Victor didn't seem too optimistic about Adam's choice.
"Explorers, compared to all other battlemages, tend to gain resources more easily. However, in return, they also face the highest death rates. Don't think that having the Mage Network means you have a second life. Those who get smuggled and are eradicated by the essence of another Plane cannot be resurrected."
Adam didn't respond to this directly. Any reward comes with its risks; the greater the reward, the higher the risk. This was a common understanding. But since Master Victor brought it up, Adam did have a question: "What is that special magic?"
He had asked Priscilla this question before, but her reaction was odd. It seemed a mix of admiration and distaste, an emotion Adam couldn't comprehend.
Victor paused momentarily and then laughed without answering directly. Instead, he said, "Mages have never been righteous. You should be very clear about that."
Adam nodded.
"As apprentices, it's not discussed. But once they became real mage, many researches might cause the destruction of entire ecosystems. We're not even talking about elemental magic -- but potions, alchemy, and most advanced knowledge in biology, they're all bathed in blood."
Adam questioned, "Does this have to do with the special magic?"
"Not related. But even among such mages, some still preach about righteousness. Butchers covered in blood think another butcher's method of killing is too cruel. Isn't that ridiculous?"
Adam was completely lost. It seemed as if Victor was venting to him.
After speaking, Victor realized he might have gone off track. He cleared his throat and continued, "The special magic comes from the Third Tower's Archmage Laura, the only one who transitioned from ancient magic to modern magic and ascended to a higher realm." Victor paused, avoiding a particular term, "The special magic is a legacy of ancient magic. It's called 'Reincarnation'."
Connecting the dots, Adam realized the underlying issues - remnants from history causing the Third Tower's knowledge to be frowned upon. He couldn't understand where Victor's grievances originated from.
"The Reincarnation Magic allows you to become an embryo, parasitizing within a native parental body from another Plane, thus evading the chase of that Plane's essence. Aside from the mages of the Third Tower, no one knows its principle. Even if you learn it, you can only use it."
Adam blinked, "Such magic seems normal. How is it considered cruel?"
Master Victor discerned his confusion, "The success rate is very low. While the caster remains unharmed, the parasitized parental body will certainly die. Usually, it takes tens of thousands of parasitic attempts to find one matching parental body."
After meeting with Victor, Adam returned to his room within the Tower.
By now, he had clarified the core of the conflict. It wasn't about the cruelty of magic, but the antipathy stemming from the identity of the Third Tower. It seemed that, although mages prided themselves on wisdom, they were still not entirely rational. Such baseless conflicts persisted.
The Mage Network was like Earth's chat apps. Adding someone felt like adding a friend online. With it, you could send messages or even magical videos.
Suddenly, a video call popped up.
When Adam answered, he saw a mysterious mage with a dark vibe. The mage didn't waste any time. "In an hour, at the Tower's first floor, you'll learn about Reincarnation." Then, he ended the call.
Adam arrived a bit early and walked into the given room. The Tower had magical rooms that could change shapes with the help of some ether crystals and the trusty alchemical golems. The room was completely black, with a hundred beds lined up, each with a woman on it.
The dark mage handed Adam a digital box, "The instructions for Reincarnation are in here. One-time read only. These hundred women from another world? They're your practice subjects."
He then floated into the air and sat, waiting.
Curious, Adam read the box. The info directly entered his brain.
He blinked, "This spell..."
It was an old chant of thirty-three unique words. Each word needed special focus and energy to say correctly.
Adam started practicing right away. Old spells felt different from modern ones, but Adam was quick. After a few tries, he got the hang of the pronunciation.
Trying the spell, Adam felt weird energy around him. But a tiny mistake stopped it. To his relief, there was no bad side effect.
The dark mage commented, "You'd fit in with us at the Third Tower. Ever thought about joining?"
Adam shook his head, "No, thanks."
The mage just sighed, "You don't know what you're missing."
Despite getting the words right, Adam couldn't pull off the spell. Frustrated, he asked, "What's wrong?"
The mage replied, not hiding his irritation, "You can't break this spell apart. Say all the words at once. You've got a week. If you can't get it by then..."
But before he could finish, Adam did the spell perfectly and disappeared.
The dark mage's eyes went wide. Pulling back his hood, he mumbled in disbelief, "In just half a day? Impossible!" He knew how tough the spell was. Even the best mages he knew took at least five days.
Meanwhile, Adam was in another world, experiencing the wonders of the magic he'd just mastered."
