Chapter 91: The Enigma

The exquisite and grand design on the old parchment, with its faded, antique ink.

This did not look like the level of technology that either the barbarian tribes or the civilized nations currently possessed! The various markings and component structures in the blueprint indicated a powerful industrial civilization, at least at the level of Ace’s past life after the First Industrial Revolution.

This was the product of a major advancement in Steampunk civilization. If the civilization of Ace’s past had not entered the electrical age but continued to develop in the Steampunk era, it might have continually advanced in this area.

The item was a High-Pressure Air Rifle, a rifle that used compressed gas as propulsion to launch a bullet. It had a self-contained high-pressure air tank. When the tank was opened, the high-pressure gas would fire the pellet out of the barrel to injure the target.

This blueprint was divided into two parts: the upper section was the design blueprint for the high-pressure air rifle, and the lower section was the manufacturing process for the high-pressure air tank.

Ace suddenly recalled a conversation with Teacher Peter!

“Now, about 2,000 years have passed since the last collapse of civilization. Legend says the previous civilization eventually developed into a great empire that unified the continent.

The emperor of the empire was the son of God-King Kronos and a mortal woman. The emperor was favored by Kronos and granted infinite glory.

But he was tempted by an ancient, greedy Devil and, unsatisfied with being the king on earth, dared to aspire to be the king in heaven, ultimately leading to the destruction of the previous civilization.”

Ace had always speculated that in a world with Mana, the microscopic world must be different from his past world.

However, the macroscopic principles of gas expansion performing work had been confirmed by Wind Element Magic, and the various explosion effects of Fire Element Magic also confirmed the validity of gas expansion doing work.

Therefore, this world had the macroscopic foundation for developing a Steampunk civilization.

A unified great empire also had the potential to develop a Steampunk civilization. Moreover, the coat of arms on the blueprint was very famous—it was the imperial crest of the previous civilization!

“Could it be that the previous civilization developed into the Steampunk era? What is the historical truth hidden within these old papers?” Ace stared seriously at the blueprint, pondering silently.

“The collapse of the previous civilization is directly related to the current choices on the path of Magic! Why did the emperor of the previous civilization dare to aspire to become the king in heaven? What was his confidence? What was his secret?”

Looking through the exquisite and complex design blueprint of the high-pressure air rifle, Ace felt as if he saw an empire of roaring trains, thundering steamships, with a rugged, monumental mechanical aesthetic!

His eyes grew hazy. He slowly closed them. The blueprint faintly glowed, accompanied by a magical rhythm. Boom!

Ace suddenly appeared on a battlefield with a distinct Steampunk aesthetic. Hundreds of fighting machines, several kilometers tall, pulsed with a blood-colored magical rhythm as they rushed toward the sky.

In a blur, it seemed a pair of giant hands parted the clouds and reached out toward the gigantic fighting machines!

“Sizzle!”

The blueprint in Ace’s hand suddenly spontaneously combusted, turning into ash in a breath’s time.

He opened his eyes. He was still inside the mountain. The Luminous Magic Array maintained a steady light.

“It actually pulled me into an illusion without me sensing it at all. Furthermore, I did not detect the magical rhythm on the blueprint. It seemed to be a completely different method of guidance from runes. Unfortunately, it has turned to ash. I didn’t have time to observe it.”

Ace looked regretfully at the incinerated blueprint. Although the design itself was ingenious, he didn’t feel too much regret. With his current level of magical skill, he could even handcraft a magical high-pressure air rifle enhanced with a Wind Element Magic Array.

However, this technology hinted at a great Steampunk civilization, and the magical rhythm concealed within the blueprint demonstrated a very clever way of utilizing Mana.

The Wizard system’s utilization of Mana is composed of Mana essence, runes, Spell Models, rune arrays, magical arrays, and rituals. The method used by this civilization seemed significantly different.

What was the implication of being pulled into this illusion?

“There are too many questions, too many unknowns worth exploring. What a wonderfully annoying problem!”

Ace smiled. Whatever the implication, if any remnant of this civilization survived, it would likely want to recruit, utilize, and invest in nascent opposition forces. No matter how he looked at it, it wasn’t a bad thing.

The nascent Wizard organization needed to utilize every available force and seize every opportunity to grow.

“The markings on the live-point map are also noteworthy. I must visit the ‘Ancestral Land’ marked with an ‘X’. However, the danger might be great. I need a reliable ‘assistant’ who can be sacrificed if necessary. It is necessary to build a signal high tower and connect with the mirror image.”

“The stomach of the unknown Monster has three effects: seamless expansion, item miniaturization, and 70% weight reduction. However, it is not a true spatial magical item; it can only be considered a quasi-spatial magical item.

I need to spend some time analyzing the Soul Runes related to these three effects and developing corresponding spells. Although I cannot engrave them into the Soul Sanctuary, enriching the Grimoire to serve as a resource for the Wizard organization is also excellent.”

Just then, the cowlick on Ace’s head swayed. Pop! It transformed into the Spirit of the Book.

“More new knowledge!”

Accompanied by the Spirit of the Book’s understanding and deduction of the two Sacred Items, Ace’s Grimoire synchronized. After about an hour, the Spirit of the Book let out a satisfied burp from exhaustion and transformed back into a cowlick.

“I currently do not have Comprehend or Deduction spells. Relying solely on the Spirit of the Book will take at least one month to fully analyze these two barbarian Sacred Items.”

Ace removed the traces inside the mountain. He burst through the mountain wall, using the Lesser Spell Infrasound Resonance to tune the frequency and easily collapse the mountain peak, which he had already hollowed out.

“The Mana rhythm near the wind tunnel is too chaotic; it is unsuitable for building a signal high tower. The current task is to find a suitable location, build a new signal high tower, and establish contact with the mirror image.”

Ace activated Flash Teleportation, looking at the live-point map in his hand, consciously avoiding powerful creatures, and searching for a suitable peak.

“This location is perfect. It can overlap with the Mount Baal signal high tower. Combined with the signal base stations I deployed, I should be able to connect with the mirror image.”

Ace muttered to himself while using the Lesser Spell Stone-to-Mud to hollow out the mountain, beginning the construction of the signal high tower.

A few days later, Ace secured the signal high tower inside the mountain. He disguised the signal transmitter using the Imperfect Transformation Spell and began tuning the frequency.

As the magical signal was transmitted, Ace’s Grimoire interface changed.

On the other side, the mirror image Ace also received the signal. He gently waved his hand, and Ace’s image appeared on the Grimoire interface.

“Good evening, respected host.”

The mirror image Ace smiled, bowing 45 degrees—the standard etiquette of a Peter disciple.

Ace smiled and returned the bow.

“Mirror Image, I have discovered a suspected clue to the previous civilization in the Larr Mountains. I now require your assistance here.”