[This is one of the methods used to let a mage completely depart from their human body.]
Once an apprentice becomes 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 accommodate the increase in magic. Hence, their bodies eventually become 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 and compared 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 it lacks a base, and the "new body" can't harbour any mental strength. Adam guessed that this would hinder his promotion.
But here comes 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 electromagnetism 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 magnetic field to form a "new body"? Too abstract, too broad.
A pure electric body? A body based off quantum energy? Although they were closely related to electromagnetism, the resources required to prove the existence of those two variables would be unimaginable.
The final preparations for the battlemage trial lasted 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 magnetic 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 magnetic 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 electromagnetic 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 plasma cannon as well, but Adam has hit a "technological black box". Although he could do so via massive calculations, the theory isn't complete. Hence, it would take a long time to conjure a plasma 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 become a senior member, maybe a war commander 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 Black 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 some common 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 flash, 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 explained, looking around. "There aren't that many people here. Seems that the trial would not be difficult."
Adam glanced 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, "No large 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..."
