The initial design of the telekinesis magic circle had been simple, just enough to make the weapon float and move on command.
But now, I saw ways to improve it.
I added layers to the circuit, creating multiple states that could switch based on the intensity and purpose I intended.
For light tasks, the circuit would activate a gentle pull. For stronger needs, like hurling an object onto something with destructive intention, it would ramp up to a forceful thrust.
Each state had its own set of command loops and their respective magic circuits, etched in an overlapping chain of orders that responded to my will.
Thanks to the Fool's Forge engraved on my heart, I theoretically had an indefinite supply of Demonic Essence. It refined itself automatically, pulling from the air or my own reserves without end.
But my type of Essence came with an innate debuff. It had less output than the average demon's, weaker in raw force.
To make up for that, I had to rely on complexity in my designs.
"Huh, now that I took a better look at it—to think that the Magic Savant becomes advanced enough to create a magic node on some of the loops."
More intricate circuits could amplify the effect, turning my limited strength into something precise and powerful through layers of control.
But what makes an intricate circuit?
While engraving the Fool's Forge earlier, I had stumbled upon something called Quantification in magic circuits.
It meant turning a fluid process into a measurable, fixed value. In the context of magic circuits, it imposed numerical constraints, making magic behave like a physical law instead of a vague spell.
For instance, a magic circuit that just said 'move to the left' would differ completely from one that said 'move to the left at the speed of 1 meter per second'.
After some personal coaching with Eli, now I know that the first example was called an Unbound Circuit, where performance depended on the will and the strength of the Demonic Essence injected.
That was like my original telekinesis design, flexible but reliant on my raw input.
The second example was a Quantified Circuit, with fixed input and output.
A weaker Essence like mine would need more quantity to activate the circuit, but the result would always be consistent.
In a way, choosing between Unbound and Quantified determined how a magic circle acted.
For my improved telekinesis design, I incorporated multiple states, each with its own Quantified Circuits and Unbound Circuits for flexibility.
"I should test them first."
Now that I confirmed the mechanism of the magic circle myself, I went ahead and activated all the giant weapons I had engraved.
I tested them one by one at first, lifting a sword here, nudging a spear there.
It worked smoothly.
Perhaps because of my Magic Savant ability and the Polytasking trait that had evolved in my Demonic Essence, controlling multiple activities felt easier than I expected.
I could frame each command under a common goal, like 'form a line', and they all responded without clashing.
Though that was thanks to the Polytasking, and less of my own effort.
Soon, I pushed it further. I made the weapons perform a geometrical puppet show. Swords aligned in a perfect circle, axes spun in synchronized orbits, spears darted through the gaps like threads in a loom.
They flew in formation, twisting and dancing around me without a single collision.
The air whistled with their movements, and I felt a rush of control I had never known before.
It was like conducting an orchestra of metal.
『 You might have finished the goal of becoming an expert at Demonic Essence at this point. Now, you just need to focus on your theory and knowledge about spellcasting and the overall phenomenon of magic. 』
I tilted my head, curious.
"Is spellcasting and magic two different things?"
『 Spellcasting is merely the act of casting a spell, which results in magic. While magic in itself is a phenomenon not bound by the laws of the universe, for further clarification. 』
I nodded slowly, thinking it over. "But despite magic not being bound by the laws of the universe, it still follows the First Law of Thermodynamics, no? It needs a catalyst and fuel, like Demonic Essence, to enact an equal amount of phenomenon."
『 If you are referring to the law where energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed, and that it is impossible to get something from absolute nothingness, then you are wrong.
Because Demonic Essence does not even abide by that. It can be created from absolutely nothing as its core, with only time and willpower as the conceptual resource. 』
"Is that so?" I pondered. "While time and willpower are not energy in the traditional sense, their concepts have been skewed by the existence of magic itself—where they can act as one. Which means the law still applies...
"That fact that you refer them as conceptual resources somewhat proves my point."
I merely smiled.
『 Then you just have created a paradox with that statement. 』
I chuckled, "It could be. Just like how the existence of Ego fundamentally destroys any governable theory regarding the inner workings of existence. Then again, I assume that you already know the answer."
『 That should be obvious. I'm simply just giving you the questions and answers that might stimulate you comprehension, my dear~ 』
Instead of giving me the truth blatantly, huh.
『 You know, you might reach another Enlightenment by just talking like this back and forth together. 』
"I would like to," I looked around. "But I have grown sick of this pit."
With that, I set to work engraving every weapon in the trap with my telekinesis magic circle.
"Might as well bring all of them too."
There were 35 in total, from all kinds of blades to blunt weaponry, all arranged and pointed up.
I wanted to bring them all back with me, just for the purpose of having badass weapons flying around me like a master of psychic.
The process took time, but my Polytasking made it manageable. I divided the task into batches, putting some of the weapons in their respective category in case that I mixed up the menacing greatsword with a jagged impaling spear.
Heh, just the feeling of being able to mimic the White Jackal's Weapon Telekinesis brought profound joy to my heart.
Now, with my setup, I could do something similar on a smaller scale.
I could not wait to try all sorts of spells once I got home.
"Hope that I won't ever need to see you again, dark and stinky pit of horror."
I grabbed one of the weapons, a sturdy axe, and channeled my Demonic Essence.
It propelled upward, carrying me along with it.
The pit walls rushed past, and I emerged into the open air.
At last, after what felt like days stuck down there, I returned to the sickly surface.
The ground was still filled with carcasses, the stench of rotten corpses thick in the wind.
Bones crunched under my feet as I steadied myself.
I brought all the weapons up next. They floated out of the pit one by one, clustering together afloat above and near me.
Thirty-five pieces of ancient metal.
I scanned them, my eye drawn to one in particular.
It was an extreme design of a halberd, with a long and thick spear tip crowned by a nasty pick on one side and a blunt hammer on the other.
The shaft was scarred but solid, enough for a manageable grip despite my hand could barely wrap the whole base around.
"Huhyo~ the candidate hero who wield a sick-ass weapon, that's me~"
I grabbed the massive halberd and smiled as I played around with it.
Under my telekinesis, it weighed nothing.
I swung it in wide arcs, the air parting with a whoosh.
"Maybe I should try improving my martial art."
Just as I thought that this horrid wasteland was not lobbied for a moment, a familiar screech ran across the wasteland, piercing the silence.
The ground trembled slightly.
"Right, that thing exists."
『 Do you want to try fighting the Jagan Basilisk now? 』
I gripped the halberd tighter.
"Can you give me any tips to fight it?"
『 Do not look them at the eyes for a long time, and you might be able to go home bringing the corpse of one~ 』
Immediately after, streaks of white and blue lightning ran across from one direction to the other.
I slightly stepped out of the way, avoiding it completely.
The air crackled with spark and tingling sensation.
And here it was, the menacing Jagan Basilisk looming over another mountain of corpses. Its armored scales gleamed, red and blue lightning coiling around its massive form.
Sparing no moments, I deployed all 35 of my soaring weapons at the Jagan Basilisk.