Chapter 198 - Height of the Technique (1/2)

The theory that Pittman recounted wasn’t complicated. Regarding the connection of theurgy circles and magic circles, in Gawain’s understanding, it was actually just a process of “frequency conversion compatibility”.

Although the structures of the two differed, and the rune system and effectual mechanism were also different, theurgy circles and magic circles were essentially a kind of system that consumed magical power and produced effects (energy accumulation magic circles like the Magic Web actually did not produce magical power either. It only concentrated and compacted the dispersed magical power already existing in nature. There was also the loss of its own waste energy in this process). Such systems had the innate possibility of being connected: so long as a suitable transfer pathway was found.

In general, elemental runes and theurgy runes could not be mutually compatible; the only outcome from forceful mutual replacement would be the spell going out of control —— those priests would explain this as the gods being supreme; thus, the powers bestowed by the gods were also above the spells that mortals used. Low-level spells naturally could not be mutually compatible with high-level theurgies. However, in Gawain’s surmise, he believed that this was only due to the two’s challenging compatibility or “common frequency region being overly narrow”.

This surmise did not come without cause, but a rational guess that emerged because of the historical facts of the transition of Druid theurgies to magic, as well as the fused magic circle discovered in the ruins in the mountains —— now, it turned out that his guess was correct.

The so-called divine power wasn’t superior to magical power. It was only because the connection of theurgy runes and elemental runes wasn’t as easy as that between elemental runes, and in the situation where theoretical guidance was absent, finding the correct permutation amongst the vast number of runes was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Thus, the scholars believed that these two systems were incompatible.

The Gondor Master Mages from 1,000 years ago seemed to have found this “needle”.

The Druids’ theurgies were already invalid. After the source of energy that was derived from the gods’ “gift” vanished, they had to draw magical power from nature to utilize the former “theurgies”, and theurgies became magic in this process, while theurgy circles gradually became ineffective historical heritage as reasonable remodeling ways could not be found. However, the “interface” that Pittman found gave the ancient abandoned theurgy circles the possibility of operating again. In Gawain’s opinion, the mysterious veil of theurgy circles had been completely uncovered right at this moment.

They were actually magic circles; sacred runes were actually some kind of special magical runes (independent of the elemental rune system); only its energy could not be derived from nature but required a layer of “filter” or “conversion” before it could be used. The inversion circle was the key to carrying such conversion.

Gawain’s reasoning extended—— he thought of those mysterious gods. What role did those gods assume in this process?

Perhaps… they were the earliest and also biggest inversion circle.

The gods purified and extracted nature’s original basic energy to transform it into the so-called “superior energy” that could release theurgies: for example, the forces of nature, the Holy Light, divine war power, and more. Then, with strict religious doctrines as the “authorization standard”, they allowed those mortals who carried out religious rituals to borrow these secondary energies that had been transformed. If this was on Earth, it would be equivalent to a developed country monopolizing the entire world’s fossil fuels, solar energy, wind energy, and all primary resources, as well as the corresponding electricity generation technology. Then, the country converted these resources into electricity and exported it to a certain primitive country —— the latter would, therefore, enter the age of electricity in one swoop, but so long as they did not find the way to generate electricity, they would forever be stuck in this state —— leading a life of electric lamps and telephones on the surface, but a primitive and backward life in reality.

Because they were missing the technology of the most important “conversion step” in the middle.

Humankind was the only intelligent race on Earth, and the disparity between people was limited; thus, such monopolization was difficult to achieve. But in this world, the gods possessed powers that far exceeded the imagination of mortals; therefore, they succeeded with such a monopolization.

The “White Starfall” 3,000 years ago was the beginning of the breaking of the monopoly. On that day, the God of Nature worshiped by the Druids disappeared for some reason. Consequently, the refinement authority of nature’s divine power was released, and mortals obtained the ability to use the magic of nature. The Master Mages who studied the flesh of gods in the Dark Range a thousand years ago further reinforced the breakup of the monopoly. They used an even more aggressive method to bypass the “authority lock” set up by the gods and achieved success.

However, the overall monopoly still could not be broken. The gods, who stood in great numbers in the world, were still present. Mortals, still, could only obtain the corresponding divine power by praying to the gods, but the key to breaking the monopoly was already held in Gawain’s hand.

As Gawain’s mind calmed down, he looked fixedly at Pittman and asked, “Do you know what this ‘inversion circle’ signifies?”

The old Druid smiled. “I do. To be honest, I’m pretty proud of it.”

“The entire world will see us as their arch enemy,” Gawain warned slowly. “Ninety percent of the clergymen will come huffing over.”

Pittman batted his eyes, revealing a trace of slyness in them. “Not just those priests, there’s also the ‘gods’ behind them.”

Yes, there were also the gods behind them.

Although the Eternal Stone Slate divulged the information that “the gods were dead”, the fact that divine power still existed in the world was irrefutable. Gawain had no choice but to beware of those “gods” hidden behind the scenes. Were they the resurrected gods? Or some kind of “usurper” who took advantage of the empty position and took the role? Regardless of what was responding to the mortals’ prayers, they probably wouldn’t like to see their monopoly being broken.

“Do not use the inversion circle technique on any other theurgy circles other than those of the Druids for now,” Gawain said solemnly.

He did not know how sharp the gods’ eyes were. He could only assume that they would jump up even if one leg hair of theirs was plucked.

“I understand.” Pittman nodded. He evidently didn’t dare to mess around in this aspect.