"Now, the list of finalists entering the third and final round has been decided!
They are—Ryan Sanderson from Ilvermorny! Luc Leclerc from Beauxbatons!... And Lynn from Hogwarts!"
The host's voice echoed throughout the stadium, drawing bursts of cheers and applause.
"The third round of the competition will determine the ultimate champion of this tournament! The contestants will have one week to conceptualize and complete their works!"
"Now, to reveal the final topic—"
The host deliberately drew out his tone, building suspense, before forcefully spitting out two words:
"Innovation!"
"Yes, innovation! The soul of Alchemy lies in bringing forth the new from the old, in transcending known boundaries!
What we look forward to seeing is not a perfect replica of the works of predecessors, but a pioneering alchemical creation that belongs to your era and to you personally!
It can be a brand-new invention, or a revolutionary improvement on an existing object! One week from now, we will witness the birth of a miracle right here!"
...Back at the temporary dormitory provided by the competition, Lynn threw himself onto the soft bed, staring at the ceiling as his brain began to work at high speed.
Innovation... innovation... This concept was very broad, but the requirements were extremely high.
What would be good to make? An offensive tool? Protective armor? Or maybe an interesting little daily object like in the first round?
They all seemed a bit lacking in interest, not "subversive" enough.
Lynn lay on the bed, thinking it over and over, feeling countless ideas flash through his mind, only to be rejected by himself.
Out of boredom, he subconsciously rubbed his fingers together, always feeling like his hands were empty... That's it!
A thought flashed through his mind like lightning—a mobile phone!
If he could replicate the functions of a mobile phone in this magical world, it would definitely be an epoch-making "innovation"!
But as soon as the thought emerged, he shook his head.
To handle integrated circuits, operating systems, and applications in a short time... unless he was possessed by Merlin, it would be simply impossible.
Then he would make an extremely simplified substitute!
He immediately adjusted his thinking. What if he only kept the core functions of messaging and real-time calling? That sounded much more feasible!
He thought of the "two-way mirrors" already existing in the Wizarding World; they could indeed achieve real-time calls, but the cost was ridiculously high, and they were usually bound in a one-to-one mode, making them more like top-tier luxury items that couldn't be popularized at all.
"That's it!"
Lynn sat up on the bed with a kip-up.
What he wanted to create was an alchemical item that was relatively low-cost and could achieve multi-point real-time voice communication!
This definitely met the requirements of "innovation" and was very practical!
No sooner said than done!
Lynn immediately rushed to the public materials warehouse open to the contestants.
A dazzling array of basic alchemical materials was stored here, enough to support most concepts.
He pushed a small cart and began his "shopping spree":
Resonance Glass—get some, to use as a screen.
Mithril wire and Dragon Blood Ink with good magic conductivity—get some of this, some of that, for drawing the precise core communication rune array.
Stable Mana Crystals—definitely need some, and lots of them! These would be the "battery" and magic source for the entire device, ensuring its stable operation over a long period.
Ebony shells for fixing and packaging, anti-interference Shielding Stone Powder... Like a purchasing agent, Lynn quickly and accurately found the materials he needed one by one, soon gathering most of them.
Carrying a large pile of materials back to his studio-cum-bedroom, which was equipped with basic alchemical tools, Lynn began his attempt.
He sorted the materials into categories, lit the specialized fusion crucible, and adjusted the energy output of the rune engraving pen.
In his mind, countless pieces of knowledge from Engrave about communication magic, rune inscription, and energy conduction surfaced clearly.
The talent of Primal Resonance gave him a clear intuition on how to perfectly fuse these materials of different natures and how to make the rune array reach the best resonance state.
Lynn picked up the first crystal, and magic began to gather at his engraving knife...
"Now, we invite the finalists to take the stage in turn to present and explain their alchemical works to the judges and all guests!"
The host's sonorous voice echoed in the venue, and the atmosphere was instantly pushed to a climax.
"First, please welcome from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic—Luc Leclerc!"
Luc straightened his exquisite silk robes and walked onto the presentation stage with confident and elegant steps.
He held a device that looked quite sophisticated in his hand.
"Distinguished judges, ladies, and gentlemen," he bowed slightly, "the work I have brought is called the 'Beauty Image-Capturing Machine.'"
He raised the device and aimed it at a spot below the stage. With a slight "click," a picture slid out from the side of the device.
He showed the picture to the judges. The contours of the person in the picture were subtly optimized, the skin tone appeared more even and translucent, and the eyes were brighter and more spirited.
"Its function is simple—it can automatically beautify the captured portraits, fade blemishes, improve the complexion, and show everyone's most confident and radiant side..."
Luc spoke eloquently, emphasizing its value in social situations and for recording beautiful moments.
A burst of warm applause rang out from below the stage, especially from the ladies, who were particularly enthusiastic, clearly appreciating this kind of work that could enhance one's personal image.
Listening below the stage, Lynn's mouth opened slightly, his face written with shock.
Isn't this just a beauty camera?! Looking at it, the cost is probably not "simple" at all. Is Beauxbatons' fashion sense this far ahead?
After Luc bowed and left the stage, the host followed by announcing: "Next, please welcome from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—Ryan Sanderson!"
Ryan walked onto the presentation stage.
He didn't take out a large object like Luc did; instead, he easily pulled a flat metal box out of his pocket, about the size of a mobile phone in Lynn's concept, with a few simple buttons and a small screen on the surface.
"Everyone!"
Ryan shouted, "Look at this! I call it the 'Walkman'!"
He pressed a button, and a burst of clear, pleasant music immediately flowed out of the device, echoing in the venue.
"Its core function is music!
Through a specific magical engraving method, you can store hundreds of your favorite tunes inside, to listen to whenever and wherever you want! And there will be almost no loss in sound quality!
Think about it—on a long journey, or in the dull gaps between studying, what could be more soothing to the soul than beautiful music?"
As he spoke, he swayed gently to the music.
The audience erupted into warm applause and cheers again, and the eyes of many young wizards lit up, clearly extremely interested in this work that could bring entertainment and enjoyment.
Lynn was dumbfounded once again.
Wait... guys... did you two plan this together?
He felt his worldview take a small hit. One doing beauty filters, another doing a music player... Is this the technology tree the Wizarding World should have now?
Fortunately, the works presented by the next few contestants were mostly functional enhancements or composite improvements on existing alchemical items.
For example, a thermos that could automatically adjust the temperature, a dinner knife that could identify simple toxins, and so on. Although they were also quite ingenious, nothing else appeared that gave Lynn a "transmigration déjà vu."
He breathed a small sigh of relief; it seemed it was just a coincidence.
"Finally!"
The host's voice rang out again, "Let us welcome from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—Lynn! To present his work!"
Lynn took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and stepped onto the presentation stage.
From his pocket, he pulled out a flat, plate-like object made of metal and transparent crystal glass. It had smooth lines and a sleek surface, with a slightly glowing screen in the center and only a simple sigil button below the screen.
"The alchemical item I have brought is—the mobile phone!"
When this word appeared along with the minimalist-designed object in his hand, Luc and Ryan, who had just finished their presentations and were resting below the stage, were both stunned at the same time.
Luc frowned slightly, his eyes full of doubt.
Ryan's eyes widened directly, and his mouth opened and closed soundlessly.
Wait? What the hell? The same thought practically rang out in both their hearts at the same time. How is there another one? And with such a strange name?
Lynn didn't care about their reactions and began to explain: "The core function of this alchemical item lies in achieving convenient long-distance communication.
It can not only achieve instant calls like a two-way mirror but also one-to-many group calls, as well as the transmission of text and short voice messages regardless of distance."
He paused and threw out the most crucial point: "And most importantly, the original intention of my design is that its cost, after optimization and standardized production, can be controlled at a level that ordinary wizarding families can also afford!"
Samuel expressed his approval.
As soon as these words were spoken, a low exclamation immediately broke out below the stage. The expensiveness of two-way mirrors was well known!
Lynn began to demonstrate, his finger lightly tapping the simple icons on the screen: "Here is the contact list, where you can store contacts.
Here is the call log.
Here you can record short call contents for future reference... As for the battery life, relying on the built-in Mana Crystal energy core, it can last for several days under normal use, and of course, it can be recharged.
In terms of information security, a unique two-way encryption rune array ensures that the communication content can only be deciphered by the designated recipient.
In terms of privacy security, you can set fingerprint, facial, or password unlocking, just like this."
With every function Lynn mentioned and every operation he demonstrated, the exclamations and applause from the audience grew a bit more enthusiastic.
Especially when he mentioned "one-to-many calls" and "affordable for ordinary people," the applause almost brought down the roof...
The presentation segment ended completely, and the judges withdrew for a brief deliberation.
The deliberation process did not last long.
The host stepped back onto the stage, a flush of excitement on his face, and announced in his loudest voice:
"After careful discussion and adjudication by the judging panel, I now have the honor to announce—Congratulations to contestant Lynn from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for winning the championship of the first International Youth Alchemy Competition with his revolutionary alchemical work, the 'mobile phone'!"
"We invite the Swiss Minister for Magic—Ms. Genevieve Oberlin—to present the trophy, certificate, and competition rewards to the champion!"
In fact, the judges' discussion was nowhere near as "intense" as the host described.
In the face of Lynn's work, which combined innovation, practicality, universal benefit, and exquisite craftsmanship, while the other works were excellent, the gap was obvious.
The vote was almost a landslide.
Minister Genevieve stepped forward with a smile and handed a crystal trophy engraved with alchemical symbols and a magnificent certificate into Lynn's hands, along with a heavy bag of magic money containing 5,000 Galleons, and a simple wooden box—presumably containing the master's manuscripts.
"Well done, child," Minister Genevieve said to Lynn.
[Ding! Task completed, rewards issued.]
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