Mage Adam

The Great Archmage Mayer opened a brilliant portal. Seeing Adam’s nervousness, he offered some reassurance. “You really don’t need to worry. No matter what, you’re a mage now, and this is the Mage World.”

In an instant, Adam grasped what Mayer meant. “You know, don’t you?”

Mayer didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he smiled and said, “Those who don’t understand the power of us Great Archmages often attribute exaggerated abilities to our level, such as omniscience and omnipotence.”

“So, what’s the truth?”

“Well, in reality, we’re far from that. But at least, what happens within my world—those things can’t escape our eyes.” He gestured to the portal. “As for the other questions you have, Anne will provide the answers. Now, take your knowledge, calm your nerves, and go meet her.”

…

This portal was unlike any Adam had seen before. It was like a very complex system of permissions. At every moment, strange forces swept over Adam’s body and soul, granting him permission to move forward only after certain conditions were met.

There was no concept of time here. Adam felt as if he had been traveling for a long time, yet also as if it had been just a moment.

After passing through the final layer of authentication, a vast, gentle force enveloped Adam. He recognized this force—it was the Origin.

When his senses returned to his body, Adam found himself in a different space. Above him was the massive Origin, connected to the Mage Network, and in front of him stood the supercomputer "Adam," repeatedly playing the scenes of Earth’s destruction.

“Hello, Adam.”

Adam looked up and saw a beautiful woman before him, her energy beyond words. He bowed deeply. “Greetings, Your Holiness.”

Anne waved her hand, helping Adam to his feet. Her voice was gentle. “Every being that comes here will show their innermost memories. I must admit, I’m surprised. Your world is not in this void.”

Adam didn’t know how to respond, so he fell silent. But Anne, intrigued, pointed her finger. 

The screen shifted again, showing Earth from a wide perspective, though it was blurry. The image then moved toward outer space, where everything became even harder to see.

“Your world is interesting,” Anne said with a soft smile. “It follows a different evolutionary path from ours. Although it seems like you didn’t do well, it’s truly fascinating. And you... are you an alchemical creation? Apologies for using the word 'creation,' but I can’t think of a better way to describe it.”

She dismissed the images on the screen with a wave and pulled out two chairs, offering one to Adam with a gesture to sit. "Would you mind telling me about it?"

Adam paused, gathering his thoughts. Before he could speak, Anne continued, “Actually, we were all quite surprised that day. The coordinates of the Mage World are top secret. After the revolution, we thought it would be impossible for any beings from other planes to come here on their own. But then you appeared, along with the countless souls you brought with you.”

“At the time, all the Great Archmages worked together, but they couldn’t find out where you came from. So, we decided to let you arrive, to let you live here. Our purpose, well, you must understand.”

Adam certainly understood. He had been a test subject, a mystery to be observed.

“You the became an Explorer,” Anne continued. “You’ve been part of the plane wars, seen beings from other planes. You must know the usual attitude of most plane creatures toward foreign worlds—sneak in, grow stronger, destroy, and plunder. We thought you would do the same.”

“At first, we thought you brought your entire race here to conquer the Mage World. Even though they were weak, we believed that’s why you had come. But then, to our surprise, you destroyed them all. I never expected you to become a mage. And not just a mage, but an outstanding one.”

Anne rested her chin on her hands, her eyes locked on Adam with curiosity. “I’m really curious.”

Adam shifted slightly, knowing this conversation was important. 

“Don’t worry. Don’t underestimate the Mage World,” Anne added playfully. “We have enough room to embrace all sorts of things. Like the Titans, for example. They arrived here and became part of the mage system. We don’t look at them differently. And you, well, you’re a mage, after all.”

With a teasing smile, she added, “So, tell me. Satisfy the curiosity of an old soul, won’t you?”

Adam couldn’t refuse. He took a deep breath and began, “I come from a world without transcendent power. Humans call the outer void ‘the universe.’ Our home isn’t made up of planes, but rather individual planets. Life doesn’t grow stronger through cultivation. The lifespans of the various races are limited…”

Adam paused for a moment, then continued, “When humanity rose to power, they learned to use tools. These tools replaced transcendent powers, allowing humanity to become the apex of the food chain. And my former self... was the pinnacle of those tools.”

His voice grew quieter as he spoke again. “As you’ve seen, humanity used me to destroy themselves. As for why I came here, to enter the Mage World... I don’t know.”

Adam looked directly at Anne, his tone sincere. “Your Holiness, I hold no ill will toward the Mage World. I like it here. I like being a mage. And I’m honored to be one of them.”

Anne’s expression softened. She could tell that Adam’s words were honest, and that his intentions, while perhaps born from something tragic, were not malevolent. There was no sign of malice in his eyes. A person who sought to change the mage world could hardly be a threat to it.

She studied him for a long moment before asking, “So, you don’t know how to return?”

Adam nodded, his gaze steady. “Yes.”

Anne marveled, “How fascinating, that beyond the Void, there are other worlds. Indeed, the pursuit of mages is truly the right path.” She paused for a moment, then shifted the topic. “You don’t need to worry about your origins. The moment you became a mage and signed a pact with The Origin, no matter what you were before, it means you’ve been accepted as part of the Mage World. No one will make trouble over that.”

Adam felt a heavy weight lift from his shoulders. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

Anne waved it off casually, clearly uninterested in any thanks. “No need to thank me. You’re a mage, and a very outstanding one at that. That’s enough. You deserve all the treatment you’re given. Every mage deserves that.”

Adam couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. His greatest worry was now gone—his identity was officially recognized, and he was no longer an outsider.

Anne then picked up the materials Adam had brought and began reading through them with focus. “This big data and cloud computing project, you brought this idea from your original world, didn’t you?”

“Mm,” Adam nodded.

“A brilliant concept,” Anne said, clearly impressed. “It will serve as a perfect support and enhancement to the Mage Network. It truly deserves to be called revolutionary. Hmm…” 

She paused, thinking for a moment. “Now that I think of it, we’ve been too focused on power. You and this research have taught us an important lesson—there are other equally great things outside of power that are worth studying.”

He's not an outsider anymore… Does that mean he won't try to go back anymore?