A mage? A spell engineer!

Chapter 477 You Are the Challenger

"Enough! It's just a badge. Do you want to melt it down?"

Despite the great commotion, the seal stubbornly maintained its purplish-red color. Rorschach was practically torturing and inflicting cruelty on it, but the seal stuck to its principle of not turning red.

Feuerbach had no choice but to call a halt. The crimson light dissipated, finally revealing red—not the color of magical light, but the red-hot phenomenon of metal. Under the immense magical flux, only heat and some tiny, iridescent crystals were generated.

The master took back the badge with the [Mage's Hand], saying with doubt and regret, "You may be the strongest intermediate spellcaster in the history of the continent, but the facts prove that intermediate is still intermediate."

Rorschach felt empty and frustrated.

Fortunately, Master Feuerbach was a serious and meticulous person. If it were Carnot, he would have joined his senior brother in mocking Rorschach before carefully considering the reasons. However, Feuerbach immediately began to assess Rorschach's current situation.

"What you just demonstrated shows that your control over magic is at the level of an archmage. When you were manipulating the magic within the tower, that red dragon was definitely roaring in anger but powerless." The master's likes and dislikes were clear, and he obviously had a disdainful attitude towards the red dragon: "However, the essence of magic has not changed."

"The essence of magic? What exactly is that?" Rorschach was getting frantic.

"The starting point of the world is the primordial - the original text, which splits and deteriorates into symbols, and symbols and ideas degenerate into matter. Magic can be seen as plucking the string of the degeneration process, as a membrane between symbols and matter, or as converging into waves and particles and further degenerating into the basic components of the material world."

"There was a one-sided and simplistic model from a very early time, which imagined the symbolic world as the sky and the material world as the earth, and that we, as intelligent beings, are beings that possess both spirit and flesh."

"A sorcerer is someone who can jump up slightly or reach up to a symbol, and alter the material world by changing the direction of the symbol's corruption. Therefore, magic is your 'arms,' and the hand seals are the means of determining 'how high you can reach,'" Feuerbach explained.

To be honest, Luo Xia was still a little unconvinced: "This seems to be somewhat inconsistent with the mechanism described in the 'typewriter model.' In fact, I think I can reach a height that's not too high."

"You're absolutely right. Any model or theory describing magic or its principles is one-sided and limited. The first lesson in the Tower of Arcane Arts will tell all apprentices that, regarding the truth of magic and the world, we are nothing more than a bunch of blind dwarves groping for the red dragon; some touch its thigh, some touch its wings."

"Alright, I get it." Rorschach felt this metaphor was more dangerous than the version from his previous life—if a dwarf touched the red dragon's mouth, wouldn't he have to fill in the gaps between his teeth?

Yes, but magical research is indeed very risky, no doubt about it.

Just when Rorschach thought he was going to return empty-handed, Feuerbach suddenly fell into deep thought. Rorschach patiently waited for the master to speak again: "Given your abilities, you have indeed already touched the 'sky.' What I'm thinking is..."

"The Tree of Law"

"That's right, its existence is special enough. If you could let me study it..."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master! I suddenly remembered I have something to do tomorrow, so I won't bother you any longer. Goodbye!"

At what age can a young boy not be allowed into the women's bathhouse? Answer: When he actively wants to go in. Therefore, Rorschach blocked Feuerbach's hints about re-entering the borderlands, at least until he himself successfully advanced.

After returning to his magic tower, Rorschach secluded himself, leaving everything to Andre and Caroline, while his consciousness ascended to the borderlands.

Everything here remains normal. The Tree of Law has grown to an astonishing height, with its lush branches occupying most of the sky above the border. There are also countless cores underground. However, for the Tower Spirit, the increasing computing power and the surging demand are always barely balanced, and the situation is always tense.

Upon seeing the Creator arrive, the "Century Egg Spirit" put down the sword it had conjured, stretched its long neck toward Rorschach, and nuzzled its face in affection.

But Rorschach didn't linger long; he strode to the tree and stared intently at the golden Tree of Law.

"The Tower Spirit?" Usually, the Tower Spirit would respond immediately whenever he had a thought, but now when Luo Xia tried to communicate, it only remained silent.

After a moment's thought, he sketched a symbol pointing to himself out of thin air. Once the loop was complete, it shone with brilliant light, and the corresponding Tree of Law trembled, shedding many flowing lights.

However, Rorschach's spirit did not seem to respond much.

At this moment, his face darkened, and he actually disbanded the guardian beasts at the border, saying, "Why aren't you responding? Or should I call you Rorschach?"

The broken "preserved egg" was reassembled and reshaped, and the light path of the Tree of Law connected to the sculpted body, eventually resulting in an image identical to Rorschach's spirit. The significant difference was that he wore a bright red mage's robe, exactly like the ancient sage's attire in the Shadow City.

Tarinsha spoke up: "Wouldn't it be better to continue this cooperation? As for Rorschach, the so-called archmage is not important. As long as the Tree of Law continues to grow, 'my' power in reality will naturally increase, and my overall strength will not be inferior to the likes of Feuerbach."

"But the essence of my magic has not changed, or rather, the change has been prevented and intercepted." According to the theory Feuerbach told him, Rorschach should have been able to intervene to the Primal Layer on his own, but now the consciousness of the Tree of Law - Tower Spirit is doing it for him. It's like using a crutch, and the material comes from Rorschach himself.

He looked at the other person, who resembled him and dressed like an ancient sage: "I'm curious, are you a mirror image of my soul, or a sage reincarnated in another's body?"

Tarinsha shook her head: "The ancient sages kept their word. The memories and knowledge they imparted were all isolated, not involving the 'soul,' and they did not attempt to prolong their existence. My self-identity has always been 'Rorschach,' and you see, I responded when you called that name."

"Of course, if you call me by another name, my real name, I will respond."

"Enough!" Rorschach interrupted, but Tarinsha continued to speak eloquently: "Back then, when 'Rorschach' was merged, it endured the pain of artificial souls crowding out its body and the influx of ancient sage knowledge and memories, so it attempted to separate. But do you think separation is absolutely reliable? Is it thorough?"

"No, a portion of 'Rorschach' and the artificial soul were trapped below the Primal Layer at the last moment of ascension and were packaged into a specialized computing core by you."

"This is not your fault, it was just an accident. In addition, I have all of Rorschach's memories. After the fusion, there is no longer any so-called artificial soul, but the complete soul of Rorschach is here. Rorschach, who has become an archmage, is here."

"To me, you are merely an avatar operating in the material world. All your spellcasting and every move you make can be sensed and recorded by me. Here, you are the challenger."

(End of this chapter)