I've Got A Mana Processor In A Magic World
Chapter 59: Equivalent Exchange

Chapter 59: Equivalent Exchange

"Every planet where sentient life thrived heard the order to bring forth seven young representatives, with their age no more than two soul cycles. In our own yearly cycle, that translates to twenty years," Frederick explained. "They were all warped off to what our victors eventually described as an extremely massive, artificially-made planet, formed by origin and universal will. Every world sent their strongest young champions to battle for the fate of their home in a trial that spanned nearly a year. And like you might have guessed, our champions won. Crushingly. They had no competition throughout the trials and rounded up what should have taken at least two years, in less than one."

Zephyr’s eyebrow tilted at that. "No one could even put up a fight?"

"No," Frederick replied. "You have to understand that these worlds were just like us before we were visited by people from your world. They weren’t prepared for it in the least," he explained. "That was why we were able to wipe them out so cleanly and quickly."

"Still, the people back on our planet didn’t know that and could only wait with bated breath for the results of the trials. But when they all felt the sharp rise in origin feedback, they knew our champions had won," Frederick sighed. "But what they didn’t expect was to hear another prompt from the voice of the world, informing them of yet another trial they had qualified for as a result of their quick victory... Though that wasn’t to take place until the next year so as to give people of our world some time to acclimate to their newfound powers."

"So what happened to the others who lost?" Zephyr asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

Frederick paused, then stared Zephyr right in the eye. "Their worlds were slowly seeped of origin as it converged onto ours over the course of the following months, depriving them of access to origin, and therefore magic... forever."

"Hooo..." Zephyr blew a breath, shaking his head. "That’s... messed up."

"I understand where you’re coming from and I agree with you, but you’ll understand the reason why the more I explain." Frederick nodded before he continued his explanation. "By then our world had become a Nexus world—with magical readings that didn’t fit the Tier 9 cluster it inhabited. Therefore, after the siphoning of origin was completed, our world jumped a few levels into a higher energy orbit, skipping Tier 8 and 7 and going directly to join a Tier 6 universe."

"This was where our next trial began—" he said solemnly. "It was nothing like the first. We were now in a real universe, not a cluster of scattered worlds floating in the void, and the worlds here were different. Stronger... Way stronger."

"It was a universe on the brink of convergence, so a trial began not too long after, but the trial this time lasted for nearly four years, and while we came out victorious, it was at great cost. Of the seven champions to leave, only two returned, one injured and the other at the brink of death, dulling the sweet taste of victory."

"Our world bloomed greatly after that as origin from the Tier 6 universe converged onto our planet, throwing us to a higher energy orbit yet again. This time, a Tier 3 energy universe, but a stable one, since we didn’t qualify for another trial," he finished.

"This is where we are presently."

"..."

"So," Zephyr shrugged. "What does all that have to do with me?"

"Don’t tell me there’s another convergence coming and you need me to be a champion or something. I vehemently decline the offer. Everything you’ve said shows me you can handle it just fine. You have those... offsprings, right—?"

"Exalted," Frederick corrected. "They are called The Exalted. They are treated as individual Gods in various religions of today."

"What kind of—" Zephyr frowned, taken aback. "Whatever. I don’t much care. Point is, you have them... so use them. I want no part in this." He dusted his hands.

"Calm down. I’m not done explaining," Frederick said.

"The next few—" Frederick made to start but Zephyr cut him off.

"Sir, with all due respect, get straight to the point and stop trying to tug at my emotions with your story. What does whatever you want to say have to do with me personally? That’s what you said you’d explain to me, but so far, you’ve only given me a history lesson."

"Ugh!" Veronica cut in. "Stop spoon-feeding him, Frederick!"

"Look boy," she said. "By now you should have an idea of how valuable an asset you are, but even that’s scratching the surface. Tier 3 worlds don’t get to select champions themselves. The World does it for us. And guess what, it’s usually those with the highest access to origin," she deadpanned. "Meaning as long as you’re on this world, or any Tier 3 world, you have as much chance as The Exalted to be selected as a champion!"

Zephyr’s expression spoiled.

"And that’s not the end of it. If your identity is ever found out, The Exalted would do everything in their power to put you down just to prevent that scenario from ever happening," she pressed on. "So you can either try to prepare yourself against the eventuality or you keep your head in the sand and pretend everything is gonna be okay. Either way, the convergence would come, and when it does, it would not care for how prepared you are!"

’What?’ Zephyr’s breaths came out rapid and shaky. Another situation he had no control of?

Why? Why did this keep happening to him? It was almost like there was a sick being getting a kick out of watching him suffer. All he wanted was to study magic in peace and quiet without hurting anybody... Was that too much to ask?

"Look, kid. It’s not the end of the world, we’re here to help prepare you," Frederick said softly. "We’ll teach you magic and make you formidable enough that even if you get chosen, you’ll be able to hold your ground."

Zephyr stared at the man in a daze as he registered the words slowly, some form of acceptance beginning to settle in his mind.

"And why would you help me? Aren’t you supposed to be loyal to your Exalted?" he asked.

"Would you rather we turned you in?" Frederick asked jokingly.

"..."

Frederick continued, "Let’s just say helping you benefits us more than turning you in does."

"...And what does this benefit entail?" Zephyr asked.

"You don’t need to know that yet," Veronica said.

"Uh... In fact, I do need to know," Zephyr responded. "You’re offering me safety, secrecy, and knowledge, going against your rulers, committing treason..." He looked between both of them. "Why?"

"Hope," Frederick said.

"Hope?" Zephyr asked.

"Yes. Hope to win back control of our world’s Origin," Frederick responded. "After winning a trial, the champions gain more access to the converged origin than anyone else. This privilege has been held solely by otherworlders like you for too long. It’s time we take back control."

"And yet you’re using me... another otherworlder?" Zephyr asked.

"It’s ironic, but unavoidable," Frederick chuckled. "But unlike them, you can relinquish access to someone else."

"We’ll teach you everything you need to know to thrive in a trial, and if we come out victorious, you give us what we want. Simple as that."

"...And what about my partner?" Zephyr asked.

"I’ve said you shouldn’t trust that man." Veronica scoffed. "He’s not as injured as he pretends to be. Just leave him be and go your own way."

"Right now he’s not even at your hideout. He’s—" she suddenly frowned, pinching a finger in the air.

"What?" Frederick asked, alert.

"I can’t sense him. He’s picked up on the tracking spell."