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"In the past, that was indeed the case. But after painstaking research during this time, I have now developed a method that allows all humans to cultivate magic."
George explained with a smile.
For his small world to evolve into a true world, it needed the power of creation. Not only ordinary life, but mountains and rivers, oceans and landscapes—all of these were essential.
The Valar of Valinor excelled in such acts. Ilúvatar had created the cosmos, but it was the Valar who perfected the countless details of Middle-earth bit by bit.
Thus, if George could go to Valinor to learn directly from the gods, the later perfection of his small world would become much easier.
Yet to enter Valinor openly and win their willing guidance, he needed a key—defeating Morgoth. Morgoth would serve as his stepping stone.
Morgoth was the mightiest of the Valar. Even though much of his power had been spent in corrupting Middle-earth, he was by no means easy to handle.
Still, with George's current strength, his chances of victory were quite high.
The real problem lay in Morgoth's cunning. If he chose only to hide, then capturing him would be extremely difficult.
That was also one of the reasons the Valar refrained from intervening unless absolutely necessary.
In the original tale, it was humanity who dared to enter Valinor and reveal all of Morgoth's crimes. Moved by their courage, the Valar rose up together.
Uniting their might, they overwhelmed Morgoth in battle. The aftershocks shattered all of Beleriand before they finally captured him and cast him into the endless Void.
Even the Valar themselves could not truly kill Morgoth.
If George sought the same result, he first needed to conceal his full power. If Morgoth grew wary, he might vanish into hiding.
Thus, George devised a two-step plan.
The first step was, naturally, to continue strengthening himself. The stronger he became, the higher his chances of seizing Morgoth.
For that reason, he had already devoured Sauron's sealed soul using his spirit-binding technique.
He had once thought to preserve Sauron's soul for other uses—unexpectedly, it had proven useful far sooner.
Once he fully digested Sauron's soul, and then the Archangel's soul, his strength would likely surpass Morgoth's by far.
Meanwhile, his other incarnations in different worlds were also working tirelessly.
If he could break through to the singular-universe level, his victory would be almost assured. Even Morgoth at his peak might not match him then.
Of course, such a breakthrough was not easily achieved; it would still require time and accumulation.
Therefore, he had prepared a second step—strengthening the forces of elves and humans, leading them to root out Morgoth's minions and steadily weaken his power.
For Morgoth's dark armies were an extension of his strength. As they were destroyed, his own power would decline as well.
Then George could strike with thunderous force, rallying elves, humans, and dwarves alike to corner Morgoth, seal him swiftly, and deliver him to Valinor for judgment.
Through his recent observations, George had gained deeper insight into elves, dwarves, and humans.
As for magic, the elves could not be relied upon in the short term.
Though their talent was unparalleled, their carefree nature made it impossible for them to devote themselves fully to magical study. To raise a large number of skilled Light Magicians among them might take centuries.
The dwarves, on the other hand, lacked magical aptitude. Even those with some potential were uninterested. Their true passion was forging.
And forced teaching produced little fruit. Especially now, since the situation was not as grim as in the First Age of the original tale, thanks to George's interventions, they were even less inclined to discipline themselves for magic.
Thus, for elves and dwarves, George chose a different path.
He would pass on his continuously improved techniques of forging magical tools, enabling mass production of enchanted weapons suited to their strengths.
Swords, hammers, and axes inscribed with offensive spells; armor that resisted flames, poison, and the powers of darkness; bows and arrows that could curve through the air or seek their target; and massive magical siege engines.
Both elves and dwarves excelled in craftsmanship and learned quickly, making them ideal for such endeavors.
When it came to magic itself, however, the true hope lay with humans.
Although few possessed innate talent, once they did, they studied with unmatched diligence, often exploring and even innovating upon existing foundations.
Humans, though inferior to elves and dwarves in many respects, surpassed them in certain others.
And now, George had a way to solve their greatest flaw—their lack of magical aptitude.
Indeed, it came from his studies of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Caverns and the legacy of Master Ziyang. A method capable of bestowing cultivation potential even upon monkeys—how could it not enlighten humans?
Moreover, humans of the First Age were purer of heart, embodying what Ziyang had called "sincerity," making them even easier to awaken.
"Headmaster, this is wonderful! I'll immediately notify the other tribal leaders and have them send people here!"
Briegoras exclaimed excitedly, rushing off in joy.
Among the three races, elves held the highest status, followed by dwarves, with humans at the lowest.
Humanity was the youngest of the three, their civilizations largely nurtured under the guidance of elves.
They were also the fewest in number, and no match for elves or dwarves in individual combat strength.
If not for George's arrival, and for the bravery they had shown against Morgoth's armies, they would still be seen as little more than dependents.
In truth, in the eyes of elves, humans were once akin to "pets."
Much like how modern humans regarded monkeys—similar in form, yet not the same. Teaching them could be amusing, and one might protect them if they were injured or attacked by beasts.
But to place them on equal footing with humans? That was unthinkable.
It was just like that movie, Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Now, however, humanity was gradually rising. If they could master magic, then they could truly stand as equals with elves and dwarves, carving out their rightful place in this world.
"George, is it true you've found a way for all humans to learn magic?"
Before Briegoras even returned, Lucian, Galadriel, and the elven princes all came to George to confirm the news.
When they received his definite answer, radiant smiles spread across their faces.
The current situation was far from optimistic.
Although they had repelled Morgoth's assaults, barely holding the northern and western lines, and even slain his general Sauron—
The eastern front had almost entirely collapsed. Gothmog and his balrog legions still ravaged the East, and could at any time march westward in force.
If humanity could overcome their limitations and produce more Light Magicians, the impact on future battles would be immense.
And if they could even produce a few more magicians like George, they might dare to launch a direct assault upon Angband itself.
(End of Chapter)