After the International Statute of Secrecy was enacted, wizards had become like ostriches, burying their heads in the sand.
They had lost themselves in the false peace and prosperity bought through compromise, praising and lamenting the hardships of life, indulging in the abundant material comforts bestowed by magic, living in drunken dreams and dreaming of remaining forever in their little corner of the world!
Yet they had overlooked that only competition could bring progress. From the broad perspective of history, the idea of survival of the fittest had run through nearly the entirety of human development—
No nation or group had ever gained a chance at survival through endless compromise and retreat. Those unable to thrive through adversity would ultimately be eliminated.
Of course, at his core, Vaughn was not someone who cared about matters like the survival of the magical world.
All along, the only thing he had pursued was magic.
"Fruit Tea, I like magic. I yearn to understand all of its secrets, truths, knowledge, and power!"
He suddenly spoke. Fruit Tea, lying beside him, slightly raised its head and listened to Vaughn's voice.
"I yearn for the day when I can unravel the mystery of magic's origins. I yearn for the day when I can reach the end of magic and stand at its highest peak to see what this world truly looks like... but I know that I can't do it alone!"
Human strength had its limits.
Even with the system, Vaughn did not believe that he alone could push magic to its ultimate heights.
"I need people to help me—the more, the better. The development of any system of knowledge must rely on the power and wisdom of the collective, but the magical world as it is now cannot do that..."
"The magical world today