Wolves of Hader

Chapter 107

It had been fifteen days since I arrived at the new territory.

During those fifteen days, except for going outside in the morning to exercise, I dedicated myself solely to my research.

After understanding the properties of the magic array and the tendencies of magic power, and even grasping the principles behind activating the array, I had started making a magic array seven days ago.

Today, it was nearing completion.

Far from the construction site, over by the shore, I set up a large tent and began crafting the magic array.

For security and to prevent accidents, I built a tall fence and set up a curtain as well.

Still, since anything could happen, I removed every piece of metal from the vicinity.

With the completion of the magic array just before me, Urald and Wundbark also came to observe.

"This magic array is quite large."

"How many mana stones are you using?"

"A total of ninety-nine, counting both large and small ones. If it fails, we'll have to find another mana stone vein."

"It didn't cost as much as ten thousand gold coins, did it?"

"If you convert it into gold coins, it would be about 500 coins."

"At that price, we can even use it when it's not urgent."

I had thought it would cost a fortune each time the magic array was activated, but that wasn't the case.

Either the information had been distorted, or Urald had been misinformed.

The magic array was circular, about eight paces in diameter.

Inside the circle, complex geometric shapes and ancient letters were engraved—a visualization of Elin's magic spell.

Various shapes overlapped with circles and star patterns.

Mana stones were inserted into the internal shapes, and when magic power was infused, the activation spell would be triggered. The order of insertion was critical.

This magic array had been given to us by Dran as a reward; it was different from the one Dran possessed.

There was only one, but I could make identical ones elsewhere if I wished.

I painted the array's design with a mixture of tourmaline powder and water.

Securing tourmaline had been tricky, but later I understood the principle and used powder from divine ore instead.

The mana stones themselves were conical, with copper bodies and only the head made of mana stone.

The use of copper for the mana stones was for the same reason as using tourmaline.

"Will the divine ore work as well?"

"The amplification properties should be far superior with the divine ore than with tourmaline."

Wundbark remarked as he examined the magic array.

"There needs to be an identical magic array, right?"

"The door will open with only one, but you have to have an identical array somewhere for them to connect."

"Can you only travel once?"

"That's what I don't know yet. I'm also not sure whether magic power is consumed while the Gate of Magic remains open."

"The master doesn't know?"

"I doubt that's the case. The book we were given is a summary of the core findings from the magic array research. Maybe these details were omitted since you'd find out by opening it yourself."

Urald also asked:

"Are you planning to activate it today?"

"Yes, please wait a moment."

Referring to the magic array blueprint, I inserted the remaining mana stones one by one into the holes.

One of the last two shapes started emitting a bright light.

The shapes already activated gave off faint lights as well.

All the activated patterns were connected and influenced each other, even bringing about a weak whirlwind.

"Oh! This is a magnetic field, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's right."

At last, the two Drans realized it.

"The master used the magic array to generate electricity!"

"That must be it."

The reason Dran could make generators and all sorts of electrical devices was thanks to this magic array.

Through years of repeated research since ancient times, they'd established their own theory of electromagnetic dynamics.

The generator, transformer, and battery were all primitive models.

After much trial and error, they managed to create the basic circuit without any advanced materials.

For instance, the electricity produced in a power plant is alternating current, where both voltage and current direction change constantly.

Direct current, by contrast, has a fixed voltage and flows in one direction only.

To use motors and such, you must convert alternating current to direct current.

This conversion device, a kind of adapter, was fairly stable, though large in size.

Inside that adapter was a rectifier made of silicon.

Since silicon can be extracted by heating sand, sourcing materials wasn't an issue. Other parts were not rare either.

In any case, Dran understood the principles by which the magic array operated and grasped the mechanics of electricity and magnetism, and over the years even improved transmission and voltage control technologies.

"Please step back a little."

"I can't wait to see this."

Urald and Wundbark moved to the entrance of the tent.

The core of the magic array was the shape at the center.

Into this, the last mana stone needed to be placed, and I had to recite the incantation written in the book—Elin's magic language.

Once the last mana stone was inserted, the array emitted an even more powerful light.

The external shapes were all connected, and if I just linked the center, it would be complete.

Fweeeeee—

Whether the activation had started or not, the magnetic field grew stronger.

Even my clothes fluttered as the wind intensified.

Carrying the last, large mana stone, I entered the center of the array.

After fitting the stone into the central hole and pressing it in, I quickly left the magic array.

Fortunately, the symbols needed time to interact and connect with each other—otherwise, I'd have been electrocuted.

Kukukuku—

With a strange sound, light burst out from the entire array.

All the symbols were now connected.

But that wasn't all.

Patzutzutz—

A powerful electric current flowed through the array, sparking everywhere.

The magnetic field expanded further and the wind intensified.

Even the air twisted as a bizarre violet energy crept in, gathering like a sinister mist.

The atmosphere seemed dangerously volatile, as if about to explode.

"Is this supposed to happen?"

"Yes. It seems different from a normal electromagnetic field."

"Try reciting the incantation."

I opened to the last page of the book.

The ancient Elin incantation was written in our language as well, with a translation below.

The translation was basically a request addressed to an elemental.

"Inkosi yezintaba nomhlaba. ukuboleka wena enhle namandla amakhulu. siela ukuvumela kwethu ukuhambela okungaphezulu kwesikhala. udumo lwezintaba nomhlaba luzoba nawe."

And then the final incantation:

"Ngikhombise amandla akho amakhulu."

Just as I finished the incantation—

The magnetic field expanded explosively, fires sparked around the array, and a storm raged inside the tent.

The wind was so fierce I could barely stand.

Atop the magic array, a swirl of black energy arose, and even stranger energy converged around it, churning wildly.

The energy only grew stronger.

The swirling black energy gradually gathered into a perfect circle, sparks bursting out like lightning.

Kwachichichik—

CRASH—

Inside the tent, it looked as if a freakish black cloud was forming.

The gathered energies condensed ever tighter into a sphere, the surrounding air whirling in a circle.

Everyone took another step back.

That pitch-black sphere kept shrinking, looking for all the world as if it would explode any second.

The symbols of the array glowed with ever-more intense light, and the wind reached an uncontrollable intensity.

Then, at a certain moment—

FLASH—

A blinding light burst out.

The light was so intense that we all covered our eyes with our hands, and when we slowly lowered them, all traces of the explosion were gone.

The wind and the light from the magic array had disappeared.

In their place, a black sphere hovered above the array.

It was a mysterious sphere.

Up close, it looked almost like waves shimmered across it, like that odd, unusual energy.

Looking around, I could see it was a perfect sphere.

Its diameter was a little taller than myself.

No force was coming from it.

"This must be the Gate of Magic,"

Urald said in awe, as he and Wundbark approached. Like me, they circled the sphere, inspecting it.

It was beyond imagination how something like this could be created.

"Should I try putting my hand in?"

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

I took a silver coin from my pocket and lightly tossed it into the sphere.

After three seconds, the silver coin popped out from the other side.

If it were just a passage, it should have come out instantly.

Was there something else inside the sphere?

It didn't seem particularly dangerous, so I put my hand inside.

It felt somewhat cold.

Then I carefully leaned my head in.

Unlike water, there was a weird resistance, as if the air was squishy somehow.

My vision went dark—I quickly pulled my head back out.

There was nothing inside. Maybe it was empty because there was no other connected gate.

Urald and Wundbark were now searching for any changes resulting from the Gate of Magic opening.

I, too, gazed at the array, and a surprising realization dawned on me.

"The mana in the mana stones is completely depleted, but the Gate of Magic isn't closing."

"Then it just keeps going as is?"

"We'll have to observe it some more."

Urald scratched his chin and said,

"The gate stays open even without magic power. That means magic power is only used at activation. In that case, our young lord won't even need mana stones?"

At his words, Wundbark also looked at me.

Both of their faces said, "Can it really be...?"

I was just as amazed.

"That seems to be the case. As long as I imbue it with enough magic power to open the Gate of Magic, it should work."

They both stared at me in disbelief.

This meant I could use drained mana stones to activate the array—since I could replenish them with my own magic power.

And there was something else.

Activating the magic array—

It wasn't a question of how much magic power I used; it was about how strong the initial surge of magic was, how I "ignited" it.

A large amount of magic was needed only at ignition, not to keep it running.

Mana stones simply served as expendables for that one use.

"I should head back to the fortress. If either of you see this array disappear, please contact me."

"Understood. I'll check on it at least three times a day, and if anything changes or something unusual happens, I'll send word."

"I'll make an identical array at the fortress and see if I can travel instantly. If the Gate of Magic stays open, you two should be able to come and go from the fortress as well."

"If that works, it'll be incredible."

I left the tent at once and sought out the knights.

I entrusted the knights instructing the new territory's security forces with protecting the magic array.

/ / /

It had been ten days since I returned to the fortress.

As soon as I returned, I sent miners to "Honey-Sucked Mountain."

There was still some mana stone left, and in four days, the miners had brought back a good haul.

So I asked the fortress blacksmiths to make the mana stones to precise specifications.

Meanwhile, I had already prepared plenty of the other necessary materials.

The array pattern was already made.

Location of shapes, their lengths, everything—the numbers matched precisely with the array in the new territory.

I was also planning to set up a magic array each in Urada territory and in the Robe Republic.

Once several were made, connecting and disconnecting each would be possible.

For example, the fortress and the new territory's arrays could remain linked and then be disconnected in order to link the fortress with Urada territory instead.

As long as there were enough mana stones, movement would always be possible.

There were still untouched mana stone veins in the southern part of the new territory, as well as in the southern part of the eastern mountains.

In the undeveloped far south of Beltern, there was a massive vein.

My father and his two friends had visited that place, and I planned to go there on the next voyage, both to seek out traces of whatever exciting adventure the three had told me about.

"Young lord! The mana stones are finished!"

The voice came through the water pipe connecting the first floor of the castle to my room.

It was a speaker system I'd arranged so Johnny could deliver news without coming all the way up to my room.

"They put them on the second floor of the eastern warehouse!"

"Got it!"

I replied into the water pipe speaker and took the elevator platform down to the underground levels.

This time, I was headed for the third basement floor of the eastern warehouse—the site of the new magic array.

On the second basement floor, the blacksmiths had piled two baskets full of mana stones.

I took the baskets myself and carried them down to the third basement.

Through three heavy steel doors, a spacious chamber emerged.

The ceiling and walls were built strong, the floor reinforced solidly—on this floor lay the magic array.

After confirming the completed array for any abnormalities,

I began inserting the mana stones in the order specified in the book. Having done this before, I was faster than last time.

Maybe three hours passed.

With the last mana stone left, the swirling wind from the magic array felt intensely cool.

I hadn't even realized how drenched in sweat I was, so focused had I been.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the midst of the magic array.

As before, the magic array shook with explosive force.

Even the steel doors rattled and clanged.

Kukung—

Kwachichichik—

When I pressed in the final mana stone, a shower of sparks burst out and a fierce Whirlwind raged.

This explosive power was not something I could easily get used to.

As before, a strong purple energy gathered.

FLASH—

Once again, a dazzling light burst out.

And then, a pitch-black sphere appeared atop the array.

I wondered for a moment if I'd made any mistake, but it worked—if even one mana stone had been wrong, the ignition wouldn't happen.

Again, I took out a silver coin and tossed it into the sphere.

But this time, it didn't come out the other end. Did it actually travel somewhere?

I reached into the sphere to check for anything amiss, then cautiously leaned my head in.

This time, it was different!

Countless streams of light shot forth.

It was a wondrous tunnel of light, like nothing I'd ever seen or heard of.

Enchanted, I leaned in further, and—

Suddenly I was sucked in.

There was no time to resist.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

That was, uh, dumb...

【(⩌‸⩌ )】