Can you even imagine a world without the Four Great Powers?
The students momentarily wore expressions of deep thought at his words.
A world without Mana, Magic, Divine Power, or Aura…
And their conclusion was this:
“…Could such a thing even exist?”
The Four Great Powers are the very foundation of the world’s strength. The source of all Mysteries and the power that sustains the world.
That was common sense for the humans of this world. One student raised their hand to speak.
“Uh… I don’t think such a world could exist, right? If it did, it would probably be a world that’s already perished.”
“Hmm, so that’s what you think. What’s your name, student?”
“My name is James.”
“Good, James. So if that’s true, how do the Four Great Powers form and sustain the world?”
“That’s…”
At that question, James found himself at a loss for words. While it was common knowledge that the Four Great Powers formed the backbone of the world, no one truly knew how they structured and maintained it.
It was simply something everyone accepted because various great figures who had reached the pinnacle of Mysteries, along with priests serving the gods, said it was so.
“It’s alright if you can’t answer. The fact that the Four Great Powers, the powers of the Transcendents, form the basis of everything in this world is common sense here, after all. Right now, isn’t it widely known that the sun and moon up there were placed by the goddesses of the sun and moon? Maybe only the Transcendents know the real answers.”
“Yes…”
“Still, despite that, I want to say that the world isn’t solely made up of the Four Great Powers.”
-?!
Everyone present was taken aback by that statement. In a way, such a claim bordered on heresy.
Yujin continued speaking.
“Of course, you might think: Isn’t this a heretical line of thinking? But then let me ask you this—If everything in the world is composed of the Four Great Powers, why doesn’t everything carry the energy of Mystery?”
-…
“For instance, look at the piece of chalk I’m holding. Can anyone sense anything from it? Mana, Aura, Magic, Divine Power… Can anyone feel even one of the Four Great Powers emanating from this?”
The students exchanged uneasy glances as Yujin pressed on. His statements were extremely radical in a world where Transcendent beings were considered divine.
His words could easily be interpreted as blasphemous. That’s why no one had ever dared to question it before—after all, it could label them as heretics.
Clap.
“Quiet.”
At Yujin’s sharp clap and single word, all the students fell silent. There was something about Yujin’s presence that commanded respect, making it impossible to dismiss his words lightly.
After casting silence over the classroom, Yujin turned back to the first questioner, Yulian.
“Student Yulian.”
“Y-yes!”
“Why are Mysteries called Mysteries?”
“…Huh?”
“Dear students, we call phenomena caused by the Four Great Powers ‘Mysteries.'”
Indeed, that was the case. In the Maze Academy where Yujin had taught, phenomena arising from the Four Great Powers were often referred to as ‘Mysteries.’
“Why are they Mysteries? If the Four Great Powers compose and sustain everything, existing everywhere in the world, why are the resulting phenomena not considered natural laws but instead labeled ‘Mysteries’? Has anyone here ever pondered this?”
-…
“Let’s return to our original question.”
Yujin scribbled another word on the board.
[Singularity]
“When you all first heard me mention this term, you questioned it. ‘What exactly is a Singularity?’ The answer lies in my previous statements—it’s ‘Mystery.'”
He glanced back at the students.
“They say the Four Great Powers of the Transcendents formed everything. But does that mean a world without Transcendents couldn’t exist? What even is the origin of the Transcendents? Were they merely born from the Four Great Powers that originally existed? I don’t know either, but there are many contradictions in the belief that the Four Great Powers created everything. It’s actually something everyone knows deep down—they just avoid looking at it because it risks being seen as blasphemy against the divine.”
One shock after another. If someone versed in theology had been present, they might have felt immense anger and offense toward Yujin’s words.
But Yujin kept going.
“I see the Four Great Powers themselves as something detached from the world’s natural order. That’s why they’re called Mysteries, and that’s why things unaffected by the Four Great Powers also exist.”
“Professor, are you denying the fundamental tenet of the Pantheon Doctrine—that the Transcendents created the lower realms?”
Yulian stammered out his question.
Pantheon—the largest religious organization in the world, devoted to the worship of actual deities. Its influence spanned globally, even reaching the distant Eastern Continent in some form.
Right now, Yujin’s words could easily be perceived as a direct challenge to the Pantheon. Yet Yujin smiled faintly and responded.
“Has any Transcendent ever officially declared that they created the lower realms? Is there even a single line in history books stating this?”
“Well, uh, the First Pope, the Saints, and the Holy Maidens…”
“They are not gods.”
“!!!”
At those words, the students’ faces paled. Yujin had just outright contradicted the authority of those who represented divine power!
Even Reina stared at him in shock.
But Yujin calmly continued.
“Everyone takes it for granted that the great Transcendents created the lower realms and that we live here thanks to their grace. But I’d like to ask the Transcendents of the Maze or the gods of Heaven once: Did you really create this lower realm? Of course, demons who always lie are excluded.”
Yujin already knew the answer, after all…
「There’s no Transcendent who created the lower realms. The lower realms have always existed independently.」
This was confirmed by Tiamat, the head of the dragons, one of the Transcendents.
‘Would the gods say the same?’
「I can’t even imagine them spouting falsehoods due to doctrines made by mortals. They’d find it far more dishonorable to be bound by the authority of mortal-created forces. They despise deceit immensely. Mortal doctrines simply choose not to correct their misconceptions.」
‘So that’s how it is.’
In short, the lower realms weren’t created by Transcendents, nor were all things constructed by the Four Great Powers, as was commonly believed.
As Yujin spoke with conviction, the room fell into stunned silence.
His words were shocking. Someone could’ve easily reported him to the Pantheon under these circumstances.
The only reason they didn’t was because Yujin’s reputation was too high, and he himself was an accomplished Great Mage.
There’s a big difference between the weight of words spoken by someone unheard of versus those spoken by a renowned figure with great achievements in their field. Yujin was a Great Mage who had achieved the monumental feat of Space-Time Magic, leaving a legacy in human history. His words carried significant weight.
The students began to reconsider his words. Could Yujin be right? His claims weren’t entirely baseless nonsense.
It was true that there were many contradictions in the idea that the Four Great Powers composed everything, and no one truly understood how they structured and maintained the world. People simply accepted it because Transcendents existed and the world was full of Mysteries.
Perhaps the reason Yujin could achieve the greatness of Space-Time Magic was rooted in this kind of thinking—digging deeper into the truth of the world without worrying about the opinions of Transcendents and their followers.
If diving into such truths led to mastery of Space-Time Magic, maybe it was worth trying.
At that point, Yujin glanced at his wristwatch.
“I originally planned to explain my theory of ‘Singularity’ regarding the Four Great Powers further, but we’ve run out of time talking about various topics. I can’t monopolize the lecture, and there’s no time left for questions… Let’s continue next time. Professor Sahart?”
“Ah, yes?”
“You can start your lecture now. I was only supposed to introduce myself and briefly take questions today, but I seem to have taken up too much time. Sorry about that.”
“Oh, no problem.”
Reina absentmindedly shook her head.
“Cough… Alright then… Let’s begin the lecture. Open your textbooks.”
-…
The students didn’t respond. As they opened their textbooks, they kept stealing glances at Yujin, still dazed.
Thus, a quieter-than-usual lecture proceeded…
“Alright, that’s all for today. You’ve worked hard.”
-…
When the lecture ended, the students filed out with blank stares, still lost in thought.
Yujin watched the students leave, then turned to Reina.
“Well, I should go now. Professor Sahart, I’ll step out for a bit—I have something to attend to.”
“Ah, wait…!”
After the morning lecture ended, Yujin bid Reina farewell and left. When Reina tried to stop him…
“…Huh?”
Just as she reached out to grab him, he had already vanished without a trace.
