Chapter 117: This Is a Revolution!
Even Durin hadn't anticipated such an 'enthusiastic' welcome from the students. The expressions of the lecturer-level mages nearby conveyed the same sentiment: "Lousy director, update faster."
In response to this 'enthusiasm,' Durin smiled and said, "Rest assured, it's in the works. How could a conscientious director like me delay updates? At worst, the next release won't be free like this one; there might be a small ticket fee."
As soon as he finished speaking, most of the mages in the room let out curses, but despite their complaints, they would definitely support the release of the next part of Fate. In other words, they would do whatever it took to see it.
At this moment, the new students finally grasped the significance of this class. Even so, they couldn't believe that Durin's lecture alone could attract so many powerful mages. Typically, gatherings of such high-level mages only occurred at the Imperial Mage Academy's opening ceremonies or year-end summary meetings.
Even the most clueless of the new students couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation, quickly quieting down.
Once the lecture hall fell silent, Durin began, "Alright, I understand that among those present, there are not only new students who officially joined our Magical Alchemy Academy but also many outsiders here out of curiosity. I have no intention of holding back. In this first class, I'll explain to everyone: What is Magical Alchemy? And what is Magical Alchemy in my mind?"
The veteran mages in the audience weren't particularly moved by Durin's formal teaching demeanor, but some of the lower-level mages were visibly displeased. After all, what did it mean for a young man to lecture with such an attitude in front of so many grand mages?
Durin, however, paid no attention to their discontent and continued, "Ultimately, any kind of magical study can be quite tedious at the beginner level, and my time is limited. So, I won't waste time on tedious basics. Today, we'll get straight to the point and demonstrate what Magical Alchemy, as advocated by the pioneers of the Alchemical Tower, can truly achieve."
Given his limited time, Durin never intended to teach fundamental knowledge. In terms of basics, Scar, who had been researching Magical Alchemy longer, was more experienced. Hence, Durin's role was clear: to inspire. He aimed to showcase the possibilities of Magical Alchemy, drawn from the imagination of Earth, to everyone present.
As he spoke, Durin began to slowly release water elemental magic. Water magic, known for its high malleability, was a favorite among teaching instructors because it required less explanation during lectures. Instructors who lacked an affinity for water would often find assistants among water-affinity students, making those students highly sought after within the academy.
As Durin swiftly constructed his elemental model, the audience marveled at his formidable mental power. It was then that most of them suddenly remembered that the person standing on the podium was the youngest grand mage in the history of the Imperial Mage Academy—a super genius.
Indeed, Durin's persistent focus on alchemy over the years had caused many to overlook his distinguished title. Now, faced with his exceptional display, they were reminded of his remarkable achievement. The discontent among the higher-level mages quickly dissipated, replaced by a sense of awe and respect. After all, the threshold to becoming a grand mage, which they had struggled with for years, had been effortlessly crossed by this seemingly young prodigy.
The room buzzed with murmurs, which quickly subsided when a cough from the dean seated at the back silenced the crowd.
"Alright, I understand that everyone here is interested in Magical Alchemy. Let me begin with a brief introduction. Magical Alchemy's predecessor, as you might know, encompasses fields like magic arrays, rune technology, and the innate inscription techniques of other races. It was an amalgamation of these non-traditional magical domains."
"In the past, before the advent of Magical Alchemy, although some mages studied these areas, no one had systematically integrated them, nor did anyone formally teach them. This changed with the first master of the Alchemy Tower, who was also the dean of the Imperial Mage Academy at the time. Believing he couldn't break through the seventh tier, he abandoned traditional magical research and consolidated all these non-traditional magical forms, creating the first generation of Magical Alchemy."
"Although it was called alchemy, the first generation of Magical Alchemy focused more on magical techniques. They emphasized the miniaturization of magic, creating various small magic arrays and self-sustaining spells. This led to the widespread use of basic magic arrays and the decoding of array models, which in turn laid the groundwork for the five-tier grand teleportation magic array, producing the first grand magic foundational array."
"Next, with the popularization of teleportation arrays, the distances between cities gradually shrank, accelerating the empire's development and progress. This epoch-making achievement brought unprecedented glory to Magical Alchemy. However, research into magical techniques faced limitations. While it was relatively simple to analyze small arrays, deciphering grand magical arrays required vast resources. More importantly, many grand magical spells, even if deciphered, lacked practical applications for widespread use."
"As a result, after the teleportation array, researchers failed to produce new, innovative studies. Over centuries, Magical Alchemy declined into a neglected and derided field. So, did the mages studying magical techniques get it wrong? Is researching magical techniques truly pointless?"
"I don't believe so. In my view, their downfall stemmed from focusing on the wrong direction: analyzing destructive grand magical spells. Most grand spells are designed for mass destruction, making functional spells like teleportation an exception."
"Destructive grand spells are only valuable in wartime, but the empire's military prowess, bolstered by nearly a dozen archmages and hundreds of grand mages, already fills this niche. Thus, the shortcomings of grand magical arrays—slow charging speeds and limited impact—became glaringly apparent. This prevented their widespread use and hindered the industrialization of magical techniques."
"Ultimately, the goal of studying magical techniques is to build a foundation that provides all mages with an additional tool in their quest for the ultimate secrets of magic. In simple terms, magical research is foundational. But is focusing solely on foundational research correct? Yes! Is it insufficient? Also yes! Because a foundation alone is useless; foundational research should serve people. In other words, it must be practically applied!"
"Why have so many predecessors in Magical Alchemy failed to find new paths? Why has the field been in decline? Simply put, they ignored the words: Alchemy."
"What is Alchemy? Essentially, it's the study of existing things in this world, transforming them into something desirable. This is the practical application of magical techniques!"
"Why is the teleportation array so widespread? Because it benefits people. Though only some can use it, it's a successful applied research. Other magical techniques, however, remain mere studies without results, lacking Alchemy—practical application."
"Is Alchemy difficult? Compared to the complex formulas and resource investment of magical techniques, Alchemy might seem insignificant. This is likely why it has been undervalued for so long, but that doesn't mean it's unimportant."
"For example, my research into the magical recording device combines micro array technology and rune technology. How did I create it? The inspiration came from existing imaging crystals. These crystals, abundant in the Dwarven Kingdom, can display recorded images, making them popular among nobility. Our empire has many such enthusiasts too."
"Precisely. I simply reverse-engineered the formula to convert magical energy into images and sound from the imaging crystal, and used this foundation to create the magical recording device. Eventually, this led to the creation of movies. There were no technical obstacles—only differences in conceptual thinking."
"Previous generations of Magical Alchemy scholars spent an immense amount of time without achieving widespread adoption of their techniques. In contrast, I created the magical recording device and, subsequently, movies based on the simple principle of imaging crystals. This took minimal time and effort on my part, yet its propagation across the empire has been astonishingly swift. This level of rapid dissemination is something previous alchemists could never accomplish."
"Does this mean they were less intelligent than I am? Am I the smartest person in the world? Of course not. The reason for this outcome is merely that their thinking was constrained. They didn't realize that the true fertile ground for the spread of Magical Alchemy isn't among other mages, the imperial court, or the military, but among the common people. It's the ordinary people, the millions of everyday individuals in this world, who are the key."
"In my vision, Magical Alchemy isn't a form of magic that only mages can use, nor is it a special service only accessible to nobles and royalty. It should be a collection of technologies that ordinary people can use—services that even the most common individuals can enjoy."
"So, how do we achieve all this?"
"In my words, this is a revolution! A technological revolution! While the initiators of this revolution are us, the mages with unique knowledge beyond the grasp of the common people, the beneficiaries of this revolution will be the countless ordinary people of this country and the world!"
"Take movies, for example. I believe that one day, movies will become a household entertainment. Every ordinary person will be able to, during their leisure time, simply turn on the perfected products of Magical Alchemy at home and watch a movie for entertainment. Of course, this is just a narrow vision. By then, entertainment methods would have transformed dramatically, and what I'm mentioning here is merely an example."
"Or, to give another example, even if you and I were ordinary people who couldn't use magic in that era, we could use the mature technology of Magical Alchemy to chat with like-minded friends thousands of miles away. We could see the wonders of the Northern Peak from the comfort of our homes, easily learn about new stories from around the world, and watch the latest movies produced by the Edward Studio or even other studios."
"In that era, despite the vast distances, everyone would seem connected as one. The revolution in technology would advance at a frightening pace. The best part is that if you choose, you could spend all day at home but still have ample entertainment to enrich yourself, without having to resort to excessive meditation out of boredom."
As Durin spoke, he nearly lost himself in his own fantasies. He knew that such an era was still far away, but the sense of fulfillment that came from having a clear goal was quite rewarding.
Looking back, when he first transmigrated, he was just an ordinary person who loathed the backwardness of this era. Even though the original owner of his body was a highly talented mage, for Durin, it was just an incomprehensible and lofty achievement. He would rather return to his original world, chatting with his quirky friends and seeing what silly chapters were updated by silly authors today.
But now, as he gradually achieved his goals, he found his purpose in this world. He began to realize that although this world was quite backward, it held potential that his original world couldn't match. He couldn't even imagine how this world would develop at a terrifying pace once the Magical Alchemy industry truly emerged.
So, to fulfill the original owner's regrets and his own small desires and expectations, Durin would never stop moving forward.
Because only by not stopping would the path continue to extend, and as long as he didn't stop, there would be a whole new world ahead. So, don't stop...
"Ahem, in conclusion, I've said my piece. What are your thoughts?"
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