Chapter 762 If There Was No Try (2/2)
Meanwhile, the middle-aged mage continued his speech.
”As technology advances, cultivation becomes common and Extraordinary abilities gradually entrenches into all intelligent beings on Mycroft, including elves, dwarves and halflings alike, our physical bodies no longer have to adapt to our environments. We have houses and clothing to warm ourselves, cultivation that could withstand temperatures a hundred degrees below, magic and aura to freely enter and exit the Void. Millennia ago, in the previous era, life no longer had to adapt to surroundings actively since the progress of our ancestors' wisdom could already replace our bodies' adaptivity and evolution.”
The mage's voice was so loud that the three Legends at the rear of the chamber could hear him clearly. Israel's expression was calm, Nostradamus's impassive while Joshua grinned and nodded.
”Our wisdom has made us without equal, human's civilizations hence becoming the dominant force, having no challenge apart from civil strife. That's precisely why our progress stopped entirely, or in other words had become so slow that it could not catch up with us.”
The mage appeared to grow gradually more absorbed in the speech. It appeared to be the thoughts in the depths of his heart, and now, he looked around at the hundreds of students and instructors, shouting, ”Now, our civilization is about the entre the Void—has there been any race who could not depend on cultivation or magical equipment to enter the Void with their physical bodies?!'
”No! Not even dragons! Apart from Ancient Dragons and Void Behemoths of legends, no life could survive with their bodies alone in the Void! We humans have the ability to travel in the Void but not bodies that are compatible with it—such is the glory of our wisdom, but that does not mean we should accept that weakness! It's time to change. Our intelligence should not simply accept its feeble vessel, and through natural evolution requires millions of years for a single grand progress, that is outdated. Now, we must change on our own!”
”Our ancestors had used millions of years to progress from eating raw meat to using fire for cooking, to develop from scattered settlements into tribes, to learn how to use stone tools and build houses. It's only eight thousand years ago that they've learned to forge metals, and it's only thirteen hundred years ago that they've reached the pinnacle of civilization! Natural evolution would never catch up to civilization's progress: the bodies of citizens living in certain primitive settlements of isolated seas doesn't compare to our average twelve-year-old boys… Natural evolution has now lost its purpose, and we cannot rely on mutation to enter the Void, to adapt amidst the endless worlds of the Multiverse!”
”Only through wisdom, magic, aura, and altering our bodies through our wisdom could 'humans' and 'intelligent beings' adapt to the borderless Multiverse.”
”That's me.”
With those words, the mage speaker pointed at himself and then at every student.
”And all of you.”
”That's the path all of us and all civilization should strive for in the future.”
***
As the mage added some remarks in closing, the students beneath the stage clapped wildly, an applause that echoed across the entire chamber. Even so, all that was not important—to the rear of the chamber, several Legendary champions were arguing in hushed voices.
”Joshua!”
Nostradamus scolded in a hushed voice. ”Is that what you want? Promoting how 'Human Body Alteration' is viable inside the entire Winter Fort Academy, and use the students in turn to advertise your theories?!”
The old mage remembered those dense rows of 'perfect human body prototypes' in the Fourth Practical Lab of the Multiverse Sacrificial Grounds, as well as those Void disbelieving Void aberrations that should only exist in nightmares.
”So you do intend to change all humans…” he sighed. ”You were not joking.”
”I never joke, apart from some corny ones. Nostradamus, you should've noticed that at least eight years ago.”
Joshua appeared not to mind the old mage's interrogation. He watched the students, their face flushed in excitement as they saluted the mage speaker and said quietly, ”humans now are still the same primitive species they were millions of years ago. Our wisdom had stopped evolution, which is why it must be through our wisdom that it progresses again. This is the first step our civilization would take to become a real Void civilization.”
”Who do you think you are? God, or the Sage? Are you sure that the alterations you have in mind are really suitable for humans?”
Nostradamus stroked his temples. He had already calm but he continued with a serious tone, ”humans are certainly feeble now, but at least there is stability. Our civilization, our society basically exists because of that feeble body—if the day comes that everyone suddenly flies, our architectural style and society would see great upheaval. But now, what you're doing would not just allow humans to fly: all of humankind would become Extraordinary individuals.”
”That upheaval would send shockwaves across civilization and society, and humans would no longer humans—most importantly, you can't guarantee its safety! And yet you're still going through with it!”
”And?” Joshua retorted coolly. ”Would we know if it's suitable after those modifications? Do you think aura and magic are not alterations? What are we, Legendary champions, then? Liches, as well as elemental, soul and runic mages. Becoming stronger than dragons, more agile than birds, becoming a warrior who could move through the Void physically. Is that not a special alteration that is not commonly used?”
”I just want everyone to have those alterations, which is unusual that you can't understand me. I don't intend to force it on everyone, but keep it discreet so that our civilization could adapt to it, so that they would seek it on their own accord.”
”Moreover, I am human,” Joshua added, pointing at himself before gesturing at both Nostradamus and Israel as well. ”Just as you are. And if we are, why are they not after modifications?”
Nostradamus appeared intent on further retort, but Israel, seated between them gestured for the both of them to stop.
”That's enough—there's nothing to argue over something so frivolous. Master, you believe the change would cause society to unravel and that 'human self-identity' collapse, but Joshua considers the future. He's right: our civilization is stepping into the infinite Void… and the feeble human physique would be a burden that impedes us.”
”You've just argued over the issue of Evil Gods, so why argue again? This problem isn't…”
At that, the Emperor groaned and sighed. ”Alright, we can make a call on this matter.”
”I know that you, Nostradamus, don't completely disagree with my idea.”
Joshua spoke again, his voice calmed as he turned towards the elderly mage, who held a pained expression. ”You simply believe that such an important matter must be thought through carefully, planned across decades and implemented steadily—only that ensures the entire civilization would progress into a new era in stability and without chaos.”
”But we no longer have the time—if we are actually considering storing human as souls into a Regulator Circle and send it away, would modifying the human race even compare?”
”If we did not try,” the warrior said quietly, ”there would never be another chance—such is resistance or counterattack, and with me.”
With those words, Joshua rose and left the hall, leaving Nostradamus and Israel in their seats.
”…Haha.”
Having ascertained that Joshua's life signature had vanished from the surrounding dimensional ripples, Nostradamus, whose expression had been contorted and showing melancholy abrupted shifted. The old mage started to laugh softly and breathed a gasp.
”Finally,” he said in a tone that could have been either gratitude or delight. ”He finally has the intention 'to strengthen'.”
Israel's clone nodded and sighed beside him. ”Never thought that we have to play such characters.”
Nostradamus closed his eyes.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please clickfor visiting.
”Joshua…” he said rather wearily, ”is the one person in all Mycroft who had Ascended the quickest and closest the Sage, even when statistics of the Glorious Era was included… I've said that a few years ago before, but I still have to say it again.”
”There's no third person, other than him and Igor who are most likely to reach 'the Sage's level'. Furthermore, Igor is already an old man—his talent may be exceptional, but he has been bound to much by Mycroft's civilization. Only Joshua could transcend that, a young man who had already traveled across the Multiverse, setting foot upon many worlds.”
”And yet, all that fellow ever though about is the idea to 'challenge powerful foes', without the resolve to 'become stronger'. Ability is simply a ticket to a challenge for him, or perhaps even a mere tool. His talent is so great that even if he strengthens rapidly even when wasn't paying attention, which in turn left him dispassionate about that respect.”
Israel nodded in agreement. ”And now, he would want to improve. For the first time, he isn't thinking about 'I would challenge the Sage one day', but that 'I must reach the Sage's level as soon as possible. It may appear the same on the surface, since how would he challenge the Sage without being on equal terms? That being said, the former depends heavily on 'finding the Sage', while the latter is simply 'becoming as strong as the Sage'… at least he's snapped out of such thoughts.”
”Wait.”
Nostradamus suddenly frowned. ”Do you think Joshua might have picked up on our intentions?”
”Who cares?”
Israel shook his head nonchalantly. ”So what if he picked up on it? That's his own will, and we're just offering a juncture. It's not a lie since if he could not reach the Sage's level, we could never lead a bunch of confused, unenlightened feudal peasants to the war against the Evil Gods.”
”Everything is just as he said: there wouldn't be a chance if we don't try.”