Mage Adam

As Anne finished her explanation, 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 outer layer 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—it 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 flames upon nearing the first barrier, weaving around it like liquid fire, then reformed on the other side.

For each new obstacle, it adapted—changing shape, splitting, or even vanishing temporarily—before 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 achieves complete 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 flames don’t exhibit properties like chain combustion or energy absorption. But Embers achieves those effects because its creator infused their intent into the magic, bending the natural laws 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 regular 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 elaborated. “According to ancient teachings, a transdimensional mage steps into the realm of the gods, gaining the ability to perceive, use, and even alter the laws 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 become interconnected—like 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 similar to the shift from classical 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 Black’s lessons. “Runes are the language 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 of language, much like the incantations of ancient magic. Mages use them to communicate 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—aligned with Origin power—to directly command knowledge and manipulate elements. This produces the same results as runes but with fewer restrictions. Magic begins to move closer to pure will. Only complex 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—it might look impressive, but it collapses 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—a 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—electromagnetic magic—a 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 cloud computing. 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, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Don’t rush. Take it slow. You have time—there’s no need to race against it.”

Translator'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.