254 Totem 2 (1/2)
Chapter 254: Totem 2
Emin nodded, and put the butterfly bottle on the microscope.
”Creating a totem is basically using silver to imitate a living creature. How to imitate? First, you need to know the creature’s biological make-up, only then can you successfully imitate it.”
He pointed out his index finger, and slowly started sketching mid air.
His fingertip drew lines of silver-white light in the air, forming silver-white threads.
As the threads slowly faded and disappeared, but before the vanished completely, all the silver-white threads Emin drew each formed a tiny figure 6. All the 6’s quickly and randomly matched up, forming many inconsistent figures that looked like badges. Just like a oval insect’s egg being wrapped up in many large circles.
”This figure represents analysis. It’s used especially for analyzing any creature’s internal make-up. It can trigger the analyzing ability in your brain, in order to quickly analyze any creature. We call it the analysis tactic. It’s one of the three basic Luminarist tactics. I’ll teach it to you later.”
Emin pointed at the the floating figures, and a wave of ripples spread from that spot. With a whoosh, the figures dart into the bottle, landing on the neon butterfly.
Soon, silver tattoo lines appeared on the neon butterfly’s body.
Emin explained, ”Normally, analyzing a creature requires sufficient knowledge, experience, and accumulation. If you haven’t accumulated enough, your analysis tactic wouldn’t get many results. After all, this is just a quick analysis. It’s only suitable for Luminarists who are familiar with this type of creature.”
Beside him, Garen nodded, looking at the butterfly in the bottle with his undivided attention.
”Now, I’m analyzing this neon butterfly’s body systems. Its life would always be dependent on some certain systems. This neon butterfly… mm… the survival system, that’s the most basic instinct. A flying system, and defense system. There are three parts. It’s made of three parts in total, that won’t be too hard.”
Emin flicked his finger, and the silver tattoos on the neon butterfly instantly began to dim.
”After that, I’ll imitate the basic units of the three part systems in order. At these times, I need to have completely researched and understood creature cells. I can only proceed after knowing the root principles. I researched butterflies before, so I’ll skip this part.”
Emin walked up to the long table with the unit factory, bent down and pulled out a large black box. He opened the cover, revealing blocks after blocks of pure silver bricks. All square and proper, they looked unexpectedly clean and brand new.
Emin picked up a silver brick, and drew in the air again with his other hand. Soon enough, he had carved out another figure.
This time, it was an extremely complex figure, lined up like rows of mathematical formulae, or like a passage of unknown words.
As Emin wrote his figures, the silver block in his other hand also began to slowly melt, turning to liquid like mercury and floating over his palm. It merged into a silver ball.
”This is the second basic tactic: forging. Right now, I’m forging different units for the three systems at the same time, so it’s a little more complicated. Actually, all these figures are used to move the silver, and use them to replicate the principles and scenes in my head. That’s why we also call this tactic: replicate. Anyway, it’s up to you what you want to call it.”
Garen stared at his teacher’s movements closely and nodded without speaking, terrified that he would miss even the slightest movement.
The round silver ball in Emin’s hand dissolved quickly, revealing three small balls inside.
The three small balls formed a triangle and spun rapidly, as though forming a whole.
Emin pointed at the three silver balls and said, ”These three things are the basic units for the three systems that I forged. Don’t be fooled by appearances, the structure inside is actually very complicated, and completely different. What I’m going to do now is put these units into the unit factory, and then perform large scale replicating. Then I’ll assemble them to make a model of the three large systems. The assembly also requires a third basic tactic: assimilation.”
Garen nodded slowly.
”Three steps in total: analyse, forge, and assimilate. You use these three tactics to control and lead, is that right? Teacher.”
”That is true, it looks simple on the surface. What you need to do is replicate a creature using silver. These three tactics are the most basic of the basic, and all totems come from them. No matter how complicated the totem, it must go through these three steps.” Emin put down the silver balls in his hand. ”Of course, after all that is done, there’s still the final step.”
”There’s still a final step?”
”Of course.” Emin smiled. ”After completing the three steps, the silver totem formed is just a model made out of silver. But creatures themselves require food as an energy source to support their movements. What about totems? If they want to move, they naturally require energy. And this is the last step that needs our help.”
”What is it?” Garen asked.
Emin threw a unit into the unit factory, and began to adjust and replicate it as he replied,
”The last step is to provide the energy. We also call it activation.”
”Activation?”
”That’s right, this is the basis for all Luminarists. In the past, it was also called lighting. Lighting the lamps to illuminate, that is how the term Luminarists first originated,” Emin explained.
”How do you light it, then?” Garen pressed on.
”That is our most pivotal talent.” Emin pointed at his head. ”Here. Anyone who can be a Luminarist, has a special appraisal quality. Our power is shapeless and immaterial, and it can’t influence anything other than silver. But it has the mystical effect of giving silver life.”
”No wonder Luminarists use silver as their materials…” Garen instantly understood.
”It’s actually very easy to activate something, but according to the difference in our appraisal, the strength of the totems activated will also differ.”
”And how is my appraisal power?” Garen asked with slight anticipation.
”Unfortunately, your appraisal is very normal… Back then, at your home, I checked for you on the sly.” Emin shrugged and said bluntly. ”In other words, the totems you light will not be given any special extra effect.”