MMORPG: Rise of the Primordial Godsmith

Chapter 1708: A Meeting Between Universes (5)

”...Hmm?”

Listening to the words that left Odin’s mouth, Eve could not help but raise her eyebrow as she looked at Azazel for answers.

”Didn’t we confirm and conclude that the conversion from plasma to crude mana would have no effects on their universe whatsoever?”

”That we did,” replied Azazel, pausing for a bit before letting out a sigh. ”However, after watching their side improve the method we initially used for conversion, I began to realize that the approach we used for conversion was actually flawed.”

”Naturally, I informed Odin and the others about it after that,” he continued. ”I even went so far as to help them revise the conversion method in the hopes that the negative effects it had on their universe would be gone.”

”The result?” asked Adam.

”Unsuccessful.” Azazel slowly shook his head. ”Though there were a couple of alternative methods that seemed hopeful at first, further refinement showed that the effect they had on the universe was actually far worse than the original method.”

”In the end, we were left with the realization that the conversion method we started with was the best method we had, especially if we didn’t want to damage their universe’s foundations.”

”...So, it’s a case of settling for the bare minimum, or going all-out to return the universe to its golden age at the cost of the universe itself,” said Adam after Azazel was done talking, only to recall the reason why the two had arranged a meeting once again.

”That’s exactly why we’re here.” Taking note that Adam was looking at the two of them, Mimir faintly nodded as he had an idea of what was going on in the former’s head.

”In order to make sure we don’t damage our universe’s foundations any further, while also allowing our universe to return to its prior golden age, we’ve decided that the best way to do so was to adopt the energy that made it possible in the first place.”

”Which is your universe’s mana,” said Odin with a solemn expression, continuing where his companion left off.

”Is there a reason why that’s the conclusion you ended up with?” asked Eve in response, looking at the two with slight confusion.

”Considering that the two of you were alive far before the all-encompassing energy in your universe disappeared, wouldn’t it just be better to reconstruct the energy you lost instead of relying on another universe’s energy?”

”We’ve tried.” Odin bitterly smiled at the question. ”A lot more times than you’d think we tried.”

”In the end, the greatest success we’ve achieved in that endeavor was just barely enough for us to retain our strength until your conversion method came along,” he continued, his expression reflecting the hardships they’ve gone through in the past.

”Of course, by greatest success, we mean a method that did not harm the foundation of our universe.”

”In terms of the sheer quantity we could convert, we’ve undoubtedly come across methods that would allow us to do just that,” said Mimir, letting out a slight sigh as he recalled that time in his past.

”However, just like the side effects that came about after improving the conversion method you gave us, those methods would also harm the universe’s foundation, perhaps to a level far deeper compared to the one we’re currently using.”

”Well, that’s odd.” Listening to the explanations of the two old men, Eve could not help but frown as she pondered over it.

”Whether it’s the method we gave and you improved, or the method you created in the past, both result in the damaging of your universe’s foundation for some apparent reason.”

As those words left her mouth, she began to rub her chin in contemplation.

”Normally, converting from one energy to another wouldn’t harm the universe in any way,” she said, thinking out loud as the gears in her head began to turn. ”It’s one of the few ways new types of energy appear within a universe, after all.”

”Yet, the opposite happens in your universe.” At this point, Eve had her eyes closed, the gears in her mind whirring as she began to look at the situation from various perspectives.

Eventually, by the time a couple of minutes had passed, she opened her eyes once more, looking at Azazel with a mix of realization and curiosity.

”Azazel, did you ever get to check the make-up of their original energy by any chance?” she asked, prompting the man in question to go silent for a bit.

”I got to see what their energy was like when I met up with them,” the latter replied after giving it a bit of thought. ”However, I did not get into the specifics.”

”At most, all I sensed from it was a feeling of grandeur and majesty unlike the mana we wield.”

”A feeling of grandeur and majesty...” Getting the feeling that the cause of their problems relied on this phrase, Eve looked at Odin before asking, ”Could you show me a bit of the energy from your universe?”

”Did you find something out?” asked Odin as he agreed to the request.

”I have a hunch, but I first need to confirm it before saying anything,” said Eve in return.

Nodding at those words, the old man went ahead and extended one of his hands outward, willing the energy from their universe to manifest on top of it a few seconds later.

Whoosh!

Staring at the orb that was forming on top of Odin’s palm, Eve noticed that the conjuration process started off by summoning a number of various energies, which the former then fused together to form a milky-white energy that gave off a faint feeling of grandeur.

’Am I looking at it from the wrong perspective from the start?’ Continuing to stare at the orb after it had formed, the woman began to have doubts towards her thoughts, seeing as the orb did not have any of the signs she was looking for.

Yet, just as she thought that she was just overthinking it, she soon sensed a subtle change happening within the orb of milky-white energy, intensifying the feeling of grandeur she felt from it by at least ten times.

Focusing all of her thoughts on the exact moment the change occurred, Eve willed her brain to work on overdrive, eventually confirming that her prior thoughts were actually correct.

With that in mind, she told Odin that she had seen enough, only to then let out a low sigh before looking at the two with a bitter smile.

”I’ve found the cause,” she said, causing everyone there to perk up as they looked at her with interest.

”Is it the conversion method?” asked Azazel.

”It’s not the method.” Eve shook her head. ”It’s the energy.”

”Specifically, it’s the energy from their universe that’s the problem.”