Chapter 1825: Gateway to the Stars
Since the great war ended twenty years ago, the leaders of the world had reached a unanimous decision after lengthy discussions.
The mana crystals seized from the Cult of Bones, along with those recovered from the vaults of the Soaring River Secret Plane, would not be used for interstellar travel.
In the Greater Universe, mana crystals were invaluable resources. Yet on Tron, they were even more precious, for the planet had no means of producing them.
Once spent, they would be gone forever.
As such, it was decided that the crystals would be preserved as strategic resources, to be used only in times of dire emergency.
Fortunately, there was no urgent need to leave the planet. The next planetary alignment was only thirty-two years away. And so the Magi chose to wait.
For the next three decades, they would continue to prepare and strengthen themselves for the day Tron would once again open its gate to the cosmos.
It had long since been decided who would depart during the coming planetary alignment. And today, all of them had gathered at the Constantine Institute of Magic.
Some sat around the marble table in silence. Others exchanged words with old comrades. Though their personalities differed, they all shared one thing in common.
They had reached the peak of what Tron could offer them. The world that had once seemed impossibly vast had gradually become... too small.
For centuries, they had prepared for this moment. They had refined their spells, expanded their knowledge, and pushed their arcane levels as far as they could go.
Now, a new horizon awaited them.
Beyond the endless void lay the Greater Universe. A place of unimaginable opportunities, countless civilizations, and dangers far exceeding anything they had ever faced.
For most people on Tron, it was little more than a dream.
But for the men and women gathered in the chamber, it was their future.
In thirty-two years, they would leave their homeworld behind and step into the unknown.
As the doors opened and Adam stepped in, Lucian Acadia turned to him and laughed.
"Headmaster Constantine," he teased.
Adam tipped his head. "Your Grace."
The youth was grateful to the Emperor. The man had practically funded the entire construction of the Constantine Institute of Magic.
And Lucian was more than happy to help. After all, the academy drew people from every corner of the world to his Empire. That meant more money flowing into the economy. What he spent on Adam and his academy had become the most lucrative investment of his life.
Over the years, Constantine City had grown into one of the wealthiest and most influential cities on the planet. Merchants, adventurers, and Magi flocked in droves, bringing prosperity wherever they went.
In many ways, the success of the Institute and the success of the Empire had become inseparable. A fact that never failed to put a smug smile on the Acadian Emperor’s face.
"That was a wonderful speech, Adam." The Hermit of the Shadow Sect stroked his beard, his eyes shining with approval.
"Thank you." Adam offered a grateful nod toward the old man. Then he finally took his seat beside the Fireborne Princess.
"Sister," he greeted her with a wink.
Anna’s brows creased slightly. "Have you been drinking?"
"Oh, goodness arcana, never!" Adam replied exaggeratedly.
Anna’s eyes narrowed. Then she shot Autumn, who stood behind Adam’s chair, a questioning look.
Autumn, however, immediately put on an innocent expression and made a face that clearly said: please don’t involve me in your sibling fight!
Adam scanned the people sitting at the table with a smile. When he noticed that the Old Man wasn’t present, his eyes flickered with a bit of sorrow and helplessness.
"So," the Acadian Emperor began in a solemn voice. "Did you take a look at the portal?"
Adam inhaled deeply. Then he nodded. "It’s still functional."
Over the last two decades, he hadn’t just been developing his academy. In his free time, other than studying the Brand of Evil, he had also been frequently traveling to Luna through a teleportation array left behind by Mathias the Free in the depths of the Soaring River Secret Plane.
Luna was full of mysteries.
Adam discovered that it was never truly a moon. In ancient times, Tron only had one celestial body orbiting it — Selene.
Luna had been built by the ancient Magi.
The revelation had stunned him when he first discovered it. The entire celestial body was, in fact, a colossal teleportation device capable of harnessing the immense energy generated during the planetary alignment.
The ancient Magi created an artificial moon and transformed it into a gateway to the stars!
"What about the mechanism to activate the portal?" Edward asked, his blue eyes blazing with excitement.
"The ancient Magi were truly farsighted," Adam replied with a sigh.
"Not only did they create a device capable of enduring the passage of countless millennia, but they also left behind a remarkably clear manual detailing its operation. The portal is activated through rune magic. Fortunately, the instructions were simple enough to understand. And as for activating it..."
He confidently nodded. "I can do it."
A ripple of hushed chatter spread through the Magi present. Needless to say, all of them were incomparably excited.
"We still have to discuss the matter of interstellar travel for the Magi who will come after us," A Magus from the Sovereign Union said.
Such a question was utterly unthinkable just a few years ago. After all, a Tronian Magus had to be unimaginably fortunate to still be alive when a planetary alignment occurred once every three thousand years.
But things were different now.
With enough mana crystals to support three journeys to the Greater Universe, these Magi could afford to think beyond their own generation. They could begin planning for those who came after them.
"I thought we already decided on that," Lucain turned to the man and said in a dignified voice. "The magic crystals are to be used in thousand-year intervals."
Another Magus from the Acadian Empire nodded. "So by the time the next planetary alignment comes around, two more batches of Magi will have already ventured into the Greater Universe. Excluding us, of course."
The man who had raised the question earlier hesitated briefly before nodding with slight reluctance.
Everyone understood his reaction.
Despite the journey to the Greater Universe becoming far more frequent, there would always be those who failed to meet the requirements. Some would lack the talent. Others would lack the opportunity. While others would simply run out of time.
A Magus from Nahua raised another question. "There are still those who are desperate to secure a spot on this next journey? I wonder if they..."
His words trailed off when Lucian turned to him with a cold gaze. "If they did not participate in the war, they have no right to request a place in this batch. No further discussions on this matter."
"...Yes, I understand." The Nahua Magus nodded.
"If they continue to bother you," Adam said with a faint smile, his gaze sweeping across the Magi seated at the table, "or any of you for that matter..."
His eyes narrowed.
"You may tell them to speak with me directly."
Everyone at the table understood that this was not an invitation to discuss the matter with the Dark King.
No.
It was an invitation to die.
