God Ash: Remnants of the fallen.
Chapter 957 - 957: The Keys to Evolution (4).

Cain sighed.

He dropped the papers and opened the journal within it were more complex calculations and theories. Quickly skimming through them, he decided he would go over them later,

"You've really thought this through, huh..." He said after a moment of silence.

Steve chuckled smugly,

"Of course I have. I would have no room to call myself a great sage and mage is I didn't, after all."

'System...'

{Replying to Host: It is indeed as the human says. While general mutations might be caused by forms of energy; Devil Essence, Aether, mana, and even Ki, ultimately, a creature evolves by means of leveling up}.

Cain paused for a moment then asked another question,

'What exactly is Leveling up?'

Asking such a question now seemed a bit unintelligent. After all, it would have been more reasonable for him to know something that seems to basic.

However, he didn't.

{Replying to Host: The process of leveling up involves gathering experience points. When the amount of experience points reaching a predetermined threshold, the process of leveling up occurs}.

'What do the experience points measure? The level of combat experience? If that is the case, then craftsmen should be unable to level up.'

{Replying to Host: Experience points are indeed not a measure of combat experience. Rather, they are more or less the system's method of calculating complex parameters that come together to define an entity's growth}.

Cain frowned.

'I see... So it doesn't measure a single thing, but rather a system of things. And it is the main function our growth, or rather, evolution is hinged on. Is that right?'

{Replying to Host: Affirmative}.

"The more levels a human has, the further away he is from what he once was. I guess that much is obvious, but the scale of it doesn't really click until you observe it from the outside." Steve said as he glanced at the containers holding the mutant creatures.

Cain placed a hand on chin and fell silent.

Steve's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward,

"Cain. If we can reveal the secrets, we might find a way to not just control our own growth, but also create the ability to grant those that have been less fortunate, the ability to grow. Do you realize how big this is?"

Cain nodded,

"I do. Humans will be able to level up without the help of the system."

Such a thing...

He wouldn't have thought it was possible before. However, in hindsight, there were no real limitations.

Steve grinned and nodded,

"Exactly. But why stop there?! The possibilities are endless!"

Suddenly, Cain frowned.

For something as crucial as this, surely they weren't the only ones that would have thought about doing something like this.

However, in all the past records he had read, he had never heard of trying to artificially level up without the system.

'System...'

{Replying to Host: All beings birthed of the Nomad's creation are bound by the laws and limitations set upon them. Since the day the wheels of time began to spin, until the day eternity caves in and consumes itself. No being that is not a Devil can level up without the system. Attempting to do so, or possession of such knowledge will result in fates far worse than death}..

Cain froze and his body went cold.

'What is this...'

He had never heard the system sound like this before.

Although it was still the same bland monotone, for some reason, it felt much more menacing.

He grimaced and shook his head,

'Perhaps it was just my imagination...'

He sighed then turned to Steve,

"Looks like it might not be possible to do."

Steve nodded, "I know that much. Seems like the powers that be will not allow us control our own fates. It is a shame indeed..."

He took another sip of tea,

"But that is fine. The knowledge I seek is simply fundamental and will be the basis we build our future on."

Cain nodded. Then he paused,

"You've explained the first and the last, but what about the second? What do you mean by there is an energy imbalance?"

Steve's cheerful expression suddenly deflated.

"Well, magic is magic and all, but it is still a sort of science, for lack of better terminology. It involves the change, or the breakdown of understanding, and reshaping them into the caster's intended purpose. However, it is still guided by laws, regardless of how flimsy and strange they may be. One such laws, is that mana, or any form of energy for that matter, doesn't usually just disappear."

"When a skill is cast, most of the changes that occur initially happen in the spiritual realm. Then they manifest physically. Those changes usually happen within the tiniest fraction of a second. Faster than an instant, so they are rather difficult to calibrate or measure. However, what we can measure, is the physical outcomes. And after researching these physical outcomes, I have come to the conclusion that most of the time, the mana put into a spell doesn't equate the exact turnover in the form of a physical manifestation. Sometimes it can be more, sometimes less. It is all arbitrary."

Cain raised a brow,

"Maybe some of it gets lost in the spiritual realm?"

Steve shook his head,

"If it does, there will be a corresponding change in the physical realm."

"Hm. So what you are saying, is that it doesn't get lost in the spiritual realm, but in the physical?"

Steve shook his head again,

"I'm saying we don't know where the hell it goes. Well, at least not yet. Isn't that mystical? I've searched high and low for information concerning this, but even the system seems to be in a dilemma. It has absolutely no idea what I am talking about!"

As Steve fumed.

Cain sat silently with his brows knitted together.

Suddenly, he asked,

"What if it does?"

"Hm?" Steve looked up, a perplexed look on his face.

Cain pursed his lips,

"What if it does reflect in both the physical and spiritual realm, but just not in the way you expect it to?"

"What? That is..." Steve trailed off.

His eyes slowly widened. Almost to the point Cain thought they would fall out of their sockets.

"Cain. You are a damn genius!"