," Lilith whispered.


    "He''s just an apprentice. I can duel him and beat him in a fair fight!" someone said, not ready to let go.


    "That''s right, just a coward hiding behind tricks."


    Lilith sighed quietly, feeling let down by herpanions. They''d been yed with like toys, yet they still felt so proud of themselves.


    Lilith felt tired. "See that active seal crystal he''s wearing? You know what it means," she paused, then added, "If he wants, he can be a mage anytime. Are you sure you can beat him?"


    They looked at each other, their desire to fight fading, but their annoyance growing.


    The devil, more in tune with emotions than Adam, nced at them and said in its mind to Adam, "Master, they look like they want to cause trouble for you."


    Before Adam could answer, a strong force filled the airship, calming everyone''s scattered energy, and several mages appeared.


    "Only thirty-seven passed the trial? This is the lowest number in a thousand years." The words from one mage set off a wave of anger in the group. A few stepped forward, pointing at Adam, ready to me him, but the mage waved them back, silencing them.


    "Enough, no usations. We watched you in the trial, and nobody broke the rules set by the Tower. Your Points are fair," the mage said, his voice almost mocking. "You need to think like mages, not me others. Bing a mage means you''ve grown up. Comining only makes you look childish and weak."


    They couldn''t say anything, but their faces showed they were unhappy.


    "Points can be traded. The Tower allows it, but you didn''t think of that," the mage said, pointing to his head, making everyone''s faces turn pale. "Being smart and talented lets you learn and gain power faster, but having power doesn''t mean you can be arrogant. Don''t get drunk with power; think wisely."


    "What you need to know now is what true wisdom is."


    With that, the mage lifted the spell, and the new mages left quietly. Adam didn''t react. The usations and hostility didn''t matter to him.


    The mage didn''t expect his casual words to really teach wisdom. They were just a standard speech after each trial, but they seemed to fit this time.


    "Now, control your energy fields. We''re going into the Tower," the mage said, starting the airship.


    After a brief speed-up, the space in front of the airship stabilized, and a portal opened. Everything went ck for Adam, and when it brightened again, he was surrounded by elemental energy. The airship was docked in the Tower''s enormous spaceport.

 Chapter 137.1: Stealing Credit (part 1)

    "No," a person near her said, "They didn''t attack us, and they didn''t fight back against our magic. They only eat the dead bodies of the monsters and that''s it." He stopped, then added, "We can''t even be sure these creatures are following us, there are so many and they are everywhere."


    Lilith knew he was correct. Now she was bing aware of how strong these things she used to ignore could be. They had traveled through a silent, deste area where regr creatures transformed into continuously quiet monsters. All antimage apprentices and magical beasts had been killed. Thankfully, these monsters didn''t have extraordinary powers. If they did, Lilith feared even they could be torn apart by the sheer number of creatures.


    "Get Larry," Lilith requested after a silent moment.


    Larry was the most skilled apprentice in potion research in the War Alliance. His magic potions were so powerful and odd that even the most experienced people would not risk making him angry.


    "Lilith? What''s happening?" Larry asked,ing closer.


    "Is there any news on the monster samples study?"


    Larry shook his head, revealing a big chunk ofpact flesh. He pointed at the weird tentacles growing out of it. "All we''re certain of is that this is some type of advanced virus. The infected aren''t single entities, but appear to be part of awork. There must be a puppeteer behind all this." Larry''s face glowed with enthusiasm. "This is an amazing method, removing the creature''s spirit and letting the virus keep the body alive. I can''t do it, and I don''t know anyone who can."


    Lilith looked at thepact flesh and asked, "Do you think they could change again?"


    Understanding her worry, Larry quickly answered, "No chance. This virus has already reached its maximum mutation. There''s nothing in their genes that could develop into extraordinary powers. The infected can, at best, remain in their current state."


    While they were talking, a message came from the apprentice in charge of the realm, "The Aum family''s people are less than 20 kilometers from the trap. Four level-two mages, sixteen level-ones, and about a thousand apprentices."


    Larry was surprised, "Twenty mages? But why are there so few apprentices?"


    Lilith pointed to the huge group of infected creatures and exined, "Because of them." She then ordered, "All of you, take your ces. Start charging the magic arrays. If the infected show any changes, kill them immediately."


    As everyone else rushed to do their jobs, Larry asked, "Lilith, do we need to be so careful? These infected aren''t a threat to us. Their power is much weaker than ours, and no matter how many there are, they can''t match us."


    Lilith let out a deep sigh, "I hope you''re right, but I''ve got a bad feeling."


    In a sh, the twenty-kilometer distance was covered. The Aum family ran like frightened dogs from theirnd, their informationworkpletely shattered, blindly retreating ind. They thought the enemies were still gathering at the edges; they never suspected the elite troops were right under their noses.


    Boom!


    With a thunderous explosion, the magic array sprang into action. Earth, water, wind, fire, light, darkness, metal, frost, and many unrecognizable magical glimmers all sparkled at the same time. Thousands of students from the Aum family were reduced to ashes before they could even scream. The official antimages, after a moment of shock, desperately used their survival skills to endure the first wave of attack.


    A newly promoted level-one mage from the Aum family, with the least experience and weakest abilities, was severely injured in the first wave. He asked with a pale face, "How did you get here? How could you know our escape route?"


    The magic array on the ground was charging quickly. Cook bit his tongue hard, and with his blood, he summoned several desperate monsters as a shield. Then he yelled, "Run!"


    Lilith''s voice echoed clearly from the ground, "Second wave, now!"


    The shields couldn''t even endure a round of attack before they were shattered. The huge magic array,posed of countless smaller ones, exploded with an amazing power far beyond a single apprentice''s strength. The power of the magic circle was amplified to a terrifying ten times its original strength.


    Outside the undergroundb, the devil fused with Garfield watched the live stream with interest. Adam had ordered him to release the second-generation virus right away, but the devil didn''t obey.


    Even though Adam said he didn''t care about some minor issues, the devil didn''t want to give others advantages that easily. Plus, this was a fun game. He decided to finish the virus''s evolution when the antimages were barely holding on, then use the abilities given by the second-generation virus to steal the glory. Even if all these infected bodies were destroyed afterward, it wouldn''t matter.


    "Keep going, don''t stop," the devil mumbled to himself. Although he wasn''t there, witnessing the power of magic still made him excited. After five rounds of attacks, the magic array finally broke under the pressure. All the apprentices rose into the air, blocking all escape routes for the official Aum family mages.


    By this time, these antimages could no longer keep their proud look, each appearingpletely disheveled. Their protective magic had been shattered multiple times, and the special items they had saved for emergencies were almost entirely used up.


    "Oh, oh, oh! Leveled up!" the devil yelled in delight. On the Rubble in, three apprentices released their seals, connecting heaven and earth with their ether gifts. The antimages were increasingly suppressed.


    "Fire, earth, ice. Is this the magic after promotion?" The devil noted these details with great interest, knowing Adam would be fascinated by them.


    Seeing the inevitable defeat of the antimages, the devilughed maniacally and lifted the control on the second-generation virus. The virus cheered and eagerly sent the new gene fragments to all the infected bodies.


    On the Rubble in, the apprentices were focused on attacking the antimages, with only Lilith dividing her attention to the infected bodies while fighting.


    "Darn it! They''ve mutated! Everyone, attack the infected bodies. Stop them, whatever they''re trying to do. Destroy them!"


    "Haha, toote!"


    The infected across every corner of Ceylon Ind began to roar in agony. The weaker ones exploded at the start of the evolution, their remaining bodies were consumed by other greedy infected beings to support their own mutations. After a few moments, the number of infected creatures reduced by a third, but the survivors started to emit secondary elemental energy.

 Chapter 138.2: Stealing Credit (part 2)

    The surprising change of the infected instantly garnered everyone''s attention. The three mages who were newly promoted got distracted, giving the Aum family''s antimages a small window for escape.


    These antimages, with no time to worry about their family members, couldn''t even issue a warning in this urgent situation. Each of them used their final measures to flee from the impending danger.


    Unfortunately, the route they took for escape led them straight to the infected.


    The devilmanded all the infected in the Rubble in, frantically ordering, "Lock onto the targets, attack!"


    One single infected being might be weak, but theirrge quantity made their power terrifying. They followed the devil''smands perfectly. The forces of earth, water, wind, and fire quickly gathered in the sky and the ground, forming argeplicated sphere of these elements in front of everyone. This sphere then gently collided with the escaping antimage under everyone''s shocked gaze.


    Boom!


    With a deafening explosion, the sphere of elements exploded. Waves of shock, each stronger than thest, forced the apprentices to halt their chase and defend themselves to avoid being taken down by the bacsh.


    The forces of fire, ice, and earth gleamed within the shockwaves, severing the infected inherent magic like three sharp des. However, there was no sign of the antimage in there.


    The three mages were enraged. They thought this battle was their moment, where they wlessly beat the antimage and scored Points. Yet, they felt like their win was stolen from them.


    The loss of Points was secondary, but the psychological blow made them extremely angry.


    "Our Points... Our Points were stolen by these creatures! Eliminate these creatures, find whoever is controlling them, I want to tear them apart!" they roared.


    Adam was in hisboratory, monitoring the virus''s transformation from its initial state to now, when he suddenly realized his bracelet showed an increase of over two thousand points. The total points had surpassed ten thousand, and the number was still rising quickly.


    Setting aside his pen and paper, Adam left theb and confronted the chuckling devil, "What are you up to?"


    The devil exited his fusing state, excitedly pointing at the video on the screen and said, "Master, the second-generation infected are so strong, they obliterated twenty mages in a blink!"


    On the screen was a video of the Rubble in. There was no sign of the antimage. In the now debris-free nds, the apprentices were swiftly eliminating the infected under the guidance of three power-packed beings.


    "Master, those three are newly-promoted mages. The eyes of the infected can''t see past their protectiveyers," exined the devil.


    Both showed no concern for the infected being mowed down. These creatures were too plentiful and easy to rece.


    "These are the first batch of promoted apprentices, aren''t they?" Adam asked softly.


    The devil sat on Garfield''s shoulder, lightly patted the head of his ''mount'', and said, "It''s the first batch after the virus spread, but I don''t know if there were other people who were promoted before this."


    Adam focused on the three newly promoted mages, but as he looked longer, the confusion in his eyes grew deeper.


    "Although they''ve be stronger, it doesn''t seem to have reached a qualitative change? Is it because the soul hasn''t adapted to the ether due to a short promotion time?"


    These three mages, whose faces are unclear, can release powerful magic and powerful spells with every move, but in Adam''s view, these magics are still within the framework of apprentice magic. Perhaps only because their souls can directlymand magic now, thus making it more powerful. This is still a gap from the strength of the real mages he had anticipated.


    "It shouldn''t be because of the promotion time." Adam denied his conjecture in the blink of an eye. He had been in the stage of self-sealing for over a decade. If he were to advance in the future, his soul would certainly not start from zero, and other geniuses should be the same.


    Adam recalled the few times he had seen mages in action. Not to mention the dean of Monte Carlo, the magic power of the original ck Mage far exceeded these three people, not only because of ck Mage''s level, but also in the use of magic.


    The ck Mage seemed to be able to leverage more elements with a small amount of magic.


    "It seems that the reason mainstream mages are strong should be something else."


    Just as he was thinking this, over four thousand more points appeared on his Point bracelet. The devil''s voice, gleeful at the disaster, rang in his ear: "Haha! Interesting! Master, all the elites of the three families have been destroyed by me, haha, you should see their faces!"


    Even Adam couldn''t help but feel a bit worried, as the devil seemed to have offended everyone. If they find out he is the ck hand behind the scenes, they will certainly not hesitate to kill him regardless of the 50 Points they''d lost.


    Adam looked at the devil somewhat helplessly, but he wasn''t one to me others for his own errors in judgment.


    "In that case, we need to speed things up."


    The devil, realizing he might have stirred up trouble, timidly said, "Master, I..."


    Adam shook his head, indicating it was okay, then ordered: "Get rid of all the remaining antimage apprentices in the wilderness, drive the other twelve families to converge, and refrain from reckless actions when encountering apprentices."


    The devil nodded in agreement.


    "Command the Infected to gather metals, whether in towns or hidden underground. Mine everything and send it here," Adam tossed two pieces of magic array paper filled withplex runes to the devil. "In a radius of one kilometer, the outer circle engraves a maic field current conversion array, the inner circle engraves a high-temperature smelting array. I know you''ve collected many energy stones. Don''t be stingy, use them all."


    "Understood."


    The devil felt a bit of a sting. He had hoarded all the low-level resources Adam disdained during the city''s destruction and hid them in various ces. He thought he would make a fortune, but now he had to surrender them. Despite his greed, he wouldn''t let that cloud his judgment. He knew the consequences of disobeying Adam''s orders.


    "Control the execution speed of these two tasks and try to synchronize them. I need the antimages to be driven to one ce when the metal and magic array are also ready."


    After Adam finished speaking, he returned to theb. Since he had be so many people''s enemy at the same time, the second-generation virus was not enough to keep himself safe. Apart from delegating tasks to the devil, researching the third-generation virus was the top priority.

 Chapter 143.3: The Railgun (part 3)

    The huge bullets changed shape as they flew. The mix of lightning and the air''s resistance at high speed created an intense heat. The metal surface quickly turned into sma, a form that could be controlled with mas. Mixed with magic, the railgun showed its amazing power.


    The first group of five bullets hit their targets right after four people tried to escape, causing explosions. Shockwaves trapped the four, making it hard for them to get away. They couldn''t stand the impact, and it seemed like they were frozen in mid-air.


    Then the next group of five bullets came.


    A noise like breaking ss was heard when their armor''s magic defense broke, leaving their bodies exposed to the emptiness of space. A scary pressure came down on them without mercy.


    They couldn''t make a noise, but blood came out of their pores, and their eyes looked like they were about to burst. They felt like they were dying, but a light from the ether saved them. In the world of the mages, everythinges from the ether, and nothing is more powerful.


    Only then did they cry out in pain, with no time to heal or even show how scared they were. They could only think about escaping.


    Their bloody bodies let their souls gather energy from within. This was theirst fight. If they got away, healing would take forever. But no one cared about that now, not even Adam.


    If he hadn''t attacked, he could have let them go, but since he had, only one side could live. Being unsure would only cause trouble; total destruction was the real point of the fight.


    "Third time, fourth time, railgun, fire!"


    The ether crystals in the energy nodes broke, and the magical array fell apart after the fourthunch.


    The explosion here was silent.


    But the far-off explosion was very loud.


    Thest thing Adam saw through the infected''s vision was the ten bullets hitting their targets, all infected being destroyed.


    For a moment, he felt like he couldn''t see.


    After letting go of the devil, Adam looked at his Point bracelet. Two hundred and fifty Points were gone, showing the five people he had killed. Then a strong wind came, and the magic array was totally broken.


    Adam started walking underground and said, "Speed up the self-destruction of the infected and send the good ones to the Saint''s Fall. Don''t make trouble. Help the apprentices if you need to."


    The fight was done, and Adam didn''t want to think about it. When he was doing research, he cared about every step and the final result, because he might get new ideas from it. But in a battle, he only cared about winning. He lived, and they died---that was all that mattered.


    "Master," the devil saidter, sounding scared.


    The devil was still joined with others. After Adam cut him loose, he sent the remaining infected to where the explosion happened. The ce was destroyed, with a huge crater and rocks turned into crystals. Giant tornadoes were there, but they didn''t move any dust. Everything was dead, with only wild forces moving around.


    The railgun had ruined this ce for any normal life for a long time.


    The devil was scared by what it saw and understood how fierce Adam was.


    "What is it?" Adam asked, looking back.


    The devil and Garfield, joined in a big body, shook in a funny way, "No, no, nothing."


    Adam knew what the devil was thinking and kept walking underground. He wondered why the devil was so shy. "Aren''t devils supposed to like destruction? Is it because I''ve been treating him wrong?"


    Adam stayed underground for a whole week, not doing any other work but organizing what he knew about viruses and genes.


    He thought of viruses as a backup n, knowing that trained mages might have scary poisons that could ruin whole ecosystems. Even though he wasn''t good with potions and didn''t really care about them, he got a new idea.


    Adam started thinking that the Mage Council had kept a lot of knowledge away from apprentices. He thought that genes and biology had been studied a lot by mages. He hadn''t cared about what high-level mage avatars were before. Now, he thought they were likely clones from their own bodies.


    These clones could have magic power, maybe because of better genes and cells made after a mage changed. From this idea and his own experience, Adam had a great thought.


    Maybe he didn''t need helpers in hisb. He could do big projects on his own. If he had enough clones, all as smart as he was, they would be way more helpful than any assistants.


    On the eighth day, a message came from the Point bracelet. Following the instructions, Adam took it off, and it floated and broke apart, making a shiny portal. He called the devil, joined Garfield and looked a bit confused, and walked into the portal, vanishing from that spot.


    Behind him, the undergroundb fell apartpletely."

 Chapter 145: The Etheric Gift

    Before they even had a chance to fully take in the Tower, the mage in charge of the trials ordered them not to stray from the group, instructing that they gather for the conclusion of the trials once theynded from the airship.


    This news excited all the qualifying participants, except for Adam. The Tower was well-known for its generous rewards for extraordinary performances. The benchmark of one thousand points was merely the entry bar; exceeding this number even by a single point meant significant perks.


    These perks could take the form of either resources or knowledge, both designed to enhance the participants'' readiness for the impending internar wars.


    The mage then addressed Adam, casually opening a portal, and told him, "Apprentice Adam, Prisci requests your presence."


    "Apprentice Adam, wee back."


    "I''m honored to meet you once again, esteemed Prisci, the transdimensional mage."


    Adam''s feelings varied each time he met Prisci. This was an inherent curiosity about higher-level beings that had developed with his increasing knowledge and experience. However, he was aware that such curiosity could be seen as impolite. Adam suppressed his interest and respectfully greeted Prisci.


    Prisci nonchntly waved her hand, "Before we discuss your results, you need to level up first." The moment she finished speaking, the seal crystal on Adam''s chest broke, expelling a devil from his mind. The etheric gift, dormant for over ten years, defied the heavy rune barriers inside and outside the Tower. It morphed into a ray of light, descending from the sky onto Adam.


    Caught off guard, Adam didn''t expect that this would be his first interaction with the higher dimension. He began to slowly ascend with the etheric gift.


    No restrictions were in ce this time, no abrupt stop. Without a moment''s hesitation, Adam opened his soul to the etheric light, allowing it to mingle with his soul and the knowledge engraved within.


    Overwhelmed with ecstasy, Adam instinctively closed his eyes. The gentle, superior, and plentiful energy flowed into his soul, into his body, causing every element of his soul, mental power, body cells, and genes to celebrate.


    The first thing to change was the Mage''s Armor.


    What was once a separate body of mental power, detached from the body and soul, the Mage''s Armor began to fuse with the soul. The telekically formed armor tes merged, transforming the Mage''s Armor from a mental power construct into a structure interweaving electricity and maism.


    Adam realized that the knowledge he''d acquired during his apprenticeship had now be magic, akin to innate abilities. From this point forward, the transformation between electricity and maism wouldn''t rely on runes. Adam''s soul had be the manifestation of electromaism.


    When the Mage''s Armor fully fused with the soul, the soul began to metamorphose.


    In that moment, knowledge truly became energy and power. The runenguage-written equations merged with the ether and, in the next moment, were amplified by the ether''s gift. For the first time, magical power directly entered his soul.


    He felt renewed.


    In this world, the existence of the soul was undeniable. Ordinary people might not perceive it, apprentices could sense and use it to a basic level, but now, for Adam, the soul had transformed into a tangible body, its existence even more pronounced than his physical form.


    As the Etheric Light illuminated the celestial form, obscuring its specific details, Prisci mused to herself, "This is it. The knowledge that the Guardian of the Annecroft ne has sought, the knowledge even the world itself desires --- the knowledge that can fortify the Mage Network!"


    Adam, oblivious to Prisci''s whispers, found himself in an unfamiliar, boundless expanse, surpassing the constraints of his physical body and the material world.


    There were no distinct directions or passage of time in this space, seemingly devoid of color, yet simultaneously epassing all colors. The ether here was inly visible, magic was within his reach, and the elements felt more tangible than ever.


    "Where am I?"


    To his surprise, it was only when Adam questioned his location that his existence in this space solidified---Either the world had entered his soul, or his soul had enveloped the world.


    Next, Adam saw awork --- a densely connected, glowing web. Its scale was beyond description; any existence would seem insignificant before it.


    "This is the Mage Network, thework of the magical world!"


    This realization came naturally to Adam. He didn''t require an exnation. As he zoomed in, he saw each node glowing with knowledge, the knowledge that constructed the web.


    Zooming out, he witnessed the first strand of the web, linking to an indescribably magnificent existence --- the Heart of the World, the core of the magical world.


    On the Heart, countless runes flickered, each sh mirroring a breath, absorbing and releasing energy.


    The Mage Network was a repository of wisdom, knowledge, and energy, constructed by all mages. Each node of knowledge was interconnected, collectively working towards the strengthening of the mage''s world''s heart and the pursuit of ultimate truth.


    Adam felt the ''heart'' pulsating vibrantly, filled with ascendant energy. It rejoiced for each piece of validated knowledge, growing stronger upon amodating such knowledge, and generously rewarding those who had verified or discovered it.


    So, this was the secret of the Etheric Gift!


    Adam was profoundly moved. At that moment, he perceived the world as a living entity, seeking evolution, transformation, and transcendence, just like any creature.


    Adam couldn''t fathom what a magnificent entity the world would be once it had acquired all the knowledge there was. On that day, the mages forming the Mage Network, existing symbiotically with the world, would share an immense glory.


    Just as this thought surfaced, Adam heard a proposal from the void. It was a pact proposed by the Heart of the world. There were noplex uses, no stringent obligations. The Heart of the World simply inquired, reaching into Adam''s soul --- "coexist with me, share my glory. You affirm my existence, and I shall bestow upon you infinite power. Will you ept?"


    "Of course, it''s an absolute honor!"


    As he responded, the Heart of the World emitted a soft glow. The Mage Network began to expand, gently enveloping Adam''s soul. The form of electricity and maism formed a thread, connecting Adam with the Mage Network. The Heart''s protection infused his soul, merging with his Mage Armor.


    "We share in each other''s glory."


    "The pact is established."


    In a moment that felt like a mother''s embrace, filled with boundless joy and emotion, his soul ascended. Adam hadpleted his promotion, making a breakthrough from zero to one, metamorphosing from a mortal being into a transcendent lifeform!


    Simultaneously, greetings from all nodes across the entire Mage Network softly echoed in Adam''s heart ---


    *Hello,nMage Adam.*"

 Chapter 146: Sacrifice

    "The world has changed---some great knowledge has been acknowledged."


    As soon as Adam finished promoting, every mage on the Mage Network in the different dimensions all paused at once. Many eyes zoomed in, breaking through anything in their way, to look at the Heart of the World. The Mage Network had never been so sharp. This web that tied all their spirits together found its real purpose. It was like the Mage Network was turning into something you could touch, and tasks using it got quicker.


    When Adam''s spirit moved from its starting ce back to the real world, his body changed too, all at the same time. Each part of him grew stronger with the help of ether. This made him a better container for the magic stuff inside him.


    The glow from his Etheric Gift started to fade. Adamnded from floating and opened his eyes. The moment he took his first breath, a lot of magic power raced to get inside him, filling him up super-fast.


    Adam had never felt so much power on standby. It felt like every time he breathed, moved, or even thought, strong magic would happen.


    He shook off any confusion from his step up. He was more curious about the Mage Network.


    Only now did he really get the special trick behind being a full-on mage.


    The Mage Network was like a club where all the pro mages stored their spirits. Everyone''s knowledge added up, together changing the world''s rules in the magic space. It was like a tool, helping them move big things using only a bit of their magic.


    Being linked to the Heart of the World created a helpful cycle between all mages'' power and where they began. Every time they meditated, they could send some of their power back to the starting ce using the Mage Network, and in return, they got loads of energy back, ready for any mage to use.


    With the Mage Network, mages became part of a bigger group rather than just themselves. Adam was super impressed by this------Whoever thought this up was super smart!


    But there was more to the Mage Network. It was like a part that every mage grew, not inside their body but in their spirit. This meant even if they left the Magic World for fights in other dimensions, the Mage Network still worked.


    The Mage Network kept everything secret. No world or force could mess with the whole group of mages. Where the Magic World was, was a secret to outsiders.


    What blew Adam''s mind the most was the Mage Network''s ability to bring mages back to life. If a mage''s spirit wasn''t totally gone, and their friends collected pieces of it, they could get the full version from the Mage Network. This way, they coulde back to life.


    After the wild storm of magical and elemental forces that Adam had stirred up began to calm down, it was now the devil''s turn to promote.


    Prisci gave a subtle smile. She crafted a portal, sending the devil off to a different world. Turning to Adam, she said, "Well done, Adam! You''ve just powered up and you''re already at the top level for level-one mages. That''s impressive."


    Adam set his feet on the ground, and just as he was about to thank her, a burst of electric-like energy erupted near him. He hurriedly pulled back his own magic and said, "Sorry about that, Prisci."


    Prisci shrugged it off. She could tell just how much Adam had learned. For ages and ages, many mages had been trying to make the Mage Network better without much luck. But now, because of Adam, the Network is better than ever. Adam''s recent aplishment meant that, perhaps, while he might not match the True Spirits yet, attaining a transdimensional level was inevitable. Soon, he would stand as her equal.


    She asked him, "Ever thought about what mages really want in the end?"


    Adam responded instantly, "To go beyond limits, right? Transcendence?"


    She nodded, "Exactly, to transcend. Ages ago, the really powerful mages found out that there''s a limit to how strong beings can get in our dimension. So, they made the Mage Network, giving it power and setting guardians to look after it. The dream of every mage? Make the Network super powerful and go beyond our limits."


    To exin better, Prisci created a big holographic screen above them, showing stars and gxies. "Wee to our mage world."


    Adam gazed up, taking in the sight of thend he was in --- a massive piece ofnd just floating in emptiness, surrounded by a magic shield. It looked nothing like a.


    "The stars you see up there? Each of them represents different worlds. But they''re hidden, and what you''re seeing is like a sneak peek into those worlds."


    She clicked her fingers and the screen shifted, showing images of nes, some looking conquered and others destroyed by mages.


    Prisci continued, "We battlemages? Think of us as the front-line soldiers of our mage society. We find these hidden nes, take over, and use their knowledge and power to make our main source of magic -- the Heart of the World -- even stronger."


    Adam, curious, asked, "So, how do we find these nes?"


    Prisci smirked, "Many beings out there are, well, kind of clueless. They want to know more and be stronger, not understanding that this can be their downfall. They basically shout out their existence, thinking they''re unbeatable. But then, mages from ces like ourse knocking."


    Adam recalled some old stories. "Got it," he said, "they draw attention to themselves, and then we show up."


    "When battlemages take over a world, they use powerful magic arrays to link it to the Heart of the World. They take everything that world has. We call it ''the Sacrifice''."


    Prisci added, "We have different types of battlemages -- Scouts, Directors, Warriors, and Explorers. You did awesome in your test. Our higher-ups think you can pick any role in our world adventures. Which one interests you?"


    Adam took a moment to think. He wasn''t keen on leading groups or being in the main fights. Working solo or in smaller groups was more his style.


    He knew sneaking around to gather info or take out targets had its own risks, but the rewards were tempting.


    But then he asked, "Can you tell me more about the explorer role?"

 Chapter 147: The Explorer

    "If someone told you that mages who''ve passed the trials are the best, then Explorers? Well, they''re the best of the best," Prisci said, almost expecting Adam''s question. She took a moment and then started,


    "Here''s the deal. All kinds of mages, the Scouts, the Directors, and the Attackers, they only get their missions started after breaking through this magic barrier at the Mage Tower and hopping into a different ne. But Explorers? They''ve got a tougher job. Before anything else, they have to make sure they''ve got the right location. Then, they use powerful magic to sneak into this other world, finding out stuff like what''s there, how powerful the creatures are, and where''s the best ce to set up their magic arrays."


    "They do all of this solo. No help, no backup. Once they''re in, the only thing they''ve got is the Mage Network."


    Adam scratched his head, "Wait, Prisci, I''m lost. Doesn''t the Mage Tower just pop in there? Why do they go in alone first?"


    Prisci grinned a little, "Space is massive. A tiny mistake in where you want to go can make you end up in thepletely wrong ce. So, you gotta make sure you''ve got the right spot. Also, not all these nes are worth the trouble. Some, we can just make friends with and trade cool stuff."


    "Make friends?"


    "Yep. But only with nes that have cool cities and societies. Their big boss creatures need to be chill enough to talk to our top mages as equals."


    Adam tried to hide a smirk. To him, it sounded like they were acting like cosmic bullies.


    Keeping the flow, Prisci went on, "Taking over a world takes a lot. Once an Explorer confirms a spot, the Tower auctions it off to the highest bidder among the big mage towers. These mage towers make a deal with the Tower, and they get some help. But they have to give back a bit of their earnings - 20% in fact. Out of that, the Explorer gets a 5% cut."


    "Some nes? They''re just too strong. A single mage group can''t handle them. That''s when the Tower itself steps in. That''s why Explorers go in first."


    "And, just so you know, being an Explorer is super risky. Once you''re in another world, it''s like the world itself is trying to kick you out. It''s like you''re a bug the world''s trying to squash."


    After digesting all of this, Adam looked determined, "I want to be an Explorer."


    Prisci nodded, "Stay glued to the Mage Network then. As an Explorer, you''ve got to learn some special magic tricks. Someone will reach out to you soon. Now, let''s see the Points you''ve got."


    The screen switched, showing Adam''s scores from histest adventure. It settled on a number: 18566.


    After earning a bunch of points, apart from the basic 1,000 he got as standard, Adam found out he could swap the extra for some really cool stuff: ether crystals, advanced spells, chill time, magic ingredients, and more.


    Prisci showed him a list of what he could get. Adam''s eyes widened when he saw the value of his points. If he traded them for ether crystals, he''d get nearly two thousand! That was like two years of what he normally got.


    Looking through everything, Adam zeroed in on two things.


    "I''d like my ownb in the Tower, and some info on making doppelgangers."


    After picking those, Adam left the other points. Prisci said, "Okay, I get theb thing, but why the doppelganger stuff? That''s for super advanced mages. And splitting your soul might mess with your magic. You sure about this?"


    Adam was totally sure. Ever since he started using electromaic magic, he didn''t know much about other kinds. This seemed like a shortcut to kick off his big ''Adam Lab'' n. If it worked, he could spend more time traveling between worlds and nes.


    Heading back to Meyer City, Adam was in a cool robe that marked him as a Tower mage. By his side was the cheeky devil who kept shape-shifting.


    The devil''s upgrade went great, and it chose to fullybine with Garfield. This fusion made the devil super powerful, almost like an entirely different creature. Adam thought maybe calling him ''Shape-shifter'' was more fitting now.


    But the devil was more focused on something else. It nudged Adam, hinting, "Hey, Master, we''re back in the city. Remember..."


    Adam just gave it a side-eye, handing over his Moldo Tower ID, "Do what you want, but no drama, okay?"


    The devil, super excited, grabbed the token and zoomed off into the busy streets.


    Adam, meanwhile, went to the Rex Mage Club. He thought he should probably say bye to Dean Victor. Just because he had now joined the Tower didn''t mean he could forget his manners. Being nice was key, especially in the mage world.


    Two guard-like creatures, subi, were at the club''s entrance. They seemed super surprised to see a Tower mage and quickly bowed. "Wee, great mage. How can we help..."


    Adam, not the type to show off, just waved them up from their bow with a little magic and released a bit of his power.


    Suddenly, Victor popped up. Laughing big, he pped Adam''s back, "Knew you''d nail it!"


    Adam was respectful, "I owe you and Moldo a lot..."


    Victor just waved it away, "It was a fair deal. We gave you some help, and we got even more in return. No thanks needed."


    He led Adam inside, "I heard your trial was epic. Can''t wait for the details."

 Chapter 148: A Special Magic Trick

    Victor didn''t seem too optimistic about Adam''s choice.


    "Explorers,pared to all other battlemages, tend to gain resources more easily. However, in return, they also face the highest death rates. Don''t think that having the Mage Network means you have a second life. Those who get smuggled and are eradicated by the essence of another ne cannot be resurrected."


    Adam didn''t respond to this directly. Any rewardes with its risks; the greater the reward, the higher the risk. This was amon understanding. But since Master Victor brought it up, Adam did have a question: "What is that special magic?"


    He had asked Prisci this question before, but her reaction was odd. It seemed a mix of admiration and distaste, an emotion Adam couldn''tprehend.


    Victor paused momentarily and thenughed without answering directly. Instead, he said, "Mages have never been righteous. You should be very clear about that."


    Adam nodded.


    "As apprentices, it''s not discussed. But once they became real mage, many researches might cause the destruction of entire ecosystems. We''re not even talking about elemental magic -- but potions, alchemy, and most advanced knowledge in biology, they''re all bathed in blood."


    Adam questioned, "Does this have to do with the special magic?"


    "Not rted. But even among such mages, some still preach about righteousness. Butchers covered in blood think another butcher''s method of killing is too cruel. Isn''t that ridiculous?"


    Adam waspletely lost. It seemed as if Victor was venting to him.


    After speaking, Victor realized he might have gone off track. He cleared his throat and continued, "The special magices from the Third Tower''s Archmage Laura, the only one who transitioned from ancient magic to modern magic and ascended to a higher realm." Victor paused, avoiding a particr term, "The special magic is a legacy of ancient magic. It''s called ''Reincarnation''."


    Connecting the dots, Adam realized the underlying issues - remnants from history causing the Third Tower''s knowledge to be frowned upon. He couldn''t understand where Victor''s grievances originated from.


    "The Reincarnation Magic allows you to be an embryo, parasitizing within a native parental body from another ne, thus evading the chase of that ne''s essence. Aside from the mages of the Third Tower, no one knows its principle. Even if you learn it, you can only use it."


    Adam blinked, "Such magic seems normal. How is it considered cruel?"


    Master Victor discerned his confusion, "The sess rate is very low. While the caster remains unharmed, the parasitized parental body will certainly die. Usually, it takes tens of thousands of parasitic attempts to find one matching parental body."


    After meeting with Victor, Adam returned to his room within the Tower.


    By now, he had rified the core of the conflict. It wasn''t about the cruelty of magic, but the antipathy stemming from the identity of the Third Tower. It seemed that, although mages prided themselves on wisdom, they were still not entirely rational. Such baseless conflicts persisted.


    The Mage Network was like Earth''s chat apps. Adding someone felt like adding a friend online. With it, you could send messages or even magical videos.


    Suddenly, a video call popped up.


    When Adam answered, he saw a mysterious mage with a dark vibe. The mage didn''t waste any time. "In an hour, at the Tower''s first floor, you''ll learn about Reincarnation." Then, he ended the call.


    Adam arrived a bit early and walked into the given room. The Tower had magical rooms that could change shapes with the help of some ether crystals and the trusty alchemical golems. The room waspletely ck, with a hundred beds lined up, each with a woman on it.


    The dark mage handed Adam a digital box, "The instructions for Reincarnation are in here. One-time read only. These hundred women from another world? They''re your practice subjects."


    He then floated into the air and sat, waiting.


    Curious, Adam read the box. The info directly entered his brain.


    He blinked, "This spell..."


    It was an old chant of thirty-three unique words. Each word needed special focus and energy to say correctly.


    Adam started practicing right away. Old spells felt different from modern ones, but Adam was quick. After a few tries, he got the hang of the pronunciation.


    Trying the spell, Adam felt weird energy around him. But a tiny mistake stopped it. To his relief, there was no bad side effect.


    The dark magemented, "You''d fit in with us at the Third Tower. Ever thought about joining?"


    Adam shook his head, "No, thanks."


    The mage just sighed, "You don''t know what you''re missing."


    Despite getting the words right, Adam couldn''t pull off the spell. Frustrated, he asked, "What''s wrong?"


    The mage replied, not hiding his irritation, "You can''t break this spell apart. Say all the words at once. You''ve got a week. If you can''t get it by then..."


    But before he could finish, Adam did the spell perfectly and disappeared.


    The dark mage''s eyes went wide. Pulling back his hood, he mumbled in disbelief, "In just half a day? Impossible!" He knew how tough the spell was. Even the best mages he knew took at least five days.


    Meanwhile, Adam was in another world, experiencing the wonders of the magic he''d just mastered."

 Chapter 149: Confusion

    <h4>Chapter 149: Confusion</h4>


    Adam blinked out of existence and turned into something he couldn''t quite put a name to. He decided to call it "information" for now. He became this piece of information and then was absorbed by the nearest female creature.


    Even though everything had changed, Adam could still feel himself. He felt his soul, body, thoughts, and even his magic. But they were all locked up. The lock was made of the very magic he had with him. He knew he could unlock it anytime, but if he did, the magic would stop working.


    When he became part of the female creature, he couldn''t feel or see anything like he used to. He could only just sense the magic at work, trying to make him fit into this new body. The magic took some details from the outside world and added them to the information that was now Adam.


    But this wasn''t easy. The creature he was inside, from another world entirely, started to break down from within. The magic only managed to grab a tiny bit of information from it before the creature was gone.


    Then, without him choosing it, the magic moved him into another body.


    This happened again and again. Each time he entered a new creature from different nes, that creature would die. But the information the magic collected for Adam grew moreplete. Finally, after entering thest creature, the information was perfect.


    A mage from the Third Tower pointed at the creature. Adam found himself inside a part that was like a womb. Then, with the mage''s help, everything happened super fast. He was created, grew, and then was born.


    Just an hourter, Adam "came to life."


    As soon as the baby-version of Adam was out, the creature that gave birth to him died. Baby Adam sat there, looking lost for a bit. Then he decided to let go of the magic. The baby form exploded, and out came the original Adam.


    "Is this how the re-incarnation magic works?" Adam asked, looking a bit lost.


    The mage nodded, "Exactly. I''m not sure how you figured out how to deal with the weird feeling of being in different bodies, but you''re wasting your skills on simple magic. In the Third Tower, you can level up way faster. Think about it."


    The mage stared at Adam like he was something very special. That weird feeling, called cognitive dissonance, was the biggest challenge of the reincarnation magic.


    In just a little while, Adam had been reborn a hundred times. Every time it happened, small bits of will and thought tried to attach to Adam''s main soul. They tried to sneak in when Adam was confused during the rebirth process.


    Every Explorer knew this struggle. The primitive wills, small bits of consciousness, would quicklytch onto the main soul when it was vulnerable, and grow. They would then try to overpower the main soul. Explorers often had to quickly adjust to new rules and wake up to get rid of these wills. Some were not so lucky and lost themselves entirely.


    Although this was just a trial, and the mage chose only the most suitable one hundred female creatures for testing, the fact that Adam could remember who he was during the process was really impressive.


    .


    Adam''s ability to handle this was almost like a natural instinct. He had once faced a nearly impossible situation and came out on top, so now dealing with just a hundred of these challenges felt like a piece of cake.


    But Adam was still confused. The way the reincarnation technique brought life from other nes was a lot like how he had arrived in the mage''s world. In a sense, he felt like he had done something simr himself. He had sneaked others into this world but got rid of them afterward.


    This made Adam wonder: If the Heart of the World naturally pushes away life that doesn''t belong, why was he still here? Why did it let him grow stronger and reach higher levels? Adam knew the Heart of the World had to be aware of him. So, why hadn''t it acted? What was its game?


    This mystery was stuck in his head, and he couldn''t let it go. Maybe the next time he meets the Heart of the World, during another big change in his life, he might get answers.


    Adam was silent for a long time. The mage, thinking Adam was saying no by not saying anything, just huffed and said, "You only did well this time because the creatures were chosen for the test. When you''re out in the real world, you won''t always find the perfect hosts. If you''re not super fast with the reincarnation technique, the Heart of the World will catch up and you''ll be in trouble."


    The mage just walked out after saying this, leaving Adam with his thoughts. After some time, Adam pushed his questions aside.


    For Adam, learning magic was easy. Even if he couldn''t save the reincarnation technique in the usual way, he was smart enough to remember how it worked. Except for not knowing all the details, there was nothing stopping him from using the reincarnation technique.


    After a while, Adam left too. Any mess left was quickly cleaned up by magic robots. Adam didn''t owe anything. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Back in his room, he got a message on the Mage Network. He''d been given ab on the fourth floor of the Tower.


    The Tower was really special. It was huge and built with materials that had special runes to make the space inside even bigger. But, to move around the Tower, you had to have permission.


    Adam had two types of passes in the Tower. The first was themon pass. This let him move freely on the first three floors. These floors had things like thending area for flying vehicles, rooms where you could teleport, trading rooms, ces to pick up jobs, and more.


    The second pass was for personal teleporting. Once Adam got the special code, he could change the settings in his room and teleport right into hisb.


    Truthfully, this teleporting thing wasn''t a big deal right now. The Tower was super big, but Adam could only go as high as the fourth floor. It was so close that just flying up there wouldn''t take much time at all.


    When he reached theb he was given, the Tower''s Spirit sensed Adam''s soul energy. From then on, thisb was like his personal space. No one, not even the head of the mages, could get in without Adam saying okay.


    "A brand newb," Adam whispered to himself, pushing open the big door to theb.


    The Tower had really given him a nice setup. Magic robots waited on one side, ready to change theb however Adam wanted, for free. Other than some special tools or samples that he might want to buy, everything in theb was already paid for.


    Adam didn''t start changing theb right away. Instead, he pulled out some information about creating avatars.

 Chapter 150: Post-promotion Magic

    <h4>Chapter 150: Post-promotion Magic</h4>


    Adam''s school science project was super important. After a recent promotion, he was now already a top-tier level-one mage and was desperate for more knowledge to help him level up.


    In the world of mages, there had been a set number system to determine how powerful each mage was.


    After they had been promoted, mind power wasn''t as crucial as before. Instead, the main thing that had mattered was how much magic their soul could hold. At that time, Adam''s magic score had been a solid one hundred and ny.


    There had been a special way mages leveled up, called the soul-changing promotion system. Once an apprentice moved up to being a mage, they only faced a big challenge when they got to the top of level 4. Before that, any small bit of new knowledge could boost their mental and magical strength.


    But this boost didn''t activate the Etheric Gift.


    In that world, Adam had been unique. Everyone else who had known about the electromaic magic, had been at the Mordo Tower. But they hadn''t been as smart or quick as Adam, so they weren''t good enough for him.


    Instead of training or looking for helpers, making a clone of himself had been the quickest and best option for Adam. Also, since the clone and the original had been connected, anything the clone learned or discovered could be instantly shared with the original, which was super handy.


    Creating a clone might have sounded fancy and pricey, but it actually wasn''t too tough. Only mages who were level-four or higher could do it. But the process wasn''t even real magic.


    You took a small piece of yourself, let it grow in a special environment until it became super active, then refined it and pulled out its DNA. Then, you grew it using special tools and steps.


    Up to that point, there was no magic. But the next part, splitting the soul, that''s where the magic kicked in.


    "Could it really have been that easy?" Adam was surprised.


    This "Soul Splitting" magic had eleven runes. The guide had exined what each one did. The main goal of this magic was to take a piece of the soul and put it in the clone, so it could talk to and use magic from the original body. But Adam figured out that by changing a few runes, he could make tiny soul-like threads without actually splitting his soul.


    Feeling unsure, Adam knew he had to get stronger faster, hoping to reach a super advanced level that might help him solve this mystery.


    Using the Mage Network, Adam had gotten a bunch of tools for growing clone DNA. He also got a robot to make some changes to hisb, adding a special room for the growth dish.


    Sure, Adam could''ve let other mages who knew about this stuff handle the DNA growing part, but since he had wanted to change the Soul Splitting magic and might have needed lots of clones, it just made sense for him to do it himself.


    ...


    Time flew by in peaceful silence. For half a year, Adam stayed indoors, deeply engrossed in learning about avatar magic and refining his electromaic spells.


    While the Soul Splitting changes took a bit of time, reshaping the electromaic spells was a breeze.


    Spells like the railgun, sma Cannon, Thunder Domain, Maic Field, and Iron Sand Sword - which were advancedpared to apprentice level spells - became much stronger after the soul transformation.


    The new rune patterns were simpler, sitting inside the soul and its strands like slots for magic. The use of mental power in crafting magic had almost disappeared. Now, the formation of elements relied directly on magical energy. Since there was no need for any conversion, a lot of energy was saved.


    The Thunder Domain spell, for instance, showed amazing targeting skills after its upgrade. By adjusting the potential difference, Adam could mark any target within the maic field''s reach. Once set in motion, thunder would chase and hit the target. This would continue unless the target had protection or until Adam''s magic was used up.


    The Maic Field, which was a key spell for Adam, was boosted even more. Inside a powerful maic field, Adam could changendscapes, reverse river flows, create mounds, raise the temperature to thousands of degrees Celsius, and even control the iron inside living beings, provided they had a simr or lower energy level than him.


    James had once talked to Adam about special Mage Armor, and now it was a reality. When the Mage Armor wasn''t on, Adam''s whole soul was wrapped in a maic field. Once it was on, arge area around him would be automatically surrounded by the maic field.


    Simplified spell versions could be used directly by the maized Mage Armor without Adam having to do anything.


    After linking with the Mage Network and tapping into the Heart of the World, the Mage Armor had a protective energy source. Although this energy wasn''t abundant, its strength was only second to the etheric. This served as an ideal link, letting the Mage Armor appear in any ne within the emptiness in a solid form.


    Adam also developed a new, powerful spell called Silencing Storm. It used the maic field to tie charges from the surroundings. With magical energy pushing it, it would automatically pull charges. The resulting thunder and lightning wouldn''t move but would keep growing in strength and reach, disturbing the gathering of other elements. This made a kind of ''silencing'' effect.


    His training in his Elemental Trueself was rewarding too. Instead of blending the element into his soul to make an authentic elemental body, Adam tried electrifying the cells. Like mages who shaped their bodies, Adam found out that he could move twenty times faster than sound in this form.


    The extensive knowledge he gained during his apprentice days gave him a massive power boost after his promotion. If Adam unleashed his full potential, no one would think he had only been a mage for six months.


    Now, besides making avatars, the only thing left to improve for Adam was his soul servants.


    ...


    For thest six months, the devil felt like he was living in a dream. The buying power of a thousand ether crystals went way beyond what he had ever imagined. Even if he splurged on the most luxurious things every single day, those crystals wouldst for two whole years.


    He had checked out every luxury spot in the city. Because he was both funny and generous, he had be popr with females from all sorts of backgrounds.


    Thanks to his ability to shape-shift, he was never turned away because of how he looked or his size. And because he was a ''soulpanion'' of some Tower mage, he was highly respected, especially among less powerful beings.


    The devil had found out how often battlemage assignments happened and had thought his fun times would continue for a long while. But that idea was crushed the day Adam dragged him back to hisb.


    "Master, heh... haha," the devil said nervously to Adam.


    "Do you know about the magic wand?" Adam asked.

 Chapter 151: Getting Stupid

    <h4>Chapter 151: Getting Stupid</h4>


    The devil was caught off guard. Having hung out in the city for the past six months and experiencing so many things, he definitely knew about the magic wand. But a gut feeling told him that when Adam asked questions like this, it was usually a sign that something tricky was about to happen. Trying to y it cool, the devil pretended not to know.


    "Um, what now?"


    Adam, looking like he was brushing away invisible dirt from his hands, stepped out from the cloningb. He looked straight at the devil, his voice serious, "Have you heard about a magic wand?"


    "Well, I..."


    But before the devil could finish, Adam jumped in. "Listen, a magic wand is like a helper for mages when they want to do their magic stuff. Today, most mages make their wands using some really cool alchemical tricks. These wands usually have special magical patterns carved onto them. These patterns can do awesome things like making your mental power even stronger, boosting your magic skills, connecting with that mysterious ether thing, and gathering elemental stuff."


    With every word Adam said, the devil''s head sank lower and lower, realizing where this conversation was heading. Finally, it sighed, "Alright, Master. Just spill it. What do you need from me?"


    Adam leaned back casually, and as if by magic, a chair appeared under him from the ground. He looked at the devil, a teasing smile on his face, and said, "After you leveled up, you got this cool ability because of some virus cell changes, right? That lets you change into all kinds of things?"


    The devil just looked at the ground, not saying a word.


    Adam continued, "So, technically, you could turn into anything -- like animals, birds, even stuff that''s not alive, right?"


    Still, the devil stayed silent.


    "So, I''m guessing you could be... say, a magic wand?"


    Hearing Adam''s confident voice, the devil groaned, "Master, even if I could morph into a wand, there''s a problem. My body isn''t like those wands, I can''t have magical patterns carved onto me." Adam shook his head slowly, a look of determination in his eyes. "That''s where you''re wrong. I''ve figured something out. I''ve been working on changing elements in cells and some new uses of this thing called Elemental Trueself. Trust me, getting those magic patterns inside you? It''s doable."


    Deep down, the devil knew that when Adam set his mind on something, he usually got it done. If he was talking to him about this now, it meant he was pretty confident in what he was nning. The devil realized that arguing now would be pointless. He had just one option: to go along with whatever Adam wanted, hoping things would turn out okay.


    "Master, this isn''t gonna... you know, end me, is it?"


    ...


    Life for the devil felt like a never-ending nightmare, making him wonder if non-existence might be a kinder fate.


    The devil had a special mutant virus inside it, which was totally under its control. In simple words, it could change and shape this virus any way it wanted, even to look like runes. The catch was, while these virus-made runes looked the part, they didn''t really have any magical power. So, if Adam wanted to turn the devil into a magical wand, he needed to give this virus some serious magical energy.


    Of course, Adam couldn''t just test things out on the devil straight away. Instead, he had to take tiny bits of the devil''s body to try his experiments on. But here''s the gross part: these bits would die super fast once taken out. So, the devil had to endure this painful procedure again and again, every single day.


    Adam seemed to have an endless supply of ether crystals, which he used non-stop during this two-month-long ordeal. The high-energy environment was perfect for the devil''s viral cells, making them grow fast. This gave Adam all the samples he needed for his day-to-day tests.


    Basically, Adam was trying to create a new and improved version of the virus. The trick was making sure that once the virus had magic inside it, it remained stable and could make more of itself.


    Adam hit a roadblock at first, but then he had a lightbulb moment from looking at magical creatures in the mage world. These creatures, especially the super strong ones, had cells that naturally held magic. So, without needing to get too technical, Adam just let the devil''s virus eat lots of these creatures. This way, the virus would naturally pick up all the magical bits it needed.


    For Adam, it was like a fun and expensive science project.


    For the devil, not so much.


    Back when the devil was inside Garfield, it had changed once, and that was a wild experience. But now, it felt like it was being torn apart and put back together over and over again, every day. It was lucky that Adam had turned off its ability to feel pain, or it might have tried to end its own misery.


    Still, for the devil, the experience was awful. It felt like its body was being filled with junk every single day.


    But at least they were now on the right track. They just had to be patient.


    Changing a normal creature''s genes was a piece of cake. But for a creature with magical abilities, like the devil, it was a big deal and took a lot of time. Adam was sure the devil wouldn''t try to y any tricks, but changing its magical genes was still a slow process.


    So, Adam turned up the magic juice, pumping in more ether, not caring about how much he was using, all to speed up the change in the devil''s virus.


    ...


    A month went by, and with all the extra magic from the ether crystals and parts of magical beasts used up, the devil finished its big viral makeover.


    Adam took him out of his container. The devil was super weak and flopped on the ground like jelly. Even though he was now way more powerful, he didn''t feel like showing off.


    "Master, are we done yet?"


    The devil''s voice was barely a whisper, and little magical sparks fizzed around it. It didn''t seem to want to control these mini fireworks.


    After thinking for a bit, Adam tossed the devil back into its container. Even though its virus now had magical energy, it was all over the ce. Adam decided to simplify things by focusing on just one kind of element.


    This tidy-up job took about a week. Now, the devil was like a magical creature made of electricity. Its body was full of electric vibes, and every little move it made looked like a mini thunderstorm.


    "Now, I just have to organize the virus in a certain magical pattern and tell it exactly how to shape-shift."


    Adam looked pretty pleased with himself. He floated the devil in the air using a maic force. Then, he opened it up with an electric knife and, like the most skilled artist, carefully arranged the virus bits into special shapes called runes.


    Apart from the usual magical patterns, Adam added a few more nifty tricks that made the magic wand super-efficient, especially for big spells that usually took ages to set up.


    The next day, Adam let the devil go. With just a thought, he made the devil change its shape until it turned into a cool-looking staff. This staff was half as tall as Adam, about as thick as his arm, and had blue electric sparks dancing all over it.


    When Adam held it, the staff seemed to sync up perfectly with his magic outfit and his own energy. He felt an instant boost. Without even trying it out, he was sure that with this magic wand, his magic skills would jump to a whole new level.


    "So, how''s it going in there?" Adam asked, clearly happy with his work.


    Even though the devil had turned into this staff, he was still kind of ''alive'' inside. He was like the ''soul'' of the wand, making him even more powerful.


    "Master, if you''re happy, I''m happy," the wand answered back.

 Chapter 152: All-Adam Lab

    <h4>Chapter 152: All-Adam Lab</h4>


    Even though Adam had transformed the devil into a magical wand, he didn''t make him stay that way all the time. When they weren''t in a fight, he allowed him to move around on his own. This freedom made the devil behave more wildly. The devil started feeling nervous, thinking that having such a powerful owner meant it could be destroyed any moment.


    Once the devil was gone, Adam went inside his specialb for avatars.


    Thisb had be huge, having been made bigger many times. All around, there were numbered dishes set in a row, stretching as far as one could see. Each dish had an avatar inside, and they all looked just like Adam.


    Adam had just finished studying soul-splitting magic runes. He picked out three main runes from them. With a bit of tweaking, Adam believed he could separate things without touching the soul. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Thud.


    A dull sound rang out as the head of one avatar, looking just like Adam, burst open like an overripe fruit, making a messy ssh on its dish.


    Adam looked at this particr avatar, which had the number 213, and noted down why it failed: Unknown.


    That''s right, he didn''t know why. Adam was sure he got the rune changes right. Now, he could split specific information without messing with the soul. But every time he tried the magic on an avatar, the same terrible thing happened.


    "What''s going wrong?"


    Adam was really confused. Some information was clearly getting into the avatar using his new magic. So, why do they keep exploding?


    Not having any idea, Adam decided to take a break from testing. Even if it was just a copy of him that was destroyed, it felt really strange, almost like he was hurting himself.


    .


    After stepping out of the avatarb, Adam looked over all the notes from his tests in the past month. Then, a bright idea popped into his head, and he hurried back inside.


    "Starting experiment number 214. Ready the recorder."


    "Get the special setting ready."


    "Open up the dish."


    "Time to draw the runes."


    The recorder''s emotionless voice echoed around theb. Adam wasser-focused on what he was doing next. This part was crucial to understand why his tests kept failing.


    Bright symbols appeared around Adam''s head, making an invisible bridge between his brain and the avatar''s. An unknown force wrapped around Adam''s soul. He could feel some information being pulled out and moving into the copied brain via the bridge.


    Thud.


    "Experiment failed again. Reason unknown."


    Yet another clone didn''t make it. But this time, Adam wasn''t scratching his head in confusion. Instead, a spark of realization lit up his eyes. He finally figured out why it was going wrong.


    The act of splitting the soul was a deeplyplex magic. Even though Adam tweaked it, its core function stayed the same. His modifications made the magic a bit out of sync. What he was separating wasn''t tied to the soul or thoughts; it was just a type of spiritual energy wrapped in magic.


    While the clone was made using Adam''s DNA, its body and brain were way more delicate. They simply couldn''t handle these intense magical and spiritual forces. So, the clone''s head bursting open was a sad but expected result.


    It looked like Adam had hit a wall with his experiments. He couldn''t move forward without involving the soul. But then, a bright idea shed in his mind.


    The Mage Network!


    Way back when he was just starting out, Adam had wondered about how the high-ranking magesmunicated. Battlemages had this massive ''web'' connecting all souls, but how did the tower mages, who stayed out of the war, chat quickly?


    In terms Adam understood, it was like a ''local areawork'' or LAN.


    He didn''t really need to split up so many pieces of soul. If he set himself as the mainputer, and the clones like smaller connectedputers in this LAN, he could assign jobs. This way, clones could work on their own research projects. They might not get updates in real-time, but Adam could check in and gather data from thework now and then.


    Given that the Mage Network already existed, putting this n in action shouldn''t be too hard. Adam felt sure that if he talked to Victor, he could make it work. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Fast forward three days, and after a chat with Victor, Adam had tweaked the tower''s Mage Network tech and got it working for the clones.


    He decided to set up awork that looked like a tree. The symbols for this LAN were added to his own soul and the brains of every clone. This meant the main Adam was the one starting thework and dealing with the data. Each clone connected to thework through these symbols, which gave them the power to think and process info like a machine.


    The downside? The clones couldn''t think on their own. They only thought when they were linked to thework. But that was good enough.


    This way, clones could think and work within set limits. It was as if Adam had shared a piece of his own brain power without losing any of his smarts. For Adam, this approach was way better than making clones the old-fashioned way.


    With this, the All-Adam Laboratory project was a sess. Now, Adam''s next job was to work out and test thest two forms in Maxwell''s equations: Gauss''sw and Gauss''sw for maism.


    For Adam, diving deep into research was pure joy. Engrossed in his experiments, he''d often forget about the world outside.


    However, his serene days were suddenly disrupted during his second year''s third month as a mage.


    A message from the Mage Network snapped Adam back to reality: "Mage Adam, please report to the Assigning Apartment on the Tower''s third floor for a ne exploration mission within the next 24 hours."


    Quietly, Adam scanned the room, seeing his numerous avatars engrossed in their tasks. After giving them their next assignments, he called back the devil through their bond. With a mix of excitement and trepidation, he began his journey to the third floor of the Tower.


    The task hall was a hive of activity. Dressed in the attire of a level-one mage, Adam blended seamlessly into the crowd. He acknowledged mages he recognized with a polite nod as he continued on. As he ventured further, the number of mages dwindled. Reaching the end, with only a few mages watching with intrigued looks, he stepped into the special task section.


    He''d assumed his mission would be handed over by some transdimensional mage, but to his astonishment, it was the Tower''s Spirit---whom he once theorized might be a kind of advanced AI.


    "Identity confirmed. Level-one Explorer, Adam," the Tower''s Spirit''s emotionless voice echoed in his mind. After the brief verification, a panel with information and several mysterious tools floated towards him.


    "Mage Adam, take three days to get acquainted with your equipment and the mission''s specifics. Afterward, use the portal to get close to the provided mission coordinates and start your first task."


    As the Spirit of the Tower faded away, the devil''s boisterousughter filled the air. "Ah, ha, ha! Atst, the day hase! Prepare, simple folk, for you''re about to witness the might of my grand master!"

 Chapter 154: Departure from the Mage Plane

    <h4>Chapter 154: Departure from the Mage ne</h4>


    The devil, intriguingly enough, is a spirit that doesn''t keep bad blood. Not too long after his unexpected transformation into a magic wand, he surprisingly let go of any hard feelings about the event. Sometimes, he even thought this change might have been a good thing. Being cradled in Adam''s grip felt weird and limiting, but at least he wasn''t thrown into risky missions as expendable bait. This new role brought a sense of security.


    Being a devil with no grand dreams or aims, his simple wish was to keep living and experience the never-ending wonders of the mage realm.


    The Tower provided three essential mission tools for Adam this time.


    Firstly, there was a spatial anchor, handy to ensure that beginner mages wouldn''t be flung away by the fierce etheric tempests in the vast void. Next came a magic scroll. If a mage on an expedition stumbled upon a new ne, this magic would aid in piercing its shield. Last but not least, an information recorder was given. After collecting enough valuable info, it could link up with the Mage Network and ry all the details back.


    Each tool was meant for support, and none directly enhanced one''s fighting skills.


    "Master, the mages from the Tower sure are tight-fisted. They couldn''t even hand out something that might save your life. You''re putting everything on the line, and it''s a mystery if that promised five percent profit will be significant or even worth the danger," the devil remarked, his eyes darting uneasily over the many ''Adams'' bustling around theb. He shuddered a little, then ventured to converse with one of these Adams.


    For now, Adam''s function was akin to an undercover agent back on Earth. He wasn''t allowed any items that could give away his true identity. If he made it back, he''d earn the status of a hero; if he met his end in a foreign Mage ne, it would be as though he was never real to begin with.


    Adam set aside the mission tools and picked up the information container for a thorough read. At this moment, getting a grasp on the general info regarding the mission''s ne was of utmost importance.


    "A ne dominated by dragons?"


    The information container offered sparse details: Information gleaned by a lone mage journeying between dimensions. After the Tower decoded and scrutinized the data, their preliminary conclusion was that dragons, majestic and powerful, were the main upants of this mission''s ne. The possibility of lesser creatures living under the dragons'' wings wasn''t dismissed. As for the overall power dynamics, it remained a mystery.


    Adam was somewhat familiar with dragons. They stood as elite entities within the mage realm, and spotting dragons in other subjugated nes wasn''t rare. Yet, a world entirely under dragon governance? That was unheard of.


    The scanty details didn''t faze Adam. This was the typical challenge of an Explorer. If they had all the facts at hand, direct invasions would be the next logical step, and there''d be no need for discreet advance scouting.


    Over the following three days, Adam diligently invested his resources to grasp the rudiments of teleportation. His aptitude shone through as he swiftly got the hang of it. Stocking up his portable space with ether crystals, he soon found himself stepping into the teleportation hall, positioned on the Tower''s ground level.


    The teleportation hall buzzed with even more activity than the mission chamber. Considering the Tower was one of the very few in the mage world, it acted as a pivotal transit point for mages far and wide. For the maiden time, Adam felt submerged in a lively throng. To his astonishment, the energy levels of the entities brushing past him palpably overpowered his own.


    It was in this revtion, amidst beings of formidable might, Adam had an enlightening moment, "I''ve truly donned the mantle of a mage."


    Without warning, a radiant light beam engulfed Adam. As it receded, he found himself disced, ensconced in a solitary space devoid of other mages. His solepanion was the shimmering spirit of the Tower.


    "Mage Adam, your inaugural exploration odysseymences now. Teleportation sequence: Five, Four..."


    Hastily, Adam merged the devil into his consciousness, procured the spatial anchor, and wore it as a pendant, all while ensuring his energy remained undisturbed.


    "One. Commencing teleportation." <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">"That sudden jolt... it must''ve outstripped the light''s velocity."


    "If I make it back, can theb validate the remaining mathematical models?"


    "Is this my second interdimensional voyage?"


    While being propelled through the enigmatic dimensional fissure, a flurry of thoughts danced in Adam''s head. But soon, darkness cloaked him, subduing his awareness, heralding themencement of his lengthy voyage through space.


    Once the dimensional crack tore open once again, releasing Adam, his mage armor sprang into action. The spatial anchor radiated a gentle luminescence, calming the vtile etheric currents swirling around him. A disy blinked showing the spatial readings: 658745, 156764, 214564.


    Blinking open his eyes, Adam stood in awe of his mage armor. Only amidst this vast expanse did he genuinely recognize the marvel of his magical defense.


    Navigating within the furious maelstrom of ether, every minute encounter and the prodigious energy it disyed, instilled in Adam a profound respect for the perilous nature of his surroundings. Yet, his mage armor endowed him with the freedom to weave through the void, even with his novice mage capabilities.


    And it would be remiss not to acknowledge the pivotal role of the spatial anchor.


    Attempting to speak, Adam wasn''t surprised when silence greeted him. He swiftly called forth the devil, morphing it into his trusty magic wand. The runes embedded on it illuminated, wrapping him in a robust electromaic cocoon.


    Everywhere he looked, vast nothingness greeted him, save for the tempestuous ether storms. The Tower''s pinpointed coordinates seemed to be slightly askew; his intended Dragon ne destination seemed a distant dream.


    In the vacuum of space, even minor deviations in coordinates tranted to monumental spatial differences. Now, fortune would be his guiding star.


    Adam made subtle tweaks to the unit values showcased on the spatial anchor. The anchor ascended, and an unseen energy thrust him forward, effortlessly weaving through the etheric disturbances along the way.


    For Explorers like Adam, navigating the vast and treacherous maze of the mage nes wasn''t merely about facing tangible perils. The crippling loneliness, the seemingly interminable solitude, could be equally tormenting.


    By the time-measurement of the mage ne, Adam and the devil had been drifting through the void for what felt like an entire decade. The monotony had be so taxing that the devil even harbored thoughts of ending his existence out of sheer desperation. Just when hope seemed a distant memory, a kaleidoscope of colors pierced the inky void.


    A vast continent, simply hanging in the vastness of the void.


    A rush of exhration surged through Adam, revitalizing his weary spirit. The devil, on the other hand, was so emotionally charged that he battled to keep its wand shape. Adam, sensing his turmoil, exerted control to stabilize him.


    But Adam wasn''t one to leap without looking. He spent a full month meticulously observing this floatingnd from a distance. Only when he was convinced that no powerful beings could emerge from its crystal barriers did he decide to inch closer. Intriguingly, this ne did not exert any gravitational pull outwardly.


    Stowing the devil safely away, Adam, wrapped in his protective mage armor, unrolled the mystic scroll. As the enchanting magic danced around it, subtle waves began to distort the crystal barriers of the ne, allowing Adam to seamlessly integrate into this new ne.


    But there wasn''t a moment to lose, nor was there time to adjust to the new ne''s unique dynamics. Without hesitation, he invoked the potent reincarnation spell.


    With a soft "thud," Adam''s form dissipated, turning into a stream of information. He hurtled towards the majestic mountain range below, where towering peaks stretched skyward for countless kilometers.

 Chapter 155: The Frost Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 155: The Frost Dragon</h4>


    In the vast mountain range known as Neltharion, the beginnings of the Frost Dragon n were found.


    Each dragon, no matter which n they came from, when they grew up, could reach an amazing level of power. Because they were strong and sometimes mean and greedy, they didn''t trust other creatures, even other dragons. This meant they preferred to be alone.


    The Frost Dragon n was just the same. Even if Neltharion was where they came from, only soon-to-be-mommy dragons flew back to these mountains when it was time to have a baby. They found a secret cave and, with the magic in the mountains, had their baby dragons.


    In this world, no other creature dared to mess with the dragons, especially when they were having babies. If anyone tried, all dragons would chase them down. Long ago, any creature that tried this, and all their friends and family, were chased away by very angry dragons.


    Octavia felt the same way. She let out her special dragon energy outside her cave so other dragons would know she was there. Then, feeling safe, she fell asleep.


    Sleep was what dragons did a lot. They lived for a very long time, so sleeping helped them grow strong. Dragons were so tough that having a baby didn''t give them any pain. After their nap, mommy dragons usually found a baby dragon egg right next to them.


    "Maybe I''ll dream of mountains of treasure!" Octavia had thought happily. "I hope no curious Explorers went to my den. If I found even one gold coin missing, I''d..."


    She became sleepy, yawned, and fell asleep. She hadn''t noticed that as she was yawning, a tiny invisible thing passed by her special dragon energy and went inside her. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Only after trying the special reincarnation magic in another world did Adam truly understand what the Tower? mage had meant by a "special test subject."


    The reincarnation magic, which took different genes, worked super well thest time. It took many tries, but each went smoothly.


    This time was trickier.


    Adam was sure he''d never been inside such a powerful creature before.


    Inside this mysterious being, every tiny part was filled with powerful energy. The creature''s defense system was super strong and even fought back without trying. The energy quickly gathered, trying to stop the reincarnation magic from taking any information.


    "It looks like pulling off the reincarnation is the first giant step."


    Adam tried to figure out what was happening. He had two choices: he could stop the spell, but that might be really dangerous, like jumping off a cliff without looking. So, all he could really do was watch the magic and energy battle it out.


    He wasn''t sure how powerful the creature he entered was, but he guessed it wasn''t as powerful as transdimensional mages. If it was, Adam would''ve been blown to bits straight away. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Octavia felt weird.


    She wanted to have a nice dream, but instead, she had a super scary one. It felt like a mean creature was eating her up. The pain kept getting worse, but it wasn''t enough to wake her up, so she thought it was just a bad dream.


    In this nightmare, a creepy, faceless creature was diving into her, taking little bites out of her. It felt like she was turning into an empty shell.


    "Please, don''t eat me!" Octavia felt like she was a little dragon again, right after her mom made her leave home. That was the only other time she had been this scared.


    Shaking a little, Octavia thought, "Why am I so cold? I''m a Frost Dragon. I shouldn''t feel cold."


    "Am I super tired?"


    "Maybe if I sleep more, I won''t feel so cold or hurt." <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">The reincarnation spell was super easy. Except for the magic boost Adam gave it at the beginning, the spell did everything on its own. It went into the creature, took its energy, figured out a bunch of stuff, and messed with its life---all without Adam doing anything.


    All Adam had to do was sit back and watch the spell do its thing, changing how the creature''s body worked, to make the rebirth happen.


    This time around, Adam watched closely. He saw that wherever the spell went, the creature''s body parts kind of broke down. Some strange energy kept everything okay for a bit, and tons of stuff (like facts and details) got stored somewhere outside Adam''s own soul.


    Following the spell, he ended up in the creature''s baby-making ce and found an egg.


    "Oh, so it''s like a lizard. Lays eggs?"


    Even though he kind of expected it, the idea that he''d be born from an egg was super weird. Do I seriously sneak into this world by hatching from an egg?!


    Magic didn''t think or feel; it just pulled Adam smoothly into the dragon egg. Actually,pared to a full-grown parental body, this baby dragon egg had even more important info about genes and stuff. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">"I''m so tired."


    "But I have this feeling... if I really sleep, I might not wake up."


    "I could eat something."


    "Why does it feel like I''ve forgotten something super important?"


    "My heart... it hurts a lot."


    "Never mind. I''ll just go to sleep. When I''m asleep, I won''t feel anything." <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Once the reincarnation spell got into the dragon egg, Adam felt lost. Everything was so confusing, and his mind started to drift.


    He started to think about what would happen next. After he was reborn, he''d be in a brand-new body in this world. He wasn''t sure if things worked the same way here as in his old world. If they didn''t, he''d have to learn all the rules all over again. And if he showed off his magic skills too soon, bad things could happen.


    "Is this a way to learn new stuff? It feels slow, though. If it is, then big battles between worlds must take forever, right?"


    Crack...


    Suddenly, there was a soft sound. The reincarnation magic, with Adam inside, rushed out of the mommy dragon and zoomed toward another nearby mommy dragon.


    Right after he left, Octavia, the big dragon, was fading away. Only her dragon head stayed behind, looking just like it did when she was alive. Two tears, looking like icy gems, fell from her eyes, making a gentle chiming noise when they hit the ground.


    The dragon energy around the cave went away after the tears fell.

 Chapter 156: On the Brink of Extinction

    <h4>Chapter 156: On the Brink of Extinction</h4>


    Having moved on from the lifeless body of the first mother dragon, the reincarnation spell''s power floated above the vast Dragon ne. Adam put in a lot of effort to hide its energy vibes.


    The Dragon ne followed its own set of rules. Back in the mage realm, Adam had never witnessed naturalndmarks as grand as the Neltharion mountains. The Mage Tower was undoubtedly remarkable, but it was crafted by humans. Adam pondered whether the grandness came from the sheer size of the main creatures that lived in these worlds.


    After traveling for a long while and across vast distances, Adam met another mother dragon.


    What followed was very much like his previous experience. But this round was even simpler. He scribbled a bit of external information, which lowered the mother dragon''s natural defense slightly. This second mother dragon''s energy seemed less potent than the one before. The reincarnation spell wrapped up this recording in no time.


    As he continued with the invasion, absorbing knowledge, and making records, a thought struck Adam. Apart from the core knowledge of the reincarnation, whose workings were still a mystery to him, its outer form was primarily about trickery. It tricked the origin, tricked the parent body, and in the end, tricked oneself.


    If the external data matches the local creature''s, then the illusion is perfect. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Within the vast Neltharion mountains, the mother dragons who chose this moment toe back andy their eggs one after another experienced nightmares they couldn''t shake off.


    Each dragon dreamt a distinct dream, but there was amon theme: these dreams mirrored their most terrifying fears and always ended in their demise.


    It was a good thing that dragons were more than just creatures led by basic instincts, simply following mating seasons. If not, in just about two weeks, maybe the Frost Dragon lineage would''ve been wiped out.


    But this didn''t stop the male dragons from getting very, very angry. Males from every corner of the world flew to the Neltharion mountains, eager to confront and destroy the evil being who had taken their ''partners'' and ''young ones.''


    Such a reaction was predictable. Dragons didn''t have babies on their own. Where female dragons existed, there were males too. Though they weren''t always very close due to their species'' nature, and even thoughying eggs was usually done alone, the pain of losing a loved one and their young was unbearable.


    The Frost Dragons were also known as the Ice Titans. Born with the might tomand the icy elements, when these ice beings unleashed their power in rage, the Dragon ne was thrown into an unexpected winter.


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    The Dragon ne wasn''t home to just dragons. Many other creatures, both strong and not so strong, resided there. Some leaned on the dragons for survival, while others were adversaries. Yet now, even as the abrupt winter threatened the lives of countless beings, nobody dared to even slightly hinder the march of the angry Frost Dragons.


    Adam had managed an incredible feat -- he stole the essence of thest known mother dragon in the region. Mirroring the act of a cuckoo bird that takes over another bird''s nest, he infiltrated the dragon egg. Through the power of the spell, he activated the residual energy within the expired mother dragon and was reborn.


    Pop.


    Upon his rebirth, Adamnded on the ground with a distinct sound. Being a relic from a higher being, the egg was far sturdier than any domestic bird''s egg. Its descent crushed a frost-covered rock beneath, disying its immense strength.


    The dragon egg, however, did not remain still. It wobbled, clearly disoriented from the abrupt release of its upant. The swaying increased until the egg rolled down a cave''s gentle slope,ing to a halt, wedged against a rock near the entrance.


    Inside the cave, Adam was engaged in a fierce battle against over two hundred spiritual viruses clinging to his soul. Offsprings of transcendent entities, like the dragon egg, held tremendous power, often surpassing that of novice creatures. To draw a parallel, thebined might of these two hundred dragon spirits could potentially overshadow the spirits of two hundred thousand humans. Yet, they were no match for Adam, who steadily eradicated these soul-invading parasites.


    Roar! Roar!


    The serenity was suddenly broken by thunderous roars, soon followed by the rumblings of avnches. The cave housing Adam bore the brunt of nature''s fury as umted snow from years past cascaded down, burying the entrance.


    This mere physical disturbance couldn''t damage the dragon egg, but for Adam, the resident, it was unsettling. The dragon roars carried a distinct power. Infused with this energy, the nascent dragon spirit mounted a vigorous counter-offensive. While this wasn''t particrly challenging for Adam, he detected these dragon spirits sending out signals at a unique frequency.


    Dragons have their own method ofmunication! Realizing this, Adam was rmed. Detection by a mature dragon might not result in immediate death, but the associated risks were immense. Exposure would make him a target, not just for the dragons but potentially for the full wrath of the ne.


    Quick thinking led Adam to use telekinesis, blocking the signals sent out by the dragon spirits. He then, despite the inherent dangers, channeled his magic to pronounce the key syble of the Reincarnation Spell once again.


    Thud.


    To furtherplicate the dynamic, Adam imbued the dragon spirits with raw energy, bolstering their strength.


    "Such is the nature of exploration missions; danger lurks everywhere. I must ce my trust in the Mage ne system now."


    With that, Adam withdrew deep into the cave, letting the dragon spirits duel among themselves for the dominance of existence. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Moments after Adam''s hasty retreat, a formidable congregation of over two hundred dragons rapidly approached the cave''s vicinity. The swirling snow storm overhead was instantaneously dispersed. The thick nket of snow barricading the cave entrance was violently ejected in all directions, its icy shards gouging deep craters into the dark rocky terrain.


    In the silent aftermath, amidst the watchful eyes of hundreds of Frost Dragons, thest unscathed dragon egg sat innocently.


    "Why do the other dragonsy dead and their eggs shattered, yet this one remains untouched?" A peculiar, rhythmic dragonnguage echoed. Amanding Frost Dragon named Angeles advanced, its enormous w reaching out to inspect the curious egg.


    "Stay your hand, Angeles! This is Jenny''sir, and within this egg resides my offspring!" A defensive voice rang out. Another Frost Dragon named Okov, zoomed into the scene. With a majestic p of his wings, he shoved Angeles aside and then, using an enigmatic power, levitated the egg protectively beside him.


    Taken aback, Angeles thudded to the ground. Enraged, he bellowed, "Okov, you''re treading on dangerous territory!" With wings spread wide, he rocketed upwards and, with a deep inhtion, let out a roar so deafening it threatened to split the skies. Gathering his energy, he expelled a concentrated beam of pure white fury aimed straight at his adversary.


    Okov, unfazed, summoned his innate defensive powers. A luminescent barrier emanated around him, safeguarding both the dragon and the egg from Angeles'' furious attack.


    The surrounding dragons merely observed, seemingly nonchnt. Such confrontations, after all, were a familiar sight among their ranks. However, given the circumstances, they understood now wasn''t the opportune moment to merely stand by and watch.

 Chapter 157: Breaking the Shell

    <h4>Chapter 157: Breaking the Shell</h4>


    "Hold on, both of you! Right now, we need to figure out which horrible, wicked bug took the lives of the mother dragons and then this egg."


    Bam.


    A fierce snowstorm struck the face of the frost dragon, who was attempting to calm things down. His patience snapped, "Seriously? You two are acting likeplete idiots!"


    When dragons try to sort out their disagreements, it is not what people would call friendly. Things escted between the two, and even the magic from their dragonnguage started to affect everyone nearby. All the frost dragons at the ce leaped into action, holding down the two quarreling dragons. But, they took extra care to make sure that thest dragon egg didn''t get cracked.


    The fight between these massive beasts was like something out of a movie. A whole mountain peak, with its cave, was ttened. When they were done letting off steam, the dragons, with breaths so powerful they could whip up a snowstorm, circled around Okov.


    The first dragon, wounded but still going strong, got back up, ignoring the white liquid seeping from his cuts. He said passionately, "We need to find who did this, take them down, and then take down anyone rted to them. Then, get rid of their whole group. Our honor is on the line here. What we''ve lost needs to be made right -- we''re talking a big payback!"


    Angeles picked herself up, pointing her dragon w at Okov and the egg, stating, "Out of all the eggs in the Neltharion mountains, only this one''s left unbroken. That''s suspicious, right? Maybe we should just break it."


    Okov''s voice thundered with fury, and he swiftly covered the egg in a shield of ice, hiding it within his wings. His silver eyes zed with anger: "Angeles, you''re ying with fire!"


    The Frost Dragons worked to soothe Okov and then turned to Angeles, "Remember, we''re dragons. Even our babies are among the mightiest and most majestic beings out there. No one should mess with a dragon egg."


    All the dragons nodded, sure of their top-tier status in the world. As they grow, they gain incredible powers. Their young ones are tougher than any other creature''s. And if something unwanted got inside a dragon egg? The baby dragon would just get rid of it.


    But the idea that an uber-powerful being could sneak into a dragon egg? They hadn''t even thought about it. After all, with so many frost dragons around, no sneaky creature could possibly fool them all. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">The frost dragons departed the Neltharion mountains, flying to different corners of the world. Even though they were super angry about what happened, they''re sort ofzy by nature. So, any search or revenge would probably happen close to home. Trouble was brewing. While dragons have this awesome power to shape the world, they''d likely not go all out.


    Okov wasn''t too different from his kin. As he journeyed back, he''d often stop. If someone irritated him, they''d be history. And if he spotted treasures he liked, he''d just say they belonged to some "bad guy" and snag them for himself. And so, taking his sweet time, he made his way back to his cave atop the Makalu mountains.


    "Master Okov, wee home." At the cave entrance, captives Okov had snatched up all dropped to their knees in respect. A female creature crept up, filling him in on everything that happened in his territory while he was gone.


    Okov brought out the ice-covered egg. A light press of his w, and the ice broke away. As he half-listened to her updates, he felt torn. He had taken the egg on a whim, but male dragons like him weren''t usually the caretakers of young ones. Plus, he didn''t really know how to hatch a dragon egg. It wasn''t in his genes.


    The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he got. With a huff, he sent all the captives flying out of the cave. Alone, he settled down, staring at the hovering dragon egg and wondering, "Now what?" He yfully acted like he was going to squish the egg, murmuring, "Should I just break it?"


    The idea began to take over his thoughts. But just in time, he snapped back, "Hold on, that''s not smart. There aren''t many female dragons left these days. If I want to find a partner again, I''d have to wait for the young ones to grow up. This egg could be my only shot at having a kid for a long, long time."


    With that, he called out, "Lina!"


    Lina, one of his captives, hurried over, still a bit shaken from being blown away earlier. "Yes, Master Okov? What can I do?"


    With a flick of his w, Okov gently tossed the egg, which was about half Lina''s size, to her. Lina caught it, looking pretty confused.


    "You need to hatch this egg, no matter what. If you pull it off, I''ll set you and your people free. But if you mess up, well... it won''t end well for any of you." <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">The Reincarnation spell was still doing its thing. It felt more like a hide-and-seek spell now.


    Inside the egg, Adam tried toy low. He didn''t dare to peek outside and just watched as over a hundred dragon spirits battled each other until only ten were left standing.


    This brutal showdown was dragons in a nutshell. They were all desperate for a spot to call their own and would go all out, attacking and chomping down on anyone weaker.


    Time seemed to fly. Without any way to tell time, all Adam could do was count the seconds. By his count, since the Reincarnation spell had started working, five whole years had gone by.


    The number of dragon souls still in the running kept decreasing, but those that were left were growing mightier by the second. Adam pondered, if he just sat back and let the strongest soul win, maybe one seriously amazing dragon woulde to be.


    However, Adam had no intention of letting that happen. <hr aria-orientation="horizontal" ss="chakra-divider css-mb99j7">Inside her chamber, Lina stared in a daze at the dragon egg bobbing around in a tub of boiling water. Without even thinking, her hand kept feeding fire-powered energy stones to the magic furnace.


    It had been five years. At first, Okov would always ask about the egg and if it was ready to hatch. But then he went into a deep sleep around the third year and seemed to forget all about it. Lina guessed the egg had slipped his mind, but she never eased up on her mission. Her worry only grew. She knew if Okov woke up and remembered the egg, and it hadn''t hatched yet, it''d be game over for her and her people.


    She had no illusions about dragons being anything but ruthless.


    Throughout the years, Lina had tried just about everything to get the egg to hatch, even blood rituals. But the egg didn''t seem to care. And then it hit her. Normal bird eggs need warmth to break open, right? So why not try boiling the dragon egg?


    "Come on, little one," she whispered, her eyes fixed on the egg. "Please hatch soon."


    Crack.


    Lina''s eyes practically popped out of her head.


    Crack.


    Tears of joy poured down her face, her hand muffling a sob of relief. The egg was finally breaking open!

 Chapter 158: Hatched

    <h4>Chapter 158: Hatched</h4>


    Lina felt a wave of panic, unsure of her next move. She wanted to grab the dragon egg from the boiling water but paused right before her hand dipped in. Not because she was scared of the scalding water, but she was super worried that she might mess up the hatching.


    She was also too nervous to add more stones to the magical furnace, afraid that even a tiny change in temperature messed with the baby dragon trying to get out.


    Lina could only stand frozen in ce, hand mped over her mouth to hold back her tears. To her, this wasn''t just some dragon egg. It held the future of her and all her people.


    With every new crack from the egg, Lina, eyes blurry from tears, whispered her encouragement, "Come on, you can do it!"


    Adam was super busy dealing with thest few dragon spirits.


    And he was doing it quite literally. He was careful not to show off too much of his epic powers. He was just using a smidge of his telekinesis to choke out each of the final ten dragon spirits. Each crack in the eggshell was a telltale sign of their fight to stay alive.


    As he worked, Adam was totally amazed by these dragons. Even when they were super young and weak, they were as powerful as an apprentice. Compared to him, they weren''t that big of a deal, but if a human had that kind of soul power, they''d totally be qualified to join the trail.


    But being super strong from the start might mean bigger problemster on. Thinking back to the dragon shouts he heard five years back, Adam was pretty sure there weren''t any transdimensional dragons out there.


    He figured it must be super hard for dragons to level up after they hit the stage equaling a real mage.


    Mages, though, were a different story. Even though they started out kinda weak, Adam remembered feeling tons of super-strong vibes from the higher floors of the Tower, ces he couldn''t go to.


    Crack.


    A mini telekinesis hand choked the veryst dragon spirit, ending it right there. This added another break to the eggshell. Lina, drying her eyes, got a soft nket and some yummy blood food ready, waiting for the dragon toe out.


    Adam didn''t keep her waiting. In a blink, a shiny silver w, looking super detailed, punched through the egg. Another w came out and, with a mighty push, a dragon about as tall as a grown man''s waist slowly came out.


    And then, it made a big ssh right into the boiling water.


    Even though the super-hot water couldn''t hurt the dragon, it sure surprised Adam. His new body''s built-in powers kicked in all on their own. He breathed out super cold air, turning the hot water into a block of ice, and he got stuck inside the tub too.


    Adam opened his dragon eyes wide, looking around from inside the ice bucket. He was really confused. <i>Why is boiling water used to hatch an ice dragon like me?</i>


    Lina let out a surprised shout, dropping the soft nket she held. Quickly, she sent out a green light beam which broke the ice apart. With a mix of awe and fear, she kneeled down before the baby dragon.


    Adam tried to move, and it was still a bit awkward. It was easier than the first time he took over a human body, but he still moved in a slightly clumsy way.


    He had wings, but they were too tiny to use. His dragon instincts made him want to crawl around. Even though he was just born, he was way stronger than a normal Frost Dragon, probably because he had absorbed so many dragon souls. Like, wherever he moved, he left a chilly frost trail.


    Lina shivered from the cold. She didn''t dare to use her special skills to keep the cold out. All she could do was watch as Adam, the young dragon, stepped over her and left her covered in ice.


    Adam didn''t really notice her. Instead, he made his first sound ever.


    Roar.


    A powerful dragon shout echoed.


    Roar!


    An even bigger dragon cry rang out. The whole Makalu mountain area became super cold. Suddenly, a massive force started moving quickly toward Adam.


    The big Frost Dragon, Okov, felt the baby dragon''s birth and woke up from his sleep.


    In a sh, Okov was outside Lina''s room. He ripped the roof off with his massive w and looked down at Adam. He growled at Lina, making sounds like "Chirp-krik-sizz-hak!"


    Lina, super scared, bowed down low. She replied with some other sounds like "Ah-gu-yin-ying."


    Adam was lost. The magical rebirth had given him a dragon body, but he didn''t get any memories that usuallye with it. So, he had no clue whatnguage they were speaking. Adam couldn''t understand anything Lina and Okov were saying. It all sounded like nonsense to him. He realized he''d have to listen and watch for a long time before he could figure out theirnguage.


    Luckily, Okov didn''t seem to want to chat with Adam. Maybe he thought a newborn dragon couldn''t talk. Instead, he reached out carefully with two fingers, lifting Adam''s head to get a closer look.


    Adam quickly shut his eyes, worried that his not-normal baby dragon eyes would give away his secret.


    The next thing Adam felt was a super cool feeling, then he heard some more weird dragonnguage, and then... everything went ck.


    Three yearster, high on the icy cliffs of the Makalu mountains, a shiny, white Frost Dragon named Chris, who was almost as tall as a basketball hoop, stretched out his wings, which were as long as a small car, and glided smoothly. Right beside him, Lina, surrounded by a bright green glow, flew along.


    After Chris was born, Okov had promised to set Lina and her tribe free, and he did. But Lina didn''t leave. The outside world felt strange to her after so many years on the mountains. The idea of freedom didn''t really mean much to her anymore. Instead, she decided to stay and look after Chris.


    Adam was now called Chris, or Chris Frost.


    Okov, the big dragon, didn''t turn out to be the best dad. Actually, most male dragons weren''t great at being fathers. He got bored with baby Chris after just a month. So, he put up a dragon sign outside his cave that basically said, "No one allowed," including Chris. Then he went back to his super long nap.


    The only thing Okov told Lina was to take care of Chris.


    This was lucky for Chris because he didn''t really get how to be a dragon. He didn''t know theirnguage and didn''t have their memories. As a tiny dragon, nobody noticed. But Chris was worried about when grown-up dragons would expect him to know things. With Okov snoozing, Chris didn''t have to worry about that for now.


    Lina looked at Chris with a worried face, "Young master, are you sure about leaving here? You''re still pretty young. Outside this mountain, there are some scary people called dragon yers who''d love to catch a young dragon like you," she kept talking, trying to get through to Chris.

 Chapter 159: Story of Lina

    <h4>Chapter 159: Story of Lina</h4>


    Adam had no choice but to leave. Okov didn''t bother hiding his strength; based on the shifts in energy going up and down in the mountains after his nap, Adam could tell that this big dragon''s energy level was about the same as a level-3 mage. But, the type of energy he had wasn''t as good as magical power. Overall, Okov was more like a level-2 mage. Using this idea to understand the whole Dragon ne, the remarkable beings in the Dragon ne seemed to be a notch lower than those in the mage world in power.


    Staying in Okov''s den and just waiting to grow older didn''t make any sense. If Okov woke up all of a sudden and recalled he had a son, and randomly decided to check the young dragon''s skill level, Adam would have no option but to show his true self and fight him.


    Adam didn''t really care about what Lina said regarding dragon-yers. Even though he didn''t have the memories of the dragon ancestors and couldn''t use magical power, being able to control the ice element naturally, thanks to his Frost Dragon background, was enough to help him survive the weakest stage.


    Having a natural connection to this element was like having a good grasp of a set of skills. While it wasn''t very advanced, it had turned into a fighting tool in Adam''s hands. Simple shaping magic was easy for him, and along with the naturally strong body of the dragon family, those "dragon-yers" who only went after young dragons were not a big deal at all.


    Besides, Adam''s main reason for sneaking into this ne was to collect data and set coordinates. The second task was always in progress, with the spatial anchor noting every minor shift in the ne in a unique manner, figuring out its movement cycle and the leap distance in the void. This wasn''t a task to finish quickly; it involved finding patterns in the midst ofplicated factors.


    Getting information was what Adam really had to do on his own. To do this, he needed to leave the Makalu mountain area and learn about the Dragon ne''smunity structure as quickly as he could. Adam didn''t intend to cross countless mountains and rivers just using his wings and legs. Since there were species other than dragons here, conflicts between them were bound to happen. Where there was conflict, there were battles, and where there were battles, chances to take advantage appeared.


    Being the brain behind the operations saved a lot more time and effort than stepping in directly.


    Lina was a key starting point in the initial phase of Adam''s strategy, which was also why he let a weak native hang around with him.


    Dealing with Lina''s endless chatter, Adam used the ice element to form a huge w to grab Lina, then opened his wings to lift off. Breaking the speed of sound, he zoomed off in the direction away from the Makalu mountain area.


    Lina could only manage a surprised yell before her sad thoughts were drowned by the chilly wind.


    Not going too far, Adam eased up when he noticed he couldn''t feel Okov''s energy anymore. After letting go of the ice w, he simply found a level spot tond.


    Adam looked at the confused Lina and asked straightforwardly, "Why are you following me?"


    Seeing that the surroundings were no longer what she knew, Lina became very scared. She stuttered to Adam, "Young master, I am your servant. Where else could I go if not with you?"


    Dragons were indeed creatures that tookziness to a whole new level. Even though they were the strongest force in this ne, they couldn''t be bothered to actually govern the world. Every big dragon would pick a ce that suited its characteristics to oversee once they grew up. Then they would bully and exploit all the other races living nearby one by one, making them say they were ves, before happily snoozing on a huge pile of treasures in their den.


    That''s right, they just needed people to say it, to admit it orally.


    Even though Lina and her people called Okov master, Okov hadn''t put any controls on Lina''s spirit. Adam wasn''t sure if this was because the Dragon ne didn''t know how to create master-servant bonds or simply because of theirziness, but this created a chance for Adam.


    Since Lina thought of herself as a servant, she might as well be his real servant.


    "Wake up, it''s time to start working," Adam said, awakening the devil that had been resting in his mind.


    The origin of this ne rejected all outsiders, including devils, so it couldn''t show up physically right now. However, thanks to the inherent abilities of the devil race, it could fullymunicate with those involved in a contract in the spiritual world and establish contracts, a way that wouldn''t alert the origin.


    A silver dragon w appeared above Lina''s head. She was a bit curious but not scared, since she had been looking after young master Chris since he was an egg. Lina believed that the young master wouldn''t hurt her without a reason.


    All Lina experienced was a brief darkness before her vision, and when she could see again, she was in an impressive and holy ce. A silver and white temple reached towards the clouds, and sitting on the throne was a Frost Dragon, even bigger than Okov, who could stir up a huge storm of ice elements with every breath.


    Shaking, Lina asked, "Young master Chris, this is? You?"


    What she saw surpassed her wildest thoughts, bringing out both her deepest fear and awe.


    This Ice Dragon was an image created by the devil''s consciousness. After getting the green light and instructions from Adam, it eagerly took on the role of a deity. It pondered briefly, then with a wave of its hand, the frosty energy in the sky transformed into numerous wondrous creatures that danced around it in the sky. Just as it was about to brag, it felt a sharp pain from deep within its soul and could only weakly tell Lina, "Sign this contract, and I will be your master."


    Lina, only partially grasping what was happening, used the pen that suddenly appeared to sign her name on the contract, then found herself back in the real world.


    She felt somewhat in a trance, not fully sure which dragon - the young one in front of her or the massive one she had just encountered - was the genuine one. She wanted to ask, but the new connection to her soul stopped her. She even believed that any question or doubt would be an insult to her new master.


    So, she could only stand there, looking lost.


    Adam dismissed the devil''s plea for a little fresh air, eyeing Lina with approval. The master-servant agreement they just forged was even more binding than the one he had with the devil. Lina''s very life was now at Adam''s mercy. If he found it necessary, Adam could totally wipe Lina''s mind, controlling her like a puppet.


    In the battle between nes, without the Tower to absorb the me, using a virus infection approach could surely provoke a fierce reaction from the origin. But forming a contract was a much sneakier and softer method. Since the contract worked, Adam could employ the same strategy to dominate many other creatures and groups. While this influence might not be strong enough to take down this ne, it would be enough to serve as Adam''s spies, helping him gather the information he needed.


    "Lead me to your tribe,"manded Adam.

 Chapter 160: The Forest Elves

    Chapter 160 The Forest Elves


    The Makalu mountain range is massive, with Okov iming only the tallest point as his den. This spot, nearest to the heavens, is nketed in snow and ice throughout the year, featuring the coldest weather.


    But the lower regions of the mountain range have apletely different vibe. In this area, nature is vibrant and full of life, featuring lush forests and sparklingkes that provide a haven for many fascinating creatures.


    One of these groups was Lina''s tribe.


    After sealing the deal with the master-servant contract, Lina followed Adam''smands faithfully. By asking her questions, he found out that Lina was part of the forest elf tribe. She came from a smaller group within the tribe, which had just over a thousand members. The bravest and strongest among them was her dad, who was the leader of the tribe. Although Lina wasn''t sure about her dad''s exact strength, she knew that he couldn''t stand up to Okov.


    By understanding Lina''s own abilities, Adam could make a good guess about how strong her dad was. He was pretty certain that her father hadn''t reached a super powerful level, because if he had, Lina herself wouldn''t be this weak since she is his direct daughter.


    Lina discussed her family and her people without showing much emotion. This was because right after she was born, she was given away to Okov as a gift. Since she started remembering things, she had lived near the dragon''sir, and had only gone back to her tribe three times, mainly to gather treasures.


    "They don''t really like me, even my dad," Lina said sadly, as she showed the way. "Three years ago, when Master Okov set me and my tribe free, I went back home. Everyone was happy about being free, but no one seemed happy to see me. Nobody wanted me to stay, so I had to go back to the dragon''s den."


    Adam didn''t react to her story emotionally. In his view, Lina''s tough experiences were because of the silly beliefs of her ordinary tribe. Clearly, they viewed Lina as Okov''s puppet and messenger. They med her for bringing troubles and saw her as a curse, not realizing that they were the ones who sent her to the dragon in the first ce. They didn''t understand that thanks to Lina, they could live without fear and eventually find freedom.


    "I''m sorry, Master, but it''s been three years. I''m not sure if my tribe is still around, they might have moved away a long time ago."


    "Just keep going, they haven''t moved," Adam replied, sounding very sure.


    The dragons could be really harsh, but that was mainly when they were annoyed or looking for treasures. Usually, to their servants, dragons were kind of like ideal leaders.


    Dragons wereid-back creatures who lived for a very long time and could nap for decades or even centuries. Although they asked for a lot of gifts from their servants, it didn''t seem too much when spread out over many years. For a group like Lina''s, who didn''t have much power to choose how they lived, sticking around here was better than risking finding a new ce and possibly facing a worse leader.


    Lina looked a bit confused, but she believed that Adam must know what he was talking about. So, she stayed quiet and kept leading the way.


    "Wait, is this... the dragon''s power pressure?" In the midst of the group of four, a human brandishing a longsword halted his friends, his voice a blend of gravity and eagerness.


    Dragon''s power pressure wasn''t something handed down, but a natural talent that every dragon species possessed, almost like an influence area, which unfolded effortlessly with their energy presence. As Adam moved through, all the creatures without aware minds scattered and ran away, scared to stir up the fury of the top predator in the chain of beings. Not a single animal had the courage to block a dragon''s path.


    Yet, for those with hidden agendas, this dragon''s power became a prime signal, helping them to follow the tracks of the dragon species even from far away locations.


    Dragon-yers were a job category exclusive to this ne.


    They were frommunities formed of species different from the dragon species. A smaller group of mighty beings hunted big dragons to im their riches, whereas most only had the courage to go after younger dragons. These hunters usually grouped in small teams, chasing after young dragons who had just been pushed out of their homes by their mothers. They used the corpses of these juvenile dragons to unt their fighting skills, trading them for high social positions and massive rewards.


    Despite the high risk, arge number of people still dared to venture into the danger.


    Shield-warrior Carter, Witch-de Ral, Sorcerer Jace, and Priest Jessie were members of such a dragon hunting team.


    They weren''t exceptionally powerful but neither were they weak, unable to face full-grown dragons, yet a significant threat to younger dragons. This time, they hade to the Makalu mountain range, spurred by rumors of a young dragon''s presence in the frost dragon Okov''s territory, hoping to snatch a golden opportunity.


    The origin of this intel was unclear. It seemed to have sprung from a servant species governed by a particr dragon three years prior. Initially, they were skeptical that a male dragon like Okov would be sheltering a young dragon in hisir. However, given the frost dragon cmity eight years before, the rumor started seeming a bit more believable.


    Dragons were usually quite lethargic; as long as they didn''t foolishly attack the dragon''s home, they wouldn''t encounter much threat. It was simply a gamble; if they could capture one, it would be fantastic; if not, no harm done.


    At the end of the day, dragon-yers were a bunch of folks with time on their hands.


    "The rumor is true, the frost dragon Okov is indeed harboring a young dragon!" Carter set down his massive shield, his petite framepletely hidden behind it. By sensing the strength of the dragon''s power, he could confirm that its origin was definitely not a mature dragon.


    "But this tiny dragon could only be around eight years old, correct? Why would it be roaming outside of the dragon''s den?" Jessie performed several enhancing spells on everyone before stepping back to the safest nook of the group to converse.


    Jess swung his staff, summoning swirls of fire elements, then moistened his lips and spoke, "The perimeter of Okov''s dragon den is engulfed in frost, a sign that he is in slumber. Our adorable little dragon probably wandered down the mountain while his dad was snoozing and then lost its way back."


    The quartet exchanged knowing looks, witnessing in one another''s gaze a fervor that pretended to be valor but was, in reality, greed. Ral pointed his witch de towards where the dragon''s power pressure wasing from, saying, "What''s holding us back? Let''s go hunt the wicked dragon species."


    Adam soared swiftly through the air, with Lina securely ensconced in his dragon w,pletely motionless. As they approached a thick forest, Lina finally broke her silence, "Master, the forest elf tribe lives in there. If, just if, they haven''t angered you, could you maybe let them be?"


    "Yes," Adam replied instantly. Every creature with the ability to think and reason, no matter how feeble their power, possessed worth. Besides, the forest elves were a crucial starting point for his scheme. All his future strategies would be trialed based on this tribe, so there was no reason for needless killing.


    This principle also applied to the four sneaky beings trailing behind them.


    Adam threw a casual look over his shoulder and then began his descent, getting ready to enter the forest. Just then, a massive wall of fire abruptly surged up in front of him."

 Chapter 161: Dragon-slayers

    <h4>Chapter 161: Dragon-yers</h4>


    The firewall showed up just in time, just before Adam was about to run faster to get into the forest after tripping. Inside the firewall was a magic trap made by Jace. If Adam touched the mes, the trap would spring to life, transforming into a cage of fire to trap him.


    Just as Lina was scared and tried to alert Adam to avoid the trap, she found herself falling into the forest, as if she was floating on clouds and fog.


    Adam was really close to the mes, both his dragon hands digging into the soil. He spun around quickly, his strong tail filled with icy powers smacked the firewall hard. The different powers neutralized each other, and the firewall vanished. "Other creatures with special abilities? You''vee at the right time."


    Adam wasn''t mad about the surprise attack; he was actually excited. He knew that understanding a big ce with lots of power would beplicated. It needed many special samples, and even if no one bothered Adam, he would set out to take some when he became strong enough. Now, a few samples had shown up on his doorstep, perfect to grab for his studies.


    Those brave enough to attack the dragon family couldn''t be weak, but those who sneak-attacked a young dragon couldn''t be too strong either. This bnce was just right, and losing these people wouldn''t shake things up too much.


    <i>Is this seriously a young dragon who''s less than eight years old? This has to be a joke. If all dragons are this tough, then what''s our purpose here?</i> Jace was a bit shocked. The firewall earlier was one of the strongest spells he could do. Although he didn''t think it would catch the young dragon easily, it was still too much to see it get wiped away with just a swipe of the tail.


    "Snap out of it, Jessie, keep getting your magic ready, Ral, get set for a big attack, Jace! Help me out!" Carter, who led the team, realized that the magic didn''t work, so he gave a clearmand. He gripped his shield, a dusty yellow energy circled him, and he rushed towards Adam.


    "Power Boost, Brave Heart, Fast Recovery, Aero Lock!" Jessie spoke fast, casting one protection spell after another on Carter, who seemed to grow a little, then Jessie waved her small staff, creating a bright white web of energy quickly in the sky.


    Adam watched without any feelings, letting the group power up on their own. His silvery, slit-like eyes showed no emotion, his mind quickly noted down the changes in their energy, all being important data to him.


    Like a giant beast, Carter stomped forward, creating shallow holes in the ground with each step. Ral made a beautiful pattern with his long sword, then his figure started to fade until he vanished from sight.


    "The different kinds of energy are unique, but they''re all based on elemental power."


    "The way the power is transferred isn''t clear, but it doesn''t seem to hold the elements well; its energy strength is a lot lower than magic power."


    "Buff spells. Pretty cool."


    While Adam was making these observations, Carter was getting really close, less than fifty meters away. He yelled out loudly, "Ral, Jace!"


    .


    It looked like the signal to attack. With Carter''s loud yell, he picked up speed again. In Adam''s senses, he could feel two other energy forces getting closer to him really fast.


    Studying this little group''s battle moves wasn''t giving Adam any new info. He figured he''d take them down first, then bring them back to his tribe for a more detailed studyter.


    Adam took in a deep breath, and all the floating ice elements in the air nearby got pulled into his mouth instantly. His almost two-meter-long body puffed up a bit. Then, Adam lifted his dragon head and roared loud.


    This was the dragon''s breath.


    Dragon''s breath, like dragon''s power pressure, was a natural skill of the dragon family, changing elements into power straight away using the energy pathways in their body, then spitting it out from the mouth.


    The dull yellow light around Carter got even brighter. Being a dragon-yer, he of course knew this was amon magic move used by all dragons. If he was up against a huge dragon, he would have run away a long time ago, but the one breathing ice at him now was just a young dragon; he believed he could handle it.


    Like a shadow, Ral appeared in the air, his long sword became a blur, vibrating quickly as he aimed to stab Adam''s neck from the side. A big fireball, with something unknown burning in its center, flew across the sky in a wide arc, bringing intense heat and a pulling force towards Adam.


    One person stood ground, one gave help, and two attacked; they were certain this would work.


    At least, that was what the four of them thought until that roar echoed.


    The icy dragon''s breath spread fast in rings along with the sound. Wherever the sound waves went, even the air froze solid. Carter, who was in the front line, froze instantly, ayer of frost covering him, stopping him in his tracks.


    Ral, who was moving towards Adam with his sword, had a confident smile which froze on his face as he turned into a chunk of ice, crashing to the ground with a loud noise.


    The hot fireball met the cold dragon''s breath, causing a wild sh, with steam fogging up the whole scene. During the sh, the fireball got colder and slower, until by the time it reached Adam, it had gone outpletely, with only the cold heart of it falling into Adam''s hand.


    Jace stood there, shocked, unable to grasp how his ''advanced magic'' had been defeated so easily. Jessie, on the other hand, held her mouth with her hands, scared she would let out a scream. <i>Is this really a young dragon? It can''t be! A young dragon shouldn''t be capable of wiping us out with just one breath!</i>


    Jessie moved her magic wand with haste, creating two quick wind shields around them. Without a second thought, she grabbed Jace and started running away, not daring to look back or utter a word. They had to seize this opportunity to escape while the fog hid them and before the field that prevented flying lifted. Making any noise that might alert the young dragon would surely mean death for them.


    Adam waspletely tuned into their actions. He moved forward, stepping on the two people who had passed out. A thickyer of ice formed from the ground, securing them in ce. He then soared with a p of his wings, swiftlynding on the icy trail ahead of Jessie and Jace who were trying to escape.


    The look of hopelessness was clear in both Jace and Jessie''s eyes. Suddenly, Jace pushed Jessie to the side with all his might, standing defiantly in front of Adam. Driven by some kind of force, his magic wand lifted up, umting arge amount of fire elements that focused at the tip of the wand. He shouted, "Jessie, get out of here! I''ll take this evil dragon down with me!"


    Jessie tripped, with tears streaming down uncontrobly. She cried out, stifling a sob, "No! Jace! You can''t die! You can''t leave me here alone!"


    "Just go, and let others know there''s a..."


    "No one''s leaving," Adam interrupted, his voice stern andmanding.


    Adam observed their frantic conversation, a slight irritation showing in the twitch of his eye. With a swift wave of his w, he summoned a blizzard of ice elements that instantly snuffed out the growing mes on Jace''s wand. Without hesitation, he froze them both where they stood. He turned to Lina, who was floating, seemingly lost in thoughts above the icy terrain. He instructed,


    "Bring them along, and keep leading the way."

 Chapter 162: Confidence

    <h4>Chapter 162: Confidence</h4>


    As Adam rose into the air, the icynds shaped by dragon breath disappeared fast.


    Lina quickly hid her shocked face, seeing Adam already soaring towards the woods. She swiftly grabbed a handful of seeds from her chest area and tossed them on the ground. Green vines sprouted at an incredible speed, wrapping around the four ice blocks and then floated in the air, keeping up with Adam''s speed.


    Lina paused for a second before cautiously inquiring, "Master, are they gone?"


    The woods were extremely thick. Adam could just manage to squeeze through without extending his wings fully, as there wasn''t enough space to do so. Thus, he kept a form of energy shaping magic ahead of him. Ten ice swords kept swinging, creating a pathway through the dense trees.


    "They''re not gone, just barely hanging on," Adam replied casually. The icy elements had affected the energy bnce of the four dragon-yers, chilling their cells to the brink of death. If it wasn''t for Adam''s decision to keep their faint life signs, they would have be frozen bodies by now.


    Lina gave a thoughtful nod, watching the ongoing freeze and break of vines, then spoke, "Master, have you grown up?"


    Even though she assumed the answer to be negative, Lina found herself asking this. In her extensive yet uneventful life, she met a dragon-yer once. A formidable individual who attacked the dragon''s home solo, but was eventually ripped apart and eaten by Okov.


    She vividly remembered how many of her peer servants in the dragon nests lost their lives due to that battle. If she hadn''t been fortunate to get thrown off a cliff by a shockwave, she might have met the same fate.


    The incident had left asting mark on her. Dragon-yers were mighty, yet dragons proved mightier. In her clear and basic understanding, only fully grown dragons could ovee dragon-yers.


    At this time, Adam''s energy power was almost on par with a typical mature dragon. But since he couldn''t employ rune magic, his fighting techniques were no match to a fully-grown dragon adept in draconic spells. However, Adam found it difficult to answer this question. His understanding of power assessment varied from the norms in this world, and starting an borate exnation to Lina felt too tedious, hence he chose to ignore her.


    For Lina, the silence from Adam was a confirmation. Consequently, as they approached themunity, her anxiety escted. She dreaded that the overconfident forest elves in themunity might provoke Adam. Despite the fact that she was disliked by everyone in themunity, she did not wish to be left alone.


    As they neared themunity, she found the courage to mention it once more, "Master, could I possibly go back to themunity first?"


    Adam had collected several new samples, brimming with various experimental concepts. He couldn''t spare a moment to acknowledge Lina''s slight worries, cutting her off promptly, "Is it in that direction?" Adam''s dragon w gestured forward, sensing signs of life nearby.


    Lina gave a jittery nod. Before she could voice her thoughts, she felt the now familiar grasp of the dragon w once again. All of a sudden, their speed escted, the trees in front were smashed to pieces, and the whipping wind prevented her from opening her eyes. When the turbulence ceased, they found themselves at the fringe of the tribe.


    The forest elf vige was strikingly scenic, featuring lovely homes nestled on tree limbs, springs bubbling up from the soil and merging into pristine, crystal-clear streams, with vibrant flowers blossoming all around. Green energy strands, resembling ribbons, encircled the vige.


    In earlier times, perhaps gentle creatures had lived here in harmony with the elves. However, with the arrival of the overpowering dragon presence, the serene ambiance had shattered.


    Wherever Adam''s gaze fell, wherever the icy sword directed, a multitude of fragile humanoid beings gathered, armed with bows and arrows, their expressions mingled with fear and resentment towards Adam.


    A male elf clutching a staff emerged, extending his hand towards the massive tree beside him. Following a burst of energy fluctuation, the tree sprang to life, morphing into two colossal Ents (tree beings). This transformation seemed to bolster his confidence. Addressing Adam, he stated, "Young dragon, Lord Okov has bestowed us with freedom. The forest elves now im thisnd. State your intentions here."


    Adam''s eyes glittered with curiosity. This form of granting life to nts was unfamiliar at the Tower. It appeared that venturing as an Explorer certainly had its merits. The opportunity to encounter diverse forms of knowledge easilypensated for any encountered perils.


    Adam had no interest in engaging in a lengthy dialogue with them. Swinging his tail, he ushered the trembling Lina forward,manding, "Exin our presence to them, you have a mere ten minutes."


    A wave of coldness engulfed Lina''s heart. A dragon setting a time frame indicated growing impatience, and facing a dragon''s fury was beyond the endurance of weaker mundane races.


    "Father, this is young master Chris, he..."


    The chief cut her off vehemently, his voice seething with anger, "Lina, have you lost your mind? We have just tasted freedom, and here you are, ushering in a new Frost Dragon. Does servitude bring you joy?"


    Lina nced at her father and the familiar faces behind him, all bearing scornful gazes. She stuttered, "I didn''t... Master Chris isn''t like the others."


    Her words were halted yet again, "What difference does it make? Dragons embody malevolence and greed. They are cmities incarnate. We''ve only just begun to experience peace, and you, you..."


    Adam studied the forest elves who were loudly scolding before him, involving the dragon in their usations. He wondered if his young facade instilled bravery in them. Surprisingly, they had the audacity to nder the dragon race so openly.


    Moments before, Adam''s disy of might had profoundly unsettled Lina. Fearing that her father''s harsh words might incite Adam to unleash his wrath, she dropped to her knees, attempting to exin, "Master, things aren''t as they seem, my father, he just..."


    .


    Adam wasn''t sufficiently provoked to act with violence. In his perspective, these forest elves were practically his subjects already: "Your time is dwindling, only five minutes remain."


    Shaking, Lina rose to her feet and beseeched her father, "Father, it''s not what you think." Struggling to find the right words to convince her father and the tribe to heed Adam''s message, she could only repeat fragmented sentences in desperation.


    "Silence, traitor! Bringer of doom, outsider!"


    Adam sensed that the forest elf tribe appeared somewhat dauntless, showing no signs of taking him seriously. What was the source of their newfound boldness?


    <i><strong>Swish.</strong></i>


    Whether it was an involuntary twitch or a conscious act, an arrow zipped through the air, creating a sharp noise as it hurtled towards them, ultimately lodging firmly in the ground between Adam and Lina.


    Adam revealed a menacing smile, unveiling his savage teeth. A terrifying coldness emanated from him, engulfing all the forest elves in attendance. His tone was steady, devoid of murderous intent, as he inquired solemnly, "Could someone exin, who empowered you to confront a dragon in such a manner?"

 Chapter 163: The Evil Dragon

    The icy cold quickly turned the blooming flowers and running streams inside the tribe into ice, causing many forest elves to tremble non-stop from the lingering chill.


    But this didn''t seem to wake them up; instead, they seemed more heated up than before. The chief clenched his teeth hard, waving his staff around and shouted, "Defeat it, bring back his dead body, and join the Dragon yer Guild."


    Adam''s smile grew even wider, a chilly light shimmering from his scary teeth, before he burst outughing, "Dragon yer Guild? Good. Looks like I stumbled upon some valuable info quite effortlessly."


    Adam wasn''t worried at all. Even though there were lots of forest elves, truthfully, they didn''t pose a threat to him. The phrase ''many little things can take down a big one'' only worked for those of nearly equal strength. The forest elves had no clue about the kind of beast they were up against.


    A barrage of arrows descended, while vines and thorns burst from the ground, erging hundreds of times in a split second, surging forward like big waves, their hue showing they contained a strong poison.


    "Everything''s gone, all of it."


    Lina realized it was all over. She had seen what Adam could do up close; that amount of power could take her life easily, not to mention her tribespeople who were more frail than her, apart from her dad.


    As expected, when faced with such a huge assault, Adam didn''t even try to dodge. He opened his mouth to let out a breath filled with his dragon''s might, forming a lighter version of an icy territory. The frost swiftly spread through the air, making the arrows and nts freeze solid and stick in their spots.


    The view seemed kind of beautiful in a way.


    Obviously, the forest elves didn''t agree. They only felt the freezing temperature, a cold they couldn''t bear, as they watched helplessly the ice crystals covering their friends and their bodies too, freezing them right there.


    The only one still able to move a bit was the chief.


    He gazed at his ''fallen'' tribe members, his eyes brimming with sorrow and fury to the point of going mad. A vibrant green energy kept the freezing cold at bay; he stabbed his staff into the ground, the green power flowed through the staff, bringing the dead nts and trees nearby back to life, transforming them into called upon creatures dashing to attack Adam.


    Adam lifted his w, the frost turned into des, filling the sky densely and dropped with the lowering of his w, pouring down on the nts called upon by the chief like a rainstorm.


    The idea for this ice-sculpting spell originated from one of Adam''s previous enemies. Adam clearly recalled herbeling her unique skill of showering the sky with bone shards as "Rain of des and Spears". Following her lead, Adam crafted the frost into pointed des, harnessing their edginess and the speed of falling due to gravity to inflict sheer physical harm, proving to be exceedingly effective against these conjured beings.


    With Adam''s meticulous guidance, the icy des managed to bypass the unarmed forest elves, he was confident there wouldn''t be any unexpected events in thisbat now.


    "I''m not purposely trying to kill them, but if someone happens to die, it''s merely bad luck," Adam muttered. "They hold some utility still, yet I wish you could educate them to think logicallyter on."


    Lina hadn''t anticipated her tribe might be spared. As a wave of shock and happiness flooded her heart, she stuttered, "I... I?"


    When the swords struck the earth, creating a string of loud sts, Adam observed the Ents thrashed and reverted to their natural state. Subsequently, he manipted the ice fragments harboring the four dragon-yers to soar into the tribe. "Yes, these individuals will turn into servants, and you will oversee them directly. Take note, I require servants with intelligence. Inform your dad about the urrence and thene find me."


    The linkage between the forest elfmunity and the Dragon yer Guild was out of Adam''s prediction.


    He initially intended to quietly gather his troops under the lingering sway of the elder dragon, Okov, throughout its many years of rest. Unexpectedly, not long after Okov entered slumber, someone targeted him.


    Given that the Dragon yer Guild dared to expand so tantly, they ought to possess the means to endure under the dragon race''s power. This type of entity wouldn''t rashly go after just a juvenile dragon, meaning their goal had to be Okov.


    As Adam pondered, Lina, showcasing a warm smile, led the unresponsive chief towards him. The chief''s form remained frozen, unable to maneuver, only preserving vision and hearing capabilities.


    Adam freed him from his frosty confinement, then asked, "Exin, what''s the business with the Dragon yer Guild?"


    The chief looked at Adam with venomous eyes, maintaining his silence.


    Lina felt exceedingly ufortable, stammering, "Master, my dad, he..."


    Adam gestured casually with his w, beckoning Lina closer, instilling the technique of forging a master-servant pact into her consciousness. The somewhat vague yetprehensible terms on the agreement vexed her. Agreeing to a master-servant pact with fellow tribespeople was one matter, but involving her own father?


    "Master, I cannot," for the first time, Lina voiced her refusal to Adam, firmly.


    Adam grasped why Lina found it impossible, recognizing that it was morally reprehensible by any standard. Yet,prehending was separate from executing what was essential. "Even if you believe you can''t, you must. I trust you to grasp my meaning."


    Adam afforded Lina merely one evening. When morning arrived the next day, those who hadn''t been enved would have their spirits extracted by Adam to forge automatons.


    This kind of practice was rigorously prohibited by the Mage Council in where Adam came from, but in this alternate dimension, any technique was permissible.


    In contrast to intelligent servants, automatons were more straightforward to manipte butcked the ability to execute even marginallyplicated assignments, primarily functioning asbatants. But Adam wasn''t in shortage of warriors, particrly after identifying a novel avenue for his investigation.


    Adam established a basic chamber at the tribe''s heart to serve as a research facility. He earnestly dressed in safety attire made from ice crystals, adorned a broad mask, arranged a surgical tform, then settled on the floor and earnestly addressed the quartet, "Your abilities intrigue me greatly. Share your training techniques and your manner of harnessing energy, I might..."


    Adam''s voice reverberated as the icy fragments broke apart and the four dragon yers plummeted to the earth. Dreadpelled them to resist involuntarily, yet their efforts were in vain. The extended exposure to Adam''s potent freezing had immobilized their frames, leaving only the areas above their necks with any mobility; they were even unable to take their own lives.


    Understanding their incapacitation, Jessie surrendered to tears, while the remaining trio sumbed to hopelessness. Jace bellowed in loathing, "Evil dragon! Quit your feigned sympathy! End us if you dare, just end our lives! We shall remain silent even in death!"

 Chapter 164: Anatomy

    Adam realized there was a misunderstanding. They wrongly believed he nned to let them off easy. What he actually meant was, "I might offer you a quick death."


    Because the four didn''t want to cooperate, Adam was willing to use harsher ways. In fact, a master-servant pact didn''t need the consent of both sides, just that the controlling party was more powerful than the controlled one.


    Adam removed thenguage barrier of the devil, then swiftly swung his ws, dragging the closest person, Carter, near him, his sharp nails stabbing into Carter''s forehead.


    The devil felt ecstatic, sensing that he was slowly finding its purpose in his eerie existence.


    Afterbining with Garfield, he now had a physical form capable of action. In this ne, he wasn''t treated as a mere expendable troop by Adam. Truly, forming contracts brought the devil immense joy.


    Remarkably, he refrained from rambling, instead fervently infiltrating Carter''s mind, causing chaos in Carter''s mental realm, and only unwillingly finalizing the contract at Adam''s insistence.


    The other three fighters couldn''t grasp what happened to Carter, but they anticipated nothing good would follow. As a result, they angrily hurled insults, epting their doomed fate with the mindset that no agony could surpass their present ordeal, choosing to vent all their frustrations.


    Adam brushed off their angry words, methodically overpowering them one after another. A deep silence enveloped the room once all the contracts were sealed.


    "Master, these individuals, like your young maid,ck structured cultivation practices," the devil informed Adam, having briskly browsed their memories.


    After briefly studying data when he made a contract with Lina earlier, Adam understood that Lina was unfamiliar with cultivation techniques; her element use was purely instinctual. Yet, one instance wasn''t sufficient to reach a conclusion, which led Adam to think about investigating the dragon yers more closely.


    "What''s going on with his magic?" Adam questioned, indicating Jace.


    "These two spiritual entities are siblings. The power they hold isn''t exactly magic; they call it sorcery, a natural skill," the devil answered, forcefully seizing control of the siblings'' bodies, while the glow of elemental fire and the shimmer of enhancement spells appeared one after the other.


    "This guy has a natural affinity for fire elements. When these elements enter him, they transform his body in a way he doesn''t quite understand, creating a pathway. Later, he can use powers simr to magic, the young girl operates the same way. This dwarf and the wind elf function simrly, housing elements naturally and disying fighting strength. Based on their chaotic level categorization, they acquire a fresh skill each time they advance a level."


    The devil paused and then said, "It is quite simr to a demonic beast."


    Adam agreed internally. The absence of a structured cultivation method, the reliance purely on instinct to manipte elements --- that''s exactly characteristic of a demonic beast. It made sense that they were rtively weak. Creatures such as demonic beasts werergely determined by their bloodline purity: the purer the lineage, the stronger they were. Those with mixed bloodlines could not surpass their inherent boundaries without knowledge of purification techniques.


    While the beings of this world remained oblivious, Adam was adept in this field. Bloodline purification was a facet of ancient magic. In the Mage World, since it was deemed worthless and exceedingly barbaric, no one employed it. However, if one had enough authority, it was essible. Adam had not only recorded this information upon reaching a level one authority but had also unearthed some concealed secrets of the Hill family.


    The devil spoke again, "Master, the dragons are an exception. They uphold traditions and possess cultivation knowledge. Many dragon-yers confront generally non-aggressive dragons primarily to inherit the dragons'' legacy."


    Adam''s eyes narrowed briefly, an unexpected desire to analyze himself intensifying within. Given the persistent pursuit from the origin of the world, he reluctantly dismissed the thought, vowing to seize a dragon with an intact legacy to satiate his scientific curiosity.


    With self-examination no longer an option, Adam turned his ominous gaze onto the quartet of dragon-yers.


    "Master, I need to rest now!"


    The devil trembled intensely, relinquishing control and retreating hastily into Adam''s consciousness amidst a wisp of smoke. It recognized that menacing stare all too well. Whenever Adam looked at something with such intent, the scrutinized entity would undoubtedly suffer significant damage. It had even neglected tomunicate details of the Dragon yer Guild it had found to Adam.


    Adam acknowledged this with his typical indifferent nod, silencing the devil''s ability to speak before conjuring a slender ice de, as fragile-looking as cicada wings, on his fingertip. He approached Carter, whoy nearest to him on the makeshift table.


    The icy de pierced Carter''s flesh with ease. Adam applied a soft force, parting Carter into two, revealing his internal anatomy to Adam''s scrutinizing gaze.


    Before, Carter had beenpelled into a pact and remained alive, his awareness vaguely present. Now, witnessing his own dissection, he finally lost consciousness, seemingly having his desire for release fulfilled.


    Adam was indifferent to Carter. Having extracted their memories, the sole purpose Carter and the others served was to be anatomical subjects for dissection.


    Several hourster, they had transformed into scientific samples, preserved meticulously in ultra-cold storage units.


    The meticulous examination proved to be highly informative.


    The inhabitants of the Dragon ne indeed harnessed elements simrly to magical beasts, their hearts pumping elemental power through their veins to augment their physical capacities. The richer their blood was in specific substances, the more streamlined the transfer of elemental power.


    Embedded within them were intricateworks fusing together to craft unique energy pathways. When elemental power sessfully navigated these pathways, it could be released from their bodies, initiating what is identified as ''magic''.


    However, Jessie''s skill appeared rather distinct, with the enhancing magic more akin to a mesmerizing influence, convincing the recipient that they have undergone enhancement.


    Before sunrise, a weary Lina stepped into Adam''s chamber. Witnessing the quartet of containers brimming with biological specimens and the four heads arranged before Adam, she retreated a few steps.


    "Is there a problem?" Adam asked eagerly. The dissection process was nearingpletion, and he was eager to uncover any hidden insights regarding the legacy present in the brain matter.


    "I must apologize, master, but I was only able to form bonds with just over half of our tribal members," Lina reported softly, her gaze rising.


    While Adam was dissecting Jace''s cranium with a de, he queried, "How so?"


    Terrified, Lina promptly averted her eyes, unable to endure the gruesome scene. "It felt as if my head was on the verge of bursting, preventing me from proceeding with the bond initiations. Additionally, some of the tribe members were unyielding and opposed the process staunchly," she conveyed with haste."

 Chapter 165: Prelude to Collapse

    Adam set down his Icede. Lina was dealing with soul overload, making her a bad choice for adding more ves to their ranks. But the leftover rebels, who hadn''t yet made deals, were too valuable to ignore. They could serve as ideal guinea pigs for testing out bloodline purification techniques across various races.


    "Let''s go," Adam said, as he put away the test subject and took off his safety gear and Icede.


    Lina''s expression turned serious. Her mouth opened, but in the end, she stayed silent and didn''t ask anything. She nodded her head and led the way.


    The vige seemed back to normal. Contracted forest elves were gathered in a circle around those who were still resisting, at the center of the area. Puddles of blood were scattered around, evidence of a recent, fierce battle.


    When Adam and Lina appeared, the elves standing in the outer circle bowed together, stepping back to make a clear path. Adam noticed that Lina''s dad was leading those who resisted.


    "What''s happening here?" Adam asked, his voice icy cold, as if the weight of a dragon''s spirit pressed down on Lina.


    Feeling the intense pressure, Lina fell to her knees, her face flushing red. "I''m sorry, Master. There''s really nothing I can do."


    If Lina acted like a regr daughter, her dad, the tribal leader, acted heartless; he didn''t seem to care about her struggles, even making fun of her and taunting Adam. "Wicked dragons and traitors should be eliminated. Don''t expect any favors from me."


    Adam found this puzzling. It was as if the tribal chief had been mind-controlled. *Sure, dragons might not be liked, but could they really be hated this much? Compared to Ceylon Ind, living conditions near the Makalu Mountains in Okov territory weren''t bad. This is clearly a dog eat dog world, and have a powerhouse as their leader will only bring them benefits. Why was this guy so unyielding?*


    But in the grand scheme, this issue was huge for Lina but small for Adam. He could just use the same tactics he''d used on dragon yers in the past.


    Fed up with the dy, Adam mmed his foot down hard. This triggered sharp spikes of ice to shoot up from the ground where the resisting elves stood. They were impaled, their blood draining into grooves below them. With a powerful p of his wings, Adam appeared in front of the tribal chief and released the devil into his mind.


    Tears streamed down Lina''s face, her emotions flipping between anger and submission. Adam noticed something was off with their contract, but he just looked at Lina with an uncaring face.


    Soon after, the devil''s eager voice broke the silence, "Master, I''ve got info on the Dragon yer Guild." With Adam''s go-ahead, five jumbled-up pieces of memory poured into his thoughts.


    The Dragon yer Guild was said to be created by the best dragon yers on the. Its main goal was to gather forces from all kinds of races to fight against dragons, free people from their harsh rule, and set up a new, peaceful world.


    From the broken memories, Adam found out that pretty much any dragon yer could be part of this group. Most of what people knew was spread by the organization on purpose. Regarding the tribal chief''s memories, Adam only saw that a stranger of unknown race, status, and gender had shown up after the tribe got their freedom. This stranger had invited the tribe to move and join the Dragon yer Guild as a group.


    "Is that it?" Adam asked the devil, not fully believing what he heard.


    As the devil was busy eating the souls of the forgotten ves, it rolled its eyes a bit and said, "Master, their total energy can''t even match a level-one mage. What could they possibly know that''s valuable?"


    Adam had thought about this already and reframed his question, "Is there any extra info on this mysterious individual?"


    "Nothing more. The tribal chief didn''t dare to look too closely. All he knows is that this unknown person wille back when the right timees."


    Adam yanked his w out of the tribal chief''s head and nailed him down onto the ice spikes. The chief and all the resistors were still alive, because Adam needed their bodies to keep making blood. However, they could no longer move, turning into living statues that only served to make blood.


    Adam walked past Lina on his way to hisb, not even giving her a second look.


    Lina felt like she had been tossed into a freezing pit of ice.


    ...


    Back at theb, Jace''s head was still wide open. Adam put on his safety gear and picked up where he left off. In the back of his mind, the devil giggled, "Master, it looks like your little maid was thinking about turning on you."


    Getting back to work, Adam cracked open the heads of four more dragon-yers one after another. He then put on an ice crystal lens and closely studied the brain make-up.


    Before, Adam had dissected a lot of infected creatures on Ceylon Ind. When hepared them, he didn''t see anything weird in their brains. These guys didn''t even have the special tissue that helps make psychic powers, something that''s prettymon in humans from the mage world. Maybe that''s why they went the bloodline route instead.


    "Master, are you gonna do something about her? Her betraying you could mess up all your ns," the devil kept egging him on.


    As Adam stored the four brains into containers, he answered, "If she betrays me, she''s done for. If she stays with me, she gets a shot at revenge for her dad. What would you do if you were in her shoes?"


    The devil paused, then awkwardly said, "Master, why would I ever think about betraying you?"


    Adam added, "Also, let''s not forget I''m still a Frost Dragon. As long as I keep my true self a secret, I can find a safe ce anywhere in this world. She''s been tossed aside by Okov. Without me, she''s got nowhere to go. No matter how much she hates me, she''s stuck with me."


    Adam then created an ice crystal board and jotted down the bloodline purification steps in Dragon-ne Commonnguage. He continued, "Feelings are a strong force, and hate is one of the strongest feelings out there. I''m not just going to let her off the hook; I''ll actually help her get stronger. I want her to dive deep into her hatred, obsessed with the idea that one day she might be strong enough to get her revenge. That way, she''ll be as useful as possible to me until she tries to take her revenge."


    The devil stopped talking, realizing its master was way more cunning than he could ever be. Carefully, he shut its mouth and slid back into the furthest corners of Adam''s mind, too scared to say another word."

 Chapter 166: Bloodline Cleaning

    Cleaning bloodline was a very straightforward skill in every way.


    In the mage world, if one knew how to use rune systems, they just needed a basic spell to pull out really clean blood from a bunch of not-so-clean blood. But they''d got to know the details of the bloodline they were working on first. That was easy; fancy science tools can figure it out fast.


    For super old magical families like the Hill family, cleaning the bloodline was a big deal. They needed tons and tons of blood samples to get the info, and then more tons of samples to actually clean it using an old-school method called the Blood Sacrifice.


    But in the Dragon ne, using magic arrays---tech from the mage world---could make Adam stick out like a sore thumb. Adam wasn''t strong enough to risk that, so he had to use a slower, more annoying way.


    In this world where bloodline decided one was strong or weak, creatures from the same group usually had the same stuff in their blood. This stuff could show what kind of elements and energy they had. Adam, who didn''t have any gear and couldn''t use magic, had to get the forest elves to let out energy in their family blood. Then he''d pick out and clean the really good stuff. Adam already tweaked the outer ice spikes; once they found high-quality blood, it got sucked up and stored in the ultra-cold storage units.


    "Get it?" Adam asked Lina, who stood quietly about 15 feet away with her head down.


    Adam had taken out the leader about half a day ago. Lina hadn''t gone anywhere. She even helped Adam chill out the other forest elves who saw their family member die. Adam didn''t know exactly how she did it, but he had a clue from the random screams outside.


    Hate helps people get stronger.


    Lina''s creepy voice didn''t change. She put away the ice crystal board and repeated what Adam said, asking, "So, that''s it, right, Master?"


    Adam nodded. "Yeah, go ahead once you get it. Tell me when you finish the first part."


    Lina started to walk away, bowing her head in respect. Then Adam said something else, "Do a good job. Whatever you''re thinking, you''ll need power to back it up. Cleaning your bloodline, if it works, will make you super strong, fast."


    Lina stopped and stayed still for a second, finally saying, "Sorry, Master, I don''t get what you mean."


    Adam just waved his w, "Heh. Tell your folks to keep an eye out. I want to know if anyone new shows up in the Makalu Mountains, especially if they''re trying to climb the main peak."


    Adam stayed by himself in theb, finding the whole bloodline purification thing a breeze. Not wanting to waste any seconds, his main goal was to pump up his power as fast and as best as he could. Even though he couldn''t use rune magic, getting the hang of thunder power was easy for him. Setting up energy circuits inside himself to mix thunder and frost? No biggie.


    Using telekinesis with precision---a skill he got really good at after years of experiments---Adam was sure he''d stay off the radar of the source of the world as long as he stayed in his dragon form. It might not be the quickest way, but under these conditions, there weren''t any better options.


    Out of nowhere, the devil chimed in, "Master, aren''t you worried the little maid might flip on you when her bloodline gets stronger?"


    "I''m the one who''s upgrading her bloodline. Why would I let her get a chance like that?"


    "But, even the strongest hate can fade. What''s gonna happen to her then?"


    Adam nearly forgot that his devil servant was a pro at messing with feelings, but he had already thought of that. "Her hatees from really strong stuff that happened to her; that feeling will stick around."


    ...


    Lina held her breath, exiting theb and only letting it out when she was far enough away. After making hundreds of master-servant deals, she knew what every servant was thinking---Adam had to know this too. She was ready for anything but didn''t expect Adam to read her thoughts so casually, without even thinking of killing her.


    Her hands turned into fists so tight that her nails dug into her own skin, but she didn''t let go. The pain was like a red g, telling her to lock up any risky thoughts deep inside her mind. She had to stay on her toes, ace every job, and grab every chance to power up.


    After putting her tribespeople into groups of a hundred, she had them take shifts, patrolling every week. With the rest of her people, she went to that awful battlefield. Everyone was there, including her dad, but they were just barely hanging on.


    Anger started to bubble up among the tribe. One guy couldn''t help but shout, "Curse that wicked dragon, I will---"


    Lina spun around, hitting him with a soul-whip. The guy was flopping around on the ground, in total pain. Stepping on his face, she warned him, ice-cold, "Don''t ever let words like thate out of your mouth again, or you''re dead, got it?"


    "Get it through your heads, you''re all ves. Learn to respect your master, and zip it. If not, I''ll be the one to end you."


    Lina inhaled deeply, forcing herself to look at the horrible scene in front of her. Then shemanded, "Break into small teams, focus your skills on the blood pools under each ice spike. Keep going and don''t ask questions. Just do it. Oh, and make sure nobody dies."


    She led them, going straight to her father and plunging her hands into the pool of blood below him that just wouldn''t stop flowing.


    A heavy silence dropped, broken only by the sound of people breathing and the dripping of blood---making an already creepy quiet even creepier.


    ...


    A week zipped by super fast. Adam had nailed making new energy circuits inside himself, mixing thunder power with his ice-molding magic. What he got was a huge jump in how strong his magic was, all for the same amount of energy he used.


    But that was as far as he could go without the Source noticing him. Adam knew he had to hit pause on making his magic even better for the time being. Yet he couldn''t help but wonder: if there were bloodlines here that could use the power of elements, then maybe there''s a creature like a Thunder Dragon out there. Finding and eating that dragon would be the fastest way to get past his own limits.


    Also, if that was how it worked, finding a baby Frost Dragon might give him some kind of special abilities.


    Right when Adam''s brain was buzzing with all these ideas, Lina walked into theb for the first time in a whole week. "Master, the ice spikes have changed to a blood-red color," she let him know."

 Chapter 167: Blooming

    Even though Lina didn''t know much about dragons, just what she learned from hanging out with Okov, she knew they took forever to grow and didn''t get strong super quickly. So, she was totally shocked to see Adam had powered up big time in just one week. Underneath the chill vibes of his held-back dragon''s pressure, she felt an even scarier kind of strength.


    Adam got up and stepped outside, asking, "Any unfamiliar faces show up around Makalu Mountainstely?"


    "We did spot some mysterious people hanging around outside the mountain area. They seem afraid to get in the mountains," Lina answered back.


    That was pretty normal. ces known to have dragons were like mas for attention. Some people might be plotting to score big, while others just wanted to stay far away. Either way, being watched like that was something dragons couldn''t dodge.


    Lina took a sec before adding, "Also, we''re starting to tick off other tribes. If we keep this up, it''s not gonna end well, I fear..."


    "We''re still not strong enough," Adam let out a sigh. His own power level was low, and the forces he had under his thumb weren''t all that great either. Being held back like this was really getting to him.


    In the tribe''s center, only a few forest elf ves were still around, doing their thing next to the ice spikes, using their natural skills to keep the life-saving machines going. They looked pretty zoned out. When Lina gave the word, they left without even looking at Adam.


    "Master, what''s our next move?" Lina questioned.


    Adam went up to an ice spike and poked it with his finger, pulling out some blood. Then he grabbed Lina''s arm, cutting it to get more blood. Looking at both samples, he saw the info inside the ice spike blood was way more packed in, but still not totally perfect. Even without fancy gear, he could totally feel the junk in there.


    But for now, it was good enough. These regr forest elves could only do so much. To get it super clean, he''d need a better sample---maybe from Lina, who already had one bloodline upgrade.


    Thinking this, Adam snapped his fingers. All the ice spikes lit up a bit, and tubes came out of them, hooking up to hisb. Grabbing Lina, he zoomed to theb, telling her, "Next up, we''re giving you a blood transfusion."


    This second step didn''t have anything to do with magic stuff or spooky things. It was just a basic way to put the kinda-cleaned-up blood into Lina''s body, swapping out her old blood. It was a bit of a hassle but super simple.


    A bunch of tubes floated in the air, making a big enough hole for Lina to fit. Adam put on his safety gear again and said, "This is probably gonna be rough. I''ll cut off your pain feeling for a bit, but it won''t help much."


    "It''s cool, Master," Lina said back.


    Adam nodded, pleased with her attitude. Extending his dragon w, he suspended Lina in mid-air. "Good, hang in there. If you die, all the subordinate ves bound by contract to you will also die."


    Caught off guard by the statement, Lina barely had time to ponder its meaning when she felt an icy de slice through her clothes and skin. Hundreds of sharp tube mouths then grew and deeply prated various parts of her body.


    It was regrettable for Adam that due tock of equipment, he couldn''t document this fascinating experiment, nor observe any rejection reactions. The blood now entering Lina''s body came from hundreds of different forest elves, with unknown blood types andpatibility.


    Still, forest elves were a race with extraordinary powers. Her immune system should be able to handle this minor issue.


    ...


    It was an indescribable sensation---worse than pain.


    Adam had severed her pain receptors, but Lina was fully conscious. She clearly felt foreign objects prating her body, blood flowing in reverse, and new blood rapidly filling the empty spaces. The old and new blood fought within her as if her body was their battlefield---a struggle iprehensible to mortals.


    Her life force rapidly drained, only to be replenished at the same speed. Lina watched herself die and be reborn, a mental torture that could drive anyone mad.


    Rejection was also intense. Her organs, muscle tissue, cells, and neurons revolted, fighting off the invading forces. Her body turned from dark red to purple, irregr patterns and blotches appearing. Her temperature skyrocketed, her blood thickened, and her organs began to convulsively expand and contract as if about to explode.


    "Ahhhhhh!" Lina screamed in agony. She wished she could kill herself.


    Adam released a st of cold air towards Lina, stabilizing her copsing body and alleviating some difort. However, that was all he could do. Whether the bloodline upgrade would be sessful ultimately depended on Lina''s willpower and luck.


    In just a few minutes, Lina had used up way, way more than her own amount of blood. Most of this blood didn''t work out and got kicked out of her system, but a little bit actually stuck. This cleaner blood, once it was running her system, showed some really surprising strength and energy.


    This new blood started getting rid of the old blood fast, heading straight for her heart.


    ***Pop!***


    With that loud noise, Lina''s heart just exploded. Right at that same second, the new blood turned solid and a huge wave of green energy burst out all over her body. This green stuff somehow made her a brand-new heart super quickly.


    The green energy rays shot out, smashing the ice tubes one by one. Lina was floating in mid-air, her face all covered by this green light.


    Adam made a quick move with his hand to get rid of the tubes. He was super focused on the green light and started talking to himself. "Did it work? The energy levels are going up. The way creatures with special blood get stronger is really simple, isn''t it?"


    The green light started to fade away, and the nts that had been held back by the coldb started to push through the ice and grow like crazy inside. Outside, the already super tall trees started to look even more alive, their branches reaching out and covering up the sky.


    About ten minutester, Lina appeared, standing there without any clothes. The second she touched the ground, flowers started popping up all around her."

 Chapter 168: Lina Getting Stronger

    Lina felt that she had gotten way stronger, stronger than she had ever been. It was like nature was a part of her; just by thinking and letting out a tiny bit of energy, the nts around her would wake up and act like her personal soldiers. She could change what the nts were made of, making them super hard, bendy, or even dangerous with poison---no sweat.


    Plus, she felt she had the skill to mess with nts, to make them grow or die. She even thought about the crazy idea that she could make nts grow inside other living things if there were seeds around.


    But that idea was risky, so the second it popped into her head, Lina stomped it out.


    Adam''s stare made her feel weird, and it wasn''t because she didn''t have clothes on. Neither of them cared about that. It was just that his stare made her feel like he was looking at a thing, not a person.


    "Master, I did it," Lina managed to say, trying to shake off the awkward vibe.


    Adam nodded and then asked, curious, "What''s different now?"


    Lina thought for a sec before answering, "I feel rxed, full of energy and power. I think I can..." As she talked, flowers started to grow on her, making a pretty outfit, "handle these nts."


    "Can you be more specific?"


    Lina scrunched her forehead, thinking hard. "I''m sorry, Master, I''m not sure how to put it into words. Basically, if I want to, all the nts in our tribe could be my eyes and arms."


    "Avatars?"


    Lina nodded quickly, "Yes, that''s it! They could all be my avatars."


    Adam was super happy. Lina''s performance had given him a huge surprise. This skill might not be great in a fight, but for spying, it was perfect, as people always tended to ignore those nts lying around.


    And now, since the bloodline of Lina had leveled up and could get this power, there was no need for all theplex stuff anymore. The other forest elves could also change, one by one; even if not many made it through, it was worth a shot.


    "Did you also get the skill your dad had, to call up Ants?" Adam questioned, really interested.


    "Call up Ants? You mean like this?"


    Lina pointed her finger and shot out green energy at a bush. The bush started to move and shake, its rootsing out of the ground to twist together, making arms and legs. Soon, it turned into a sturdy Ant that stood like a bodyguard in front of Lina.


    "It''s called Nature''s Guard."


    Adam wasn''t interested in the name of the power, but it was really important for making up for what hecked in fighting skills. Even when he picked up magic and use rune spellster when he got back, this new info would still be super useful.


    "That''s it. Teach me how to use it," ordered Adam.


    Lina spoke, kind of helplessly, "Master, I can''t really exin it; it''s like I just knew it all of a sudden."


    Adam used magic to create icy chains that wrapped around Lina, holding her still. He walked up to her. Creatures with this bloodline really didn''t think things through; they could just get strong powers when they leveled up. But Adam had another way to learn it---by cutting her open to look at how the energy moved inside her.


    Several hourster, Lina walked out of theb, looking really pale. All the happiness about getting stronger was gone from her green eyes, and all that was left was a deep fear.


    Surviving two near-death experiences in one day was more than anyone could handle.


    Just when she was thinking about how scared she had been, another forest elf girl walked up and said, "Master, there''s something wrong with the chief."


    Lina took a deep breath, and energy from the nts around her flowed into her, filling her up. The elf girl stared at Lina, kind of stuttering, "Master, are you now a Nature Controller?"


    A Nature Controller? Lina smiled, but it was more like she was making fun of herself. She might have been really into that title if she hadn''t seen even crazier powers. But now, she just brushed it off, asking tiredly, "What''s going on with my dad?"


    The elf girl looked at Lina like she was some sort of hero, and quickly said, "Like you, natural energy is flowing into him non-stop. It looks like he''s about to level up."


    Level up? Lina looked even more worried. This would''ve been great news before, but now she had no idea how Adam would feel about it. With that thought in her head, she told the elf girl to go away and flew to where the tribe was gathered.


    The ice spikes and other individuals on them were the same as ever, but the chief''s silver-white frost energy was shing with some green ones. His injuries kept healing and then breaking open again, and the blood that dripped looked even more like crystal than before. People from the tribe stood there, not sure what to do.


    After fighting with herself inside her head for a long time, Lina finally said, "Kill him."


    Everyone turned to look at her, not believing what they just heard.


    Feeling a super creepy vibeing closer and closer, Lina used a soulsh on everyone around her. She said again, "Didn''t you hear me? I said kill him."


    Adam strolled out of theb, totally chill. He already knew about the chief''s body changing; the devil had tipped him off. Creatures with the same bloodline have this weird connection. When one of them levels up, their rtives get some of the benefits too. How much they get depends on how closely they''re rted. This whole thing is called bloodline transference.


    Since the chieftain and Lina were father and daughter---the closest family tie you can get---it made sense he was leveling up too.


    "Heh heh heh, Master, you really freaked out your servant with your crazy experiment," the devil said, kind of mocking. He used to be the one always worried about being experimented on, but now Lina was in the same boat.


    "Freaking you out?" Adamughed a little. Maybe that was part of it, but what was really going on was that Lina didn''t want to lose her new powers. Along with the hate she felt, a new feeling---greed---was starting to grow inside her.


    Lina watched as green arrows shot towards her dad. Closing her eyes, she felt really torn up inside. She didn''t know if what she was doing was the right thing. It was a risky move, and she had no other options left.


    All of a sudden, a super cold wind blew by, freezing the arrows in mid-air just before they could hit her dad.


    Inside, Lina let out a huge sigh of relief."

 Chapter 169: The Dragon Slayer Guild

    "Don''t kill him; it''s all good," Adam said. He used frost storm to freeze the arrows while he stood next to Lina.


    Shooing the forest elves away, Lina kneeled in front of Adam. "Master, I''m not sure why this happened. Maybe we should just get rid of him to avoid problemster," she said, bowing her head.


    She really meant it, and kept her head down, especially because Adam was there.


    The devil chimed in sneakily, "Master, why not listen to her? Offing her dad could spice things up."


    Ignoring the devil, Adam looked at Lina, grinning. He softly patted her back with his wing. "Don''t sweat it. This is bloodline transference; it''s not about whether you want to save him or not."


    Lina felt a huge sense of relief. "Master, thanks for believing in me."


    Adam walked over to the Ice Spikes. He got rid of the icy energy that was fighting the nt energy. The Ice Spikes started to morph. Tiny tubes went right into most of the chief''s blood vessels. The super cold froze them, so they didn''t burst. Blood rushed even quicker through these tubes as nt energy kept the chief alive.


    "Look, he''s way more useful now," Adam said, pleased with himself.


    Satisfied, Adam tapped his w, and more ice tubes grew from the Ice Spikes. "Tell your family toe to theb, one at a time. I''ll improve their lineage," he said to Lina before walking away.


    Lina looked up, shocked. Realizing she was being rude, she said, "Master, won''t this be a lot of work for you?"


    Adam justughed, "Don''t stress; you''re still the boss of them. Even if someone tries to challenge you, you''ve got this."


    Once Adam left, Lina stood up, her face changing. Adam''sst words didn''t feelforting; they felt more like a warning.


    The forest elves nearby heard them talking. They didn''t get all of it, but the part about bloodline got them pumped. One elf yelled, "He can make us stronger? Lina, you became the Nature Controller because of him, right?"


    Lina whipped around and flicked a seed at the elf who spoke. The seed grew super fast, pulling nutrients out of him. He screamed. Not phased, Lina only spoke after the vine had sucked him dry and came back to her. "You should call me, MASTER."


    ...


    The odds for the forest elves'' bloodline upgrades turned out way worse than expected. On average, only one in fifteen could make it through the awful process.


    But the elves who didn''t make it weren''t useless. Their blood had useful stuff in it now. Adam carefully kept them alive, hanging them upside down in the biggerb. They were hooked up with ice tubes to a simple blood cirction system. This sped up the bloodline upgrade for the other elves.


    Now, theb was even scarier than before. Some elves got freaked out before they even started.


    Lina was super hands-on. She personally brought her people into theb each time and watched everything from start to end. Officially, she was helping Adam make the process smoother; but really, she was worried someone might get stronger than her.


    Adam didn''t call her out. He just reminded her to keep doing her patrols, and let her hang out in theb as much as she wanted.


    Twenty dayster, Lina brought in thest unchanged ve. "The ves who haven''t leveled up are useless now," Adam said.


    "Why? Their blood is still good," Lina quickly shot back, still hoping for another upgrade for herself.


    "To keep leveling up, you need better bloodlines, like more Natural Controllers. This elf blood is too weak. Just having a lot won''t be enough for a second upgrade," Adam said, crushing her hopes.


    Lina left theb, feeling kind of down.


    Almost a month had gone by. The once lively tribe was now super quiet. Overgrown nts filled the empty treehouses, and a slight smell of blood scared off even wild animals.


    Of the more than six hundred forest elves who had sworn loyalty to Lina, most were now like empty shells. The ones who got upgraded were sent on missions. Now, only she and Adam were still active in the whole tribe.


    Alone, she went to the icicle cluster.


    Life energy isn''t endless for any creature, even these elves with nt powers.


    The first batch of elves had all lost their life force; no more blood dripped from the icicles. Only the old chief was still ''alive''.


    Wanting more was like nting a seed, and power made it grow super fast. It grew quicker than Adam had thought. When Adam said these blood donors were useless, Lina stood in front of her dad''s sad body, feeling surprisingly calm.


    After a long moment of silence, light footsteps sounded from behind. Without turning around, Lina walked up to her father. She took a deep breath and sprouted a cluster of sharp thorns from her hand. As she exhaled, she slowly pierced them into her father''s skull.


    Then she severed the thorns, letting them take root and sprout within her father''s body before resolutely turning away.


    By the time she met a ve, her face showed no signs of what had just transpired.


    "Didn''t I say you''re not to return to the tribe unless it''s urgent?" Lina''s flower-woven clothes were now wilting, losing their vibrant colors to leave only dark purple blossoms in full bloom.


    Dropping to one knee, the ve respectfully said, "I found a stranger entering the Macaron Mountains alone. After staying at the base of the main peak for a day, he''s headed toward the tribe. He seems to know the way well, bypassing some tribes and entering others."


    "Is it the Dragon yer Guild?"


    "I''m not sure. The old chief never allowed us to interact with mysterious individuals, but it seems likely."


    Lina paused, thenmanded, "Follow him. I want all the information you can gather on him, and don''t get caught. You know what will happen if you do."


    The ve shuddered and retreated from the tribe. The consequences Lina spoke of were worse than death. He had personally witnessed Lina draining the blood from two of her kinsmen who had dared to resist her."

 Chapter 170: A New Way of Thinking

    Lina had thought about telling the Dragon yer Guild where Adam was when they showed up. She figured she could use their strength to get rid of Adam, even if it meant she''d die because of their master-servant bond. But that was just her being super mad and desperate. Now, she doesn''t want to die anymore.


    Feeling powerful was like the best thing ever. She couldn''t go back to being the clueless girl who got ditched by her tribe. In only a few weeks, she had changed big time.


    She didn''t want to die, because dying means you lose everything. So, she had to let Adam know.


    In theb, thest bloodline improving operation went off without a hitch. Adam took off his safety stuff and told Lina, who just walked in, "Get him out of here. Make things go faster. I want to see detailed maps and who''s strong and who''s not in the Makalu Mountains in two days."


    Adam had a new job for the forest elves. Now that they were Nature Controllers, they weren''t scared of getting noticed by tough tribes close by. With that map, Adam could figure out the best spots for the ne Sacrifice Magic Array.


    Lina said yes to the job but didn''t head out right away. Adam was like, "Anything else?"


    "Master, we found some sketchy signs that might be from someone with the Dragon yer Guild."


    Adam stopped doing what he was doing and looked kind of serious. "Any weird stuff happening at the main mountain?"


    "Okov is still snoozing. Just some tribes that grab stuff pass by now and then. Nothing weird."


    Adam chilled in an ice chair that popped up behind him and crossed his arms, thinking hard. "Your people are all over the Makalu Mountains now, huh? How many tribes are out there? Who''s the strongest?"


    Lina had the 411. "There are seventeen tribes under Lord Okov. Most are like the old forest elf tribes. The strongest guys are about as tough as a Natural Controller. But their energy vibes are low-key, and my guys were scared of getting caught, so they didn''t go all in."


    "Having seen Okov do his thing, do you think you could take him with what you got now?"


    Lina shook her head super fast. "No way! One dragon-spell from Lord Okov and I''m toast. Even if like forty Nature Controllers from my tribe teamed up, it''d be the same. Maybe some could get away, but going against him straight up? Not happening."


    Adam was on the same page. A Nature Controller was pretty much as strong as a mage apprentice at most. But because their energy levels were way off, they were even weaker in fights. Okov was as strong as a level-2 mage at least, and numbers couldn''t make up for that gap. If the Dragon yer Guild wanted to use ve tribes to fight dragons, those ves wouldn''t even be good enough to be front-line grunts.


    "Master?" Lina noticed Adam had zoned out and asked, kinda puzzled.


    "How strong is this messenger guy?"


    "I don''t know, but he doesn''t know we''re watching him."


    "Do you wanna join the Dragon yer Guild?" Adam suddenly asked.


    Lina had figured Adam would either run for it for a bit or take the messenger guy out himself. She never thought he''d ask her that. Is this a trick? Will I get in trouble for being honest?


    Lina quickly killed off the nts that popped up because she was freaking out, then knelt down, shaking. "Master, I totally don''t want to do that! I can go off him right now if you want!" She quickly swore she was on his side.


    Adam used a chill spell to help her up. "No, seriously, do you want to join them?"


    The thought had just hit him. He looked like a dragon, so he couldn''t go undercover in an enemy group. But forest elves were a different story. The master-servant pact was soul-deep; nobody would know unless they bbed. If the Dragon yer Guild was cool with recruitingme tribes, they''d totally take a bunch of Nature Controllers.


    This seemed like a win-win. The Dragon yer Guild must have tons of people if they were recruiting like this. More people didn''t mean stronger, but it did mean more kinds of info. Even if they tried to keep secrets, stuff would leak out.


    At first, Adam just wanted some ves to be his secret info collectors so he wouldn''t have to do the dirty work. Now it looked like he might not even need to do that.


    As for how loyal these ves would be, Adam was super sure that the devil''s racial skills had that covered.


    Lina stood there, her brain doing somersaults. She got why Adam would let her join an enemy group. The master-servant bond had not just kept the other forest elves in checktely but also made her see her own situation in a new light.


    Being a ve meant you were totally under your master''s control, with zero room to fight back.


    *So why not go for the big leagues, meet stronger folks, and maybe get way more powerful? Maybe someday... *thought Lina.


    "Master, I''m in," Lina said, all pumped up. "But if it''s just me, I''m not sure I can get the job done right."


    Adam totally got where she wasing from. "Keep one of your ves here with me; you can take the others."


    The message popped right into Lina''s head, and her eyes lit up.


    Lina tried to connect with Adam through the bond, saying, "I''d die for you."


    "Heh heh," Adam chuckled, waving a w. "Get me that map in two days, and then you can try to hit up the messenger guy."<hr aria-orientation="horizontal">


    After Lina took off, Adam got back to cleaning up his leftover experiments. They were pointless now, but if the wrong people saw them, that could be a big problem, so they had to go.


    The devil felt a little jealous of Lina''s mission. "Master, why not let me do the cool job? I could just take her soul out and use her body to get it done. Plus, I''d never, ever double-cross you."


    Theb got colder and colder. Every test subject got frozen solid. Then there was this hidden burst of thunder, and they all shattered into ice bits. Adam felt more and more sure about how well he could handle the limited energy he had. "You? You''re not smart enough for this kind of gig."

 Chapter 171: Into the Ice Field

    Lina was rather impatient. Adam had given her a deadline of two days, but she shortened it to one and announced it. The ves were puzzled as to why their master was in such a hurry, but no one dared to ask.


    By noon the next day, Adam received the map he had requested earlier than anticipated.


    However, the map was far from standard. Speechless, Adam looked at Lina, pointing to the map and asked, "What''s this triangle? And this circle, this square? Are you sure this isn''t some random scribble instead of a map?"


    Adam realized he had overestimated these alien races. Theycked even the most basic geographical knowledge. In his world, any apprentice, no, even a knight, would have the basic knowledge to draw a map. Yet what the forest elves gave him seemed like mere scrap paper.


    Lina was baffled by the question. Taking the map, she exined, "This is the main peak where Lord Okov resides. This is ake not far from the main peak, and this is the tribe of the wend race." After her exnation, she looked at Adam innocently, "It''s quite clear."


    Adam sighed in resignation. It was his oversight, and he couldn''t me Lina. He habitually used the standards of the mage world to issue orders, forgetting that races from the Dragon ne never received basic education. In other words, they were illiterate.


    Reluctantly, Adam created an ice crystal board. He drew the route from the main peak to the forest tribe in a more standardized format, andbeled the various terrain icons in a universalnguage on the side.


    "Take this and study it closely. Then redraw your map in the standard format. Most importantly, mark the areas with the most intense and unstable energy reactions."


    Lina took the ice crystal board, realizing her drawing waspletely different. She felt embarrassed. The important ces on the map Adam gave her were highlighted with energy. Still, Lina had questions, such as, "Master, what does ''scale'' mean?"


    Adam patiently exined the concept, and Lina nodded repeatedly, assuring that she could produce a perfect map. She then hurriedly left theboratory to gather data.


    The devil, lurking in Adam''s mind,ughed heartily, "Master, I believe I am smarter than her. Won''t you reconsider?"


    Adam, initially ready to destroy this temporaryb, was taken aback by these basic issues. He sat back down, silently ced a speech restriction on the devil, and said, "Shut up."


    That evening, Lina presented the redrawn map to Adam. While it still had some deviations from the standard, the general terrain wasprehensible. For ordinary mortal races, a high degree of uracy in a map was essential. However, for mages with formidable individual strength, this was sufficient.


    Adam took the map, stomped on the ground, and both theboratory and the central ice spikes of the tribe shattered simultaneously. A sudden blizzard came down, melting away all traces of his presence.


    Pointing to a male forest elf behind Lina, Adam said, "He will apany me. You can leave with the others."


    The designated forest elf turned pale, while Lina, struggling to contain her excitement, wanted to say something.


    Adam cut her off, "Enough talk. Remember your task." He then grabbed the elf and flew towards the uncharted territories of the Dragon ne.


    The main peak of the Makalu mountain range towered into the clouds, perpetually covered in frost and popted by numerous ice elementals. These elementals belonged solely to Okov, cycling into his body with every breath he took in his slumber.


    Adam spected this was the dragons'' way of cultivation, absorbing the elementals directly, somewhat resembling the Elemental Trueself cultivation method. If this was urate, the reason adult dragons chased away their young after their infancy might be because the young ones needed to cultivate. Unwilling to share the limited elementals with other dragons, even their own offspring, they would drive them away.


    This would mean that this period was the most dangerous stage in a dragon''s life. Adam wondered, *How do ordinary dragons evade the malevolence permeating the entire ne? Is it through inherited knowledge and dragon magic?*


    After flying through the night, Adam reached the edge of the forest. Beyondy a barren rocky desert, devoid of any visible life.


    "What is this ce?" Adam asked the elf, who nervously flew beside him.


    The elf shuddered. To him, Adam was the embodiment of terror. Not only had Adam ruthlessly killed hundreds of their kind, but even the way he bestowed power upon them was quite horrified. Though the elf enjoyed the newfound strength, he could never forget the terrifying sensation.


    "Sir," the elf hesitated on how to address the master''s master, "this ce has no name. But if you fly straight for three days and three nights, you''ll reach the Racial Union Zone."


    "The Racial Union Zone? Not a kingdom or a duchy?"


    The elf shook his head. "No, there haven''t been countries on this continent for a long time, only individual city-states. The rulers there call themselves Commissioners. They''re a group of unpleasant individuals. They aren''t weing to racesing from---" The elf swallowed the disrespectful descriptor he was about to use, then continued, "from Dragon''s territory."


    City-states, a backward system of separate autonomous low-level politicalmunities. Autonomy was both its characteristic and its fatal w. Adamnded and silently pondered this system. Ideas shed through his mind; it seemed he could take advantage of such a system for a significant endeavor.


    As Adam pondered, the elf was mentally preparing himself. He knew his life, power, honor, and everything else was tied closely to the terrifying being before him, known as the Frost Dragon but more like a demon. To survive, he had to prove his value quickly. Gathering courage, he spoke, "Master, are you looking for a safe ce to build air?"


    Adam slowly walked forward, flicking his tail as a gesture for the elf to continue.


    "The Makalu mountain range is the region with the richest concentration of ice elementals. However, if we continue northward, we''ll reach a vast icy in inhabited only by a few barbaric races."


    Adam''s eyes lit up. To him, an ice in was far more suitable than a mountain peak for his ns to unfold. If what this elf said was true, he could base his subsequent ns around this icy in.


    "What''s your name?"


    Taking a deep breath to contain his excitement, the elf responded, "Master, my name is Kambi."

 Chapter 172: The Dragon Slayer Guild

    Reptiles generally prefer warm and humid environments, and even extraordinary beings like dragons are no different. Only the Frost Dragon was an exception, they chose to nest in cold and lifeless ces.


    Even Frost Dragons almost always opted for higher ground to build theirirs, reducing various troubles and investing their limited time in infinite slumber.


    So, the ice in was currently Adam''s best choice. Without the threat of other colossal dragons and noplicated races to drive away, the annoying dragon yers would also reduce their harassment frequency due to the harsh cold.


    This would offer him a considerable amount of time for growth, arguably making it the ideal nesting site for now.


    "So, Kambi, do you know the exact location of the ice in?"


    Kambi nodded repeatedly, "Yes. The ice in is near the legendary world border, the northernmost part of our world."


    World border, a concept Adam had almost forgotten if not for Kambi''s mention. The Mage World was too vast and kept expanding. For an average mage, it was hard to find the real world border there. However, in this ne, the world border remained constant, and any mortal race, if lucky, could experience it firsthand.


    Knowing the existence of the world border made the ice in even more critical for Adam. The rune array of ne Sacrifice Magic Array needs to be ced at the ne''s strongest, weakest, and most unstable points. The world border is undoubtedly one of them.


    Adam perked up and asked Kambi, "Have you been there?"


    Kambi''s excitement waned a bit, looking somewhat embarrassed. "No. It''s not a suitable ce for us, so very few external races approach it. But I know it''s not far from here."


    Adam nodded and gently patted his shoulder with his wing, "Lead the way then. If the information is urate, you will get everything you desire."


    After Adam left the tribe, Lina led the remaining tribespeople to meet the Dragon yer Guild''s envoy. She had prepared a story of being a survivor of a destroyed tribe, nning to use this tale to persuade the envoy.


    However, there was one major issue: the survivors were too many and too strong. Nearly forty Nature Controllers were a powerful force wherever they were. To increase credibility, she had to temporarily hide some of the tribespeople and gradually bring them back under her control once she sessfully joined the Dragon yer Guild.


    She picked out three weaker elves to follow her, ordered the rest to disperse, adjusted her mood, and slowly approached the envoy''s direction.


    "You''re forest elves? How are you so powerful?" The envoynded quickly, adopting a defensive posture.


    Lina feigned great surprise, her voice tinged with excitement, "May I ask, are you an envoy of the Dragon yer Guild?"


    The envoy grew more cautious. Elemental fluctuations emanated from him, his feet sinking into the ground, ready for either a strong attack or an escape. "Who exactly are you? How do you know who I am? No! You''ve been watching me! Have you been tracking me all this way?"


    Switching to a mournful expression, Lina spoke tearfully, "Sir, we are forest elves from the Greenleaf Tribe. Our tribe was destroyed; only a few of us survived."


    The envoy voiced his suspicions, "The Greenleaf Tribe? I remember your chieftain''s name is Jansen. Where is he?"


    Internally contemptuous, Lina thought the envoy a mere novice despite being part of a faction that openly opposed dragons. "Jansen? No, my father''s name was Vernon. Before he died, he told us to wait for you, the envoy. He said only the Guild has the power to avenge us. Please trust us; all our kinsfolk and my father were killed by that evil Frost Dragon. We want revenge; let us join you, please!"


    Though her performance was poor by her own assessment, Lina was amazed when the envoy seemed to believe her.


    The envoy didn''t cease gathering energy but was far less wary. It wasn''t umon for unfortunate races to be exterminated by dragons for angering them. The Guild had absorbed quite a few such remnants. Although their numbers were smaller, they were powerful---Nature Controllers, a rare ss.


    And the envoy was confident that even if these forest elves were problematic, they wouldn''t betray the Guild after witnessing its power. After all, it was a path for mortals to break free from their bloodline''s limitations, to ''cultivate'' just like the dragons.


    Above the wastnds, Adam adjusted his direction, gripping Kambi as they flew above the cloudyer. While the extreme cold wasfortable for Adam, Kambi found it unbearable, wrapping himself with energy and shivering.


    "Master, your little maid has made contact with the Dragon yer Guild." The journey was boring, and the devil, having nothing better to do, projected its consciousness into a ve to witness different scenarios through the ve''s eyes.


    "Did it go smoothly?"


    "Unbelievably so. The envoy seems to have no brain," the devil grumbled, still bothered by Adam''s earlier assessment. "Your little maid said a few words, and he believed her."


    Adam paused slightly. He had previously agreed that Lina could reveal his existence and the bloodline purification experiments to gain trust, but he didn''t expect the trust toe so easily upon actual contact.


    This guild must have significant issues. Adam was almost certain that their ultimate goal was definitely not as simple as ying dragons. The hidden agenda must be incredibly shocking and strange; otherwise, no organization would recklessly recruit members like this, effectively exposing themselves for anyone to scrutinize freely.


    "Unless they''re doing this on purpose. But what role could numbers y?" Adam pondered, puzzled.


    The devil mumbled, "This Dragon yer Guild doesn''t even seem like an alliance. It''s more like a cult. Only a cult would indiscriminately recruit members like this because only a cult would have broad and weird methods of brainwashing."


    Adam abruptly halted his flight, narrowly avoiding a massive bolt of lightning that struck in front of him. He felt the devil had hit the nail on the head; the behavior of the Dragon yer Guild indeed resembled that of a cult, or a real religion. Is their goal to gather believers and umte the power of faith? He thought to himself.


    "This ne doesn''t seem as simple as I thought," Adam murmured.

 Chapter 173: Arrival

    The issue with the Dragon yer Guild was something Adam had to put aside for now. His current strength and influence were insufficient to engage with such a massive group. Nevertheless, the existence of this organization wasn''t necessarily bad. Even if they truly intended to annihte all dragonkin within the ne, it wouldn''t affect Adam at all. He might even add fuel to the fire, as more chaos in this ne would work in his favor.


    On the eighth day of travel, Adam saw the ocean through the clouds.


    Kambi spoke up, "Sir, we''re almost there. I''ve heard the Ice ins are a massive ind near the maind. Once you see the ocean, the ice ins are not far."


    The journey over thest few days had been an unpleasant experience for Kambi. He hadn''t expected Adam to make him fly above the clouds the entire time. He had even mentally reviewed the sights and experiences from his past travels with the elder chieftain, preparing to share them with Adam. He had hoped they''d encounter some wild monsters, providing him an opportunity to demonstrate his skills.


    What he didn''t expect was how fast a young dragon could fly. The immense airflow shattered the energy shield around him multiple times. Now, he felt stiff all over---perhaps he''d turned into an ice sprite for all he knew.


    And he hadn''t eaten in six days.


    "Sir, can we rest for a bit? I... I can''t hold on much longer," Kambi finally mustered the courage to ask, fearing he wouldn''tst until he acquired the power he sought.


    Adam nced at him and casually descended. It seemed the energy of bloodline beings did have its limits. Their elemental applications were too rigid, mechanical even, incapable of even basic transformations.


    Afternding, Kambi threw a seed onto the ground. With the influence of nt energy, the seed rapidly rooted, sprouted, flowered, and bore fruit. Kambi eagerly plucked the fruit and stuffed it into his mouth. He copsed on the ground, relieved, "Finally, I survived."


    Adam was intrigued. Such an ability seemed incredibly wasteful when used this way. If he could cultivate special seeds that, when activated, had different abilities, that could be very interesting.


    Kambi noticed Adam''s gaze and suddenly remembered his status. He quickly got up from the ground, apologetically saying, "I apologize, sir. I lost myself for a moment there. I..." Hisplexion turned grim, "I feel awful."


    Adam activated the ice elements within him, maintaining them externally. In just a short period, the surrounding energy had fluctuated over a dozen times. Adam could sense the weirdness of this environment; elemental auras were no longer smooth andzy but became extremely unstable. This fluctuation wasn''t like the natural tidal flow of energy; it was more like the energy disappeared and then suddenly replenished.


    Being in this environment felt like constantly switching between a vacuum and a semi-vacuum.


    "What''s going on?"


    Adam attempted to manipte the free elements to use shaping magic, but even with his control over energy, the ice sword he formed was distorted.


    "This level of fluctuation is abnormal. Even near the edge of the world, it shouldn''t be like this."


    The ne floated in the void, and its stability, dictated by the crystal system, determined whether it could withstand the ether storms of the void. Logically, despite different expressions of energy at unique locations within the ne, the overall indices should remain consistent. What was happening now had already exceeded the scope of self-correction.


    It was a clear sign that the crystal system was disturbed.


    Could it be... A thought shed through Adam''s mind, but he dismissed it almost immediately.


    After a considerable amount of time, the energy fluctuations finally stabilized. Kambi, who had been struggling to control his own body, managed to climb up from the ground. After checking himself over and finding nothing unusual, he finally rxed.


    Seeing him stand, Adam said, "If you''re fine, let''s go."


    Kambi quickly nodded, voluntarily curling up on the ground, waiting for Adam''s dragon w to pick him up.


    "Let''s fly low. The sky ahead seems dangerous."


    Grateful, Kambi automatically responded, "Sir, I''ll scout ahead."


    Their pace slowed considerably. Faced with this eerie situation, Adam didn''t dare to act rashly. Even if he had one more opportunity to connect with the Mage Network, there was no guarantee he could save himself.


    No wonder no dragons choose to nest near the ice in. The terrain is one factor, but this unstable energy environment must be the main reason. No dragon could sleep soundly here, Adam thought as he flew.


    After two more days, Adam and Kambi finally arrived at their destination: the Boundary Ice ins.


    "Sir, shall we go in? Or should we wait for that thing to stop?" Kambi asked cautiously, pointing ahead.


    Adam stepped directly into the ice in, unfazed by the raging blizzard that veiled the sky. Each snowke carried the aura of ice elements, exploding like magic upon hitting the ground. This was essentially a physical ice elemental storm. Yet, outside the ice in, all was calm except for the cold.


    As a Frost Dragon, Adam was not harmed by the wild, uncontrolled ice elements. Seeing Adam proceed, Kambi had no choice but to follow, his nt energy flickering weakly, as if it could be blown away by the ice storm at any moment.


    Snowkes and chunks of ice that fell on Adam''s streamlined body slid right off. The chaotic energy they carried rushed into his system, wreaking havoc within his limited magic circuits.


    Feeling that he might lose his innate magic if this continued, Adam quickly extended his power to cover a radius of several meters around him. This makeshift domain was incredibly effective; the ice elements began to circte around his power and no longer tried to invade his body.


    The storm came and went quickly, disappearing cleanly in just thirty minutes, as if nothing had happened.


    "Sir, where should we go next?" Once they had reached the ice in, Kambi waspletely lost and could only turn to Adam for guidance.


    Adam didn''t have a specific destination in mind either, but they were currently too close to the outer world, making it unsuitable for hiding. They would need to venture deeper to build a nest. Just as he was contemting moving on, he felt the iceyers near him loosening.


    "It seems we''ve entered someone else''s territory," said Adam.

 Chapter 174: Snow Worm

    "Has the snowstorm stopped yet?" Worry filled the underground hideout, where five travelers were close together. Caesar, with a unique beauty that made it tricky to tell if he was a man or a woman, asked this again and again.


    Everyone turned to look at Rice, waiting for his answer. Once, nobody really liked Rice because he seemed so distant. But now, this half-man-half-dragon guy, a dragonkin, was their best chance to survive.


    Before they came to these frozennds for their mission, they never thought it would be this dangerous. If Rice hadn''t used his special ice powers to make this safe ce at thest minute, the best thing they could hope for was to freeze in the scary snowstorm, with their bodies still whole.


    Rice looked very tired; keeping the cave safe took a lot of his energy. "No, it''s still going on," he said, sounding a bit annoyed. He really didn''t want to keep answering the same question. But he also didn''t want his friends to be too scared, so he kept telling them about the storm, even if sometimes he didn''t tell the whole truth. "But I think it will stop soon. I can feel the wild ice magic getting weaker."


    The others felt a bit better hearing this. They weren''t stupid; they could see that Rice was getting weaker and weaker. If he gave up, they knew they would all be in big trouble. There wouldn''t be anything left of them.


    Caesar, feeling his big bow on his back, whispered, "When the snowstorm is over, we should go away from here. We are all getting too tired, and there''s nothing to eat or drink here."


    The other three nodded, showing they agreed.


    Rice, a bit angry, felt picking these friends in a rush was a bad idea. They just made things harder for him. "You can do what you want, but I''m staying here."


    Caesar tried to change his mind, "Rice, you are really strong, but you can''t beat the big Snow Worm by yourself. Why don''t youe with us, rest, and thene back?"


    Rice didn''t listen and just focused on the cave. Caesar wanted to say more, but the others told him to stop.


    Then, after a short quiet moment, the snowstorm suddenly stopped. Rice, looking serious, took his hands off the cave walls, saying, "It''s finished; you can now..."


    But before he could finish talking, the ground started shaking a lot. Caesar quickly got ready with his bow and arrow. A magic arrow appeared, waiting to be shot. He shouted, "Something really big ising from under the ice! Oh no, it''s the Snow Worm!"


    On the frozen fields, after hearing Adam''s caution, Kambi looked as if he was about to face a tough opponent. He surrounded himself with thest of his nt power. To stay alive in the harsh cold of the ice in, a being had to be super strong. Kambi didn''t think he could count on Adam to keep him safe.


    ***Boom.***


    The ground of ice broke apart far ahead, and out jumped five people. For a moment, Kambi was surprised. "Are they just ordinary folks on a journey?"


    "Not them," Adam said, hovering in the air. Around him was a kind of protective field made from his dragon-like power. He had noticed these five travelers earlier, but they seemed so weak to him that he didn''t even want to bother. But there was another creature that did catch his eye.


    The five travelers were scared. They shouted and ran all over, not working together at all. The ice under them started to crack with creepy sounds. Then, a huge worm came up from the ground.


    This worm was as white as snow, with no marks or dirt on it. It didn''t have legs or arms. Its long body ended in a head that looked like a tassel. The only thing you could see clearly on its face was a big mouth full of sharp little teeth. Every time the worm moved, its mouth would shine and make snowstorms that ate up everything nearby.


    "What''s that?" Adam asked, looking interested. The part of the worm that they could see was already very long, and they couldn''t tell how much more of it was still under the ground. It looked like a powerful magic animal.


    Kambi looked scared as he said, "I think that''s the Snow Worm."


    "Snow Worm?"


    "It''s a creature that lives only on these frozen fields. It''s super strong here where there''s a lot of snow and ice. It''s not smart, but it''s very aggressive. It will keep attacking anything that gives off power until it eats it. But after it eats something, it gets rid of it, and whates out is very valuable. That''s why so many brave travelers try to find it," Kambi looked even more worried, thinking about how unlucky they were to meet the scariest creature of the tundra right after a big snowstorm. "Sir, should we run away while it''s busy?"


    Adam didn''t look like he wanted to leave. The Snow Worm might look scary, but to him, it wasn''t that powerful. While the Snow Worm was chasing the travelers, Adam went down and picked up a box-like thing.


    "Is this an energy rock?"


    Adam looked surprised. He didn''t know that creatures in this ce could make solid blocks of power in their bodies. This thing looked just like the energy rocks from the mage world, but it seemed to have even more power inside it, and it was very pure.


    Walking right behind Adam, Kambi thought Adam was asking him, so he quickly said, "That''s what the Snow Worm leaves behind after eating. People call it the ''Ice Elemental Crystal'', but ''Energy Stone'' works too."


    In the world of mages, they could change different kinds of energy stones into what they wanted. But it looked like the world of dragons didn''t have that skill.


    Adam thought he might know why energy stones weren''t so special in the mage world. Maybe creatures that make energy stones are everywhere in all the worlds. So, after winning a battle in one world, there would be a lot of these energy stones to pick up.


    While he was thinking, the Snow Worm had already eaten three of the travelers. The two left were running as fast as they could to a safer ce. The Snow Worm could make big snowstorms with its power. If anyone stayed too far from the worm, they couldn''t run or fly away. They would just be the worm''s next snack.


    Suddenly, Adam felt the ground shake. The Snow Worm was moving under the ice anding straight for him.


    "Rice, it''s okay. I can''t go on." Caesar had lost his bow and arrow. Ice covered a lot of his body, making it hard to move his legs. He could only move because Rice was pulling him.


    Rice didn''t say anything. He was trying hard to walk in the big snowstorm the Snow Worm made.


    "Go on without me. Be safe. If you can, please look after my little sister in Lep City." Caesar tried to sit up using his arms.


    "Be quiet." Rice put his hand over Caesar''s mouth and kept pulling him. He jumped high to get away from a bright light the Snow Worm sent out.


    Walking right behind Adam, Kambi thought Adam was asking him, so he quickly said, "That''s what the Snow Worm leaves behind after eating. People call it the ''Ice Elemental Crystal'', but ''energy stone'' works too."


    In the world of mages, they could change different kinds of energy stones into what they wanted. But it looked like the world of dragons didn''t have that skill.


    Adam thought he might know why energy stones weren''t so special in the mage world. Maybe creatures that make energy stones are everywhere in all the nes. So, after winning a battle in one ne, he could get a lot of these energy stones to pick up.


    While he was thinking, the Snow Worm had already eaten three of the travelers. The two left were running as fast as they could to a safer ce. The Snow Worm could make big snowstorms with its power. Anyone too weaker than the worm wouldn''t even be able to run or fly away. They would just be the worm''s next snack.


    Suddenly, Adam felt the ground shake. The Snow Worm was moving under the ice anding straight for him.


    "Rice, it''s okay. I can''t go on." Caesar had lost his bow and arrow. Ice covered a lot of his body, making it hard to move his legs. He could only move because Rice was pulling him.


    Rice didn''t say anything. He was trying hard to walk in the big snowstorm the Snow Worm made.


    "Go on without me. Be safe. If you can, please look after my little sister in Lep City." Caesar tried to sit up using his arms.


    "Be quiet." Rice put his hand over Caesar''s mouth and kept pulling him. He jumped high to get away from a bright light the Snow Worm sent out."

 Chapter 175: Snow Worm (2)

    Taking a single step felt like entering a different world. Rice and Caesar were suddenly enveloped by calmness, the violent elemental forces that had been assaulting them just moments before now gone. The cold lingered, but an inexplicable sense of difort also began to creep into their hearts.


    Lifting his head slightly, Rice''s face went rigid. Caesar, whom Rice had been holding, thudded to the ground, groaning in pain, "Rice, could you be more careful? We just got away from that Snow Worm; I don''t want to get killed because of your clumsiness."


    "Be quiet!" Rice''s words came out as a hiss between gritted teeth. "Look, it''s a dragon!"


    Confused, Caesar used his working arms to turn himself over and look up, muttering, "Yeah, I get it, you''re dragonkin, no need for the introduction, drag---" His voice trailed off as his eyes widened in terror, and he promptly passed out.


    Adam found the two adventurers in front of him particrly intriguing, especially the one with dragon-like traits. But there was no time to explore that curiosity; the Snow Worm was closing in fast.


    "Kambi, watch them. Make sure they stay alive,"manded Adam. With a powerful p of his wings, he shot into the sky. Ice elements swiftly coalesced into sharp weapons, raining down upon the earth below.


    Kambi''s sleeves unleashed tendrils that securely bound Rice and Caesar before quickly retracting.


    Just as the barrage of ice swords was about to impact the ground, the icy terrain swelled, and the grotesque head of the Snow Worm erupted from below. It was directly hit. Caught unaware and without its energy shield, the creature''s head was perforated.


    A piercing, agonized screech filled the air as the Snow Worm crashed back into the icy ground.


    "Is it still alive?" Adam''s curiosity piqued further. Not one of the ice swords had missed; all had punctured the beast''s head. Snow-white chunks of flesh and simr-hued blood were strewn about. However, Adam sensed that its life force had not substantially waned. Additionally, the scattered flesh was twitching, regrouping toward its main form.


    Kambi shouted, "Master, the Snow Worm is unkible! It will only retreat temporarily if wepletely break it apart!"


    Adam acknowledged with a nod, not diverting his gaze as he climbed higher into the sky, avoiding an energy st spewed from the Snow Worm''s menacing maw. Once he was gone, Kambi, Rice, and Caesar were left vulnerable to the Snow Worm. But the creature, now incensed at Adam, disregarded the easy targets in front of it. With a roar, arge section of its body erupted from the ground, lunging aggressively at Adam.


    Rice, confined by the vines and unable to break free, had aplicated look in his eyes---a mix of yearning and loathing. It was hard for him to believe that he was witnessing a dragon in these icy ins, and a young one at that!


    Stepping across an unseen line, Rice and Caesar abruptly found themselves surrounded by tranquility. The aggressive elemental forces that had been piercing their bodies disappeared. The chill was still there, but an undefined sense of apprehension filled them.


    As Rice lifted his head a little, his face hardened. Caesar, who was cradled in his arms, toppled to the ground, griping in pain, "Rice, watch what you''re doing, okay? We barely got away from that Snow Worm; I don''t want to end up dead because of you."


    "Quiet!" The word burst from Rice''s clenched teeth. "There''s a dragon!"


    Caesar misheard him. Using the only two functional arms he had, he flipped himself over and mumbled, "I know you''re Dragonborn; you don''t need to spell it out, drag---" Terror seized him, and he fainted.


    Adam was keenly observing the two adventurers in front of him, particrly intrigued by the one showing dragon-like features. But this wasn''t the moment for scrutiny; the Snow Worm was barreling toward them.


    "Kambi, keep tabs on them. Make sure they don''t die," Adam directed his servant. With a powerful p of his wings, he ascended into the sky. Ice spells quickly took form, transforming into modified ice-spears that plummeted like a torrent onto the space below.


    Kambi''s sleevesunched vines that securely entwined Rice and Caesar, before hastily retracting.


    Just as the ice-spears were about to hit the earth, the frozen surface swelled up. The repulsive head of the Snow Worm emerged, taking the full brunt of the attack. Unable to activate a protective shield in time, its head was riddled with holes.


    A deep, agonized wail filled the air as the creature sank back into the frozen earth.


    "It''s still alive?" Adam''s curiosity intensified. Every single ice-spear had hit its mark, drilling into the creature''s skull, yet its life force remained robust. The severed flesh was twitching, regrouping around its main body.


    "Master, you can''t kill the Snow Worm. You must shatter it entirely for it to temporarily retreat!" Kambi yelled.


    Adam nodded, soaring higher to dodge a spray of energy from the Snow Worm''s fearsome jaws. After he left, Kambi and the adventurers were vulnerable, yet the Snow Worm, now fixated on Adam, disregarded the easier targets before it to chase after him.


    Bound by the vines, Rice couldn''t get away. His eyes flickered with both yearning and disdain. He was in disbelief; there was a dragon in this frozen wastnd, and a young one to boot!


    "When did young dragons get this powerful?" Rice mumbled, awestruck.


    Smugly, Kambi retorted, "Chris Frost is no ordinary young dragon. Don''t even think about escaping; if you anger him, you''ll wish for death."


    With luminous wings, Adam mmed the Snow Worm back into the ground and unleashed dragon breath. Elemental forces rapidly coalesced in front of him, taking the shape of a dragon over five meters tall, which let out a thunderous roar.


    This spell was an advanced version of the elemental circuits used by forest elves, allowing the summoned elemental shape to fight on its own.


    "Ha! Ha! Ha!"


    The Snow Worm''s mutted body carbonized under a bombardment of thunderbolts, losing its regenerative abilities.


    Adam wasn''t in a hurry to finish off the Snow Worm; capturing it alive had greater value.


    "Impossible! This is a gigantic Snow Worm!" Rice was more stunned than ever, unable to grasp the unfolding battle.


    Hearing Rice''sment, Kambi realized he was still too near thebat zone and retreated several hundred meters. "Heh, Dragonborn, don''t gauge my master''s strength through your ignorance."


    Elemental talonstched onto the Snow Worm''s body, and with a powerful p of his wings, Adam wrenched the entire beast out from its icy domain. It was a dual-headed monstrosity; its tail end also featured a head, previously concealed underground.


    The Snow Worm, a full fifteen meters in length, was nowpletely visible.


    The Snow Worm looked even angrier now that it was fully exposed. Its body moved in wave-like motions, constantly wriggling. Using this fluid movement, it managed to slip out of the Elemental Dragon''s grasp while in mid-air and coiled itself tightly around the dragon.


    It was actually trying to squeeze the life out of the Elemental Dragon.


    "You''re sealing your own fate," Adam mused, reassessing his earlier thoughts on the Snow Worm''s level of intelligence. The Elemental Dragon was charged with both ice and electrical energies. Under Adam''s guidance, these elemental powers were stable but strong. With just a single thought, he could make the Elemental Dragon turn into a devastating elemental bomb.


    And that''s exactly what happened.


    "Detonate!"


    The previously stable form of the Elemental Dragon started to break apart. A mixture of white and purple light filtered through the gaps in the Snow Worm''s tightening grip, dispersing the ongoing blizzard. Sensing its uing demise, the Snow Worm hurriedly tried to unwind itself, but it was already toote.


    Boom!


    The massive explosion created a huge elemental void in the unstable section of the ice field. It was like the Snow Worm''s body was moving in slow motion, its destruction clearly visible. Charred pieces of its flesh flew in all directions.


    As natural forces began to fill the void, Adam touched down on the ground, apanied by the crackling noise of falling fragments. He then picked up the two skulls he had been concentrating on earlier.


    "This creature''s will to live is incredible. It survived even that explosion. More resilient than the original Garfield ever was," a voice in Adam''s head noted in awe. This being was just a regr creature, yet it could withstand an explosion of such scale.


    Can it possibly be an immortal entity? Adam thought to himself.

 Chapter 176: Claiming A Piece of Land

    "It likely has to do with its all-eating habits," Adam remarked to the voice in his head while encasing the two skulls in ice and hanging them behind him. "Energy doesn''t juste out of thin air. I can''t say for certain if immortal creatures exist, but this Snow Worm must get its regenerative powers from storing all the energy of what it consumes."


    Adam set foot on the frozen surface, brushing away drifting ice and snow. Near the cracked ice, he spotted numerous Energy Stones. Picking one up, he mused, "Considering this, it looks like these Energy Stones really are its waste. It must have absorbed most of the other energy."


    He then jabbed his sharp ws into the Snow Worm''s skulls, saying, "Let''s find out if these things have souls. Forming a pact with a Snow Worm could be useful for my future endeavors."


    Momentster, the voice in his head responded, "No, it only operates on the instinct to eat. Odd creature; even beings from the Abyss have souls, yet this onecks one."


    Although slightly disappointed, Adam wasn''t bothered. Now that he knew Snow Worms existed in these icy expanses, he could figure out how to utilize themter on.


    Kambi flew over, his face glowing with admiration. Just as he was about to speak, Adam tossed him the two massive heads of the Snow Worm. Kambi awkwardly caught them; even in their frozen state, therge jaws looked menacing. After pondering for a second, he secured them together with another vine.


    "Master, you are truly awe-inspiring!"


    Adam waved a w dismissively, then seized the vine to pull Kambi closer. He peered at him with curiosity, asking, "So, what exactly are you?"


    At this, Rice spat a thin stream of icy breath towards Adam''s face, yelling, "Deceitful dragon!"


    Kambi''s expression turned icy; the vines that held Rice sprouted thorny spikes, digging into his flesh. "Hybrid dragon! Who gave you the right to speak to the Master in such a manner?"


    Just as Kambi was about to deal harshly with Rice, Adam interjected, "Hold on, let him be."


    Kambi tossed Rice forcefully onto the ground, cautioning him, "Mind your manners, hybrid."


    Unfazed, Rice spat disdainfully at Adam, "Save your phony kindness, wicked dragon!"


    Adam was unoffended. He easily flipped Rice over for a closer look, murmuring, "A genuine dragon head, not a fake. And this tail is quite intriguing."


    Rice squirmed and hurled insults; some of his words seemed to be local ng. Though Adam knew themonnguage, he was at a loss with these colloquialisms. Ignoring the outburst, he posed a question, "So, dragonkin are hybrids between dragons and other species?"


    "Wretched dragon! Release me!"


    Unperturbed, Adam pressed on, "Which of your parents is dragon-born? It''s rather astonishing that a full-grown dragon could crossbreed with a regr-sized being."


    Rice refused to back down, trying to spit at Adam once more, but Adam kicked him away, causing him to faint in a burst of anger. Caesar, who had juste to, witnessed the vile dragon mistreating Rice and let out strange twitching sounds from his mouth before fainting yet again.


    Kambi cautiously walked up and offered, "Master, I have some understanding of the dragonkin."


    Adam signaled for him to collect the battle loot, then took to the air. "Fine, talk as we move. We need to find shelter before the next snowstormes."


    As they journeyed, Kambi briefed Adam on the nature of the dragonkin.


    In essence, they were the progeny of dragons and elves. However, not every dragonkin originated in this manner; the first dragonkin had established amunity, making it possible for marriages within their own kind. Generally shunned because of their draconic features and presence, they usually led isted lives in out-of-the-way ces. They had be more visible recently due to the formation of the Dragon yer Guild.


    Adam found the race fascinating. Normally, biological barriers prevented different species from breeding, but in a mystical world, those barriers might be broken. Therefore, even if dragonkin were hybrids, they might be viewed as direct kin of dragons, perhaps inheriting fragmented ancestral knowledge.


    Such inherited knowledge equated to ''genuinely useful'' power. Although he had enhanced hisbat prowess by mastering elemental techniques, he had barely begun to explore the Dragon ne''s depths. Both the likely existence of dragons from other dimensions and the Dragon yer Guild addedplexity to the situation. To navigate these unknowns, he had to continually grow stronger.


    After a full day and night of high-speed flight, Adam eventuallynded, dering, "Okay, this is it."


    Kambi touched down, looking puzzled, with four chunks of ice trailing behind him. Surveying the open, unobstructed terrain, he questioned, "Master, why this location? Can it hold up against a snowstorm?"


    Adam extended his power as far as it could go, circling above to scare off several subterranean creatures. He then announced contentedly, "It can''t withstand it now, but it soon will."


    "Excuse me?"


    "Because I''m going to build a city right here."


    Constructing a city was Adam''s next objective.


    This wasn''t a spur-of-the-moment decision. Having learned that the prevalent races in the Dragon ne functioned under a city-state governance model, the notion''s feasibility had significantly grown.


    Adam had a vision for a City of Freedom that wouldn''t discriminate against any race or group, paying no mind to traditional concepts of good and bad. The city would operate on the fundamental principles of trade andmerce. Once this urban haven was up and running, he could covertly amass a treasure trove of information. He could even employ beings from various races by assigning them specific tasks.


    As to whether people would flock to a city situated in such an inhospitablendscape, Adam wasn''t overly worried. Wherever there are opportunities, seekers will follow. The icy ins weren''t barren of resources; they simplycked a centralized trading hub, a void that the City of Freedom would readily fill. As ast-ditch option, he could also venture into ve trading, capturing and subjugating members ofmon races inrge quantities. Once a basic tradework was set in ce, positive growth was assured.


    Besides, other dragons were toozy to explore these frigid zones, and other races presented only a negligible threat to him.


    Furthermore, this city might serve as a way to establish ties with the Dragon yer Guild. If Adam''s hunch was urate, they may not be foes---at least not for now.


    Kambi was left dumbfounded by this grand scheme and hesitantly asked, "B-build a city? In this ce? With what resources?"


    Adam gestured towards Kambi, their captured prisoners, and the encased remains of the Snow Worm. "With all of you as the starting point."

 Chapter 177: Build A City

    In a world without magic and falling behind in tech, most people would think that starting a city in a tough ce is a crazy idea. But for Adam, building a city didn''t seem like an impossible task.


    After safely freeing the frozen heads of Snow Worms, Adam cleverly used two sturdy elemental threads to tie around their heads. With this setup, he guided them underground like regr farm animals. Down there, they acted like huge natural diggers, breaking up the soil andying the groundwork for a city foundation.


    What really caught Adam''s attention about using Snow Worms was how they took care of themselves. These creatures ate the ice they moved, so there was no need for extra cleanup. What was even cooler was that as they ate the ice, each Snow Worm would actually grow a new head, which would then split off and be its own creature.


    This got Adam thinking. Once the dragon-man, who was knocked out from a tough soul contract, woke up, he could take over the digging. Meanwhile, Adam could go catch more Snow Worms, cut them in half, and make even more of them. Doing this, Adam could tackle both the digging issue and gather Energy stones to build the city walls.


    In this strange world, where his pocket dimension wasn''t working, Energy Stones had be super important. While Adam couldn''t put runes on them, he found out that old magic arrays still worked just fine. The magic arrays he got from his previous trips to Ceylon Ind were really useful for this.


    In simple terms, just adding a basic defense magic array would make his future City of Freedom a lot more appealing.


    The buzz of construction filled this foreign world as workers and magical beings got busy under Adam''s smart nning.


    The next day, the dragonkin woke up. Sadly, it looked like his soul was damaged, probably from the stress of the soul contract. He was now more like a programmed robot, only able to follow orders.


    Adam was a bit down but not crushed. Once the city was done and thriving, it would draw risk-taking adventurers. With the right rewards, these adventurers could bring him all kinds of test subjects, even possibly a young dragon.


    After checking out the dragonkin''s bad state, Adam decided to put him to work. Using his own dragon blood, he strengthened the dragon-man''s weaker bloodline. Then he put jittery Kambi, who was eagerly waiting for a job, in charge of the next construction steps. After setting this up, Adam flew alone into the vast, unknown icynds.


    He had two goals: to find big magical creatures that could help build the city and to get more Snow Worms.


    Things were going well for Adam. While the icy ins appeared empty, they were actually full of hidden, underground creatures. Thanks to Adam''s power, he found all the big magical beasts he wanted. Two dayster, he came back to where the city was being built, guiding along five massive Snow Worms and dozens of yetis.


    The devil took over the dragonkin, Rice, fully controlling him. With this new addition, the construction of the city sped up like never before. Adam''s main job was to keep the Snow Worms eating. The Energy Stones they spat out were then strategically set around the city, which was made from ice blocks, following ancient magical blueprints.


    Kambi got a new task: Adam told him to go meet the so-called savage tribes that lived on these icy ins.


    After enduring three cycles of blizzards, the first city on these icy ins was finished. When Adam poured in the first wave of elemental energy, the magic formations lit up, wrapping the City of Freedom in a transparent, thin safety shield. For the first time ever, apletely secure refuge existed on the icy ins.


    "Master, are you leaving right now? Who''s going to handle the city''s opening ceremony?" the devil asked, curious.


    Just as the blizzard had stopped and the icy ins were calm, Adam decided it was a good time to explore the world''s edge. About the opening ceremony, he said, "You can manage it as Rice. I shouldn''t show up for now."


    The devil hesitated, then got a bit excited. "What about the city''s Lord? Is that also going to be me?"


    Adam nodded. His body had been growing every single day since he''d arrived on these icy ins a month ago. Nodding was getting tricky because his dragon horns kept hitting the low walls.


    "The City of Freedom is brand new. I doubt anyone will even show up for the ceremony. Kambi has been missing for a month; he''s either dead in a snowstorm or killed by the locals," Adam said, pulling out his horns, which put a damper on the devil''s excitement. Kambi''s real master was Lina, and Adam couldn''t be sure what had happened to him.


    The devil made a face but stayed pumped. "No problem, Master. The City of Freedom will get famous because its Lord is THE Garfield!"


    "Something''s definitely off with this ne." Five dayster, Adam found himself standing a hundred kilometers from the edge of the world, talking to himself.


    A hundred kilometers seemed to be the safe distance. Adam had a feeling that one more step would make his dragon body fall apart, forcing him to reveal his mage identity and activate Mage Armor to survive.


    From what mages understand about world boundaries, it should be a stable, cloudy, mysterious fog-like structure. But right now, the boundary in front of Adam was glowing in all sorts of colors, looking like the Northern Lights, and sending out bursts of dangerous and scary energy.


    The signs were getting clearer: the crystal walls of the Dragon ne were slowly deteriorating due to some strange energy, causing its core essence to change. At the moment, Adam wasn''t sure if this was an attack or some sort of cosmic collision.


    He stayed close to the boundary for over ten days. In the long life of a ne, this time was nothing at all. Yet, Adam saw that the safe zone had moved almost a millimeter back into the ne.


    If things kept going this way, it wouldn''t be more than a few hundred years before the living space for the Dragon ne''s residents got drastically smaller. When that happened, devastating conflicts within the ne would break out for sure.


    Adam realized that his first exploration mission was running into a serious issue. Originally, considering the Dragon ne''s status, a group and a couple of towers would have been sufficient for the expedition. But if another ne, one that could actually invade other nes, was also eyeing the Dragon ne, then his mission would have to level up. It looked like a battle between two different levels of civilizations could being.


    "Get back to previous power level, absorb knowledge, focus on the Dragon yer Guild," Adam thought, listing his most urgent tasks. His earlier rxed approach wouldn''t work anymore; he had to move quickly now.


    Five days afterward, Adam came back to the City of Freedom. Just then, the demon greeted him with some wee news: "Master, Kambi has made it back."

 Chapter 178: Ice Plain Creatures

    "He returned with three odd, tall figures who looked like envoys, each from a different race. Master, these individuals have zero manners. They couldn''t care less that I''m the ruler of this city."


    The devil felt disrespected. His genuine goal was to be a good leader and transform the City of Freedom into the utopia he''d imagined. He had already designed theyout of the city, from the locations for taverns and casinos to even brothels.


    Full of optimism and good intentions, he weed the first group of visitors that Kambi had brought in. However, he was deeply disappointed.


    "Master, these people are downright rude. They demanded we hand over the City of Freedom and exit the tundra, or else they''ll kill us. They have zero regard for your authority!" The devil was deeply offended and insulted. "Had I not been worried about messing up your ns, I would''ve already taken their lives!"


    "Do they have any individuals of transcendent power among them?"


    Adam was only somewhat convinced by the devil''s ims. While theck of respect was likely urate, the devil certainly didn''t possess the strength to kill them.


    The devil was unphased by his im being questioned. He quickly said, "There are no transcendent beings, but the ones who arrived are quite powerful. They are significantly stronger than that ineffective Kambi. Almost equal to this dragonkin you''ve upgraded."


    Adam considered this. Anyone who could endure the harsh conditions of the tundra should not be underestimated. Rice, the dragonkin, was no lesser than Kambi initially. If not for environmental challenges like blizzards and Snow Worms weakening him, capturing Rice would not have been a straightforward task. Now empowered with pure dragon blood, Rice had reached the pinnacle of power among the mundane races of this ne. The ice-dwelling races that could match Dragonkin Rice must be remarkable.


    "Where are they? Never mind, let''s go check it out ourselves."


    ...


    Kambi was devastated.


    Being just a forest elf, he found it difficult to survive in the ice in, much less carry out solo missions amid the snowstorms. However, to avoid being forsaken by Adam and to acquire more influence and power, he had no choice but to tough it out and followmands.


    He was adamant that he had approached the tundra tribes with good intentions. Though he may have initially been a bit overconfident, he quickly humbled himself after recognizing their individual abilities.


    But these cursed barbarians, these vile blood-drinkers, not only locked him up but even intended to make a meal of him. If not for his mention of the City of Freedom and Chris Frost, he''d already be lying beneath the snow, dposing.


    "When''s that young dragon getting back? If you dare to trick me, a Frost Giant, I''ll rip you to pieces and have you for dinner!" A being from the giant race was sitting on the ground. It salivated icy drool as it eyed the Snow Worm caught in the magical array, and simultaneously made threats toward Kambi.


    "You''ve got it right; both you and that hybrid dragon-man, these magical creatures, and the Snow Worm, you''re all destined for doom," chimed in a four-legged creature with white fur, scratching the earth with its razor-sharp ws.


    "He''ll return shortly, and you''ll regret this!" Kambi retorted, filled with pent-up anger.


    Abruptly, a resounding thud sounded next to him as a gigantic mace crashed into the ground near him. "Whether or not he returns, your fates are sealed. We let you live solely so as not to frighten away that measly dragon. I''ve never sampled dragon meat before. And you dare to enve our dimwitted yet rted yetis? Your death is a guarantee," stated a Snowman, who looked evenrger and more intelligent than the untamed Snow Beasts that Adam had previously captured.


    Kambi trembled violently.


    "Are you spokespeople for the races of the ice in?"


    Just as Kambi was paralyzed by dread, a divine-sounding voice reverberated in his ears. With tears in his eyes, he eximed, "Master, you''ve finallye back!"


    The Frost Giant, werewolf, and yetis all stood up, snatched Kambi, and casually tossed him aside. They scrutinized Adam from head to toe, then burst outughing. "A dragon less than five meters long, hahaha."


    "Skin so soft and tender, it looks delectable."


    "Excellent. After feasting on you, we''ll adorn our walls with your bones. What''s the name of this city again? Too hard to remember. From now on, it''ll be Tundra City."


    Internally, Adam sighed at the sight of the rowdy trio before him. Peaceful negotiations appeared unattainable. Even if he bested them and let them go, their tant greed would persist, and the City of Freedom would remain under threat. Given this, it was time to initiate n B: trafficking humans.


    With this thought, Adam queried Kambi, "Did you document the locations and poptions of their tribes?"


    Kambi hesitated, uncertain of the reason behind Adam''s question, but responded, "I only know the whereabouts of the werewolves''s tribe; the other two showed up uninvited."


    Adam nodded, acknowledging, "That''s enough."


    Gently stepping on a floor tile, he allowed the city''s magical array to channel its energy into him. His dragon power unfolded, surrounding the three unusual beings in front of him. Adam had no further tolerance for additional dialogue and took prompt action.


    In an instant, the trio of bizarre creatures went from shocked to enraged. They hadn''t anticipated such boldness from a young dragon. The Frost Giant''s body underwent a transformation, hardening as elemental power wrapped around him like a suit of unbreakable armor. The werewolf unleashed a drawn-out howl and shifted shape, now standing upright on two legs; his ws generated icy, razor-sharp des as he swung them through the air. The Snowman let out a roar, his bulging muscles expanding to even cover his head, as he lifted his enormous mace and charged straight at Adam to counter his assault.


    However, before they could fully express their fury, they found themselves ensnared by rising ice elements emerging from the ground they stood on. Adam then let out a burst of dragon breath, causing these ice elements to fuse into a five-meter-tall elemental dragon, which promptly detonated.


    ***Boom! Boom! Boom!***


    Secondster, with a series of deafening explosions, the three creatures were catapulted into the sky. A torrent of weapons followed them, raining down without mercy. Within the sphere of Adam''s dragon power, a fierce blizzardmenced, containing hidden electrical elements. A simplified variant of the Silencing Storm engulfed the three beings.


    The devil spoke, tinged with a note of caution, "Careful, Master, please be careful. Don''t damage the city; I have ns to construct an arena right there!"


    The three monstrous beings were mighty but naive. Numerous magical arrays had already beenid out within the City of Freedom, enabling Adam to magnify his natural strength several times over. These three, none of whom had reached a transcendent level of power, were defenseless and left critically debilitated following the onught of magical attacks.


    As Kambi looked on, disbelieving what he was witnessing, the devil eagerly sprinted over to the incapacitated creatures. He drove his fingers into each of their skulls, one after another. But with every creature he touched, his facial expression grew graver. After rising from beside the Snowman, he faced Adam with a downcast look and dered, "Master, they are all dead."

 Chapter 179: Bigger and Stronger

    "It looks like word of their demise has already gotten out," Adam observed, motioning for Kambi to leave and turning his attention to the devil. "What went wrong? I didn''t intend to harm their souls."


    "They had a sort of protective shield around their souls, which automatically fought against the contract''s binding. When they realized they couldn''t ward off the contract''s power, their souls chose to self-destruct," the devil responded, idly scratching his tail. "It''s odd, though; they appear toe from a race with ancestral knowledge, but I''m quite certain that such knowledge typically doesn''t contain this sort of self-destruct mechanism."


    "Ancestral knowledge? Are you certain about this?"


    The devil quickly rified, "Their minds were simplistic but held intricate memories. They vanished before I could delve deeper. Plus, despite never venturing beyond the ice in, they somehow knew you were a young dragon. Peculiar, wouldn''t you agree?"


    "Very peculiar, indeed," Adam mused. He hadn''t expected the first species he would encounter with ancestral knowledge to be some wild tribe from the icy ice in. "If ancestral knowledge is data inscribed into one''s genes once they attain a certain level of power, then it implies these three untamed races must have had---or still have---transcendent beings among them."


    The devil nodded in agreement. "That sounds usible. However, something must have malfunctioned, either in how this transcendental knowledge was encoded or in the status of their transcendent beings. Why else would anyone imnt a self-destruct mechanism in the minds of their own future generations? This kind of knowledge is not meant to be essed by outsiders; this internal bomb could only endanger them."


    Taking a pause, the devil recalled the haunting, malevolent magic of reincarnation, then added, "Naturally, mages are the exception." The more the devil pondered this particr spell, the more chilling it became--pletely disregarding race, form of existence, and reproductive methods to coercively propagate. It was an affront to all logic.


    "Perhaps they were driven by fear," Adam spected softly, his thoughts drifting to the enigmatic boundary of the world.


    "Driven by fear of what? Even if they were up against formidable adversaries, why insert a self-destruct feature into every member of their race?" the devil asked.


    Adam recounted to the devil his observations at the world''s edge. The devil practically jumped in astonishment. "Is this a wearing away or a collision of worlds? What''s actually going on?"


    "I can''t say for sure, but things are grim on the Dragon ne. Perhaps the ancient transcendent beings from there were trying to prevent outside entities like me from essing their ancestral wisdom," Adam conjectured.


    "Master, what does this mean for your mission? Are you going to forsake it?"


    "Absolutely not. The constraints of the boundaries might being undone soon. Plus, exploring two nes and garnering knowledge from both sounds like an excellent n, doesn''t it?"


    Adam didn''t immediately go after the three races. Instead, he took the time to strengthen his magical array with the newest Energy Stones produced by the Snow Worms. Then he moved the three lifeless bodies into hisb for further investigation.


    Although their souls and hereditary wisdom were beyond salvage, their physical forms still had significant worth. Adam was curious to discover whether races with inherited knowledge operated in a manner simr to the Forest Elves, who gained their powers through internal energy circuits.


    As someone highly skilled in anatomical study, Adam had all three creatures dissected in under an hour.


    "Once again, the power is channeled through energy circuits, but these are far more intricate than those of the Forest Elves," Adam noted, documenting his findings. At the same time, he used elemental magic to recreate the particr body parts of these creatures in mid-air, contemting how he could integrate these features into his own dragon form.


    Both the Frost Giant''s ability to crystallize and the Snow Beast''s skill in erging its body caught Adam''s attention. These traits were likely fundamental aspects of their racial inheritance. What really amazed Adam, though, was the werewolf''s capability to change shape.


    These Ice ins Werewolves could transition from their animalistic form into a hybrid form---a mix of human and wolf---ideal forbat situations. This suggested a sophisticated understanding of how to rearrange bodily structures.


    While Adam couldn''t transform as fluidly as the werewolves could, mimicking this ability might allow him to assume the forms of other races.


    Eager to experiment, Adam quickly began modifying himself. He established two new sets of energy circuits within his own body. He then channeled energy into these circuits. His dragon body, originally four meters long, began to grow in both height and width. His slender build started to thicken, old scales shed off to be instantly reced by new, crystalline ones. His initial silver-white scales fell away, reced by new ones as clear as crystal and shimmering with a blend of white and purple energy.


    Unlike the Giants and Snow Beasts, who had to actively use their talents, Adam''s newly-installed circuits served as a permanent boost to his abilities. Unless he chose to dismantle them, his body would maintain its erged and crystallized state, auto-upgrading as his energy levels increased.


    After the transformation, Adam gazed with satisfaction at his new, eight-meter-tall form, marveling at the dazzling scales that now adorned him. Though not as enormous as Okov, he now resembled a fully mature, massive dragon.


    Adam energeticallyshed his tail, resulting in a booming explosion beside him. A mixture of ice and electric energies burst forth, effortlessly generating an elemental vacuum.


    "No wonder these races are so robust," Adam mused. "Having acquired their unique traits, my dragon form has enhanced its strength nearly tenfold."


    A brisk, icy wind blew through the area, causing theboratory to break apart into pieces that vanished into the air. Both the devil and Kambi, who had shown up after hearing the loud noise, gazed in awe at Adam. His looks had changed so drastically that they were rendered speechless.


    After taking a moment to absorb the change, the devil cautiously stepped closer and touched the top of Adam''s foot. "Master, did you undergo some kind of transformation?"


    With a quick swish of his tail, Adam sent the devil flying to one side. Then, after magically constructing another chamber, he said to Kambi, "Come with me."


    Kambi''s eyes twinkled with sparks of excitement; he had a feeling that his master might be about to make him more powerful. Filled with anticipation, he followed Adam into the newly-created room, paying no mind to the devil''s envious nce in his direction.


    "So, Master, what''s the next step? What should I be doing?"


    Adam was in the middle of resizing his ice-made surgical scalpel. Due to his erged physique, conducting intricate surgical procedures would demand increased dexterity. He instructed Kambi, "Remove your clothing and remain still."


    Kambi eyed the scalpel nervously, his mind shing back to the previous difort he''d experienced during his bloodline enhancement. He shivered a bit but obediently took his position.


    Once he had adjusted the ice scalpel to the perfect size, Adam warned Kambi, "This is going to be very painful. Just hang in there and don''t die, okay?" He couldn''t afford to lose Kambi, who was among the few subjects suitable for this kind of work.


    Showing a kind of determination that implied he was prepared for the worst, Kambi nodded energetically. "Don''t worry, Master. I can take it."


    Adam gave him an approving nod, then deftly wielded his ice scalpel with surgical uracy. He managed to split Kambi in two with a single cut, preserving just a thinyer of skin to keep him intact.


    "Might as well hope the nt-based energy in you keeps you lively," Adam mumbled to himself."

 Chapter 180: Elemental Gun

    The intricate energy circuit required for the Werewolf transformation talent weaves through the entire body, making it the mostplex among the three talents.


    Adam wouldn''t dare to use himself as the guinea pig unless he was absolutely sure of the results. Thus, Kambi, who was insatiably hungry for power, became the perfect candidate for the experiment.


    The dread and agony he experienced this time dwarfed what he''d felt during his bloodline purification. Even with Adam temporarily disabling his pain receptors, all of Kambi''s inner tissues were still quaking and spasming uncontrobly. Had it not been for the stabilizing force of his nt energy, Kambi might have already perished.


    "Poweres at a price; you must withstand it," Adam whispered.


    It seemed that Kambi heard him; his internal trembling eased somewhat. Pleased, Adam approached and cautiously inserted an ice de into his heart.


    The task was tricky. Considering the considerable size difference between Adam and Kambi, the utmost precision was crucial to avoid any errors.


    Kambi''s nt energy wasn''t stable enough to manifest physically. So Adam chose the heart as the epicenter, constructing a supplementary vascr system inside Kambi using tubes of ice crystal.


    The procedure spanned an entire day and night. Under Adam''s scrupulous control, an alternative circtory pathway slowly developed inside Kambi. Due to the freezing temperature of the energy ice crystals, Kambi''s body strongly resisted the invasion, but Adam had faith that he could adapt.


    After stitching Kambi back together with werewolf-flesh thread, Adam mumbled, "Now for the experiment''s final phase: initiate blood cirction."


    Adam''s ice de disintegrated into a tiny insect-like form that tunnelled into Kambi''s heart. A well-timed jolt of electric energy revitalized his nearly-stilled heart.


    ***Thump! Thump!***


    Kambi''s heartbeat grew steadier. Blood flowed into the new ice crystal tubes, and a surge of green energy rapidly mended his surface injuries as it circted with the blood.


    Roughly half an hourter, Kambi sat up from the surgical table, his visage still marred by the remnants of pain, and asked, "Is it done?"


    Adam released a thread of icy air towards his face to help him fully awaken.


    Kambi attempted to tap into his energy to affirm his newfound state, but as the thought urred, the energy moved in inexplicable ways to areas he''d never contemted before. Then, he unleashed another anguished howl.


    His skin started to undergo a fibrous transformation, rapidly changing into tree bark. His physique expanded in both size and mass, his limbs generating root-like extensions that twisted around each other. His hair transmuted into green leaves, which draped over his cranium like a mask.


    Once the transformation ended, what stood before Adam was akin to an Ant.


    "How do you feel?" asked Adam.


    Kambi appeared puzzled and responded cautiously, "I feel... quite well, Sir. I believe I''ve grown stronger."


    Struggling to put his sensations into words, Kambi received orders from Adam to limate to his newfound abilities and to document any alterations forter discussion. Asking for directions to the werewolf tribe, Adam then ventured solo into the icy ins.


    If transcendent beings did exist among the three tribes, they would only get in Adam''s way. So, Adam decided to go alone to find the first group of ves for the City of Freedom; strong ves from the icy fields should be popr.


    After locking in two strong powers, Adam was now as strong as the special beings in this world. He knew he could now get away from Okov if he had to.


    Aftering to the Dragon ne, he finally felt like he could make a name for himself.


    Three dayster, flying as fast as he could, Adam found the werewolf tribe. He was now so big that hiding was not an option. Also, the werewolves had really good hearing and smell. Before he could get close, he was stopped by more than a hundred grown-up werewolves.


    "A grown-up dragon! Darn it! We were tricked by that forest elf!" said a big werewolf with a rough voice.


    Adam looked over the crowd but didn''t see any special werewolves. Even though there were many, they were no match for him, which made him a bit disappointed. *Is this all they''ve got?*


    The werewolves were angry and loud. They growled and howled, scratching the icy ground with their ws. Their eyes turned red, waiting for their leader to tell them to attack.


    The werewolf who had spoken before stood up and said, "Dragon, you killed Kense, right?"


    Adam answered, "If you mean the idiot who wanted to eat me and then hang me on a wall."


    The werewolf leader yelled and stepped forward, "Dragon, you''ve gone too far. Obey the Oath! This is ournd, and you shouldn''t be here! Leave something valuable and get out, or our elders wille and kill you!"


    "The Oath? The Elder?" Adam''s curiosity shot up. He felt the first might be a clue to understanding the Dragon ne, while thetter were clearly extraordinary beings. And if they were in good shape, they would''ve already shown up instead of hiding.


    "What''s this Oath?" Adam asked, genuinely curious.


    The werewolf leader looked shocked. "You don''t know? Aren''t you a grown dragon?"


    *So it''s inherited knowledge, something you only learn when you grow up,* Adam realized.


    Taking this in, he nodded earnestly. "Of course not. I''m just eight years old."


    "Eight? That exins why you didn''t alert the Elder. A young dragon breaking our oath and killing one of us. I''ll kill you!" The werewolf leader''s roar filled the air as his elemental energy surged. He breathed out an ice storm at Adam. The other werewolves, taking this as the signal to attack, transformed and soared upwards, their fangs and ws ready, filling the air with their howls.


    They hadn''t considered why an eight-year-old dragon would be so big.


    Adam pped his dragon wings, breaking up the ice storm. Then he used a type of ''Dragon Spell'' that the werewolf tribe had never seen before. Blocks of frost formed in the sky, each containing rows of dark holes that gathered ice elemental energy.


    Sensing danger, the werewolf leader changed the tone of his howls, and the pack scattered, though they couldn''t halt their upward charge.


    Pleased, Adam nced at the ny-nine multi-barrel rocketunchers that had formed beside him, shaped from elemental forces. Flicking his tail, he announced, "Try my new magic: Elemental Cannons."

 Chapter 181: The Werewolf Senior and the Oath

    The moment the words left his mouth, the multi-barreled rocketuncher was fully charged.


    Waves of white-purple energy projectiles rained down on the leaping pack of wolves.


    The werewolves had never seen an attack like this before. Initially, they didn''t take it seriously. Their bodies were incredibly robust, capable of summoning elemental shields and attacks. They also had astonishing defensive and regenerative abilities. In the eyes of the werewolf leader, the small amount of energy harnessed by a young dragon was frivolously divided into so many parts; it couldn''t possibly be powerful.


    However.


    ***Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!***


    The energy rockets carried immense kic force. The impact upon contact was the first wave of damage. Most werewolves could withstand it purely through their physical toughness. But the ensuing chain explosions taught them a brutal lesson.


    First came the outeryer of ice elements, which, while not causing substantial explosive damage, slowed down the wolves'' movement and reaction speed. Next, the highly concentrated electrical elements hidden within detonated, causing staggering elemental damage.


    Over a hundred werewolves were utterly suppressed by the concentrated firepower, plummeting to the ground at a speed faster than their ascent, leaving shallow craters in the icy in.


    "What kind of magic is this?!" The werewolf leader on the ground couldn''t maintain its roaring facial expression. The overwhelming energy shock forced his mouth shut as his ws dug deep into the earth. His mind was filled with immense shock. *Does the Frost Dragon n possess this kind of heritage? What''s with the contained thunderous power?*


    Adam was fairly satisfied with the magic he''d spontaneously created.


    The purpose of formative magic was to maintain the stability of materialized elements while incorporating as many highly condensed elements as possible to create more effective lethality. Traditional mages, as well as beings from other nes, were limited by their imagination and experience. Their formative spells usually took the shape of melee weapons or various magical beasts. However, the lethality and condensed power of cold weapons could never match that of firearms.


    So instead of wasting moreputational power to formplex cold weapon shapes, Adam decided to shape them into simple firearms.


    Although the rapid attack frequency consumed a rtivelyrge amount of energy, this wasn''t an issue for Adam. The only regret was that he couldn''t use maic magic at the moment. Otherwise, he could direct the explosion''s energy and shockwaves in a single direction, generating even more significant damage.


    After the barrage, the werewolves were severely wounded, but very few were killed outright. Beasts grow even more ferocious when injured. This time, without needing amand from the werewolf leader, all the wolves howled and lunged forward again.


    Adam felt that if he attacked once more, he could very well wipe out these werewolves, which would be a significant loss. In his mind, these creatures had already bemodities.


    The elemental artillery dispersed, and Adam dived straight toward the pack of wolves, engaging in close-quartersbat. His massive body, over eight meters long,pared to the wolves'' two-meter forms, made it seem like he was bullying children.


    Each sweep of his dragon w, each p of his dragon wing, and each swipe of his dragon tail sent multiple werewolves flying. Their attacks barely left a mark on Adam''s icy, crystalline body. In fact, they were getting scorched by the ice and electric elements on his regenerating scales.


    Suddenly, a piercing howl drowned out all other sounds across the icy ins. A mysterious power emanated from the werewolf leader. The sky darkened abruptly, and a brilliant moon, apanied by the silhouette of a white wolf, appeared between heaven and earth.


    Adam halted his charge, drawing in his wings and tail as he performed a rapid spin on his left foot. A whirlwind of white-purple energy sent the surrounding wolves flying, their bones broken and tendons snapped.


    "A transcendental powerhouse? Has the leader advanced or... be possessed?" Adam wondered.


    Either way, he sensed danger emanating from the werewolf leader. Without hesitation, he stopped spinning and retreated. Overhead, a cannon barrel materialized with a one-meter diameter. Energy poured in for rapid charging, and a molded energy projectile, trailed by a purple wake, roared toward the werewolf leader.


    The white wolf silhouette on the moon leapt down and entered the werewolf leader, whose fur turned pristine white, making the surrounding snow look dull inparison. With two quick shes forming an elemental cross, the leader tried to intercept the projectile.


    But he failed.


    The elemental cross held for just a moment before the projectile shattered it. The werewolf leader grimaced, quickly forming five additional crosses, which finally detonated the projectile just before it reached him.


    Boom!


    A deafening explosion echoed, copsing the icy in around the st center. When the dust and light cleared, a crater with a 500-meter radius and 20-meter depth emerged.


    All the other werewolves were blown away. The werewolf leader hovered, trembling slightly, his eyes filled with boundless rage as he red at Adam.


    "It appears you''re possessed. Are you the hidden card, the elder of the tribe?" Adam hovered about a thousand

 Chapter 182: The Werewolf Senior and the Oath (2)

    With a resolve to kill Adam, the elder charged. At this point, exnations and evasions were meaningless. Only by defeating the elder could Adam perhaps glean more useful information.


    By now, the white wolf had fully merged with the elder. From a distance, they looked like a monstrous figure with a human upper body and a wolf''s lower half, stepping through the air. A de-like edge of pure icy elemental energy gathered before them, slicing through everything in its path and creating a vacuum. In an instant, they covered the kilometer, their ws growing rapidly, each finger bing like a razor-sharp de.


    Adam once again summoned his elemental cannon, silentlyunching a barrage of ice and fire rockets to halt the elder''s advance.


    The elder seemed to be able to see or sense every direction, dodging the artillery with pinpoint uracy at critical moments. For projectiles he couldn''t avoid, he''d swipe them with his w to detonate them early, even using the recoil to elerate.


    ***Boom!***


    Adam and the elder collided, emitting a deafening sh of metal. The collision''s recoil sent both flying back a hundred meters, invisible shockwaves radiating outward from the point of impact.


    It was a stalemate.


    After enhancing himself, Adam''s dragon form possessed extraordinary strength. The elder had his own issues; his possession of a mere mortal werewolf leader limited his extraordinary capabilities. His host body was even showing signs of breakdown due to the immense energy harnessed.


    Thankfully, the mysterious residual image of the white wolf provided stable energy, helping the elder maintain his currentbat level. However, if ''maintain'' was the word to describe his situation, that means he was already close to his limit.


    The elder, who understood his condition better than anyone, didn''t hesitate to charge at Adam again after his first attack failed.


    *I must act quickly. Even if it meansplete disintegration, this dragon must die! *The elder suspected Adam was an invader from *u0026 amp;#. Although he didn''t know how the invader had be a Frost Dragon, as a transcendent being who had survived from ancient times through secret arts, he knew better than anyone the terror of *u0026 amp;# and would not let any invader go.


    ***Bang, bang, bang, bang!***


    The elder''s rtively smaller form gave him an advantage in closebat. He was so fast that the entire wolf transformed into a streak of white light, shing at Adam hundreds of times in a matter of seconds.


    Adam activated the talents he''d gained from the Frost Giants and Yetis, causing his body to temporarily swell. His scales rippled rapidly, perfectly angling themselves to deflect some of the attack''s force.


    Adam didn''t control his dragon body through neural reflexes; his ''threads'' were embedded in each limb, requiring no reaction time. So, any external corner could instantly respond to attacks. Even though hisrge size made him appear clumsy, he was still more than capable in close-quartersbat.


    The elder''s every strike would shatter the corresponding scale armor, but as long as there was energy, it would regenerate instantly. The explosions created by the shattered scales were small, but cumtively, they began to put pressure on the elder''s current form.


    After another violent collision, Adam''s tail whipped the elder from an unbelievable angle. Taking advantage of the recoil, Adam retreated and unleashed his dragon breath, summoning five elemental dragons in the sky.


    "Dragon ns don''t have this kind of heritage power; you must be an invader!" The elder panted in the sky, the killing intent in his cold eyes intensifying. He didn''t know what elemental dragons were, but he couldn''t ignore the highly concentrated energy they contained.


    Dragon breath reappeared, and another five elemental dragons materialized in the sky. Adam had no intention of talking anymore. Transcendent beings weren''t as easy to deal with as mortals. They might not have deeply studied soul abilities, but the evolution of life naturally uplifts the soul. If the werewolf elder chose not to speak, Adam had no means to force him to spill out anything.


    Getting even a rough idea about the ancient oath was worth the trip. Since the Dragon ne actually had this covenant, as long as he was willing to search, he could find theplete text.


    Adam flicked his tail, and the ten elemental dragons roared silently, charging at the werewolf Elder.


    The elder separated from the residual image of the white wolf and ran rapidly across the sky as if it were solid ground. When he reached a certain speed, he leapt high, spinning his torso vigorously. The white wolf followed, and Adam saw two tornadoes imbued with massive icy elemental energy converge and collide head-on with the group of elemental dragons.


    "Going all out, are you? Then explode!"


    The ten elemental dragons formed a wall two hundred meters in front of Adam and audaciously self-destructed just before the elder''s ''Wolf Tornado'' arrived. Energy and shockwaves cascaded in all directions. Despite their immense power, they couldn''t block the elder''s desperate attack.


    "Awooo~!"


    A mournful howl echoed from all directions as the elder broke through the shockwaves, charging directly at Adam. This attack concentrated all his remaining energy. Even if the target was an invader, unless they reached a transcendent level, they wouldn''t be able to resist; the elder was confident it would be a killing blow!


    "Why isn''t the invader dodging

 Chapter 183: Unveiling the Mystery and the Enigmatic Dragon Clan (1)

    Adam no longer confined the reach of his dragon power, letting it spread to its maximum extent. Surprisingly, he managed to pick up a few werewolves in the nearby area. By now, Adam was far from where the initial battlefield had been, a testament to the explosive force that must have been unleashed.


    Adam couldn''t help but admire the werewolves'' incredible vitality. Despite their severe injuries, the life force within them hadn''tpletely vanished. With some proper care and hot food, perhaps most of the werewolves could survive.


    His back was gravely injured, and his dragon wings were soaked in blood. Adam tried to test the strength of his wings, but they were unable to lift his massive body for the time being.


    In this ne, the range covered by his power represented Adam''s sensory zone. After an extensive search, he confirmed the death of the werewolf elder.


    "Although we won, it''s still a pity," Adam felt somewhat regretful. If he had been a little stronger, he might have been able to capture the elder alive. The living always held more value than the dead.


    Just then, the elemental energies started to be chaotic. Blooms of blood, like tiny explosions, began to appear in the sky as a terrifying snowstorm started up again on the ice ins.


    Adam gathered up any werewolves that were still alive, casting a spell to envelop them in frost, controlling the temperature to maintain their vitality. He then set off towards the direction of the werewolf tribe.


    Though the chances were slim, the underground werewolf tribe might still have other important information.


    ***Boom!***


    Adam crushed the icy ground beneath him. The underground entrance was designed to fit the werewolves, which meant it was too small for him. To enter, he had to destroy it. What appeared before Adam was a spacious underground cavern. The werewolves had used an unknown metal to construct buildings, effectively creating a small city underground.


    He extended his dragon w towards the ceiling, rapidly condensing a thickyer of ice to seal the entrance. There were still many living in the tribe, although they were much weakerpared to the earlier werewolf warriors. Likely, they were elderly, children, and women among the werewolves.


    Adam had no time to deal with them right now; he headed straight for the grandest and mostvish building at the far end of the underground space.


    "Halt, Dragon! You cannot approach the Ancestral Shrine!"


    Adam lowered his head to look at the small figure shouting from a hundred meters away, "Ancestral Shrine?"


    His voice echoed through the underground space, forming a rumbling resonance. The little werewolf furrowed his brow, seemingly ufortable, but stood his ground. He didn''t answer Adam''s question but stubbornly repeated, "You cannot approach the Ancestral Shrine."


    The little werewolf was pitifully weak. Within the scope of Adam''s dragon power, there was not a single entity that could be called powerful. Adam wondered what gave the little werewolf the courage to face him, but he didn''t care and kept walking forward.


    A juvenile howl rang out as the small werewolf transformed, shooting a beam of white light towards Adam. However, the light was too weak, dissolving into nothingness before it could even prate the dragon aura.


    Adam continued to move forward.


    The youthful howl gradually escted, bing piercing. It was hard to believe such a small body could produce such a prating sound.


    Adam heard doors opening, many footsteps. All the werewolves hiding in their rooms emerged, their faces filled with both dread and determination. They walked past Adam and stood in front of the small werewolf, and then a series of howls reverberated.


    "Leave, you shall not approach the ancestral shrine," Adam seemed to hear countless voices chanting the same phrase.


    Adam halted. These people were extremely weak, so weak that a single spell from him could kill them all. Surely they knew of the reputation of the dragons and the battles in the outside world. Despite this, they still stood in his way.


    In other words, they came out prepared to die just to confront him.


    "Belief? Honor? Or something else?" Adam was somewhat lost in thought. A plethora of terms shed through his mind, each representing emotions he couldn''tprehend. "But, it doesn''t matter."


    With a roar, Adam released a massive bellow. The sound waves rippled through his dragon power, reverberating throughout the underground space, even causing ice and snow to fall from the buildings, drowning out the werewolves'' howls.


    Elemental ice spread along the sound waves, freezing the weak and infirm werewolves into statues of ice.


    Adam didn''t kill them; they would be valuablemodities in the City of Freedom, especially the small werewolf, who could reside in the ancestral shrine and perhaps held significant importance.


    Adam stepped over the frozen figures and entered the Ancestral Shrine. Upon entering, he was even more convinced that he had defeated all of the werewolves''batants and the only value that remained. The shrine had no signs of life, no rooms or partitions, just incredibly lifelike statues and murals covering the walls.


    There were no words.


    Adam ignored the statues, which were merely figures from the icy werewolf n''s history. He walked up to the murals, stooping his massive body to examine them closely.


    The mural was long and detailed. It started off depicting a time before the werewolf tribe hade to the icy ins. ording to the mural, the werewolf tribe had many extraordinary individuals back then. What followed was an extensive history of evolution---battles, hunting, settlements, and migrations. In these images, Adam saw the figures of dragons, although they yed roles that were far from ttering.


    This section took a long time to get through, and by the end, Adam had reached a point more than five meters high on the mural. This is where the shocking content began.


    The sky cracked open, unidentified matter rained down upon the ne, and hazy figures of monsters invaded, destroying everything in their path. The werewolves, along with other races, rose to resist.


    Adam stored all of this information in his mind, murmuring to himself, "So an invasion has happened before."


    The lines of the mural were simple, but the atmosphere of carnage was palpable. Bodies littered the ground, fires raged uncontrobly, and despite a blood-soaked resistance, various races were continuously retreating.


    What caught Adam''s eye the most, however, was a sphere that was always present in the sky throughout the mural. It existed in every frame, but as the mural progressed, it got smaller and smaller.


    Adam was certain this was not an error on the part of the artist."

 Chapter 184: Slaying the Dragon

    The young werewolf broke down under Adam''s intense interrogation. He left behind the resolve and toughness he''d shown before, along with his odd hatred for the dragons, managing to squeeze out such weak words.


    Yet, he didn''t realize Adam hadn''t forgotten.


    "Why do you hate dragons so much?" Adam pressed.


    Right away, the young werewolf choked back his tears and replied, "The dragons are backstabbers. During the *u0026 amp;#? invasion, they turned their backs on the world. Then they double-crossed *u0026 amp;#? when our forebears tried to close the dimensional tear, and they did it again after agreeing to a peace deal."


    Even though his words were short, the werewolf''s voice steadied as he talked. He was sure he was going to die. He was speaking to a dragon, and everything he had said just now could''ve angered this formidable being. Convinced he was at his end, he chose to say exactly what he thought: "Dragons are the lowest of the low,zy, vicious, and deceitful."


    He hadn''t finished his sentence when he saw Adam bow his head. Thinking Adam was about to attack, the young wolf squinted in terror, only to snap his eyes open wide the next instant.


    Adam wasn''t looking to devour him, nor was he interested in his long speech, merely asking, "Why have dragons betrayed others over and over?"


    "I''m not sure."


    "What do you werewolves call someone more powerful than an Elder?"


    "In werewolf society, we call them Sages."


    "Why can''t we have more Elders?"


    "The itself has been hurt."


    "Howe the dragons didn''t suffer?"


    "I don''t know."


    Adam fired off a bunch of questions one after the other, and the young wolf had few answers, particrly about dragons. When Adam ran out of questions, he put the wolf back in his cell and left.


    "Was he lying?"


    While Adam grilled the young wolf, the devil inside Adam''s mind watched the whole questioning. Answering Adam''s query, he offered, "Unlikely."


    "Likely?"


    The devil quickly added, "If these natives can''t mask their soul''s vibes when they''re young, then he''s telling the truth. But it''s anybody''s guess whether they''ve got that skill."


    He felt a bit mistreated because Adam seemed to doubt his opinion.


    Adam paid it no mind, and after figuring out the young wolf hadn''t lied, he sent the devil back and started to mull over the fresh information.


    From the young werewolf''s answers, it was clear there was a realm out there against the Dragon ne. The conflict happened long ago, and though the Dragon ne''s locals beat the intruders, the victory cost them dearly. The figures painted on the wall flying into the heavens, and the ''Sages'' the wolf spoke of must match up to the transcendent beings from the mage realm. Now, they might all be gone, and any left behind are in no better shape than the Elder Adam had met earlier.


    Adam figured that the Dragon ne''sck of strong beings came down to them weakening the origin of the world. That ne with the weird name had to have a way to suck away the energy of the origin.


    This was a big deal because the Mage World had grown powerful thanks to the ne Sacrificial Magic Array. It was a key element, and Adam knew that no other ce out there had this kind of setup.


    Now, Adam''s ''beginner''s mission'' had him stumble upon a world that might just have this same tech. If he could prove this and tell the Mage World, it would shake up even the big shots like the Tower.


    "I guess I''ve struck gold," Adam whispered to himself.


    Two months had zoomed by, and the City of Freedom had changed, showing off a new vibe of prosperity.


    Adam added two fresh products to his exclusive list: Yeti ves and Frost Giant ves.


    They remembered their promise to watch out for each other. When they found the werewolf tribe''s spot empty and the underground areas wrecked, they figured the City of Freedom was to me and attacked.


    But their attack flopped.


    These new races were just as tough as the werewolves, each with a big shot who had hung on by some secret trick. But maybe their spirits were weaker than the werewolves'', because the leftover power from their big shots was pretty weak. Adam knocked them out with a couple of magic missiles, sending them off for good.


    All the ones left were captured.


    Adam had gone around thends of these two races but didn''t find any shrines or anything like that, which didn''t really surprise him. The werewolves were kind of smart, but didn''t leave any books or writings. These other races seemed to have only muscles, so they wouldn''t have any old wisdom lying around.


    The City of Freedom became a hotspot for adventurers, sparking new life in the barrennds, and the buildings the devil put up found their use.


    But adventurers thought the City of Freedom was odd. It was built on an ice field people usually stayed away from, and it was orderly without seeming to have rules; moreover, the city lord, a dragon, imed that you didn''t need money or magic gems to deal with the lord''s mansion. You just needed strange trinkets and stuff that seemed interesting but had already been tossed aside by everyone else.


    "Odd Trinkets" were what the Dragon ne folks called magical items with special tricks.


    But for Adam and the devil, this wasn''t weird at all. The Dragon ne''s money and what they called Energy stones meant nothing to Adam. The real jackpot for him was the quirky things that other people didn''t think were worth much.


    "Catch a young dragon for the lord''s house and earn twenty thousand units of magic gems, or something equally valuable. Catching a Frost Dragon baby and the prize doubles, plus you get a special ceremony to boost your bloodline, hosted by the lord himself."


    On that day, an announcement from the lord''s mansion really shook up the adventurers. It was a shock to see a new group, other than the Dragon yer Guild, daring to say out loud that they wanted dragons hunted.


    The big reward of twenty thousand magic gems was already quite the draw, but the extra offer of a bloodline boost drove everyone wild: In a world where your bloodline could mean everything, the chance to climb up thedder was too tempting to pass up. They were ready to risk a fight with full-grown dragons, not just the youngsters.


    Nobody thought the City of Freedom would back out on their word because no one would mess with so many different people. If they broke their promise, even if the lord of the City was a mighty dragon, they''d be doomed.


    Still, this was just aforting idea for the adventurers; even if Adam fell through on the deal, the chance of them all banding together against him was pretty slim.


    ...


    The ongoings in the City of Freedom, especially after they started selling ves from the icy in, got people talking far and wide, all the way to the cities in the Racial Alliance. That''s when the mysterious Dragon yer Guild decided it was time to step in.


    They sent someone over to set up shop in the City of Freedom and talk about joining forces.


    At the same time, Adam got a message out of the blue from Lina: "Master, the Dragon yer Guild has chosen me, and I''ll be in your city soon."


    And that messenger was Lina herself."

 Chapter 185: The *& amp;#? Planes Cultivation Method

    Adam had actually lost hope in Lina''s mission. He thought if the Dragon yer Guild was like those fools in the mage world who worship evil gods, built formunicating and offering sacrifices to some mysterious ne, then Lina, after her operations, might have a chance to infiltrate the high-ups, maybe even control the organization.


    But the intel now suggested that the Guild was established by remnants of the ne that weren''t killed after a past war. This meant that native dragons from the ne had no chance of entering its higher ranks.


    The Guild''s decision caught Adam off guard. He never expected them to be so whimsical in their actions. They even sent a gift - a Frost Dragon baby.


    Half a monthter...


    "Master, I want to be transformed like Kambi," Lina said, coquettishly lifting her envoy''s cloak upon seeing Adam.


    Adam instructed the devil, "Take the Frost Dragon to myb. No one, except you, shoulde close to it."


    The devil obeyed and left. Lina looked at him curiously, sensing a familiar aura from the dragon person, akin to Adam''s.


    In just a few months, Lina had changed significantly. Her timidity in Adam''s presence was gone, reced by confidence borne from power and authority.


    As Adam''s most trusted subordinate, Lina''s request for transformation was naturally granted. Ignoring her joyful expression, Adam asked directly, "Tell me everything you know about the Dragon yer Guild."


    Lina turned serious and began recounting the events of the past months. "We finally intercepted an envoy on a mission to a Fire Dragon''s territory, stopping her before she reached it," Lina paused, then continued, "She was from the Spirit race, very powerful, stronger than I was then, with formidable fire elemental abilities."


    Adam interrupted, "Get to the point."


    Lina was a bit disheartened as she had prepared this part meticulously to impress. After realizing she couldn''t defy Adam''s order, she summarized, "Twenty-one of my ves died before we finally killed the envoy from the Spirit race."


    Adam''s pupils narrowed, "Killed? You lost so much for just a corpse?"


    Hearing the displeasure in Adam''s voice, Lina snapped out of her confidence, stuttering, "Yes, that''s correct, but there''s more!"


    "Continue, I hope you have a reasonable exnation," Adam said coldly.


    Lina was under a lot of stress because of Adam''s changing emotions. She realized once again that even though her power had raised her status, she still felt insignificant in front of Adam, like a small maid who could be crushed anytime. She didn''t dare to stress how much she had sacrificed and went straight to the point: "The Dragon yer Guild found out about this matter. Another envoy came to me, but there was no punishment. Instead, they brought good news. The Dragon yer Guild appointed me as the new envoy. My first task is to bring a gift to the City of Freedom."


    She took a deep breath and continued without waiting for Adam to ask, "Also, I got something amazing. The Dragon yer Guild calls it ''Refinement Art.'' Using the method of Refinement Art, I felt my bloodline power continuously increasing."


    Thebination of being an envoy, having a Frost Dragon cub, and a seemingly *u0026 amp;#? legacy made Lina feel like the pressure on her had vanished. She felt relieved.


    "Tell me about the Refinement Art," Adam demanded.


    Lina''s face changed, and she hesitantly said, "Master, I''m afraid I can''t. The Refinement Art was directly imprinted into my body by the envoy. He told me if I divulged it, I would die." She emphasized again, fearing Adam wouldn''t believe her, "Master, I''m telling the truth."


    Adam looked at her silently, increasing Lina''s pressure. She sweated profusely, too afraid to move.


    Just when she was about to break the silence, the door opened, and a dragonkin walked in.


    "Stand still and let me see," the dragonkin person said casually and then stuck a finger into Lina''s head.


    Devils are experts in souls and contracts. This restriction sounded like something a devil would specialize in.


    After a moment, the devilmunicated with Adam, "It feels strange. There''s definitely a restriction, but it''s not a soul pact. I can''t describe it, but it seems to be rted to the origin of this world."


    "The main thing I''m concerned about is whether forcefully extracting it would affect my true self," Adam asked, which was his main concern.


    The devil firmly replied, "No, even if there''s a countermeasure, I can cut it off. It definitely won''t affect you."


    After getting the devil''s assurance, Adam signaled him to leave and then said to Lina, who was trembling and not even daring to heal her wounds, "Take care of your wounds and the matters you need to handle with the ves. I''ll be waiting for you in theboratory."


    ...


    Theboratory was situated in the furthest corner of the City of Freedom. The area within a five-kilometer radius around it was strictly off-limits. Despite this, some daring adventurers, driven by curiosity about the massive fifteen-meter-tall building, attempted to sneak in to discover its secrets. Unfortunately, they were never heard from again.


    As Adam left his mansion, he adjusted the ice elements within his dragon''s power to create a visual deception. To creatures below the transcendent level, Adam was virtually invisible.


    Inside theb, a Frost Dragony sleeping in a cage. Lina had mentioned that it was a young dragon, nearly thirty years old but only a bit over three meters long. This was quite smallpared to Adam''s nine-meter dragon form. Dragons grew very slowly.


    Though Adam was intrigued by the young dragon, he restrained his research instincts. The most important thing at the moment was the potentially vital knowledge from another ne that Lina might possess.


    The young dragon had been fed a secret potion. ording to Lina, without an antidote or a continuation of the potion, it would take two days for the dragon to wake up naturally. However, possibly sensing the presence of a kin''s dragon power, the young dragon woke up in a daze.


    Adam thought for a moment and decided not to do anything drastic. It might be good to talk to her first. If he could persuade her to share her heritage, he thought he might spare her life.


    Struggling to stand, the Frost Dragon fell and sat down clumsily. She rubbed her behind and then her eyes, only to realize she was facing a gigantic dragon. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes, falling to the ground with a clear sound. Sobbing, she said, "Are you here to save Sofia? Sofia was taken by bad people! Poor Sofia!"

 Chapter 186: Sofia Frost

    The young dragon became increasingly upset as she spoke, eventually running over and throwing herself against Adam''s leg, which was as thick as a pir, and bursting into loud sobs.


    Adam, feeling awkward, shook himself slightly and gently pushed the young dragon away. She fell to the ground with a thud, but such a fall was nothing to a dragon. The young dragon just stared at Adam with herrge, tear-filled, silver-white eyes, full of confusion, before attempting to rush at his leg again.


    Adam had to use his finger to hold her back by pressing against her dragon horn. He felt a bit out of ce. This must be a true young dragon, possibly just chased out of her mother''s cave and then captured by the Dragon yer Guild. Otherwise, she wouldn''t show such vulnerability to another, even if it was a fellow dragon. After all, dragons were not known for being friendly to their own kind.


    "Your name is Sofia?" Adam asked.


    After struggling for a while and realizing she couldn''t resist the force on her horn, the young dragon, named Sofia, reluctantly gave up the idea of hugging his leg. Sitting on the ground, she started to sob again, "Yes, Sofia. Sofia Frost." She suddenly felt miserable again, and her crying resumed. "Poor me! My mother doesn''t want me anymore. I was captured by bad people just after leaving the mountain. They wanted to kill me! Then I kept crying, and they decided to send me away, to a very scary ce."


    "Big dragon, you''vee to save Sofia, haven''t you?"


    Adam felt that this young dragon''s issues were more than just her age; her intelligence seemed to becking too. She blurted out everything without Adam even asking.


    Her incessant crying was starting to irritate Adam, who had neither the experience nor the inclination tofort a young dragon. So, he bluntly said, "I''m not here to save you. You''ve been brought by the Dragon yer Guild to the icy City of Freedom and given to me."


    Her crying stopped abruptly, and after a moment of stunned silence, she looked at Adam in fear and asked, "Big dragon, are you a bad person too? Are you going to kill Sofia?"


    Adam, not used to her way of speaking, corrected her, "You should refer to yourself as ''I,'' not ''Sofia.''"


    "Why?" the young dragon asked, puzzled. "Mother always called me Sofia."


    "Say ''I.''"


    "Oh," Sofia replied, still sounding miserable, "Big dragon, why did you capture Sof... capture me? I''m still very young, not tasty at all!"


    Adam felt that with this intellectually underdeveloped young dragon, he might not need to resort to harsh measures to obtain her heritage. Direct questioning might be more efficient, so he engaged in some small talk.


    "I don''t eat dragons. I need you."


    The young dragon''s eyes widened in surprise. "You''re not going to eat me? That''s great! But then, big dragon, why did you capture me?" She paused for a moment, as if realizing something, and then eximed, "I know! You want to mate with me!"


    "I---"


    The young dragon seemed troubled and shook her tail and horn. "But I''m too young. My mother said I can only mate when I''m grown up, and it will be a long, long time before I''m grown. Can you wait for me, big dragon? I can stay by your side, and I don''t need much food or treasure! I eat very little!"


    Adam felt for the first time in his life that he waspletely unable tomunicate normally with another being.


    "Ha-ha!" At this point, Adam heard insane, unrestrainedughter in his mind. The devil had been sneakily listening to Adam''s conversation with the young dragon, but he couldn''t hold back any longer. "Haha! Master, have you finally developed a desire to mate? But are you sure you want to do that with a little female dragon not even as long as your leg?"


    Adam''s expression instantly turned stern, and the temperature in theb suddenly dropped. The young dragon got scared, thinking the big dragon had decided to kill her because he didn''t want to share food and treasure. Just as she was about to say something to save her life, she fainted, overwhelmed by the immense dragon power.


    "It seems I''ve been too easy with you recently, letting you forget what should and shouldn''t be said," Adam said through gritted teeth in his mind, delivering thirty soul-whipping blows to the devil. "I think it''s time to remind you."


    Outside theb stood the devil and Lina. After settling her ves and the members of the Dragon yer Guild that came with her, Lina followed the devil to theb, feeling uneasy. She found it odd that the dragonkin didn''t knock on the door but didn''t dare to ask.


    However, the dragonkin''s expression grew increasingly strange, and he eventually copsed to the ground in a fit of madughter. Just when she couldn''t help but ask what was happening, hisughter turned into wails of pain.


    "What''s wrong with you?"


    "Haha, I---ah, it hurts, master, I won''t dare again! I won''t dare!" The devil, unable to help himself,ughed out again, only to be silenced by great pain.


    Lina, startled, cautiously stepped back and poked the devil with a vine, "My lord, what''s wrong with you?" Knowing the dragonkin was also Adam''s ve, she wasn''t sure how to address him, so she simply referred to him as the lord.


    At that moment, the doors of theb swung open, and Adam, with a cold expression, walked out. He didn''t even nce at the devil but gestured for Lina toe inside. Just before closing the door, he said coldly, "You''d better stay out of my sight for a while, or you''ll suffer. Now, get out of my sight immediately."


    After disciplining the devil, Adam''s good mood returned. He never had the habit of taking out his anger on others, so he assured the visibly anxious and jittery Lina, "What just happened has nothing to do with you. You only need to focus on your own tasks."


    Lina nodded quickly, timidly saying, "But master, I really can''t disclose the contents of the Refinement Art."


    Adam gestured in the air, and ice elements converged to form a surgical table familiar to Lina. Knowing that the less she said, the fewer mistakes she would make, she didn''t ask any questions and walked over, undressed, andy down on the table.


    Adam said approvingly, "You don''t need to speak it out. Just follow my instructions and run the Refinement Artter. By the way, I willplete your transformation during this process."


    Lina knew the surgery would be painful, as she had experienced it before, but she didn''t care. What mattered to her now was whether she could continue to grow stronger and enjoy the power that strength brought. Adam wanted to obtain the mostplete form of the Refinement Art, so he did not sever her pain nerves.


    Yet, Lina didn''t utter a sound.


    "Let''s begin."


    As soon as he spoke, Lina''s blood started to ''boil'', rapidly circting throughout her body. During this process, the elemental essences roaming between heaven and earth converged around her body. This looked simr to the Knight''s breathing method.


    However, the Refinement Art was clearly moreplex. Adam created a vacuum of elements around himself to iste the roaming elements, but still, an unidentified energy continued to converge towards her body."

 Chapter 187: Secret

    Adam sensed an almost imperceptible high-level energy emanating from Lina, something beyond her capabilities given her strength. It was clear that she couldn''t possibly absorb elements within Adam''s elemental vacuum. The energy refined by the Refinement Art was something beyond mere elements.


    Adam even felt that it might be as powerful as magic.


    This was abnormal. If any race within the Dragon yer Guild or the Dragon ne could cultivate energy of such a high level, even if slowly, it wouldn''t be limited by the bottleneck of the transcendent power.


    Unless, this energy wasn''t meant for cultivation at all. Lina''s so-called bloodline enhancement might just be a minor side effect, perhaps even an illusion caused by the rapid functioning of her blood.


    Lina was in pain, not just from the physical cutting but also from the agonying with the practice of Refinement Art. Without Adam''smand, she dared not stop.


    Adam watched Lina intently, sensing the energy. After numerousparisons, he arrived at a conclusion that even he found hard to believe.


    The Refinement Art wasn''t about refining bloodlines, but the very essence of the Dragon ne.


    "Terrifying knowledge, astonishing methods!"


    Adam was shocked. He hadn''t expected that there would be methods to subtly weaken the essence of the ne. The shrinking of the world''s boundaries and the fluctuations in the crystal wall system were now exined---the essence of the Dragon ne was being eroded!


    On the other side of theboratory, Sofia had woken up. She seemed to have forgotten her recent fear, standing at a distance, watching Adam with curiosity.


    She remained silent, not interrupting Adam''s work, and he didn''t shoo her away. After all, since Sofia fell into his hands, Adam had no intention of letting her go, even if she learned what he was doing, she wouldn''t have the chance to tell anyone else.


    An hour passed, and the continuous practice of Refinement Art put an incredible strain on Lina''s body. Her body and blood vessels began to show signs of copse. Having recorded the operational route, Adam finally told Lina, "You can stop now."


    Lina breathed a sigh of relief. As her will rxed, the pain hit her like a tidal wave. She had never attempted to practice the Refinement Art for such a long time in one go. Usually, she would only run it once a day, stopping due to pain and weakness.


    After temporarily cutting off her pain receptors, Adam asked, "After the practice, are you sure you felt your bloodline being purified?"


    Lina, too weak to speak, blinked her eyes in affirmation.


    "But in my observation, you haven''t grown stronger. In fact, the practice of Refinement Art has consumed a great deal of your vitality."


    Adam suddenly paused, realizing the reason behind the phenomena. The Refinement Art might be a secret technique that consumes life force to erode the essence. Lina hadn''t improved because her life was too fragile; she couldn''t reap the benefits before it threatened her life.


    Adam asked, "After practicing, did you feel extremely tired, as if you were absorbing energy but still inexplicably exhausted?"


    Lina blinked in affirmation.


    "And after the practice, did you feel weak, needing a long rest or a lot of food to recover?"


    She blinked again.


    "After practice, did your burst strength inbat increase, but your stamina decreased?"


    These terms were somewhat unfamiliar to Lina, but she understood and blinked in response.


    "Indeed," Adam thought to himself.


    In thest invasion, the Dragon ne''s warriors closed the dimensional rift at the cost of their lives, ceasing the invasion. The invader''s failure was not without cost; it no longer had enough power to reopen the rift. So, the remnants chose another way to erode the Dragon ne''s essence, perhaps aiming to invade again when the essence weakened to a critical point.


    This invasion method differed from the ne wars in Adam''s world. It seemed to merge the two nes, or rather, the beings from the invader''s ne wanted to upy and merge with the Dragon ne, recing its essence with theirs.


    "Such an unnecessary effort, unless a disaster in the *u0026 amp;#? ne had forced the invaders to abandon it, making it uninhabitable. They must be seeking a new world," Adam muttered, feeling closer to the truth. If so, he could try elerating this process, forcing an early convergence of the two nes. He might even find a way to stealthily enter the invader''s ne.


    Lately, Adam had been feeling that the Dragon ne wasn''t as valuable as he thought, finding the knowledge in the other ne more attractive.


    He didn''t know why the Dragon yer Guild, despite knowing how to erode the essence, didn''t widely spread this method, instead choosing to plot in secret. It was likely due to two reasons: fear of retaliation from allied races, and the invader''s ne not being ready for a second war.


    However, Adam had no such concerns. He could spread the Refinement Art. If it incited retaliation and chaos among the allied races, he could stir the pot more easily. If an invasion urred sooner, he could infiltrate,pleting his exploration mission amidst the war. The Tower would undoubtedly find this phenomenon intriguing.


    The risks existed, but they weren''t hard to avoid. More importantly, the benefits of such actions were too tempting to refuse.


    "Big dragon, are you going to eat this bad person?" Sofia couldn''t help but whisper. "She''s very bad, always giving me things that aren''t tasty."


    "Sofia, do you recognize this?" Adam pointed to the energy circuit of the Refinement Art in Lina''s body and the subtle essence of energy around her.


    "Yes, I know it. I can do it too." As she spoke, an amount of essence energy far surpassing Lina''s gathered around her.


    Adam''s eyes sparkled with keen interest.


    "Do you know what it is?"


    Sofia nodded seriously. "I know. Our heritage knowledge says it''s a way for dragons to be stronger. But I don''t like it. After practicing, I always feel tired, hungry, and sleepy. Ever since I left my mother, I''ve never been full. I''m so pitiful."


    "Did your mother do the same?"


    "Yes, mother ate more and slept longer. But she said that when I grow up, I can practice while sleeping. It won''t be ufortable then but rather pleasant. But when will I grow up?"


    As she spoke, Sofia cautiously nced at Adam. "No, no, no, I''ll grow up soon. So, could you please not send me away?"


    Lina''s eyes blinked.


    Adam waved his w, putting Sofia back into unconsciousness. He felt he had discovered the secret behind the dragons'' continuous betrayal and their extremeziness."

 Chapter 188: Dragon Spell

    After the origin was lost, the native dragons of the Dragon ne found their natural path to advancement severed. The dragon race chose to ally themselves with the *u0026 amp;#? ne to gain strength.


    However, as the war neared its end and the *u0026 amp;#? ne showed signs of decline, the dragons betrayed them. They faced demands from the allied races to either hand over the Refinement Art or cease its practice. The dragons refused and, once again, betrayed their allies, positioning themselves against all races of the Dragon ne.


    Whether this spection is correct or not is not the key point. The real value lies in the connection between the two nes and the role of the Refinement Art.


    Lina earned great merit.


    Adam knew he had to reward useful people, so he generously modified Lina''s talents. Kambi only had the energy circuit for transformation, but Adam endowed Lina with two of the three talents he had obtained, excluding the yetis'' gigantification.


    After the modification, Lina underwent her first transformation.


    Her transformed state was much more appealing than Kambi''s. The flowers that served as her clothing now possessed exceptional defensive capabilities, and she herself was turning into a beautiful creature resembling a flower.


    Lina was satisfied.


    After the transformation, Adam asked, "You said the mission to the City of Freedom was suddenly assigned to you by the Dragon yer Guild after you killed another envoy, right?"


    Lina nodded, thinking her master had discovered some issue. She reverted to her serious form, waiting for further questions, only to hear a perplexing statement: "You''ve earned yourself an opportunity, but only one."


    Confused for a moment, Lina was then filled with a chill. She kneeled down, wanting to say something but was cut off. Adam simply waved his paw, signaling her to leave.


    "Quite interesting. Then I shall add fuel to the fire," Adam muttered, looking at the Refinement Art he had recorded.


    Adam didn''t need to eat food, as he could convert elemental energy into the energy needed for bodily functions. However, from Sofia''s words, it was evident she doesn''t possess this ability.


    Adam prepared many foods for her, including ice elemental crystals and the fattest, most


    delicious meat from the Snow Worm.


    Sofia''s eyes sparkled, and drool escaped her lips as she asked excitedly, "Big dragon, is this food for me? Can I eat it?"


    After Adam nodded, Sofia eagerly grabbed a handful of Energy stones and was about to stuff them into her mouth when she suddenly put them down, "Are you sending me away?"


    Adam looked at her, puzzled.


    "When my mother drove me away, she also gave me a lot of food. But after I finished eating, I was driven out of the dragonir," Sofia said, her mood falling. She pushed the food towards Adam, "I better not eat. Big Dragon, can you please not drive me away?"


    "I won''t drive you away," Adam said helplessly.


    "Really?" Sofia, reassured, immediately dived into the food, but after a moment''s thought, she pushed back most of it. "Then I''ll just eat a little bit. I don''t eat much, really."


    "You can eat all of it. You won''t have to go hungry anymore. But..."


    Before Adam could finish, Sofia''s mouth was already full of food. Her sharp teeth effortlessly crushed the Energy Stones and she gulped them down.


    With her mouth full, she never took her eyes off Adam and mumbled, "But what?"


    "But you have to tell me your inherited knowledge."


    Sofia swallowed the food in her mouth, stopped eating, and just sat on the ground, silently looking at Adam.


    Adam''s tail swayed gently. It seemed that the dragons'' instinct to protect their inherited knowledge was innate. He might have to resort to dissection experiments, hoping that the devil could enve the souls of the dragon race and see what the knowledge really was.


    Unexpectedly, Sofia''s eyes took on a strange look, and Adam saw a hint of sympathy in them. Sofia stood up, walked to Adam, rubbed her head against his leg, and said, "Big dragon, were you captured by bad people when you were very young? Your mother didn''t have time to teach you how to fight them, right? Don''t worry, I can teach you. I learned really well!"


    Adam''s tail stopped moving. Although he didn''t understand how Sofia came to this conclusion, the oue was favorable. It saved him a lot of trouble, as much of the inherited knowledge could not be deliberately demonstrated. It was best if Sofia could reveal it instinctively.


    Sofia seemed troubled. "But I don''t know much yet. Mother said I would learn more as I grow. So please don''t drive me away." Sofia appeared to have found a reason to stay, her anxious expression reced by excitement.


    Adam''s strength had already reached the limit of the mundane species on the Dragon ne, and he faced the same problem of having no way forward. He didn''t actually need theplete dragon heritage. The mages could naturally obtain that after conquering the Dragon ne. What he needed was the dragonnguage and the basic principles of the Dragon Spell. Knowing this, he could deduce theposition of the Dragon Spell and find a way to ascend to the transcendent dragon race.


    Sofia was quite forting, especially after being well-fed. She generously shared everything with Adam, teaching him the Dragonnguage word by word.


    The Dragonnguage didn''t have many words, but each contained far more information thanmonnguages. It was divided into two parts: one formunication among dragons and the other for interacting with external energy when using Dragon Spells, functioning much like psychic power.


    "Big dragon, look, this is the most powerful Dragon Spell I know now." Sofia flew into the air and spat out two sybles towards an empty space. After the first syble, a massive amount of ice elements instantly gathered. As soon as the second syble was uttered, the ice elements exploded.


    "It''s called Frost Nova. How about that? Impressive, right?" Sofia flew around Adam, seeking his praise.


    Adam brushed her aside and spoke the same two sybles. The elemental energy that gathered was much more than what Sofia had summoned, and then it exploded with a loud bang, shattering theboratory walls. The entire City of Freedom heard the explosion.


    Sofia stared at Adam, dumbfounded, then for some reason became very happy. "You are amazing!"


    Adam rapidly processed the information, quickly deciphering the basic principle of the Dragon Spell. These two sybles tranted into themonnguage meant Frost Nova. They served different functions: the first for gathering energy, the second for shaping energy. Essentially, it still fell in the category of ordinary elemental shaping magic. The reason for its astonishing power was that the blood power of the dragon race within the dragon body came into effect."

 Chapter 189: Cthulhu

    Adam turned to Sophia and asked, "Do you know any other Dragon Spells?"


    Sophia nodded eagerly, believing that a powerful dragon like Adam could get a lot of food. This meant she wouldn''t go hungry and could even eat a little more. She happily demonstrated all the Dragon Spells she knew.


    After Adam learned all the spells, he rewarded Sophia with a lot of food and let her eat while he set up an analysis task in his mind.


    He discovered that in all the Dragon Spells, the pronunciation of the Draconguage was the magic itself. Any syble that could be pronounced andbined appropriately would elicit a response from the elements. This did not fit Adam''s definition of magic. It seemed like a unique rule of the Dragon ne. Dragons here might indeed be born noble, with their bloodline power serving as the best medium for casting spells.


    Adam tried to cast some of his earlier energy-shaping spells using Draconguage. Although it was a bit hard, he seeded with all of them.


    After several experiments, Adam realized that the dragons'' strength, besides their foundational bloodline, dependedrgely on imagination and control.


    As long as dragons could imagine the magic they wanted to shape and had enough control to constrain the elements tobine ording to their imagination, they could achieve their ideas under the rules of the Dragon ne.


    This seemed almost like a cheating code.


    "Big dragon, did you build yourir here because you don''t know how to fight? This ce isn''t good; the energy here doesn''t obey. I know many better ces, but I can''t defeat their owners for now. Do you want to know where they are?" After her excitement faded, Sophia lost interest in Adam''s magic and boredlynded on the ground to eat.


    "Is this also what your inherited memories tell you?"


    "Yeah, every time I wake up, I know a lot more things, like where to find good food or where to sleep morefortably," Sophia said, listing off her knowledge.


    "Is there nothing else? Like the oath and *u0026 amp;#?"


    "What''s the oath?" Sophia tilted her head in question, but she didn''t wait for Adam''s response and continued, "*u0026 amp;#? I know, you''re talking about Cthulhu, right?"


    Cthulhu was the pronunciation of Cthulhu in the Draconguage. Adam bent down and stared intently at her, "Tell me everything you know about Cthulhu."


    Sophia shook her head: "I don''t know much, just what Mother has told me long ago. She said that world was doomed a long time ago. Its creatures ruined their world and wanted to take over ours, but they failed. Mother also said they would never have a chance."


    "Is that all you know? I have a lot more tasty food, and if you tell me more, I''ll let you have as much as you want," Adam tempted.


    Sophia looked at the food in her hands, already finding it delicious. She wondered what could taste even better. As she thought, she began to drool. "That''s all I know. Why are you asking about this? Mother said dragons don''t need to worry about so much. Just eating well and sleeping well is enough."


    After realizing there were no more useful pieces of information from her, Adam took Sophia to another room in theb, leaving her with enough food, and then returned to theb alone.


    There was a problem with the Dragon yer Guild''s Refinement Art, and an even bigger problem with the advanced version practiced by all dragons. This left Adam somewhat undecided. Even if the Dragon ne''s origin was damaged, if he exposed himself, the origin could destroy a Level 1 mage without any issue.


    Therefore, he needed arge number of test subjects to observe the abnormal reactions after practicing Refinement Art.


    ...


    The establishment of a branch of the Dragon yer Guild in the City of Freedom didn''t make much impact among adventurers, as the organization already had a low presence. It was named Dragon yer, but no one had heard of them actually killing a real dragon.


    While some choose to join the organization, most preferred to remain as free adventurers, especially since the organization''s intelligence protection was ineffective.


    During this time, the number of tasks in the City of Freedom increased significantly. The city lord''s tastes remained as odd as ever, expanding into even broader and more useless areas. This was good news for merchants and adventurers, particrly since the city lord remained very generous, offering rewards far exceeding the difficulty of the tasks. Their full enthusiasm couldn''t even be dampened by the brutal blizzards of the ice fields.


    "Bloodline Advancement Technique? What''s this?" Adventurers in the trading and task halls were curious about the new item prominently disyed.


    "It looks valuable. One Bloodline Advancement Technique requires a hundred ordinary trinkets in exchange."


    They were all intrigued, discussing amongst themselves. Thanks to the devil''s longstanding solid reputation and generous behavior, no one doubted the value of the Bloodline Advancement Technique.


    "I have enough trinkets to exchange, but what is this exactly? Can bloodlines be advanced?" A merchant, who frequently traveled between the ice fields and the Racial Union Zone, hesitated. He had nned to buy a few Frost Giant ves, which were very popr.


    "Remember the reward for the dragon hunting task? The Bloodline Advancement Ceremony!"


    "Is that true?! Can the City of Freedom really do it?"


    Bloodline determined power, and the allure of the words "Bloodline Advancement" surpassed everything. In a world where strength was the key, a purer bloodline signified greater power. It was a cycle no one could escape.


    So, when the first person, unable to contain their curiosity, exchanged for the advancement technique and joyously discovered its effectiveness, the desire for it began to burn like wildfire in everyone''s heart.


    ...


    On this day, Lina and the devil arrived at Adam''sboratory, where they saw Adam, whose body had grown evenrger, and the little dragon.


    "How has the spread of the Bloodline Advancement Technique been?" Adam asked the devil.


    The devil hadn''t seen Adam for a long time, fearing he would identallyugh and get killed by him. He kept a straight face and answered, "At first, they were afraid of being killed for sharing it privately. But after they realized there were no punishments from you, they started to trade it secretly. Now, most adventurers in the City of Freedom have learned it."


    "Has anyone spread it to the Racial Union Zone?"


    The devil replied, "Not yet. They are afraid the technique will be learned by outsiders and have signed a pact, forcing all practitioners to stay in the City of Freedom, or else they will be hunted by the others."


    Seeing Adam''s dissatisfaction, the devil quickly added, "Of course, your will is everything, master. I have already controlled a group of fools and taken the advancement technique out."


    Adam listened, his thoughts deepening as he considered the implications of the technique''s spread and the control he exerted over the City of Freedom and beyond."

 Chapter 190: Coming of Age

    Adam asked Lina, "How''s the collection of reactions from the subjects practicing the Refinement Art?"


    Lina''s answer was much more formal. "All subjects in the City of Freedom are under surveince. So far, no one has shown any adverse reactions other than weakness and fatigue. Since few people go out, we haven''t been able to collect data inbat situations, so we can''t determine if the Bloodline Advancement Technique is truly effective."


    Adam felt that the progress was a bit slow. After all, the number of people in the City of Freedom was limited, and so were his subordinates who could act as his eyes to monitor the practitioners and collect data.


    "Master, the moss you provided has been nted in every corner of the City of Freedom, except for the Lord''s Mansion and theboratory. This nt is very suitable for surviving in the icy ins," Lina continued.


    "How many forest elves have the ve traders from the Racial Union Zone bought recently?"


    Lina hurriedly replied, "Less than two hundred. And after the blood transfusion, less than fifty survived."


    "Why so few?"


    "Most of the forest elf tribes are in the territories of the dragons. The traders dare not enter to hunt boldly. The forest elves living outside are in dense forests. In such ces, a forest elf who wants to hide is hard to find. Moreover, the mortality rate of the transfusion is too high."


    Adam nodded, epting Lina''s reasons, then turned to the devil, "How many are avable for hire in the City of Freedom now?"


    "Not many. Most are hiding and practicing the Advancement Technique. A few have been sent to the Racial Union Area. Only a handful of poor guys who can''t even afford private transactions are still doing tasks to earn money."


    "Post a task to recruit adventurers to form a ve-hunting team. I need arge number of test subjects and forest elves. You decide the reward."


    The devil looked a bit troubled, "Master, they might not be willing or able to go out."


    "Then make the task mandatory, with a bonus. After capturing a certain number of ves, I will personally guide them in the practice of the Advancement Technique."


    The devil''s eyes lit up with a smile, "In that case, there will be no problem."


    After assigning the next tasks, Adam left the devil in theboratory to address the issue with Sophia.


    In truth, Adam could easily afford to keep Sophia without any sweat, and a frost dragon was indeed a formidable force. However, her identity as a dragon posed a significant problem. Currently, her mental development was not sound, and she mistakenly believed Adam to be a dragon stolen away at a young age. But as she grew older and her inheritance awakened, this misconception was bound to change.


    Creatures with an inheritance are never foolish. Even if they were, the knowledge andmon sense passed down through countless generations would eventually make them wise.


    The devil was cautiously standing beside the sleeping Sophia, trying to probe her spirit and soul.


    "How is it?" Adam asked.


    "Her soul is unguarded, but the awakened inheritance power is passively protecting her. Master, if she were still an egg like I was, forming a master-servant contract would be no issue. But now, any tampering within her soul might immediately trigger a bacsh."


    "And the consequences?"


    The devil pondered, "If we fail, the best oue would be her bing a fool or dying outright. Worse, it might attract the attention of the origin, given that, as you said, dragons are the creatures closest to the origin in the ne."


    "The second possibility is unlikely. The origin of the Dragon ne has significant issues. Even if it didn''t, it''s unlikely to be distracted by a young dragon."


    "So, Master?"


    Adam, looking at Sophia, said, "Let''s try. See if we can breach the passive defense of the origin. If possible, I will form a master-servant pact with her. If not, she''ll be my first dragon test subject."


    "You could form a symbiotic or equal contract with her. These won''t trigger any bacsh."


    Adam shook his head and walked away, "Impossible."


    "And if she dies or bes a fool?"


    "Then it''s just her bad luck."


    Throughout the Dragon ne, even the most isted races gradually learned of the miraculous city rising on the icy ins and its vast knowledge. More and more people converged towards the icy ins, a trend that elerated as the Bloodline Advancement Technique was proven effective. Many creatures, either seeking the technique or experiencing problems with its practice, left their original cities and flocked to the City of Freedom.


    Lina assigned a number to each subject practicing the art and collected a massive amount of data for Adam. He devoted all his time to analyzing these data. So far, apart from those who died due to life force depletion, no cases of the bizarre deaths Adam feared were found.


    The ve-hunting teams returned one after another. Keeping his promise, Adam selected many subjects for live experiments. Most died due to the brutality of the experiments, but a few, with Adam''s support, had their strength and bloodline ''enhanced''.


    Nobody cared about the numerous deaths. They only saw those who walked out of theboratory alive and instantly rose above the rest, drawing even more people into the process.


    After thousands of live experiments and sample analyses, Adam confirmed that the origin of the Dragon ne was indeed extinguished or in deep hibernation. It no longer had the power to oversee its world, and even suchrge-scale erosion faced no resistance.


    Adam decided to advance to a transcendent being, transforming into an adult frost dragon.


    He deeply concealed his true self, leaving only a fraction of his consciousness to control the dragon body. He even hid the electric elemental circuitry within him, striving to erase any traces of the Mage world during the ascension process.


    After ensuring everything was in order, Adam began his first practice of the Dragon Refinement Art.


    His bloodline boiled, elements ran wild, and his dragon body''s functions rapidly improved. A vast amount of bloodline power emerged within him, lingering due to theck of aplete dragon inheritance. As the energy found no outlet, it all fused into his body.


    Adam''s height broke the ten-meter barrier, reaching eleven meters, twelve meters, thirteen meters.


    In the City of Freedom, which had never been hit by a blizzard since its creation, the ice elements started to surge wildly. All species with natural energy in their bloodlines lost their powers in that instant. Uncontrolled elements began to devour their bodies, leaving them severely injured in just a few seconds.


    A snow tornado pierced through the magic array, destroying theboratory''s ceiling, and merged with Adam''s elemental power. His body grew again until his dragon head protruded outside theboratory.


    Then he roared!"

 Chapter 191: The Spark

    The loud dragon''s roar echoed through the whole ce, causing the blizzard to dissipate. To the shock of everyone, Adam soared into the sky, his dragon wings spreading wide, darkening the sky. The blizzard was brief, just a result of Adam''s recent advancement and his inability to perfectly control his body, leading to an overflow of energy. Once he realized that his essence was unharmed and his body was normal, the phenomena quickly vanished.


    But this was enough to instill fear in the merchants and adventurers of the City of Freedom. They had often wondered how someone managed to build a city on the icy ins and fend off numerous overt and covert challenges. Today, they believed they had their answer: behind the City of Freedom stood an adult dragon.


    Most people had never seen an adult dragon, but they could recognize the overwhelming dragon''s power that filled the sky and earth. It was a power they could not resist, not even able to muster the will to oppose.


    Adam had no interest in showing off his strength. After repairing hisb, he concealed his presence.


    Some in the City of Freedom, with ulterior motives, left filled with unease. If the city had been backed by a powerful being of another race, they might have epted it. But it was a dragon, a species known for theirziness. Now they wonder, what this dragon, who suddenly built a city and revealed the secret art of bloodline advancement, really wanted.


    ...


    Adam''s desire was simple.


    "I need a war," Adam said to the devil and Lina.


    The devil didn''t react much, knowing his master''s style better than anyone. From the moment Adam decided to build the city and spread the secret techniques, he knew a big announcement wasing.


    Lina, startled, took a moment before tentatively asking, "Master, do you want to rule the world? But... but I think with the current strength of the City of Freedom, it''s impossible."


    "Ha, rule the world? Master would never do something so boring. What he needs is..." the devil said excitedly, somewhat bored of the city lord game he had been ying for so long.


    "I need a war that engulfs the whole world. Elves, Spirit n, Dragon-men... and Dragons. No one can remain neutral."


    Lina couldn''t help but ask, "Why?"


    Adam didn''t want to answer. The usuallyughing devil''s face turned cold as he said, "As a ve, you should learn to obey, not question your master, even if you can''t understand his orders."


    Adam pointed towards the sky, and a basic map of the dragon ne, etched in ice crystal, appeared out of thin air. This map was pieced together from iplete ones provided by forest elves and numerous adventurers and merchants. It might not be entirely urate, but it was sufficient for his needs.


    Starting a war on a ne with a unified government isplex, as they have the power and authority to contain it. However, in this ce, it''s a feasible task. The city-state system is inherently chaotic, where even a minor incident can trigger a war. As the conflict esctes, people blinded by rage lose sight of order, only regaining their senses when both sides have inflicted deep, irreparable wounds on each other.


    Adam''s n was to provide such a spark.


    The Bloodline Advancement Art and the Blood Exchange Surgery were perfect catalysts for this.


    Adam instructed the devil, "Are those races still under your control?"


    "Of course."


    "Then fully disclose the Bloodline Advancement Art. Pick a few unrted city-states and some originally weak races. Give them the Blood Exchange Surgery. Make sure everyone realizes the importance of these two things. As for instigating, assassinating, allying, dividing, spreading rumors, and so on, I don''t need to teach you that, right?"


    The devil, burning with excitement, assured, "I promise toplete the task!"


    Adam nodded at him and then turned to Lina, "elerate the blood exchange for the forest elf ves. Your task and that of your ves is to stir the waters."


    Given the forest elves'' talents, they were the best candidates for stealth and assassination. Adam handed over arge number of elemental bombs to Lina, ordering her to lead her ves into the known dragon territories and awaken all the giant dragons from their slumber.


    The awakened dragons didn''t need to do much. As long as they were willing to leave theirirs, they would be walking disasters, capable of igniting the fury of all races.


    ...


    The n was crude, but Adam''s goal was merely to create chaos, so a meticulous strategy wasn''t necessary.


    Within just three months, every race in the dragon ne found their world transformed. Local conflicts escted rapidly, with fires of rebellion igniting everywhere. Alliances, betrayals, wars, andpromises urred every moment. Ordinary races had no choice but to participate in the war.


    The Bloodline Advancement Art had spread to everyone, treated as a treasure. Everyone used every possible moment to practice it, while the Blood Exchange Surgery became the greatest source of ughter.


    Tribes were tribes, and races were races. When they realized that consuming the blood of their own kind could make them stronger, even their own kin became untrustworthy.


    The war escted when the first sleeping giant dragon was awakened by an elemental missile. Enraged, it burst out of itsir, destroying several city-states, igniting a wildfire of conflict.


    In such chaotic times, the City of Freedom became an oasis of peace, untouched by war. Numerous refugees flooded in, only to be captured, transformed by Adam and the devil, and then driven out into the icy ins to further intensify the conflict.


    During this period, apart from adapting to his post-advancement strength, Adam meticulously sorted the intelligence and resources collected. The locations suitable for setting up ne Sacrifice Runes no longer mattered. Adam could sense that as more individuals practiced the Bloodline Advancement Art and drew upon the origin of the world, the origin''s resistance to erosion weakened. This wasn''t a sign of the essence strengthening or recovering but rather an indication that it was almostpletely defenseless.


    As more races gained power from this, the scale of the war expanded.


    Following this trend, the collision and fusion of the Dragon ne with Cthulhu seemed around the corner.


    After a month, Adam had fully been used to and mastered the power of his adult dragon form.


    Lina returned to the City of Freedom. She brought news that Adam had anticipated.


    "Master, the Dragon yer Guild has surfaced and joined the war. Most of their envoys have been stationed in various city-states, and a part of them is heading towards the City of Freedom. They want to kill you and take over the City of Freedom."

 Chapter 192: Envoy

    For centuries, the Dragon yer Guild had been hiding its true power. Once revealed, it grabbed everyone''s attention.


    Long years of lying low led the creatures of the Dragon ne to misunderstand the guild. They thought of it as just a free information hub, only sending out envoys to recruit weaker races. They didn''t see any significant actions from the guild.


    But this impression changed drastically. Even a slight show of its fangs shocked the entire Racial Union Zone.


    The guild''s envoys took over city-states, recing the ruling officials. They demanded everyone to stop practicing Bloodline Advancement Art and cease the endless wars.


    More than that, they infiltrated the territories of various dragon ns in the Dragon ne, harshly dealing with adventurers harboring ill intentions.


    It seemed like the Dragon yer Guild was protecting world peace.


    But weirdly, another group was doing the exact opposite. These envoys didn''t stop wars; instead, they added fuel to the fire started by Adam. After conquering cities, they freely taught the Refinement Art to different races and relentlessly waged war against the towns of the first group.


    Lina encountered one such envoy while on a mission in a fire dragon''s territory.


    "Master, this envoy is stronger than the one I killed before. If it weren''t for your power, I''d be dead," she said.


    "Didn''t your envoy status help?"


    Lina, terrified, replied, "He''s a madman! He demanded my submission, and when I hesitated, he attacked without giving me a chance to exin."


    Following Adam''s order, the demon read Lina''s memories.


    The attacking envoy''s energy level had reached the transcendent level of this world. He attacked Lina with a strangely colored energy beam. The memory showed that when the beam hit the elven body, it caused severe atrophy, killing the affected area. The nts hit by the beam lost vitality quickly, but when it missed and hit the ground or rocks, there was no noticeable effect.


    Lina''s battle with the envoy was brief. His abilities were too much for her. Adam felt that even if Lina reached the transcendent level, she couldn''t stand a chance against this envoy.


    Shaking in fear, Lina confessed, "Master, he''s very strong and terrifying. If he hadn''t underestimated my elemental missile, I wouldn''t have escaped."


    Adam quickly froze Lina for a moment, helping her to stabilize. Then he asked, "Did you bring back the ve''s corpse?"


    Lina frantically shook her head. "No, it''s deadly to touch!"


    The devil trembled her soul, and Lina fell into unconsciousness from fear. Meanwhile, Adam went to the city to reinforce the magical array.


    Adam had no intention of fleeing. The abilities of the Dragon yer Guild''s envoy sparked his interest. If his suspicion was correct, the Cthulhu world would be of unparalleled importance to him. It might be the shortcut he needed to discover electronic existence in the ether environment.


    ...


    The arrival of the envoy was slower than Adam had anticipated. On the third day after Lina returned to the City of Freedom, seven envoys dressed in ck hooded robes appeared in the sky outside the city. Without any deration or attempt tomunicate with Adam, theyunched an attack on the protective shield.


    The Energy stones at the energy nodes rapidly depleted while resisting, and the protective shield visibly weakened under the constant fluctuations.


    "Master? What do we do?" The devil was worried. The energy level of the seven envoys seemed not too strong individually, but Adam''s power hadn''t peaked either. In the world of mages, he would have been fearless, but here, the dragon''s body greatly limited him.


    "You stay here to protect myb," Adam instructed before taking flight. The fragile shield shattered as he spread his wings.


    Adam''s gigantic fifteen-meter body did not intimidate the envoys. They scattered across the sky and, without a word, unleashed seven energy beams targeting various parts of Adam''s body.


    "Defense."


    Adam uttered the word in the dragonnguage. Ice elements condensed on his body and bloomed outward,yer byyer, protecting him at the center.


    The defensive magic was pierced, but new ice elements quickly filled the gaps. The energy beams weakened and eventually dissipated in the sky.


    Adam was testing the envoys'' attack strength, and they, in turn, were gauging his power level. After the first round of the sh, they hovered silently in the snowstorm for a while before one of them spoke, "Are you the sole surviving egg from the Frost Dragon Disaster at the Neltharion Mountain Range?"


    The voice was strange, likely artificially modified, and it used a questioning tone to convey certainty.


    The envoy seemed not to need a response from Adam. He continued, "There''s a big problem with your origin and the Frost Dragon Disaster. We''ve known about it for a while, but we did nothing. Now it seems we were wrong. The best course would have been to kill you right away. Okov was a fool." The envoy''s way of speaking was odd, disjointed, as if he was speaking whatever came to mind.


    "You are elerating the demise of this world."


    "After the wars, we spent immense efforts convincing the dragon race and conquering our kin."


    "Just to live in a world that''s alive."


    "But you are destroying all of that, undoing our years of effort."


    "You are guilty."


    "You are an enemy of two worlds, of billions of beings."


    "So, you must die."


    "Then we will steer the world back on track."


    The envoys spoke one after another, their tone remaining calm yet clearly umting a towering rage.


    "So, you must die." In unison, the seven envoys finished theirst sentence and then shot at Adam energy beams far more terrifying than before.


    The seven beams converged, creating a bizarre wave of energy that annihted elements, leaving a ck trail between heaven and earth.


    "Elemental Cannon." Having transformed into the dragonnguage, this spell no longer required a long preparation time. In an instant, numerous cannon barrels formed in front of Adam, followed by a barrage of rockets filled with thunderous power, nketing the area in front of him."

 Chapter 193: The Real Treasure

    Afterbining the ice elemental shaping magic with the Dragonnguage, Adam realized that its controbility had greatly improved. The rocket barrages, unlike during his previous fight with the werewolves, did not scatter all over the ce but moved in an organized manner towards the energy beam.


    The power level of the energy beam wasn''t very high, but its piercing and condensing properties were terrifying. Although it was continuously bombarded by hundreds of elemental shells, its stability remained high and wasn''t disrupted by the explosive energy.


    A few secondster, the energy beam prated all the elemental rockets, but by then, Adam was no longer in the same ce.


    The conversation he had just overheard from the seven envoys had caught his attention. Half of what he thought was the truth had been overturned.


    It turned out that the Dragon yer Guild was not united. Its remnants, who should have been a united organization, had internal disputes due to differing ideas, splitting into two factions.


    There wasn''t much information, but the conclusion was easy to draw: As Cthulhu neared extinction, some of the Guild still wanted to open the gateway between the two worlds to reignite the war and summon their kin from the Cthulhu world. The other faction, however, grew timid after the war, wishing to live peacefully on the Dragon ne and not provoke another war that couldpletely destroy this already dying ne.


    Previously, it seemed the peace-loving members were stronger than the warmongers. They suppressed the unstable elements in the Dragon ne, drove them to the world''s edge in line with the allied races'' wishes, and reached an agreement with the dragon race, indirectly maintaining peace in the Dragon ne.


    It turned out that the Dragon yer Guild, named for ying dragons, was actually helping them.


    Adam recalled that The Greenleaf Tribe had been approached only after they were freed by Okov. Now he realized that the envoys'' visit to the dragon territories to the tribes was likely because they feared that these tribes would disturb the dragons'' slumber.


    Their actions were undoubtedly sessful. If not for Adam''s interference, the fragile peace could havested thousands of years. Although the energy level of beings here would gradually decrease, it was enough for those who simply wished to survive.


    But Adam''s arrival broke this hard-earned peace. The warmongers forcefully took control, dragging the ne into a war.


    The original Refinement Art must have been used by Cthulhu to tempt the dragons during their unity. After the war''s failure and the dragons'' refusal to be subdued, the peace-loving members had no choice but to allow the dragons to continue their cultivation.


    In that case, Lina''s Refinement Art must have been deliberately taught by the warmongers, intending to reveal this secret art to Adam through her.


    "I never expected to be used," Adam muttered to himself.


    His words were overheard by the envoys, who expressed their anger in a t tone: "Yes."


    "Fool being used."


    "Digging your own grave."


    "You deserve to die."


    Another wave of energy beams attacked. Adam set off two bombs under his feet, fully extended his dragon wings, and once again dodged the energy beam with the help of the explosion''s thrust. He kept on flying at high speed, continuously summoning missileunchers andrge-caliber machine guns made of shaping magic.


    After maturing, Adam''s energy reserves and the amount of external elements he could utilize far exceeded what he could in his younger dragon form. Even maintaining so many shaping magic forms, he didn''t feel tired.


    The envoys were powerful, posing a great threat to ordinary beings. Their ability to concentrate power made them immune to ordinary elemental attacks. However, Adam didn''t believe their bodies could match this strength; otherwise, the Dragon ne wouldn''t have stood a chance against their initial assault.


    "So, let''s give you a taste of bombing."


    Suddenly, Adam''s energy weapons began to emit elemental lights. The electric elements contained within them created a searing heat in the cold ice ins at the moment of activation and explosion.


    The light was too dazzling. Inside the bombardment zone, only lightning and explosions were visible. Even Adam''s dragon sight couldn''t prate this elemental frenzy.


    Adam''s guess was right. The bodies of beings from the Cthulhu world weren''t tough enough to resist such explosions. Their energy beams scattered, and their attacks stopped, suggesting that they were trying to evade.


    With a deep dragon roar, active elemental dragons, each asrge as Adam, continuously leapt out from his dragon breath. His already established frost domain covered a five-thousand-meter radius.


    Using his power for perception, Adam urately located the seven envoys. The bombs and elemental dragons found their targets, and precise strikes began.


    The messengers were overwhelmed.


    They had never seen such a method of attack. They thought dragons were powerful only because of their physicality and the vast elements they could manipte with Dragon Spells.


    However, Adam''s abilities went beyond their imagination. The terrifying speed of attack and the amount of elements stored in each energy shell left them scrambling for survival.


    The envoys could handle being hit by bullets and rocket barrages without much trouble, but when an elemental missile exploded right before their eyes, they lost any inclination to resist head-on.


    "Intruders!"


    "He is like us, from a different world."


    "So there are other worlds."


    ***Boom! Boom! Boom!***


    The envoys shattered three elemental dragons, and the massive ice elements momentarily froze them in ce. The elemental missiles, long aimed, urately hit their targets. After three loud explosions, only four envoys remained.


    Where the three messengers perished, a huge amount of radioactive elemental energy leaked, contaminating even the surrounding elements as it spread.


    Adam wasn''t the least bit afraid; he felt surprised and yelled, "Your abilities, your bodies, are fantastic!"


    The envoys'' robes were torn, revealing their horrifying bodies. For the first time, their expressions changed, showing a mix of sadness and horror that was particrly disturbing on their grotesque faces.


    "Powerful being from another world, we are just a group of wanderers who have lost our home. Whatever you seek here, we will no longer stand in your way. We could even give you this world if you wish. We only seek a ce to belong."


    Adam''s eyes gleamed with the thrill of discovery as he said, "No, this world holds no value for me. What''s truly useful are you and your homnd."

 Chapter 194: The Envoys Counterattack

    The envoys spoke pitifully about losing their homnd, but these words were just a cover-up for their betrayal of their own kind. Those iming to be peace seekers were just a group of traitors, greedy forfort and pleasure, unwilling to lend a hand to their homnd.


    Adam, however, felt not a trace of sympathy in his heart. When he, as an Explorer, arrived at the Dragon ne and discovered the Cthulhu ne, which likely harbored astonishingly valuable resources, his steps as a predator were already unstoppable.


    "The Cthulhu ne has be a realm of death. All that remains there are endless disasters and creatures like us, living a life worse than death. They are all useless."


    "Even a powerful being from another world, like you, cannot survive in Cthulhu. Any living being there will be turned into a monster by Cthulhu."


    "That is the punishment of the world."


    Seeing that the four envoys had no intention of continuing the fight, Adam didn''t mind chatting with them a bit longer. He still had some questions that hadn''t been answered.


    "What do you mean by ''the world''s punishment''?"


    The envoys were silent for a while before speaking: "After our ancestors ruled the world, they were not content to stay in one corner. They wanted to be stronger and created the Refinement Art. They began to extract the power of the world using the Refinement Art, so the world sent down a punishment that destroyed our civilization and turned us all into monsters."


    ''Ancestors,'' Adam noted the term. So, the envoys in front of him were not the original ones. "In that case, the offspring you produce, are they also monsters?"


    The sorrow of the envoys intensified. "Yes, whether it is among ourselves or with the creatures of this world, the offspring are always monsters, without exception."


    The continuous contamination by radioactive elements caused gic mutations, poisoning the offspring.


    The transformation of the creatures of the Cthulhu world into their current state indicated their inability to shield themselves from radiation. In this light, their world was indeed dead, and their civilization had no future.


    "Did you gain your power after the world''s punishment?"


    Adam asked curiously, while manipting the energy inside and outside his body. One after another, energy cannonballs materialized in the sky.


    Adam knew these guys had not given up yet. They thought their reinforcements had arrived silently, but they didn''t know that the entire ice in was almost covered with the moss of the forest elves.


    "That''s right, ording to ancient records, our ancestors were the pride of the world. We and all the creatures in the mountains, rivers, and nature were the best partners. We could borrow their power, but now we are just a group of monsters, only able to use the abilities of monsters."


    The old civilization was shattered, never to be reimed again. The punishment of the world might be a curse from the origin itself, affecting all life under it, sparing none.


    Adam sensed several life forces stealthily approaching and hurriedly asked hisst and most crucial question, "Your powerse from Cthulhu. Why can they be used in the Dragon ne as well?"


    Suddenly, three envoys lunged towards Adam. Thest one shouted, "Invader, die."


    ***Boom! Boom! Boom!***


    After three muffled sounds, the three envoys exploded. Their flesh and blood, momentarily separated, then condensed together.


    Thest envoy unleashed a massive energy beam, which, after passing through the concentrated corpses of the first three, split into three and greatly amplified. The strangely colored energy beam drew a bizarre rainbow in the sky, heading straight for Adam.


    At the same time, ten simr energy beams from all directions, centered on Adam''s floating position, shot towards him. After splitting, a total of thirty beams crisscrossed in the air, forming a tight around Adam.


    Adam contracted his dragon power just outside his body, causing a dense explosion of elemental energy around himself. Using the shockwaves and thrust from the explosions, he shot towards the sky like a meteor.


    The elemental cannonballs he had prepared earlier fell like rain, indiscriminately bombarding everywhere.


    However, the envoys had gone mad and they didn''t care if they could take the bombarding at all. Determined to perish together, they aimed topletely trap Adam in the.


    The was too fast and dense. Even with Adam''s preparedness and quick decision-making, he couldn''t avoid being hit.


    The energy beams rapidly eroded Adam''s defense, piercing towards Adam''s body.


    If theposition of the energy beams was as Adam had expected, the electromaic magic inherent to his true form would be the bane of the energy beams. However, Adam now realized he had overestimated the strength of the dragon body.


    Adam quickly formed an ice de to sever the body parts that were hit, then used extreme cold to kill those cells.


    This was the only thing he could do at that moment.


    "He''s hurt!"


    "Keep going!"


    "Kill him!"


    The only remaining envoy from the first group roared. They had been bombarded to the point of disarray since the start of the battle, and now they finally saw Adam injured.


    The energy, like relentless parasites, closely followed Adam and kept shrinking. Once enveloped, Adam would have no choice but to reveal his true form, hoping the origin of the world would overlook this time.


    With a roar, the battle intensified.


    The dragon''s roar shook heaven and earth. Within Adam''s body, a long-dormant energy circuit began to slowly activate. This fully awakened the shape-shifting talent he inherited from the werewolves.


    Adam''s body, while ascending, began to shrink.


    From a massive fifteen-meter dragon form, he rapidly condensed to a size of four meters. His body was covered withyers of brilliant ice crystals.


    The overflowing power of his bloodline formed numerous elemental dragon figures around him. They extended their ws and fangs in all directions, forcefully holding back the contraction of the energy.


    Seizing this momentary pause, Adam finally freed himself from the binding. The elemental dragons and the energy beams exploded simultaneously, creating a vast vacuum of energy between heaven and earth.


    Despite his reduced size, the strength in Adam''s body didn''t diminish in the slightest. On the contrary, due to the concentration of mass, it became more condensed.


    Now, his dragon form could be considered an Ice Elemental Trueself to some extent. In this state, every move and thought of Adam was magic itself.


    Adam opened his mouth and unleashed a dragon''s breath, which transformed into elemental missiles upon leaving his body.


    As these missiles interacted with the external environment, they began to split apart, quickly filling the sky. With white-purple tails of me, they howled towards the Dragon yer Guild envoys.


    Seeing Adam escape, the envoys self-destructed without hesitation, in an attempt to repeat their earlier tactics. However, by this time, Adam had already appeared in front of them."

 Chapter 195: The Envoys Counterattack

    After Adam gained highly condensed energy and semi-elemental dragons, the envoys, who were no match for Adam just now, now seemed even less of a threat.


    They needed to build an energywork, but their positions were so spread out that they were unable to even merge their energy beams.


    When Adam charged at them, the envoys who hadn''t exploded suddenly grabbed and stuffed condensed flesh and blood into their mouths. Adam had never seen the effects of directly consuming radioactive material, but now he was witnessing it.


    The envoys'' bodies began to mutate. Internal tissues grew out of their bodies, forming irregrly shaped flesh buds that looked like tentacles.


    Their bodies continuously shrank until they became spherical. What was once a terrifying but human-like form hadpletely turned into a monstrous shape.


    Tentacles unfolded, revealing disgusting mouths that snapped at Adam. At the same time, they rapidly shot out energy beams from their mouths. Each beam was as fine as a needle but all the beams covered the sky densely.


    Adam then cast three spells in Dragonnguage: "Arctic Befalling," "Blizzard," and "Absolute Zero."


    Centered around him, an unimaginable cold rapidly spread. Massive ice elements formed into snowkes and ice crystals in the sky. Starting from their tentacles, the envoys quickly froze, the ice spreading to their monstrous bodies.


    The energy beams in the sky slowed down in the cold, their energy levels decreasing. As Adam roared a second time in Dragonnguage, they were ultimately frozen in mid-air.


    A storm of snow and ice suddenly came down but was stopped outside the range of Adam''s magic. If there were others watching the battle, they would see the spectacle of the blizzard frozen in time.


    Even natural disasters were resisted.


    The remaining three envoys fell to the ground, and the ancient ice on the tundra shattered like dried rocks.


    Adam breathed out heavily, releasing the spell. This level of energy output was a great strain on him, but luckily, he ended the battle before his energy waspletely drained.


    He returned to the ground and drove the elemental dragons to pick up the threerge ice blocks. He still couldn''t directly touch these radioactive sources, so he couldn''t study them directly. Instead, he carefully preserved them.


    Meanwhile, in the City of Freedom, things were far from peaceful.


    The devil had divided the City of Freedom in two, starting from where Adam''s battle began, creating a contaminated area. Themon lives in that area had already started showing signs of mutation in a short time. The devil was mobilizing monsters and highly paid adventurers to drive them out.


    After flying over the City of Freedom and seeing the chaos, Adam dropped ten elemental missiles. The explosion wiped out half of the City of Freedom, including all life within it.


    Ignoring the shocked and angry reactions of others, Adam directly descended into hisboratory.


    Lina was astonished, asking, "Master, why are you so small now?"


    Adam tossed the threerge ice blocks aside and dove into a mountain of Energy Stones.


    The recent battle had drained him significantly. Natural recovery would take too long, and with the possibility of another attack from the peace-seekers, Adam needed to restore his energy quickly.


    Lina, terrified by the ice blocks, wished to leave them right away. Meanwhile, the devil curiously touched one of the blocks, and his dragon body quickly copsed. He quickly retreated into Adam''s mind.


    "Master, what are those things? Just touching them almost killed me," the devil eximed in Adam''s mind.


    Adam didn''t respond, focusing on devouring the Energy stones. After eating all the stones in the City of Freedom, he felt slightly better. He then asked Lina about the remaining forest elves.


    "Not many left, less than thirty. Some were contaminated and died in the recent battle," Lina replied.


    Adam instructed her to take the remaining elves and leave, pausing their mission to harass the dragons and to recall all her ves.


    "What about the City of Freedom? And the city lord, he just..." Lina asked cautiously.


    "City of Freedom is abandoned. Don''t worry about the rest; just leave now," Adam replied.


    Lina left with her ves, filled with questions.


    "Master, what''s our next move?" the devil asked after Lina had gone.


    Adam buried the ice blocks deep underground and destroyed all his experimental data. "We''re going to The Racial Union Zone, a city governed by the Dragon yer Guild," he said.


    "To seek revenge?" the devil asked.


    "No, I need some vital information."


    The devil hesitated, then suggested, "Master, perhaps your exploration mission is alreadyplete. The issues in the Cthulhu world aren''t part of your task. Why not send the information back to the Mage Network? Let the high-level mages of the Tower decide on the rest."


    Adam had indeed considered the importance of Cthulhu. He was worried about the potential repercussions of introducing the mage''s Heart of the World to the origin of both worlds, fearing they might not withstand the pressure.


    His primary concern was that any disturbance in the void might redirect the approaching Cthulhu ne, leading to unforeseenplications.


    So, Adam decided, "Not yet. I need to wait until the two worlds collidepletely, or until I truly enter Cthulhu, before I can report the oue of my mission."


    The devil, understanding that Adam''s decision wouldn''t change, changed the subject, "Master, what about the young female dragon? I haven''t unlocked the seal of her inheritance yet."


    Adam paused, "Didn''t I tell you to make a pact with her directly?"


    The devil wanted to save the young dragon, who was interested in mating with Adam, for future amusement, but he did not dare admit it. Thus, he awkwardly responded, "I haven''t had the chance yet."


    "Then bring her along," Adam said decisively.


    Meanwhile, the war in the Dragon ne was escting.


    Those who wanted to fight took this chance to make the war bigger using crazy ways. It''s easier to break things than to build them, so the peace that had been there for years was now gone. The regr folks didn''t matter much, but the angry dragons started toe out of their caves, making things go in a way the peace-seekers didn''t want.


    At the same time, races living on the edges of the Dragon ne''s worlds also came out of their hidden ces and joined the war."

 Chapter 196: The Dragons Intervene

    The allied races were furious.


    They had honored their ancestors'' will, guarding the world''s edge for centuries without faltering. Their sole aim was to protect the fragmented origin from further harm. But now, the Dragon yer Guild, which had promised peace, had sparked a war. They spread forbidden magic widely. Feeling deceived, these races emerged from their ancestralnds, heading to the Racial Union Zone, seeking answers from the Dragon yer Guild.


    Unsurprisingly, the war-seekers paid no attention. They even killed the allied races'' envoys, aiming to provoke them further. To them, erging the scale of war mattered more than the number of enemies they had.


    The peace-seekers, however, were troubled. They had to counter the war-seekers'' relentless assaults while pacifying the races who knew the truth. This series of events left them overwhelmed, unable to spare forces to pursue Adam.


    There was a silver lining for the peace-seeker, though. The ''peripheral members'' they had nurtured among the dragons for years were finally making an impact. Some dragons began siding with the peace-seekers, ceasing their indiscriminate destruction and turning against the war-seekers.


    After initial anger, the dragons realized that their true home, the Dragon ne, was irreceable for them. If the world was utterly destroyed, they too would face dire consequences.


    After a brief existence, the City of Freedom became history. Adam, without any hesitation, destroyed the city and headed towards the Racial Union Zone.


    Surprisingly, Adam faced no obstruction from the peace-seeker on his journey. The only threats he encountered were dragon yers lured by the sight of young dragons in the sky, but they were easily dealt with.


    The shape-shifting talent Adam acquired from the werewolves proved immensely useful. It exceeded his expectations, allowing him topress and concentrate bloodline and energy in remarkable ways.


    Adam had now shrunk to a mere three meters in size. His flesh and blood were reced by solid ice elements, yet his bloodline and energy storage capacity remained unchanged. The energy that once filled his fifteen-meter frame now only upied thirty percent of his current form, making him more than three times stronger than before.


    However, Adam felt some regret. Despite the increase in power, this change in quantity still did not lead to a qualitative change. Elemental energy, no matter how concentrated, was no match for magic.


    "So, how strong are you now, master?" the devil asked.


    After some consideration, Adam replied, "If the dragons don''t receive higher-level energy inheritance after reaching adulthood, then Okov will no longer be a match for me."


    In this world, knowledge and energy determine a being''s strength. With limited soil for knowledge, energy bes the deciding factor. Adam''s total energy was nowparable to Okov''s.


    It had taken days to reach the ice ins before, but now, in just a day, he was nearing the outskirts of the Racial Union Zone.


    "We must stop that frost dragon. He''s making things worse!" An urgent meeting was being held at Dragon yer Guild''s temporary headquarters in Aburu City, in the peace-seeker''s camp.


    "Morris, we can''t," argued Bru. "We''ve already lost over twentyrades to him. He''s too cunning, never giving us a chance to surround him. And he''s too fast. None of us can stop him one-on-one."


    Over thirty remnants from the Cthulhu world were gathered, their robes removed to reveal their repulsive heads, their expressions filled with helpless anger.


    "Damn it! He''s forcing us into a corner!" Bru mmed his fist on the armrest of his chair, which shattered into pieces. His anger had reached its peak.


    "Calm down, Bru. Maybe this is what he wants to see."


    "The Racial Union Zone isn''t like the ice ins. We can''t act freely here without inciting public outrage. The dragons and allied races won''t allow it," the envoysmented. They were walking radiation sources, and using their full powers would spell doom for all ordinary races within range, provoking the already pacified races.


    "What about the dragons? Haven''t they said anything about the trouble they caused?" Bru began, but was cut off by a cold, powerful dragon. A massive creaturended outside the hall, shattering the ceiling.


    ***Thud.***


    As the envoys brushed off debris, resisting their rising fury, they looked up to see a pair of emotionless, gigantic eyes staring down at them.


    "My child, Chris Frost. Where is he now?"


    The envoys brushed aside the falling bricks and stone, replying coldly, "Okov, that''s not your child. He''s an invader from another world!"


    Okov''s gaze remained unaltered as he spoke with a rumbling voice, "No, no, no, that is my child. I am fortunate to have a child from a different ne. He carries my bloodline, and rightfully belongs to me."


    "Greed! Foolishness!" Bru flew up to confront Okov, scolding angrily, "He only brings disaster. You will gain nothing from him!"


    Okov blinked and breathed out a disdainful dragon''s breath towards him. "You monsters have no right to defame the noble dragon race. Compared to my child, you are the true disasters."


    The envoys swiftly took to the sky, restraining the growling Bru. Morris, the leader of the envoys, spoke seriously, "Okov, I must remind you, less than a month ago your child was a fifteen-meter-tall adult dragon. Now, he is less than three meters tall but far more powerful than before."


    Okov responded solemnly, "I know. I believe he has awakened some ancient and powerful dragon heritage. As a member of the dragon race, he is obliged to share this heritage."


    Bru broke free from the grasp, furiously retorting, "He''s an invader. His abilities don''t belong to you. No one knows if his powers might elerate the world''s demise."


    Unmoved, Okov stressed, "No, it is a dragon heritage. Now, tell me his location. The wandering child should return to his father''s side."

 Chapter 197: Meeting Okov

    In the Dragon ne, the dragons stood as the mightiest and most intelligent race.


    They carried ancient memories, knowing their ancestors possessed the power to leave this world. They faintly remembered many suitable ces for their kind in the void. However, during the war with Cthulhu, many of their powerful ancestors either perished in battle or died sealing dimensional rifts to protect the origin of the world. None of the transcendent dragons survived.


    Since then, with their origin damaged, the dragons couldn''t reach their former heights. So, they cooperated with the Cthulhu world.


    The Refinement Art provided them a chance to grow stronger. But this art, damaging the origin to empower oneself, bound them more tightly to the Dragon ne. Over generations, they increasingly felt the world rejecting them.


    However, the dragons believed they found a solution. They were convinced that Chris Frost, a child of Okov from another world, possessed a stronger legacy. It was the only exnation for his rapid aging and subsequent reversion to youth.


    The dragons thought that if they got this legacy, they could return to their peak. By then, they would be able to leave this world, and either Cthulhu or the damaged origin of the world wouldn''t matter anymore.


    Morris, understanding the dragons'' nature, knew persuasion was useless, as they would only learn from their stubborn mistakes. Pointing to a circled area on the map, Morris says, "He''s too fast for our people to pinpoint, but he wasst seen near Nagi City."


    Pausing, he continued, "Okov, he''s really strong. I hope it''s not just you going after him. And if you catch him, kill him immediately. Trust us, we care about the safety of this world as much as anyone else."


    Okov scoffed, spread his wings, and flew off, his violent ice element rudely sweeping the surroundings.


    "We''re dragons, and we don''t need anyone''s guidance," he says before heading to the designated location.


    After Okov''s departure, Bru regains hisposure. "Morris, Something''s wrong with the Dragon n. I don''t think we can trust them anymore."


    Morris, with a thoughtful expression on his ugly face, replies, "They were never trustworthy. I think they''ve set their sights on the invader''s world."


    "If the Dragon n turns against us again, we''re finished."


    Bru suddenly lifts his head, "Morris, is there any possibility for us to..."


    Morris strokes his face, sadly looking at Bru and his kin, "You know, we are a disaster. No world will wee us, and we no longer have the strength to start another invasive war."


    Adam moved like a ghost across various battlefields. Whenever he saw the peace-seekers gaining the upper hand, he intervened with elemental rocket barrages to prevent them from ughtering those practicing Refinement Art.


    Also, he asionally helped the peace-seekers too, aiming to thoroughly stir the waters, dragging the Dragon yer Guild and the allied mortal races into the mire of war.


    Unable to find an opportunity to contact the war-seeker''s envoy, Adam reconsidered his urgency. He had wanted to ask if the war-seekers had a way to connect two worlds. However, heter realized that if they had such capability, they would have brought more powerful beings from Cthulhu and wouldn''t have been suppressed by the peace-seekers for so long.


    Understanding this, Adam decided to focus on being a disruptor. Since the war-seekers'' approach seemed more beneficial to Cthulhu, he decided to help elerate their process.


    "Master, your little maid has infiltrated the main cities of both parties as ordered. There''s a piece of news you''ll find interesting," reported the devil.


    Adam, flying alone to another battlefield, had left Sofia in a rtively safe ce. In a surprise attack, having Sofia around him would only expose him to greater danger.


    "What news?" Adam asked.


    "The Dragon n is making a move. They''re nning to act against you, master. It''s unclear who wille or how many."


    Adam suddenly stopped in midair. His icy crystal scales shone as he deployed severalyers of defense. Just then, a rapidly spinning ice spear appeared in the air, hurtling towards Adam with a fierce whistle, colliding with his defenses and creating a violent elemental storm.


    When the storm cleared, a gigantic Frost Dragon, twenty meters tall, appeared a kilometer in front of Adam.


    "Okov."


    The dragon spread its wings, floating in the air, its slit pupils looking interestedly at Adam. "Chris, my child, shouldn''t you call me ''father''?" Okov''s dragon might spread, causing the weather in this area to change and bearing down on Adam. "Or should I call you ''invader''?"


    Adam also unleashed his dragon power. If Okov''s power was like mountains and seas, Adam''s was like a de, easily cutting through all pressure.


    Okov''s eyes brightened, energizing the ice elements around him. He went on, "A heritage different from all dragons I''ve ever known, is this the power of your world? It''s impressive."


    Standing again before Okov, Adam no longer felt the danger he felt before.


    Okov was strong, with more energy reserves after his slumber, but he was beatable to Adam now. Adam had grown a lot since they metst time.


    Okov said bluntly, expressing his purpose, "Come with me, don''t resist. You should know how powerful the dragons are. I assure you, if you hand over the heritage power of your world, no one will harm you. I promise you that soon enough, we can send you back to the world youe from."


    Despite Adam using highly concentrated energy, Okov did not take him seriously, seeing him merely as a young dragon. "In our ancient memories, our ancestors once visited other worlds and became their masters. If you obey, the dragons can grant you such glory."


    "You want to go to my world?" Adam asked, his tone slightly odd.


    "Of course!" Okov replied as if it were obvious. "This world is so broken, too broken to contain the greatness of the dragons. As the most magnificent race in the world, we deserve all the wealth and power."


    Adam lowered his head and sighed: "Haven''t the ancestors of the Dragon n told you that the void is vast and full of dangers, and that the dragons are merelyrger beasts?"

 Chapter 198: Meeting Okov (2)

    Okov appeared to find something extremely amusing. He pointed at Adam and eximed, "A beast? You''re calling the Dragonkind beasts? Chris, my dear, what strange idea made you think like that?"


    He sensed a powerful force umting in the dragon horns aimed at him, and noticed some ice elements in the air that he couldn''t control. "Do you n to fight back? It won''t work. Even though you possess a dragon''s body, you''ll never fully grasp our power. You don''t stand a chance against me."


    Adam understood from Okov''s words that in ancient times, there were indeed some exceptionally powerful dragons among the Dragonkind.


    These dragons were umon. Maybe they had discovered a few new nes, but they hadn''t faced the true terrors of the void before being pulled into war by Cthulhu. Otherwise, a race with ne-crossing power wouldn''t have had such arrogant ideas as Okov''s.


    "It makes sense, master. If nes had ages, then only when a ne bes mature can he produce a race able to move through nes. The dragon ne, however, was a very unfortunate one. They produced such a race just as another ne targeted them, interrupting the progress," the devilughed with joy. He took pleasure in seeing the dragon''s foolishness, feeling clever byparison.


    Adam gently touched his own horn and asked quietly, "Okov, are you very powerful?"


    "Absolutely, I''m one of the mightiest among the Frost Dragons, and even in all of Dragonkind, I''m a formidable force. Share with me all the legacies of your world, and I''ll recognize you as my child," Okov dered with pride. "Yield to me, and I''ll give you the privilege of a real dragon. Soon, I will guide you to conquer your world, showing your true power."


    "So, you really are just beasts, the strongest one is just like you," Adam said with sympathy.


    "Enough, my tolerance has its limits. Decide now, surrender or oppose!" Okov lost his patience, and as his mood darkened, the temperature dropped. Snow started falling from the sky. "Take this chance, or you''ll bring disasters upon yourself and yournd!"


    A spiral of ice elemental energy burst out from Adam''s dragon horn. The intense energy broke through Okov''s dragon power, clearing the weather he created in an instant, and Adam was suddenly right in front of Okov.


    Furious, Okov opened his mouth and released dragon fire to counter the energy, shouting, "You''re courting death!"


    The energy beam easily sliced through the dragon fire, dispersing it. Okov, filled with fear, moved quickly to the side, but the energy beam went through a part of his neck. Before he could recover, a barrage of missiles hit him from every direction.


    His twenty-meter-tall body was such an easy target.


    Adam''s body shimmered with white and purple light, instantly moving behind Okov. His dragon wings, sharp as des, shed deeply across Okov''s back, exposing bone. "If I weren''t trapped in this dragon body, I could''ve killed you more easily than kill any other beasts."


    Okov roared, his silver-white blood turning into thousands of sharp des thrusting towards Adam. Simultaneously, he spun around, his dragon tail breaking the sound barrier, fiercely aiming for Adam''s head. "Chris! You have enraged me!"


    Adam folded his dragon wings, creating an ice crystal shield. The massive force of the dragon tail couldn''t shake him. He then unleashed a dragon breath, and an elemental missile exploded right in front of Okov.


    Okov was sted away, his body torn and miserable.


    However, such a close-range attack, which could have killed a normal transcendental being, didn''t inflict a fatal wound on Okov. Instead, it gave him a moment to breathe.


    "Ice Roar!"


    "Frost Nova!"


    "Frost Domain!"


    Okov, in his fury and astonishment, consecutively cast three Dragon Spells. An elemental dragon mouth snapped at Adam, followed by a rapid expansion of dragon might. In the area, ice energy spells fell like swords, and the freezing weather solidified the air. Then, around Adam, clusters of condensed elements exploded.


    Adam, hovering motionless in the air, countered with the same spells, but his were more powerful.


    "Yeah, the same old songs. With such talents and conditions, you failed to develop a real civilization? What a pointless and foolish race," Adam said, suddenly disappearing and reappearing next to Okov. After delivering a taunt that further enraged Okov, he cut out a second wound on him.


    "No one gets to mock the dragons, and neither do you!"


    Okov roared continuously, blood spraying. The ice elements around him became more active, shaping into various forms and repeatedly attacking Adam. "I want you dead, and your world will be destroyed because of you!"


    Mockery shone in Adam''s vertical pupils. pping his ws together, ten elemental missiles formed a circle around Okov. Controlling the direction of the explosion through his dragon might, the shockwave cleared away the ice elements. Adam used the recoil to retreat a kilometer away, his dragon wings stirring, filling the sky with missiles and artillery.


    "I look forward to that day. If you survive today, maybe soon, you''ll see the world you wish to destroy."


    "Now, get ready for the shower of my gunfire!"


    As Okov came back to his senses after the explosion of ten missiles, his once-majestic dragon shape was hardly recognizable. His scales were destroyed, and even his wings were distorted and damaged. However, he had no time to care for his injuries, as a flood of elemental missiles was rapidly approaching, already less than a hundred meters away.


    All he could do was show a look of terror before being totally consumed by the intense attack.


    Okov was no match for Adam. The Dragonkind, even though they had a lot of energy, didn''t know how to use it well. They had been using very basic magic to shape energy for a very long time.


    The Dragonkind, having never had a strong enemy to test them, didn''t dare to try new things. They were too caught up in their own greed andziness, thinking they were better than everyone else, like frogs in a small pond. A race like this was sure to fail eventually. Even if the Mage World didn''t step in, they wouldn''t have been able to survive another attack from the world of Cthulhu.


    ''Doesn''t the Dragonkind have any better knowledge of their history?'' Adam wondered, looking at Okov, who was now stuck to the ground with seven long spears.


    The dragons were known for being very strong and tough. Despite his bad injuries, Okov was still trying to move. But then, a powerful electric shock went through his body, turning his injuries into burnt flesh.

 Chapter 199: The Sky Splits Apart

    "If our ancestors hadn''t fallen in battle, an invader like you..." Okov stared at Adam with intense hatred. He deeply regretted ignoring Morris''s advice. If he had just let go of his foolishness and greed, he wouldn''t be in this terrible situation.


    Adam didn''t let him finish. "Even if your savage ancestors were still alive, someone stronger than me would havee eventually. So, the end result would be the same. You should feel lucky. This is my first mission. If it weren''t, you would have been gone long ago."


    Adam was speaking the truth. For a first mission, the Tower would never assign something too hard, as that would be like sending someone to their death. Running into two nes on the edge of war was just a chance event.


    Okov misunderstood, thinking Adam was making fun of him. "You arrogant---"


    Suddenly, the sky shook and rumbled.


    The blue sky of the ne, which looked like fake ss, broke after a huge shake. The strange colors Adam saw at the edge of the world poured out from the broken barrier, spreading across the ne. The ground underneath them cracked right away, the energy in the air lessened again, reced by air that smelled of rot.


    At that moment, Adam felt his dragon body was getting weaker.


    It was as if he could hear cries of pain and defiance from the world''s origin.


    The odd scene onlysted a few seconds. Then, the blue sky came back, covering the weird lights, but every creature could see that the sky looked more fragile and less real than before.


    "Cthulhu," Adam whispered.


    Okov fought hard, yelling, "Damn it, let me go! Our world is ending. Why now? Why wouldn''t you just hand over your legacy?"


    Adam looked down at him and then set off the ice spears. Okov never got to say hisst curse as he turned into a dead dragon.


    The recent events showed Cthulhu had found the exact location of the Dragon ne, and the first sh had already happened. More of these events were bound to ur. Whether Okov told Adam anything about it or not didn''t matter anymore, as Adam was about to learn what he wanted to know by himself.


    "Master, what was that?" the devil asked inside his head.


    "The origin got weaker again. Cthulhu has found a way to connect and invade. The war between the two worlds is about to start."


    The energy that came out of Okov''s body in the explosion wasn''t much. Before, it would have only made a small crater on the ground at most. But now, from where the explosion happened, several long cracks spread, showing that the Dragon ne was close to dying, barely able to keep itself together.


    "Master, I think I might be able to make myself show in the real world now," the devil said, sounding unsure.


    Adam had been hiding his true form in a special space made by a rebirth spell since he got to the Dragon ne. Hearing the devil''s words, he moved a little for the first time. The kind of dangerous power he once felt was still there, and even a small movement from him could cause the origin to find and kill him.


    Adam felt that the origin might be more unstable right now. It was dying and bing unpredictable.


    "Let''s wait a bit longer. Maybe after the next sh, I can get out of this dragon body," Adam decided to y it safe. If he made a mistake now, he could lose years of hard work.


    "Okay, master. But doesn''t this mean your mission is done? Since the sh has happened, Cthulhu and the Dragon ne won''t split again."


    The devil didn''t want to get out too soon, because, even if he could get out and show himself, Adam would use him as a magic wand at best, which wasn''t as easy as staying where he was now.


    "There are still things we don''t know. From now on, I need to find a way to slow down how fast the war-seekers are damaging the origin," Adam said.


    "Huh? Why?" The devil was a bit confused.


    "The origin is scared. I''m worried it might destroy itself. The Dragon ne, being thending point of mages into this worldter, needs to be kept safe."


    Two dayster...


    "Master, the war-seekers have started to make the battlefield smaller. They''ve killed some beings practicing Refinement Art and races that didn''t follow orders to stop the war," the devil told Adam. "Lina and the forest elves have been told to stay in the city and not go out."


    The war-seekers made the war area smaller by themselves, and that had nothing to do with Adam. They wanted to let Cthulhu eat up the origin of the Dragon ne, adding a lifeline to Cthulhu''s already dead world. However, they also knew that for Cthulhu to live longer, the Dragon ne''s origin could be weakened, but it mustn''t be destroyed.


    This move by the war-seekers gave Adam some time to take a rest. His dragon body was getting weaker, and this was showing up in his body size, making it bigger.


    He had killed Okov, and if he got caught, all the dragons woulde at him for revenge. Also, because the war-seekers were shrinking, the peace-seekers had more resources and it was easier for them to fight back against Adam. If Adam continued to stir the waters, the backfire would bring him great troubles.


    "Tell Lina to stay out of sight for now. She doesn''t need to do anything during this time. Don''t lose too many forest elves," Adam told the devil.


    After passing on Adam''s orders, the devil asked, "What about us, master?"


    Adam looked up at the sky and the ground, feeling the energy in the space getting weaker. "We wait. After the second sh, I''ll go and figure out where the world boundaries are. When the first rift in the dimensions opens, I''ll send all the information we''ve gathered to the Mage Network."


    ...


    The second collision did not keep Adam waiting for long. Half a monthter, the sky of the Dragon ne trembled once again, and the energy level of the ne dropped to a critical level.


    Adam''s dragon body shrunk to a height of fifteen meters. The energy reserves within the ne were no longer sufficient to support the previous level of concentration. After constructing an elemental missile, the energy Adam used took five times longer to replenish than before.


    The Dragon ne entered a bizarre period of calm. The war had essentially ended, but a greater panic weighed on everyone''s hearts. Cthulhu was no longer a secret, and everyone knew that the terrifying enemy from ancient times would descend upon their world once again.


    Adam returned to the ice ins. The previously marked boundaries of the world had moved inward by two hundred kilometers.


    Near the boundaries, void storms pierced through the crystal barrier, turning everything to ash. Radiating energy from Cthulhu also seeped through the boundaries into the Dragon ne.


    If this continued, it wouldn''t be long before the environment suitable for ordinary species to survive wouldpletely vanish.


    Adam swiftly circled the Dragon ne along its boundaries, experiencing both the third and fourth collisions during this journey. Finally, three months after killing Okov, the sky cracked open."

 Chapter 200: Response From The Tower

    The blue skypletely vanished, and every creature in the Dragon ne could see a massive, terrifying scar in the sky. Those beings beyond transcendent could even see through this scar into the other side of the dimensional rift, a world of deathly silence.


    The boundary of the world shook violently and moved inwards by five hundred kilometers. The void storm was no longer confined to the boundary''s edge but blew wildly into the ne from fluctuating and weak points. In the changing light and shadow of the boundary, countless demonic shadows relentlessly charged forward, never retreating until crushed by the storm.


    Adam, with wings spread, quickly left the boundary. After stopping, a phantom appeared before him, rapidly solidifying into a physical form. The devil joyfully said, "Master, the restrictions of the world''s origin have disappeared from me!"


    As soon as he said that, the heavens changed again.


    ***Boom!***


    Some terrifying creatures seemed to be attacking the dimensional rift fiercely, causing the entire Dragon ne to tremble.


    ***Boom! Boom!***


    As the trembling continued, cracks appeared in the shattered ground.


    "Master, something terrifying ising!"


    Adam heard a louder and clearer breaking sound. Then, a massive tentaclepletely pierced the crystal barrier and entered the Dragon ne. It tightly gripped the edge of the barrier, and then, a second tentacle entered, slowly erging the dimensional rift.


    A brutal, insane roar came from a distant ce. Through the dimensional rift, Adam saw an unimaginably huge creature roaring in anger.


    "This is not a normal transcendent-level creature! A mutation of Cthulhu has given birth to a terrifying creature!" the devil eximed in horror. "Master, connect to the Mage Network. We cannot resist a creature of this level!"


    Adam nodded. It was time. The energy fluctuations of the Dragon ne meant it could no longer suppress beings from other nes. The power of the nearby world was gathering, and soon the Dragon ne would be an easy target.


    Adam''s true form curled up like a baby, his dragon body mimicking the action. The dragon body naturally floated up, a field forming around it. The chaotic energy of the outside world became calm the moment it touched the field. His true self slowly stretched out, stood up, and then opened his eyes.


    The dragon body stiffened for a moment, then split open at the chest, and Adam stepped out.


    Adam softly called out to the devil. The devil flew towards him, transforming into an azure magic wand as itnded in his hand.


    Adam slightly raised his hand, and the Mage Network was activated. The magic power uploaded to the Mage Network instantly filled Adam''s soul and body. A maic field formed into an armor, automatically keeps all harmful substances around away from him.


    Then, a small dimensional rift opened behind Adam, and several ugly, mutated monsters from Cthulhu rushed into the Dragon ne.


    They attacked the living creature they saw without hesitation. Beams of energy shot out from their mutated body.


    "Each one is at the transcendent level."


    Adam swung his magic wand, teleporting a kilometer away. Runes of a sma cannon appeared in the air, and a hot sma stream turned the monsters into ashes.


    Adam exhaled with satisfaction, feeling slightly intoxicated by the regained sense of knowledge and power.


    A second terrifying roar came from outside the dimensional rift. Adamnded back on the ground and logged his soul into the Mage Network: "Explorer Adam, requesting connection to the Tower."


    ...


    For the Tower, each Explorer is an elite. The Tower had even established departments to process all Explorer''s intelligence and requests immediately.


    Due to the rarity of Explorers and the long duration of their missions, the mages in the exploration department are usually idle. However, they never neglect their duties, promptly processing every request connected to the Mage Network.


    "A war between two nes? An unknown number of transcendent creatures? Something eroding the origin of the world? Incalcble resources?" The on-duty mage was shocked by the information sent by Adam. Quickly pulling up Adam''s file, he murmured, "Level-one mage, Adam? A rookie on his first exploration mission? How did he encounter a ne of this level?"


    The on-duty mage did not doubt the authenticity of the information, as no Explorer would falsely report such intelligence. Ignoring the curious colleagues around him, he directly connected to the Mage Network of the Tower: "Important intel discovered, requesting connection to the External War Command Center."


    The Mage Network has strict rules regarding authority. Most information in the Mage Network is semi-public; mages can ess it with the consent of the information''s owner, and exchanges or trades are conducted between the parties involved. However, once a piece of information requires a certain level of authority, it enters a ssified level, inessible to ordinary mages.


    Prisci soon received the news. As she read it, she looked more and more confused. She remembered Adam, and she even remembered this mission was issued by herself.


    Long ago, mages who could travel through different dimensions discovered the Dragon ne. At first, they thought it wasn''t very special or important. The War Command Center had lots of these lesser-known ces, often given to new explorers. After being explored, these ces would be sold to different groups or organizations. But now, things have changed.


    "It''s hard to tell if you''re lucky or not. It''s unusual for a beginner''s mission to end up in a war between two worlds," Prisci said, half-smiling. "What you''ve done is important, and the information you''ve found is valuable. But you''re also in danger. For many creatures out there who don''t know much, magic is the highest form of knowledge. If they find out you can use magic, they''ll want to capture you. Your information is crucial, so the Tower has sent the best mages to help you, but it will take a while. This means you''ll be on your own for a bit longer."


    Prisci connected with Adam using her powers and said, "You have two options: leave a spatial anchor in the Dragon ne and leave by yourself, or wait for the battlemages toe."


    Around Adam, lightning struck and thunder sounded, as the monsters'' attacks got worse. "How long will it take?" Adam asked.


    Prisci thought for a bit and answered, "Three years. Make sure your spatial anchor keeps collecting information, and in three years, the mages wille to your world."


    Adam, without any doubt, replied, "I choose to stay."

 Chapter 201: Fake Power

    Prisci was not surprised by the decision, and said to Adam, "Okay, during this period, the Mage Network will open up some energy channels for you. The magic power you consume will be instantly replenished by the Mage Network, ensuring that yourbat power can be maintained at its peak."


    Adam was slightly taken aback, because he had never expected such support. With the help of the Mage Network, as long as his mental strength wasn''t exhausted, he would be like a mobile turret with unlimited firepower.


    "All your movements will be monitored by the Mage Network. The paths you take and the resources you see will all be uploaded."


    "Of course," Adam replied.


    Prisci nodded in satisfaction: "Then good luck, Mage Adam. I look forward to personally rewarding you after the war ends." With that, she cut off themunication.


    At this moment, Adam stood at the edge of the world, his armor perfectly defending against the void storm, allowing him to face the dimensional rift closely.


    The rift was continuously spewing monsters. They were fearless and relentless, stepping on the charred corpses of their kin without any fear, charging into Adam''s multiple thunder domains. Adam could see that even stronger monsters were maintaining the stability of the rift.


    Their energy beams, once they reached the maic field, got weaker step by step, not really threatening Adam.


    "Silencing Storm."


    Adam lifted his magic wand, and light from the runes shot into the sky. A thundercloud quickly covered the rift, gathering electric charges from the space. The static field and strong maic field worked together, creating powerful currents. The Cthulhu creatures were killed instantly when they came out of the rift, and the radioactive radiation from their bodies couldn''t hurt Adam because of the maic field.


    Adam''s earlier guess was right; electromaic magic was very effective against the Cthulhu world''s monsters.


    ''*So staying here isn''t as dangerous as the Tower thinks as long as I don''t bother transcendent beings. Normal monsters aren''t much stronger than regr life to me,*'' Adam thought, figuring out the power difference between him and his enemies. ''*Also, the Mage Network''s support gives me almost endless energy.*''


    The devil had a bad feeling. "Master, you''re not nning to go into Cthulhu, are you?"


    Adam nodded. "Yes."


    "But master, remember, there might be more than one transcendent monster in Cthulhu''s world. If they''re much more powerful, they may crush you like you crush their kin here."


    Adam understood the devil''s concerns, but he was too drawn to Cthulhu''s mysteries. Conquering Cthulhu could help him quickly prove the existence of electrons and maybe even higher-level photons. There was also the important "mass-energy conversion equation" to consider.


    Despite the devil''s attempts to persuade him otherwise, Adam had made his decision. After powering up the Silencing Storm tost for a long time, he left the edge of the world.


    The destruction of this ne wouldn''t happen right away; the powerful monsters of Cthulhu would take some time to fully enter the Dragon ne. During this period, he needed to gather resources and captives for looting.


    After seeing the apocalypse, all creatures in the Dragon ne went crazy.


    The sudden increase in their strength made them more powerful. Even though the intelligent races knew this strength was just an illusion and that they could explode due to their own power one day, nobody wanted to lose their power. The choice was simple: giving up power meant certain death, but keeping it meant a chance to survive.


    They lost their minds and started fighting each other fiercely. When they realized that killing their own kind made them stronger, this madness became uncontroble.


    After a long time, the races of the Dragon ne received the ''blessing'' of the origin again. Each time they absorbed energy, they also took in parts of the origin. This was the origin''s way of resisting invasion: it would rather vanishpletely than be consumed.


    The Dragon yer Guild showed its true strength. There were no more war or peace-seekers. United, they started preparing for the King of Cthulhu''s arrival.


    The ughter was endless and random. They had to protect the Dragon ne''s origin as much as they could. Now, any foreign race was an enemy.


    This was true not just for ordinary races but also for the mighty Dragon race.


    As a naturally rebellious race that had betrayed other races several times, their situation was extremely hard at this time. They had power to turn the tide, but other races of the ne wouldn''t cooperate with them. In Cthulhu, the Dragon race was listed as the top species to be exterminated.


    If they couldn''t find a way to leave the world, they would be doomed.


    "Where''s Okov? Where''s that Frost Dragon?"


    "Okov wants to keep the other world to himself. Damn! He must face the worst punishment!"


    In their desperation, any small hope mattered. Almost at the same time, the Dragon race thought of ''Chris Frost.''


    "Find them! Learn the secrets of the other world. It''s our only chance!"


    No dragon thought ''Chris'' could escape from Okov. They assumed Okov selfishly kept the other world to himself, until they found Okov''s torn apart dragon body in the wilderness.


    ...


    "Master, the forest elves need help. They think they''re being targeted. Both the Dragon race and monsters are looking for them," the devil told Adam.


    It was clear that the forest elves had connections with Adam. The Dragon yer Guild had used Lina before, so it made sense for the Dragon race, which had just ended its good rtionship with the Guild, to go after the forest elves.


    "Where are they now?"


    The devil checked and said, "They''re in Okov''s territory, at the ruins of The Greenleaf Tribe."


    Adam was surprised that they were hiding there of all ces. The idea of ''the most dangerous ce is the safest'' didn''t work with the Dragon race. Thesezy creatures would surely go back to their home right after catching their prey, a habit all dragons had.


    "Master, Lina has felt the power of dragons. Many dragons have surrounded the Makalu Mountains. They''re about to find them."


    "Many?"


    "Lina thinks there''s more than one, but she didn''t send anyone to check."


    Adam told the devil to find Lina''s location through their pact and then teleported to the Greenleaf Tribe. With the Mage Network''s energy support, the big magic use for moving through space wasn''t a problem anymore. This made Adam''s traveling and fighting much easier.


    Half a dayter, Adam got to the edge of the Makalu Mountains and saw fiverge dragons flying in the sky, showing their power."

 Chapter 202: Entering Cthulhu

    "White, blue, red, ck, yellow," the devil''s face emerged from the top of the magic wand.


    He looked at the five dragons flying in the sky, saying, "Different colors, huh? Even the dragons have united?"


    Adam nodded, "It seems the dragons are fearing it too."


    Given their nature, the dragons'' choice to unite indicated a very tough situation. The fluctuation of the world''s origin, the increasing tentacles in the sky, and the expanding rifts must be putting immense pressure on them.


    The white one was a Frost Dragon. The others, in order of energy strength, were the Thunder Dragon, Fire Dragon, Wind Dragon, and Earth Dragon. The Thunder Dragon, thergest, measured twenty-five meters, while the rest were under twenty. If these were the elite forces of the dragons, then Okov wasn''t bragging; he was among the strongest of them.


    The Forest Elves had transformed into nts and trees, hiding in the deste ruins of the Greenleaf Tribe and the surrounding dense forests. They trembled as they waited for rescue, or, perhaps, a disaster.


    Adam''s sudden appearance startled a nearby tree, and its oddly green branches whipped towards him with a gusty wind. A voice growled, "Who are you?"


    Before Adam could react, an arm grew from the wand and pped the branch away. The devil muttered, "Lina, do you and your ves have no brains? What''s the point of hiding if you attack anything on sight?"


    The tree was struck so hard its roots came out of the ground. It was no match for the devil, a transcendent being, even though it usually wasn''t very useful.


    The surrounding nts and grass stirred anxiously, like frightened birds. Any slight disturbance would snap their tense nerves.


    "Master? Is that you?" A flower bloomed at Adam''s feet, with Lina''s tentative voice emerging.


    Adam nted his magic wand on the ground, spreading a maic field that disrupted all the Forest Elves'' disguises. They gazed at Adam, bewildered and unsure, including those from the original Greenleaf Tribe who had only known him as Chris Frost.


    Lina, tense, emerged from the Tribe''s gloomiest corner and approached Adam. Realizing escape was futile against someone who could instantly expose them, she repeated, "Master, is that you?"


    Adam nodded and showed her a trace of dragon power.


    Lina''s eyes sparkled with joy, "Master, what''s this about?"


    Adam, skipping a response, asked, "Are all the Forest Elves here?"


    Lina''s eyes, alight with joy, faded slightly. "Yes, only about three thousand of us remain. Those who couldn''t get the Blood Exchange Surgery were all killed."


    The devil suddenly interjected, "Master, they''ve found you."


    Hearing the familiar voice but seeing no one, Lina''s eyes searched frantically, finally settling on Adam''s hand. "You, you..."


    The face on the magic wand reemerged, and the devil yfully grimaced at Lina, causing her to step back in shock.


    "Let''s discuss thister. For now, lead your people away from here. I have dragons to y!" The devil chuckled joyously at Lina''s scare.


    ...


    For Adam, dragon ying had be a trivial task.


    The strongest of the five, the Thunder Dragon, was merely an oversized toy in Adam''s grip. He could effortlessly take control of the electric elements generated by the dragonnguage.


    Once enveloped by his maic field, the Thunder Dragon was knocked out by the wild electric elements within.


    The other four dragons met a more miserable fate.


    Powered by limitless magic, Adam functioned like a perpetual machine. A deluge of powerful, second-tier spells bombarded them. And his energy magic, now used by him in his true self, was devastating.


    The dragons became targets for Adam''s magical experimentation, then falling to the ground, barely alive. The explosions nearly razed the surrounding mountains to the ground.


    After defeating the dragons, Adam stored them in his portable space, which also validated his hypothesis: Living beings could be put into space; it''s just that they would soon die inside because there was no substance like food or oxygen to support them.


    Dead dragons were way less valuable than when alive; Adam, however, was pressed for time andcking research facilities, so he had to put them in there, even it meant they would die.


    Resources and trinkets from the Dragon ne were useful for mage apprentices, but they were of limited value to a real mage.


    Adam''s focus now shifted to the ves. During this tumultuous time, he could find as many native races as possible. Then, with simple bloodline enhancement rituals, these races could quickly be transformed intobat forces, making them perfect for frontline battles.


    Adam spent an entire year on that. The Makalu Mountains became his hub for amassing ves and paradoxically, the calmest region in the Dragon ne.


    In times of chaos, peace and security were very appealing to those who were weak. In the end, Adam didn''t even have to raid because people from many races starteding to Makalu on their own. Adam told the devil to take these ves and mark them with his own seal, making them his property.


    This caught the attention of the Cthulhu monsters and the dragons. However, Adam had already set up a maic field-changing magic grid around the camp using ether crystals. Once it was turned on, it could quickly make a kic energy weapon that went around the camp. Any enemy that came close left only a path of dead bodies; they never made it to the edge of the camp.


    A yearter, the transcendent monsters from Cthulhu had got a whole tentacle into the Dragon ne through the rift. Everyone could hear its constant roars and sometimes catch a glimpse of its unbelievably horrible shape. The crystal barrier of the ne now looked as fragile as paper. More and more small dimensional holes were opening up, letting out stronger monsters.


    Adam left Makalu for the Cthulhu ne after enhancing his magic array onest time.


    "Master, have you really made up your mind? Won''t you think twice?" The devil kept asking. He didn''t want to take the risk.


    The devil believed that the Dragon ne was safer than Cthulhu, even though the huge monster was about to st through the ne''s barrier anytime soon.


    He tried again when he saw Adam ignoring him. "Master, I think the ves need to be watched, or the losses will be too great. Maybe I should stay here."


    Adam raised his magic wand and sent an elemental rocket straight into the space rift. While the devil was screaming, he strode calmly into the Cthulhu ne."

 Chapter 203: Treasure

    Adam walked through a storm in space and entered the world of Cthulhu. He remembered Prisci''s words from when he became a real mage. She had said, "Many beings want to know more and be stronger, not understanding that this can be their downfall." These words never felt as real as they did now.


    Cthulhu was a cruel ce.


    This world didn''t have crystal barriers like others. Instead, it had strange, colorful radioactive energy. This energy stopped the space storms but also spread harmful substances, making the already cruel world a harsh ce.


    Thend was bare, with no nts, dry and cracked. Sometimes, terrifying rays shot out from ces that seemed safe. These rays were of transcendent level. In such an environment, no normal races could survive.


    The wind, filled with harmful substances and scary rays, blew against Adam''s maga armor. It was like being hit by weak magic spells all the time.


    Water was rare. After a long walk, Adam found a small, oddly colored pond. Around this pond, more than ten transcendent monsters were fighting for the polluted water.


    ording to what an envoy from the Dragon yer Guild had said, Cthulhu used to be a beautiful world where races lived in harmony with nature. But now, it had turned into this scary ce because the people there wanted more energy and studied forbidden knowledge they couldn''t control.


    The monsters noticed Adam and attacked without hesitation. They probably couldn''t believe their luck to find fresh flesh, but they weren''t strong enough to defeat him.


    Leaving one monster alive, Adam went to the pond and used his magic to lift some water. The devil, scared, backed away, shaking his head.


    "Master, please, I don''t want to drink that! I''ll go question the monster!" he said, and quickly left Adam.


    Adam scoffed. He took a dragon''s body from his bag and poured the polluted water on it. The body of the frost dragon, still white and perfect even in death, changed colors and decayed the moment the water touched it. It moved a bit, as if it was still alive.


    Dragon bodies are strong. If this dragon hadn''t been dead, it might have turned into a monster just from this water.


    "What a horrifying world," Adam said to himself.


    He felt many eyes watching him. Dozens of monsters locked their gaze on him and slowly moved closer. Adam couldn''t tell what species they were. The creatures of Cthulhu had mutated more than those left in the Dragon ne. Their genes were so twisted that their appearances hadpletely changed. They were all radiation species.


    "Master, these monsters can''tmunicate. They have souls, but they''re dirtier than anything I''ve seen. I feel like I''m getting infected. Even the mixed breeds from the abyss are cleaner than them," the devil said, throwing the captured monster aside and returning to Adam''s side. "There''s no way to make a pact with them. Just forget about making them ves."


    Adam turned his body, which the monsters took as a signal to attack. They shot dozens of energy beams at him, a talent they gained from mutation. All creatures here, big and small, could use this power.


    Adam''s electromaic barrier shielded him from all the energy beams. Then, with a light point of his finger, heunched several elemental missiles that urately hit the monsters. The maic field contained the explosion within a small area. After the shockwave dissipated, the monsters were gone, leaving behind a deep crater.


    "Master, I think you''ve made trouble. Many monsters areing this way," the devil said, turning into a magic wand and returning to Adam''s hand. "Should we run?"


    Adam shook his head and walked towards the explosion site. Prisci had said that magic is an irresistible temptation for ignorant races. In other worlds, natives might n slowly, but here, the monsters would attack Adam frantically. As long as Adam used magic, this was inevitable.


    After dealing with the nearby monsters, Adam used his maic field to neutralize his energy fluctuations, somewhat hiding himself. Higher-level creatures might still easily spot him, but ordinary monsters would have to rely on basic vision to find him.


    As Adam walked, swords made of iron sand rose from the ground, crackling with blue-purple electricity. They spun continuously around him, slicing any attacking monsters into pieces.


    Adam then flew into the crater. The soil was divided into twoyers: the topsoil was fragile and dry, while the inneryer was colorful and beautiful, but this beauty was deadly.


    "Almost all are natural radioactive minerals," Adam said, struggling to resist the urge to touch and mine these valuable ores. "If this isn''t just a coincidence, if the entire underground of Cthulhu is like this, then the value of this world is immeasurable!"


    Adam believed that the Tower would also be very interested. He wasn''t sure if anyone in the mage world had researched nuclear reactions, but he felt that with the wisdom of high-level mages and the coordination of the Mage Network, simr knowledge would quickly emerge once they got these minerals. Cthulhu could potentially cause a huge stir in the mage world.


    "Master, if you don''t act soon, you''ll be surrounded by a storm of monsters. The more noise here, the more monsters it attracts. These things are everywhere on this, so you don''t need to start studying them right now!" The devil shuddered as it looked at the dense swarm of monsters. "Just wait two years, when the Mage Legion arrives, all this will be yours. If we keep this up and attract the attention of transcendent monsters, we''re done for!"


    Suddenly, chaos erupted among the monster group. A path was made straight to Adam, with mutated limbs and disgusting blood flying everywhere. A powerful monster was rushing through, reaching Adam in just a few seconds.


    The creature was covered in grotesque tissues, and its eye-like structures were filled with greed. It spoke an iprehensiblenguage: "Lockyawchanonge!"


    Adam, standing on a sword of iron sand, flew into the air. The other iron swords stopped spinning, their tips pointing at the monster. "Are you intelligent? Can wemunicate?" he asked.


    "Kawartsa!"


    The monster didn''t answer but roared in rage, speaking words Adam couldn''t understand, and charged at him along with all the other monsters."

 Chapter 204: Massive Strike

    This monster was a lot stronger than any other one Adam had seen or beaten. Its energy beams were stronger than those of most monsters, and its body was also tougher. Based on what Adam knew about Cthulhu creatures, this one was at least a second level, higher than the rest.


    The electric current flowing through the iron sand swords maintained a high-intensity maic field. The swords moved in regr patterns along the invisible ''maic lines'' within the field.


    Hundreds of des intersected at precise angles and paths, cutting the approaching army of monsters to pieces like a giant meat grinder.


    To Adam, these monsters were like virus codes, the maic field a firewall, and the sword des were antivirus programs. He turned the bloody ughter into a disy of orderly beauty.


    The only creature that could resist was the second-level monster. When the iron sand swords pierced its flesh, its rapidly mutating tissues mped onto them. The attached electric currents were neutralized by its radiation energy.


    The monster fought through the sword formation, making a straight line to Adam. As it leapt towards him, its muscles squeezed the swords out and turned into a giant mouth, spewing a thick energy beam.


    Adam raised his magic wand. All the iron sand swords paused, their currents surging like a connected chain of dragons and snakes.


    With a slight lift of his arm, the swords rose and spun rapidly around a certain center. The energy on the des built up but wasn''t released yet, creating a deafening buzz.


    "Railgun, Massive Strike," Adammanded.


    With a swift downward motion of his arm, the swords in the sky fell down like a shower.


    The currents interconnected, amassing a huge amount of energy with the help of magic. The falling swords, elerated by the maic field, gained immense kic energy. Although this new railgun didn''t contain thepressed energy of elemental missiles, it was as powerful.


    Massive Strike, as the name implied, was another of Adam''s map-wiping magical attacks. The army of monsters was torn apart as if made of paper, erased in an instant.


    The second-level monster''s energy beam couldn''t even reach Adam before beingpletely nullified by the powerful maic field, and then it was pierced and pinned to the ground by a thousand swords.


    Even the radiation of Cthulhu was swept away in that moment.


    Adam''s magical power was used up. The Massive Strike required a tremendous amount of magic to cast. It was his first time using it, and the construction and maintenance of the spell took a lot of effort. Good news was that since he had sessfully made it this time, the next use would be much easier.


    Adam took a deep breath, feeling his magic power quickly refill from Mage Network.


    "Master, it''s not dead yet," the devil pointed out.


    The second-level monster on the ground was still moving, trying to break free to consume flesh and energy.


    Adam went down to the ground. He had intentionally left the second-level monster alive to get some information from it.


    This second-level monster was clearly stronger than the first-level ones and seemed to be able tomand or control them. It also had some intelligence, as it could give orders. It looked like the leader of the monster army.


    Adam knew Cthulhu was a world with more than one transcendent creature. He wondered if higher-level creatures had more authority or ''permissions'' over the lower ones, like a social structure or a government formed by the radiation species.


    This meant Cthulhu was more dangerous than he thought. A unified, highly organized fighting race would be much tougher to deal with than the disorganized dragons of the Dragon ne.


    Adam had been in Cthulhu for less than a day, but what he saw was surprising. He had thought that a world dominated by radiation would have few creatures, but it seemed like there was an endless number of these radiation species.


    After mutating, they lost their mind but gained power more easily. Adam had only explored a small part of this world and already encountered a second-level creature. If cities or governments existed, the number of high-level creatures could be unimaginable.


    Adam even thought that there might be more transcendent creatures than he had imagined.


    Adam released his magic wand and told the devil, now back in his original form, "Try to make a pact with it. If it doesn''t work, at least try to understand itsnguage."


    The devil approached the monster. Adam didn''t have much hope in it; the creatures of Cthulhu had mutated souls, so making a sessful pact seemed unlikely. Even if a pact was made, there might be a risk of being corrupted.


    Understandingnguage wasn''t too hard for the devil. Devils, when powerful, roamed the void and contacted every race that strongly desired trade. The ability to understandnguages was in their genes. Without that,munication and therefore trade would be impossible.


    After a while, the devil kicked the struggling monster aside and walked to Adam with a look of disgust. "I can''t make a ve pact with it. Its soul ispletely twisted," he said, sending a stream of information to Adam''s mind through their pact.


    "Theirnguage is very simple, without the ability to expressplex emotions. It''s only good for basicmunication."


    Adam understood from the devil''s information that the monster''s earlier words meant "Found an intruder" and "Kill him." Thenguage was simple and straightforward.


    "Other useful information?" Adam asked.


    "No, there''s no way tomunicate. I tried asking questions in theirnguage, but all I got back was ''kill you, kill you,''" the devilined, breathing in the radiation-filled air. "Master, let''s go back. This ce is too bad, too dangerous."


    Adam then exploded the monster''s internal energy, carefully destroying every bit of its flesh and blood.


    He then transformed the devil back into a magic wand and held it in his hand.


    His mage armorpletely covered him with a maic field, hiding all his energy leaks. He adjusted the frequency of the maic field to mimic radiation on the surface. This way, unless seen with their own eyes, first and second-level monsters couldn''t detect him just by sensing energy.

 Chapter 205: An Abnormal World

    For a long time, Adam remained almost invisible. He started from hisnding point and wandered around Cthulhu, choosing his direction randomly.


    Even after the ancient disaster, Cthulhu was still muchrger than the Dragon ne. For three months, Adam didn''t step ind but collected information about the radiation species along the world''s edge and the dimensional rifts.


    His main job was to explore and gather information, not to attack directly. Considering the number of monsters he found in three months, he couldn''t possiblypete with them, even with the support of the Mage Network''s energy.


    The dimensional rifts were increasing. Once, while Adam was flying, a calm space ahead suddenly opened a rift. Adam couldn''t see the terrifying transcendent monster now, but he guessed it might soon erge the rift enough to enter the Dragon ne.


    Each rift was supported by at least one second-level monster, maintaining its stability and driving groups of first-level monsters into the Dragon ne. Larger rifts were guarded by third-level monsters. Adam thought he might soon encounter fourth-level monsters.


    By observing the number of monsters around each rift and how quickly new rifts attracted them, Adam could estimate the poption of the radiation species. The numbers were rming.


    The Mage Network had already sent this information to the Tower. Adam knew that the Tower would respond appropriately, so he didn''t worry too much. After all, the mages had been waging ne Wars for thousands of years and had a mature system in ce. These matters were too much for a first-level Explorer like Adam to get concerned about.


    Three monthster, Adam finished circling the edge of this world and returned to thending point. This time, he was ready to venture ind.


    "Indeed, the radiation species have built a new social system on the ruins."


    Ten days into his flight ind, Adam saw the first city-like structures, made entirely of radioactive minerals.


    This city had no walls or defense structures, and its buildings were quite strange. Adam didn''t dare get too close. He sensed numerous high-level energy fluctuations from within the city. The massive amount of radiation altered the surrounding space, giving it an eerie hue. It was hard to imagine any creature thriving in such an environment.


    Outside the city, a huge number of first-level monsters brought materials and ores, acting like ves. They couldn''t go into the city. Monsters inside the city gave them things in exchange, and then they left, taking resources from the city to deeper parts of Cthulhu.


    "The only way to get in is by breaking into the city; sneaking in is impossible," the devil, worried about Adam''s safety, quickly said.


    Adam really wanted to observe the radiation species'' social system inside the city, but he knew it wasn''t the right time. So, he turned and flew towards where theboring monsters came from.


    The line ofborers stretched for tens of kilometers, eventually leading to a basin. Here, Adam saw a mine where high-level creatures supervised first-levels gathering radioactive minerals.


    Adam watched the mining area for a long time. Then, his understanding of Cthulhu and the radiation species changed once again.


    He had thought that the radiation species here could only struggle to survive, living painfully through continuous mutations. But now, it seemed they were forging a unique path.


    Even the invasion of the Dragon ne seemed to have a new reason now. Maybe the transcendent beings weren''t trying to prolong Cthulhu''s life but simply wanted to upy the Dragon ne. They wanted a war.


    This conclusion stuck in Adam''s mind. The radiation species indeed had the potential, as they had adapted to a life amidst terrifying radiation and void storms. Their mutated bodies, in some ways, gave them greater potential than ordinary species. If they developed the ability to traverse the void and explore worlds, ordinary nes would stand no chance.


    "Master, I think you''re overthinking it," the devil didn''t seem to agree. "Cthulhu''s mutation hasn''t been long. Bing a void species isn''t that easy. Maybe they''re mining for other reasons. Perhaps the high-level monsters need these minerals for their cultivation, or maybe it''s their food."


    "I don''t know much about the mage world, but master, do you know how long my species has existed?"


    "How long?"


    The devil hesitated. He actually had no clue about that. He coughed twice and moved past the question, continuing, "Very long, but even now, the devil species doesn''t have the capability for starting a ne war. The abyss hybrids do, but they rely mainly on their numbers and ability to consume."


    Adam pointed to the monsters below and said, "They are numerous too. If hit by their energy, other species might mutate. And they can eat a lot, even the flesh of their own kind."


    The devil thought for a moment, finding no words to counter. "No matter what they do, with your current strength, you can''t stop them. That should be the transdimensional mages'' concerns. Even if these monsters have potential, facing a battlemage legion now would mean certain death for them."


    Adam agreed deeply with this. To eliminate Cthulhu as it was now, the Tower didn''t even need to send an army. A few transdimensional mages would be enough. What interested Adam was something else --- what were the radiation species researching by mining radioactive minerals?


    There seemed to be only one possibility.


    They were researching nuclear knowledge.


    "But that''s not an easy task. Without a solid foundation of knowledge and help from rted disciplines, that is just a dream," Adam muttered to himself.


    The devil, weary of Adam''s sudden thoughts, quickly said, "Master, what should we do now? The three-year deadline is approaching. Should we find a ce to hide?"


    After a final nce at the mining area, Adam flew ind, replying to the devil, "No, I must continue fulfilling my duties as an Explorer."

 Chapter 206: Sneaking Into The Cities

    The job of an Explorer was to gather information, find coordinates, and locate suitable ces for setting up a ne Sacrifice Array. Thest two tasks were either already done or not necessary. The first task, however, remained a huge challenge.


    First, they needed to record the locations of towns built by all radiation races. Then, they had to figure out the exact number of transcendent beings and a rough count of higher beings.


    Now, besides these, there was another important matter.


    To judge the value of a newly discovered ne, one must consider both its knowledge and energy. Cthulhu had radioactive minerals as a source of energy. And now, Adam discovered that the knowledge being researched by the radiation races was of even greater value. Thus, searching for the progress and results of their research became a top priority.


    "But master, you can''t get into the cities right now."


    Adam whispered, "No worries. I know what I am doing."


    ...


    Adam started circling ind in order to pinpoint all the cities'' exact locations. The information would be very useful in the early stages of the war. During this process, he also sought to find cities with fewer strong beings and weaker defenses.


    The deeper he went ind, the higher the mutation rate of Cthulhu he found. After two months, he stopped just outside a clear boundary line. Beyond it, no level-one creatures existed, and terrifying energy fluctuations spread wildly.


    Adam felt that if he entered, he would be detected instantly.


    Even at his current position, he had to hide his presence with all his might. There were high-level radiation creatures patrolling this area. Deeper in would certainly be the real center of the radiation races.


    After circling the boundary, Adam let the Mage Network record the location and situation. Then, he turned around and slowly flew back towards the border.


    He found a random dimensional rift and eliminated all the gathered radiation creatures. Then, Adam took out ''Chris Frost'' from his personal space.


    This dragon body was different from the other dead dragons. It could be considered Adam''s avatar. And because Adam had fully experienced the hatching process, it could perfectly hide his soul''s fluctuations.


    Under the devil''s terrified gaze, Adam entered the dragon''s body through a scar on its chest. He then gathered all the remains of the just-eliminated radiation creatures, condensed them into a ball, and swallowed it in one gulp.


    The Frost Dragon''s body rapidly mutated, turning into a twisted and terrifying creature in a short time. The radiation races had no fixed appearance, so Adam''s new form was indistinguishable from theirs on the outside.


    "Master, you won''t turn into such a disgusting monster forever, will you?" the devil worriedly asked. It was soul-bound to Adam, so if Adam mutated, he wouldn''t be spared either. Just thinking about transforming into such a creature made him feel like dying.


    "No," Adam replied. He felt quite alright. Although the mutation continued, his true body was firmly protected by the Mage''s Armor. The external mutation couldn''t affect him. However, there was a downside: Adam only had the mutated body, but he didn''t gain the ability to emit energy beams.


    "Master, can this really work?"


    Adam answered nonchntly, "Don''t know, but it''s worth a try. Cthulhu has no crystal wall system, and its space rules are weak. Even if I''m exposed, I can use Blink to escape. They don''t understand the magic skills. As long as I don''t encounter transcendent beings, I''m safe."


    That was true. If they understood gravitational knowledge, transcendent creatures wouldn''t attack the dragon ne''s crystal wall system in such a barbaric way.


    The challenge of entering the cities was entirely about not being detected. Once inside, Adam had many ways to get out.


    ...


    Adam chose to get into the first city he encountered. Based on his observations, the city didn''t restrict the entry and exit of radiation creatures above level two. After reaching the city''s outskirts, Adam descended and flew towards the city.


    However, as soon as he entered, something unexpected happened. A level-two radiation creature stopped Adam and stood in front of him, saying, "You, stop."


    Adam''s mind raced. He had toe up with a response quickly.


    Before he could answer, the radiation creature asked again, "Which lord do you work for?"


    "Lord" must refer to a transcendent radiation creature, but Adam didn''t have the exact information. He thought he had failed and needed more information to sessfully get in.


    Just as he was about to give up and Blink away, the radiation creature continued, "Just evolved?"


    This was a turning point. Adam halted his escape n and maintained his dazed state, not speaking.


    The radiation creature said to itself, "From now on, you belong to King Nasanir." It extended several tentacles, pointing in various directions within the city. "Can''t go there." Then it pointed to other areas, "Can go there." After saying this, it left Adam alone and went away.


    In his mind, the devil said incredulously, "That simple? No questioning of origin, no verification process, just a few words and you''re let in? Do they have a problem with their brains?"


    Adam, pretending to be confused, wandered around the area for a while before he finally rxed.


    He didn''t rush to the areas where radiation creatures were forbidden to enter. Instead, he aimlessly wandered around the city.


    "They probably thought no other beings can survive in Cthulhu, so there''s no verification process. Moreover, evolving from level one to level two must be amon urrence. It seems like level-one radiation creatures aren''t considered the same species in their eyes. Only after evolving to level two and joining the forces of a transcendent being do they count as kin."


    The devil was still amazed, "Isn''t there any sort of mark or brand to prove which force they belong to?"


    "Apparently not," Adam said while memorizing the city''syout. "Level-two radiation creatures don''t need that. At most, they are just higher-level cannon fodder. This is good. The less noticeable I am, the easier my task will be."


    The devil pouted, "Master, by that logic, this city must not be very important, right? Would a ce inhabited by cannon fodder have the knowledge you''re looking for?"


    "The core certainly won''t, but there should be something rted. Otherwise, there''s no need for the mined ore to be transported out of the city by ves after entering. There must be some basic processing going on."


    At that moment, Adam watched several level-two creatures bring arge amount of ore into a building. In his mind, he noted, "Right there."

 Chapter 207: Exposed

    Adam found that in the city of the radiation creatures, their social positions were somehow unclear. The level-two creatures did not have specific roles and did what they wanted.


    In the city, these radiation creatures wandered everywhere. Some went to the edge of the city to meet with the level-oneborers. They carried radioactive minerals and supplies.


    Even around an important building, there were no guards. They just walked in and out, then continued wandering in the city.


    So, Adam also started wandering near that ce. He did not rush to start his tasks. He was pretending to be a newly promoted level-two creature. The radiation creatures seemed slow, but Adam was not sure if someone was watching him. It was better to be careful.


    In seven days, Adam did everything the radiation creatures did in the city. He got water and other things to survive. He rested at certain ces andmanded the level-one radiation creatures to invade the Dragon ne at the new dimensional rifts. On the eighth day, he found a chance.


    A level-two creature suddenly left the city at the edge. Many minerals and resources left by theborers were uncollected. When a few nearby level-two creatures were about to take over, Adam quickly took all the minerals and flew towards that building.


    On the way, he joined a group of creaturesing from different directions and easily entered the building.


    Inside, Adam slowed down to better observe everything.


    It was a factory for preparing and refining radioactive minerals. The radiation creatures were studying nuclear knowledge.


    From Adam''s memories from Earth, refining radioactive minerals meant extracting uranium from ore until it became pure uraniumpounds. Purity in radioactivity was a percentage showing how much of a sample was a specific radioactive element. On Earth, uranium with three percent purity was used for power nts. Uranium with more than eighty percent purity was considered highly condensed, and over ny percent was considered weapon-grade.


    So, these creatures were dealing with very powerful stuff.


    Making weapon-grade uranium was veryplex. After mining the ore, it went through leaching, refining, and separation processes. It required advanced technology. To make one kilogram of weapon-grade U-235, two hundred tons of uranium ore were needed. That was on Earth with a mature atomic energy industry. On Cthulhu, the efficiency would be even lower.


    In the factory Adam saw, many level-two radiation creatures used their thick, mutated tentacles to crush the ore into powder and small particles. These particles were then fed to other motionless radiation creatures. They secreted different fluids to dissolve the uranium from the particles, separating a smaller amount of uranium still mixed with many impurities.


    That was all this factory could do. They didn''t have aplete atomic energy industry but used their body''s special structure and mutated tissues for initial purification of the ore.


    In the factory, a few third-level creatures acted as managers. They only watched the level-two creatures, the tools, and didn''t care about the transporters. They only spoke once at the beginning: "Put it over there," and then stayed silent.


    Adam left the factory with the other creatures. He thought if Cthulhu''s research on nuclear power was only at this level, they were far from real application. The impurity-rich uranium wasn''t much use. But this development was worrying. The radiation creatures'' natural talents suited this knowledge. Without any alchemy system, they were refining radioactive minerals by controlling their mutation. Given time...


    "When knowledge bes power, they might evolve from radiation to nuclear creatures," Adam said to the devil.


    The devil was a bit hesitant. "Master, I think after this mission, you really should learn moremon sense."


    "What do you mean?" Adam asked in his mind while drifting to another part of the city.


    "Creatures that can turn knowledge into power, based on what I know... only mages have that among all the creatures. I''ve never heard of any other worlds or nes with this ability. Even if Cthulhu seeds, it''s just another weapon. Evolution of a species like that is impossible."


    Adam knew he was weak in general knowledge. Even the devil who spent a lot of time hanging out knew more. So, he humbly asked, "Why?"


    The devil, seizing the opportunity, lectured like a disappointed teacher, "Because of the origin of the mage world, Master. You''ve touched the origin after your promotion, right? Connected to the Mage Network? That''s the reason."


    ''*The origin and the Mage Network?*'' Adam remembered the great origin of the mage world and the words spoken to him at the moment of his promotion: "You affirm my existence, and I shall bestow upon you infinite power.."


    Realization dawned on Adam: "So, that''s why mages can turn knowledge into power."


    The devil nodded. "Exactly. A mage''s ability is unique. That''s why mages are among the top predators. Cthulhu and its creatures are far behind. And Master, I think you overestimate this ''nuclear energy.'' Even if they seed, can it be stronger than magical power?"


    At this moment, Adam flew out from the other end of the city, following a group transporting the partially refined ore to another city. He didn''t know how to exin to the devil. This knowledge was top secret on Earth, destroyed with the explosion. He only knew the basics now. But he had a feeling that nuclear energy would be very powerful here.


    After all, ifmon elements like earth, water, wind, fire, and electricity can create amazing power, the more advanced nuclear energy could certainly do better.


    Moreover, nuclear research involves the microscopic level, which is crucial for exploring the true nature of the world.


    ...


    The cities of the radiation creatures were arranged in a circle. They seemed to divide their world into four major rings. The outermost were ordinary cities, which Adam called the fourth ring. They formed the first line of defense for the new order of the radiation creatures, performing the initial refining. ording to this pattern, the cities in the third and second rings would further refine the rough ores. Perhaps in the inessible first ring, higher-level or even transcendent creatures gathered these resources for experiments.


    Over the next few months, Adam followed thebor group through many cities in the third ring. He wasn''t sure about the rtionship between the radiation rulers, so he didn''t deviate from his path. However, he gathered a lot of information. The radiation creatures were indeed developing a unique system.


    With only one month left before the mage army''s arrival, Adam reached the second ring. He entered the first city of the second ring as a high-levelborer.


    This city waspletely different from the others. There was a clear division of social position and strict social order. The lowest standard creature here was level three. Compared to level two, theirnguage contained more logic.


    Adam was thoroughly interrogated before entering. After exining his origin, he was allowed into the city to transport minerals to the factory.


    Adam thought he would be dismissed after delivering the minerals like otherborers, but things changed unexpectedly.


    "You, stay. Go over there," a third-level radiation creature ordered Adam.


    Slightly surprised, Adam did as told and found more than twenty level two creatures gathered there. They weren''t talking, so Adam couldn''t guess their purpose. He noticed they all shared one trait:rge bodies. Adam''s size was due to his pre-mutation dragon form, and the others were among the strongest in the radiation species.


    "Master, we should leave. These creatures are up to no good. And there''s more than one level four creature here. It''ll be bad if they discover us," the devil urged anxiously.


    Adam didn''t agree. "No, I want to know what they''re doing."


    The devil felt weary: "Master, if we''re surrounded by level four creatures, escaping will be impossible then. Your magic may counter them, but..."


    Just then, the level-three creature returned, saying, "Follow me."


    Adam told the devil, "Be quiet," and cut off themunication, following the other level two creatures into the depths of the factory.


    They were divided into groups by the level-three creature and assigned to other kin within the factory. Adam and five radiation creatures were led deeper into the factory, near a group of creatures used as tools.


    "Du, these are the ones for this time''s quota."


    Thergest monster in the deepest part opened its eyes. "So few?"


    "The war continues, and we are losing many of our lower-level kin. There are fewer and fewer who can evolve, and even fewer we can use."


    Du, a radiant creature, didn''t care for the exnation and said rudely, "I don''t care about the reasons, Ken. Next time, I want to double the quota, or I''ll turn you into a refiner."


    Adam''s eyes lit up. It was clear from Du''s words that he had the power to control other radiant creatures to mutate in specific ways. Adam could feel the strong fourth-level energy radiating from Du. It seemed he could really get in touch with the higher-ups of the radiant species this time.


    Ken was silent for a while before saying, "I understand, Du." Then he retreated.


    After Ken left, Du stood up from where he was. This was thergest radiant creature Adam had seen, looking like a deformed tumor when fully upright. Not counting the tentacles that were iling around, the creature was almost thirty meters tall. Adam noticed one thick tentacle passing through several other creatures called "refiners," connecting them into a single entity.


    Adam understood what the creature intended to do. Though not sure what it would be like to be turned into a refiner, it clearly wouldn''t be pleasant, or Ken wouldn''t have been that terrified.


    This meant that mutation could potentially lead to death.


    Du didn''t bother asking the lower-level kin for their thoughts. A tentacle shot out like lightning, easily piercing the body of the closest creature. The creature''s ugly body began to convulse as arge amount of low-level radiant energy spilled out, soon reced by Du''s higher-level energy.


    The tentacle didn''t stop there, continuing to pierce into a second creature, with the same scene repeating.


    Adam watched silently as the tentacle pierced one creature after another. He prepared his Blink spell, realizing he might not be able to bluff his way through this time.


    As expected, just as the tentacle entered Adam''s body, Du''s energy suddenly intensified. Dozens of tentacles rose like des, emitting a huge roaring sound, and then violently struck Adam.


    "You''re not one of us! Dragon, I taste dragon odor!"


    ***Bang, bang, bang!***


    Like a hammer smashing an egg, Adam''s dragon body was crushed into a pulp.


    Adam, holding his magic wand, appeared before the creature.


    "Not a dragon? Advanced power? What are you?"


    "Intruder!"


    The deafening sound instantly spread throughout the factory. Nearly ten creatures with fourth-level energy surged upward, rapidly converging towards Du''s location.


    "DIE!"


    Duo roared again, unleashing a huge energy beam nearly five meters thick. The beam turned the refiners in front of him into nothing, creating intense energy fluctuations that disturbed the space around him as he approached Adam.


    Adam''s mage armor, transformed by a maic field, barely withstood the furious energy attack for a second before nearing copse. At the critical moment, Adam activated all his magic power to stabilize the space around him and then vanished from the spot, apanied by the light of magic runes.


    The energy beam missed its target, passing through the entire factory without losing any of its strength. Every creature in its path was vaporized, and the beam continued for several kilometers outside the city before finally dissipating.


    Enraged, Duo broke through the factory walls and flew into the sky. Hemanded the approaching fourth-level kin and all the third-level beings in the city, "An intruder with advanced energy! Find him, capture him! Offer him to Lord Nasanir!"

 Chapter 208: Exposed (2)

    They scattered in all directions in an instant, each followed by thousands of lower-level radiation creatures.


    "Pure, advanced energy" almost meant everything to the radiation species.


    In ancient times, their ancestors killed the origin to seek greater power. This act changed the world and their species, making them strong.


    However, they weren''t not satisfied.


    They decided to invade different nes, starting from scratch to study every new knowledge, unsure of its worth. They were ready to fight for millions of years to change their fate, including Du.


    Just now, they found what they had been dreaming of in a weak creature, and that filled them with immense joy.


    "Tell all the cities to inform Lord Nasanir. We have found hope!"


    "Catch him! At any cost!"


    ...


    Adam couldn''t Blink far. His Blink spell, powered by all his magic, only created a distance of a few kilometers. The weak spatial rules made teleportation easier but also made the effects of strong energy interference more apparent.


    Looking back, he could still see the city.


    Nearly ten enormous, terrifying energies loomed in the sky like monstrous shadows.


    Adam floated in the air, taking a deep breath while connected to the Mage Network. The magic power flowing through the energy channel quickly filled the void created by his recent exertion. His nearly shattered Mage Armor also reformed.


    But before he could rx, the leaked magic power attracted the attention of another level-four radiation creature. A rainbow energy beam crossed the sky and shot towards Adam.


    "It seems I''ve stirred up a ho''s nest," Adam whispered, vanishing again.


    "What''s a ho?" the devil asked, sounding upset. "It''s more like stirring up a nest of level-four monsters."


    Adam wasn''t too worried, though. Level-four radiation creatures were powerful because of their energy quantity and mutated bodies, but theycked depth. Their energy use was primitive, with only energy beams as their attack method. As long as Adam didn''t get trapped in a web of intersecting Level 4 energy beams, he wasn''t in much danger.


    "I couldn''t see how they managed controlled mutations. It''s a bit disappointing," Adam said, pulling ether crystals from his pocket. Lighting them up, he randomly shot them in all directions using a Railgun, while speaking.


    The devil seemed to calm down, perhaps resigned to the situation, as Adam used several shes and a teleportation scroll. "Master, Cthulhu is the monsters'' territory. If they spread the word, we''ll be found sooner orter."


    His attempts to distract didn''t seem very effective. Though many lower-level radiation creatures were misled, the pursuit of his advanced energy intensified.


    Du must have locked onto Adam using some method andmunicated this information to the other high-level beings.


    Stepping out of the void, Adam found himself above a city in the third ring. Before he could answer the devil, he saw countless ugly, fierce tentacles and energy beams shooting from the city below.


    "Silencing Storm."


    Waving his magic wand, Adam conjured a thundercloud under his feet. Thick lightning dragons and invisible electromaic fields shot out, blocking attacks from numerous level two and three radiation creatures in the city. But this brief pause allowed another rainbow-like energy beam to appear in the sky.


    Adam quickly tore another teleportation scroll and vanished. Minutester, three terrifying monsters appeared where he had been, their huge tentacles easily demolishing the city, killing many lower-level creatures without care.


    "He''s running!"


    "We can''t let him get back to the Dragon ne!"


    "Lord Nasanirmands us to stop him at all costs. He''s waiting for the other lords to maintain the rift, nning to intervene personally!"


    ...


    "Go to the world''s edge, leave Cthulhu, spend thest time in the Dragon ne, and summon the transdimensional mage and the Mage Legion."


    Adam was now essentially against the whole world. Hiding was pointless. Every time he emerged from the void, he encountered groups of radiation creatures -- from cities, mines, and those mobilized to various dimensional rifts. To these creatures, Adam was now more valuable than the Dragon ne.


    Using Blink became increasingly difficult. It was hard to imagine how many beings existed in Cthulhu. Every emergence led to battle, and the closer he got to the world''s edge, the more frequent these encounters became.


    The escape had consumed his teleportation scrolls crazily. Now, Adam had less than ten left in his possession.


    After five days, Adam had almost circled the entire third and fourth rings, finally arriving above the first city he had entered upon his arrival. He was now very close to the world''s edge.


    "Keep going, Master! The longer we dy, the more dangerous it gets. I suspect the transcendent creatures have already set out," the devil urged, seeing Adam not using Blink anymore, clearly anxious.


    "Space is being disrupted by strong energy."


    The glow of the Blink runes flickered and quickly faded. Adam''s body blurred for a moment but failed to teleport. This was the magic''s own protection for the caster. In such conditions, forcing the spell could easily result in being torn apart by the violent, chaotic currents.


    The high-level radiation creatures were smart.


    Adam''s intentions were too obvious, and the five days had given them enough time to set up their countermeasures. It seemed they nned to trap him at the world''s edge.


    The city exploded with a roar. All radiation creatures revealed their mutated true forms without any disguise. Tentacles shot up into the sky, and dense beams of energy rained down like a storm.


    Adam took a deep breath, his magic power surging. He oveid multiple Thunder Domains ten times, with a range of one kilometer around himpletely dominated by lightning.


    Elemental missiles rapidly formed and bombarded downwards.


    Adam easily suppressed the radiation creatures of an entire city in an instant.


    With no time to enjoy his victory, he began to wrap himself inyers of lightning. After a brief charge-up, heunched himself towards the edge of the world, using himself as a projectile in a Railgun.


    "Gotcha, you pathetic bug!" someone suddenly shouted.

 Chapter 209: Arrival of The Mages

    A mountain chain exploded with a thunderous crash. In front of Adam appeared a gigantic level-four radioactive creature, as massive as the mountains themselves. It roared with excited fervor.


    "Pure, advanced energy! Such an intoxicating aroma. You, an insect, don''t deserve this kind of power!"


    Terrifying and revolting tentacles struck from the earth, the sky, and every side, forming a dense, blocking Adam''s way. The tentacles, with eyes and mouths, shot out all sorts of horrifying poisons and rays,pletely sealing the area.


    "Give up, insect. Just stop, or I might identally kill you."


    Adam stood still in the sky. Lightning coiled around him, piercing through many tentacles, but their energy waves neutralized it.


    The monster didn''t care about its physical loss. It ate the broken tentacles and grew new ones. Pleased, it said, "Yes, that''s right. Follow me, give up the secret of this high energy. Maybe Lord Nasanir will let you live."


    This was a major crisis. It was a sheer battle of quantity. Although Adam had infinite magic for now, his body could only hold so much. In this energy fight, even higher magic couldn''t win.


    The devil stopped talking. He knew that survival or death depended on whether Adam could break thest barrier quickly. The dimensional rift was right behind the monster''s mountainous body. The devil gave Adam full control of his body and soul.


    Adam''s eyes were a deep blue, icy, emotionless. He was calcting how to escape.


    The radioactive monster wouldn''t kill him unless it had to. That was Adam''s biggest reliance for now. He had one chance to use all his power to catch the monster off guard.


    Magic began to surge. Adam tried to find a stable spatial coordinate in the unstable space. It didn''t need to be far, just past the current blockade.


    The monster''s voice thundered. Its body shook as if breathing. Then, it said, intoxicated, "Yes, this is the aroma. Pure, harmless, higher than the energy we use. This is the energy we''re after!"


    Energy beams hit around Adam. His mage armor shone, protecting him, but his magic became unstable as the creature tried to break his spell.


    "You might not know what you''re doing, but you''re too weak. You can''t do anything in front of me. Don''t struggle pointlessly, little bug."


    The ground rumbled loudly. The level-four creature, like a moving disaster, caused the earth to shake with every movement. Its tentacles multiplied, slowly encircling Adam.


    "Du is a fool to have let you escape, but I am not. Your tricks won''t work, unless you want to be torn apart by the storm." The creature, not wanting to push Adam too hard for fear he might self-destruct, continually gathered more energy to disturb the space. "You''re not from the dragon world. Tell me where youe from."


    Suddenly, a Thunder Domain, Silencing Storm, and Elemental Energy Missiles exploded right in front of Adam. Using almost self-destructive methods, Adam cleared the radioactive energy for a moment and then vanished from the spot.


    (6548, 2547, 4862)


    The creature roared in fury, "Insect, you''re courting death!"


    Tentacles exploded beside it, its energy field covering the surroundings. Any anomaly was instantly detected.


    As soon as the explosion urred, Adam''s body appeared there.


    Adam waved his magic wand as quickly as possible, materializing the maic field to buy himself a moment.


    (6530, 2531, 4844)


    Activating Blink, Adam stepped into the void, reaching the second coordinate. He was two steps away from breaking the encirclement.


    "You can''t escape!" The roar shook the heavens, and rays prated the void, drying up everything in the area.


    The more critical the moment, the more rational and calm Adam became. Logical thinkingpletely reced his thoughts. As the rays approached, Adam quickly constructed a spell. An elemental body appeared in front of him, taking the hit.


    (6500, 2510, 4820)


    His Blink couldn''t withstand the disturbance anymore. Adam rapidly tore open a teleportation scroll, ignoring the damage caused by the turbulent energy cutting through his mage armor, and vanished again.


    He appeared behind the creature, less than a kilometer away from a dimensional rift.


    The creature went into aplete frenzy, unable to bear the sight of an insect escaping before its eyes. Rage reced its reason. Terrifying energy fluctuations brought about catastrophic changes in the weather and environment. Monsters'' shadows, like continuous dark clouds, poured down with the radiation rain.


    Adam didn''t look back, even for a moment. He gathered all his magical power, creating numerous lightning coils around his body. Then, he spun, charging towards the dimensional rift like a bolt of lightning.


    However, the tentacle was faster than Adam. Just as he started to move, a huge tentacle pierced through the creature''s body.


    Covered in disgusting blood, it heavily smashed down in front of the dimensional rift. The ground shattered inch by inch, forming a terrifying pit.


    Soil and rocks crystallized, and the shockwave dispersed the energy around Adam, sweeping him into the sky.


    His mage armor didn''tst even a second. Pure kic impact nearly shattered Adam''s body, blood spurting from every part of him like fountains.


    Adam was gravely injured, but his logical thinking remained intact. Struggling, he maintained his position, not getting pulled in by the massive creature''s gravitational pull, and then he grabbed the spatial anchor.


    His magic wand was shattered. The devil, awakening from its dormancy and not minding its own disfigured body, trembled and said, "Transcendent creature! It''s a transcendent creature!"


    ***Boom!***


    Another tentacle struck, turning the fourth-level creature''s body into a liquid. Adam looked up to see a sphere supported by countless tentacles harshly descending, sweeping towards him.


    At that moment, the spatial anchor slowly rose. Advanced energy enveloped Adam''s entire body, blocking the tentacle. Then a beam of light shot into the sky, piercing the radiation-covered heavens. Every creature of Cthulhu, including the transcendent lord in front of him, heard a voice from the depths of the void.


    "Locking coordinates of Cthulhu."


    "Transcendent strike iing."


    A vicious tear opened in the void, and a light brighter than the sun dispelled the radiation''s gloom, striking the transcendent lord''s body.

 Chapter 210: Transcendent Strike

    When the Transcendent Strike came down, Adam vanished in the light of the spatial anchor. When he opened his eyes again, he was inside a giant starship.


    "You did well, honestly, I didn''t expect you to do so well," a soft voice echoed from the depths of Adam''s heart. He looked up to see Prisci, taller even than the radiation creature, standing not far from him.


    Adam found his injuries healed, his magical power replenished, and his body in peak condition. Just as he was about to thank her, Prisci interrupted, pointing ahead and saying, "We''ll talk about other thingster. For now, I think you''ll be interested in the Transcendent Strike."


    Ahead was a huge screen, broadcasting the scene with Cthulhu. The image, recreated at a one-to-one scale, was incredibly detailed. Even the terrifying energy fluctuation could be felt through the screen.


    A brilliant beam shot from the void into Cthulhu, firmly locking onto the monster lord.


    The Transcendent Strike epassed all these terrifying features: high temperature, high energy, high concentration, and strong pration.


    Around the monster lord,rge tracts ofnd detached from the ground and floated into the sky, then vanished in an instant. Tiny explosions were continuous, with mushroom clouds rising one after another.


    The Monster lord let out a roar more terrifying than any wild beast, shattering spatial barriers. Strange rays shot up from the ground to meet the Transcendent Strike, where the two equally brilliant and terrifying beams collided and exploded.


    Adam first saw the explosion''s range seemingly separate from the world, then expanded and stretched to the edge of the third ring as the camera zoomed out, splitting the entire world in two. The upper part was abnormally energetic, while the lower part became an energy vacuum.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" Prisci asked. "It''s not over yet. The transcendent creature you brought has a strong life. He''s not dead yet."


    As soon as she finished speaking, the roaring resumed. After the mushroom clouds dispersed, the monster lord''s spherical body reappeared. The tentacles covering its body were gone, making it look even uglier and more disgusting.


    He bounced on the ground, and Adam could clearly see his body contract and the ground copse. Then, the monster lord shot into the sky, his body split open and tentacles regenerated, reaching into the depths of the void, seemingly trying to grab the main culprit.


    Just then, the space where Adam was suddenly darkened, and arge number "5" appeared above the screen. A male mage''s voice said, "Five seconds to the second Transcendent Strike."


    "Five."


    "One."


    "Fire!"


    This time, Adam watched more closely. To the left of the starship he was in, a simrly gigantic starship shimmered in the dark void. At the front of this ship, a kilometer-wide cannon gathered energy that made even the void tremble.


    Following the mage''smand, it fired at the monster lord.


    The spherical body of the monster lord burst open with countless terrifying fissures, like numerous mouths and eyes. Radiation energy converged within these fissures, then channeled through unknown bodily structures to the organ equivalent to a real mouth, directly confronting the Transcendent Strike.


    Cthulhu''s space could no longer withstand such pressure and started to fragment, floating in the void like ss shards, turning the battlefield into an even more terrifying storm.


    Then, the monster lord fell back to the ground faster than it had risen. Adam thought that if Cthulhu had a mantle and asthenosphere, the impact site would now be ake of magma.


    "He''s still not dead, not even fatally wounded. If we let him leave, he might recover in a few decades. I must say, Adam, you''ve discovered an astonishing species," Prisci said, stepping out from her true form to stand beside Adam as the screen zoomed out.


    "You tter me," Adam responded modestly.


    The transdimensional mage waved a hand. "No need for modesty. Your actions were transmitted to the warmand through the Mage Network, especially yourstmand, which surprised us all."


    Adam was puzzled. "I don''t quite understand. Since the war has started and you and other transdimensional mages possess such terrifying methods, why were you in a hurry to obtain samples of the monster lord before the war? Also, I couldn''t be sure that a monster lord would actually appear."


    Prisci smiled slightly. "The Transcendent Strike directly consumes the Heart of the World. It''s generally used only at the start of a war to bombard crystal walls. Otherwise, it would cause significant damage to the origin. It''s like the temporary energy channel opened for you; it can''t be used as a regr method. The real force in the war is still the mage legions. This time is different; we got authorized to attack transcendent entities because there is no crystal wall here."


    "This world, called Cthulhu, has an energy system quite different from other nes in the void. The information you obtained was only below transcendent level, somewhat one-sided. You should know, life undergoes a qualitative change after ascending to transcendent. My fellow transdimensional mages and I need to make some preparations for them."


    "Of course, there''s another reason. The Third Tower is very interested in their radiation energy and is willing to pay a high price for a living monster lord for research."


    "The Third Tower? Aren''t they participating in this war?"


    Prisci shook her head. "No, they never cooperate with others." She seemed reluctant to delve into the topic of the Third Tower, briefly exining before continuing to speak to Adam, "After we study this monster lord, it will be handed over to a transdimensional mage from the Third Tower. Twenty percent of the payment is yours."


    As she spoke, the starshippletely descended onto Cthulhu, followed by three more starships. Their massive mass generated a terrifying gravitational vortex. They connected through unknown means, forming an unstable spatial hub around Cthulhu.


    This was the second time Adam had seen mage towers transformed into starships. Each mage tower seemed to have a different appearance after transformation.


    These three starships had distinct appearances; only one maintained a streamlined structure, while the other two were bizarrely shaped. Adam struggled to find the right words to describe them.


    "The appearance of a mage tower and its transformation are entirely up to the transdimensional mage''s preference, so you may see even stranger ones in the future." Prisci seemed to read Adam''s astonishment and offered some exnation.


    Then she waved her hand, and the screen showed the void environment where the Dragon ne was located, with its scars on the crystal walls particrly noticeable.


    "That''s the ne of your mission, a very weak world."


    As she finished speaking, Adam saw another mage tower, shaped like a hexagram, arrive above the Dragon ne. The Transcendent Strike urately bombarded the scar,pletely piercing the crystal walls, and the hub flew out, connecting with Cthulhu.


    "Yes, ording to my judgment, the Dragon ne has little value to mages of formal rank, but some of its creatures are suitable as ves, and some materials are useful for mage apprentices," Adam pondered before continuing, "There is a species there, useful to me. I hope..."


    Prisci waved dismissively, "Of course, any of your requests will be prioritized. Anything within the value of your mission rewards will be given directly to you. For anything exceeding your rewards, you only need to pay seventy percent. You don''t need to discuss these matters with me. Once you return to the mage world, a designated mage will negotiate with you."


    "I''m interested in something else," Prisci turned to face Adam directly. "The things you mentioned, like radioactive minerals and their derivative applications, and the knowledge you predicted, do they really exist?"


    Realizing her tone was perhaps too stern, Prisci added, "Just be honest. Even just the radiation energy alone is enough for us to start this expedition."


    Adam nodded solemnly, "I am certain it exists. The radiation species have already begun preliminary research on it. However, theyck many things. If this world is conquered by mages, I believe results will appear quickly."


    Prisci nodded in satisfaction, not probing further, and then said, "You can rest in my mage tower for now. Once the transport hub is fully established and the mage world officially begins its campaign against these two nes, someone will inform you of your other tasks. During this time, you can visit themand center. Thebat staff might consult you since you are now the mage most familiar with Cthulhu and the Dragon ne. Some battle ns executed by lower-level battlemages need your confirmation for feasibility."


    ...


    After Adam left the room, an alchemical golem waiting outside led Adam to his room.


    This was Adam''s first time inside a mage tower transformed into a starship. The decor aside, the tower had stricter ess control than usual. Adam sensed formidable runic barriers around some areas, which would likely have unpleasant consequences for any intruder who stumbled into them.


    The golem, bearing temporary authority by Prisci, led Adam to his room. It gave Adam a card and then left; the card turned into a mist of light and merged into Adam''s body.


    From the embedded instructions, Adam learned it was a temporary ess pass for the starship, granting him ess to all areas of the starship open to transcendent and lower mages, excluding private rooms, and all living supplies.


    Adam requested a high-grade ether incubator and nutrient potions through his new ess. He then ced the remnants of a devil''s body tissue into it and woke the devil from its shock.


    "Master, are we still alive?"


    Adam tossed the devil into the incubator and replied, "Of course we''re alive, and in good condition."


    The moment he entered the incubator, the devil let out a ghastly moan offort and asked intermittently, "How did we survive? What is this ce?"


    ...


    Three dayster, Adam finally felt rxed. The rxation made him a bit more powerful. He reached the critical point of 199 in mental and physical power, which was the threshold between first and second-level mages. As long as the ''Adams'' in theb didn''t hit any major snags, he would smoothly be a second-level mage upon returning to the mage world.


    Though the official war hadn''t started, Adam had already made significant gains. After capturing some radiation creatures and analyzing their rays back in theb, Adam had a great chance to prove the existence of ''electrons'' in the ether environment and thus, to condense his unique mage true form.


    It was a sure thing that his strength would leap forward.


    The devil''s body, grown at no expense spared, had be an excellent magic wand.


    Just as the devil expressed dissatisfaction, the card in Adam''s mind lit up. He received a message from headquarters, asking him to exin the situation of the radioactive creatures'' world in detail.


    Touching the card with his mental power, Adam vanished from the room. He found himself in a huge space bustling with alchemical golems. Mages appeared and disappeared, busy with their tasks, not noticing Adam''s arrival.


    "Cthulhu and Dragon ne''s Explorer, Adam?" A female mage appeared a meter in front of him and asked after a formal noble salute.


    Adam sensed she was a level-four mage. He returned the salute and asked, "Yes, and you are?"


    "Amy Jonathan. Call me Amy. I''m the seniorbat staff officer." After introducing herself, Mage Amy went straight to business. "The spatial hub will soon stabilize. The mage world will dere war on both worlds in three days. Many battlemages will join the battlefield through the hub. Based on your reports, we''ve made some ns and need your help to spot any mistakes."


    Adam, a bit unsure, replied, "Mage Amy, I don''t know much about battlemagebat styles, so I might not be much help."


    Amy smiled, leading Adam to a map, and said, "Red indicates areas with transcendent-level creatures."

 Chapter 211: Declaration of War

    "Orange represents level-four creatures, while yellow, green, and blue represent levels three to one. Are there any obvious errors in the marked areas on this map?"


    Adam nced over it and, finding no discrepancies with the intelligence he had submitted, replied, "The map''s markings are correct. However, Mage Amy, the capture of the monster lord will shake things up. Our old info might not be so right now."


    Mage Amy smiled, "Close enough is good. A battlemage who can''t handle a bit of change isn''t cut out for the ne wars."


    Their talk caught everyone''s attention. Amy, a level-four mage and Prisci''s right-hand, had a lot of clout in themand center. She''d never been this friendly with any mage before.


    "That''s the Explorer for this mission?" someone whispered.


    "Yeah, a top-notch new mage. He alone pushed through thest war''s trials. Ceylon Ind is still barren, I heard the Tower''s given up that trial site," a chatty mage said quietly, watching the neer.


    "He found both worlds this time. Heard that he not only did the exploration, but also the infiltration, speeding up the war and helped catch a transcendent creature."


    Some in the crowd had mixed feelings, like the twin sisters and Lilith.


    After the trials, they chose to be Leaders, AKAbat strategists.


    The impact of Adam''s shadow on them was too strong. Lilith, always aiming formand, and the twins, once yearning forbat and infiltration roles, chose to be Leaders without second thoughts when the Tower mages asked. Their faith in their own fighting skills was gone.


    This was their first mission as mages. They knew from the start that Adam would handle the exploration, and had seen his crucial role in the war''s early stages in the Tower''s files. This left them a bit uneasy.


    Back in training, they were all equals, the brightest stars of their ss. But now, though all were mages, Adam was being called ''a very impressive person.''


    The gap, it seemed, had widened too quickly for them to catch up.


    ...


    "Should we go say hello?" Hailey softly tugged at Shirley''s sleeve.


    Shirley patted her sister''s hand and shifted her gaze from Adam, continuing her work. "Let''s not."


    ''*Who would ept a traitor again?*'' she thought silently.


    Adam saw many familiar faces, nearly all the battlemages who were promoted with him were participating in this war.


    When his gaze fell on the twin sisters, he showed no change in expression. He had no idea that after killing Ignas and parting ways with the twins, his information was quickly betrayed.


    Even if Adam knew that, however, he wouldn''t care. His indifference was simply because he never felt they had any real connection.


    Suddenly, Adam remembered his only friend Elliot, Frank, and a few acquaintances; he wondered if they had advanced too.


    ...


    Adam didn''t stay long at themand center. Combat strategists have their specific methods and patterns for formting ns. Adam, merely an Explorer and an outsider, had neither the right nor the interest to get involved. He declined Amy''s invitation and left themand center.


    Though the war hadn''t officially started, high-level mages following the transdimensional mage had begun their initial preparations.


    Large numbers of creature samples were transported to starships for specialized mages to dissect and study, hoping to find their weaknesses for adjusting mage armor and recruiting mages interested in joining the war.


    Adam also had a research report. The energy characteristics of the radiation species were simr to what he had studied. The most effective against them was his electromaic magic. Additionally, alchemist mages with Elemental Trueself were also strong contenders against them, while mages specializing in potion studies had less to contribute here.


    The report contained data Adam couldn''t gather: the reproduction abilities and timing of the radiation species, theirmon characteristics, specific data of different levels, and the magical power needed for a direct kill. Such data required mass dissections for verification.


    Prisci sent a contract through the Mage Network. The contract stated that if Adam agreed, during the war, the Mage Network would adjust other mages'' armors to include maic field properties. This adjustment didn''t involve core knowledge; mages only had usage rights. Moreover, each mage would pay Adam 0.5 units of ether crystals daily.


    Adam dly signed the contract, seeing it as a no-loss, high-gain opportunity. This might even make electromaic magic more popr. With more mages involved in its study, this type of magic could evolve faster than ever.


    Adam was happy about this development. In the Mage Network, mages might sh over interests, but they didn''t hoard their findings. They knew from the moment they became mages that only by growing stronger together could they ess more knowledge and power.


    Those who failed to grasp this concept were eliminated during their apprenticeship.


    ...


    For Adam and the other mages, the pre-war preparations seemed brief. However, for the two worlds, the end seemed frighteningly close.


    The conflict between Cthulhu and the Dragon ne had ceased. All eyes from every race and creature in the Dragon ne were fixed on the starships standing boldly above the crystal wall and the sky. They were filled with unease, unable toprehend what this sudden, umunicable, terrifying entity meant.


    For the first time, the dragon race united as one. After deliberation, some overconfident high-ranking dragons foolishly tried to attack the starships.


    They were effortlessly killed or captured by passing mages. This tant disy of power sent the races of the Dragon ne into a frenzy of fear, scattering in panic likemon animals during a disaster.


    In contrast, many heroes rose among the other mortal races. Ancient alliances were reformed, choosing to band together against this new, more terrifying foe.


    The Cthulhu, meanwhile, went into full battle readiness. With Lord Nasanir captured, it was an all-out war with their foes. The remaining lords returned from the void, rallying their kin, gearing up for the looming war.


    Yet, the monster lords felt not fear, but excitement. The mages'' arrival ignited hopes of evolution for their entire race. The endless stream of pure, advanced energy made every lord drool with desire.


    They had missed the chance to aid Lord Nasanir in the battle with the transdimensional mage, which ended too swiftly. However, they had witnessed from afar that Lord Nasanir was not without power. They believed that if not for the invaders'' cunning ambush, Lord Nasanir would never have been defeated.


    In the days that followed, the lords restrained themselves, observing the invaders'' strength from their territories. They noted that only five invaders matched their energy levels.


    Even without Lord Nasanir, there were still six lords. The remaining invaders seemed trivial, their numbers far too smallpared to the radiation species. They were confident that once the war truly began, they would never be at a disadvantage.


    ...


    On the third dawn, five starships aligned in the void,pleting the final docking with the dimensional hub.


    The immense energy emitted from the starships intertwined like a tornado in the void, bursting forth like fireworks, creating a massive protective shield, as if a new ne was born between the Dragon ne and Cthulhu.


    Everyone paused their tasks and stepped outside. All the first wave of mages felt the primal force coursing through their bodies from the energy channels of the Mage Network. Their mage armors appeared and maized instantly.


    The five transdimensional mages stepped out of the starships, extending their hands to slowly open a portal asrge as the dimensional hub.


    After a few breaths'' dy, waves of battlemages arrived through the portal.


    Floating in the sky, they silently activated their mage armors, summoned soul servants, and then raised a hand high, their magic power surging and converging, zing fiercely.


    Meanwhile, the grand voices of the five transdimensional mages echoed in the ears of countless beings across both worlds:


    "I, Winifred."


    "Whittier."


    "Clemens."


    "Lind."


    "Prisci."


    "In the name of the Heart of the World, we dere war against Cthulhu and the Dragon ne."


    "Where the origin descends, we shall prevail!"


    "Where the mage''s de points..."


    The floating battlemages, including Adam, simultaneously struck their chests with raised arms, roaring naturally:


    "We are invincible in battle!"


    The war deration of the mage world was starkly simple. They disdained to disguise their roles as aggressors or predators, nor did they cloak their war acts in names like justice or salvation. It was a blunt message to the invaded: we havee, your end is near.


    "I see, I conquer."


    "I fight, I win."


    That was the creed of all battlemages.


    After the deration, all participating mages took their positions ording to the contract andmand center, executing their tasks. Adam returned to his room to prepare for his journey to the Dragon ne.


    Although he discovered and explored these two worlds, he was merely a level-one mage. In the massive war between worlds, his power was insignificant.


    There were five transdimensional mages overseeing this war. Four of them were dealing with Cthulhu, and only one, Lind, took a small group of battlemages to the Dragon ne, intending to quickly finish the battle there before aiding the other world''s warfront.


    Lind''smand team called upon Adam, who knew the Dragon ne best, to join their mission. They aimed to swiftly cleanse the entire ne.


    ...


    Inside Lind''s starship, in the operations room...


    "It''s quite a weak world. If the energy we''re sensing now is this ne''s maximum, then transcendent beings couldn''t possibly emerge here," a level-three mage near Adam said, sounding disdainful.


    "This ne isn''trge. Also, the Refinement Art mentioned in our files keeps damaging its primal source, causing it to shrink. Themand wants us to act quickly, halt their continuous depletion of the origin, and then set up a magic array to sacrifice this ne," another mage read out the mission brief, then turned to Adam. "I hear the resistance they set up has something to do with you?"


    "Yes, Mage Evans."


    Adam looked a bit uneasy mentioning this. He hadn''t expected that the ve camp he set up in the Makalu Mountains before leaving the Dragon ne would be the main base for the new racial alliance, with Lina as one of their leaders.


    "What do you think of it then?"


    Adam shook his head, replying, "Even if the origin''sst surge created several transcendent beings among them, they''re still too weakpared to us. We don''t need a strategy, just overpower them."


    Evans, looking at the continuous intelligence reports, agreed. "Your reports say many races here are suited to be soul ves?"


    "Yes. Including dragons, the races of the Dragon ne resemble the Mage World''s magical beasts but are more intelligent and have a higher affinity for elements. With some adjustments to their bodies and reproductive abilities in the Mage World, they''d be high-value cannon fodders."


    Evans zoomed in on the Dragon ne''s map, highlighting the Makalu Mountains. "Given that, direct killing and destruction would be too wasteful. They are like living ether crystals now, and each loss means a dent in our interests."


    He looked at Adam, saying, "I''m assigning this task to you. I hope you can convince them to stop their needless resistance. Of course, this isn''t a strict rule. If they remain obstinate, I think the mages would be very happy to have so many test subjects, even if they''re dead."

 Chapter 212: The Fall of the Rebel Organization

    Adam understood what Evans meant. Neither he nor Lind wanted to waste much time and effort on the Dragon ne. The benefits there were smallpared to those in Cthulhu. They wanted to act fast and then move on to another battlefield.


    Adam nodded, epting the task. He then left the headquarters with two level-three mages.


    One of these mages was named Sherlock, skilled in wide-range control magic. The other was Brandon, an expert in space magic. With their help, Adam could save more time and ensure enough strength to handle any sudden situations.


    Outside the starship, it was bustling on the Dimensional Hub tform. Many mages participating in the plundering of the Dragon ne were posting personal tasks or looking for teams. This made their plundering work more efficient.


    Unlike the tasks directly assigned by the headquarters, personal tasks were chosen freely by high-level mages or those with specific information. They offered rewards and promised fairness, providing another significant source of ie for battlemages apart from the standard rewards from the Tower.


    After asking Adam for precise coordinates, Brandon surrounded the three with a gravitational field. As the runes lit up, they vanished.


    Brandon, skilled in space magic, used teleportation faster and more stably than Adam, and with less energy.


    Adam felt no difort. Stepping out from the void, they arrived above the Makalu Mountains.


    "This is the rebel organization''s headquarters? It''s indeed weak. I think a few space-tearing spells would tten this ce," said Brandon, estimating the area.


    Sherlock chuckled, "If you do that, you''ll have topensate the Tower for their loss. We''re not here to destroy." He turned to Adam, "Mage Adam, it''s up to you now. Brandon and I will help you on the side."


    The Makalu Mountains couldn''t hold all the beings of a ne. Billions of natives were scattered across the Dragon ne. The headquarters paid attention to this small rebel organization because they represented the will andst hope of resistance of all races in the Dragon ne, apart from the dragons. Crushing their hope would allow the mages to control this organization''s voice, making it easier to preserve and subjugate more ''ve seeds''.


    The first step in persuasion was to tell the rebel organization that they had arrived.


    ...


    Adam hadn''t been away from the Dragon ne for long, but the changes in the Makalu Mountains were huge.


    During the period of frequent invasions by Cthulhu, many peace-seeking races had entered the mountains, bringing dramatic changes.


    After the rebel organization made it their headquarters, they transformed the entire mountain range and its surrounding wilderness into arge city, consisting of both surface and underground parts.


    The former camp became the center of this vast city. The magic array left by Adam became their most reliable protection. Now, only the core and high-level members of the new aligned races were eligible to live there.


    "Master."


    Near the center, on a towering tree, Lina touched her chest and murmured to herself.


    The terrifying voice that had echoed in everyone''s ears recently was iprehensible to the other races of the Dragon ne, but Lina vaguely remembered hearing a simr pronunciation when her master was still ''Chris Frost''.


    Back then, she thought it was just the dragons'' meaningless murmurs in their native tongue, not realizing her mistake until now.


    The doubts that had always lingered in her mind were finally exined at that moment---No wonder her master''s actions were so strange, no wonder he knew methods unheard of before, and no wonder he did not care for what ordinary dragons pursued, instead reveling in inciting wars and chaos.


    Now Lina knew he was not a dragon, not even a creature of the Dragon ne.


    "So that''s his real form."


    "An intruder."


    Knock, knock, knock.


    The sound of knocking brought Lina back to reality. "Is that you, Kambi? Come in."


    "Master, this is the information collected at great risk by our peripheral members, and it''s exactly as you guessed."


    Kambi, now looking younger after transcending, appeared almost adolescent, yet moreposed. He had once vied for power with Lina, but no longer harbored such thoughts. He ced the documents on the table in front of Lina, saying, "Master, what should we do now? If that great being really is... one of them, we stand no chance at all. These races signing the new alignment are walking into their own doom."


    The documents were a series of drawings depicting mages arriving and capturing creatures recklessly. Some images, drawn with bold strokes, showed the once-dominant dragons being captured like ordinary beasts by mages.


    Lina carefully looked over them again and again, her palms sweating and soaking the paper.


    Silence spread, and the atmosphere grew more oppressive. After a long pause, Lina finally spoke softly, "I know, resistance will only get us killed, but..."


    Her voice trailed off. Kambi waited for a moment before speaking, "Master, the aligned races still believe they can defeat the invaders like in the ancient times. They have no idea what kind of enemy they are facing."


    Having followed Adam for a long time, Kambi knew well how scary Adam could be. "Master, they are just a bunch of arrogant fools. Even the dragons couldn''t resist; they..."


    "I know," Lina repeated, "but we have no other choice. So far, neither master nor the city lord has contacted me. I know they are not dead, so it must be that we have been abandoned."


    "The aligned races are weak, but they are at least stronger than us. The forest elves alone have no say in such chaotic times." Lina was pessimistic. She touched the wall, and a small window opened in the giant tree, giving a view of the entire camp, including the fortress-like building bustling with people in the center. "This ce was originally given to us by Master, but now we are ignored. Look, even in such a critical situation, no onees to invite us or ask for our opinion."


    Kambi''s eyes hardened, "Master, when the lord left, he handed over the control of the camp to you, right?"


    Lina understood what he meant but shook her head, "With the magic array left by Master, we could indeed take back control here. If I wanted, the seeds left in them could teach them a painful lesson. But what would that achieve? We would only bepletely isted. By then, we might be the first race to be wiped out."


    As Kambi was about to say more, a loud noise erupted near them. He instinctively transformed into his Ant form, panicked, "The invaders."


    Lina''s expression suddenly became excited, and she interrupted him, flying out from the tree into the outside world, saying, "Master. Is that you?"


    Adam informed them of his arrival in a very straightforward and forceful manner. He simply waved his magic wand above the Makalu mountain range, creating a thunderstorm, and then boldly flew towards the direction of the original camp.


    Throughout the Makalu mountains, transcendent creatures took flight. They lined up in the sky, not daring to step out of the magic array''s range.


    Inside, they circled, channeling all their energy, angrily watching Adam and his twopanions.


    "Stop there!"


    Under the fearful and hopeful gazes of the mundane races of the Makalu range, someone from among the transcendent beings asked, "Who are you?"


    Sherlock and Brandon looked at each other. They didn''t understand a word of what these natives were saying. They shrugged their shoulders and said to Adam, "It''s up to you now."


    Adam ignored the warning. He wanted to organize his thoughts and introduce the current situation, but suddenly found it too troublesome. Knowing his words alone couldn''t persuade the rebel organization, he flew to the edge of the magic array and simply said, "Surrender."


    The leaders of the resistance organization were stunned. Just as the leader who had spoken was about to say something, Adam continued:


    "I spread the Refinement Art."


    "I initiated the City-State Wars."


    "I facilitated the premature collision of the Dragon ne."


    "I drew the Mage Legion here."


    Even the most foolish among them understood these words. They couldn''t imagine that the one responsible for their ultimate disaster dared to stand before them so brazenly. This contempt made them extremely angry.


    "You damned intruder! Crush him!"


    The leaders roared, their energy fluctuations fully ignited. Elemental energy gathered outside their bodies. Several leaders, who were of the Spirit race, suddenly grew enormous in size. Transcendent elemental attacks were hurled at Adam like a shower.


    Sherlock''s eyes lit up, and he said to Brandon, "Just as we''ve expected, they naturally acquired elemental bodies after advancing. Their talent is stronger than most of my enved races."


    Brandon nodded in agreement, "Yes, after capturing them and making some modifications in theb, they''ll quickly be a fighting force. It seems this ne is more valuable than we initially thought."


    They werepletely unconcerned about the grand elemental attacks. To any formal mage, those level-one transcendent beings,cking advanced fundamental energy, were not worth considering.


    Adam didn''t make any move or construct a defensive spell. All the elemental attacks dissipated before reaching him, not even breaching the basic defense of the mage armor.


    He spread his hands and then pointed towards Lind''s starship in the sky, saying, "Look, you''re too weak. Above your heads, there are thousands of mages stronger than me."


    Adam''s persuasion was seen as a tant provocation. All the high-ranking members of the resistance organizationunched a furious attack.


    Someone shouted loudly, "Fellow n members, hide in the underground bunkers!"


    "Invaders, perish under the power left by the ancient greats!" someone yelled, eagerly activating the magic array left by Adam.


    Adam remained still. The violent thunder that reached in front of him became incredibly tame, flowing gently like water.


    "Ancient greats? No, this is my power. The magic array you rely on for survival wasid by me."


    The resistance organization was dumbfounded. In a frenzy, they tried to fly out of the range of the magic array. It was then that Adam lightly tapped his magic wand forward.


    Boom!


    A huge explosion sounded. The elemental forces and shockwaves blew them away. The level of the magic array left by Adam wasn''t very high, and it couldn''t kill them outright. However, after the thunder dissipated, they were already in a sorry state.


    The rebel organization was terrified. They realized an unprecedented crisis had fallen upon them. If they couldn''t kill these three, the entire Dragon ne would have no future.


    "Kill them!"


    "Follow the oath, everyone, kill them!"


    Amidst the rising and falling roars, the entire Makalu mountain range was agitated. Everybat-capable unitunched their fiercest attacks on Adam and his twopanions.


    Sherlock smacked his lips, thinking Adam might find this level of attack troublesome and was about to lend a hand.


    Just then, Adam suddenly called out, "Lina."


    Immediately, a dramatic change urred. From the ground, the earth, the sky, from every visible corner, enchanting and beautiful flowers bloomed.


    Huge treants stood up, their thick branches crashing down, instantly countering the ordinary creatures.


    Then, some high-ranking members were suddenly pierced through. Thorns grew aggressively, inflicting great damage on them.


    More than the damage, those creatures were even more bewildered when they found it was their ally who had betrayed them.


    "It''s the power of the forest elves!"


    "Lina, have you gone mad? Do you know what you''re doing!"


    "Traitor, you are a criminal of all races!" they incredulously questioned Lina. As they frantically cleared the nts from their bodies, they had to cut offrge chunks of flesh,


    Green light flickered in Lina''s eyes. Gathering all her strength, she tore a leader nearest to her in half. Then, walking through a storm of blood, she knelt in the air before Adam and excitedly said, "Master."


    Hearing Lina calling Adam "master", the crowd was furious, but they no longer had the mood to reproach or interrogate. The only thought left in their minds was to escape. Only by surviving could they have a chance to continue resisting.


    Sherlock gently shook his finger, and rain suddenly began to fall from the sky.


    Wherever the raindrops touched, all attacks were instantly put out. He looked at Adam and then at Lina, saying, "A fine ve, a fine ability. Are these your soul ves? Do you mind sharing some with me?"


    "Of course, it would be their honor."


    Even though there was a fight, the rebels didn''t lose many people because they had things under control.


    Brandon saw the rain help the nts grow stronger. Heughed, reached towards the sky, and a huge pulling force came. The important members of the rebels, who were running away in fear, were forced toe back.

 Chapter 213: The Dragon Plane Vanishing

    The power of the level-three mage was too strong.


    Brandon overwhelmed the leaders of the rebel group with ease. Some frail bodies exploded due to sudden internal pressure.


    Sherlock lifted his hand, and suddenly all the rebels in the Makalu mountains were trapped in water bubbles and lifted into the air.


    The task took the three less than an hour to finish. The once strong rebels were now almost gone.


    The two senior mages didn''t stay there long. After capturing everyone, Brandon created a huge teleportation circle out of nowhere. In a sh, they were back at the Dimensional Hub tform.


    There, many mages were surprised by the appearance of various creatures. They looked at the different dragon species, talking about their value and asking about prices.


    The forest elves, still awake among the captives, were shocked. But before they could react, the strong energy from the mages started affecting their health, and the weakest began to fall. Without help, they would surely die.


    Lina, in fear, said to Adam, "Master, my people..."


    She knew Adam was strong, but only now did she realize the true power of his race. She felt too small in the presence of these powerful mages.


    Adam quickly put up a protective barrier to shield them from the harmful energy. Hearing this, Sherlock said, "These people will help speed up the war for themand center. Let''splete our mission first and talk about tradester."


    Knowing themand center''s mission was most important, the mages shared contact details with Adam''s group and left. Adam and the rebel leaders were then quickly teleported to meet Evans.


    "Wee back. It looks like you did well," said Evans, smiling.


    ...


    After the mages took control of the rebels, the rest of their work was simple.


    The main control center made deals with the leading members and the strongest of each species. They were ordered to go back to their dragon world to gather their people.


    The forest elves, who were the first to join the mages, were treated well. Lina became their leader, and the other forest elves helped the mages as scouts and guides for capturing missions.


    The mages were very interested in the natural abilities of the people from the dragon world, especially after seeing a fire dragon that had been magically changed.


    A top-level mage, who specialized in refining bodies using magic, worked with an expert in alchemy. They changed the fire dragon right there.


    The body-refining mage removed the natural protection around the dragon''s soul and made its bloodline purer, almost turning it into an elemental creature. The alchemist made a mechanical body and a system for magical energy for it.


    After these changes, the fire dragon, which was only second-level before, showed the power of a level-four creature. Even though its real level didn''t go up, it was very useful as a servant or a weapon.


    What''s more, these changes didn''t need many resources, so they were very cost-effective.


    Other species were changed too, showing more potential than the mages expected. The natives, especially those who could have children, became very valuable.


    The forest elves were the first to bepletely controlled. Because of Adam''s important work as an Explorer in this war, they weren''t just treated as items to be sold. Every forest elf caught by a mage was given to Adam, who shared ways tomunicate in the Mage Network with them. They knew it was better to help an Explorer than to just have a few servants.


    Lina lived with both fear and excitement, suddenly in charge of a whole world. She even felt she was at the highest point of her life, not caring that this power was just given to her by the mages. Feelings of unhappiness, anger, and wanting revenge went away after seeing such great power.


    Seven dayster, Lina came to Adam with surprising news.


    "Master, a mage has caught a young ice dragon, it might be Sophia."


    Adam had almost forgotten about "Sophia," the young ice dragon.


    Adam remembered leaving Sophia, the young frost dragon, in a cave when he departed from the City of Freedom. His dy due to the devil''s interference prevented him frompleting a pact with her.


    Since he couldn''t take a liability into battle, he left her there, thinking her intelligence and strength wouldn''t be enough for her survival. Surprisingly, he was now hearing about her again.


    "Are you sure it''s her?" he asked.


    Lina nodded but hesitated, "The hatchling has been in a deep sleep. Based on her size, it should be her, but she''s very thin now."


    ...


    At the Dimensional Hub tform, a trading point organized by the mages, Adam saw Sophia among a group of ordinary species ves.


    Unlike the other frightened ves, Sophia wasn''t affected and kept sleeping, as Lina had described. She was skin and bones, barely alive in her sleeping state. If not for her dormant state maintaining herst bit of vitality, she might have starved to death.


    "No wonder she survived till now. Probably, this foolish dragon never left the cave. Lucky not to starve to death," the devilmented cynically, appearing beside Adam.


    The level-two mage who captured Sophia knew Adam. After hearing the devil''s remarks, he said with a mix ofughter and disbelief, "Indeed, a foolish dragon. She woke up once after I captured her. I thought she''d resist, but she just mumbled a few words and fell asleep again."


    Curious, the devil asked, "What did she say?"


    "Something like, ''Caught again, Big Dragon,e save me, where are you, Big Dragon, I''m so hungry.''"


    The devil burst intoughter and couldn''t resist adding, "That''s all? She didn''t say ''Big Dragon, I want to mate with you''?"


    ***Bang!***


    The devil was suddenly pressed to the ground by a giant hand of thunder, electricity coursing over him, distorting his face and silencing its speech. Adam stepped forward, cing his foot on the devil''s mouth, and addressed the level-two mage, "Can I trade for this frost dragon?"


    The mage, stunned by the interaction between Adam and the devil, hesitated but didn''t ask questions. He opened the restraint and released Sophia, "Of course, for fiftyplete ether crystals, she''s yours."


    Sophia felt like she had a long dream where she had an endless amount of food that slowly dwindled. After thest bit was gone, she woke from her dream to find herself in a strange environment, and too scared to leave.


    Sophia was very hungry and believed sleeping would help her forget about being hungry and avoid dying. She hoped to wake up to find lots of food and the kind Big Dragon.


    But as she got weaker, even sleeping was hard. Thest time she woke up, she was captured again and didn''t have the strength to try to escape.


    Sophia''s eyelids moved slightly.


    "Master, she''s awake!" The devil said excitedly, pointing at Sophia and talking to Adam.


    "Don''t cause trouble, or I''ll turn you into a magic wand forever," Adam warned.


    The devil was surprised for a moment and then said quietly, "Of course, Master. I won''t bother you. I''m leaving now."


    Adam stopped it and gave it ten big energy crystals, saying, "Go find Matthew and get the way to break the inheritable memory."


    After the devil left, Adam spoke to the young dragon, who was still scared, "Stop pretending to sleep. You''re safe here."


    Sophia was afraid, recognizing the voice but feeling a different energy. She closed her eyes tighter, thinking, ''It''s not true, it''s not true, it''s not true!''


    Adam gave her a potion full of nutrients. It was made from very powerful substances and worked better than normal food. Sophia''s body looked healthier, and she felt so good that she couldn''t pretend to sleep anymore. She opened her eyes and made a sound offort.


    When she saw Adam, she was surprised and closed her eyes again, trying to hide in a corner.


    Adam had no choice but to act like a frost dragon. Sophia stopped and sniffed around, then slowly opened her eyes and asked, "Are you Big Dragon?"


    Adam nodded.


    "Really? Why are you so small?"


    Before Adam could answer, Sophia said, "How can we mate if you''re so small?"


    Adam looked upset, realizing he couldn''t talk properly with this silly dragon. He decided to make her sleep, nning to wait for the devil to return with the way to break the inheritable memory. Once they form a pact, she would understand everything.


    In Adam''s opinion, Sophia was not a soul ve, but more like a mount and a creature he could call upon. He wanted to set up a summoning pact with her, which was different from a usual master-ve pact.


    The good part of this was that Adam could call Sophia to help in future missions without being rejected by the energy of the origin. The bad part was that their connection wouldn''t be very close -- Adam couldn''t directly control Sophia''s life or death through the pact, and his death wouldn''t affect her.


    Adam thought of this after seeing how strong the changed fire dragon was. Having a powerful level-four creature to call upon would really increase his power.


    ...


    The next half-month went by without anything big happening. The creatures running around the Dragon ne were getting fewer, and all the dragons were caught. The mages'' missions were almost done and they nned to take all the valuable things from the world beforepletely destroying it.


    The practice of the dragon ne''s Refinement Art was utterly halted, and the erosion by Cthulhu was contained by Prisci and her group. The edges of the ne became stable, and the top-level mages under Lind started setting up ne Sacrifice Arrays worldwide.


    Adam once asked Evans if it was really worth it to sacrifice such a broken world, as the very pure ether crystals needed for the magic array were expensive.


    Evans was sure it was the right thing to do.  He exined that the ultimate goal of the ne war was sacrifice. Ether crystals, born from the Heart of the World after the mage world''s empowerment, served as the unique ''Energy stone'' and ''currency'' of the mage world. Thus, as long as it strengthened the origin, mages wouldn''t hesitate to spend ether crystals.


    After exining, Evans said in a mysterious way, "After the sacrifice, every mage who helped will get something. As an Explorer, what you get will be almost as good as what the tower masters get. After your first time, you won''t doubt the value of ne sacrifice."


    Adam was curious and asked a few more questions, but Mage Evans only said he would find out soon.


    As the Day of Sacrifice approached, only high-level mages remained active on Dragon ne. The rest, including Adam, waited quietly on the Dimensional Hub tform, watching through the protective barrier as the magic array below nearedpletion.


    Everyone felt the Dragon ne''s origin wanting to resist, but it had lost the ability to do so. It couldn''t even control its own ''body'' anymore.


    The natives, born and raised here, were most sensitive to these changes. Riots urred almost daily, each brutally suppressed by the mages in a cold, bloody manner.


    On the third day, Lind, who had not shown himself before, descended in person. He swung out a magical pir that pierced the heavens and earth, connecting the starship and the center of the magic array.


    This ignited the first energy node of the magic array. All the mages could clearly see from the sky how each ''torch'' on the mountains, rivers,kes, and seas of Dragon ne lit up one after another, forming a six-pointed star pattern.


    Then, the tide of magical power receded like a wave. Pure, original energy, which Adam had only seen during his advancement, came to Dragon ne through the six-pointed star.

 Chapter 214: Frontline

    Chapter 214: Frontline


    A powerful energy gathered in front of Lind, forming a sphere. The transdimensional mage, with arms wide open, embraced this primal force and then mmed it into the center of the magical array.


    A great fire ignited across the entire Dragon ne. Adam could clearly see everything in this world turning into a mysterious substance, feeding into the Heart of the World of the mages.


    The mes grew more intense, the Dragon ne shrank, and the six-pointed star brightened.


    Suddenly, at the tips of the star, the fire solidified into chains that stretched in all directions, as if to pull something out of thin air.


    Secondster, the chains tightened, showing incredible power, and the broken essence of the Dragon ne appeared before everyone.


    It was a simple Heart of the World of the Dragon ne, with only instincts and no consciousness, looking weak and battered. Its spherical body was like a patient paralyzed, unable to control its form.


    Once its creations were captured or betrayed, it lost all its strength, helpless and at the mercy of others.


    Every mage heard the Dragon ne''s sad cries. Then, all native beings, including those enved by the mages, felt immense sadness and unbearable pain. They cried, knelt, struggled on the ground, and their muffled sobs carried messages of grief.


    Lind, silent through it all, watched the world nearly burn away. When the star finally trapped the Dragon ne''s origin, he lifted the gigantic Heart of the World, stepped into the sacrificial magic array, and gently pushed it forward.


    The chains split and connected at both ends, rapidly draining the Dragon ne''s power and sending it along the chains. A bright light filled the void, too bright for Adam to see what was happening inside.


    Thissted an hour, and then the light faded. Eventually, the Dragon ne and its originpletely vanished, as if they had never existed.


    "Is it over? Nothing happened?" Adam asked, puzzled, to the nearby Evans.


    "Be patient. It''s about to begin."


    As soon as the words were spoken, Adam felt a slight fluctuation in his soul. A mysterious energy pathway from the Mage Network activated.


    In the void, the origin pulsed, then a new type of energy, different from ether and magic, infused into Adam''s soul.


    In that moment, Adam felt a rity in his senses, and hisputational ability surged. Negative states and substances in his soul and body seemed to vanish. His mage armor appeared automatically, circting magic rapidly to integrate the new energy, enhancing its defensive power.


    The speed of the magic cirction increased, eventually forming a tide within him. After a rise and fall, Adam felt his total magic reduced by twenty points, but its quality was higher than before.


    Then the energy channel closed. The six-pointed star magic formation in the void shattered, turning into a mist that revolved around the origin, before disappearing from everyone''s sight.


    Evans asked Adam, "How does it feel? Good, isn''t it?"


    "It''s beneficial, but..."


    Evansughed, "But not very useful?"


    Adam nodded, feeling that this ''reward'' was minimal, offering only a slight improvement to his strength.


    "It''s normal," Evans exined. "Firstly, this ne is too weak,cking the environment to birth transcendent beings. Secondly, the essence is too fragmented. The Mage World didn''t gain much, so the feedback to us is also limited. If the sacrificed ne had beenrger, the feedback would have been tremendous."


    Evans paused, then said, "Let me tell you a secret."


    Adam was surprised. Anything termed a secret by a mage had great value. He wondered why Evans, who wasn''t very close to him, would share such information.


    Understanding Adam''s doubt, Evans casually waved his hand and pointed towards Lind''s true form in the void.


    "It''s called a secret, but actually, every high-level mage knows this. To advance from level four to five, besides having foundational knowledge and energy, one needs to absorb enough origin. Each transdimensional mage can be considered an origin, albeit the weakest kind."


    "This is the unique evolutionary path for mages and the reason why level-five beings in the Mage World are far stronger than other beings in the void."


    Evans didn''t say more, but his revtions were enough to spark Adam''s imagination. ''*If a transdimensional mage is the weakest form of origin, then perhaps a Great Archmage represents aplete origin? Adam recalled the dean, Victor, mentioning that Great Archmages live in their own small spaces, which Adam initially thought were just stable environments created using spatial knowledge. Now, it seems these might actually be true nes, with Great Archmages possibly capable of creating worlds with themselves as the origins.*''


    ...


    With the Dragon ne gone, the ne War had reached its halfway point. The starship bustled with activity as themand center coordinated alchemical golems to transport massive amounts of materials and captives back to the Mage World. Once only battlemages remained on the starship, Lind''s vessel would dock with Cthulhu''s other ships,bining forces for a sweeping assault.


    All captives were restless, filled with an inexplicable, deep-seated sorrow, igniting a courage to resist, even if they didn''t understand the significance of the essence''s disappearance.


    The forest elves, not yet fully transformed,cked thebat strength to contend with radiation creatures, their natural counters. Although they were Adam''s soul ves, they too were temporarily sent to the Mage World.


    Lina, already aware of the mages'' intentions, forcefully quelled unrest within her race and obediently stepped into the portal, while other races were forcefully pushed through after suffering heavy casualties.


    The mages were never gentle with captives, and the emotionless alchemical golems followed orders strictly, executing any who hesitated or resisted.


    Adam''s room was cold, filled with transparent gems. The devil, bored, was counting beads on the floor---Sofia''s tears that had turned into ice crystals, containing energy that kept them from melting.


    Seeing Adam return, the devil pointed to the fainted young dragon, saying, "This little one was crying terribly just now. Seems she''s not as foolish as I thought. She knows what happened outside."


    Adam hadn''t yet signed a summoning pact with Sofia or transformed her, so she too would be sent to the Dragon ne. To prevent her from starving out of fear, Adam had prepared enough food for her tost decades.


    "Really? What did she say?"


    "Bad people, evil dragons, stuff like that. Oh, and she said she has no home now."


    Adam was quiet for a moment, not saying much. He simply handed over the food and nutrients he had prepared to the alchemical golem standing behind him, then ordered it to take Sofia away.


    Adam was surprised that the silly little dragon was so sharp, but he didn''t n to exin anything.


    This was fate. In this dangerous void where countless worlds and lives greedily pursued energy, every individual, including mages, had to adapt to thew of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak. Advancing might not guarantee a bright future, but retreating would surely lead to doom.


    ...


    Two dayster, the starship was cleared, traveling towards Cthulhu through dimensional hubs using space jumps, and then finished docking.


    Thews of the mage world formed an embedded ne in the space above Cthulhu.


    Large-scale wars and solo missions were entirely different concepts. On this kind of battlefield, individual power was no longer sufficient to sway the oue. Even transdimensional mages were restrained by the lords of Cthulhu, lost deep in the void.


    War was the best catalyst. In a short time, and it caused all Cthulhu creatures toplete a metamorphosis in their thinking mode.


    The hierarchy of authority became more distinct, with higher beings having absolute control over the lower ones. Orders were executed without hesitation, even if it was suicide, and the lower beings had no doubts about it.


    Battlemages often sawrge numbers of low-level radiation beingsmitting suicide, bing food for the higher beings, promoting evolution and ensuring the strength of the upper ranks.


    The fourth and third rings werepletely abandoned. Billions of radiation beings held their ground on the boundary of the second ring, not retreating an inch, and the war entered a stalemate and tug-of-war.


    After the docking waspleted, Adam and the other battlemages on the starship spent a month sweeping for remnants and collecting resources before receiving orders from the jointmand to officially join the front line.


    ...


    "Coordinates (13245, 54845, 63248). The radiation race has gathered over twenty level-four beings, more than a hundred level-three beings, and countless level-ones and twos. Theyunched a night raid on Camp 760, and the mages stationed there were almost entirely wiped out. Your mission is to clear the enemies near the coordinates, re-establish defense works, fill the gaps in the front line, and prevent the radiation race from breaking through to the rear. Stanley, Campbell, and Salona, three level-four mages, will lead the team."


    On the Dimensional Hub tform, a seniorbat officer delivered the mission requirements to everyone. The mages, ustomed to life and death, showed no emotional fluctuation when speaking the words "entirely wiped out."


    "Any questions?"


    Adam stayed quiet. At this time, he couldn''t speak. He was just amazed by the number of camps. The battlemages had fully surrounded the second ring, and no one knew how many camps were there. Many were being destroyed all the time.


    "It looks like things aren''t as good as I thought," Adam said quietly to himself.


    Next to Adam, a very strong alchemical mage with powerful mage armor, holding a big longsword, heard him. In a low voice, the mage said, "Yes, it''s not good. We''ve lost a lot, and every day we hear about camps being destroyed. More help hase from the main world, but the battlefield is like a never-ending pit."


    "Oh, my name is Woll," he said, then with a hard expression added, "These creatures are everywhere, so many of them."


    Adam thought about how the radiation race reproduced. They didn''t have genders and reproduced in a special way, like splitting, but moreplex. When mutant energy eroded body parts from higher beings, these parts strangely turned into new life forms.


    To fight this scary way of reproducing, the mages had to make sure they destroyed every part of the enemy''s body in battle; if not, many creatures could appear overnight.


    Woll reached out his hand to Adam, but then pulled it back because of their height difference and patted his chest instead. "Don''t worry, if we''re careful, those creatures have no chance. When the transdimensional magese back from the void, it will be their end."


    "Hi, I''m Adam," Adam replied, also hitting his chest.


    Adam was still at level one, but he was at the top of it. After the ne sacrifice, he looked almost like a level-two mage.


    Woll, a level three mage, seemed to have a kind heart, which was unusual for mages.


    "I know you, the Explorer of this time," Woll said, a bit shy, scratching his head. "You know, alchemical mages don''t have much. Could you tell me if..." He stopped, then said, "I can protect you. The creatures'' ray attacks can''t get through my defense."


    Adam didn''t know what to say. He had just thought of Woll as kind, but now his real reason was clear.


    Before Adam could answer, a devilish face appeared on his magic wand and said, "If my master couldn''t protect himself, he would have died on the exploration long ago, and wouldn''t need any help..."


    Adam quickly pushed the mischievous face on his wand back into its ce.


    Woll, a bit sheepish but not upset, showed he was truly nice. "Oh, okay, I understand. Forget about it then."


    Adam thought for a bit before asking, "Mage Woll, are you a body-refining mage studying bloodline?"


    Woll''s eyes shone as he nodded quickly. "Yes, that''s true. Do you have anything to exchange? I heard you got some valuable servants. I can make them better. I''m really good at it."


    "I''m looking forward to working with you," Adam said.


    Woll smiled, ready to say more, but then the light for teleporting shone. He quickly gestured ''we''ll talkter'' and got ready to be sent to the battle area."

 Chapter 215: Returning To The Tower

    Chapter 215: Returning To The Tower


    A few days into the war, thend of Cthulhu was badly damaged. The ground near the battle area sank almost a hundred meters. Adam and a group of mages, in charge of fixing and protecting Camp 760, arrived there using magic.


    Camp 760 was now destroyed and turned into a battlefield with strange creatures fighting the mages who came to help. There were constant sts of energy, making shockwaves like strong winds.


    When the mages arrived, three level-four mages told everyone to make sure their armor was fully working. They worked together to make a shield spell that protected everyone.


    They found themselves in the middle of the fight, facing a barrage of radioactive energy attacks.


    This gave the mages who were struggling a moment to catch their breath. The two leaders of the strong mages told Adam''s team leader, "This is your responsibility now," and left with their group.


    They had to protect other ces too and staying too long at Camp 760 could lead to surprise attacks by the radioactive creatures.


    The three level-four mages didn''t even say thanks. In wars, all mages were united. If one ce was in trouble, others had to help. Any mage who was afraid or betrayed others would be shunned by everyone.


    Suddenly, a massive energy attack came from a distance. Mage Stanley showed his powerful Elemental Trueself and stopped the attack with a wave of metal element. He said, "You all know how to fight. Just one thing: make sure you stay safe and clear the camp of all these creatures quickly. Leave nothing behind. Let''s start."


    After speaking, the three level-fours charged into the enemy lines, seeking level-four radioactive creatures to execute a decapitation strategy.


    The other mages disyed astonishing execution at this moment. As soon as Stanley finished speaking, they spread out instantly, maintaining a distance that allowed maximal use of their magical power without harming each other, yet close enough to support theirrades.


    They automatically formed a cross-battle formation. After a few rounds of magical bombardment, one group would retreat, and another would take over, maintaining continuous attack.


    Apart from Adam, all the mages possessed an Elemental Trueself. When deployed, they shone like neon lights, flickering in various colors. Their powerful magics created a saturated attack, covering every inch without exception. The elementsplemented each other, making the mage legion appear both dangerous and elegant.


    The body-refining mages presented a contrasting style. Wielding elemental weapons, they charged to the forefront of the battlefield, engaging in closebat with the monsters.


    This was Adam''s first time witnessing thebat style of body-refining mages.


    The Transformers, like Woll, transformed into beings over thirty meters tall, turning into a type of creature Adam had never seen before. The Enhancers grew in proportion, their muscles bulging, with magical power visibly flowing over their skin and mage armor. Every movement they made seemed to shake the earth, and each swing of their weapon caused the air to wail under its burden.


    Each body-refining mage was a battle enthusiast, reveling in the fight and the kill, uncaring even in the face of numerous wounds. Injuries only fueled their fighting spirit, showcasing a thrilling sense of power.


    Adam was actually the weakest among them, so he took on a supportive role.


    Since all mages had received maized mage armors through the Mage Network, Adam gained some control capabilities. At the back of the formation, he fully deployed a strong maic field.


    Sensing the changes within the range, no mage hesitated, granting him partial control. In an instant, everyone became a moving maic field, its strength corresponding to their individual power. The greatest beneficiaries were the three level-four mages, who could now move through enemy lines almost ignoring the radioactive energy attacks.


    The attacks of the radioactive creatures weakened step by step as they entered the maic field. At this point, it was as if Adam, with his modest power, had cast a buff across the battlefield.


    But that wasn''t all. Adam could, to some extent, harness the residual magical energy radiating from the mages, gathering this otherwise lost energy for his own use, exerting strength far beyond his level.


    Within the maic field, Adam could calcte the position of each person, the frequency and intensity of collective spells, the mages'' cooldown speeds, and other data.


    He constantly waved his magic wand, sending down thousands of elemental missiles in a continuous stream, perfectly filling the gaps inbat and increasing the efficiency of the saturated attack.


    At this moment, Adam even felt that he might have chosen the wrong path. His magic, his abilities, were seemingly tailor-made for a battlemage.


    "Well done!"


    The change on the battlefield was clear, and everyone knew it was because of the mage without an Elemental Trueself, standing behind them. The mage closest to Adam, while getting his magic power back, turned, gave Adam a thumbs-up, and said with real feeling, "I haven''t felt this good in a fight in a long time."


    Suddenly, the radioactive creatures they were fighting started to change. The powerful attacks from the three level-four mages forced the level-four radioactive creatures to step in. They flew up, leading the mages to a different part of the battlefield.


    Even though they were outnumbered, the strong mages were holding their own, three against twenty.


    The weaker creatures also changed, bing more effective for fighting. They stopped acting alone and turned into something like gun towers. Their scattered energy attacks became more focused. They didn''t take turns; when their energy was low, the stronger creatures would eat the weaker ones to get more energy. Those about to die split at thest moment, creating new radioactive creatures.


    Their energy attacks changed too, bing tricky and hard to predict. Some could even move through space. After going a certain distance, these attacks would disappear and then show up again somewhere else.


    Adam could sense these sneaky attacks because of his special ability to feel energy changes in the maic field.


    Maybe the previous camp lost because they didn''t expect the creatures to change their attacks in such a strange way. But in a direct fight, without a big number on their side, the creatures couldn''t beat the mages in terms of skill.


    This time, most of the mages fixing the camp were level-three, with fewer than ten at level-two, and only Adam at level-one. When so many strong mages worked together, theirbined power was much more than Adam had ever thought possible.


    The fight between the two groupssted an hour. When the three level-four mages came back from the sky, victorious, bringing down some captured and unharmed level-four radioactive creatures,


    Stanley ordered everyone to join in a final, all-out attack.


    Adam didn''t join in. Stanley called him over.


    "Your magic with electromaism is very impressive, especially in group fights," Stanley said, changing back to his normal look and ying with a small maic field in admiration. "After this, would you think about bing a battlemage? I bet you''d be really good at it."


    "Thank you, but I haven''t thought about it yet," Adam replied.


    Stanley didn''t seem bothered by Adam''s answer. "Of course, it''s up to you," he said. "And you''ve really done well with your mission to explore, especially if those weird ores and creatures from this world turn out to be so valuable."


    He pointed at the radioactive creatures and added, "Your job here is done. Your magic is impressive, but you''re not ready for big battles, and it''s not the best use of an Explorer to have you fighting."


    Battlemages each have their own roles. Adam had worked with the supply team before, collecting ores and capturing less dangerous creatures cheaply. His reasons for being in this battle were to learn how mages fought and to catch some stronger creatures.


    Now he was nning to leave Cthulhu and go back to the world of mages.


    The fight between the mages and the radiation lords was still going on in the void. The starship could only tell that the mages were still alive, but it couldn''t track their energy anymore.


    Winning was still far away, and given how things were, the conflict on Cthulhu looked like it wouldst a long time. Adam didn''t want to stay here longer.


    As an Explorer, Adam had a lot of privileges. After he finished exploring, he didn''t have to stay for the war. Themand center agreed to let him go back and said he could leave anytime through a special teleportation portal.


    After thanking Stanley again, Adam packed several creatures in special containers and said goodbye, "Then, I''ll get the reward for catching them when I get back to the Tower. Thanks again for your help."


    ...


    The teleportation was smooth, with no problems. When Adam opened his eyes, he was back. The feeling of the magical energy and elemental power made him feel home.


    The devil, now a magic wand, wanted to be free. He looked at Adam sadly but didn''t say anything.


    Adam knew what he wanted, but he couldn''t let go of the devil at this moment. There was a lot of work to do, and he needed the wand for these tasks.


    The teleportation hall was as busy as usual, with many peopleing and going. Nobody really noticed Adam, except for an alchemy golem on duty, which came up to him and said, "Explorer Adam, wee back. Do you need to get your deposited ves and items from the Tower right away?"


    When Adam got back to the starship before, he had already sent different kinds of living creatures back to the Tower using a separate teleportation system. These creatures, along with forest elves and a young dragon, were now safely kept in a special area in the Tower for battlemages. This area was very secure.


    Adam decided to get his things, and the alchemical golem took him to a disorganized space.


    The process to check his identity was simple. It just needed a soul link with the Mage Network. After that, the room changed, showing thousands of forest elves and one dragon.


    The creatures were scared; Adam could feel their fear, including Lina''s. It was hard for them to suddenly be in a strange ce without any introduction.


    When Sophia saw Adam, she got excited and started to fly towards him. But then she remembered something andnded a bit away, staying quiet.


    The alchemical golem said, "Beings that don''t have a pact with any mage can''t go into the world directly. Mage Adam, you can either keep paying for the storage space or make the pact here. If you keep renting, it will cost twenty pure ether crystals every day."


    Nothing in the Tower was free, not even storing things. Adam agreed to pay and only took Lina, the creatures, and the raw ores with him.


    As he was leaving, Sophia looked sad, getting smaller and her eyes losing their brightness.


    ...


    "Master? So many... Masters?"


    In theb, Lina stared in shock at the many ''Adams'' filling the room, her green energy going everywhere. She had just lost her new but fake power in the world of the mages and felt weak and reliant again. The sudden change had confused her, and now, seeing something that didn''t make sense to her, she was unable to understand what was happening.


    The devil, annoyed and in a bad mood, thought he should be having fun instead of dealing with these creatures.


    He patted Lina''s head roughly, making her energy scatter. He felt that without these troublesome creatures, he would be enjoying himself now.


    Adam told the devil to exin things to Lina, while he went to one of the ''Adams'' in theb. He was keen to find out if theb had finished its experiments while he was gone. This was important for him to know if he could move up to a level-two mage and, more importantly, if the All-Adam Lab was worth it."

 Chapter 216: Going Up To Level-two

    Chapter 216: Going Up To Level-two


    Adam ced his hand on the head of an avatar, and all his other avatars immediately stopped their activities. A massive amount of data began to merge and travel upwards, eventually reaching Adam''s own mind.


    This process of collecting data took a very long time.


    Adam had two major objectives before he left this world: to understand and confirm Gauss''s Law and Gauss''s Law for Maism. He had already confirmed Gauss''s Law, but was still working on thew for maism.


    Before leaving the Mage World, Adam had figured out the experimental methods and shared them with his avatars. Over many years, these avatars continuously performed bnce experiments without stopping.


    They functioned almost like machines, keeping on with their tasks as long as they had materials and no outside disruptions. Even when experiments failed, they would just record the results, analyze them, and then try a different approach.


    In this case, avatars were more effective than hiring experimental assistants.


    After numerous failures, the bnce experiment finally seeded in an ether environment, leading to the creation of the Ether Coulomb''s Law. Thisw urately described the force between stationary electric charges in an ether environment: the force between two charges decreases as the distance between them increases.


    Gauss''s Law was based on this principle. Thus, after developing the Ether Coulomb''s Law, deducing Gauss''s Law became easier.


    This achievement was a critical part of forming Maxwell''s equations.


    The process of data transfer felt like Adam was personally conducting the experiments. Once he had fully absorbed this information, a soft magical breeze began to swirl around him.


    Slight elements of magical essence gathered and flowed into his soul. Without any dramatic effects, the transition from level one to level two was smooth. Adam simply needed to continue his meditation practice to reach the magical strength of a level-two mage.


    Validating these twows made Adam''s magic more structured and powerful. For a simpleparison, if Adam could previously exert ten units of power with a bit of magic, he could now exert fifty units.


    However, that was just one aspect. Adam stillcked a crucial element of a mage''s power: the Elemental Trueself.


    The Elemental Trueself was extremely important. It was not only a way for elemental mages to transcend the limitations of their physical bodies, but it also allowed them to apply their knowledge more directly. The strength of magic in the Elemental Trueself state was far greater than in their physical form.


    Once Adam sessfully proves the existence of electrons and forms an Electron Trueself, his minor spells would be as powerful as his current strongest attacks.


    All the avatars shared the knowledge of the original Adam.


    Based on his research, they used the rune system to create a new spell, inspired by the principle of the Faraday cage. This spell, called "Static Shield," created a space where the electric potential was the same everywhere, making the electric field inside it zero.


    This spell was simple enough for an apprentice to use, but its impact is huge. The creation of Static Shield makes old electric magic in the world of mages outdated.


    Theboratory''s achievements over the years didn''t stop there. After almostpleting Maxwell''s equations, the avatars suspected the existence of electromaic waves and started experiments to prove it.


    Using materials in theboratory, they made induction coils and found electric sparks. They then focused on studying these sparks in detail.


    They designed a simple oscitor and did experiments every day. The data showed that things weren''t going well at first. For ten years, the results didn''t match the theory of electromaic fields. But the avatars kept going, recording every small change, and finally, they observed electromaic waves moving through space.


    Adam valued this discovery even more than his own advancement to level two. If he continued these experiments and figured out the frequencies of different electromaic waves, it would help him a lot in understanding and separating radiation from living things.


    This breakthrough by the avatars could make Adam''s work on verifying electrons much faster.


    Also, discovering electromaic waves could be really useful in alchemy. Adam might even make a lot of money from this discovery.


    He didn''t rush to do more research. He knew that experiments take time and most big discoveriese from lots of tries and unexpected findings. The excitement of research and learning was in this uncertainty - no one knew for sure if they were right or if a strange idea might turn out to be true.


    After moving up to the next level, Adam told his avatars to keep experimenting. He then went to see Lina and the devil.


    Lina was still bound by the pact with the devil. The first thing Adam needed to do was to transfer and change this contract.


    Lina was a real, living creature, unlike the devil. The devil could hide in Adam''s mind after they made a master-servant pact, but Lina couldn''t do that.


    To make forest elves into a group of ves, Adam needed a special pact. Using this pact, Adam only needed to connect with the leader of the ves. Then, by controlling this leader, he could control the whole group.


    The cost of such a pact was very low, but to keep the ves, one needed a stable ce provided by the Second Element Tower.


    This kind of space could support different creatures, and it became more valuable as it got bigger and had more features. A ce big enough for thousands of forest elves could be very expensive, although Adam was quite rich now.


    Also, he hadn''t received the money for hisst mission yet.


    Adam thought he might need to sell something, as he looked at Lina.


    ''I''m an Explorer,'' he thought. ''Until I reach a higher level, I don''t need to fight in wars. For my missions, I just need a few skilled, strong helpers. I don''t need so many ves.''


    Lina felt scared under Adam''s look. She moved back a little and asked quietly, "Master, what should I do now?"


    Adam bought the contract from the Mage Network and got permission to use it in the world of mages. Then he told the devil, "End your pact with her."


    The devil did as told. Lina felt free at first, but then she felt scared and weak because of the powering from the Tower. Without Adam''s help, she would be in big trouble here. If Adam hadn''t gotten permission before, she would have been in danger as soon as the pact ended.


    Then, Adam and Lina went to a storage area in the Tower. Adam chose a hundred forest elves with the best potential, half men and half women. He made them stronger and brought them up to level-two.


    The others were listed for sale, probably for a good price.


    Lina looked sad but knew she couldn''t change what Adam decided. She watched as her people were taken away, trying not to see their scared faces and hear their cries.


    After all the forest elves were gone, the storage space was empty. Adam told Lina to stay there for a few days.


    Then he went to Sophia, who was shaking and crying. He signed the Summoning Contract with her, and took her away.


    In theboratory, Sophia was curled up, crying and calling out. She was very scared of this ce. She was afraid of the group of identical ''big dragons'' and even more scared of being left alone.


    Adam did not try to make her feel better. He told her, "You need to learn to live with your new situation. From now on, you have to be useful, or," he stopped, trying to think of a word that would scare her. Sophia''s understanding was not fully developed; she could not grasp very difficult words. He chose a simpler warning, "Or you will not get any food."


    Sophia looked at Adam with a confused face, her eyes filling with tears again. After a while, she asked sadly, "What does it mean to be useful? Since you have changed, we can''t be mates. Does that mean I am not useful now?"


    Before the devil could make a joke out of it, Adam kicked him out of the room and ordered, "Go to the Mission Hall. I need a mage with a level-four body-fining mage, a Transformer."


    When the devil left, Adam exined to Sophia, "I don''t need you to be my mate. I need you to be stronger."


    She cried harder, her tears falling to the floor. "But I can''t fight. I can''t beat anyone. I am afraid of bad people," Sophia said with a shaky voice.


    Thinking of her mother made her even sadder, and she began to cry loudly, "Mommy said I would learn when I grow up, but I think even then I won''t be able to fight the bad people."


    Adam realized he couldn''t expect the young dragon to be strong by herself. He hoped the skilled Transformer would have a way to give her fighting abilities.


    He had no time for her tears, so he used a spell to make her sleep. Then he went to organize the radioactive minerals and samples of creatures that live in radiation.


    He put aside the radioactive minerals for now, as he didn''t know enough about nuclear science yet. Adam didn''t have any proven knowledge at the atomic level.


    He ced the creatures that live in radiation in the deepest part of theboratory. There, he instructed machines to build a room almostpletely closed off, made entirely of ether crystals.


    The room was filled with various magic arrays for protection, and a lot of equipment for observing and analyzing. If everything went as nned, this room would be where Adam focused his research before his next mission.


    Adam also asked for two advanced alchemy machines to make sure he could control several level-four radioactive creatures after he broke Mage Stanley''s seal.


    The next day, the devil brought a skilled body-refining Transformer who agreed to help to Adam''sboratory.


    Adam greeted her, "Good day, Mage Meredith."


    Meredith was an extremely beautiful level-four mage, slender and perfect in shape, very different from the muscr or intimidating body-refining mages Adam had seen before. She had a unique and unforgettable presence that was even a little overwhelming.


    When Adam first saw her, his heartbeat faster, but he quickly focused on thinking logically and did not show any embarrassment.


    The devil, on the other hand, seemed to be behaving better, keeping its head down and not daring to look up.


    "Hello."


    "Where is the little dragon? I heard she has a special body rted to elements. I''ve seen many dragons in different worlds, but none with such a gift," Meredith asked,ughing lightly. Her smile was very charming.


    As they walked, Adam said, "She only has a kind of elemental body. In her original world, she could control elements very well, but here, she''s not much different from other creatures, except she''s smarter, and she can''t use her powers on her own."


    "That makes sense. The magic in this world is too strong, so it holds back the abilities of creatures from other worlds. But if she is really talented, things will be very different after we change her."


    "Is that her? She''s so cute," Meredith said, her eyes brightening when she saw Sophia sleeping on the floor. She touched Sophia''s scales gently, "Such a pure soul, it''s sad, she''s even scared in her sleep."


    She seemed to really like Sophia and asked without looking back, "How do you want to change her? Do you have a n?"


    "She''s a frost giant dragon, so she''s all about ice. She can work with me, but ice is not as flexible as water. My first wish is to change her element to water."


    "That''s easy to do. Quite simple, actually."


    "The second thing is Elemental Trueself. I''m not sure what we need for that, but I hope she will have a true elemental body after we change her."


    "That''s also possible. I have materials that can do that."


    "The third thing is that her natural abilities are too weak. I want you to put some strong magic patterns inside her."


    Meredith turned around and asked, "That can be done, but how will you solve the problem with energy? Magic patterns without power to use won''t make much of a difference."

 Chapter 217: Electromagnetic Waves

    Chapter 217: Electromaic Waves


    "How about a mechanical core?"


    Adam was in a difficult spot and couldn''t think of a great solution. His idea was to use the alchemist''s method: adding mechanical parts to Sofia''s Elemental Body and powering it with a Mechanical Core.


    But this idea had problems. For a skilled mage, both Elemental and Mechanical Bodies were powerful, but they were different systems. Combining them in one body wouldn''t work perfectly.


    Meredith agreed, simply saying, "However..."


    Adam got her point. She probably had a solution but wanted more in return. He cleverly asked, "Do you have a better idea?"


    Meredith showed him a glowing, beating core from herb. "This is a Bio-core with a magic conversion system inside. It changes different types of energy into magic at a five-to-one ratio. It works well and doesn''t cause damage. But it''s expensive, costing ten times more than a standard Mechanical Core."


    "I''ll buy it."


    Though costly, Adam decided it was worth it. The Mechanical Core Sofia used was valued at a thousand ether crystals. Ten times that was a lot, but Adam could afford it after paying for the Stable Space from the Tower.


    He was earning a steady ie from the battlemages of Cthulhu.


    "Need anything else?"


    "Sofia''s mental growth is slow and shecks the desire to fight. Can you boost her fighting spirit or add a new personality to her soul?"


    Meredith said yes right away. After confirming Adam had no other requests, she named her price. Excluding the Bio-core, the transformation would cost seventeen thousand ether crystals. Adam promptly paid a deposit.


    With the deal made, Meredith became very cheerful and her charm grew. She smiled and asked, "Adam, you''re an Explorer, aren''t you? Are you improving her for summoning on mission nes?"


    Adam nodded, "Yes."


    "I have something useful. It can stop the ne''s energy from rejecting summoned creatures and hide their magic. It''s only five hundred ether crystals. Do you want it?"


    Adam was taken aback; he hadn''t thought about such a method. He then pondered, "Maybe I can also..."


    Mage Meredith quickly corrected him, "Not for you. Your soul changed when you went from being an apprentice to a full mage, closely connected to the Mage World''s core. It''s impossible to hide. Most beings in the nes only go through this change when they reach level five. Even after changing, this little dragon''s soul is still basic, so we can hide it."


    Adam got it; it all made sense. If mages could use this technology on themselves, exploring would be much safer.


    This idea eased Adam''s worries about the summoning. Since it was just five hundred units, he didn''t wait and even gave Meredith some of the strongest forest elves.


    Meredith was happy. These changes were easy for her, especially with a team in herb. It was a good deal for her.


    "Deal. I''ll bring you the modified ves in a month."


    After she left, the devil copsed, not even trying to keep its shape, lying at Adam''s feet like a spilled liquid.


    Adam asked, "What''s wrong with you?"


    The ''liquid'' trembled, and the devil moaned, "Master, I almost died! How can there be such a scary mage!"


    Adam thought a bit and guessed, "You didn''t upset her, did you?"


    The devil''s presence spread out, his voiceing from all over, "Master, who knew a tea-serving maid was really a level-four mage? I mean, why would a mage that powerful be doing that?!"


    "And then?"


    Adam was amazed by the devil''s knack for trouble. He probably would have been gone if not for their contract.


    "Then..." The devil paused, clearly shaken, "Master, she''s got subus blood, so charming, I bet she''s conquered worlds!"


    ...


    After sorting out the summoning and ve issues, Adam turned to his own studies.


    Mages already knew about atoms. Potion makers and alchemists used them in their work, but hadn''t looked at smaller particles. Adam thought mages who loved research would want to know what was inside an atom. They might not have found out for two reasons: first, ether might make atoms more stable and harder to split, and second, just knowing about atoms makes potions and alchemy really powerful already.


    When Adam first learned about the Elemental Trueself method, he thought it would take a lot of time and resources to prove electrons exist. But the profits from Cthulhu and his avatar''s work on electromaic waves speed things up a lot.


    Adam believed the energy beams from the radiation creatures were made of alpha, beta, and gamma rays. Alpha rays are streams of helium nuclei, gamma rays are electromaic waves, and beta rays are beams of electrons, basically groups of electrons sent out together.


    Starting from zero to figure out and prove this discovery without any physical examples was very hard. However, if Adam could separate and study the energy attacks of the radiation creatures, especially the beta rays, to find out about electrons, it would be easier.


    To do this, he first had to improve the theory of electromaic waves, making a moreplete electromaic spectrum in the ether, and then separate the gamma rays.


    The avatar was doing well, having seen how electromaic waves move in the ether. Adam''s first job was to do a lot of tests to understand these patterns better.


    Adam stopped the avatar''s current work, called back and destroyed all the units. He then made new ones with his stronger cells from after he reached level two. These new avatars had moreputing power and energy, making experiments more efficient.


    For the tests, the avatar built an open oscitor. It had a copper ball on one end of two copper rods and a zinc block on the other end. The rods were in a line with a gap between the balls. They were connected to a coil, and when an electric shock was given, if the electrical parts reached a certain level, a spark crossed the gap, making a path between the rods. This acted like an osciting pair, causing quick, high-frequency movements. But these movements faded fast because of energy loss, so seeing them was mostly by chance.


    Adam then made a resonating pair detector with a mithril wire ring and mithril balls that could be moved at the opening. He put this detector next to the oscitor. When the oscitor was powered, if sparks happened at the ends of the detector because of resonance, the changing electromaic field from the oscitor would make new fields in the ether, meaning electromaic waves.


    Adam made hundreds of these setups, with each avatar working and noting down results on their own.


    The idea was good, but the experiment was harder than expected. The ether was too stable and slow. Although there were some sparks, there weren''t enough to be sure electromaic waves really existed.


    Adam started by cing each avatar far enough from each other and used magic to create a space without energy between them, making sure they did not affect each other.


    The experiment went on tirelessly, but since Adam and everyone in hisb didn''t need rest and didn''t make mistakes, they made good progress.


    After ten days, Adam found a steady frequency. Then, after sending a strong electric current into the machine, he saw a small electric spark in the gap.


    Adam quickly told all the avatars about this frequency, and their machines showed the same thing: the spark kept jumping, and a new electromaic field formed.


    This proved that electromaic waves could move through ether space.


    New knowledge turned into runes and went into his soul, making it stronger. But this knowledge wasn''t useful yet because he didn''t know the speed and frequency of the electromaic waves.


    Adam immediately started the next part of the test without waiting.


    He went into a roompletely surrounded by ether, with metal tes on the walls to bounce electromaic waves back. The wavesing in and the reflected waves made standing waves.


    Using his machine, Adam watched these standing waves at different ces and distances. Brighter sparks showed where the wave peaks and troughs were, and no sparks meant there were nodes.


    After getting some data, Adam used the Tower''s teleportation hall to travel to outer space. There, he found that the measurements were almost the same as in theb.


    After a full day of careful calctions, Adam figured out the wavelength of the electromaic waves. By multiplying this by the frequency of the sparks, he worked out the speed of the waves. In the ether environment, this speed was the same as in Earth''s universe; the speed of electromaic waves was the same as the speed of light, which, in the mage world, was also a type of electromaic wave.


    This meant that wave speed was the product of wavelength and frequency, so frequency was the wave speed divided by the wavelength.


    With this discovery, Adam''s body and soul changed again. Glowing runes tried to merge with his soul. Some did, making his soul stronger, but others faded away and didn''t blend.


    The devil, who had be very cautious during the experiment, stayed quietly in theb, not bothering Adam. He kept talking to himself and, when he saw the knowledge forming and partly failing, he nervously asked, "Master, did the experiment not work?"


    Adam shook his head initially, then nodded. The experiment had worked, but the findings were notplete.


    "The duality of waves and particles."


    The devil,pletely baffled, was about to ask more when Adam stopped it, saying, "I can''t exin it right now. It''s beyond what I can research at the moment."


    The devil didn''t ask any more questions. Even if Adam had exined, he wouldn''t have understood. He had only tried to start a conversation because he was bored.


    Adam instructed the avatars to thoroughly sort out all the data from this experiment and to start developing magic and technology based on the findings. The avatars focused on studying radio waves.


    Once they fully understood and confirmed this range of frequencies, Adam nned to invent simplemunication magic and alchemical devices. For now, this was the best way to use his new knowledge about electromaic waves to his advantage.


    Adam also thought that this could be quite profitable, maybe as much as the public use of electrical elements.


    Using his new knowledge, Adam tried to invent magic that would make observing the wavelengths and frequencies of electromaic waves easier.


    ...


    Time passed quickly, and the month Meredith had mentioned was almost over. While Adam was busy with his magical work, Meredith returned to theb.


    The devil immediately hid inside Adam''s mind, still too scared to face Meredith.


    In the hall, the mage looked at Adam and was impressed, "Just a month, and you''ve gotten stronger?"


    Adam casually replied, "I''ve made a breakthrough in my research. Have you finished the transformation?"


    Meredith gestured to the void, and a portal shed briefly. Then, opening her hand towards Adam, a tiny dragon, no bigger than her hand, appeared.


    "Yes, it''s done. The transformation went well. The Bio-core and the Elemental Body are perfectlybined. Now the little one is as strong as a level-three creature and could grow to be a level-four creature."


    Adam reached out to take the small dragon, feeling a strong energy from its tiny body. This energy was very manageable, and Adam felt he could easily control it.


    He couldn''t help but ask, "How did it be so small?"


    Mage Meredith exined, "The little one has a lot of potential. After the transformation, its Elemental Body became stable. As you asked, I''ve made two forms for her."

 Chapter 218: Sofia 1.0

    Chapter 218: Sofia 1.0


    Meredith said, "The first version of Sofia is exactly as you see her now. Her original mind and character are in control of her body. Since she doesn''t want to fight, I''ve given her three simple water magic skills in this form: creating illusions, making a water barrier, and healing with water."


    These three skills were very basic and even apprentices could take them on. Adam didn''t mind this; he knew that just because they were simple didn''t mean they weren''t strong. When used with his skills, they could be very useful.


    "The second form is for fighting. Because she''s made of water, she could grow to a hundred meters tall. But, the bigger she gets, the less stable her body bes, so it''s best to keep her around ten meters tall in fights. At this size, she can easily change how solid, pressurized, warm, or conductive her body is. Knowing how you use magic, I think you''ll find this helpful."


    This change was exactly what Adam wanted and why he decided to alter Sofia''s abilities.


    "She also has the high-pressure Water st, Whirlpool, and Evaporation, which use a lot of magic power but are very powerful. I made her ice powers stronger and used them to create a constant ice armor on her."


    "I didn''t give her a personality for her second form. Her body will be fully under your control. As long as your mind is strong enough, you can move her as easily as moving your own body. Also, the second form works like an avatar. If needed, she can act on her own, doing tasks as another version of you."


    Meredith stopped here and pointed to Sofia''s heart, saying, "Her core can reach the top of level four. If you can upgrade her to level five, you cane back to me to change the core. But honestly, I don''t think that''s very likely."


    Adam felt the same way. Usually, creatures that lost their connection to their home ne find it hard to reach higher levels. Now, with the changes made to her, Sofia''s chances of reaching a higher level were even slimmer. But for Adam, this was enough. Sofia version 1.0 would be a big help in his next task.


    The mage gave Adam ten forest elves, including Lina and Kambi, and said, "This group has a lot of potential too. Don''t you want to change thempletely as well?"


    Adam shook his head, "Not right now."


    He wasn''t sure what conditions he''d find in his next mission. The limits of nt powers were too big of a risk. If he ended up in a world where nts couldn''t live, the forest elves wouldn''t be useful at all.


    Besides, Adam only needed them to collect information, and level two was sufficient for that.


    After thest payment, Meredith showed Adam how to wake Sofia up and said he was excited to work together again before leaving theb.


    The devil popped out of Adam''s thoughts, wanting to touch Sofia but was pushed away by her natural defenses. The devil felt a bit jealous and said, "She''s level-three already? That was quick!"


    Adam said, "It''s no surprise," as he moved the devil aside and gently lifted Sofia into the air with one hand. "This isn''t normal growth; it''s pushing her limits. But I''ve realized you''re not as helpful anymore. I''ll change your body myself before we go on the next mission."


    The devil hated himself so much for speaking up.


    Sofia, who had been sleeping, fluttered her wings without knowing and slowly opened her eyes.


    Her new body was amazing, making waves of water energy move through the room with each breath. Theb was filled with mist and looked like it was going to rain.


    Adam wrote Meredith''s magic runes on the summoning paper and softly said, "Second form."


    Sofia started to shine softly, and her small body slowly turned into a form made of water. Water elements moved around her, shaping a huge figure.


    Soon after, a dragon fifty meters long and ten meters tall appeared in front of Adam, covered in shining ice armor. The armor fit perfectly, with sharp spikes at each joint and dragon horns on its head that could shoot powerful water magic. The wings, longer than the dragon''s body, spread out wide, and the five-meter-long tail hit the ground hard.


    In this form, he couldn''t see Sofia''s gentle side anymore, reced by a powerful and fierce beauty.


    Her energy was strong, but it had nothing to do with magic.


    Adam was very happy; Meredith''s work was impressive.


    "Wow, impressive!" The devil looked at Sofia in her battle form and couldn''t help saying, "Ugh! Why does this dragon look so grand when it changes, but I can only turn into a wand?"


    Lina, Kambi, and the other forest elves, who had been quietly watching from a corner of theb, looked up in awe at the dragon.


    Even though they were from a world of dragons, they had never seen such a grand dragon, and this dragon had been weaker than them just a little while ago.


    The dragon lowered herself, her head reaching Adam''s feet. As Adam stepped on, a saddle appeared automatically, putting him in the mostfortable spot. Adam gave a few orders, making her change her features easily, just like moving his own body.


    With just a thought from Adam, the dragon''s armor and body changed shape smoothly, and suddenly, he was inside the dragon.


    "It can be controlled from inside, much like a big robot."


    Once inside Sofia, Adam waspletely safe. His own magic connected with Sofia''s core, making him very secure unless an attack strong enough to defeat a level-three creature hit them directly.


    After testing how everything worked, Adam came back down to the ground. The dragon''s form turned see-through and quickly got smaller, until it was small enough to fit in his hand.


    Sofia was awake and seemed a bit awkward with her new form, flying around a bit clumsily. When she noticed Adam, she was surprised and asked, "How did you be sorge?"


    She flew to Adam''s shoulder, looking at herself closely and said softly, "I am different now, right?"


    Sofia got used to her new form and abilities quickly. The honest and naive dragon didn''t miss her old shape and spent her time flying around theb''srge rooms.


    Three dayster, the special summoning space Adam had ordered was ready. After receiving it and marking it with his soul, Adam moved all the bound creatures into it, making more space in theb.


    After working non-stop for half a month, Adam came up with a magic tool to detect electromaic waves. He let most of his avatars keep studying radio and infrared waves while he and a few helpers went into a specialb with living creatures that were radioactive.


    "Let''s start the first energy test, get ready to take notes."


    Adam decided to wait before testing the very strong level-four radioactive creature. Instead, he let out a weaker, level-two creature from its containment, and at the same time, his avatars got ready to use the testing equipment.


    As soon as it was free, the creature ignored everything else and went straight for Adam.


    Theb''s safety measures were excellent; right when the radioactive creature made a move, two magical mechanical arms came out of the floor and held it tightly. The creature made angry noises and then shot an energy beam at Adam.


    "Turn on the shields."


    In that moment, shields made of different elements, including one from Adam''s electric power, appeared. They weren''t there to block the attack but to soak up energy simr to the beam.


    The energy beam went through all the shields without being stopped, which Adam expected. This showed him the attack wasn''t made of any elemental energy.


    "Turn on the maic field."


    Adam didn''t use the maic field at its maximum because using all his power would have just stopped the energy beam right away.


    "Reduce the strength by 20%."


    "Reduce it by 30%."


    "Simr or rted energy detected."


    The level-two radioactive creature kept giving off radiation for about half an hour until it ran out of energy, then it could only make angry noises at Adam.


    "Get ready to let out all level-two samples. Make a zone that stops energy from getting out and get ready to check for changes."


    Adam started to use the many living samples he had prepared. At hismand, the seals on all twenty level-two radioactive creatures were opened. Mechanical arms went right into their bodies, taking over the parts that let out energy. Now, they could only attack when Adam said so.


    "Let numbers one to seven start shooting at the same time."


    "Now numbers eight to fourteen."


    "And numbers fifteen to twenty."


    Adam gave the control of the test to one of his avatars and went over to watch the data, paying close attention to every little change.


    After two days, they started to understand what the energy beam was made of. The tools showed it was mainly three things, as Adam had seen before. By this time, the level-two creatures didn''t have enough energy left to help with more tests, so Adam had them put back into their seals and taken out of the room.


    The energy from level-three creatures was stronger and stayed together better, which meant the data from tests with them would be more useful andplete.


    After being in a ce with a lot of radiation for fifteen days, Adam found very high-frequency, short-wave electromaic waves in the radiation.


    He stopped the test for a bit and got all his avatars together to work on making a new magic that couldpletely block or separate the electromaic part of the energy beam.


    Since Adam didn''t fully understand electromaic waves yet, creating the magic meant he had to keep changing the frequency of the changing electromaic field. The high frequency and short waves of gamma rays made this hard. Even a tiny mistake in the electromaic field could mess everything up.


    To make sure it waspletely quiet, Adam made the devil leave and set it so only he could get into theb. After two months, he had a big breakthrough.


    He didn''t make the magic, but he figured out the frequency of gamma rays and changed his maic field for a short time to stop gamma rays effectively.


    Aftering back into the room again, there was about 60% of the energy that Adam couldn''t fully understand.


    Knowing that gamma rays were there, Adam also guessed that the other two types of rays might be present.


    Alpha rays can''t go through things easily from the outside; a piece of paper can stop them. Even though they''re stronger here in the Mage World, it shouldn''t be too hard to find a way to block them.


    Four dayster, Adam found a material that couldpletely block alpha rays without affecting the other types of rays, leaving just one-third of the rays to study.


    Adam moved the level-three radioactive creatures out of theb, and then let out the first level-four creature.


    He remembered fighting Mage Stanley. As soon as the creature was freed, it sent out a strong beam of radiation.


    His alchemical golem stepped in right away. They used shields to weaken the radiationyers, leaving just a third of it to hit a certainrge creature.


    That creature turned to dust instantly.


    Adam went to watch things closely. Then he watched the scene again in very slow motion: The unseen wave of radiation hit the creature, causing burns on the skin, a rise in temperature, the liquids in the body turning to gas, and the inside of the body breaking down, leading to death.


    He said to himself with excitement, "This is what happens when beta radiation hits flesh!"


    "Intruder..." the creature groaned.


    Adam didn''t listen to the creature''s words, "Be quiet, keep going!"


    The level-four creature was quite smart. He bellowed, "When the lordse back, you and your world will vanish in misery!"


    The threat, however, carried little weight on Adam.


    The level-four creature didn''t understand how scary the ce was.


    Adam simply told the golems, "Silence him, then move on."


    ...


    After being kicked out of theb, the devil quickly went to Meyer City."

 Chapter 219: Electro True Self

    Chapter 219: Electro True Self


    After reaching Meyer City, the devil was too afraid to wander around like before. He felt like a frightened bird, viewing everyone as if they were some powerful mages'' avatar. After thinking it over, he decided that the safest ce would be the Mage Rex''s Club. The club would wee him for Adam''s sake, and he could even get some discounts.


    "Indeed, ces we know well are the safest."


    With this thought, the devil made the club his home, living the life he had always wanted, until Mage Victor called for him.


    The conflict over the different nes at the Mordo Transdimensional Mage Tower had just finished, and the tower had gained a lot from the conflict.


    The ne they were interested in was one that used the power of belief, which wasmon among the worlds they had explored. The real value was in the main beings of that ne, the Skelefolks.


    Created from death, the Skelefolks left behind their physical forms, and lit their souls to create soul fires. This change was fascinating to mages who studied unusual knowledge.


    Furthermore, the Third Tower was also interested in this ne, showing they wanted to take control of itpletely.


    Adam and his friends found the ne when they were apprentices, so they deserved some rewards. Ophelia and the others had already received a lot of resources.


    Mage Victor thought Adam might not be very interested in these rewards, but he was a righteous man, and he believed that anything that should be given must be given, no matter whether Adam needed it or not.


    The problem was that Mage Victor had a problem contacting Adam.


    "He''s crazy," the devil said when asked. "He has shut himself in hisb for a long time and hasn''te out. Not just you, I''m not allowed in either."


    Interested, Victor asked, "What is Adam studying?"


    The devil told Victor about the study of electromaic waves, and Victor was interested. He was very positive about Adam''s research and said, "Has Adam found a new representative? If not, the Mordo Tower is ready to help and can change how profits are shared for the whole range of products."


    ...


    In theb, Adam faced a level-four radiation creature, thest one standing as the others had run out of energy from constant hard work. He had moved them to other rooms.


    Most of the ce was under an energy vacuum spell. Adam and his avatars wore mage armors to fight off the void''s touch. Many magical sensors were spread out in front of them, and multiple protective barriers wereyered on top of each other, making the space seem unstable.


    The level-four creature was no longer whole. It was dissected, revealing its internal energy circuits. Numerous tiny alchemical golems were densely packed inside, cutting off the parts that emitted impurities. Even its consciousness was blurred, turning it into a puppet that could only follow orders.


    The avatar spoke in a cold tone, "Experiment No. 631 on electron beam separation and capture, begins."


    Soon, the alchemical golems started to work, continuously releasing false neural signals to stimte the creature''s body. The energy gathering and converging through the modified circuits to the mouth could be clearly seen, followed by the emission of an invisible ray.


    The ray passed throughyers of magic circles and force fields. It left a clear trail and abundantparative data on the observation and recording devices with every advancement.


    "The quality of the ray is equivalent to 31.5% of the original. All force fields fail to absorb impurities. Ray separation seeded."


    Adam let out a sigh of relief. With this steppleted, the most challenging part of the experiment was over. The next step was to alter the energy circuits of the level-four creature, making it release only this type of ray for easier research andparison.


    Adam left the room and lifted the lockdown on theb. At the same time, a message from the devil arrived, "Master, Mage Victor wants to see you."


    Adam met with Victor''s avatar again. This time, Adam stood confidently before the avatar, unphased by its imposing presence.


    Victor was still straightforward. After congratting Adam on the exploration and his rapid advancement, he said, "Here are the rewards you deserve for breaking through the Skelefolk world: five thousand units ofplete ether crystals."


    Adam thanked him and epted the rewards without any formalities.


    Then, Victor continued, "I''ve heard there''s been a new breakthrough in your research. Would you mind sharing more about it?"


    Adam thought for a moment, guessing what the mage was referring to, and then said, "There is a new discovery, but it hasn''t reached the application stage yet. I''ve found a kind of wave, which I''ve named ''radio wave.'' This wave can carry information and achieve long-distancemunication. It''s of limited use to mages, because we''re connected to the Mage Network through our souls... but it''s very useful for apprentices and ordinary people."


    Victor showed interest and asked, "How is it achieved? Through magic or alchemical items?"


    "In theory, both could work, and neither is particrly hard to develop. However, alchemical items would require a certain amount of infrastructure, while magic is rtively more convenient. If you''re interested, I could have my avatar work with the Tower on this. We can discuss sharing the benefits after it''s done."


    The mageughed and interrupted him, "Of course, the arrangement won''t be the same as when you were an apprentice. We can discuss the specific distribution after we''ve ensured sess."


    Adam agreed dly. After all, he was still a level-two mage. Although he had the capability for research and development, hecked the backing of financial consortia for distribution. His previous coboration with the Mordo Tower had been pleasant, and Adam didn''t mind sharing some of the benefits, as it would also save him a lot of effort.


    After saying goodbye to Victor, Adam returned to the Tower, went to the trading area, and, without caring about the cost, purchased a batch of experimental materials to begin the final part of his experiment back in theb.


    The cathode ray experiment.


    ...


    This experiment wasn''tplicated. Adam had theplete experimental process in his mind; it just needed some adjustments and to be conducted again in the ether environment to see if it would still hold up.


    First, Adam created a Crookes tube filled with a green phosphorescent material. Then, he conducted the simplest experiment: after connecting high-voltage electrodes to both ends of the tube, a green ray appeared in front of Adam. This ray would bend as it approached the maic poles, indicating that the ray was made of particles capable of moving small, light objects. This experiment proved that cathode rays also existed in the void around the Mage World.


    However, the environment inside the Crookes tube simted by Adam was aplete vacuum, even clearing out the ether, so it wasn''t sufficient as proof.


    Next, Adam modified a room in theb. This narrow room''s walls were made entirely of metal and coated with the same green phosphorescent material. The floor was engraved with arge magic array capable of creating a vacuum, which also contained a magic array for converting maic and electric fields. Each end of the room had a small discharge magic array.


    Two avatars stood at either end of the room, managing the activation and deactivation of the magic arrays, while Adam himself stood by the apparatus to observe any minor data changes during the experiment.


    "The first cathode ray experiment, begin."


    At Adam''smand, the two avatars sequentially activated all the magic circles. First, the vacuum was created, instantly turning the room into a vacuum environment, devoid of any material except for ether. Then, the discharge magic circles at both ends were activated, and a beautiful, dazzling green ray shot through from one end of the room to the other.


    The maic field started operating, and under its influence, the ray deflected in different directions, proving it carried a charge. From the characteristic of charged particles elerating from the negative to the positive end in an electric field, it was deduced that the particles were negatively charged.


    This same experiment was repeated hundreds of times. Adam introduced various materials into the path of the ray to verify its absorption, pration, and other properties. He then repeatedly calcted its speed to confirm it wasn''t an electromaic wave. Byparing the properties of energy rays from other elements in the same environment, he verified it wasn''t aponent of any known element''s energy.


    Next, Adam brought a radiation creature, whose energy circuit had been modified, into the room. Byparing the rays, he concluded that the cathode rays were identical to the particle streams separated from the energy rays of the radiation creatures.


    The following step involved continuous observation and data collection to calcte the electron''s radius, which took Adam ten days to determine: 10^-13 centimeters.


    Adam retracted all threads distributed to his avatar''s body and personally managed the maic field magic array. Observing the ray''s deflection in the maic field day and night, he continually used derived forms to calcte its charge-to-mass ratio. Finally, after three days, he obtained the precise answer: the electron charge was 1.6010^(-19) Coulombs, the mass was 9.110^(-31) kilograms, and the charge-to-mass ratio was 1.75810^11 Coulombs per kilogram.


    After obtaining the answer, Adam''s body and soul experienced unprecedented severe fluctuations. He even had to use all his telekinesis and magic power to stabilize his existence. In this state, Adam persisted in measuring the charge-to-mass ratio of hydrogen ions after electrolysis. He confirmed that the mass of an electron was about one two-thousandth that of a hydrogen ion.


    Following this discovery, Adam could no longer maintain the stability of his existence. His body disintegrated in an instant, turning into microscopic particles invisible to the naked eye, while his soul slowly rose amidst the swirling particles.


    Adam was still conscious and could clearly feel the vibrations of the Mage Network. Then, a vast energy far exceeding Adam''s total output every second was continuously transmitted to him through the Mage Network. Theb''s defenses and the Tower''s were as if nonexistent. A brilliant beam of light, transcending ordinary spatial concepts, shone upon Adam''s soul.


    His body reconstituted and then disintegrated again, repeating this process nine times before it finally stopped. The beam of light disappeared, and Adam''s body, seemingly unchanged, steadily fell back to the ground.


    His eyes remained shut; the transformation of his body wasplete, and the transformation of his soul continued.


    The electromaic knowledge he had acquired before deepened at this moment. The element of electricity naturally gathered around him, within his soul, the once turbulent element now calm and gentle. The mage armor emerged from beneath his skin, and the presence of an electromaic barrier felt more real than ever.


    Runes rapidly disintegrated and reformed even faster, the new runes appearing more refined andplex.


    With a gentle breath, Adam unleashed a wild electromaic field, turning everything within the room into the finest dust, as if vanishing into thin air.


    With too much and too strong energy within, Adam needed to release it.


    He opened his eyes, and two high-energy electron beams shot out. They effortlessly pierced through theb''s protective magic circles and walls, and then vaporized a level-four radiation creature that was unfortunately in their path.


    But it still wasn''t enough. The energy inside him was still raging. Adam went directly to the Tower''s teleportation hall, pushing past mages waiting in line to teleport. Quickly, he made his way into the outer void.


    The mages exchanged nces. They weren''t angry, just curious about Adam''s condition. They could tell at a nce that Adam was on the verge of being overwhelmed by energy.


    Mages have absolute control over their energy, and such a situation was quite unusual.


    "A level-two mage, he must have made some breakthrough beyond his control. See? It has even elicited a response from the origin of the world. It must be some astonishing knowledge he had found."


    After a brief exchange, they continued with their own affairs, indifferent. If truly groundbreaking knowledge had been discovered, they would soon know. Thanks to the Mage Network, knowledge can be acquired as long as one is willing to pay its value.


    ...


    Adam spent half a day rampaging in the outer void before returning to hisb, looking refreshed.


    The beam of light was the Etheric Gift, recognizing the discovery of the electron as knowledge profound enough to transform the soul. Had Adam been a level-four mage ready for advancement, he might have even reached the transcendent level with the Etheric Gift.


    For now, however, aside from enhancing the quality of his magic and making his soul more refined and vigorous, the Etheric Gift didn''t serve much purpose.


    However, it still brought Adam to the pinnacle of being a level-two mage, the true peak, allowing him to cross the threshold to be a level-three mage whenever he wished.


    Adam wasn''t in a hurry. He nned to advance to level-three after forming his Electro True Self.


    After verifying the existence of the electron, the Elemental True Self cultivation method he had previously obtained seemed somewhat inappropriate. He needed to create new algorithms that integrated the properties of electrons, a task that would be time-consuming and his most important focus until the next mission.


    Once he formed his Electro True Self, it would bring a significant leap in strength."

 Chapter 220: New Adventure

    Chapter 220: New Adventure


    Adam''s senses were incredibly sharp right now, and the whole world looked deeper and more beautiful through his eyes.


    Maic lines stretched out in front of him, diving into the void, revealing a vast ''inner world'' beyond visible light. The electromaic waves showed their majestic beauty. These scenes turned into data in Adam''s mind, hinting that with some study, beautiful equations could be born.


    After proving the existence of electrons, he finally got a key to the microscopic world.


    Adam could clearly see the makeup of everything around him, except some protected by various energies.


    The protective magic array was torn apart by a high-energy electron beam. Before the alchemical golem could rebuild the magic array and fix the gap, Adam ced his hand on the metal wall of theb.


    Like a breeze over ake, his gentle touch caused ripples that spread from the small area under his palm. At the same moment, all the metal structures in theb fluctuated unstably, twisting, tearing, and rbining into various shapes ording to Adam''s will.


    The electromaic field spread out, not tearing things up but silently wrapping around him. The energy in two low-level golems'' eyes went out, and their hard bodies fell apart into two heaps of scrap.


    The maic field went from big to tiny, making ionization happen non-stop. sma cannons, usually needing runes, now worked with just Adam''s thought.


    Controlled ionized gas atoms spun, and electrons jumped and fell in a controlled chaos. High-energy beams crossed, with gamma rays ruling over all.


    The maic field went deep into atoms, trying to control electrons and attack the nucleus but failed. Yet, failure was just for now. If Adam could dive deeper into the tiny world and if mages cracked the nucleus''s secrets, Adam could one day control nuclear reactions with maic force.


    Lots of electrons vanished, releasing huge energy. Adam used a strong maic field to hold and speed up this energy, about to make a powerful spell. But then, theb''s safety system kicked in, and a magic array stopped Adam''s next move.


    "Mage Adam, yourb''s energy just went over the limit. The Tower''s spirit says it''s too risky and tells you to stop."


    "The Tower found two damaged golems. Please pay for them soon."


    These warnings reached Adam, snapping him out of his amazing moment. His deep dive into electromaism just showed its strength, making him feel for a second like he was the world itself.


    But Adam didn''t get lost in these odd feelings. He cut through his blind pride with a cold edge. He knew better than anyone that he wasn''t as strong as he thought. The control he had just now was only because there were no other energies messing around in theb.


    If other mages or creatures interfered, his power would surely drop because of the energy sh.


    The maic field pulled back like a tide, and the gathered energy melted away. Theb began to go back to normal. Avatars stood up in order, back to their tasks. Adam, after paying all his fines, cut off contact with the outside world again and dove into developing his Electro True Self.


    Electrons are tiny particles. During his calctions, Adam thought his Elemental True Self might turn into something fun.


    All mages he had seen, no matter their focus - elemental, mechanical, body-refining, or transcendent - had one thing inmon: their true selves were huge. Being big meant holding more energy, more protection, and showing more power. No doubt, this was the way to go.


    But as he dug deeper into his technique, Adam felt his Electro True Self might go the other way, getting smaller and smaller.


    Eventually, his physical form might vanish, merging into an electron cloud, invisible to the naked eye.


    This raised a big question, beyond Adam''s current knowledge: what are the soul and mental power, really? Particles, waves, information, concepts, or something else entirely that he didn''t know yet?


    This was an important and interesting question. And there were others like it about elements, magic, ether - what were they made of? The Mage Network had no answers. Maybe only the wisdom of the Great Archmages could touch and solve these mysteries, yet Adam had no way to see them now.


    This didn''t stop the creation of the Electro True Self technique, though. The world of mages had many ''magic ck boxes.'' Lots of magic worked with their users not knowing why. The Electro True Self was probably one of them.


    This process was tough. A whole year of calctions by Adam and his avatars filled a room with paper, but progress was tiny. The numbers were just too big. Pure math got to astronomical figures by the midpoint, let alone solving it.


    Adam put the technique creation on hold and focused on bringing Earth''s calculus and matrix operations to the mage world.


    This pure math didn''t involve energy. Just swapping some symbols made it work in both worlds. With new, more efficient algorithms, the technique''s creation sped up. Every week, a new hurdle was cleared, a new equation formed. Meanwhile, Adam''s existence and the runes outside his soul kept shifting toward something unknown.


    Six monthster, the new Electro True Self technique wasplete. Its core was aplex matrix equation. When Adam found the solution, his existence changed entirely.


    All the energy and knowledge in his body turned into particles, scattering and reassembling. His soul burst out, merging with the particles, bing an Elemental True Self that couldn''t be seen in normal ways.


    Without any energy, everything returned to the soul. Magic, runes, and ether moved around the Electro True Self. At that moment, Adam became a level-three mage.


    ...


    "Master, you got stronger," the devil said right after Adam opened hisb again. He rushed back to tter, "You must be the quickest to hit level three."


    Adam just nced and kept checking the contracts the devil brought. Finding no traps, he signed off. The contract lifted, then a silent golden me made it vanish.


    The devil then shifted gears, "Uh, Victor left a message. He says radio wave research is going well. They''ve made magic and alchemy items. The towers in Mordo Tower send messages well. He wants you to check the jointb for any tweaks."


    Adam was interested. Radio waves could be used not just in this ne but also in the void. Advanced beings from other nes might use radio waves tomunicate. If this was true, they should modify and amplify the receiving magic array and set it up in the void. That way, they might capture the existence of other nes more effectively.


    Adam ordered the devil to stay and watch over the ether incubator nurturing new avatars, and then he shifted his consciousness to another avatar.


    Adam had cut off contact with these two avatars. He thought theb would be in Mordo Tower, but he found himself in Meyer City. Also, there were more than two parties in the jointb, he saw members of the Rex Consortium.


    Victor noticed the change in the avatar''s state right away and said with a smile, "Adam, you''re here. I must say you''ve surprised me again. This thing called radio waves is unexpectedly useful."


    Victor didn''t focus on Adam''s increase in strength. Below the transcendent level, mages didn''t have clear bottlenecks; as long as they were not utterly devoid of wisdom, the rest was just all about umting energy.


    Victor showed Adam around theb, reintroducing the experimental results.


    Victor was amazed by the convenience of wirelessmunication. The Mage Network had simr functions, but permissions yed too big a role, making it hard for lower-level mages to contact higher-level ones directly. Plus, since Mage Networkmunication involved exchanging soul vibrations, some mages were resistant to it.


    Radio waves, however. was different. Pick a frequency, and anyone can chat instantly. Everyone in theb had set up this magic. They all chatted using magic nowadays, having much fun.


    It wasn''t too hard. With everyone''s brains put together, they''ve got it done almost perfectly. Adam didn''t see anything to tweak after looking around. After the tour, he got a magic receiver from Victor, and then he left his avatar and zipped back to hisb.


    After tweaking the receiver, Adam asked the Tower for a bit of space in the outer void. The mage world zips through the void non-stop, so this spot was like a patch stuck right on Mage World''s crystal barrier system. Not easy to get, but the Tower said yes to Adam right away.


    So, on the huge crystal barrier system, Adam set up his own radio telescope, starting to scoop up and sift through all sorts of signals from the void.


    For five years, Adam checked out the mission board for some explorations but only found small-fry stuff, not worth his time. So, he just focused on enhancing his powers and waited for the telescope to capture something rewarding.


    In the sixth year, they caught a signal worth a look. After cracking the code, they got bits and pieces of something big. So, a new ne way out in the void popped up for Mage World to see.


    ...


    After enhancing his devil wand a second time, Adam got all set, made a deal with the Tower, and whooshed off through a fuzzy portal to some far-off unknown void.


    This mission''s ne was even further than the Dragon ne, making the portal jump a bit of a gamble. But with a grip on radio basics and a big leap in power, Adam found the new world faster than before. After three years of wandering, a massive world loomed before him.


    It was way bigger than the Dragon ne, with a thick, strong crystal barrier system shimmering like metal, showing its origin was in its prime.


    Hidden as Electro True Self, Adam even saw mighty transcendent beings breaking through the crystal barrier, wrapped in some unknown energy.


    Adam couldn''t see them clear, but he could tell they were from two different races. Adam didn''t dare get too close but thought one kind looked kind of familiar.


    After a year of watching, Adam mapped out where these transcendent beings hung out. Then, careful not to get too close, he zipped as a beam of electrons to the other side of the crystal barrier and stuck to it, quiet as a whisper.


    "This feels...metallic?"


    Adam was curious, but he knew this was not the time to dig in. A strong crystal barrier meant the origin had strong senses as well. One extra second there, and he could be spotted.


    Adam anchored a spot in space, then ripped open a rift scroll. With a faint magical glimmer, the crystal barrier twitched, and Adam slipped into the ne.


    Electro True Self made him stealthier, but even so, Adam felt a vast presence sweeping through every inch of the ne.


    A sound wave shook his soul, and Adam merged as data into the strange ne for the second time."

 Chapter 221: The New World

    Chapter 221: The New World


    A red Nickel-Cadmium giant roared, "Nickel-Cadmium 329 and 328, go help 337, the Metal Eaters are charging!"


    After that, he melted the metal on his shoulder into a dark cannon. A huge power gathered from his body and the air around him.


    With a great force that made his thirty-meter body step back, he shot it out, hitting a group of Metal Eaters far away with a bright show of light and sound.


    "Got it! Be careful yourself!"


    Not far from him, two twenty-meter tall white giants swung huge swords. The des were as long as their bodies.


    They cut down Metal Eaters in front of them and then jumped high, with mes shooting from their feet, rushing to another part of the battlefield. There, a giant who looked like them was about to be surrounded by Metal Eaters.


    "337, get out of the way!"


    After warning their friend, they spiraled up in the sky. Their bodies grew thousands of sharp des, shining with silver light.


    Their huge bodies moved with great energy, creating a silver whirlwind that rushed towards Nickel-Cadmium 337. As soon as 337 moved away, the whirlwind hit the ugly Metal Eaters in front, spraying colorful blood and breaking unknown body parts everywhere.


    329 and 328 felt dizzy after stopping their spin, floating confusedly in the air for a few seconds.


    Metal Eaters were strange creatures about one meter tall, some looked like insects, and others were odd shapes that couldn''t be described. They all had terrible mouths and incredibly sharp teeth. They fearlessly attacked the giants, not caring about their own losses.


    "Are you two idiots? Stop dazing!"


    337 shouted and threw his shield like a shooting star in front of the two giants. Powered by strange energy, the shield kept spinning, cutting down monsters like a meat grinder with its sharp edges.


    329 and 328 finally shook off their dizziness, grabbed the shield flying back, and said, "Let''s go back to me 123."


    This was a fierce battlefield. Many Nickel-Cadmium giants were fighting all over; these twenty-meter tall metallic beings came in different colors and shapes, mostly able to fly. Their battles felt like something out of a sci-fi story, with weapons and dark cannons extending from every part of their bodies, shooting out intense energy.


    The Metal Eaters were tough opponents too, with strong energy resistance. They could work together to create mysterious shields to block attacks. They even shoot strange liquids to damage and corrode the metallic bodies of the giants.


    The metal creatures had great strength, but they were far outnumbered.


    Suddenly, one giant seemed to run out of energy and couldn''t keep up his defense. He was quickly surrounded by swarms of Metal Eaters. Their terrifying mouths opened and closed rapidly, eating away the metal giant''s outer shell and revealing its core furnace and the mes burning inside.


    The sight of the mes made the Metal Eaters even crazier. They rushed to swallow the fire.


    "Bronze 411!"


    Two giants roared, trying to save their fellow giant at all costs.


    "Don''te here!" With thest of his energy, the bronze giant spoke before the mes surged and a massive explosion followed, wiping out the Metal Eaters around him.


    The two giants growled in frustration, wishing they could destroy all Metal Eaters to avenge theirrade. But they were in danger themselves. Without energy, they couldn''t even self-destruct.


    "Why hasn''t the support from Ironburg arrived yet?" asked me123.


    me 123 hit his chest, opening hundreds of cannons. After charging, he fired, killing many Metal Eaters. The attack was powerful but used a lot of energy. The light in his eyes dimmed.


    "We can''tst much longer. At this rate, we''ll all die!"


    "Support probably won''te." me 123 moved back near a round war vehicle at the defense''s center and started feedingrge energy blocks into his furnace to recharge. "This is the biggest attack by Metal Eaters in ten years. Ironburg is likely in more danger than us. Bluewater 101, we''re on our own."


    Bluewater 101 shook and transformed into an energy generator, spreading a blue protective field over their defense. Then he said sadly, "We were too careless. We didn''t bring enough supplies. We canst at most an hour."


    me 123 paused, because he had used thest energy block. He stood up and headed to the front line, his voice steady, as if death didn''t bother him: "Hold on for thirty more minutes. If Ironburg''s support doesn''t arrive, we''ll take the Metal Eaters with us. No matter what, the Original mes must not be swallowed by them."


    "Let the Original mes return to nature, and hope it gives birth to new kin."


    "Passing on the mes is our mission."


    The Reincarnation Spell wrapped around Adam''s soul, staying above the battlefield. The spell made Adam almost invisible, especially in the chaotic battlefield, where he wentpletely unnoticed.


    Adam had trouble using the Reincarnation Spell. After entering the Metal Eaters, he found their way of reproducing very unusual and hard to figure out. Often, before he could solve it, the giants would kill them.


    He tried to invade the giants'' bodies but learned this species didn''t reproduce in the usual way. The most life-rted parts, the Vital Generator and the Original mes, were protected by a mysterious force field and couldn''t be invaded.


    Just as he was about to leave the battlefield, a massive explosion began.


    Each metal creature bravely set off their Vital Generator, letting the Original mes burn themselves and sweep over the enemies, destroying many Metal Eaters with them.


    The Original mes didn''t have heat. After the explosion, they quickly turned into pure energy and merged into the earth.


    The mysterious magic from the Third Tower automatically activated to gather the fading sparks. This magical force stopped the sparks from naturally disappearing and kept them stable."

 Chapter 222: Passing Flames

    Chapter 222: Passing mes


    The other Metal Eaters on the battlefield noticed what was happening and all flew towards Adam.


    The Reincarnation Spell acted quickly, taking Adam''s soul with it into the spark. They went away from the dangerous Metal Eaters in front, and into the ground.


    The ground, full of metal minerals, didn''t stop the spark''s fall. It actually seemed to help, making room for it. In a very short time, the spark went down a thousand kilometers, then the light from it grew, making a small space.


    The Original mes, now just sparkles, were like the ''parents'' of the metal creatures. They didn''t have male or female parts, didn''t produce hormones rted to reproduction, and didn''t have the parts needed to pass on gic information. The way they created new life and kept their kind going relied on the spark.


    Adam didn''t know if the spark could think for itself, but it acted like it knew the Reincarnation Spell saved it, so it was very cooperative.


    Adam didn''t fully understand how the Reincarnation Spell worked, but he felt that it epted him this time, meaning he didn''t have to change ''parents'' many times to seed just once.


    He remembered when he was reborn as a dragon, how the magic broke down the parental body to get nutrients and energy, and also took information from the new life being formed, like a thief. But this time was different. The spark worked with the magic, freely sharing everything they knew,pletely open to the Reincarnation Spell tranting their information.


    The information from the spark wasplicated and unusual, making it difficult for the Reincarnation Spell to trante. Even with the spark''s full help, it took a long time.


    This trantion used up a lot of energy, making the spark get smaller. After a year, only a small space was left underground. Then, Adam noticed a change in his physical form, with a soft me burning around his trapped soul, creating a me among the sparkle.


    For the first time, the sparkle showed clear feelings; it was happy and excited.


    The spark didn''t feel harmed. Instead, it started to give pure energy to Adam''s me, feeding the new me without holding back, like fuel.


    So, the trantion went much faster. The Reincarnation Spell didn''t just take but acted as a connector for energy and information between the mes inside and outside. This made sure Adam would have knowledge and basguage of the world. The sparkle, like a caring mother, put all her effort into helping Adam.


    But Adam had his questions.


    The Original mes must be connected to the origin of the world, and they were supposed to dispel any intruders. However, this sparkle nurtured Adam in such a kind way. This was confusing.


    Adam had a funny idea: is this ne open to others? Or maybe the origin of the world was so sure of its strength that it didn''t worry about visitors from other nes?


    But without really bing part of this world and understanding its culture and knowledge, all these ideas were just guesses.


    Still, even if there were risks, Adam wasn''t too worried. After making his Electro True Self stronger and using it to rebuild his character, he was much better at surviving.


    Even if he lost his physical body here, it wouldn''t be the end for him. Any character in theb could instantly get his soul''s data from the Mage Network and keep his soul alive.


    With his level-three knowledge, as long as he had enough energy, he could quickly get back to his best. The only things he''d really lose would be the stuff he brought with him, some of his soul''s strength, and the devil.


    He was now safe, so he knew he should stop worrying about this world''s mysteries and work on changing his own life form.


    The Original mes kept giving everything to Adam, their light getting dimmer and the space they held getting smaller. Meanwhile, Adam''s own light got brighter every day.


    Now, Adam knew what the Original mes were for.


    They were the beginning and heart of those big metal creatures, the first light from the start,ing down to the physical world and mixing with metal ores. Their unusual power made the metals very active, and the gathering and burning of energy gave the metals life and the chance to grow on their own.


    As the metal life grew, the mes got stronger. Higher beings could choose to let out some sparks to make new family members, while ordinary beings used up everything when they died to help the me go back to the universe, hoping new life woulde from it.


    This was a top-notch resource, even more valuable than the radioactive materials of Cthulhu.


    Adam thought all the alchemists in the world of magic would go crazy for it. Since it could make metals alive, it might also make the many alchemical golems in the world of magic alive, even the mage towers themselves, creating a new powerful race that matched the mages'' wishes perfectly, better than any soul ve.


    Just knowing about the Original mes made Adam''s trip herepletely worthwhile.


    ...


    Three monthster, the me outside Adam''s soul had grown big enough. At that point, Adam felt a strong feeling of hope and kindness, like he could almost hear a soft voice speaking to his soul, saying, "Missionpleted."


    Without waiting, the Original mes broke apart, turning into pure energy and adding thest gift to Adam''s me and soul. The seal from the Reincarnation Spell lifted a bit, and part of Adam''s soul carefully moved into the spark, then shone brightly with the me.


    There was no rejection from the beginning.


    The ground below started to move, with heaps of ores feeding into the spark. This was the first step in creating a metal life: to make their own Original mes, draw in, and melt the endless metal ores around to form a Vital Generator.


    For Adam, this was very easy. With his knowledge of electronics, he had almost total control over metals. Any impurities in the ores were removed instantly when they came in contact with the Original mes.


    Then, metals that Adam knew, like gold, silver, copper, iron, chromium, aluminum, tungsten, were turned straight into pure metal atoms.


    What the initial body was made didn''t matter to Adam. Metal lives grew and changed all their lives. As long as the Vital Generator was there and the Original mes kept burning, they could change their structure whenever they wanted."

 Chapter 223: Baby Adam

    Chapter 223: Baby Adam


    Adam quickly decided to make his own body and the Vital Generator entirely out of silver metal.


    He remembered everything about how to make mithril, which was well-known among mages. Making it was straightforward and didn''t need magic or any special energy, so it was simple to create even with basic tools.


    The Original mes, a very strong power he had, could melt metals easily. With Adam''s ability to control metals, he soon collected a lot of mithril.


    The next step was to make the core part of the Vital Generator, which was very important, almost as much as sparkling his Original mes. Its job was to keep the me safe and to use its energy as best as possible.


    This part was a bit difficult for Adam.


    When metal beings were created, they started off very simple, with their thinking and understanding just a bit better than a baby''s. The Vital Generators didn''t do much except keep them alive.


    These metal beings treated each other well. When they found a new one, a more advanced being took it to a ce where they could learn basic things, like simple energy systems and how to make their metal bodies stronger.


    But Adam didn''t want to start off without any defenses. The rules of this world weren''t clear yet. Many Metal Eaters had seen him leave a fight and go underground. It wasn''t sure if they were still waiting to catch him if he came back.


    Even if he had to look like a new being, he wanted to be able to defend himself. It would be embarrassing if he had to show his true power and run away as soon as he was reborn.


    "I know a lot about energy systems, but I wonder if using them here would draw too much attention to the origin?"


    "Why not just try it, Master? Something seems off with this ne''s origin. Your obvious arrival didn''t cause any trouble. Trying a few energy systems should be fine, just don''t use any magic."


    After the Reincarnation spell was partly removed, the devil now could talk. He thought he could show up in this world whenever he wanted, but hadn''t because he was scared.


    Adam was curious, "Why are you so brave now? If we get caught, I''ll be okay, but you could be in big trouble."


    The devilughed, "Master, did you forget what I can do? I''ve left a part of me with Mage Rex and made a special deal with it. If I die here, I cane back to life there." The devil was quite pleased with this.


    Adam didn''t focus on the devil''s minor ns and decided to directly start building his Vital Generator.


    The Vital Generator acted like a power source. Its main job, besides keeping the me safe, was to supply strong energy.


    Adam used a powerful magic array from the mage world, with mithril as the main ingredient and other strong and good-conducting metals added in. It took him two days and a night to finish his energy core in this world.


    The Vital Generator was a big and detailed structure, shaped like an outer parallelogram, a middle sphere, and an inner hexagon.


    The whole machine was made without any gaps, and you could clearly see the Original mes burning inside. The energy was constantly moved through a connection to the me, pulling the refined mithril from outside.


    This process was quick. In just half a day, a pure silver metal giant about eight meters tall waspletely made. After linking with the Vital Generator, it became Adam''s new body.


    Adam put many updated magic arrays inside his mithril body, mainly for fire and electromaic purposes, including all the magic he knew at this time. Due to limited energy, these magics could only work at a basic level through the circuits, yet it was enough to give him some ability to fight.


    Adam discovered he could change his body however he wanted, like adding cannons anywhere or turning any part into a weapon.


    This showed that the outer body was more like a weapon for metal beings and isn''t that crucial. Weapons can be fixed, improved, or made again if lost, but the mes were essential.


    Adam''s strength was about the same as a level-one transcendent being, but his metal body made him one of the strongest at his level. Also, his defense, life force, and healing abilities were incredible. In some way, metal beings could be seen as perfect.


    Adam thought that if there were enough of them and they had an open society topletely get rid of their natural enemies, the Metal Eaters, and grow without problems for many years, they could be a civilization that could talk to the mage world as equals.


    ...


    After making his body, Adam started moving from a thousand kilometers underground towards the top.


    The pressure was huge, but his body was strong enough to handle it. Adam had never seen a level one body-refining mage, but now he thought that even such a mage''s body might not be stronger than his, made entirely of top-quality metals.


    As Adam moved, the ores around him were drawn to him, gathering as if they wanted to be part of him. But Adam didn''t pay attention to them.


    His knowledge of turning metals into other materials was limited; the best metal mixture he knew how to make was mithril. However, the metals in the colorful giants he had seen before were clearly made using better technology.


    Adam thought he could make improvements to himself after joining their group, so he didn''t want to use up his limited energy now.


    A dayter, Adam came back to the surface, one kilometer below ground. Just as he had thought, a group of more than a hundred Metal Eaters were still there, waiting for him to show up.


    They were very good at noticing metal beings; even the smallest changes in a maic field got their attention right away.


    The group of over a hundred creatures stopped moving around. They opened their big mouths, and fiercely hit the ground. The hard metal ores were as easy for them to break as soft cheese.


    Adam knew they had found him. Two species that were natural enemies to each other always had a full set of ways to find and follow each other. Now, the only way to escape these Metal Eaters was to defeat them all.


    Adam stretched his arms forward, making room to move underground. Then, bending his knees, the Vital Generator started sending energy to his whole body.


    After charging for three seconds, he moved towards the surface like a huge drill."

 Chapter 224: Ironburg (1)

    Chapter 224: Ironburg (1)


    Adam didn''t just rush into the fight. Instead, he popped up from the ground a few miles away from where the Metal Eaters were waiting to jump him.


    Metal Eaters and the giants were natural enemies. When they met, it was all about fighting until one couldn''t fight anymore.


    Right away, the Metal Eaters turned and got ready to face Adam, forming a cone shape and heading his way.


    They were all super powerful, but each one was a lot weaker than Adam. They weren''t even as tough as mage apprentices.


    However, they were smart about working together. Even though there were more than a hundred of them, they moved and fought as one unit.


    They started by shooting a liquid at Adam that he couldn''t see or smell. Adam could tell from the way the liquid reacted with the air that it didn''t have any power on its own. But when it came out of the Metal Eaters, some kind of special force made it stronger and faster, almost like a magical storming at him.


    Adam crossed his arms in front of him, and the little light in his Vital Generator started pumping out power. Bright lines showed up on his body, sending energy to his hands. He made an electromaic shield that stopped the liquid''s strange power and held it in the air.


    This ne was really a forgiving one. The electric and maic stuff happening didn''t cause any fuss.


    Maybe it had something to do with these creatures being made of metal. After all, metal, electricity, and mas often go hand in hand. Maybe some creatures here had figured out how to use those powers too.


    Anyway, this was a big plus for Adam''s ability to keep himself safe.


    The shield he made sent the liquid zipping back at the Metal Eaters. They didn''t think twice and opened up, ready to gulp the liquid back down.


    "Not too bright, are they?" Adam thought to himself.


    While the liquid was hanging in the air, it got squished together, making it much heavier. When it shot back, the strong maic field made it hit like bullets.


    These powerful creatures had certainly noticed the big change, but they still went to catch it. They must really trust their tough skin, or maybe they just weren''t that smart.


    ***Bang, bang, bang, bang!***


    The liquid smacked into their mouths and bodies with soft thumps, making their insides look out of shape. They stopped moving forward for a bit.


    "They''re smart but too sure of themselves," Adam thought.


    The liquid that hit them sshed everywhere, quietly eating away at the ground and making holes. Adam carefully made his electromaic shield cover him all over. It looked like the Metal Eaters hade up with this liquid just to take on beings made of metal. Getting hit by it would definitely be bad news.


    The Metal Eaters'' lineup got a bit messy, like they didn''t see thisebacking.


    When they saw none of their group was gone, they kept moving forward.


    They changed from a cone shape to more of a spread-out fan. The one in charge, looking like a big bug, shifted color a bit, turning into something like a power station, making the force field stronger. The force field got so strong that little whirls of energy started to show up on it. After just a tiny bit of time, they let loose a heavy shower of liquid.


    "They don''t have many tricks up their sleeve. Is it because they''re low-level creatures?"


    Adam wasnt going to just stand there and take it. Power from the generator moved to his legs, and mes shot out from his feet, lifting him up and away from the attack just in time.


    The liquid shower stopped mid-air and then changed direction to follow Adam. A secondter, the Metal Eaters were right behind him, with more whirls showing up on the force field.


    Adam changed shape while flying, turning t with lots of gun barrels popping out all over him. Power built up in no time, and he fired a bunch of tight fireballs.


    When the fire hit the liquid, the two forces shed and wiped each other out, making a bright fog. Even with the big show, the Metal Eaters were just fine.


    "They''re really good at blocking energy."


    Adam changed again, this time into a big, heavy sword. He turned on the electromaic magic full st, and loads of electricity zipped around him fast. He turned into a missile and dived down, cutting right through the Metal Eaters'' spread-out shape and stopping just before he hit the ground.


    Following that came the sounds of Adam breaking the sound barrier, the soft thumps of bodies hitting the ground, and the quiet hiss of the corrosive stuff melting rock reaching him.


    "They''re not so good at handling a real hit."


    Adam got a bit banged up too. Touching the force field and getting sshed with the Metal Eaters'' blood ate away bits of him. But for a being made of metal, this kind of damage wasn''t a big deal. As long as his core power source and his inner spark were okay, he could fix himself up quickly.


    The Metal Eaters weren''t so lucky. Adam''s electric sword took out a third of them. The leader, now only half its original size, let out a mad yell. The ones left got back into formation, powered up their shield again, and came at Adam even more madly than before.


    Adam figured out the Metal Eaters talked to each other with really low-pitched sounds. These sounds didn''t carry much power and could only share simple stuff, which meant the Metal Eaters weren''t super smart.


    By now, these natural foes had done their bit in testing Adam out. Even though he was kind of curious about what would happen if he got bitten, he wasn''t about to try it himself. He figured this kind of info wasn''t hidden. Considering what he had seen about mental beings, he had a feeling that they were pretty easy to get along with, and it shouldn''t be tough to pick upmon knowledge from them.


    The way Adam''s energy setup worked, borrowed from magical arrays, was all about using power efficiently. After a few rounds of fighting, his core power hadn''t gone down much, and he still had plenty left to take care of the Metal Eaters.


    Ironburg was a key spot for the Spark Federation, right on the edge of theirnd. Past Ironburg to the west was a no-go zone, crawling with Metal Eaters, the sworn enemies of the Titans.


    The Titans named this Titania.


    A massive fight between the two sides a hundred years back had cost both sides half their numbers. In the hundred years since, big fights were rare, but smaller shes happened all the time. This current fight was just a bit bigger and deadlier than usual, but it was something the Titans were used to dealing with."

 Chapter 225: Ironburg (2)

    Chapter 225: Ironburg (2)


    The strong fortress, Ironburg, served as a mighty shield. The Titans, depending on Ironburg, took almost two years to push back all the Metal Eaters from this invasion.


    As they always did, they cleaned up the battle area, picking up the pure metals left by the Metal Eaters and the rare remains of these creatures. If they were lucky to find a spark that was still alive, they would show a real smile and then keep it safe in a special box.


    Even though their smiles might look a bit forced, they were happy for every possible new member of their group.


    "How many of our patrol teams didn''t make it back?" A huge Titan asked in a deep voice while looking over the walls of Ironburg.


    Next to him, a smaller Titan turned into a screen, and data started shing on it. A few secondster, he said, "Four teams lost touchme 123, Storm 45, Titanium 147, Tungsten Cobalt 84."


    The bigger Titan was quiet for a bit before saying softly, "Send someone to thest ce they asked for help. Maybe there are survivors."


    The smaller Titan knew finding survivors was a long shot, but it was something they had to try anyway. He gave the orders, and several Titans at the walls of Ironburg quickly flew off in different directions.


    Titans could change into many shapes, each one good for a different job. One Titan, shaped like a rocketuncher with mesing out of the back, flew really fast and got to the battle site where me 123 had been in less than three hours.


    He got there just in time to see Adam fighting the leader of the Metal Eaters.


    Only one out of more than a hundred Metal Eaters was left. It had taken in the others, making itself as big as Adam, with a scary look of many heads, legs, and wings, each part able to shoot a very strong acid.


    But its strength only went so far. The reason this species could beat the Titans was because of their huge numbers, not because they were very strong on their own.


    However, Adam was having a hard time because his energy was running low.


    The spark couldn''t take in and change energy from outside. The ether crystals were all kept in his own space, and Adam felt it wasn''t the right time to use them.


    Just as he was getting worried and thinking about calling for help from Sophia 1.0, a loud shout came from behind him, "Don''t move!"


    Then Adam noticed an energy-packed cannonball zooming towards him through the air.


    "This is a pretty strong attack," Adam quickly figured out how powerful it was and made his shield stronger.


    He thought about who was attacking him, guessing it might be another metal creature like him, so they probably wouldn''t really hurt him. Still, Adam got ready just in case the cannonball did hit him.


    The cannonball went right through Adam''s shield, leaving a mark on his tough mithril skin. As a creature made of metal and not able to feel pain, this damage didn''t really bother Adam.


    ***Boom!***


    The changed Metal Eater, which wasn''t very strong to begin with, couldn''t stop the cannonball. Its protective field barelysted a moment before breaking. The cannonball blew up when it hit, taking out the Metal Eater leader in one go.


    Adam was relieved, and then he saw a rocket-like vehicleing fast toward him, changing shape as it got closer. It turned into a human shape.


    Before Adam could say anything, the big neer asked, "Where do youe from? What happened to me 123?"


    Adam told the truth, "I came from below the ground. Who''s me 123?"


    "That''s what he told me. He seems like he was just created, but he''s stronger than most. His body is made of mithril, which is odd because we don''t have mithril ore here on Titania," Windme 222 told Iron 27 back in Ironburg.


    Iron 27, the huge Titan, asked after hearing Windme 222''s story, "Did you check his Vital Generator and the Original mes?"


    "It''s all good. He''s got one of the strongest starting energies I''ve ever seen. Maybe after me 123 team was destroyed, their energies went into the ground and he picked them up?" Windme 222 guessed.


    That didn''t happen often because when Titans died, they were usually surrounded by lots of Metal Eaters, and they would choose to destroy themselvespletely. They preferred to give their energy back to nature rather than letting the Metal Eaters get stronger from it. But sometimes things went differently, and a new Titan might grow under a battlefield and catch the energy.


    As the leader of Ironburg, Iron 27 had a lot to do. Once he knew Adam''s energy was definitely Titan-like, he didn''t worry about the small stuff, saying, "If his energy is fine, he''s one of us. Since you found him, look after him for a bit. Show him how to gather energy and the basic stuff. After this fight with the Metal Eaters, they won''t bother us for some time. Let him join your team and learn how to fight."


    Windme 222 was happy to do this. Looking after a new Titan was easy, and it gave him a chance to make his weapons better.


    Meanwhile, Adam was walking around Ironburg. He stayed away from ces that were obviously important and guarded, just using his senses to learn about this city of the Titan race.


    Ironburg was a huge ce; that made sense because it was home to giant beings. Ironburg had special spots like ces to refill energy, shops selling top-notch concentrated energy, services for making their bodies shine, Vital Generator caring centers, and even ces to make the Original mes look nicer.


    Adam found this world way more interesting and different than the boring and simple world of hisst mission. This ce, with its unique way of life, really caught Adam''s attention and made him want to learn more.


    Adam felt really good about his choice to explore. Getting to see all sorts of amazing ces in the vast space was the best part for him, besides his research work.


    Thinking this, Adam decided to check out the shop selling high-quality concentrated energy, curious about the kind of energy that powered the spark.


    Right then, he heard a familiar deep sound from behind, and a voice said, "Mithril kid, this isn''t a spot for you to just walk into. Filling up your Vital Generator before your spark advances could mess up your system."


    Adam, taking the advice well, stopped and turned to greet, "Hello, Windme 222."

 Chapter 226: Windflame 222

    Chapter 226: Windme 222


    Windme 222 was scratching his head and said in a funny way, "Heh...Hello? What is... I''m doing okay, but I''ll be even better once I get some fixing up. Iron 27 sent me to keep an eye on you. If you''re wondering about anything, just ask."


    "Who''s Iron 27?"


    "Iron 27 is the big boss of Ironburg, kind of like a giant big shot with royal vibes."


    The fire wasn''t the best at keeping a lot of knowledge; it was kind of limited in what it could hold. As Adam had found out in the rare bits and pieces left from the Original mes.


    Even though the metal beings didn''t have a king-and-queen system, they did use royal titles. The real big-deal Royals were transcendent Titans. They didn''t get special treatment but had more jobs to do. Their main job was to stand up to the powerful Metal Eaters.


    The royals are the first andst hope for the Titans. As long as the Royals were standing strong, the Titans would be safe.


    Others could spot the Royals and the nearly Royals by their names. Their names had simple metal elements like iron, gold, copper, and so on.


    Being a Royal Titan wasn''t about who your family was, but about growing and changing. Usually, when Titans reached level four or higher, they started cleaning up what they were made of. Adam isn''t sure about the details of how this cleaning worked, and the inherited knowledge didn''t tell much either.


    Windme 222 pointed at Adam''s shoulder and said, "Let''s head out. I''m going to take you to get some spark energy."


    They walked to a different part of Ironburg. Windme 222 seemed to know everyone; all the Titans they passed said hi to him warmly, and Adam got quite a few looks, especially about his appearance.


    "Mithril Titans are pretty rare, we don''t have any here in Ironburg, so they''re all curious," Windme 222 said as they walked.


    "Why''s that?"


    When Adam asked, Windme 222 just squeezed Adam''s shoulder lightly, and it squished.


    "That''s why. See? Mithril, silver, gold, and those metals are too soft. I mean, it''s not a good idea for new Titans to use these materials for their bodies. We usually pick these materials when we''re almost at the Royal level."


    Adam fixed his shoulder back and then asked, "Does that mean they''re not that strong in defense? Are there other downsides?"


    Windme 222 thought a bit differently and didn''t answer right away. Instead, he was surprised and said, "You talk differently from me, I can feel."


    Adam then realized that after his first "Hello," the other''s reaction was a bit off. It seemed like the way Titans talk is pretty different from magenguage. He was worried he might have given away who he was.


    Quietly, Adam got his spark energy ready, and his Vital Generator started working faster.


    Windme 222 suddenly stopped, leaned forward at a sharp angle, and spun his head aroundpletely. His eyes shone like mes, really giving Adam a fiery stare. "You seem sharper than me. Are you one of those Intelligent Titans? Am I showing an Intelligent around?!"


    "How did you figure I might be that?" Adam asked casually, patting hisrge head as the Vital Generator cooled off.


    Windme 222, still buzzing with excitement, admitted, "I don''t really know."


    Adam felt a bit puzzled, wondering why Windme 222 was so thrilled without really knowing why.


    "The Royals say that an Intelligent is smarter than a regr Titan. We''re not great thinkers; fighting is more our thing. But the intelligent ones can do different stuff," Windme 222 tried to exin. "Like mixing new metals, making strong energy circuits, and finding new power sources. All really cool stuff."


    "My body and Vital Generator were made by an Intelligent in the royal city. They work with wind and fire energy, and made this body for me, calling me Windme. Pretty cool, right?"


    Windme 222 showed off, with the level-three energy of wind and fire swirling around him. He seemed stuck on the phrase "pretty cool" to share his excitement.


    "How do I know if I''m one of the Intelligent?" Adam wondered, stepping back a bit as he felt the mithril getting warm, maybe even starting to melt.


    Pulling in his energy, Windme 222 said inly, "I''ve got no idea. I''m not one of you. How would I know something like that?"


    The devil couldn''t help chuckling at Windme 222''s answer in Adam''s mind. He found the Titan more entertaining than manyical characters.


    Looking confused at where Adam''s Vital Generator was located, Windme 222 straightened up and turned back: "Let''s go get that spark energy."


    Adam became a bit tense, realizing that even a small change in the Original mes made Windme 222 take notice. He understood he had underestimated the Titans'' sharp senses and decided to be more careful from now on.


    Luckily, Windme 222 didn''t linger on it and kept the conversation going as they walked. Soon, they reached a massive building made from some unknown metal.


    The structure was smooth, with a huge fifty-meter door and a few Titans about ten meters tall going in and out.


    Windme 222 gestured for Adam to follow him inside, exining, "This ce makes the basic energy for newborns and Titan Knights. You''ll need to record your spark''s pattern here, then you can pick up an energy block every five days."


    Inside, Adam saw that the ce worked like a factory line, with energy blocks being moved down from the top on conveyor belts, and the workers looked like see-through fungus creatures.


    "These are called Converter Fungi. They soak up energy that''s just floating around or they eat in old rocks to make energy blocks we can use. The Royals got them from different ces a long time ago. We''ve only got the basic kind here, making simple energy blocks that don''t have any special traits, which should work for you," Windme 222 said in a serious tone, then quickly perked up again. "A really smart Titan, an Intelligent, told me all this stuff, and wow, Intelligent knows a lot."


    Adam was pretty amazed by all the new info and had loads of questions. "Different ces?"


    Windme 222 was more than happy to chat. "Yep, before the whole mess with the Metal Eaters, the Royals had explored a bunch of ces around us and brought back cool things we don''t have here in Titania, like these Converter Fungi. But then the Metal Eaters cut off the ways to other ces, and we got stuck here. The Royals couldn''t get back to those other spots anymore."


    "Alright, after we pick up the energy, we''ve got to hit the library for some basic learning. We better get moving; I''ve got a fix-up session soon."


    Suddenly, Windme 222 pped his head and, grabbing Adam''s arm, started rushing out. "You haven''t had a tune-up yet, right? Wannae along? It''s on me this time!"

 Chapter 227: A Maintenance

    Chapter 227: A Maintenance


    The library was another huge building, but unlike the towering energy factory, it spread over arger area. It was just one floor inside, filled with things that looked like big coffins. Each coffin had a metal wire connected to a sealed ''server'' in the center.


    "Find a reception pod about your height and lie down in it," Windme 222 said to Adam outside the library. "I''ll wait for you here."


    Curious, Adamy down in an eight-meter-long pod.


    External connectors touched his body and gently entered after getting his permission, linking with the Vital Generator and interacting with the Original mes.


    Some information was uploaded through the pod, while the Original mes were downloading.


    Adam didn''t understand the principle, but the technology was advanced and magical. It saved a lot of learning time, skipping the steps of learning and memorizing, and directly achieving mastery.


    The basic knowledge included several forms for melting alloys, including the mostmon ones like nickel-cadmium, bronze, tungsten-cobalt, titanium alloy, iron-carbon alloy, and some special alloys with energetic properties like me, earth, storm, and more.


    Here, the importance of the Original mes was further highlighted. When melting attributed metals, the me acted as a converter and enchanting device.


    All attribute metals had to be forged through the me, meaning they were not mass-produced in factories but individually crafted by each Titan.


    There was also basic information on the weapon system, providing energy circuits for externalizing the energy of the mes. This part was not very useful for Adam, as the magic arrays in the world of mages were much more advanced.


    There were also introductory methods for modifying the Vital Generator. The Titans divided it into offensive, defensive, energy, and support types. Once chosen, one could purposefully modify the Vital Generator and mount weapon systems, which was very convenient.


    The basic knowledge introduced the ranking system for Titans. Adam was currently at the Novice level, followed by the Knight level, Commander level, and Warlord level. That was corresponding to themon numerical grading system in the mage world.


    Also, all the Royals in this world were at the transcendent level.


    Through various ssifications and the racial ability to freely transform, each Titan was an excellent warrior, capable of ying any role in wars.


    After receiving the basic knowledge, Adam walked out of the library. Windme 222 said, "That''s the benefit for neers. From now on, all services will need to be paid for with Battle Honors. But don''t worry, it''s easy to earn Battle Honors. Just go to the battlefield and kill Metal Eaters."


    "A level one Metal Eater is worth one battle honor, a level two is five points, level three is ten points, and level four is twenty points."


    Windme 222 didn''t mention the transcendent Metal Eaters, probably because he had never seen one. It made sense, as he was only at themander level. Facing a transcendent Metal Eater head-on would likely result in being devoured instantly.


    The military honor system usually appeared in wars that can''t be ended quickly. This system discarded the mary and financial system, and ess to advanced resources and knowledge was entirely determined by one''s contribution in the war.


    This characteristic of a warring race also indicates the immense pressure the Metal Eaters impose, so much so that the Titans encourage their people to fight in this manner.


    "Neers who haven''tpleted the first advancement of their Vital Generator and the Original mes generally don''t need to go to the battlefield. But there''s a maximum period of five years for the neer phase. Within five years, you must be a Knight, or you''ll be stripped of your warrior status and sent to work in ces like the energy factory or the metallurgy factory."


    As Windme 222 led Adam towards the ''Titan Beauty Salon,'' he continued, "What about the Intelligent? Do they also need to go to the battlefield?"


    "Of course, the Intelligent are the most powerful warriors. Even if you''re very smart, you need to reach the warlord level to officially be an Intelligent. Before that, you must go to the battlefield. Otherwise, how can you develop weapons against the Metal Eaters if you don''t even know what they are?"


    The Titan Beauty Salon was bustling with peopleing and going. The Titans who survived the recent big battle needed rxation and maintenance.


    After greeting the other tribe members with a cheerful smile, Windme 222 led Adam to a separatepartment inside the vast building: "Neers don''t actually need maintenance, but considering you might be an Intelligent, this one''s on me."


    With that, his me fluctuated a few times, and the ground split open, raising tworge machines that swallowed both Adam and him.


    The maintenance for metal creatures included polishing, grinding, cleaning, lubricating, fueling, and more.


    For Titans, this also involved the care of the Vital Generator. These tasks were entirely performed by the tworge machines, while Adam and Windme 222 simplyy there quietly, letting countless tiny mechanical arms massage their entire bodies.


    During the internal maintenance, the machines took the energy blocks Adam had received, inserting them into the Vital Generator at specific frequencies and continuously rubbing the metal walls.


    The Original mes burned in waves, and the overflowing energy was channeled through all energy circuits, putting the whole body in a semi-excited state.


    After half an hour, the maintenance was over. Adam saw that there was not a single w on Windme 222''s body. He shone brilliantly under the light.


    Adam''s own silver body also sparkled with a crystal-clear sheen, looking very valuable.


    Stepping out of the beauty salon, Windme 222 handed Adam a small external plugin. "This is a me Vibration Receiver. When you get back, plug it into your Vital Generator. It''s already set to my frequency, so you can contact me through it if you need anything. I''m usually in Ironburg unless I''m out on a mission."


    After saying that, he waved and left on his own.


    Adam pocketed the plugin and headed to the rest area.


    The Titans didn''t have residences as such; their bodies were toorge. Unlike other creatures, they didn''t have feelings of fatigue, sleep, or mating. When they had spare time, they usually just found an open area to sit quietly with their mes contained within their Vital Generator.


    The spot Adam chose already had some Titans present, who kindly made space for the neer.


    A me Vibration Receiver was a kind of trantion and diffusion device. It can convert me vibrations into radio waves that Titans could receive.


    After instation, Adam felt the surrounding sparks be clearer, but since there was no exchange of vibrations, conversation was not yet possible.


    "Master, have you decided what to do?" the devil whispered quietly.


    This was the question Adam was contemting. The Titans, unlike the dragon race or the radiation species, might be different from other races the Explorers had encountered.


    Adam felt this race could be allied with."

 Chapter 228: Patrol

    Chapter 228: Patrol


    In the eyes of other races, mages were seen as symbols of destruction and killing.


    The mages themselves, however, didn''t think this way. If working together was more beneficial to their kind and their origins than destroying and sacrificing, mages were open to gentler methods.


    Causing chaos and making the Titans fight among themselves didn''t seem wise. Such methods could lead to irreversible losses. If one day the mages arrived and the Titans discovered who was responsible, given their straightforward nature, they would fight to the death.


    So, Adam could join the war as a Titan, earn Honors, and contribute scientific achievements to the Intelligent, gaining the Titans'' trust.


    Then, when the time and information were right, he could reveal his true identity to the Royals. At that point, no matter what the Titans decided, Adam and the world of mages could respond easily.


    Adam didn''t want to resort to bringing a mage legion to invade Titania unless necessary. The Original mes gave him a very good impression. A race with such a spirit of sacrifice should not be an enemy.


    The Titans deserved to have their own civilization.


    ...


    In the following month, Ironburg was peaceful.


    After arge-scale attack, the Metal Eaters needed to lick their wounds and reproduce, while the Titans needed to rest and replenish their forces.


    This calm was an unwritten rule developed from long-standing warfare, not easily broken unless full-scale war resumed.


    During this month, Adam spent his time wandering around Ironburg. He left his footsteps everywhere except in sensitive areas; he visited the library most often.


    In the library, knowledge on metallurgy, weapons, and energy required Honors to ess, but general knowledge was freely avable. Through this, Adam learned about Titan history.


    The origin of the Metal Eaters was openly shared with all the people.


    These formidable foes were actually created by the Titans themselves. In ancient times, a great Royal Intelligent used cells from creatures of another ne to create this race.


    Originally, they were intended to bepanion creatures for the Titans, to refine minerals, convert energy, maintain the me, or serve as external weapons.


    But that Intelligent and all the other Titans underestimated the Metal Eaters'' abilities. Due to a mistake, the Intelligent''spanion Metal Eaters rebelled. This single transcendent Metal Eater caused terrible losses for the Titans. Many Knights and even some Royals died, with countless casualties.


    What was worse, after breaking away from the Intelligent, it turned and ruled over the other Metal Eaters. Because of the Titans'' initial panic, many of the Original mes were consumed, and the entire Metal Eater race evolved in both life form and power level.


    They took over three-fifths of Titania''s territory; they blocked and eroded all passages to other nes, and they''d be Titans'' natural and mortal enemies.


    Ironburg was just a regr city on the border defense line. There were hundreds of cities like Ironburg along the line, all maintaining the first line of defense.


    This meant that in the war between the two races, the Titans were actually at a disadvantage. They were only able to defend passively.


    "It seems this world is quiteplex."


    It wasn''t just about the conflict between two races. Adam was more worried about the ne where the cells that created the Metal Eaters'' parental bodies came from.


    No matter what techniques and knowledge the Titan Intelligents used for modification, it was all based on the instinct of these cells. Adam had a feeling that in their native ne, there might be even more terrifying creatures.


    "It''s just the abyss, those beasts just eat and eat," a devil said disdainfully.


    Just then, Windme 222''s voice came through the me waves, "I''m leading a patrol to the south of Ironburg to clear out Metal Eaters that have crossed the border. Do you want toe with me?"


    ...


    Outside the gates of Ironburg, Windme 222 had transformed into a rocketuncher vehicle. He and nine other differently shaped Titans were making final preparations. Seeing Adam, he called out loudly, "Mithril kid, over here!"


    "You''re still a Novice, you don''t need to fight. Just protect yourself, oh right, you can''t even protect yourself," Windme 222 said with a creaking noise from his body, sounding somewhat troubled.


    Adam was about to say he could protect himself when he heard Windme 222 say, "Just follow behind us. Bluewater 457 will shift some of the defense field towards you."


    Bluewater 457, a twenty-meter-tall blue giant, nced at Adam and said, "That''s right, I''m a support type. Just stay close to me. I heard you were born just over a month ago? Don''t be scared, almost every Titan has to go to battle. You''re just starting a bit early."


    Bluewater 457 was very friendly, but then again, it seemed every Titan was just as weing. They didn''t see weaker members of their kind as a burden; instead, they went out of their way to help.


    Another giant said in a deep and resonant voice, "The Metal Eaters groups appearing in the south are not very high level. If you''re careful, you can benefit a lot from them. Their excretions are high-purity ore, which will be useful for your next advancement."


    "Thank you."


    "No need to thank us. All Titans would do the same. Passing on the me is ourmon mission," Windme 222 said spiritedly. "Let''s go. I''ve recently taken a liking to a kind of high-grade concentrated energy. I''m going to kill a few Metal Eaters to earn some Honors and enjoy it to the fullest."


    The Titansughed and joked together. Despite being metallic beings, they had things they liked and their own hobbies, not much different from creatures made of flesh and blood.


    Adam noticed that as they moved, they instinctively formed a formation. For a moment, Adam felt that no matter where he stood, he would disrupt the harmony of the formation.


    Seeing Adam''s dilemma, Bluewater 457 kindly pointed out a position, saying, "Remember the coordinates within the force field where you stand, and just move along this line. Be mindful to adjust your position with the fluctuations of the me."


    Once Adam followed the instructions and joined the formation, he found his me had be part of a field, joining with other mes as energy nodes.


    This field changed with the intentions of Bluewater 457, who was at its center. Miraculously, Adam instantly understood what he needed to do.


    Windme 222 said in aid-back manner, "Right now, you''re just enveloped in the force field, not truly a part of it. So, it''s okay if you make a mistake. If you encounter an irresistible danger, just hide behind us or run away on your own."


    "We''ll be fighting severalrge groups with level-three Metal Eaters soon. They''re not like the one you encountered when you were born. Don''t overestimate yourself."

 Chapter 229: Battle (1)

    Chapter 229: Battle (1)


    Windme 222 was worried that Adam might get carried away by the thrill of battle and the desire to win honors, so he warned him about many things.


    The other Titans felt the same way, and they all told Adam that if he ever faced danger, he should run immediately. They exined that the strength of a newborn Titan was too weak to make a difference even if he stayed.


    Titans, being massive creatures, could only be born in a vast ne. Otherwise, the ne might copse under their weight before natural enemies could even pose a threat.


    Adam had some understanding of this when he was in the outer void, but it wasn''t until he left Ironburg and ventured into the wilderness that he truly grasped the real concept of vastness.


    In this ne, there were no nts or trees, only the hard metal ground and towering mountains of metal that stretched into the clouds. This meant that both Titans and Metal Eaters had no cover in their surroundings, and with their good vision, they could easily spot targets from dozens of kilometers away.


    Given the Titans'' huge size and therge numbers of Metal Eaters, neither were well-suited for hiding.


    Two days after following the patrol route set by the Ironburgmander, both parties spotted each other.


    Bluewater 457''s force field generator shot out a huge energy st, and the usually faint defensive force field materialized instantly.


    Adam quickly adjusted the fluctuation of his me to avoid being pushed out again.


    Bluewater 457 then gently said to Adam, "The battle has started. Be careful on your own. There are quite a few Metal Eaters on the other side."


    Adam could see it clearly too. Over the past month, he had developed a few circuits, including radar vision. At that moment, his vision was filled with dense white dots representing Metal Eaters.


    There were more than five hundred of them, all at least level two, rushing towards them at three times the speed of sound.


    After several loud bangs, Windme 222 extended hundreds of gun barrels from his body, and energy rapidly converged toward them. He yelled, "For the me, for the honor, for the delicious energy blocks, let''s take them down!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, a barrage of energy bullets rained down on the Metal Eaters.


    The other Titans, not wanting to be outdone, transformed into their battle modes and moved swiftly in formation, charging towards the Metal Eaters as a single unit.


    Out of the ten Titans, aside from Bluewater 457 who was a support type, there were three energy types including Windme 222, three offensive types with bodies made of the sharpest and toughest alloys, and three defensive types.


    Under the coordination of their force fields, no matter how they moved, the defensive ones always stayed at the forefront of the formation.


    The energy Titans began to bombard wildly, with each energy bullet having at least level two strength.


    Under Windme 222''smand, theyunched a saturation attack on the Metal Eaters.


    The Titans were operating at full power, using all their energy for speed. Like threerge ghosts, they darted in and out of the Metal Eaters'' ranks, elusive and unpredictable.


    The Metal Eaters, however, were not at a disadvantage. Their defensive fields could increase output just in time to counter the energy attacks, and then redirect this energy elsewhere after the attack ended.


    The assaults by the Titans were repeatedly dodged through quick reformation. After five minutes of intense fighting, only about a dozen Metal Eaters had died, and the Titans were covered in small wounds.


    The two races knew each other too well, and with their energy levels being roughly equal, it was impossible to determine a victor in a short time.


    Adam stayed safely within the force field, never making a move. With his current energy, none of his attacks could break through the Metal Eaters'' defenses. Instead of recklessly disrupting the Titans'' rhythm, it was better to quietly wait for an opportunity.


    During the Cthulhu war, he had managed to enhance the entire legion''s capabilities as a level one mage. Adam was rapidly analyzing the principles behind the force field of the Titans. He wanted to be an even better support Titan than Bluewater 457.


    Adam dedicated a single thread to controlling his body and following the team, while the rest of hisputational power was focused on analyzing the force field.


    Inside his soul, all eleven sparks, including his own, were integrated into a function equation. The fire seeds'' energy output and frequency fluctuations per second were the variables. This required a significant amount ofputational power, but with two algorithms from Earth at his disposal, Adam was confident he couldplete the calctions in a short time.


    "Watch out! They''re going berserk! 457, keep an eye on the Novice!" Windme 222 warned.


    The Metal Eaters swiftly changed formation, creating countless energy whirlpools on the surface of their force field.


    These whirlpools converged andunched a type of corrosive attack that was different from other corrosion liquids Adam had seen before.


    These attacks were energy-based, more akin to magic, and sprayed out from various strange angles that couldbine with each other.


    Before long, the whirlpools began to sh with different lights, unleashing a barrage of energy attacks simr to those used by the Titans.


    "Don''t worry." Bluewater 457 transformed into an amplifier, relying entirely on the force field to connect with the other Titans for movement. He didn''t forget about Adam, though, as a tangible blue chain tightly bound Adam to his side.


    "We have three minutes before our force fields neutralize with the Metal Eaters. Then it''ll be time for freebat... What are you doing? Are you scared stiff?" Before Bluewater 457 could finish his cautionary words, he noticed Adam''s lifeless eyes and silent mes. "Ah, never mind, I''ll throw you out when the force field copses, you---"


    "Wait, give me some more time!" Adam urgently interrupted Bluewater 457. He was in the final stages of his calctions; he just needed a bit more time to take control of the force field.


    Bluewater 457 wasn''t sure what Adam was nning, but since it was still within the three-minute window, he chose to trust him. His Vital Generator was working overtime, causing his body to melt.


    Not just him, but the rest of the Titans also exerted themselves, filling the space with the energy of their mes. The force field pushed back against the Metal Eaters once more.


    The Metal Eaters changed formation again, aligning in the sky to form a line. Their force field''s energy concentrated, shing down at the Titans like a massive, sharp longsword.


    There was one minute left until the three-minute deadline.


    The defensive Titans bravely moved forward to meet the attack, their metallic bodies rapidly melting.


    Windme 222, without looking back, roared, "Whatever you''re nning, I can only give you thirty more seconds, or else---"


    Adam''s Vital Generator burst into life, and he broke free from Bluewater457''s chain to move forward.


    "Give me control of the battle formation," he said."

 Chapter 230: Battle (2)

    Chapter 230: Battle (2)


    Bluewater 457''s body turned red because it was overloaded. Steam mixed with fire energy went up like a pressure cooker.


    When Bluewater 457 heard Adam''s words, he quickly moved back without any hesitation, passing the core position of the battle to Adam and then retreated to a safe ce to cool down his Vital Generator.


    The other Titans fought hard against the giant des formed by the Metal Eaters. Each defensive Titan was left with many scars.


    Windme 222 shouted, "Mithril kid, don''t overdo it!"


    Adam didn''t say anything. He closed all other energy circuits in his body. His mithril body, along with the Vital Generator, quickly transformed, leaving only the construction of the electromaic conversion magic array. The Original mes fell into the magic array and released a huge amount of energy, giving new life to the nearly copsing force field.


    "Give me the authority to control your mes," Adam''s voice entered the Titans'' ears through the maic field.


    Bluewater 457 calcted the time very precisely. He knew they could hold for at least three minutes. This was also why, besides racial trust, Windme 222 chose to believe in a neer who had never been on the battlefield.


    Now, seeing that Adam''s actions were effective, he was very happy, especially since he was the one who introduced Adam to this team.


    "Now it''s up to you. As long as you can maintain the force field for five more minutes, we can cool down the Vital Generator and take down these invaders!" Windme 222 said, letting his mes get under Adam''s control, and the other Titans did the same.


    After receiving support from other powerful sources, ten stable currents shot out from Adam''s body, connecting to ten Titans. Then, eleven mes acted as energy nodes, creating a strong maic field within a radius of 2.5 kilometers, with Adam at the center


    All the leaking energy was mobilized, and a counter-attack barrier hit the Metal Eaters hard as they tried to take advantage of the situation.


    Then, Adam shot electrons on other Titans'' bodies through a current. Instead of rudely taking control of their bodies, Adam manipted the free electrons in the metal atoms inside them, thus elerating the healing and the cooling of their Vital Generators.


    This was a powerful way of support that the Titans had never imagined. It was even better than the water energy emitted by Bluewater 457, as it directly slowed down the movement of electrons at the atomic level, and therefore it sped up the cooling by ten times.


    Feeling the elerated cooling, the Titans kept quiet. They took out energy blocks, and threw them into the Vital Generators.


    This saved a lot of time for the Titans. When the Vital Generators were overloaded, they couldn''t replenish energy because it could cause an explosion. This was also why Windme 222 asked Adam to hold on for five minutes.


    "Good job, mithril kid; just hold on a bit longer and watch out for those Metal Eaters, they areing!"


    Before Windme 222 could finish his warning, the Metal Eaters regrouped andunched another charge.


    As Adam took control and altered the force field, the Metal Eaters had time to regroup. The defense force field, which should have copsed, stabilized once again.


    Unlike the Titans, Metal Eaters could absorb stray energy from the space around them. Though not very efficient---less than one-tenth of a high-grade energy block---it was crucial for endurance in continuousbat. They instinctively maximized this advantage, giving the Titans no time to rest.


    The Metal Eaters arranged themselves in the sky, forming an energy circuit with different individual arrangements. The power of each individual converged to the central leader, transformed, and then re-entered each individual. They hovered in the air like a moving magic array.


    Then a barrage of venom missiles and corrosive attacks came down. At the same time, the Metal Eaters constantly changed formations, their bodies forming a spiral structure simr to a cannon barrel. Invisible yet substantial energy collided with the maic field; the energy twisted and spread in different directions, trying to tear apart the defense.


    After a few seconds of resistance, Adam knew that even with the energy of ten Titans, he couldn''t withstand the attack of more than five hundred Metal Eaters. He quickly adjusted the maic field''s power and plunged towards the ground at high speed during the momentary change, but the missiles, with their tracking capabilities, followed closely after a sharp turn in the air.


    Windme 222 and the other Titans opened their chests wide, exposing the Vital Generators. They frantically took out energy blocks from thepartments in their bodies and threw them into their mes.


    The three defense Titans were the first toplete cooling and recovery. They moved to the front to help Adam withstand this wave of magical energy attacks.


    "I need to take control of your bodies!" Adam said urgently. There was no time for exnations; he could only hope the Titans would understand his intention.


    The defensive Titans hesitated for a moment, and then they agreed. They allowed Adam''s currents to enter and wrap around the Vital Generators. A strong maic field was then generated inside their bodies, allowing Adam to control their energy output and movements with just a thought, likerge alchemical golems.


    The three defensive Titansnded on the ground with a deafening noise. The energy caused the metallic minerals in the ground to flow like water and then rise from the ground. It formed a metal barrier around the maic field.


    The venom missiles and corrosive attacks hit the barrier, emitting a disturbing dissolving sound, while the attacks violently tore at the metal barrier.


    Adam replicated the process with three closebat Titans, doubling the energy input into the ground. A continuous stream of metal, simply refined, was added to the barrier.


    "Hold on a bit longer, we''re almost there!" Windme 222''s entire body was red, and the Vital Generator, not yet fully cooled, was pushed to the verge of overload again.


    "Bluewater 457!" Adam called out without looking back.


    The Titan immediately transformed into arge energy amplifier and was pulled to Adam''s side. The gathered power was no longer retained within itself but was entirely injected into Bluewater 457''s body. The maic field was thus amplified several times. As the first barrier was just torn apart, anotheryer formed outside it.


    Adam adjusted the frequency of the electromaic conversion magic array, and thick currents densely spread throughout the maic field. Acting through the metal, they worked furiously on the torn barrier.


    At this moment, Adam extracted almost all the energy from the six Titans, constructing a surrounding coil in the air.


    Metal fragments, suspended under the effect of electromaic force, were continuously elerated by the kic energy generated by the massive power.


    "Super Railgun!"


    The stored energy was released all at once. The metal fragments burned under the mes and the friction, hurtling towards the Metal Eaters swarm.


    At the same time, the electromaic field extended and enveloped the Metal Eaters. The strong maic field left false messages on the retina and invaded through the weak points of the force field, disrupting the neural signal transmission of the Metal Eaters, causing them to fall into an illusion and lose their sense of direction."

 Chapter 231: Battle (3)

    Chapter 231: Battle (3)


    ***Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!***


    The railgun hit the group of Metal Eaters right on target, causing a big explosion on the defense field. In just two seconds, their force field waspletely broken. The remaining bullets went through the field without any trouble and hit their bodies. For a moment, it was raining ''blood,'' and the Metal Eaters were badly damaged.


    Adam''s own power yed a small role in this attack. The energy for the attack came almost entirely from the power of the other Titans. The Metal Eaters'' physical defense was also quite weak, or else the attack wouldn''t have caused so much damage.


    Electromaic magic was very useful. At a low level, it helped a lot, and at a high level, it could be deadly. In this special world made of metal, it worked even better.


    Honestly, Adam didn''t expect such a great result. The full support of seven level-three Titans made him almost as strong as he was in the Mage World, but sadly, this boost in power wouldn''tst long.


    Windme 222 was shocked. He was so surprised that he couldn''t even finish his sentence.


    Another Titan said, "Since when are newborns this strong?!"


    Adam was also struggling, but he did learn something---despite being made of metal, he could feel tired. His mithril body couldn''t keep its shape. After he changed back to his usual form, he said weakly, "Now it''s your turn."


    Windme 222 quickly put energy blocks into the power source and said boldly, "Don''t worry. After their defensive field is broken, these Metal Eaters are nothing. They''re doomed!"


    Adam responded with a slight fluctuation of his power. Then he moved to Bluewater 457 and said, "Use me as the generator, my force field is more effective."


    Bluewater 457 gave a stiff smile and patted Adam. "Rest easy, you won''t miss out on any Honors!"


    Out of more than five hundred Metal Eaters, only about a hundred were level-three, and the rest were level-two.


    Adam''s attack only killed a small part of them. The rest were badly injured and couldn''t form a battle line. The few Titans who were very angry took this chance to attack wildly, quickly gaining the upper hand.


    Adam didn''t join the fight anymore. Instead, he focused on the path the Metal Eaters had flown and their bodies after they died.


    On the day he was born, Adam, not knowing the situation, let the leading Metal Eater devour others and then mutate. But this time, Titans like Windme 222 clearly wouldn''t give them that chance. They neatly separated the gathering Metal Eaters and led the level-three leading Metal Eaters to different ces.


    Adam noticed that the Metal Eaters sometimes dropped waste during flight. This waste wasn''t dirty but pure metal blocks, and they looked just as good as the ones refined by the mes.


    Moreover, the Metal Eaters'' bodies seemed even more useful than the waste. Their limbs and pieces fell to the ground and would turn into metal in a short time; the metals also had energy vibrations.


    Adam didn''t understand the principle behind this. Thisplete change in nature was incredible---Metal Eaters, although strange, were indeed made of flesh and blood, and he wondered why they could turn into metal after death.


    No one could answer Adam''s question for the time being. Maybe he needed to enter the real Titan society and get in touch with some Intelligents or advanced knowledge to find the answer.


    But clearly, this must be the evolutionary direction chosen by the Metal Eaters after they were made as tools and then rebelled against the Titans. They used the Titans'' bodies and power source as food and energy, and the Titans got higher-grade metals after killing Metal Eaters.


    These two races needed each other as much as they needed to kill each other.


    The battlested nearly two hours, with the Titans showing highly coordinated teamwork.


    The Metal Eaters were gradually ughtered, and Bluewater 457 even had time to discuss with Adam what this new force field was.


    Adam exined it simply, but Bluewater 457 said he couldn''t understand. Adam guessed it might be due to different knowledge systems. Titans might need to perform some special operations on the Original mes to gain abilities.


    Maybe they also needed a maic body to use this power, but that could lead to their own vulnerability. In the Titania library, Adam hadn''t seen any method of smelting mas, nor had he found natural mas in thend here.


    Bluewater 457 didn''t pursue the matter further and curiously controlled the maic field output by himself. However, he was obviously not very skilled and often pulled the enemies back or disturbed their energy just as a few Titans were about to kill them. Windme 222ined loudly because of that.


    Two hourster, Windme 222 ended the battle by sting thest level-three Metal Eater with a shot. During this time, Adam barely recovered from his weakened state.


    The energy contained in the ordinary energy blocks produced by the conversion bacteria was too low, and Adam really thought about using ether crystals to solve the problem in one step.


    The Titans didn''t rush to collect the spoils of war.


    Excited, they gathered around Adam, showering him with praise while continuously ''attacking'' him in a friendly manner. These straightforward and sturdy giants were used to expressing affection and gratitude by pping and knocking.


    "That was amazing! Didn''t expect this mission to be so easy!"


    "My body isn''t even that damaged, no need for maintenance now!"


    "You''re truly a natural Intelligent, Windme 222''s judgment was spot on!"


    Adam gave up on using energy to repair his body, realizing it was futile. Even a gentle action from these Titans carried the force of tens of tons, which his soft mithril body couldn''t withstand.


    They only stopped their enthusiastic patting when Adam''s body went out of shape. Then they buzzed off to collect the spoils of war.


    Adam twisted his body back into shape and followed, asking Windme 222, "Are there always this many Metal Eaters in patrol missions?"


    Windme 222 picked up an unknown alloy, and after finding that all his strength couldn''t deform it, he happily tossed it to Adam. "Not always this many, hey, take this, it''s much stronger than your soft body."


    "So, this was a special case?" Although it might sound arrogant, Adam felt that it was unlikely for a patrol of ten leader Titans to defeat over five hundred Metal Eaters without any losses. If it weren''t for him, the patrol might have had casualties.


    Windme 222 transformed into a truck shape, extending arms to throw the collected items into the dump. "Yeah, we''ve encountered more than this before. Maybe the Metal Eaters near Ironburg also suffered a lot in thest invasion. Intelligents are really impressive!"

 Chapter 232: The Titans Idea

    Chapter 232: The Titan''s Idea


    Adam found it hard to grasp the logic of the Windme 222nguage, but he understood the previous sentences. So he asked, "Are all patrol teams made up of ten people? What do you do when you encounter more Metal Eaters?"


    "There aren''t many Titans in Ironburg left with fighting abilities, and we haven''t received any reinforcements. Usually, a patrol team consists of twenty to thirty Titans. If we encounter more Metal Eaters, we fight if we can. If we can''t, we ask for support. If we''re surrounded, we''ll just have to fight and see. We can''t just wait to die. It''s hard for a Titan to pass on the me if they die in the wild."


    "What about today?"


    Windme 222 said carelessly, "Today falls into the category of ''not knowing if we can win''."


    "Why not ask for support?"


    "Because there''s no support to ask for. I and 457 are still on vacation, yet we still have to go on missions. I know what you''re thinking. Intelligents always think too much," Windme 222 said, attributing Adam''s many questions to his Intelligent identity. "No Titan is afraid of death. If we can''t win, we might as well explode our spark. Who knows if a new life will be born because of me? Just like you were born because of me 123''s team."


    Bluewater 457, also looking like a truck, drove up to Adam and gave him a few pieces of alloy. "Leave these behind and decide what to evolve into next time you return. Passing down the me is the mission of every Titan. As long as thest spark of fire burns, Titans will not perish. You''re still young. After a few advancements, you''ll understand."


    After saying this, Bluewater 457 drove away leisurely, seeming very pleased.


    Adam stood there alone, the mes in his heart leaping.


    The Titans weren''t very good at speaking, and some of their answers felt off-topic. But in every Titan''s heart, the idea of passing down the me was paramount. As long as they could pass down the mes, they didn''t mind their personal life or death; they even considered death as the final extension of their lives.


    The devil whispered softly, "Master, they are so foolish." His tone was somewhat emotional.


    ...


    The journey back was much faster than the journey there. In one day, everyone returned to Ironburg fully loaded.


    For Windme 222 and the others, not losing a single person and gaining so much loot was a great victory.


    The Titans showed great kindness and affirmation to Adam because of this. They gave Adam most of the spoils of war, regardless of whether he could use them or not.


    Adam only kept a little of each item for research and returned the rest to them. The Titans didn''t decline, patting their chests and saying, "Since you don''t want the spoils, we''ll give you a greater share of the Honors. We''ll give it to you after the settlement. If you need these metals, feel free to ask us for them."


    After nodding, everyone parted ways in front of Ironburg''s gates. Adam constructed a mithril backpack on his back and filled it with alloy samples, then headed towards the ce where he had been resting for the past month.


    There was a small figure sitting in a corner against the wall, probably newly born. Windme 222 was right; Ironburg was short on hands. Except for the newborns, the rest of the Titans had heavy work to do.


    Adam felt helpless about this. His current level was indeed low, so he was not that useful too. Inrge-scale battles, he couldn''t even maintain more maic fields, and in small-scale ones, there was a risk of being surrounded byrge groups of Metal Eaters and suffering a defeat.


    So, he decided to stay in Ironburg and do some research until he evolved into a Knight. At that point, Ironburg would naturally assign him tasks.


    Adam sat down on the ground and moved the backpack to his front, looking like a kangaroo''s pouch. He then took out several pieces of Metal Eaters'' wastes.


    He discovered that these wastes were high-purity metals. He was curious about the kind of chemical reactions inside Metal Eaters that could purify ores with many impurities to such an extent through flesh and blood.


    These metal blocks could be directly used to build bodies without secondary processing, if collected inrger quantities. No wonder the Titans gave Adam so many---they wanted him to strengthen his body.


    However, Adam could purify metals himself, and his process was as good as that of Metal Eaters. So, he just looked at the metal blocks and set them aside.


    The truly magical substances were the energy alloys transformed by the Metal Eaters with their bodies.


    Adam kept some of each type of alloy, which emitted different energy fluctuations. The strongest reached level-three intensity, while the weakest was even inferior to ordinary alloys.


    It seemed their quality was closely rted to the Metal Eaters'' strength and energy at the time of death.


    The properties of the few hundred small alloy pieces all fell into the four basic elements of earth, water, wind, and fire. The more advanced ones were merelybinations of two types of energy, so their practical value was not that high.


    Adam quickly put them back into his backpack. He was now most interested in how Metal Eaters achieved this and what the transcendent Intelligents used to modify those cells?


    "Um...Mithril, are you a newborn too?"


    While Adam was thinking, the other newborn walked over and sat next to him. He tried to move as quietly as possible, but his iron alloy body made a lot of noise no matter how careful he was.


    Adam nodded at him, then calmly looked at him.


    The newborn seemed very nervous. "My body is made of ordinary iron ore and some impurities, I...I..."


    Seeing the newborn''s longing gaze fixed on his backpack, Adam casually pushed it forward. "Do you want these?"


    The newborn seemed startled, his body retreating rapidly, making a harsh scraping sound.


    Then he shook his head frantically and said, "No, how could I take your things? I just want to know where you got them. I have no Honors, and when I want to go out mining, other Titans say it''s too dangerous nearby and stop me. So, I don''t want to go back ind, nor do I want to work in the factory."


    Adam was used to the way Titans spoke in a disjointed manner. He found it odd that the benefits for newborns did not include the metals needed for advancements. Windme 222 hadn''t told him how ordinary Titans were supposed to acquire these resources. Adam wondered if the newborns really had to find these resources for themselves.


    "Where is the Titan responsible for you?"


    "He left the city for a mission half a month ago and hasn''t returned yet."


    Adam understood. The current situation in Ironburg was indeed not suitable for newborns. It was probably unique for someone as careless as Windme 222 to take a Titan born just a month ago on a patrol mission. Other Titans, once tasked, had no time to care for the neers.


    He pushed a basket of metals towards the nameless newborn. "These are of no use to me, so I''ll give them to you. Actually, don''t worry. Windme 222 mentioned that more forces will soon be mobilized to Ironburg. Then, you''ll be able to go out and mine."

 Chapter 233: Improving Oneself

    Chapter 233: Improving Oneself


    The young Titan hesitated but eventually epted Adam''s gift. "Let''s exchange the me Vibration. If I advance sessfully some day, I will return these to you many times over!"


    A dayter, Windme 222 found Adam and handed him something simr to amunication plugin. Its function was to constantly record Honors in battle. By attaching it to the Vital Generator, the Honors earned from defeating Metal Eaters could be directly recorded.


    At this moment, the number disyed on the Honor module was 227. Adam was puzzled, knowing his railgun shot couldn''t have killed so many Metal Eaters. "How can there be so many?"


    "There are also spoils of war. The spoils we don''t need can be turned in, and those can also be converted into Honors."


    Adam knew even with the spoils being converted, the number seemed too high. After all, they were the main force in the battle, and he had only yed a minor role during their brief rest. It must have been the Titans in the patrol squad who had secretly allocated a portion of their rightful share to Adam.


    Windme 222 smiled and said, "You are an Intelligent. Intelligents are very powerful. Bluewater 457 and the others think that you will be even more powerful once you be a Commander or a Warlord, so... yeah, we''d better be nice to you."


    Adam didn''t expect these Titans to have such thoughts and epted the Honors with a chuckle. "If I really am an Intelligent, I won''t forget you guys."


    Windme 222, looking pleased, tried to pat Adam but Adam quickly dodged. Unembarrassed, Windme 222 touched his head and continued, "I and Bluewater 457 have introduced you to other Commanders. They mighte to find you before they go on missions in the next few days. If you have time, you can go with them. Don''t worry, they will definitely protect you."


    He hurriedly added, fearing Adam might be reluctant since Titans usually don''t send newborns to the battlefield, "Honors are very useful. The more you have, the sooner you can advance to a Knight. It''s very hard for other newborns to get Honors."


    Adam nodded in understanding. Being a Novice, he had few things he could do on his own.


    No matter what he wanted to do, reaching the knight level as soon as possible was the current main goal. He thought of the newborn made of alloy and impurities and asked, "How do other newborns umte resources for advancement?"


    "They work for other Titans. Ironburg is at the front line, and there are very few newborns born here. There are also not many Titans willing to take in new ones. Oh, I know who you are talking about---the little iron guy? He will be sent to the ind soon."


    "And me?"


    Windme 222 looked at Adam curiously and said, "You are an Intelligent. How can an Intelligent be the same as a normal newborn? Look, the Honors you''ve umted on this mission are more than what a normal newborn could earn in a whole year."


    After a silent goodbye to Windme 222, Adam walked towards the interior of Ironburg. Over two hundred Honors were indeed very useful; they could help Adam understand the Titans'' advancement methods.


    The Original mes, the Vital Generator, and the body were the mainponents of a Titan. Each advancement required all three to undergo changes together.


    There wasn''t much to say about the Vital Generator and the body because their strength entirely depended on the energy of the Original mes and the strength of the alloys that made up the body.


    To strengthen the Original mes, one needed to intensify its burning and ''program'' within the spark.


    The more intense the burning, the more energy could be released in a given time. This was entirely a matter of resource umtion.


    These concepts were easy to understand, but ''programming'' was a more abstract concept.


    Titans called themands that drive their bodies "Spark Code."


    The Original mes were akin to a Titan''s soul, heart, brain, neurons, sensors, and other main structuresbined. Or more figuratively, it was the processor of thisrge robot, issuingmands to control the body.


    The Original mes needed to understand the properties of the metals making up the body and the functions of energy circuits to fully unleash a Titan''s strength.


    For instance, if Adam has enough Honors, he could directly exchange them for Windme alloy, a metal thatbines wind and fire energies, to make up his body. But doing so would result inplete paralysis since Adam''s Original mes didn''t understand Windme alloy and thus couldn''t control the body to exert power.


    The same went for energy circuits. If the mes don''t understand the principles, even if circuits are built in the Vital Generator, not a bit of energy can be activated.


    In a way, this was simr to mages, except that mages needed to understand moreplex knowledge and had more powerful means of using energy. But there were also differences. In the world of mages, there are ''magic ck boxes'' that some mages can use without understanding the principles.


    ...


    The Spark Code was worth fifty Honors. After the exchange, Adam was even more convinced that Titans had the potential to be a civilization.


    The Spark Code simtes the fluctuations of the spark and summarizes the unstable fluctuations into special information.


    This wasplex to exin, but Adam could think of it as a variant of runes. By creating a conversion algorithm, Adam could freely activate abilities under the rune system with Spark Code.


    After learning this code system, Adam realized that his previous method of directly inscribing magic arrays into his body was too crude. He was entirely relying on knowledge from another ne to forcefully output energy, first activating the mes, then the Vital Generator, and only then could the energy be transferred to the circuit.


    For a true Titan, activating energy required only one step: starting the Vital Generator. Once the Vital Generator was up and running, energy naturally flowed and activated within the body.


    Learning this code was easy for Adam. After mastering it in a day, he began to modify it himself.


    The modification took five days. Adam exchanged all his remaining Honors for high-purity mithril and standard energy blocks. Then he threw them all into his mes. This caused Adam''s height to surge to twelve meters.


    Hepletely destroyed the numerous and mixed attribute circuits in his body and Vital Generator, leaving only the electromaic parts. He knew that it was best to specialize in the early stages of advancement, as being tooplex would only slow down the advancement speed.


    After incorporating this knowledge into the Original mes using Spark Code, his body changed ordingly. Adam could clearly sense every mithril atom in his body and their maic fields.


    By controlling these maic fields and the free electrons in the atoms, the repulsion between them was minimized to the greatest extent possible with Adam''s current abilities, resulting in a morepact body.


    He shrank from twelve meters to six meters.


    Reducing in size did not mean bing weaker. At this height, Adam''s physical strength had more than doubledpared to before. Now, Adam could freely control the hardness of his body. He would no longer find himself being easily ttened by a casual p from Windme 222."

 Chapter 234: Invitation from Iron 27

    Chapter 234: Invitation from Iron 27


    Chapter 234 Invitation from Iron 27


    ===================================


    Adam felt like a new Titan. Now, when he used electromaic magic, he didn''t need to go throughplex conversions. With just a thought, he could instantly create various spells. This smoothness made him feel like he was using his real body.


    He was now stronger than any Novice and just as strong as a regr Knight. However, he hadn''t advanced into a Knight yet. He needed a lot of energy to make his Original mes burn to the fullest. This would raise his power level and stabilize it at a higher level, and then he could advance.


    But then, he ran into a problem: he was out of Honors. For the moment, though, this wasn''t urgent.


    Windme 222 had mentioned that other Commanders might invite him on missions, but reputation takes time to spread. Adam''s level was still too low, and he didn''t expect all Titans to trust his abilities just yet.


    If he was willing to share how to build an electromaic Vital Generator with the library, he could get a lot of Honors right away. But, of course, Adam wouldn''t do something so foolish. Even though the Titans seemed like a good ally, it was still unclear what transcendent Titans and Intelligents really thought about the Mage World.


    The boost that electromaic abilities could give to a Titan''s strength was too significant. If he helped the Titans too much and then things ended up leading to war, Adam''s actions would likely be despised by the entire Mage World.


    Adam didn''t want that to happen, so he put that aside. He threw himself into the joy of programming. Since he couldn''t add much to his energy system right now, Adam focused on physical attacks.


    He redefined and programmed thebat skills he had learned from the Mage World into his core, creating a database for Metal Eaters movements. Titans were strong and suited for closebat, but Adam didn''t like hand-to-hand fighting, so Spark Code gave him a way to cheat.


    He used his core as a sensor and wrote programs for quick responses and dynamic vision. Suddenly, he became a master of closebat. When he encountered an enemy, the program could automatically control his body to fight.


    Adam kept adding small modifications and practical programs to his body, enjoying himself thoroughly. He treated himself like a robot, having a great time.


    ...


    Five months flew by. With Windme 222''s help, Adam was skeptically invited by the Titans to join three simple patrol and extermination missions.


    As expected, his electromaic abilities yed a nearly perfect supportive role. The title of "Strongest Support Titan of the Novices" started to spread in Ironburg, and gradually, more Commanders began to trust him.


    As he became more effective, he earned more Honors and spoils of war. He casually set aside the spoils and exchanged all his Honors for condensed energy blocks. Those blocks were the best ones he could get as a Novice.


    After that, he was only 13% short of the energy needed to advance to Knight level.


    Bang!


    A huge noise erupted about a hundred meters in front of Adam. Then, the person who arrived took two steps towards him, each step resonating with a simrly massive sound.


    Adam looked up to see a gigantic body, pure ck without any other colors, staring at him through the fiery glow of its eyes.


    "I am Iron 27, the General Commander of Ironburg. How long until you advance to Knight level?"


    As much as Iron 27 tried to keep his voice down, the voice boomed, causing the surrounding metals to tremble with its sonorous waves.


    Adam stood up from the ground, his mithril body constantly adjusting to cancel out the ufortable vibrations. Iron 27 was so tall that Adam''s six-meter body couldn''t even reach his knees.


    "I need 130 more condensed energy blocks. If the energy blocks are sufficient, I can advance right away and adjust myself within three days," Adam replied straightforwardly.


    Iron 27 then asked, "How much will your abilities improve after advancing? Can you hide my body?"


    Iron 27 was referring to a supportive function Adam could provide after fully utilizing his electromaic abilities. Adam could adjust the emitted information from all Titans within a battle formation to create an electromaic invisibility barrier, achieving both optical and electromaic wave invisibility.


    However, to be honest, the effectiveness of this technology was mediocre at the moment. The Titans'' gigantic bodies reflected too much information, and Adam could only manage perception deception rather thanplete invisibility.


    Moreover, this technique had requirements for the Titan''s body size. It was already difficult to hide someone like Windme 222, and it was even more impossible for Iron 27, who was over forty meters tall.


    Adam honestly said, "Even if I be a Knight, it would be difficult to hide you. You are too big."


    Iron 27 seemed a bit disappointed. Just as he was about to say something, he heard Adam continue, "If you could reduce your size a bit, I could manage to sneak you within fifteen kilometers of the Metal Eaters, at most."


    The mes in Iron 27''s eyes red up fiercely. "I can shrink to 34 meters at most; any less and I would copse."


    ''*34 meters, about the same size as Windme 222*,'' Adam thought for a moment and said, "I can do that."


    Iron 27''s huge palm patted down towards Adam''s shoulder with a whistling hurricane, making Adam feel ttened once again.


    Iron 27 added, "I will provide all the resources needed for your advancement. You can make any requests to Windme 222, but I need you to advance immediately and assist me with a mission in seven days."


    Adam agreed without hesitation.


    Iron 27 was the General Commander of the border fortress and would definitely not be a minor character in Titan society. If he really needed Adam this much, that probably meant that the mission this time could be very important.


    Adam thought that if he could demonstrate his value in the mission, it would greatly help his n to connect with the Titan higher-ups. Therefore, he readily agreed.


    After leaving his contact information, Iron 27 flew away.


    Windme 222, who had been hiding nearby, approached Adam with a stiff smile. He kindly pinched Adam''s body trying to help him repair. Upon finding his effort ineffective, he just said, "Mithril is really too soft. We keep getting bigger, and you keep getting smaller. At this rate, you might be the shortest one among all Titans."


    Adam felt he couldn''t exin to him that strength had nothing to do with height. He simply ignored thement and said, "I need two hundred condensed energy blocks."


    Windme 222 took note earnestly, and after waiting for a while without hearing any other requests from Adam, he asked curiously, "That''s it? No more? You''re not applying for a higher-grade alloy body and energy circuits?"


    Adam shook his head. "No need, just the energy blocks are fine. I have one more question, are these resources a gift to me, or are they an advance?"


    "They are a personal gift from Iron 27. The next mission is very dangerous; I think it''s better for you to strengthen your body. Even if you don''t want to change your body structure, you should apply for some external weaponry."

 Chapter 235: Mithril Knight Titan

    Chapter 235: Mithril Knight Titan


    An external weapon was a kind of add-on made with special techniques. It connected directly with Titans'' body to provide some defense. This was often used by the support and energy types because their bodies are rtively fragilepared to other Titans.


    Adam applied for an add-on simr to a breastte to protect his Vital Generator. ording to Windme 222, Iron 27 had an external weapon made from a metal he refined when he advanced. It could withstand three full attacks of level-four Metal Eaters.


    After making sure Adam had no other requests, Windme 222 quickly left. In less than an hour, he brought everything Adam needed. Then, he eagerly waited to watch Adam advance, refusing to leave.


    Adam had no choice. In the Titan race, there was no concept of privacy. Besides, electromaic abilities couldn''t be learned in a few minutes just by watching. Adam wasn''t sure if there were races in this mysterious world that could understand terrifying abilities just by watching, but the Titans in Ironburg definitely weren''t among them.


    "When my Original mes start burning, you need to stay away from me, or you might ruin the wind-me alloy body you worked hard to get," Adam warned.


    Windme 222 remembered the abilities Adam showed during the mission. He hurriedly retreated a hundred meters, then signaled Adam to start.


    The advancement of a Titan seemed quite boring.


    Adam ced his hands in front of his chest and gently pulled them apart, opening his chest cavity like a door.


    The Vital Generator, shining with pure silver light, was exposed.


    Then he sat down, grabbed the condensed energy blocks, and threw them into the mes.


    He calcted the time it took for the me to digest the energy and kept reducing the interval based on this time. He gradually pushed the spark towards the limit of energy release to achieve aplete breakthrough.


    During this process, the mes grewrger, and the light it emitted duringbustion became brighter.


    A strong maic field covered a radius of a hundred meters. The energy floating in the air kept gathering and exploding, while the sturdy metal used to build Ironburg flowed like water.


    Six hourster, the spark expanded to its current limit and burned violently in the Vital Generator.


    After Adam threw in thest energy block, the mes suddenly contracted sharply. The six-meter-high me instantly shrank to the size of a fist, and everything within the range of the maic field froze at that moment.


    The Vital Generator and the mithril body disintegrated and dissolved at the same time, floating in the air like liquid, solely maintained by the energy of the mes.


    A few secondster, the Original mes, still the size of a fist and paused, exploded suddenly.


    The energy that reached the second level gathered the scattered external energy in an instant.


    The Vital Generator was rebuilt, forming a hypercube on the outermostyer. The first inneryer consisted of concentric spheres with decreasing radii from the same center; the secondyer was made of six interlocking hexagrams; and the innermostyer wasposed of active electrons invisible to the naked eye.


    Dense energy circuits intertwined within thisplex structure, connecting to the Original mes at the core.


    Adam''s body rapidly reformed after the Vital Generator was upgraded. The repulsive force of the mithril atoms was further reduced, showing a tendency to liquefy externally. His height decreased again, leaving him only four meters tall.


    Adam''s advancement went smoothly.


    After closing his chest cavity, Adamnded on the ground with a thunderous roar. Although he was only four meters tall, his weight was nearly a hundred tons.


    When Adam''s feet touched the ground, the previously destroyed area quickly restored itself. Windme 222 approached cautiously and poked Adam''s head with his finger, finding no dent. He muttered, "It''s gotten harder, huh? Mithril can be this hard? Shrinking doesn''t seem as bad as I thought, huh?"


    Three dayster, Adam met his teammates for the mission in front of Ironburg''s city gate. There was the ck Iron 27, and a silver-white Titan.


    "This is Lithium 15. Your task is to cover us as we approach the Metal Eaters'' nest and then destroy it."


    Lithium 15 was even taller than Iron 27, but when they both stood on the ground, Adam could feel that Lithium 15 was much lighter than Iron 27, probably due to lithium''s low density.


    After Iron 27''s introduction, Lithium 15 smiled at Adam, "You must have a name now, Mithril Knight."


    Titans don''t have genders, but Adam felt a feminine character from Lithium 15.


    Adam said, "You can call me Mithril 99. After my advancement, my abilities have improved greatly. If it''s just the two of you, as long as both of your heights don''t exceed forty meters, I can keep the promise I made before."


    "99? That''s an odd name. But forty meters, huh? That''s a bit troubling," Lithium 15 said, twisting his body awkwardly and struggling to shrink. During this process, massive amounts of fire energy radiated outward. Adam had to raise his electromaic barrier to full strength to avoid being melted.


    Iron 27 did the same, except the energy he released while shrinking had different properties. It seemed they didn''t want to waste a moment.


    After thinking for a moment, Adam said, "I can help you now if that''s ok."


    Both of them stopped their attempts to shrink. Iron 27, after setting up ayer of defense on Adam''s surface, didn''t hesitate to open his own body control permissions to Adam. He connected his own field with the one Adam was emitting and said, "I''ll leave it to you then."


    Adam had always wanted to test the extent of his abilities on other Titans, but he had previously refrained from doing something so impolite. Now that he had the opportunity to experiment, he fully activated the maic field to takeplete control over them.


    Adam discovered that the metal atoms constituting their bodies all carried information of their own mes. Even though they had given out their permissions, there were still restrictions against external energy. This wasn''t intentional on their part but a natural defense of the body.


    After the different mes'' wills made contact, they spontaneously began the process of permission verification and exchange. Throughout this period, Adam observed their expressions and realized that both Iron 27 and Lithium 15 seemed unaware of this.


    "It seems there are still many secrets to the spark," Adam noted to himself.


    As they shrank, they released a massive amount of energy, but it was all countered by Iron 27''s defenses.


    Ten minutester, Adam managed to shrink them to thirty-seven and thirty-nine meters, respectively. This was the limit;pressing them even a centimeter more could potentially cause these two level-four beings to explode, leading to catastrophic consequences.


    Lithium 15, satisfied with the adjustment, moved around a bit and then said to them, "I''m going into a semi-hibernation state now. The rest is up to you."

 Chapter 236: Secret Mission

    Chapter 236: Secret Mission


    Chapter 236 Secret Mission


    ==========================


    After Lithium 15 got smaller, he was like a ball of energy on the move. Energy poured out of him, making waves that hit the strong maic shield Adam had set up. Knowing what wasing, Lithium 15 just said hello and then made the Original mes less bright, leaning against Iron 27.


    The super-hot air quickly disappeared. The melted shield on Adam''s outside dropped to the ground, along with a tiny, shining bit of mithril.


    "Let''s move," Iron 27 said, flying out of Ironburg to the southeast.


    Iron 27 didn''t talk much. With Lithium 15 on his left shoulder and Adam on his right, he flew fast and without a sound. When they ran into Metal Eaters, he fought by himself.


    He was really strong. Just a loud yell was enough to break level-three Metal Eaters into pieces. Even when up against groups that had a few level-four ones, he would give Lithium 15 to Adam for safekeeping and jump into the fight, using just his strength.


    They went on without talking, and after three days, Iron 27 stopped at the borderline. He handed Adam some energy blocks and said, "Power up. We need your power for what''sing."


    This was Adam''s first look at the borderline between the two parts of Titania. One side was solid ground made of minerals, the other side looked like an ancient desert. There were many cliffs, and those cliffs ended suddenly, because Metal Eaters had eaten away everything below and ahead.


    Adam felt the energy was different on the other side. "The energy here isn''t the same, and there are way more Metal Eaters than back on Titans'' territories. I''m not sure where we''re headed, but keeping you hidden there will be hard for me."


    Iron 27 munched on an energy block. After listening to Adam, he gave him a tiny gadget. "This is a simtor. It''ll fool Metal Eaters that are below level-three. Don''t stress too much. What we called "the borderline" was actually twenty thousand kilometers wide. We won''t run into big enemy groups within."


    "But getting caught is still a big risk. You know Metal Eaters grow fast. There are only three of us, and just two of us can fight. I''m not strong enough."


    Iron 27 kept munching, not bothered. "No, I''m the only one who can fight. Lithium 15 won''t wake up until we get to where we''re going."


    "What on earth is the target of this mission?" Adam asked.


    ...


    After they got in the borderline, Adam took the lead. Iron 27 let him manage the team''s energy. Apart from giving directions, he stayed quiet.


    Adam used his power to float in the air, making Lithium 15 lighter and easier to carry. Knowing what they needed to do in this mission, Adam knew that they had to save as much of Iron 27''s energy as they could.


    Iron 27 said they were mostly safe within twenty thousand kilometers, but they needed to go further than that. He only had a basic map and didn''t know much about where the Metal Eaters were in that area.


    This made things tricky for Adam. After he became a Knight, he got much better at using his electromaic powers. He could see things up to two thousand kilometers away with his radar vision, but doing that made it easier for enemies to spot them. So, he only kept an eye on things within a thousand kilometers. This distance was pretty far, but it was still dangerous considering they were among enemies now.


    For a level-four creature, a thousand kilometers was nothing. It would only take seconds for them to cross.


    Adam made them go really slow and picked the safest path. His radar screen in his head was full of white dots, and the best he could do was try not to run into them. This meant they had to go around a lot, so after five days, they were only halfway there.


    "We''re about to run into three thousand Metal Eaters, and nearly two hundred of them are level-four," Adam told Iron 27 after they stopped. "They''re moving in a half-circle. There are three more groups like this one nearby, and we can''t get past them."


    Iron 27 made a loud, metallic sound. He moved Lithium 15 closer to Adam and said, "I''ll distract them and take them out. You sneak past their line and wait for me somewhere safe."


    Adam moved like water. He made a shield of mithril around Iron 27 that would let him get close to the Metal Eaters without them noticing. Then, Iron 27 flew low and took off alone.


    In Adam''s radar, the green dot for Iron 27 vanished in a sh. Five minutester, there were loud bangs far away that made a dust storm block the sun. Adam, holding Lithium 15, quietly moved to the spot they had picked.


    Adam really believed in Iron 27''s fighting skills. He was almost unbeatable, so the Metal Eaters couldn''t beat him. Adam was just worried that the big fight might make all the Metal Eaters in the area go wild.


    Adam got past the blockage easily. He saw the dots for the Metal Eaters getting further away and disappearing. Even the other groups went towards the noise, leaving a big open spot in their defense.


    Adam used the dust storm and the energy mess as cover, found a safe ce to put down Lithium 15, and quietly filled up his energy again.


    "Master, I don''t think this mission looks too good," the devil said in Adam''s head. "The Titans'' up top didn''t think this through. Your chances of making it are almost none. The gap between the Titans and the Metal Eaters is huge, and one mission won''t change that. It''d be smarter to beef up your defenses and use your resources better instead of losing top fighters."


    "They''ve got a point," Adam cut in. "The way Metal Eaters grow and take over is a disaster. If the Titans losend, they''ll get weaker, while the Metal Eaters will just get stronger. They''ve got to fight for every bit of ground."


    "But did you think about the chance you might not make it back? Why didn''t you say no when he asked you?" The devil sounded really frustrated with Adam not caring about his own safety.


    Adam wasn''t worried one bit. He twisted around, and his body started to melt and sink into the ground. The broken-down mithril came back together quickly, and soon, there were loads of little Titans on the ground, each with a little me inside.


    "Are these like your avatars? You''ve turned into one of the Titans, and you''re still up to this?"


    The many Adams sat in a circle, each saying one word after another, "I''m not sure about the rest of the Titans, but I can pull this off. The tech I''m using here is even easier than making avatars of myself with flesh and blood. I''ve left a bit of my me and my body back at Ironburg. Even if my main self gets destroyed, I cane back to life through any of these avatars right away."


    The devil was shocked, mumbling a bitter, "Master, are you trying to be your own group? What should I call you then? The Adams?"

 Chapter 237: Sacrifice (1)

    Chapter 237: Sacrifice (1)


    Before Adam arrived in Titania, it was impossible for him to split himself and create a whole race.


    Even though Adam had tons of resources and the tech to make loads of avatars of himself, they were basically just fancy robots without any spark of life. They could do jobs but didn''t have any imagination.


    Imagination was the key to real life.


    But now, the special "Original mes" changed everything for Adam. In every avatar he made, Adam left a little bit of magic, like weaving a tiny thread into each avatar''s being. These threads, glowing with the same energy as his Original mes, had the chance to turn into real life.


    This wasn''t the Mage World, so Adam couldn''t tap into the Mage Network. However, with the magic of the Original mes, Adam was able to die and pop back into any of his avatars whenever he wanted.


    This new tech brought up tricky questions, like, which of the avatars was the real Adam?


    This might sound easy, but it was a big deal for many transcendent powerhouses. In theory, the real avatars could get everything except the current powers from the original. This meant they could also cultivate and be stronger. Plus, since the avatars could develop their own personalities, there was a risk they might turn against the original Adam.


    But Adam wasn''t worried about this. He was much like aputer, and he had total control over the programs. He could fix them, remove them, or reset them. He had plenty of ways to handle it.


    Dealing with digital bugs was natural to him.


    With this feature, this ne and its Original mes became even more valuable. To get the Original mes of the whole world, Adam had to connect with the Titans, or else he''d be creating just useless chunks of metal.


    The devil, seeing all these avatars of Adam through Adam''s perspective, couldn''t help but feel nervous. He thought Adam was going to go off the rails sooner orter. The more he dwelled on it, the more scared he got, and he decided to hide away.


    Adam waited around for a whole day and night but didn''t hear anything from Iron 27. He could only check through the me Vibration Receiver that Iron 27 was still okay. Getting bored, Adam merged all his avatars and used them like paint on Lithium 15''s surface. Then he himself became really small, as tiny as a speck of dust in this huge world, and followed the signal.


    The special paint made of mithril worked like an invisible shield, way better at staying hidden than any energy-based shield could be. As long as Adam didn''t use any powers, it was pretty unlikely he''d be spotted. This was also because Lithium 15 and his me was so quiet, almost like he wasn''t there. If it weren''t for that, hiding the big energy vibes of a level four would be a no-go.


    On his trip, Adam managed to dodge past groups of Metal Eaters. Two days in, he finally got a message from Iron 27 saying, "Stay put if it''s safe. I''ll be there soon."


    ...


    When Adam and Iron 27 met up, Adam first thought Iron 27 was just a heap of broken metal. But when he saw the bright mes inside him, Adam realized Iron 27 wasn''t that seriously damaged.


    Iron 27, towering at thirty-seven meters, was a sight with all its scars and missing bits. Through the gaps, Adam could see itsplex Vital Generator. His arms and legs were rusty, covered in a mix left by dead Metal Eaters, and still had some nasty liquid on them.


    Iron 27 wasn''t fussed about his looks. Seeing Lithium 15 was okay made him relieved. "The Metal Eaters are gone. We''ve got eleven hours to make a move. Let''s hit the road."


    Adam said, "Hold on, let''s get you patched up first."


    Iron 27 waved it off, "No need. A Warlord''s body isn''t for a Knight like you to fuss over... Wait, what are you doing?"


    Right then, Adam''s mithril body melted away and zipped over to Iron 27. The mithril bits, acting like tiny robots, got to work fixing up Iron 27, who was mostly made of iron. They took iron from the good parts to fix the damaged spots. The bad mix of metals dropped off in big chunks, and the liquid left by Metal Eaters got wrapped up and kicked out.


    From this, Adam figured out that the liquid was a special kind of rust-maker meant to mess with Titans like them. If Iron 27 got too much of it, he''d turn into a pile of rust. The Metal Eaters'' energy and shield attacks were probably rust-makers too. As for the fact that these worked on all sorts of metals and mixes, it must be because of the Metal Eater that turned its back on the Royal Intelligent.


    It was so hard to face an enemy that knows you inside out.


    Iron 27 just enjoyed the fix-up and quietly made up his mind about something. As he handed an energy block to Adam, heplimented, "Nicely done. You''d make a top-notch Intelligent."


    Adam just took thepliment and added the energy to his core. Ten minutester, both Adam and a fixed-up Iron 27, with Lithium 15 in tow, were back on their journey.


    Nobody had any idea about the tough fights Iron 27 had been through.


    Adam saw on his radar that the number of Metal Eaters, shown as white dots, had gone down a lot. This meant they could head straight to their destination without worrying too much.


    After ten hours, they made it a thousand kilometers to where the Metal Eaters'' border nest was.


    And it was quite the sight.


    The nest looked like a bunch of hive structures popping out of the ground, clinging to cliffs, and even floating in the sky.


    Tons of Metal Eaters, all different shapes and sizes, were zipping around, moving metal around.


    They could even see some Titan leftovers still glowing with mes.


    The three of them found a sneaky spot tond, and Iron 27 softly woke up Lithium 15.


    Lithium 15 took a look around, then focused on Iron 27, who looked okay. He spoke up directly, "So we''ve made it, and everything''s gone pretty smoothly so far, huh? That mithril kid is really something. Iron 27, did you find what we''re looking for?"


    He sounded casual, as if he was just asking about where salt was kept in a kitchen.


    Iron 27 didn''t answer him but said to Adam again, "You''d be an amazing Intelligent. I kind of wish I hadn''t brought you here; you''re worth more than the whole city of Ironburg."


    Lithium 15''s eyes sparkled with mes as he looked from Iron 27 to Adam, suggesting, "If that''s how it is, you two should head out first. I can take it from here on my own."

 Chapter 238: Sacrifice (2)

    Chapter 238: Sacrifice (2)


    Iron 27 ignored Lithium 15''s words and said, "We have no ce to hide on our way to the parental body of the Metal Eaters who''s about to turn into a Royal. We''ve got to fight our way through."


    This was exactly what Adam saw with his special radar vision. In front of them, for miles, the Metal Eaters'' patrol teams were everywhere, filling up space like a sea of white dots that left no room at all.


    "I can''t back down now. If I do, Lithium 15 won''t make it on his own," Iron 27 signaled Lithium 15 to zip it and then told Adam, "And without me to cover you, even if you tried to get away by yourself, those Metal Eaters would tear you apart."


    Adam knew he was speaking the truth. He knew nothing could kill him, but he also knew that he might suffer great damages during this mission. He had known that long before, since he knew what the mission was about.


    Right on the frontlines facing their home, Ironburg, there was a level-four Metal Eater, a parental body, on the verge of leveling up to a Royal. That was why the Metal Eaters were so bold in starting a fight. They needed to grab mes and other stuff to help their boss level up because once it did, it would have super strong babies right off the bat. And Ironburg wouldn''t stand a chance against a whole army of these tough level four Metal Eaters.


    Nobody could figure out why these high-level Metal Eaters were popping up at the border. In the two years of fighting, the Titans had been giving it their all, blowing themselves up left and right, trying to keep even a spark of the Original mes from ending up with the Metal Eaters.


    But somehow, the Metal Eaters kept managing to scoop up enough mes from the Titans, so their boss leveling up was just a matter of time.


    Once that parental body turned into a Royal, the loss of Ironburg and a huge chunk ofnd around it would be a massive blow. No Titan could just sit back and watch that happen, which is why this mission was so critical. Ironburg''s General Commander, Iron 27, decided to take matters into his own hands. He nned to have Lithium 15 blow up right next to this parental body to take it down with him.


    The n was simple and brute force, but it was all they had against the clock.


    A ton of lithium can unleash a massive amount of heat when it goes up in mes. So, with Lithium 15 weighing tons, the st would be huge enough to turn the Metal Eaters'' front line into dust. But for it to work against a nearly transcendent Metal Eater, Lithium 15 had to get right up close.


    Lithium 15 was pumping himself up, getting ready to go all out. He found a moment to say, "Who says I can''t do this on my own? I''m strong too. I can get to my parental body without Iron 27. It''s just too bad I won''t be able to pass my mes to future generations."


    Lithium 15 sounded pretty chill about it, but deep down, Lithium 15 knew he was bluffing. As an energy-type Titan, breaking through such heavy security on his own was a no-go. If he blew up too early, his big move would be for nothing.


    Adam was straight-up about it, "I''ming with you. I won''t die."


    Adam was speaking the truth, but Iron 27 and Lithium 15 had their doubts. Still, Adam sticking around was settled, and the two didn''t get all mushy about it. They handed over a bunch of energy blocks to Adam, and then they each took out a delicate external armor and ced it on Adam without saying anything.


    Everything went quiet. An hourter, Iron 27 turned into something like a ck hole, gobbling up all the light around.


    Lithium 15, after chomping down thest energy block, started shining like amp. The energy vibes cranked up the heat, grabbing the Metal Eaters'' attention upfront.


    Suddenly, rms went off, and the air got filled with buzzing messages from the Metal Eaters. Iron 27 took the lead, sting through their defenses like a hot knife through butter.


    Lithium 15 nced back at Adam, "Let''s hit it. Here''s hoping we make it."


    Adam thought to himself, ''the luck should be on your side,'' as he hopped onto Lithium 15''s back. Then he morphed again, turning into a protectiveyer around Lithium 15.


    Lithium 15 felt lighter and zoomed forward, intrigued, "So you''re like liquid, huh? You''re a really promising Intelligent. Hope you pull through."


    Adam ditched the idea of staying invisible and went all-in on powering up a super strong electric field. He used the energy leaking from Lithium 15 to whip up thunder, storms, and rivers of sma. He fired off beta rays like crazy, blocking the Metal Eaters charging at them.


    Iron 27, not too far ahead, was like a ma for trouble, drawing loads of the smaller Metal Eaters to him. He was taking them down left and right, but for every one he dropped, more jumped in. Every step forward was bought with the fall of hundreds of Metal Eaters.


    The smaller Metal Eaters, levels one and two, were wildly brave, while the tougher ones quickly got into battle formations.


    The sky was filled with energy sts, and force fields popped up everywhere. It was like a storm of corrosive liquid was raining down, hitting Iron 27 non-stop.


    Iron 27 had a shield up around him and was taking all the hits with just his body''s strength. Even though he was getting hit a lot, he didn''t back down at all.


    Suddenly, two groups of the stronger Metal Eaters dodged Iron 27 and zoomed towards Adam. Their attacks mixed together and started turning solid.


    Adam tried to protect Lithium 15 with his mes and kept boosting the strength of the maic field, but it only nudged the attacks off course a bit.


    "I can''t stop it," Adam said honestly.


    Lithium 15 boosted Adam''s energy with his own, whispering, "It''s all right, Iron 27 has got this."


    The solid attack wasing in fast. Just then, Iron 27 let out a huge roar. The sound waves were so strong they turned the Metal Eaters right in front of him into goo. Then, his whole body shook with the sound waves, and iron sand loaded with me energy burst out, slicing through everything like des. At that moment, Iron 27 was like a giant blender.


    With tons of iron flying around and his body shaking like crazy, he seemed almost ghost-like. But even like that, his attacks were super strong. mes shot out behind him, and with a huge burst of speed, he charged right towards where Adam was.


    The two groups of Metal Eaters dropped the idea of going after Adam and moved aside for Iron 27. But Adam didn''t let them off easy; he cranked up his maic field, freezing them in ce for a second.


    That one second was all Iron 27 needed to crash right into them. Everything seemed to stop for a moment, and then there was the sound of sharp sticks going through meat."

 Chapter 239: Sacrifice (3)

    Chapter 239: Sacrifice (3)


    Iron 27 mmed into the nearest bunch of Metal Eaters, then suddenly went from super fast to not moving at all. This quick stop might make most beings feel so sick they''d want to vomit, but Adam thought it was incredibly awesome.


    Iron 27 had this massive power that could knock down mountains and wreck the ground. This power got passed to the Metal Eaters with just a gentle bump. From the few hundred that got hit right at the front, the whole lot of Metal Eaters began to rock back and forth like clocks.


    Then, they bumped into one another like falling pieces in a game, causing a big wave of crashes. In the end, they exploded into a cloud of blood, making a pretty pattern in the sky.


    This move was tough on Iron 27 too. The light in his eyes danced a bit. But being one-step close to the transcendent level, he was something special. He quickly got his act together and signaled Adam toe along, then turned to face more groups. They couldn''t take a break behind enemy lines, so they had to keep moving. They could back off but not stop, or they''d be done for.


    "Look, I knew 27 could pull it off," said Lithium 15. He was an Intelligent, too. So he quickly figured out how to blend his power with Adam''s, always giving energy to help Adam keep up the maic field and move faster. "But we''ll face more enemies soon, listen to my orders."


    While agreeing, Adam thought back on the moment. If Iron 27''s hitting power could be used all the time, his strength would be almost as good as a body-refining mage of the same level.


    Adam felt that if they could make the Titansst longer in a fight, they''d be better soldiers than body-refining mages. If they could mix the best of both, it would be way better than just adding one plus one.


    After going three hundred kilometers, a weird scream came from the parental body''s nest. As the noise spread, dozens of ''hives'' closest to the trio blew up.


    The Metal Eaters, to save the main body, left the other nests and came out in full force to block Iron 27.


    Adam just focused on following Iron 27 while carrying Lithium 15. Lithium 15 was getting warmer, and Adam could feel some scary stuff going on inside him.


    Adam was also pushing his energy and running the Vital Generator hard. His Original mes were getting smaller, but he was bing more powerful.


    He was doing whatever it took to seed.


    All Adam could do now was to help Lithium 15 keep the Vital Generator steady, letting him use more energy at once.


    After another two hundred kilometers, Adam felt like he was holding onto a bomb about to go off.


    The hives were breaking apart one after the other.


    The air and ground swarmed with Metal Eaters, making it impossible to see anything else. They attacked from every direction, not just straight on.


    Iron 27 came back to the two of them and set up a dark shield, fighting to move through a heavy barrage of attacks.


    "This is tougher than we thought. I might not be able to keep this up," Iron 27 said, trying to stay calm but sounding a bit down.


    Lithium 15 answered, "We knew it wouldn''t be easy. With the parental body''s nest trying to move closer to our area, they wouldn''t let us take it down without a fight. They''re probably nning to start a big war again, not just after Ironburg."


    Adam got back into shape and sat on Lithium 15''s shoulder. He lent his strength to make Iron 27''s shield even better, adding abilities to weaken attacks and send them back. He worked on improving their speed by managing the resistance better, then asked, "Why aren''t the Titan Royals getting involved?"


    "They have their hands full. Each of the Royals is busy keeping a Metal Eater Royal in check. They can''t just act without thinking, or things would get really bad," Lithium 15 said. "We Titans can''t have newborns easily like the Metal Eaters. We can''t handle another big war right now."


    "So, if this parental body''s nest makes it through, it''ll break the bnce of the two races? And that means we won''t run into any of the Metal Eater Royals on this mission?"


    "Exactly. We need to keep things bnced until we''re ready to fight," Iron 27 added.


    As they talked, even more Metal Eaters joined in. Lithium 15 said, "I need to do something now."


    Suddenly, Iron 27 boosted the shield''s power, pushing the Metal Eaters away for miles. Lithium 15 shook his shoulders, throwing Adam off, and turned into a giant cannon linked to his Vital Generator.


    An enormous amount of energy gathered quickly. In just ten seconds, a huge beam of intense heat shot out, melting everything straight ahead and opening up a path through the crowd.


    Even though Adam wasn''t the target, the intense heat still melted him into a puddle. He copsed over Lithium 15, unable to get back into shape for a bit.


    Then, Iron 27 shaped the shield like the tip of an arrow. Adam suddenly felt a strong force pulling him. If it weren''t for the maic field holding him together, he might have been scattered everywhere.


    Iron 27 rushed through the super-hot path, covering 200 kilometers quickly. Now, they were only 300 kilometers away from the parental body''s nest, and there were no low-level Metal Eaters ahead. The radar showed that almost all of them were pretty strong.


    "How many more times can we fire the Larva Cannon?" Iron 27 asked in a hurry.


    "Only two more times at most. And we need to keep one shot for getting through the nest''s protection, or I''ll blow up before we get there," Lithium 15 exined, his body radiating energy waves as he struggled to keep himself from overloading.


    "So, we use it just one more time. Mithril 99, I need your strength."


    Adam spread his melted form over the dark shield and then wrapped it with energy loops, using all his power to speed them up. Right now, it was most important to save the energy of the othersLithium 15 needed to be ready to explode, and Iron 27 had to keep Adam safe during the st and then carry him away.


    ***Boom!***


    The second cannon shot broke through the defenses. A dark cannonball was right behind it, hitting its target. The impact at the nest made a huge noise and bounced back. The shield around the main nest shook hard, making sounds like breaking ss.


    Then, Adam heard the Metal Eaters speak for the first time, "Kill the Titans! Kill the Titans!"


    The parental body''s call to action made the Metal Eaters rush forward without worrying about the lingering heat. They avoided using energy attacks to not damage the parental body''s nearly broken shield. They just kepting, mouths wide open, trying to get to the trio.


    Lithium 15 got ready for thest st and said, "So, I guess this is it. You won''t survive the heat of my final explosion. I''m so close to the parental body now, so not even the Metal Eater Royals could stop me from damaging it. Haha, the parental body is just one-step closer to bing a Royal, and I''m going to perish with it. It''s a worthy end!"

 Chapter 240: Sacrifice (4)

    Chapter 240: Sacrifice (4)


    Iron 27 didn''t say goodbye. He just looked at Lithium 15 deeply and then took Adam and flew towards the sky.


    Lithium 15 didn''t say anything to them either. He punched hard, then his arm and half of his body turned into a cannon, sticking firmly to the parental body''s defense field. He said to the Metal Eaters with disdain, "Kill the Titans? Quit daydreaming, you have never killed anyone of us. One spark goes out, and countless others will light up elsewhere. Titans never die!"


    ***Boom!***


    The explosion and Lithium 15''s roar sounded together:


    "Die!"


    Retreating was much simpler than sneaking in. Now, without needing to carry Lithium 15 or head to a specific target, Iron 27, as a transcendent-level being, was unstoppable by ordinary Metal Eaters. Only the parental body could stop him, but it likely didn''t have the time now.


    Adam looked back. The parental body''s defense field, along with the surrounding space, shattered into pieces in a microsecond.


    Adam saw that this nearly transcendent Metal Eater was partially energy-based. Only a small part of its body was flesh, the rest was like a steady burning me.


    "That''s its real form? Unbelievable," Adam blurted out in surprise.


    Iron 27 said nothing, gripping Adam''s arm a bit tighter. He sped up again.


    Lithium 15 spread his arms and embraced the parental body. No matter how it tried to dodge, it couldn''t escape Lithium 15''s lock.


    "Got you!" Lithium 15 shouted.


    The parental body panicked. It struggled furiously in Lithium 15''s grasp, roaring continuously, but Adam couldn''t understand whether it was begging or threatening.


    The huge nest disintegrated inch by inch, turning into pure energy and dissipating. Lithium 15 firmly trapped the parental body, unaffected by its struggles that shook the ground and mountains.


    Lithium 15ughed loudly. His body copsed inward with theughter, transforming into an unknown substance that turned his silver-gray body pure white. Previously, Adam struggled to shrink him to thirty-nine meters, but now he was breaking that limit. When Iron 27 and Adam were twenty kilometers away, Lithium 15 had shrunk to five meters. He was bathed in mes, letting the fire lick him without stopping hisughter.


    Lithium 15 was like a sun, dimming the world around him.


    Strangely, when the copse reached its limit, the first thing Adam saw wasn''t energy. Lithium 15''s crumbling body burned particle by particle in the sparks, hisst smile clearly visible.


    Then came the release and the explosion.


    There were no mes, and Adam couldn''t calcte how high the core temperature was. His dynamic vision slowed the moment down a thousand times. He saw everything mmable around him, along with the lower Metal Eaters, ignite instantly.


    Without a medium to carry it, the sound of the explosion went muted. Sand turned into magma, and minerals melted. They evaporated quickly and werepletely turned into gas within seconds.


    The parental body struggled for a few more seconds before disappearing along with the surrounding matter.


    A blue-white me shot up into the sky, and the energy shockwave spread in all directions. The blue-white mushroom cloud rose more than a hundred kilometers high.


    Air from the outside rushed into this vacuum crazily. The huge atmospheric pressure created thousands of tornadoes reaching from the ground to the sky, but they didn''t stir up any impurities.


    Finally, the sound of the explosion reached thema deafening st.


    Secondster, the ''sun'' fell.


    Adam and Iron 27 stood a thousand kilometers away. Iron 27''s body easily stopped the massive shockwave, and they stood quietly.


    "Do you remember the Transcendent Strike, master? Even though I know the power of a Titan''s self-destruction can''t be as strong as the Transcendent Strike, why do I feel..." The voice of the devil was unusually gentle. He thought for a long time but couldn''t find the right adjective, so he sighed instead.


    Thousands of nests and tens of thousands of Metal Eaters were gone in an instant. Although there were still countless monsters in the vast border area, none dared toe near here at this time.


    Iron 27 watched silently for a long time. Later, the mushroom cloud disappeared, and the tornadoes stopped, with only the shockwaves and energy storms still raging. 27 then spoke, "Let''s go."


    Titans could live very long. Iron 27 had lived long enough to see more than one self-destruction. No Titan had ever had the chance to leave even a trace of life after that. Iron 27 couldn''t see through the energy storm, but he felt Lithium 15 wouldn''t be an exception.


    But Adam was different. The violent electromaic disturbances in the explosion zone couldn''t block his perception. "Lithium 15 might not be dead," Adam said.


    Iron 27 was slightly shocked, and before he could say anything, Adam continued, "No, he''s dead, but his spark hasn''tpletely disappeared."


    Iron 27 couldn''t believe it. "You mean, he seeded in passing on his me?!"


    Adam flew forward. The chaotic maic fields and energy straightened out as they passed by him. He said to Iron 27, "I''m not sure. The spark is very weak and very dangerous."


    Iron 27 sped up fiercely. He forcefully suppressed the raging energy around him and then shot towards the center of the explosion like an arrow.


    This ce was still a forbidden zone for life. Seeing Iron 27''s body start to melt but still trying to break through the high temperature, Adam had to stop him and then said, "The spark seems to be absorbing special energy. I think I have the right to know some things, right?"


    Iron 27 spoke gravely, "Of course, about the Royals within the Metal Eaters, you would have had enough authority to learn about this after the mission."


    "You should know the origin of the Metal Eaters. They were creatures created by some Intelligent. Besides smelting metals, they could also serve as external mes to enhance the Titans'' ability to absorb energy duringbat. However, they rebelled, and this ability, instead of being utilized by the Titans, became their own talent. The potential of a mere newborn Metal Eater alone is not that high; a newborn Metal Eater can only evolve by devouring other newborns."


    Adam understood; this was another tragedy caused by dabbling in forbidden knowledge beyond one''s control. The Titans were fortunate; although they lost a lot of territory and the ability to cross nes, at least their race continued and their civilization was carrying on. They were much luckierpared to the species on Cthulhu.


    Although it might seem selfish for Adam to think this way, a state of Titania like this was more suitable for him to make connections. If the Titans'' research had seeded and thereby gained stronger powers, perhaps after Adam left Titania, there would have been an endless war between Titans and Mages.


    The two both had their own thoughts, and they stopped talking.


    It took three days and nights for the temperature to drop to a level Iron 27 could withstand. After Adam returned from clearing several groups of returning Metal Eaters, he saw Iron 27 crouching, creating a small space in the high-temperature zonehe was protecting a tiny me beneath him. His hands reached out again and again, but he dared not move for fear of extinguishing the me."

 Chapter 241: York City

    Chapter 241: York City


    The me was indeed very small, even smaller than the one Adam had seen when he first arrived in Titania. "Is this all that''s left?" asked Adam.


    "Yes, the self-destruction was thorough. But having a spark left is a good thing. I''ll take this back, ce it with friendly energy and quality ores. In a few decades, a new Titan will be born."


    Iron 27 wasn''t sure if this tiny me could fulfill its mission of reigniting. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have mentioned such a vague timeline of ''decades.'' But that didn''t matter because this me represented the continuation of a friend''s life, a symbol of hope.


    The strong maic field made it convenient to contain energy. Iron 27 feared his own energy might disperse the spark, but this wasn''t an issue for Adam. After carefully preserving the me, they started flying towards Ironburg.


    On their way back, they encountered no surprises. The Metal Eaters in the borderline area under Ironburg''s jurisdiction were almost entirely wiped out, so they couldn''t organize an effective counterattack against the two. Also, before setting off, Iron 27 had prepared by sending forces to restrain the surrounding borderline areas, ensuring no reinforcements could assist them during their battle.


    A few dayster, they returned to Ironburg. When Adam stepped on the walls of Ironburg, a puddle of silver liquid metal silently returned to its original form. This was Adam''sst resort to preserve his life, and he was d he hadn''t used it.


    The mes of Lithium remained by Adam''s side. Ironburg didn''t have a suitable environment for it, so it needed to be taken ind for cultivation. Iron 27 entrusted this task to Adam, instructing him to head to the city of York after resting. There Adam would ce the mes in the me House.


    Their sess this time was of great strategic importance. It maintained the bnce of power between two forces, postponing the Metal Eaters'' ambitions for a second all-out war. It also cleared Ironburg''s borders, expanding Titan''s territory. The territories that seemed valueless for now would be restored by the Intelligent in the future. In a few decades, these ces would return to their original state.


    Forpleting the mission wlessly, Adam received tens of thousands of Honors. His rank within the Titan civilization was also upgraded. Now, he could ess more confidential documents and advanced knowledge on alloys and energy.


    "The ind is very safe," Iron 27 said during maintenance with Adam. "Besides the ordinary Titans working in factories, there are universities established by the Intelligent, but not many Titans wish to stay there; almost all of them love to fight."


    Various harsh sounds came from Iron 27. He was so rough that it required the maximum power of the machines to polish and reshape him.


    Adam was different; he could maintain himself at any time. So, the machine merely performed routine maintenance, oiling him, and adding energy blocks.


    "University?" Adam repeated curiously. He thought the knowledge receivers in the Titans'' libraries were already very convenient, so he wondered why they needed higher education institutions.


    Iron 27 replied, "Yes, universities are essentially research centers for the Intelligent. Besides conducting research, they also take on the responsibility of nurturing the next generation of Intelligent. You know, Intelligent and warriors are different. Warriors are born fighters, but Intelligents are not naturally thinkers. If you''re willing, many universities would wee you. But I think you don''t need it; you already have the qualifications to establish a university yourself."


    Iron 27 remembered the amazing abilities Adam disyed during the mission---even though they weren''t very strong yet, he believed Adam would definitely do better as he grew.


    "After delivering Lithium 15''s spark to the me House, I hope you won''t return to the frontline. You have far more important things to do than just killing a few Metal Eaters," Iron 27 continued, turning over. "The Metal Eaters have lost a nearly Royal and won''t let this go easily. The kind of conflict you saw when you were born into is bound to recur, and the frontline is unsafe. You are still too weak. Of course, this is just my advice. The decision is all yours."


    Adam had thought about this too. Going ind this time, he nned to strive for reaching level three. Then he would be capable of gathering more info, even venturing into Metal Eaters'' territories.


    He also wanted to use this chance to conduct some research. For example, the application of electromaic abilities in metal, which Adam was only scratching the surface of.


    "Thank you for the advice. I will definitely give it some thought," Adam replied.


    ...


    Adam stayed in Ironburg for a few days. He remembered the help he got from the Windme 222''s squad on his first mission. So, after improving his abilities, he decided to help them further purify their bodies. But since they were out on a mission and hadn''te back, Adam had to give up waiting and started his journey to York City alone.


    The ind and the borderline looked roughly simr; what surprised Adam was the floating fortresses flying intermittently in the sky.


    They were built to prevent powerful Metal Eaters from bypassing the borderlines and entering the ind. Each fortress was operated by a Titan of Warlord level or above to activate the weapons. Their regr flight routes were automatic, controlled by programs written by Intelligent.


    Adam didn''t hide his spark''s fluctuation along the way, as it was his best form of identification.


    Seven dayster, Adam arrived at his destination, York City.


    York City wasn''t ringed with walls but was protected by an energy shield instead. The buildings inside had a grand style, like the other buildings on Titania.


    When Adam touched the energy shield, his ID info was automatically saved. He stood still for a bit until a Titan flew over quickly from far away. This Titan spoke to him, "Neer from Ironburg, Mithril 99,e with me. I''ll show you the way to the me House."


    York City was more organized than Ironburg. When Titans flew, they had to stick to the rules; they couldn''t just fly any way they wanted or too fast. The Titan guiding Adam seemed to have special permission because he flew straight there without any problems.


    They got to the me House fast. From the outside, it looked like a library but it was see-through. Most of it was under the ground, and the entrance from outside looked really deep, like it had no bottom.


    The Titan who brought Adam gave him a pat on the shoulder and then left. Another tall Titan came out from the me House and took over as Adam''s guide. This Titan took Adam way down underground, thousands of kilometers, to where they keep sparks that need saving. Each spot there had pure metals and lots of top-quality energy blocks.


    The energy from these blocks came together and almost looked like liquid. There were lots of dimly shining sparks being carefully looked after here, too many to count, which showed that a lot of Titans had been lost.


    The Titan showed Adam to an empty spot. Adam let go of Lithium 15''s spark there, watching it join with the metal and get wrapped up in energy. Then he heard someone say, "I''m Qi 31. Iron 27 has told me about you."

 Chapter 242: A Small Workshop

    Chapter 242: A Small Workshop


    "I am an Intelligent, and I mainly study Qi element and energy circuits. If you like, you can join me."


    Qi 31 had good rtionships with Iron 27 and Lithium 15. Given that he knew about Adam only through bits and pieces he heard from Iron 27, his direct invitation was beyond hospitable.


    However, Adam felt that his mithril body was too different from Qi, so he declined. Qi 31 understood, so he then detailed the situation in York City for Adam, including the names of various universities and the conditions for recruiting students, as well as the benefits that Adam could enjoy at his current level.


    After leaving the me House, Adam walked alone in the city.


    He needed to get registered to be a permanent resident.


    York was much bigger than Ironburg. As Iron 27 said, there were very few Titans here, and Adam had to walk a long way to asionally meet other Titans. Most of these Titans were Commanders; he barely saw any Warlords.


    After registering, Adam followed the directions to a huge building that looked almost like a parking lot. He got a spot here to rest.


    "Master, are you really going to start research in Titania? This is not the Mage World. You won''t be able to apply for many resources. By the time you set up ab, I reckon their full-scale war would have already started," the devil said to Adam.


    In the Mage World, Adam had many theories to apply for resources. He also had finished products continuously providing funding to support the huge expenses of his experiments.


    But in Titania, he couldn''t do these things. His existing achievements were the knowledge of the Mage World, and he had no right to use them without permission. So, setting up ab, or a university, didn''t even seem possible. Adam decided to try a different approach.


    "I want to start a factory."


    "What? A factory?" The devil was confused.


    "I want to build a maization smelting factory to produce ordinary metals and various special energy alloys."


    "What''s the use of that?"


    Adam had his n. He exined, "I can gain great fame from this. All the Intelligents are Warlords, but I don''t want to be a fourth-level life form in the Titan way. I need another way to increase my influence. Here, I can''t disrupt the situation by developing ve races or building forces. To gather more information about this world, starting a factory is the most convenient and trouble-free method. When most Titans choose the alloys I produce for their bodies, my ess to their knowledge will naturally increase. Reading the Titans'' knowledge of the world directly will save me a lot of unnecessary time."


    The devil continued, "But starting a factory also requires resources, right? Master, are your Honors enough for that? Moreover, you are just a Knight. Who would trust and then use what you make? They are going to battle, what if there is a problem during operation? Even if someone is willing to trust you and be a guinea pig, it would be even worse if there were problems. You might get killed."


    "We can start with producing parts."


    Adam decided to start small. The Honors and resources he currently had were too limited. If he were to build arge factory directly, he wouldn''t even be able to afford the energy blocks needed to support the smelting magic array.


    However, he could start by setting up a workshop to produce small parts. His inspiration came from the Titans'' external weapons.


    The true core of a Titan was the Original mes and the Vital Generator; the rest were all weapons. Since they are weapons, the requirement for purity wasn''t very high.


    Adam had previously only seen Iron 27 and Lithium 15, whose bodies were made of pure metals. The two were both warlords. This gave Adam the wrong impression that one must purify their body upon reaching the Warlord level.


    However, his conclusion was overturned when he saw Qi 31.


    Qi 31 was made up of veryplex alloys. Although the interaction was brief, Adam could still see that there were more than ten kinds of metals he recognized and even more alloys unique to Titania. Given that, Adam felt he could definitely start by manufacturing some weaponponents for Titans to directly integrate into their bodies.


    ...


    York City was vast and sparsely popted, and Adam easily applied for arge piece ofnd.


    After getting things done, he went to the designated area and mined arge amount of various types of raw ores.


    There are strict regtions for the mining of ind ores.


    Adam received new information: in Titania, there was a miraculous thing called the "Mother Lode". As long as its regenerative capabilities were not overly exploited, it would continuously generate various ores. This ensures the vitality of Titania and the sustainability of the Titan race.


    The ore mother is considered by the Titans to be a treasure second only to the Original mes.


    After returning to York city, Adam melted somemon metals to build a big, square house. At this time, the basic alchemy knowledge he learned during his apprenticeship came into use.


    Among the knowledge he had acquired, many tools were simple to make but extremely practical, and with Adam''s current abilities, he could easily manufacture them. Moreover, due to the magical power of the Original mes over metals, their functions were even more flexible and superior than originally.


    His teacher could make real Mechanical Bodies, which were very powerful. The energy circuits inscribed in them and the alloy forms required for refining were all veryplete. Now, Adam only needed to modify the original Mechanical Body, and the first batch of products for testing could soon be sessfully made.


    Adam chose to make a kic arm as his first product.


    It was made of the mostmon magic-guided alloy, so Adam had all the necessary materials on hand. Mages could activate it with a minimal amount of magic for a long time, providing powerful physical attack capabilities. A regr punch with it could deliver the force of two tons, and if specifically stimted, the force could be increased by five times. Alchemists would almost always choose to equip it due to its cost-effectiveness and utility.


    The alloy materials required for its manufacture were chromium, titanium, and gold, all of which were readily avable in Titania. After Adam put them into the Original mes in the right proportions, they quickly melted.


    Titans have a strong talent in this area. The mes reced the role of mental power here. Through precise control of it, energy circuits could be directly inscribed into the metals, and the molten alloy could be shaped.


    An hourter, afterplete annealing, normalizing, quenching, and tempering, a five-meter-long mechanical arm was floating in front of Adam.


    The entire arm looked very futuristic, and Adam could almost feel its power just by looking at it. In terms of design, it was much more imposing than the bodies made by Titans, a race that was artistically challenged. Strengthened by the Original mes, the arm''s power was greatly enhanced, making it a good auxiliary limb for lower-level Titans.


    The devil disdainfully said, "But what''s the use of this thing? Even the Titans at the Knight level wouldn''t be interested in it. The newborns might need it, but they don''t have the Honors to buy it."

 Chapter 243: The First Product

    Chapter 243: The First Product


    Adam grabbed the big mechanical arm, but it was a bit toorge for him since he was just four meters tall at that moment.


    He then looked at the devil and said with confidence, "This is really handy. These simple weapons aren''t expensive. I could just give them away or hand them out to the newborns in York City, and they''d be like walking billboards for me."


    "Billboards? Only if they actually work. Even with your fancy arms, those rookies won''t be as strong as the Knights," the devil sneered back.


    Adam then took off his own left arm and shoulder and attached the mechanical one. He noticed it didn''t fit perfectly, so he had to add ayer to make it work.


    With this giant five-meter arm on his four-meter frame, Adam looked a bit weird, but he felt stronger. He raised his arm and mmed it down on some iron, making a loud noise that echoed all over the quiet York City.


    Pleased with the deep mark he left on the iron, Adam said to the devil, "One arm might not be enough. But imagine a new giant covered in these gadgets from top to bottom, except for the Vital Generator, or course."


    The devil was speechless and mumbled, "That''s just adding-ons, relying on those too much won''t..."


    Adam then put the arm down and said, "One thing that sets thinking beings apart from wild beasts is how we use tools." He continued, "Seems like you''ve got too much free timetely, talking so much."


    The devil, having nothing better to do, thought it''d be more fun to hang out with Lina and Sophia in the summoning space than to stick around in Adam''s head. He quickly said, "Master, why don''t you call me out? Everything''s fine. If not, I''ll head back to the Mage World first, okay?"


    Adam immediately said no, "It''s not the right time to call you out. If you''re bored, you could always work on your own skills."


    "A devil doesn''t need to train; tricking people is what we do best!" The devil felt really offended.


    Adam whispered softly, "Maybe I set you on fire and see how that would be like."


    The devil didn''t catch that but felt a chill and asked, "What?"


    "Shush, my first customer is about to arrive."


    ...


    Ferroalloy hadn''t picked a real name for himself yet. After leaving Ironburg for York City, he ended up at a university, not as a student to be taught, but as a helper for a Knight. He''d do different jobs in return for Honors.


    In the world of Titans, there wasn''t any bullying or unfair treatment. The Knight was good to him and always gave him the Honors he earned on time. Sometimes, the Knight would even give him some extra alloys from experiments, if they were the right kind.


    But Ferroalloy wasn''t happy, even though life was easy for him here. He missed Ironburg. He couldn''t fight in battles there either, but he loved just seeing the warriorse back now and then.


    "Ironburg''s air smells better than here in York City," Ferroalloy said to himself. He had just finished his day''s work and was walking by himself.


    He thought back to the Mithril Titan who had once given him a bunch of alloys. Even though he couldn''t use any of them in the end, he was still thankful. And yes, I''m a bit jealous too.


    "How I wish I could be out there fighting like him!"


    Then, all of a sudden, he heard a loud bang from up ahead.


    York City was usually so quiet, especially this part. There were no schools or factories around, and hardly any Titans ever came by. He had passed through a few times but never heard anything like this. Curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to check it out.


    ...


    Adam saw Ferroalloy hanging around outside when he opened the door. Adam was really happy to see this Titan who had volunteered to help out, "Look who it is! We meet again."


    Ferroalloy was taken aback. He had just been thinking about the mithril guy, and there he was. "It''s you! What brings you to York City?"


    "I..."


    Ferroalloy cut in before Adam could say more and started rambling on, "Got sent back from the front lines, did you? I thought you''d stick it out there, but here you are, just like me. No surprise there, considering your size."


    Adam realized it would be pointless to try and exin that size wasn''t what made a Titan strong. He just went with, "You''re here at the perfect time; I''ve got something I need a hand with."


    Ferroalloy was all in, following Adam into the workshop and talking the whole way, "Sure, count me in. But I can''t stay long. Al-Mg 573 might need me any minute. Oh, Al-Mg 573''s my boss, a kind Titan, just like you."


    Seems like being alone can really get to someone. The devil was like that, and so was Ferroalloy. Last time Adam saw him, he was way more reserved and quiet. Adam had to cut him off, pointing at the mechanical arm and said, "I need you to help me see how this Graft Part does; it won''t take long."


    "What part? What''s this slim..." Ferroalloy stopped mid-sentence when he saw the mechanical arm and was instantly smitten.


    Adam exined, "This is a type of weapon I''ve made for new Titans. It''s different from other gear because it hooks right up to the body. Once it''s on, I''ll tweak the energy flow to match your Vital Generator. It''ll feel just like your own arm, and you can even remove it when you don''t need it."


    But Ferroalloy wasn''t really paying attention to Adam. He leaned over, eager to touch the mechanical arm but worried he might break it, so he held back.


    "Can I actually use it? I won''t damage it, will I?" he asked.


    Adam was taken aback, because his detailed exnation had been overlooked. He picked up the mechanical arm and got Ferroalloy to stand correctly. "No worries, you won''t break it. And if something does happen, it''s no big deal since it''s not too pricey."


    Ferroalloy''s eyes lit up with excitement. After hearing what Adam said, he stood ready and asked, "So, all I have to do is stand here? I don''t need to do anything special?"


    Adam, running low on patience and not wanting to spend more time on talk, didn''t even ask Ferroalloy which arm he wanted to switch. He just went ahead, removed Ferroalloy''s right shoulder, and put the mechanical arm in its ce. Using mithril as the connectingyer, he hooked it up and then told Ferroalloy, "Let the energy flow."


    Ferroalloy started to carefully send his energy into the new arm. Adam quickly adjusted things based on how Ferroalloy''s energy was moving. After a couple of minutes, Adam said, happy with the setup, "Okay, give it a go."


    Ferroalloy tentatively moved his new right arm a bit. Slowly, his moves got bigger and more sure. Once he got the hang of it, Adam pointed to the piece of iron ore from earlier and said, "Hit that as hard as you can."

 Chapter 244: Waiting For A Chance

    Chapter 244: Waiting For A Chance


    The test turned out really well. The big iron ore piece Ferroalloy hit glowed bright red all over. He hit it so hard that some of the dirt and bits even came out of it.


    Ferroalloy just couldn''t let go of the robotic arm. But, he seemed to know it was out of his league, price-wise, so he handed it back to Adam with a heavy heart. Then he said, "Here you go. If you''ve got any more gear to try out, could you let me know?"


    Adam answered, "It''s worth a hundred Honor points. You can keep it. Think of it as an early reward from me. Once you''re up to Knight level, you just owe me a hundred and ten Honor points."


    Ferroalloy might not have been the sharpest, but he could tell Adam wasn''t really looking to make money off this. The deal was almost too good to be true. He felt a bit guilty taking advantage of it, but the arm was just too good to pass up.


    Adam then mentioned, "There''s more than one Graft Part. Feel free to drop by. I''ll put together a full set of armor for you, tailored to your needs."


    Ferroalloy was deeply moved. If Titans could shed tears, he might have been crying. "Thanks a lot. Now I can head to the front lines. I''ll pay you back soon!"


    Adam learned a lot about what ordinary, low-level Titans were made of from Ferroalloy. His body had a bit of pure metal but was mostly made up of not-so-good stuff. So, adding Graft Parts was a much quicker fix than cleaning him up bit by bit. Plus, Titans naturally got along well with metal, so they didn''t need time to get used to the new parts. And with their inborn talent for fighting, even a small boost could make a big difference in their battle skills.


    Adam felt sure about his idea: starting a service for custom gear could really spread his name among the Titans.


    After all, he was offering a solution to a big problem for new Titans who weren''t that strong yet.


    "You''re really just making more work for yourself," the devil said, not holding back. "Since you''ve chosen to buddy up with Titania instead of fighting, why not just call over the transdimensional mages? They could sort things out with the Titan Royals."


    "The crystal barrier system of this world is super tough, so setting up spatial anchors is going slow," Adam exined.


    Titania wasn''t like the Dragon ne or Cthulhu. There, the world''s foundation was broken, so working on the anchors was easier. But here, it was a different story. The core of this world was like it was ying hide and seek on purpose.


    Adam added, "Besides, exploring is what I do. It''s my job to dig into this world''s resources and knowledge first."


    The devil just scoffed and disappeared, not buying any of it.


    Adam didn''t let it bother him. He figured once he advanced into a Commander and got the lowdown on the Metal Eaters and the weird mysteries of this ne''s roots, he''d have a good chance to call on the devil. Adam was kinda looking forward to seeing what would happen when he used the devil as an energy block.


    ...


    Ferroalloy got into a routine of splitting his time between two ces. After wrapping up his day job at the university, he''d be all eyes on Adam working on gears in the shop. His excitement was even bigger than Adam''s, the one making the stuff.


    Adam got him to gather minerals, which saved him the trip out of the city.


    In just a couple of days, Adam whipped up a full set of gears tailored to Ferroalloy''s body shape.


    Seeing Ferroalloy''s me was pretty weak, Adam skipped the energy sts and enhanced his physical punch instead.


    Adam figured with the whole gear set; Ferroalloy could now match up to an average Knight in strength. Though his staying power in a fight wasn''t great because of his level, this upgrade was already enough to turn heads at the start.


    Adam also threw in a feature that let the gear melt and mold itself. In a scrap, any part of the motion armor could morph and merge into the best weapon for the moment.


    He even boiled down and stuck the fighting moves he came up with into the armor, but that bit might not be all that handy. The auto-fight function would take over, but most folks wouldn''t be too keen on feeling like they weren''t in charge of their own moves.


    Now, Ferroalloy has almost all Graft Parts, except for the Vital Generator and his head. Next to the futuristic and bold look of the new gears, his own frame looked a bit shabby and out of ce.


    But he didn''t mind one bit. After tallying up the Honors he owed, he was quick to bid Adam farewell. He was itching to hit the front lines.


    Ferroalloy''s makeover had some of the new Titans taking notice over thest few days. Even though he looked sharper, no one was sure if he was actually stronger. The big worry was that this overhaul meant pretty much ditching his original body, which had the other neers worrying about possible issues in heavy-duty battles.


    Adam got the hang of these worries. So, he told Ferroalloy to swing by from the front lines now and then. The cover story was maintenance, but it was really to show the other neers that Ferroalloy was holding up fine, proving the gears were up to practical use.


    He also got in touch with Iron 27 and Windme 222, asking them to keep an eye on Ferroalloy so he wouldn''t fall t in his first skirmish, which would mess up all of Adam''s ns.


    ...


    Two quiet months ticked by. In that time, a few new Titans cautiously popped into Adam''s shop, putting money down for some kic arms, but nobody went all in for a full makeover like Ferroalloy did.


    A bunch of Intelligents, impressed by Adam''s talent in tweaking and making mechanical stuff, kept asking him to join the university crew, but Adam turned them all down.


    He had stacked up a whole storehouse of his creations by now. There was the basic gear for the newborns, and he also had a stash of energy armors ready for the Knights. He was just waiting for Ferroalloy toe back victorious and kick start his business.


    "Your stuff''s nice. But, whether we''re talking about newbies or Knights, they''re not the main muscle at the front. The big guns are the Commanders and Warlords. They''re tough enough on their own; they wouldn''t swap out their natural parts for something they''re not used to."


    Qi 31 got pretty hooked on what Adam was up to after Iron 27 filled him in on the mission details. He dropped by a lot, sharing his know-how on special metal blends and some basics about the high-level Titans. He wasn''t holding his breath on Adam''s project, though. It''s amon thing in ces where personal strength''s what counts---the strong ones just don''t put much trust in little guys.


    Adam didn''t argue for that. He figured once Qi 31 got a look at what his inventions could really do, he''de around from his high horse.


    Now, everything was set. Adam was just waiting for the right moment to roll in."

 Chapter 245: Betting

    Chapter 245: Betting


    Adam waited for the right moment, and it came soon.


    A week after hisst talk with Adam, Ferroalloy returned to York and headed straight for Adam''s workshop.


    Outside the workshop, more than ten new Titans were hesitating. They were unsure if they should get their gears grafted. Even though they could payter, this might dy their advancing progress and make them less useful.


    Ferroalloy caught everyone''s attention with his unusual appearance. Most of his body was shiny and unscarred, but his chest and stomach were covered in corrosion marks. His head was full of cracks from Metal Eaters'' bites. What caught others'' eyes even more were the various alloys he held in his arms.


    "Is that Ferroalloy? Did he really go to the front lines?"


    "The things he''s brought back must be Metal Eater spoils."


    "I saw him leave for the front lines, but I didn''t think he''d make it."


    "I thought the same. It''s rare for a new Titan to fight on the front lines."


    "Is that a full set of Mithril 99 Graft Parts? They look unscathed."


    "Should we get upgraded too?"


    "What if it''s useless? How much time do you have left?"


    Despite the chatter, Ferroalloy didn''t care. He rushed in, ced his metals down, and excitedly told Adam, "Mithril 99, you''re amazing! Ordinary Metal Eaters can''t even scratch this armor. Windme 222 said I could be a Warlord someday!"


    Adam had expected this. He had arranged with Windme 222 to keep Ferroalloy away from high-level Metal Eaters.


    "Any malfunctions during the fight?"


    "Not at all! The gears seem to merge with my body, getting better the more I use them." Ferroalloy clenched his fist, and a burst of air spread out, showing his increased strength.


    Seeing the other new Titans getting eager, Adam knew just a little push would open up the situationpletely. While he was thinking of what to say, a Titan stepped forward and challenged Ferroalloy, "Let''s fight! Show me the power of your gears!"


    Titans rarely sparred among themselves. Their metal bodies meant that equals rarely hurt each other, and city fights could lead to fines due to the damage. Infighting was also forbidden on the battlefield. Thus, Adam had never seen two Titans fight before.


    Ferroalloy looked at Adam, unsure if he should ept the challenge.


    Adam nodded at him, "Go ahead."


    Adam wasn''t particrly interested in the fight. After setting up a defensive field, he went back inside. Sitting across from Qi 31, who was smiling, he said, "Not watching? If that kid loses, your workshop''s reputation might take a hit."


    "He won''t lose. He''s stronger than all the new Titans herebined."


    The challenging Titan was just an ordinary neer. Although he might advance to Knight level within a year, Adam was confident Ferroalloy would win now.


    "How about a bet?" Qi 31 suggested, knowing exactly what Adam was thinking.


    "What''s the wager?" Adam asked.


    Qi 31 pointed outside, "If Ferroalloy wins, I''ll promote your gears, ensuring plenty of high-level Titanse for upgrades. But if he loses, you join my academy as my assistant until you be a Warlord."


    Qi 31 was persistent in recruiting Adam, especially after seeing his unique abilities and smelting techniques. He believed Adam''s assistance would greatly benefit his research on Qi alloys.


    Adam felt Qi 31 genuinely wanted to help. With Qi 31''s credibility in York, he could easily open up the market for Adam. It was an opportunity too good to pass up.


    "Deal," Adam agreed.


    Their conversation was overheard by everyone outside. Nobody liked being underestimated, and the looks they gave Ferroalloy turned unfriendly.


    Ferroalloy panicked. He wasn''t afraid of one-on-one, but now he was facing thirteen Titans, each as imposing as the next. His confidence waned, and he turned to Adam, "Mithril 99, I..."


    "Trust me, you''ll win. If not yourself, then trust in my gears," Adam reassured him.


    Ferroalloy, simple yet not foolish, knew the importance of this fight. He didn''t want to let down Mithril 99, who had always supported him.


    After thumping his chest, he bravely dered, "All of you,e at me!" Despite his bravado, his confidence was shaky.


    The scene turned chaotic with the sounds of metal shing. Fights between the newborns were purely physical brawls. Put aside their massive sizes, the fight was less spectacr than a typical wild beast hunt.


    Adam wasn''t really interested in watching the fight; he was busy adding ingredients to a batch of liquid metal. He was working on histest product, the Vital Generator''s flexible shield.


    Qi 31, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle, asionallymenting on the fight. Seeing Adam''s indifferent attitude, he teased, "You''re that confident in him?"


    Boom!


    The liquid metal exploded due to conflicting internal structures, but the fragments were contained by a maic field. Adam gathered them up, squished them into a ball, and tossed it aside, calmly saying, "It''s not so much confidence in him as it is in myself and the products I create."


    Several loud noises came from outside as Ferroalloy knocked down six new Titans without showing any signs of defeat.


    Qi 31, realizing he had lost the bet,ughed wryly, "You''re unique. I''ve never seen a Titan quite like you. No wonder Iron 27 said you were a natural Intelligent."


    Adam wasn''t sure how to respond, but Qi 31 didn''t seem to mind. He got up, dusted himself off, and said, "I lost this time. I''ll introduce you to my Titans. Whether you can satisfy them is up to you."


    After Qi 31 left, an unscathed Ferroalloy, his core fluctuating wildly with excitement, burst in and eximed, "Mithril 99, I won!"

 Chapter 246: Helping Qi 31

    Chapter 246: Helping Qi 31


    After Ferroalloy finished maintaining his gear, he left York city and returned to the front lines. He said he loved the feeling of battle and that staying in a peaceful ce like York city would make him "rusty".


    Because he helped Adam promote some gears, Adam gave him a big sword, 15 meters long, for free. The sword had special circuits that made it incredibly sharp, capable of cutting through metal like butter.


    After Ferroalloy left, the new Titans quickly forgot the embarrassment of being defeated. They rushed into the workshop, each of them taking a set of Graft Parts on credit. They didn''t even care about the debt they owed Adam for the powerful swords, which were priced at three hundred Honors each.


    They left happily, ready to head to the front lines.


    Two dayster, there were voices outside the workshop.


    "Is this the ce?"


    "Qi 31 said it was. I''m not doubting Mr. Qi 31, but are there really gears here that can make us stronger quickly?"


    "Didn''t you see the change in the new recruits? They did get stronger, didn''t they?"


    "But they''re just newborns. They don''t even know how to use their innate abilities. Among us, only you are good at closebat; the rest of us can''t even use those things."


    "Let''s just give it a try. The worst that can happen is we waste some time and Honors. If the modifications really work, maybe they can change the tide at the front lines."


    Adam was quietly listening to their conversation from inside the workshop. It seemed Qi 31 kept his promise, as the visitors appeared to be elite Knights with the potential to be Intelligents. The logic in the speech of ordinary Titan warriors wasn''t usually this strong.


    Adam didn''t pretend to be mysterious. He opened the door and invited the five in.


    They had heard stories about Adam from Qi 31, so they didn''t make any rudements about Adam''s four-meter height. Then, they each told Adam their modification requests.


    These Knights had already chosen their evolutionary paths before bing Royals and started building their Vital Generators and bodies with high-grade alloys. But at this stage, their bodies still had some inferior parts. So, the five Titans wanted to modify their weaknesses.


    This wasn''t difficult for Adam. After his limits of authority in this world were upgraded, he downloaded the body structures of the four types of Titans at the Knight level from the library and understood their ws. In the past two months, he had been making gears specifically for these issues.


    Soon, expensive gears like flexible shield generators, quad-energy cannons, automatic frequency modtion amplifiers, and high-frequency particle vibration des were integrated into their bodies.


    ...


    "Looks like you''re all quite pleased?" Qi 31 asked with a smile, looking at the five happy Titans at the university.


    The five Titans nodded eagerly, proudly showing off their new capabilities. The gears they acquired had nearly perfectly filled their shorings, hugely boosting theirbat abilities. If it hadn''t been for the high cost in Honors, they might have asked Adam to rece their entire bodies with Graft Parts.


    Qi 31 was secretly impressed. These Knights now had thebat power of Commanders after their enhancements. If Adam could also enhance the Commanders, it might indeed change the course of this world''s battles.


    The most attentive Titan had recorded the entire modification process by Adam. As he was recounting it, Qi 31 suddenly interrupted him, asking urgently, "He dissolved part of his own body and merged it into you to help reorganize your Vital Generators and existing energy circuits?"


    The five looked at each other, puzzled by his reaction. They honestly replied, "Yes."


    "How exactly did he do it?"


    "Mithril 99 touched us, and the part he touched opened up. He became smaller and smaller, flowing into our bodies like water."


    The Titan remembered the sensation and said nostalgically, "It was even morefortable than maintenance. He helped us fix the issues in our Vital Generators and energy circuits and removed impurities from our bodies. The Graft Parts merged directly with our bodies... Sir?"


    Qi 31 was trembling with excitement. He muttered to himself incoherently and then rushed out of the university towards where Adam was.


    ...


    In the workshop, Adam was continuously taking out standard gears from the storage, installing them on the waiting new recruit Titans. The sessful modifications of those thirteen Titans had dispelled the doubts of the rest of the new recruits in York. They were eagerlying in for modifications, afraid of being left behind.


    Just then, Qi 31 rushed in. However, seeing so many people in the workshop, he forced himself to swallow the questions he had and waited quietly.


    Adam nodded at him as a greeting and continued to focus on installing the gears for the new Titans.


    Qi 31 carefully observed Adam''s actions. The method he used to dissolve parts of other Titans'' bodies was something Qi 31 had never paid attention to before, assuming it was just Adam using his mes to forge their bodies. But now, he realized it wasn''t that simple; Adam was dissolving his own body to directly modify specific parts.


    After the batch of new Titans left, Qi 31 closed the workshop''s big door without asking Adam. He approached Adam and seriously asked, "You have the ability to dissolve part of yourself into other Titans'' bodies, right?"


    Adam was slightly taken aback, not expecting Qi 31 toe for this reason. Although unsure of his intentions, Adam saw no reason to hide this and nodded.


    Qi 31, who didn''t need to breathe, took a deep breath, creating a strong wind in the room. "Can you fix and repair faults in the Vital Generator and body?"


    "Yes."


    A series of cracking sounds came from Qi 31''s body. He released arge amount of his energy, which dissipated into the air; clearly, he had shattered part of his own Vital Generator.


    Adam was puzzled---this seemed like self-harm.


    Qi 31 leaned against the wall and sat down,pletely unconcerned about his injuries. He looked intently at Adam and then said, "Try it on me!"


    Adam looked Qi 31 up and down, vaguely understanding his purpose. "I can try, but I''m not familiar with your structure. You need to give me full ess to your body or fully cooperate with me."


    Qi 31 nodded repeatedly. He quickly opened his chest, exposing hisplex Vital Generator. Then, he relinquished control of his shield and body, answering Adam''s request with actions rather than words.


    Adam dissolved himself into countless atomic nanobots. Groups of one hundred thousand bots each were controlled by a single thread, turning into a silvery flood that poured into Qi 31.


    Adam discovered that Qi 31 was really severe with himself. Most of the alloys in his body were riddled with tiny cracks, his energy circuits were nearly destroyed, and his Vital Generator was almostpletely inactive.


    Qi 31 was almost paralyzed by himself. Even a level-three Metal Eater could potentially kill him at this point."

 Chapter 247: Qi 31s Request

    Chapter 247: Qi 31''s Request


    Harming oneself is something that, unlesspletely irrational, most would not do to themselves severely.


    Qi 31''s injuries were serious, but his Original mes were not greatly affected. Therefore, he couldpletely heal himself if he wished.


    Adam transformed himself into countless nanobots, with every hundred thousand robots forming a team controlled by a single thread, turning into silver-white streams that entered Qi 31''s body in groups.


    In this state, Adam divided his abilities into countless parts, each robot''s power was minimal, but they excelled in precision. With the microscopic vision of billions of eyes, they could detect many issues not visible on arger scale.


    Each of his avatars could manipte a few free electrons, roaming inside Qi 31''s body like scavengers. They gradually broke down and expelled deeply hidden impurities.


    However, Adam could not break down the Qi alloy that made up his body.


    "I don''t know theposition and smelting form of Qi alloy, so I can''t directly move the intact parts of your body to repair the injuries. You have two choices. One is... never mind, just provide me with some Qi alloy, and then under my direction, transport it to the fractured areas."


    Adam initially wanted to ask for the knowledge of Qi alloy, but felt it wasn''t right.


    Qi 31 was very cooperative with Adam. Soon, a Titan brought several tons of Qi alloy from his university. He didn''t know what the two were doing, but it seemed impressive. He wanted to stay, but Qi 31 sent him away.


    This was a good opportunity for Adam to explore the mysteries of a high-level Titan''s body. Since Qi 31 allowed it, Adam didn''t hesitate to gather information.


    Inside his body, the mes were not just a source of energy. They were present throughout Qi 31''s body, acting as blood vessels, organs, neurons. Separate programs came together like integrated chips to control the entire body.


    The fluctuations of the mes were mysterious and profound, reacting in a way Adam couldn''t decipher, creating Qi energy.


    The body repair was simple, so Adam quicklypleted it with Qi 31''s cooperation. His condition was even better than before, but repairing the Vital Generator was difficult---it wasn''t entirely metal but had partially transformed into an energetic form. Its structure was connected by Spark Codes.


    "The energyyer outside your Vital Generator is fractured; I can''t fix that. I don''t understand how your Qi energy is generated, nor can I analyze the frequency of the fluctuations of your mes."


    Qi 31 had calmed down by then. "May I know how your mes exist when you''re in this state?"


    Adam found itplicated to exin, so he opened up each of the tiny robots. Tiny, almost imperceptible mes appeared, gathering and dispersing with the robots'' movements.


    Through continuous research on his Original mes, Adam discovered that mes are truly marvelous. They are will, wave, and particle, able to freely gather and disperse. As long as the will remains, mes can infinitely spread without affecting one''s own existence.


    If he withdrew his will, the fire seeds would exist independently.


    The Titans'' concept of "passing the mes" referred to the process of splitting a fire seed and then erasing one''s will to nurture new life.


    This meant that, if Adam now retracted all threads, these robots might continue to live as new beings.


    Qi 31 watched this miraculous scene intently. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Can you heal problematic Original mes?"


    Billions of "Adams" looked up, their eyes shining.


    "A problem with the Original mes? Given your strength, such a situation would surely be fatal. So I assume it..."


    "Yes, it''s a Royal."


    While assisting in repairing the energy fractures, Adam listened to Qi 31 as he said, "Fifteen years ago, Lord Svorsi was ambushed outside the Crystal Barrier System while confronting the Metal Eaters'' leader. The bizarre energy of the Metal Eaters invaded Lord Svorsi''s Original mes in the form of nguage,'' constantly eroding and devouring the Lord''s energy. Lord Svorsi won''tst much longer, but he absolutely cannot die now. If he dies, the world''s bnce of power will be immediately disrupted, and we do not have the capacity to face a full-scale war."


    Adam stepped out from his body and asked, "So currently, we don''t have the ability to heal mes?"


    Qi 31 said bitterly, "Of course we do, but the Metal Eaters know us too well. They have the ability to mutate and counterattack."


    Adam understood; it was like a firewall being breached, and antivirus software couldn''t keep up with the virus''s destruction and mutation rate. Perhaps Lord Svorsi''s operating system was nearing copse. Once the virus fully invaded, he reckoned, it would turn him into a puppet of the Metal Eaters.


    "The Royal-level parental body outside Ironburg wanted to secretly advance while Lord Svorsi''s Original mes were diseased and couldn''t fully monitor the border. Fortunately, you stopped it, or the war would have already begun."


    He looked at Adam hopefully, "Can you do it?"


    "How long can Lord Svorsi hold on?"


    "At most two years."


    ...


    For Adam, killing the ''virus'' was not the issue.


    As an expert in antivirus, as long as he could fully control Lord Svorsi''s body, considered as a puter'', he was confident in eliminating the virus---even though his soul wasn''tplete and hisputing power hadn''t reached its peak.


    The problem was, this might expose Adam''s identity.


    Adam was well aware that directly interacting with the transcendent beings of this world, especially entering their bodies, would certainly reveal his identity as an intruder.


    However, high risks often came with high rewards, and this was also Adam''s best chance to swiftlyplete his exploring mission. Originally, in his n, he would need at least ten more years to gain ess to the Royals, but now the opportunity was right in front of him.


    Therefore, Adam agreed to Qi 31''s proposal, but he scheduled the treatment for a yearter. Adam needed this time to advance to a Commander and restore his strength.


    "Master, I think when facing a transcendent being, whether you are a level-two or a level-three doesn''t make much difference," the devilmented, not surprised by Adam''s choice. In fact, it would have been surprising if Adam had declined. By now, they were unfazed by such levels of risk, knowing they could always be resurrected in the Mage World. Even if they died here, it would merely be a failed exploration mission.


    Adam had just spent all his Honors at the energy factory for a massive amount of second-level energy blocks. Now, he was consuming them, one by one.


    With the crunching sound, he replied, "That''s true, but if I reach level-three, I can conduct another experiment, like sending another version of myself to treat the Titan Royals."


    "An avatar? Useless, a transcendent being would definitely have the ability to trace the original body through the avatar."


    Adam nodded seriously, "You''re right, but what if it''s not an avatar, but instead one of my soul ves? The master-servant pact in the Mage World offers absolute protection for the master. So, unless the Titans have more advanced research on pacts than the Mage World, it''s absolutely impossible for anyone to find the master through the ve''s soul."


    "

 Chapter 248: The Devils Mission

    Chapter 248: The Devil''s Mission


    The devil was all mixed up and didn''t see Adam''s moveing. He hesitated and tried to act clueless, saying, "Oh, oh, oh! You''re talking about Sofia, right? I guess she''ll be a good choice too!"


    "Sofia? She''s got different skills, and she''s not the right fit for me. You''re the best choice for this, Dear Garfield."


    Hearing Adam call him that was something the devil had secretly hoped for, but now it felt really harsh. "What do you mean... I''m lost..."


    With a quick snap of his fingers, Adam''s fingertips lit up with fire. "The Original mes are like a willpower, a top-notch being that''s really open-minded."


    "And so?"


    "You''re a willpower-based spirit too, a will that roams the ethereal universe. What if I set you on fire, could that merge and transform both you and the me?"


    The fire at Adam''s fingertips shaped into the devil, then burst into a new form that was hard to make out.


    "I''d say it''s quite possible," said Adam.


    The devil thought he was the unluckiest devil out there, making onest plea, "But I''m not supposed to show up in Titania right now, am I?"


    With another snap, Adam put out the fire.


    "Usually, yes, but I''ve already made a deal with Qi 31. I''ve decided to take a shortcut, and you''re going to have to take some chances with me. Besides, if a transcendent being finds me, both of us will end up back in the Mage World anyway. For you, it doesn''t really matter if it''s sooner orter."


    Adam''s reasoning made sense, but the devil felt more and more trapped. He worried, "But master, I''m made of willpower. If you light up the willpower and it doesn''t work out, I won''t get another shot at life!"


    "Oh."


    "Maybe you should have a little faith in yourself, and trust me."


    ...


    Adam was busy gathering energy these days.


    His gears quickly became a hit after a brief test in the market, turning into must-haves. These gears could slightly boost fighting skills and really help newborns survive, making them a big hit with all Titans.


    Now, it wasn''t just the newborn Titans buying them---many cities on the front lines were cing huge orders. The gears were snatched up as soon as they were made.


    Eventually, Adam had to sell the copyrights of the gears and outsource production to keep up with demand.


    Gears for Knights were also in high demand, especially with the newly promoted Knights who didn''t have strong attack moves yet. The magic arrays on these gears, when activated, showed off impressive strength.


    Orders were rolling in non-stop every day.


    Sales of Warlord-level gears were just okay. Titans at this level already had their own solidbat strategies, and adding new, unfamiliar gear could throw off their rhythm.


    Only a few curious Commanders bought them to test and research, but always with Adam''s permission.


    Adam didn''t think his security measures on the designs could be cracked, so he freely allowed research ess.


    Yet, the real winners were the Vital Generator and Flexible Shield. After countless unsessful trials, Adam found the perfect form.


    The finished Shield was super flexible and protective. It could fend off corrosive liquids, oxidation rays, and bites from Metal Eaters, thanks to the electromaic conversion arrays inscribed on it. It also helped cool down the Vital Generator and mend minor damages.


    These features were crucial for all the Titans on the front lines. Adam gave the first finished products to friends like Iron 27, Windme 222, and Bluewater 147. Once they tested them, the Flexible Shield instantly became a must-have.


    But the knowledge and techniques around the Flexible Shield were high, so Adam had to produce them himself. Thus, even with a room full of avatars to assist, Adam found demands for the products outpacing his supply.


    This was the only piece of gear, at that time, suitable for all Titans below the Royals. Many Titans even camped outside the workshop, hoping to grab one as soon as possible.


    As a result, Adam gained a huge amount of Honors. Besides trading them for high-quality energy blocks needed for upgrades, he also bought arge stock of high-purity metals and special alloys. He used some to build his level-three body, and the rest were for the devil.


    His body still used mithril, as there wasn''t enough time to research and substitute it with a better conductor for electromaic forces. However, he was very thorough in preparing for the devil.


    Since the devil was to meet the Titan Royals on his behalf, life preservation was paramount. Adam selected an alloy with the strongest energy and physical resistance to blend with mithril, then began inscribing gravity-rted magic arrays inside. His n was to transform the devil into a Titan with spatial abilities.


    The concepts of gravity and space were tooplex. The challenge of fitting this into the Spark Code information made progress slow.


    Qi 31 was highly interested in Adam''s work and visited the workshop frequently. He shared all the advanced knowledge he could, especially on Spark Codes, asking for nothing in return. He even assisted in crafting the armor.


    Initially, Qi 31 had hoped for Adam to be his assistant, but now it seemed the roles had reversed.


    Adam didn''t keep the making of the gravity metal a secret from Qi 31; after a casual question about it, Qi 31 didn''t really care about that anymore.


    Qi 31 was just a little unhappy that Adam seemed so busy with so many things at the same time. But after seeing how Adam could juggle hundreds of tasks at once, Qi 31 just went with it and stayed quiet.


    By the ninth month, Qi 31 couldn''t hold back and asked, "Why do you want to wait until you''re a Commander before heading to the royal city with me?"


    Even though things looked good for Adam, from what he saw, moving up in Titan ranks was tough and would take long. Without the right knowledge, just having enough me energy wasn''t going to cut it.


    Qi 31 had seen too many Titans get stuck at a certain level and end up dead in wars. Plus, Adam already knew Spark Codes better than he was.


    "I''m not strong enough yet. Don''t worry, I won''t get stuck at my current level for long." That was always Adam''s reply.


    Adam was telling the truth. He used to be a level-three mage, and now he was just getting used to a new body and getting his power back, so hitting a roadblock was unlikely.


    But Qi 31 didn''t know all this. Seeing how chill Adam was, all he could do was silently stress out.


    This worry turned out to be a good thing for Adam. On top of Spark Code stuff, Qi 31 started giving Adam energy blocks non-stop, which really saved him a lot of Honor.


    So, by the thirteenth month, Adam had everything ready to level up. His space metal was also ready, and as soon as a new spark moved into the space metal body, a strong Titan would be born."

 Chapter 249: Transformation

    Chapter 249: Transformation


    Adam decided to shut his workshop for a bit and head out of York City alone under the stars.


    He didn''t just leave for his own advancement, but also to try changing the devil''s form of life.


    He was pretty sure his own progress would go smoothly, but he wasn''t totally certain he could change the devil''s form of life sessfully.


    Plus, if he did manage it, he''d need to get ready for a trip to the royal city to meet the Royals. So, he had to keep this all under wraps, not letting Qi 31 or the other Titans catch wind of it.


    Titania had lots of ces nobody ever went to. Adam had already found out where the floating fortresses patrolled. Not long after he left the city, he found the perfect hidden spot where nobody woulde across him for a while.


    The devil tried to change Adam''s mind onest time, sensing his end might be near. "Master, are you sure about this? Why the rush? You said Titan knowledge was interesting, right? What if someone finds out..."


    Adam cut him off, "No ''what ifs''. If we''re found, it''s only you who''ll be in trouble. I can just hop into another body and stay in Titania. Worstes to worst, I start over as a newborn, and that''s a risk I can live with."


    Then, the ground just melted away, and Adam turned into a shimmering silver liquid, sinking into the earth. He quickly reached a depth of a thousand kilometers. There, he lit up his mes, carving out a massive space.


    "What did you say, master?"


    "I meant what I said. If we manage to change your form, I''ll sort of hitch a ride in your body to the royal city. So, it''ll be you, not me, visiting the Royals. Which means, if the Royals do anything, it''s you who''ll be in trouble. I can always ditch the Mithril 99 identity and start fresh."


    "And if it doesn''t work..."


    "If it fails, I''ll just drop this identity. No way I''m facing the Royals without being sure." Adamid it out for the devil as he got the energy blocks ready.


    In Adam''s head, the devil was just sitting there in gray and white, mumbling, "This is it, the end of my life, my fun, my mates..."


    Adam just ignored it. Thanks to their boss-servant deal, the devil couldn''t say no to Adam''s ns. He only exined all this because they''d been together for so long.


    As Adam kicked off his own advancement, he cut off the devil''s connections to the outside and silenced him. He focused on loading up his Vital Generator with dense energy blocks and super-pure mithril, keeping a steady rhythm.


    Adam''s energy vibe soared, and at the same time, he started to transform, both inside and out.


    Adam''s deep understanding of electromaic runes and forms started to change into Spark Code, lighting up in his Original mes. The bright red turned almost invisible, and during this shift, the mes sent information into his body as energy.


    Every bit of his mithril frame started to move, changing into tiny nanobots. These nanobots then went around marking other atoms with equations.


    If anyone had been with Adam right then, they''d have seen him looking pretty weird, sort of melting away and thening back together over and over. This kept getting faster until it was all a blur. The atoms mixed it up based on the equations, kicking offplex, high-energy chain reactions, boosting his energy even more.


    Half an hourter, the mithril broke downpletely and started spinning fast around his Vital Generator. The mes burned so steadily they almost looked solid, pouring out energy. A massive and scary maic field spread out, turning the ground around Adam into a sea of metal, with big waves rolling through it.


    The advancement went without a hitch. The mithril put Adam back together. He was now over just two meters tall, looking a bit like a liquid metal robot. Apart from the mithril''s color, he was everything like a regr carbon-based life form, well, if you didn''t consider that he now weighed over two hundred tons.


    Adam''s face, all sharp and defined, showed a hint of a smile. He told the devil in his thoughts, "I''ve got good news."


    "This maic field from the upgrade might just mess with the Origin''s tracking a bit. You might not get caught by the Origin right after showing up." He exined to the devil.


    Then, he made a container from a bunch of energy stones with Space Metal in the center.


    Adam got right back to work. Life forms driven by willpower were a rare find in the ether, and he couldn''t wait to do the experiment on it.


    He pulled electrons from the metal all around, adding them to his maic field. This almost made a little world within Titania, one that the Origin''s usual scans just skipped over. After watching for ten minutes to make sure it was safe, Adam called the devil over.


    The devil, not waiting for Adam to say anything, walked over to the container like he was in a daze.


    "We''ve got past the riskiest part; you should have faith in what I can do."


    The devil didn''t say a word.


    "Hanging onto hope is key. If you think you''re done for, then you probably are."


    Adam''s words seemed to hit the mark. The devil, perched on the edge of the container and halfway out, spoke up in a mix of fear and hope, "Master, I really don''t want to end up dead!"


    Adam, not exactly pouring his heart out, tried to reassure him, "Calm down, you''re not going to die."


    Right after he said that, he gave the devil a nudge into the container and set off all the energy blocks in there. In no time, the devil was swallowed up by a ze.


    Then Adam got his Vital Generator going and let out his Original mes. He did something like what the Titans do when they pass their mes, splitting his own mes in half and pushing them into the devil.


    The moment these two different wills touched, there was a huge reaction. The spark set the devil on fire, sparking up a dark me. The heavy energy around them zoomed into the fire.


    "How''s it feeling?"


    "It''s actually pretty good, not hurting at all, but kind of nice and toasty."


    Adam nodded, all going ording to n. The devil was just right for turning into a spark form.


    "And the rest?" he checked.


    "All the bad vibes are going up in smoke. Anything in me that''s not really me is just fuel now."


    "I''ve figured out how to pack a metal body together."


    Adam threw in more packed energy blocks into the container. They hit the mes like drops of water in hot oil, making the fire roar and nearly break out of the container.


    By now, the devil didn''t need Adam to tell him what to do. He started pulling in all that wild energy and then settled down into the Space Metal."

 Chapter 250: A New Start in the Royal City

    Chapter 250: A New Start in the Royal City


    Adam had purified up the Space Metal so it was shiny and pure, just the thing for making a top-notch Titan body.


    Before long, the dark sparkpletely joined up with the metal, making it melt and move around the spark. At this point, the change of the devil''s life form was pretty much done. Adam didn''t want to hang around; he took control of the new body through the pact between him and the devil.


    The main bit of the devil''s Vital Generator was set up like a teleporting device.


    The change was easy to make. Adam didn''t need the devil to be strong in a fight; he was just curious about seeing how the Titan Royals would react to this body. So, he didn''t really bother making him more powerful in attack and instead made sure he could get away easily if he needed to.


    He also left some room for upgrades on the body and its Vital Generator for when he had some time to work on it.


    While he was shaping it, the Space Metal started showing off what it could do. Little cracks in space popped up around it, and gravity messed with the space, making the underground ce look weird and wild.


    Twenty minutester, the shaping was all done. Adam jumped out of the container, stepped into thin air, and popped up hundreds of meters away. He threw a punch into the air that mixed with space, then, a bit away, the punch came out and broke a big piece of ore.


    Adam could see the lines of gravity gently moving the folds of space, then a sharp cut in space hit the target just right.


    The devil, not scared anymore and actually pretty pumped, checked out his body and said, "Master, this new body is awesome. Am I a Titan now? This feels amazing! Who cares about the devils!"


    This body was only at a Knight level. Adam didn''t quite think through how much energy this fancy alloy would use. But now, Adam could control both maic and gravity lines. Even though he wasn''t as good with electromaism as before because of the body, having two force fields meant he was better at hiding from the Origin. Pulling out a bit of stuff from his personal space wasn''t hard anymore.


    The energy you get from burning a bit of ether crystal is way more than from the same amount of Titan energy blocks. Half an hourter, the devil''s body got to the point where he could move up to level two.


    But that''s as far as he could get. Without knowing about level-three gravity knowledge, Adam couldn''t get the life form to truly hit level three. But that wasn''t a big deal, because Adam made a link between the body''s Vital Generator and his personal space.


    Adam, having loads of stuff and power, could always put ether crystals into the Vital Generator to keep it looking like it had level-three energy fluctuations. As long as he could trick Qi 31 and get to the Royal City, that was all he needed.


    ...


    Adam put his mes in a low-power mode, which he had learned from Lithium 15. Then he moved his main body further underground. He didn''t need his main body for now. The uing meeting could go either way, but Adam was ready to leave behind his Mithril 99 identity and start fresh if things went south.


    Soon after, Adam showed up outside York City. He copied his main body''s energy fluctuations perfectly, strolled into the city, and went back to his workshop.


    "I''m a Commander now," Adam announced once the call connected. Qi 31 hung up right away. In just a few minutes, he showed up in front of Adam.


    Qi 31 was so excited in the moment, he didn''t even notice the minor changes in Adam. He turned into an airship, "Hop on, we''re short on time. We need to get to the Royal City fast."


    Adam got on the airship and found a seat, then asked, "Is Lord Svorsi''s situation getting worse?"


    "Not yet, but it''s still pretty bad. A ton of Metal Eaters are piling up on the border, and their big bosses in the void are getting together too. If Lord Svorsi goes down, we''re looking at all-out war right away."


    "What''s the n if I can''t help Lord Svorsi?"


    Qi 31 went quiet. His mes'' energy kicked up, and a smooth airflow wrapped around the airship. After hovering for a sec, the airship sted through everything in its path, flying at fifty times the speed of sound.


    York City was quickly a speck in the distance. Qi 31 finally said, "You''re our shot. If you can heal Lord Svorsi, the Titans get a hundred years to grow. If you can''t, Titans might be history."


    Adam didn''t bring up the other Royals. He knew the bnce was delicate, and losing a top fighter could make everything fall apart, something the Royals were clearly aware of. Maybe that was why Adam''s workshop was doing so well.


    "Why not bring back a top-level Warlord to take over from the old one?"


    Qi 31 sounded sad, "That would work, even be the best move. But we haven''t had a new lord in thousands of years."


    "Why''s that?"


    "I wish I knew. It''s a big secret, only the Royals know."


    That was the end of their talk. Adam couldn''t get more out of Qi 31, but he had enough to think on.


    The Titans were teetering on the edge. Bad news for them, but for Adam, it meant his chances of sticking around in this world just got better.


    When someone''s desperate, they''ll grab at any hope they can get, and that goes for a whole race too. As long as the Royals kept their heads, even if they knew Adam could be trouble, they were stuck between a rock and a hard ce.


    ...


    The rest of the journey was quiet,sting four whole days and nights. During that time, they flew past many big cities and loads of floating fortresses, but they didn''t stop or run into any trouble.


    On the morning of the fifth day, they finally saw the Royal City up in the sky.


    It was a massive city hanging up there. Adam could see a big energy shield around the city''s edges, and there were lots of Warlords pacing around, looking worried. They weren''t keeping an eye out for visitors from the normal world but were on the lookout for Metal Eatersing from the void.


    Qi 31 didn''t try to hide his energy fluctuations, kind of like showing a passport. They zoomed through the defense shield, not slowing down a bit, and Adam hardly got a chance to get a good look at the Royal City.


    All the Titans they came across on their way stopped in their tracks, making room for Qi 31, whether they were floating or standing. After going through a bunch of energy barriers, Qi 31 finally came to a stop in front of a really big and imposing building.


    "Lord Svorsi is in there, and I can''t go in," he said, taking a moment before adding. "Please, do whatever you can to heal Lord Svorsi! I''m begging you!"

 Chapter 251: Lord Svorci

    Chapter 251: Lord Svorci


    Adam finally got to check out what the city really looked like.


    The city was stunning, yet something was off about its energy fluctuation: in this hub of politics, culture, and military power for the Titan race, Adam couldn''t feel any higher beings.


    All he sensed were creatures like Qi 31, Warlords---far from what he''d expected of The Royal City.


    Even the building in front of him seemed out of ce.


    At the entrance, Adam quietly asked, "Is Lord Svorsi inside here?"


    Qi 31 shook his head. "No, this is Lord Svorsi."


    ...


    Step by step, Adam entered what was actually the body of Lord Svorsi, almost two kilometers tall. The energy circuits inside were dead, making it feel like a cold, deserted mine.


    The darkness didn''t stop Adam. He could see that Lord Svorsi''s body was ancient, decaying, and full of cracks with nasty stuff clinging on. He could hear tiny noises all around, as if something was gnawing at this once great body like woodworms.


    Adam felt faint vibrations that caused him pain and difort.


    Navigating the body was like a maze. Adam clearly counted turning 186 corners. After the 187th turn, a light appeared ahead. The area warmed up, and the energy got thicker.


    Then came a straight path. With each step, the path got brighter, and the nasty things were cleared by the surging energy. Adam''s inner fire brightened, and even the metal of his body seemed to pulse. He knew he was nearing Lord Svorsi''s Original mes. His body''s changes seemed to honor the metal lord.


    Adam had been walking for five minutes.


    This path seemed too long. Adam figured Svorsi must have altered himself, making the space inside seemrger than it looked from outside.


    At the end of his vision was a dim, huge Vital Generator.


    It was sealed tight, hiding the mes inside. A golden beam shot out from the top, hitting above the Generator. The reflected light brightened the whole area, making it look magnificent.


    As Adam walked, the path crumbled behind him bit by bit, creating a void-like space. This sharply contrasted with the bright path ahead. The golden light particles, drifting by themselves, followed Adam''s steps forward.


    Every long journeyes to an end. Ten minutester, Adam stopped a hundred meters away from the Vital Generator.


    Golden light particles swirled around him and then joined the beam above, followed by a projectioning down.


    The figure that appeared before Adam was eerily familiar---it was himself, as he looked in the Mage World.


    The figure spoke, and a deep voice filled the space, "Greetings, visitor from another world. I am Svorsi, the Lord of Titans."


    Adam hade fully prepared. He knew that even a powerful being like Svorsi couldn''t really kill him. Yet, he still felt a huge pressure, making him slightly nervous.


    Lord Svorsi gave a small smile. He couldn''t use a flesh and blood body to express emotions like real beings, so his smile looked a bit forced, almost like a sticker on his face.


    He continued with a smile, "This is an image copied by another Titan lord when you appeared in the outer void. I thought it would make our conversation more personal if I looked like you."


    Adam was speechless for a moment. The Royals had known about his arrival from the start. That meant his entry into Titania, his transformation into a Titan, and all his actions had been watched and subtly approved by the Royals.


    "Did you know about me from the start?" Adam didn''t sense any hostility from Svorsi; otherwise, he would have left Titania immediately and resurrected through his avatar in the Mage World.


    Lord Svorsi nodded and answered, "It''s a bit rude, but yes, we''ve known everything you''ve done since you arrived in Titania."


    He paused and added sincerely, "I also know about another body you have hidden outside the city of York. This little creature in front of me is what you gained by turning another being into the Original mes."


    Lord Svorsi seemed very interested in the creature, "Can you tell me what race that little fellow is? In the past, we too had the technology and ability to enter other nes. Back then, the Royals were really interested in finding ways to grow our numbers. Unfortunately, we didn''t find any. But now, I have the luck to meet one."


    Adam didn''t respond but instead asked, "Are your injuries real?"


    Lord Svorsiughed dryly, "Yes, I am indeed dying. All Titans knew it and even our arch-enemies, the Metal Eaters, knew it too."


    Even though Lord Svorsi didn''t say it directly, Adam picked up on a trace of mockery in his words. But this sarcasm didn''te from a ce of deception, as a being as powerful as Svorsi wouldn''t need to resort to tricks to engage with Adam.


    His tone remained upbeat, unaffected by the reality of his death. From the start, Svorsi spoke with the warmth and vibrancy of a living me. He continued, "You don''t need to feel uneasy, Titans hold no grudge against you. We wee visitors from other realms, even those whoe as invaders. After all, could this world get any worse?"


    Adam got the message. Titania was stuck, and the Titan race was like still water. Any change, even drastic, was wee---if a giant rock were to smash into the still water, it might at least stir things up.


    "Although I can''t speak for your people''s views on us, your actions suggest you mean no harm. You were quite helpful during the mission at Ironburg, and the Graft Part and shields you''ve provided are invaluable to our lower-level Titans."


    Lord Svorsi kept talking, "Our ancient records also mention encountering life forms like you in other worlds. They were quite fragile, but you''re strong, stronger than many of our Warlords. Could you tell me, are you considered strong among your people?"


    Adam took a deep breath. mes spilled from his mouth, gathering in front of him to reveal his true form. Then, he formally addressed Lord Svorsi, "Greetings, Lord Svorci, I am Adam, a level-three mage."

 Chapter 252: No Other Choices

    Chapter 252: No Other Choices


    "Ie from the Mage World," Adam said. "In terms of other mages, my abilities aren''t anything special."


    Lord Svorsi, clearly interested, replied, "Not special? That seems pretty impressive. And what about me? Would your people think I''m strong?"


    Transcendent beings would be seen as powerful in any world, but even among them, there are different levels. Unable to directly do theparison, Adam answered honestly, "I''m not sure."


    "Oh?"


    "I don''t know how strong you are, nor can Ipare it to a transdimensional mage," Adam exined.


    "Is that what you call your Royals? Transdimensional mages? ''Trans'' means beyond normal limits, right? That''s a cool title," Lord Svorsi asked with curiosity. "We have forty-seven Royals right now. Long ago, we even had someone who was like a Titan God. How many Royals are there in your world?"


    Adam was new to the term "Titan God," which the Titans used for beings beyond the transcendent level. If Adam was guessing right, in ancient times, Titania might have had Royals as powerful as an Archmage or even a Great Archmage. This was crucial information---it suggested that long ago, Titan was a mighty civilization. From what Prisci had mentioned, such a group would be on equal footing for talks and cooperation with the Mage World.


    But now, the Titans were weaker. Forty-seven Royals, which was forty-seven transcendent beings, was even less than how much the Fifth Element had, not to mention how many transdimensional mages the Tower had in total.


    As for the number of Great Archmages, Adam still wasn''t sure.Hesitant, Adam didn''t reveal the whole truth. He simply said, "Many."


    Their numbers might even surpass all the Titans put together.


    Lord Svorsi didn''t ask more, perhaps sensing the truth from Adam''s hesitation. After a pause, he asked, "Qi 31 mentioned you could heal my injuries, is that true?"


    Adam nodded, then hesitated. "If you let me take control of your body and mes, I''m eighty percent sure I can."


    "Control me?"


    Lord Svorsi rested his hand on the Vital Generator behind him. "THE Metal Eater had also said that before. It told Lord Lancelot that if he allowed it into his body, to merge with his mes, it could fix his weaknesses. You know what happened next, right?"


    "That Metal Eater took over Lord Lancelot''s body and then turned against us."


    Lord Svorsi spoke gravely, "Yes, it betrayed the Titans, betrayed its creator. It took over Lord Lancelot''s body and mes, and then it became the strongest and most feared enemy of the Titans. So, why should I trust you?"


    Adam looked straight into Lord Svorsi''s eyes and spoke slowly, "You don''t have to, but as far as I know, you and the entire Titan race have no other choice."


    Lord Svorsiughed wildly, hisughter causing the earth to tremble and shake, creating intense shockwaves. Adam had to try hard to maintain his stability.


    "No other choice? Haha! That''s right!" heughed.


    "We are sinners! Sinners of the entire Titan group! Our ancestors could never have imagined that one day we would have to ce all its hopes on an invader! We are guilty!"


    Adam had to ce himself into a spatial fold to protect himself from the terrifying shockwaves. Hearing Lord Svorsi''s words, he responded coldly, "Feeling sorry for yourself won''t help. The rise and fall of civilizations is nothing new. What''s happening on Titan could happen anywhere, at any time, in different ways. Some civilizations fall, others rise. Titans aren''t the first, nor will they be thest."


    Theughter stopped, and the shockwaves slowly faded. Lord Svorsi''s golden glow dimmed a bit, and he spoke calmly, "Is this how mages see things? Is this how you judge other worlds? Haven''t you ever thought this could happen to you?"


    Adam didn''t hesitate. "Mages start from nothing, pushing through difficulties to build civilizations. We don''t fear challenges, we don''t fear enemies."


    "Whatever we face, we fight and we win."


    "We never back down."


    Adam''s words echoed around them, repeating in Lord Svorsi''s ears. He looked at Adam for a few seconds, then said, "I believe you now."


    Adam wasn''t sure what he meant by that, and before he could ask, Lord Svorsi continued, "Right now, I and all Titans have no choice but to trust you."


    "I and the Mage World mean no harm to the Titans."


    "Can you speak for your entire race?" Lord Svorsi sent a me into Adam, pulling him back from the brink of copse.


    Adam nodded without hesitation. "I am one of them, and we are connected as one. The will of the Mage World is my will, and vice versa."


    But Adam left out one detail: this unity was only for dealing with the outside world.


    Lord Svorsi didn''t fully believe Adam''sst words, which made sense. Any sensible being would be cautious about trusting the words of someone from another world.


    "I want to know why you''re here," Lord Svorsi asked.


    Adam answered without hesitation, as he had nothing to hide. "My goal is to explore the etheric void, find new worlds, and gather knowledge and energy."


    "Knowledge and energy?" Lord Svorsi thought about these words. "And how do you n to get these? Through war and destruction?"


    "I won''t lie---those are straightforward methods. But your people have the chance to rise again as a great civilization. So, we prefer another way: making deals and working together."


    Lord Svorsi didn''t show much reaction. He had already decided to let Adam treat him, and he didn''t think it was worth worrying about the details anymore. His decision was made: trust Adam. If Adam''s treatment worked, it would help Titan survive longer by a hundred years; if it didn''t work, or if he just chose to eliminate Adam, the end result would still be facing a war Titan couldn''t win.


    With this understanding, the choice was clear.


    "Heal me. If you seed, no matter what your people think, you will earn the friendship of me and all Titans."


    "If you fail... trust me, you''ll die before Titans do."


    Adam wasn''t bothered by the threat. Lord Svorsi''s willingness to go ahead with the treatment was a big step forward, and Adam saw it as a chance to greatly improve the somewhat tense situation of his mission."

 Chapter 253: The Origin of Titania

    Chapter 253: The Origin of Titania


    Lord Svorsi looked at Adam and asked, "What do I need to do?"


    Adam opened a portal and then replied, "Please wait a moment. I can''t use my powers with this body, so I need to call my mithril body."


    By this time, Lord Svorsi hadpletely calmed down. The strong emotions had drained a lot of his energy, making his image look a bit faded. However, he was back to being warm and friendly. He was really interested in the world of mages and had lots of questions he wanted to ask.


    "I can tell that you and this little one are different. He''s already a true Titan, but you''re not. You seem very unusual."


    Lord Svorsi''s words resonated with Adam. Titans found Adam odd, and Adam thought this world was strange too. Now that he had brought it up, it was a good opportunity for Adam to share his own concerns.


    "You think I''m odd, probably because of my magic. I use a special magic to collect fire essence and mimic a Titan''s life form," Adam exined simply.


    Even if he went into all the details, these giants wouldn''t be able to learn the Reincarnation Spell.


    Lord Svorsi didn''t ask any more. He thought it was a powerful skill. The word ''magic'' was new to him, and he felt it must be one of the most secret arts in the world of magic. But he was more curious about other things.


    "Did you use a special way to turn him into mes?" Lord Svorsi asked, looking a bit embarrassed, "We saw it, but...""But you think it shouldn''t be that easy, right?" Adam smoothly continued. This wasn''t crucial information, so sharing it to win the Titans'' trust was ideal. After all, the devil had already transformed into a Titan, and he didn''t care about the other devils in the void.


    So Adam said, "Actually, it''s as easy as you saw. In mage terms, the mes and devils are will-based life forms. It''s possible to change them from one to another if there''s a chance."


    Devils, Lord Svorsi noted the name, "Are there many of them?"


    "A lot, but they''re not easy to find. If our two worlds can work together well, we can help the Titans find them, in exchange for something we need."


    Sparks flew from Adam into the portal. Beneath the city of York, the mes of Mithril 99 woke from its sleep, and the same Spark Code appeared.


    "Qi 31 said that Titania hasn''t seen any new Royals born for thousands of years, is that right?"


    Lord Svorsi looked a bit unsure, wondering why this piece of information mattered. He rified, "To be precise, it has been 4300 years. I was thest Warlord promoted to Royals 4300 years ago."


    Adam was caught off guard; he hadn''t expected Lord Svorsi to be so special. He casually asked, "What was the reason? Was there a problem with the Origin of this world?"


    Lord Svorsi nodded, "4450 years ago, the head of the Metal Eaters betrayed Lord Lancelot. It dered itself ''the Devourer,'' and started a rebellion. After the rebellion seeded, he became the most powerful in this world, nearly god-like."


    Adam felt a spark of tension. Nearly god-like---this meant the Devourer had strength almost matching that of a Great Archmage.


    Lord Svorsi went on, "In ancient times, the god of the Titans transformed the Origin into a state ideal for Titan survival. But after the rebellion, the Devourer took over the Origin, blocking the path for Titans to advance. Since then, no Titan has managed to advance."


    "What about the god?"


    "He vanished. He''s been missing for ages, and no one knows His whereabouts, or if He''s even alive."


    "And now..."


    "The Devourer is busy invading and consuming the Origin of the world, too distracted to focus on the war between the two races, otherwise we probably would have been wiped out by now. But before the Titan god vanished, He set up a protective mechanism in the Origin. It will take the Devourer a long time to fully break through."


    Lord Svorsi exined the biggest mystery Adam hade across since arriving in Titania---the unusual condition of the Origin.


    The current Origin of Titan might be in a self-sealing state because of the protective mechanism. It''s preupied with its own problems, so even though it keeps a surface level of strength, its control over the world is almost non-existent. The winds of the Origin that constantly sweep across Titania might just be a routine---it habitually monitors the ne, but no longer has the power to manage it.


    The challenges in urately locating Spatial Anchors might stem from this self-protection.


    Realizing this, Adam said to Lord Svorsi, "I want to test a theory and will need your help and protection."


    Lord Svorsi agreed instantly. After all, Adam''s level-three strength didn''t worry him; he was more cautious about the Mage World behind Adam. Now, Adam''s request aligned with his interests. He didn''t think that under his full watch, Adam could stir up any trouble.


    Adam was really using his magic this time, trying to figure out the state of the Origin of Titania. Lord Svorsi''s strength was his first line of defense.


    From his personal space, Adam pulled out a bunch of ether crystals and started carving teleportation runes into them.


    Lord Svorsi watched in amazement. He had never seen such high-energy crystals before. He couldn''t help asking, "What are these?"


    Using magic again felt great. Adam casually exined, "These are a universal energy source for mages, which we call ether crystals. They hold about forty times the energy of a Warlord-level energy block. "


    A wave of greed swept over Lord Svorsi, but it was quickly washed away by the mes. With a hint of regret, he remarked, "Great energy. If the Titans had had this kind of power back then, we wouldn''t have had those traitors!"


    While they talked, Adam finished the engraving of the teleportation runes. He then started setting up the energy transformation magic array and curiously asked, "I haven''te across any mention of Royals-level energy blocks in the library''s data. How do you usually recharge your energy?"


    Lord Svorsi replied with a bitter tone, "We use Warlord-level energy blocks. Each Royal uses up what an entire Warlord-level energy factory produces in a month each time they recharge."

 Chapter 254: The Treatment

    Chapter 254: The Treatment


    For Svorsi and the other Royals, the problems were even bigger than he had let on.


    Take the energy issue, for example. The amount they had was way too little. For these giant ''robots'', not having enough power meant they couldn''t perform well, especially when it came to fighting.


    Thisck of energy was a huge problem when trying to develop a world or a civilization.


    Adam felt really stuck about this. He had brought a lot of ether crystals with him, but even though it seemed like a lot to him, it was nothing for beings as powerful as the Royals. It was like a tiny drop in a huge ocean. Plus, the way to make ether crystals was a secret that only transdimensional mages knew. Adam certainly didn''t have ess to that info.


    But after thinking it over, Adam decided to give Lord Svorsi a thousand ether crystals for his Vital Generator anyway. The sess of Adam''s healing process would mostly depend on Svorsi''s own energy. It would be pretty awkward if it didn''t work just because they ran out of power.


    Lord Svorsi was definitely not going to say no to that. He opened up and swallowed the ether crystals. As soon as they touched the Original mes inside him, huge mes burst into the air. Rust and weird bits fell off him in chunks.


    The temperature around them shot up, almost melting Adam. But soon the mes died down, and Lord Svorsi was super happy, "So delicious! Unbelievable! There are actually such delicious things in the void? Mage, I can''t wait to work with your tribe!"


    Unfortunately, Lord Svorsi wasn''t very good at converting energy. Out of the thousand ether crystals, he wasted about sixty percent of them.


    Soon, the teleportation array was ready. Adam told Lord Svorsi to get ready, and turned it on.


    Magic runes flew out from the ether crystals, swirling around a central spot and creating a pattern. Adam watched closely, his senses on high alert, waiting for the ''judgment.''


    The Winds of the Origin blew as usual, moving over the runes.


    One second, one minute, five minutes...


    Lord Svorsi looked worriedly at the teleportation array, and after a long time with no issues, he asked, "Is this your Spark Code? It looks good, but what''s it doing?"


    Instead of answering that question, Adam simply answered, "Just as I thought! Titania''s Origin can''t handle abnormalities anymore. It''s asleep, paralyzed."


    Adam breathed a sigh of relief. This meant he could show up in the ne as his true self. Being able to use his real powers, like his Elemental Trueself and Electro True Self, would really help with whatever he nned to do next.


    "Just a second," Adam told Lord Svorsi without much fuss. He then disconnected the thread from the devil and shifted back into his mithril body.


    The devil, now back in control, took a few steps back as he felt Svorsi''s intense power. "Hello, Lord Svorsi, I am the newly born Titan. You can call me Garfield."


    Suddenly, a burst of me, like a CT scan, enveloped the devil, scanning himpletely. After the inspection, Svorsi noted, "You''re not like the mage; you''re the Original mes itself, a true Titan."


    "Absolutely! I am a true Titan. I love this body, and I love being a Titan!" he dered with genuine enthusiasm. Being a Titan was a step up from being a devil. Not only could he wield greater powers, but his chances of survival were also much better. Now, whenever he left the Mage World with Adam, all he needed was to leave a spark behind to avoid the risk of extinction.


    Furthermore, being a Titan meant he didn''t need to cultivate anymore. He knew Adam would take care of the mundane stuff, allowing him to rx.


    Lord Svorsi expressed his approval, "A fantastic transformation, but do your original kin want to be Titans?"


    The devil confidently replied, thumping his chest, "It doesn''t matter if they want to or not. As long as Titania agrees to work with the Mage World, those powerful mages have plenty of ways to persuade them."


    While they spoke, Adam integrated into the mithril body. His true self activated the magic to open the other side of the teleportation array, then he stepped out and returned to Lord Svorsi''s side. "We can start the treatment now."


    The devil said awkwardly, "Then I won''t disturb you, my lord. May I leave first?" Seeing no objections from either, he quickly opened a portal and dashed through it.


    The air charged with tension for a moment. Lord Svorsi then exposed his Vital Generator, which glowed with dark, menacing Original mes. "Then, let''s begin, mage. I hope you don''t disappoint the Titans'' trust in you."


    Adam stayed silent. Lord Svorsi clearly didn''t know how much a promise meant to the mages, so further assurances or exnations wouldn''t be as convincing as showing real results.


    With that, Adam approached the Vital Generator. As he moved, his body started to fluctuate and began to disintegrate. His Original mes red from his crown, radiating outward. He had concealed his true self under the Reincarnation Spell, but now he was also releasing his own energy. By the time he reached Lord Svorsi''s Vital Generator, his energy had reached its peak. Then, Adam''s form disintegratedpletely, his own spark leaping upwards, merging with Lord Svorsi.


    "I''m starting now, do not resist."


    Even though Lord Svorsi was limited by the unusual energy of the Metal Eaters, the power he could still use was much more than Adam''s---dozens, even hundreds of times greater.


    The energy levels soared, and the threads in the nanobots got the power they needed. Teams of nanobots rushed in every direction, integrating into Svorsi''s bodies. Amidst the intense mes, Adam started to deal directly with the virus unleashed by the Metal Eaters.


    The Metal Eaters had this unique ability to convert their power into a kind ofnguage. Inside Lord Svorsi''s zing energy, the two forces shed continuously---one gaining ground, the other fighting for survival.


    As expected, the virus kept evolving. It changed its tactics based on how Lord Svorsi reacted, while Svorsi''s mes stayed the same. So far, Svorsi was only hanging on because of his vast energy reserves.


    Using the tactics from the Spark Code, Adam redid the defense programs for the remaining areas, and it worked really well. Caught by surprise, the virus pulled back for a moment, like a tide going out. They left only a few behind to keep up the pressure, while they checked out the new program and looked for ways to break through.


    Adam wasn''t worried about the virus''s attempts to probe the defenses. Even if they did find a weak spot, it wouldn''t be a big deal---because just like the viruses could change, so could he. Plus, he was sure that with theputing power of his true self, he was way ahead of the viruses.


    This downtime was critical. With just a bit more time, Adam would be able to finish upgrading the rune system and the me system."

 Chapter 255: Re-reincarnation

    Chapter 255: Re-reincarnation


    The rune system was very superior. Each rune could hold much more information than the Spark Code and Metal Eaters virus.


    When the information and power held by the symbols of the two sides were not on the same level, no matter how the virus mutated, it couldn''t break through the defense program. This was a fundamental overpowering.


    Moreover, unlike the Spark Code, the virus was only destructive. This meant that as long as a program it couldn''t break was built, it would copse during its mutations.


    But that would take too much time, so Adam decided to try another way to kill the virus.


    The disease on Svorsi''s body was mainly due to the Metal Eaters'' targeted oxidizing abilities. These could be handled by nanobots as long as they had enough energy support.


    By that logic, the issues with the "Original me" were also because it was targeted. So, if Adam temporarily changed the form of the me, making the virus lose its target, he would be able to kill it.


    This task was, however, very difficult and dangerous.


    The danger came from distrust, because the change would surely lead to a drastic decline in Lord Svorsi''s own power. Adam felt that Lord Svorsi''s power was certainly under the watchful eyes of his entire race. If the treatment took too long, he might be torn apart by the other anxious Royals.


    However, now that they had no choice but to proceed, Adam had to hurry and also hope for the understanding and patience of the Titans.After the protection of the Reincarnation Spell gradually disappeared, Adam, wrapped in his own me, appeared in Lord Svorsi''s Vital Generator. At this moment, the Original mes became a series of information and runes in Adam''s eyes. Adam was like a programmer, freely rearranging and even ''tranting'' them.


    This was the special nature of will-based life. They had more possibilities than flesh and blood beings, but once upied, they were easier to conquer from the inside.


    Next, Adam nned to represent the Spark Code in rune form. This would further strengthen his control over Svorsi, making him Adam''s avatar. Then, Adam would use the Reincarnation Spell to reincarnate Svorsi.


    Adam was multitasking. He was writing a virus-killing program with runes while alsopiling the me. He had expected this to consume a lot of energy, but when the moment actually arrived, it still pained him a bit. In one day, five thousand units of ether crystals had already been poured into this project.


    ...


    Garfield felt totally trapped in the Royal City, surrounded by hundreds of powerful Warlords and Lord Svorsi''s body. Just a short distance away, dozens of transcendent beings appeared through the void. The energy around was so dense it almost felt frozen, making Garfield believe that any small move could shatter him to pieces.


    ''I should have stayed with my master!'' Garfieldmented internally. He had been stuck in this situation for an entire day and was close to his breaking point.


    He tried to break the eerie silence with a word, but even a slight movement of his lips drew intense stares from everyone around.


    What Adam was doing at the moment was critical---Lord Svorsi''s survival hung in the bnce, and with it, the future of their entire race. This wasn''t a matter anyone took lightly.


    Suddenly, cracking sounds from inside Lord Svorsi''s body alerted the Titans. In an instant, they reacted,unching their weapons as over a hundred energy sts headed straight for Garfield. Panicked and unable to properly harness his spatial abilities, Garfield could only scream in desperation.


    Luckily, not all Titans were on edge. Qi 31 swiftly appeared in front of Garfield, erected a protective barrier, and shouted, "Look carefully! Lord Svorsi''s body is getting better!"


    The nanobots were repairing the damage from the inside, and the external cracking sounds were signs of healing.


    Qi 31''s deration snapped them back to reality. The Titans realized the noises were the sounds of scars healing and king off. They observed more closely and could see Svorsi''s body healing and starting to glow again.


    Terrified, Garfield blurted out, "I am a Titan, really, I am one of you. The one treating Lord Svorsi inside is my master, not me! I have nothing to do with this!"


    The tension eased a bit, but still, no one spoke to Garfield, not even Qi 31.


    In truth, Qi 31 felt more conflicted than anyone. Only the Royals knew Adam''s true identity. Initially, Qi 31 believed Adam was a brilliant newborn Intelligent, but that trust had been shaken. The deeper the initial trust, the greater the sense of betrayal upon learning the truth, and Qi 31 was trying toe to terms with this.


    Abruptly, Qi 31 grabbed Garfield and shoved him aside, saying icily, "Stay put. It''s not up to you to decide if you''re a Titan. You''d better hope your master can save Lord Svorsi, or I''ll be the one to end you."


    Right after these harsh words, somethingpletely unexpected urred.


    The Original mes above the Royal City suddenly burned intensely. The Titans showed expressions of surprise, as this was a scene not witnessed in over a decade.


    However, their surprise didn''tst even a second before they realized the mes had disappearedpletely, undetectable in any form.


    The joy of the Titans froze instantly.


    Hundreds of Warlords transformed into their battle forms. Massive energy gathered around their bodies, their anger turning into boundless killing intent.


    "The intruder has betrayed Lord Svorsi! He must die! You all must die!"


    Qi 31 roared. Being the closest to the devil, he fired the first shot. If his shot hit Garfield, it would surely be fatal.


    Garfield felt utterly hopeless. He believed that Adam hadn''t failed, but no one was listening to his exnation. His Titan body might disappear before he ever really got to use it.


    "I hope the avatar I left in the Mage World is still of some use."


    "I must be the most miserable devil in the world."


    Garfield wallowed in self-pity, not noticing what was happening around him.


    A few secondster...


    "Eh, why am I not dead yet? What are you doing?" He looked around in shock as the Titans saluted him uniformly, murmuring to himself.


    ...


    As the seventh thousandth ether crystal was consumed, the trantion work was finallypleted. The will of Lord Svorsi within the mes waspletely obscured, making him now Adam''s transcendent avatar. In this state, no matter if he had safeguards in ce, nothing could stop Adam''s actions.


    If Adam wished, he could destroy the king just like the Metal Eaters could.


    The virus-killing program was also sessfully written. The next step was to find a carrier for the Reincarnation Spell. Since they weren''t actually going to perform a real reincarnation this time, they only needed an empty, healthy body to temporarily hold the will and energy. Adam had many such carriers avable.


    Adam sped his hands in front of his chest, summoning a magic array that shed a dazzling light. Immediately following, a tiny creature pped its wings, emerging dizzily from the summoned space."

 Chapter 256: The Cure

    Chapter 256: The Cure


    Sophia was doing great in the magic space. She had endless food, lots of friends to y with, and could sleep or wake up anytime she liked. The only downside was that she hadn''t seen Adam for a long time, which made her a bit sad.


    Just before, she was ying with Lina,pletely forgetting that she was a level-three giant dragon. She buzzed around like a bee, gathering nectar for Lina, when suddenly, a bright light wrapped around her and yanked her out of the space.


    She found herself surrounded by fierce mes. Scared, she forgot to p her wings and screamed as she fell.


    When she realized the mes didn''t burn her, she looked around. Then, she saw Adam glowing in the firelight above her.


    Her eyes sparkled, and she flew towards Adam, shouting, "Big dragon, big dragon, what are you doing..."


    Before Sophia could finish her sentence, she froze mid-air. Then she began to transform. Gentle light rippled like water waves, quickly gathering, and after the light faded, Sophia''s ten-meter-long battle form appeared in front of Adam.


    The soul vibration made the dragon''s body look a bit blurry. This vibration also brought up the periodic waves of Lord Svorsi''s Original mes. Now, Adam had to match the frequencies of the soul and the mes.


    Five minutester, Adam found the right frequency and softly shouted.


    The Reincarnation Spell immediately worked. It turned the Original mes into information and, in a sh, entered Sophia''s brain.Sophia''s eyes shut tight, then suddenly snapped open. Two pirs of fire burst out, and then her whole body lit up with zing mes.


    Adam realized he had underestimated the power of a transcendent creature''s core, as well as the oddness of the Reincarnation Spell. When they activated at the same time, they even started to change Sophia''s form of existence. Meanwhile, Lord Svorsi, who had lost the mes, began to weaken. With no target, the viruses in his body were exposed and, after a brief pause, started attacking Svorsi''s body fiercely.


    Adam quickly stopped the Reincarnation Spell on his original body. He took control of the antivirus program he had created to stop the virus.


    Meanwhile, the connection Adam left in Sophia''s body was controlling her body, rushing towards the outside world at full speed.


    He couldn''t stay there any longer. Only when Lord Svorsi''s presence waspletely gone could all the viruses emerge and fight fiercely.


    ...


    "What are you all doing?"


    Garfield made it through the chaos. He realized that the Titans weren''t bowing to him, but to the solid me of Will Power in front of him. Suddenly, his metallic body felt weak. In a faint voice, he joined the Titans, saying, "My Lord."


    "Lord Gell."


    The me of Will casually blocked the Warlords'' energy attacks, leaving behind the message, "Do not rush, just wait quietly," before vanishing from the Royal City.


    The uncertainty of Lord Svorsi''s fate was weighing on the Titans'' hearts and had also caught the attention of the Metal Eaters'' Royals, who hadunched a full-scale attack on the Titans'' leaders on the battlefield.


    They aimed to interrupt Lord Svorsi''s recovery. The pressure on the frontlines was now intense. Lord Gell, caught up in managing this crisis, made a brief spiritual appearance and quickly left.


    For the Titans, themands of the Royals were not absolute, but centuries of history had shown that the Royals were usually right. Thus, the Intelligents, those Titans who were more reflective, chose to stop thinking for now. They simply obeyed, a decision that ultimately saved Garfield''s life.


    He hovered quietly in the air, too afraid to move. If it weren''t for the strong energy stabilizing the space around him, he would have liked to open a portal and escape. He even thought that the earlier deadly atmosphere was better, since at least then, he wasn''t under the threat of energy cannons firing at him suddenly.


    But just a few secondster...


    "What is that?!"


    "Something flew out!"


    Garfield was startled, "Flew out? It certainly couldn''t be Lord Svorsi, so it must be... Sophia! Master! Don''t leave me behind! Take me with you if you''re escaping!"


    But this time, apart from him, the Titans didn''t react. They knew that such a tant "flee" was too absurd to be true. Numerous energy vortexes rose on the shield, keeping Garfield firmly in ce. If he even thought about breaking through the shield carrying the me, the entire year''s energy supply of the Royal City would crash down on him in an instant.


    So, all the Titans watched intently as Sophia circled around Lord Svorsi''s body three times. She emitted avaced dragon breath and a loud screech, then flew back into Svorsi''s body.


    Then a transcendent power burst forth. Lord Svorsi''s body slowly rose, causing the entire Royal City to shake violently like an earthquake.


    The Titans didn''t know how to contain their joy. They flew around like headless flies, shouting, "Lord Svorsi has revived! Lord Svorsi has healed!"


    ...


    Adam made his way back inside Lord Svorsi''s body. The energized metal of Lord Svorsi''s body began to heal, the ''rust'' and cracks disappeared, and it shone with a golden light again. His Vital Generator also restored itself, showing off itsplex structure.


    The viruses were totally wiped out, and the leftover tissue became a sample. Adam sealed and stored them in his portable space.


    Sophianded in the Vital Generator and lifted the Reincarnation Spell. The spark of Lord Svorsi left Sophia''s brain and moved back into his own body. A massive burst of energy spread through the wide energy circuits, bringing the giant, two kilometers tall, back to life.


    Floating beside his mithril body, Adam announced, "A mage never breaks a promise, and I hope the Titans feel the same way."


    Svorsi''s image appeared before Adam again, clearer than ever. With a smile in his eyes, Lord Svorsi stepped forward and hugged Adam tightly, saying, "Thank you, guest from another world. You have earned the trust of the Titans, and from now on, the Titan race will be your eternal allies."


    He switched from calling Adam an "invader" back to "guest." Adam trusted Lord Svorsi''s wordspletely because he knew the Titans were straightforward and didn''t just offer empty ttery. Adam was confident that an alliance with Titania would be hugely beneficial, given thebat power of its forty-seven transcendent beings.


    "It is my honor, Lord Svorsi," Adam responded.


    Lord Svorsiughed heartily, giving Adam several strong pats on the back before letting go, and eximed, "Feeling healthy again is so wonderful. I can''t wait to teach those traitors a lesson!"


    Adam then mentioned, "Unfortunately, Lord Svorsi, I''m out of ether crystals. You''ll need to find your own way to deal with the energy issue."

 Chapter 257: Gains

    Chapter 257: Gains


    Lord Svorsi chuckled a bit awkwardly. "Why would I take your things, my friend? You''ve got me wrong, haha."


    Then he turned off his projection and added, "I need to rest now. You can hang around in the Royal City for a few more days. And, besides knowing some top secrets, you''ll have the same rights as me with the Titan people."


    This was just what Adam had expected. After thanking him, Adam got into the mithril body and took off with the puzzled Sophia.


    Overall, this adventure was totally worth it. Adam was really happy with what he had managed to get.


    He had picked up a ton of information and materials that were super important, especially about the Devourer and the problems with Titania''s Origin. Dealing with these was Adam''s next big job---he needed to either distract the Devourer from the Origin or prevent its erosion for now, so he could set up spatial anchor coordinates and then reach out to the Fifth Element.


    Right now, Adam couldn''t connect to the Mage Network. The Metal Eaters might have done something to cut off and weaken the signal. Although Adam could still sense the Mage Network, he couldn''t send any messages through it.


    Before, it seemed almost impossible to get around this block of information. But now, things were different; since his real body could show up in Titania, he could use his magic powers. This made the job a bit easier.


    So, even though the path ahead was tough, there was now some hope.


    Plus, Sophia, who had briefly held the mes, also got a lot of perks. The biggest one was fixing the problem of her drained essence after transforming, which really boosted her chances of bing transcendent.


    Also, Sophia''sbat form got a newyer of cold ice armor with some metal elements, making it transcendent-level magic metal. Her defenses got a big upgrade.


    Even Sophia''s normal form got a huge boost.


    Now, she excitedly sat on top of Adam''s head, and every time she pped her wings, little water element sprites appeared.


    These sprites were funpanions for her usually, but in a fight, they turned into active level-three water element magic.


    "Big dragon, where are we? Is this also one of your bodies? Did you transform again? Can you change back to your dragon form?" After having her fun, Sophiay down and fired off these questions next to Adam''s ear.


    "This is Titania."


    The exit was right there, and Adam answered her with just that one line before signaling her to keep quiet. There were lots of people outside to handle, especially Qi 31.


    Adam had taken advantage of his trust, and it wasn''t something he was proud of.


    Garfield was quite happy with himself at that time.


    It was Adam who had healed Lord Svorsi, and Garfield hadn''t done anything, but the Titans didn''t know that. They couldn''t tell the difference between a leader and his helper, and just treated them the same.


    After Lord Svorsi got better, the simple-minded giants each came down, giving Garfield a hearty pat on the head. Then, they picked him up with two fingers and swung him around in the sky.


    Garfield wasn''t used to the Titans'' way of showing friendship, but he still felt proud.


    He started boasting without even thinking, until Adam came out of Lord Svorsi''s body and Sophia, hearing Garfield''s boasts, sharply said, "Bragging!" That shut him up.


    When the Titans saw Adam, they stopped their rough handling of Garfield and rushed over to Adam, wanting to thank him in their own direct way.


    Remembering how Windme 222 and the others had ''tortured'' him when he first arrived, Adam quickly used a Blink spell to escape the area, only leaving a message for Qi 31.


    ...


    "So, that''s what happened."


    In the maintenance area at the other end of the Royal City, Qi 31, Garfield, and Adam''s mithril body were getting top-notch care.


    Sophia flew around carelessly, not even bothering when she got squashed into droplets by machines.


    Adam stood by, exining everything to Qi 31.


    After listening quietly, Qi 31 quickly forgave Adam. After all, Adam hadn''t hurt the Titans and had actually helped save their race. There was nothing for him to be upset about.


    "What will you do next? Go back to your world?"


    "No, I''ll stay here and help with your fight against the Metal Eaters."


    ...


    Later, they went back to Lord Svorsi''s body.


    "Help us?"


    As Qi 31 consumed energy blocks like they were nothing, he asked doubtfully, "My friend, if your world coulde to Titania, and if it''s really as strong as you say, then helping might work. But with your current power, facing any Metal Eater leader would mean certain death."


    Adam shook his head. "My skills are better used behind the scenes than on the front lines."


    "The key to winning or losing our war with the Metal Eaters is with the Royals. We just need to make sure we''re not caught off guard," said Qi 31.


    Adam didn''t agree with him. "There are forty-seven Royals, and each one must be at the front, right? Besides watching out for sneak attacks by Metal Eater kings, shouldn''t you also be protecting the regr Titans at the front?"


    "Yes," Lord Svorsi said.


    "And between protecting your people and fighting the Metal Eaters directly, how do you split your forces?"


    "Sixty-forty," he replied.


    "I can help free up that forty percent of your focus, by dividing the battle into two levels. Your Titan Royals will focus on the Metal Eater Royals, while your regr Titan warriors handle the ordinary Metal Eaters."


    As they talked, Lord Svorsi''s mes suddenly pulled all the energy blocks in front of him into the Vital Generator. He looked unsure as he said, "Even if all the newborns and Knights joined the battle, they would still be far outnumbered by the massive number of Metal Eaters."


    "If we can''t increase the number of fighters, then we''ll need to make them stronger."


    "Are you talking about those gears you made? They help, but they aren''t strong enough. Our Commanders and Warlords need something better."


    "The armor I made back in York is just the simplest kind I know how to make. If you trust me and give me support, I can at least double the fighting power of your ordinary Titans."


    Lord Svorsi immediately stopped drawing energy and projected his image right in front of Adam. The idea of doubling thebat power of the Titans caught his full attention. The Titans had always struggled with their numbers, and the Royals had to spread their efforts too thin.


    If Adam could truly boost the abilities of all Titans---not just double, but even improve them a bit---it would greatly ease their burden and might even let them start taking backnds they had lost.


    Morend would mean more resources and more ces for the Titans to grow, creating a good cycle that was too good to pass up.


    He looked intently at Adam and asked, "Are you serious? What do you need from us?"


    Adam nodded firmly, "I need achievements in battle. A lot of them gather the resources I need."

 Chapter 258: The Plans

    Chapter 258: The ns


    Lord Svorsi paused before answering, "There''s no problem with the Honors, but as for resources... you know, we Titans aren''t rich. Energy blocks, except the ones we give to newborns for free, have to be earned in battle. If we give a big part of them to you..."


    Adam felt a bit awkward. He realized that as powerful as Svorsi was, he knew little about strategy and the economy.


    Adam exined, "Your resources mostlye from fighting. With stronger fighters, you can win more battles and get more resources. Although it costs a lot at first, you''ll get back much moreter."


    Lord Svorsi looked embarrassed. He felt like Adam was looking down on him. He remembered feeling proud when he first called Adam a friend. Now, as Adam was really helping them as a friend, he became the one that was hesitating.


    As Svorsi felt embarrassed, the temperature around Adam noticeably increased.


    "No problem, the Titans will fully support you."


    Adam sighed, "Please get me some samples of each type of conversion fungus. I''ll try to make the production of energy blocks more efficient."


    This was actually what Lord Svorsi was most worried about. The Titans had always had trouble with a reliable energy source.


    Since the Metal Eaters had cut off their ess to other realms, they had been in a tough spot with not enough energy. Luckily, with the conversion fungus, they could just about manage their fighting and daily needs.


    If Adam could really boost the production of energy blocks, it would be even more important than improving the fighting ability of the ordinary Titans.


    He looked at Adam excitedly, "Is it true? Can you really give us that miraculous energy?"


    Adam quickly brought him back to reality, "Are you talking about ether crystals? Even if we boost it several times, the conversion fungus can''t handle and change the highest level of energy from the void. At best, I can make it a bit more efficient, but the quality won''t improve."


    Adam wanted to make sure Lord Svorsi understood, "Also, the transformation might not even work."


    After exining everything to Lord Svorsi, Adam didn''t stay in The Royal City. He teleported straight back to York City.


    The Royal City was safer, but York City was closer to the front lines and more convenient. So, the next day, he was back in his small workshop.


    "Master, do you think you''re being too kind to them?" Garfield asked Adam using telepathy.


    He had opened three teleportation gates in front of him, each leading to different ces. Sophia was flying back and forth through them, both of them having great fun.


    Adam replied, "In this situation, helping them is helping myself."


    "I don''t see how this helps you."


    "I''m stuck in Titania and can''t connect to the Mage Network. I also can''t go through the crystal barrier to get back to the Mage World."


    Garfield was shocked by this. "What do you mean?!"


    "The leader of the Metal Eaters, the Devourer, is a transcendent creature, its level close to the Great Archmages. It has taken over the Origin and blocked the world. If we want to get back to the Mage World, we need to handle this problem."


    Garfield was stunned. He stopped watching Sophia struggling in the spatial folds, and asked nkly, "A creature close to the Great Archmages? We''re going to deal with an enemy like that?"


    Adam took out some experimental gear he had brought from the Mage World from his portable space.


    These alchemy tools had always been stored deep in his portable space. If it weren''t foring to Titania, Adam thought he might never have used them.


    He replied, "Yes, but an enemy is an enemy, and trouble is trouble, theye from the same origin but are different."


    Garfield pulled Sophia out of the folds and held her in his hand. Then he asked, "I don''t understand."


    "Even if I took over Lord Svorsi''s body, I wouldn''tst against the Devourer. So, I can only help them, boost the Titans'' strength, and let these big guys tackle the Devourer."


    "But a Great Archmage and transcendent beings..."


    "I know. I''m not expecting forty-seven transcendent beings to handle the Devourer, but they can at least distract it. I just need a little time to connect to the Mage Network and report the situation here to headquarters. The Tower will have a n for us."


    Garfield snapped back to reality, looking worried. "Master, we won''t die, will we?" He felt his life was too hard and exhausting. Being killed by a Great Archmage---no resurrection method would work.


    Adam wasn''t too concerned. He countered, "Would yound during a flight just to kill an ant on the ground?"


    "Of course not, I''m not that bored," Garfield replied automatically. Then he realized, "Oh, I see, we''re safe for now, right?"


    "Yes, unless we''re THAT unfortunate and get killed by ident. Otherwise, as long as the Devourer hasn''tpletely taken over the origin of Titania, we are safe for now."


    Garfield was really scared by Adam''s exnation. Just thinking about that situation made him feel very hopeless and helpless. Usually, he was prettyzy, but this time he surprisingly took the lead and said, "Master, I want to help too. Is there anything I can do?"


    Adam looked at him, surprised, as if seeing him in a new way. After thinking for a bit, he handed Garfield a spatial anchor and said, "Use your ability to gather coordinates. Be careful."


    Garfield nodded a lot, "Don''t worry, master, I won''t get myself killed."


    "Yes, you can, but you absolutely must not lose the spatial anchor."


    ...


    Five dayster, the first batch of resources and samples of conversion fungus were delivered to Adam. The Titan Royals seemed to have decided to fullymit, as the supplies they delivered were not onlyplete but even more than Adam had asked for.


    Qi 31 stood in front of the huge pile of resources and told Adam, "The first batch of resources is here, it''s as much as what the entire Titania produces in a year."


    "Your investment will start paying off very soon."


    "I hope so." Qi 31 sighed, then asked, "Lord Svorsi asked me to help you. What''s next?"


    "Build a factory."


    Qi 31 got really involved as Adam''s assistant. He started to help Adam set up a smelting factory in York City.


    Meanwhile, all the avable Intelligents and their apprentices from all over Titania kepting to York. They were ordered to do whatever it took, face any challenge, and help finish Adam''s research.


    This was how Adam liked to work---letting others handle the routine tasks while he focused entirely on the experiments.


    Adam nned out the smelting factory, listed the essential standard equipment, and made sure there was space for energy tracks. Then, he went straight into theb to work with the conversion fungus."

 Chapter 259: The Forest Elves

    Chapter 259: The Forest Elves


    Growing the special fungi wasn''t as tough as Adam had made it sound to Lord Svorsi.


    These fungi couldn''t make ether crystals, but boosting their power output was pretty straightforward.


    Adam had yed up how hard it was to manage expectations. He made it seem more difficult so Lord Svorsi would be more impressed and thankful when things went better than expected.


    Adam wasn''tpletely happy with how cautious and tight-fisted the Titans were.


    Before these fungi, the Titans depended solely on underground energy sources. All minerals, including these energy sources, came from the Origin and, to a lesser extent, from the Mother Lode.


    If only they had let Adam tweak the Mother Lode, things would be a lot easier.


    Adam also knew that he had to earn the Titans trust step by step.


    He wasn''t a nt expert, but he had folks in his team who were.


    The forest elves were all now level-two Nature Controllers. Their leader, Lina, was at the top of this second level. With their knack for controlling nts, growing these conversion fungi, which were kind of like basic nts, was..."Not very hard, master," Lina said confidently.


    From the moment Sofia vanished, Lina was ready for Adam to summon her. That was why she had her people stop everything in the summoning space so she could answer Adam''s call anytime, perfectly ready.


    The new world stunned her---it was totally barren of nt energy, a real shock for these forest elves.


    Knowing Adam wasn''t one for small talk, Lina saluted and then went straight to the basic fungi. "These fungi are interesting, and they''re very simple."


    Lina put her powers into the fungi. Spores quickly formed, and the fungi grew fast in her hands.


    In that short time, the original fungi were outdone, leaving only a more advanced type that stored more nt power.


    "I''ve boosted their ability to reproduce. The fungi that grow from these parent ones will keep this enhanced form," she exined.


    The advanced fungi then gathered together. Adam put them in a dish in front of Lina and kept feeding them elemental power.


    The fungi ate up the elements and started to ooze a fine, sticky fluid. When this fluid came together, it turned into energy blocks.


    Adam told Lina that the fungi''s job was to make energy blocks. The better the fungi, the better the energy blocks they made.


    He needed her to boost their skills and how quickly they could reproduce. He showed her four types of fungi and told her to improve them as much as she could.


    "Like the worms in the Dragon ne?" Lina asked thoughtfully, then took a piece of the fungi and ate it. "I get it. I can do this."


    Adam was pleased and gave her all the fungi samples. "Take these, I''ll send you back."


    But Lina seemed unsure. "Master," she started carefully.


    "What''s up?" Adam noticed her hesitation.


    "Master, once I''m done with the fungi, can I stay with you?" Lina asked shyly.


    Adam was going to say no since her powers weren''t much use in the Titans'' world. But then he thought of something and said, "Alright, do it quickly."


    ...


    Every day, Qi 31 would update Adam on the factory construction work. Then, he''d stick around, watching Adam work on a strange device and type in characters he had never seen.


    After watching for three days, Qi 31''s curiosity got the better of him. "Mithril 99, I mean, Adam, what are these things?"


    Adam didn''t avoid his question because the info wasn''t secret, and he knew the Titans wouldn''t get it anyway. He answered honestly, "These are the things I''m going to make next and the recipes I need for them."


    He pointed at each item as he talked about them on the projector: "Maic metal, Space Metal, Elemental Metal, Special Metal, and so on. Here are the gears we need to make from these metals."


    Qi 31, being an Intelligent, was eager to learn about new technology. The names Adam used sounded fascinating, and he was bursting with questions, but just as he started to ask, Adam cut in, "How''s the factorying along?"


    Qi 31 hesitated, then slowly began to exin after a pause.


    When amunity pulls together, they can achieve incredible things; thus, the maization smelting factory was being built at an unbelievable speed. It was up and running faster than Adam had expected.


    Maybe calling it just a factory was underselling it. With every Intelligent who arrived turning the ce into a learning hub, it was more like a high-tech zone now. It was busy everywhere, except in the areas Adam had kept clear for the main buildings.


    "What are those ouys for? Also, do you really not need us to bring any tools?"


    "No need, juste with me."


    Adam didn''t want to dy. If he could finish the products faster, it would calm the Titans'' concerns and speed up the project.


    The news that a visitor from a different world was going to show his techniques quickly spread among all the Titans in York City.


    Except for those who had to patrol and couldn''te, everyone else gathered around the factory. They watched Adam closely, curious to see what he would do.


    "Put the energy blocks into the spaces I''ve set aside, and make sure there are no empty spots."


    "Fill them all the way?!" Qi 31 said, shocked. "How many energy blocks will that use up?"


    He wasn''t the only one surprised. The other Titans couldn''t believe what they were hearing either. In their view, energy blocks should be used in Vital Generators, and putting them underground seemed like a sin.


    "Just do it, and you''ll understand why soon." After that, Adam went to the middle of the main factory building. He positioned his mithril body at thest connection point of all the energy paths. Then, he took apart his body, arranging it to match theyout of the energy paths.


    The Titans reluctantly did what Adam asked. Once the energy blocks were set up, Adam melted his Vital Generator, leaving only the Original mes burning brightly at the center."

 Chapter 260: The Royals Concern (1)

    Chapter 260: The Royals'' Concern (1)


    The energy paths were set up to form a maic smelting magic array. This setup was based on a standard electromaic conversion array and a smelting array developed by alchemists. At the center, a spark of energy controlled the core.


    When the mes settled in the middle of the array, Adam directed the first bit of magic into it. Immediately, the energy blocks activated and moved along the pre-defined paths toward the mes.


    The mes transformed this energy and spread it throughout the main factory. A powerful maic field formed, creating a violent electromaic storm that almost tore Qi 31 and the nearby Titans apart.


    The main factory seemed to exist in its own world. In this space, Titania''s normal rules didn''t apply, and strange, indescribable phenomena appeared and vanished in quick session. Once the energy hadpleted its cycle, everything settled.


    Without exnation, Adam invited the Titans with damaged bodies into the maic field and let them control the mes. They would be the test subjects for this trial.


    Adam didn''t need to build a smelting furnace because the Original mes were perfect for the task. This approach greatly helped the lower-level Titans. By serving as conduits within the magic array, their bodies would naturally be stronger, and their sparks would gain more power.


    A few Titans carefully stepped into the factory. After ensuring there was no danger, they followed Adam''s instructions and opened their mes. Energy surged into their mes, and their wounds healed almost instantly.


    "Amazing!" one eximed.


    Adam added, "This won''t help the Warlords much, but your apprentices can use this opportunity, or you can pass the mes on here." He then looked at Qi 31. "You can also bring the me Sparkles stored in the me House here. They''ll be better preserved than with simple energy supplies."The Titans'' eyes lit up. This feature was invaluable since many weakened Sparks were stored in every ind city, and the Titans hadn''t had a good way to strengthen them. If what Adam said was true, it would significantly boost their poption, bringing huge benefits.


    Ignoring their excitement, Adam continued, "I needrge quantities of neodymium, iron, and boron to create a special alloy."


    Qi 31 eagerly nodded. "No problem. We have plenty of those metals."


    Adam''s first goal was to make neodymium mas. While the process wasn''t overlyplicated, their sessful creation would have a big impact. This material could rece mithril and be better suited for Adam''s war body. Plus, with the right mechanisms in ce, the factory using these mas would save a lot of energy.


    ...


    When you''re doing what you love, time flies by.


    A year had passed since the factory was built, and York City had be the most thriving ce in all of Titania.


    The Royal City was the political heart of Titania, and York City had be the economic engine.


    The factory''s maized smelting products were the gear that every Titan wanted. Titans took pride in owning a new set after experiencing how advanced alloys and powerful Grafted Gear could boost theirbat skills.


    Meanwhile, vast resources and Battle Honors poured into the city, turning into power that was then spread outwards.


    The city''s size had doubled over the past year, but the streets were still packed, and there were even "traffic jams" sometimes.


    Gears like basic four-element sets, turbocharged plugins, rigid flexible shields, particle weapons, electromaic arms, and high-power force field generators were all in high demand.


    If Titan resources weren''t limited, Adam''s promise to double theirbat strength would already havee true.


    The new tech produced alloys that improved energy capacitypared to the Titans'' own, and also, they could greatly enhance their physical traits. They no longer had to maintain bodies tens of meters tall and could shrink to half their battle size for daily life.


    Adam had dissected many live Metal Eaters. After testing different oxidation rays andbining them with the forest elves'' stealth skills, he made an advanced alloy that was highly resistant to corrosion. Titans only needed to build this alloy into their bodies to gain strong anti-corrosion properties.


    Adam''s weapon storage space was seen as his biggest invention.


    Inspired by Garfield''s spatial tech, Adam kept only the stable space structure and removed all other features.


    By adding a special space metal plug to the Vital Generator, Titans got storage spaces of varying sizes. They could store their Grafted Gears and instantly deploy it in battle, letting them quickly load and switch their weapon systems.


    Now, every Titan could enter the battlefield with multiple grafted gears, turning them from simple metal beings into adaptable transformers.


    In this year, Adam had single-handedly helped the Titans make a big leap forward.


    As a result, Adam earned great respect. All over Titania, Adam''s influence was unmatched, except among the Royals.


    The Titans were grateful to Adam, believing he had no personal gain and was a symbol of selfless devotion.


    But that wasn''t the whole story.


    ...


    "Now, it seems like there are no secrets left for Adam when ites to ordinary Titans," remarked a me projection with a mix of emotions in Titania''s mysterious space.


    Forty-seven me projections had gathered here, forming a circle around the hundreds of items disyed at the center. These objects represented all of Adam''s creations from the past year. Above them, a luminous screen floated.


    "It''s not just ''seems,'' it''s certain," another Royal replied, gesturing to the screen where Adam was effortlessly disassembling a Commander''s body. "I have no idea how he manages this. He doesn''t even bother hiding it, yet I still can''t understand."


    "Svorsi, do you know?" he asked.


    Lord Svorsi''s projection flickered thoughtfully. "His ability appears to break down our bodies into a form we''ve never identified before, and then he rebuilds them. He calls this an electron. ording to Adam, there are billions of these in each Titan''s body, but..."


    "But we don''t even know what that is," another Royal cut in. "Even the mes are under his control. In just one year, York City''s me House is almost out of Sparks."


    "He''s too dangerous. If everyone from his world is this terrifying and if they wish to harm the Titans... suddenly, the Metal Eaters seem far less threatening."

 Chapter 261: The Royals Concern (2)

    Chapter 261: The Royals'' Concern (2)


    A Royal said, "At least he means us no harm for now. He saved me, and the power of ordinary Titans is growing, with the number of newborns also on the rise."


    "Besides, we have no choice but to trust him."


    The Royals fell silent. The phrase "no choice" struck a nerve. After a pause, someone broke the awkward silence, asking, "Forget it. We''ll deal with it as ites. Svorsi, why did you call us here today?"


    "Two things," Lord Svorsi replied excitedly. "First, the conversion fungi upgrade is done. The new energy blocks made with them now have double the energy content and production efficiency."


    The Royals were moved. Energy had always been a top concern, and doubling production efficiency meant a more than twofold increase in their fighting power and endurance.


    "Are you sure?"


    "How did he manage that?"


    "Can it make Royal-grade energy blocks?"


    "What''s the survival rate of the new fungi?"The questions poured out, and Lord Svorsi didn''t know which to answer first. Instead, he shouted, "Listen up!"


    Once the room quieted down, he said with satisfaction, "The new fungi are much better than the old ones. Their vitality and reproduction are far stronger. They can''t make Royal-grade blocks, but our energy replenishment is now four times faster. That''s good enough."


    "You all understand what this means, right? Although we''re still behind the Royals of the Metal Eaters, we won''t be suffocated anymore."


    Everyone nodded. This was huge. It meant the Titans could finally get out of their desperate state and start developing stably.


    Lord Svorsi then shared another piece of good news they couldn''t refuse, "ording to Adam''s experiments, the fungi can survive in most environments. Thend ruined by the Metal Eaters will heal after nting them. Plus, they can live inside us, and if we do that..."


    "If we do that, ordinary Titans will have a steady energy supply for long missions!" another Royal said, clearly excited. Improving the fungi was more impactful than new weapons and gear because it solved the Titans'' biggest problem. With this, they could adopt a more proactive strategy and even push the fight harder, knowing their foundation was secure.


    After sharing this thrilling news for a while, the group remembered to ask Lord Svorsi about the second thing.


    "Second, Adam has shared most of the production process with us. A species he summoned will cultivate the fungi, and he..."


    "Is he leaving Titania?!"


    "No, he''s heading to the front lines, right into Metal Eater territory."


    ...


    Adam didn''t want to waste time staying in York City. He had studied everything he could, and all the data was documented. He''d reached the limit of his alloy production skills, and there was no way for him to make any further improvements.


    Also, Garfield had sent a message. He''d found something unusual in Metal Eater territory that might rte to the hidden coordinates of the world. But he wasn''t certain and didn''t dare get close.


    The defenses there were stronger than those around the Parental Body near the Ironburg frontline. Garfield could only observe from a spatial fold, not risking any disturbance. This meant he couldn''t teleport Adam over.


    Adam shared this with Lord Svorsi and asked for support. First, though, he needed to upgrade himself and his summoned creatures.


    The ma production process was well-established, and Adam had a good stock of neodymium, samarium-cobalt, and other permanent mas in his warehouse. These mas had much stronger maic force than those on Earth, but they had clear ws---they were too brittle and couldn''t handle heat.


    These drawbacks prevented Adam from using mas entirely in his Titan body. Instead, he add some into his mithril body.


    When his true form separated from his Titan body, that Titan body became a powerful piece of equipment, a Magic Construct in Adam''s hands.


    This construct reced traditional tools like magic wands. It can boost Adam''s magic and strength more efficiently while offering impressive defense.


    Adam was happy with his creation and felt that Magic Constructs could be popr in the Mage World.


    Adam had wanted ordinary life forms in the Mage World to have fighting power since very long ago. Now, that was finally possible.


    For mages, it made alchemists'' Mechanical Bodies stronger, and elemental, body-refining, and mystic mages could also benefit from a mechanical form.


    Adam stood in front of the metal fluid flowing like water. He then engraved runes to embed all the magic he knew.


    He added terrifyingly powerful weapon attachments, seemingly unconcerned about cost, and threw them all into his mes.


    His avatar would then refine them, building the construct entirely to Adam''s vision.


    Next, he needed to modify Sophia.


    Sophia''s second form, which Meredith had helped create, was already suited for battle. Now, Adam needed to customize a summoner construct for her based on her body shape. This wasn''t too hard, as Titania could already produce aquatic metals. With the raw materials sorted out, it was just a matter of engraving magic arrays inside.


    Adam did the same thing for Lina. Even though Adam wasn''t sure her abilities would have much impact on Titania, he wasn''t one to y favorites. So, since it wasn''t too difficult, he made a construct for her as well.


    Three dayster, Adam''s magic construct was finished.


    The final product looked incredibly sleek, merging both technological and mystical elements. Everyponent could work on its own but was connected via a rune set. In battle, this set could activate and equip everything in a second, offering unmatched convenience.


    On the fourth day, the constructs for Sophia and Lina were ready too. With everything prepared, Adam was now just waiting for a signal from Lord Svorsi.


    ...


    Lord Svorsi didn''t keep Adam waiting. That evening, his projection appeared before Adam; it had been a while since they''dst seen each other. Svorsi''s projection said, "We Royals have approved your request and will send a team of Warlords to go with you into Metal Eater territory."


    Adam performed a formal mage salute. "Thank you. I promise all the information we gather will be shared with Titans."


    Lord Svorsi nodded, "I believe you, but the Royals need one more promise from you."


    "Please let me know. I''ll do my best to honor it."


    "Don''t act rashly and alert the enemy. Don''t start a war before the Titans are ready."

 Chapter 262: Imaginary Balance

    Chapter 262: Imaginary Bnce


    At the Royals Council meeting, a dispute broke out after Lord Svorsi shared Adam''s request with the rest of the Royals.


    The Titans were enjoying a peace they hadn''t had for over four thousand years, and the advanced knowledge from a visitor from another world was transforming their society. No one wanted to upset this fragile stability.


    They knew this was just the calm before the storm, and the next war would be a fight for survival.


    Among their enemies was a god-like being, which made them even more cautious about taking rash actions.


    If a Titan had made this scouting request, they would have prepared thoroughly. But because it was Adam asking, they hesitated and were overthinking it.


    The Royals viewed the situation from a racial perspective: if a Titan were in another world and a war between two races could help the Titans, what would they do? The answer was clear.


    However, Adam had helped the Titans greatly. He had contributed to their progress, uncovering secrets of an ordinary Titan''s body and mes. Refusing his request could lead to a breakdown or the destruction of mes.


    "Can you guarantee it?" Lord Svorsi asked, staring directly at Adam. "My friend."


    Adam met his gaze and replied sincerely, "Don''t worry. Starting a war won''t benefit me. The Titans'' interests are my interests, and I have no reason to harm them."He was telling the truth. The Devourer was a looming threat over both the Titans and himself. He wouldn''t provoke it without proper preparation or certainty. Unable to connect to the Mage Network or leave the ne, he was truly fighting alone now.


    Lord Svorsi was still skeptical but stopped dwelling on the matter. Instead, he asked, "What do you n to learn in the Metal Eaters'' territory? The data the Titans have collected over four thousand years should give you plenty of information about those traitors."


    The Titans'' knowledge of the Metal Eaters was limited to theirbat capabilities: their battle skills, the traits of their attack and defense fields, and theyout of their nests near the border. Beyond that, they knew almost nothing. Being pushed back for so long, they couldn''t see past the border itself, remaining unaware of what the Metal Eaters were doing or nning deeper within their territory.


    "The Metal Eaters have the power to crush you, but they remain satisfied with this deadlock, why? Forgive my bluntness, but if the Devourer decides to act, all 47 of your Royals together could only hold it off briefly. At best, you might choose who dies first and who diesst, but death is inevitable either way."


    "You should know better than anyone that the bnce you believe in is imaginary."


    "What are their real goals? Why are they so determined to control Titania''s Origin? They know the paths to other nes. Why remain on this metal ne? Other worlds could surely offer them the tools they need to evolve. Under the Devourer''s rule, few races in void could stand against them. There must be motivations you aren''t yet aware of."


    Svorsi sighed, "These are the answers I seek. This is the vital information that could truly change your war strategies and oues."


    These questions weren''t ignored, but the struggle for survival left the Titans little time to pursue them. With a sigh, he conceded, "Maybe you''re right."


    There was another reason Adam hadn''t shared yet. He had deciphered the data from the electric telescope. The scattered words were too fragmented to make clear sentences, but what he understood troubled him deeply. If the message''s sender was Titans'' god, the ne''s situation was far moreplicated than it seemed.


    ...


    In Ironburg, Iron 27 gazed at Adam, who hovered before him and was barely taller than his eye sockets. With a conflicted look, Iron 27 said, "I thought the next time we met, you''d be a real Intelligent. I didn''t expect to see you like this. When others told me you weren''t a Titan, I almost didn''t believe it."


    "I''m sorry."


    "No, there''s no need to apologize. I believe you mean no harm to the Titans. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have helped us destroy that parent nest. And the changes you''ve brought have been significant. Ironburg''sbat power is much stronger than before. Our patrolling nsmen haven''t suffered any losses in a long time."


    Adam felt a bit embarrassed. He had helped kill the parental body because he wouldn''t die from it, and he had assisted the Titans only because it benefited him.


    While the results were positive, his motives weren''t entirely pure. Still, he didn''t share these thoughts.


    In his early days of having a physical body, he had little emotional intelligence, and even now, he wasn''t much better. However, he had learned how to tell harmless white lies.


    Qi 31 gave Iron 27 a firm pat on the shoulder and said, "Exactly, no need to apologize. We''re all thankful for what you''ve done. But don''t you think you should recruit more Warlords? Just the two of us might not be enough to protect you."


    Initially, Adam had chosen only Iron 27 as hispanion because of his formidable defensive skills. Qi 31 insisted on joining after hearing about the mission, and Adam couldn''t refuse.


    It wasn''t that Adam didn''t want to bring more people, but Garfield''s spatial abilities could only conceal twopanions. Iron 27''s current size was already a little too tall for this.


    "You need to shrink a bit. Match his height," Adam said, pointing at the 20-meter-tall Qi 31.


    "Forty meters is my limit. I can''t shrink further without your help."


    Adam nodded and led them to an open area. He had prepared a special metal for Iron 27, which would ensure that his strength wouldn''t diminish after shrinking. In fact, with the increased density, his defensive power would only grow stronger.


    ...


    A dayter, all the mission supplies were ready and stored in the weapon space. Meanwhile, Garfield returned to Adam, pretending to be exhausted, and handed over the spatial anchor and coordinates. He seemed to want to say more, but Adam didn''t let him. He revoked Garfield''s control over that body.


    Garfield was too unpredictable, and this mission was extremely risky. Adam didn''t trust him and preferred to handle the crucial task of concealment himself.


    Afterpleting the preparations, Adam and his twopanions left Ironburg, venturing deep into the Metal Eaters'' territory---an area no Titan had explored for over four thousand years."

 Chapter 263: The Angels (1)

    Chapter 263: The Angels (1)


    About half a dayter, the trio stood next to a boundary marker. Adam asked, "So, the new boundary line has only been pushed out by seven thousand kilometers?"


    Iron 27 replied, "That''s right. After you left, the Metal Eaters hit us with several counterattacks. We had to pull back, and the folks at headquarters decided that seven thousand kilometers was the bestpromise. Any less, and we wouldn''t gain much; any more, and it would be too tough to hold. But there''s a weird thing: once we moved back to this spot, the Metal Eaterspletely pulled back too. I had Windme 222 scout deep into theirnd, and from where the parental body used to be to here, it''s like they''ve almost given up on this area. Barely any defenses."


    Adam took note of that. Garfield had mentioned something simr---not just here at Ironburg, but all along the Titan front, they were seeing the same thing. It looked like the Metal Eaters were indeed pulling their forces together.


    When weird things happen, there''s usually a reason behind it. The Metal Eaters had been sticking to the old strategy for years, and giving up so easily didn''t make sense. Adam was convinced they were nning something big.


    As the sworn enemies of the Titans, the Metal Eaters would have noticed any changes in Titan''s power. They wouldn''t just sit back and let Titan get stronger.


    Adam thought Lord Svorsi was being too hopeful. If he were making decisions for the Metal Eaters, he''d never let the enemy beef up. The smart move would be to strike before they were ready.


    But Adam kept these thoughts to himself. He figured the Titans probably knew this too. Maybe they were too caught up in their sudden good fortune to see the risk, or maybe they had a n in ce. Either way, it wasn''t really his ce to sway their decisions.


    Shaking off all theseplex thoughts, Adam pulled out two of thetest Stealth Gears and tossed them to hispanions. "Here, try these on. They''re an upgrade from the original ones. Unless you attack first, even the level-four Metal Eaters won''t sense you."


    They were both super excited and started messing around with the new gear right away. Qi 31 said, "These are awesome! Imagine if we could get these to every Titan on the front..."Adam cut in, "I''ve left the blueprints back in York. But these are pricier to make than even the top-level Grafted Gear, so it''s not easy to hand them out everywhere."


    They were a bit let down, but their excitement quickly came back. They were about to head into territory that even the Royals hadn''t touched. The risks they''d face on this mission paled inparison to the excitement of exploring newnds.


    While they were gearing up, Adam called Sofia over in herbat mode and equipped her with a Stealth Gear too. Then he climbed onto the dragon and they set off towards the coordinates Garfield had given.


    ...


    The core area of the Metal Eaters was called "the Land of Divine Revtion" by themselves.


    Now, seven terrified broods with transcendent power were gathering there.


    They had gathered to discuss Titan and Adam.


    All the broods were covered in countless spikes that not only dug into thend around them but seemed to reach into space itself. Energy from every direction was pulled in, changing into odd colors that couldn''t escape, and sucked into these seven dark voids.


    These broods were the strongest followers of the Devourer, leading both the highest and lowest ranks of the Metal Eaters. They called themselves the Angels, the direct descendants of their Father, the Devourer.


    "Amand from Father hase. We must capture that being from another dimension," announced a chilling voice from thergest brood. This voice set off storms and whirls of energy that obliterated even the smallest dust particles. The power it wielded was unimaginable.


    The Titans had already sensed Adam''s presence, and the Metal Eaters, stronger than the Titans, had also been aware of this outsider. To them, Adam was merely a weakling from another realm, not worth their attention or effort.


    However, this "weakling" had now be an annoyance to the Metal Eaters. The Devourer had directly ordered that Adam be captured alive to crush the hopes of the Titan.


    The seven Angels were furious. They felt their oversight had angered Father and brought disgrace upon them.


    After collectively glorifying the Devourer''s might, the seventh Angel said, "The outsider hides among the Titans, those fools will surely resist."


    "War!"


    "Only war will show these fools that they have survived this long only by Father''s mercy!"


    "We must make it clear to the Titans, they are nothing more than cattle we raise! They have no right to fight back!"


    The first Angel''s cries echoed, while the other Angels stayed calm.


    The regr Metal Eaters guarding outside the Land of Divine Revtion were shattered by the force of these roars. Yet, none fled; instead, they filled the ranks again with deep reverence, ready to meet their end.


    "But didn''t Father say we should limit their space but not wipe them out? What if the Pretender is still alive..."


    Spikes suddenly shot out from the first Angel''s brood, stabbing into the seventh Angel. Then, it suppressed its anger and said, "The seventh! Are you doubting Father? The Pretender is merely a false deity. Do you think he can stand against Father?!"


    The seventh Angel let purple blood seep from its nest, quickly rifying, "No, that''s not what I meant," and then fell silent.


    The fourth Angel spoke, "First off, we have countless members, enough to totally destroy the Titans. But how far should we take the war? We have to remember, losing our food source means we can''t evolve."


    All the Metal Eaters knew this; they and the Titans were stuck in a messed up rtionship: Titans would evolve slower without them, but without Titans, their own evolution wouldpletely stop.


    "Father''s attack on the Origin is now at a critical point. All heretics who stand against Father must be wiped out," the first Angel dered with a chilling intent to kill. "Once we break the Pretender''s grip on the Origin, our whole race can evolve. Then, we can use Titania as a stepping stone to spread Father''s glory all over the void. By then, it won''t matter whether Titans exist or not because we will be perfect beings, having Titan''s powers."


    "So, we can''t have any slip-ups now. Plus, Father mentioned that the intruder from another world is really important. He likelyes from a world rich with resources and diverse life. If we capture him, after we evolve, we can take over his world. Then, we''ll have endless resources, and our life forms can evolve forever."


    The Angels felt a surge of excitement, desperate for a new world. After blocking Titans'' routes, they had eaten up all the worlds Titan had found in that part of the void.


    The void was too empty; despite searching non-stop for more than four thousand years, the Angels hadn''t found a new world.


    Now, they finally saw a new hope."

 Chapter 264: The Angels (2)

    Chapter 264: The Angels (2)


    The Angels were wise creatures. Once their enthusiasm dimmed, the questions they thought of followed.


    The third Angel asked, "But that invader is too weak, I don''t know how he manages to survive in the outer void. Does he really know the way back to his original world? Maybe he got caught in a spatial turbulence and ended up here by chance. After all, Father has hidden the coordinates of this ne. Even the Pretender, if he were still alive, couldn''t find his way home."


    Before the first Angel could scold him, the sixth Angel said, "I was the one who found him. He didn''t just appear out of nowhere outside the ne; I''m sure he came here on purpose. The way he entered the ne was also incredible. Even if we can''t find the world hees from, we must capture him to learn his methods."


    "Moreover, he has indeed made the Titans'' power stronger. If we ignore this, maybe soon the Titans will be strong enough to truly threaten us."


    "You all should understand what that would mean."


    "If Father has to leave the Origin to help us, then His efforts to take hold of the Origin will be wasted. The Pretender''s leftover techniques could enable the Titans to create countless Royals in no time. We couldn''t make up for such a result even with a thousand deaths."


    The first Angel finally said, "So, let''s go to war."


    "I agree."


    "Agreed."...


    At this time, Adam and his friends, and even the entire Titan race, had no idea that a plot against them was forming. The clouds of war had already gathered over their heads, ready to burst at any moment.


    They hadn''t run into manyrge Metal Eaters along the way. Using their stealth fields and Stealth Gear, they easily avoided all patrol teams and reached the site of Lithium 15''s self-destruction.


    There were still asional storms in the area, and Adam could sometimes see energy gathering and exploding.


    Then Iron 27 asked, "Adam, I heard your factory can help weak mes gain strength. Lithium 15..."


    "Lithium 15 was one of the first mes to be helped. The situation is much better now. As long as the factory keeps working, we can restart passing on the mes," Qi 31 said excitedly. "We''ve already set up maic smelting factories in several major cities nearby. In the next five to ten years, we can expect arge number of newborns."


    Iron 27 nodded in satisfaction, "Maybe I should also pass on my mes."


    Suddenly Adam asked, "Passing the mes... What impact does it have on you?"


    "Our strength will decrease a bit, and we need to umte energy again to recover. Why do you ask?"


    Adam said, "Then I think, you Royals and Warlords, perhaps should not pass the mes for now."


    The two looked at each other for a while, then asked simultaneously, "Why?"


    Adam was worried that if the Metal Eaters started a war, the Titans wouldck middle-level fighters. However, war was just a suspicion for Adam, not a solid reason he could use to convince others.


    Not wanting to spend too much time exining, he simply offered it as advice and changed the subject.


    Adam pointed to the low-level Metal Eaters active in the center of the explosion and asked, "Are they clearing the energy storm?"


    Iron 27 replied, "They''re the lowest units of the Metal Eaters, their only job is to create nests and clean up battlefields."


    "Isn''t anyonemanding them?"


    "There is, but their superiors aren''t much stronger. These low-level guys aremon in Metal Eater territory, and they could be wiped out by any minor ident."


    Adam nodded. These were perfect spies---plentiful and unnoticed. Thinking this, Adam patted Sophia on the back.


    Sophia opened her mouth and unleashed a dragon breath that trapped the low-level Metal Eaters in ce. The static in her breath paralyzed them, making them lose control of their movements.


    Iron 27 and Qi 31 didn''t know what Adam was up to, but as experienced warriors, they knew that on the battlefield, following the leader was the best way to stay effective. So, they followed Adam without questioning.


    When they got to the front, Adam grabbed a Metal Eater three meters long. His high-frequency vibrating electrode easily broke through its defense field, then he sliced straight down its back.


    Adam had dissected many Metal Eaters in York, but those were second-level or higher. He had never dealt with such basic units before.


    After slicing it open, the electricity quickly spread through its body, targeting structures like neurons and signal reception areas, and destroying them.


    Then Adam looked inside its head and found...


    "Just mush? They don''t even have the ability to think?"


    Qi 31 answered, "Yes, they can only obey the simplestmands and carry out basic tasks. However, the metal they excrete is very good for building new Titan bodies."


    Adam wondered, "Then why don''t you capture these things?"


    Iron 27 waved his hand to disperse Adam''s energy. He released one of the Metal Eaters. It flew around aimlessly for a few seconds before hovering, shaking violently, and then self-destructed.


    "That''s why. Once they are isted from the group, away from themand unit, they self-destruct. But your skill is impressive, considering we''ve never managed to capture these low-level units before."


    Adam realized these cannon fodder were disposable, with no value for reuse. They were like the simplest alchemical golems of the Mage World---created by apprentices, only useful for clearing debris.


    "Does a group only followmands from one leader? When they join with other groups, do they switch to listening to different leaders?"


    This question was a bit unusual, something the Titans hadn''t thought about before. Iron 27 thought about it for a moment, drawing on his experience from the front lines, and guessed, "It''s probably the second option."


    "That''s good to know," Adam said, calling over Lina.


    Iron 27 was meeting Lina for the first time and was quite curious about her. "So this is your..."


    Lina, looking stunning yet very serious, introduced herself, "Hello, I''m Lina. I''m a forest elf and a ve of Master Adam."


    Iron 27 responded warmly, "I''ve heard about you. That fungus was your creation, right? You''ve really helped us out."


    Adam cut their conversation short.


    A buzzing noise of electricity zipped through the air as Adam opened all the Metal Eaters'' skulls. He then instructed Lina, "Use the seeds I''ve modified to infect them. I need to track where they go and what they do."


    Lina quickly ced a deep blue, translucent seed into the brains of the Metal Eaters.


    These seeds could conduct slight electrical currents and maic fields. Once imnted in the organisms, they could mimic electrical signals, effectively recing neurons.


    This allowed them to feed the hosts false information andmands, while also controlling their actions. Moreover, the seeds could sustain themselves on the host''s body, producing new seeds as they grew.


    However, the limitation of these seeds was their low quality. They could only influence the lowest-level Metal Eaters, but for Adam''s current purposes, they were effective enough."

 Chapter 265: Power of Thunder

    Chapter 265: Power of Thunder


    The two Titans had never seen magic like this before and couldn''t figure out what it was for. They watched as Adam wrapped a bright blue herb around his wrist and sent Lina back to where she came from.


    Puzzled, they asked, "What did you just do? Can you control those Metal Eaters now?"


    Adam exined, "Each Metal Eater that flies off helps me see from afar. Whatever they see, I see. Think of them as a living radar, like the ones used in metal factories."


    "Just those simple Metal Eaters? Are they any good?"


    "They just need to stay hidden. If they''re exposed, it could cause us big problems."


    This strategy was typical in mage battles, not really a surprise. But the development of the Titans was a bit unusual. Every Titan was a fighter and they didn''t have roles for specific jobs. These clever moves were new to them.


    "Your way of developing is too straightforward. Just trying to be bigger and stronger isn''t the best approach. Like in your fight with the Metal Eaters---when direct fighting fails, you should look for other ways to make up for your weaknesses."


    The two exchanged looks, "What do you mean our way of developing is too simple?"


    "I mean, your size stops you from sneaking into Metal Eaternds. But what if there was a type of Titan who didn''t get bigger but smaller? Then, you wouldn''t be stuck in this situation."Iron 27 thought this over, but Qi 31 wasn''t convinced. He argued, "But then, how would we stay safe?"


    Adam sharply replied, "Safe? You''re on the edge of being wiped out; what safety can you guarantee for everyone? Sometimes, sacrifices are needed. Isn''t that obvious?"


    After a quiet moment, Iron 27 whispered, "Like Lithium 15?"


    Adam, reminded of the selfless Lithium 15, sighed, "Lithium 15 was different. He wasn''t meant for what I''m talking about."


    Not ready to let go, Qi 31 asked, "Then what should we do?"


    "It''s toote for anything now. The Metal Eaters won''t give you a chance."


    "Just wait to die?" Qi 31ughed sadly. He thought it wasn''t all that bad, as the Titans had gotten much stronger---especially over thest year, their power had nearly doubled.


    Adam didn''t say more. If their god hadn''t died and hade back to Titania to defeat the Devourer, everything would be okay. But without their god, their race was headed for disaster.


    Unless, this deep move into enemynd got the result Adam hoped for.


    Adam was busy putting together the visual informationing to him. From it, he worked out where the nearby Metal Eaters were moving and found the quickest and safest way to the ce Garfield had talked about.


    Iron 27 and Qi 31 were still thinking about what Adam had said. They were likely not going toe up with any real solution.


    "Alright, we''re setting off," Adam announced, getting back on Sophia''s back. "The road ahead won''t be easy. I need you to let me have emergency control of your bodies. If needed, I have to be able to put us all in a spatial fold right away. Any issues with that?"


    ...


    It seemed they had crossed some line, as the number of Metal Eaters suddenly went up. While it wasn''t like there were broods everywhere, patrols were clearly seen all around.


    Adam asked Garfield in his mind, "Was it like this when you were here before?"


    Garfield shook his head, "No, there were barely any Metal Eaters when I was here. The really heavily guarded areas are about five thousand kilometers further in. Master, I think something''s off."


    "Did you leave the magic record runes I told you to?" Adam had earlier asked Garfield to leave magic records in hidden spots to track the movements of the Metal Eaters.


    "In a pit seven hundred and sixty kilometers to the southwest. But thend here has changed, I''m not sure if they''re still there."


    Iron 27 said, "There are three groups of Metal Eaters heading this way, we can''t dodge them. I''ll lead them away."


    Adam stopped him. He pointed ahead where faint rune glows were visible in an invisible field. Electrical elements quickly gathered under a maic field, forming a thunder Titan fifteen meters tall. Then he used electric fire to mimic me vibrations. Next, he tookmon metals, Nickel and Cadmium, melted them, and covered the Titan.


    A powerful new Nickel-Cadmium Titan was created.


    Qi 31 stepped up and poked it, asking, "Is this thing going to work?"


    "This is a one-time deal. It''s basically an electrical magic Titan. I don''t think it''ll destroy a patrol team, but it should easily draw them away."


    The thunder Titan used third-level magic. If it self-destructed, it might just reach fourth-level power. However, the nickel-chromium alloy coating on its body would hold back some of its strength, but it was still enough.


    Adam opened a teleportation portal and sent the thunder Titan through it. The next moment, it appeared a hundred kilometers ahead, charging straight towards the patrol team.


    The Metal Eaters were clearly shocked to see a Titan so near their main area. They froze for a second.


    But Adam didn''t hesitate. He controlled the Titan to point one hand up; instantly, a thunder spear shot down from a newly formed dark cloud into its hand. The Titan made a dramatic gesture, throwing the thunder spear with great force.


    There is amon misunderstanding about electric magic. In theory, the speed of an electric field is the speed of light, but the speed of electric current is much slower, making it seem unlikely for electric magic to hit immediately after beingunched. However, magical power can merge the electric field and current, boosting the speed of electric magic by thousands, even tens of thousands, of times.


    The thunder spear left a bright trail in Iron 27 and Qi 31''s eyes. Before the afterimage faded, a loud explosion reached Adam''s ears.


    The thunder spear struck a patrol team head-on. Its built-in spiral force broke through the defense field and hit the center of the group, exploding on contact with a fourth-level Metal Eater.


    The explosive release of electricity caused an incredible instant temperature. Nearby third-level Metal Eaters were instantly turned to ash, not even leaving bodies behind.


    Qi 31, watching in shock, couldn''t believe that such a fearsome weapon was just conjured by Adam on a whim. Looking first at the scene before them and then back at Adam, he murmured, "Is this the magic you were talking about?!"

 Chapter 266: Getting In (1)

    Chapter 266: Getting In (1)


    Even though they knew Adam was a mage, the Titans didn''t really get what that meant.


    The abilities Adam had shown them, except for teleportation, were still hard for them to understand. For instance, there were new alchemy forms, attacks using force fields, and the Grafted Gear.


    Right now, they saw him summon a thunder Titan. He gathered elements outside his body and made them fight on their own. Even though this summoned Titan was only as strong as a Warlord, each of its normal attacks was as powerful as a Commander''s full strike. This was beyond their understanding.


    "This is a type of Evocation magic. I''m not very good at it. Mages who specialize in this at level three can use their magic to control dozens of times their own elemental power, summoning arge army of elemental creatures," Adam said humbly.


    He specialized in release and force field magic and only knew a bit about this type. His great power came from his huge magic reserves and his special talent for multithreading.


    Iron 27 and Qi 31 were shocked. Adam spoke casually, but they didn''t think it was simple.


    A thunder Titan wasn''t a big deal for Warlords like them, but Adam said it was just a consumable that could be produced endlessly as long as there was enough energy---This was scary. Even the Metal Eaters, the strongest creatures they knew, couldn''t do this.


    If there were many mages like Adam in the Mage World, and if each had his power, that world...


    "Too scary," Iron 27 muttered.Adam summoned two more thunder Titans and sent them to different ces to distract the Metal Eaters'' patrols. The Titans charged into the patrols after ''greeting'' them and lured them away.


    Once all the Metal Eaters around the recording rune set were drawn away, Adam signaled the others to follow him carefully.


    When his telekinesis touched the rune set, many images flooded his mind. He quickly reviewed them and found the Metal Eaters'' movements were indeed problematic. They were destructively mining resources, andrge groups passed through here into the alert zone at regr intervals.


    Suddenly, Adam''s eyes narrowed. He quickly projected an image and pointed at a huge, terrifying shadow on it, asking the two, "What is this?!"


    The two looked at the image. me energy surged from them, almost breaking the invisible force field. They eximed in shock, "Angel! This is the Angel''s brood!"


    "What''s an Angel? Is that what you call the Royals among the Metal Eaters?"


    Qi 31 grabbed Adam, panicking, "Give me this image! I must inform the Lords immediately, or the consequences will be devastating!"


    Adam frowned and tried to calm him, "Don''t worry. The elves I left in York City can ry the message for you. Now, tell me, what is an Angel?"


    ...


    On the journey that followed, the three were somewhat distracted.


    The Titans worried about a full-scale war from the Metal Eaters, while Adam felt uneasy. He had underestimated these creatures. Their reaction was swift, and they knew how to nip threats in the bud.


    "Master, a thousand kilometers ahead is the alert zone," Garfield whispered. "Should we still go? The Metal Eaters have chosen this moment to act. I think it has something to do with you."


    Seeing Adam remain silent, Garfield continued, "Master, do you remember the reaction of the Cthulhu radiation monsters during your first mission? They craved magic power and would give up everything to capture you. The knowledge you show now is simr to revealing your magic back then, but the Titans are friendlier."


    "But the Metal Eaters are different. They have powerful beings. I think, in the eyes of the Devourer, your value and that of the Mage World are higher than Titania."


    "It can''t do anything to the Mage World, but you are different. If this flying beast is really attracted to you andes down, will the revival methods you and I have left still work?"


    Garfield made a good point. He couldn''t even imagine the abilities of such powerful beings.


    But worrying about this now was pointless. The Devourer was busy corrupting the Origin. If it wanted to attack Adam, it would have done so already. Since it hadn''t, it meant corrupting the source was still difficult. Titania''s peace until now proved that. Their immediate concern was the Angels.


    With this in mind, Adam led the two to a safe ce, deep underground, and then released Garfield. "Go bring back all the recording magic you left. Be quick. Forget about those put in dangerous areas."


    At this moment, Garfield understood the urgency and carried out Adam''s orders without hesitation. Using all his abilities, he circled the alert zone in six hours, retrieving seventeen recording magic rune sets.


    Adam, along with Iron 27 and Qi 31, carefully reviewed the recordings multiple times. Afterward, Iron 27 spoke heavily, "Aside from the first Angel stationed in the Land of Divine Revtion, the other six Angels have left their defense zones. This can only mean one thing: a full-scale war or the Devourer''s arrival."


    "I don''t think there''s any exception."


    "During thest full-scale war, did the Angels participate, I mean directly?"


    "The first Angel never left the Land of Divine Revtion. The other six all participated in theter stages of the war, targeting the Lords."


    "So, in the short term, they won''t leave the Land of Divine Revtion, correct?"


    Iron 27 shook his head, "I don''t know where the Angels were or what they were doing in the early stages of the war. Adam, the mission this time..."


    Adam spoke firmly, "We must not give up on this mission; on the contrary, I think we should elerate it. If the Angels might return to their defense zones, now might be the only, and safest, time. Trust me, this mission is crucial."


    Adam projected a 3D map, showing not just the terrain but also the detailed numbers and positions of the Metal Eaters. He drew a straight line between their current location and the target point. "We don''t have time to hide anymore. Next, I need you to divert the Metal Eaters for me."

 Chapter 267: Getting In (2)

    Chapter 267: Getting In (2)


    "I need you to draw all the fire in the area to ensure I can reach and enter the warning zone."


    "You want to go in the warning zone? But what''s the use? You can''t go deeper," Qi 31 asked, confused.


    Adam erged the map and pointed to aplex and unique building, "These buildings are along the entire defense zone. It''s the only structure made of ore that I can see. I must know its purpose."


    Iron 27 didn''t question Adam''s goal, only saying, "It''s hard. There are too many Metal Eaters here. Even if we risk our lives, we can only buy a little time."


    Adam took out two thousand units of ether crystals from his storage and handed them to the two, "This is high-level energy. It will keep your energy supply at its peak."


    Iron 27 took a piece and put it in his mouth, feeling an unprecedented surge of vitality. His eyes lit up, "Perfect energy! With this, we can extend the time, but only up to forty minutes. Otherwise, we''ll still perish."


    Forty minutes was enough for Adam.


    "You don''t need to risk your lives. I only need thirty minutes. Hold them off for thirty minutes, and I''lle out to meet you. Then we''ll use teleportation to return to York City."


    Adam summoned Lina, ordering her to control the Metal Eaters whom she had nted seeds in before. Even a little chaos would help.Lina, participating in such a high-level battle for the first time, was excited and scared. She almost trembled as she equipped her gear, kneeling in front of Adam and swearing to die for the cause.


    Sophia switched to her battle mode, also fully armed. Adam left a thread in her mind to ensure she could perform at her best.


    He then summoned a two-meter-high magic construct, transforming into his Electro True Self and entering the core. After activating the construct, his immense magic power, nearing level-three peak, surged skyward, breaking through the invisible field and facing the swarming Metal Eaters.


    For the first time since arriving on Titania, the brilliance of runes shone so freely.


    They flew out from every corner of the construct, swirling around Adam.


    In the next second, they shot in all directions, forming one magic array after another.


    These arraysbined, creating a square barrier centered on Adam.


    Magic burned, elements gathered, and massive energy was condensed and shaped.


    The Metal Eaters were fully visible on Adam''s radar, with the voltage difference targeting method urately pinpointing each one.


    "Wide-range Super sma Cannon!"


    "Wide-range Super Railgun!"


    As soon as he finished chanting, the magic activated instantly.


    Endless shes of electricity dimmed the sky. zing sma, high-frequency osciting metal particles, and strong maic fields appeared simultaneously.


    Thisposite spell showed immense power, even impressing Adam, its creator.


    Adam dedicated 40% of hisputing power to ensure the spell wouldn''t copse. After half a second of calibration, theposite spell shot out.


    Electric currents interwoven, maic fields interacted, and iron sand collided, creating a beautiful scene before Adam. For the Metal Eaters, however, it was a nightmare.


    Their once-reliable defense fields shattered like thin paper. Corrosive fluids and oxidizing rays evaporated instantly upon release.


    They hurriedly changed formations, but their speed couldn''t match the spell''s velocity. Even the level-four Commanders turned to ashes under the intense heat and energy.


    After a violent explosion, the world cleared. A massive gap was torn in the Metal Eaters'' line, theposite spell annihting at least 20,000 of them.


    Adam didn''t revel in the power. The construct''s energy core had been connected to his storage space, so he had nearly endless ether crystals burning to replenish the energy.


    He dashed forward like a bolt of lightning, exploiting the gap in the Metal Eaters'' defense.


    He left only one word, "Go," waking the two stunned Titans.


    Iron 27 and Qi 31, after considering, realized they couldn''t withstand the spell Adam unleashed in five seconds. Any defense would leave them as nothing but dust like the Metal Eaters.


    Exchanging nces, theyunched their strongest attacks and flew in opposite directions.


    Adam had entrusted his life to them, and they were willing to bet their lives to repay that trust.


    Sophia let out a resounding dragon roar, attacking in another direction.


    Lina leaped onto her back,municating with the controlled Metal Eaters. Though not expecting much from them, she sent out erroneous signals, disrupting the Metal Eaters''mands.


    ...


    After breaking through the first line of defense, Adam moved across the battlefield in his Electro True Self form. This form, once described by Garfield as cunning, now proved invaluable.


    In the storm of energy, the fluctuations caused by Electro True Self were barely noticeable. With the Metal Eaters losing their target, they swarmed towards the other directions.


    In their minds, all intruders were targets for destruction. They would pursue energy fluctuations to find their targets, and once a target disappeared, their attention would shift to other intruders. This was a major w of a swarm species with weak autonomous thinking abilities. They had high execution power but poor adaptability.


    Time passed slowly. After five minutes, Adam finally found an unobstructed route. He extended his fingers and shot dozens of electric currents in all directions. Each current branched out like a tree in the air.


    His Electro True Self followed closely, leaping forward within the currents. If a current was neutralized or extinguished, he would immediately switch to a safe branch line, ensuring he wouldn''t bepletely trapped.


    Adam called this spell ''Lightning Dash''.


    This unique mode of advance was highly effective. Though the Metal Eaters continually tried to block the currents, new branches appeared faster than they could destroy them. Adam rapidly approached his destination.


    Lightning Dash had its drawbacks: it consumed a lot of magic power and required significantputational power. It was tailored for Adam, and even other mages with Electro True Self might not be able to use it effectively.


    For a minute, Adam zigzagged through the mesh of currents and finally reached the edge of the guard zone.


    Just then, a shadow appeared abruptly on the warning zone''s defense shield. Without any warning or charging time, a rainbow-colored energy beam shot directly at Adam."

 Chapter 268: The Pyramid

    Chapter 268: The Pyramid


    The rainbow energy beam came suddenly. Adam had just emerged from the electric when the beam was already in front of him.


    Adam''s emergency mechanism reacted instantly. In microseconds, all the defensive spells stored in his threads were activated. He then disintegrated his Electro True Self, spreading the threads across each free electron.


    This was a failsafe Adam had set for himself to counter transcendent-level attacks.


    The rainbow energy beam wasn''t a straightforward visual line; its attack was of a higher, scattered level. Each electron from Adam''s disintegrated true form was targeted. From each thread''s perspective, the energy beams locked onto them were inseparable.


    "Master, it''s a transcendent creature! There''s a transcendent Metal Eater in the zone!" Garfield screamed in rm.


    As Adam disintegrated, the me Garfield had put in Adam''s willpower also split into countless parts. That amplifying the sense of danger exponentially for Garfield.


    Adam ignored him. There was no time to talk. He kept putting himself back together, getting rid of unneeded parts, summoning Mage Armor, and creating defensive magic.


    As seconds passed and his defenses got weaker, the beam''s attack power slowly dropped. After ten seconds, Adam gathered himself into a high-frequency electromaic de. He swung through the air and faced the beam head-on.


    After three seconds of intense explosions, the beam scattered. Adam''s de, still strong, hit the defense shield, making ripples."Master, let''s run! I knew it! Such an important ce would have transcendent Metal Eaters guarding it! I should have told you!" Garfield babbled.


    "Shut up! This is just a defensive measure."


    Adam realized this after breaking through the beam. The energy beam was just a preset defense by the transcendent Metal Eaters, not a direct attack from their main body.


    The attack wasn''t as strong as he had thought. If this was the usual strength of the Metal Eaters'' ordinary transcendent, Adam felt he had overestimated them. Compared to mages, their power wascking. Even Lord Svorsi was much stronger. No wonder Iron 27 said only Angels could hunt down their lords.


    The ripples on the defense shield triggered a chain reaction. The whole guard area went crazy, and countless Metal Eaters swarmed out from their broods. All the preset attacks activated at once, targeting Adam.


    Knowing the regr energy beams were just for show, Adam chose to use a magic scroll for direct defense.


    He took out a level-four mystical defense spell called "Chaotic Sanctuary" from his personal space, a spell he had bought for a lot of money.


    Without hesitation, he activated the rune group within it.


    Instantly, a ring of energy with a chaotic glow surrounded Adam''s body. Some of the attacks aimed at him were neutralized, some were reflected, and others were swallowed by the spatial rifts created. Then, they reappeared inside the defense shield and cut many Metal Eaters into minced meat.


    Chaotic Sanctuary came from the Third Tower. In fact, most mystical spells came from the Third Tower. They stubbornly researched a different set of knowledge from modern magic and sessfully created many sinister, eerie, and terrifying spells.


    Adam endured the transcendent attacks and stood before the defense shield. Telekinesis extended from his body, forming eight arms. Together with the two arms of his true form, he gently manipted the maic field lines.


    These lines extended from every point with a maic field, whether from real life or energy radiation. To Adam, these maic fields were clearly visible, and he could control them to a certain extent.


    However, this took a huge amount ofputational power. He had to enter an overclocked state, which he had not done in a long time, to support the calctions for the uing spell.


    Adam entered his rtive time frame, where everything outside slowed down. Every wave of the defense shield and every tiny movement and discement of the Metal Eaters were digitized and added to his function calctions.


    Magic power steamed from his body, igniting into a fierce me on his skin. The originally invisible maic field lines solidified between his fingers, ignoring spatial barriers and extending from every point into his hands.


    In two external seconds, which felt like four minutes in his overclocked state, Adam''s ten arms pulled tens of thousands of maic field lines. Then, he suddenly crossed his ten arms in front of his chest, moving the lines along.


    This created a stunning visual effect.


    The strong maic fields interacted, making each line sharper than any de. The origin points were pierced, the lines intertwining and wrapping around each other, slicing the space into billions of small fragments. Each fragment shattered into even smaller pieces upon collision, spiraling into a storm with Adam''s arm movements.


    In the next second, the defense shield shattered. The nearest Metal Eaters were torn apart, swept into the turbulent flow, and turned to ash.


    Adam exited the overclocked state, and an overwhelming emptiness surged through every cell and part of his soul.


    This spell, called Maic Cutting, was a concept Adam had created after advancing to level three. He had expected consequences from using it, but not ones so severe. Without the support of his Electro True Self, a regr mage''s body might have copsed. Even now, he could barely maintain flight.


    Fortunately, he had his magic construct. He was immensely grateful for having built this piece of equipment.


    After summoning the construct, he set it to fully automatic control, directing the path towards the building. Taking advantage of the broken defense shield and the unfilled losses of the Metal Eaters, he became a streak of light, rushing into the guard area.


    The construct provided excellent protection for his body. Tubes extended and connected to every part of Adam, linking to his personal space core, which continuously supplied ether crystals.


    These crystals were converted by the mana furnace into pure magic power and delivered into Adam''s body. This method, though somewhat rough, was the fastest way to replenish energy.


    Adam''s body suffered multiple ruptures from this process, but the life-support devices healed them instantly. Within the brief ten seconds it took to reach the targeted building, he had nearly recovered.


    At this point, the building''s true form was revealed.


    It was a nineyered structure, simr to a pyramid, built from golden stones. Each groove held a giant nest, with spikes piercing through and connecting them, continuously drawing energy from the nests.


    The energy flowedyer byyer from the bottom to the top, purifying as it ascended. At the peak of the pyramid, the energy converged into a single point and shot into the space above, its destination unknown.


    If Adam''s guess was correct, this building was part of arge-scale altar spread across the continent!"

 Chapter 269: Garfields New Information

    Chapter 269: Garfield''s New Information


    "Master, let''s go. I have a bad feeling about this!" Garfield yelled. He had just faced two near-death moments in a short time. With Adam in his overclocked state, it felt like he was about to be burned into ashes.


    Adam scanned the whole pyramid and made a 3D model in his mind. The flow of energy and the signs of life in the pyramid appeared to him as data. But he couldn''t analyze two areas: the core of the pyramid and the direction of the energy at the top.


    The data showed that the life signals in the eighty-one broods on the bottomyer of the pyramid were very weak, like candles flickering in the wind. The eighthyer was a bit better, and the secondyer had signs of healthy life. The topyer, though, was unnaturally excited---it wasn''t a normal life signal; it seemed to be burning itself.


    "We have less than twenty minutes. I need to go in and take a look," Adam refused Garfield''s request. Now that they were here, he had to explore the pyramid.


    If this ce was part of a big altar covering the whole territory, the Devourer''s n would be terrifying. Adam had a vague suspicion that he needed to confirm.


    At this moment, the ground in the warning area cracked, and countless Metal Eaters burst out. Theirbined infrasound waves shattered the dust in the air.


    Seeing a strange creature floating in front of the pyramid, they emitted blood-red energy, forming a terrifying shadow that rushed at Adam.


    Adam quickly dove into the nearest brood on the ninthyer.


    This seemed to be a forbidden zone. The Metal Eaters circled angrily outside but didn''t dare to enter."Master, getting in was easy, but how will we get out? There are level-four Metal Eaters outside. We''ll be torn to pieces," Garfield said as he thought of the fierce Metal Eaters outside.


    Inside the brood, it was very quiet, but the quietness was eerie. After entering Adam realized it was like an insect''s cocoon. It was made of a special material that felt like flesh. Adam could sense faint nerve movements inside.


    However, the frequency of these movements was very slow, likely due to its near-death state. asionally, parts of the ''walls'' would fall off, turning into gray-white material on the ground.


    Adam picked up a piece and found it was metal waste that had lost all electrons and vitality.


    The inside of the brood was like a maze, with a faint energy flowing through the air. The energy moved towards the depths ahead, serving as a guide.


    Adam knew following it would eventually lead him where he was heading.


    But Adam didn''t have time for a maze. He used high-frequency currents to create a drill on his mage sword and broke through the cocoon walls.


    Then he moved straight ahead, following the energy flow.


    Even this rough destruction didn''t draw any attention or resistance.


    Within seconds, Adam reached the deepest part of the brood. He saw a parental body, one that was about to ascend to transcendent level but had been forcibly stopped.


    A pipe extended from the mouth of the parental body, piercing through the cocoon wall and leading to another brood. Energy from this brood was being transferred out.


    Another pipe entered the cocoon wall from the other side, directly connecting to the parental body, allowing external energy to flow into it.


    The Metal Eaters had constructed a simple energy cycle this way.


    If Adam guessed correctly, the central brood on the ninthyer should have a pipe connecting it to the eighthyer.


    ***POP.***


    A small oxidation ray hit Adam''s mage armor, making a barely audible sound.


    This parental body was not dead. Upon seeing Adam, it had a brief resurgence of life, still fierce.


    "Kill, kill!"


    Adam nced at her and then moved towards the center of the ninthyer. Killing this parental body would be pointless. Adam didn''t n to kill any energy sources in the pyramid.


    He knew that even if he killed them, new parental bodies would rece them unless he could upy the ce. So, killing her would only alert others unnecessarily.


    As expected, Adam found a passage to the eighthyer in the central brood. The structure was the same from the eighthyer to the fourthyer. Adam didn''t n to take risks in the upperyers, where the parental bodies had somebat ability and could cause him trouble.


    Suddenly, Garfield spoke up, "Master, I think I''ve seen something like this before. No, not seen, but I know about it."


    Adam, heading towards the core area of the pyramid, responded, "Tell me about it."


    "In my inherited knowledge, there are shadows of this kind of thing. But as you know, my inherited knowledge is very vague. I can only remember that a great demon once roamed the void and made deals with a race that had these things. That race was called the Dilubos. This altar exists to create Fortresses that can travel through the void."


    Adam''s drill suddenly lost control. He paused and asked Garfield, "Dilubos? Are you sure that''s the name?!"


    Garfield, startled by Adam''s reaction, replied timidly, "I''m sure, I think? Master, tranting the demon''snguage into Titan''s is awkward, I..."


    Adam repeated quickly, "Dilubos, Dilutans, Dilus... yes, Dilus!"


    The chaotic signals in his mind finally made sense. Adam realized that if the sender was the Titan God, he must have visited that ne and seen that race. Even his disappearance might be rted to the race represented by the name Dilus!


    "What else do you know?"


    Garfield shook his head hastily, "The inherited memory is too vague, and I can''t be sure."


    "When is this inheritance from?"


    "ording to Mage World time, it''s about seven hundred thousand years ago. It could be even longer."


    Seven hundred thousand years was indeed an astonishingly long time. Back then, the Mage World didn''t even have the capability to traverse time and space for ne wars. Adam was surprised that demons had such deep roots, able to pass down information from such ancient times.


    Adam kept this information in mind. He couldn''t investigate further now---the Titan civilization was fragmented, and the Devourer was unlikely to have a calm conversation with him. He would have to wait until the mages arrived in this world or until he returned home to verify it.


    At that moment, his drill encountered its first obstacle since he started. It was ayer of film, brilliant like a diamond.


    Adam peered through the film. Before him was a huge, strange thing. It looked like a mass of flesh growing within a mold butcked any sign of life.


    If not for Garfield''s information, Adam would have been puzzled. But now...


    "It''s actually aponent!"

 Chapter 270: War! War! War! (1)

    Chapter 270: War! War! War! (1)


    Theponent floated in the air, soaking in a pool of liquid energy. It had many tiny holes that absorbed a lot of liquid with each breath-like movement.


    When Adam saw it, he remembered the information Garfield had shared. His earlier guesses suddenly made more sense.


    The Devourer was one of Dilus, or a new race with Dilus'' heritage. ording to Garfield, Dilus was a powerful race that could fight across nes. Adam thought the Devourer was corrupting the origin and building altars just to leave Titania and get back home.


    "No, he wants to be a god and create a void race loyal only to him."


    "But what makes him so confident? If he has inherited memories, he should know that a race without any level-nine leader is just an easy target in the void."


    "Unless he''s sure that after corrupting Titania''s origin, he can be a level nine."


    Thinking of this, Adam asked Garfield, "Is Dilus extinct?"


    "I don''t know, I think they should be. I don''t have any fragments about them. Dilus could be seen as an abyssal variant, the most unwee kind because they only plunder, destroy, and eat. Once they hit a hard ce or reveal a w, no one would spare them."


    This made sense. In arge cosmic system, entropy-increasing races were natural enemies because they brought no beneficial changes, only sped up destruction. The Mage World was simr, or they wouldn''t hide their ne coordinate.But the Mage World had finally bnced between entropy increase and decrease, leaning slightly towards decrease. They plundered resources and caused destruction, but also contributed knowledge and energy.


    Adam then asked, "Do you know what would happen if such aponent were sessfully made?"


    "This ne would be destroyed. The whole ne would be their Fortress," Garfield replied, guessing. He didn''t really know and could only specte.


    But this guess was enough. Adam immediately gave up on further infiltration. He turned into his Electro True Self and dashed out at top speed.


    If what Garfield said was true, this ce could be very important. It might not be directly monitored by the Devourer, but there would definitely be transcendent-level Metal Eaters around.


    Adam worried that the moment he touched the diamond membrane with his drill, he might have caused big trouble.


    ...


    At the Land of Divine Revtion, seven Angels gathered to discuss the strategy for the uing war. Unlike after the previous war councils, they did not return to their individual zones after thest one.


    The strength of the Metal Eaters was far greater than the Titans had realized. Many potential transcendent parental bodies were sacrificed in the pyramids producingmon parts. In more important altars, parental bodies even drew energy directly from transcendent Metal Eaters.


    The pyramid altars were crucial strategic structures. The Titans had been given a chance to survive partly because the Devourer feared the Titans mightunch suicidal attacks to destroy the pyramids, disrupting their ns and wasting their time.


    At this moment, a roar came from the fifth Angel''s brood. Sharp spikes pierced the void, sending out waves of destructive energy.


    "Fifth, what are you doing?!" The other Angels, caught off guard, were affected. The closest, the sixth and fourth Angels, expressed their displeasure.


    The fifth Angel ''produced'' a transcendent Metal Eater. Then, a spike pierced its brain as he spoke, "Someone has invaded the outermost altar of my zone and triggered my final defense!"


    Hearing this, the Angels immediately halted their discussion. The first Angel said, "It can''t be the Titans; they don''t have this ability."


    The fifth Angel replied, "Exactly, it''s that ant from another ne."


    "What a death wish! If he had stayed in Titan territory, he could have lived a few more days. But he dared to enter the altar?" The fifth Angel was furious, feeling insulted.


    The spike gradually softened. Its tip, lodged in the transcendent Metal Eater''s brain, branched into countless tiny tendrils, taking full control of its body. The Metal Eater became amunication device, rying the order to annihte Adam in the alert zone.


    Unfortunately, there was a slight dy in thismunication.


    ...


    As Adam reached the outside, the pyramid began to shake slightly. Broods fixed to the tower started to awaken. It was like an eight-magnitude earthquake hitting the ce, with the ground cracking and fissures extending for dozens of kilometers. Countless eyes flickered like stars within the cracks, and then the monsters erupted from the ground, covering the sky like a sandstorm.


    Adam was fifteen kilometers from the alert zone boundary, and he had seven minutes left of the nned thirty, so there was no longer any point in hiding. The only way out was to fight through.


    Adam felt no panic; instead, he experienced a strange, exhrating surge of adrenaline.


    Almost a hundred years had passed since Adam gained his body and became a mage. He had never fought with his full strength, not even once---except for when he was an apprentice and was chased by antimages. But now, the antimages were too weak to matter to him. In this sense, Adam, as a battlemage, was somewhat unqualified.


    He let his des hover in the air and his spear hung in the void.


    With Adam''s decision made, all the Metal Eaters within a twenty-kilometer radius appeared as data models in his mind.


    He discovered that arge number of Metal Eaters were waking up, including 100,000 level-three Metal Eaters, 20,000 level-four, countless level-one and level-two, and two transcendent ones.


    Adam summoned his magical construct and filled it with his Electro True Self. Instantly, electricity wrapped around him, forming a 39.9-meter-tall elemental thunder body. A stable, strong maic field was generated from each electron, working together to make the violent electric elements as smooth as flowing water.


    Dark clouds gathered above his head, with thunder dragons flickering in and out, their roars shaking the heavens and the earth.


    His armor emitted a dazzling electromaic glow like an aurora.


    Massive amounts of metal particles were attracted and floated, forming a sword that circled his thunder body, vibrating at high frequency.


    Adam summoned Garfield''s zing me. Then he clenched his hands inward, forming the me into a smooth sphere and pressing it into the core of the magical construct.


    Instantly, maic and gravitational lines intertwined, causing the space to ripple like waves, and dimensional rifts appeared and disappeared with the flow of energy.


    "Let''s test how strong I really am, and this time, I''ll use the transcendent Metal Eaters as my touchstone."

 Chapter 271: War! War! War! (2)

    Chapter 271: War! War! War! (2)


    Garfield was shocked. He couldn''t believe that the usually calm Adam would do something so reckless. It was as if he wanted to get himself killed. "Master, please calm down. We are deep in the territory of the Metal Eaters. There must be transcendent Metal Eaters here!"


    "I am calm. We will be fine."


    If he broke through this way, the number of Metal Eaters attacking him would be limited. He kept the attacks just below his defense limit. As long as he didn''t stay in one spot too long, the enemies wouldn''t break through his defenses.


    Adam never fought alone. Even his body wasn''t a single unit. Each part was controlled by a thread. Besides the main thread in his soul, he had hundreds of threads handling high-intensity calctions. Defense, attack, meditation, magic, damage, and path nning were all under his control.


    Adam was a strategist,mander, warrior, and army all in one.


    Adam took a step forward, crushing countless low-level Metal Eaters. He raised one hand, and his sword shot into the sky, entering the clouds, where a lightning dragon coiled.


    Then, he stepped forward again, and his arm dropped. A dimensional rift appeared under the dark clouds, and sword-like rain poured into the void.


    In the next moment, ten portals opened above the Metal Eaters surrounding Adam, and iron sand swords rushed out, bringing the bugs to their doom.


    With just this one strike, more than five thousand level-three Metal Eaters and hundreds of level-four Metal Eaters were killed.Adam was right¡ªthese creatures relied on group power to kill, and their individual strength was a level lower.


    "Master, a transcendent one! They have a level-five life! I can already feel the transcendent energy behind us!"


    "Fake level-five, that''s all."


    Adam threw a heavy punch, and a huge lightning cannon shattered arge group of enemies in front of him.


    Then he rotated his fingers, grabbed the gravitational and maic lines, and used a weakened version of Maic Cutting. Nearly ten thousand Metal Eaters were split in half as they charged forward.


    "They barely have the energy of transcendent beings, but they don''t have the soul or method to control it, so it''s just an empty show."


    Countless magic arrays appeared in the sky, densely ovepping. They formed six circles surrounding Adam.


    As the magic power surged from these arrays, countless elemental missileunchers appeared in the void. Adam used a saturation strike again.


    This magic, used by Adam''s true form, was much stronger than before. Each missile had a high-speed rotating maic field and carried massive kic energy in addition to elemental power. They were the bane of ordinary Metal Eaters.


    ***BOOM***!


    Intense explosions erupted one after another, sending mushroom clouds soaring into the sky to merge with the thunderclouds. Then, countless lightning bolts struck down.


    This was Adam''s long-prepared Lightning Field.


    The power of this magic, which Adam created early on, had grown as he leveled up. Every electron in the lightning followed a rune set. The force field defenses of the Metal Eaters were useless against the currents.


    "But those are level-five beings, and there are two of them! Their sheer energy can crush you, Master!" Garfield said, helping Adam manipte the space. He knew being scared was useless, so he kept talking to calm himself.


    Surrounded by six-ring magic arrays, Adam looked like a deity,manding lightning to ughter the enemy.


    He was the embodiment of magic; even his slightest movement triggered level-three attacks.


    Metal Eaters died in droves, disappearing by a quarter in a short time.


    At this point, Adam had seven kilometers left to exit the danger zone.


    Then, the first transcendent Metal Eater awoke.


    When ordinary Metal Eaters burst from the ground, it was like an earthquake; when a transcendent Metal Eater revived, it was like a volcanic eruption. Its massive body¡¯s slightest movement could destroy kilometers ofnd.


    A rainbow-colored energy beam broke through the earth, piercing through Metal Eaters along the way and shooting towards Adam like a long rainbow.


    "So, it''s you."


    This was the Metal Eater that had attacked Adam''s shield. Adam had fought him head-on before, so he knew the properties of this energy beam well. The oxidative corrosion within the beam was specifically against Titans; otherwise, it was a normal energy attack.


    Such an attack was highly effective against Titans but less so against Adam.


    Adam''s six-ring magic array spun, instantly creating hundreds ofyers of electromaic barriers.


    Then, the magic array tightened and merged into Adam''s body. Numerous high-speed rotating electromaic vortices, each a meter in diameter, appeared on him. His Electro True Self within his magi-tech construct outputs magic power at full capacity. A sma cannon, built into his body, shot out to meet the rainbow energy beam head-on.


    The two collided in the sky, annihting each other and shattering the space around them. The resulting chain reaction spread in all directions, killing many Metal Eaters with just the shockwaves.


    With his view unobstructed, Adam saw the true form of the transcendent Metal Eater.


    It looked like a giant insect, with half its body in an energy state and half in a flesh state. Its back had a transparent, swollen tumor that contained steady mes, constantly supplying energy. Its body was covered with tentacles, spikes, eyes, and mouths, all of which were weapons.


    "You pathetic worm!"


    The moment he saw Adam, the transcendent Metal Eater roared in fury, his voice waves creating ripples in the air.


    Purple mes ignited around his body. With a loud boom, a giant crater appeared on the ground, and the huge creature instantly appeared above Adam.


    His energy gathered, distorting the void. The rainbow colors vanished, leaving only pure ck. Even the thunderclouds of the Lightning Field were blown away.


    Adam didn''t retreat. Instead, he charged into the sky to meet the transcendent Metal Eater. Garfield turned into a fireball, constructingyers of spatial folds around himself, trying to deflect the iing devastating attack.


    As Adam ascended, the thunderous power around him turned into elements and magic, flowing into his loosely held hands at his sides.


    The core of his magical construct burned ether crystals wildly, outputting magic far beyond Adam''s own capacity. With each inch of distance, the magical phenomena around Adam shrank, bing light and shadows, all converging into his hands.


    When Adam was three hundred meters from the transcendent Metal Eater, a ck energy pir descended.


    A dark blue lightsaber appeared in Adam''s hands. He raised the sword with both hands.


    ***THUD***.


    There was a small sound of a de piercing through something.


    The lightsaber split the energy pir in half.


    Adam surged upward through it, ignoring the corrosive energy and explosive barriers, steadily floating before the transcendent Metal Eater.


    Facing the chaotic, frenzied eyes of the transcendent Metal Eater, Adam raised his hands above his head and gently swung down.


    "sh of Judgment!"

 Chapter 272: War! War! War! (3)

    Chapter 272: War! War! War! (3)


    The lightsaber was tinypared to the huge Metal Eater''s body, and so did the Metal Eater think.


    As all the spikes and tentacles on the Metal Eater''s body stood up, beams of light in different colors shot towards Adam. The Metal Eater wanted to teach this small creature a painful lesson.


    Adam didn''t dodge. His hands, holding the saber, were steady. He struck down firmly.


    The sword light split the world in two. In that instant, Adam stood apart from Titania''s ne. Under the effect of two fields, Adam appeared in multiple ces within the divided space, each a mirror image, reflecting and deflecting. Though the energy beams passed through where Adam was, they didn''t harm him at all.


    Countless colorful little fairies appeared along the path of the sword light. They danced and cheered in groups, then disappeared into the sword light, making time and space pause for a moment.


    The Metal Eater''s fierce spikes and tentacles paused. Then all the tentacles detached from its body, exploded into fragments, and left itpletely bare.


    Blood sttered everywhere.


    Maybe losing one limb was nothing to it, but losing all its tentacles at once was too much. The pain made it scream uncontrobly.


    The terrifying sound waves couldn''t prate the split between worlds.Inside the Metal Eater''s semi-transparent, tumor-like body, steady mes came to life.


    As solid energy flowed through it,plex patterns appeared in its eyes---a bright point at the center with thousands of lines twisting, some clockwise and others counterclockwise. Then they turned three-dimensional like a kaleidoscope.


    Energy quicklypleted a cycle through all the lines, gathering at the center, disturbing the void.


    "Death Gaze!" the Metal Eater roared, "Perish under the wrath of Father!"


    Adam lightly thrust his sword forward.


    A cold glimmer arrived first, followed by a light seeming endless.


    The Death Gaze, just shot out, had its path cut off. But energy cannot disappear into nothing, so it returns to its source, entering the Metal Eater''s body.


    Its wriggling body stiffened suddenly, straightening like an insect skewered on a stick. Then a strange transformation urred: its flesh turned to stone, then weathered away bit by bit.


    The power of the Death Gaze remained strong. After piercing through its body, it hit the pyramid altar. The same strange transformation happened to the altar.


    The Metal Eater destroyed its holy altar by itself.


    "The power''s yours only when you can fully harness it, you know that? Look at what you''ve done."


    The Metal Eater''s life force was incredible. Even after such a heavy blow, it wasn''t dead. The me within its tumor burned less fiercely but showed no signs of going out.


    "You pitiful creature!"


    "You are finished. You and the world behind you are both finished!"


    "When I be a god, you..."


    At that moment, a message came from the long-silent spatial anchor, "Coordinate analysis progress, twenty percent."


    Adam pursed his lips and sighed softly, "So ignorant."


    Then, he spun and struck with his sword, cutting down the silent attack of another creature from behind.


    He looked at the partially copsed magic construct on his body with some regret. It seemed he would suffer great losses this time---at least this carefully made equipment would be lost.


    Adam now confirmed that he could kill a single transcendent Metal Eater without getting hurt much, but dealing with two would be beyond his power.


    "Master, got another one here, run!"


    "I haven''t reached my limit. I will kill them all."


    Adam swallowed Garfield''s me. All his threads went into standby mode. He used his pact to summon creatures, gathering all units he could control withputing power, entering overclock mode.


    In the power core of his magic construct, the Original mes burned at overload. The construct liquefied, vaporized, and then turned into energy, all pouring into the mes. The energy flowed into his Electro True Self attached to arge number of ether crystals. His saber shone brightly, flickering in and out in all directions.


    Adam''s energy reserves at this moment surpassed the level-three limit, directly reaching the peak of level four. Tangible magic power swirled into a vortex, violently disturbing the environment, turning around space into pieces, dancing with the storm vortex.


    The Metal Eater in front of him fell silent, wriggling back in panic; it sensed death approaching.


    The second Metal Eater, hidden in the gaps and creeping toward Adam, suddenly stopped and turned to flee.


    But it was all useless.


    "Now you want to leave? Toote."


    "sh of Judgement!"


    "In the name of Mage Adam, I sentence you to death."


    Adam held the lightsaber with both hands and stabbed downward heavily. The sword tip met a void barrier, producing a series of crisp sounds. Then, from that point, space shattered like ss, with fragments rolling out endlessly.


    The two transcendent Metal Eaters couldn''t even utter their final words before bing fragments along with the shattered space.


    A blinding light exploded, and the energy shockwave spread far and wide. Adam''s strike shattered the space rules of Titania, turning a hundred-kilometer radius into void.


    Then, he saw a ''sun'' of mixed light and darkness, and within it, a giant insect with countless mouths and eyes, coldly staring at him.


    The insect opened its mouth, but Adam waved his hand.


    "Hello, and goodbye, Devourer."


    The space rules reshaped, filling the void and blocking the Devourer''s potential attack.


    Spatial anchor sent a message again, "coordinate analysis progress, fifty percent."


    Adam returned to the material world, and everything around him was renewed, with all the Metal Eaters gone.


    He spat out Garfield.


    "Master, you... That is sick, man!" Garfield was stunned, speaking without thinking.


    Adam exited overclock mode. His Electro True Self scattered, and his soul''s aura fluctuated unstably. Magic leaked continuously from his damaged body, and he could only stay afloat using telekinesis.


    Using hisst bit of strength, he took a body from his personal space and handed it to Garfield, saying, "Go and join Iron 27."


    Now, there were only three minutes left of the thirty-minute limit.


    ...


    In the Land of Divine Revtion...


    The Fifth Angel furiously tore apart the transcendent Metal Eater he used formunication. He didn''t even care that his territory was wiped out; he only roared, "Damn it! Damn it! That intruder destroyed the altar! Father''s altar!"


    "

 Chapter 273: The Coming Storm

    Chapter 273: The Coming Storm


    The Fifth Angel was furious. He destroyed everything around him in a rage, even tearing apart three of his own transcendent Metal Eaters. "You useless fools! Useless!" he shouted.


    "Fifth, calm down!" the First Angel stretched out his tendrils and held him tightly, stopping him from hurting himself.


    The Fifth Angel didn''t listen. He was more scared than angry. He had failed to protect the Devourer''s altar, and he feared punishment.


    His fear grew stronger, and the more he feared the punishment, the closer it came.


    "You fool!"


    Suddenly, a cold and cruel voice echoed in the minds of the seven Angels. The overwhelming pressure shattered their brood and squeezed actual blood from their bodies, even though they were made of pure energy.


    The pressure was so great that it drove the Angels into the ground. The other six Angels were slightly better off, but Fifth was barely alive.


    It was the Devourer who struck. His anger was immense. He didn''t care about the loss of the altar; what made him furious was a weakling, who he thought was no more than a mosquito, daring to challenge him.


    He was in a crucial stage of eroding the Origin, and leaving the Origin now would ruin all his efforts. If not for this reason, he would have shown his true form and destroyed this ne for good.Most of the time, he was the strongest in Titania, and no creature dared to insult him like this.


    But now, he couldn''t even send his energy out of the Origin.


    "You couldn''t even handle this small task. Why am I still having you?" The Devourer punished the Angels to vent his anger.


    Fifth Angel''s energy burst out. His body changed from energy back to flesh, exploding in many parts. He couldn''t escape, didn''t dare to resist, and he could only roll on the ground, begging for mercy. "Father! Forgive me this time! Please!"


    The Devourer ignored his pleas. The terrible punishmentsted for an hour. The other Angels were fearful but didn''t dare to speak a word.


    After an hour, the Devourer''s anger lessened a bit. "There will be no next time. The war must start immediately."


    "At any cost."


    "Capture the intruderpletely."


    "When I arrive, I want him to see his world destroyed. His people crushed. He will live in pain forever!"


    All the Angels, including Fifth Angel, shouted in unison, "As you wish, Father!"


    ...


    Iron 27 and Qi 31 gradually realized that this battle wasn''t as fierce as they had expected.


    In the first ten minutes, Metal Eaters swarmed them relentlessly, draining their energy quickly. By the eleventh minute, just as they were about to use their ether crystals, a huge energy wave came from the alert zone. For the first time, the number of attacking Metal Eaters dropped sharply.


    Three minutester, the number of enemies increased again. They fought hard and had to replenish their energy twice.


    After seven more minutes, the number of Metal Eaters decreased significantly. They saw many Metal Eaters, who were charging at them one moment, suddenly turn back the next.


    They knew Adam had been discovered. Anxious, they stopped holding their position and headed towards the alert zone.


    Then, they saw the incredible scene of destruction and a strong light from the void.


    Standing side by side, they stared nkly at the obliterated alert zone, speechless.


    Suddenly, a portal opened next to them. A silver Titan carrying Adam appeared, hastily saying, "Let''s get off here! We''re in huge trouble!"


    Qi 31 asked, "What did you do?"


    Iron 27 asked, "What happened to Adam?"


    "He activated a self-protection mechanism and went into deep sleep to heal himself."


    Garfield took over the authority Adam left for him. He called back Sophia and summoned the hidden Lina, throwing her into the summoning space. He said, "This is not the time to exin! We must leave the Metal Eaters'' territory immediately, or the Angels wille!"


    Garfield put Adam on Sophia''s back, opened the portal, and rushed through it, followed quickly by the two Titans.


    Garfield''s power was limited; the portal couldn''t take them far. Moreover, due to insufficient energy, he couldn''t open portals continuously. They had to hurry on foot while waiting for the portal''s cooldown time.


    No one spoke during this time. Iron 27 and Qi 31 felt conflicted. They had received orders from Lord Svorsi not to cause too much disturbance, but clearly, Adam had not followed this. The Angels were already provoked, and the war seemed inevitable.


    "But is this Adam''s fault?" they asked themselves.


    Self-preservation and avoiding me aremon instincts of ordinary beings. Fortunately, the Titans didn''t have such negative thoughts. They recalled the scenes they had seen in the recording magic and therge-scale movement of the Metal Eaters. They realized that the war was not Adam''s fault---whether Adam had destroyed the alert zone or not, the storm was bound toe.


    ...


    After crossing back into Titan territory, the group finally breathed a sigh of relief. Garfield reverted Sophia from her battle form. Seeing her timid expression, he said, "Quick, cool down Master, or he''ll burn up."


    The gentle and subtle nature of water was ideal. Compared to more advanced healing magic, pure water elements were more beneficial for Adam at the moment.


    As the water spirits from the healing spell slowly swept over Adam''s body, both inside and out, his temperature gradually dropped, and his soul became calm and stable.


    He woke up, letting out a heavy breath.


    "Big Dragon, are you okay?"


    Adam shook his head and then reached for Sophia, patting her head. He took out an ether crystal and tossed it into his mouth to restore his magic.


    He wasn''t actually injured; he had just overextended his energy and overloaded his circuits. He hadn''t even used his trump cards. The self-protection mechanism was like aputer reboot. He just needed to recharge, and he would quickly regain his strength.


    Iron 27 and Qi 31 watched as Adam replenished his energy. Finally, they couldn''t hold back their questions. "Can you tell us what happened now?"


    "Sure, but Lord Svorsi should be waiting for us in Ironburg. I''ll exin everything once we get there."


    Adam then took control of Garfield''s body and teleported them all back to Ironburg.


    As soon as they stepped through the portal, they saw Lord Svorsi''s projection. His fiery form crackled as he struggled to contain his anger. "Adam, my friend, I think you owe me a fair exnation of what you did. Have you forgotten your promise?"

 Chapter 274: Ace In The Hole

    Chapter 274: Ace In The Hole


    Ripples in the air around Lord Svorsi showed his anger.


    Adam understood his rage and was surprised he wasn''t killed right away. It seemed that the Titan race was indeed a kind and broad-minded ally.


    After questioning Adam, Lord Svorsi shouted at Iron 27 and Qi 31, "And you two, have you forgotten my orders?!"


    Both of them fell in silence.


    Adam tried to calm him, "Please calm down, I will give you a reasonable exnation."


    "It better be," Lord Svorsi grumbled.


    "Did you get the information I had the forest elves send?"


    Lord Svorsi''s angry expression froze, and he let out an awkward grunt.


    ''He already knows,'' Adam thought. ''Is he this angry to hide his nervousness and panic?''At this point, words felt inadequate. So, Adam created a magic array, inserted the recording runes, and disyed the entire mission process.


    At first, Lord Svorsi''s face was calm, showing that he already knew what had happened before. However, when he saw the changedndscape and the enemy forces, he became serious, as Iron 27 and Qi 31 had experienced this firsthand. But the next part was shocking.


    Lightning Dash, Maic Cutting, the pyramid, the dried-up nest, the dying parental body, and the flesh-like parts... all of that stunned them. It was their first time knowing what the Metal Eaters were doing and how strong they were. If those numerous parental bodies were all used in battle...


    What they saw next astonished them even more: Adam''s magic, the Metal Eaters being cleared like weeds, the sh of Judgment, the shattered space, and the death of the transcendent Metal Eaters... They couldn''t imagine such enormous powering from Adam''s seemingly weak body.


    Iron 27 and Qi 31 kept ncing at Adam. They were sure that even together, they couldn''t defeat a single transcendent Metal Eater.


    Adam paused the yback and exined, "This is normal. The Metal Eaters'' attacks are evolved to counter you, so they are less effective against me."


    Adam didn''t say that both Titan and the Metal Eaters'' strengths were somewhat exaggerated, with the Metal Eaters'' being more so, as it might be hurtful.


    "Whates next is very important. I want to know, before this, how your records described the Origin."


    The three of them immediately realized they were about to see something very important and focused intently on the magic array. But then...


    Iron 27 said, "It''s nk?"


    Qi 31 added, "What are you showing us?"


    Adam was also surprised. It seemed he had underestimated the Devourer''s power, as the recording magic couldn''t capture its image.


    Lord Svorsi said gravely, "You... didn''t happen to see the Devourer, did you?"


    Adam turned off the magic array. He tried to use energy to shape the Origin, but when he attempted to recreate the Devourer, he found he couldn''t. Although the Devourer''s image was vivid in his mind, he couldn''t manifest it externally.


    "I understand. Do you still have your mes?" Lord Svorsi asked.


    Adam held up a zing me.


    Lord Svorsi ced his finger on Adam''s mes. "Follow me. We will answer your questions together."


    ...


    A message came from the spatial anchor: "Coordinate analysis progress, sixty percent."


    In a mysterious, unknown space, forty-seven projections gathered again, but this time, Adam was with them.


    Adam didn''t know how Lord Svorsi brought him here, but the spatial anchor''s prompt was clear. He deduced this must be a very important ce.


    Adam remotely controlled his mes, shaping it into a humanoid form, and then spoke, "It is an honor to meet all of you, the lords."


    The lords responded, some friendly, some cold, some suspicious, but Adam sensed no hostility.


    Lord Svorsi replicated the magic array here, asking Adam to y the recording, and said, "You are the first outsider to enter here. Even Titans below the Royals have never been here."


    "What is this ce?" Adam asked.


    "This is the body of the Titan God, the strongest foundation of the Titans, our ultimate trump card."


    When Adam heard this, his mes fluctuated slightly. The Titan God, meaning he was inside the body of a level nine immortal being. This was the first time Adam had been so close to a level nine immortal. He never thought he would have such an opportunity.


    He also didn''t expect it to be so... ordinary.


    It was a vast, dark space. The mes of the Royals were the only light and the only source of energy here. Apart from that, Adam saw nothing extraordinary.


    He restrained himself from asking what was special about this body. However, considering it was regarded as a trump card, it was likely to possess the power equivalent to a Great Archmage''s strike.


    For a moment, no one spoke. All the Titans, including Lord Svorsi, watched the images intently,municating in their unique way. After some time, someone at the twelve o''clock position spoke.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting, my friend. I am Copper Fast." Before Adam could respond, he continued, "The images you brought are astounding. I must confirm with you, are these real?"


    "Absolutely," Adam replied.


    "You know what that altar is, right?" Lord Fast''s tone was peculiar.


    Adam sensed that a significant revtion wasing, so he shared all the information the devil had told him, along with his own spections.


    "As expected, the so-called bnce of power was just our imagination. I hate to admit that our efforts over the years are just a joke to our enemies," Lord Fast said with self-mockery.


    He used his me to form an image, then pointed to Adam''s depiction of the Origin and said, "Originally, the Origin looked like this."


    It was a burning fireball, very simr to the sun. Its golden surface had flowing liquid metal, sometimes erupting with res that emitted pure energy. Compared to this, Adam could immediately see that the current Origin was very unhealthy.


    "We thought we had a trump card, believing that despite our hardships, we had the power to kill the Devourer."


    "But indecision buried our hope. The Origin is now beyond saving. Striking the Devourer now would only result in destroying it along with the Origin."


    "Without the protection of the Origin, we would be gradually wiped out."


    "You''re right; we have no choice but to trust you and the world behind you."

 Chapter 275: We Deserve It

    Chapter 275: We Deserve It


    All the lords spoke one by one, their despair spreading uncontrobly.


    Their words revealed a lot of information.


    They seemed to understand how to use the altar, which Adam could grasp. After all, it was they who found the first Metal Eater and brought it here.


    But there was something Adam didn''t understand: why didn''t the Titans know the danger of this race? With their wisdom, why would they invite such a threat into their home? Did the Titan God defeat the Dilus and leave Titania tens of thousands of years ago? But that still didn''t make sense. If the Titan God won, where did he go? Why did he leave his people to suffer and face constant danger? Unless... unless the Dilus were truly a powerful race that spanned across voids and nes, and the Titan God only found one of them and perished along with it. Theter Titans followed their ancestor''s footsteps, found the ruins, and brought back what they thought were ancestral relics. Or maybe that message wasn''t sent into the void; maybe it was a warning from the Titan God to his own world in his desperate moment, but it went astray.


    When Adam voiced these questions, the Royals exchanged nces.


    The first Titan Lord, Lord Fast, smiled bitterly and said, "You are right. We found the origin of the Metal Eaters in the ruins of another ne. When we discovered that this race could make us evolve more perfectly and be stronger, we thought it was a treasure left by the gods."


    "The former lords did encounter such altars in the ruins, but no one paid attention."


    "We received no warning and never saw the gods."


    Adam couldn''t help but feel sad for the Titan race. They thought they had found a golden apple, but what they got was Pandora''s box, and they opened it themselves, bringing disaster upon themselves.He pondered for a moment and asked, "How strong was Lord Lancelot before he died?"


    The lords exchanged nces, unsure why Adam suddenly asked this question. Lord Fast answered, "As strong as me."


    Then another question arose: the Devourer betrayed the Titans only about four thousand years ago, and it was transcendent at the time of the betrayal. ording to Adam''s observation, all Titan Royals were at level six, with the strongest, like Lord Fast, being at the peak of level six. If Lord Lancelot had the same strength, how did the Devourer, who was born from him, manage to grow so much stronger in just a few thousand years and reach the threshold of level nine? Did he really have such strength, or did the Titans overestimate his current power?


    "The Devourer was much weaker than Lancelot back then. Even Svorsi could defeat it."


    "But no Titan could imagine that ourpanion race, which lived and died with us, would turn against us. Many Royals'' mes were devoured. A small portion of this strengthened the Metal Eaters, but most of it was taken by the Devourer. This was his first leap in power."


    "The first time?"


    "Yes, the first time. The second time was when the Devourer invaded the Origin."


    "The gods left a treasure there. They told the Royals at the time that when they were qualified to be gods, they could enter the Origin to use the treasure. Ater bing gods, that one would also need to leave a treasure to ensure the inheritance would continue."


    "But as the ages passed, we reached a bottleneck in our evolution. No one could reach the threshold to be gods. Every Titan knew about the treasure in the Origin, but no Titan was qualified to obtain it."


    "So the Devourer also knew about this. After betraying you, it chose to seize it by force," Adam asked. "Because you cherished the treasure, you were reluctant to use the Ace Card, allowing the Devourer to grow stronger. Now, even if you decide to destroy both the treasure and the Devourer, you aren''t sure if you can do it, right?"


    "Yes."


    "So, at the beginning of the betrayal, you had the power to destroy the Metal Eaters. Why didn''t you do it?"


    The newest lord, Lord Svorsi, answered, "The Metal Eaters were indeed weak at first, but precisely because they were weak, the Royals still had hope for utilizing them. But the Metal Eaters knew us too well. By the time we realized something was wrong, the situation was already out of our control."


    Adam fell in silence for a moment, because avoiding the danger of nurturing a threat was almost a natural instinct to him. Individuals might fail to consider future consequences and die because of negligence, but the collective wisdom of a civilization should not overlook this. The only reason for the Titans'' fate could be their pursuit of power blinding their wisdom.


    Because their evolution stalled, they hastily nurtured the Metal Eaters after discovering their origin; because they couldn''t bear to give up their newfound hope, they didn''t immediately quash the rebellion; and when they realized the Devourer had grown, they were unwilling to use the Ace Card because they couldn''t part with the treasure for bing gods.


    It seemed that...


    "We deserve this," Lord Svorsi summed up.


    All the me projections dimmed in unison.


    Adam didn''t ask about the treasure for bing gods. Although the Titans regarded it as a treasure, to Adam and most mages, it only had research value, not practical use. Adam was sure that any mage truly aspiring to be a Great Arcmage would never use such an external object to break through bottlenecks.


    Pointing at the projected image of the Origin, Adam said, "I don''t know how much longer your Origin and so-called treasure can hold. But now, it has almost be the Devourer''s cocoon. You know better than I what will happen when the Devourer emerges. Have you thought about how to respond?"


    Lord Fast replied sadly, "Can we really trust you, friend?"


    ...


    "So, they just trusted you? Aren''t these big guys afraid the mages might be another Metal Eater race for them?"


    In the maized smelting factory, Garfield sat cross-legged on the ground. Lina had flowers blooming around her, and Sophia buzzed around her like a carefree bee. Compared to the gloomy Titans, Adam''spanions were all very chill at the moment.


    It had been half a day since the crucial meeting that would decide the Titans'' fate. Adam had returned to the factory in York City. While making a new magical construct for himself, he reflected on the gains and losses of his previous intense battle."

 Chapter 277: Connecting To Mage Network

    Chapter 277: Connecting To Mage Network


    The coordinate analysis was ny-nine percentplete. This progress was enough for the Mage World to locate Titania. Next, Adam had to break the Devourer''s blockade of the ne.


    "You don''t need to use your Ace Card," Adam told the Royals, who looked worried. "But I need to gather your strength andunch it through the Titan God''s Vital Generator to break the Devourer''s blockade. It won''t take long, just a moment."


    "It''s okay to use the Ace Card. It has lost all its value since it can''t save us anymore," Lord Svorsi said. His me was weak.


    He had been on the front lines during the previous actions. Although he was lucky to survive, his Origin was greatly depleted.


    The destruction mission made the Royals realize the huge power gap between the two sides. This gap was not something an Ace Card could fix.


    Everyone moved quickly, but the road was very long. In this race, where body size determined strength, it was hard to imagine how big the strongest beings, the Gods, were. Adam was curious about where the relic was hidden.


    They flew silently for thirty minutes. Then Lord Fast spoke, "The Vital Generator is ahead. I have onest question."


    "Please, go ahead."


    "How far is your world from Titania? After you request the legion, how long will it take for support to arrive?"This was a serious question. Adam remembered that when they were at Cthulhu, the mages took three years to gather and set out. But Adamter thought that, with the Mage World''s technology, the travel time should be negligible. Thest time they dyed was probably because Adam''s information was too vague, so the Tower and Prisci took time to find unknown resources and recruit the transdimensional mages for the expedition.


    Titania''s situation was different. There were level-nine beings, high-level resources ready to use, and connections with other nes and races in this void. Adam thought the Tower''s warmand would have an emergency n for such situations.


    But the answer couldn''t be vague, as it rted to Titania''s strategy in this war.


    "Three years, at most."


    The Royals breathed a sigh of relief. This time was shorter than they expected.


    "We also have to thank you for improving the two factories. Otherwise, after seeing the true strength of the Metal Eaters, we wouldn''t have the confidence tost three years."


    As they spoke, they reached the end. The darkness couldn''t hinder Adam''s vision. In front of him was a wall that extended endlessly in all directions.


    The Royals didn''t stop; they passed through the wall one after another. Then, a dazzling light suddenly appeared, illuminating the seemingly endless space they were in and the surprisingly simple structure of the Vital Generator.


    Apart from its size, it looked like the coal furnace Adam had seen before.


    The light grew brighter, and the "coal furnace" gradually became transparent, revealing a dizzying array of circuits and a "reactor" at the bottom, emitting faint pulses. If Adam guessed correctly, that was the Ace Card.


    "What do we do?" they asked.


    ...


    Adam didn''t understand how the Devourer blocked the Mage Network, but it definitely couldn''t remove the Mage Network from Adam''s body. He was sure that the Mage Network existed here.


    If Adam wanted to connect to the Mage Network now, there were two ways.


    The first was to leave the crystal barrier system and go to the outer void. This meant moving a certain distance away from Titania under the Devourer''s watch, which was clearly not possible now.


    The second was to create a space within this ne that was separate from the ne itself. It sounded tricky, but it wasn''t too hard to do. He just had to replicate the effect of the sh of Judgment in the warning zone. The tricky part was that the energy had to break through the Devourer''s obstruction.


    Adam didn''t mention this to the Titans, fearing it would make them anxious.


    Adam asked the thirty-six Titan lords to stand at the nodes of the circuit. He looked around and said, "We can start."


    The circuits lit up simultaneously, the energy slowly filling in and heading toward Adam''s body. Adam stood in the center of the thirty-six circuits, holding his mes. The energy poured into his mes, then into his body through the mes'' connection, and finally, through a rough meditation method, it transformed into magic power and merged into his soul.


    Each Titan lord felt something intangible pass through their bodies, gathering in Adam''s hands to form the shape of a sword. Then, under their tense gaze, tiny energy sprites appeared, circling them before all merging into the sword.


    The sword became more solid, growing brighter until its light overshadowed the Vital Generator''s glow.


    The energy condensed for ten minutes until Adam, the user of the spell, felt he was about to be torn apart by its sharpness. At this point, the thirty-six Titan Lords had dimmed by a third.


    Adam gripped the sword with both hands and stabbed downward into the void. The space around the point of contact shattered.


    The highly condensed energy began to spiral, forming a storm that shot straight ahead.


    Pop!


    It sounded like a cork being pulled from a bottle as the lightsaber pierced through a thin membrane. In that instant, everyone saw the diseased Origin.


    And within the Origin, the Devourer roared, with countless eyes fixed unblinkingly on the group.


    For a moment, all the Titan lords'' mes red up. They couldn''t help wanting to fight the Devourer. The Devourer, meanwhile, pressed countless tentacles against the Origin''s walls, its threat clear.


    "Stay calm. You are not its match. You can''t even touch it now."


    "Keep the output stable. We''re about to get rid of him."


    The speed of the sword light increased again, about to pass through the Origin. At that moment, Adam saw the Devourer open his mouth, within which small nes seemed to rise and fall.


    As the Devourer made his move, gray, solidified energy appeared before the sword light.


    "He already projects his power out? But this won''t stop me."


    As soon as Adam finished speaking, the sword light pierced through the gray energy, touching the crystal barrier with a crisp sound, then making a small opening in it.


    At the same time, runes of the Mage Armor burst out from around Adam, rotating around him at high speed. His soul sessfully logged into the Mage Network.


    "Explorer Adam, requesting connection to the Fifth Tower. Intelligence priority: highest level."

 Chapter 278: Inconsistent

    Chapter 278: Inconsistent


    Adam uploaded the data packet with intelligence to the Mage Network. Before he could get any feedback, the connection cut off.


    The Devourer wentpletely mad.


    He suddenly flipped over, and the ck-gray patterns on the surface of Titania''s Origin began to spin, with gray matter flowing out.


    Unlike before, it now looked like it existed in two-dimensional space. It cut off the saber light fast, filled the gaps in the crystal barrier system, and destroyed the threads Adam had sent out.


    Adam had traveled to other nes many times before, but this was the first time his threads were destroyed.


    The gray energy, like a persistent parasite, rushed towards Adam''s body along the saber light.


    It was too fast; Adam was hit before he could react.


    The 36 lords'' interception was useless.


    Luckily, Adam had Mage Armor.This powerful magic was created by the Greatest Arcmage, Prometheus. It protected Adam''s soul at the critical moment, blocking the gray energy for an instant.


    But it soon shattered.


    Adam groaned and instantly entered his overclocked state. The energy absorption of the thirty-six circuits suddenly increased tenfold. The lords knew the situation was urgent, so they increased their output without holding back.


    In the overclocked state, Adam''sputing power went beyond its limit.


    He inscribed Mage Armor runes in each energy cloud. Then, he roughlybined countless Mage Armors. He could no longer worry about whether they could work together; he could only summon as many protections as possible.


    The gray energy destroyedyer afteryer of Mage Armor but was repeatedly blocked by the maic field and magic.


    Steam rose from Adam''s body as he struggled to maintain the bnce between construction and destruction.


    Each second felt like forever.


    In the overclocked state, the flow of time seemed to slow down. Due to Adam''s high tension, this speed decreased even more.


    The 36 lords'' Original mes dimmed quickly---they were about to give out.


    "Use the Ace Card."


    "We can''t hold on."


    Titan God''s brief voice sounded very long to Adam. He had to collect each syble and arrange them to form sentences, which felt like...


    "Inconsistent!"


    After raising the overclocking level another notch, he found a way to deal with the gray energy: making Mage Armor discontinuous, turning the gray energy entering it into countless broken gray lines to spread out its power.


    Adam had no knowledge of quantum mechanics, nor could he understand it now. However, he knew higher mathematics, and it had contents about discontinuous equations:


    "If ( fx) is a function with real numbers as its domain and range, and if for each ( x ), there exists ( ? 0 ), such that for each ( ¦Ä ? 0 ), there is a ( y ) that satisfies the following, then ( fx) is a nowhere continuous function: ( 0 ? x - y? ) and (fx- fy¡Ý?)."


    "I need to change the telekinesis meditation algorithm."


    "Building and writing it myself is too hard, and there''s not enough time."


    "I need an example!"


    Steam rose from Adam''s head.


    "The Dirichlet function!"


    Instantly, his thoughts synchronized with his mind. He established a model and began to modify the rune group. The old Mage Armors rushed to the front, trying their best to block the gray energy. The new Mage Armors were built in a way that conventional thinking couldn''t understand, then filled in the gaps.


    Adam''s surroundings were divided into countless parts. The light of the mes from the lords remained in each part. Visually, it seemed Adam no longer existed, but in fact, he existed in every position.


    The gray energy was the same.


    Chunks of Mage Armor were polluted and shattered. In this process, the gray energy was broken down bit by bit, piece by piece, residing in countless Mage Armors.


    The space and folds around Adam were filled with gray specks like dust.


    He raised his right hand and clenched his fist tightly.


    Continuous explosions began, with Mage Armors and the gray energy within them shattering one after another.


    mes burst from Adam''s head, burning all his hair.


    The giant Devourer in the Origin quieted down. His cold eyes were filled with deep cruelty as he closed them.


    The Vital Generator of the Titan God shut down, so the lords had no extra energy to maintain their output. After stepping out of the Vital Generator, they couldn''t even keep their projected forms. One by one, they fell to the ground, burning weakly.


    No one spoke. Although Adam had been the one to directly resist the gray energy, those connected to him also shared the fear brought by the attack.


    They began to doubt if they really had the ability to resist the Devourer.


    Adam felt tired and empty. He leaned heavily against the wall, gasping for breath. He felt unable to speak at the moment.


    A deathly silence spread.


    Adam took a portion of the few remaining ether crystals and distributed them to the lords, while he absorbed some to replenish his energy.


    After a long time, he finally had the chance to touch his own head. The slippery feeling was strange to him, so he quickly stimted his body''s metabolism, growing a head of short, ck hair.


    Adam didn''tfort the Titans or boost their morale. He simply said softly, "A war is upon us. The Devourer can''t directly vent his anger on us for now, but the ordinary Metal Eaters won''t spare us."


    "Did what you were doing seed?" Lord Fast asked.


    "I''ve uploaded my support request, but the Devourer cut off my connection with the Tower. I can''t receive real-time updates. All we can do now is wait and pray that the Devourer can''tpletely invade the Origin within three years."


    ...


    In the Mage World, at the Fifth Tower...


    Explorers, while on missions, have permissions higher than their own rank. Adam''s application for the highest priority channel was even upgraded an extra level. The duty mage at the ne Exploration Department''s intelligence center hadn''t had time to decode the data packet before it disappeared before his eyes along another channel.


    They exchanged nces and then whispered among themselves.


    "Transcendent level intelligence?"


    "It seems a powerful ne has been discovered!"


    "It might be a ne with the potential to be a civilization."


    "I wonder if it''s a friend or foe."


    The data packet was delivered to a high-level transdimensional mage in the Tower''s upper echelons. He first saw Adam''s rank, and then the content caught his attention: the Original mes, metallic lifeforms, Great Archmage level Titans---these were indeed startling. When he read about the "possible existence of Dilus," his expression became serious.


    This transdimensional mage didn''t dare dy. He immediately used his authority to transmit the intelligence and coordinates to a higher authority. If this information was true, it was beyond the capability of a few transdimensional mages to handle.


    "George Wilde, requesting connection to the Tower''s War Command."


    "I have received intelligence about the ancient enemy of mages, the Dilus race."

 Ch. 278 - Inconsistent

    Adam uploaded the data packet with intelligence to the Mage Network. Before he could get any feedback, the connection cut off.


    The Devourer wentpletely mad.


    He suddenly flipped over, and the ck-gray patterns on the surface of Titania''s Origin began to spin, with gray matter flowing out.


    Unlike before, it now looked like it existed in two-dimensional space. It cut off the saber light fast, filled the gaps in the crystal barrier system, and destroyed the threads Adam had sent out.


    Adam had traveled to other nes many times before, but this was the first time his threads were destroyed.


    The gray energy, like a persistent parasite, rushed towards Adam''s body along the saber light.


    It was too fast; Adam was hit before he could react.


    The 36 lords'' interception was useless.


    Luckily, Adam had Mage Armor.


    This powerful magic was created by the Greatest Arcmage, Prometheus. It protected Adam''s soul at the critical moment, blocking the gray energy for an instant.


    But it soon shattered.


    Adam groaned and instantly entered his overclocked state. The energy absorption of the thirty-six circuits suddenly increased tenfold. The lords knew the situation was urgent, so they increased their output without holding back.


    In the overclocked state, Adam''sputing power went beyond its limit.


    He inscribed Mage Armor runes in each energy cloud. Then, he roughlybined countless Mage Armors. He could no longer worry about whether they could work together; he could only summon as many protections as possible.


    The gray energy destroyedyer afteryer of Mage Armor but was repeatedly blocked by the maic field and magic.


    Steam rose from Adam''s body as he struggled to maintain the bnce between construction and destruction.


    Each second felt like forever.


    In the overclocked state, the flow of time seemed to slow down. Due to Adam''s high tension, this speed decreased even more.


    The 36 lords'' Original mes dimmed quickly---they were about to give out.


    "Use the Ace Card."


    "We can''t hold on."


    Titan God''s brief voice sounded very long to Adam. He had to collect each syble and arrange them to form sentences, which felt like...


    "Inconsistent!"


    After raising the overclocking level another notch, he found a way to deal with the gray energy: making Mage Armor discontinuous, turning the gray energy entering it into countless broken gray lines to spread out its power.


    Adam had no knowledge of quantum mechanics, nor could he understand it now. However, he knew higher mathematics, and it had contents about discontinuous equations:


    "If ( fx) is a function with real numbers as its domain and range, and if for each ( x ), there exists ( > 0 ), such that for each ( ¦Ä > 0 ), there is a ( y ) that satisfies the following, then ( fx) is a nowhere continuous function: ( 0 < x - y< ) and (fx- fy¡Ý?)."


    "I need to change the telekinesis meditation algorithm."


    "Building and writing it myself is too hard, and there''s not enough time."


    "I need an example!"


    Steam rose from Adam''s head.


    "The Dirichlet function!"


    Instantly, his thoughts synchronized with his mind. He established a model and began to modify the rune group. The old Mage Armors rushed to the front, trying their best to block the gray energy. The new Mage Armors were built in a way that conventional thinking couldn''t understand, then filled in the gaps.


    Adam''s surroundings were divided into countless parts. The light of the mes from the lords remained in each part. Visually, it seemed Adam no longer existed, but in fact, he existed in every position.


    The gray energy was the same.


    Chunks of Mage Armor were polluted and shattered. In this process, the gray energy was broken down bit by bit, piece by piece, residing in countless Mage Armors.


    The space and folds around Adam were filled with gray specks like dust.


    He raised his right hand and clenched his fist tightly.


    Continuous explosions began, with Mage Armors and the gray energy within them shattering one after another.


    mes burst from Adam''s head, burning all his hair.


    The giant Devourer in the Origin quieted down. His cold eyes were filled with deep cruelty as he closed them.


    The Vital Generator of the Titan God shut down, so the lords had no extra energy to maintain their output. After stepping out of the Vital Generator, they couldn''t even keep their projected forms. One by one, they fell to the ground, burning weakly.


    No one spoke. Although Adam had been the one to directly resist the gray energy, those connected to him also shared the fear brought by the attack.


    They began to doubt if they really had the ability to resist the Devourer.


    Adam felt tired and empty. He leaned heavily against the wall, gasping for breath. He felt unable to speak at the moment.


    A deathly silence spread.


    Adam took a portion of the few remaining ether crystals and distributed them to the lords, while he absorbed some to replenish his energy.


    After a long time, he finally had the chance to touch his own head. The slippery feeling was strange to him, so he quickly stimted his body''s metabolism, growing a head of short, ck hair.


    Adam didn''tfort the Titans or boost their morale. He simply said softly, "A war is upon us. The Devourer can''t directly vent his anger on us for now, but the ordinary Metal Eaters won''t spare us."


    "Did what you were doing seed?" Lord Fast asked.


    "I''ve uploaded my support request, but the Devourer cut off my connection with the Tower. I can''t receive real-time updates. All we can do now is wait and pray that the Devourer can''tpletely invade the Origin within three years."


    ...


    In the Mage World, at the Fifth Tower...


    Explorers, while on missions, have permissions higher than their own rank. Adam''s application for the highest priority channel was even upgraded an extra level. The duty mage at the ne Exploration Department''s intelligence center hadn''t had time to decode the data packet before it disappeared before his eyes along another channel.


    They exchanged nces and then whispered among themselves.


    "Transcendent level intelligence?"


    "It seems a powerful ne has been discovered!"


    "It might be a ne with the potential to be a civilization."


    "I wonder if it''s a friend or foe."


    The data packet was delivered to a high-level transdimensional mage in the Tower''s upper echelons. He first saw Adam''s rank, and then the content caught his attention: the Original mes, metallic lifeforms, Great Archmage level Titans---these were indeed startling. When he read about the "possible existence of Dilus," his expression became serious.


    This transdimensional mage didn''t dare dy. He immediately used his authority to transmit the intelligence and coordinates to a higher authority. If this information was true, it was beyond the capability of a few transdimensional mages to handle.


    "George Wilde, requesting connection to the Tower''s War Command."


    "I have received intelligence about the ancient enemy of mages, the Dilus race."

 Chapter 279: War Fire (1)

    Chapter 279: War Fire (1)


    The Tower''s War Command had the final say in the Tower''s war affairs. All its members were experienced transdimensional mages, usually at least level seven, with some close to bing Great Archmages.


    The highest officer in name was Mayer the Great Archmage, though Mayer rarely got involved.


    This department was present in every Tower and had the same responsibilities. All of them, except the one from the Third Tower, were connected. They shared information and worked together to tackle the toughest external war issues.


    One such issue was the Dilus race.


    When Transcendent Mage Wilde''s application was submitted, it was instantly approved. He was quickly transported to the real Tower outside the Mage World.


    All the mages of the War Commands were there, and even Mayer had sent an avatar. Wilde was momentarily surprised and bowed, "Your Truthfulness."


    They called the Great Archmage Mayer "Your Truthfulness," meaning the one closest to the truth of the world.


    Mayer nodded kindly and said, "I didn''t expect news about the Dilus. Share the information with everyone."


    ...In the Land of Divine Revtion...


    The broods of the seven Angels were shattered, revealing their ugly, scarred bodies. They rolled on the ground, shaking the mountains, but the pain that reached their souls was unavoidable.


    After being scorned by Adam twice, the Devourer''s patience reached its limit. He roared:


    "War!"


    "Start the war immediately! Destroy them, kill the Titans, capture that pathetic weakling!"


    "If any more idents happen before I finish corroding the Origin, I won''t hesitate to rece all of you with new capable Angels."


    "Remember, this is yourst chance!"


    ...


    Adam had actually seen the waring.


    The moment it came, all the Titans heard the earth-shaking roar.


    The high-level Metal Eaters, sleeping in underground nests, woke up and rushed to the surface.


    The rift starting from the boundary line was so long and wide it seemed endless.


    The altar paused its energy transfer to the Devourer, using stored energy to support the broods and other Metal Eaters.


    As eighty-one energy pirs shot into the sky, the Titans finally knew the exact number of the altars---counting the destroyed ones, there were ny-nine.


    In each altar, the broods, originally serving as energy nodes, detached and flew to the front lines.


    The Titans always knew there were many Metal Eaters, but they never imagined there were so many. The entire front line was shrouded in darkness. Countless Metal Eaters flew in the sky and crawled on the ground, blocking out the sun.


    "They''re here."


    Iron 27, Qi 31, and the other high-level Intelligents had rushed from the ind to the front line, and now they were standing on the walls of Ironburg.


    They looked at the horizon where the Metal Eaters swarm connected heaven and earth, and stayed silent for a long time.


    "27, considering the current situation, we shouldpletely rethink our strategy now. Taking the offensive is a dead end, and I doubt we can even defend properly. There are just too many of them. Damn it, why can they reproduce so much?" Qi 31 said, as he patted his head in frustration.


    As themander of Ironburg, Iron 27 couldn''tin or show any negative emotions. He said in a deep voice, "Report our preparations to me, now."


    "Seven legions, totaling twenty-one thousand warriors, have assembled. Additionally, two thousand newborns make up the logistics force, equipped with new mechanical arms and ready for work."


    "The floating fortress has reached its designated position."


    "All military supplies stocked."


    "Energy blocks stored, exceeding the requested standard by three hundred percent."


    "Large-scale weapon self-checks, done."


    "The improved defense shield has been inspected and is on standby, ready for full operation."


    Iron 27''s voice echoed throughout the city, "Everyone, we are now facing a battle of life and death. In this battle, the enemy will not spare us even a chance to breathe."


    At that moment, a massive ripple shattered everything around as it spread through the distant sky. The earth and sky trembled.


    Iron 27 took a deep breath and shouted, "We swear to defend Ironburg. As long as the city stands, we stand; if the city falls, we fall."


    "mes never die! Let''s fight on!"


    In Ironburg, in Karon, in de City, in Furnace Town, simr words were spoken by every frontlinemander. Despite the absence of martialw, not a single Titan retreated. They went to the battlefield with a determination to fight to the death, seeking life through death.


    Under the pressure of their own death, the Angels chose the most direct way to attack. They reproduced within themselves, creating countless broods, viewing their kin as expendable. Both they and the Devourer shared the belief that "I am the race itself; my survival ensures the race''s continuation."


    There was no probing, no need for strategy---the Metal Eaters'' mode of warfare was a sheer numbers game. They employed an all-epassing rain of energy, group charges, and suicidal attacks... They didn''t care about the deaths of their kin. To break the defense shield, to kill even one low-level Titan, they were willing to sacrifice thousands.


    They paid no heed to formation. Even if the attacks from the rear Metal Eaters killed those at the front, there was not a moment''s hesitation.


    Support Titans acted as nodes, slipping into the defense shield ording to the formations Adam had redesigned. They endured various rays and fluids.


    Energy Titans hid within the defense shield, surrounded by piles of energy blocks, firing mechanically. As one batch exhausted their energy, another immediately took their ce, ensuring continuous fire. Behind them, arge group of newborn Titans with mechanical arms worked frantically, striving toplete maintenance and cooling in the shortest possible time.


    Combat Titans raised various new weapons and shields. Under themand of officers at all levels, they charged out of the city in groups, fearlessly engaging in closebat with the Metal Eaters. They vowed to protect their people with their bodies and lives.


    Every moment, a Titan fell. When faced with inevitable death, they would self-destruct their mes without hesitation, taking their enemies with them. They did this to prevent theirrades from trying to save them, which would only result in more casualties.


    Above the battlefield, out of sight of ordinary transcendent beings, the Titan Royals nearly emptied their ranks to intercept the transcendent Metal Eaters. They fought with all their might to prevent more enemies from reaching the front lines.


    Ten days into the war, the entire front line had risen three meters higher, because of the metal from Metal Eater corpses and the huge remains of Titans.


    Both races had thrown everything into the war from the beginning.


    Adam did not go to the front lines. He was discussing with Lord Svorsi how to strengthen the Titans.


    The war situation was already very clear. The Titans, whether in strength or numbers, were at a disadvantage.


    For over four thousand years, they had fought to defend this vastnd, but now it could no longer harbor them. Instead, because of its vastness, the front lines were stretched too thin, so the Titans'' defenses were spread too wide and weakened.


    Adam had a new n. He wanted to make a decision with the Royals. He thought they needed to abandon some cities and transform others."

 Ch. 279 - War Fire (1)

    The Tower''s War Command had the final say in the Tower''s war affairs. All its members were experienced transdimensional mages, usually at least level seven, with some close to bing Great Archmages.


    The highest officer in name was Mayer the Great Archmage, though Mayer rarely got involved.


    This department was present in every Tower and had the same responsibilities. All of them, except the one from the Third Tower, were connected. They shared information and worked together to tackle the toughest external war issues.


    One such issue was the Dilus race.


    When Transcendent Mage Wilde''s application was submitted, it was instantly approved. He was quickly transported to the real Tower outside the Mage World.


    All the mages of the War Commands were there, and even Mayer had sent an avatar. Wilde was momentarily surprised and bowed, "Your Truthfulness."


    They called the Great Archmage Mayer "Your Truthfulness," meaning the one closest to the truth of the world.


    Mayer nodded kindly and said, "I didn''t expect news about the Dilus. Share the information with everyone."


    ...


    In the Land of Divine Revtion...


    The broods of the seven Angels were shattered, revealing their ugly, scarred bodies. They rolled on the ground, shaking the mountains, but the pain that reached their souls was unavoidable.


    After being scorned by Adam twice, the Devourer''s patience reached its limit. He roared:


    "War!"


    "Start the war immediately! Destroy them, kill the Titans, capture that pathetic weakling!"


    "If any more idents happen before I finish corroding the Origin, I won''t hesitate to rece all of you with new capable Angels."


    "Remember, this is yourst chance!"


    ...


    Adam had actually seen the waring.


    The moment it came, all the Titans heard the earth-shaking roar.


    The high-level Metal Eaters, sleeping in underground nests, woke up and rushed to the surface.


    The rift starting from the boundary line was so long and wide it seemed endless.


    The altar paused its energy transfer to the Devourer, using stored energy to support the broods and other Metal Eaters.


    As eighty-one energy pirs shot into the sky, the Titans finally knew the exact number of the altars---counting the destroyed ones, there were ny-nine.


    In each altar, the broods, originally serving as energy nodes, detached and flew to the front lines.


    The Titans always knew there were many Metal Eaters, but they never imagined there were so many. The entire front line was shrouded in darkness. Countless Metal Eaters flew in the sky and crawled on the ground, blocking out the sun.


    "They''re here."


    Iron 27, Qi 31, and the other high-level Intelligents had rushed from the ind to the front line, and now they were standing on the walls of Ironburg.


    They looked at the horizon where the Metal Eaters swarm connected heaven and earth, and stayed silent for a long time.


    "27, considering the current situation, we shouldpletely rethink our strategy now. Taking the offensive is a dead end, and I doubt we can even defend properly. There are just too many of them. Damn it, why can they reproduce so much?" Qi 31 said, as he patted his head in frustration.


    As themander of Ironburg, Iron 27 couldn''tin or show any negative emotions. He said in a deep voice, "Report our preparations to me, now."


    "Seven legions, totaling twenty-one thousand warriors, have assembled. Additionally, two thousand newborns make up the logistics force, equipped with new mechanical arms and ready for work."


    "The floating fortress has reached its designated position."


    "All military supplies stocked."


    "Energy blocks stored, exceeding the requested standard by three hundred percent."


    "Large-scale weapon self-checks, done."


    "The improved defense shield has been inspected and is on standby, ready for full operation."


    Iron 27''s voice echoed throughout the city, "Everyone, we are now facing a battle of life and death. In this battle, the enemy will not spare us even a chance to breathe."


    At that moment, a massive ripple shattered everything around as it spread through the distant sky. The earth and sky trembled.


    Iron 27 took a deep breath and shouted, "We swear to defend Ironburg. As long as the city stands, we stand; if the city falls, we fall."


    "mes never die! Let''s fight on!"


    In Ironburg, in Karon, in de City, in Furnace Town, simr words were spoken by every frontlinemander. Despite the absence of martialw, not a single Titan retreated. They went to the battlefield with a determination to fight to the death, seeking life through death.


    Under the pressure of their own death, the Angels chose the most direct way to attack. They reproduced within themselves, creating countless broods, viewing their kin as expendable. Both they and the Devourer shared the belief that "I am the race itself; my survival ensures the race''s continuation."


    There was no probing, no need for strategy---the Metal Eaters'' mode of warfare was a sheer numbers game. They employed an all-epassing rain of energy, group charges, and suicidal attacks... They didn''t care about the deaths of their kin. To break the defense shield, to kill even one low-level Titan, they were willing to sacrifice thousands.


    They paid no heed to formation. Even if the attacks from the rear Metal Eaters killed those at the front, there was not a moment''s hesitation.


    Support Titans acted as nodes, slipping into the defense shield ording to the formations Adam had redesigned. They endured various rays and fluids.


    Energy Titans hid within the defense shield, surrounded by piles of energy blocks, firing mechanically. As one batch exhausted their energy, another immediately took their ce, ensuring continuous fire. Behind them, arge group of newborn Titans with mechanical arms worked frantically, striving toplete maintenance and cooling in the shortest possible time.


    Combat Titans raised various new weapons and shields. Under themand of officers at all levels, they charged out of the city in groups, fearlessly engaging in closebat with the Metal Eaters. They vowed to protect their people with their bodies and lives.


    Every moment, a Titan fell. When faced with inevitable death, they would self-destruct their mes without hesitation, taking their enemies with them. They did this to prevent theirrades from trying to save them, which would only result in more casualties.


    Above the battlefield, out of sight of ordinary transcendent beings, the Titan Royals nearly emptied their ranks to intercept the transcendent Metal Eaters. They fought with all their might to prevent more enemies from reaching the front lines.


    Ten days into the war, the entire front line had risen three meters higher, because of the metal from Metal Eater corpses and the huge remains of Titans.


    Both races had thrown everything into the war from the beginning.


    Adam did not go to the front lines. He was discussing with Lord Svorsi how to strengthen the Titans.


    The war situation was already very clear. The Titans, whether in strength or numbers, were at a disadvantage.


    For over four thousand years, they had fought to defend this vastnd, but now it could no longer harbor them. Instead, because of its vastness, the front lines were stretched too thin, so the Titans'' defenses were spread too wide and weakened.


    Adam had a new n. He wanted to make a decision with the Royals. He thought they needed to abandon some cities and transform others.

 Ch. 280 - War Fire (2)

    The floating fortress was great, using Titan''s own anti-gravity technology. Its advantage was that it wasn''t hard to make. But its drawback was that as its size and weight went up, its energy cost went up a lot too.


    A regr floating fortress used for patrols needed all of a Royal''s energy storage in one day.


    The Royal City was way much bigger, so it used as much energy as one hundred floating fortresses.


    Adam could improve this technology. His maic levitation magic array used better circuits and energy-burning methods, cutting the energy cost by ten times for the same size.


    As Adam worked, he asked, "Why didn''t you go to the battlefield?"


    Lord Svorsi was talking with Adam in person this time, not using a projection. He replied, "They said I was too weak, so they asked me to stay behind to protect the town and you."


    "And watch me too?"


    Lord Svorsi admitted honestly, "Yes."


    Adam didn''t mind; this was normal. If it were him, he would do the same.


    "Since you''re here, help me out. And what do you mean by too weak?" Adammanded Lord Svorsi without hesitation. Hisrge body and strength made him the best helper, as he could easily move parts of the city, keeping only the needed buildings.


    "It means just what it says. I am the weakest of all the lords. I can only fight ten Royal level Metal Eaters at most, while the others can handle over twenty."


    This number surprised Adam. Titan had forty-seven Royals before. If the Metal Eaters could suppress them, it meant there were at least a thousand transcendent level Metal Eaters. But, thinking about how Metal Eaters reproduced, Adam felt it wasn''t much of a surprise.


    Adam finished thest stroke of the magic array and activated it. The streamlined York City rose steadily into the air.


    "We were born underground, and all our resourcese from underground. Except for The Royal City, no other city floats in the sky. The Royal City has to be high above, because it is a symbol," Lord Svorsi said as he watched the city fly into the sky.


    "Hmm?"


    Lord Svorsi was silent for a while, then shook his head, saying, "Nothing. What do you need me to do next?"


    Adam had no intention of pressing him for answers. He wanted to ask about Svorsi''s hometown feelings and future battle ns, but he quickly realized that would be rubbing salt into his wound. So, he simply said, "Take me to the nearest city."


    Traveling was necessary. Though teleportation was convenient, only by walking thend could Adam n the routes for the new floating cities. Teleportation couldn''t do that.


    After seventeen days of work, most cities were now floating in the sky, running on the program Adam wrote. In the few cities that didn''t need to move, teleportation arrays connected them to the frontline, ensuring easy movement of troops and transport of resources.


    With the ind cities settled, the Titans had to start abandoning some frontline fortresses. This wasn''t easy, as ordering warriors to leave a bloody battlefield would hurt morale. If problems came up, the pressure on the person giving the order would be immense.


    After Adam told Lord Svorsi his n, Svorsi was troubled too. "You know, now is not the right time. If it were before the war..."


    "Before the war, could you have imagined so many enemiesing so fast? Even if you had time, would you have agreed?"


    These questions left Lord Svorsi speechless, but he still insisted, "Now is really not the right time."


    As Adam was about to keep persuading him, a huge shockwave came from the east. A mushroom cloud rose to the sky, and strong winds from the st kept blowing, making Lord Svorsi''s body tremble.


    "What happened?"


    Lord Svorsi shot into the sky, mes trailing behind him as he flew toward the source of the shock. "de City has been destroyed, the frontline is broken, and the Seventh Angel has led an unknown number of Royal level Metal Eaters into the ind!"


    Though Adam knew the frontline fortresses would eventually fall, he didn''t expect it to happen so quickly.


    It had been less than a month since the full-scale war started, and a city had already fallen.


    de City was near the middle of the frontline. Its destruction meant the entire line was split in two, cutting off the chance for mutual support between the north and south. This was a critical blow, right where it hurt most.


    Of course, thanks to the teleportation arrays, the situation for the Titans wasn''t as severe as it could have been. However, the danger didn''t end there. If the Metal Eaters spread ind, their rapid reproduction would soon fill the area. Then, the Titans would face enemies on all sides, with a grim oue.


    "Can you defeat the Seventh Angel?" Adam asked on the way.


    Lord Svorsi replied, "A hundred years ago, I couldn''t. Now... I don''t know. You should leave first. Your presence won''t make much difference in that kind of battle. Your life is more important than mine."


    "Don''t be reckless. I''m not that easy to kill. In Titania, no one except the Devourer can kill me. But you..."


    "Even if I can''t win, I have to fight. If I die, I shall take the Seventh Angel down with me. I can''t let him stay ind."


    "After de City was destroyed, what happened to the stationed Titans?"


    "All the newborns died, but the high-ranking Titans had minimal losses, thanks to your improved defense shields and teleportation arrays."


    "Do you understand battlefieldmand?"


    Lord Svorsi looked puzzled, "Not really. Do you?"


    Adam sighed, "I don''t know much about it, but I may be better at that than you. When the timees, give memand. I''ll help hold off the regr Metal Eaters. You just focus on the Seventh Angel."


    While Adam moved new floating cities toward the battlefield, he said, "I hope there aren''t too many."


    ...


    As they got closer to the frontline, a foul smell in the air grew stronger, like sulfur. The energy in the space became more unstable, and strange-colored gases rose to the sky. The ground looked polluted, different from both the ind and the Metal Eaters'' territory.


    "What''s happening?"


    "This is the Seventh Angel''s power. His tentacles are extremely hot and highly corrosive. Anywhere he is, the environment turns like this. In thest full-scale war, a Royal was ambushed by him."


    Adam suddenly interrupted and gave a set of coordinates, "Three hundred meters underground, saturation strike!"


    Lord Svorsi executed without hesitation. His chest split open, revealing a giant cannon with a diameter of five hundred meters. Energy flowed from his body,pleting the charge in three seconds, and then he fired at the designated spot.


    Where the fortress annihtion cannon hit, everything turned to ash. The minerals in the ground didn''t even have a chance to melt before they vanished. At that moment, a pir of red energy shot up from deep underground, colliding with the fortress annihtion cannon.

 Ch. 281 - War Fire (3)

    "How did you know he was down there?" Lord Svorsi asked quickly.


    "Now isn''t the time to worry about that. I know he''s down there, and I know there are five Royal-level Metal Eaters around us underground in total. Be careful, they''reing!"


    The Seventh Angel spat out a red energy beam to block the fortress annihtion cannon, then dove back into the ground and vanished.


    As soon as Adam finished speaking, the ground cracked open, and four giant bugs burst out. Their bodies were covered with eyes that shot thousands of red beams at Lord Svorsi, trying to turn him into a sieve.


    "It looks like we don''t have time to gather the Titans," Adam said. He jumped off Lord Svorsi''s shoulder and transformed into Electro True Self. "I''ll try to hold them off. The Seventh Angel is yours to deal with."


    With magic surging, the summoning space opened, and battle-mode Sophia appeared beneath Adam. She spat out a water screen, briefly blocking the red beams aiming at Adam.


    At the same time, Adam''s new magic construct appeared. Armor pieces embedded themselves onto his true form, connecting with Sophia''s construct and covering himpletely.


    The red beams crossed through Adam''s body but were stopped and deflected by the Mage Armor. Adam raised his left hand to create an electric potential difference, unleashing lightning from the void. No matter how the transcendent Metal Eaters dodged, they couldn''t escape.


    This lightning didn''t kill them but annoyed them greatly. They kept shooting red beams, weaving a in the sky, aiming to trap or kill Adam, and then attack Lord Svorsi.


    Space rippled violently, making Adam''s teleportation spell unusable.


    Sophia spat out dragon breath, forming hundreds of high-pressure water des. Energy drove the water flow at high speed within them. These water des then shed upwards with a whistling sound.


    Water and fire shed, creatingrge clouds of mist. Adam hid within the mist, controlling maism to lift countless metal particles from the ground and underground, forming a hundred-meter-long giant sword.


    Electric currents coiled around the sword, and after a brief charge, it shot out.


    A big hole appeared in the red instantly.


    Sophia pped her wings and soared up. At that moment, numerous tentacles shot up from below. A deep roar echoed continuously as the fifth transcendent Metal Eater appeared.


    Sophia''s body glowed with pure white mes. Her speed increased sharply, leaving afterimages in her path.


    Reaching the hole, Adam raised both hands above his head and tore apart the red beams, breaking free from the.


    Lord Svorsi''s reinforcements arrived. He fired a heavy shot at one of the giant bugs, sting it back into the ground. He wondered aloud, "The Seventh Angel is gone."


    Lord Svorsi couldn''t find him, but Adam could sense him constantly moving deep underground.


    "Cover me!" Adam instructed. He left Sophia''s back and came to the ground.


    cing his hands on the surface, he raised them forcefully, causing the earth to heave like waves. Impurities were expelled, free electrons rearranged, and the metal density increased sharply.


    Since the enemy liked to hide underground, Adam decided to turn thend into metal. If he didn''te out, he would die below.


    This move was effective. The Seventh Angel couldn''t resist and began to move upwards. Adam floated up, taking cover behind Lord Svorsi. He ced a hand on his shoulder and said, "st it."


    Lord Svorsi''s cannon appeared again. This time, Adam used his abilities to help concentrate the energy. With maic field constraints, the energy loss of the fortress cannon was greatly reduced, even starting to crystallize.


    "Three, two, one, fire!"


    The moment the Seventh Angel emerged, he saw the cannon shoting straight at him. His thousands of eyes showed shock. He opened his mouth, drooling and corroding the ground into deep pits. Then, his whole body twitched as if he was going to vomit.


    And he did. He vomited out an offspring.


    The Seventh Angel used his child as a shield, his tentacles inserting into it. Just before the cannon hit, he detonated the child, using the energy st to escape and charge at Lord Svorsi.


    The Seventh Angel was about half the size of Lord Svorsi. He was like a meteor, surrounded by burning sma, seemingly intent on a suicidal collision with Lord Svorsi.


    Adam applied a counter-force to himself, detaching from Svorsi''s body and remounting Sophia.


    He aimed to lure the five giant bugs away from the battlefield, towards a trap set a thousand kilometers away in the floating fortress.


    Faced with the charging Seventh Angel, Lord Svorsi instinctively choose to dodge.


    But the Seventh Angel didn''t stop.


    Lord Svorsi shouted in rm, "Adam, his target is you!"


    He turned sharply in the air, raising his arms to form a particle sword, and shed at the Seventh Angel.


    Adam felt a sinking feeling and his vision darkened. The five giant bugs used their bodies as walls. They connected their tentacles into a,pletely blocking Adam''s path. They sprayed their acidic juice, filling Adam''s vision.


    "They sent an Angel and five transcendent Metal Eaters just to kill me? Are these bugs crazy? What good does killing me do for the war?" Adam''s mind raced, unable to understand the Metal Eaters'' strategy. "Or do they want to capture me alive?"


    At that moment, the Seventh Angel let out a silent roar. His sonic energy turned into a spiral with unimaginable heat, spiraling toward Adam. If his body got hit, Adam felt he wouldn''t survive, and being turned into a pulp would be the best oue.


    "They really want to kill me!"


    Adam activated a Chaotic Sanctuary scroll. He spread his fingers, letting maic and gravitational lines intertwine at his fingertips.


    Then, his fingers moved rapidly, creating ripples of space around him. Countless folds appeared, weakening, refracting, and deflecting the iing attack.


    Next, he crossed his fingers and activated Maic Cutting, slicing space into hundreds of fragments.


    He then stepped into the chaotic void, protected by Chaotic Sanctuary.


    The Seventh Angel let out a low growl and chased Adam, moving incredibly fast. Half his body was already in the void, and the mes in the tumors on his back burned fiercely.


    Endless fire appeared out of nowhere, falling from the sky. Each cluster burnt with a metal core, terrifying in its intensity.


    "Stop right there!"


    Lord Svorsi shed down with his sword. The massive vibrations of the particle de created a terrifying cutting force, chopping off a piece of the Seventh Angel''s body.


    Lord Svorsi dissolved the de arm, grabbed his bleeding limb with both hands, and roared as he pulled him back.


    Adam was in the void. Using the scroll''s power, he continuously used Blink to calmly avoid all the heavenly fire.


    Finally, just before the Chaotic Sanctuary disappeared, he emerged thirty kilometers away, then flew off without looking back.

 Chapter 281: War Fire (3)

    Chapter 281: War Fire (3)


    "How did you know he was down there?" Lord Svorsi asked quickly.


    "Now isn''t the time to worry about that. I know he''s down there, and I know there are five Royal-level Metal Eaters around us underground in total. Be careful, they''reing!"


    The Seventh Angel spat out a red energy beam to block the fortress annihtion cannon, then dove back into the ground and vanished.


    As soon as Adam finished speaking, the ground cracked open, and four giant bugs burst out. Their bodies were covered with eyes that shot thousands of red beams at Lord Svorsi, trying to turn him into a sieve.


    "It looks like we don''t have time to gather the Titans," Adam said. He jumped off Lord Svorsi''s shoulder and transformed into Electro True Self. "I''ll try to hold them off. The Seventh Angel is yours to deal with."


    With magic surging, the summoning space opened, and battle-mode Sophia appeared beneath Adam. She spat out a water screen, briefly blocking the red beams aiming at Adam.


    At the same time, Adam''s new magic construct appeared. Armor pieces embedded themselves onto his true form, connecting with Sophia''s construct and covering himpletely.


    The red beams crossed through Adam''s body but were stopped and deflected by the Mage Armor. Adam raised his left hand to create an electric potential difference, unleashing lightning from the void. No matter how the transcendent Metal Eaters dodged, they couldn''t escape.


    This lightning didn''t kill them but annoyed them greatly. They kept shooting red beams, weaving a in the sky, aiming to trap or kill Adam, and then attack Lord Svorsi.Space rippled violently, making Adam''s teleportation spell unusable.


    Sophia spat out dragon breath, forming hundreds of high-pressure water des. Energy drove the water flow at high speed within them. These water des then shed upwards with a whistling sound.


    Water and fire shed, creatingrge clouds of mist. Adam hid within the mist, controlling maism to lift countless metal particles from the ground and underground, forming a hundred-meter-long giant sword.


    Electric currents coiled around the sword, and after a brief charge, it shot out.


    A big hole appeared in the red instantly.


    Sophia pped her wings and soared up. At that moment, numerous tentacles shot up from below. A deep roar echoed continuously as the fifth transcendent Metal Eater appeared.


    Sophia''s body glowed with pure white mes. Her speed increased sharply, leaving afterimages in her path.


    Reaching the hole, Adam raised both hands above his head and tore apart the red beams, breaking free from the.


    Lord Svorsi''s reinforcements arrived. He fired a heavy shot at one of the giant bugs, sting it back into the ground. He wondered aloud, "The Seventh Angel is gone."


    Lord Svorsi couldn''t find him, but Adam could sense him constantly moving deep underground.


    "Cover me!" Adam instructed. He left Sophia''s back and came to the ground.


    cing his hands on the surface, he raised them forcefully, causing the earth to heave like waves. Impurities were expelled, free electrons rearranged, and the metal density increased sharply.


    Since the enemy liked to hide underground, Adam decided to turn thend into metal. If he didn''te out, he would die below.


    This move was effective. The Seventh Angel couldn''t resist and began to move upwards. Adam floated up, taking cover behind Lord Svorsi. He ced a hand on his shoulder and said, "st it."


    Lord Svorsi''s cannon appeared again. This time, Adam used his abilities to help concentrate the energy. With maic field constraints, the energy loss of the fortress cannon was greatly reduced, even starting to crystallize.


    "Three, two, one, fire!"


    The moment the Seventh Angel emerged, he saw the cannon shoting straight at him. His thousands of eyes showed shock. He opened his mouth, drooling and corroding the ground into deep pits. Then, his whole body twitched as if he was going to vomit.


    And he did. He vomited out an offspring.


    The Seventh Angel used his child as a shield, his tentacles inserting into it. Just before the cannon hit, he detonated the child, using the energy st to escape and charge at Lord Svorsi.


    The Seventh Angel was about half the size of Lord Svorsi. He was like a meteor, surrounded by burning sma, seemingly intent on a suicidal collision with Lord Svorsi.


    Adam applied a counter-force to himself, detaching from Svorsi''s body and remounting Sophia.


    He aimed to lure the five giant bugs away from the battlefield, towards a trap set a thousand kilometers away in the floating fortress.


    Faced with the charging Seventh Angel, Lord Svorsi instinctively choose to dodge.


    But the Seventh Angel didn''t stop.


    Lord Svorsi shouted in rm, "Adam, his target is you!"


    He turned sharply in the air, raising his arms to form a particle sword, and shed at the Seventh Angel.


    Adam felt a sinking feeling and his vision darkened. The five giant bugs used their bodies as walls. They connected their tentacles into a,pletely blocking Adam''s path. They sprayed their acidic juice, filling Adam''s vision.


    "They sent an Angel and five transcendent Metal Eaters just to kill me? Are these bugs crazy? What good does killing me do for the war?" Adam''s mind raced, unable to understand the Metal Eaters'' strategy. "Or do they want to capture me alive?"


    At that moment, the Seventh Angel let out a silent roar. His sonic energy turned into a spiral with unimaginable heat, spiraling toward Adam. If his body got hit, Adam felt he wouldn''t survive, and being turned into a pulp would be the best oue.


    "They really want to kill me!"


    Adam activated a Chaotic Sanctuary scroll. He spread his fingers, letting maic and gravitational lines intertwine at his fingertips.


    Then, his fingers moved rapidly, creating ripples of space around him. Countless folds appeared, weakening, refracting, and deflecting the iing attack.


    Next, he crossed his fingers and activated Maic Cutting, slicing space into hundreds of fragments.


    He then stepped into the chaotic void, protected by Chaotic Sanctuary.


    The Seventh Angel let out a low growl and chased Adam, moving incredibly fast. Half his body was already in the void, and the mes in the tumors on his back burned fiercely.


    Endless fire appeared out of nowhere, falling from the sky. Each cluster burnt with a metal core, terrifying in its intensity.


    "Stop right there!"


    Lord Svorsi shed down with his sword. The massive vibrations of the particle de created a terrifying cutting force, chopping off a piece of the Seventh Angel''s body.


    Lord Svorsi dissolved the de arm, grabbed his bleeding limb with both hands, and roared as he pulled him back.


    Adam was in the void. Using the scroll''s power, he continuously used Blink to calmly avoid all the heavenly fire.


    Finally, just before the Chaotic Sanctuary disappeared, he emerged thirty kilometers away, then flew off without looking back."

 Ch. 282 - The Ambush (1)

    The Seventh Angel was really putting Adam under a lot of stress.


    The Chaotic Sanctuary was supposed to be a strong, longsting defensive spell, but it disappeared in just a few seconds because of the leftover effects of those mes. Clearly, if Adam got hit or caught by the Seventh Angel, it would be disastrous.


    From the cut-off part of the Seventh Angel, gross tissues quickly grew and tangled together. He even grew a second head on his back. Then, he opened his big, glowing red mouth and bit at Lord Svorsi''s hands.


    Lord Svorsi pushed one hand forward to make a shield and block the mouth, while he punched the head with his other hand. He shouted, "Die! Die! Die!" as he smashed the Seventh Angel into a bloody mess.


    This wasn''t just a simple physical attack. He used crystallized energy to make gauntlets, and each punch sent out a shockwave.


    The Seventh Angel screamed in pain, bending his body sharply. He shot lots of red threads at Lord Svorsi.


    A shield appeared on Svorsi''s body. He didn''t dodge and kept yelling, "Die! Die! Die!"


    The Seventh Angel looked really worried. The Metal Eaters had gathered a big force to break through de City just to let him capture Adam ind. Now, just as he was about to seed, he was held up by this piece of scrap metal. "Let go of me, you steel trash!"


    Lord Svorsi ignored him. He wasn''t great at tactics or strategy, but he knew one simple rule: if the enemy wanted to do something, he had to stop them. Since the Seventh Angel wanted to capture Adam, Svorsi had to help Adam escape!


    "Die! Die! Die!" He changed his stance, turning one hand into a heavy hammer, and brought it down with huge force.


    They were almost equal in strength, and with one side just trying to buy time, the Seventh Angel was stuck.


    This fight was all about timing. The other Royals were being held off, and if they dyed too long, the Royal Titans would react ande to the rescue, causing the mission to fail.


    Thinking of this, the Seventh Angel made a harsh choice. He abandoned his captured body, using self-muttion to break free from the restraint.


    Though this weakened him, he thought Adam was just a tricky weakling with lots of tricks. He believed their power difference was too big. Without Lord Svorsi in the way, dealing with Adam would be easy, not even needing his whole self, especially...


    Without dy, Lord Svorsi flew after him. Meanwhile, he got a message from Adam, "Control his speed and lure him in my direction."


    ...


    Once Adam had put some distance between himself and the Seventh Angel, he felt much less pressure.


    The five transcendent Metal Eaters were tough opponents. Even at full power, Adam found it hard to face them all at once. However, if he wanted to escape, these big bugs couldn''t stop him.


    The wonders of magic were beyond the understanding of these beings who only knew how to shoot energy straightforwardly.


    Adam remotely controlled floating fortresses, arranging them in formation, and asionally slowed down to let the transcendent Metal Eaters catch up. He kept about thirty kilometers between them.


    Around him floated a huge magic array made up of thousands of rune clusters. Itunched spells regrly to guide the Metal Eaters, making sure they didn''t lose track of him.


    In his previous modifications, Adam had equipped each floating city with powerful weapon systems.


    While he couldn''t change the quality of the energy, the sheer amount was enough to destroy these big bugs.


    In Adam''s n, the five transcendent Metal Eaters were doomed. If everything went right, even the Seventh Angel would suffer heavy losses under the bombardment.


    Once the Seventh Angel''s power was reduced enough, the Metal Eaters would only have six Angels left.


    Suddenly, the five Metal Eaters sped up a lot. They closed the gap quickly, creating a red web in the sky to block Adam''s path.


    Giving up on the lure, Adam had the rune clusters unleash their full power, looking for a weak spot to break through and escape the trap.


    To his surprise, the weak spot was clear. After a round of heavy attacks, Adam found it and broke through. However, a feeling of dread came over him.


    "Could it be..."


    At that moment, two magma-ded swords shot up from the ground. A red creature, looking like a hundred-meter-tall mantis, appeared. His body was covered in tightly packed scales that opened and closed rhythmically, showing countlesspound eyes.


    Adam''s heart sank. He quickly changed his n,manding all floating fortresses and cities to move toward him, away from the ambush site.


    "I''m the Seventh Angel''s subordinate, the de Envoy," the mantis said, raising one hand to slice the red web into nothing. "Greetings, distant guest."


    Red beams shot from itspound eyes. The beams were mixed with faint gray seals, creating a two-kilometer-wide area that isted them from the outside world.


    The de Envoy spoke with pleasure, "I thought the Seventh Angel was overreacting, but here you are, having escaped the first ambush to face me. The Seventh Angel truly is wise."


    Adam took a deep breath, gathering all his strength to enter overdrive. But it needed time, so he stalled, "You''ve been waiting here all along? How did you know I would escape in this direction?"


    The de Envoy looked at Adam with approval. "Yes, that''s it. You need to be stronger so the gods'' gift isn''t wasted. Only the victor can leave this divine space. As for how I knew your escape route, well, that''s because of you."


    The de Envoy was also gathering energy, and Adam could clearly feel the increasing energy fluctuations around him.


    "A spy?"


    "No, no, it''s this thing." The de Envoy pulled out a me signal receiver, and Lord Svorsi''s voice came through clearly, "Adam? Where are you now?"


    The de Envoy cut off themunication with a regretful expression. "See? You were too careless. Even something like this ended up in our hands."


    "Now, are you ready? I''ming for you!"


    "Aren''t you afraid this seal might be shattered from the outside?" The strange gray field was disorienting, and Adam found he couldn''tmunicate with Sofia or the demons he had pacts with.


    "Didn''t you hear? Only the victor can leave! If those pieces of scrap metal outside dare to break the divine space, we''ll all die. Do you think they''ll do that?"


    "The victor? Only one can live?"


    The de Envoy dragged his des behind him, crouching slightly. "You can think of it that way. But you won''t die. God will take your soul and reshape your body."


    mes surged around him as he rushed at Adam, leaving trails of afterimages. "Enough talk. It''s time for your death!"


    Magic surged around Adam, burning like fire. His figure blurred, then filled the entire sky.


    Each of his avatars raised a finger, magic concentrating at their tips. "I don''t understand. What makes you so confident you can kill me?"


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><strong>BOOM!</strong></em>

 Chapter 282: The Ambush (1)

    Chapter 282: The Ambush (1)


    The Seventh Angel was really putting Adam under a lot of stress.


    The Chaotic Sanctuary was supposed to be a strong, longsting defensive spell, but it disappeared in just a few seconds because of the leftover effects of those mes. Clearly, if Adam got hit or caught by the Seventh Angel, it would be disastrous.


    From the cut-off part of the Seventh Angel, gross tissues quickly grew and tangled together. He even grew a second head on his back. Then, he opened his big, glowing red mouth and bit at Lord Svorsi''s hands.


    Lord Svorsi pushed one hand forward to make a shield and block the mouth, while he punched the head with his other hand. He shouted, "Die! Die! Die!" as he smashed the Seventh Angel into a bloody mess.


    This wasn''t just a simple physical attack. He used crystallized energy to make gauntlets, and each punch sent out a shockwave.


    The Seventh Angel screamed in pain, bending his body sharply. He shot lots of red threads at Lord Svorsi.


    A shield appeared on Svorsi''s body. He didn''t dodge and kept yelling, "Die! Die! Die!"


    The Seventh Angel looked really worried. The Metal Eaters had gathered a big force to break through de City just to let him capture Adam ind. Now, just as he was about to seed, he was held up by this piece of scrap metal. "Let go of me, you steel trash!"


    Lord Svorsi ignored him. He wasn''t great at tactics or strategy, but he knew one simple rule: if the enemy wanted to do something, he had to stop them. Since the Seventh Angel wanted to capture Adam, Svorsi had to help Adam escape!"Die! Die! Die!" He changed his stance, turning one hand into a heavy hammer, and brought it down with huge force.


    They were almost equal in strength, and with one side just trying to buy time, the Seventh Angel was stuck.


    This fight was all about timing. The other Royals were being held off, and if they dyed too long, the Royal Titans would react ande to the rescue, causing the mission to fail.


    Thinking of this, the Seventh Angel made a harsh choice. He abandoned his captured body, using self-muttion to break free from the restraint.


    Though this weakened him, he thought Adam was just a tricky weakling with lots of tricks. He believed their power difference was too big. Without Lord Svorsi in the way, dealing with Adam would be easy, not even needing his whole self, especially...


    Without dy, Lord Svorsi flew after him. Meanwhile, he got a message from Adam, "Control his speed and lure him in my direction."


    ...


    Once Adam had put some distance between himself and the Seventh Angel, he felt much less pressure.


    The five transcendent Metal Eaters were tough opponents. Even at full power, Adam found it hard to face them all at once. However, if he wanted to escape, these big bugs couldn''t stop him.


    The wonders of magic were beyond the understanding of these beings who only knew how to shoot energy straightforwardly.


    Adam remotely controlled floating fortresses, arranging them in formation, and asionally slowed down to let the transcendent Metal Eaters catch up. He kept about thirty kilometers between them.


    Around him floated a huge magic array made up of thousands of rune clusters. Itunched spells regrly to guide the Metal Eaters, making sure they didn''t lose track of him.


    In his previous modifications, Adam had equipped each floating city with powerful weapon systems.


    While he couldn''t change the quality of the energy, the sheer amount was enough to destroy these big bugs.


    In Adam''s n, the five transcendent Metal Eaters were doomed. If everything went right, even the Seventh Angel would suffer heavy losses under the bombardment.


    Once the Seventh Angel''s power was reduced enough, the Metal Eaters would only have six Angels left.


    Suddenly, the five Metal Eaters sped up a lot. They closed the gap quickly, creating a red web in the sky to block Adam''s path.


    Giving up on the lure, Adam had the rune clusters unleash their full power, looking for a weak spot to break through and escape the trap.


    To his surprise, the weak spot was clear. After a round of heavy attacks, Adam found it and broke through. However, a feeling of dread came over him.


    "Could it be..."


    At that moment, two magma-ded swords shot up from the ground. A red creature, looking like a hundred-meter-tall mantis, appeared. His body was covered in tightly packed scales that opened and closed rhythmically, showing countlesspound eyes.


    Adam''s heart sank. He quickly changed his n,manding all floating fortresses and cities to move toward him, away from the ambush site.


    "I''m the Seventh Angel''s subordinate, the de Envoy," the mantis said, raising one hand to slice the red web into nothing. "Greetings, distant guest."


    Red beams shot from itspound eyes. The beams were mixed with faint gray seals, creating a two-kilometer-wide area that isted them from the outside world.


    The de Envoy spoke with pleasure, "I thought the Seventh Angel was overreacting, but here you are, having escaped the first ambush to face me. The Seventh Angel truly is wise."


    Adam took a deep breath, gathering all his strength to enter overdrive. But it needed time, so he stalled, "You''ve been waiting here all along? How did you know I would escape in this direction?"


    The de Envoy looked at Adam with approval. "Yes, that''s it. You need to be stronger so the gods'' gift isn''t wasted. Only the victor can leave this divine space. As for how I knew your escape route, well, that''s because of you."


    The de Envoy was also gathering energy, and Adam could clearly feel the increasing energy fluctuations around him.


    "A spy?"


    "No, no, it''s this thing." The de Envoy pulled out a me signal receiver, and Lord Svorsi''s voice came through clearly, "Adam? Where are you now?"


    The de Envoy cut off themunication with a regretful expression. "See? You were too careless. Even something like this ended up in our hands."


    "Now, are you ready? I''ming for you!"


    "Aren''t you afraid this seal might be shattered from the outside?" The strange gray field was disorienting, and Adam found he couldn''tmunicate with Sofia or the demons he had pacts with.


    "Didn''t you hear? Only the victor can leave! If those pieces of scrap metal outside dare to break the divine space, we''ll all die. Do you think they''ll do that?"


    "The victor? Only one can live?"


    The de Envoy dragged his des behind him, crouching slightly. "You can think of it that way. But you won''t die. God will take your soul and reshape your body."


    mes surged around him as he rushed at Adam, leaving trails of afterimages. "Enough talk. It''s time for your death!"


    Magic surged around Adam, burning like fire. His figure blurred, then filled the entire sky.


    Each of his avatars raised a finger, magic concentrating at their tips. "I don''t understand. What makes you so confident you can kill me?"


    ***BOOM!***"

 Ch. 283 - The Ambush (2)

    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><strong>BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!</strong></em>


    Inside the sealed space, forty-nine sma sts shot from fingertips of Adam and his avatars, blocking the de Envoy''s pathpletely. The magic hit the de Envoy''s body, causing a dull explosion.


    These avatars weren''t real.


    Adam had added a Dirichlet function to his Mage Armor, which boosted his defense and agility in battle. He then converted this function and integrated it into his Electro True Self''s algorithm.


    The upgraded Electro True Self worked amazingly well with Lightning Dash magic. In this small two-kilometer space, Adam could set up an electric grid in every corner. Space magic couldn''t be used here, but electromaic magic could achieve the same effect.


    Adam could move through the entire grid in microseconds. He could switch at every node, making it seem like he was everywhere at once.


    Although he wasn''t a body-refining mage, Adam had no trouble fighting in this confined space.


    The de Envoy glowed red, resisting Adam''s magic because there was nowhere to hide. In overdrive, each of Adam''s spells reached nearly the peak of level four strength. Judging by the shield''s fluctuations, the de Envoy was struggling to withstand the attacks.


    "A diluted level-five creature, even stronger than regr Metal Eaters, is still limited. Sending such a minion to duel with me..." As Adam shed, his previous avatars disappeared. New avatars of him appeared, raising their hands to unleash lightning, filling the entire space with thunderbolts.


    "They underestimated me," Adam muttered to himself.


    The de Envoy could cut through lightning. The tworge des formed by his arms swung thousands of times per second.


    In dynamic vision, Adam clearly saw him spinning in ce, slicing through the lightning aimed at it.


    But cutting through a few bolts didn''t mean it could keep up.


    Maintaining this regr magic consumed very little mana for Adam, so the lightning wouldn''t stop as long as he willed it. Lightning could be generated anywhere the electric grid covered.


    The de Envoy let out a few roars that Adam couldn''t understand. His red glow suddenly shrank and then burst out, pushing away all the lightning in an instant. Then, his knees bent to the extreme, and using apletely inhuman way of exerting force, he leapt high and shed down fiercely.


    Two giant energy des crossed in an "X" shape. Normally, the energy would have faded during flight due to spatial interference, but now, because of the gray energy, the des were incredibly stable. The attack reached Adam in a sh, slicing all the avatars in that direction into pieces.


    The de Envoy performed an unexpectedly agile turn for his size and shed two more times behind it.


    "Too clumsy. Aren''t you a descendant of the void? That''s all you''ve got?" Adam''s voice echoed from all directions, constantly provoking it.


    "I''ll cut you into pieces!"


    The de Envoy roared, opening all hispound eyes. His gaze became energized, creating a storm within the small two-kilometer space.


    He felt incredibly frustrated. Among the Metal Eaters, he was one of the strongest below the Angels. His evolution focused on closebat and agility. Hispound eyes naturally had powerful dynamic vision.


    In the past, any enemy under his de was like a toy, easily ughtered without even touching his body. He looked down on his clumsy kin.


    But now, against Adam, hispound eyes couldn''t capture Adam''s true form, and his intense focus made him dizzy.


    "You''re a shame to the Devourer, power wise. His abilities are mysterious, eerie, and powerful. But you..." said Adam.


    Adam conjured an electromaic storm, shing with the des. In terms of raw power, Adam was at a disadvantage, but hisplete control over energy allowed him to respond calmly.


    "How dare you speak Father''s name!" the de Envoy shouted in anger.


    Ignoring the interruption, Adam moved to the other side of the space. He continued, "But you are so weak. All you have is basic energy umtion, like mindless bacteria. Oh, I get it now. Only the Devourer is truly a descendant of the Dilus. You are just a bunch of primitive bugs."


    "Die!"


    The de Envoy''s scales opened, andva flowed out, trying to fill the space and leave Adam no escape.


    However, it was useless. Adam used a basic level one fire spell, Fire Form, to remain unscathed amidst theva and high temperatures.


    "You are terrible at using elements and energy. Do you think mere fire and heat make you strong? You are much weaker than the seventh Angel," Adam taunted.


    He didn''t want to use his high-consumption magic like the Judgment Sword, which would cause severe energy drain. Even if he could kill the de Envoy, there were still five big bugs waiting for him outside.


    "You are anxious, aren''t you? The god-given space is just your imagination. If the Devourer could truly create a space with specific rules, I would have died long ago," Adam said. He drew the heat from the surroundingva, transforming it into solid rock, then shattered it with a simple earth spell. He then gathered the mineral particles into a sword, creating an iron sand sword several hundred meters long, swinging it through the air.


    "Only the victor can leave? Do you believe that yourself? No energy can exist forever; it''s against basic rules. So, this space will disappear soon." Adam fired a shot at the space''s wall, observing the undisguised fluctuation in the gray energy.


    "Your biggest mistake was sending a melee fighter to capture me. See, you can''t even touch me."


    The de Envoy roared sharply at the sky. His frenzied attacks made the gray energy fluctuate more violently, driving him nearly insane.


    Adam''s words pierced his weakest points, causing him to doubt himself.


    Adam stopped speaking, fearing the de Envoy might choose to self-destruct. In such a small space, Adam had nowhere to hide. If he did self-destruct, Adam would be severely injured as well.


    As Adam had predicted, the space didn''t withstand theirbined attacks for long and shattered like ss.


    The de Envoy was stunned. He couldn''t believe the fact that the means left by their god, their Father, was broken by someone as weak as Adam.


    "Floating fortresses, begin energy umtion."


    "Countdown, five."

 Chapter 283: The Ambush (2)

    Chapter 283: The Ambush (2)


    ***BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!***


    Inside the sealed space, forty-nine sma sts shot from fingertips of Adam and his avatars, blocking the de Envoy''s pathpletely. The magic hit the de Envoy''s body, causing a dull explosion.


    These avatars weren''t real.


    Adam had added a Dirichlet function to his Mage Armor, which boosted his defense and agility in battle. He then converted this function and integrated it into his Electro True Self''s algorithm.


    The upgraded Electro True Self worked amazingly well with Lightning Dash magic. In this small two-kilometer space, Adam could set up an electric grid in every corner. Space magic couldn''t be used here, but electromaic magic could achieve the same effect.


    Adam could move through the entire grid in microseconds. He could switch at every node, making it seem like he was everywhere at once.


    Although he wasn''t a body-refining mage, Adam had no trouble fighting in this confined space.


    The de Envoy glowed red, resisting Adam''s magic because there was nowhere to hide. In overdrive, each of Adam''s spells reached nearly the peak of level four strength. Judging by the shield''s fluctuations, the de Envoy was struggling to withstand the attacks.


    "A diluted level-five creature, even stronger than regr Metal Eaters, is still limited. Sending such a minion to duel with me..." As Adam shed, his previous avatars disappeared. New avatars of him appeared, raising their hands to unleash lightning, filling the entire space with thunderbolts."They underestimated me," Adam muttered to himself.


    The de Envoy could cut through lightning. The tworge des formed by his arms swung thousands of times per second.


    In dynamic vision, Adam clearly saw him spinning in ce, slicing through the lightning aimed at it.


    But cutting through a few bolts didn''t mean it could keep up.


    Maintaining this regr magic consumed very little mana for Adam, so the lightning wouldn''t stop as long as he willed it. Lightning could be generated anywhere the electric grid covered.


    The de Envoy let out a few roars that Adam couldn''t understand. His red glow suddenly shrank and then burst out, pushing away all the lightning in an instant. Then, his knees bent to the extreme, and using apletely inhuman way of exerting force, he leapt high and shed down fiercely.


    Two giant energy des crossed in an "X" shape. Normally, the energy would have faded during flight due to spatial interference, but now, because of the gray energy, the des were incredibly stable. The attack reached Adam in a sh, slicing all the avatars in that direction into pieces.


    The de Envoy performed an unexpectedly agile turn for his size and shed two more times behind it.


    "Too clumsy. Aren''t you a descendant of the void? That''s all you''ve got?" Adam''s voice echoed from all directions, constantly provoking it.


    "I''ll cut you into pieces!"


    The de Envoy roared, opening all hispound eyes. His gaze became energized, creating a storm within the small two-kilometer space.


    He felt incredibly frustrated. Among the Metal Eaters, he was one of the strongest below the Angels. His evolution focused on closebat and agility. Hispound eyes naturally had powerful dynamic vision.


    In the past, any enemy under his de was like a toy, easily ughtered without even touching his body. He looked down on his clumsy kin.


    But now, against Adam, hispound eyes couldn''t capture Adam''s true form, and his intense focus made him dizzy.


    "You''re a shame to the Devourer, power wise. His abilities are mysterious, eerie, and powerful. But you..." said Adam.


    Adam conjured an electromaic storm, shing with the des. In terms of raw power, Adam was at a disadvantage, but hisplete control over energy allowed him to respond calmly.


    "How dare you speak Father''s name!" the de Envoy shouted in anger.


    Ignoring the interruption, Adam moved to the other side of the space. He continued, "But you are so weak. All you have is basic energy umtion, like mindless bacteria. Oh, I get it now. Only the Devourer is truly a descendant of the Dilus. You are just a bunch of primitive bugs."


    "Die!"


    The de Envoy''s scales opened, andva flowed out, trying to fill the space and leave Adam no escape.


    However, it was useless. Adam used a basic level one fire spell, Fire Form, to remain unscathed amidst theva and high temperatures.


    "You are terrible at using elements and energy. Do you think mere fire and heat make you strong? You are much weaker than the seventh Angel," Adam taunted.


    He didn''t want to use his high-consumption magic like the Judgment Sword, which would cause severe energy drain. Even if he could kill the de Envoy, there were still five big bugs waiting for him outside.


    "You are anxious, aren''t you? The god-given space is just your imagination. If the Devourer could truly create a space with specific rules, I would have died long ago," Adam said. He drew the heat from the surroundingva, transforming it into solid rock, then shattered it with a simple earth spell. He then gathered the mineral particles into a sword, creating an iron sand sword several hundred meters long, swinging it through the air.


    "Only the victor can leave? Do you believe that yourself? No energy can exist forever; it''s against basic rules. So, this space will disappear soon." Adam fired a shot at the space''s wall, observing the undisguised fluctuation in the gray energy.


    "Your biggest mistake was sending a melee fighter to capture me. See, you can''t even touch me."


    The de Envoy roared sharply at the sky. His frenzied attacks made the gray energy fluctuate more violently, driving him nearly insane.


    Adam''s words pierced his weakest points, causing him to doubt himself.


    Adam stopped speaking, fearing the de Envoy might choose to self-destruct. In such a small space, Adam had nowhere to hide. If he did self-destruct, Adam would be severely injured as well.


    As Adam had predicted, the space didn''t withstand theirbined attacks for long and shattered like ss.


    The de Envoy was stunned. He couldn''t believe the fact that the means left by their god, their Father, was broken by someone as weak as Adam.


    "Floating fortresses, begin energy umtion."


    "Countdown, five."

 Ch. 284 - Death of The Angel (1)

    The energy shifts seemed to wake the de Envoy. He quickly flew backward, trying to escape this area filled with danger.


    However, before he could go far, he saw a giant fortress descending from the sky, floating in front of him. The thick energy walls made it clear that breaking through would be tough.


    He changed direction and flew the other way, only to see another floating fortress.


    Adam had moved twenty-seven cities.


    Thirty-three small floating fortresses surrounded the area. Things could fly in, but nothing could escape.


    "Three," the countdown continued.


    The de Envoy turned around and rushed towards hispanions, shouting, "What are you waiting for? Kill him! Kill him!"


    The five transcendent Metal Eaters had seen the seal on the Devourer take effect and thought everything was over. But now, they saw Adam walking out unharmed. They were shocked and couldn''t believe Adam had escaped from their god''s power.


    Seeing his stunned kin, the de Envoy made up his mind. His sharp de pierced a tumor and then ignited the me. The transcendent Metal Eaters watched in shock as his whole body turned into a fireball. Unlike the Seventh Angel, who cast spells willingly, he was forced.


    "Two,"


    The de Envoy lifted the fireball and hurled it at Adam.


    "Fire!"


    With Adam''smand, sixty thick energy beams shot out. The fireball didn''tst a second and was reduced to ashes.


    In his enhanced vision, Adam could see the slow-motion deaths of the five transcendent Metal Eaters. They were so stunned they forgot to defend and died quickly.


    The de Envoy screamed in despair. His body curled up, and energy sprayed from hispound eyes, forming a defensive field. The fortresses'' barrage swept through, leaving him nowhere to hide.


    The bright lightsted ten seconds before fading. Everything within a twenty-kilometer radius was gone, leaving a crystalline crater.


    "Master, that guy isn''t dead yet." Garfield flew from a floating city to Adam''s side and said.


    The de Envoy looked miserable, but his life force was incredibly strong. He survived the peak-level attack and stared at Adam, muttering, "Kill, kill, kill..."


    Adam raised his palm slightly, and Maic Cutting activated. The de Envoy was neatly sliced into ten thousand pieces, not one more, not one less.


    After killing him, Adam sighed and exited the overclocked state. He said to Garfield, "Immediately replenish the energy of the floating fortresses. The battle isn''t over yet."


    "What is Lord Svorsi doing? Why isn''t he responding?"


    ...


    The moment he didn''t get a response, Lord Svorsi knew there was a problem with Titan''smunication system.


    He suspected the Metal Eaters might have cracked theirmunication methods. So, he decisively crushed the me Fluctuation receiver and silently chased after the Seventh Angel.


    However, he was soon blocked.


    "You foolish scrap of junks. Do you think you can challenge Father''s authority without consequences? Your alien helper''s doomed. No one can save him. He will watch himself be sliced into pieces by the de Envoy!" the Seventh Angel boasted.


    After the destruction of de City and their entry into Titania, they split into several groups. He distracted Lord Svorsi while his envoys ambushed Adam to ensure nothing went wrong.


    If he could capture Adam ahead of the Fifth Angel, he believed he would surely gain Father''s favor and receive more rewards. Perhaps his ranking would be raised by two ces.


    "The de Envoy!" Lord Svorsi was furious and anxious. Those bearing the envoy title were the elite of the Metal Eaters, much stronger than regrbat units. A few envoys working together could even pose a threat to him. He couldn''t imagine what would happen if Adam faced the envoys.


    Thousands of exhaust pipes appeared on Lord Svorsi''s legs, spewing mes. His speed increased sharply. He couldn''t waste time entangling with the Seventh Angel; rescuing Adam was the most important thing. Now, Adam''s life was far more important than his own.


    The roles suddenly reversed, with the Seventh Angel bing the unhurried one. He spat a terrifying fireball, which seemed to have struggling creatures inside, blocking Lord Svorsi''s way. "You hurt me just now, and you think you can leave so easily?"


    Lord Svorsi''s upper body transformed into a weapon, with fierce barrels gleaming coldly. Without a word, he unleashed a barrage.


    The fireball shattered, but the Seventh Angel didn''t care. His tentacles stretched across the sky, whipping the shells into nothingness.


    "You might as well stay here with me. Maybe your kin wille to save him? Oh, I forgot, the First Angel personally intervened. They might not have the time."


    Hearing this, Lord Svorsi became even more anxious. None of the Royals had ever seen the First Angel. In their impression, this being always stayed quietly in the Land of Divine Revtion. The fact that even it was dispatched this time showed how determined the Metal Eaters were to "kill" Adam.


    The two were evenly matched, unable to gain an advantage over each other. The aftermath of their battle left the surrounding terrain unrecognizable, but neither had inflicted any real injuries. They could only continue this stalemate unless one of them ran out of energy first.


    After a few minutes, the Seventh Angel''s body suddenly stiffened. He was struck by a series of energy beams, almost breaking his defensive field. Yet, he didn''t even nce at Lord Svorsi and roared furiously, "How is this possible! How could he kill the de Envoy!"


    Without another word, he flew forward.


    "Master, these floating fortresses are powerful, but they''re just energy umtions. If the Angel has heritage, these things can''t kill them," Garfield said, using spatial power to fill the energy. His me connected with the main power core, and in front of him were sixty portals. Through the portals, hundreds of silent new Titans transported energy.


    "I don''t expect to kill the Seventh Angel. I just need to create an opportunity for Lord Svorsi. Creatures of this level can only be killed by opponents of equal strength." Adam was clear about his role. He knew that confronting the Seventh Angel head-on was suicide, but causing some trouble was feasible.


    "Staying here only wastes energy, Master. Why don''t we go find them?" Garfield had grown fond of controlling the firepower. After Adam gave the order, Garfield was the one who actuallyunched the attack. Now, he was eager to fire a few more shots for fun.

 Chapter 284: Death of The Angel (1)

    Chapter 284: Death of The Angel (1)


    The energy shifts seemed to wake the de Envoy. He quickly flew backward, trying to escape this area filled with danger.


    However, before he could go far, he saw a giant fortress descending from the sky, floating in front of him. The thick energy walls made it clear that breaking through would be tough.


    He changed direction and flew the other way, only to see another floating fortress.


    Adam had moved twenty-seven cities.


    Thirty-three small floating fortresses surrounded the area. Things could fly in, but nothing could escape.


    "Three," the countdown continued.


    The de Envoy turned around and rushed towards hispanions, shouting, "What are you waiting for? Kill him! Kill him!"


    The five transcendent Metal Eaters had seen the seal on the Devourer take effect and thought everything was over. But now, they saw Adam walking out unharmed. They were shocked and couldn''t believe Adam had escaped from their god''s power.


    Seeing his stunned kin, the de Envoy made up his mind. His sharp de pierced a tumor and then ignited the me. The transcendent Metal Eaters watched in shock as his whole body turned into a fireball. Unlike the Seventh Angel, who cast spells willingly, he was forced."Two,"


    The de Envoy lifted the fireball and hurled it at Adam.


    "Fire!"


    With Adam''smand, sixty thick energy beams shot out. The fireball didn''tst a second and was reduced to ashes.


    In his enhanced vision, Adam could see the slow-motion deaths of the five transcendent Metal Eaters. They were so stunned they forgot to defend and died quickly.


    The de Envoy screamed in despair. His body curled up, and energy sprayed from hispound eyes, forming a defensive field. The fortresses'' barrage swept through, leaving him nowhere to hide.


    The bright lightsted ten seconds before fading. Everything within a twenty-kilometer radius was gone, leaving a crystalline crater.


    "Master, that guy isn''t dead yet." Garfield flew from a floating city to Adam''s side and said.


    The de Envoy looked miserable, but his life force was incredibly strong. He survived the peak-level attack and stared at Adam, muttering, "Kill, kill, kill..."


    Adam raised his palm slightly, and Maic Cutting activated. The de Envoy was neatly sliced into ten thousand pieces, not one more, not one less.


    After killing him, Adam sighed and exited the overclocked state. He said to Garfield, "Immediately replenish the energy of the floating fortresses. The battle isn''t over yet."


    "What is Lord Svorsi doing? Why isn''t he responding?"


    ...


    The moment he didn''t get a response, Lord Svorsi knew there was a problem with Titan''smunication system.


    He suspected the Metal Eaters might have cracked theirmunication methods. So, he decisively crushed the me Fluctuation receiver and silently chased after the Seventh Angel.


    However, he was soon blocked.


    "You foolish scrap of junks. Do you think you can challenge Father''s authority without consequences? Your alien helper''s doomed. No one can save him. He will watch himself be sliced into pieces by the de Envoy!" the Seventh Angel boasted.


    After the destruction of de City and their entry into Titania, they split into several groups. He distracted Lord Svorsi while his envoys ambushed Adam to ensure nothing went wrong.


    If he could capture Adam ahead of the Fifth Angel, he believed he would surely gain Father''s favor and receive more rewards. Perhaps his ranking would be raised by two ces.


    "The de Envoy!" Lord Svorsi was furious and anxious. Those bearing the envoy title were the elite of the Metal Eaters, much stronger than regrbat units. A few envoys working together could even pose a threat to him. He couldn''t imagine what would happen if Adam faced the envoys.


    Thousands of exhaust pipes appeared on Lord Svorsi''s legs, spewing mes. His speed increased sharply. He couldn''t waste time entangling with the Seventh Angel; rescuing Adam was the most important thing. Now, Adam''s life was far more important than his own.


    The roles suddenly reversed, with the Seventh Angel bing the unhurried one. He spat a terrifying fireball, which seemed to have struggling creatures inside, blocking Lord Svorsi''s way. "You hurt me just now, and you think you can leave so easily?"


    Lord Svorsi''s upper body transformed into a weapon, with fierce barrels gleaming coldly. Without a word, he unleashed a barrage.


    The fireball shattered, but the Seventh Angel didn''t care. His tentacles stretched across the sky, whipping the shells into nothingness.


    "You might as well stay here with me. Maybe your kin wille to save him? Oh, I forgot, the First Angel personally intervened. They might not have the time."


    Hearing this, Lord Svorsi became even more anxious. None of the Royals had ever seen the First Angel. In their impression, this being always stayed quietly in the Land of Divine Revtion. The fact that even it was dispatched this time showed how determined the Metal Eaters were to "kill" Adam.


    The two were evenly matched, unable to gain an advantage over each other. The aftermath of their battle left the surrounding terrain unrecognizable, but neither had inflicted any real injuries. They could only continue this stalemate unless one of them ran out of energy first.


    After a few minutes, the Seventh Angel''s body suddenly stiffened. He was struck by a series of energy beams, almost breaking his defensive field. Yet, he didn''t even nce at Lord Svorsi and roared furiously, "How is this possible! How could he kill the de Envoy!"


    Without another word, he flew forward.


    "Master, these floating fortresses are powerful, but they''re just energy umtions. If the Angel has heritage, these things can''t kill them," Garfield said, using spatial power to fill the energy. His me connected with the main power core, and in front of him were sixty portals. Through the portals, hundreds of silent new Titans transported energy.


    "I don''t expect to kill the Seventh Angel. I just need to create an opportunity for Lord Svorsi. Creatures of this level can only be killed by opponents of equal strength." Adam was clear about his role. He knew that confronting the Seventh Angel head-on was suicide, but causing some trouble was feasible.


    "Staying here only wastes energy, Master. Why don''t we go find them?" Garfield had grown fond of controlling the firepower. After Adam gave the order, Garfield was the one who actuallyunched the attack. Now, he was eager to fire a few more shots for fun."

 Ch. 285 - Death of The Angel (2)

    "No, the target is too big. The Seventh Angel is here. Change the formation!"


    Garfield eagerly directed the Titans to their attacking spots. The main power core started sending energy to his body.


    After a ripple, sixty floating fortresses disappeared into spatial folds.


    Adam activated the maic field to help hide the fortresses even more.


    "One hundred kilometers away, charge ready."


    "Seventy kilometers away, preheat start."


    "Thirty kilometers away, charge at seventy percent."


    "Ten kilometers away, charge at one hundred percent."


    "Five kilometers away, charge at one hundred fifty percent."


    "Coordinates (2453, 3545, 4654), fire!"


    The floating fortresses formed triangles, three in each group. These triangles thenbined, with sixty fortresses forming sixrge triangles.


    These six groups were also arranged in a triangr pattern, with six fortresses in front forming a hexagram.


    Their energy flowed through circuits, merging into the hexagram.


    Garfield pressed the release button as ordered.


    The Seventh Angel''s senses went wild with rms. He stopped right away and tried to escape. But intense spatial and energy disturbances messed with his movements.


    Everything around him felt sticky, making it impossible to even turn around. Even his tentacles moved slowly.


    The next second, he saw a transparent energy beam shooting toward him. Blood spurted from the millions of eyes around his body, and his tentacles detached.


    Endless mes appeared out of nowhere, changing from red to blue, then to purple, and finally to gray, emitting terrifying energy.


    Then the mes shed with the energy beam.


    Only then did the sound of the explosions reach his ears.


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><strong>BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!</strong></em>


    Gray mes and energy collided, causing continuous annihtion reactions, releasing immense energy and explosions.


    The gray mes were incredibly dense, managing to block the energy beam for two seconds. But then, the gray mes were eventually overwhelmed, and the energy beam struck the Seventh Angel.


    The Seventh Angel still couldn''t avoid it. His defense field copsed instantly. The energy beam hit his body directly, causing it to carbonize, burn, and evaporate...


    All kinds of unbearable phenomena happened at once. One-quarter of the Seventh Angel''s body disappeared in an instant.


    "Ah! Ah!!"


    He let out a terrible scream, with a sobbing tone.


    This pain was something he had never experienced or imagined since birth. The physical injuries were nothingpared to the emotional shock and fear he felt.


    He knew he was finished. No one understood the cruelty of Father better than he did. After losing this battle, the Devourer would never spare him. His fate would be a billion times worse than the Fifth Angel''s.


    "It''s all your fault! It''s all because of you! Why didn''t you let me catch you? Why did youe to Titania and help these scrap metals!"


    Anger surged within him, and he med Adam for everything.


    "Father will not spare me; I am doomed."


    "I''ll take you with me to the grave!"


    He was determined to die and wanted to drag Adam down with him. But Lord Svorsi had already recovered from his shock and would not give him the chance.


    The Seventh Angel''s power was weakened to the limit, so Svorsi was confident he could take down this enemy of the Titans.


    "me Cannon!"


    ...


    It had been five days since the surprise attack by the Metal Eaters and the death of the Seventh Angel.


    After the Seventh Angel died, the Metal Eaters retreated from the high battlefield like a tide, leaving behind dozens of bodies. In this battle, not a single Titan Royal had fallen.


    The war between the two races entered a strange period of calm. Ordinary soldiers still fought fiercely, but those above the transcendent level went into hiding.


    The two shots from the floating fortresses had consumed ten percent of the Titans'' energy reserves. Lord Svorsi was impressed by its power but had to admit painfully that it could only be a trump card, not a regr weapon.


    Adam''s n to transform the frontline fortresses was unanimously approved. The Royals recognized the enormous advantage of this warfare method: its superior mobility could reduce massive casualties.


    They realized that trying to hold onto every inch ofnd was not feasible at this stage. The current calm meant the Metal Eaters were preparing for an even fiercer attack. When that happened, such a long front line would be riddled with holes.


    So, they understood that giving up some territory was necessary now. If they won the warter, thesends would naturally return to their hands. If they lost, with their race extinct, thend would be useless anyway.


    Adam was pleased that the Royals understood this.


    Using this window of opportunity, he pulled some personnel from various battle fortresses and assigned the transformation work as tasks. They started from the ruins of de City, working simultaneously on both the north and south sides.


    The busiest were not Adam but the forest elves.


    The energy consumption at the frontline was enormous every day. Adam summoned all the forest elves to nt conversion fungi on every idle piece ofnd in Titania.


    The fungi now abandoned natural reproduction, relying entirely on the elves'' nt power for catalysis. Nearly every one of the over one hundred Nature Controllers was exhausted and copsed several times.


    Fifteen dayster, the initial transformation of the battle fortresses wasplete.


    Adam and Garfield split into two groups, tirelessly inscribing the maic levitation magic arrays. They aimed to make the race airborne in the shortest time possible.


    Seven days after that, all modifications were finished.


    The Titans contracted their defensive line, abandoning sixty percent of their territory.


    The behavior of the Metal Eaters became increasingly strange. Their number of participating soldiers dwindled. They even watched the Titans''rge-scale actions without sending any transcendent-level Metal Eaters to stop them.


    This trend gave some ordinary Titans the impression that the war was already won. However, Adam and the Royals felt more and more uneasy.


    ...


    In the Royal City...


    "The Metal Eaters have no reason to retreat. The death of one Angel doesn''t affect the overall situation. The only possible reason for their actions is that the Devourer is about to seed," said Lord Fast.


    Adam nodded. "I think so too. But I''ve got one question here. Wouldn''t eroding the Origin affect the ne? So far, the entire continent remains calm and unchanged. What exactly is the Devourer doing? Or rather, what is the treasure left by the Titan God?"


    At this point, Adam and the Titans were in the same boat. Lord Fast knew that hiding things now would only create distrust. So, he straightforwardly said, "The treasure is the Genesis me. It is the first me nurtured by the Origin. The Titan God was born from it. After ascending to the god rank, he split it from his own mes. It''s the only energy we know that can evolve us into gods."


    "In other words..."


    "In other words, if the Devourer consumes the Genesis me, he will also ascend to godhood."

 Chapter 285: Death of The Angel (2)

    Chapter 285: Death of The Angel (2)


    "No, the target is too big. The Seventh Angel is here. Change the formation!"


    Garfield eagerly directed the Titans to their attacking spots. The main power core started sending energy to his body.


    After a ripple, sixty floating fortresses disappeared into spatial folds.


    Adam activated the maic field to help hide the fortresses even more.


    "One hundred kilometers away, charge ready."


    "Seventy kilometers away, preheat start."


    "Thirty kilometers away, charge at seventy percent."


    "Ten kilometers away, charge at one hundred percent."


    "Five kilometers away, charge at one hundred fifty percent.""Coordinates (2453, 3545, 4654), fire!"


    The floating fortresses formed triangles, three in each group. These triangles thenbined, with sixty fortresses forming sixrge triangles.


    These six groups were also arranged in a triangr pattern, with six fortresses in front forming a hexagram.


    Their energy flowed through circuits, merging into the hexagram.


    Garfield pressed the release button as ordered.


    The Seventh Angel''s senses went wild with rms. He stopped right away and tried to escape. But intense spatial and energy disturbances messed with his movements.


    Everything around him felt sticky, making it impossible to even turn around. Even his tentacles moved slowly.


    The next second, he saw a transparent energy beam shooting toward him. Blood spurted from the millions of eyes around his body, and his tentacles detached.


    Endless mes appeared out of nowhere, changing from red to blue, then to purple, and finally to gray, emitting terrifying energy.


    Then the mes shed with the energy beam.


    Only then did the sound of the explosions reach his ears.


    ***BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!***


    Gray mes and energy collided, causing continuous annihtion reactions, releasing immense energy and explosions.


    The gray mes were incredibly dense, managing to block the energy beam for two seconds. But then, the gray mes were eventually overwhelmed, and the energy beam struck the Seventh Angel.


    The Seventh Angel still couldn''t avoid it. His defense field copsed instantly. The energy beam hit his body directly, causing it to carbonize, burn, and evaporate...


    All kinds of unbearable phenomena happened at once. One-quarter of the Seventh Angel''s body disappeared in an instant.


    "Ah! Ah!!"


    He let out a terrible scream, with a sobbing tone.


    This pain was something he had never experienced or imagined since birth. The physical injuries were nothingpared to the emotional shock and fear he felt.


    He knew he was finished. No one understood the cruelty of Father better than he did. After losing this battle, the Devourer would never spare him. His fate would be a billion times worse than the Fifth Angel''s.


    "It''s all your fault! It''s all because of you! Why didn''t you let me catch you? Why did youe to Titania and help these scrap metals!"


    Anger surged within him, and he med Adam for everything.


    "Father will not spare me; I am doomed."


    "I''ll take you with me to the grave!"


    He was determined to die and wanted to drag Adam down with him. But Lord Svorsi had already recovered from his shock and would not give him the chance.


    The Seventh Angel''s power was weakened to the limit, so Svorsi was confident he could take down this enemy of the Titans.


    "me Cannon!"


    ...


    It had been five days since the surprise attack by the Metal Eaters and the death of the Seventh Angel.


    After the Seventh Angel died, the Metal Eaters retreated from the high battlefield like a tide, leaving behind dozens of bodies. In this battle, not a single Titan Royal had fallen.


    The war between the two races entered a strange period of calm. Ordinary soldiers still fought fiercely, but those above the transcendent level went into hiding.


    The two shots from the floating fortresses had consumed ten percent of the Titans'' energy reserves. Lord Svorsi was impressed by its power but had to admit painfully that it could only be a trump card, not a regr weapon.


    Adam''s n to transform the frontline fortresses was unanimously approved. The Royals recognized the enormous advantage of this warfare method: its superior mobility could reduce massive casualties.


    They realized that trying to hold onto every inch ofnd was not feasible at this stage. The current calm meant the Metal Eaters were preparing for an even fiercer attack. When that happened, such a long front line would be riddled with holes.


    So, they understood that giving up some territory was necessary now. If they won the warter, thesends would naturally return to their hands. If they lost, with their race extinct, thend would be useless anyway.


    Adam was pleased that the Royals understood this.


    Using this window of opportunity, he pulled some personnel from various battle fortresses and assigned the transformation work as tasks. They started from the ruins of de City, working simultaneously on both the north and south sides.


    The busiest were not Adam but the forest elves.


    The energy consumption at the frontline was enormous every day. Adam summoned all the forest elves to nt conversion fungi on every idle piece ofnd in Titania.


    The fungi now abandoned natural reproduction, relying entirely on the elves'' nt power for catalysis. Nearly every one of the over one hundred Nature Controllers was exhausted and copsed several times.


    Fifteen dayster, the initial transformation of the battle fortresses wasplete.


    Adam and Garfield split into two groups, tirelessly inscribing the maic levitation magic arrays. They aimed to make the race airborne in the shortest time possible.


    Seven days after that, all modifications were finished.


    The Titans contracted their defensive line, abandoning sixty percent of their territory.


    The behavior of the Metal Eaters became increasingly strange. Their number of participating soldiers dwindled. They even watched the Titans''rge-scale actions without sending any transcendent-level Metal Eaters to stop them.


    This trend gave some ordinary Titans the impression that the war was already won. However, Adam and the Royals felt more and more uneasy.


    ...


    In the Royal City...


    "The Metal Eaters have no reason to retreat. The death of one Angel doesn''t affect the overall situation. The only possible reason for their actions is that the Devourer is about to seed," said Lord Fast.


    Adam nodded. "I think so too. But I''ve got one question here. Wouldn''t eroding the Origin affect the ne? So far, the entire continent remains calm and unchanged. What exactly is the Devourer doing? Or rather, what is the treasure left by the Titan God?"


    At this point, Adam and the Titans were in the same boat. Lord Fast knew that hiding things now would only create distrust. So, he straightforwardly said, "The treasure is the Genesis me. It is the first me nurtured by the Origin. The Titan God was born from it. After ascending to the god rank, he split it from his own mes. It''s the only energy we know that can evolve us into gods."


    "In other words..."


    "In other words, if the Devourer consumes the Genesis me, he will also ascend to godhood."

 Ch. 286 - The Devourer! The Devourer! (1)

    The Titans said the Genesis me started Titania''s life. It was super powerful and could create a Titan god. It was a level nine Trinket, only those close to a True Soul could use.


    The Titans were a race that followed old teachings and traditions. For hundreds of thousands of years, they hadn''t met a situation to use it, so none of the Titan lords tried to take it by force.


    The Devourer was different. Lord Lancelot brought him into this world, but he killed his father and betrayed the Titans. He consumed the me and became powerful.


    He didn''t care about rules and only wanted to get stronger. He nned to be a god, destroy the Titans, and turn the healthy, vibrant ne into his warship to plunder the void.


    "You know when he will seed, don''t you?" Adam asked.


    Lord Fast nodded. "When the Originpletely turns ck and gray, and the Genesis me''s self-protection is broken."


    "It seems this enemy is much harder to deal with than I thought." Adam remembered what he had seen twice before. The ck and gray already covered two-thirds of the Origin, meaning the Devourer was close to sess.


    Adam''s provocations had made the Devourer make wrong decisions before, but the recent strange calm and retreat of the Metal Eaters showed that the Devourer had regained hisposure. Now, he knew that bing a god was the most important thing, and all else problems, including Adam and the Mage World behind him, had to give way to this.


    "The Metal Eaters are bluffing," Adam said confidently.


    "What do you mean?"


    "In the high-level battlefield, haven''t the Royal-level Metal Eaters decreased a lot, and they no longer attack first?"


    "Yes, but we think this is because the Seventh Angel died, and the Royal-level Metal Eaters need to choose a new Angel to fill the vacancy," another Titan king said.


    The Royals thought that after the Seventh Angel''s death, the tribe was leaderless, causing chaos, so they temporarily retreated. They thought that once a new Angel appeared, the war would return to normal.


    "No, the life and death of one Angel don''t matter at all."


    "As long as the Devourer is alive, the position of Angel can''t be decided by internal elections of the Metal Eaters. The reason why Royal-level Metal Eaters withdrew from the high-level battlefield and onlymanded ordinary Metal Eaters to attack is that most of the Royal-level Metal Eaters were recalled. The Devourer wants to restart the altar and sacrifice most of the Royal-level Metal Eaters to provide him with energy."


    "Then he will make a full effort to devour the Genesis me."


    Adam''s thoughts became clearer. "Only this method can let him finish the devouring quickly. Maybe even the Angels will be sacrificed. Now is the weakest time for the Metal Eaters."


    The lords looked at each other. At first thought, Adam''s words seemed unbelievable, but after thinking it over, they found some logic in it. However, they still had concerns. "You mean we should attack first? But what if this is a trap?"


    "The Devourer has been dormant for too long, and you''ve almost got used to his existence," Adam exined. "But you must understand that he is the real threat. Ordinary Metal Eaters, including the Angels, are just expendables. Once he bes a god, he can create more Metal Eaters anytime."


    "If this is true, he could destroy us in an instant."


    "So, even if this is a trap, you must go in. You can''t afford to gamble."


    ''Nor can I,'' Adam thought. ''Those gray energies are too terrifying. Once the Devourer leaves the Origin, he will definitely have the power to kill mepletely.''


    The scales were heavily unbnced. The Devourer didn''t need much to crush the Titans. The Titans and Adam, however, had no choice but to put all their effort into stopping him.


    ...


    While the Titans decided to fight to the death, a gloomy mood hung over the Metal Eaters'' territory. All the Royal-level Metal Eaters, including the Angels, were gripped by fear and lived in constant dread.


    For Metal Eaters below the Angels, hearing the Devourer''s divine decree should have been an honor. However, if the decree was for them to die, it brought no joy.


    Although the Devourer imed to be a god, his rtionship with the Metal Eaters was one of high-pressure rule, not religious faith. He had never brainwashed his people, so they did not see dying for him as an honor. Hecked the charisma to make people die for him willingly.


    There had already been sporadic betrayals, and the traitors met a terrible fate. They were crushed and thrown into the deepest part of the altar.


    The Devourer ordered the reconstruction of the altar toplete the count of ny-nine. The remaining six Angels obeyed without question. They built new altars and moved the existing ones to the edge of the Land of Divine Revtion. Then they established the hundredth altar in the center of the Land of Divine Revtion.


    As the main structure waspleted and the sacrifices were ced, the Fifth Angel suddenly died without warning, and her body automatically flew to the top of the altar, bing one of the sacrifices.


    She was the first Angel directly killed by the Devourer.


    Then, divine decrees, which had been rare over the centuries, came one after another. Each decree meant the death of dozens or even hundreds of Royal-level Metal Eaters.


    They were all used as sacrifices, recing the ordinary parental bodies that originally upied the three tiers of the altar.


    Next came the Sixth Angel, then the Fourth Angel. No one could escape. Whether they were willing or not, they had no right to say no.


    The Angels, being direct offspring of the Devourer, lived or died at Father''s whim. Even the First Angel was prepared to be killed.


    The altars stood like grim monuments.


    ...


    The Titans mobilized.


    Seventy-seven frontline war fortresses, twenty-seven ind cities, over three hundred floating fortresses, and the Royal City itself all left their homnd, advancing into the Metal Eaters'' territory.


    They were determined to fight to the death, regardless of energy consumption, territorial loss, or soldier casualties.


    On the path of hundreds of super weapons, ordinary Metal Eaters were like ants under a wheel, crushed without the slightest resistance.


    Floating fortresses acted like escort ships of a carrier fleet, with the Royal City as the aircraft carrier. Every salvo from its weapons was earth-shattering.


    The Titans were like fighter jets, ready to engage inbat at any time. When they ran out of energy and needed resupply, any fortress could provide the mostprehensive facilities.


    This innovation changed the Titans'' way of warfare, giving them a more efficient way to exert their strength.


    They believed the Metal Eaters would no longer be their match---if the Devourer weren''t there.


    But there were no ''ifs''.

 Chapter 286: The Devourer! The Devourer! (1)

    Chapter 286: The Devourer! The Devourer! (1)


    The Titans said the Genesis me started Titania''s life. It was super powerful and could create a Titan god. It was a level nine Trinket, only those close to a True Soul could use.


    The Titans were a race that followed old teachings and traditions. For hundreds of thousands of years, they hadn''t met a situation to use it, so none of the Titan lords tried to take it by force.


    The Devourer was different. Lord Lancelot brought him into this world, but he killed his father and betrayed the Titans. He consumed the me and became powerful.


    He didn''t care about rules and only wanted to get stronger. He nned to be a god, destroy the Titans, and turn the healthy, vibrant ne into his warship to plunder the void.


    "You know when he will seed, don''t you?" Adam asked.


    Lord Fast nodded. "When the Originpletely turns ck and gray, and the Genesis me''s self-protection is broken."


    "It seems this enemy is much harder to deal with than I thought." Adam remembered what he had seen twice before. The ck and gray already covered two-thirds of the Origin, meaning the Devourer was close to sess.


    Adam''s provocations had made the Devourer make wrong decisions before, but the recent strange calm and retreat of the Metal Eaters showed that the Devourer had regained hisposure. Now, he knew that bing a god was the most important thing, and all else problems, including Adam and the Mage World behind him, had to give way to this.


    "The Metal Eaters are bluffing," Adam said confidently."What do you mean?"


    "In the high-level battlefield, haven''t the Royal-level Metal Eaters decreased a lot, and they no longer attack first?"


    "Yes, but we think this is because the Seventh Angel died, and the Royal-level Metal Eaters need to choose a new Angel to fill the vacancy," another Titan king said.


    The Royals thought that after the Seventh Angel''s death, the tribe was leaderless, causing chaos, so they temporarily retreated. They thought that once a new Angel appeared, the war would return to normal.


    "No, the life and death of one Angel don''t matter at all."


    "As long as the Devourer is alive, the position of Angel can''t be decided by internal elections of the Metal Eaters. The reason why Royal-level Metal Eaters withdrew from the high-level battlefield and onlymanded ordinary Metal Eaters to attack is that most of the Royal-level Metal Eaters were recalled. The Devourer wants to restart the altar and sacrifice most of the Royal-level Metal Eaters to provide him with energy."


    "Then he will make a full effort to devour the Genesis me."


    Adam''s thoughts became clearer. "Only this method can let him finish the devouring quickly. Maybe even the Angels will be sacrificed. Now is the weakest time for the Metal Eaters."


    The lords looked at each other. At first thought, Adam''s words seemed unbelievable, but after thinking it over, they found some logic in it. However, they still had concerns. "You mean we should attack first? But what if this is a trap?"


    "The Devourer has been dormant for too long, and you''ve almost got used to his existence," Adam exined. "But you must understand that he is the real threat. Ordinary Metal Eaters, including the Angels, are just expendables. Once he bes a god, he can create more Metal Eaters anytime."


    "If this is true, he could destroy us in an instant."


    "So, even if this is a trap, you must go in. You can''t afford to gamble."


    ''Nor can I,'' Adam thought. ''Those gray energies are too terrifying. Once the Devourer leaves the Origin, he will definitely have the power to kill mepletely.''


    The scales were heavily unbnced. The Devourer didn''t need much to crush the Titans. The Titans and Adam, however, had no choice but to put all their effort into stopping him.


    ...


    While the Titans decided to fight to the death, a gloomy mood hung over the Metal Eaters'' territory. All the Royal-level Metal Eaters, including the Angels, were gripped by fear and lived in constant dread.


    For Metal Eaters below the Angels, hearing the Devourer''s divine decree should have been an honor. However, if the decree was for them to die, it brought no joy.


    Although the Devourer imed to be a god, his rtionship with the Metal Eaters was one of high-pressure rule, not religious faith. He had never brainwashed his people, so they did not see dying for him as an honor. Hecked the charisma to make people die for him willingly.


    There had already been sporadic betrayals, and the traitors met a terrible fate. They were crushed and thrown into the deepest part of the altar.


    The Devourer ordered the reconstruction of the altar toplete the count of ny-nine. The remaining six Angels obeyed without question. They built new altars and moved the existing ones to the edge of the Land of Divine Revtion. Then they established the hundredth altar in the center of the Land of Divine Revtion.


    As the main structure waspleted and the sacrifices were ced, the Fifth Angel suddenly died without warning, and her body automatically flew to the top of the altar, bing one of the sacrifices.


    She was the first Angel directly killed by the Devourer.


    Then, divine decrees, which had been rare over the centuries, came one after another. Each decree meant the death of dozens or even hundreds of Royal-level Metal Eaters.


    They were all used as sacrifices, recing the ordinary parental bodies that originally upied the three tiers of the altar.


    Next came the Sixth Angel, then the Fourth Angel. No one could escape. Whether they were willing or not, they had no right to say no.


    The Angels, being direct offspring of the Devourer, lived or died at Father''s whim. Even the First Angel was prepared to be killed.


    The altars stood like grim monuments.


    ...


    The Titans mobilized.


    Seventy-seven frontline war fortresses, twenty-seven ind cities, over three hundred floating fortresses, and the Royal City itself all left their homnd, advancing into the Metal Eaters'' territory.


    They were determined to fight to the death, regardless of energy consumption, territorial loss, or soldier casualties.


    On the path of hundreds of super weapons, ordinary Metal Eaters were like ants under a wheel, crushed without the slightest resistance.


    Floating fortresses acted like escort ships of a carrier fleet, with the Royal City as the aircraft carrier. Every salvo from its weapons was earth-shattering.


    The Titans were like fighter jets, ready to engage inbat at any time. When they ran out of energy and needed resupply, any fortress could provide the mostprehensive facilities.


    This innovation changed the Titans'' way of warfare, giving them a more efficient way to exert their strength.


    They believed the Metal Eaters would no longer be their match---if the Devourer weren''t there.


    But there were no ''ifs''."

 Chapter 287 - The Devourer! The Devourer! (2)

    The floating fortresses had a w---they used up a lot of energy.


    Even though Adam had drawn energy-gathering magic arrays on the power cores of each city to help with this, the huge fortresses still used a lot of energy every time they moved even a little bit.


    Because of this, they couldn''t just fly around freely to find and destroy enemies.


    This was when they needed scouts.


    Some Titans, who epted Adam''s war ideas, had recently changed their thinking. They decided to evolve smaller instead of bigger, letting go of the idea that bigger is always stronger. These Titans became scouts.


    Adam had his own scouts, the Forest Elves.


    Both groups came back at almost the same time with the same news: "All marked warning areas on the map are empty, and the altars are gone."


    In the Royal City, the Titan lords looked at each other, knowing Adam''s guess was right. The Metal Eaters were indeed trying to get energy to help the Devourer. This meant that the final battle couldn''t be avoided.


    "Go to the Land of Divine Revtion. That will be our battlefield."


    ...


    Every Angel''s death brought the death of most of their children. Only the elite ones with the envoy title could survive. So, the Metal Eaters in the Land of Divine Revtion were fewer than the Titans thought.


    The First Angel was in deep grief and fear now.


    He had just killed the Third Angel with his own hands, sending him and his children to the altar.


    Energy beams from the tops of ny-nine altars connected to the hundredth altar. From the top of the hundredth altar, the energy shot into a spinning chaos.


    Through the strange swirling clouds, Titania''s dimming Origin could be seen, where the Devourer slept with closed eyes.


    The Second Angely on the ground, waiting to die, with no will to resist. He was waiting for the altar to convert the just-sacrificed energy. When the conversion was done, it would be his turn to die.


    "It should have been the Titans and the ordinary n members as the sacrifices, right?" The Second Angel asked the Devourer and the First Angel, but he sounded like he was talking to himself.


    The First Angel''s stomach opened, and a giant eye, like a kaleidoscope, looked at the Second Angel.


    "But why did it be like this? Father is a god. Aren''t we god''s children? Why do even god''s children have to die?"


    "Just angry, why go to such lengths?"


    "First, you are Father''s favorite child. Do you know why?"


    The First Angel waited for a while, ensuring that the Devourer was busy digesting the energy and consuming the Genesis me. Then he answered, "Father is anxious. He said that during the second time, he sensed a hint of danger from that being from another ne."


    The Second Angel moved slightly, seeming to mock, "Just because of that? Father is a god. What could possibly threaten Him?"


    "You know, Father is different from us. He has more heritage. He said it is an old enemy."


    The Second Angelughed loudly, almost carelessly, "Even so, we still call Him Father. I..." Theughter stopped abruptly. "Never mind, I''m the same. I never cared about my children''s lives either. We are all the same."


    "It''s all predestined. We were born because of Father, and we should die for Father. As long as He can defeat the enemy, we will be given new life, reborn in a new world." The First Angel said to the Second Angel, but it sounded more like he was convincing himself.


    "Do you believe that? Those words?"


    A deathly silence fell. The surviving Metal Eaters around the altar wished they could cut off their hearing. The conversation was too terrifying, and they forced themselves to forget it.


    After a long time, the energy fluctuations in the altar stabilized.


    "It''s your turn now, Second, my brother." The giant eye held a terrifying grey light.


    "Hehe."


    "Hahahahaha!"


    The ground shook.


    "This is our fate."


    The First Angel blinked, and energy shot out.


    Suddenly, there was a loud noise from the outskirts. A transparent energy beam pierced the sky, striking the shield of the seventy-first altar.


    The explosion dispersed the clouds, and both Angels, along with all the Metal Eaters, saw the approaching continent.


    The Second Angel leapt up with all his strength, his eyes full of malicious delight as he looked at the floating fortresses.


    Then he exploded into pieces.


    "The shield is very strong. How much energy do we have left?" The 36 Lords stood side by side, and Lord Svorsi asked Adam, who was in charge of logistics.


    "Enough for now. Attack with full force. Those hundred altars form a formation. If we can destroy some key nodes, we can stop the Devourer for a bit." Adam projected what he saw. Among the hundred points of light, twelve shone brightly. "Those are the ones."


    The fortress operators were all Royal-level Intelligents, and Adam believed they could set the volley frequency and targets based on the information. Once themand was issued to every floating fortress, Adam turned his attention to what he could see directly. "Is that the First Angel? Quite... a peculiar appearance."


    "That''s right. His eye can shoot a grey beam, the same grey as the Devourer''s. It''s a terrifying ability. I almost died from it," Lord Fast said, still shaken from his brief encounter with the First Angel during the Seventh Angel''s surprise attack. "Besides the usual energy traits, that grey beam can contaminate everything."


    Contamination. Adam knew that the same grey had two different abilities. The one that nearly killed him was the Devourer''s ability to consume.


    The remaining transcendent Metal Eaters soared into the sky, swarming towards the fortresses.


    Lord Fastmanded, "It''s your turn to act. Don''t let the First Angel reach the floating cities. His power is too dangerous for us."


    Adam reassured, "Don''t worry about it. The First Angel is a hidden node. He can''t leave the altar circle."


    The other thirty-five lords nodded and transformed.


    Facing this assault, the ny-nine altars began to spin. The Metal Eaters, used as sacrifices, opened their eyes and continuously fired energy to counterattack.


    Cannons roared, beams crisscrossed, and explosions chained together. Each volley imed numerous Metal Eater lives.


    The Titans'' evolution made them different from regr elemental mages. They resembled technological war machines more than transcendent beings. Theirbat style wasn''t mysterious or strange but straightforward, creating a unique, thrilling sensory experience.


    "The altars are moving! This altar formation can actually move!"

 Chapter 288 - The Devourer! The Devourer! (3)

    The formation made by the altars was moreplicated than Adam had thought. Even though they couldn''t leave the Land of Divine Revtion, they moved in a certain pattern.


    The twelve light spots on the outer edge stayed in ces where the floating fortress couldn''t hit. Their energy flow was a bit unstable, but the chain stayed unbroken.


    Also, the shields over all the altars linked up to form different angled surfaces. When the floating fortress attacked, the force was deflected away as much as possible. Some attacks even bounced back, hitting the Titans.


    The First Angel stood firmly under the first altar, killing the descendants of the Second Angel without feeling. Then he loaded their bodies and energy into the other altars while his giant eye switched between the chaos above and the Royal City ahead.


    The state of the altars was strange. Instead of fighting back, it looked like...


    "They''re stalling! All Warlords and above, not at their posts, get out of the city and fight! The fortress should start a saturation attack. Stop attacking the city, gather energy, and get ready the overload energy cannon!" Adam took charge, and no one opposed his orders; they followed them without question.


    Lord Fast shot an envoy approaching the fortress line. He asked nervously, "What did you find out?"


    "We don''t have much time; the Devourer is about to seed." Adam put a hand on Lord Fast. Lord Fast quickly shared his body with Adam and saw the Origin in the chaos.


    That ck-grey energy rose like a demonic shadow. The ''mist'' made waves, rolling within the Origin. The Devourer woke up, holding a crystal ball in his mouth. The purple-gold me inside was slowly starting to burn.


    Billions of eyes all over his body coldly watched every Titan and Adam.


    The Devourer made no sound, but everyone heard a message in their mind: "Die."


    Then, grey spread from his teeth, biting down hard on the crystal ball.


    CRACK!


    This time, every Titan heard the clear sound of breaking. It came not just from the Origin but from the entire ne.


    The world fell apart!


    An earthquake shook all of Titania. Minerals shattered, the ground cracked, mountains rose suddenly then exploded or fell.


    Energy flowed out from the ground, forming strange shapes that twisted and then vanished.


    The sky cracked, and beams from the void entered the ne, creating a bizarre aurora.


    The Titans felt a heavy blow strike their Vital Generator. It was as if their mes were gripped by a giant hand.


    They felt suffocated.


    The Devourer cut off the connection between the space he was in and the outside world. Adam and Lord Fast could no longer see him.


    Lord Fast left the Royal City, flying towards the battlefield, shouting, "Attack, attack! Destroy the altars at all costs! All Royals, prepare to self-destruct!"


    Adam entered the power core of the Royal City and merged with it. He controlled all the floating fortresses, quickly reorganizing their formation.


    All secondary cannons detached, while the main cannons continuously charged. Tons of energy blocks were consumed, fueling the overload strikes.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    Three sessive volleys broke through one of the shields. The altar behind it turned to ash instantly, breaking one of the chains.


    However, this was not enough--- as long as the twelve altars serving as nodes remained intact, the energy supply to the Devourer would not be disrupted.


    Adam opened the fortress shield, and many Royals flew out. They were prepared to turn themselves into bombs to create a path for their race.


    At the nine o''clock direction, a mushroom cloud rose, wiping out everything within a hundred miles. A Titan lord sacrificed his life, blowing up arge section of the shield and destroying three altars in the process.


    The other Titans had no time to mourn or feel sorrow.


    Adam immediately redirected the cannons, firing a full-power shot at a main altar behind the broken shield.


    However, this attack had little effect. An Angel''s phantom appeared on the altar''s surface, facing the energy beam head-on before disappearing along with it.


    The altar formation moved a few times and repaired the newly created gap.


    Four consecutive overload strikes caused the power cores of forty small floating fortresses to explode. The maic levitation magic arrays shattered, and the fortresses plummeted.


    At that moment, the Titans within the fortresses flew out and self-destructed their Vital Generators without hesitation. They used all their energy to propel the fortresses towards the altars, sacrificing themselves in the process.


    Adam entered an overclocked state. His maic field connected with the fortresses, helping to cool the power core and weapon systems.


    The second cracking sound echoed through the ne.


    The anomalies intensified. The sky cracked further, and void storms surged in.


    "Adam!" Lord Fast shouted as five Royals flew out from the sequence.


    Adam took a deep breath. He channeled the remaining energy into the main cannon and fired heavily in the direction where the five mushroom clouds rose.


    Thirty small fortresses and one giant city fell. On the other side, fifteen secondary altars and one node altar turned to ash, breaking one-sixth of the chain.


    The breakage in the main chain caused a transmission failure in the altar''s energy, slightly reducing the anomalies, and some cracks in the sky began to heal.


    Before anyone could take a breath, the First Angel, who had remained motionless, flew away from the first altar. He went to the newly destroyed node and sacrificed himself, bing a new altar.


    All of Adam and the Titans'' efforts and sacrifices were in vain.


    The third cracking sound echoed.


    One by one, the floating fortresses broke formation, and each Titan burned themselves, carrying the fortresses forward.


    Adam pushed his maic field output to the limit. He ignored the weapon system damage and didn''t consider the power core shattering.


    Adam fired ten consecutive shots in an instant. Over a hundred fortresses disintegrated, dozens of altars were destroyed, and the chains broke one by one.


    Lord Fast and nine lords flew back to the Royal City. Immediately, the massive city, which had been capable of flight from the beginning, began to shed buildings and tremble violently.


    The truth was, the Royal City was the remains of the Titan God.


    They entered the God''s Vital Generator without hesitation and ignited themselves, activating the ''reactor.'' An unprecedented energy fluctuation appeared on the battlefield. Space shattered in an instant, and the energy formed a vortex; the Titans unleashed their Ace Card.


    This Ace Card required the lives of ten Titans to activate.


    Adam only saw a blinding sh before it hit and shattered the altar shield, clearing everything in its path, and struck the first altar.


    Time seemed to slow down at that moment, and Adam could clearly see the first altar turn to ash.


    However, the fourth cracking sound still echoed.

 Chapter 289 - The Great Archmage (1)

    The fourth cracking sound was crispy and clear.


    In an instant, the sky seemed to copse, and the ground shook. Everyone felt the world shrink and then expand, with all sorts of terrifying sights.


    The healthy ne suddenly turned sick, bing incredibly weak. The sky turned chaotic, and the shimmering lights of the crystal barriers dimmed quickly, with cracks spreading everywhere.


    The surviving Metal Eaters exploded one by one. The energy pir above the remaining altar erupted and then disappeared.


    The Titans floated aimlessly in the air. They looked at each other, at the Royals, at the city, and at their devastated homnd.


    The Devourer appeared in everyone''s sight. It was so big, beyond imagination.


    The fifth cracking sound came.


    They watched in horror as the giant beast swallowed the Origin of the world. He moved his body and roared.


    The sound came from all directions, shaking every living creature to their core.


    Billions of eyes opened at the same time, and all of Titania was under his gaze. The beast, as big as the sky, no longer even cared about the weaklings on the ground.


    He was about to level up.


    Purple-gold mes ignited within it, burning his entire body, fueled by the Origin of Titania.


    Energy vanished bit by bit from all creatures, gathering into the Devourer''s body. The mes around him burned more fiercely but grew darker, finally turning gray.


    His body exploded, scattering ashes with gray mes like an endless dust storm. In mid-air, each ash particle burst, and from each emerged a small Metal Eater, simr in appearance to the Devourer.


    Some were of transcendent level, most were of level four, and they were countless.


    The Devourer recreated his race this way, making them far stronger than the previous Metal Eaters.


    But by then, no one cared anymore.


    ''<em ss="chakra-text css-0">We''re doomed, Titania is doomed.</em>'' This was the thought of every Titan.


    "Master, we''re doomed!" Garfield screamed.


    Adam was silent, looking up at the sky. The Devourer had fully turned into energy. He waspletely gray, with every small part of his body being a vortex, constantly consuming all energy. Only a small purple-gold me flickered weakly in his head.


    When hepletely digested the Origin, the Devourer would fully ascend to level nine.


    Lord Svorsi was not dead.


    "Adam, my friend, I''m sorry you have to die with us," he said, with no me or anger, only sincerity and calm. "We were always wary of you, wary of the world behind you. How foolish, we never stood a chance against the Devourer, our first enemy, yet we worried in vain that you were the second. I''m sorry, you have always been trying your best to help us."


    At this moment, the crystal barrier of this nepletely shattered.


    "Precisely locating Explorer Adam. Coordinates calibrated. Final jump prepared."


    "Abnormal energy detected. Identified as a level eight Dilus entity, extremely dangerous."


    "Target detected in the process of advancement. Emergency protocol activated. A Great Archmages will power the magic array."


    The cold voice of the Mage Network was music to Adam''s ears. The sense of impending doom vanished instantly.


    Meanwhile, Lord Svorsi was still rambling, "I really can''t bear to leave this world. There are so many unknowns in the void we haven''t explored..."


    Adam let out a heavy breath, interrupting Lord Svorsi''s sentimental speech, "We are not done for, the mages are about to arrive."


    Lord Svorsi looked at Adam in shock and said anxiously, "Tell them to go back! The Devourer is about to be a god, he is invincible!"


    "Invincible?" Adam shook his head. The Devourer might seem invincible to transcendent beings, but Adam had heard that a Great Archmage was powering the magic array. Adam didn''t know how powerful the Great Archmage were, but he was certain of one thing:


    "Rest assured, we are safe now."


    ...


    In the distance, ripples appeared in the void. This strange sight filled Adam with joy but made the Devourer uneasy. He suddenly writhed, causing all of Titania to tremble.


    Every flying creature lost the ability to fly, crashing to the ground in waves. Even the floating fortresses lost power, embedding themselves into the massive cracks in the ground.


    The Devourer let out a roar. Gray waves of energy spread out in all directions. He was trying to smooth out the spatial ripples and once again seal Titania.


    However, he had only seeded before because he was within the Origin, devouring the Origin''s information. Now, having broken free from the Origin, he no longer had that ability.


    Adam''s expression changed. He urgently said to the Royals, "Construct a defensive field, now! This energy is too much for ordinary Titans to bear."


    But it was toote. Though the Royals tried to mitigate the damage, many lower-level Titans were disintegrated by the shockwave.


    Fortunately, their mes did not dissipate. The Royals gathered the remaining members into the crevice where the Titan God''s relic had fallen, creating a defensive field as they awaited the mages'' arrival.


    The Devourer grew anxious. He was one step away from advancement, almost fully consuming the Origin. His energy form had already mostly turned back to solid. He should have been focusing on devouring energy, but now he had to waste energy to disrupt the void, attempting to prevent the mages from arriving.


    Gray energy spread like waves, forming a thickyer that seemed like a second crystal barrier.


    However, this was useless. The Second Tower''s ability to manipte space was far beyond the Devourer''s capabilities.


    The Mage Network''s voice echoed once again:


    "Final jump initiated."


    "Magic array activated."


    A rift appeared in the void, emitting a white light. Within the rift, a massive hexagram radiated a brilliant light, swiftly dispelling the gray energy.


    An intimidating presence flowed through the magic array into the void.


    The Devourer roared in terror. He knew where this presence came from, a fear deeply etched into his soul made him tremble all over.


    Sensing imminent danger, he tried to flee Titania with the Original me.


    He almost seeded, with half of his body disappearing from Adam''s sight.


    But at that moment, the hexagram vanished. An arm reached out from the void rift and grabbed the Devourer''s tail.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"

 Chapter 290 - The Great Archmage (2)

    The Devourer struggled fiercely. Gray energy burst from him, showing dazzling changes.


    Adam was overwhelmed by the many abilities. He couldn''t understand most of the energy''s uses, but they were all terrifying.


    Titania, already fragile, almost fell apart because of the Devourer''s struggles. Large chunks ofnd floated in the void, turning to dust with the slightest breeze.


    The hand in the sky looked ordinary except for its size. It reached out directly, without any energy radiating from it. Yet it easily countered all the Devourer''s efforts.


    It truly grasped him, like a snake catcher grabbing a snake.


    The Titans stared in shock at the scene above. They couldn''t speak for a while. They couldn''t believe that the terrifying enemy, who had just shown no care for their lives, was now struggling like a trapped beast.


    The hand pulled out the Devourer''s half-disappeared body, slowly dragging him into the dimensional rift formed by the magic array.


    Lord Svorsi''s body made a cracking sound, like joints suddenly moving. "Adam, what is that? Another god?" he asked.


    Adam was just as amazed. This kind of power, without any earthly traces, seemed more magnificent and mysterious than any terrifying magic.


    "A god? No, that is a Great Archmage''s arm. He is the greatest being in parallel universes and multiple nes, closest to truth, the pinnacle of all life, and the embodiment of knowledge and energy."


    A powerful field surrounded the arm, confining all the Devourer''s resistance within its range. His gray energy couldn''t escape this area.


    Lord Svorsi had countless questions, but the scene left him speechless. He and the other Royals had often wondered about the world behind Adam, and why he was so sure his kind could kill the Devourer and save the Titans.


    Seeing it with their own eyes, they realized their imagination was limited by their weakness.


    The power of the arm''s owner was beyond their understanding. Clearly, if the arm''s owner wished, he could easily destroy the healthy Titania and all the beings in the ne.


    The Titans'' worries and preparations over the years wereughable in the face of such power.


    As they spoke, a fifth of the Devourer''s body was already pulled into the rift.


    The Mage Network prompted:


    "Rule conflict detected."


    "Energy exceeds the carrying limit."


    "Array about to copse."


    Adam was stunned upon hearing this. The Great Archmage''s power was even stronger than he had imagined---it shed with the fundamental rules of the ethereal void. The void was rejecting the Great Archmage''s descent into this world.


    At that moment, the Great Archmage''s voice echoed again, "What a bother!"


    The Great Archmage loosened his fingers, giving the Devourer a moment to breathe.


    The Devourer immediately gathered all his strength to escape the void rift. He no longer had any ns for Titania; his ambitions of devouring nes and building a Fortress to plunder the void werepletely gone.


    Now, he only wanted to flee, to get far away from the mage''s sight.


    But that was just his wishful thinking.


    The Great Archmage''s arm raised high and then mmed down on the Devourer''s body. At the point of contact, billions of light dots appeared, connecting into chains. These chains instantly bound the Devourer''s enormous body, releasing a tremendous energy wave.


    Lord Svorsi muttered, "That energy?"


    "That''s ether, purer than the crystals I gave you before."


    What shocked Adam even more was that the chains formed an Alchemic Array, indicating that the Great Archmage was once an alchemist.


    Since Adam had be a true mage, he had seen few real alchemists. He never thought he would directly witness one who had be a Great Archmage.


    The chains multiplied and tightened, soon forming a that enveloped the Devourer.


    Then, the ether materialized into an unknown substance, trapping the Devourer in his original form. If not for the Genesis me still burning in his mouth and the eyes still gleaming coldly, Adam would have thought he was already dead.


    "Is it over?"


    "Of course not. The mage army hasn''t descended yet. Besides, if it ended now, your remaining strength wouldn''t be enough to defeat these..." Adam pointed to the countless Metal Eaters in the sky and on the ground, "even stronger than before."


    After trapping the Devourer, the arm retreated into the void rift. The rift gradually closed, leaving a fifth of the Devourer''s body stuck in it. He couldn''t move at all.


    "Final jump initiated. The legion will arrive at the designated coordinates soon."


    The void became an ocean, rippling with continuous waves.


    Portals filled the sky, and six enormous magic warships slowly emerged from them.


    Beams of light shot from the warships'' tops, connecting with the chains, forming a hexagram around the Devourer.


    Countless small drones flew out from the ship doors. Some circled the Devourer''s body, dropping unknown spells to strengthen the seal, while others flew straight into the ne towards Adam, casting various spells along the way to drive away or kill the Metal Eaters.


    At the same time, the spatial anchor automatically flew out from Adam''s personal space. A beam of light shot from it into the sky, enveloping Adam. This was the call from the Command Center.


    "Calm your people. You can make reasonable requests to the mages, like repairing the floating fortress or covering your return to your previous territory. We''ll discuss other matters with the Command Center after the hub is established."


    Lord Svorsi was stunned, "What about you? Are you leaving?"


    Adam shook his head, "I need to go to the Command Center first. I won''t be leaving for now."


    With that, he disappeared in the teleportation light.


    ...


    Adam had just steadied himself when a deep male voice greeted him, "Explorer Adam from the Fifth Tower of Elements, hello. I am Transdimensional Mage Arnold from the Seventh Tower of Alchemy."


    Adam looked towards the voice and saw a transdimensional mage in an unfamiliar style of mage robes.


    "Nice to meet you. But why is the Seventh Tower here?" Adam asked, puzzled.


    Arnold smiled, "Because many ages ago, it was the Great Archmage Maxis who led the expedition to annihte the Dilus tribe. That tribe once attempted to invade the Mage World. So this time, the expedition is led by the Seventh Tower''s united legion."

 Chapter 291 - The Seventh Tower

    "The Dilus race invaded the Mage World?" Adam was a bit taken aback. He''d had his suspicions, but hearing it confirmed still shocked him.


    "Yeah, but it happened ages ago." Arnold led the way, filling Adam in on the details.


    "Back then, the magic system had just gone through a huge change. The Mage Council wasn''t a thing yet, nor were the hidden world coordinates, the Mage Network, or the elevated Origin. The Great Archmages were off fighting in other nes and pretty much ignored their own backyard. During this time, a group of Diluses, led by three level-nine Diluses, stumbled upon the Mage World."


    Adam tried to picture what the mages must have felt back then: They were just starting to grasp the wonders of magic. Discovering the ability to travel through time and space must have been exhrating, drawing them into the vast, energy-rich ether void. The rush of expanding their power probably made them a bit cocky and careless about potential threats.


    No matter the reason, that fight must have been brutal.


    "The only Great Archmage left in the Mage World was Annecroft, the Guardian. All he could do was defend; he couldn''t counterattack."


    Adam asked, "Why didn''t the other Great Archmagese back to help?"


    "Because they were too powerful. Any action they took would be suppressed by the ether void. You saw earlier, it took nearly half the legion''s energy just to let His Holiness Maxis''s arm appear for a few seconds. His actual body is still way out in the void. Being extremely powerful doesn''t mean you can do whatever you want. The stronger they are, the more restrictions they face. For the Great Archmages, the ether void is both a shackle and a prison. So, mages have to find a way to transcend it. Otherwise..." Arnold paused, smiling, "These things are too far off for you."


    Adam got the hint that he wasn''t allowed to know more, so he wisely kept quiet. But he made a mental note to remember that "otherwise."


    "Back then, there was no Mage Network to send real-time messages. By the time the Great Archmages outside knew about the Dilus'' arrival, it was already toote." Arnold''s tone turned reverent as he continued, "His Holiness Maxis, from the Sixth Tower of Pharmacy, stepped up in that crisis. He pulled together all alchemy knowledge, innovated, and created the rule of equivalent exchange, rising to the rank of Great Archmage. He then fought the three level-nine Diluses on his own, won, and saved the Mage World."


    "The current Seventh Tower is actually made from the corpse of a level-nine Diluses. Even the war weapons and most of the transdimensional mage towers you saw earlier were originally void war castles of the Dilus race. His Holiness has kept an eye on this race over the years, but there hasn''t been much news. Your information is incredibly valuable."


    At that moment, the two of them stepped into the brightly lit Command Center.


    Inside, senior mages, all at least level four, were bustling about. Their eyes were glued to the light screens disying data on the Devourer, issuingmands nonstop.


    The magic array to summon the Great Archmage couldn''t be used again anytime soon, so they had to keep the Devourer alive and in ce until the Great Archmage''s true body arrived.


    Arnold led Adam to the other side of themand center, saying, "Titania''s resources are top-notch, just what we need. Compared to the Dilus, the warfare in this ne are pretty routine. We can ensure the Titan race''s survival easily, which means the battle isn''t too urgent. Right now, the key thing is extracting info about the real location of the Dilus race from the soul of the Devourer. Mages from the Third Tower will handle this, and they need your help."


    Adam thought, ''The Third Tower again. This Tower, which carries the name of mages but seems separate from the current system, has too many secrets. Even their orders sound different. "Require" isn''t a word other mages use.''


    Arnold stopped outside a room and said, "I don''t like them much. From here, you go in alone. After you answer the Third Tower''s questions, abat staff officer will verify the Titan intel with you." With that, he left, and Adam passed through a barrier into the room.


    The mages from the Third Tower always seemed out of ce, including their surroundings. Unlike the brightness outside, the room wasn''t dark, but it gave Adam a gloomy feeling. It was as if the five mages repelled the light.


    In the center of the room was a 3D projection of the Devourer, its body fully restored in detail. The mages were performingplex operations on the projection.


    Their aura was mysterious, and Adam couldn''t determine their levels.


    The five mages didn''t introduce themselves. Seeing Adam enter, one of them said, "Repeat everything you know about the Dilus race, without any omissions, even the smallest details."


    Adam frowned. Their tone was really off-putting, like he was a criminal. He replied, "My mission details are all uploaded to the Mage Network. You can check them yourselves."


    One of the mages yed the initial scene of the fire transmission, pointing to the Titans and Metal Eaters fighting at that time. He asked Adam, "The Reincarnation Spell kept your soul in this area for a long time. Since you couldn''t enter the Original mes, why didn''t you leave or choose to reincarnate as a Dilus?"


    Adam stepped up to the screen and took over the yback control, his voice cold. "First, those are just the degenerated individuals of the Dilus race. It''s more urate to call them ''Metal Eaters.'' Second, the Reincarnation Spell is your magic. When it was taught to me, the core knowledge was kept secret, so the choice of reincarnation target was determined by the spell, not by me. Third," Adam dragged the scene to the moment of Lithium 15''s sacrifice, "their reproductive method is through parental body reproduction. Ordinary Metal Eaters don''t have reproductive abilities, and there was no parental body near the battlefield for me to reincarnate into."


    The Third Tower mages didn''t seem bothered by Adam''s tone. Perhaps these questions were routine for them. Seeing that Adam had given an exnation, they moved on without furtherment, asking, "Your information shows that the parental body of the Dilus has absolute control over its offspring. Are you sure?"


    Adam nodded.


    "To what extent?"


    "Simr to a master-ve pact."


    "Is it possible to reverse-invade the parental body through lower-level individuals?"


    "Very difficult. Their evolution is controlled by higher authority units. I am not skilled in this area, so I cannot make a further judgment."


    The questioning paused as the five magesmunicated silently, leaving Adam ignored for a moment.

 Chapter 292 - Trade With The Third Tower

    Just then, the door opened again, and a strange-looking mage walked in. He held a sealed ball in his hand, containing a writhing grey mass.


    The mage walked past Adam and spoke to the other mages, "It''s hard to separate. The Devourer already has three-fifths of the ninth level''s traits. This grey energy has almost perfect negative properties and incredible devouring power."


    This mage was the only female in the room. She threw the sealed ball at the projection of the Devourer, and the grey energy spread quickly. The lifeless projection seemed toe alive at that moment, showing a strong desire to attack.


    Six mages together used sealing magic to iste the space where the projection was. Then the female mage said, "Unlike the energy sample stored in the Tower, this is another type of Dilus. The Great Archmages were right."


    Adam was confused and impatient with wasting time here. So he asked, "Is there anything else?"


    The female mage turned to Adam. She took off her hood, revealing a face like a stitched-up monster. She then asked, "You once faced the grey energy and drove it away. I want to know, does the Devourer''s power affect the soul or the body more?"


    Adam didn''t understand the point of this question. "More the soul. But if the level is the same, it doesn''t matter whether it''s the soul or the body; if the level is lower than the Devourer, it still doesn''t matter.*"


    "What do you think the sess rate is of invading the Devourer''s soul with reincarnation?"


    Adam thought this was a crazy idea. He had never considered such a thing. So he replied, "I don''t know your methods or magic, but I think it''s very difficult. Reincarnation requires the soul''s essence to be stronger than the target''s. The Devourer hasn''t reached the ninth level yet, but it shows signs of it. Are you going to ask a Great Archmage to use the Reincarnation Spell?"


    The female mage''s thoughts jumped around. After hearing Adam''s answer, she didn''tment but instead said, "Your method against the grey energy is impressive and useful to us. Are you interested in an exchange? We can offer you the core knowledge of any magic below the transcendent level."


    "Including the Reincarnation Spell?" Adam was intrigued. He was extremely curious about the nature of this spell. If his method could be exchanged for the core knowledge of the Reincarnation Spell, he would be very willing.


    The mage gave a half-smile, "The Reincarnation Spell? You''re overreaching. Your methods are far from being qualified to exchange for the knowledge of the Great Archmages."


    Adam stood still, stunned.


    He knew the Reincarnation Spell was mysterious, but he had never thought it required the knowledge of a Great Archmage. If that was the case, maybe the Third Tower really did have the ability to invade the Devourer''s soul.


    What shocked him more was that the Third Tower openly taught the Great Archmage''s magic to every Explorer for free. ''Is this why the Third Tower holds such a special status?'' Adam wondered.


    "Don''t misunderstand. The core knowledge used is only from Great Archmages, but the Reincarnation Spell you would learn is just a weakened version. So, are you willing to exchange?"


    ...


    Adam walked out of the room.


    In the end, he chose to exchange with the Third Tower because he couldn''t find a reason not to.


    He had already decided to upload his discontinuous algorithm to the Mage Network in exchange for resources when he returned to the Mage World. Now, getting a new spell was an unexpected bonus. Besides, he only gave the Third Tower the right to use it; the intellectual property still belonged to him.


    Compared to attack magic, Adam needed to enhance his defense. The level-four spell Chaotic Sanctuary was quite good. Combined with Adam''s maic field ability, it could be very effective.


    The conversation with the battle advisor was much more pleasant for Adam.


    The advisor was kind, just as Arnold had said.


    The Original mes were incredibly valuable to the mages of the Seventh Tower. One day, if they could decipher the secrets of the Original mes''position and abilities, all their alchemical products would gain life. This would greatly enhance the strength of the Tower and even the overall power of the Mage World.


    The advisor''s name was Matthew, a level four alchemist. After verifying the information, he said, "Is there anything else you need to add?"


    Adam thought for a moment. "The introduction and analysis of the Metal Eaters in this section are outdated. The Devourer destroyed all the original Metal Eaters, and now there''s a new race, possibly the true Dilus. I don''t know yet what abilities they have or how strong they are. You will need to judge that for yourselves. Also, about the remaining Titan race and the remnants of the Titan god..."


    Mage Matthew smiled. "Don''t worry. The transdimensional mages of the Command Center will take your advice and approach the Titans to assess their potential for cooperation and bing a subordinate race. The Command will fully respect your efforts to improve the rtionship between the two worlds in the early stages of the battle. As for the god remnants, their value is not as high as the Titans imagine. If they mind, we can just ignore it."


    "And we need the Titans'' help. His Holiness Maxis has sealed the Devourer and the surrounding void, so we can''t build a dimensional hub for now without risking the seal. At this time, the Titans''bat power is very important to us. I think the Command might give you a new task, like bing a messenger between the two races?"


    "A messenger, that sounded good." Adam didn''t mind taking on another task. He hadn''t nned to leave immediately after the mage army arrived, especially since he heard that the Great Archmage would personally lead the war.


    The Command''s attitude also relieved him. This way, he hadn''t broken his promise to the Titan Royals.


    ...


    While Adam was handing over his tasks, the vanguard mage army also arrived on the ground and sent amunication request to the Titans.


    After the battle, only twenty of the thirty-six Titan lords remained. They had lost nearly half of their ordinary members below the transcendent level.


    The entire Titan race was like a startled bird, panicking at the slightest movement.


    The Royals forcibly maintained order to prevent their people from reacting irrationally to the reinforcements. They were equally anxious. Despite Adam''s assurance, the absolute power disyed by that arm still made them uneasy.


    "Such a powerful race? Will they really coexist with us peacefully?"


    Lord Svorsi exchanged nces with the two Royals beside him and then flew out of the Royal City to meet the mages.


    However, they didn''t understand each other''snguages and could only stand there awkwardly.

 Chapter 293 - An Old Friend

    The mages felt a bit awkward. They were used to doing destruction missions, but this time they were on a rescue operation, so they forgot to download thenguage from Mage Network.


    The Titans looked at the quiet mages in the sky, and fear spread among them.


    Thenguage wasn''t a big problem. After connecting to the Mage Network, the mages downloaded thenguage package in just a few seconds.


    After talking, the Titan lords decided to trust the mages and carefully brought up the two requests Adam had mentioned earlier.


    The magesnded on the ground, walking in groups of two or three towards the crash sites of the floating fortresses.


    They moved carefully to avoid misunderstandings, following the habits of Titans included in thenguage package.


    When they saw the floating fortresses modified by Adam, they tried hard to hide their disdain.


    These professional alchemists from the Seventh Tower were much better than Adam. To them, the modifications to the floating fortresses were full of ws; calling them shoddy was an understatement.


    Out of the Titans'' earshot, the alchemists talked among themselves:


    "The power core is garbage. How does this thing even fly? Look at these circuits, they conflict with each other, wasting energy during transmission."


    "The energy core is simr. But that''s understandable, they use very low-grade energy blocks."


    "The weapon and defense systems are good. There''s one key magic array that''s very advanced. Hmm, I can''t understand this technique."


    "Really? Where? Let me see!"


    The Titans were amazed by the alchemists'' skills: any mage could find a damaged spot on the floating fortress, press their hand on it, and patterns would appear in the air as the damage was visibly repaired.


    Some Intelligent Titans remembered their shock when Adam''s maized smelting factory first started. Butpared to what they saw now, even though they didn''t understand, they could see Adam was far behind these people.


    Actually, it wasn''t Adam''s fault. He wasn''t a specialized alchemy mage. He hadn''t been a real mage for long and didn''t have time to expand his knowledge. He only knew a few alchemy forms and couldn''t even use real alchemy magic.


    As time passed, the floating fortresses rose again. Even the crashed ones were rebuilt and pieced together into new fortresses that ascended into the sky.


    The Titans were deeply moved. Seeing Adam''spanions working hard for them, they slightly lowered their guard. The curious and lively Titans approached the mages and began to try tomunicate.


    The mages were also curious about the Titans. The Grafted Gear on the Titans, though rough in appearance, was quite functional. Some of the ideas were new to the mages and inspired them.


    Unable to resist their curiosity, the mages, after getting permission, started examining and ying with the gear. They refined the design based on their own methods and returned the enhanced parts to the Titans.


    For the mages, the important part was the thought process behind creating these items, not the products themselves.


    The Titans, however, were very pleased. They felt the goodwill from the mages and began to believe that these strange beings, like Adam, were truly there to help them.


    After repairing the floating fortresses, the mages reprogrammed their movement systems. Some mages stayed in the fortresses while others flew out to patrol the surroundings, clearing out scattered and gathering Dilus. They worked together very harmoniously.


    The Royals gradually rxed as well. They had once built civilizations across different nes and understood the importance of power dynamics in interspecies interactions. After witnessing the mages'' strength, they no longer hoped for equal coexistence.


    They were just reassured that, at least, the mages were not evil. They expected that their future would not be worse than the present---at least not much worse.


    ...


    Adam was surprised to see a familiar face in Titania.


    On the second day of their rest, hismunication device connected, and the sender was an old friend.


    "Frank, how are you here?" Adam looked at him in amazement. When Adam left the Mordo Tower, Frank was just an ordinary apprentice who had barely found his path and even had physical disabilities. Yet, in just a few decades, he had be a level-two mage and was involved in the cross-ne war.


    Frank gave a mechanical smile and then took out a contract, knelt on one knee, and held it up with both hands. "As agreed, Adam, I am now your pact guardian."


    Adam took the pact from his hands, read it, and then tore it up without hesitation.


    Frank, still in his kneeling position, was stunned. "Sir, what are you doing?"


    Adam tried to help him up, but Frank refused. So Adam said, "My help to you back then does not warrant your loyalty. You know it was nothing to me."


    Frank stubbornly replied, "But a pact is a pact. What was nothing to you was everything to me."


    Adam said, "I am now a level-three mage. If nothing goes wrong, I will be promoted to level four after returning to the mage ne. You can''t help me with your current power, and I am an Explorer. You can''t do much for me."


    Adam''s words sounded harsh but were true. He didn''t know how Frank had be a level-two mage in such a short time.


    Seeing Frank''spletely mechanical body, Adam guessed the cost was high.


    Maybe Frank had achieved his life goal, but it was of no use to Adam. Frank now probably couldn''t even defeat Garfield.


    Frank bowed his head in silence for a while, then stood up. "Regardless of what you think, the pact was signed and should be upheld." He then stood by Adam''s side, head bowed.


    Adam had no choice. Frank was bound by the pact, and Adam couldn''t just kill him to refuse his service. So Adam said, "Do as you wish. If you truly want to help, work hard to improve your strength. When I advance to transcendent level and establish my mage tower, you can join it." This was the only way Adam thought Frank could be useful.


    Frank bowed solemnly and said, "Thank you, sir."


    Frank then detailed his experiences over the years. Most of them were uneventful, but one detail caught Adam''s attention.


    "You said you created a new type of magic alloy and used it to construct your body, bing a formal mage?"


    Frank proudly replied, "Yes, my lord. I call it Ripple Alloy. It can perfectly bear telekinesis, giving it destructive powerparable to magic."

 Chapter 294: A Pleasant Surprise

    Chapter 294: A Pleasant Surprise


    Frank''s first original creation, telekinesis, was a big help during his apprenticeship. But once he became a real mage, it wasn''t as useful.


    Mental energy, whiches from the soul, bes more powerful as the soul grows stronger, making every thought a form of mental power. At this level, using telekinesis alone felt unnecessary, as its attack power couldn''tpare to real magic.


    Frank mentioned that Ripple Alloy could make telekinesis as strong as magic, which caught Adam''s interest. He asked, "Can you show me?"


    Adam then set up a level-two magic defense around himself, signaling Frank to go ahead.


    Frank wasn''t worried about hurting Adam. His eyes shed blue briefly as heunched his unique telekinesis attack, shaped like a bullet or bomb.


    The surface of Adam''s defense magic started to vibrate intensely at a single point, with the frequency peaking quickly.


    The high-purity, high-quality telekinesis refracted and reflected within the vibrations, growing stronger instead of losing energy due to the magic.


    In just a few seconds, it broke through Adam''s defense magic.


    Adam waved his hand to dispel the telekinesis and rebuilt his defense. Then he asked Frank, "Do you have more?"Frank nodded and showed several different attack and defense techniques.


    Adam realized Frank wasn''t exaggerating. With the transformation and amplification from Ripple Alloy, telekinesis truly had the destructive power of magic at the same level, manifesting as oscitions.


    Frank had turned telekinesis into mechanical waves using the alloy. The most surprising part was that these mechanical waves had a particle nature.


    Adam could imagine a frightening scenario where, as Frank became a more advanced mage, a single thought from him could shatter everything around him.


    Frank exined that the oscitions could be used not only inbat but also to purify metals, making him quite popr among the lower-level mages of the Seventh Tower.


    Adam sincerely said, "I have to apologize to you; I underestimated you. If this isn''t all of your potential, then even if you can''t use elemental magic when you be transcendent, you won''t be weaker than any elemental mage."


    Frank, looking a bit embarrassed, scratched his head and said, "It''s all thanks to you creating telekinesis; otherwise, Ripple Alloy wouldn''t exist."


    Adam waved his hand, not wanting to dwell on the topic. He had already shared telekinesis with the entire Mage World, and over the decades, tens of thousands of mage apprentices had learned the technique. However, only a few could innovate with it, and even fewer could advance using it. Frank was a rare genius among them.


    The invention of Ripple Alloy had given Adam inspiration, particrly aiding his research into the wave-particle duality in the Mage World.


    Adam asked, "You''re a free mage in the Seventh Tower, right? After this war ends, would you like to join myb temporarily?"


    ...


    After Frank left, Adam felt quite pleased. With Ripple Alloy and Frank''s assistance, Adam was confident that he now possessed all the knowledge needed to advance to the fourth level. He never imagined that a casual action from decades ago would bring such a beneficial oue now.


    Two dayster, six battleshipspleted the second sealing of the Devourer.


    With thebat,mand, and support units in ce, the rescue mission in Titania wasplete.


    The mages safely returned the Titans to their territory.


    Just as Mage Matthew had mentioned, Adam''s secondary role became important.


    Adam was tasked withmunication and coordination. His first job was to act as an envoy to arrange a meeting between the transdimensional mages and the Titan Royals.


    Arnold, representing the mages, spoke to Adam, "Based on your intelligence and the advance team''s analysis of the Titans'' thoughts and behaviors, the Command Center supports forming a vassal contract with the Titans. This is a big decision, not something we can decide on our own. This meeting is mainly to persuade the Titans to ept ourmand and management during the war."


    The Arnold before Adam was just an avatar. Arnold exined that if his true form appeared before the Titans, it might cause lower-level Titans to gravitate towards him uncontrobly, leading to misunderstandings.


    "So, who needs to approve this?" Adam asked.


    "Oh, I forgot you''re still new to this. The Mage World hasn''t epted a vassal race in a long time, so it''s understandable you don''t know. This decision ultimately requires approval from Annecroft, the world guardian, and the Third Tower. Even if all the Great Archmages agree, it''s not enough without their consent. But don''t worry too much; it should be fine."


    Adam couldn''t hide his curiosity. "The Third Tower again? What exactly..."


    Arnold interrupted, "Your authority isn''t high enough to know the details about the Third Tower. If you''re really curious, you''ll need to work hard and be transcendent."


    ...


    The Titans'' territory had shrunk significantly.


    Although thest battle had ended, the Titans maintained a city formation centered around The Royal City, resembling a carrier fleet.


    They had no choice in this matter. They had lost too many of their people, and their enemies had evolved into Dilus, bing even more powerful than before.


    Even though the Devourer was sealed high above in the sky, it was still impossible for the Titans to mount a counterattack with their current strength.


    When Adam arrived outside The Royal City, he didn''t enter directly as he had done before. Instead, he submitted a formal request, and then he waited for the twenty Titan lords to grant permission and lead him into the city.


    The Royal City was barren, as all the buildings had been destroyed in thest battle. So, even though this was an important meeting, both sides had to conduct it on an open field.


    However, no one minded this.


    After the introductions, Arnold directly stated the mages'' request, "Your Lordships, do you agree?"


    The lords were silent for a moment. Then Lord Svorsi spoke up, "We have no objections regarding the war. We are grateful for the mages'' assistance. But can you tell us what it means to be a vassal race? What would be our status and our responsibilities?"


    The mages had established terms for this situation. Arnold exined, "After the war, we will evaluate Titania to determine if it has a reason to continue existing. If it does, we will relocate the entire ne to orbit the Mage World. If not, we will sacrifice Titania and bring the Titan race back to the Mage World, creating a new home for you."


    "A vassal race is not a ve but a contractual ally."

 Chapter 295: The Third Towers Summoning

    Chapter 295: The Third Tower''s Summoning


    "We''remitted to ensuring the Titan race''s survival," Arnold started, "but you need to follow our reasonable requests, like joining in wars or helping with research. You can benefit from the research results that suit you, but of course, there will be a cost."


    Arnold continued, "So, being a vassal race isn''t very; it''s more like a job. After each task, we''ll give you the proper reward. You can count on this. It''s a rule followed by all mages and existing vassal races; no one breaks it."


    The lords were upset upon hearing Titania would be sacrificed. One of the lords asked, "Why do we have to give up our homnd?"


    Arnold pointed to the sky, where the Devourer and the Origin, which hadn''t returned yet, were visible.


    He said, "Your world is too damaged. You can see that Titania''s crystal barrier system is broken and hasn''t recovered. Large areas have been destroyed by the void storm. I believe you wouldn''t want to live in such conditions. If it can''t be fixed, finding a new home would be the best option for you."


    "As for the Origin, we''ll have to leave it behind. The Mage World can only have one Origin. This is very beneficial for you; under the protection of the Heart of the Mage World, the vitality of the Titan race will be much stronger than it is now."


    The feeling of attachment to one''s homnd is something all intelligent beings share. The Titans had fought for theirnd and race for generations, making it even harder to leave.


    Arnold''s words left them unsure; they didn''t know if they could still call themselves Titans after leaving Titania.


    The discussions paused for a while. Arnold didn''t hurry them, and Adam was patient enough to wait.Lord Svorsi broke the silence, "We need some time to think this over."


    Both knew that even though they needed time, the Titans would eventually agree.


    Arnold understood and said, "Of course, that''s fair. But the war can''t wait. An army wille soon, and we hope you can cooperate."


    After saying this, Arnold left, as he had many other matters to attend to. Adam stayed in the Royal City, continuing his work as the intermediator.


    When there was only Adam left, Lord Svorsi spoke more openly, "Is everything that mage said true?"


    Adam nodded without hesitation, "Mages do not deceive anyone."


    "Not even outsiders?"


    "That''s right, because we don''t need to lie to achieve our goals."


    Lord Svorsi envied the confidence that absolute power brought to each mage. Long ago, before any of the current lords were born, the Titans had such confidence. But now, they had no choice but to be vassals.


    This change made them feel especially sad at the moment.


    "Have you seen any other vassal races? How are they living?" Lord Svorsi asked.


    This question puzzled Adam; he hadn''t actually seen any. "I''ve been a mage for a short time, and after my advancement, I''ve mostly been on missions in other worlds, so..."


    Lord Svorsi sighed and stopped asking further questions. He watched as groups of mages either descended from the sky or suddenly appeared nearby. After a long pause, he said, "Anyway, thank you for your help. We will do everything we can to cooperate with you."


    ...


    Through countless years of wars, the mages developed various strategies for dealing with different enemies and working with allies of different life forms. The Seventh Tower''s legion, sent on this expedition, was the most suitable for cooperating with the Titans.


    The mages only needed the Titans to follow orders in war and ept their adaptations.


    The army began mobilizing.


    Mages either brought their own war machines ormandeered existing floating fortresses. They took arge group of Titans, at least of Commander rank, to the front lines.


    There, the Dilus had quickly established a division ofbor after the initial two days of adjustment. Their parental bodies hid deep underground, continuously producing offspring. Dilus warriors were now approaching Titan territory and mage warships, and even the weakest among them were of the fourth level.


    These descendants of the Devourer were much stronger than the original Metal Eaters. The transcendent individuals among the Dilus had strange abilities, making them formidable opponents, though still not as powerful as transdimensional mages. They posed a significant challenge to the war effort.


    Fortunately, this war involved the mages'' ancient enemies, so the mages who came to help were some of the strongest ones. Nearly fifty of them were transcendent mages, and there were countless high-level mages. Otherwise, there might be a chance that they''d lose the war.


    If they did lose, they would have to set up dimensional hubs to request reinforcements, but that could give the Devourer a chance to break the seal.


    Adam didn''t need to participate in the frontline battles. He was helping the Titans enhance their strength alongside other low-level mages, including Frank, and also assisting with passing the mes.


    ...


    "Nice to see you again, Explorer Adam."


    As Adam was preparing to take a few mes from the me House for study, a mage suddenly appeared beside him.


    As soon as the mage showed up, the Titan who had apanied Adam to the me House looked enchanted and started to walk out.


    "Hello," Adam greeted her, even though he didn''t particrly want to see her.


    The visitor was the female mage from the Third Tower, who looked like a patchwork creature.


    She clearly knew that Adam didn''t like her, but she didn''t seem to care at all.


    Her ugly face paired with her pleasant voice created a strange contrast. "So, this is where the Titans keep the Original mes? Such crude methods and foolish creatures; they don''t even understand how their own lives are created."


    Adam was intrigued. "Are you nning to help them decipher the secret of life?"


    The mage chuckled softly. "Help them? Since the Devourer values these mes so much, they must be important to him. Understanding these mes'' secrets will help us invade the Devourer''s soul. Helping the Titans is just a side effect. Besides, my way of helping them is something they probably won''t like. You can call me Ayesha. I''m from the Third Tower, an eighth-level transdimensional mage."


    Adam finally learned her name, but he didn''t expect her to be at the peak of transcendent power.


    "May I know what you''re nning to do?" he asked.


    Ayesha waved her hand, and all the mes in the me House vanished. Then, she reached out with one finger, slicing through the space, and pulled out a squawking Garfield.


    "Of course, you and your pet are both key participants in this research."

 Chapter 296: Analyzing The Flames

    Chapter 296: Analyzing The mes


    Ayesha tossed Garfield aside and gave him a quick nce.


    Garfield, scared, kept quiet and started trembling.


    ''This is terrifying! She''s scary!'' Garfield thought, shivering with fear.


    But Adam wasn''t worried that Ayesha would kill him or Garfield. Even though the Third Tower had a unique status, they were in the middle of a ne war, where mage rules provided protection. Ayesha didn''t have the right or the guts to kill them without a good reason.


    Ayesha took a step forward with her left leg.


    Something strange happened. Adam didn''t sense any energy waves, and there was no reaction, but the scene changed with Ayesha''s movement. When her left leg touched the ground, Adam and Garfield found themselves in a different ce.


    It was a special space, all white, with no sense of up, down, left, or right.


    In front of Adam were many living Dilus samples, some even at the transcendent level.


    Further away, he saw a few Titans, including a Titan Royal."I need an exnation," Adam said, pointing at the Titan Royal to Ayesha. "They''re our allies. What you''re doing breaks the rules of war."


    Ayesha threw all the Original mes she had gathered into the air, lighting them like hundreds ofnterns.


    She rolled her eyes at Adam and said, "I''m not breaking any rules. After my research, this big guy will only remember fighting a level six Dilus on the front lines for days and nights, eventually killing the enemy. He won''t remember anything that happens in this space."


    Adam now understood why the Third Tower wasn''t liked by other mages---they didn''t follow the rules, making them outcasts among the mainstream mages who valued pacts and agreements.


    Adam didn''t ask further. Ayesha had made it clear she wouldn''t kill the Titan Royal, and that was enough.


    "I heard you have strongputing abilities and a special way to avoid cognitive dissonance after reincarnation?" Ayesha asked.


    "Yes," Adam replied.


    "Good. You will be my assistant from now on. Your first task is to record every tiny change in the Original mes during the experiment. Can you do that?"


    "I can," Adam answered, feeling a bit strange. Usually, he was the one giving instructions, even when he was just an apprentice in James''sb. This was his first time truly acting as an assistant.


    Ayesha then brought out hundreds of human bodies and said to Adam, "I know your abilities. Their souls are gone; you can use them as avatars for now."


    As the bodies on the ground came to life under Adam''s maniption, Ayesha said, "Alright, let''s get to work."


    Suddenly, a mysterious, vast sound filled the space. The sound had a magical power that made Adam want to listen closely. He heard the Reincarnation Spell incantation within it.


    In the strange space, all the Diluses suddenly became agitated. They lost their senses and showed a crazed desire to attack. When they couldn''t find anything to attack, they began to harm themselves in shockingly cruel ways.


    The Titans, meanwhile, curled up in distress.


    In Adam''s ears, every sound was clear, but its meaning was mysterious. The speed of the sound increased, merging into specific sybles. Adam tried to remember them, but the more he tried, the more confused his memory and thoughts became.


    Eventually, even his logical thinking turned into a muddled mess.


    Then, something even stranger happened: Adam felt his connection with his separated threads weakening.


    Suddenly, one threadpletely escaped his control. The body hosting that thread came to life. It wasn''t just animated; the thread had turned into a soul, gaining personality and thought.


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><strong>BANG!</strong></em>


    A small explosion snapped Adam out of his daze. He quickly shut off his hearing, blocking out the mysterious sound. Then, he saw a pool of blood in front of him.


    Ayesha had killed the new life. A ''doll'' stitched together sat on Ayesha''s shoulder, chanting the spell from its mouth.


    Seeing Adam regain his senses, Ayesha smiled and said, "Finish your work and don''t try anything extra."


    The strangeness of the spell was beyond Adam''s understanding. He couldn''t help but murmur, "What is this?"


    "This spell is the core knowledge of the Reincarnation Spell. This is yourst question; I''m not your teacher. I brought you here to work for me, not to answer your questions. Keep your ears and soul in check. If this happens again, I won''t help you."


    After speaking, Ayesha stopped paying attention to Adam. She also began chanting the spell, her voice and the doll''s voice merging perfectly, echoing through the space.


    Even without Ayesha''s warning, Adam wouldn''t dare to do anything extra.


    The Third Tower was too mysterious and eerie---just now, all his threads had shown signs of revival. If Ayesha hadn''t intervened, he would have had hundreds of new "siblings" in an instant. Now, he had permanently lost a thread.


    Adam shook his head to clear his mind and focused on recording the changes in the Original mes.


    The mes began to burn themselves, seemingly trying to release all their energy within the spell. Gradually, the mes started to break apart, with sparks and mes separating and drifting into the air.


    Then, the fiery characteristics vanished, revealing the true nature of the Original mes. They were flowing information, arranged in sets that were either connected, broken, or ovepping. Each state represented a unique algorithm, and together, these algorithms formed the Original mes.


    As Adam worked, he didn''t notice that Ayesha had stopped chanting her spell. She didn''t interrupt him, instead going over to collect the shattered body parts of the self-harming Diluses. She refined them, extracting the life origin of the Dilus.


    Adam lost track of time,pletely absorbed in the intricate and mysterious life codes disyed by the Original mes.


    He devoted all hisputing power, trying to decipher the secret behind the Original mes'' ability to give life to metal. It wasn''t until his body sent out an overload warning that Adam reluctantly stopped.


    "How''s it going? Have you reached any conclusions?" Ayesha asked softly.


    Adam shook his head. "Not yet. Somebinations of the information are very unique, making it hard to parse. I need a lot more time."

 Chapter 297 - A Bold Experiment (1)

    Adam kept a secret from Ayesha. He noticed a familiar pattern in the information from the mes, something that had once helped him when he was a supeputer.


    The mes revealed an algorithm, moreplex andplete than binary.


    Binary is amonly used number system inputing, representing data with two digits, 0 and 1. ''On'' stands for 1, and ''off'' stands for 0, with a base of 2.


    The rules for binary are simple: ''add one when it reaches two'' and ''borrow one, treat as two.''


    Adam still often used the binary system for various calctions. The benefit of this method is its simplicity and ease of use, but the downside is the high number of digits needed, making conversions cumbersome.


    Now, the restored mes in front of Adam gave him a chance to greatly improve hisputing power. If his guess was correct, cracking the secrets of this algorithm and integrating it would significantly boost hisputational abilities.


    These mes were a rare treasure for him!


    Ayesha didn''t know this; even if she did, she wouldn''t care if Adam''s abilities improved. She simply asked, "Can you use it without a conclusion?"


    Adam was puzzled, "Use? Use what?"


    Ayesha responded with action. She merged over a hundred pieces of information back into the mes, then sent them into a peak fourth-level Dilus.


    These Diluses, sharing the same origin as the Devourer, inherited the ability to absorb mes and evolve.


    As the mes entered, the surface of the fourth-level Dilus ignited with fire. Its color turned gray quickly, with old tissue being burned away by the gray mes, and new energy-based body parts growing. Its soul floated in the mes, trying to absorb external energy to speed up evolution.


    Since there was no external energy in this space, its evolution got stuck midway. At this point, Ayesha pointed at it, sending a strange energy wave through the space, freezing it in ce.


    "This Dilus lineage relies on the Original mes to evolve. I hope you can separate the Original mes and make them regress," Ayesha said, throwing the Dilus at Adam''s feet and exining her purpose.


    "You mean..." Adam eximed in surprise.


    The Third Tower wanted to cut off their roots!


    "The Devourer''s soul essence already has the traits of level nine. I can''t even invade it. His Holiness can''te here personally, so we n to extract the Genesis me from the Devourer, dispel or strip the energy he has absorbed, and bring him back to level eight. Then, we can invade his soul and seize his legacy," Ayesha''s doll cheerfully exined, flying around her.


    "Active Sealing Crystal..." Adam murmured to himself.


    The Devourer''s current state reminded Adam of something Victor said when he gave him the Active Sealing Crystal. Victor mentioned that in ancient times, this was a type of malicious spell. His Holiness Maxis likely had used a variant of this spell to seal the Devourer.


    "That''s right, it''s the prototype of the Active Sealing Crystal, the Freezing Curse," Ayesha confirmed.


    Hearing Ayesha''s words, Adam began to consider the feasibility of the n. The me information was aplete algorithm.


    Even though Adam couldn''t solve it right away, the ''equations'' were objectively valid. This meant that even without fully understanding them, they could still be used. This was why Adam couldplete his reincarnation and why Garfield could be a Titan. From this perspective, he should be able to separate the Genesis me.


    However, Adam pointed out, "These Original mes are not the Genesis me, and this Dilus is not the Devourer. Each evolution causes a qualitative change. Low-level samples can''t be used to reverse-engineer a higher-level individual."


    Ayesha responded, "I know, that''s why I invited this Titan lord to help. mes from a transcendent Titan should have some essential characteristics of the Genesis me. I will separate this part and show it to you directly. What you need to do is extract the form from it. It doesn''t have to be an exact match; we just need a key to unlock the Devourer."


    Adam nodded, "If that''s the case, I can do it, as long as I have more avatars. But why choose me for this? This task seems difficult, but it''s really just aboutputing power, which you certainly don''tck."


    "I''ve told you before, I''m not your teacher," Ayesha muttered with her doll, as she released several hundred more avatar bodies.


    "You underestimate level-nine beings. Even though His Holiness Maxis sealed the Devourer, it still requires the full attention of all the first group of transdimensional mages, including me. Our true forms must stay in the battleship to reinforce the seal. Otherwise, why do you think it''s staying still in the sky?"


    "The avatars are prepared for you. You need to speed up the cracking process; the longer it takes, the more dangerous it bes. You know, I certainly won''t die, but you..."


    ...


    After activating the avatars, Adam approached the frozen Dilus. He held another bundle of mes in his hand, needing topare and refer to them to extract the half-merged me from the Dilus.


    "Please, separate this Dilus''s body and soul," Adam requested.


    The doll flew over andnded on Adam''s head. She gently waved her finger in front of her, and like an xo being dissected by a skilled butcher, the Dilus waspletely separated in front of Adam. Each part remained undamaged, but the connections were all severed.


    The Dilus''s soul was gnawing at the me. When Adam switched his vision, he realized it was not actually consuming fire but a stream of information. About three-quarters of it had been digested, with most of it turning gray within the soul, and a small part stuck in the Dilus''s mouth.


    Judging by the current trend, this Dilus wouldn''t develop tumors on its back after advancing. Instead, its entire soul would transform into a gray data stream merged with the mes'' information.


    Adam observed the scene intently, running high-speed calctions with both his main body and avatars.


    He instructed the doll, "Extract its soul, it must beplete and undamaged."


    The doll followed Adam''s instructions. After the doll cast an iprehensible spell on the Dilus, its soul emerged in front of Adam.


    Dozens of telekic arms sprouted from Adam''s body, carefully grasping the small portion of me that the Dilus hadn''t digested. Using his mental power, he simted the digested parts to make them whole again, then he gradually pulled them out piece by piece.

 Chapter 298 - A Bold Experiment (2)

    Adam''s work was tough. He could use his mental power to simte parts of the Dilus being digested, but it wasn''t the same, after all. He failed over a hundred times before finally capturing a whole one.


    But once he managed that first step, the rest got easier.


    Adam then broke down the simted parts, and a mostly gray data chain wriggled and struggled in his hand, trying to get away. He was careful not to use too much force, afraid he might crush it.


    At that moment, the doll acted again, using sealing magic to hold the data chain still.


    After mechanically repeating this process for half a day, Adam finally broke down Dilus''s soulpletely into data chains.


    Now, they floated in front of him.


    Adam carefully put them back into their original shape and then erged them proportionally.


    His avatars came forward, working in groups to analyze the differences between them and the original information.


    Adam himself tried to understand what the gray energy was and why it could swallow and assimte the mes.


    A day passed, and the avatars seeded in their calctions, but Adam''s research showed no progress. The gray energy was tooplex, and he had no breakthrough.


    He had to temporarily give up this idea and summarize the forms separated by the avatars into a model,bining it with the mes'' algorithm.


    The next day, the conversion seeded. But Adam found that this was very different from magic. Since he did not understand the principles, he could not construct it using runes. It was only a tool that Adam had to recalcte every time he used it.


    Adam signaled the doll to release the seal. Then, the gray chains swarmed back into the soul, and Adam threw out the model.


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><strong>BOOM!</strong></em>


    The Dilus exploded.


    Ayesha knew the experiment had failed. Without a word, she fixed all the level-four Diluses present in a semi-evolved state.


    After dozens of experiments and a long time of adjustments, Adam finally stabilized the model. He could now separate the unassimted me information without killing the Diluses.


    "I can only manage this much for now, and the method is quite troublesome," Adam said, spreading his hands to Ayesha.


    Ayesha nodded, taking the model for storage.


    Adam''s worries were unnecessary. The Third Tower hadplete ancient heritage, so their magic mostly didn''t need rune groups but was directly driven by mental power and magic. This model was troublesome but not a problem for them.


    She said with satisfaction, "You are indeed very good at this. I heard you refused to join the Third Tower before? Believe me, you are well-suited to our magic. Will you reconsider?"


    "Sorry, I refuse."


    Ayesha pouted. The doll waved its hand and pped Adam''s head twice, expressing displeasure, and shrieked, "You don''t know what''s good for you!"


    Then, without further persuasion, she grabbed Adam by the ear and led him to the Titan lord.


    The chanting of the spell echoed through the space as the Titan lord floated. The metal that made up his body silently shattered.


    Nearly five hundred of Adam''s avatars surrounded the floating mass of information, which had a long diameter of 400 meters and a short diameter of 150 meters. They were watching intently.


    Adam himself was next to them. He simted another information mass, marking out the streams of information that matched those in the ordinary mes.


    Every moment, countless pieces of information shed in the eyes of each avatar.


    Three days had passed since Adam''sst conversation with Ayesha. She had helped Adam stabilize the overclocked state, greatly increasing efficiency.


    The experiment had reached a critical moment, and Adam began to strip the same information from the simted mass.


    Each stripping caused one of his avatars to crash. An hourter, the simted mass before Adam still contained redundant parts.


    Adam sighed deeply. He exited the overclocked state and said to Ayesha, "It''s still missing some parts. Simtion won''t do it. I must strip directly from the mes. But doing this will kill the Titan lord for sure."


    The chanting stopped, and Ayesha said indifferently, "Hope the sacrifices are worth it."


    Adam interrupted her, "We can''t do that. We should honor the deal between us."


    The doll rolled her eyes and said discontentedly, "Stubborn."


    Seeing that Adam remained unmoved, the doll kept her eyes rolled while inserting her fingers into her own temple. She then pulled out a creature Adam was very familiar with---a transcendent-level Greater Devil!


    She threw the devil in front of Adam along with Garfield.


    Sensing the presence of another of his kind, Garfield woke from his sleep. He nced at the devil, then quickly hid behind Adam, trembling and saying, "Master, a Greater Devil! A Greater Devil!"


    He had every reason to be afraid. The rtionships among devils were far from harmonious. For devils, consuming their kind to absorb the same source of power was the best way to evolve, far quicker than making deals and deceiving.


    Garfield''s heritage was full of stories of devils battling and then devouring each other. They even had a set of convenient methods for digesting their kind.


    Ayesha said, "Use your pet as the base to transform my devil. Don''t worry, there will be no danger, and there are great benefits." Seeing Adam''s skeptical look, Ayesha said with displeasure, "Do you think I would deceive you two little guys? Should we make a pact?"


    With Ayesha''s generous offer, Adam couldn''t refuse. He agreed, and she took Garfield''s Original mes from his spatial body, ignoring his wails and pleas.


    "Smart choice." The doll jumped down from Adam''s head into his hand, signaling Adam to hold her. As he did, Adam felt an unimaginable surge of magic power fill his arm instantly, so strong that it suppressed his own existence.


    "Use my magic to simte the me and temporarily promote your pet. Then, using your previous method, transform the Greater Devil into the Original mes. Be quick; you won''t hold out for long," Ayesha said, walking to Adam''s side and cing her hand on his shoulder to stabilize him.


    A vortex of magic surrounded Garfield and the Greater Devil, the energy far exceeding the magic array Adam had built with ether crystals.


    Garfield was instantly forced into the body of the Greater Devil.


    Then, a massive me shot skyward, and the transformation began immediately.


    Adam could clearly see another will awakening in the mes, furious and frantically attacking Garfield, who had no ability to resist.


    At this moment, Ayesha softly reprimanded, and the Greater Devil''s will shattered and disappeared effortlessly.


    Garfield''s terrified expression turned to one of enjoyment as he felt himself growing stronger with every passing moment. His barrier to transcendent level was now as fragile as ss. His energy fluctuations grew stronger until they reached level eight and then stopped.

 Chapter 299 - Regression

    When the doll slipped from Adam''s grip, the surging magic vanished too.


    Adam exhaled deeply, relieved. Just moments ago, he felt himself shifting into some unknown form. It wasn''t good at all. If that change had fully taken hold, he knew he''d never be the same again.


    Adam turned his gaze to the roaring Original mes, surprised to see Garfield had reached level eight. Hesitant, he asked, "How is he...?"


    "This is temporary," Ayesha replied coolly. "Part of the power keeping him at this level is my magic, and the restes from that devil''s Origin. Most of it will fade after your next experiment. If he can maintain even level four, that''d be impressive." She could unleash level eight magic instantly, but sustaining it was another story. Right now, Garfield was like a disposable battery---once drained, he was done.


    Adam got the point: If power were that easy toe by, what would be the point of all the research and hard work?


    "What do you think? How close is your pet now to that Titan lord''s mes?"


    Garfield was so thrilled, he was making all sorts of noises. Adam calmed him down and merged with him, sorting through all the new information.


    After a while, he said, "Pretty close, but the core is still different. But, he can definitely be a test subject."


    Ayesha pped her hands. Magic flowed from her fingertips, creating a barrier in the strange space. Then she opened a skylight leading to the outside world.


    Next, she grabbed the strongest transcendent, Dilus.


    Once the Dilus was unsealed, it dashed madly towards the skylight. It was smart enough to realize it couldn''t take on the creature before it, so escaping was its only shot.


    BANG.


    The Dilus hit the skylight, bleeding, half its body in shreds.


    Ayesha didn''t even look at it. She told Adam, "This barrier is to protect you. Inside here, none of its attacks can hurt you."


    Holding the mes, Adam stepped into the barrier. The Dilus kept retreating, knowing the mes it once craved was now a death sentence.


    The closer Adam got, the more frantic the Dilus became. Finally, it shot out a gray tendril to attack Adam.


    Just like Ayesha said, the gray tendril passed through Adam without causing harm. In this barrier, it was as if Adam wasn''t even there.


    But the Dilus resisted the mes, and Adam couldn''t force it to ept them.


    Seeing this, Ayesha acted.


    Four skeletal arms stretched out from the cracks in the space around her. Two arms pinned the Dilus down, while the other two pried its mouth open.


    Adam then threw the me inside.


    The skeletal arms immediately plunged into its body.


    At that moment, the Dilus''s body turned transparent. Adam could see its soul being pierced, forcing it to consume the Original mes.


    The evolution began.


    The mes started to be corrupted, and gray energy spread rapidly. Adam knew how rare test subjects were and couldn''t afford to waste them like before. He signaled Ayesha to pause every few seconds so he could record the changes.


    Ayesha showed remarkable professionalism, following Adam''s orders without any sign of impatience.


    After two days, the evolution reached its halfway point. This was critical---crossing this threshold would transform the Dilus''s soul into a me state.


    At this moment, a gray energy column rose from its soul, passed through the skylight, and reached the outside world.


    The Devourer, sealed in the sky, barely stirred. A piece of information from the Devourer shot out from a w the mages had deliberately left and instantly descended onto the Dilus.


    The Dilus trembled violently, causing the four skeletal hands to shatter. Its eyes became kaleidoscopic.


    Adam stepped back---he recognized this look; it belonged to the Devourer.


    Pure gray energy shot from the Dilus''s eyes toward Adam. Somehow, Adam knew that if he was hit, he would surely die.


    At the same time, nearly fifty mages suddenly appeared in the space. They silently used their methods to annihte the gray energy. They reinforced the barrier and closed the skylight, severing the connection between the information and the Devourer, trapping it here.


    "You''re courting death! The Great Archmage is not here, and you dare to release my soul?" the Devourer roared.


    The transdimensional mages ignored him. They connected the runes in the barrier into chains and reactivated the freezing spell. Before the Devourer could finish speaking, he was silenced again.


    Ayesha said, "Hurry, we can''t hold this for long!"


    Adam finally understood what the mages were trying to do. This wasn''t a reverse push; it was a re-enactment. They were recreating the scene of the Devourer''s advancement.


    It was a crazy experiment, but Adam felt excited. This might be his only chance to observe a level nine creature up close.


    "Unseal for one second!" Adammanded without hesitation.


    The transdimensional mages immediatelyplied. In that one second, the gray energy spread by one-tenth.


    Adam entered overclocking mode, and the data collected in that moment exceeded the total from before!


    "Seal!"


    "Unseal!"


    "Seal!"


    Adam ignored the overload warnings, immersed in the vast power disyed in the data. Each pause resulted in the explosion of countless avatars.


    "Modelparison derivation, failure, failure, pleted!"


    "Transcendent data input. pleted!"


    "State simtion starts."


    Adam once again experienced the process of steam rising from his head to blue smoke igniting. These cycles repeated, each second feeling like an eternity...


    "Ten percent."


    "Forty percent."


    "Ny percent."


    "Reached the limit. Remaining data unobservable and unsimble. Iplete model established!"


    Adam raised the model and shouted without looking back, "I need magic!"


    As soon as Adam finished speaking, his body surged with power once more. Without a second thought, he channeled all the magic into the model.


    The model immediately began to glow and operate.


    Then, Adam flew up, meeting the Devourer''s cold, bloodthirsty gaze, and pressed the model firmly into his eye.


    The Devourer disintegrated. His body and soul, under the influence of the model, became disjointed and iplete, riddled with logical conflicts.


    This caused his evolution, which had reached 80%, to failpletely at that moment. His soul began to involuntarily spew energy.


    The mes'' information stream that had not yet been transformed returned along the original path. As for what had been consumed, some of it disintegrated directly, while some transformed into secondary energy and dissipated.


    The Dilus regressed!

 Chapter 300: A Touch Of The Origin

    Chapter 300: A Touch Of The Origin


    The Dilus''s soul shattered, yet the Devourer''s fragment stayed intact. He knew he couldn''t escape, so he stopped trying to flee and hovered within the barrier.


    "You really think you can stop my rise? How foolish," the Devourer''s will turned into words, echoing for all to hear. "Without the Great Archmage, you think you can invade my soul? Pathetic."


    "Enough talk," Ayesha sneered. She and five other transdimensional mages from the Third Tower stepped into the barrier together. They stood before Adam and used special magic to erase the fragment. They had no intention of keeping it, as that could cause unnecessary trouble.


    Adam felt fantastic. The recent magic had not only restored his lost energy but also cleared his mental fatigue.


    Seeing the Devourer''s soul fragment vanish, he sighed in relief.


    Facing the Devourer had been incredibly stressful for Adam. Out of everyone, the Devourer resented Adam the most. Adam, who hadn''t even reached the transcendent level, had repeatedly foiled his ns and now even threatened his life---the Devourer wished he could grind Adam to dust.


    The transdimensional mages disappeared as quickly as they hade, returning to their posts in the sky, leaving only Ayesha and Arnold behind.


    Adam handed the model construction method to Ayesha and said, "I should remind you, though we seeded this time, it doesn''t mean it will work on his main body. At that time, the risk of failure will be much higher than the chance of sess."


    Ayesha carefully stored the model, looking pleased. "Don''t worry, this is enough to get us started. The Third Tower has plenty of means to handle it."After that, she sent the unaffected living Titan and the still-burning Original mes fragment out of the space and then left.


    Arnold smiled at Adam and said, "You did well, helped us a lot. With this model as the key, we have a good chance of solving the Devourer problem."


    "You''re too kind," Adam replied.


    Arnold waved his hand and continued, "Once the Third Tower gets the location of the Devourer''s species from his soul, His Holiness wille to start the war. Then, this mission will count as an exploration task, and your rewards will be immense. You might be the richest among your peers."


    Adam was surprised. He had thought that, ording to the Third Tower''s words, this mission would be unpaidbor. He didn''t expect rewards, let alone huge ones. He thought for a moment, now more eager for these rewards, as a war personally led by the Great Archmage would surely offer more than he could get as an Explorer.


    Arnold walked towards the Titan lord and Garfield''s Original mes. He was going to reshape their bodies. While walking, he said, "You should be ready to advance to level four, right?"


    "Yes," Adam replied.


    "Please note, level four is a crucial stage. A mage reaching level four can be called a ''Master.'' At this point, those aspiring to be a transcendent mage must acquire not only Ether Crystals and knowledge but also rarer and more important resources."


    As he spoke, the special space shattered, and the two of them arrived in Titania.


    Magic surged around Arnold, and intricate Alchemic Arrays appeared out of thin air. Energy and the floating bodies of Diluses around them transformed into metal bodies, enclosing the mes of the two.


    Adam marveled at the wonder of thew of equivalent exchange and true alchemy magic: this was how the Seventh Tower created alchemical products.


    Arnold sent the intact Titan Lord and a transcendent-level Dilus''s corpse away together.


    Then, cing Garfield beside Adam, he said, "The key is a touch of the Origin. You need to get enough of that to support the second metamorphosis of your soul, making your soul possess the characteristics of a ne''s Origin to truly be a transdimensional mage."


    Adam had heard a bit about this from Mage Evans when he sacrificed the Dragon ne. However, Mage Evans hadn''t borated. Now, seizing the opportunity, he quickly asked, "Does the touch of an Origin refer to the gift obtained after sacrificing a ne?"


    "Yes and no. For ordinary mages, this is the only channel besides exchanging for it with battle merits. But I heard you''ve created your own magic system. If you are confident in advancing on your own path, then there is a better way for you," Arnold exined without beating around the bush. "The ordinary Origins can never be as powerful as the Heart of the Mage World. As long as your knowledge is significant and powerful enough, you can trade with the Mage World. You offer knowledge, and it grants you the Touch of it."


    "Moreover, mages who advance to transcendent entirely relying on the Heart of the Mage World are stronger from level five onwards than ordinary transcendent mages. As far as I know, it''s been a long time since such a transcendent mage was born."


    ...


    Five days had passed since then.


    Adam and Garfield returned to the Royal City. The entire Titania was now in a state of tense warfare, with frequent personnel and material mobilization, so no one noticed Adam had been missing for a few days.


    Even the Titan lord''s disappearance had a reasonable exnation. The corpse of the transcendent Dilus had been transported back from the front line to the Royal City and handed over to the logistic mages.


    Adam continued his work. After his previous research on the Original mes, aside from enhancing his ves'' strength, his most significant achievement was drastically elerating the cultivation of me fragments.


    The Titans didn''t have an obsession with resurrecting their fallenrades exactly as they were; they cared only about the continuation of their species. Thus, with the Royals'' consent, Adam began to merge multiple me fragments together, enabling them to possess the ability to pass on the me.


    This method proved highly effective. Adam''sboratory had be a ''factory'' for creating new Titans.


    With ample resource allocation, new Titans were born continuously.


    Because their initial bodies were constructed using high-quality metal purified by alchemists and their Vital Generators used ready-made circuits from the Mage World, these Titans were strong from the moment they were created.


    Equipped with Grafted Gear, these Titans could immediately enter the battlefield, alleviating the shortage of troops.


    This was a different kind of conquest. It was evident to anyone with foresight that once the Titans became dependent on this new method of me transmission and assembly-line-like enhancement, bing a vassal race would quickly be an inevitable reality, even if they were unwilling.

 Chapter 301: Getting Ready for the Big Battle

    Chapter 301: Getting Ready for the Big Battle


    Life in the Royal City went on quietly for two months.


    One day, Adam and Frank were busy working together, figuring out how to improve Ripple Alloy. They wanted to use it as the main material for a new kind of magical device. Suddenly, amand came through the Mage Network to all battlemages.


    "Hold off Diluses with everything you''ve got, and wait for the transdimensional mages from the Third Tower to attack the Devourer."


    Adam and Frank stopped what they were doing and looked at each other with concern.


    Frank, looking worried, said, "The final battle is about to begin. I hope it works."


    Lately, the Devourer''s power had be terrifyingly clear. Even while sealed, he had managed to trap all the transdimensional mages from the first wave.


    His immense power was truly frightening. Frank worried that if the Third Tower failed and the Devourer broke free, and if the Great Archmage couldn''t arrive in time, it would be the end of him and all the other battlemages.


    Adam, however, wasn''t as worried. He hadn''t told Frank about his own summons, but he had a feeling that the mages wouldn''t take such a risk unless they had a solid n. He guessed that the two-month wait was likely because His Holiness was already nearby, ready to step in when needed.


    Even if His Holiness couldn''t make it in time, they could still activate the magic array set by him. Otherwise, the transdimensional mages would never gamble with the lives of an army of over a hundred thousand mages.At that moment, themand center reached out to Adam directly. They ordered him to act as a messenger, to coordinate with and reassure the Titans, and to request the use of the Titan God''s body.


    After Lord Fast''s fall, Lord Svorsi had gradually taken on the role of the new leader of the Titans. He was in charge of coordinating the Titans during the war, while the other Royals were fighting on the front lines alongside the mages against Diluses.


    Throughout the two months of war, the Titans had been deeply impressed by the mages''bat power and discipline. Every tactic and strategy of the mages was clear and transparent, with everymand focused on the best oue for the battle.


    The Titans had suffered more casualties than the mages, but they knew this wasn''t because the mages were using them as expendable troops. They understood that it was simply because they were weaker.


    The Titans were grateful. Without the mages'' help, the Diluses could have easily wiped out their entire race without the Devourer even needing to act.


    Because of this, they felt a deep appreciation. Lord Svorsi said, "All Titans will follow the mages'' orders without question. Besides fighting, is there anything else we can do to help?"


    Adam shook his head. "Only the transdimensional mages can handle what was going on in the skies above. It''s not just you---even we ordinary mages will leave the warships and move to Titania. All we can do is hold off the Diluses for the transdimensional mages, no matter what. We must keep them from getting close to the Devourer. We also have one more request: we would like to use the body of the Titan God."


    "What do you mean by ''use''?" The Titans had already epted their fate as a vassal race, understanding they would eventually lose their homnd. Thus, the body of the Titan God had be a symbol of their race''s past in their hearts, and they didn''t want to lose the Royal City.


    Adam exined, "The warships need to stay in the sky to keep reinforcing the seal. The mages need a newmand center and a temporary fortress for the battle. You know how many Diluses there are---without a stronghold, the losses would be huge. But don''t worry, we won''t destroy the Titan God''s body. We''ll just make some adjustments. After the operation, we''ll do our best to return it to you in good condition."


    Adam didn''t make any absolute promises because no one could predict what might happen during the battle. If sacrificing the Royal City became necessary, then...


    Lord Svorsi eventually agreed to Adam''s request. He understood the situation clearly: the Titan God was only a symbol of the past. If they cling too tightly to the past and cause the operation to fail, they would lose not only this symbol but also the future of their race.


    Moreover, he knew the mages wouldn''t tolerate any selfish behavior that might hold them back.


    Soon, ordinary mages began arriving in waves from the warships to the Royal City. They started reforging all the floating fortresses, with the Royal City as the center.


    Using magic arrays, they connected them into a single, unified defense line. Themand center had already given orders for troops to gradually pull back from Titania, abandoning the currentnds to concentrate all their forces for the final battle.


    The alchemists were incredibly skilled. While they couldn''t create and refine material out of thin air like His Holiness Maxis and Arnold, they worked much faster than Adam as long as they had the necessary materials.


    The cores of the fortresses became more advanced, and the power they could exert grew stronger. In just a few months, the alchemists had even figured out how to apply the Original mes to their creations. The new floating fortresses began to show signs of life. Adam believed that, with more time, they could have created a new kin for the Titan race.


    On the surface, the Royal City looked the same, but it was where the Master Mages had put in the most effort. The city itself was an excellent war machine, but the Titans had previouslycked the ability to fully use it---something the mages didn''t struggle with.


    After a thorough inspection, the mages repaired most of the energy circuits in the Vital Generator. The Royal City was now re-energized and could provide a continuous power boost, adding an extrayer of security for the uing battle.


    As for the preparations made by the transdimensional mages, Adam wasn''t privy to that information.


    On the ground, the magespleted all their work within three days, forming a massive formation of over four thousand tightly arranged floating fortresses centered around the Royal City. Each fortress was stocked with enough energy to sustain seven days and nights of intensebat.


    ...


    Two dayster, all mages received themand: the operation would begin in thirty minutes.


    The mages quickly took their positions. Those responsible for operating the fortresses entered the cores to add energy, while those assigned tobat readied their magical equipment. Some prepared to pilot small aircraft, while others flew directly into the sky, waiting for themand to engage.


    The forwardmand center was set up inside the Titan God''s Vital Generator. The Master Mages and the Titan lords stood ready, prepared for the battle to begin.


    At the fifteenth minute, all the floating fortresses powered up and ascended into the sky.


    By the twentieth minute, they reached eighty percent power. Over four thousand fortresses, blocking out the sun, positioned themselves directly beneath the Devourer and spread out, forming a barrier that separated the Diluses from the Devourer.


    At the twenty-fifth minute, all weapon and defense systems were fully charged. The shields of the fortresses linked together, creating a unified protective barrier. Countless dark cannons aimed at the Diluses gathering below the defensive line. Behind the cannons, the magic arrays ignited with a zing light, sending ripples through the void.


    At the thirtieth minute, the six warships sealing the Devourer burst into a brilliant glow. The chains securing the seal trembled violently, and a small breach appeared in the seal. In a sh, the true forms of six transcendent mages from the Third Tower vanished into the seal.

 Chapter 302 - The Final Battle (1)

    The Devourer had been waiting for this moment for a long time.


    The seal that held him was strong. Though it wouldn''t kill him, it left almost no chance for him to evolve further or break free. But now, he knew what the mages were up to and realized this might be his best shot at escaping.


    As soon as a crack appeared in the seal, the Devourer''s entire body flickered between reality and illusion. The gray energy that had been dormant inside him surged violently, like waves rushing toward the crack.


    The six true forms of the transdimensional mages from the Third Tower glowed with chaotic light as they created a barrier in front of them, directly facing the gray energy. Their bodies started to break apart into unrted shapes, bit by bit, as they moved closer to the Devourer.


    They ignored the gray energy; their only goal was to invade the Devourer''s soul.


    Meanwhile, the other transdimensional mages stepped out of their warships, forming a star-shaped tetrahedron across from the crack in the seal.


    Magic power flowed from their bodies, intertwining along the lines of the star-shaped tetrahedron, creating countless sections that shifted between existing and not existing.


    Using Adam''s discontinuous function, these sections broke the space into fragments to block the spread of the gray energy.


    This gray energy was far more terrifying than anything Adam had encountered before in the Titan God''s Vital Generator.


    The Devourer''s power took on a gaseous form. Within the fragmented space, the gray energy shaped itself into indescribable monsters, each covered in mouths.


    These creatures bit through space, tearing the void apart, and then joined together to counterattack the transdimensional mages.


    This was the Devourer''s long-awaited explosion of power. Even with more than forty high-ranking transdimensional magesbined outside, they were forced to retreat again and again.


    The star-shaped tetrahedron nearly shattered several times under the impact of the gray waves. Whenever this happened, some transdimensional mages, drained of their magic, had to fall back.


    Yet the mages'' formation remained steady and organized. When the front lines could no longer hold, those behind would step up with stronger magic to fill the gaps, keeping the star-shaped tetrahedron stable.


    At the same time, all of Titania''s Diluses received a signal from their "Father." They howled towards the sky, unleashing endless gray beams,unching the fiercest attack on the fortresses in their way.


    In themand center, a separate channel was opened within the Mage Network. All participating mages connected to it, projecting a three-dimensional light screen on the wall of the Titan God''s Vital Generator. It disyed countless light dots, each representing a mage, with clusters marking their floating fortresses.


    "Units 2480 to 2500, a level-6 entity is leading over ten thousand ordinary Diluses toward your position."


    "Hold the line for fifteen minutes. Another group of mages will take over your defense after that."


    ...


    Adam was stationed on Floating Fortress No. 2489.


    Now the fortresses for them were many, but the mages were few. With over 100,000 battlemages spread across more than 4,000 fortresses, each fortress had just twenty to thirty mages.


    This small number wasn''t enough to hold off the overwhelming Diluses, making it hard to form an effective fighting force.


    To deal with this, themand center grouped twenty fortresses into a single unit, ordering them to work together.


    They built stable short-range teleportation arrays within these units, so the mages could quickly support each other or retreat if needed.


    In front of Adam, a level-4 alchemist removed his robe, revealing his true mage form.


    In the flickering metallic light, countless miniature magic arrays released magic power.


    Following his lead, all the level-4 mages in the unit stepped forward, revealing their true forms. They faced the approaching level-6 Diluses that had breached the fifty-kilometer warning line.


    Alongside them, Iron 27, Qi 31, and the other six Warlord-level Titans assigned to Adam''s unit charged into battle.


    Even Garfield joined the fight.


    Among the remaining mages, Adam, as an Explorer, held the highest authority. Takingmand, he spoke firmly to everyone, "Take your positions. Set shields to fifty percent, main cannons charge to eighty percent, target the ordinary Diluses. Fire five volleys, then charge secondary cannons to one hundred percent for free bombardment."


    The level-6 Dilus was too powerful for the floating fortresses'' attacks to seriously threaten it or evennd a hit. So instead of wasting energy, it was better to focus on wiping out the ordinary Diluses.


    As soon as Adam gave the order, the other mages used teleportation magic to return to their stations, silently getting to work.


    At this stage, all the energy they used came from stored Energy Stones and a small amount of Ether Crystals; they couldn''t draw on their own magic yet.


    If any of the Level 4 mages fell in the next fifteen minutes, the lower-level battlemages would have to jump into the fight, ready to sacrifice themselves to hold back the level-6 Diluses.


    The ordinary Titans handled the heavy lifting, constantly moving tons of Energy Stones to save the mages'' time.


    Adam shared his radar vision with each mage, helping them aim their cannon fire more urately. He then moved to the joint power core, merging his Electro True Self with it to speed up the cooldown of the ten floating fortresses in his unit.


    The battle raged not just in Adam''s area but across the entire sky. Master Mages faced the enemy head-on, while lower-level mages worked quietly at their stations, ready to step up when needed.


    The mages knew they didn''t have the power to win the battle in one strike. Their main job was to buy time until the Third Tower could downgrade the Devourer''s level-9 characteristics. Once that happened, the transdimensional mages would be free to join the fight, leading the mage army to victory.


    The Diluses knew this too. Their only chance of survival was to reach the battlefield where the transdimensional mages were fighting, disrupt their efforts, and rescue the Devourer. They were determined to break through the defense line at any cost.


    The battle was brutal from the start. Every moment, lives were lost. Even the level-4 mages could only hold out for a short while; any sign of weakness, and they would be overwhelmed by the endless swarm of Diluses.


    In Adam''s radar vision, he watched as a level-4 mage took a direct hit from a Dilus''s gray beam. The mage''s armor held up for just three seconds before shattering. Left exposed to the level-6 attack, his true form was devoured, inch by inch.


    Adam took a deep breath, quickly adjusting the cannons'' aim, and called out two sets of coordinates:


    "Main cannons charged to two hundred percent, fire one volley!"


    Two massive energy beams, each a kilometer wide, sted the designated coordinates, halting the advance of the level-6 Diluses and buying the level-4 mages a bit more time.


    But before anyone could feel relieved, a horrifying sight unfolded.


    The level-6 Diluses opened their enormous mouths and swallowed the energy beams whole, emergingpletely unharmed.

 Chapter 303 - The Final Battle (2)

    Mage with enhanced vision could see clearly that when the level-six Dilus touched the energy pir, something strange happened.


    Its mouth seemed to split into dozens ofyers. Eachyer hungrily devoured the energy, and when one filled up, it shattered. But instead of causing harm, the energy was absorbed into a special organ inside the creature.


    Meanwhile, the main cannon fired at double power, and the Dilus absorbed the st straight into its body.


    Adam quickly realized what was going on.


    Absorbing energy during a fight was risky, even for a powerful Level Six Dilus. The creature had no time to transform the energy into something it could use, and keeping the energy under control took extreme focus.


    Adam understood---this creature was gearing up for a counterattack.


    Without hesitation, Adam took control of the situation. He ordered the twenty floating fortresses to change formation. "Charge the defense systems! Max out the shields, no matter the cost! Master Mages, get out of there!"


    The mages didn''t waste a second. They followed Adam''s orders, and soon, twentyyers of solid energy shields formed, merging into a single, stronger barrier.


    But before Adam''smand fully echoed, the Dilus''s body shuddered, curling up like a flower.


    A crack appeared at its center, and the gray energy it had absorbed from the main cannon shot out in a fierce st, mming into the shield.


    The shield''s strength dropped fast. Magic array nodes in the defense system started overloading and breaking, one after the other.


    Within ten seconds, the Dilus''s attack faded, but that one strike had drained sixty percent of the fortresses'' energy reserves.


    The level-four mages who had dodged the attack rushed back in to intercept the Dilus. Their job now was to buy time for the floating fortresses to repair the magic arrays.


    But only ten minutes had passed since the fifteen-minute rotation began.


    If the fortresses fell apart, their deaths would be the least of their worries---the real catastrophe woulde if the defense line was breached.


    That would give the Diluses a chance to break through and disrupt the transdimensional mages'' work, which could turn the tide of battle against them.


    The Warlords floated in the air, fully open and ready. The Titans were perfect for this kind of fight.


    With a few skilled alchemists at the controls, they quickly restructured the circuits on the Vital Generators to suit their needs.


    The Titans shifted, doubling theirbat power in an instant.


    The floating fortresses, however, hesitated for a moment.


    Ordinary Diluses took advantage of this,unching wave after wave of attacks.


    As the battle sped up,mands could hardly keep pace with the chaos. In the final five minutes, the defenders were barely holding on.


    The Titans, meant for transport, abandoned their tasks and flew out of the fortresses without a second thought.


    Most were wiped out within seconds.


    By now, fully repairing the fortresses was out of the question. The mages could only restore basicbat functions before they flew out in groups to cover the gaps left by the Titans. They formed tight battle formations, creating thest stand.


    Even with dozens of level-four mages surrounding it, the Level Six Dilus fought on fiercely. Ignoring its wounds, it attacked recklessly, seemingly ready to trade its life for theirs.


    The level-four mages were falling one by one.


    Now, only Adam and the level-two mages remained in the fortress. With their tasksplete, the level-two mages silently replenished their energy, stepping onto the deck. They were ready to join the fight at any moment.


    On this battlefield, the power of level-two mages was almost nothing. Joining the battle for them was basically marching to their deaths. Yet, not a single one of them hesitated.


    Adam couldn''t afford to leave. He was in control of all the fortress''s weapon systems, mechanically calcting coordinates and firing the main cannon, just trying to buy more time. He didn''t have the luxury to worry about whether the continuous bombardment might cause the fortress to copse entirely.


    Finally, after twenty-three tense seconds, the remaining mages received a message from centralmand: "Fortresses 2480 to 2500, retreat from the front line immediately and await further orders. You have fifteen minutes to rest."


    ...


    Within the seal of the Devourer, a sea of gray energy swirled.


    The gap between Level Eight and Level Nine was like an uncrossable abyss. Even though it was just one level, the difference in power was staggering.


    The Devourer hadn''t fully advanced yet, but the gray energy already bore the hallmarks of a Level Nine.


    Ayesha and herpanions were among the elite of the level-eight mages in the entire Mage World. Normally, they could handle situations like this with rtive ease. But now, every step forward was a struggle.


    Each step required a long pause, and pushing through eachyer of gray energy felt like breaking through an entire world.


    The transdimensional mages of the Third Tower were unlike ordinary mages. Their bodies were surrounded by runes that emerged from their very forms and souls.


    Whenever the gray energy attacked, these runes would instantly shape into the right spells to counter it. If an ordinary mage''s true form was like an active skill, theirs was a constant state of passive readiness.


    "We need to move faster," Ayesha urged. "The army outside doesn''t have the power to withstand this much longer. If they''re wiped out, we won''t be able to face His Holiness Maxis''s wrath."


    The other five mages paused, dismissed their runes, and then they conjured Mage Armor using discontinuous functions. One of them muttered, "This armor feels awkward, like it''s about to tear me apart."


    "But it works," Ayesha replied calmly. "This mission is harder than we expected. We might not be able to keep these bodies."


    The mages nodded, unfazed. "It doesn''t matter. We''ll experience a period of weakness after losing bodies, but it is a small price to pay. As long as we seed, His Holiness Maxis will cover our losses."


    Ayesha nodded in agreement. "Alright, let''s move to the second n. Clear a path for me; I need to conserve my strength to invade the Devourer''s soul."


    They knew full well that the Devourer could hear every word they spoke. But even as his gaze grew more intense and colder, they kept speaking openly, without a trace of fear.


    Ayesha led the charge, so her words were the onlymand they needed. As soon as she gave the instruction, the first mage didn''t hesitate. He ignited his magical power, and a soft chorus of whispers filled the air around him. Runes flickered densely across his body as he stepped forward, parting the gray sea.


    In that moment, one-tenth of his body and soul disappeared.


    The others followed closely, each step taking a heavy toll.


    After just ten steps, the first mage had burned away his entire existence. He gave everything to bring them one-fifth closer to the Devourer''s soul.


    Then the second mage stepped up, followed by the third.


    Each made the same choice, sacrificing themselves to carve a path through the gray energy.


    Before the fifth mage vanishedpletely, he turned to Ayesha with a faint smile. "It''s up to you now. You have to seed, or we won''t even be able to resurrect."

 Chapter 304 - The Final Battle (3)

    Ayesha nodded at Adam and then walked thest part of the path by herself. She stopped before the Devourer, who was bound by heavy chains, unable to move.


    She looked up and met the gaze of countless eyes.


    "Do you think you''ve won, mage?" the Devourer''s voice echoed in her mind.


    Ayesha calmly took out the tools for the spell from her personal space, carefully cing them at her feet. Among the Trinkets---things that looked like bones, brains, and other mysterious objects---the most striking were nearly ten thousand individual spells. Each was sealed in a glowing crystal, faintly shining.


    These were the core spells of the Reincarnation Spell, crafted by the Great Archmage Laura of the Third Tower.


    Ayesha ignored the Devourer''s words and began arranging the spells in a magic array around his soul.


    "You know the cost of failure. Give up, undo the seal, and set me free. I''ll reward you by making you one of our Dilus race!" the Devourer coaxed. He doubted Ayesha could breach his soul, but he didn''t want to take the risk---the power of mages was deeply feared by the Diluses.


    "Break my seal, and I can make you the ruler of countless worlds, basking in divine glory! I can take you far from the void where mages live, where you''ll never have to obey anyone again. Among the Diluses, you would be a god! You''d receive endless offerings from all living beings."


    "Shut up, fool." A doll jumped out from Ayesha''s side, speaking with disdain.


    Ayesha remained unfazed; the Devourer''s promises were a joke to her. As an eighth-level mage from the mysterious Third Tower, she knew terrifying secrets that ordinary mages did not. She understood there was no safe ce in this void. When a race reaches a certain level, it inevitably faces enemies. The Diluses weren''t particrly strong, but they had the misfortune of meeting the mages, and now even the mages had enemies.


    Ayesha smirked coldly. ''A god? What does that even mean?''


    The Devourer wasn''t angered by the interruption or insults; such emotions were pointless. He persisted, "Think about it---sitting on a divine throne, controlling the lives of billions with every thought. They would give up everything just to please you. That feeling..."


    "Is meaningless," Ayesha said as she ced the final spell in its spot. "What you consider glory means nothing to me, or to any mage. You understand nothing, arrogant and foolish, calling yourself a god."


    She looked up at the Devourer, her stitched face full of mockery. "It''s all a joke."


    "Mage..."


    Ayesha walked over to the trinkets, gently holding the doll in her hands, and crouched down. "Yes, I am a mage. Not just me, even His Holiness is a mage. We never call ourselves gods; we always revere knowledge, confident in our own power, yet we bow to true wisdom."


    The doll extended her small hands, hooking Ayesha''s fingers. Then, Ayesha let go, and the Trinkets began to merge into the doll.


    Ayesha''s eyes held aplex emotion, but her voice stayed calm. "That''s why we are about to touch the truth of the world. We''ve found the path forward, unlike you, who are obsessed with false power."


    A purple light glowed as the Trinkets melted like water, flowing around the doll. In that purple glow, flesh and blood were reformed.


    Soon, a naked woman appeared. Her body was identical to Ayesha''s, her face stunningly beautiful---perhaps this was Ayesha''s true appearance. The woman''s body was inscribed with a regression model obtained from Adam, every character and line clearly visible, transforming into a higher state under Ayesha''s power.


    "See, this is the power of knowledge, granted by a level-three mage. It will cast you into the abyss," Ayesha said as she approached the ''doll,'' gently stroking her head with infinite tenderness.


    The Devourer finally realized he could never convince Ayesha. He closed his eyes within the seal. "I''ll be watching."


    The doll turned and hugged Ayesha tightly, whispering in her ear, "I''m leaving, sister." She kissed Ayesha''s forehead and slowly walked toward the Devourer.


    Tick.


    Tock.


    ...


    Space warped, and the void twisted. All beings in Titania, whether the mages, the Titans or the Diluses, felt as if they were on an endless roller coaster. They couldn''t control their bodies or senses.


    Everyone saw the Devourer writhing in agony. His tissues fell like dust, crashing against the seal, causing it to shake violently.


    Above the sky, the transdimensional mages, forming a star-shaped tetrahedron, unleashed their full power, struggling to keep the seal from breaking. The Devourer''s wails echoed in everyone''s ears.


    The mages'' spirits lifted, knowing the moment of truth had arrived. The Dilus wentpletely mad. They knew Father was in danger and had to stop the mages at any cost.


    Otherwise, they would die with Father.


    The Royal City emitted a harsh creaking sound, and then the long-dormant Vital Generator reignited. Magic flowed through its dried-up circuits, reviving the entire structure.


    Every second, the mages burned thousands of units of ethereal crystals, bringing this war machine back to life.


    Themand center issued the final order: fight to the death.


    The frontlinemanders began retracting the floating fortresses, making way for the Titan God as they retreated to the sky.


    All remaining mages withbat power flew into the air, covering the fortresses as they withdrew. Runes on their true forms glowed brightly; everyone was giving their all.


    The Dilus abandoned long-term strategies. The transcendent individuals gathered together, attacking like a sharp spear.


    At this moment, tactics were useless; only absolute strength would decide victory, defeat, life, or death.


    BOOM!


    The Titan God opened his mouth and unleashed his strongest attack, hitting the group of transcendent Diluses through the path cleared by the mages.


    At the same time, the mages swarmed down. Their spells needed no aim and never missed, for the enemy was everywhere.


    Adam summoned his Electro True Self and entered his magical construct. Each wave of his hand took the lives of many low-level Diluses.


    His true form stayed in an overclocked state, continuously connecting maic and gravitational lines, creating a giant sword. With each onepleted, Adam hurled it into the enemy ranks like a throwing weapon.


    Here, he didn''t need to conserve energy for escape, as many low-level mages surrounded him. If he showed even a hint of fatigue, someone would immediately step up to protect him.

 Chapter 305 - The Final Battle (4)

    Inside the Devourer, nearly ten thousand ether seals melted and burned like candles.


    Ayesha''s chanting echoed like an ancient, sorrowful melody. Her spell floated through the air, moving in time with her voice. The scene was strangely peaceful and beautiful---if one could ignore the twisted, terrifying soul of the Devourer at the center.


    For as long as Ayesha could remember, she knew she was different. She had two souls: one her own and the other belonging to her twin sister, who had died in the womb before birth.


    Having twin souls never troubled her. In fact, it gave her a great talent for magic. Her journey as a mage was smooth from the start. She easily passed the trials. But deep down, she felt it was unfair: she enjoyed everything in the material world, while her sister could only see through her eyes. It didn''t seem right to her.


    Ayesha heard that the Third Tower specialized in soul magic, so she gave up the chance to join the First Tower and chose the Third Tower instead. She used every resource avable to gain knowledge, and by the time she reached the second level, she found a way to bring her sister back to life.


    She returned to her hometown, dug up her sister''s grave, and exhumed the small bones. She bought countless ves and used secret methods to refine their brains. Then, she sacrificed her own face, her blood, and her heart, performing an ancient and dark ritual to create a body for her sister.


    But soon, her sister''s soul began to deteriorate. Ayesha couldn''t fix the problem, and even the Master Mages she turned to for help were helpless. At that time, she was only a second-level mage, not yet qualified to study under a transdimensional mage, let alone seek help from the Great Mage Laura.


    She was frustrated, but her sister wasn''t. Her sister felt things were already good enough, that not having a body didn''t matter. She decided to be Ayesha''s familiar spirit, taking the form of a doll.


    It seemed like a good solution, but Ayesha wasn''t satisfied. She wanted her sister to live a normal life.


    Before this mission, they had a fierce argument: Ayesha wanted to invade the Devourer herself, and if she failed, she would use magic to transfer her soul,pletely sacrificing herself to heal her sister''s soul. But her sister disagreed and chose to take on the mission instead.


    Theplete Reincarnation Spell was a process of repairing and reshaping the soul''s information. If the mission seeded, her sister could be restored. If it failed, she could still take the death in Ayesha''s ce.


    Ayesha agreed. She secretly ced a magic array on her sister. If her sister seeded, all would be well; but if she failed, Ayesha would die in her ce, and her sister would be fully resurrected in the Mage World, in her mage tower.


    When Ayesha died, her eighth-level soul and magic power would burn out instantly. The resulting power would be enough to create a breach in the seal, justifying the trust herpanions had ced in her.


    As these memories faded, Ayesha''s sister''s soul waspletely enveloped by the Reincarnation Spell and vanished. The regression model on her body glowed brightly, with symbols and patterns spreading rapidly, entwining the Devourer''s soul.


    Ayesha''s magic red, casting light in all directions as her chant rose sharply. The spell grew stronger in the light, beginning to invade the Devourer''s soul. The spell used the connection between soul and body to imnt the regression model into the Devourer''s body.


    The Devourer was both shocked and furious. He felt something strange constantly draining his energy, trying to invade his memories.


    But his struggle was pointless. The chains binding him had remained unchanged since he was sealed, but now they suddenly tightened, nearly tearing his soul apart. The more he fought, the more painful it became. He used all his strength to resist the Reincarnation Spell''s erosion, until he could only remain still.


    Ayesha''s eyes gleamed with joy as she unhesitatingly burned her soul, channeling energy to her sister through their bond.


    She knew the hardest part was over. The Devourer had underestimated the power of magic and missed the chance to destroy Ayesha''s sister''s soul at the start. Now, the Reincarnation Spell had taken root in his soul. Unless he had the courage to destroy himself, he could only wait for his inevitable doom.


    Titania began to stir restlessly.


    The Devourer had consumed most of Titania''s Origin, making his existence nearly synonymous with the ne itself. Now, the agony within his soul echoed through the ne, with his pain reverberating back into it. Even more affected than the ne were the creatures he had created.


    Across the entire ne, all the Diluses suddenly froze. The lower-tier ones exploded on the spot, while the transcendent ones were overwhelmed by unbearable pain coursing through their bodies. The agony was intermittent, impossible to resist or alleviate; when it surged, they could only struggle and roar into the sky.


    For the mages, the changes in the environment were a minor concern. With the protection of Mage Armors, they could fight in the void. They quickly seized this opportunity and sounded the horn for a counterattack.


    The battle became much easier as the Diluses'' assault weakened significantly under the torment. The mages no longer needed to rely on sacrifices to buy time. Though fallen mages had the chance to be resurrected, it was an ordeal no one wanted to go through.


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0">CRACK.</em> The sound of something breaking echoed in everyone''s ears.


    Adam looked up at the sky and saw that the Devourer''s body had started to crack. The regression model shone brightly, radiating outward and slowly spreading toward the Genesis me.


    The once powerful grey energy, now drained, turned into dust, drifting weakly into the surroundings.


    As the sounds of shattering continued,rge chunks of the Devourer''s body began to fall away. The fragments that were part of him disintegrated into nothingness, while those that belonged to the ne returned to the Origin.


    The pressure on the transdimensional mages eased significantly.


    As the bnce shifted, His Holiness Maxis''s seal grew increasingly powerful, gradually locking away all of the Devourer''s energy. This allowed some transdimensional mages to be freed from their tasks, and they flew back into the battlefield, ughtering transcendent Diluses inrge numbers.


    The Devourer''s mouth was now tightly wrapped with data chains from the regression model. These chains were linked to the signals from the Genesis me, working tirelessly toplete the restoration.


    Suddenly, the Genesis me flickered. It seemed to recognize the situation and began to cooperate with the regression model, significantly speeding up the process.


    After a period of stalemate, the regression model and the Genesis me connected seamlessly. Slowly, they began to pull the Genesis me out of the Devourer''s mouth. His body shrank more and more. The energy he had devoured transformed into pirs of gas, shooting out from his now crumbling body. The ninth-level features on his body faded away at a fast pace.


    At this moment, the Reincarnation Spell finished its work. The Devourer ceased all resistance, his soul utterly ravaged and drained of everyst bit of strength.


    The spell entered through the cracks, releasing countless tiny points of light that swirled around Ayesha, creating a breathtaking and beautiful scene.

 Chapter 306 - After The Battle

    Three days had gone by since the battle.


    Once the Devourer''s level-nine features vanished, he no longer posed a threat to the nearly fifty transdimensional mages who had arrived on Titania.


    By this time, the seal set by His Holiness Maxis had weakened. The Devourer had shrunk to a fifth of his original size, lying weak and frail inside a force field created by six warships. Now, he could only surrender as Ayesha and Transcendent Mage Wendy worked on his soul.


    Wendy was Ayesha''s younger sister and looked just like her, even matching her in strength. Though she had once been a familiar spirit, she had the soul of a mage, able to gather magic power. When her soul was fully restored, Ayesha prepared a body for her, making her a level-eight mage.


    Ayesha seemed cold and distant. The only reason she sometimes appeared approachable was due to her sister''s influence on their shared twin souls.


    Wendy, however, was theplete opposite---unlike any mage Adam had met in the Third Tower. She was full of life, maybe even too much.


    Adam thought he understood the feeling. When he first truly woke up, he felt a wave of joy too. But back then, he wasn''t in the mood to talk to others, and he certainly wouldn''t have clung to someone he barely knew, chatting endlessly.


    Wendy was thrilled. She felt she owed her "resurrection" to Adam. His research had caused the Devourer to regress, allowing her to capture the level-nine soul energy and revive so perfectly.


    As they stood in the air, watching Ayesha cast spells on the Devourer, Wendy held onto Adam and excitedly said, "Did you know? The Dilus lineage is fascinating. Their species are split into four branches: Cmity, gue, Inferno, and Devourer. The Inferno Diluses were wiped out by His Holiness Maxis, but the Cmity and gue branches still wander deep in the void. The Devourer branch came to this void hundreds of thousands of years ago and left a colony on a distant ne. Who would''ve thought he''d meet the newly ascended level-nine Titan God and perish with him?"


    In her hand, gray energy moved obediently like a pet as she shaped it into different forms. "Devouring power, huh? Want it? I could transnt it into your soul."


    Adam quickly declined. The gray energy didn''t represent true devouring power; it just had that characteristic. If he wanted that kind of power, he could achieve it by researching gravity. There was no need to imnt something so strange into his soul.


    He felt a bit of a headache. He was quite busy and didn''t have much time to chat with Wendy.


    The recent battle had cost the mages dearly; nearly half of the hundred thousand battlemages had fallen. Of course, they weren''t truly dead. As long as they didn''t die repeatedly in a short time, they could be resurrected in the Mage World. The only cost was the resources needed for the Mage Network to reshape their souls and repair the damage.


    But this meant the remaining mages were overloaded with work. They had to sweep through the remaining Diluses under the leadership of the transdimensional mages---destroying the lower-level ones and capturing the transcendent ones if possible. They waited for their triumphant return, hoping to sell these creatures for a good price.


    Right now, they were gathering every resource they could find and preparing Titania to help them relocate.


    These tasks, though not dangerous, were extremely tedious.


    Adam''s work was more critical. He was supposed to be studying the me more thoroughly with several transdimensional mages, trying to find a way to repair the Genesis me, but now...


    "I get devouring, but what about the other three?" Adam decided to go with the flow. Since he couldn''t study the Genesis me, learning some secrets about the Diluses wasn''t a bad alternative.


    "Inferno is fire," Wendy exined. "The Inferno Diluses can ignite anything in their sight---explosions asrge as a ne or as small as a speck of dust. It''s said that His Holiness Maxis let three level-nine Diluses set him on fire and then used his body as a medium to reverse their magic, defeating them in one move. As for the gue and Cmity Diluses, I''m not sure. They haven''t shown up within the mages'' exploration range and are probably still in some distant void."


    At that moment, Ayesha called out, "Wendy, it''s your turn."


    "Coming!" Wendy replied, then turned back to Adam with a yful smile. "Mage Adam, little one, you better work hard to reach the transcendent level."


    Adam ignored her teasing. He couldn''t help but think about how, the stronger you be, the more you realize your own insignificance. There seemed to be many powerful species in the void; after all, even the Diluses had four different branches. Although one branch was unfortunate enough to be destroyed, no one knew how strong the other three had be after so many years of growth.


    Ayesha approached Adam and softly said, "Wendy is nearly twenty thousand years old, but she''s still quite immature."


    Adam nodded. "I know, you..."


    "This time, I want to thank you. Your regression model helped me a lot," Ayesha said seriously, bowing to Adam.


    "That was my duty, and the Tower will reward me ordingly."


    Ayesha shook her head. "The Tower''s reward is what you deserve, but it doesn''t express my gratitude. You can make a request---anything within my power, and I will grant it."


    Adam was most interested in the core knowledge of the true Reincarnation Spell, but it was obviously too much to ask for right now. As for other knowledge, there wasn''t much value since he and Ayesha followed different paths. So, he couldn''t think of a request right away.


    Ayesha waited a moment, and seeing that Adam didn''t speak, she offered, "I can give you a perfect resurrection opportunity. Even if you fail on an exploration mission, as long as the soul wave in the Mage Network isn''t crushed at the same time, even with a microsecond dy, I can ensure youe out unharmed. My promise stands; whenever you have a request, you cane to the Third Tower."


    "Thank you..."


    The mage waved her hand and continued, "I will leave Titania in a few days. Not long after, His Holiness Maxis will personally arrive to trace the Devourer Dilus''s remnants. If you have no pressing matters in the Mage World, I suggest you stay. Following him in battle will be a rare chance. You''re lucky---you''ll get to see true power and encounter powerful races in the void that can rival mages. You might even..."


    Ayesha paused, then added, "Never mind, that possibility is very small."


    Adam didn''t press further because, with his current level of authority, a transdimensional mage wouldn''t reveal much to him.


    After thanking her again, he left the sky and flew toward the newly rebuilt Titan Royal City. The transdimensional mages were there, studying the Genesis me.


    Besides research, Adam also had to continue his work as the ''bridge between the two races.''

 Chapter 307 - The Reborn God

    Seven dayster, outside The Royal City...


    In thest battle, the Titan Royals yed a crucial role when the transdimensional mages couldn''t step in.


    Originally, there were twenty Royals, but now only twelve remained. They had sacrificed their lives to hold the line when the frontlines were close to breaking.


    Without their sacrifice, the mission might have failed.


    Because of this, the mages grew more appreciative of the Titans and wanted to make up for the loss of their allies. Their research on the Genesis me wasrgely driven by this. They aimed to use the Genesis me to fully awaken what was left of the Titan God and bring him back to life.


    "We Titans are grateful for everything you''ve done. We are ready to follow orders, leave Titania, and move to a new world to live," Lord Svorsi said as he stood tall with the other eleven Royals, gazing towards The Royal City.


    In thest battle, they had been lucky to survive. But the scars on their bodies were severe, and their internal circuits were almostpletely fried from overload.


    At that time, they had lost the ability to move and had only recovered after days of repairs. In truth, they should have stayed at the supply base to replenish their energy, but they didn''t want to miss the moment when their god was reborn.


    Adam stood on Lord Svorsi''s shoulder and said, "Regaining life doesn''t mean resurrection; I think you should know that."


    If the body of the Titan God were to awaken, it would be a new Titan, not the same as the old Titan God. His power would also be weaker, likely only reaching the transcendent level.


    Lord Svorsi looked at the newly born Titans, created in just ten days, and said gratefully, "We are already very satisfied. We never imagined that after such a battle, so many mes would remain. Almost every fallen Titan was able to pass on their mes, and this was all thanks to your power and help."


    The Titans had no way of preserving broken mes during battle, so whether they could pass on their me after dying in war was purely a matter of luck. But the mages were different. They were used to protecting the soul fragments of fallenrades, so collecting mes was second nature to them.


    "So, even if we don''t seed, it doesn''t matter. The Titans now have a future, and we believe tomorrow will be better." The future they spoke of referred to the path of advancement. The Seventh Tower had promised that once they returned to the Mage World, they would research a way for the Titans to advance as quickly as possible.


    Adam didn''t say anything more. He thought it was great that the Titans could think this way. Before long, the mages finished all the preparations and began injecting the Genesis me into the Vital Generator.


    The Royal City emitted a soft hum. As the metal structures inside it purified, many lifeless parts fell away. In a short time, two-thirds of its volume detached. Then, crimson mes ignited, enveloping the remaining parts, melting them, and causing them to shrink inward.


    This process took a long time. The transdimensional mages of the Seventh Tower gathered outside to cast alchemy magic on it, speeding up the process. The two sides had already reached an agreement---the Titans allowed the mages to shape the ''Reborn God'' ording to their own designs.


    The mages had an ambitious n for transforming this Titan into something far greater---a living, colossal alchemical weapon, capable of serving as both a warship and an ark.


    They poured all their creativity into this project, meticulously recording every step of the transformation process. Their goal was to expand on this idea when they returned to the Mage World, aiming to upgrade the transdimensional mage towers based on what they learned.


    Two hourster, The Royal City hadpletely liquefied. Although its size was imposing, it now resembled the healthy Origin that Lord Fast had once shown---a massive crimson sphere with metallic currents running through it and energy res erupting from its surface.


    The mes of the Titan lords began to fluctuate wildly. This sight was one they knew well but hadn''t seen in a very long time. Their excitement was overwhelming; they paced back and forth, causing the ground beneath them to tremble.


    Adam projected arge light screen in front of him, disying the scene within the fiery sphere.


    Through the screen, he observed the me''s color separating into severalyers. The innermostyer was the purplish-gold of the Genesis me. Here, vast amounts of information were continuously interacting with the liquid metal, breathing life into it, and constructing the body and Vital Generator.


    The process was slow. While the Titan God''s body had a strong foundation, the new consciousness that would inhabit it required a different approach. The original construction methods couldn''t be fully applied; this new life needed to be born in its own unique way.


    In the history of the Titans, a transcendent-level newborn had never been seen before. The Titans instinctively stopped their work and gathered around the fiery sphere, even though they couldn''t fully grasp what they were witnessing.


    Two dayster, the Vital Generator waspleted. It roughly resembled the original Titan God in appearance. The mages refrained from probing into the secrets within the Vital Generator, respecting the process.


    At that moment, the innermost purplish-gold me surged, and the entire sphere turned purplish-gold.


    The logistics personnel, who had been waiting, began hurling energy blocks and ether crystals into it. The liquid metal forming the sphere started to flow outward, shaping the outline of a body.


    The mass of this body was terrifyinglyrge, causing the surrounding space to copse inward, creating a rift five hundred kilometers in diameter. The purplish-gold sphere entered the rift, merging with Titania''s Origin.


    Lord Svorsi suddenly turned to Adam, asking excitedly, "What''s happening?"


    "I don''t know."


    Not only were the Titans puzzled, but even the mages were caught off guard by this unexpected development.


    A heated discussion erupted within the Mage Network. However, the mages soon noticed that Titania''s Origin wasn''t being harmed; in fact, it appeared to be strengthened by the Genesis me. So, they chose not to interfere and instead decided to observe how events would unfold.


    The power of the Origin began to flow into the Vital Generator. Everyone could clearly see the purplish-gold Genesis me rising from the newborn Titan''s Original mes before being separated.


    The Origin had used its power to aid the Titans, preserving the treasures left behind by the Titan God.


    Three dayster, the Origin opened a portal, and the newborn Titan stepped into the ne, radiating a powerful seventh-level energy wave.


    Standing a thousand meters tall, his entire body was silver-white. Unlike the metallic appearance of other Titans, his body looked more like skin, smooth and seamless.


    The Titans, overwhelmed with excitement, flew toward him, eager to get close. He smiled and gently stopped them with a gesture before soaring into the sky.


    He approached the warship hovering nearby and handed a crystal sphere containing the Genesis me to the waiting transdimensional mage.


    "This is a gift," he said, his voice calm yet powerful. "A token of our gratitude for helping the Titans through this difficult time. From now on, the Titans will no longer need to rely on treasures to gain strength. We have found our path forward."


    Arnold, the transdimensional mage, didn''t take the gift immediately. Instead, he looked at the Titan with a serious expression and asked, "Are you the Titan God? Have you been resurrected?"

 Chapter 308 - Veigar Molybdenum

    The Titan God smiled and shook his head.


    The metal on his body moved quickly, and his form shrank until he was about five hundred meters tall---around the same height as some transdimensional mages in their true forms.


    "I''m not the Titan God," he said. "I inherited the memories from the Genesis me and now know everything that has happened to the Titans over the past hundreds of thousands of years. My name is Veigar Molybdenum." As he spoke, he handed the crystal ball back to the transdimensional mage. "Please ept my gift."


    ...


    The name Veigar Molybdenum spread quickly among the Titans. Without any dispute, he became the sitting lord of the Titans. He represented the Titans in agreeing to be a vassal race of the Mage World.


    Once the dimensional hub waspleted and the second wave of mage legions arrived, the Titans would enter the Mage World through the hub.


    At that time, Veigar Molybdenum would meet with the ne Guardian Annecroft and the Third Tower on behalf of his race.


    Veigar Molybdenum didn''t harm the rtionship between the two worlds; instead, he made negotiations and the workings of Titan society more efficient.


    The remaining twelve Titan lords were relieved. They were not high in the original Royals order. After the fall of ancient Titans like Lord Fast, they struggled to keep the race going. Veigar Molybdenum''s arrival gave them a strong leader again, and they handed over their power without hesitation.


    Veigar Molybdenum was a quick learner. In no time, he absorbed the more advanced war strategies of the Mage World, adapted them, and put them into practice. The Titans'' once simple army quickly became more diverse.


    The mages weed this change since a stronger vassal race boosted the overall power of the Mage World. They shared knowledge with the Titans that didn''t involve restricted secrets.


    The Titans were also pleased. They had long wanted the powerful alchemical products the mages constantly produced, but without a true ruler, they could only trade for them with their limited resources. Most of what they had wasn''t valuable, so they got very little in return.


    But now things are different. Veigar Molybdenum, through trade, acquired arge number of items from the mages that could immediately strengthen the ordinary members of the Titan race.


    Everything in Titania was moving in a positive direction. Although the number of Diluses was stillrge, the scale of victory was slowly tipping in favor of the mages as time passed. Once Ayesha and Wendypleted their tasks, the mages would secure a decisive victory.


    Every time Adam looked up, he could see changes happening on the Devourer. Ayesha and Wendy''s methods were mysterious; although the Devourer was still an eighth-level creature, it could no longer resist their spell magic.


    Adam asionally chatted with Wendy. He learned that they were extracting the life codes and soul codes of the Dilus race from the Devourer''s body. Once they sessfully decoded them, the Diluses would be even more helpless thanmbs waiting for ughter.


    This time came quickly. Five dayster, everyone in the ne witnessed the Devourer disintegrate within the force field. Large fragments of its body and soul were captured, and then Ayesha and Wendy restored its body, sealing it inside a two-meter-high, barrel-shaped container.


    At the same time, six warships left their original positions and moved to the spatial nodes. The transdimensional mages gathered around them.


    From the warships, dimensional hub belts were released, and the mages guided these belts, gradually opening an enormous portal.


    The power of the Heart of the Mage World began to flow through the portal.


    As the energy from Mage World''s Origin passed through the Mage Network and into each mage''s body, their Mage Armor automatically appeared.


    At that moment, Titania''s own Origin showed signs of unrest, but ultimately, it did nothing, allowing the Heart of the Mage World to arrive.


    Veigar Molybdenum led the Titan Royals into the sky, standing on the Dimensional Hub tform.


    Lord Svorsi, who should have been with them, slowly descended to stand beside Adam.


    "The Origin will be sacrificed, won''t it?" Lord Svorsi asked quietly.


    Adam nodded and replied, "Your situation is different from those nes and races that are directly destroyed. Soon, you''ll be living within the orbit of the Mage World. Although the Heart of the Mage World will absorb your Origin, this won''t affect you much. The Heart of the Mage World is inclusive and can replicate your current living conditions within your new sub-ne, only better."


    Veigar Molybdenum had already exined this to the Titans, but Lord Svorsi still felt a tinge of sadness. He sighed and stood silently with Adam, waiting for the dimensional hub to bepleted.


    The power of the Origin grew stronger, raising Titania''s energy level continuously.


    Adam sensed that it had reached the level of an ordinary region in the Mage World.


    Several minutester, the dimensional hub beltspleted their final connection, and the portal stabilized. Adam could now see directly through to the other side, where countless battlemages awaited.


    Ayesha stood alone before the portal. The Third Tower''s work was now done. The remainingbat tasks were no longer their responsibility, and they would return directly to the Mage World.


    Wendy appeared beside Adam in an instant, smiling as she handed him a scroll. Then, with a yful but somewhat serious tone, she patted his shoulder. "Work hard, and quickly be a transcendent mage. We''ll meet again then."


    With that, she waved at Adam and left Titania with her sister.


    The second wave of mages arriving on Titania was evenrger and moreplex. After receiving part of the Devourer''s code left by Ayesha, they quickly created targeted potions and spells.


    The tide of battle swiftly turned in favor of the mages. Arge number of Diluses were captured and transported back to the Mage World, destined to be either ves or experimental subjects.


    During this time, the Titans also left their homnd in batches. The mages allowed them to take everything that belonged to them from this world.


    Adam bid farewell to several familiar Titans, promising to meet again in the Mage World. They assured him that their friendship would never change, and that the Titans would always be Adam''s strongest supporters.


    Days quickly became peaceful. Adam spent most of his time researching Ripple Alloy, while the rest was spent mingling with alchemists, paying them to help modify his magical constructs.


    A monthter, the void around Titania shook violently. All the transdimensional mages acted to stabilize the space.


    Then, the void split open, revealing a massive crack, from which a magnificent starship slowly emerged.


    It was so enormous that Titania seemed like a small child inparison. If it hadn''t restrained its mass, Adam had no doubt that Titania would have been torn apart by the resulting gravitational storm.


    His Holiness Maxis had arrived.

 Chapter 309 - The Gate of Truth (1)

    The starship was still far from Titania, but it appeared as if it was right in front of them.


    At first nce, it looked like a fallen scepter. Its body was the same color as the void, dotted with countless energy nodes glowing with etheric light.


    The front of the ship featured a massive and terrifying ram, followed by a sphere. Attached to it was a smooth body, then arger cylinder, and behind that, a conical section.


    In the middle of the ship were three ring-like structures---two small and onerge. This was the energy center. Etheric chains shot out from the exhaust ports, some interlinking. The immense energy within them surged wildly, and Adam felt that even a small burst could destroy him a thousand times over.


    The part behind the rings mirrored the front, except the tail wasn''t a ram but six gigantic star-shaped tetrahedrons. These rotated along a hexagram path, resonating with the etheric chains from the central ring section. They gathered energy and released it, forming a protectiveyer around the entire starship.


    Adam had never seen anything like this before. Regr starships, made by transforming mage towers, were already astonishing. But this one didn''t even look like something a mage should own; it seemed more like a product of unimaginable technology.


    "Is that the Seventh Tower?" Adam asked Frank.


    "It''s one of the auxiliary towers of the Seventh Tower, the personal vessel of His Holiness Maxis, the Gate of Truth!"


    "His Holiness Maxis is inside? I can''t believe it---I actually have the honor of going to battle with the Great Archmage!"


    Frank trembled with excitement. This starship was the dream vehicle of every alchemist.


    Normally, Frank could only look up to it, never imagining that one day he''d see it with his own eyes, let alone board it.


    "One of the auxiliary towers? So, the Seventh Tower has more than one Great Archmage?" Adam asked curiously.


    "Of course! The Tower has four in total, with His Holiness Maxis as the leader." Frank gave Adam a strange look. "You didn''t know?"


    Before Adam could respond, Frank answered his own question. "Oh, no wonder. You probably spend all your time in theb."


    As one of Adam''s earliest followers, Frank knew Adam''s habits well. Once he started researching, he wouldn''t pay attention to the outside world.


    Adam realized hecked a lot of basic knowledge. He decided that after returning to the Mage World, he would get out more. It would be embarrassing to not even know how many Great Archmages the Mage World had when he advanced to transcendent.


    If the Towers were ranked by the order in which mages ascended to Great Archmage status, then the Fifth Tower, which ranked higher than the Seventh Tower, should have even more Great Archmages.


    Adam''s thoughts were interrupted by a scene in the void.


    The Gate of Truth emerged from the rift, but the rift didn''t close. Following it were fifty warships. As soon as they entered the void, they elerated and formed a tight formation around the Gate of Truth, closely following to provide protection.


    During this time, Adam learned that the warships directly belonged to the Seventh Tower and were piloted by level-eight transdimensional mages. This meant that at least fifty-six level-eight transdimensional mages were part of the expedition.


    But that wasn''t all. After the fifty warships, over two hundred various starships followed. These must have been the transdimensional mages from other Towers who had joined the allied legion, as Arnold had mentioned.


    "What a spectacr sight!" Garfield, who hadn''t shown up in a while, appeared in front of Adam and murmured as he gazed at the sky.


    It truly was a magnificent scene. Such a massive fleet moved through the void without causing any spatial disturbances.


    Apart from the energy needed for propulsion, all other disruptions were fully contained. The only visible sign of their passage was the streams of ether forming countless ribbons in the dark void.


    Adam understood how difficult it was to achieve this. It showed that the Seventh Tower''s technology had reached a level where not a single bit of energy was wasted.


    At that moment, a message from the Mage Network appeared in the minds of all the mages:


    "The Gate of Truth will soon reach the designated docking coordinates. All units prepare for impact. Mages below level three, enter the magic array for protection."


    A minute after the message was delivered, the Gate of Truth''s ram collided with Titania''s Crystal Sphere. The Crystal Sphere shattered like ss.


    Numerous chains extended from various parts of the ship, withrge spatial anchors at their ends. Some of these anchors embedded themselves in designated points on the ne, splitting the continent into fragments, while others pierced through into the Origin space, anchoring in front of Titania''s Origin.


    The Gate of Truth used the entire ne as a port, but even then, it could only amodate one-third of its length.


    Pure ether flowed down the chains into Titania''s depths, entering the Origin space. The influx of energy caused storms to form, with tornadoes stretching from the sky to the ground. The unleashed energy easily destroyed mountains, but the violent collision of continental tes instantly created new ones.


    Titania''s Origin also entered the ne. Although it was enormous, in front of the Gate of Truth, it looked like a small ball, its lightpletely overshadowed.


    A beam of energy shot from the ram and connected with the Origin, causing it to tremble slightly, yet it did not resist at all.


    Adam had no doubt that if the Gate of Truth exerted just a little more force, Titania would be torn apart.


    He once again felt the overwhelming power of the Great Archmage---if his vessel was this powerful, what kind of force would he wield in person?


    At that moment, Adam even felt a surge of confidence, wondering if the mages could truly have any worthy enemies.


    ...


    After the impact subsided, a series of dimensional hubs flew out from the Gate of Truth. They connected with the existing ones and docked with the ship,pletely isting Titania.


    "ne Sacrifice Array deployment sessful. The sacrifice will bepleted in five days, conducted by Maxis the Great Archmage."


    "Mages participating in the initial battle should organize their belongings within five days. Those interested in joining the war against the devourer Dilus must register before the deadline."


    Naturally, Adam chose to stay. He was very interested in the uing real void war. Even though his strength wouldn''t allow him to enter the high-level battlefield, as Ayesha had mentioned, it was good to get some early exposure.


    He traded all the resources he had collected, including arge quantity of Mother Lode, Dilus captives, and the ninth-generation conversion fungi he had developed.


    After keeping a few samples, he exchanged the rest with mages who chose to return, obtaining a massive amount of ether crystals.


    Then, before the deadline, he boarded the Gate of Truth to register for the uing battle.

 Chapter 310 - The Gate of Truth (2)

    Frank got assigned to the logistics corps, which wasn''t quite what he had expected.


    The logistics corps didn''t get to board the main ship forbat, but he was still pretty happy. In the whole Mage World, not many level-two mages even got a chance to see His Holiness, let alone go on a campaign with him.


    But when it was Adam''s turn, there was a bit of a snag.


    "Adam? A level-three Explorer? You want to join the corps for directbat missions?" The level-four mage handling registration at the Gate of Truth asked three questions in a row, clearly surprised.


    Adam nodded, confirming, "Yes."


    The level-four mage frowned, "You should know Explorers aren''t usually part of regrbat squads. You''re considered special operations mages, usually reporting directly to the ne Exploration Department."


    Adam, a bit confused, asked, "Is that a problem? My mission style is pretty flexible, and the Tower hasn''t stopped me from joining the regrbat corps."


    "Actually, yes, it is a problem. This joint expedition already had enough battlemages. They alle from the regr corps, and they''re battle-hardened with wlessbat coordination." Seeing that Adam still didn''t get it, the mage exined more bluntly, "To put it simply, they''ve trained specifically for regrbat, and their magic is suited for that. You''re different. Your level isn''t very high, and in a war of this scale, you can''t really take on infiltration tasks. Your path of development is different, so no matter where you''re ced, there could be coordination issues. If you''re put in the logistics corps, you''re not a specialist in healing or alchemy magic, so... do you get it now?"


    Adam hadn''t expected to be turned down.


    But after thinking about it, he had to admit the mage had a point. He rarely worked with the regr corps. The battles he''d fought against the Cthulhu creatures and the Diluses were rtively simple, and nothing like fighting in the void.


    Now he understood why Ayesha had only suggested he observe the preparations, and why Wendy kept urging him to quickly be a transcendent mage. It turned out that without a specific mission, an Explorer''s role was pretty awkward, especially at lower levels.


    "So, does that mean I can''t join this war?" Adam asked, feeling a bit reluctant.


    The mage tapped the table, "Not necessarily. There is one task that would suit you."


    ...


    On the fifth day, all the final work on Titania was done. The only mages left were those confirmed to join the campaign tracing the Devouring Diluses. The portal at the Gate of Truth stopped transporting mages for a while.


    All the mages involved in the initialbat phase, including Adam, boarded the Dimensional Hub tform.


    Thew of equivalent exchange was the most important part of ne Sacrifice Magic. This time, with the discoverer of this knowledge leading the sacrifice, the benefits for the mages should be even greater than what they got during the Dragon ne sacrifice.


    Ten minutester, the Gate of Truth started releasing a massive amount of energy. The chains anchored to the continent turned into energy, and in an instant, all of Titania was engulfed in roaring mes.


    The star-shaped tetrahedron at the back of the Gate of Truth descended into the ne, creating a huge six-pointed star magic array.


    The void shook as Titania''s Origin began to descend,nding right in the center of the huge magic array.


    Then, a pure beam of ether shot upward, linking with the three ring structures at the heart of the Gate of Truth.


    The energy then split into countless beams, spreading back across the ne.


    At that moment, the mages saw what they had been eagerly waiting for---Maxis, the Great Archmage, slowly descending along the beam of light.


    He didn''t show his true form. Instead, what everyone saw was just an ordinary-looking mage, of average height, wearing a simple mage robe.


    His presence seemedpletely unremarkable. If Adam hadn''t known who he was, he might have mistaken him for a regr person.


    But the energy wavesing off him were incredible. Just by being there, he suppressed all the energy radiating from the magic array.


    Soon, His Holiness reached Titania''s Origin. He ced one hand on the Origin and snapped his fingers with the other.


    Instantly, the Heart of the Mage World crossed the dimensional barrier, forming into a sphere in His Holiness''s hand.


    Then, he inserted this small sphere into Titania''s Origin.


    This time, there was none of the grand spectacle like during the previous Dragon ne sacrifice. Everything happened in an instant.


    Adam only saw a soft light suddenly fill his vision. When the light faded, Titania was gone, leaving behind just the rapidly spinning Heart of the Mage World.


    In the next moment, the Origin exploded, turning into countless light particles that scattered across the sky, merging into the bodies and souls of all the mages present.


    Adam felt a familiar sensation. By his rough guess, the benefits this time were about thirty times greater than what he gained from thest sacrifice.


    Adam''s total mana level dropped from the peak of level three back to the early stage of level three, but each unit of mana was now much more powerful than before.


    Most importantly, his soul now had one-fifth of the Origin''s biological characteristics. *


    His Holiness returned to the Gate of Truth, leaving behind just two orders:


    "Dimensional Hub, resume operations, continue summoning mages."


    "The corps will depart in one hour; Explorers, deploy immediately."


    ...


    Adam was back in his original role as an Explorer.


    This was a direct order from themand center. The movements of the Devouring Diluses were unpredictable, and the corps needed scouts to lead the way.


    Arge number of Explorers were to move ahead along the projected path, gather information, and report back to thebat strategists.


    This time, however, Adam wasn''t on his own. Themand center had assigned him a partner, a level-four pinnacle mage named Sandy, also from the Fifth Tower.


    At that moment, they were traveling in a small warp aircraft, heading toward the ne where the Titans had discovered the Devourer cells.


    "You''ve only been on two missions, yet both ended with unexpected situations. Should I say you''re lucky or unlucky?" Sandy said, as numerous active elemental spirits flickered in and out of existence around her.


    She hadn''t chosen to research her own unique knowledge but had followed the traditional path of the Fifth Tower, making her a pure elemental mage.


    This was her final mission before advancing to transcendent status. She nned to gather enough Origin power in this war to support her soul''s second transformation.


    "Did you know? You''re pretty famous in the ne Exploration Department. Every mage who''s been on duty in recent decades knows there''s a youngster with a knack for getting into trouble," Mage Sandy teased Adam, clearly curious about him.


    "You..."


    "Just call me Sandy."


    "Alright, Sandy. You should know this wasn''t my intention," Adam replied, a bit helpless. He once again promised himself to take some time to settle down after the war. Maybe then, his luck would finally turn around.

 Chapter 311 - Sandy

    "This is so depressing," Sandy said, clutching her chest dramatically. "I''ve been an Explorer for nearly a thousand years, and in all that time, I''ve onlye across a few ordinary nes and average races. I haven''t gained much of the Origin''s power. It''s such a shame that I''m about to advance to transcendent, and I still have to take on such a dangerous mission."


    Adam didn''t know what to say, so he kept quiet.


    Sandy didn''t seem to mind his silence and kept talking, mostly to herself. "So, how did you find these two nes with great potential? Any secret method?"


    After thinking for a moment, Adam replied, "The first ne was assigned to me by the Tower. The second one, I found on my own. I have a radio telescope on the Mage World''s Crystal Sphere; it can pick up signals from distant nes out in the void."


    Sandy''s eyes lit up with interest. "I''m not asking how you built it, but would you be willing to lease it? Or maybe sell the ne coordinates you''ve collected? Trust me, if you do, you''ll gain countless resources and be a star among all the Explorers."


    Adam considered it and said, "That sounds like a good idea, but aren''t you about to advance soon? Why are you still interested in ne coordinates?"


    Sandy immediately looked heartbroken again. "Being an Explorer sounds great, but it''s often a tough spot to be in. Like now, the regr army doesn''t really want us in this big war. While we do get more resources and the Origin''s power in one go, there aren''t many exploration missions, and each one is dangerous and exhausting. I''ve never heard of anyone like you doing two missions in just a few decades. So if I don''t gather enough of the Origin''s power this time, I''ll have to take on another mission."


    Adam didn''t have the same concerns. His recent research results hadn''t been uploaded to the Mage Network yet, and he still had several studies waiting for him in the Mage World.


    Once Maxwell''s equations were fully confirmed, the foundation for electromaic magic would be set, with the potential to spread across the entire world.


    Adam was confident he would gain a lot of the Origin''s power then.


    Sandy continued, "Besides, even after bing transcendent, I''ll still need ne coordinates. If I sell them, my price won''t be higher than the Tower''s, right?"


    Adam replied, "If that''s the case, and I get new ne information soon, I''ll agree to sell it."


    Sandy pped Adam on the shoulder in her usual carefree way. Elemental spirits fluttered around him, bursting and then reforming. "It''s a deal then! Don''t worry, I''ve got your back on this mission!"


    ...


    After a few jumps, their ship arrived at the target location. Before Adam was a shattered ne, so damaged it no longer had a Crystal Sphere.


    It was directly exposed to the void, with storms sweeping across it without any protection.


    This could hardly be called a world anymore---at best, it was a floating continent in the void.


    At this moment, Sandy set aside her yful attitude, her expression turning serious. She began casting special spells, and the elemental spirits around her surged towards the ne.


    "This exploration is different from our usual missions. It''s clear this world no longer holds any of the Origin''s power," Sandy exined to Adam. "But this ce is where the Diluses of Titania originally came from. Our first task is to find out if any Diluses are still here."


    She added, "For now, let''s wait. The elemental spirits will soon report back if they detect any signs of life."


    The screen in front of them showed real-time images captured by the elemental spirits.


    After arriving at the ne, the spirits seamlessly blended into the environment, moving quickly through the storm and reaching the surface with ease.


    "It looks like the surface environment isn''t suitable for life," Sandy noted, her eyes glowing with runes.


    Adam watched as the spirits changed their form on the screen, silently sinking into the ground.


    Curious, Adam asked, "What kind of magic is that?"


    Sandy shrugged, "Just a little trick I developed during my research. If you''re interested, I can teach you. But it''s not very useful for regr ne missions. I created it mostly to pass the time."


    Suddenly, the scene on the screen changed drastically, surprising both of them. Neither had expected to find such a vast underground space.


    Countless nests filled the area, with Diluses busily transporting various materials. Their division ofbor was clear, functioning much like an ant colony.


    "Incredible resilience," Sandy remarked. "To have thrived to this extent in such a harsh environment... Where do they get their energy?"


    The elemental spirits moved quickly through the soil, splitting the screen into hundreds of sub-windows.


    Adam erged one of them and said, "That''s the Original me. If I''m not mistaken, ites from the fallen Titan God."


    Sandy looked at it, puzzled. "Wasn''t the Titan God a level-nine being? How could his energy core be so weak? It looks like it''s about to burn out."


    "It must be due to the passage of time," Adam spected. "The Titan God destroyed the original Diluses. These new ones likely evolved slowly after the war. It seems they can''t directly convert the me into the energy they need. Look over there," Adam pointed to a group of Diluses transporting the me to a nest, "They have to sacrifice their lives just to absorb a small amount of energy."


    "So, there''s no chance they could evolve to level five?"


    "No, it''s possible. After all, it''s been a long time. Some might have evolved to transcendent levels and left to join arger force." He paused, then added, "Also, these Diluses might not be the true Diluses. ording to the intel I received, the Titan God and the true Diluses perished together. These are a secondary race, born from the ruins, without the original lineage."


    "So, they''re worthless?"


    Adam shook his head, "They still have value. At the very least, they might know where to go next. That information alone is valuable to us."


    Sandy pped her hands, eager to act. "So, it''s a fight then. The individual ones aren''t valuable; the main targets are the nests and that me. Leave it to me!"


    Adam stopped her. Since gaining the power of the Origin, his strength had increased significantly, and he needed an outlet. "Let me handle the first step. You can cover me."


    With that, Adam left the ship and entered the void. His Maized Mage Armor shielded him from the chaotic currents.


    Once on the ne, he ced his hands on the ground.


    Garfield appeared and mimicked his actions.


    Together, they instantly took control of the continent''s maic and gravitational fields.


    The ground trembled violently, tes collided, and seismic waves rapidly spread outward.


    In seconds,rge sections ofnd crumbled into dust, only to reform into chunks again. Like meteors, they struck the ground, breaking through the thickyers of rock from the surface to the underground.

 Chapter 312 - The Pursuit (1)

    Sandy was a bit taken aback. She had expected Adam to use powerful magic to break straight through the earth''s crust. Instead, Adam chose to manipte the shifting tectonic tes to create a path to the underground.


    The Diluses living in this area had no inherited memories. Also, they had been living peacefully for so long that they didn''t react right away to the sudden changes.


    Even more strangely, even as some of theirpanions were crushed by the copsing earth and falling meteors, they didn''t try to escape. They just kept transporting resources along their usual routes.


    Seeing this, Sandy waved her hand, amplifying Adam''s magic.


    The falling meteors turned into ming fireballs, and more allies began to appear around them.


    The void storms that had only raged on the surface of the ne were now under Sandy''s control, slipping through cracks and drilling into the underground.


    Together, they swept through the area, wiping out arge number of low-level Diluses in just one round of attacks.


    Adam paused his spellcasting and summoned Sophia in herbat form, instructing her and Garfield to enter the underground and attack at will.


    He then turned to Sandy and said, "They are very weak, just like what we expected. However, there''s a transcendent-level presence in the nest, and it''s starting to wake up."


    The elemental spirits around Sandy rushed into the underground. She continued casting elemental summoning spells, and massive elemental Titans appeared out of thin air, each as strong as a level four being.


    The power of an elemental mage was fully on disy; Sandy didn''t even need to move to control the battlefield.


    She reached out and grabbed a few ordinary Diluses, dissecting them after removing their skulls. Afterparing and examining them, she said, "These ordinary Diluses seem to have no souls. They only follow presetmands."


    Adam did the same and agreed, "Yes, the transcendent parent has stripped them of their ability to think, using them merely as ves to sustain itself. The low-level ones can be destroyed directly; they''re worthless."


    As he spoke, Adam stomped his foot, and a wide-area railgun magic array rose from the ground.


    The electric field spread over a vast area, precisely targeting each enemy, speeding up the ughter alongside Sandy.


    The enemies were weak andcked resources. The only valuable things on this shattered ne were the cluster of Original mes belonging to the Titan God, which seemed on the verge of extinction, and the transcendent Diluses in the nest.


    The battle was too easy---so easy that it didn''t stir any emotions.


    Adam was now much stronger than before, and Sandy was even more powerful. Together, they were unstoppable.


    After an hour of magical bombardment, there wasn''t a single Dilus left alive or capable of moving in the underground.


    "You know more about the Titans. I''ll leave the Original mes to you. I''m going to deal with the transcendent Diluses," Sandy said before leaving.


    When Adam approached the Original mes, he frowned. The situation was worse than he had imagined.


    Adam had already analyzed the Original mes before. Now, these mes appeared as pure information to him, stripped of their fiery appearance. But this cluster of mes had noplete stream of information left. It was broken and full of contradictions.


    In theory, this should be the energy core of a level nine being. However, its energy seemed even weaker than the mes of the wounded Lord Svorsi.


    Adam called for Garfield and instructed him to try merging with the mes.


    Even Garfield seemed repulsed by the task, but he couldn''t refuse his master''s orders.


    With a reluctant expression, Garfield pinched his nose and let a small me of his own merge with the Original mes.


    After a few moments, Garfield stumbled back, crouching down and holding his head as if in pain. It took him a moment to recover before he muttered, "Master, it''s nothing but garbage."


    Adam tapped into Garfield''s thoughts and realized he was right. The information within the mes was so fragmented that it couldn''t even convey the simplest messages.


    There were no clues about the enemy the Titan God had faced, how they had perished together, or how the transcendent Diluses had escaped.


    Seeing this, Adam quickly sealed the mes in ce, nning to leave them for the army that would arriveter to analyze.


    Meanwhile, Sandy had revealed her Elemental Trueself.


    Wielding a massive hammer, she struck the nests with force, cracking them open like walnuts and dragging out the parental bodies inside.


    She instantly crushed any below level five and used a drill in her other hand to pierce the skulls of those above level five, roughly extracting their souls and memories.


    Adam winced, deciding it was safer to keep his distance from Sandy at that moment.


    From afar, he said, "The Original mes arepletely ruined, worthless."


    Sandy continued smashing nests as she replied, "Same here. The minds of these Diluses are just mush. All they think about is eating."


    "No clues about where to go next?"


    "None. These idiots couldn''t possibly find the real colony," she said, crushing another Dilus into a cloud of blood.


    Sandy was growing frustrated. Each time she read a soul, she was flooded with useless, disgusting information. The sensation was far worse than a bad taste; it felt like she was chewing on garbage.


    Adam frowned. "That doesn''t make sense. The Devourer... That''s it! The Devourer!"


    Suddenly, Adam stopped Sandy. "Leave a few of them alive. I think I know what to do!"


    Dragging the remaining nests over to Adam, Sandy asked, "What did you figure out?"


    "In Titania, the Devourer evolved after consuming me energy and gaining its legacy. If I''m right, these things might work the same way. We need to keep a few alive, feed them energy, and help them evolve."


    Sandy, eager to be done with the revolting soul-reading, didn''t hesitate. Confident that increasing the enemy''s strength wouldn''t pose a danger, she grabbed a few Diluses and tossed them to Adam. "They''re all yours."


    As Adam expected, after injecting them with enough pure magic, the Diluses'' minds cleared up. They became more cunning. They immediately tried to attack and kill Adam.


    BANG! BANG!


    With a few quick blows, they were dead. Sandy stomped on thest one, pinning it under her foot.


    Then she tore open a scroll, and with a chaotic glow swirling around her hand, she plunged it into the Dilus''s head.


    The Dilus became dazed and, like a puppet on strings, began flying towards the void.


    Sandy used her magic to leave a giant arrow on the ne''s surface to guide the army, then teleported herself and Adam back to their craft to pursue it.


    "Is that really all we need to do? It feels a bit too simple," Adam remarked.


    Sandy patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "You''ve got a knack for this. That makes things much easier. Don''t worry,mand will understand my message. I''ve done this before---I know what I''m doing. It''ll be fine!"

 Chapter 313 - The Pursuit (2)

    This method worked well. Adam and Sandy could both tell that the transcendent-level Dilus ahead wasn''t just flying aimlessly---it was moving in a clear direction, though at a slow pace.


    Unlike other beings, transcendent-level Diluses couldn''t teleport with mystic power; they could only fly with their own bodies. So, Adam and Sandy had to give up on warping and follow it at its slow speed.


    The void around them was vast, and Adam wasn''t one to chat much. After exchanging a few words, they ran out of things to talk about.


    Sandy, bored, started shaping her elementals into balls and lines, but even that didn''t break the monotony.


    A few dayster, Sandy suddenly appeared in front of Adam, her messy hair falling over her face. She reached out and said, "Let me borrow that little dragon on your head to y with."


    Startled, Sophia hid deeper into Adam''s hair---Sandy''s strength made her nervous.


    Adam had noticed that Sandy seemed to have two sides to her personality. During battles, she was serious and focused, but outside of them, she was unpredictable, oftening up with strange, random ideas.


    Garfield, who had been taken apart by her before, was now so scared of her that he stayed hidden in Adam''s mind, refusing toe out.


    Holding Sophia in his hand, Adam asked, "What do you want to do?"


    "Well, your little dragon''s bloodline is good, but its elemental magic is pretty sloppy. Hey, little dragon, why that look? I''m just offering to help. Do you know how many ether crystals it normally costs to get my help?"


    Adam trusted that Sandy wouldn''t harm Sophia, and getting a free upgrade sounded like a good deal. So, he handed over the trembling Sophia.


    Just then, the transcendent-level Dilus seemed to cross some invisible boundary in the void. Its soul began to stir, as if it was trying to break free.


    Sandy snapped back to her serious self. She released Sophia and quickly cast a spell to tighten her control over the Dilus, saying, "We''re close to its destination. Take control of the ship and keep us hidden."


    Adam ced Sophia back on his head and moved to the control panel. He inserted his hand into a groove, and a powerful maic field, boosted by the ship''s systems, cloaked them in invisibility within the void.


    The Dilus hadpleted its job as a guide, and Sandy destroyed its soul, turning it into a puppet. Its vision was linked directly to the ship''s screen.


    Suddenly, the Dilus'' speed increased tenfold. Sandy didn''t mind that its body was falling apart as it flew, and in just a few minutes, it had covered hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Then, she killed the Dilus, using its body to leave behind a hidden eye in the void.


    "Huh?" Sandy said, turning to Adam. "This is a huge ne. Could this be their transit station?"


    The ne was massive, about two-thirds the size of Titania, though clearly damaged, and filled with countless creatures---including more Diluses.


    Adam was sure he had never seen this kind of Dilus before. These creatures were devouring everything in the ne and then turning the digested matter into standardized energy.


    As they did this, the ne slowly shrank before Adam''s eyes.


    He nodded and said, "Yeah, that seems to be what''s going on. The Tower''s reports mention that Diluses consume any ne they pass by, converting it into energy to keep their war in the void going."


    But being a transit station didn''t mean this ce would be easy to handle. Both Adam and Sandy could clearly see a level-seven Dilus overseeing everything within the ne.


    Sandy nced at Adam and said, "Looks like we''re on the right path. These Diluses have specialized roles now. That one," she erged the screen to show a basic-looking Dilus, "is known as a ''scavenger'' in the Mage World. It''s a type we''ve already studied. But the others look like new breeds that evolvedter. That level-seven one must be themander."


    "We can''t take this ne down," Adam said.


    "If I had transcendent power, I might give it a shot, but right now, I can''t handle a level-seven. Anyway, fighting isn''t our goal. We''ll stick around for a few days, make sure the ne isn''t moving much, then follow one of the Diluses when it leaves for the next gathering spot."


    Sandy wasn''t reckless. She calmly assessed their situation. Then she asked, "Your cloaking magic is still holding up?"


    The number of transcendent Diluses at the station wasn''t high, and they didn''t seem to stay long. After refueling, they would quickly move on, continuing their journey.


    "Yeah, I can blend the ship with the void''s background. As long as they don''t spot us directly, we''ll stay hidden."


    They stayed in position for five days. Adam mapped out the ne''s trajectory, and Sandy uploaded the data and his calctions to the Mage Network.


    After leaving a hidden marker in the void, they quietly steered the ship closer to the edge of the ne.


    Each Dilus took about three days toplete its resupply. Adam and Sandy chose one that hade from another direction a day earlier, nning to make it their next target and take control of it.


    As they approached the ne, the tension rose. They stopped the ship about 50,000 kilometers away, as strange energy fluctuations filled the void ahead.


    The level-seven Dilus seemed to be using its immense power to monitor all the space around them.


    "Very cautious," Sandy noted. "We can''t go straight through. We''ll need to circle around."


    She added an extrayer of protection to the ship and guided it along a safer route, avoiding the boundary of the ne.


    When the targeted Dilus finished its resupply and departed, the ship warped right beside it. Sandy swiftly took control.


    This trip was even longer than thest one. The journeysted a full six months.


    Sandy, bored out of her mind, entertained herself by splitting her elementals into two factions and making them fight each other in a petri dish.


    At that moment, they reached their second destination.


    As soon as Sandy took in the scene before them, she gasped in disbelief. Turning to Adam, she said, "We''ve stumbled onto something incredible!"


    Ahead of them was a structure that looked like an asteroid belt, but it was made up of thousands of small nes that the Diluses had relocated and clustered together.


    Each pair of nes was connected by special constructs, forming a massive ring-like pattern.


    On every ne, there was an altar, and countless Diluses were busy transporting enormous amounts of resources into them. These resources flowed through awork of tubes, all feeding into a gigantic central altar at the heart of the asteroid belt.


    "I''ve seen something like this in the intelligence reports before the war," Sandy said, her eyes wide. "They''re building a Void Fortress!"

 Chapter 314 - Reproductive Isolation

    Sandy and Adam froze, not daring to move any closer. Whaty ahead was now beyond what they could handle. If they were spotted, they would definitely die.


    "It looks like our mission''sing to an end. This must be part of the real Devouring Diluses'' battlefront. We''ve finally caught up," Sandy said, a little excited.


    She hadn''t been in this void for long after arriving from the Mage World, and now her exploration mission was almostplete. Although it had been a bit dull, everything went smoothly.


    Even though she wouldn''t gain much Origin power from it, the effort was still worth it.


    "Are we stopping here?" Adam asked.


    "Definitely. Past this point is Diluses territory. Our job as Explorers is done. From here on, it''s up to the Mage Legion." Sandy quickly connected to the Mage Network and uploaded the information about the Diluses building a Void Fortress.


    After a moment, she said, "Now we just wait. This might not be the only fortress they''re building, but other Explorer teams on the same path will likely end up here too. We''ll meet them andbine all our findings."


    Just as Sandy had guessed, in the following days, three more Explorer teams arrived, guided by the markers she had left.


    After chatting with them, Adam learned they had also found transit stations and followed transcendent-level Diluses, just like Sandy.


    Thest group to arrive hadn''t been as lucky. They reached a transit station just as several transcendent-level Diluses appeared. Although they managed the fight quickly, the seventh-levelmander spotted them, and they barely escaped with their lives.


    As Sandy officially connected with themand center, Adam listened to the Explorers'' conversation.


    "Body-refining mages really shouldn''t be on these teams," grumbled a scruffy-looking fourth-level mage once everyone had gathered. "We need to stay hidden, as hidden as possible. But no, you had to make yourself so obvious that anyone with half a brain could spot you."


    Herpanion, a body-refining mage with twelve pairs of blood-red, gem-like wings, sighed. "It''s not like I wanted to. I''m close to advancing, and my genes are in conflict. It''s hard to suppress my true form." He pped his wings and added, "Even now, I can only hold back halfway."


    Adam was curious: Since the Reincarnation Spell relied on stealing soul information and biological genes, could mages with gic conflicts still be explorers?


    The body-refining mage responded kindly, "It''s not always like this. This is a rare situation."


    "What''s your bloodline?" Adam asked.


    The body-refining mage turned serious. "That''s private. For a body-refining mage, our bloodline is---"


    Before he could finish, the level-four mage cut him off. "Oh, please. With you looking like that birdman, it''s obvious you''ve got Void Deathbird blood. When has your bloodline ever been a secret? I don''t remember that rule."


    The body-refining mage''s face flushed with embarrassment. He said pitifully, "Kadi, my love, how could you treat me like this?"


    Kadi nced at him with disgust and shifted away, keeping her distance. "Stay away from me! I''m not going anywhere near you until you get rid of those ridiculous wings!"


    Adam watched the two, curious. It was the first time he''d seen a romantic rtionship between mages.


    He found it odd, since mages already had difficulty reproducing. But here they were---one an elemental mage and the other a bloodline mage. ''Didn''t they face reproductive istion?'' Adam wondered.


    "Isn''t there reproductive istion between them?" Garfield muttered to himself inside Adam''s mind, thankfully inaudible to those nearby.


    Just then, Sandy turned to them, her expression serious. "The other Explorer teams have encountered simr things. Based on all the data we''ve gathered, it''s clear that beyond these coordinates, the void is fully controlled by the Devouring Diluses."


    Adam and the others stopped their casual chatter and focused on her words.


    "Command has instructed us to mark the coordinates and get ready for the fleet to warp in."


    "Does that mean we''re going straight into battle?" someone asked.


    "No, not yet. First, we''ll give them a little surprise."


    ...


    Marking coordinates was a basic skill for any Explorer. As long as they had a spatial anchor and there was no interference, it was a simple task.


    If they had been asked to go deep into the asteroid belt to mark coordinates, it would''ve been much harder. But since they were on the outskirts, the eight mages quickly marked a hundred suitable points.


    These points formed a fan shape, and the lines from each one led to several small nes.


    The idea was to make sure that when the Transcendent Strike hit, the energy wouldn''t just dissipate but would amplify, ultimately converging at the central altar.


    The Transcendent Strike was the surprise Command had in store for the Diluses. Unlike knights, mages didn''t prefer closebat. Their true strengthy in long-range attacks.


    The Mage Legions followed the same strategy---unless absolutely necessary, or if victory was certain, the fleet avoided hand-to-handbat at all costs.


    Once they finished their task, the Explorers moved to a safe distance from the target area. Even though they were allies, magic didn''t discriminate. Dying from friendly fire after surviving the mission would be a pretty ridiculous end.


    A familiar signal echoed in everyone''s minds through the Mage Network. They watched as space around the coordinate points began to ripple violently, with massive amounts of terrifying energy gathering behind it.


    The Diluses in the asteroid belt responded fast. As soon as the disturbance began, swarms of Diluses poured out from various nes, heading straight for the coordinate points.


    Unfortunately for them, they picked the wrong response. If they had immediately powered up their defenses to full strength, they might have blocked or at least softened the blow from the Transcendent Strike. But now, it was toote for them.


    The countdown reached zero.


    A hundred brilliant beams of light shot through the void, instantly reducing the closest Diluses to ash. The energy continued to surge forward, smashing into their defensive shields.


    For a brief moment, the shields resisted. Then they shattered.


    nes behind the shields were pierced one after another, wiping out the Diluses within them. Even the transcendent-level Diluses weren''t spared, suffering heavy losses.


    As the beams converged on the central altar, five level-eight Diluses appeared. They opened their massive mouths, trying to absorb the attack.


    They managed to contain the strike, but at the cost of much of their bodies turning to ash.


    Garfield appeared next to Adam, grimacing. "Ugh, that looks painful."


    At that moment, the fleet arrived.

 Chapter 315 - A Pause in the Battle

    The five level-eight Diluses, though badly injured, still clung to life.


    The central altar continued to feed them energy, helping them slowly regenerate. New tissue reced the charred remains, gradually healing their wounds.


    Meanwhile, in the asteroid belt, the remaining nes had pulled back, hiding behind a thick, gray defensive shield.


    By now, Adam and the other seven Explorers were back on their ship. The fight was so intense that no mages had the time to acknowledge their return. Instead, a high-level alchemical golem escorted them to a private room.


    Sandy, back to her usual bubbly self, leaned excitedly against the window. "Five more of those huge bugs showed up. They seem pretty tough."


    Through the window, Adam could see ten level-eight Diluses near the nes. Two stood guard at the central altar while the other eight led their forces, piloting massive Void Fortresses against the mage army.


    They looked unusual, but there was a definite resemnce to the modified mage towers Adam was familiar with.


    He couldn''t help thinking of the Devourer. He had gained enough power to leave Titania and return to its own kind, yet he hadn''t. He seemed to be aiming higher---perhaps even at bing a level-nine creature. Looking back, he wasn''t just seeking freedom; maybe he had his sights on overthrowing the leader of its group.


    More and more transdimensional mage towers appeared on the battlefield, teleporting in from the rear. They immediately joined the battle, and the ship''s main and secondary cannons fired non-stop.


    The Seventh Tower had set up a massive alchemical array, pulling energy from the void to fuel the ongoing fight.


    The transdimensional mages abandoned their ships and joined the battlefield. In their true forms, they wererger than some of the spaceships, unleashing spells that ripped through the Diluses'' defenses in relentless waves.


    Adam wondered if additional legions had arrived while he was on his mission. From what he could see, half of the legions he''d seen on Titania were now engaged in this fight. It looked like themand center was determined to end this battle in one decisive move.


    But all of that was far from the minds of the Explorers. Led by the ever-spirited Sandy, they had already kicked off a feast in their room.


    "These are some top-tier snacks. I always collect the best food on my missions," Sandy said proudly as she shared her stash with everyone, asionally tossing a tasty bite Adam''s way.


    Inspired by her, the other mages began pulling out their own rare treats. As seasoned Explorers, their collections were filled with strange and valuable delicacies, each with unique properties that could benefit mages.


    One bloodline mage even pulled out the heart of a Void Deathbird. If a mage apprentice near the peak of body-refining got their hands on it, they could experience a serious bloodline boost and potentially reach formal rank.


    Compared to the rest, Adam felt a bit "broke." The Dragon ne had been short on resources, Cthulhu was bleak and lifeless, and Titania had been all about metal and machines. After going through his collection, he realized he had nothing worth showing off.


    "Are we really okay just sitting here while everyone else is fighting?" Adam felt out of ce.


    If they''d been in a standard army, they might''ve been punished for kicking back like this while a battle raged outside. It felt like cking off, and he worried it might lower morale.


    But the food was hard to resist. As he took another bite, his mind drifted back to his early days at Mordo Academy. He remembered walking into the dining hall for the first time, so amazed by the feast that he briefly considered learning magical cooking.


    Of course, after bing a mage, he didn''t need regr food anymore---he could sustain himself with magic alone. That old dream was long forgotten.


    Sandy waved off his concerns with a casual flick of her hand. "Chill, Adam. Explorers always work like this. No one''s gonna me us. Besides, did they give us any follow-up orders? Nope. That means we''re off duty. And maybe this might be thest time we all hang out together."


    The other mages around them nodded, seemingly at peace with the situation.


    Seeing the confusion on Adam''s face, Sandy exined, "This battle''s the official start of the war against the Devouring Diluses. From now on, they won''t need Explorers like us. Soon, someone''s going toe by to hand out our rewards, and then we''ll head back to the Mage World."


    It clicked for Adam. She was right. Judging by the way the other mages had treated them during registration, it was clear they wouldn''t be part of the formal military units.


    And now, being so deep in enemy territory, where powerful Diluses roamed, he wouldn''t be able to take on exploratory missions at his current level. There really wasn''t much left for them to do here.


    Time flew by. Outside, the battle was reaching its final stages.


    The battle mages who had been waiting in reserve started moving in, prepping for ground operations in the asteroid belt.


    Higher up, the transdimensional mages had turned the tide. They carefully boxed in the level-eight Diluses, making sure they couldn''t pull off any desperate moves like self-destruction.


    Inside the ship, the feast was starting to wind down.


    As Sandy had predicted, a high-ranking battle advisor soon knocked on their door. He didn''t seem to care that they were lounging around and smiled warmly. "Thanks to your hard work, the first battle went off without a hitch. On behalf of themand center, I''m here to distribute your rewards. Let''s make this quick---do you want resources or Origin power?"


    There was no hesitation. Adam and the others all opted for Origin power. The advisor seemed prepared for this. He handed out eight sealed crystals containing the precious energy and said, "Your settlement isplete. Your services won''t be needed for the rest of the war, so you''ll need to leave the fleet before the ground operations wrap up."


    It might''ve sounded like they were being brushed aside now that they weren''t needed, but no one seemed to mind.


    The advisor continued, "The ship''s teleportation hall will open a portal just for you. It''ll take you straight to the Gate of Truth. From there, you can choose whether to return to the Mage World or go somewhere else."


    After he left, Sandy turned to Adam with a knowing grin. "See? That''s how it is. In the real fights, the other mages are better suited for the job. We, the temporary help, are better off leaving quietly," she said, breaking the seal on her crystal and absorbing the Origin power with a satisfied sigh. "Ah, still not enough. Anyway, let''s trade contact info. Adam, you''ve got ess to ne coordinates, right? I hope your prices are good."


    Adam nodded and exchanged Mage Network signals with everyone. "I''ll make sure they''re fair."


    Suddenly, Sandy pulled out a sleek newmunication device, waving it like it was some rare treasure. "You probably haven''t been back to the Mage World recently, so you wouldn''t know about this. It''s amazing---way better than the Mage Network. Doesn''t even need magic power. Super convenient."

 Chapter 316 - Return to The Mage World

    Sandy was still talking. "This device converts basic runenguage into digital numbers. All we have to do is enter a number, and we can contact someone right away. Whether it''s a video call or a text message, it works. I''m one of the first users, and my ID number is just five digits! You should write it down!"


    Adam stared at the device with a puzzled look, thinking, ''<em ss="chakra-text css-0">Mordo Tower sure works fast. They''ve basically made a ''phone.'' But watching a mage pitch it to me like this feels... strange.</em>''


    Seeing Adam''s reaction, Sandy blushed and exined awkwardly, "Well, after bing transcendent, I need to build a mage tower, and that takes a lot of resources. So, I took on this sales gig. You know, times are tough. Please support me, it''s really handy!"


    Adam couldn''t help but chuckle. He never imagined high-level mages would have to hustle like this. Still, he had to admire the Rex Consortium''s nning department foring up with this idea---and getting a Master Mage to promote it.


    Adam figured that once he returned to the Mage World, he could oversee themunicator''s upgrade, since the me had given him some interesting ideas.


    Some of the other explorers already hadmunicators and eagerly swapped numbers with Sandy. Adam noted them down too. They could be his potential clients, and even though he didn''t think he''d run short on ether crystals, having more never hurt.


    The group returned to the Gate of Truth through the portal. The ce was lively, with starships zipping through space and countless mages engaged in battles. But none of that really concerned them.


    After promising to stay in touch, Sandy and the others headed back to the Mage World, while Adam had a few minor tasks to finish up.


    ...


    "Congrats on finishing the exploration mission. Anything interesting happen?" Frank asked, sitting across from Adam at a table in a lounge near the dimensional hub.


    Adam was sipping a ss of ''wine'' that a tipsy, winged mage had given him. It was so strong in both alcohol and energy that a normal person would die after one sip.


    "Hmm, not bad," Frankmented. His body was fully modified with machinery, but his system could still mimic taste and other senses just like a human.


    "Exploration missions are as usual," Adam replied. "But I actually came to talk to you about something else."


    Frank set his ss down and focused. "Go on."


    "It looks like the war with the Devouring Diluses won''t end anytime soon. You''ll probably learn a lot in the logistics corps."


    Frank quickly offered, "If you need me, I can---"


    "No, that''s not what I want," Adam interrupted. "I''d like to make a deal. I need the full form for Ripple Alloy."


    Without hesitation, Frank handed over an info box and said, "You''re underestimating me. The form is right here. No need for anything in return."


    Adam took the box but refused to see it as a freebie. He believed that rtionships built on mutual benefit were the strongest. Sheer loyalty, to him, was worthless. "In that case, when you get back to The Mage World,e find me. I''ll help you connect with the Titans, and you''ll get a summoningpanion. Trust me, they''ll be perfect for you."


    ...


    After meeting with Frank, Adam set off for the Mage World.


    He looked the same as when he first arrived, seemingly carrying nothing back with him. But in reality, Adam''s gains were huge. Soon, all of it would be converted into ether crystals and added to his ount.


    One of his greatest assets was his friendship with the Titans, a hidden fortune that would likely be a big help down the road. If Adam ever needed the me, the Titans would be more than willing to assist. His future research into the me was crucial for his next steps.


    Adam still had a deep curiosity about the Diluses. Their unique lifeforms and hive-like society offered valuable knowledge. Unfortunately, his current power wasn''t enough to explore them fully. This only fueled his determination to reach transcendent status as fast as possible. There were many mysteries in the Mage World, but only the powerful could unlock them.


    Even the forest elf, Lina, and Sophia had gained a lot from their journey, especially Lina. Adam was impressed by her intelligence---she had managed to transnt conversion fungi into her body, giving her the ability to perform "photosynthesis" and boosting her energy absorption by ten times.


    Garfield, too, was pleased with his transformation. His new, stronger body meant he was much less vulnerable to death, and he no longer needed to worry about his path to advancement. With the new Titan lord establishing the Titan''s evolutionary path, Garfield could follow it to transcendence.


    "Master, can I take a vacation when we get back?" Garfield asked hopefully.


    Adam allowed it but couldn''t resist adding, "You used to have flesh and blood to enjoy, but now you''re a metal lifeform. Good luck with that."


    Garfield stared at Adam, then looked at his metallic body, suddenly feeling quite defeated.


    ...


    In a sh of teleportation light, Adam returned to the Tower.


    The Tower was always busy, but this time it seemed even more so. The war against the Diluses had be a top priority for several Towers, and every battlemage confident in their strength wanted to join in and gather resources.


    Adam waved off a still-dazed Garfield and made his way back to hisb alone.


    He had barely sat down to check the research his avatar had been working on when a flood of notifications from the Mage Network interrupted him.


    Most of the notifications were from Mordo Tower, but the majority were deposit updates.


    The war between the Mage World and the Cthulhu and the Dragon ne had ended. Prisci and the others had returned to the Tower, and all of Adam''s earnings had been converted into ether crystals. His total profits exceeded expectations, reaching 1.2 million standard units ofplete ether crystals.


    In addition, his ie from civilian inventions, knowledge royalties, and other ventures had also been processed. While less than the war profits, these earnings were steady and ongoing.


    Just then, a call request came through.


    Prisci''s smiling face appeared on the screen. "You''ve caused quite the stir again, Adam. I''m here representing the Tower to ask your thoughts on two things: first, the device you set up on the Crystal Sphere, and second, your research on radioactive minerals during the Cthulhu exploration."

 Chapter 317 - Level-Four Mage

    Prisci''s goal was clear. She came on behalf of the Tower and wanted to work with Adam on the radio telescope project.


    Adam didn''t mind. He controlled the technology, so allowing others to use it was no problem. As long as the agreement included terms that protected his interests, he was fine with it.


    The terms didn''t need to be too strict. Adam just wanted to make sure he had priority rights.


    Prisci didn''t care much about this. The Tower had its own ways of gathering information from the void. Their interest in the radio telescope was just an additional bonus.


    The real focus was on the second point: the study of radioactive minerals.


    At the end of the war, the mages found energy factories in the radiation creatures. They discovered that these minerals, which released harmful substances, could indeed produce energy.


    Even though the creatures used simple methods to extract it, the energy produced was higher than what ordinary energy stones could offer. This energy also had no special attribute, making it easy for anyone to use. Adam even got a lot of ether crystals from this.


    Because of this, the mages brought Cthulhu into the Mage World, and now it was part of the Fifth Tower.


    But to Adam, the research on radioactive minerals, or atomic energy, was even more important. It wasn''t just about finding a new energy source for the Mage World. It could mean much more, especially in a world where knowledge was power.


    Of course, this would only be true if the research seeded.


    At the very least, during the research, it might open a path to studying the microscopic world in the Mage World.


    In his spare time, Adam thought about why the Mage World hadn''t made much progress in studying the microscopic world.


    After seeing the power of the Great Archmage, Adam now believed the reason was simple: The mages were already too powerful.


    On therge scale, their power was limitless. For mages like the Great Archmage, destroying the world and creating a new universe could be done with just a thought.


    With such a clear path ahead, other mages naturally followed this, ignoring the microscopic world, which was so different from therge-scale one.


    Prisci approached Adam because, in his first report, he had predicted the potential of radioactive minerals.


    The mages had since set up a joint research group. She invited Adam to join them. She didn''t expect him to lead the research but believed that his ideas could bring something new.


    Adam agreed. They decided to report to the research group once their current tasks were done.


    ...


    After themunication ended, Adam went to meet his avatars, ready to receive the experimental data from recent years.


    He had given them two tasks. The first was to derive Gauss''sw for maism, and the second was to explore wave-particle duality. Adam was confident about the first task, but the second one felt nearly impossible due to its strange and abstract nature.


    In the past, Adam had already sessfully tranted integral and matrix operations, leaving behind a wealth of pure mathematical methods in the minds of his avatars. This greatly helped inpleting the first task.


    In fact, just a few years after Adam had left, thew and its principles were sessfully deduced, and aplete set of equations was established.


    Gauss''sw for maism states that the divergence of the maic field is zero, meaning that maic fields have no starting or ending points, and no maic monopoles exist. Instead, maic fields form loops, with the fundamental units being dipoles rather than maic charges.


    Of course, this wasn''t absolute. If maic monopoles were ever discovered, thew would need to be adjusted.


    With the differential form of thisw in ce, Maxwell''s equations in an etheric environment became fully applicable, and the barrier preventing Adam from advancing to level four vanished.


    Suddenly, a massive amount of magical energy gathered around Adam, forming a vortex and lifting him into the air. A rift opened in the void, and the Etheric Gift descended upon him.


    Adam felt a deep sense of fullness in both his body and soul. The magical energy that had beenpressed due to his connection with the Origin quickly expanded, reaching its limit. Then, with a soft "pop," Adam broke through and became a level-four mage.


    The light from the Etheric Gift faded, and Adam descended back to the ground.


    Bing a level-four mage wasn''t much of a surprise for him, so Adam didn''t feel particrly excited. However, the new capabilities and power that came frompleting the equations were far more valuable to him.


    With Gauss''sw for maism established, Adam no longer neededplex calctions to manipte maic fields. The powerful ''Maic Cutting'' spell, which once required detailed nning, could now be cast with just one set of runes.


    He could even manipte maic field lines to warp space, allowing him to teleport using only electromaic magic.


    The sh of Judgement spell also became much stronger. Although it was still too powerful to use casually in everyday situations, its casting time was reduced, and Adam''s increased magical reserves made it much more practical in battle.


    Adam''s perception had also evolved. He could now see the entire electromaic spectrum clearly, including the signals from new radio-basedmunication devices. While this bordered on invading privacy, Adam could intercept and read the standardized radio waves that were still umon in space.


    Looking ahead, if Adam seeded in his research on wave-particle duality, he would gain full control over electromaic waves, including the ability to directly use gamma rays.


    As his power grew, the possibility of creating a gamma-ray burst---one of the most destructive cosmic events---might not be out of his reach.


    Of course, that was still far in the future.


    Even now, Adam could already control thermal radiation to a certain degree, generating energy that matched the power of advanced fire magic.


    Adam paused for a moment, deciding it would be best to wait until he was fully prepared to ascend to the transcendent level before uploading Maxwell''s equations.


    These equations elegantly exined macroscopic electromaic phenomena, and by doing this at the right moment, Adam could tap into a vast source of power from the Origin.


    After finishing his promotion, Adam assigned new research tasks to his avatars. His next focus would be on ssic physics experiments, such as the double-slit experiment and ckbody radiation. These weren''t pressing matters, though, as they would require time to set up the proper conditions for the experiments.


    Adam wasn''t in a rush. He had no immediate ns to leave after this return, so he had plenty of time to carefully organize these projects.


    Just then, Adam received anothermunication request, this time from Victor.


    "Adam, if you''re avable,e to theb as soon as possible. We need you to take charge of developing the next generation ofmunication devices."

 Chapter 318 - A Tempting Idea

    Adam had his sights set on pushing the development of themunicator. It wasn''t the only reason he returned, but it was definitely one of the big ones.


    But he wasn''t interested in making themunicator a simple phone-like device from Earth. That kind of tech could easily lead to people getting hooked on it, and he wasn''t trying to create a bunch of tech addicts.


    Sure, some mages might find the entertainment side appealing, but they had enough discipline to not let it consume them.


    No, Adam had bigger ns. He saw themunicator as a stepping stone to more advanced and impactful technology.


    Like smart chips, for example.


    Or even better---an all-purpose artificial intelligence system.


    These weren''t just daydreams either. The Mage World had the industrial backbone to support projects like chips and AI. The only reason it hadn''t happened yet was because no one had ever thought to move in that direction.


    But Adam wasn''t like the others. He was once a supeputer, after all. Now that he had the means, he couldn''t wait to see how introducing chips and intelligent systems would reshape the Mage World.


    The idea of changing an already powerful world was a challenge that thrilled him. Watching it evolve, knowing his work yed a role, was what drove him.


    Victor shared in that excitement. It wasn''t just him, though. Everyone at Mordo Tower had been riding high for decades, including the transdimensional mages.


    Adam''s research projects had gained traction, and several were now hitting the market with impressive sess.


    While some at the tower enjoyed the flood of Ether crystals into their ounts, most were more focused on the prestige and influence Mordo Tower was gaining across the Tower Network.


    Unlike Adam, most of the mages were tied to Mordo and the transdimensional mage through long-term contracts. Barring any major surprises, they''d spend their lives at the tower, their personal growth and sess directly linked to the tower''s future.


    Take Mordo, for instance. Once a minor yer in the Rex Consortium, he was now a top contender. Meanwhile, Monte Carlo, who had always been his tough rival, couldn''t keep up anymore.


    Mordo Mage Academy now boasted the widest recruitment in the region. And the tower''s mages? They were enjoying the best monthly pay around.


    Even the jointb had seen major changes. With their newfound wealth, Mordo had bought a massive plot ofnd in Meyer City and built an enormous factory stretching over 1.5 square kilometers.


    Victor grinned as he embraced Adam. "Already a level-four mage? At this rate, you''ll surpass me very soon," he said, his voice filled with emotion.


    It was hard to believe that the once frail apprentice who seemed so insignificant had now risen to stand as his equal. And Adam''sst couple of missions? Huge. Thetest one had even captured the attention of the entire Mage World.


    Adam, ever humble, smiled softly. "I couldn''t have done it without your help, and of course, the support from the Tower Master back at the academy."


    Victor shook his head, brushing off thepliment as he guided Adam deeper into the factory.


    "That''s nothing," he said. "Your smarts and talent made this all possible. Look at this factory, this entire industry. The Tower Master and I talk about it all the time. Who would''ve guessed that those projects we barely paid attention to would end up bringing in so much?"


    As they walked, Adam noticed the curious stares from the apprentices they passed. They were clearly wondering who this special guest was, important enough for the dean to personally give him a tour.


    Some of the mages recognized Adam, nodding in respect as they passed by.


    Victor continued, "Themunicator''s poprity has really taken off, especially in the Fifth Tower. Even other Towers have started cing orders."


    Adam wasn''t surprised. He''d already seen several of the Explorers using it.


    "Themunicator''s gone through three rounds of upgrades since we first introduced it," Victor exined. "It''s good, but everyone agrees there''s room for more. We''ve brainstormed a few ideas, but nothing''s stuck."


    "What kind of ideas?" Adam asked.


    "Mostly tweaks to the design or small feature additions."


    Adam knew immediately that these adjustments wouldn''t make a significant impact. It reminded him of the evolution from basic phones to smartphones. The game-changer wasn''t just better hardware; it was the addition of processors and operating systems that transformed the way phones were used.


    The same principle applies here. If themunicator was going to be essential in the Mage World, it needed a processor, an operating system, and it had to be sleeker and more user-friendly.


    Victor looked at Adam with expectation. "We think you''ll have the solution. That''s why, when we heard you were back in the Mage World, we reached out to you right away. The Tower Master is already waiting for you inside."


    Adam raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn''t expected Mordo to meet him in person. Even though he''d crossed paths with several transdimensional mages recently, Mordo still held a unique significance as the first transdimensional mage Adam had ever worked with closely.


    ...


    Seeing Mordo again, Adam no longer felt the same overwhelming pressure he did as an apprentice. Mordo''s form was now clear and distinct, not the vague, intimidating figure Adam used to perceive.


    The one thing that hadn''t changed was the ever-present apple in Mordo''s hand. It was as if the fruit had be a permanent fixture, one that would never bepletely eaten.


    Despite the shift in status, Mordo seemed unfazed by Adam''s rise in power. As Adam stepped into the room, Mordo stood and greeted him warmly. "Mage Adam, it''s a pleasure to see you again. I believe this is our first meeting as equals."


    Adam, still respectful, gave a slight bow. "The pleasure is mine, sir."


    Mordo waved it off, changing the environment around them with a casual flick of his hand, and gestured for Adam to sit. "In terms of rank, we''re almost on the same level here, so there''s no need for formalities. The reason I asked you here is because I need your expertise."


    He handed Adam a thick report. "Take a look at the data, and we''ll talk."


    Without hesitation, Adam flipped through the pages. He owned a 40% share of the industry, so it was only natural he should be up to speed.


    The report detailed not just market insights but also the research progress made by the mages over thest few years. Nothing in the report came as a surprise to him---the foundation was solid, but what theycked was a spark of creativity, a fresh leap in their thinking.


    After closing the report, Adam looked up at Mordo. "I have some ideas, but they involve developing a new product, something that''s almostpletely different from themunicator we have now. So before we go any further, there are a few things we should clear up first."

 Chapter 319 - Share Distribution

    The more advanced an industry bes, the more important knowledge and technology are, while the significance of factories tends to decrease.


    Eventually, factories might just be tools for production, separate from the core of the industry.


    Adam was about to turn basicmunicators into smartmunicators and even add smartputer chips, making them high-end products. In this case, the industrial base would just be background noise---something anyone could manage.


    This meant the Rex Consortium wouldn''t be as critical anymore, and Adam didn''t need to give them such arge share that would cut into his own profits.


    The Rex Consortium had done well, and Adam knew pushing them aside like this might seem ungrateful. However, business is business, and letting personal feelings get involved would only invite trouble.


    When Mordo heard about thepletely new product, he had a feeling about what Adam was going to say. He sat up straight and said, "Go on."


    Adam exined, "The research direction is clear. I can basically finish it on my own. The new product will have a core, and the external parts won''t matter as much. That means the current profit-sharing model no longer works."


    Adam wasn''t exaggerating. The toughest parts of the newmunicator would be the processor and the operating system. Adam felt sure he could write the operating system himself, and for the processor, he believed the Original mes could handle it.


    "What are you suggesting?" Mordo asked.


    "There are two options," Adam said bluntly. "First, we redistribute the shares. Second, I leave and go independent."


    Adam wasn''t holding back, and he didn''t need to. As long as he had the knowledge, he could always find partners to create wealth together.


    Even if no one believed in the project, it didn''t matter---his personal ie was enough to fund it. He was sure that once the product was made, it would be quickly epted by the mages.


    Besides, things had changed. Adam had reached level four and was preparing to advance further. As a mage of the Tower, it didn''t make sense for him to stay tied to a consortium. If he really needed a partner, the Tower would be the best choice.


    Mordo and Victor exchanged a nce and stayed quiet for a moment. They had seen thising. As Adam''s power grew, the roles of Mordo Tower and the Rex Consortium in this industry would shrink---after all, the intellectual property belonged to Adam, and their contract was set to end in a few years.


    If Adam were still weak, the consortium''s influence and ability to promote the product would be valuable. They just hadn''t expected Adam''s strength and authority to rise so fast. Even if he pulled out now, many others would still be eager to work with him.


    Mordo struggled to speak, but Victor didn''t hold back. "You know, the Tower Master is part of the consortium. Even though the deal is between you and Mordo Tower, much of the Tower Masters'' shares have already been given up. Over the years, the Tower Master''s influence has grown a bit, but it''s still not enough to control the whole consortium. Getting them to give up their shares and redistribute them would be really tough."


    Victor said it would be tough, but everyone knew it was almost impossible---no one willingly gives up what they already have.


    Victor continued, "We have a lot of faith in your research skills, and we''re sure you can create a bettermunicator. But not everyone will see it that way. Plus, the currentmunicator''s sales are rising every day, and the profits are already significant."


    Adam stayed quiet, as he had already made up his mind. He wasn''t going to change his decision over reasons that didn''t concern him. The ball was in Mordo Tower and the Rex Consortium''s court.


    Mordo spoke up, "There are still three years left on the contract. I''ll share your thoughts with the other transdimensional mages in the consortium, but honestly, I think the chances of them agreeing are slim."


    Adam nodded and stood up, seeing no point in dragging the conversation out. It was clear that this decision wasn''t Mordo''s alone.


    In fact, Adam had another idea---Mordo Tower could bypass the consortium and work directly with him. It might cause them some short-term losses, but in the long run, the benefits would far outweigh what they were making now.


    Even if Mordo Tower didn''t choose to trust him, Adam was willing to grant them licensing rights for his earlier patents. That would still provide a steady ie. He wasn''t worried about the oldermunicatorspeting with the new ones---he knew how quickly basic phones became obsolete once smartphones took over on Earth.


    As Victor walked Adam to the door, he sighed and said, "We don''t have much choice. You''re a mage of the Tower, but we''re different. We need to stick together to secure more resources. Without a guarantee, no one would risk leaving the group."


    Adam asked a question that had been on his mind for a while, "Why didn''t you join the Tower?"


    Victor shrugged and gave a simple answer, "For freedom."


    "But I''ve never felt restricted in my freedom," Adam replied, confused.


    "That''s because you''re an Explorer, and a genius. The Tower treats mages like you differently. For most ordinary mages, you have to give something before you can get something, and that doesn''t always feel good."


    Adam couldn''t fully grasp it, but he understood that people had different goals in life.


    He personally enjoyed the missions the Tower offered, especially the ne conquests where he encountered different races and civilizations. For him, that was the real purpose of gaining strength. What was the point of transcendent power if all you wanted was peace and freedom?


    They walked in silence until they reached the door. Victor patted Adam on the shoulder and said, "No matter what happens, we''ll always be thankful for what you''ve shared with us. I hope your decision doesn''t affect our friendship."


    Adam nodded. "Don''t worry, sir."


    The respectful word of "sir" made Adam''s willingness clear. Victor smiled, feeling reassured. Just as he was about to leave, something came to mind. "I remember, back at the academy, you were close with Elliot, right? He''s in Meyer City now. I think he''d be happy to see you."


    Hearing Elliot''s name brought a smile to Adam''s face. To be honest, Elliot was his only real friend.


    Adam quickly asked, "Where is he? How can I reach him?"


    Victor handed Adam a number. "That''s hismunicator number. He''s staying with Mage Rex, getting ready for the war trials."

 Chapter 320 - Operating System Concept

    This time, more apprentices from the Mordo Academy joined the Trials of War than when Adam was there.


    Among Adam''s friends, Eliott, Crystal, Ophelia, and Korver got the chance topete. This increase was partly due to the Mordo Tower''s growing power and the recent discovery of many new nes in the Mage World.


    The results of the wars had a big impact, with a surge of ether energy helping talented individuals grow stronger, allowing even those with average skills to reach their limits.


    Because of this, many apprentices from other towers were also participating, making this Trials of War much bigger than Adam''sst one.


    Eliott had never intended to be a dangerous battlemage. He wanted a peaceful life as a mage, staying in the tower, researching when necessary, and enjoying his long life during his free time.


    "But then I realized I couldn''t just sit back," Eliott told Adam in a tavern in Meyer City. "Not long after you left, Frank became a mage and went to the Seventh Tower. I thought, even if I can''t match you, I shouldn''t fall behind Frank, so I started working hard. I got lucky and made breakthroughs in poison research, reaching my limit in the past few years."


    "Why didn''t you just advance?" Adam asked, curious.


    Eliott sighed, "Because of you!"


    "Huh?"


    "Because of you. You don''t know how famous you are at the Mordo Academy. We saw you grow into a mage and were inspired. The younger ones after you heard your stories and grew thanks to your research. You''ve be a role model for all apprentices. As your friend, I can''tg too far behind. I thought after the Trials of War, I''d be closer," he red at Adam with a hint of envy, "but you''re already a level-four mage? That''s insane!"


    Adam didn''t know how to respond, so he switched topics. "How''s the trial? Do you feel confident?"


    Eliott replied confidently, "No problem at all. I won''t be like you, facing all the anti-mages and apprentices alone. I just need to stick with the War Alliance; I can get through easily."


    "The War Alliance," Adam thought, feeling a strange sense of nostalgia, like an adult watching children y.


    Eliott nodded. "Yes, that''s it. I know you didn''t join back then. But not everyone can be like you. For us, it''s best to stick together. Crystal and Ophelia are also in the alliance. By the way, your influence on them was huge. They still remember you."


    Suddenly, a figure appeared next to Eliott, grinning mischievously. "I sensed something was off with those two. Master, they definitely have feelings for you... Why don''t you just go for it?"


    Adam looked at Garfield without responding.


    Garfield would be the processor for the newmunication device he was developing.


    Experimenting directly with Titan''s me could lead to issues with the Titan lords, but using Garfield meant no such worries. Adam felt fine torture his soul ve---and a devil at that, so he decided to let Garfield enjoy himself for now.


    Eliott warmly hugged Garfield and said, "Is this your new body? It looks great!"


    Garfield proudly dered, "No, this is just a temporary avatar! I''m now a level-four Commander of the Titans! I could kill you with a finger!"


    Eliott, happy for him, smirked, "Your ability to get into trouble is still strong."


    Suddenly, Garfield looked rmed. "Who could kill me... except Master Adam?" He nced at Adam with a grin. "Right, Master?"


    Adam ignored him, not wanting toment on Crystal and Ophelia. Love wasn''t on his mind; he figured Crystal saw him as a role model, and Ophelia was justpetitive.


    "When does the trial start? Is it still on Ceylon Ind?" Adam asked.


    "I heard it''s in three months. There are more apprentices this time, so the Tower needs time to prepare," Eliott replied, his expression serious. "Ceylon Ind''s ecosystem ispletely wrecked; it''s beyond saving."


    Garfield boasted, "I yed a big part! I was the virus carrier!"


    "Right," Eliott agreed, then turned to Adam. "This time, the Tower willbine several inds with caged anti-mages to raise the trial''s difficulty. I heard they''ll even release transcendent beings from other nes."


    ...


    After a pleasant afternoon, the three parted ways.


    Adam returned to hisb to create new avatars and upgrade the old ones, crucial for writing the operating system.


    For Adam''smunication device, the Original mes were the body, while the operating system served as the soul. The system didn''t need true intelligence, but it had to process tasks efficiently and assist mages effectively.


    Mainstream operating systems on Earth weren''t suitable for powerful mages. Adam''s was designed for supeputers and was overlyplex. Overall, none were a good fit.


    He needed to integrate various systems and develop one that worked seamlessly with the Original mes and new users.


    The biggest challenge was converting programmingnguages to runenguages, a tedious task requiring significantputation---perfect for the avatars to handle.


    As Adam considered theponents of the operating system, he reflected on how an OS acts as an interface between users andputers, managing hardware, software, and data. It controls program execution, improves humanputer interaction, and maximizes resource efficiency while supporting software development.

 Chapter 321 - Becoming an Examiner

    In reality, users didn''t need to interact directly with the operating system; it managed theputer''s hardware resources and allocated them based on application requests.


    However, those functions might not fit well in the Mage World. There was no inte or softwarepanies offering application downloads, so the operating system had to include features that catered to most mages. Otherwise, no one would want to imnt a useless foreign object into their body or soul.


    So, Adam needed to integrate practical functions directly into the operating system, like energy quantification,nguage trantion,bat power detection, calction assistance, and material analysis.


    Once implemented, these features would greatly benefit mages. Yet, Adam believed the most crucial aspect wasn''t these functions but big data.


    The Mage World had its ownwork---the Mage Network---but only formal mages could connect, and ess required permissions. Despite its many restrictions, it was undeniably thergest database in the entire ether void.


    Mages might not understand the concept of big data, but over their hundreds of thousands of years of development, they have been engaging in simr activities.


    The Mage Network stored vast amounts of data, including knowledge necessary for mages to advance and construct spells, as well as the history of mages, their understanding of the void, and explorations of other nes.


    This enormous amount of data quietly resided in the Mage Network. essing it required appropriate permissions and meticulous searching, which was undeniably inefficient.


    Adam aimed to create a product that could enhance this efficiency significantly.


    He wanted to coborate with the Mage Network topile and categorize knowledge. Mages could use a search engine built into the chip to easily find the information they needed, potentially advancing to cloudputing.


    If these ideas seeded, they would greatly improve the lives andbat capabilities of mages. For apprentices, it would serve as an incredibly powerful tool, almost like a cheat code. It was likely that the limitations of talent would shrink, making it easier for all apprentices to advance to full mages.


    This would be Adam''s first real step towards changing the world.


    For the next five days, Adam immersed himself in his research. The foundation of all his ideas depended on having at least one finished product, which he could use to persuade His Holiness and the Mage Council.


    The chip would inevitably blur existing permission mechanisms, so it needed to demonstrate real value to be epted by those in power.


    Just then, Prisci approached Adam.


    "Since I became a transdimensional mage, I''ve been in charge of the Trials of War for the Fifth Tower, and this time is no exception." Prisci handed a drink to Adam and continued, "Although the trials aren''t starting yet, the frequent ether tides have sped up the apprentices'' advancement. So, the Tower decided to hold the trials early."


    "So, you''re here to ask me something?" Adam replied.


    "I need you to join themand center for this Trials of War and manage everything before and after the event."


    Adam frowned, reluctant to take on what felt like a trivial taskpared to his research.


    "This time, we need to merge ten inds, and it''s too vast for just level-three mages to handle. I know it seems excessive, but the Tower is short-staffed. Most level-four mages are tied up with the ne wars, so we need your help," Prisci exined.


    "What about the Joint Research Institute?"


    "That can wait; it''s only a few months."


    Sighing internally, Adam realized he couldn''t escape this task. "What do you need me to do?"


    "Work with other level-four mages to merge the inds and capture all level-three and above anti-mages hiding there. If we finish quickly, we can move the trial date up."


    Adam narrowed his eyes. "What if they resist?"


    "Then eliminate them."


    ...


    The next day, in the Tower''s mission hall, Adam met the other partners for the task. Seven level-four mages were present, all eager to get started.


    "I was ready to join the fight against the Devouring Diluses. What bad luck to be dyed," one mageined. "Let''s exchangemunicator numbers. We need to coordinate to finish quickly."


    "Wait, Adam? The one who discovered the Devouring Diluses?" the first mage eximed as they exchanged numbers.


    Adam nodded.


    The group''s mood shifted to enthusiasm. They crowded around him, asking about the Diluses and the war, with a few eager to share valuable information.


    One calm mage stopped the chatter and pulled out a sea chart. "We can discuss intel after the mission. Right now, we need to merge inds and catch the anti-mages. The merging center is Ind One. Any thoughts?"


    The group gathered around the map, noting the ten inds. Their distances made resolving everything at once impossible.


    "We''ll have to split up. Let''s catch the anti-mages first; otherwise, it''ll getplicated," one mage suggested, pointing to arger ind. "I''ll take Ind Five."


    With the seven mages dividing the remaining nine inds, two were left vacant. After a moment of thought, Adam said, "I''ll take Inds Eight, Nine, and Ten."


    There was no doubt among the group; no one thought this task would be dangerous. They were d to let someone else handle the trouble.


    The first mage said, "If anyone finishes quickly, go support Adam." He handed each person a pocket-sized cage. "The captured anti-mages can be kept here temporarily; the Tower will handle them after the trials. Any questions?"


    Everyone shook their heads.


    "Then let''s get moving. The sooner we finish, the sooner we''re done." He stepped onto the teleportation array and vanished.


    Adam followed him onto the array, and in an instant, he found himself hovering over the ocean. Before himy an ind evenrger than Ceylon Ind.


    Dark, swirling negative energy hovered above and around it, creating an eerie atmosphere.

 Chapter 322 - Island No. 8

    This was Ind No. 8, one of the ten inds. Its size was neither the biggest nor the smallest, falling somewhere in the middle.


    Judging by this, Adam estimated that Ind No. 1, thergest ind, was about five times bigger than Ceylon Ind.


    Now, Adam fully understood what Prisci had meant.


    The negative energy surrounding the ind didn''t bother Adam at all. He easily synced with the ind''s maic field, and suddenly, everything on the ind became clear to him.


    Energy points, each showing different power levels, lit up in his mind like a radar.


    The Fifth Tower''s "protection" for the antimages here was obvious; there were far more antimages here than on Ceylon Ind.


    Bright level-two energy points were scattered all over, with a good number of level-threes, and even over a dozen level-fours.


    It looked like the recent Trials of War hadn''t drawn attention to this ind, giving the antimages more time to grow.


    Adam raised his hand and pointed toward the sky. Dark clouds quickly gathered, with multiple thunder runes glowing inside them as thunder rumbled loudly.


    He made no effort to stay hidden, choosing to announce his arrival in the most direct way.


    At the same time, the strange free energy scattered instantly. Mutated beasts, clearly altered in some way, ran off in every direction with their tails between their legs.


    Adam''s radar picked up countless energy points moving quickly, including more than a dozen level-four points heading toward him.


    The antimages were gathering, seemingly ready for a fight.


    Adam stayed in the sky for a full hour, giving them time to prepare. He kept the entire ind under his watch.


    As long as no level-three or higher antimage tried to escape, Adam didn''t care if they assembled. In fact, it would make things easier for him.


    As for the strength of the antimages, he wasn''t worried at all. To him, they were just weaklings, incapable of putting up any real fight.


    ...


    Across Ind No. 8, countless antimage apprentices and low-level antimages were busy getting ready for battle.


    After 500 years of progress, they felt they had gained considerable power. They were eager to make their enemy suffer, maybe even win back some territory.


    But in the ind''s center, where the level-three and level-four antimages had gathered, the mood was grim and serious.


    "It''s just one traitor. They''re barely paying attention to us anymore," a dry voice broke the silence.


    "Attention? Why would they care about us?" another person answered bitterly. "Over the years, you''ve all been to the Mage Continent, right? They get stronger every day. As much as we hate to admit it, we''re like rats to them now. They could crush us in a heartbeat."


    "If we just had more time, maybe in another 200 years, a few Magisters could emerge from among us."


    "What''s the point in saying that? Do you really think they''ll give us more time? The traitor won''t let us get any stronger," a cold voice said. "What we need to decide now is: do we surrender, or do we take our chances?"


    Surrender meant total defeat, while gambling was the tempting offer made by the Tower. The promise was that if the antimages could kill or stop the mage sent to collect, they would be granted more time, freedom, and even a chance to leave the Mage World.


    But this wasn''t a show of mercy by the Tower; it was the cruelest kind of torment. The Tower didn''t want the antimages to give uppletely and destroy themselves, so the mages dangled hope in front of them, only to crush it over and over.


    The antimages knew it was a trap, but their desperation for survival and freedom made them fall for it every time.


    From what Adam had learned, in all the years and countless harvests, no mage had ever been killed during a mission, and no ind had ever been freed.


    "Five hundred years ago, we surrendered," someone said, breaking through the roof and pulling back his hood. His face was thin and gaunt as he stared up at the sky. "Back then, we faced ten traitors. We didn''t stand a chance. But now, it''s just one mage. He might be using the strongest form of lightning magic, but I think we can win."


    "Besides, even if we lose, what''s the harm? We can always surrender again. These traitors need us; they won''t wipe us all out."


    ...


    If they knew Adam''s true nature, or what he had done on Ceylon Ind, they would never have chosen to gamble.


    Adam was waiting for the antimages to make the first move so he could eliminate them all in one decisive strike.


    ...


    The Trials of War had a purpose---testing a mage''s real abilities and future role in interne conflicts through life-or-death battles. But the system was outdated. While magic and knowledge had evolved, the trial methods had stayed the same for centuries. It felt like an embarrassment to the modern mage system.


    Apprentices couldn''t handle the stress of traveling between nes for battle, but mages could easily create a "simtion ne," filling it with different transnar creatures as trial opponents. Focusing on these decaying antimages wasn''tziness, but it still felt like a waste of time.


    These were just Adam''s thoughts, though. He didn''t have the power to change such high-level decisions yet. His frustration with the dy was starting to grow, and he even toyed with the idea of creating a virtual reality space for training.


    While Adam''s mind wandered, more than a hundred figures rose from the ind, flying rapidly toward him.


    Their low chanting echoed through the air as strange, colorful energies gathered beneath the dark clouds,unching toward Adam in the next moment.


    Lightning struck from the sky, breaking apart the antimages'' spells one by one, then curving in midair to strike back at them.


    The antimages were thrilled. They had confirmed that Adam was using lightning magic and quickly put their countermeasures into action.


    After sacrificing a few of their own, they managed to resist the waves of thunderbolts.


    More spells filled the sky as even older, more dangerous magic began to take shape.


    Adam noticed that all the energy points representing the level-three and higher antimages had gathered in one spot. He nodded in approval.


    A flicker of blue light appeared in his eyes asyers of electromaic shields formed in front of him, effortlessly blocking their attacks.


    The antimages didn''t know that they were already caught in a powerful maic field.


    "You''ve reached this level, and yet you''re still shackled to your flesh," Adam muttered softly. He raised his left hand slightly, and suddenly, all the level-three antimages felt their bodies spiraling out of control. Their blood flowed normally for a moment, then reversed violently.


    Adam clenched his fist. One by one, the level-three antimages exploded like firecrackers.


    The dozen or so remaining level-four antimages went pale with fear. They quickly shouted, "Stop! We surrender! We''re willing to be captured! By the agreement, you''re not allowed to kill us!"


    But Adam flicked his fingers, and maic lines tightened around them. He didn''t respond to their cries for mercy, indifferent to any agreements they thought would save them. The only thing in his mind was Prisci''s words: if they resist, eliminate them.

 Chapter 323 - Mindweaver

    If youpared raw strength, a level-four Dilus could easily beat an antimage of the same level in a direct fight. But now, Adam''s power was way beyond that.


    Against a level-four Dilus, he was incredibly stronger. So, the antimages standing before him didn''t stand a chance. They were cut down instantly, without any chance to fight back.


    Even their souls were burned by magic, turning to ashes.


    Adam didn''t bother looking at them again. His eyes shifted to the remaining antimages, who had just witnessed the entire scene. They stood frozen in shock, unsure of what to do next. Adam calmly stirred the maic field surrounding them.


    Suddenly, their world changed. Strange, colorful images filled their eyes, and their senses werepletely overwhelmed. As the maic fluctuations around them sped up and became more erratic, the antimages found themselves trapped in mind-bending illusions.


    This was Adam''s illusionary ability. By controlling the maic fields of living beings, he could trigger their deepest fears or desires. In theory, no one weaker than Adam could break free from this illusion. Once trapped, he could do anything he wanted to them.


    But Adam wasn''t interested in going further. He left them trapped in a never-ending loop of illusions, ensuring they wouldn''t cause him any more trouble.


    He then floated down to the surface of the ocean and cut Ind No. 8 loose from the seabed.


    With a powerful stomp on the water, he gathered the water element using his maic field, forming a hundred massive elemental whales, each several thousand meters long. The whales lifted Ind No. 8 on their backs and swam toward Ind No. 1.


    On Inds No. 9 and No. 10, Adam did pretty much the same thing. Almost all the antimages at level-3 and above were eliminated.


    On Ind No. 10, a few cowardly antimages were spared, locked in cages by Adam.


    If anyone had been watching from above, they would''ve seen a stunning sight: three hundred gigantic elemental whales carrying three inds, moving through the waves. Thirty enormous dragons, wrapped in chains, led the way.


    As they advanced, tons of seawater were disced, creating towering waves and powerful tsunamis. The force of the water was transformed into buoyancy, pushing the inds forward.


    Adam had no ns to assist the other mages. Even though the task was challenging, it wasn''t beyond what the Master Mages could handle. If anything, stepping in might irritate them.


    Two dayster, Adam arrived near Ind No. 1.


    There was nothing between him and the ind to block his view or senses. As soon as he got close, Adam realized the others had finished their tasks and were likely waiting for him.


    <span data-sentryponent="defaultRenderMark" data-sentry-source-file="index.tsx">BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.


    Three loud crashes echoed as Inds No. 8, 9, and 10 collided with Ind No. 1. Dozens of level-four antimages stood silently along the shore, not stepping a foot beyond the ind''s edge. They didn''t say a word, but their eyes burned with hatred and reluctance.


    Just then, one of Adam''spanions flew out from the ind. He looked at the scene in disbelief, staring at the chaos Adam had caused. "Did you really carry the inds over like that?"


    "Yeah," Adam answered.


    The mage smacked his forehead. "I totally forgot to tell you, after capturing the antimages, we were supposed to meet here and set up a magic array to drag the inds. But I guess it doesn''t matter now since you''ve already brought them back. Just hang on for a bit."


    As soon as the mage finished speaking, a beam of light shot up from the center of Ind No. 1. It exploded at its peak, transforming into chains that stretched out in six directions.


    These chainstched onto the nearby inds, pulling them in at incredible speed.


    The magended on the ground as Inds No. 8, 9, and 10 began merging with Ind No. 1. Theirnd masses extended, and rocks rose from beneath the sea to support them, creating the appearance of onerge, unifiednd.


    Adam asked, "What''s next?"


    "We need to map out the antimage power spread across all ten inds. Also, we''ll set up surveince spells at key points."


    ...


    Adam''s task was straightforward: explore the area and upload data on dangerous or special zones. Themand center would then use this info to assign missions based on difficulty. It wasn''t too different from his past trials, except back then, he had wiped out the threats before the tasks were even assigned.


    Moving with incredible speed, Adam scoured his designated area. At one point, he stumbled upon a necromancy school and something inside caught his eye.


    "What''s this?" Adam asked, grabbing a low-level antimage.


    The terrified antimage, thinking Adam might kill him, quickly replied, "It''s the Mindweaver. It''s a mutated brain we''ve grown using magic. The smaller ones are Mindlings."


    "What''s it used for?"


    "It can do anything, really. It''s super powerful. With enough energy stones, it can cast any necromancy or curse magic."


    Adam let go and said, intrigued, "Show me."


    The antimage was overjoyed. The Mindweaver couldn''t move, so it hadn''t been useful in battles against mages. But now, with Adam in front of it, the antimage thought this was his chance to turn the tide.


    Trying to hide his excitement, the antimage approached the Mindweaver. A tendril reached out from the brain and pierced into his head.


    The spell started to hum. Adam could sense the Mindweaver acting as the central mind, with each Mindling contributing a syble to the incantation.


    Magical energy rippled through the room, and what would normally be aplex, ancient spell was drastically simplified and quickly cast.


    "Killing Curse!"


    The curse''s name rang out from the Mindweaver.


    A dark green light streaked toward Adam, hidden within the fabric of space. But Adam casually flicked it aside.


    The curse struck an antimage hiding in the shadows, causing his body to decay, his soul to mutate into a wraith, and then self-destruct.


    The antimage controlling the Mindweaver was stunned. The Killing Curse was a level-4 curse, one of the most powerful ancient spells. He never thought anyone could brush it off so easily.


    Adam calmly approached the Mindweaver and sliced through its chaotic tendrils one by one. They fell to the ground, writhing like worms before dissolving into foul liquid.


    The antimage was quickly subdued. Controlling both his maic field and brainwaves, Adam used the antimage''s own body to cast an illusion.


    In a daze, the antimage answered all of Adam''s questions without resistance.


    After getting all the necessary information, Adam had a clearer understanding of what the Mindweaver was. It was a collective consciousness, created by linking multiple brains together.


    The Mindweaver was the central mind, issuingmands that all the Mindlings followed.


    While this concept didn''t seem too special, as Adam could achieve simr coordination using his own avatar magic, the real value was deeper.


    If Adam''s theory was correct, each Mindling was also a Mindweaver. In other words, if the Mindweaver had its own independent consciousness, its power would be multiplied by the number of Mindlings it controlled. And if used just as a spellcasting tool, the support it offered would also scale up with the number of Mindlings.

 Chapter 324 - Ancient Wisdom

    For the first time, Adam saw a glimpse of real brilliance in the magic of the antimages and their ancient spells.


    The Mindweaver magic was essentially a prototype of cloudputing.


    Imagine if every mage could contribute their spareputational power through a chip, forming a connectedwork. Mages who needed more power could "rent" this shared capacity toplete their tasks, paying for the extra resources.


    In such a system, Adam, as the developer, would benefit immensely, while the mages'' lives would bepletely transformed.


    If Adam could understand the essence of the Mindweaver magic and apply it to these chips, it would greatly ease his workload. On top of that, hisb, the All-Adam Laboratory, had a huge need for this type of magic.


    Localizedworks had their limits---but if Adam could fuse his dispersed avatars into a single, more unified virtual "entity," the efficiency of his calctions would skyrocket.


    Adam carefully marked the necromancy school on his map. Since it was part of the trial grounds, it belonged to the Tower for now, meaning he couldn''t im it immediately.


    However, if themand center sent more tasks to this ce or after the trials ended, Adam would be happy to offer a private deal for ess to the data on this collective consciousness and its magic.


    Before leaving, he asked the dazed antimage onest question: "You have such powerful magic, so why are you all still so weak?"


    "Top secret. Any outsider who sees it must die."


    "Ridiculous. Hoarding your treasures like this is pure foolishness."


    SNAP.


    The antimage''s heart and brain exploded under the pressure, ending his life instantly.


    ...


    Two dayster, the ten inds had fully merged into one. A group of level-3 mages arrived to handle the final, routine tasks.


    Working together, they quickly finished the job.


    Leaving one mage behind to oversee the area, Adam and five other level-4 mages returned to the Tower. They traveled using teleportation arrays across various nes under the Tower''s control, selecting creatures as subjects for uing trials.


    This was also Adam''s first time seeing the true <span data-sentryponent="defaultRenderMark" data-sentry-source-file="index.tsx">Fifth Tower.


    It was an enormous, gothic structure floating within the chaotic void, so vast that Adam couldn''t fullyprehend its size.


    Every time he thought he''d reached the edge of his vision, he realized the space stretched even further.


    The spire of the Tower pierced the sky, and he could physically see it break through multipleyers of dimensional membranes.


    Around the Tower, solidified orbs of elemental energy drifted, rising and falling like weights on a cosmic scale, adjusting with every shift of the contents within.


    Countless mage towers, flickering in and out of dimensional folds, orbited the Tower. Each blink of Adam''s eye revealed a different configuration of these towers.


    Without any clear point of reference, it was hard to describe the Tower''s true scale. But when Adam saw that a creature as massive as a Cthulhu-like being appeared as nothing more than a tiny speck orbiting the Tower, he finally began to grasp what rge" really meant.


    After a brief silence, one of the mages sighed and said, "Even though this isn''t my first time seeing the Tower, it never fails to humble me. Every time I look at it, I''m reminded of just how small I truly am. The knowledge and power I hold barely scratch the surface, and it''s hard to feel pride in it when faced with this."


    Thews governing this ce werepletely different from the outside world. While Adam could still manipte magical and mental energy, he quickly realized that he couldn''t gather elements or manipte space.


    The nearby mage, noticing Adam''s attempts, chuckled and said, "Don''t waste your energy. The rules here were set by His Holiness Mayer. Without His permission, no magic works. Just wait a moment. We''ve already submitted the request, and soon, elemental spirits will guide us to the different nes."


    ...


    "I like the way you SMELL," a light elemental spirit said as she floated up to Adam, extending a delicate hand.


    The elemental spirits in the Tower were very different from the ones Adam had encountered near Sandy. If it weren''t for their strong elemental energy, they could easily be mistaken for humans.


    Adam also noticed that these spirits had much higher intelligence than the simple conjured versions he was used to.


    Because Adam had control over electromaic waves---and light is a form of electromaic radiation---it made sense that the light spirit feltfortable around him.


    Although light elementals and visible light were different, they shared a fundamental connection. This likely exined her reaction.


    Adam shook her hand, and in a sh of light, he found himself on the Cthulhu ne. The light elemental spirit yfully tickled his palm before leaving with a smile.


    The Cthulhu ne had been turned into a massive mining site. Elemental spirits supervised radioactive creatures that were mining surface ores, while alchemical golems drilled deep below ground, working tirelessly.


    There were many radioactive creatures, categorized by their levels. Adam''s task was to select several vtile level-1 creatures, those on the verge of advancing, and particrly healthy and aggressive. He also needed to choose a few level-2 creatures to act as their leaders.


    Following Prisci''s instructions, the exact number of creatures wasn''t important, but they had to be strong enough to pose a real challenge to the apprentices.


    Adam carefully picked over five thousand level-1 radioactive creatures and fifty level-2 ones before leaving the Tower and returning to the trial grounds.


    Although Adam thought his selection was significant, he was surprised to find the other mages had brought even more creatures from various nes. They seemed to enjoyparing their choices, debating how many apprentices would survive the ordeal.


    Hearing their conversations, Adam couldn''t help feeling some pity for the apprentices. If the mages truly followed through with their ns, only the most elite would make it out alive.


    ...


    In Prisci''s office at the Fifth Tower...


    "So, you really killed all of them?" Prisci looked mildly exasperated as she nced at the small cage Adam had brought back. Inside were just two or three antimages---an embarrassingly small numberpared to the others.


    While the other mages had been ruthless as well, they hadn''t been as blunt as Adam in baiting the antimages into fatal mistakes. As a result, their cages were still packed with captured antimages.


    Adam nodded, confused. "Why is the trial system still like this? Wouldn''t it be more meaningful for the apprentices to fight extradimensional creatures instead of the same old antimages?"


    "Because antimages are cheaper," the transdimensional mage replied. "And they serve as the Mage World''s dumping ground. All criminals from the ordinary poption are sent to the antimage inds, where they live out the rest of their lives. Harvesting them every so often helps maintain order. It''s efficient."


    She gave this official-sounding exnation before shifting her tone. "But the real reason is that the trial system was created by the Mage Council, and it was approved by Archmage Laura from the Third Tower. No one can change it without her consent."

 Chapter 325 - The M Programming Language

    Eliott burst out of his room, knocking on his friends'' doors. "Wake up! Wake up! Today is the start of the trials. Don''t sleep anymore!"


    His friends quickly gathered and headed to Victor''s spot before teleporting into the Tower.


    Among the Rex Consortium, the Mordo Academy had the most participants and the best chance of sess.


    In the crowd, Crystal whispered to Eliott, "Is Adam really one of the examiners this time?"


    Ophelia, with her keen ears, perked up at the mention of Adam. She patted Dark Cloud''s back a bit harder.


    Although she looked mostly the same, Dark Cloud had changed a lot. His horn shone like ck obsidian, and his dark wings were folded quietly. Every breath he took radiated energy.


    Eliott replied, "He told me he is, but we probably won''t see him during the trials. Asking him for help is impossible."


    Crystal smiled softly---this once-resilient girl now had an unusual charm, a confidence that lit her up. "No need for help. I will definitely be a battlemage!"


    Korver stepped forward, saying, "There are way more apprentices than we thought---almost thirty thousand. The teleportation seems random. Once wend, we must regroup quickly. I wish we could carrymunicators."


    Eliott smiled mysteriously and handed each of his friends a piece of paper. "Here, take this and keep it safe. We''ll build this magic right after wend."


    "What is this?" they asked.


    "It''s a simplified version of amunicator. Adam only gave it to me because of our past friendship. Once we build it, we can contact each other."


    ...


    Even though Adam was one of the examiners, he couldn''t help them much. Giving them amunication array was already bending the rules; it was the most he could do for his old friends.


    He had no interest in following them to the trial site. After talking with Prisci, he left an avatar at themand center to handle any issues that mighte up, then returned to hisb.


    He had chosen C and C++ as temtes for his trantion work, and it was mostlyplete.


    However, there was a tricky problem: the information content of each rune was toorge after trantion. Adam needed to either break down the runes or create a programmingnguage suitable for the Mage World based on them.


    The second option was the best. It was intuitive and effective, with great potential for growth.


    Once rune programming matured, the Mage World might see a new wave of programmers.


    Despite its dullness, programming could be very interesting and rewarding.


    Adam named the programmingnguage he wanted to create the M Programming Language, with "M" standing for magic.


    He gathered most of his avatars to establish tasks, aiming to form the basicponents of thenguage in rune form, including data types, constants, variables, arrays, pointers, strings, and operations.


    This work was tedious but not too hard. Regardless of the form, a programmingnguage was essentially mathematics---something universal across both worlds.


    Adam hadn''t found any differences yet; "1+1=2" was true on Earth and in the Mage World, showing a solid mathematical foundation that might bend but wouldn''t break.


    Days passed as Adam remained in hisb, tirelessly solving issues with avatar uploads.


    After half a month, he sessfully created the first version. It wasn''t perfect and had many issues, but it was enough for some experiments.


    ...


    "Pass your me," Adam said to a bewildered Garfield.


    "Pass... pass the me? Why so suddenly?" Garfield stammered, noticing hundreds of expressionless avatars staring at him, sensing something was off.


    "Sudden? Ordinary Titans start passing their me after reaching level four. You''re stronger than most level four Titans; it''s time for you," Adam replied casually.


    "But I''m still a child! I''m not ready to be a father!" Garfield protested, desperately searching for excuses.


    Adam fiddled with a special alloy made by an alchemist in Titania, infused with electromaic equations. "First, you''re my test subject; I can''t guarantee sess, and you may not remain yourself afterward. Second, pass the me now."


    Garfield realized he couldn''t escape this. It was better for the ''child'' to be harmed than for him to perish. So he stopped arguing, painfully opening his chest to take out the Original mes.


    Passing the me was a process of self-division and erasure. Titans would split part of their true self and instinctively cancel the divided will. They retained only the basic inheritance, leaving out any memories, ensuring the new Titan was a new life, not a copy.


    The process was agonizing, more painful than childbirth, as it came directly from the soul with no way to lessen it. On a pain scale, it exceeded level ten.


    An hourter, one-third of the Original mes began to detach. Garfield trembled violently, his solid body showing cracks. After two hours, it fully separated. He used hisst bit of consciousness to erase his own will, copsing to the ground, unable to move or even scream.


    The waiting avatars started feeding his Vital Generator with high-quality ether crystals, pure energy that Adam consideredpensation.


    Meanwhile, Adam cradled the me and the electromaic metal, entering the closedboratory toplete the next steps alone.


    Adam transformed into his me form, directly intervening in the evolution of the young fire before him. He kept its data cluster shape intact but prevented any inheritance data from forming.


    Then, he manipted his me to send out a chain into the fire, beginning the first programming of the M Programming Language.

 Chapter 326 - The Electromagnetic Robot

    During his work with Ayesha in Titania on the regression model, Adam had discovered that the essence of the Original mes was a series of data chains. A Titan''s personality, abilities, and evolutionary path were all encoded within these chains.


    By blocking the formation of inheritance data, Adam effectively stopped the birth of a fully realized Titan. He didn''t destroy the Original mes but halted its potential to be a true life form.


    What Adam needed now was a robot---newly assembled and fully functional.


    The magic of the Original mesy in their ability to create metal life forms as long as there was enough energy and metal avable. Even without any "programming," the mes could still produce a metal organism.


    Adam dropped the me into the electromaic metal, which melted and liquefied under its influence.


    With Adam controlling the process, a special Vital Generator and aplete body were constructed.


    Two hourster, the robot was fully formed.


    The electromaic robot stood as tall as Adam, though its weight was massive. Its blue-white surface, made from active metal, had a texture that looked almost like skin.


    In theory, the electromaic robot was already a living being, but practically, it was like a vegetable. Without a written program, it would simply stand still, without movement or thought.


    Adam opened the robot''s chest cavity and guided his me into its core, starting the first programming session using the M Programming Language.


    Thanks to the natural advantages of Titan life forms, their bodies came with various structures that most robots either had or needed. These were already present in the robot''s design, requiring no additionalponents.


    Adam''s task was simply to write an operating system to rece the soul and bring the body to life.


    The operating system''s temte was Turing OS, which had been upgraded to version 5.0 by the time the supeputer "Adam" was created.


    This system included advanced features like a cognitive enhancement engine, emotional calction engine, and self-learning capabilities.


    These functions made robots more human-like in their behavior. It had advanced movement control, visual recognition, andnguage interaction that could mimic human actions perfectly.


    Adam had the source code for this system, and converting it into the M Programming Language was fairly straightforward.


    Three hourster, the operating system was sessfully written into the Original mes.


    The electromaic robot made a series of joint-cracking noises as mes flickered in its eyes. It opened its mouth and spoke in a cold, mechanical voice, "Electromaic Robot Unit Zero, beginning first self-check."


    "Logical thinking: good."


    "Language function: excellent."


    The robot began walking around theb, performing movements a humanoid could, and reported, "Movement control: excellent."


    "Spatial awareness: excellent."


    "Visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile senses: sessfully integrated."


    "Power system: excellent."


    The robotpleted the series of self-checks on its own, without needing Adam to give further instructions.


    After the mechanical voice stopped, Adam asked, "Who are you?"


    "Electromaic Robot Unit Zero."


    "What is 324 multiplied by 455?"


    "147,420."


    For questions with clear, factual answers, the robot didn''t need to think---it responded instantly.


    When Adam asked the robot to create a poem about electricity, its eyes flickered as its logic circuits scrambled to find an answer.


    After several seconds, it still couldn''t produce a poem. Instead, its logic conflicted so severely that it nearly crashed.


    "Unable to find an answer. Rechecking," the robot responded.


    Adam ordered it to stop. It was clear that the operating system couldn''t function as a true soul.


    While the robot''sputational power was impressive, itcked real intelligence. It was excellent for executing tasks, but in areas requiring creativity or abstract thought, its value to Adam was limited.


    Even so, the test results for the M Programming Language were promising. It had shown true programming capability, proving that Adam''s research was headed in the right direction.


    Now, he just needed his avatars to continue refining and tranting the M Programming Language, making it more robust andplete.


    Though the experiment with the electromaic robot had concluded, Adam wasn''t done with it.


    The robot was far from weak. The electromaic metal could channel most of Adam''s abilities.


    By inscribing magic runes---converted into the M Programming Language---onto its Vital Generator and body, and integratingbat and magic-casting functions into its operating system, the robot could be transformed into a formidable warrior.


    It didn''t fear death, feel pain, or get distracted, making it a relentless executor of objectives. A robot with these qualities was an ideal servant.


    Without dy, Adam upgraded its Vital Generator by two levels, ensuring sustained power output at a level-three standard, with bursts of strengthparable to an ordinary level-four mage.


    He then infused much of his magic into the robot.


    Soon, abat robot capable of standing between level-three and level-four was born.


    Despite how powerful this seemed, mass-producing such robots had limited practical value.


    A level-four elemental mage like Sandy could easily summon countless elemental creatures of simr strength, and at a far lower cost. From an efficiency standpoint, they far surpassed robots.


    Yet, Adam wasn''t discouraged. This was only the first version. He was confident that further development would lead to more advanced and efficient robots.


    Adam recalled his time in Titania, where he had broken down his mithril body and used countless tiny avatars to control metal on a smaller scale, helping Lord Svorsi heal.


    He believed that, in the future, he could take this concept even further and create true nanorobots.


    These machines could manipte matter at the nano or even smaller scales, using electromaic forces to transform both biological and non-biological entities in remarkable ways.


    Adam didn''t think that day was far off. He still remembered the metal tide he had seen at Karachi Port, and the advanced alchemical golems produced by the Seventh Tower, whose intelligence matched that of the Electromaic Robot.


    If he became a transdimensional mage---or at least elevated his authority before transcending---he could ess ssified knowledge in these fields.


    Combining these technologies would elerate his research greatly.


    Shaking off these thoughts, Adam left theb with the robot.


    Garfield, still groaning on the ground as the avatars continuously pumped ether crystals into him, was recovering his lost soul and energy.


    When he saw the Electromaic Robot, Garfield sprang to his feet and rushed over, eximing, "Are you my child? I''m your father, little one!"


    Adam ignored him and approached one of his avatars to upload the data from the experiment. Just then, hismunicator connected, and a voice came through.


    "Mage Adam, this is the Trial Command Center. We have a situation that requires your attention."

 Chapter 327 - Bloodseekers

    ording to what Prisci said, Adam''s role in the trials was mainly as a powerful enforcer. He needed to step in to handle emergencies when necessary.


    The trial area was massive, with unexpected incidents happening frequently.


    Whenever themand center encountered a problem too difficult for the apprentices to manage, they called on level-four mages like Adam to intervene.


    "On Inds No. 3 and 4, the antimages has found a way to enhance Abyssal creatures. Over 20,000 abyssal bloodseekers in that area have grown stronger, increasing by one level. Numerous level-three bloodseekers have appeared, far beyond what the apprentices can handle. We need you and several other level-four mages to eliminate them as quickly as possible," a level-two mage urgently exined through Adam''smunicator. "There are nearly three thousand apprentices in the region, and they are in serious danger. Please move at once."


    "I understand. I''m on my way." Ending themunication, Adam reviewed what he knew about the bloodseekers.


    Bloodseekers were humanoid creatures from an abyssal ne, though their origins were unclear.


    Mages believed them to be a hybrid between demons and beast races. They lived off the blood of other creatures, and they were extremely aggressive.


    They were considered one of the most dangerous abyssal species.


    Their weaknesses were well known---they had almost no resistance to elemental magic, especially water magic.


    A simple evaporation spell could dry outrge numbers of bloodseekers at the same level. Normally, they posed no major threat to mages unless...


    ...


    "Damn it! The antimages have strengthened the bloodseekers! They''ve increased their elemental resistance and added bizarre abilities to them. Water magic barely affects them now!" an apprentice shouted in frustration, shattering the activation crystal on his chest.


    Etheric light enveloped him as he ascended into the ranks of a full-fledged mage.


    He cast a fire rain spell on a swarm of level-one bloodseekers charging at him, their limbs wing frantically at the ground.


    The bloodseekers shrieked in pain as they burned, but even as their flesh sizzled and emitted the smell of cooked meat, they didn''t retreat. Instead, they charged forward with even more aggression.


    Crystal hovered mid-air, her expression sharp. She whispered, "Wind and Frog!"


    Instantly, a thick mist spread out, filled with fine wind des and spinning vortexes like sharp knives. The bloodseekers'' vision was momentarily blocked.


    Eliott quickly rummaged through his pack, pulling out five colorful bottles and tossing them forward. As they shattered, rune formations appeared, spreading toxic gas that moved not with the wind but within it, covering a wide area.


    With their vision obscured, the group picked up their pace, knowing they couldn''t face the bloodseekers head-on.


    The creatures were too numerous and utterly fearless. If the group got caught, even more bloodseekers would swarm them. They had already seen several new mages fall to such ambushes.


    Theirbined magic had slowed the bloodseekers'' advance, but no one dared rx.


    "That''s the Bloodthirst ability. Within its range, no living creature can escape their detection!" Crystal warned, her voice tense.


    "Suppress your blood smell as much as possible! If we don''t, they''ll never stop hunting us!" Ophelia urged, riding atop Dark Cloud. She cast a concealment spell while shouting instructions to herpanions.


    Everyone knew Ophelia was right, but most elemental magescked the ability to conceal their blood smell. They could hide their magical energy, but masking their blood was beyond their skill.


    Crystal bit her lip. "I''ll hold them off. You go ahead and find help. The higher-level mages should arrive soon to handle this."


    The newly ascended fire mage hesitated, his expression torn. Finally, he stood beside Crystal. "Go! If none of us stay behind, none of us will make it out."


    Eliott, drenched in sweat, frantically tossed materials into the Alchemic Array in his hands. He nced up, his voice urgent. "We don''t need a rearguard! Just give me two minutes! I can mask our blood smell!"


    Ophelia summoned a knight''snce, her blood smell ring as it merged with her magic.


    A crimson-gold light shed around her, and Dark Cloud turned mid-air, carrying her toward the bloodseekers.


    "Ophelia! What are you doing?" Crystal shouted after her.


    Without turning, Ophelia called back, "These two minutes are mine to handle!"


    Her speed increased as she charged forward,nce aimed at the bloodseekers. In the mist ahead, blood sprayed, and the creatures'' howls filled the air.


    The group watched anxiously, unable to help. They knew that trying to assist without masking their blood smell would only make them targets. Until Eliott finished, they were stuck waiting.


    Eliott''s hands moved rapidly, his alchemical skills steady despite the pressure. Normally, alchemy required calm conditions to measure ingredients with precision, but the urgency pushed him to his limits.


    The two minutes felt like an eternity. The group stood guard, ready to fend off any stray bloodseekers that might break through from another direction.


    Fueled by desperation, Eliottpleted his potion twenty seconds ahead of schedule.


    As alchemical light glowed around them, he gathered the deep green liquid into small orbs and passed them out.


    After quickly drinking his own, he said, "This is a weakening potion. Drink it now, and I''ll give you the antidote once we''re safe." He then activated amunication spell and called out to Ophelia, "It''s done! Come back!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in another part of the trial zone, themand center was briefing Adam''s avatar.


    "Mage Adam, this is the situation," a level-two mage exined. "This intel came from several apprentices. They''re safe for now but won''tst much longer. There are many others in the surrounding areas, and the death toll is rising rapidly."


    Unaware that he was speaking to Adam''s avatar and not Adam himself, the mage assumed the energy radiating from the creation confirmed Adam''s presence.


    Adam, directing his focus through the avatar, began programming the Electromaic Robot.


    He inputted enemy and ally data, set mission objectives, and provided specificmands.


    Once the robot''s Vital Generator had absorbed enough energy, it distorted the space around it and stepped directly into the danger zone.


    Although Adam''s true body remained in the Tower''sboratory, he saw this as the perfect opportunity to test the robot''sbat abilities.


    He monitored its performance remotely, gathering valuable data as the robot carried out its mission.


    "Hostile targets detected," the robot''s radar picked up the bloodseekers, red dots flooding its vision. "Large numbers of low-level individuals. Beginning extermination."

 Chapter 328 - News from the Consortium

    Adam had equipped the Electromaic Robot with several advanced types of visual magic for its eyes: radar, thermal imaging, enhanced motion tracking, energy detection, magnification, and wide-area sight.


    Within the robot''s scanning range, nothing could hide from it unless it was on a higher level than the robot.


    The robot targeted thergest cluster of bloodseekers. These creatures used the smell of blood to sense their enemies. And they werepletely unaware of the robot''s presence.


    The robot''s logic was simple: there were only two kinds of targets---those that needed rescuing and those that needed to be destroyed. After scanning the area and finding no one who needed saving, it immediately started its destruction mission.


    The robot''s Vital Generator kicked into high gear, converting ether crystals into magic power that surged through energy circuits embedded in its frame.


    In a sh, the robot transformed, growing to a towering height of ten meters. Cold gun barrels emerged from its body, radiating intense heat.


    It unleashed zing sma shots, each one calcted with precision to minimize waste. The bloodseekers were eliminated with zero coteral damage to the surrounding environment.


    After the first attack, the bloodseekers werepletely wiped out. The robot''s cooling system then activated, using liquid nitrogen to quickly drop the temperature of its overheated body back to normal.


    At -196¡ãC, the robot cooled rapidly and was ready for more action.


    Without needing rest, the robot continued its mission, eliminating more groups of bloodseekers and rescuing a few trapped apprentices along the way. Before long, it arrived at the area where Eliott and the others were hiding.


    ...


    "Damn it! More bloodseekers keep showing up!" Eliott muttered anxiously. He was inside a small space they had carved out with earth magic in the cracks of a mountain.


    The Weakening Potion wasn''t a boosting potion---it was actually toxic. If the poison wasn''t neutralized in time, it would cause rapid aging and drain the user''s vitality.


    Even now, the situation was grim for the group. These apprentices, already physically weak, had aged years in just a short time. Their hair had turned white, their skin wrinkled, and their heartbeats were faint.


    If things kept going this way, they might die from the poison before the bloodseekers even reached them.


    But they had no choice but to hold on. The bloodseekers were tracking them, and their numbers were growing. If anyone took the antidote or broke the seal to use their magic power, it would be a death sentence. There were thousands of monsters outside, and they had no chance against them.


    Crystal, a pure elemental mage, had already copsed. She curled up into a ball, shivering from a deep, soul-crushing cold. Watching herself age so quickly terrified her.


    "Just hold on a little longer," she rasped to Eliott, her voice dry and strained. "Maybe we''ve got half an hour left. If no one saves us by then, we''ll have no choice but to go down fighting."


    Of the group, only Ophelia was still unaffected. She leaned against the resting Dark Cloud, with every nerve in her body twitching slightly.


    She used this to rece her heartbeat, keeping herself alive. In this heightened state, her mind stayed sharp, and her senses stretched far beyond their usual limits.


    Suddenly, Ophelia sensed a surge of powerful energy heading their way, along with the unmistakable scent of blood from dozens of nearby people.


    She immediately stood up, dropping her concealment spells. To her shockedpanions, she announced, "Take the antidote now! Support from the mages has arrived!"


    Eliott, struggling to down the potion, quickly moved to help hispanions drink theirs as well.


    Once done, he ripped off his activation seal crystal and crushed it in his hand. "I''ve had enough of this!" he growled. "I''m going to teach those monsters a lesson myself!"


    As soon as they took the antidote, their bodies grew younger and regained strength.


    Together, they shattered their seals, and five beams of ether light shot down from the sky.


    The group of apprentices were transformed into full-fledged mages in an instant.


    Ophelia''snce curved dramatically before snapping back, shattering arge chunk of the mountain. She charged out first.


    "Wait... is that Adam''s magic?!" Eliott eximed in shock.


    When they emerged from the cave, the first sight was an overwhelming storm of iron sand swords raining down from the sky.


    Bloodseekers hit by the swords were instantly turned into bloody mist.


    Then, the entire area was enveloped by a maic field, and terrifying illusions flooded the minds of the confused bloodseekers. They began attacking one another, unable to tell friend from foe.


    Eliott recognized the signature spells immediately. He had seen Adam use it countless times at the academy. There was no mistaking it.


    "Adam! Adam!" Eliott shouted as he flew into the air. Poisonous gases seeped from his body, forming monstrous shapes that attacked the bloodseekers. He felt a sense of relief---if Adam was here, everything would be fine.


    But despite his calls, there was no response. One of the apprentices, looking slightly exhausted, flew down and said, "That mage hasn''t spoken to anyone. Do you know him? Don''t bother---just wait quietly."


    Eliottnded in disbelief. Looking carefully at the sky, he realized it wasn''t Adam himself. Feeling a bit disappointed, he muttered to Crystal, "Looks like it''s just one of his avatars. I thought it was his true form."


    "Just an avatar... and it''s THIS powerful?" Crystal replied, amazed.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Adam monitored the scene remotely. He recognized his old acquaintances but had no intention of reaching out.


    By now, half of the bloodseekers had been wiped out. A new order came from themand center: stop killing regr bloodseekers and focus on eliminating the higher-level, level-three ones.


    After adjusting the mission, Adam turned his attention to the valuable data collected from the battle.


    The robot still had trouble distinguishing between friendly and enemy forces, something that needed improvement. Its rigid, logical thinking also made itsbat style too predictable and left it vulnerable to unnecessary risks.


    Adam thought about adding an emotional simtion module to make its decision-making more flexible.


    The Electromaic Robot project had great potential. With better logic processing and energy recovery systems, its power could exceed that of traditional elemental summons of the same level.


    Additionally, he envisioned programming it with extra functions---like environmental analysis, data collection, and sample extraction---so it could act as a top-tier scout.


    He carefully noted all these ideas, ready to implement them after the mission.


    Just then, hismunicator shed. Someone from Mordo was requesting a connection.


    "About the newmunicator," the voice said. "If you''re avable, we hope you cane to the consortium for negotiations in person."


    I have this feeling that the robot will eventually be an AI.

 Chapter 329 - Cashing Out Shares

    The Rex Consortium was efficient, but Adam didn''t expect any good news.


    Even though Mordo had asked him toe in person, Adam figured it was just to tell him the negotiations had fallen through.


    When he got to the factory, Victor was waiting outside again. The look on Victor''s face told Adam everything he needed to know.


    Victor seemed a bit down. "I''m sorry, Adam. A few of the other Towers in the consortium aren''t excited about the new project you suggested. But honestly, that''s not the biggest issue."


    As they walked inside, Adam kept things light. "I had a feeling. So, is this your way of telling me I''m out?"


    "It''s not like that," Victor quickly replied. "No one''s kicking you out if you still want in. But the contract and shares need to be discussed again. The Tower Master and the other transdimensional mage reps are inside. I won''t be joining you."


    Victor felt awkward. The consortium''s profit-driven approach embarrassed him, and he couldn''t face Adam anymore.


    Inside the room, a conference table sat in the middle. Mordo was at the head, looking stone-faced.


    Six Master Mages were with her, and Adam recognized one of them---Andre, the head of Rex Mage Academy from back when Adam was an apprentice.


    As soon as Adam entered, they stood up to greet him, but Mordo cut them off.


    "Let''s skip the formalities. Just tell Adam your decision so we don''t waste time," she said bluntly, clearly unhappy with the consortium''s direction.


    The others shared uneasy nces.


    Andre was the first to speak. "Adam, the contract you signed with Mordo''s Tower and the Rex Consortium, covering civilian electricity production, and the research, manufacturing, and sales ofmunicators, is about to end. We''d like to sign a new agreement and adjust the share split."


    Civilian electricity, once dismissed by everyone, had turned out to be much more profitable thanmunicators---by a huge margin.


    On Earth, Nik Te gave up his patents on alternating current, offering them freely to the world. But in the Mage World, Adam wasn''t so generous. He held patents for everything electricity-rted. He not only owned shares in all the powerpanies but also earned a patent fee for every unit of electricity sold.


    If it weren''t for the alternative energy sources in the Mage World, Adam might already be the wealthiest mage around.


    After hearing Andre, Adam asked, "I''d like to hear what the consortium is proposing."


    "We have a n," Andre began, but Mordo let out a heavy sigh, cutting him off. Ignoring her, he continued, "Regarding civilian electricity, we''re offering to cash out your shares. This would mean you''d no longer be involved with the power nts orpanies. However, we would continue paying you the patent fees. The Tower guarantees this, and no one would go against it."


    Adam understood their position. The profits were undeniable, but while the consortium had handled building factories, promotion, and sales, Adam''srge shareholding felt like a weight on them. To them, it seemed like he was collecting rewards without doing much.


    Adam didn''t feel the need to act out of pride. Letting go of his shares in the power nts, or at least not holding shares in future ones, was inevitable. The patent fees alone would bring him more wealth than he needed, and there was no point in being overly greedy.


    All electricity-rted patents were still exclusively licensed to him, so he''d continue collecting patent fees across the Mage World. Besides, if his atomic energy research made a breakthrough, current power nts might be obsolete before they reached their full potential.


    Just as he was about to agree, Mordo cut in coldly, "In my personal power nts, Adam''s shares will stay."


    Andre sighed and responded, "That''s your right." He then turned to Adam and asked, "Do you have any objections, Adam?"


    "I agree," Adam said, "but on one condition---my shares must be cashed out at the highest market value to date."


    Andre nodded quickly. "Of course. Now, onto the second issue--municators. The consortium feels the current models are more than enough for daily use. We don''t see the need for a major upgrade. We reviewed your proposal and, frankly, think it won''t be widely epted. Mages are unlikely to embrace something that invades their souls and bodies. We hope you''ll reconsider."


    When Adam didn''t respond, Andre added a sweetener. "The Rex Consortium has already secured cooperation with several Towers'' trading partners. If you agree, you''ll keep your leadership position, but your shares will need to be diluted."


    "No need," Adam replied. "Cash out my shares here as well. Once the contract ends, I''ll withdraw from this industry."


    Adam had already made up his mind. Once the M Programming Language wasplete, personal chips would soon follow. If the features he imagined---especially in big data and cloudputing---came to life, currentmunicators would be outdated.


    As for whether mages would embrace this new tech, Adam was confident. The Tower and Mage Council would support it once they saw the benefits. They might add rules to limit developers'' control, but Adam wasn''t aiming to dominate with this technology---he just wanted to push progress forward.


    ...


    The meeting wrapped up. Adam noticed Mordo seemingly wanted to say something, but in the end, she kept quiet.


    Adam didn''t say anything else either. As long as the contract terms weren''t vited, he could ept the oue. The consortium had invested a lot, but they''d made huge gains too. Whether the contract would be renewed after it expired was up to both sides, and there was no reason to force things.


    As for the shares Mordo chose to keep, Adam was confident they''d yield great returns in the future.


    After leaving the factory, Adam returned to hisb to focus onpleting the M Programming Language, which had be his top priority. Once thenguage was done, creating the operating system would be simple.


    A monthter, the M Programming Language was nearly finished, and more good news arrived from Trials of War. Aspensation for his help, Prisci had given him the methods and ancient magic used to build the Mindweaver, free of charge.


    Rex Consortium just let go of a huge cash cow.

 Chapter 330 - Chip Prototype

    The results from Trials of War were great---everyone Adam knew passed without any issues.


    Eliott quickly sent Adam a short message with the good news, and then he rushed off to join the Sixth Tower of Pharmacy.


    Ophelia went to the Fourth Tower of Body-refining, while Crystal stayed at the Fifth Tower. She chose to be an Explorer and soon set off on her first mission.


    Before she left, Adam shared his best advice with her, which could be summed up in one word: boldness.


    Once Adam received the entire Mindweaver package, he shut himself in hisb, cutting off allmunication to focuspletely on his research.


    Mindweaver was a parallel brainwork, primarily based on magi-bioengineering, with minimal reliance on spell systems. This made it much easier for Adam to analyze and break it down.


    He quickly created a set of nk avatars and connected them using a special construction method. When his consciousness entered thework, the individual brain domains merged and were absorbed into the collective Mindweaver.


    After activating the incantation, each brain entity started uploading itsputing power to Mindweaver. A mysterious force within each Mindling was triggered, gathering at the Mindweaver before being redistributed, forming a special field around each member of thework.


    Adam divided hisputing power across thework and assigned a simple task. As expected, the efficiency increased dramatically.


    If he fully implemented this brain union in hisb, Adam would only need to issuemands to thework''s next level, and tasks would be automatically delegated andpleted.


    This would save him the time and effort usually spent on managing data flow and processing.


    After running several tests, Adam realized that the Mindweaver system resembled the Google Brain and artificial neuralworks he knew from Earth.


    Essentially, it was arge-scale parallel processingwork. The use of magic solved themon problem with such systems: if the scale was too small, it wasn''t efficient; but if it grew toorge, it became difficult to manage theputing load.


    With this insight, Adam fully unlocked the secrets of Mindweaver. He could now extract its algorithms and apply them to his own projects.


    Meanwhile, progress on the operating system was alsoing along smoothly.


    Adam had studied all major and niche operating systems from Earth, drawing special inspiration from the supeputer "Adam". He adapted those concepts to better suit the needs of mages.


    For the first version of his system, Adam kept it simple. Advanced features could be addedter in future updates. His main goal was to get the personal chip working.


    Typically, an operating system needed five core functions: process and processor management, job management, memory management, device management, and file management. For now, Adam could skip device management, but the other four were essential.


    Luckily, there were existing temtes Adam could refer to, which made these functions easier to implement. Using the M Programming Language, he quickly developed the first version of the operating system.


    Adam then extracted a small portion of his Original mes.


    When he had created the Electromaic Robot earlier, the mes had impressed him with their versatility.


    After erasing the robot''s self-awareness, the mes had acted perfectly as a controller, convincing Adam they could rece integrated circuits as the processor for his new chip.


    The key advantage of the Original mes was that, unlike physicalponents, they possessed a unique property: when a mage signed a contract with them, the mes could merge with the mage''s soul.


    This was a game-changer. Mages were naturally wary of foreign objects entering their bodies or souls, but a contract-bound entity they could fully control? That was different. The resistance would likely be far less, as mages trusted contracts deeply.


    The portion of the Original mes Adam separated was a nk te. He erased all the original data and uploaded the operating system he had programmed.


    The mes didn''t need a personality, but they required basic humanputer interaction capabilities.


    To achieve this, Adam developed an acoustic model and a statisticalnguage model. He encoded the Mage World''snguage into the system, using the Hidden Markov Model and algorithms like Baum-Welch and Viterbi for speech recognition and interaction.


    Next, he added a scanning function. Using his own data---such as physical attributes, mental strength, magic power, and spell potency---as a baseline, Adam quantified and standardized a mage''s strength.


    He then uploaded his knowledge into the mes in text form, creating an index. Using Boolean algebra and operations, Adam built a simple search engine.


    To test the system, Adam asked the mes to search for the Thunder Realm rune set. Within moments, the rune set appeared clearly before him.


    With that, the most basic version of the personal chip wasplete. It had all the functions of an ordinarymunicator, but with added features: humanputer interaction,putational assistance, data scanning, and search guidance.


    It was simple but effective. While it might not be groundbreaking for formal mages, its ability to connect torger databases would make it incredibly useful for apprentices.


    Adam sealed the chip in a crystal container, then left hisb. He arranged a meeting with Prisci.


    ...


    "The Original mes are certainly unique," Prisci said after listening to his introduction. "The Seventh Tower just struck a deal with the Titans to use them for poweringrge alchemical weapons. But no one has thought to use them in this way before." She nced at the crystal container. "Does it really work?"


    Adam''s bold ims had piqued her interest but left her skeptical. "Are you sure this is truly revolutionary? You realize the Mage Network is the Mage World''s most guarded asset. Anything tied to it falls under high-level jurisdiction. Connecting to thework isn''t a small matter."


    Adam knew convincing others wouldn''t be easy, but he was prepared for it. He removed the mes from the crystal container and said, "Once you see it in action, I think you''ll understand my confidence."


    Prisci gestured for him to proceed.


    Adam started, "It can assist with calctions. For instance, here." He constructed a simple fireball rune set but intentionally inserted errors and unnecessary runes.

 Chapter 331 - Useful Tools

    "If an apprentice tries to use this rune set for a Fireball spell, they may fail to gather the elements, and they may also cause an explosion and hurt themselves. For an apprentice, that''s a big problem. Without a teacher to guide them, they''ll have to figure it out on their own, which could be costly and waste a lot of time."


    Adam wasn''t interested in teaching a transdimensional mage how to correctly cast a Fireball spell. After exining a few basic points, he gave a voicemand to the me in his hand. "Scan the rune set in front of me, find the mistake, and create the correct model."


    The me glowed softly, capturing the wed rune group and immediately started its calctions.


    Adam deliberately slowed down the process. In front of both him and Prisci, the me systematically removed the mistakes and unnecessary parts of the rune group, showing the correct structure.


    "As long as the spell exists in the database, it can correct and teach like this," Adam said. "Even with the mostplicated beginner meditation techniques. With this tool, apprentices could learn much faster."


    Prisci seemed intrigued. "That''s a useful feature. I know how things are at the academies. Most mages don''t like teaching, and if senior apprentices are left in charge, they could give wrong instructions to the beginners."


    Adam nodded. "If this were a finished product, I''d call it a smart chip. Mages or apprentices could sign a contract with it and merge it with their soul. This would let it work directly in their mind or soul. They''d instantly learn the right way to build rune groups and never forget them. It''s almost like having a second brain. If a mage allowed it, the chip could even help with casting spells."


    "The best part is, it can help those who struggle with spatial imagination to createplex, high-level spell models."


    Prisci didn''t seem too impressed. "Anything else?"


    "It also has a quick search function. When I was on Titania, I saw how they managed information. They ditched paper books and stored everything digitally in a cloud... or what we''d call a database. If we could set up something like that or open part of the Mage Network, it would really help with research."


    "For example," Adam switched the me''s thread and said, "Search for information on electrical magic. Keywords: electromaic, release."


    The me flickered briefly, then a notification sounded. "Five items found with matching keywords. Railgun, sma Cannon---would you like to search further?"


    "Show the Railgun content."


    "Railgun, an electromaic spell. Creator: Mage Adam. Application knowledge as follows, core knowledge as follows, rune group construction as follows, mana consumption as follows..."


    Adam ended the task and gave anothermand. "Search for information on Cthulhu and the Dragon ne."


    The me, as usual,pleted the task perfectly.


    Adam added, "This me holds all the knowledge I currently have, so there''s no need for permission. But if I shared it with others, I''d add a permission system. Users would need the right ess to view certain things. And if they had to pay, it would charge the standard rate."


    Seeing this, Prisci finally smiled. The chip system was indeed practical. The Mage World had been around for hundreds of thousands of years, umting an immense amount of information.


    For any individual or team, sorting through this vast sea of simr materials to find what they needed took too much time and patience. If this chip system became widespread, it would make things much simpler.


    Adam continued, "The chip also has a data-tracking feature. For instance, at the first level, key stats like physical fitness, mental strength, and mana are all set at 100. The chip can monitor changes in real time. And, to skip the formalities..."


    Adam summoned Garfield andmanded the me to scan him. Instantly, it reported the data: 499, 400, 420.


    "It can also scan other individuals'' physical data. The conversion standards are customizable, but I used the simplest method."


    Prisci gave a light p and said, "Adam, I have to admit, your imagination is impressive. A personal chip is a brilliant idea. However, it''s not enough. The features you''ve shown are convenient, but they won''t be enough to convince His Holiness or the Mage Council. The Mage Network is too crucial. Allowing lower-level ess could lead to serious consequences. If the benefits don''t clearly outweigh the risks, they won''t agree."


    "And honestly, it''s not revolutionary enough."


    Adam had anticipated the mages'' concerns, but he hadn''t expected their resistance to be this strong. He knew the current features were more than enough to help apprentices quickly be full-fledged mages. Yet even that wasn''t enough to persuade her.


    In such an advanced world, to create a true breakthrough, he needed to offer something much more profound.


    "Do you understand the importance of data?" Adam stopped showing off his inventions and posed a different kind of question.


    Prisci raised an eyebrow. "Data? Are you talking about experimental data, statistics, or something else?"


    Adam nodded, but then shook his head. "What you mentioned is data, yes, but the concept of data goes much deeper."


    "Oh?"


    "Our war intelligence, the number of mages who ascend each year, the number of mages who die in battle, the time it takes to cast a simple spell like Fireball, the mental and mana costs, the names, attributes, research directions, and even the health status of every mage---all of this is data."


    "Take experimental data alone. I don''t know how many full-fledged mages exist in the Mage World, but I''m sure many of them share the same research focus and have conducted simr experiments. The problems they face in these experiments are often the same. If there were a tform that gathered and summarized the data from these experiments, future researchers could avoid many unnecessary detours, saving both time and resources."


    "And the time and resources saved could then be redirected toward deeper research, leading to even greater advancements."


    Prisci began to picture the potential. Adam was right---these issues were real.


    Countless repetitive experiments were happening all the time, with the same problems arising repeatedly.


    The Mage Network only recorded established knowledge, and because of permission restrictions, it didn''t provide much direct guidance.


    This feels like me presenting my research result to the professors so I can graduate.

 Chapter 332 - The Great Archmage

    Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice echoed through the room, "If such a tform truly existed, it would indeed greatly enhance the efficiency of mages'' research. At that point, the results mages achieve in the same amount of time might very well multiply."


    Before the speaker finished, Prisci jumped to her feet, bowing deeply. "Your Holiness Mayer, to what do I owe this pleasure?"


    Adam, startled, hurried to bow as well.


    "Rx," the Great Archmage smiled. "After all, you''re a genius mage who created an entirely new category of magic. I''m quite interested in your talk of a revolutionary breakthrough. Go on, just pretend I''m not here."


    With that, he casually picked up me, sat down in a corner, and waited for Adam to continue.


    Adam hadn¡¯t expected his ideas to reach the Great Archmage so quickly. But this was a golden opportunity¡ªreporting directly to a key decision-maker was far more advantageous than having his ideas passed along secondhand.


    Taking a deep breath topose himself, Adam continued, "The significance of data goes beyond just research. It can also y a pivotal role in war. The void is vast, with countless nes, but they must have simrities¡ªwhether in speciesposition, power systems, or other factors. If we couldpileplete datasets, we could, through dataparison, find better ways to counteract threats earlier in wars. This would help reduce losses."


    "While I was on Titania, I learned from Transdimensional Mage Arnold of the Seventh Tower, that Mages have enemies. I don¡¯t know who they are or where theye from, but you and the other Master Mages certainly have more information. By converting this knowledge into pure data for analysis, we could likely research the enemies¡¯ weaknesses more thoroughly."


    Neither mage interrupted him. Adam was aware that discussing this topic might be overstepping his boundaries, so he quickly shifted to another subject.


    "In the Mage World, every major ne''s sacrifice produces an ether tide. If we could record data like its duration, expansion range, and energy levels, we could optimize the process of relocating mortals, ensuring we maximize the benefits from this phenomenon."


    "Mages'' spells follow a simr pattern. The same spell, in the hands of different mages, can have varying construction methods¡ªsome more efficient, some less. Others are tailored specifically for the original caster. If we couldpile andpare them, we could standardize these constructions, creating a unified system. The potential benefits would be enormous."


    "Below the transcendent level, a standardized ¡®curriculum¡¯ could save most mages from taking unnecessary detours."


    "When the data bes robust enough, we could even use it to predict the future."


    At this point, Adam¡¯s mind began to wander, thinking about how probability theory, statistics, and fuzzy mathematics could be adapted andbined with big data to perhaps create a spell simr to prophecy.


    The Great Archmage Mayer finally spoke up. "This thing you call a personal chip is indeed quite impressive, and I can see the thought you¡¯ve put into it. But how does it connect with the data you¡¯re talking about?"


    Adam felt a surge of energy. He wasn¡¯t afraid of questions; he feared disinterest. He knew that the more profound the inquiries, the closer they were to eptance.


    "It not only assists users but also serves as the best data collector. Every small action a mage performs with it will be uploaded to a database. This database will categorize and summarize the data using specific algorithms, creating effective storage. When users need it, they can connect and ess the convenience they helped create."


    "So, it¡¯s an essential part of the n?" Prisci asked.


    Adam hesitated, then replied honestly, "Actually, the Mage Network would be the best carrier."


    Prisci firmly interjected, "The Mage Network isn¡¯t feasible for this; it operates strictly by permissions, or there will be serious issues."


    The Great Archmage nodded. "Indeed, changing the Mage Network is challenging. Adam, aside from what you''ve mentioned, what other functions does your personal chip have?"


    Adam quickly caught the nuance in Mayer''s words. He only said it was challenging, unlike Prisci''s outright rejection. This indicated that if the stakes were high enough, even the Mage Network could be altered.


    Adam ced his final, heaviest card on the table. "It has one more function¡ªthe most important one in the entire n, and the reason I believe this product could be revolutionary."


    "I''m listening."


    "Every mage, including myself, doesn¡¯t have theirputational power active all the time. In other words, we aren¡¯t in a state of high-intensity work every moment; much of our lives consist of downtime when ourputational abilities are idle."


    Prisci¡¯s eyes brightened; she seemed to grasp what Adam was about to reveal.


    "Through the personal chip and careful algorithms, I can upload this idleputational power to thework, making it avable¡ªeither for free or for a fee¡ªto mages or projects that need significantputational resources. This way, we can turn unused resources into something valuable without affecting anyone."


    "This method would not only manage the vast data I mentioned but also allow us to tackle problems during data processing using divide-and-conquer algorithms."


    "Mages in need could request cloud-storedputational power anytime, leveraging collective strength to solve individual issues."


    "Furthermore, if this technology develops or gains support from the Mage Network, one day mages might even upload unused mental and magical energy. At that point..."


    Mayer stood up, his eyes deep as the aether void. He interjected, "At that point, the original purpose of the Mage Network would advance significantly, shifting mages from individual evolution to collective evolution, marking a major leap forward."


    "Tell me, what is the name of your n?"


    "Big Data and Cloud Computing."


    Mayer repeated the terms, then suddenly asked, "Have you considered using this n to ascend to the transcendent level? I can apply for a special channel toplete your magical power and the Origin."


    Adam was taken aback, instinctively rejecting the offer. "Sorry, Your Holiness, my foundation is still in electromaic magic. I want to advance through my own research."


    Mayer handed the me back to Adam and said, "Quickly document your n in detail and give it to Prisci. You¡¯re right; this truly is revolutionary and deserves a full meeting of the Mage Council."

 Chapter 333 - Adam Is Busy

    After Mayer left Prisci''s office, he returned to the Tower.


    He gently addressed the void, "What do you think?"


    "It¡¯s indeed an impressive creation; the entire Mage World will benefit."


    "However, there are still issues. Any change to the Mage Network is a significant matter. To achieve what that young mage described, we must rely on the power of the Mage Network, which won''t be easy."


    "Yes, the other old friends should understand and agree, but persuading Laura... that will be very difficult."


    "Indeed, this touches our very foundation."


    The voices continued, alling from the Great Archmages of the Fifth Tower. Although only Mayer had directly intervened, they had all been watching the situation closely.


    Mayer recalled the conversation, strengthening his resolve. "We must try. If it can truly be realized, the benefits would be immense. It means the gap in power below the transcendent level would shrink dramatically."


    "I mean, we created the Mage Network for this, right? If the Mage Network remains unchanged, it loses its meaning of evolution."


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, Adam asked Prisci, "So, His Holiness Mayer agrees with my n, right?"


    Prisci nodded. "It¡¯s clear you impressed His Holiness. Even I can foresee the impact your final two functions will have on the current mage system. You really could change the world."


    Changing the world was certain, Adam was sure. These two areas of research had already significantly affected lives on Earth.


    In the Mage World, the benefits from big data and cloudputing would be even more immediate.


    Adam was confident they could bring about an evolutionary leap and systemic reform¡ªif he could secure the Mage Network.


    If the council approved opening permissions for the Mage Network, the n would be truly perfect.


    But this was no longer something Adam could control; even after confirmation, he wouldn¡¯t hold the reins. Still, he believed the benefits he would receive as the initiator would be substantial. Not to mention what the Great Archmage had just said...


    "What does ''special channel'' mean?" Adam inquired.


    "It¡¯s like a talent cultivation program. Some mages progress slowly in knowledge that can be directly transformed into power but excel in other areas, much like your proposed n. If such mages reach level four but can''t be transcendent, the Tower will assist them in ascending. The benefit is this; the downside is that mages who ascend this way oftenck true spiritual depth, remaining at level five for life. Your choice is wise; your unique electromaic magic has great potential and doesn¡¯t need this method to advance."


    Adam understood. This method of directly infusing energy might elevate levels, but the essence of the soul remained stagnant, akin to a false state.


    Prisci continued, "If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go back now. Please submit the proposal as soon as possible; I¡¯m eager to see the final results."


    ¡­


    Adam was incredibly busy¡ªoverwhelmed, really.


    The personal chip project was nearingunch, with all preliminary preparations nearlyplete. Besides finalizing the proposal, he also needed to quickly create a series of prototypes to make the project more convincing.


    His own research was pressing, too. He had several ssic physics experiments to validate in the ether environment to support his foundational advancements.


    Additionally, he still hadn¡¯t reported to the Atomic Energy Research Institute, which was crucial.


    The personal chip could promote collective evolution, and at the same time, a breakthrough in atomic energy could lead to a significant boost in the power of Master Mages.


    For the first time, Adam felt stretched thin in the Mage World, wishing he could send out avatars to handle these tasks. Unfortunately, each one required his physical presence.


    The me he modified had be a versatile tool for apprentice mages, able to assist in any path they chose. Adam believed it would be a best-seller¡ªafter all, the number of apprentices in the Mage World was nearly limitless.


    A dayter, he submitted theplete proposal along with me to Prisci, then headed to the Tower''s teleportation hall.


    He was on his way to the Seventh Tower to discuss coboration with the Titans.


    mes were the ideal vessel since the personal chip needed it to establish contracts, making the Titans'' attitude crucial.


    The distance between the Fifth Tower and the Seventh Tower was immense. Without a teleportation array, it would take Adam over a decade to reach it.


    The environments of the two Towers were vastly different. The Fifth Tower retained argely naturalndscape, while the Seventh Tower appeared modern and advanced. This sudden shift was fascinating.


    In the Mage Network, a mage''s permissions acted as the best pass.


    Though in a strange setting, Adam faced no inquiries. His ess request was quickly approved.


    He was guided by an alchemical golem, nearly human in appearance. After several teleportations, he reached the new Titania, which was still not open to the public.


    ¡­


    Unlike Cthulhu, the new Titania did not rely on the Tower; it operated within the Mage World¡¯s orbit. This marked a distinction between allied races and those enved.


    It was vast,parable in size to the original Titania. Contrary to Adam''s expectations of a destendscape, the facilities here were well-developed.


    Mages had thoughtfully constructed the ne in advance for the Titans, making it nearly ready for immediate habitation.


    Lord Svorsi weed Adam, his tone filled with satisfaction and gratitude. "This ce is wonderful. We all love it here. Without enemies seeking our destruction, we no longer worry about our race''s survival. The ne is filled with high-energy touches we never imagined we could have. Our lives now are a peace we had never dreamed of."


    So d that the Titans are living a better life now.

 Chapter 334 - Ideas

    In the Titans'' new realm, there was a hint of the Heart of the Mage World, but it wasn¡¯t real; it was more like a reflection. The mages had cleverly figured out how to let this sub-ne share energy with the main ne.


    Adam realized the mages really could create worlds. They probably had some temtes to help them shape environments as needed.


    ¡°All of this is thanks to you, especially you, Adam, my friend. Without your help, there would be no Titan in the ether void now,¡± said Lord Svorsi, crouching down to invite Adam to stand on his shoulder.


    ¡°What are the final terms of the pact? What do you need to do?¡± Adam asked.


    Lord Svorsi flew smoothly through the air, carrying Adam toward the new Royal City. ¡°First, we must fully participate inrge-scale wars with the mages. After a while, once we adjust to our new lives, we will open this ne to the mages. When that happens, some mages wille here, and any Titan who wishes can form pacts with them. They can create partnerships to live and fight together. This is a good thing; we¡¯ll see a bigger world and greater powers. We are warriors, and warriors should fight. If we stay in peace for too long, the neers will lose their drive, and we¡¯ll be rusty.¡±


    Lord Svorsi spoke eagerly. ¡°The Titans look forward to that day. It will be an honor to fight alongside the mages.¡±


    Adam paused for a moment and said, ¡°My reason foring today is about that too.¡±


    Lord Svorsi, curious, asked, ¡°Do you want to recruit a partner? Any Titan can join, except Lord Veigar. I¡¯d also be willing to form a pact with you.¡±


    Svorsi was excited, but Adam felt a bit uneasy. His request seemed out of ce, like asking to take someone¡¯s child and do something terrible.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that? No worries, whatever you need, we¡¯ll help. Lord Veigar is inside; let¡¯s go in.¡±


    As they talked, they arrived in the Royal City. The Titans knew Adam was their guest, so they paused their work to greet him with respect.


    They didn¡¯t meet in a pce or anywhere like that. Even though the Titans had a new living space now, they still lived simply and humbly. The Royals had decision-making power but still had to work.


    When they opened the door, Adam found himself in a me House. Many Titan Intelligents were tending to various mes, while Lord Veigar stood before a strange machine.


    Seeing Adam, Lord Veigar gave a standard mage greeting and warmly said, ¡°Wee, my friend. Look at this ce; it¡¯s quite impressive! Mages are truly remarkable; they easily solved our race¡¯s heritage problem. From now on, the number of Titans won¡¯t limit our growth.¡±


    The machine was a conversion device, powered by the remnants of the Titan God¡¯s Original me and the Genesis me.


    The mages had returned the Titan God''s Original me after the war.


    Adam¡¯s initial thought had been right. Most sentient beings, including Garfield, could be turned into Original mes. The first batch of supplies from the mages included many sentient life ves, which excited the Titans.


    After touring the factory, Adam exined his purpose. Once he outlined his n for the personal chip, he said, ¡°I hope to get some newly formed Original mes. I know this may be asking a lot, but¡­¡±


    The Titan kings went silent at Adam¡¯s request. Just when he thought there was no hope, they suddenly burst intoughter.


    Lord Veigar pointed to the mes around them and said, ¡°Friend, did you think these mes are living beings? Are they the newborns of our race?¡±


    ¡°Uh, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Theirughter grew louder. If they had tear ducts, they would have been crying tears of joy. ¡°No, no, of course not. Your races need males and females to mate and create new life. Special substances from both mustbine for conception, right?¡±


    The Titans spoke openly, and Adam feltfortable replying, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, but generally, yes.¡±


    Lord Veigar continued, ¡°So in your view, before conception, are those substances considered life?¡±


    Suddenly, Adam understood. ¡°Of course not; only after conception can it be considered life.¡±


    Lord Veigar pped his hands. ¡°For us, even though weck that need and function, passing on the me is the same. The split mes are not life; the newborns are true life.¡±


    Lord Svorsi added, ¡°When we were in Titania, we treasured every me because we were on the brink of extinction. In our earlier history, the Original mes were also tools and consumables, so your worries are unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, your personal chip doesn¡¯t take away the life of the Original mes; it simply gives them a different way of thinking and purpose. We fully ept this. Other mages are doing simr things. We wee mes to function in new ways. Besides, who can deny that this is a different kind of continuation of the mes¡¯ life?¡±


    Adam sighed in relief. He hadn¡¯t expected such a tricky issue to be resolved so easily.


    Beforeing, he had prepared for the Titans to refuse his request and imagined having to work with the Seventh Tower to develop integrated circuits.


    From the me House, Adam took over a hundred mes and reached a preliminary agreement for future cooperation.


    The Titans wanted to give them for free, but Adam declined. He believed rtionships should not be taken for granted; the Titans needed resources for their development, and he didn¡¯t want to exploit them.


    He signed a letter of intent with Lord Veigar, agreeing that once the n started, the mes would be treated asmodities, with specific prices set based on market conditions at that time.


    Afterward, Adam politely declined the Titans¡¯ invitation to stay. He returned directly to the Towerboratory to continue developing the program and creating several types of chips.


    A month flew by. In high-level meetings of the Mage World, which Adam couldn¡¯t attend, the Great Archmages and the World¡¯s Guardian had ongoing discussions about his n.


    Am I remembering it wrong? I thought the mes had memories of the previous owners.

 Chapter 335 - Into the Information Age (1)

    The meeting brought together all the level-nine beings from the Mage World, including a projection of the Great Archmage Maxis, who was busy leading the war against the Devouring Diluses.


    It took ce in the Heart of the Mage World, the core of the Mage Network.


    Most mages weren¡¯t stubborn, but they struggled to understand ideas like information, data, and the cloud. This made sense; after the magic system revolution, the Great Archmages opened up an academic environment through the Mage Network for mages to share knowledge. Yet, the world hadn¡¯t fully entered the information age, and sharing knowledge was still slow.


    To put it simply: before the revolution, it was like being in an agricultural era; after it, they moved to an industrial era. Now, with personal chips and a broad magework, the Mage World was on the brink of the information age.


    Once the Great Archmages grasped this idea, they quickly recognized the significant benefits¡ªbenefits even the most stubborn mages couldn¡¯t overlook.


    Laura from the Third Tower understood this well. Personal chips were crucial for her tower, for it helps to optimize magic and assist learning. That would make it easier for new mages to adopt innovative spellcasting methods that had been hard to promote.


    The Third Tower had always faced challenges in recruitment. Many mages had a negative view of them, and their strict requirements meant a long testing period for every member.


    The chips¡¯ data collection capabilities could help them pick better candidates. A big data n could significantly enhance the Third Tower¡¯s operations.


    The meeting aimed to tackle three main questions: How much ess should be given to the Mage Network? Where should the database be located? Who should oversee the project?


    The third question was quickly settled. Since the magic revolution, the Third Tower and the World¡¯s Guardian had handled such matters together, and this time was no different.


    However, opinions varied on the first two questions.


    ¡°I agree that cing the database at the Origin is the best choice, but the Origin is vital to every mage. If anything goes wrong, do we even have a coping mechanism?¡±


    ¡°I support Laura¡¯s view. This proposal involves constant data uploads and downloads, meaning the Origin will be open during this. The risks are too high.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can find a middle ground by using the Origin as the main database while setting up a secondary database. We could open the secondary one to the outside, connecting it to the Origin only for input.¡±


    The moment the suggestion was made, everyone went silent. After a while, they nodded in agreement.


    This was indeed a solid solution, ensuring the Origin''s secrecy and security while effectively moving the n forward.


    With the database question settled, the Great Archmages quickly discussed how much ess to give the Mage Network. Their current permission system was thorough, and the personal chip could easily fit within it; they just needed to add new functions.


    After a month of meetings, four full sessions led to a satisfactory oue. Once the meeting wrapped up, the Great Archmages left and returned to their Towers to prepare for the uing changes.


    The Great Archmage Mayer then sought out Adam to share the results.


    ¡­


    Adam realized that developing a chip suitable for all types of mages on his own was nearly impossible.


    The challenge was not just technical; it stemmed from Adam¡¯s limited knowledge. He excelled in electromaic magic and had a basic grasp of regr elemental magic, but that was it.


    When it came to body-refining mages, Adam feltpletely lost about the knowledge needed for their advancement. His understanding of bloodline-rted magic was also vague. Moreplex subjects left him feeling utterly overwhelmed.


    Fields like pharmacology and alchemy required extensive knowledge¡ªfar beyond what Adam could manage with his scattered memory.


    So, he decided to set aside the targeted chip research and focus on solving the core algorithm issues.


    This part was simpler, mainly involving mathematical problems. By adjusting the models to fit the mages'' needs, he found he could tackle challenges without too much trouble.


    During this time, Adam sessfully created the most suitable personal chip for himself.


    The core of the chip was Garfield. Garfield gained a fifth identity in addition to being a devil, a virus entity, a magic staff, and a space Titan: Mindweaver.


    Bing a chip didn¡¯t change Garfield¡¯s daily life much. Even with this new identity, half of his soul remained pledged to Adam and was unavable for use.


    Adam transformed that half of Garfield''s soul, splitting his personality. One part stayed as it was, while the other fully shifted into logical thinking.


    Adam¡¯sputing power was already extraordinary. While the chip included all the intended functions, Adam valued data collection and interaction the most; he preferred to handle everything else himself.


    As he experimented with various functions, the Great Archmage Mayer arrived at hisboratory door and gently knocked.


    ¡°Good day, Your Holiness.¡±


    ¡°Good day,¡± Mayer replied warmly, getting straight to the point. ¡°The Mage Council approved your proposal, but you¡¯ll need to make some concessions on the details.¡±


    After listening carefully, Adam found the arrangement aligned with his expectations. He would be the initiator of the project, but he''d need to hand over management and oversight powers. He could have high permissions within the newwork, but these would be virtual and wouldn¡¯t grant him actual authority.


    As for the profits from selling the chips, aside from necessary patent fees, all earnings would go directly to Adam, with the Mage Council taking nothing.


    This was more than enough for Adam, and he epted the Council''s decision without any objections.


    Mayer was pleased. ¡°In that case, go ahead and do your work. If you run into any issues, we¡¯ll support you. During this project, you can publish requests for any data or personnel you need under the Tower¡¯s name. We will provide full backing and hope you achieve results soon.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Holiness.¡± After thanking Mayer, Adam asked, ¡°Since the Heart of the Mage World can¡¯t serve as the big data server, do you or other mages have any alternatives?¡±


    Mayer nodded. ¡°You should go to the Third Tower. They will provide you with an answer.¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 336 - Into The Information Age (2)

    After Mayer left, Adam felt quite pleased. The Mage Council had granted him significant power, showing their trust and making him feel recognized.


    This was great news. With support from various Towers, the personal chip wouldn¡¯t need lengthy market testing after itspletion, as the credibility of the Towers and Great Archmages would be the best promotion.


    Once Garfield adjusted to his split identity, he finally had time to question Adam about his recent activities, which seemed pointless to him. ¡°Master, why are you doing this? The personal chip doesn¡¯t directly benefit you, right? You¡¯d be better off focusing on your electromaic magic research, which would make you stronger. No matter how good the personal chip is, the benefits go to others. You wouldn¡¯t lose anything without it, would you?¡±


    Adam found it hard to answer Garfield¡¯s questions. The chip¡¯s functions weren¡¯t crucial for him; what mattered most was big data and cloudputing.


    Beforeing to this world, he had been thergest database and processor, understanding the importance of information and data better than anyone. Those were the essentials. With this tform, he could leverage his true talent to sift through vast amounts of data, increasing his efficiency in work and research.


    He could even use algorithms to spread his will across the entirework, bing an invisible filter and interceptor.


    In that scenario, all mages using the personal chip would have no privacy from him, although this approach wasn¡¯t very ethical.


    Ultimately, what mattered most was Adam¡¯s belief in the shared evolution of mages, transcending the ethereal void.


    His greatest desire was knowledge, and he was eager to explore whaty beyond the void. He wanted to know if, one day, when he broke free from his current environment, he would find even greater knowledge awaiting him.


    ¡­


    A dayter, Adam arrived at the Third Tower.


    While the overall tone of the Third Tower was somewhat dim, it felt modern, with facilities matching those of the other Towers.


    The number of mages here was rtively small, and the city at the foot of the Tower was also sparsely popted. Every mage wore a ck robe with a hood, giving off an unapproachable vibe.


    Suddenly, a cheerful voice rang out.


    Wendy, dressed in her vibrant clothes, appeared before him. ¡°Hi! Adam! Good to see you again! Wow, you¡¯re already a level-four mage!¡±


    Before Adam could respond, she eagerly took his arm. ¡°Her Holiness Laura told me to work with you, along with my sister. Isn¡¯t that exciting? You have two level-eight mages as your subordinates!¡± With that, she opened a portal and pulled Adam through.


    Adam could feel the energyyers shifting multiple times in an instant, ultimately transforming into a type he had never encountered before.


    Wendy led him through the Third Tower''s authorization, directly into Ayesha''s room.


    After exchanging greetings, Ayesha said, ¡°Her Holiness wants you to know that whatever you need, as long as it doesn¡¯t involve information you aren¡¯t qualified to ess, we will fully cooperate.¡±


    ¡°I need a ne Origin as the big data server.¡±


    This server was crucial, as it needed to handle tasks like querying, updating, transaction management, indexing, caching, optimization, security, and multi-user ess control.


    Given the vastness of the Mage World and the continuous data collection from each personal chip, ordinary servers simply couldn¡¯t manage such immense data. So, Adam had abandoned the idea of creating a physical server.


    Every Origin was a vast, nearly limitless collection of information. A healthy Origin processed endless information constantly, adjusting its state, responding to emergencies, and recording conditions of every being within it. With some modifications, it could easily function as arge server and processor.


    Wendy jumped in front of Adam, clucking her tongue. ¡°Wow, you really don¡¯t hold back. Your first request is for an Origin? Even my sister and I don¡¯t qualify for such high-level resources.¡±


    Ayesha didn¡¯t respond to that but instead began a spatial transmission with Adam and Wendy. When Adam opened his eyes again, he found himself in a void.


    Before him, an expansive space was filled with numerousrge white orbs sealed with spells.


    Ayesha introduced, ¡°This is the Mage World¡¯s repository. These Origins are healthy ones collected over tens of thousands of years. Tell me your specific requirements, and I will find the right one for you.¡±


    Adam had always thought that after a ne''s sacrifice, the Origins would be directly consumed. However, it appeared that the Heart of the Mage World didn¡¯t devour everything; some had their wills erased and were stored away.


    ¡°Healthy, nk,rge,¡± he thought for a moment and added, ¡°Preferably with high biodiversity and energy levels before collection, and aplex power system.¡±


    Ayesha¡¯s fingers danced in the air, and the spell chains made a crisp sound. ¡°There are none here that meet all your requirements; they¡¯ve all been sacrificed. I can only select the one that is closest to what you want. Wendy, go and seal Number 236.¡±


    After instructing Wendy, Ayesha told Adam, ¡°Number 236 is arge ne Origin discovered long ago. It hadn¡¯t birthed life when it was found and captured. It¡¯s the healthiest andrgest one here.¡±


    Adam wasn¡¯t disappointed that he couldn''t get exactly what he wanted; this was still a good oue. He could simply use more algorithms to build additional models.


    Before long, Wendy returned, dragging the chain and handing one end to Adam. He immediately felt an unimaginable weight and momentarily couldn¡¯t hold on, letting it slip from his grasp.


    Ayesha shot her sister a re, took the chain herself, and said, ¡°You can¡¯t operate on the Origin here in the Mage World. We need to go to another location. If you need anything prepared in advance, let me know, and I will help you find it.¡±


    Yeah! Wendy''s back. I love her.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 337 - Into The Information Age (3)

    Chapter 337 Into The Information Age (3)


    ¡°Just bring my avatars from the Fifth Towerb; I don¡¯t need anything else for now,¡± Adam said.


    All the knowledge was in Adam''s mind. The Original mes were in his portable space, and the server was right in front of him¡ªeverything was ready.


    As soon as his "assistants" arrived, he could start working.


    Ayesha nodded. Wendy sent Adam a personal permission request through the Mage Network. Once he approved it, she vanished from view.


    Adam then followed Ayesha to arge, empty area outside the Crystal Sphere.


    In less than an hour, Wendy arrived with the avatars. Adam immediately began his work, while the two eighth-level mages observed him closely.


    Adam knew Laura had sent them not just to help, but also to keep an eye on him. He didn¡¯t mind; that was normal. He had no bad intentions anyway.


    First, he needed to write a program into this nk Origin so it could function as a central processor. Simply put, he wanted to turn it into a big processor.


    A good processor needs arithmetic logic units, register units, and control units.


    The arithmetic logic unit can perform fixed-point or floating-point operations, shift operations, and logical operations. It also handles address calctions and conversions.


    The register unit includes general-purpose registers and control registers. General-purpose registers store temporary data during instruction execution and hold intermediate or final results.


    The control unit decodes instructions and sends control signals for each operation needed to carry out those instructions.


    Thanks to the Origin, Adam didn¡¯t need to make physicalponents; he just needed to input algorithm models and logic modules.


    With the task defined, hundreds of Adams started working at once. Code written in the M Programming Language flowed continuously into the Origin. As the code filled up, the Origin began to change in ways Ayesha and Wendy had never expected.


    Once the basic framework was built, Adam started inputting processing techniques.


    Meanwhile, the two women feltpletely lost. They recognized that the M Programming Language was a version of runguage, but they had no idea how it worked.


    ¡°Hey, what is Adam doing? Do you know?¡± Wendy quietly asked.


    Ayesha widened her eyes, trying to understand the code. She noticed many repeating characters, but they didn¡¯t make sense to her.


    ¡°I can¡¯t figure it out.¡±


    Wendy blinked. ¡°But the Origin is definitely changing. It looks lifeless now. It shouldn¡¯t be able to be the core of a ne anymore; Adam has broken it.¡±


    Ayesha looked away, feeling that if she kept watching, she''d start to doubt herself. As a mage at level-eight, it frustrated her not to understand the knowledge right in front of her.


    ¡°Let him be. This kind of loss is allowed by the Mage Council. If it breaks, it¡¯s fine. Whatever he¡¯s doing doesn¡¯t matter; he¡¯ll submit a full report once he¡¯s done.¡±


    Adam was absorbed in his work, unaware of the observers around him.


    The reshaping of the Origin was very effective. During the transformation, it offered no resistance, making Adam''s job much easier.


    Three dayster, the initial server was set up. Adam took out thepleted personal chip and handed it to the avatars, starting the first internal test.


    Wendy asked curiously, ¡°Is this the personal chip? What do we do now?¡±


    Adam nodded. ¡°All the functions are programmed in. You can operate it freely.¡±


    In the next moment, hundreds of operations urred at once as the personal chips connected to the server.


    Adam stood by the disy, watching streams of random data flow into the server. After processing through special algorithms, the data became organized and stored systematically.


    With that, the first step was done: the personal chip hadpleted the data collection task correctly.


    While Wendy excitedly tested various functions, Adam closed the permissions and took back the chip. Before she could express her disappointment, Adam made a second request.


    ¡°I need the core knowledge for the Mage Network''s power transmission function.¡±


    This knowledge was crucial. Understanding and modifying it was essential for the chip¡¯s most critical function¡ªuploading idleputing power, mental energy, and magical power, and then downloading as needed.


    Upon hearing this, Wendy quietly stepped aside. Ayesha gave Adam a serious look and handed him a data box, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need to remind you how important this knowledge is. You can only view it in this space; you cannot take it out or destroy it. You must return it when you''re done and sign a contract promising not to reveal anything.¡±


    After fulfilling all the requirements, Adam finally got a look at this remarkable technology.


    In brief, the core point was the contract that mages signed with the Origin when they advanced.


    This contract allowed magical power to be transmitted across distances through the connection between the Origin and the mage''s soul.


    The magical power didn¡¯te from the mages; it was granted directly by the Origin.


    After reviewing it, Adam returned the data box to Ayesha and moved to another spot to think.


    For an entire day and night, he considered various ways to bypass the Origin to achieve his goals but found it impossible. Aside fromputing power, he didn¡¯t grasp the essence of mental or magical power, nor could he find a substitute for the transmission channel.


    Relying on the Origin and the Mage Network wasn¡¯t necessarily bad, but given how much the Great Archmages valued both, the functions of the personal chip would face certain limitations. For one, apprentices wouldn¡¯t benefit from this function, and even real mages would need sufficient permissions to fully utilize the chip.


    Adam pushed aside distractions and continued his work. He had already made good progress; any reform couldn¡¯t happen overnight. They all needed time to validate results and improve.


    Mages enjoyed more freedom in some areas, but being restricted in others wasn¡¯t entirely bad.


    Power could only have a positive effect when it was restrained; otherwise, it could lead to great disaster.


    Pretty sure thest two sentences were just fillers. Huh.

 Chapter 338 - Into The Information Age (4)

    It took Adam nearly half a month to write the upload and download functions forputing power, mental energy, and magical power.


    During this time, he abandoned the development of the mental energy program.


    It had be clear that apprentices wouldn¡¯t be able to benefit from this feature. For real mages, mental energy was mostly useful for constructing spell models and had no other major applications.


    Adam decided it was better to remove the mental energy function entirely rather than let it take up the precious memory.


    However, during the second internal test, a major issue appeared: the server that stored the data couldn¡¯t handle energy storage. The algorithms for storing data and energy shed with each other. If both were stored together, it caused data fragmentation and energy overflow.


    This was a unique problem in the Aether Void¡ªenergy collisions leading to data fragmentation. Adam had never encountered anything like this before.


    Curious, Adam thought, ''What exactly is energy? Is it a special form of information?''


    He made a note of this question in his mind. It was a fundamental issue, but one that Adam couldn¡¯t explore just yet. He decided to leave it forter when he had the tools and knowledge to investigate further.


    The solution to the issue, however, was simple: set up a parallel server. Adam didn¡¯t need to handle this himself. The Third Tower¡¯s teampleted anotherrge-scale Origin transformation in just a few days.


    Once the third internal test passed without any further issues, Adam left theb.


    The toughest challenges were behind him. Now, his task was to bring in Master Mages from various fields to develop targeted functions for the chips and to recruit manufacturers and distributors.


    The Mage Council had truly kept their promise¡ªthey supported Adam¡¯s project with great enthusiasm.


    When Adam returned to the Fifth Tower and posted the task in the mission hall, it was disyed in all Towers at once.


    The senior leaders of the various Towers raised the priority of the task to the highest level among regr missions, helping Adam select authoritative candidates and covering all expenses.


    In just three days, nearly a hundred Master Mages from the seven Towers gathered in Adam''sb.


    All of them were at least level-four mages, with transdimensional mages making up the majority.


    While theirbat abilities might not be the strongest among mages of the same level, each of them had deep theoretical knowledge.


    Adam didn¡¯t get too involved in this phase. He prepared nk personal chips for everyone, exined the mission requirements, and then left theb.


    He headed back to the New Titania.


    The Titans were still as weing as ever. They had prepared arge batch of nk mes, ready to give them all to Adam.


    Though the number of mes was big, it was still just a drop in the bucketpared to the vast poption of the Mage World.


    Adam presented two options to Lord Veigar for their consideration.


    The first option was for Adam to personally issue a global task, gathering suitable sentient beings that could be transformed into mes and transported to the new Titania. Afterward, the Titans would handle the manufacturing, and Adam would pay them a processing fee. In this case, everything beyond the manufacturing¡ªsuch as thepleted mes¡ªwould no longer be their concern. While the mes would originate from them, they wouldn¡¯t own them.


    The second option was simr, but with one key difference: after manufacturing, the Titans would have the right to select outstanding individuals from the produced mes to pass on their mes, which would help offset some of their payment.


    As a friend, Adam hoped they would choose the second option. While the first would bring the most immediate profit, it offered little long-term benefit.


    With the wisdom and technology of the mages, Adam believed that, sooner orter, they would figure out a way to create artificial mes.


    Once that happened, the Titans'' role in the process would be less significant.


    However, Adam didn¡¯t share this view aloud. This was a matter of great importance to an entire race, and he knew it wasn¡¯t his ce to interfere.


    Without hesitation, Lord Veigar and all the Titan Royals unanimously chose the second option. They understood that while the current environment was peaceful, poption growth was still the most important resource for their people. The more high-quality newborns they had, the stronger their race would be. Only by strengthening their people could they raise their status within the mage system.


    ¡­


    With the problems of servers, algorithms, supply, and specialized databases all solved, the personal chip project was progressing rapidly under the full support of the Mage Council.


    ording to Adam''s predictions, the first batch of chips would bepleted within a year, and a certain number of products would be ready for stock.


    The sales channels no longer seemed like a problem, so once the Towers gave the signal, the first batch of chips could be distributed worldwide.


    At that point, the information transformation of the Mage World would be just around the corner.


    At this point, Adam brought the most detailed project documentation, along with all the core knowledge he had applied, to meet with Great Archmage Mayer.


    Mayer was in a good mood. As the leader of the world, the improvement of the world¡¯s overall strength meant an increase in their personal power as well.


    The Archmages had long been searching for a way to strengthen their collective power but had failed to find a solution due to their limited thinking.


    Now, with this project, they saw hope, and it made them view Adam in an increasingly favorable light.


    ¡°The patent registration for general knowledge is handled at the Tower,¡± Mayer said with a smile. ¡°But this isn¡¯t something that falls under the Tower¡¯s duties. You¡¯ll need to hand it over to someone else.¡±


    Adam asked, ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°Anne Croft, the World¡¯s Guardian,¡± Mayer answered, revealing a name Adam hadn¡¯t expected.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you pass it on for me?¡± Adam asked.


    Mayer shook his head. ¡°Normally, I would, but Anne wants to meet you. If you hadn¡¯te to see me, I was going to find you myself. If you have time now, I can take you to meet her. Besides, the personal chip project will be directly under her responsibility. In other words, she will be your superior.¡±

 Chapter 339 - Anne Croft

    The Great Archmage Mayer opened a brilliant portal. Seeing Adam¡¯s nervousness, he offered some reassurance. ¡°You really don¡¯t need to worry. No matter what, you¡¯re a mage now, and this is the Mage World.¡±


    In an instant, Adam grasped what Mayer meant. ¡°You know, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Mayer didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he smiled and said, ¡°Those who don¡¯t understand the power of us Great Archmages often attribute exaggerated abilities to our level, such as omniscience and omnipotence.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the truth?¡±


    ¡°Well, in reality, we¡¯re far from that. But at least, what happens within my world¡ªthose things can¡¯t escape our eyes.¡± He gestured to the portal. ¡°As for the other questions you have, Anne will provide the answers. Now, take your knowledge, calm your nerves, and go meet her.¡±


    ¡­


    This portal was unlike any Adam had seen before. It was like a veryplex system of permissions. At every moment, strange forces swept over Adam¡¯s body and soul, granting him permission to move forward only after certain conditions were met.


    There was no concept of time here. Adam felt as if he had been traveling for a long time, yet also as if it had been just a moment.


    After passing through the finalyer of authentication, a vast, gentle force enveloped Adam. He recognized this force¡ªit was the Origin.


    When his senses returned to his body, Adam found himself in a different space. Above him was the massive Origin, connected to the Mage Network, and in front of him stood the supeputer "Adam," repeatedly ying the scenes of Earth¡¯s destruction.


    ¡°Hello, Adam.¡±


    Adam looked up and saw a beautiful woman before him, her energy beyond words. He bowed deeply. ¡°Greetings, Your Holiness.¡±


    Anne waved her hand, helping Adam to his feet. Her voice was gentle. ¡°Every being thates here will show their innermost memories. I must admit, I¡¯m surprised. Your world is not in this void.¡±


    Adam didn¡¯t know how to respond, so he fell silent. But Anne, intrigued, pointed her finger.


    The screen shifted again, showing Earth from a wide perspective, though it was blurry. The image then moved toward outer space, where everything became even harder to see.


    ¡°Your world is interesting,¡± Anne said with a soft smile. ¡°It follows a different evolutionary path from ours. Although it seems like you didn¡¯t do well, it¡¯s truly fascinating. And you... are you an alchemical creation? Apologies for using the word ''creation,'' but I can¡¯t think of a better way to describe it.¡±


    She dismissed the images on the screen with a wave and pulled out two chairs, offering one to Adam with a gesture to sit. "Would you mind telling me about it?"


    Adam paused, gathering his thoughts. Before he could speak, Anne continued, ¡°Actually, we were all quite surprised that day. The coordinates of the Mage World are top secret. After the revolution, we thought it would be impossible for any beings from other nes toe here on their own. But then you appeared, along with the countless souls you brought with you.¡±


    ¡°At the time, all the Great Archmages worked together, but they couldn¡¯t find out where you came from. So, we decided to let you arrive, to let you live here. Our purpose, well, you must understand.¡±


    Adam certainly understood. He had been a test subject, a mystery to be observed.


    ¡°You the became an Explorer,¡± Anne continued. ¡°You¡¯ve been part of the ne wars, seen beings from other nes. You must know the usual attitude of most ne creatures toward foreign worlds¡ªsneak in, grow stronger, destroy, and plunder. We thought you would do the same.¡±


    ¡°At first, we thought you brought your entire race here to conquer the Mage World. Even though they were weak, we believed that¡¯s why you hade. But then, to our surprise, you destroyed them all. I never expected you to be a mage. And not just a mage, but an outstanding one.¡±


    Anne rested her chin on her hands, her eyes locked on Adam with curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m really curious.¡±


    Adam shifted slightly, knowing this conversation was important.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t underestimate the Mage World,¡± Anne added yfully. ¡°We have enough room to embrace all sorts of things. Like the Titans, for example. They arrived here and became part of the mage system. We don¡¯t look at them differently. And you, well, you¡¯re a mage, after all.¡±


    With a teasing smile, she added, ¡°So, tell me. Satisfy the curiosity of an old soul, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Adam couldn¡¯t refuse. He took a deep breath and began, ¡°Ie from a world without transcendent power. Humans call the outer void ¡®the universe.¡¯ Our home isn¡¯t made up of nes, but rather individuals. Life doesn¡¯t grow stronger through cultivation. The lifespans of the various races are limited¡­¡±


    Adam paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°When humanity rose to power, they learned to use tools. These tools reced transcendent powers, allowing humanity to be the apex of the food chain. And my former self... was the pinnacle of those tools.¡±


    His voice grew quieter as he spoke again. ¡°As you¡¯ve seen, humanity used me to destroy themselves. As for why I came here, to enter the Mage World... I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Adam looked directly at Anne, his tone sincere. ¡°Your Holiness, I hold no ill will toward the Mage World. I like it here. I like being a mage. And I¡¯m honored to be one of them.¡±


    Anne¡¯s expression softened. She could tell that Adam¡¯s words were honest, and that his intentions, while perhaps born from something tragic, were not malevolent. There was no sign of malice in his eyes. A person who sought to change the mage world could hardly be a threat to it.


    She studied him for a long moment before asking, ¡°So, you don¡¯t know how to return?¡±


    Adam nodded, his gaze steady. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Anne marveled, ¡°How fascinating, that beyond the Void, there are other worlds. Indeed, the pursuit of mages is truly the right path.¡± She paused for a moment, then shifted the topic. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about your origins. The moment you became a mage and signed a pact with The Origin, no matter what you were before, it means you¡¯ve been epted as part of the Mage World. No one will make trouble over that.¡±


    Adam felt a heavy weight lift from his shoulders. "Thank you," he said sincerely.


    Anne waved it off casually, clearly uninterested in any thanks. ¡°No need to thank me. You¡¯re a mage, and a very outstanding one at that. That¡¯s enough. You deserve all the treatment you¡¯re given. Every mage deserves that.¡±


    Adam couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. His greatest worry was now gone¡ªhis identity was officially recognized, and he was no longer an outsider.


    Anne then picked up the materials Adam had brought and began reading through them with focus. ¡°This big data and cloudputing project, you brought this idea from your original world, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Adam nodded.


    ¡°A brilliant concept,¡± Anne said, clearly impressed. ¡°It will serve as a perfect support and enhancement to the Mage Network. It truly deserves to be called revolutionary. Hmm¡­¡±


    She paused, thinking for a moment. ¡°Now that I think of it, we¡¯ve been too focused on power. You and this research have taught us an important lesson¡ªthere are other equally great things outside of power that are worth studying.¡±


    He''s not an outsider anymore¡­ Does that mean he won''t try to go back anymore?

 Chapter 340 - Cheat Code on the Way

    As Anne flipped through the documents Adam had brought, each page transformed into tiny lights that merged into the Origin.


    At that moment, Adam got a notification from the Mage Network: his patent had been officially registered, locking in his ideas under his name.


    Anne looked up and said, ¡°As for the oversight requirements, Mayer should have already walked you through our expectations. But aside from that, I¡¯d like to hear your thoughts.¡±


    Adam thought it over and replied, ¡°I think the current permission system could be adjusted to work better with the personal chips. We could base ess on a mage¡¯s rank and contributions, giving them different levels of services. This approach would make management easier and help reduce the risk of instability from a sudden boost in power or ack of challenges.¡±


    ¡°I also think apprentices should receive amon chip for free,¡± he added.


    Anne raised an eyebrow, surprised. ¡°Why would you suggest that? It would cut into your profits.¡±


    Adam shook his head. ¡°Once apprentices have these chips, they¡¯ll have a better shot at bing mages. Profits matter, but that¡¯s not my main goal here. Themon chip is simple to produce, and the quality of me it requires is basic, so the cost is low. Plus, this would help poprize the chips. When apprentices see the benefits and eventually be full mages, they¡¯ll want the chips best suited to their needs. By then, they''d be wealthier, and their spending will more than make up for the initial investment.¡±


    It was like giving free basic education to everyone. A broader base would lead to more talent, and the insights from those talented minds would generate high-quality data.


    As the developer, Adam could use this data to keep refining his work. Also, offering free chips would spread his reputation even further.


    In short, it was a long-term investment worth making.


    Anne smiled. ¡°I¡¯m impressed. You¡¯re suggesting exactly what the Mage Council aims to achieve. But this won¡¯t be at your expense¡ªthe Towers will cover the costs.¡±


    She felt a wave of satisfaction. She wanted to see the Mage World strengthen, filled with more mages who weremitted to its future. This kind of forward thinking would reassure the Great Archmages that their revolution¡ªtheir high-stakes gamble¡ªhad been worthwhile.


    With more mages driven by this vision, the Mage World would stay strong on the edge of the Void, ready to face any threats and withstand any future trials.


    ¡­


    After leaving the World¡¯s Guardian, Adam met with Mayer once again. Mayer was in his room, enjoying a meal as he waited for Adam.


    ¡°Sit down, join me,¡± Mayer said casually, never one for formality.


    Adam quickly epted¡ªan invitation from a Great Archmage was an honor any ordinary mage would remember for a lifetime.


    The food on Mayer¡¯s table was simpler than Adam had expected, far less borate than what even the Explorers had shared with him before.


    ¡°Try my cooking,¡± Mayer said with a grin. ¡°Before I was a mage, back in the old days, I worked as a chef for nobles. I was quite popr back then.¡±


    Adam tried the food, and to his surprise, it tasted quite good. As they ate, Mayer smiled at him and asked, ¡°Feeling more at ease now?¡±


    Adam set down his fork and knife, replying sincerely, ¡°Thank you for weing me and for the support from all the Great Archmages.¡±


    ¡°I did what I should. Everything you have, you¡¯ve earned. Real progress happens when different systems and perspectivese together. Isn¡¯t that why we mages explore the Void? Like now¡ªwithout you, we might never have thought of this approach.¡±


    With that, Mayer finished his meal. Then he cleaned up, and said, ¡°So, just enjoy being a mage. Live well, keep researching, and I¡¯ll look forward to seeing what else youe up with.¡±


    *****


    Time flew by. With full recognition, Adam threw himself into his work with renewed passion.


    The personal chip project advanced quickly. The basic,mon chip was ready, and they¡¯d started stockpiling it for distribution. Early advertisements had also beenunched, sparking major excitement among apprentices.


    In a mage academy in the Fifth Tower¡¯s territory, an apprentice named Tom was experiencing his 176th failure of the year.


    Tom was, in every way, ordinary¡ªordinary family, average aptitude, modest intelligence. He¡¯d barely passed the entrance exam to be an apprentice, and since then, he¡¯d mostly gone unnoticed at the academy.


    He dreamed of a breakthrough, of finally being noticed, of getting stronger. But despite all his hard work, his progress was minimal.


    Just now, he¡¯d tried to master telekinesis meditation yet again, only to fail. He simply couldn¡¯t picture how the symbols were supposed to fit together.


    He was starting to feel hopeless. ''Can someone like me ever really be a mage?''


    ¡°Tom, how¡¯s it going today?¡± a friend who had just finished his own meditation asked.


    ¡°Alright, I guess. How about you?¡± asked Tom.


    ¡°I¡¯m close to seeding. Once I get the basic sequence down, I¡¯ll be able to use the core algorithm and build it directly. I can¡¯t wait¡ªthey say once it works, you can fly!¡± His friend was thrilled¡ªflight was a dream for anyone bound to the ground.


    Tom forced a bitter smile, wondering if he¡¯d ever be able to master telekinesis. Maybe he¡¯d have to settle for a simpler meditation method.


    Seeing Tom¡¯s expression, his friend hesitated and then said gently, ¡°Tom, you¡¯re not thinking of giving up, are you? Remember, telekinesis is the best approach for apprentices. Once you master it, flight is just the start. It helps in so many ways¡ªyou¡¯ll save a lot on Energy Stones too.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t picture the model, and I don¡¯t understand the core algorithm,¡± Tom sighed.


    His friend sat beside him, looking concerned. Not wanting to waste his friend¡¯s time, Tom shrugged off his frustration and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not giving up. I have to head to work anyway. See youter.¡±


    He left the meditation room and went to the task area. His ¡°work¡± was simple¡ªsince he couldn¡¯t handle tasks that required mental power, he took on the heavybor jobs other apprentices avoided, just to earn enough Energy Stones to survive.


    Today, he expected more of the same. But as he approached the task board, he noticed a crowd gathered around a light screen, buzzing with excitement over something called a personal chip.


    ¡°They¡¯re giving one to everyone, for free?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, some academies have already started distributing them. I heard they¡¯re amazing, helping even ordinary apprentices make progress like geniuses!¡±


    Tom¡¯s heart raced, like he¡¯d finally found a lifeline. He pushed his way to the front and read the words on the screen:


    ¡°Are you ready? Your cheat code is on the way!¡± ¡ª Mage Council Personal Chip Research Division


    Trantor¡¯s Note: I really enjoy how the author narrows the focus onto a certain individual. This approach resonates more deeply, making the story feel more immersive.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 341 - Cheat Code Delivered (1)

    The personal chip became an instant sensation, spreading fast across the Mage World.


    Few people¡ªonly the researchers or those in on the details of the n¡ªreally knew what it was. But that didn¡¯t stop everyone else from talking about it.


    The announcement from the Seven Towers marked a historic event, the first joint statement in thousands of years.


    Not even the recent discovery of ancient enemies had warranted such a wide broadcast. The onlyparable moment in scale was when thest eighth-level mage ascended to a Great Archmage.


    The hype skyrocketed, fueled by the mysterious slogan, "Cheat Code On The Way." It quickly became the hottest topic among apprentices, who were abuzz with anticipation and questions.


    Based on the hints in the ads, people knew the personal chip was an advanced version of the poprmunicator. Its built-in learning assistance promised to support apprentices in their growth.


    But¡­ what did "cheat code" mean? No one had a clear answer, which sparked endless debates¡ªand even a few scuffles.


    ¡°¡®Cheat code¡¯ obviously means it¡¯s something external, like an upgrade you use from outside,¡± one apprentice confidently dered.*


    ¡°Ridiculous,¡± another apprentice shot back.


    ¡°Oh yeah? Then you exin it!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± the second apprentice faltered. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not just an external gadget.* The Mage Council wouldn¡¯t design something so basic.¡±


    These debates sometimes led to apprentices challenging each other on the dueling tform. Of course, no matter who won, no one got any closer to solving the mystery of the "cheat code."


    *****


    ¡°So, what DOES ¡®cheat code¡¯ mean?¡± Prisci asked, setting a report on Adam¡¯s desk.


    The report detailed thetest ¡°conflicts¡± that had erupted over the term. Chuckling but slightly annoyed, she added, ¡°If you don¡¯t rify soon, it won¡¯t just be apprentices¡ªmages will start going at each other.¡±


    Adam was deep into programming the electromaic version of the personal chip, which would be the rarest of all the types.


    Few mages practiced electromaic magic, but he hoped that would change once he reached the transcendent level.


    If it gained poprity, he could finally stop doing all the experiments alone and let the new practitioners contribute to the research.


    But the "cheat code" misunderstanding was bing a headache. He¡¯d used the term casually, and now everyone seemed obsessed with figuring out what it meant.


    ¡°Cheat code means¡­¡± Adam paused, trying toe up with an answer.


    Prisci raised an eyebrow. ¡°Wait¡ªdon¡¯t tell me even YOU don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Cheat code means¡­ an external core that ¡®hangs¡¯ in the soul!* Yes, that¡¯s it!¡± Adam dered, sounding overly confident.


    Prisci gave him a suspicious look. ¡°That exnation sounds¡­ questionable. You just made that up, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s totally legit.¡±


    ¡°Alright, whatever you say.¡± She sighed. ¡°I came to tell you something important, though. The Origin server for themon-use chip is fully set up. When do you want tounch officially?¡±


    Adam asked her to hold on for a moment and then called out internally, ¡°Lyle,e to my office, please.¡±


    In the researchb, mages who had already bonded with the chip could nowmunicate easily within the internal messagingwork.


    When Adam¡¯s order came through, a mage named Lyle promptly arrived.


    ¡°How much longer will it take the manufacturers across the Towers to finish production?¡± Adam asked.


    Lyle greeted them both, then essed the data directly through his chip and replied, ¡°The final batch of nk mes from the New Titania¡¯s first phase will be ready in three days. That means we¡¯re set for full distribution in about ten days.¡±


    Adam nodded and turned to them both. ¡°Let¡¯s schedule the official release for fifteen days from now. Think of it as a New Year¡¯s gift for every apprentice.¡±


    *****


    In the Mage World, the concept of a ¡°New Year¡± wasn¡¯tmonly celebrated. To these long-lived beings, a single year was almost trivial, hardly something to mark with a big celebration.


    But this New Year was different, holding special significance for every apprentice. Whether out on missions or studying in academies, apprentices paused their tasks and gathered beneath the high towers.


    The mysterious personal chip everyone had spected about was finally going to be distributed today, for free.


    Groups of apprentices gathered below the towers, buzzing with excitement and swapping ideas.


    For apprentices like Tom, it was a long-awaited chance to change their lives¡ªa rare gift from the Mage Council.


    As the magical clock struck the start of the new year, beams of transport light red, and mages appeared before them, raising their hands to scatter showers of tiny mes.


    The same scene yed out at mage academies across all Seven Towers. At that moment, every apprentice heard the same words:


    ¡°Your cheat code has arrived. Pleasee forward to im it.¡±


    The crowd erupted in excitement as apprentices surged forward, and tower mages had to bring in enforcers to organize the lines and keep order.


    Tom joined the end of the line, his heart pounding as he inched closer to the tower. Fifteen minutester, as he finally reached the front, he was shaking so much that he nearly dropped the crystal sphere holding the sealed me.


    ¡°Careful with that,¡± the mage said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to break, but if it does, you¡¯ll need to buy another with your own ether crystals.¡±


    Tom bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you! Thank you to the Mage Council!¡±


    The mage nodded. ¡°Once you have it, you¡¯re free to go. Just use your mental power to unseal it, and be sure toplete the registration after your first activation.¡±


    Holding the crystal sphere in both hands, Tom stepped back, then dashed to his dorm room. He couldn¡¯t wait to open this gift that might just change his destiny.


    He carefully extended a sliver of mental power to wrap around the crystal sphere. A secondter, it dissolved into a mist of light, and the me floated before his forehead, slowly merging with him.


    At that moment, he heard a calm, mechanical voice:


    ¡°Common chip, version 1.0, initializing. This product is created by the Mage Council in partnership with Mage Adam¡¯s Personal Chip Research Institute. Its purpose is to assist apprentice growth. Please review the contract terms and confirm to continue.¡±


    ¡°Activation sessful. Please sign the contract toplete registration.¡±


    A standard contract appeared within Tom¡¯s mind. He took a few deep breaths to steady himself, barely ncing at the terms before signing his name.


    The contract faded, and the me ignited, circling his soul with a warm, reassuring glow.


    Tom whispered, ¡°Do you have a name?¡±


    ¡°Factory designation: 45789.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a name... How about ¡®Hope¡¯?¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± the chip responded.


    Trantor¡¯s Note: The term ¡°cheat code¡± in Chinese is represented as ¡°Íâ¹Ò,¡± which literally trantes to ¡°external add-on.¡± This led mages to interpret the new technology as something external, or ¡°something you use on the outside.¡±


    Originally, ¡°Íâ¹Ò¡± in Chinese was defined as an ¡°additional program that operates alongside the main program to extend its functions,¡± simr to ¡°add-ins¡± or ¡°plug-ins¡± in English. However, over time, it came to refer specifically to cheat programs in games.

 Chapter 342 - Cheat Code Delivered (2)

    ¡°You can call me Tom.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Tom.¡±


    They exchanged a few awkward lines, with Tom half-convinced he was in a dream. He was barely able to believe that he actually had something this amazing.


    He was afraid that if he stopped talking, ¡°Hope¡± might vanish.


    Finally reassured by the chip¡¯s steady responses, Tom shifted to more practical questions. ¡°Hope, what functions do you have?¡±


    The chip transmitted the information directly into Tom¡¯s mind as data.


    Seeing each impressive function, Tom started trembling with excitement. Nervously, he asked, ¡°Activate Calction Assistance.¡±


    ¡°Calction Assistance activated. Please specify the calction objective and purpose.¡±


    Tom quickly recalled the parts of the telekinesis meditation technique that had been holding him back. ¡°For the seventh, eighth, and ninth symbols in the telekinesis meditation technique, along with the final model¡ªshow me how to construct them.¡±


    Following hismand, the chip instantly essed the chipwork database and retrieved all relevant data on the technique.


    In Tom¡¯s mind, it yed back the process step-by-step, clearly exining each part he had struggled with.


    For Tom, the chip¡¯s exnations were far easier to understand than any lesson he¡¯d had at the academy. He could feel the answers to his old challenges falling into ce.


    Despite his limited aptitude, he could finally grasp concepts by reying parts several times.


    ¡°y that part again!¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it works!¡±


    For the first time, Tom found learning truly exciting. Hours flew by as he became absorbed in the intricate design of the symbols until the chip prompted him, ¡°Tom, your soul is entering a fatigued state. Calction Assistance will be deactivated. You need rest.¡±


    Reluctantly, Tom exited the program, feeling the full weight of his exhaustion. He realized he could barely keep his eyes open¡ªit had been nearly ten hours without him noticing. ¡°Hope, how long should I rest?¡±


    ¡°Your current state is as follows: Physical endurance, 4; mental power, 7; mana, 0.5; moderate soul fatigue. Estimated rest duration: seven hours.¡±


    ¡°Seven hours¡­ alright. Wake me when it¡¯s time. I¡¯ve still got work¡­to do¡­¡±


    *****


    Tom¡¯s experience mirrored that of apprentices all over the Mage World. After receiving their personal chips, no apprentice could resist diving into its features, each bing deeply engrossed until they werepletely drained.


    Meanwhile, Adam and the entire core development team were gathered near the Origin Server for themon chips, waiting for the first twenty-four hours¡¯ worth of data to bepiled.


    Each of the seven massive Origin servers disyed streams of data flowing like waterfalls.


    Master Mages from each Tower stood by, using visual enhancement spells to track the data on their respective screens.


    With intense focus, they directed hundreds of quill pens to note down observations, determined to record and analyze the first day¡¯s data manually beforeparing their insights to the server¡¯s automated analyses.


    Adam thought this level of caution was unnecessary¡ªthe models he¡¯d set up were highly robust. But he couldn¡¯t stop this team of mages-turned-¡°scientists¡± from excitedly diving into their ¡°new toy.¡±


    As the magical clock struck the beginning of the second day, data from all seven servers instantly categorized and synced to the core server.


    The team immediately teleported to the core server, where they used their temporary permissions topare the detailed server-generated reports with their manual records.


    ¡°No discrepancies from the First Tower data!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°No discrepancies from the Seventh Tower data!¡±


    Each dataset matched wlessly, and the server¡¯s automated ssification was even more thorough than the mages¡¯ manual entries.


    The reports didn¡¯t just track each apprentice¡¯s physical and mental states¡ªthey also detailed specific learning challenges encountered.


    The Mage Council had ns to establish a dedicated department to analyze these challenges and provide targeted solutions.


    This new department would gather these questions and answers,ying the foundation for a unified curriculum across all branches of magic.


    This department¡¯s work was of little concern to Adam. Once the verification wasplete, he returned to the researchb.


    Themon chip project was essentially finished, with functions more than sufficient to meet the needs of apprentices. Any future upgrades could now be handled by other mages, freeing Adam from the need to oversee it.


    Back in theb, Adam reflected on the chip¡¯s sess, which had met his expectations perfectly.


    For apprentices, especially those with limited resources and ess to knowledge, the personal chip would be an indispensable tool, essential for their growth.


    With just three months left in his one-year timeline, Adam was close to finalizing the design of the personal chip for full mages.


    Data continued to flow into the joint database, smoothly managed by the permissions system he had set up.


    The collective intelligence of mages was remarkable. While Adam had initially led the project, he now primarily served as a guide, with much of the work delegated and carried out efficiently by the team.


    Even the often tricky task of patent licensing had been simplified, thanks to support from the Towers.


    Mages with patents happily contributed their knowledge to the chip database, recognizing the potential for increased profits.


    While the chip¡¯swork wasn¡¯t as advanced as the Mage Network, its practicality far exceeded it.


    *****


    In the final month, mages across the Mage World noticed something new: overnight, personal chip stores had appeared in the trading halls of each Tower and at the heart of major cities, disying arge countdown timer outside each one.


    The apprentice-level chips were already widely popr, and most mages were well aware of their benefits. Now, these stores hinted at something designed specifically for full mages.


    Yet, those who attempted to get information from the stores were met with only silent alchemical golems stationed inside, who couldn¡¯t answer any questions.


    Curiosity spread quickly. As the countdown neared its final day, lines began forming outside every store. The lines were filled with mages, their avatars, and even ves from various races, all eagerly waiting.


    When the countdown finally hit zero, the stores¡¯ doors swung open, and a magical array outside activated, showering the area in a dazzling disy of light and sound.


    Mages surged inside, bombarding the golems with questions.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? Three thousand nine hundred and ny-nine full ether crystals? And that doesn¡¯t even include future upgrades or database updates?¡±


    Trantor''s note: Pretty sure why the price was 3999-- When iPhone 4 was first introduced into Chinese market, the price was 4999. BTW they didn''t sell the iPhones before 4, so iPhone 4 was most Chinese user''s first iPhone.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 343 - The Unique Path of the Transcendent Mage

    "3999 ether crystals! Adam, how could you be this greedy?"


    In Adam''sb, Sandy sat across from him, yet she insisted on using the chip''smunication function to talk. She kept chattering non-stop.


    "Knowledge is priceless. I think the price is fair," Adam replied calmly.


    Although the Mage Council had supported him generously, Adam still had to cover costs like advertising and renting a shop. He was shocked to find that leasing a space in the trading hall cost hundreds of thousands a year.


    Even renting a storefront in the city''s central district, though slightly cheaper, was still a hefty expense.


    Before he could turn a profit, Adam had already racked up a tremendous amount of debt.


    Sandy scoffed. "If knowledge is priceless, why not just give it away for free, like the standard chips for apprentices?"


    "Knowledge is priceless, but effort has value," Adam said, still calm.


    Sandy fell silent for a moment, then started muttering again. "Greedy merchant! That''s what you are! A greedy merchant! You''vepletely wrecked my business. Everyone who can afford a new model has ditched the old-stylemunicators. Do you know how much I''ve lost because of you?"


    Instead of replying, Adam poured her a drink and asked, "What do you think of the newmunicator''s functionality?"


    At this, Sandy''s mood brightened instantly, and she began speaking excitedly. "It''s incredible. I always thought the Mage Network was a bit difficult to use, but this chip improves it so much. Searching for information is way easier. And theputational power¡­ The ability to upload and download magic power¡ªit makes me feel smarter. Oh, and the discussion group feature is fantastic. I''ve reconnected with so many old friends. By the way, do you want to join our group? It''s all experienced Explorers."


    Adam wasn''t particrly interested. Instead, he asked, "Is there anything you don''t like about it?"


    "Besides the price? Nothing." Sandy answered without hesitation.


    Adam nodded. He had clearly stated in the user guide that the chip would collect user data, and he expected some pushback. But it seemed most mages didn''t mind.


    Sandy continued enthusiastically, praising the chip, while Adam quietly listened. He dedicated a thread to their conversation while monitoring the central database for any dys or errors in real-time data collection.


    When Sandy finally stopped, tired and thirsty, Adam asked, "Did youe here for ne coordinates?"


    Sandy rolled her eyes dramatically. "Yes. I need more Origins, so I''ll have to take on another mission." She hesitated before adding, "You''ve done pretty well this time, right? Do you have enough credit for your promotion?"


    "Not enough," Adam said, shaking his head. The Mage Council hadn''t finalized his rewards yet. Personal chips weren''t very useful for transdimensional mages, and there were still functional ws to address. Since the project was a collective effort, the credit wouldn''t go solely to him. He expected the reward to be substantial, but not enough for a one-step promotion.


    Adam wasn''t too worried about promotions. For him, moving up the ranks was a long-term goal. Once he became a transcendent mage and improved the core algorithms of his inventions, the rewards would naturally follow.


    Over time, his radio telescope had picked up many ne coordinates. After carefully sorting through them, Adam sold the less valuable ones to the Tower. He kept the more unique ones for himself.


    He handed Sandy a list with five options. "Choose one from these. Based on my calctions, they should all lead torge nes. Completing any of them should give you what you need."


    Sandy scanned the list and pointed to one. "What''s this ''Undetermined'' category?"


    "It means the radio telescope picked up signals from this void area over several years, but we haven''t been able to trante the data yet. However, there are recurring patterns in the signals, which suggests they might being from a superrge ne or even a cluster of nes," Adam exined.


    Sandy''s eyes lit up, but Adam quickly added, "I don''t rmend this one. For your final mission, you should focus on something stable."


    SMACK!


    Sandy mmed her hand down on the file and dered, "I''m taking this one. As an Explorer, I have to pick the most exciting ne. ying it safe is too boring!"


    Adam shrugged, deciding not to argue. "If that''s what you want. The payment will be one-tenth of your earnings after the mission."


    "Greedy merchant! You''re robbing me blind!"


    Even as sheined, Sandy signed the contract and left theb, muttering to herself all the way out.


    Three months flew by. The official-level personal chips had spread widely, and the Mage Council was gathering valuable data every day. The project''s sess proved its immense worth, and Adam''s hard work was finally about to pay off.


    In the Mage Network, deep within the World''s Guardian''s dwelling, Adam and Anne reviewed a detailed project summary. Anne smiled with satisfaction. "The results of this big data initiative have exceeded all expectations. In just a few months, we''ve uncovered insights that were hidden in in sight."


    She turned to Adam. "What do you want as your reward? Resources? Knowledge? Ether crystals? Or the power of Origin?"


    Adam answered without hesitation. "The power of Origin."


    Anne smiled. "Wise choice."


    The Heart of the Mage World began to glow softly. From its massive form, a small orb of light separated and floated into Adam''s hands.


    "This power of the Origin is enough to transform most of your soul. Finishing the process shouldn''t be any difficult for you."


    Adam stared at the glowing orb in his hands, momentarily lost in thought.


    Anne''s voice drew him back. "You can absorb it whenever you''re ready. It''s been tailored to your soul, so you won''t face any rejection. But would you like some advice?"


    Adam nodded quickly. "I''d appreciate that."


    "The biggest difference between a formal mage and a transdimensional mage lies in how they use the power of the Origin. With enough of it, your soul will transform into that of an Original Creature."


    Adam nodded. He already understood this much.


    "But that''s not all. Once you reach that level, your magic will develop unique traits tied to your soul," Anne exined.


    Adam frowned slightly, intrigued.


    Anne waved her hand, and the space around them shifted to a nk, open void. She conjured a small fireball. "At this level, the distinction between magic levels begins to blur."


    Adam examined the fireball, which looked like a standard one created with basic runes.


    "For example," Anne continued, "this fireball might seem ordinary. But for a transdimensional mage, it''s different."


    Trantor''s note: Sandy''s reaction brings me back to the time when smartphones were first introduced in China. Everything is new and interesting, like a whole new world is out there waiting for us. It''s nothing like the life now; now it''s just boring.

 Chapter 344 - The Unique Path of the Transcendent Mage (2)

    As Anne finished her exnation, the fireball floating before Adam began to subtly change.


    The basic structure of runes remained the same, and Anne hadn¡¯t increased the magical output, yet the fireball¡¯s presence became exponentially stronger.


    Adam¡¯s chip had registered the fireball¡¯s initial power level as one. Now, it has surged to forty.


    While such a boost might seem minor for a level-one spell, Adam understood the staggering implications. If this level of amplification applied to a spell with a base power of a thousand instead of one, the results would be catastrophic.


    The fireball continued to evolve. Its orange-red outeryer grew translucent, revealing its interior. Adam watched as the original runes dissolved, and the elements restructured themselves, forming dozens of miniature fireballs spinning within the core.


    But it didn¡¯t stop there. In Adam¡¯s enhanced vision, the fireball¡¯s elements seemed to flow and shift in real-time, responding seamlessly to Anne¡¯s thoughts. The fireball wasn¡¯t just a spell anymore¡ªit was alive with intent.


    With a flick of her hand, Anne sent the fireball forward.


    As it traveled, obstacles materialized in its path, one after another. The fireball shattered into small mes upon nearing the first barrier, weaving around it like liquid fire, then reformed on the other side.


    For each new obstacle, it adapted¡ªchanging shape, splitting, or even vanishing temporarily¡ªbefore finally striking its target with pinpoint precision.


    The entire demonstration was unshielded, giving Adam a clear view of every moment. He confirmed with his chip that Anne hadn¡¯t added any new runes or magical constructs along the way. Yet the fireball defied logic.


    ¡°How is this possible?¡± Adam asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and awe.


    Anne smiled faintly. ¡°This is what happens when a soul is imbued with the Origin Touch. At this level, magic isn¡¯t just cast; it¡¯s willed into existence.


    ¡°With the Origin Touch, a mage achievesplete harmony with magic and the elements. Every thought shapes the magic. Frameworks can exist within frameworks, perfectly aligned to avoid conflicts and maximize efficiency. Even a simple fireball like this can match the destructive power of advanced spells.¡±


    She paused before adding, ¡°You¡¯re familiar with spells that carry unique effects, like the high-level fire spell "Embers", the one you stored in your ring when you were an apprentice. Normal mes don¡¯t exhibit properties like chainbustion or energy absorption. But Embers achieves those effects because its creator infused their intent into the magic, bending the naturalws of matter and energy to suit their design.¡±


    Adam nodded, recalling Embers vividly. The first time he witnessed it, he had been awestruck by its destructive potential. But something didn¡¯t add up. ¡°Embers isn¡¯t a transcendent-level spell, though. Ordinary mages can use it, right? How is that possible if they can¡¯t directly infuse intent into magic?¡±


    Anne¡¯s expression softened. ¡°You¡¯re correct. Ordinary mages can¡¯t do it directly. But there¡¯s a difference between creating a spell and casting one.


    ¡°When a mage creates a spell like Embers, they embed their will into its structure during its design. That intent is then preserved, like an instruction manual. Ordinary mages simply follow the instructions. They¡¯re not bending reality themselves; they¡¯re borrowing the original creator¡¯s understanding.¡±


    She continued, ¡°The version of Embers you saw as an apprentice was likely a diluted form. For a regr mage, even casting it once depletes most of their energy. And even then, it falls far short of the creator¡¯s original vision.¡±


    Adam fell silent, mulling over her words.


    Anne noticed Adam¡¯s confusion and gently borated. ¡°ording to ancient teachings, a transdimensional mage steps into the realm of the gods, gaining the ability to perceive, use, and even alter thews of reality. But in truth, we haven¡¯t reached the divine; we¡¯ve only taken a step closer to understanding the truth. At this level, thoughts and matter be interconnected¡ªlike the inside and outside of a box. Before, we could only touch the outside. But upon reaching transcendence, it¡¯s like punching a hole through that box, directly linking thoughts with matter.¡±


    Adam reflected on her analogy and came up with one of his own, though it felt clumsy. ''Is it simr to the shift from ssical physics to quantum mechanics? If the ¡°box¡± represents the divide between the macroscopic and microscopic realities of the universe, then transcendent mages had found a way to pierce that barrier within the etheric void?''


    After some thought, he asked, ¡°Then what about the fireball¡¯s transformation? How does that happen?¡±


    Anne smiled faintly. ¡°You remember what runes truly are, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Adam recalled Mage ck¡¯s lessons. ¡°Runes are thenguage of magic. They¡¯re foundational tools for casting spells, but their form isn¡¯t fixed. A mage¡¯s understanding of their knowledge shapes how their runes manifest.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Runes are a form ofnguage, much like the incantations of ancient magic. Mages use them tomunicate with elements and ether, shaping spells. However, runes are far more efficient and flexible than incantations.


    ¡°When a mage reaches the transcendent level, they gradually reduce their dependence on runes. Instead, they use their soul¡ªaligned with Origin power¡ªto directlymand knowledge and manipte elements. This produces the same results as runes but with fewer restrictions. Magic begins to move closer to pure will. Onlyplex or highly destructive spells require rune frameworks for structural stability.¡±


    To illustrate, Anne cast the fireball spell again, this time at full speed.


    Adam watched in awe as the spell rapidly transformed. It shifted through different fire-element evocation spells, cycling from basic to advanced forms before dispersing entirely into pure elemental energy, which flowed back into Anne¡¯s body.


    ¡°This feels a lot like ancient magic,¡± Adam remarked after a pause.


    Anne nodded thoughtfully. ¡°It does. But ancient magic got the process wrong. It relied entirely on imagination without a material foundation. It¡¯s like building a house on sand¡ªit might look impressive, but it copses under the slightest strain. Modern magic is the opposite. We start with a solid, material foundation and build toward the realm of thought. It¡¯s rooted in reality, with deep and growing roots. That¡¯s why it¡¯s stable and unshakable.¡±


    She paused for a moment, then added, ¡°You have friends in the Third Tower, don¡¯t you? Mages there tend to be weaker at the formal level, but once they ascend to transcendence, their power increases dramatically.


    ¡°Take Laura, for instance. She was the only one who truly embraced our principles and had the talent to rebuild her magical foundation. She advanced from Magister to transdimensional mage¡ªa genius by any standard. Now, she¡¯s one of the strongest Great Archmages.¡±


    Anne seemed to sense that Adam had absorbed enough for one day. She softened her tone and continued, ¡°The reason I¡¯m telling you this is to caution you. Don¡¯t rush your advancement to transcendence. Your foundation is built on a unique branch¡ªelectromaic magic¡ªa path no one has walked before.


    ¡°Other systems have the guidance of countless predecessors. Even if mistakes are made, they can be corrected. But for you, there¡¯s no roadmap. If you stray, no one can guide you back.¡±


    Her gaze softened. ¡°Take your time. You¡¯ve already made incredible contributions to the Mage World, with innovations like big data and cloudputing. But none of that is as important as solidifying your own system.¡±


    Adam stood stunned, her words weighing heavily on him. He had never expected such heartfelt advice from the World¡¯s Guardian herself. A mixture of gratitude and disbelief left him speechless.


    Anne walked closer, cing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Take it slow. You have time¡ªthere¡¯s no need to race against it.¡±


    Trantor''s note: Wow¡­ That''s a lot of information in just one chapter. I''m amazed by how much the author had considered to build this system, and by those very specific and deep metaphor he gave.

 Chapter 345 - Tough Experiment

    Three days had passed since Anne demonstrated the power of a transcendent mage to Adam.


    During this time, he had fully absorbed the orb of the Origin power. Now, four-fifths of his soul carried the essence of Origin, hugely enhancing the quality of his magic.


    The energy density of his spells had increased several times, boosting their power significantly. Yet Adam barely paid attention to this improvement.


    Instead, his mind wrestled with a single question: how could he create a "hole" in the box that separated thought from matter, allowing his will to merge directly with knowledge and magic?


    The idea was too abstract, too unquantifiable. For someone like Adam, who thrived on logical structure and experimental proof, such concepts felt maddeningly intangible.


    Frustrated, he decided to set aside Anne¡¯s philosophical perspective and focus instead on what he knew best: experimentation.


    For Adam, no problem¡ªno matter how profound¡ªwas immune to the power of forms and data.


    *****


    The personal chip research facility had expanded into a vast coborative hub involving mages from multiple Towers.


    Although Adam was nominally the leader, his direct control was limited to the big data and cloudputing projects.


    The mages in other research fields operated independently.


    Thus, Adam¡¯s personal experiments remained his sole domain, carried out with the assistance of his avatars.


    These avatars had be far more advanced. Each was equipped with a personal chip, connected to a unifiedputationalwork. This integration had multiplied their efficiency, transforming them into invaluable tools in Adam¡¯s research.


    Until now, Adam¡¯s work relied on ssical electromaism. Deriving equations like


    Maxwell¡¯s equations and the Lorentz forcew had been challenging but ultimately manageable. These principles described observable, macroscopic phenomena and formed the foundation of his understanding of electromaic magic.


    But to advance further, Adam needed a deeper framework¡ªa theoretical foundation akin to quantum electrodynamics (QED) from Earth¡¯s science.


    QED, as the culmination of decades of coborative work by Earth¡¯s brightest physicists, had required intricate experiments and advanced mathematical theories.


    Here in the Mage World, Adam had no one to share the burden. Replicating such achievements single-handedly felt daunting even for him.


    After mastering Maxwell¡¯s equations in the etheric environment, Adam had gained significant control over electromaic fields.


    His abilities were on par with other high-level elemental mages. He even discovered and used electromaic waves, though his understanding remained surface-level. He could wield them effectively butcked insight into their deeper nature.


    After much deliberation, Adam decided to go back to basics, focusing on visible light as a starting point.


    By studying its properties in the etheric environment, he hoped toy a solid foundation for breakthroughs in his understanding of electromaism.


    To do this, he needed to recreate several key physics experiments from Earth¡¯s history:


    Adam chose to begin with the ckbody radiation experiment, a cornerstone of modern physics that was crucial for determining nck¡¯s constant¡ªa fundamental value in quantum mechanics. This constant would be a gateway to subsequent discoveries.


    On Earth, a perfect ckbody was only a theoretical construct, an idealized object that absorbed all incident radiation and emitted energy perfectly ording to its temperature. Simrly, creating an ideal ckbody in the Mage World was impossible.


    However, the use of magical materials and etheric maniption allowed Adam to construct a device that mimicked a perfect ckbody with remarkable uracy.


    After days of trials and adjustments, Adam sessfully crafted a near-perfect ckbody¡ªan object that could absorb radiation at any wavelength and temperature with an absorption ratio nearing one.


    With the ckbody stabilized and emitting radiation at consistent values, the experiment moved forward smoothly.


    For the first time, Adam felt both mentally and physically drained. The research he was tackling now represented an entirely new branch of knowledge, far removed from his earlier frameworks. It was like starting over, and the road ahead promised to be exponentially harder.


    Seven days of tireless effort, hundreds of repeated experiments, and thousands of dataparisons finally bore fruit. Adam arrived at the value of nck¡¯s constant in the etheric environment, which he denoted as "h."


    The breakthrough hinged on a critical assumption: electromaic radiation isn¡¯t emitted or absorbed continuously but in discrete packets. These packets, which Adam called "quanta," aligned his calctions with experimental results.


    The energy of each quantum was defined by the form:


    E=h¦Í


    Where:


    Adam calcted the value of h as:


    h = 6.62606896(33)  10-34 J¡¤s


    Satisfied with this breakthrough, Adam set aside the ckbody radiation experiments and shifted his focus to the interference of light.


    The interference experiment was straightforward. Adam quickly assembled the apparatus:


    The result was unmistakable. When the beams intersected, alternating bright and dark patterns¡ªinterference fringes¡ªappeared. This confirmed that light behaved as a wave, capable of interference.


    Adam conducted additional experiments to explore diffraction and prization, both of which further reinforced the wave-like nature of light.


    With light¡¯s wave properties confirmed, Adam turned his attention to the photoelectric effect.


    Building the necessary apparatus was far more challenging, requiring ten days to gather and prepare the materials. Once ready, Adam shut himself off from the world to focus entirely on the experiment.


    Two weeks of painstaking testing revealed a groundbreaking result: when light of certain frequencies struck metallic surfaces, it excited electrons within the material, releasing them and generating an electric current.


    This effect, known as photoelectricity, validated the existence of photons and confirmed the uracy of nck¡¯s constant.


    The photoelectric effect¡¯s sess sparked a deep shift in Adam¡¯s understanding, but he suppressed the resulting changes in his soul to maintain focus. He immediately began investigating Compton scattering to further explore light¡¯s particle nature.


    After another month of meticulous experiments, Adampleted this series of tests. The scattering results corroborated his earlier findings, providing indisputable evidence of light¡¯s particle-like behavior.


    With both the wave-like and particle-like nature of light confirmed, Adam summarized his findings.


    Light was both a wave and a particle, its behavior shifting depending on the circumstances. This realization, known as wave-particle duality, was a cornerstone in his quest to understand the fundamental nature of reality.


    When Adam finally released the seal on his soul, a faint, otherworldly etheric radiance descended upon him.


    His soul grew stronger, and his magical power expanded slightly. But the greatest gain was his newfound ability to manipte visible light with unparalleled precision.


    Trantor''s note: Emm¡­ What is this book about again?


    The author warned Chinese readers of this chapter being very boring. Yeah, it definitely is boring. HOWEVER, I respect the author even more for creating this wonderful concept. Clearly, the guy totally loved this process.

 Chapter 346 - Adam Is Busy

    December website update


    The experiment results didn¡¯te close to meeting Adam¡¯s expectations. What he had discovered so far was just a stepping stone toward deeper realms of knowledge.


    Still, he chose not to move ahead with the next phase of his research right away. Instead, he decided to take some time to organize and fully understand the forms and data he¡¯d gathered.


    nck¡¯s constant, h, didn¡¯t seem particrly useful to Adam at the moment, but its significance was undeniable. He knew it would be one of the essential foundations for his future breakthroughs.


    On the other hand, the concept of light quanta was much more immediately valuable.


    Adam could already sense his Electro True Self evolving into something more mysterious and powerful. If he pushed further, he could bridge the gap between ssical electrodynamics and quantum electrodynamics.


    By then, not only could he form a Photon True Self, but he would also gain full mastery over electromaic forces.


    Having confirmed that light had both wave and particle properties, Adam applied this principle to nearly all electromaic waves. What was once observable and tangible was now something he could partially control, enabling him to create extraordinary magical effects.


    Setting his sights on a distant target, Adam summoned a rune group into the air. A beam of light shot out toward the target, and as it traveled, it shifted effortlessly into heat or electrical energy under hismand. The target, designed to absorb up to 3,000 energy units, was destroyed without resistance.


    What thrilled Adam most was seeing his theories confirmed in practice. Once again, experience proved to be the ultimate test of truth.


    Bybining theory and experimentation, he could unravel any mystery.


    Though the unique boundary between thought and matter in the ether void still existed, Adam had found a way to begin breaking through it.


    As he surveyed the room, Adam noticed a curious phenomenon. Wherever his gazended, electromaic phenomena would suddenly appear. The moment his focus shifted, the phenomena disappeared just as abruptly.


    "Different techniques, different shapes, but the same results. Electromaic magic is my original creation. Even at the transcendent threshold, there¡¯s no need to abandon my ideas to follow someone else¡¯s path."


    With this thought, Adam returned his attention to the outside world. He was startled to find a flood of messages andmunication requests, streaming in from the Mage Network and his personal chip.


    After quickly scanning through the project data reports and setting them aside, he opened a signed message.


    The first message was from Mordo. She informed him that the Rex Consortium had liquidated all his shares, transferring over two million ether crystals into his ount. She also hinted that Rex, another transdimensional mage, wanted to meet with Adam to discuss the matter of the personal chip.


    Adam read the message without any reaction. He had no interest in meeting them or basking in their regret as the "winner." Nor did he wish to restart their coboration. His ties to the consortium were cut, and he had no ns to reconnect.


    The second message, along with several others, was from Prisci. Before Adam could read them, she called him directly.


    ¡°Next time you disappear into your research, could you at least leave an emergencymunication channel open?¡± Prisci¡¯s tone caught Adam off guard. When had they grown so familiar?


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Adam asked, genuinely puzzled.


    Prisci sighed. ¡°Have youpletely forgotten the radioactive minerals project? The research has been stuck for ages. The mages working on it are out of ideas. They¡¯ve been asking me to contact you, the original discoverer, for help.¡±


    The institute had tried reaching out to Adam before. However, he had been upied with the Titan world at the time, and when he returned, Prisci had passed along the request. But Adam had thrown himself into the personal chip project, which the Mage Council had forbidden any interruptions. Then came another period of seclusion. Now, with him finally avable, Prisci wasted no time. The project was on the brink of copse.


    ¡­


    Adam was intrigued. A breakthrough in this project could be as transformative as big data or cloudputing. Big data had revolutionized society, while simr advancements in power and energy could redefine the material world.


    Additionally, radioactive mineral research promised a chance at creating a groundbreaking form, a prospect Adam couldn¡¯t ignore.


    After agreeing to help, Adam used his privileges to teleport twice, arriving at the research institute buried deep beneath the surface of Cthulhu.


    The institute was located in an area so saturated with radiation that it was lethally uninhabitable. Any ordinary life form venturing into this zone would have its biological functions destroyed instantly, likely without even mutating. Even Cthulhu¡¯s native creatures couldn¡¯t survive here unless they were transcendent. For several hundred kilometers around the institute, life was nonexistent except for the mages, who were protected by powerful defensive measures.


    As Adam approached the institute¡¯s reinforced entrance, the heavy doors opened before he could present his credentials. A disheveled mage burst out, grabbing Adam by the arm.


    ¡°You¡¯re Adam, right? The one who discovered Cthulhu and the radioactive minerals? Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting for you? Why are you only showing up now?¡±


    Adam frowned, instinctively disliking the contact. He tried to pull free but found, to his surprise, that he couldn¡¯t. This mage hadpletely neutralized him with a simple grasp.


    Prisci intervened, gently brushing the man¡¯s hand away. ¡°Yurius,pose yourself. This is hardly how a transdimensional mage should behave.¡±


    Yurius, his hair a mess and his robes stained, shoved his hands into his pockets and muttered, ¡°To hell with manners! These damn rocks are driving me insane. They¡¯re supposed to be extraordinary¡ªbetter than this! Don¡¯t you see? I¡¯m sure my chance to ascend to a Great Archmage is hidden in them!¡±


    Adam realized this man was no ordinary mage. Yurius was an eighth-level transcendent, just shy of breaking through.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t figure it out!¡± Yurius suddenly yanked his hand from his robe and waved it dramatically at Adam and Prisci. ¡°I¡¯m so close¡ªjust one small step!¡±


    Trantor''s note: Adam''s helping the Mage World get modernized!

 Chapter 347 - Mad Scientist Yurius

    The moment Yurius finished speaking, an overwhelming surge of magic erupted from him, spiraling into the sky like a storm.


    Adam could feel the entire realm of Cthulhu tremble in response. The surge destabilized gravitational fields, copsing space itself and releasing tremendous energy. If unchecked, it would inevitably lead to a catastrophic disaster.


    Under the immense pressure, Adam felt his body and soul on the verge of breaking apart.


    Prisci, equally affected, looked pale but quickly stepped in front of Adam, shielding him from the crushing force.


    Without hesitation, she cast a spell¡ªapound-element magic unlike anything Adam had seen before¡ªaimed directly at Yurius¡¯s head.


    ¡°Yurius, damn it! Are you trying to kill us?!¡± she shouted.


    Her spell, however, never reached its target. The gravitational vortex shredded it into nothingness before it couldnd.


    Luckily, Yurius regained control of himself just in time, and the terrifying magical energy vanished as quickly as it had appeared.


    Adam staggered, disoriented by the sudden change. Before he could recover, Yurius waved a hand, teleporting Prisci away without exnation. He turned back to Adam with an awkward smile and shrugged.


    ¡°Right... You¡¯re just a level-four mage. My bad, my bad.¡± He rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a silver pendant, tossing it to Adam. ¡°Here, take this¡ªit¡¯ll keep you from getting squashed if I lose it again.¡±


    Catching the pendant, Adam quickly recognized it as a high-grade transcendent magical artifact.


    Without hesitation, Adam put it on, knowing its value. Artifacts capable of withstanding eighth-level magic were rare treasures, highly sought after in the Tower¡¯s markets.


    With a casual gesture, Yurius manipted gravity, pulling Adam along as they sped through the institute¡¯s corridors.


    Distance and obstacles seemed meaningless under hismand. As they moved, Adam noticed raw veins of radioactive ore embedded in the walls and mining tools strewn about. Strangely, the facility was eerily empty.


    ¡°Yurius, where are the other researchers?¡± Adam asked, his curiosity piqued.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± Yurius said tly. ¡°Left over a year ago. Didn¡¯t think these rocks were worth the effort. Now it¡¯s just me. And you.¡±


    He smirked, his disdain obvious. ¡°Idiots. I told them these stones hold incredible secrets, but they wouldn¡¯t listen. What about you, kid? You see it, don¡¯t you? These rocks are extraordinary.¡±


    Adam hesitated for a moment before responding carefully, ¡°I think you¡¯re absolutely right.¡±


    Hearing this, Yurius¡¯ face lit up. He threw an arm around Adam¡¯s shoulders, pulling him in. ¡°Finally! Someone who gets it! Don¡¯t worry, kid. Now it¡¯s just the two of us. Whatever we uncover, I¡¯ll make sure you get a fair share. Then we¡¯ll shove the results in those fools¡¯ faces!¡±


    Adam gave a cautious smile, gently stepping out of Yurius¡¯ grasp. This mage was unlike anyone he¡¯d met before¡ªan entric genius who seemed to disregard all social norms, driven entirely by his obsessions. He fit the archetype of a mad scientist perfectly, teetering on the edge of brilliance and insanity.


    They eventually arrived in a cavernous underground space. Spatial runes etched into the walls had clearly expanded the area far beyond its natural limits.


    Despite its vastness, theb was sparsely equipped. A few refining devices hummed softly, surrounded by heaps of radioactive minerals glowing faintly in the dim light.


    Adam¡¯s eyes lingered on the stones. Beneath their unassuming surface, he could sense immense potential, like a hidden key waiting to unlock an entirely new realm of knowledge.


    Yurius, brimming with enthusiasm, practically dragged Adam to a seat, shoving a thick stack of experiment reports and data in front of him.


    ¡°Look at these!¡± Yurius eximed, his voice a mixture of excitement and frustration. ¡°These stones are insane! They hold an unbelievable amount of energy. I¡¯ve managed to extract a fraction of it bypressing them with gravity, but the efficiency is terrible. Sometimes I think the energy doesn¡¯t evene from the stones but from a reaction to my gravity maniption.¡±


    Adam¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Extracting energy from uranium ore using gravitationalpression was a groundbreaking and dangerous achievement. The implications were staggering.


    ¡°I read the data you uploaded to the Mage Network when you discovered Cthulhu,¡± Yurius continued, his words tumbling out in a rush. ¡°It hinted at this ne¡¯s value. Come on, tell me¡ªwhat else do you know? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to steal your discoveries!¡±


    Adam sighed, retrieving a personal chip from his robes. It was configured for the second Tower and optimized for data logging. He handed it to Yurius, who immediately bonded it to himself. Adam wasn¡¯t concerned about his findings being stolen¡ªexining them in a way Yurius could grasp was the real challenge.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, Adam began with an analogy. ¡°Let me put it like this. The energy released by an ordinary fireball spell can be considered 1 unit. If that spell explodes in a confined space, it would release about 4.19¡Á10<sup>^6</sup> units of energy in Earth-based terms.¡±


    Yurius, fiddling with the chip, muttered, ¡°Earth-based units? Ugh, tooplicated. Let¡¯s simplify. A fireball explosion equals 1 unit. Done.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Adam said with a nod. ¡°By that measure, if we could cause one kilogram of highly pure radioactive material to fully release its energy in a localized reaction, the result would equal around twenty million fireball spells.¡±


    For a moment, Yurius didn¡¯t respond. Then, twin beams of energy shot from his eyes, searing two deep holes into the floor. He blinked rapidly, staring at the ores, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Twenty million fireball spells. These stones are incredible.¡±


    Adam quickly interjected, ¡°That¡¯s the theoretical maximum. In reality, much of the energy would be lost, and controlling the reaction would require precision. The explosion would also have to be tightly contained.¡±


    But Yurius was unfazed. ¡°Even half of that¡ªno, even a fraction¡ªwould be beyond what most high-level spells can do!¡± He mmed his hands onto the table, which promptly disintegrated into fine dust along with the reports.


    Ignoring the destruction, Yurius locked his zing eyes on Adam. ¡°If we could weaponize this¡ªeven for single-use tools targeting the material realm¡ªit¡¯d be devastating against anything below level five. This research is priceless!¡±


    Leaning in closer, he asked withser focus, ¡°You know how to do it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Adam hesitated, choosing his words carefully. ¡°Not exactly. This would need careful, step-by-step experiments to develop safely.¡±


    Yurius waved dismissively. ¡°Perfect! That¡¯s why you¡¯re here. Since this institute is now OUR institute, I¡¯m officially naming you project lead!¡±


    Adam opened his mouth to respond, but Yurius cut him off. ¡°No need to thank me! I don¡¯t care about titles or recognition anymore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what¡ª¡±


    ¡°All I care about is getting closer to the truth! To feel it, to grasp it, and to ascend to a Great Archmage! Everything else is trivial.¡± He gestured grandly, his voice growing more animated. ¡°And when I do, I¡¯ll mock those idiots for abandoning this research for an entire century!¡±


    Finally finding a moment to cut in, Adam spoke firmly. ¡°What I meant is that this project isn¡¯t something we can handle on our own. We need more researchers¡ªspecialists who can help us push this forward.¡±


    Yurius paused, visibly digesting the suggestion. Then, with a boomingugh, he pped Adam on the back hard enough to make him stumble. ¡°Fair enough! We¡¯ll get more people. But they better not be like those spineless morons who left!¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!