Harper gazed up at the names carved into the stone monument, hesitating internally, but gradually firming his resolve.
"If my idea really is wrong, then I want to use my own experiments to prove why it's wrong—what the essence of that error is."
"Not bow my head in the pursuit of knowledge just because of so-called magical axioms and absolute authority."
At this point, Harper let out a sigh instead.
Saying all this now didn't really change anything.
After all, the Principal had already explicitly forbidden him from conducting related experiments.
Even if he had the idea, he had no way to carry it out.
All of his experiments depended on the Magic Academy's resources.
Once the academy cut him off, he would be like a sheep with broken limbs or a fish out of water—completely incapable of completing experiments on his own.
"Forget it, there's no point saying more."
"Reversing magic power into elements… if it's real, it would absolutely overturn the entire magical world…"
Harper muttered unwillingly, then looked at Ron with an apologetic expression—only to hear Ron ask curiously:
"How dangerous is this reversal of magic into elements? And if it can be controlled, what are the benefits?"
"It's dangerous—extremely dangerous," Harper said seriously. "Just look at my previous lab explosion."
"Because of an experimental error, a very small amount of magic power was reversed into elements, which caused a massive explosion."
"To be honest, even that tiny amount—once reversed—should have affected everything within a hundred-meter radius."
"But at the time, I made a lot of on-the-spot adjustments. I don't know which step worked, but somehow the explosion was confined to just a few nearby laboratories."
"I don't even know whether it was something I did, or if the amount of magic power converted was actually smaller than I thought, and I simply misjudged it."
"But even that tiny possibility is worth trying." Harper's expression turned serious, entering his "laboratory mode." "If there really is a way to control the conversion of magic power into elements, the value would be enormous."
"Just in terms of power, only a tiny bit of a mage's magic power, once reversed, could produce destruction comparable to high-tier spells."
"Theoretically, if enough magic power is reversed, we could even create something more powerful than Legendary-tier magic!"
"There's nothing more captivating than an explosion with overwhelming power!"
As Harper spoke, his face flushed with excitement, as if he were staring at some peerless beauty.
Ron, meanwhile, fell silent, stroking his chin as he pondered.
Why did this theory sound so much like nuclear fusion or fission from his previous world?
Could this be the equivalent of a nuclear bomb in this world?
However, according to magical theory, elements were the foundation of the world, while magic power was a product formed when a mage's soul fused with elements.
Through the "device" known as the mana seed, mages converted elements into magic power and used it to cast spells.
And magic power could not be artificially reversed back into elemental form.
If one tried to force such a reversal, it would result in an explosion—one whose initiation and process were both uncontrollable.
But was it truly impossible to control?
Ron, having received a modern scientific education in his previous life, didn't think so.
Even if the underlying principles of the two worlds differed, he believed the approach to experimentation should remain the same.
All uncontrollability stems from the unknown.
If one could fully understand the process and principles behind the reversal of magic into elements, then it might be possible to develop a truly controllable method.
It sounded like an incredibly interesting and meaningful endeavor.
If not for his shallow knowledge in the field of magic, Ron would have wanted to personally participate.
Even so, without direct involvement, he still had the opportunity to contribute.
"Harper, if you're truly committed to this, I can offer you help," Ron said after some thought. "Let's find somewhere to talk about this in detail."
"What conditions does this experiment require—environment, equipment, and so on? If it's within my means, I might be able to fund your project."
Harper suddenly looked up at Ron, his eyes shining with excitement—but then dimmed again.
"Your Eminence Ron… the academy doesn't allow outsiders to interfere with laboratory work… you probably can't—"
"Harper," Ron interrupted, "that's exactly why I'm asking what you need in terms of environment, equipment, and other conditions."
"The real question now is—how passionate are you about this project?"
"This is an experiment that even a Legendary-tier mage like the Principal completely disapproves of. If you invest a huge amount of time and energy, there's a high chance you'll gain nothing—while constantly facing enormous risks."
"You need to think carefully. Do you truly have the courage to make that decision?"
"If you do, then you already know what to do."
Harper stood there, slightly open-mouthed, lost in thought.
The academy forbade outsiders from interfering with laboratories, and also forbade him from continuing this line of research.
If he insisted on going forward—and someone was willing to provide everything he needed—
Then the only remaining variable was himself.
He had to make a choice—
Stay at the academy and conduct ordinary experiments, or leave the Chaos City Magic Academy, where he had spent over a decade, to pursue his beliefs and take a leap of faith.
If he missed this opportunity, he might never get another one.
In fact, it felt almost unbelievable that Ron would be interested in this experiment.
Even he himself wasn't very confident.
He had always approached it with the assumption that there was a 99% chance of failure—far less certain than Ron, the transmigrator.
"Let's first talk about the specific requirements for the experiment…" Harper calmed down and didn't rush to decide. "Your Eminence Ron might not realize—once this kind of experiment begins, it could easily become a bottomless money pit."
"And it's hard to say whether there will be any results. It's far less profitable than developing a new type of potion."
"If it ultimately fails, all the investment will turn to nothing—and in the history of the magical world, it may only leave behind an unpleasant reputation."
"And even if it succeeds, this kind of controllable power beyond the Legendary tier is not something that can be used casually."
"Although the chance is small, I still wouldn't want you to use it—if it succeeds—as a horn and blade for seizing power or waging war."
Ron nodded readily. "I agree with you. We can discuss these issues in detail. Once we're both satisfied, we can decide whether to move forward with cooperation."