Mage Adam

"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 decomposed the metal particles into a metal cluster. He then sent out a blue-white electric current in front of him to simulate 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 simulated the electromagnetic gun, but it was only partly successful since his theories were incomplete. In terms of power, though, it is stronger than lightning blasts 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 electromagnetism, 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 the commotion. After proving his identity and paying compensation for the monument he destroyed, Adam simply nodded to his assistants and walked towards the lab.

The apprentices dispersed after silently looking at each other.

James and Frank didn't leave to enjoy their break. They went back to the lab 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 penetrating 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 becomes 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 replace 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, replacing 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."