"There are four main ways for a spellcaster to use [Authority]. The first is the method you use: by creating magical items that are connected to the basic laws of the universe. In this case, the item usually takes the role of the contractor instead of the mage."
Ian nodded. His Death Staff and Time Staff both fall into this category. Even Deathly Hallows can also fall into this category.
"As you can guess, this method has a number of disadvantages. Items can be stolen or destroyed, rendering them unusable. This method is typically used by mages who specialize in Alchemy.
"The second method is also to sign a contract like a god, but the mage only signs a temporary contract. By trading with Cosmic Will, the mage can borrow the power of [Authority], and in exchange, Cosmic Will will receive some kind of reward.
"However, this road is difficult to follow, because very few things interest Cosmic Will; usually it has to be something that is beneficial to the entire universe. Therefore, there are not many people who can use this method."
Ian nodded again. In order for his plan to contact Akashic Records to succeed, he also planned to make a deal with Cosmic Will. This is why he studied this aspect in depth when he was in the <Fullmetal Alchemist> world, and why he paid so much attention to the priest Fae.
"The third method is to secretly steal [Authority]'s power from Cosmic Will. However, this method is very situational and usually requires a great deal of luck."
"What do you mean?" Ian asked.
"Although Cosmic Will is powerful, it is not omnipotent. Sometimes, they have loopholes in maintaining the operation of the universe-especially after a disaster or event that affects the entire universe.
"As long as the mages seize this opportunity, they can basically leave a backdoor or virus in the core of the universe and borrow the power of [Authority] without the owner's knowledge."
"That sounds very dangerous."
Hearing this method, Ian remembered the method used by Herpo. Using Hall of Death, he found a loophole in the universe through Ritual Magic.
This allowed him to gain access to Authority of Death. However, Herpo's luck seemed to have run out, and his ascension triggered a disaster that wiped out most life in Solar System and ended Lemurian Civilization.
Because of this, Cosmic Will noticed him and caught him in action.
The thing about Luck is that it doesn't erase him, but imprisons him as Guardians of Afterlife.
However, Ian has always been curious about why their Solar System has Afterlife that is independent of the entire universe? He does not think that Cosmic Will created it, especially for Herpo.
Ian guessed that it was already there, and Cosmic Will just used this opportunity to find a guard inside.
So, who created it? The Lemurians don't seem that advanced.
"You are right. Once discovered, most mages will die under the wrath of Cosmic Will's Law of Thunder. Only by reaching Eleventh Tier can there be a chance of survival."
Ian nodded, he thought so too. No matter what, the will of any universe will not be weak, because they are in charge of the order of the entire universe.
Therefore, their Wrath is not affordable for ordinary people.
Thinking of this, he suddenly remembered his experience of stealing [Authority] in the <Fullmetal Alchemist> world.
His behavior is even worse than leaving a backdoor to secretly borrow power.
By now, he understood that his actions were essentially stealing the core components of that universe - even just a small part.
His actions fundamentally changed or weakened that universe.
No wonder Truth - as the embodied entity of Cosmic Will - hated him so much that he even tried every means to kill him.
"The last method is the most powerful; rather, the true path of orthodoxy. Mages who are able to do this are considered the best of the elite. This method is known as Conceptual Magic or Law Magic."
"Oh, what method?"
"It's very simple: use your own willpower to overwhelm Cosmic Will and force it to hand over some control of [Authority]. To be precise, force it to sign a contract that gives you access to the basic laws of the universe."
Ian thought for a moment. This method sounds simple, but there are too many things to consider.
First of all, the willpower required to conquer Cosmic Will is something that most spellcasters will never be able to achieve in their lifetime - especially at the low level.
However, that's not the only problem. Gaining access to [Authority] doesn't mean a mage can use it.
The strength of the soul must reach a certain height, otherwise it will be impossible to control such a huge power.
Once they lose control, they will face a terrible backlash that can make their souls Annihilation.
Additionally, there is the understanding of [Authority]. For example, if a person does not have a deep understanding of death magic or the concept of death, even if they can force Cosmic Will to give permission, they still will not be able to use Conceptual Magic.
Finally, it is a question of mana or energy. Conceptual Magic not only requires a massive amount of energy, but also requires extremely high quality or purity.
Without sufficient reserves, the caster can only use a few conceptual spells.
Of course, Ian can also see the advantage of this method: it can be used in any universe.
As long as an individual's willpower is strong enough, it doesn't matter which universe they are in, because they can conquer most universes-except those that are extremely powerful.
As long as mages take into account the differences in fundamental laws between universes and adjust their understanding accordingly, there will be no problem.
"Conceptual Magic is very important - especially after reaching a higher level. Although the sooner you can use it, the better, but there are still some requirements for the level. With your current strength, you still have a long way to go.
"I think you won't be able to meet the requirements until you reach Ninth Tier or higher."
"Old man, I think you underestimate me."
Merlin smiled and handed Ian two stones: one red and one blue. After taking the stones, the blue stone showed the number 6, while the red stone showed the number 3.
"The soul requirement is 6? Well, it's better than I expected."
"What do these numbers mean?"
"They measure the two most important requirements for using Conceptual Magic: soul level and willpower. 5 is the requirement for the weakest universe. Your soul has reached this value, but your willpower is still far from it.
"By the way, in your universe, you need 8 points of soul power and 9 points of willpower."
Ian looked at the two numbers in front of him, speechless.
"My willpower can't be that weak, right?"
Willpower also plays an important role in controlling magic, so Ian is really confused.
"3 is not a bad number. Remember, this is a measure of the requirement to compete head-on with the entire Cosmic Will."
Although Ian knew that the old man was right, he was still very unhappy. However, a desire to fight came into his heart.
Now that he knows where his weaknesses are, he will find ways to make up for them.
He is never afraid of any challenge.
"Having motivation is a good thing," Merlin said, handing Ian a booklet. It recorded the method of forcibly signing a contract after defeating Cosmic Will; Ian had to marvel at the ingenuity of this method.
After that, the two talked about a lot of things - mainly about magic, some experiences Merlin taught him, etc.
Later, Ian asked about his "senior brother" Arthur, and Merlin told him bluntly that in view of Arthur's morally ambiguous behavior, Ian and he might not get along.
Ian shrugged and said he didn't care. However, he decided to stay away from Arthur's real body before he became stronger.
After the conversation, Ian returned to Floating City and embarked on his way home.
The entire space field of Solar System is strictly controlled to prevent outsiders from teleporting in directly. However, these measures were set up by Ian, and he naturally knows how to bypass them.
So, in stealth mode, Floating City appeared above the Earth's atmosphere without being noticed by anyone.
However, Ian did not come back quietly like last time. Instead, he released a powerful force of Spiritual Pressure that instantly enveloped the entire planet. Ordinary people could not feel this pressure; to be precise, only Arcanist of Fourth Tier and Fifth Tier could feel it.
And at the moment when they felt this pressure, one thought came to their minds:
The Archon is back, and he's more powerful than ever.
At this moment, it is time for some people to hide those little thoughts and actions deeply.