Mage Adam

Chapter 346 - Adam Is Busy

December website update

The experiment results didn’t come 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 formulas and data he’d gathered.

Planck’s constant, h, didn’t seem particularly useful to Adam at the moment, but its significance was undeniable. He knew it would become 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 classical electrodynamics and quantum electrodynamics. 

By then, not only could he form a Photon True Self, but he would also gain full mastery over electromagnetic forces.

Having confirmed that light had both wave and particle properties, Adam applied this principle to nearly all electromagnetic 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 his command. 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. 

By combining 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 gaze landed, electromagnetic phenomena would suddenly appear. The moment his focus shifted, the phenomena disappeared just as abruptly.

"Different techniques, different shapes, but the same results. Electromagnetic 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 and communication 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 account. 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 collaboration. His ties to the consortium were cut, and he had no plans to reconnect.

The second message, along with several others, was from Priscilla. Before Adam could read them, she called him directly.

“Next time you disappear into your research, could you at least leave an emergency communication channel open?” Priscilla’s tone caught Adam off guard. When had they grown so familiar?

“Something wrong?” Adam asked, genuinely puzzled.

Priscilla sighed. “Have you completely 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 occupied with the Titan world at the time, and when he returned, Priscilla 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 available, Priscilla wasted no time. The project was on the brink of collapse.

…

Adam was intrigued. A breakthrough in this project could be as transformative as big data or cloud computing. Big data had revolutionized society, while similar advancements in power and energy could redefine the material world. 

Additionally, radioactive mineral research promised a chance at creating a groundbreaking formula, 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 had completely neutralized him with a simple grasp.

Priscilla intervened, gently brushing the man’s hand away. “Yurius, compose 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—better 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 Priscilla. “I’m so close—just one small step!”

Translator's note: Adam's helping the Mage World get modernized!