Chapter 257: The Microscopic Mystery

Looking at the contemplating apprentices, Ace spoke in a gentle voice:

“I once said that a thinking Wizard is the measure of all things. Today, I will add one more sentence: only by maintaining a concerted effort and marching towards truth together can we always remain a thinking Wizards.

“The research of Magic has entered a new era. Every major category has numerous directions. Relying solely on individual research is too inefficient and prone to redundancy, causing a serious waste of research resources.

“We must use a new method to maximize the utilization of research resources and minimize repetition. Therefore, I propose that we establish a place for collaborative research, where collective research is conducted by category.

“We will implement a ‘Project System’ and a ‘Mentor Research Institute System’. Anyone who has published a paper in Magic can collaborate or serve individually as a mentor, inviting Advanced Wizard Apprentices who haven’t published in Magic to act as assistant mentors. Together, they will research a specific topic and recruit Intermediate Wizard Apprentices who have graduated from the Elementary Magic School as assistants.

“The High Tower in my heart is not a physical object, but a collective of united Wizards, minimizing repetition and maximizing the rational use of research resources.”

Ace watched as the apprentices fell into discussion. Some were radiant with excitement, some frowned, and others looked puzzled.

He never expected the Wizard Apprentices to accept these new ideas instantly. Just like the journal paper system, it was controversial at the beginning.

But as long as it could be implemented, he believed these seeds would eventually bear fruit that satisfied him. Just like the invention of Magical Cuisine and Supernatural Transformation, more discoveries and inventions would emerge one after another.

…

One week later, in the northwest corner outside Nightlight City, a magical construction site began excavating foundations. All designs and construction were decided by the Magic Council meeting.

Ace consciously let the Magic Council take the reins, allowing them to make more independent decisions. Whether Ace needed to conduct long-term research or go out to find opportunities, he couldn’t spend a large amount of time managing the territory and Magic Council affairs.

Strength was the foundation. Ace had to spend more time and energy on his own improvement.

Magic Castle, West Tower, Experiment Layer.

Ace was observing another three-dimensional Rune structure replicated from the Blessing Orb. It could be observed by him now, but not when he was an Advanced Wizard Apprentice. Undoubtedly, this was also a three-dimensional Rune structure composed of Level 1 Runes.

‘This three-dimensional Rune structure is equivalent to a 2-Ring Spell. The meaning expressed by the Level 1 Runes within it is unknown. I can only determine its meaning by forcibly replicating this structure and casting it.’

As Ace thought, he prepared the materials needed for the experiment.

Over a dozen ordinary monkeys, three ordinary Monsters, three Lightning Monkeys, and one Sin-bearing Slave. Experiments by Wizard Apprentices had repeatedly found that Lightning Monkeys shared many similarities with humans in this world, making them excellent and suitable experimental subjects.

The ordinary Monsters and ordinary monkeys were for comparison.

Ace had long since deconstructed this three-dimensional Rune structure and could clumsily construct it in the air using Mental Power.

However, his main energy over the past half-year had been used to construct 1-Ring Spell Models, leaving him no time to test its specific efficacy. Now, he finally had the time.

After multiple casting failures, Ace finally succeeded once.

Since vitality was injected into the Soul Sanctuary, not only had its spatial breadth expanded greatly, but a new situation had also emerged: the Soul Sanctuary had become a storage and source of Inherent Mana.

This new Inherent Mana carried powerful vitality and his own will, making it an effective energy source for activating Spell Models.

Ace consumed a considerable amount of Inherent Mana and finally activated this three-dimensional Rune structure. Under the rhythm of Mana, the surrounding environmental Mana surged into it, and it seemed as if a sacred sound was echoing.

The three-dimensional Rune structure turned into a stream of holy power, surging into an ordinary monkey with convincing majesty.

Inside his Soul Sanctuary , the 1-Ring Spell “Perception Spell” was activated.

Ace’s eyes were tightly closed. The surrounding three-dimensional environment turned into a black-and-white world. Under the observation of the “Perception Spell,” that holy power flooded into the monkey’s body. The monkey’s body appeared to have a double image—that was its blurred soul.

The power drilled into the head of the monkey’s soul and vanished. In a short while, the monkey’s soul mutated; it actually began to turn into a Fish-Merfolk.

Ace continued to observe and found that this Fish-Merfolk transformation symptom started from the soul and slowly influenced the body.

‘Changes in the soul lead to mutations in the body… Mind altering matter? But what caused the soul’s mutation?’

Ace muttered. After considering it for a moment, he took out a high-power magified microscope. He slowly used his Mental Power to pull and extract the mutated soul of the ordinary monkey, wanting to observe the changes in the soul’s head.

But before Ace could completely extract it, the monkey’s soul shattered and vanished.

‘The soul strength of ordinary creatures is too low to survive outside the body. I still need to use ordinary Monsters.’

Ace cast the spell again, mutating the soul of a Lightning Monkey. He then extracted its soul and placed it under the magified microscope to observe the changes in the soul’s head.

In the field of view of the microscope, Ace discovered a tiny point flashing with holy light inside the Lightning Monkey’s soul. He increased the magnification and gradually saw this small point clearly.

It turned out to be a tiny Lightning Monkey. The holy power produced by this unknown spell analyzed from the Blessing Orb was wrapping around the tiny Lightning Monkey, forcibly modifying it.

As the tiny Lightning Monkey was modified by the holy light, gradually becoming Fish-Merfolk-like and believer-like, its soul underwent corresponding changes.

Ace conducted experiments on other Monsters and the Sin-bearing Slave, finding that the effect was best on the Sin-bearing Slave.

The Sin-bearing Slave not only transformed into a Fish-Merfolk but also became a believer of the Son of the Sea, showing a weak reaction of faith.

Ace dared not keep the Sin-bearing Slave. He immediately killed him and destroyed the soul. At this moment, the tiny person wrapped in holy light inside his soul turned into a stream of flowing light. Thanks to Ace’s timely interception, this stream of light did not disappear.

He sealed the tiny person that ran out of the Sin-bearing Slave’s soul and pondered.

‘What exactly is this tiny person? Ordinary creatures, Monsters, and human souls all contain this thing. Why haven’t I found this thing in my own soul?’

He rubbed the stubble on his chin, falling into deep thought.

‘The tiny Bent on the Pain Mask seems to be this kind of thing. This indicates that Wizard Apprentices also have this. Then I should have it too. Where exactly is it? It couldn’t have just suddenly disappeared.’

Ace felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He suddenly remembered the scene when his Mental Power was completely sucked into the Soul Sanctuary during his promotion to Advanced Wizard Apprentice.

He sat down and extended his Mental Power deep into his vitality-filled Soul Sanctuary, carefully observing everything within. He didn’t find anything similar.

At this moment, Ace suddenly recalled the fleeting feeling he had when establishing a Magic Contract. He activated his contract with the Spirit of the Book. Following the invisible but perceptible contract chain, he slowly pulled from the depths of the Soul Sanctuary.

At the top of the Soul Sanctuary, in an unobservable chaotic void, a giant was slowly pulled out. The giant’s appearance and physique were identical to Ace’s.

Ace observed the giant with his Mental Power. Just as he felt a marvelous sense of familiarity, the giant suddenly opened its eyes.

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