Mage Adam

"This is so depressing," Sandy said, clutching her chest dramatically. "I've been an Explorer for nearly a thousand years, and in all that time, I've only come across a few ordinary planes and average races. I haven't gained much of the Origin's power. It's such a shame that I'm about to advance to transcendent, and I still have to take on such a dangerous mission."

Adam didn't know what to say, so he kept quiet.

Sandy didn't seem to mind his silence and kept talking, mostly to herself. "So, how did you find these two planes with great potential? Any secret method?"

After thinking for a moment, Adam replied, "The first plane was assigned to me by the Tower. The second one, I found on my own. I have a radio telescope on the Mage World's Crystal Sphere; it can pick up signals from distant planes out in the void."

Sandy's eyes lit up with interest. "I'm not asking how you built it, but would you be willing to lease it? Or maybe sell the plane coordinates you've collected? Trust me, if you do, you'll gain countless resources and become a star among all the Explorers."

Adam considered it and said, "That sounds like a good idea, but aren't you about to advance soon? Why are you still interested in plane coordinates?"

Sandy immediately looked heartbroken again. "Being an Explorer sounds great, but it's often a tough spot to be in. Like now, the regular army doesn't really want us in this big war. While we do get more resources and the Origin's power in one go, there aren't many exploration missions, and each one is dangerous and exhausting. I've never heard of anyone like you doing two missions in just a few decades. So if I don't gather enough of the Origin's power this time, I'll have to take on another mission."

Adam didn't have the same concerns. His recent research results hadn't been uploaded to the Mage Network yet, and he still had several studies waiting for him in the Mage World. 

Once Maxwell's equations were fully confirmed, the foundation for electromagnetic magic would be set, with the potential to spread across the entire world.

Adam was confident he would gain a lot of the Origin's power then.

Sandy continued, "Besides, even after becoming transcendent, I'll still need plane coordinates. If I sell them, my price won't be higher than the Tower's, right?"

Adam replied, "If that's the case, and I get new plane information soon, I'll agree to sell it."

Sandy slapped Adam on the shoulder in her usual carefree way. Elemental spirits fluttered around him, bursting and then reforming. "It's a deal then! Don't worry, I've got your back on this mission!"

...

After a few jumps, their ship arrived at the target location. Before Adam was a shattered plane, so damaged it no longer had a Crystal Sphere.

It was directly exposed to the void, with storms sweeping across it without any protection. 

This could hardly be called a world anymore---at best, it was a floating continent in the void.

At this moment, Sandy set aside her playful attitude, her expression turning serious. She began casting special spells, and the elemental spirits around her surged towards the plane.

"This exploration is different from our usual missions. It's clear this world no longer holds any of the Origin's power," Sandy explained to Adam. "But this place is where the Diluses of Titania originally came from. Our first task is to find out if any Diluses are still here." 

She added, "For now, let's wait. The elemental spirits will soon report back if they detect any signs of life."

The screen in front of them showed real-time images captured by the elemental spirits. 

After arriving at the plane, the spirits seamlessly blended into the environment, moving quickly through the storm and reaching the surface with ease.

"It looks like the surface environment isn't suitable for life," Sandy noted, her eyes glowing with runes. 

Adam watched as the spirits changed their form on the screen, silently sinking into the ground.

Curious, Adam asked, "What kind of magic is that?"

Sandy shrugged, "Just a little trick I developed during my research. If you're interested, I can teach you. But it's not very useful for regular plane missions. I created it mostly to pass the time."

Suddenly, the scene on the screen changed drastically, surprising both of them. Neither had expected to find such a vast underground space.

Countless nests filled the area, with Diluses busily transporting various materials. Their division of labor was clear, functioning much like an ant colony.

"Incredible resilience," Sandy remarked. "To have thrived to this extent in such a harsh environment... Where do they get their energy?"

The elemental spirits moved quickly through the soil, splitting the screen into hundreds of sub-windows. 

Adam enlarged one of them and said, "That's the Original Flame. If I'm not mistaken, it comes from the fallen Titan God."

Sandy looked at it, puzzled. "Wasn't the Titan God a level-nine being? How could his energy core be so weak? It looks like it's about to burn out."

"It must be due to the passage of time," Adam speculated. "The Titan God destroyed the original Diluses. These new ones likely evolved slowly after the war. It seems they can't directly convert the Flame into the energy they need. Look over there," Adam pointed to a group of Diluses transporting the Flame to a nest, "They have to sacrifice their lives just to absorb a small amount of energy."

"So, there's no chance they could evolve to level five?"

"No, it's possible. After all, it's been a long time. Some might have evolved to transcendent levels and left to join a larger force." He paused, then added, "Also, these Diluses might not be the true Diluses. According to the intel I received, the Titan God and the true Diluses perished together. These are a secondary race, born from the ruins, without the original lineage."

"So, they're worthless?"

Adam shook his head, "They still have value. At the very least, they might know where to go next. That information alone is valuable to us."

Sandy clapped her hands, eager to act. "So, it's a fight then. The individual ones aren't valuable; the main targets are the nests and that Flame. Leave it to me!"

Adam stopped her. Since gaining the power of the Origin, his strength had increased significantly, and he needed an outlet. "Let me handle the first step. You can cover me."

With that, Adam left the ship and entered the void. His Magnetized Mage Armor shielded him from the chaotic currents. 

Once on the Plane, he placed his hands on the ground. 

Garfield appeared and mimicked his actions.

Together, they instantly took control of the continent's magnetic and gravitational fields. 

The ground trembled violently, plates collided, and seismic waves rapidly spread outward. 

In seconds, large sections of land crumbled into dust, only to reform into chunks again. Like meteors, they struck the ground, breaking through the thick layers of rock from the surface to the underground.