Protheus, the True Spirit Archmage—this was a na Adam had known since the mont he first gained awareness. A na that rang like thunder in his ears.
A pioneer, a revolutionary, an explorer, a great leader, the light of wisdom, the incarnation of truth.
In the world of mages, every word of praise seed only fitting when used to describe this True Spirit.
Adam had always known that one day a True Spirit Archmage would co to inspect the Research Institute, but he had not expected it to happen so soon—let alone that the one who ca would be this figure.
“Greetings, Your Excellency,” Adam said respectfully.
The True Spirit Archmage smiled and nodded. A gentle power lifted everyone to their feet, and then he spoke to Adam:
“Hello, Adam. Would you mind showing around the Institute?”
The other mages, tactful enough, withdrew. Adam extended his hand in a courteous gesture.
“Of course, Your Excellency.”
Wherever Protheus passed, every mage along the way silently stood and paid him respect, their gazes fixed upon him until his figure disappeared from sight. None dared make an exception. His stature in the hearts of mages was clear beyond doubt.
The Atomic Research Institute was no longer what it had been; there were now many areas worth visiting. Behind each sealed ward of magic arrays, high-energy or radiation experints might be taking place. And beyond those, the theoretical departnt was busy organizing symbols, each of which carried imnse aning.
Protheus seed delighted. He grew curious at every station, asking questions, only continuing after he had received satisfying answers. When the tour was complete, he said to Adam:
“Unbelievable. In just a few decades, since the day you first beca a mage apprentice, you’ve already brought so many changes to the Mage World.”
“I never sought to accomplish anything special. These studies benefit just as much,” Adam replied modestly.
The True Spirit shook his head.
“Mages are always like this—research begins from the self. But rit is rit. No one has the right to deny it.”
Then he suddenly asked:
“How is your own research progressing? I an the work on electromagnetic magic.”
Lately, Adam had devoted all his energy to atomic research. The work on electromagnetics had been handed off to clones inside the Holy Tower laboratories, tasked with computation and verification. Adam had long been renting vast amounts of computational power, and by the numbers, the results were no worse than if he did it himself.
The progress was fairly good. Most importantly, the two lines of research had complented each other. With the Institute confirming the existence of more subatomic particles—standardizing fermions and bosons within the Aether Void—it was providing crucial advancent for his studies in quantum electrodynamics and wave–particle duality.
“Not bad. I should have a breakthrough soon,” Adam replied.
Protheus patted him on the shoulder.
“Don’t rush—but don’t slack either. Anne once worried you’d damage your foundation by trying to ascend to Super Dinsional too hastily. But now, I see she underestimated you. Even setting aside your electromagnetic work, the results here in this Institute alone are enough to propel any mage to Super Dinsional level—and among them, one of the strongest in terms of attack. The atomic bomb… a very fine creation indeed.”
He paused, then smiled.
“When you feel the ti is right, go to Anne—or co to . We’ll provide you with all the Source Power you need for your ascension. Unlimited. Use as much as you like.”
Adam’s eyes lit up. At present, four-fifths of his soul was filled with Source Power—but so of it ca from the rewards of planar sacrifices, not pure mage-world Source. He still rembered Arnold the Super Dinsional’s warning at the ti, and had long been striving to purify himself.
“No matter whether you choose, after your ascension, to leave the Holy Tower and beco a Free Super Dinsional, or remain within it—your Super Dinsional Mage Tower’s resources and costs will all be covered by the Mage Council. You only need to make the request and provide the technology. Everything else will be taken care of.”
A surprise. A true surprise. Adam had not expected such generosity from the Council. By what he had heard from Super Dinsional’s in their casual talk, building a Super Dinsional Mage Tower required an enormous expenditure—even when following pre-set templates. But Adam, having founded an entirely new magical system, would necessarily build a tower unlike any other. And difference ant even greater costs. Now, soone else was offering to foot the bill—nothing could be better.
“Thank you,” Adam said sincerely. “This is incredible.”
Protheus waved his hand dismissively.
“You’ve earned it. One more thing—would you allow my projection of will to remain here at the Institute, to join in the research?”
The appearance of His Excellency Protheus filled every researcher in the Institute with pride. To work on a project in which a True Spirit Archmage personally participated was an honor that carried weight wherever it was spoken of.
His wisdom was vast and profound. In just a few days of engaging with the projects, he raised nurous critical questions.
First: he directly rejected Adam’s attempt to use fission as a thod of applying magic. He firmly told Adam that such a plan had no real aning.
“The reason?” Adam asked—echoing the curiosity of everyone present.
“Magic is a lower energy derived from Aether. It is born of Aether, and thus possesses a higher grade of energy. But after studying the principles of fission, I realized—even if it could be applied to magic, what it would yield would only be ordinary energies of a lower grade. Mages would not grow stronger from it. And besides—magic is different. It resists such treatnt.”
With a single sentence, the True Spirit pierced to the heart of the issue. His words set everyone thinking. And after so ti, none could deny that he was right—if the energy grade declined, it was worse than useless.
Adam, deep in thought, said:
“Your Excellency ans… the technology should be appled directly to Aether itself? Can that even be done?”
Protheus nodded.
“Yes. If Aether undergoes fission, what it produces would be vast amounts of magic. If it can be realized, it will far surpass the current thod of Aether-to-magic conversion in efficiency. Moreover…”
He waved his hand casually. In response, Aether particles shimred from the void and converged toward him, condensing in an instant into an Aether crystal in his palm.
“By your terminology, Aether is the macroscopic manifestation of higher energy. To tamper with it is far easier.”
Aether is the macroscopic manifestation—these words struck Adam’s mind like a thunderbolt. The Aether crystals he handled daily… were they not Aether itself?
He should have realized long ago. Aether and magic were not the sa thing.
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