[Null Light] wasn’t so much a single spell as it was a dense cluster of magical orders, all working together to produce what could be seen as a unified effect. To those without insight into the process, it might appear as a single piece of magic, but Orion knew better.

  Casting it was a major effort, needing him to coordinate half a dozen different principles. He hadn’t used it in the crystal cave for a reason, and not just because he already had things under control without it.

  Back then, casting [Null Light] would have meant giving up any other spell. It would have taken everything he had to set it up, plus a little more, and he didn’t want to mess with the Mana Field right before ranking up.

  Because that was what [Null Light] did. It took away the Field’s potential to actualize itself through belief. No magic that wasn’t thoroughly understood, that didn’t rely solely on Knowledge like his, could have come into being through its shroud.

  It was unsurprising that when he cast it, the mana inside the crystal disappeared. That was what had happened with the previous test using [Falsifiability Criterion].

  But that the crystal itself would break apart had several implications.

  The first and most immediate issue was that [Null Light] affected all types of magic, even those tied to reality like enchantments or artifacts, and not just fleeting spells and free mana, as long as they were created from Belief and required reinforcement from the Field.

  The second point, on the other hand, was more interesting because it showed that with it, full knowledge of something wasn't necessary to nullify it. [Falsifiability Criterion] had destroyed the light mana because Orion understood it, but the crystal remained because he lacked some crucial piece of information.

  According to that principle, any magic that did not depend on Belief was beyond its reach. There would be nothing it could do against an enchantment crafted by someone who knew every facet of the magic they were casting.

  Basically, [Falsifiability Criterion] focused on the idea of magic itself, while [Null Light] worked on limited applications.

  The two abilities, which seemed somewhat redundant when compared to each other, suddenly appeared very different after that revelation.

  Combining them into one would definitely be a lengthy and complex task, but it would also give him a weapon few could handle.

  The only person I can think of who can do that is Antares. He managed to nullify Ulysses’ magics on the fly, which isn’t something I expect to do anytime soon. But clearly, this is a path worth exploring.

  He had many plans in motion, things he wanted to do. But having a long-term goal would be worthwhile, just to give himself direction.

  Finding the intersection of the two magic negation abilities would make him a true terror, and he really wanted to reach that point.

  That would be for later, though. For now, he would be satisfied with getting [Null Light] to a point where he could cast it on demand, even if it only covered a portion of the magical spectrum.

  The process proved easier than he had feared. Having a B-rank in Mana Manipulation allowed him to streamline the components without worrying about inefficiencies, as he could smooth things out at will. Orion marveled at how simple developing new spells could be like this.

  No wonder Mom needed some time to get used to her new power. An A-rank Mana Manipulation probably involves a continual feedback loop with the Field and exceptional control of it.

  The next expression of [Null Light] halted before it could manifest, as [Hypotheticism] warned him it would fail. He’d gone too far in trying to smooth things over and ended up with a spell held together by only vague principles and a lot of calculations.

  Who knew that complex and strict physics wouldn’t be flexible like elementary school math?

  But that didn’t discourage Orion. Instead, an obstacle he knew he could solve in days, if not hours, motivated him, and he quickly started jotting down calculations, aiming to create a single unified theory of magical interference with the Field.

  Before his rank-up, this would have surely taken weeks. As new versions of the same spells came together and fell apart, and data accumulated in the back of the CC to create newer and better iterations, Orion had to admit that he might not have achieved the same quality of results, regardless of how much time he dedicated to it.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  It was somewhat frustrating to know he could only achieve something because of the boosts he was given, but he had always known that would be the case. That’s why he chose to walk the path of power, even though he had very little interest in what it would allow him to do.

  Eventually, the numbers finally started to make sense again. He hadn’t exactly brute-forced the problem, as experimentation was as far from such a method as possible, but he had taken full advantage of the simulation abilities provided by [Hypotheticism].

  “It’s going to take some time to get used to. I thought I was already a walking, talking lab with just [Verification Principle] and the SDGs, but this is quite something.”

  The newest and most stable version of [Null Light] lost its soft glow, taking on a harsher, fluorescent hue sometime while he was chopping at the causality of mana and its range. But fixing that was quick work, and soon he had filled the lab with the same warm light he was used to.

  The Local Field appeared undisturbed, but only at first glance. With [Hypotheticism], Orion realized that its link to the material world was completely severed, and that overcoming it would require either an extraordinary connection or perfect knowledge of how to harness its energies.

  SYSTEM NOTIFICATION

  +64.310 exp

  Level up!

  The rush of attributes that followed was incredible. It filled his limbs with new strength, a sensation he wasn’t quite used to, as until now, he’d lacked any Body gains outside the extremely rare ones from his natural growth or the one-time bonus he got from ranking up.

  ORION A. VOIDWALKER

  Class: [Causal Epistemologist] [B-rank]

  Level: 51

  Mind: 210

  Attunement: 201

  Body: 28

  Traits: Mana Manipulation [B-rank]; Hypotheticism [B-rank]; Falsifiability Criterion [B-rank]

  Gaining eight points each in Mind and Attunement was relatively less significant, but it still took him a few moments to recover. When Orion opened his eyes, his connection to the Mana Field had increased slightly, as had his processing power.

  That alone, beyond the great power it gave him, would have been enough to make chasing higher levels worthwhile. The rush was like nothing else, and he suspected the feeling would only grow stronger over time.

  Since I have a B-rank class, I gain twice as many attributes as my peers. Until now, the difference was noticeable but manageable. Now… now things are about to get crazy very quickly.

  A knock echoed from the lab door, pulling him out of his thoughts. Orion waved his hand over the desk, grabbing papers, tools, and instruments, then vanished them into his coat pockets before turning to answer.

  Outside was his mother, dressed as usual in her long, flowing tunics and cloak, but he did notice that she seemed to have put more effort than usual into her appearance, as a pin with a golden filigree kept her cloak on her shoulders, and her skin glowed faintly, even beyond what natural beauty had been granted to her by her last rank upgrade.

  “Moonbeam, we need to get moving.”

  She must have brewed some potion for it.

  Of course, Orion knew that makeup existed in this world too, and that even the most uptight witches of the Sanctum sometimes used it, but he hadn’t considered that his mother might wear it.

  There was no negative connotation to his observation. It was simply a change in behavior that was difficult to reconcile, if not with the knowledge of who they were about to meet.

  Is she still interested? No, I know the pain his betrayal caused, and I honestly doubt she would be willing to forgive and forget. But it’s clear after the duel that he, too, holds a special place in her heart, regardless of what he did.

  Their relationship would probably never be normal, but it could thaw out, and Asteria making an effort with her appearance seemed to be a step in that direction.

  “I’m ready,” he replied, deciding that whatever tangled mess was between his parents wouldn’t be solved in just a few meetings, no matter how good the intentions of both parties might be.

  But they still had a few items to discuss, especially what kind of relationship they wanted to have moving forward, and his status.

  Because Orion hadn’t forgotten that his father had extended an invitation for him to join the Collegium, and now that he was its nominal leader, that would probably be brought up again.

  The thing is, I don’t know why I should refuse at this point. Oh, I have no intention of pledging allegiance to another faction, just to become another cog in the machine, but the Collegium is the closest institution to a university there is in Cyril, and I have to start somewhere.

  His friends at the Sanctum would serve as a good base, no doubt, but four people alone couldn't spark a cultural revolution, and to bring the light of reason to the Magocracy, he knew he had to do just that.

  Perhaps a temporary position? I’m unsure how much flexibility he’ll be willing to give. Even though he went against Ulysses at my request, he wouldn’t break all the rules just for me.

  The carriage waiting outside the embassy wasn’t one of the usual ones, nor the sleek black and silver one used by Yue, but rather a stunning silver and blue vehicle, crafted from finely intersected wood and steel, all adorned with thousands of tiny runes inscribed across its surface for comfort, safety, and dependability.

  “He sent it,” Asteria explained with a resigned huff that didn’t carry quite as much annoyance as it might have once.

  Orion simply observed the enchantments. He was glad to see that [Hypotheticism] worked on them just as well as in his tests, revealing the hidden layers of magic to his eyes.

  Many of the spells were around the third tier, like those that might be found on the top-tier carriages used by the major factions, but there were a few more powerful and subtle ones on this specific carriage that made it stand out.

  Orion dazedly followed his mother inside, still observing their inner workings.

  First, the defenses were built with enough redundancy to prevent any direct ambush, meaning that if it had been this carriage he was traveling on from Silverpeak, the bandits would have failed to stop them. It would have bulldozed through their roadblock without halting.

  Secondly, he could see multiple specific magics designed to muffle sound, protect from divination, and more complex ones, which he could only vaguely sense without fully understanding the scheme, something he was sure would be noticed and provoke some kind of reaction.

  Overall, his inspection confirmed his initial impression. This carriage was probably reserved for the duties of the Arcane Collegium’s High Councilman.

  I guess that since he’s now Speaker, he has the benefits of that position and doesn’t need to use the Collegium’s resources. It’s interesting that they would even bother keeping anything ready, since traditionally their Councilman has always been Speaker, but I guess it’s more out of form, and it doesn’t cost them much to maintain this beauty, given that it’s enhanced to high hell.

  The coachman, a neatly dressed mage in his forties who bowed deeply as he greeted them, guided them away from the embassy toward the government buildings, the wheels gliding smoothly like water.

  Soon enough, they entered the Ruling Complex and slowed down; what would normally take twenty minutes by carriage was completed in half that time.

  Two clerks waited for them as they stepped out, and they also bowed deeply. “My lord, my lady, the Speaker is waiting for you.”