CHAPTER 397: CHAPTER 246: FIRST IGNITION ATTEMPT (PART 2)

He couldn’t possibly go everywhere with this huge iron shell embedded in him, could he?

Originally, according to Attilicia’s idea, the first fusion experiment was to be an idle run. Directly conducting a test on a dragon’s body was still too reckless and dangerous. Even though it was theoretically established that a Red Dragon was immune to high temperatures, that was only in theory. After all, the volcanic lava used for bathing on normal days was only about one or two thousand degrees, but this device? At the very least, it would start from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius. A true Dragon-created sun!

However, David decisively vetoed the idea. "Let’s begin immediately," he said. "We somewhat overestimated these Blue Dragons of the Kutaro Desert. It took nearly half a year just to gather enough Mana Energy to qualify for one experiment. Barring any surprises, such a large-scale loss of mighty dragons must have already caught the attention of the legendary dragons, and even Patrice, that old dragon."

As he spoke, David slightly lifted his head, looking towards the device’s invisible separation layer. "Perhaps, at this very moment, he’s watching us from somewhere."

He then gave a fierce yet brilliant smile. "So, we either deter him in one fell swoop, or we just wait for him to dismantle our iron shell. There is no third option."

In other words, today they would either succeed in ’igniting’ it once, or they would completely abandon the plan that had consumed seven years. They did not have another seven years.

Attilicia was silent for a moment. "...Maybe you’re right. Our ’Magic Sentry’ has already ’seen’ him."

Instantly, the magical scholars in the fortress also became exceptionally serious.

"Begin," David said.

From the fortress’s high platform, Attilicia took a deep breath and ordered, "The first Tokamak nuclear fusion ignition test: begin!"

"Understood!"

"All personnel are in position."

"The ’fusion reaction main body’ is being inserted into the core."

"David Uthos is in position."

"Injecting deuterium gas."

David wasn’t surprised to hear this. After all, deuterium is easily detectable and obtainable by simply electrolyzing water. In contrast, tritium—a radioactive isotope produced by neutron irradiation of lithium in nuclear reactors—was much harder to come by. More precisely, it was almost impossible to acquire without a complete industrial precursor setup. Therefore, they had no choice but to settle for deuterium-deuterium fusion.

As the colorless, odorless, and non-toxic deuterium gas was injected, David initially didn’t feel much. However, as the oxygen concentration steeply plummeted, he had to use his Authority of Arrogance to convince himself he was still in a normal air environment.

"Blue Dragon electrical energy is being fed into the Tokamak toroidal coil! Ionization commencing!"

"Heat the plasma!"

"Temperature monitors, track!"

The ohmic heating method for ionizing the plasma was incredibly potent, effortlessly achieving space-grade heat flux. David once again felt that familiar sensation, like his first direct exposure to solar radiation.

"Seven million!"

"Nine million!"

"Ten million!"

Instantly, David felt dizzy, his vision blurring. The Mana Energy within his blood vessels seemed to boil.

So, Red Dragons aren’t inherently afraid of high temperatures, but their Mana Energy becomes unstable when it reaches this magnitude!

But... I am the Dragon of Authority.

Be quiet!

Instantly, the chaotic Mana Energy particles returned to their previous state of precise turbulence.

Arrogance.

"Inject neutral particles!" Attilicia ordered. Seeing David hadn’t made a sound, Attilicia, though inwardly shocked and bewildered, had no choice but to continue applying auxiliary heating methods.

"High-frequency electromagnetic heating, activate!"

"Magnetic confinement, engage!"

"Wave discrepancies detected in the plasma!"

Attilicia’s expression grew solemn. He had personally experienced what it felt like to be melted by the sun. But at this moment, he was completely unable to observe the device’s internal conditions through magic. Seeing that David had not called a halt, he had to grit his teeth and continue commanding, "Continue adjusting the intensity configuration! Ensure its stability at all costs!"

"Yes!"

But as the first ignition experiment progressed to this point, all participants were in a state of stunned disbelief. It was the kind of situation where, despite all current data readings appearing abnormal, the experiment had somehow proceeded smoothly to this stage.

"Twenty million!"

"Thirty million!"

"Forty million! Reaching the heating safety limit!"

Simultaneously, David, inside the device, took a deep breath and actually inhaled the high-pressure plasma—at a temperature of forty million degrees Celsius—into his lung-flame chambers.

THUMP!

Such a magnitude of Mana Energy caused his heart to stop for an instant.

"Ignite!" As his deep, hoarse voice resonated, the pressure and energy output of the entire device surged again, attempting to achieve self-sustaining energy within.

"Fifty million!"

In an instant, David felt the Mana Energy, originally confined to his lung-flame chambers, suddenly flood every corner of his body.

For that instant, David even had the illusion that he had become a god. However, he possessed godlike power but lacked a divine office or a god’s perspective. Thus, David remained unaware that, on an energetic level, he had accomplished something almost identical to what a certain Great Arcanist of old had done. That is, to attempt, with a mortal body, to attain power originating from the mortal realm.

The sole difference was that the Great Arcanist had stolen the power of gods.

Whereas he, this Red Dragon, had forged a sun within the mortal realm itself!