Project Approval

Mage Jerome's vision was not something James could compare to. The moment telekinesis appeared, Mage Jerome realized how many benefits could come from using Mental Power in this way. If apprentices could master telekinesis through this Meditation Method, it would undoubtedly greatly improve their overall abilities during the apprentice stage.

Yes, their overall abilities. If a research result could only be applied in combat, its significance would be greatly diminished.

Telekinesis had already, to a certain extent, achieved effects comparable to a mage's Mental Power.

Adam thought for a moment, then said, "The way I envision telekinesis realizing its value is through control. For example, as long as my Mental Power is strong enough, I can control elements to achieve effects equivalent to low-level Elemental Magic, provided I am in the corresponding environment."

"Besides that, telekinesis has other applications. It can strengthen oneself and improve Physical Fitness in nearly every aspect. It can create repulsion fields and vacuum layers. It can blur one's position by distorting reference objects, achieving concealment. It can even be used directly as magic to destroy an enemy's mind and body."

Adam stopped. These were merely conjectures, not conclusions. Adam did not like presenting things without Empirical Verification as facts.

Mage Jerome nodded. It was already very good that Adam could say so much. Limited by apprentices' horizons and experience, they could not discover deeper applications. In Mage Jerome's view, telekinesis could serve as a General Purpose auxiliary ability, functioning like precision instruments in all kinds of research—scalpels, sorters, even microscopes. Directly sensing through Mental Power and completing such delicate work was clearly more convenient than using a clumsy body.

Mage Jerome said, "This Meditation Method is Adam's achievement, correct?"

James and Adam both nodded.

"Then congratulations, Adam. Your wisdom will bring you tremendous benefits. I will submit the 'Telekinesis Meditation Method' to the master of the tower. If you are lucky enough, this Meditation Method may enter the Fifth Element Holy Tower. When that happens, both the reward and the Follow-up benefits will be enough to move even Formal Mages." Mage Jerome smiled. "Now, are you willing to make it public in the library? You may set a price for it. Every reader will give you a seventy percent share."

Adam's eyes lit up. This was a tangible benefit that would bring him enormous returns. Perhaps from now on, he would never have to worry about Energy Stones again.

"Of course, Respected Mage Jerome. I think fifty units of Energy Stones is an appropriate price."

Mage Jerome took out two contracts. After watching Adam sign them, he nodded and said, "Very well. The contract is established. You must deliver the complete construction method to the library within seven days. As for the rest, if there is any news in the Follow-up, someone will notify you."

After the two saluted and left the Academic Department, James said to Adam with feeling, "I really never expected it, Adam. You actually created something so astonishing. The Fifth Element Holy Tower—my heavens. But is it really all right? Making it public just like that?"

"Why not?"

Adam had never intended to hide it. As for whether someone might learn telekinesis and surpass him, that was even less worth worrying about. A person's strength had never come from cherishing a broken broom as though it were a treasure. Only constant progress through wisdom, research, and effort was decisive. Adam had absolute confidence in that.

James froze for a moment, then said with sincere admiration, "All right. A genius's way of thinking is always different."

Next was the Approval Department. The two needed to reapply to establish a laboratory there.

The Approval Department was not far from the Academic Department. James said to Adam with complicated feelings, "I never thought I would experience both the establishment and cancellation of a laboratory in the same day."

Adam was curious about the process and asked, "Is qualification approval very strict?"

James shook his head. "It was very strict a year ago. There were many Senior Apprentices in the academy then, and they often fought bitterly over a laboratory or a share of Funding, to the point where they finally settled matters through duels. But not now. The academy has a great deal of idle resources."

"Wouldn't the mage in charge of the Approval Department stop that? Isn't approval determined by the value of the project?"

James stared at Adam in astonishment, apparently not expecting him to ask such a question. After a pause, he said, "I forgot that you're a Newbie who doesn't understand the rules of the tower and the academy. Mages do not care about laboratories formed by apprentices at all, because most apprentices lack the wisdom and vision to research anything valuable. The reason the tower allows apprentices to establish laboratories is merely to try its luck. Just like you—if any laboratory produced an achievement on the level of telekinesis, it would bring enormous benefits to the tower."

Adam was still puzzled. "But Funding is real. Does the tower not care about losing it?"

James laughed soundlessly. "Adam, it seems you need to learn some common sense. Energy Stones are the lowest-grade resource in the Mage World and have very little value. Every Plane Conquest by a Hyperdimensional Mage yields a vast amount of Energy Stones. For Formal Mages, Aether Crystals are what truly have value."

After thinking for a moment, he lowered his voice to the quietest whisper and said to Adam, "Mordo Hyperdimensional Mage is not very strong. After losing the last Tower War, he lost a great deal of resources as well. In a powerful Mage Tower, talented students recruited from more prosperous regions possess abundant resources and never worry about Energy Stones."

Adam understood. He remembered Mage Black once mentioning Energy Stones to him, but then he asked, "Then why don't the Formal Mages seek better positions elsewhere?"

"Some are bound by contracts and cannot leave until they have worked for three hundred years. Others have reached the end of the mage's path and have no room left to advance. All right, stop talking about this. We're here."

Adam understood the implication and fell silent, entering the Approval Department with James.

The Approval Department was much larger than the Academic Department and looked far more deserted. Adam discovered that the mage inside was also an Acquaintance—Eileen Mage, one of the four introducers.

After James's explanation, Adam guessed why Eileen Mage was here. Of the original four, Mage Black was Level Two and presumably the Strong Person, so he had taken on relatively important work. The other three were probably all Level One, so they remained in the tower to handle work involving apprentices.

Eileen Mage still looked lazy, but paired with her beautiful face, it gave her a special charm.

"James? Oh, and Adam?" Eileen Mage had not forgotten Adam. "What are you here for? James, if I remember correctly, you applied to cancel your laboratory just this morning, didn't you?"

After the two saluted, James lowered his head and said, "Yes, Respected Eileen Mage. My laboratory has completed its Handover. This time, I am accompanying Apprentice Adam to apply for the establishment of a laboratory."

Eileen Mage said to Adam pleasantly, "Little Fellow, I heard you caused a little stir a few days ago?" But before Adam could speak, Eileen Mage's expression turned stern. "Has that made you swell with pride? Do you know the consequences of deceiving a mage?"

Eileen Mage clearly believed that Adam and James had joined forces to defraud Funding. One apprentice had canceled a laboratory that morning because its deadline had arrived, only to bring another apprentice to apply a few hours later. No matter who looked at it, that was abnormal.

James said respectfully, "You misunderstand. Apprentice Adam has already produced preliminary results."

"Oh?"

Adam stepped forward and placed the newly signed contract before Eileen Mage with both hands. After reading it, Eileen Mage's expression became pleasant again, as though she had never been angry at all. She clicked her tongue in amazement at Adam. "I truly never expected that in the blink of an eye, that little fellow from back then could already achieve this much."

Eileen had reason to be amazed, not because the Telekinesis Meditation Method was so astonishing, but because in a mage's sense of time, three months was truly no more than the blink of an eye.

"You flatter me." Adam bowed in response.

With the possibility of deception ruled out and the contract as proof, Eileen Mage did not care at all about Resource Allocation at the level of mere Energy Stones and was about to approve it immediately. At that moment, the door of the Approval Department was pushed open again, and a Senior Apprentice Adam had never seen before entered.

He held a contract in his hand as well, his face full of excitement. After entering, he seemed not to notice the two of them and said to Eileen Mage, "Respected Eileen Mage, I have obtained proof. I apply to establish the Alchemical Body Research Laboratory!"

Eileen Mage put down her pen with interest. "Hehe, what a coincidence today. Two people are actually applying to establish laboratories at the same time?"

The apprentice froze. Two people? Only then did he notice Adam and James. His expression immediately turned ugly as he gritted his teeth and said, "James, you worthless trash. You still have the nerve to remain in the academy?"

Adam was puzzled. He had never seen such a degree of conflict between Senior Apprentices before. What was going on between these two?

James looked extremely awkward when he saw the man. He endured the insults without rebuttal and said quietly, "Frank, I..."

"Shut up, trash! Are you trying to keep deceiving people now? Wasting other people's time with your idiotic ideas? You damned garbage!" The more Frank spoke, the angrier he became. In the end, he could not suppress his own Energy Fluctuation and seemed ready to attack James in front of a Formal Mage.

Eileen Mage tapped the desk. Vast magic power pressed down from above as she said, "Get out. This is not a place for you to run wild."