Then What Happens to the Entropy in This Space?

Maxwell.

Referred to as one of the three demons in the history of science, he is a hypothetical being thought to move faster than molecules and be able to visually confirm the movement of molecules.

Naturally, because he moves faster than molecules, he’s in a state where he doesn’t affect the movement of molecules.

Therefore, he’s exempt from the energy laws caused by molecular movement, and because of this, he’s considered to be a ‘being who can paradoxically state the law of entropy’.

‘Of course, being a hypothetical being, it’s in the realm of theory, but they say there are several beings in this world that cause such impossible things.’

Special ability users.

A term referring to beings with powers that are incomprehensible by modern common sense, and Dale was also classified as such.

If we’re talking about uniqueness, even more so than the ‘demon Maxwell’ written about in this book.

‘…Let’s think about it.’

Dale closed the book he had been reading and quietly placed both hands on the desk.

As if engraving in his eyes the power that, although invisible, was clearly being emitted from his body at this moment.

‘What is the power I possess?’

This power, which his mentor defined as nullification, is a force that, like mana, is invisible, but unlike mana, is also impossible to feel sensorially.

But he had realized that by operating it as if expanding the area where mana is felt, this power too could be controlled at will.

What Dale was trying to do now was to figure out on his own ‘through what process such a result is achieved’.

‘If we review what we’ve found out so far…’

Soon, Dale took a pen to the notebook spread out in front of him and began writing.

‘1. This power is controlled by my will.’

‘2. Including point 1, the fact that it’s invisible and can reside in objects is similar to mana, but no physical force accompanies this phenomenon.’

‘3. Abilities that come into contact with this power are erased. Not only magical power but also holy power…’

The writing paused briefly as he wrote point 3.

Dale, reciting that content, rested his chin on his hand and wrote one question next to it.

‘If mana and holy power are both erased by the nullification ability… What do these two have in common?’

The answer came soon.

It’s that both are powers based on human will.

‘Mana emits physical force in response to human will. And while holy power is said to exert light that restores the state of life, faith itself is also fundamentally based on human will.’

And Professor Chronos said.

To the question of whether will is truly energy, he answered ‘I don’t know’.

‘Not a denial but a question… In other words, at the current stage, it hasn’t been conclusively determined to be impossible.’

This was the answer from a current professor boasting excellence in the current academic world.

In other words, even scholars are hypothesizing at the current stage that ‘will might be energy’.

‘Then, if will is not energy, can mana maintain its properties temporarily after separating from the body?’

No, it’s impossible with just what we’ve thought so far.

If mana imbued with will is a concept of an appendage bound to the body, it should rapidly collapse from the moment it separates from the body.

But what’s the result?

When mana separates from the body, although control becomes impossible, it retains the property of physical force, albeit very temporarily.

The fact that it’s maintained even temporarily means that the force maintaining the bond also remains for a moment.

‘If will is really energy, and because it’s energy it can separate from the body… Maybe my ability doesn’t erase mana, but interferes with the bond of will to return mana to its original state.’

Yes, mana without will simply resides in all things, becoming just a potential resource.

In the first place, since the total energy in an isolated system is constant, considering this law, returning to the original state rather than disappearance would be a more plausible guess.

‘Then, by what process does my power nullify this mana bond?’

Mana is energy that exerts physical force bound by will.

And nullification is also a force controlled like mana according to one’s will.

This was a fact he knew from his experience of erasing the nullification ability from his body to use magic.

‘In other words, when mana and the nullification ability come into contact, a collision essentially occurs between two forces made of will.’

Then what phenomenon occurs during this collision process…

Before starting to contemplate this, Dale exclaimed at a sudden thought.

“Wait, collision?”

Why did he think of it as a collision?

At first glance, the nullification ability would seem to just eliminate mana itself.

Of course, he had hypothesized that it was the release of the bond rather than annihilation, but wouldn’t it be more natural to think that it ‘decomposes the moment it touches’ rather than collides?

-Ziing.

Yet why did he think of it as a collision?

The reason for this could be realized by testing it directly here.

‘Yes, this feeling…’

The moment he drew mana to the tip of his hand, Dale felt a strange sensation from the physical force felt in his hand.

Rather than the sensation of mana’s unique physical force digging into or pressing on his body, it felt like some force was gradually erasing that force.

Focusing on that expands the area where mana is felt, but if he loosens his concentration even a little, the area where mana has gathered gradually gets pushed back.

‘It’s not that it disappears as soon as it touches, but it feels like it gets pushed back when I loosen my concentration.’

Pushing back…

This sensation itself means that the two forces have ‘come into contact’ with each other.

It’s not that nullification occurs as soon as they touch, but the process of ‘collision’ between mana and the nullification ability occurs, and then leads to nullification.

It goes through the process of collision before nullification occurs…

Then what phenomenon occurs immediately after the collision?

‘Thinking logically… The law of action and reaction would apply first.’

The impact of the collision is fully transmitted to oneself, and substances that can’t withstand that impact get pushed back or broken.

And the collapse that occurs in this process would truly happen indiscriminately and randomly.

Just like when striking a rock with a hammer, you can’t predict where the fragments will fly.

‘When changes occur, they spread indiscriminately in uncontrolled situations… In other words, this power causes all techniques made of magic or mana to loosen the bond of energy and scatter in all directions the moment they collide with my power.’

By the time he reached this conclusion.

Dale, having summarized all the hypotheses he had made so far, wrote down a new question based on them in his notebook.

‘Then what would happen if… we limit the space to the extent that the bond of will doesn’t break?’

For whatever reason, one force gains superiority over the other…

In other words, this means that mana ‘can’t penetrate’ the nullification ability, and since it doesn’t decompose as soon as it touches, its flow is blocked.

‘There’s a process of collision before nullification. And collision, in other words, is a phenomenon that occurs when the path of the existing force is blocked.’

If this hypothesis is true, then maybe.

Maybe he could realize this ‘impossible thing’ that’s occurring to him right now.

-Ziing.

The operation of mana that began in a corner of the library with this intention.

As the ballpoint pen floated in the air responding to that will, it slowly began to rotate following the flow of mana operated in the inner part of both hands.

The movement of mana rotating around one point according to the law of angular momentum.

The pen is rotating roughly in a tilted state, but that too is sufficient to visually grasp how the force is being operated.

‘Alright, then from here.’

Dale didn’t stop there, but focused on his hands again.

Not mana, but another force inherent in his body.

‘Like this, this way…’

That force, step by step, as if wrapping around the sphere of physical force rotating the pen in his hand.

But he takes great care in the movement of his hands so as not to affect that movement.

-Rustle.

The surface of the sphere that came into contact with that force seemed to thrash roughly, then gradually changed its flow to a more stable one.

As the phenomenon spread from the fingertips to the entire sphere, and finally succeeded in completely trapping the whirlwind of physical force.

“…It worked.”

As Dale realized that the sensation of mana bound to his hands had disappeared, he quietly looked down at the sphere situated between his two hands.

A veil created through the nullification ability.

Although invisible, he could feel its presence.

From the moment he wrapped the sphere with the veil, the flow of force became so stable that even the heat haze was hardly visible, but he could still clearly see what was happening inside.

‘The pen is rotating.’

And not in a precarious, diagonal wobble like before, but standing vertically exactly in the center.

As if it was continuously receiving equal force from all directions.

“It’s separated from my hand, right?”

Yes, at this moment, Dale has released his will to use mana.

Nevertheless, the force that should scatter doesn’t scatter, and even the will that should release the mana bond remains intact without disappearing.

According to the hypothesis, because the will that should scatter inside is blocked by the surrounding veil and doesn’t decompose, it continues to maintain the movement of physical force by mana.

‘Will is energy.’

The fact that the surrounding force couldn’t penetrate, and the flow of force existing inside was maintained, was almost proof of that hypothesis.

But…

“Wait, then what happens to the entropy in this space?”

Another question that arose in his mind the moment he proved this hypothesis through his own ability.

In reality, his unique ability has the characteristic of having absolute superiority over physical force caused by mana, as seen now.

The energy blocked by that force won’t scatter and will continue to swirl inside the veil.

Since energy loss won’t occur only inside here, the physical force will be maintained even as time passes as long as the veil isn’t removed.

‘Then, if the energy loss rate in this space is 0%…’

The moment he realized this.

Dale unconsciously muttered while looking down at the swirling sphere in front of him.

“En-tropy… zero?”