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Chapter 99: The Weight of Wisdom
🕑 Added 2025-07-16 14:49:23 +0000 UTCKamar-Taj
Within the Mirror Dimension, Aidan had maintained his cross-legged meditation for three days in real-world time. While an ordinary person might survive a week without sustenance, individual constitutions varied dramatically—some could suffer serious effects within mere days. However, magical training enhanced one's physical capabilities considerably. Though it couldn't achieve true transcendence of mortal needs, surviving three days without food or water posed no significant challenge. Throughout this period, following the Ancient One's strict instructions, no one had entered except for Wong.
Suddenly, Aidan's appearance began to transform. On his five previously unadorned fingers, transparent crystal rings materialized, each etched with intricate magical patterns that glowed with otherworldly light. The rings forced his originally joined fingers to separate slightly, accommodating their supernatural presence. Two silver-white metal bracelets appeared on his wrists, their surfaces carved with the same luminescent magical lines that seemed to pulse with contained power. Behind him, a rectangular silver metal box bearing identical mystical patterns materialized in the air.
The rings now contained the Sparks of Optimus Prime and the other Transformers, along with the Matrix of Leadership and the slightly smaller AllSpark. One bracelet held the physical bodies of the Transformers in compressed form, while the other contained the advanced materials gifted to him by Quintessa. The rectangular metal box suspended behind him housed the Wanderer Jaeger. The fundamental rule against nesting spatial storage devices—which would cause catastrophic dimensional fluctuations—forced him to wear each container separately. If not for this restriction, a single ring would have sufficed. Truthfully, Aidan had nearly abandoned the project when designing storage space for the mecha, but his reluctance to leave behind such a valuable asset drove him to expand the spatial parameters until he could accommodate the seventy-meter giant.
During his studies on Cybertron, Aidan's impression of Quintessa had evolved considerably. After Cybertron's energy was reactivated, her demeanor had improved dramatically. The planet was like her child—to revive it, she cared nothing for the life and death of creatures on other worlds. Had it not been for the magical principles Aidan possessed, which she couldn't decipher or replicate, their negotiations might have taken a far more hostile turn. Later, with the peaceful coexistence of humans and Cybertronians established, warfare ceased on Cybertron, and human diplomatic teams participated actively in the planet's restoration and reconstruction. As for why he had separated the Sparks of Optimus Prime and the others from their physical forms, he feared the System might classify them as "living creatures" and prevent their extraction from the dream world.
Aidan slowly opened his eyes and examined the rings adorning his fingers. If they were replaced with diamonds or precious gems, and he wore a mink coat, he would perfectly embody the image of a nouveau riche magnate.
"God, my bones are going to rust from sitting still so long..." Aidan stretched his body methodically. Having remained motionless for an extended period, his joints produced satisfying pops and cracks as he worked out the stiffness. He rolled his head left and right, then twisted his torso in both directions. After inspecting each spatial storage device, he nodded with satisfaction. The harvest from the Transformers world had been truly extraordinary—bio-armor, energy crystals, the AllSpark, the Matrix of Leadership, the mecha, and most importantly, Quintessa's vast knowledge. This included molecular weapons capable of transforming organic life into bio-metal, and the profound "concept of life" itself. Their race had wandered the universe conducting extensive research on various weapons, though Quintessa's expertise lay not in warfare but in fundamental studies like the equation of life. However, just the "concept of life" alone would provide Aidan with decades, perhaps centuries, of study material, not to mention the experimental data on Unicron. His primary task now was rewriting the energy programs of the Transformer Sparks like Optimus Prime's. Unlike the Creator race, he had no intention of creating life merely for observation.
His thoughts gradually crystallized. Aidan rose to his feet. The rectangular metal box behind him resembled a coffin, standing a full head taller than himself. Studying the enclosed space established by the Ancient One, he began analyzing the dimensional barriers before him. During his eight subjective years in the Transformers world, he had not only mastered Cybertronian technology but had also practiced magic nightly. Through continuous magical practice, he had developed the space fortress magic circle. Normally, even after fifty years of cultivation, he wouldn't be able to deploy a magical array covering the entire world unless he borrowed energy from other dimensions—a price far too expensive for him to afford. However, with stellar technology's assistance, absorbing solar energy to power the magical array, the formation could indeed encompass the world and establish spatial protection. This magic circle had taken Aidan five years to perfect gradually.
After setting down the metal storage device, Aidan shifted his stance, placing his left leg forward as he began chanting an incantation. The index and middle fingers of his right hand merged as if gripping an invisible pen, and a red magical pattern began materializing in the void. Immediately afterward, his left hand was placed on the back of his outstretched right hand and slowly pulled upward. Holding his index and middle finger steady, he began rotating them downward. The pattern of the magic circle gradually became more intricate. Soon, the magic circle formed completely along with the incantation, blazing brilliantly in the emptiness.
"Break!" Aidan shouted, thrusting his hands forward. The magic circle flew directly toward the spatial barrier. At the moment of contact, the entire space trembled like disturbed water. "Crack! Crack..." The sound of shattering glass echoed through the dimension, and the entire space lost its cohesion, slowly dissipating into nothingness.
"Damn!" As soon as the space retreated, Aidan leaped backward in startlement, immediately letting out a colorful expletive. He saw the Ancient One sitting cross-legged directly in front of him, and what had startled him was her gleaming, bald head catching the light.
"It appears your mental state has stabilized," the Ancient One observed, seemingly unsurprised by his reaction. She smiled at Aidan, who looked slightly embarrassed by his outburst.
"Haha..." Aidan scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile. After approaching her and offering a respectful bow, he settled into a cross-legged position across from her.
"Are you comfortable sharing your conclusions with me?" the Ancient One asked, studying the disciple who appeared unchanged physically but was fundamentally transformed within. She didn't probe deeply into Aidan's secrets, but his mindset had indeed been a significant vulnerability. She had witnessed many individuals destroyed by their own psychological flaws, including old friends. As for Aidan, his philosophical concepts remained immature, making this the optimal time for guidance.
"I used to believe that as long as no one sought to harm me or my family, I could remain a peaceful entrepreneur and benefit mankind," Aidan said, his mouth curving into a bitter smile. "Since the Hand Island Incident, I've harbored doubts. Whether I save one hundred million people or a billion people, if I kill a single guilty individual to accomplish it, some will condemn my entire effort. Some people don't care how many lives I preserve, so why should I exhaust myself choosing the path of salvation?" He thought of Tony Stark's and Fury's attitudes toward him. "But now, I've reached clarity. I was too naive before, believing peace was easily attainable." He sighed deeply. "Too young, too idealistic."
"So my philosophy has evolved," he continued with quiet conviction. "As a mage, it's sufficient to protect Earth itself. As long as the world isn't destroyed, human society can develop however they choose. I will no longer develop medical treatments or technology for them. My assistance will continue, but there will be no escalation."
"It seems," the Ancient One said, her voice carrying profound sadness, "that you still perceive life in terms of statistics and data rather than individual worth."
Comments
KingSpy25i .
Thank you for the awesome chapter 🙏 Also, I wonder if he will still use the enchanted hammer he received from the Ancient One now that he has all those other technologies and weapons with him?
KnifesAreCool
He needs a girlfriend lol. Thanks for the chapter
