area51novel Chapter 137 Refinement in the Workshop
Chapter 137 Refinement in the Workshop
Chapter 137 Refinement in the Workshop
The day after parting from his family, Karen threw himself into his work at the alchemy workshop. His initial practice in fusing the "Mithril-Dragonblood Alloy" had given him a profound understanding of the difficulty and subtlety of energy harmonization and synergistic transformation, and had also greatly honed his magical control and application of the "Eye of Truth." Nico believed it was time to delve deeper into more dangerous research subjects, and this was precisely the black crystal called "Hermes' Touch" that Professor Castor had given him.
Beside the central suspended platform in the workshop, Nico and Karen stood facing each other. On the workbench, a specially made lead-gray metal box, engraved with runes of suppression and stabilization, sat quietly. Nico's expression was more serious than ever before.
"Karen," Nico's voice was deep and clear, "the subject of our study today is the masterpiece of your mentor, Castor."
It was also a heavy gift and test he left for you: "The Touch of Hermes." He tapped his wand lightly, and the lid of the metal box slid open silently, revealing a black polyhedral crystal suspended and rotating on a velvet lining. It was like a miniature black hole, greedily absorbing the surrounding light, its surface shimmering with an ominous, dark luster.
Karen held her breath, and her Eye of Truth activated instantly. A silver light swirled deep within her grey-blue eyes. Although it wasn't the first time she'd observed this, the sight within still shocked Karen.
"Well? This shouldn't be the first time you've observed this thing. You should have noticed its 'activity'—a kind of life-like quality, or rather, a highly mimicked magical structure," Nico corrected, his gaze fixed on the crystal. "But this isn't natural life; it's an alchemical masterpiece created by Castor, who exhausted his wisdom and power, combining ancient, lost theories of extreme magic. It's also one of his most dangerous creations. You've already experienced its core function firsthand—creating a temporary, absolute 'pseudo-magical vacuum,' or rather, a 'magic-suppressing zone.'"
Karen recalled how, after her conflict with Selwyn, Professor Castor used this crystal to instantly subdue Professor Snape, rendering the powerful Potions professor powerless like an ordinary person. The terrifying effect of completely stripping a wizard of their spellcasting abilities still sent shivers down her spine.
"Yes," Nico seemed to read his memory, "it can absorb all the magic in a designated area at a crazy speed, completely blocking the flow of magic, making the wizard in it completely unable to mobilize any magic, including the Silent Spell, for a short period of time. It's as if they've been thrown into a non-magical world. This is its most direct and terrifying application."
"But that's just the surface, Karen." Nicole shifted her tone, guiding, "Casto named it 'Hermes' Touch' not just because it can 'take away,' but because it contains the deeper meaning of 'communication' and 'conversion.' While creating a magic-suppressing field, it also engages in a two-way exchange of magical energy. It can not only absorb, but also release precisely! The key lies in who can control it, and how to control it."
A highly concentrated, peculiarly frequencyd silver light shone from the tip of Nico's wand as it cautiously approached the crystal surface. In Karen's Eye of Truth, Nico's magic appeared like the finest probe, gently touching an extremely small, relatively calm point on the crystal's surface.
Buzz.—.
The faint glow on the crystal surface seemed to brighten slightly, and its rotation speed increased almost imperceptibly for a moment. Karen clearly saw that...
The wisp of magic that Nico input was not violently devoured by the crystal. Instead, it was guided and integrated into the vast and intricate network of active runes inside the crystal, flowing along a specific path and eventually converging into an energy buffer pool on the periphery of the core.
"See that?" Nico's voice was tense, clearly indicating the extreme mental strain of the operation. "It's 'absorbing' my magic power, but it's not an uncontrolled plunder; it's a controlled 'reception.' Similarly, theoretically, it can also release the vast amount of magic power it absorbs and stores in an extremely precise and pre-set manner, provided the core seal remains untouched. This is the true value of the 'Hermes' Touch'—it's an ultimate magic regulator, a potentially incredibly powerful energy source and sensory amplifier!"
Karen suddenly realized, "So Professor Castor said it's both a talisman and a key! It can not only create anti-magic fields, but if I can understand and master its two-way regulation mechanism—or even just the 'absorption' and 'stable storage' part—perhaps I could apply some of its principles to the protective gear I'm researching? For example, making the protective badge not only passively defend, but also actively absorb and store free magic in the environment when it's safe, or more efficiently absorb and disperse impact energy when attacked?"
“Absolutely right!” Nico’s eyes gleamed with approval as he withdrew his wand, and the crystal returned to normal. “This is one of the deeper meanings Castor intended for you. It is far too dangerous in itself; direct use or in-depth study of its core are areas you absolutely cannot reach at present. But its outer structure, its mechanisms for absorbing and storing magic, and certain basic ‘units’ that constitute its active rune matrix are an unparalleled treasure trove, the key to your understanding of higher-level energy manipulation and alchemical life forms. In particular,” Nico emphasized, “the operating modes of its internal active runes, such as Niven, are fundamentally connected to your goal of ‘giving objects a lifelike response’!”
This connection greatly boosted Karen's spirits. The problem that had been troubling him regarding upgrading his protective gear seemed to have found a glimmer of hope here!
“But Karen,” Nico’s tone suddenly turned stern, carrying an undeniable warning, “remember! This ‘treasure’ is shrouded in deadly danger! Any reckless misdirection of magical energy, any attempt to forcibly probe its core seal, or even simply prolonged, unrestrained exposure could have catastrophic consequences! At best, it could destroy the entire workshop; at worst—the consequences would be unimaginable. Until you can truly understand even a fraction of its mysteries, caution, restraint, and reverence for your mentor’s hard work are your only attitude. Power, especially power of this level, is valued for absolute control, not destruction.”
Karen nodded solemnly, "I understand, Professor Nico. I will never act rashly." His gaze toward the black crystal was filled with awe, and a burning desire for knowledge ignited within him.
"Very good." Nico's expression softened. "Our goal today is not to touch or activate it, nor is it to analyze its core. It's the most basic and important first step: observation and resonance."
He gestured for Karen to come closer to the workbench, pointing to the area around the crystal: "Use your talent to carefully observe its surface in its normal state, the subtlest pulsations and directions of energy flow, like the Niven's. Notice the patterns of energy interaction between them, and look for those relatively stable 'nodes' where energy flow is gentle. Try to use your own gentlest, most stable magic to simulate frequencies similar to these nodes, making extremely slight, non-invasive 'contacts,' like lightly touching the surface of water with a feather. The goal is to make it 'sense' the presence of your magic."
And to generate even the faintest 'resonance,' rather than inputting energy or interfering with its flow. This requires the control you've cultivated through all your previous practice.
Karen took a deep breath, calming his mind completely. He focused intently on observing the countless, pulsating, active runes within the crystal, which appeared as clearly as stars and flowing sand. He tried to clear his mind of distractions, concentrating his attention on a certain area on the crystal's surface where the runes flowed relatively calmly. He slowly extended his wand, carefully channeling his own magic, striving to mimic the refined and peculiar frequency that Nico had just demonstrated.
Time passed slowly in intense concentration. Only Karen's soft breathing and the almost inaudible chirping of the crystal as it levitated and rotated remained in the workshop. Sweat beaded on his forehead. This was more difficult than mixing mithril and dragon blood! Mithril and dragon blood were at least "material," traceable. But the runes within this crystal were "alive," a flowing logic of energy, far more complex than he could currently comprehend.
Once, twice—his magic was either too weak to elicit any response, or the slightest deviation in frequency caused it to be gently "slid away" by the invisible force field on the crystal's surface. But he did not lose heart; each failure made his perception of the rhythm of the rune's pulse clearer.
Finally, after countless attempts, when he extended a nearly perfect, extremely faint thread of magic towards a specific, stable point where the energy was at a "trough"—
Inside the crystal, the tiny node that was touched flickered with an extremely slight, almost illusory, light from its flowing runes! The flicker was ten times weaker than the reaction Nico had just demonstrated, but it was crystal clear under Karen's Eye of Truth! At the same time, Karen felt that the strand of magic he had output was neither swallowed nor rejected, but rather produced an extremely brief, indescribable sense of "synchronization" with the node, as if the two had achieved some kind of harmony in that instant.
"It's done!" Karen was overjoyed and almost shouted out loud, but he forcibly controlled his excitement and carefully put away his wand, for fear of breaking this hard-won, fragile connection.
Nico, who had been observing quietly, now wore a pleased smile. "Excellent, Karen! To capture the moment of resonance on your first try—your perception and control are even better than I imagined. Remember this feeling, remember the location of that point and its 'breathing' rhythm. This is the first crack of the keyhole. That concludes today's practice; seal it away immediately." He pointed to the lead box.
Karen did as instructed, carefully closing the lead box and activating the sealing runes. Only after completing this did he feel a wave of intense fatigue wash over him; his mental energy had been greatly depleted. But he was filled with an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.