270. Revision On Theory
Northern City, Northern Coastline, Kim Island, Kim City, Ancorna Empire
The atmosphere inside the command tent was suffocating, a volatile mix of ozone from the nearby dungeon rift and the heavy, nervous energy of leaders pushed to their absolute limit. Outside, the rhythmic thud of Minotaur hooves and the sharp crack of Kim Pattern Rifles provided a grim backbeat to the meeting.
Ryan, once the stuttering apprentice of Nille, stood before the gathered assembly of Sarah, Dame Aisha, Master Nille, and a group of Junior Priests from the Herptian Church. He looked exhausted, his eyes bloodshot from days of sleepless research, but a new, fervent clarity burned in his gaze.
“We know, thanks to the natural science textbooks written by Her Highness, that plants utilize a process called photosynthesis to convert light into life-sustaining energy,” Ryan began, his voice surprisingly steady. He paused to catch his breath, then pressed on. “Based on that, I hypothesized that mana itself might not be a mystical energy, but a specific, invisible spectrum of light, a high-frequency energy that flowers act as biological converters for. They don't just have mana; they transform the world's ambient light into it.”
The twenty-floor dungeon continued to churn, a dark wood portal vomiting forth a never-ending stream of beasts. The urgency of his claim was not lost on the room.
“I have conducted dozens of demonstrations under Her Highness’s direct mandate,” Ryan continued, reaching into a padded crate and pulling out several panes of glass. They were treated with a peculiar, deep-violet tint. He placed them on the table. “A separate research division was established specifically to analyze the nature of this light-to-mana conversion. Everyone here is aware of the funding Her Highness poured into this.”
The assembly nodded, though the Junior Priests looked skeptical.
“There has been significant friction between the ancient creation legends of the Church and the scientific theories Her Highness has introduced to our education halls,” Ryan addressed the elephant in the room.
Junior Priest Finn stepped forward, his expression tight. “How is this relevant now? We need to mount a rescue. Her Highness is trapped in a twenty floor dungeon. We cannot waste precious minutes debating theological contingencies!”
“It is entirely relevant,” Ryan countered firmly. “The creation myth states that the Absolute Being willed the universe into existence through otherworldly, unnatural power. Meanwhile, Her Highness’s textbooks detail the Big Bang Theory, a natural, explosive expansion of matter and energy.”
Sarah and Dame Aisha shared a weary glance. They could see the Junior Priests bristling, ready to launch into a defense of dogma as they often did at the Academy. Managing the intersection of Ravenna’s modern knowledge and the Church’s deep-seated faith had been a constant headache.
“But what if both are true?” Ryan suggested, silencing the room. “The Legend says the Absolute Being willed it. My theory is that the Big Bang was the process, but the Absolute Being was the trigger.”
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“You’re suggesting the creation was a natural process initiated by an unnatural cause?” Sarah asked, leaning forward, her interest piqued.
Nille grunted, crossing his massive arms. “Get to the point, Ryan. How does this help us break a Dungeon Core?”
“Everything!” Ryan exclaimed. He placed a glowing flower on the table and covered it with a dome of the violet-tinted glass. The glow dimmed instantly, the petals curling as if deprived of air. “Her Highness’s version of theory implies that the universe follows a set of natural laws. The Absolute Being’s intervention, however, was an external, unnatural factor.”
The Junior Priests began to follow his logic. “The Big Bang is the natural blueprint of how a universe should be created,” one added, mesmerized by the dying flower. “But the cause of our universe was a forced act of will.”
“Exactly,” Ryan said. “And the holy books of every religion state that the Absolute Being made this universe specifically for itself. That is why the Cult calls consciousness a ‘disease.’ self awareness: the ability to think, to feel, to evolve beyond the creator's intent, is a natural byproduct of a universe’s evolution. But in an unnatural creation, the Absolute Being views our very existence as a corruption of its perfect design.”
“So, the purge of consciousness is the Absolute Being trying to fix its ‘broken’ creation?” Junior Priest Finn whispered, the horror of the realization dawning on him.
“That’s right,” Ryan said, his voice gaining a hard, confident edge that made even Master Nille look at him with newfound respect. “Now, let’s look at the evidence. Think about the textbooks Her Highness has provided for our schools. Her explanations of photosynthesis, the movement of celestial bodies, the very laws of physics and chemistry, they lack any mention of mana or magic. She explains the world as a self-sustaining machine that doesn't require a single drop of divine essence to function.”
He paused, letting the weight of that observation sink in. “In those books, magic isn’t just ignored; it’s treated as if it doesn’t take into account the fundamental truths of the world at all.”
One of the Junior Priests shifted uncomfortably, clutching his robes. “But that knowledge... it was bestowed upon Her Highness by Goddess Herptian herself. We know she is an Apostle. If the Goddess enlightened her to the absolute truths of the universe, why would she leave out such a major reality of our world? Why omit the very power that fuels our civilization?”
“Because,” Ryan replied, leaning over the table until the light hit his eyes with a fanatical glint, “it’s only a reality now. If Goddess Herptian gave Her Highness the blueprint of the universe in its purest, most natural state, why would it include magic?”
Nille’s eyes widened, his massive chest heaving as he finally connected the dots. “Because magic and mana aren’t the real truth,” he rumbled, his voice like grinding stone. “They are a byproduct. They are the 'noise' created by the Absolute Being’s intervention when it forced its will upon the creation process!”
The Junior Priests stood frozen, a collective gasp echoing through the tent. The theological implications were staggering, yet they fit perfectly with the scientific anomalies they had been struggling to understand.
“The Goddess didn't forget to mention magic,” Junior Priest Finn whispered, his eyes wide with epiphany. “She gave Her Highness the enlightenment of untainted knowledge. She gave us the laws of the universe as they were meant to be, as they existed before the Absolute Being warped them! It was a gift... a blueprint to help us identify the corruption so we could fight back!”
The air in the tent seemed to vibrate with the sudden clarity of their purpose.
“Now that everyone is on the same page,” Ryan said, a sharp, determined smirk crossing his face as he reached for the violet-tinted glass frames, “let me explain exactly how we are going to use this 'untainted' knowledge.”