"If someone told you that mages who've passed the trials are the best, then Explorers? Well, they're the best of the best," Priscilla said, almost expecting Adam's question. She took a moment and then started,
"Here's the deal. All kinds of mages, the Scouts, the Directors, and the Attackers, they only get their missions started after breaking through this magic barrier at the Mage Tower and hopping into a different Plane. But Explorers? They've got a tougher job. Before anything else, they have to make sure they've got the right location. Then, they use powerful magic to sneak into this other world, finding out stuff like what's there, how powerful the creatures are, and where's the best place to set up their magic arrays."
"They do all of this solo. No help, no backup. Once they're in, the only thing they've got is the Mage Network."
Adam scratched his head, "Wait, Priscilla, I'm lost. Doesn't the Mage Tower just pop in there? Why do they go in alone first?"
Priscilla grinned a little, "Space is massive. A tiny mistake in where you want to go can make you end up in the completely wrong place. So, you gotta make sure you've got the right spot. Also, not all these Planes are worth the trouble. Some, we can just make friends with and trade cool stuff."
"Make friends?"
"Yep. But only with Planes that have cool cities and societies. Their big boss creatures need to be chill enough to talk to our top mages as equals."
Adam tried to hide a smirk. To him, it sounded like they were acting like cosmic bullies.
Keeping the flow, Priscilla went on, "Taking over a world takes a lot. Once an Explorer confirms a spot, the Tower auctions it off to the highest bidder among the big mage towers. These mage towers make a deal with the Tower, and they get some help. But they have to give back a bit of their earnings - 20% in fact. Out of that, the Explorer gets a 5% cut."
"Some Planes? They're just too strong. A single mage group can't handle them. That's when the Tower itself steps in. That's why Explorers go in first."
"And, just so you know, being an Explorer is super risky. Once you're in another world, it's like the world itself is trying to kick you out. It's like you're a bug the world's trying to squash."
After digesting all of this, Adam looked determined, "I want to be an Explorer."
Priscilla nodded, "Stay glued to the Mage Network then. As an Explorer, you've got to learn some special magic tricks. Someone will reach out to you soon. Now, let's see the Points you've got."
The screen switched, showing Adam's scores from his latest adventure. It settled on a number: 18566.
After earning a bunch of points, apart from the basic 1,000 he got as standard, Adam found out he could swap the extra for some really cool stuff: ether crystals, advanced spells, chill time, magic ingredients, and more.
Priscilla showed him a list of what he could get. Adam's eyes widened when he saw the value of his points. If he traded them for ether crystals, he'd get nearly two thousand! That was like two years of what he normally got.
Looking through everything, Adam zeroed in on two things.
"I'd like my own lab in the Tower, and some info on making doppelgangers."
After picking those, Adam left the other points. Priscilla said, "Okay, I get the lab thing, but why the doppelganger stuff? That's for super advanced mages. And splitting your soul might mess with your magic. You sure about this?"
Adam was totally sure. Ever since he started using electromagnetic magic, he didn't know much about other kinds. This seemed like a shortcut to kick off his big 'Adam Lab' plan. If it worked, he could spend more time traveling between worlds and Planes.
Heading back to Meyer City, Adam was in a cool robe that marked him as a Tower mage. By his side was the cheeky devil who kept shape-shifting.
The devil's upgrade went great, and it chose to fully combine with Garfield. This fusion made the devil super powerful, almost like an entirely different creature. Adam thought maybe calling him 'Shape-shifter' was more fitting now.
But the devil was more focused on something else. It nudged Adam, hinting, "Hey, Master, we're back in the city. Remember..."
Adam just gave it a side-eye, handing over his Moldo Tower ID, "Do what you want, but no drama, okay?"
The devil, super excited, grabbed the token and zoomed off into the busy streets.
Adam, meanwhile, went to the Rex Mage Club. He thought he should probably say bye to Dean Victor. Just because he had now joined the Tower didn't mean he could forget his manners. Being nice was key, especially in the mage world.
Two guard-like creatures, succubi, were at the club's entrance. They seemed super surprised to see a Tower mage and quickly bowed. "Welcome, great mage. How can we help..."
Adam, not the type to show off, just waved them up from their bow with a little magic and released a bit of his power.
Suddenly, Victor popped up. Laughing big, he clapped Adam's back, "Knew you'd nail it!"
Adam was respectful, "I owe you and Moldo a lot..."
Victor just waved it away, "It was a fair deal. We gave you some help, and we got even more in return. No thanks needed."
He led Adam inside, "I heard your trial was epic. Can't wait for the details."
