Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Birth of a Great Disciple
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Oink! Oiiink!
"Mommy!"
Thud thud thud thud!
The saying that one must always remain humble truly applies in moments like this.
I was riding high on my master's honeyed praise—that no one in magic history had ever reached 2nd Circle so quickly.
But then the grueling march began, deep in the forest where he'd dropped me off, and I tearfully came to understand the words of the ancient sages.
There were no rabbits I could catch with magic in this place.
And with my stomach growling right on cue, I let my guard down for a moment.
'Am I insane? Uwaaaah!'
An immense killing intent bore down on my back. A wild boar the size of a bull, lightly singed by my Fireball spell, was charging at me like a madman. No exaggeration.
What good was reaching 2nd Circle? I had to learn the hard way that enlightenment and mana quantity aren't proportional.
'Ah, seriously—not even a dagger, but a stick? Graaaah!'
Even as I ran like hell, the wooden club in my hand drove me to the brink of madness.
What use were my 4th dan in taekwondo and 3rd dan in kendo? Against that hulking beast with its jiggling bacon sides, it was pure terror with my crappy weapon.
'I'm gonna die!'
My first taste of survival wilderness variety show. Feeling the truth of getting gored to death by a boar, I desperately searched for a way out.
'I made it!'
Suddenly, like a mountain spirit's gift, a massive boulder appeared.
Whoosh!
I kicked off hard and leaped onto the rock.
Boom!
"Huh?!"
The moment I launched, the boar—nearly on me—slammed into the boulder by inertia.
'Amazing!'
The insane vibration through my soles. If it'd hit my back, I wouldn't have salvaged even a pair of shoes as a memento.
Oink! Oiiink! Oiiiiiink!
The valiant boar teacher, unscathed after headbutting stone.
From below the rock where I trembled, its bloodshot brown eyes glared up at me.
Just as I saw it as meat, it clearly saw me as a meal.
'Isn't this too much? Is this what 2nd Circle magic does?'
Magic's three elements: mana, will, and incantation. I'd perfectly trained Fireball per those elements among 2nd Circle attacks, yet something was wrong.
My master called 2nd Circle the start of a training mage.
But my perfect Fireball had only singed the boar's tough hide and fur.
'With my current 2nd Circle mana, it shouldn't have just inconvenient movement—eight weeks minimum injury. But a mere 2nd-degree burn? Grr! What the hell is Master hiding from me! Uwaaaah!'
The answer was clear.
Limits of a short-term magic circle started with Chinese mana stones or insufficient basics.
Splatter.
Oink! Oiiink!
'That filthy beast!'
While I pondered, the boar belly-flopped under the 2-meter-high rock.
Its intent to crunch my bones radiated fiercely.
'I need a way, a way!'
My nutrition—muscle and bone after a month of extreme training—couldn't compare to the boar's fat reserves.
Just one day more, and hunger would turn my eyes, making me hurl myself at the boar.
'Wait, come to think of it...'
Before dropping me here, Master had let slip.
Mana hall size is your own rice bowl—no one can help.
'Even at 2nd Circle, my mana is insufficient. Plus, accumulating in lower, middle, and upper dantian—called mana halls—means the output is naturally tiny.'
Master said I'd completed 2nd Circle but never specified the mana amount.
'You petty, stingy, perverted Gandalf geezer!'
Curses bubbled up inside.
'Yang's Heart Technique, right?'
Master's mana cultivation method, memorized blindly while trapped in that attribute mana accumulation circle.
A passage of Yang's Heart Technique, explained in detail in Korean, suddenly surfaced.
'If I could load all dispersed mana into one spell at once... that boar bastard.'
The bull-sized boar testing human Kang Hyuk's will.
Igniting my will, I closed my eyes.
'Just wait. I'll roast you whole, I swear.'
Calming my rage, I sat cross-legged.
'One becomes two, called yin and yang; from them grow the five elements composing heaven and earth, each with traits of generation and conquest, and so...'
Recalling the passage synced my breathing naturally—the mana breathing method accumulating nature's essence inside.
I followed the path Master had dreamily guided mana along, channeling breath energy.
To send that evil boar, mimicking its sneaky master, to paradise.
That's me, Kang Hyuk.
Petty when petty, vast as the Pacific when broad—unique in heaven and earth, with iron guts.
That's exactly me.
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"Huh...."
Idal gasped in awe, forgetting his transparency spell at the unbelievable sight.
Teaching one thing, and the kid mastered ten—it felt profoundly strange watching this once-in-a-generation genius.
Idal, once acclaimed by all as Callian's top magic genius.
He'd never dreamed of surpassing himself with someone from Earth.
Even after cleansing the boy's turbid body energy with the magic circle's mana, he shouldn't be this outstanding.
'That kid... born son of mana.'
The Mana Clear Grand Art, only for 7th Circle+ mages.
The recipient gains a pure body and mana hall, free of childhood impurities.
Plus, sharper senses pave a smooth path as a mage.
But even direct disciples rarely get it—uses the master's own mana, costing plenty.
Enough to risk circle collapse.
Idal performed it on sleeping Kang Hyuk for a full month.
'You can do it. Don't lose will. Kang Hyuk, my disciple. Time's short now.'
Callian continent—he longed to return but couldn't.
Before meeting Blue Sea Taoist, Idal roamed madly to return.
Dimensional transfer circles guzzled pure mana, so he hunted sources on foot.
Then, Blue Sea Taoist—dying, bearing world's pains, begging gods' forgiveness—dropped enlightenment.
Life and death borderless. What changes where?
No one awaited him in Callian; nothing left. Earth, wandered on foot, felt like home.
But he craved revenge on his tormentors.
No—his magic fading away pained him as a mage.
He wanted to proclaim his insights in Callian.
History's unachieved, dragon-only 9th Circle challenge by Golden-Eyed Death God's disciple, Idal.
So Idal completed the dimensional transfer circle.
And devised his own new method.
Illusion barrier over Golden Lane, smelling like Callian, fishing(?) for a disciple to suffer in his stead.
'Wonder if that guy's okay. Freeze and die, scum!'
Kang Hyuk wasn't the first. Twenty years ago, another breached the barrier.
But heart murky and evil—learned magic, plotted to kill for master's wealth.
Wanted to incinerate with one Fireball, but pleas—kneeling, head-banging—spared him.
First Earth disciple softened him.
Only up to 3rd Circle attack magic—no big threat.
'Kang Hyuk, you'll succeed. This master's theoretically complete mana breathing method—you'll achieve it. Integrate the mana halls!'
Aged but bone-deep mage, Idal innovated new mana breathing from Blue Sea's internal arts.
But couldn't practice.
8th Circle mage—middle dantian mana hall too dominant.
Forced integration would burst the imbalanced others.
Thus, Kang Hyuk's method: untested new path.
Magic history's first step, undared even by dragons.
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'Got it!'
The mana breathing formula soothed like Mother's lullaby from childhood.
Taoist Yang's Heart-based mana breathing granted oneness with nature during breath.
My willed mana weakly integrated from upper, middle, lower dantian.
Grooooowl!
Grooooowl!
The boar trapping me on the rock for a siege.
Casually belly-up, snoring contentedly.
'Oof! Mocking mankind's lord with that boar! In Kang Hyuk's name, I judge you!'
Channeling Sailor Moon big sis's justice lines, I gathered mana to middle dantian where circles sat.
"Burning will of mine, my friend mana, my rage is yours. In my name, I demand fire's purification!"
Low voice, focused mind, chanted the spell.
Pure neutral mana in nature, mixed with my mana and will via formula, manifested.
Flash.
Animals sensitive to nature's energy.
Sensing me draw ambient mana, the piglet snapped eyes open.
Refreshed after deep sleep.
Pitied myself wrestling mana half a day because of it.
"Die, you shitboar! Fireball!"
Whirrr.
Incantation dropped—heart mana vibrated powerfully.
Shatter-shatter-shatter!
Vibration ended—massive fireball over boar's head.
"Whoa!"
I was more shocked casting it.
Huge, 50cm diameter fireball. Past spells puny as gum on asphalt.
Boom-boom-boom-bang!
Roooar of flames.
Oiiiiiink!
Ever seen boar struck by dry-sky lightning?
Heaven-cursed, man-eating boar.
It bolted through darkening woods like thunderstruck.
Crash!
Oiiiiiink~!
Slammed full into a massive tree, leaving a pitiful death cry.
"Puhahaha! Yes! That's it!"
Up from rock, skyward gaze, I bellowed triumphant laugh.
2nd Circle-worthy destruction.
Great feat unifying scant mana.
I was heaven-sent genius of the era.
"Huh?"
Wobble.
Suddenly sky spun.
Drip drip.
Nose burst, bloody stream flowed.
'Damn...'
Joy brief—overwhelming fatigue snapped my mind.
'Ah ~ my boar....'
Last sight: whole roast boar, deliciously cooking from my Fireball.
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Thud!
"Tsk tsk."
As feared, problem arose.
Kang Hyuk, laughing madly atop Stone Edge rock, collapsed unconscious 2 meters to dirt.
Idal dropped transparency, tongue-clicking as he appeared.
"Foolish kid. Forcing integration of orc-tail mana, then gloating. Heh. How's that hot taste of mana exhaustion?"
Mana exhaustion—mages face it once or twice.
Using beyond limit; low circles mild, high circles risks mana collapse, death.
"First time's always sharp. Hm."
Idal spared no kind explanation/advice to trembling, fainted disciple.
His eyes caught steam-rising, roasting boar.
"That kid's lucky. Heh."
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"Th-that meat!"
Felt clubbed unconscious—every bone ached.
But amid hazy pain, savory scent invaded nostrils, spurring amylase/maltase, waking me.
Life-awakening, hearty aroma.
Eyes snapped open: my room ceiling, huge meat slab thick with fat.
Crunch crunch.
Ignoring my question, that Master chomped hind leg noisily.
'Smells like pork no matter what. Ah ~ definitely charcoal-grilled wild boar I tasted once.'
Might fool a dog's nose, not mine—family knew.
My hunter-dog nose judged meat slab precisely.
'Bear performs, baby bear profits—exactly that.'
Gandalf Master hogging my hard-won magic feat solo.
Monopolizing my kill without owner's okay.
"M-Master, doesn't that meat look familiar to me?"
Crunch! "Yeah? Smack smack! Dunno. Gods must've sensed my weakness—gifted a whole roast boar. So moving, tears welled like seeing that girl mage's panties at fifteen."
Gandalf Master's vulgar analogy tanked human dignity.
True to thug(?) Master, utterly sleazy.
"Any Fireball burn marks?"
"Fireball? No idea. But perfectly roasted. Kyaa! First time such prime meat! So tender with sorghum liquor—killer."
Drip.
My mouth watered unwittingly.
Body starved over a day easy.
Had to claim boar meat ownership to break impasse.
"Master, presumptuous, but that boar's definitely from my Fireball. Please yield to this disciple—best preserves master-disciple bond."
Mixed polite phrasing, asserted mine.
"Proof? Hah, and you made Fireball? Bull. Like orc short-kick bullshit. Hungry? Beg politely for a piece. Real man lies not before sacred food."
Master shot back hard.
While I slept, he'd devoured till bull-boar shrank dog-sized.
'Caught red-handed! Heartless old fart!'
"Then if this disciple makes Fireball, you'll believe me?"
"Fireball? Sure, make one, I'll believe."
'Kahaha! I'll show you this genius's magic!'
Hunger be damned—hope of meat fueled my jump up.
"Burning will of mine, my friend mana, my rage is yours. In my name, I demand fire's purification!"
Willed mana word by deliberate word.
'Huh? Huh?'
But mana wouldn't budge against my will.
Thwack!
"Ow!"
Master's pebble-hard fist instead.
"Damn brat. Eastern etiquette land kid, deceiving Master for meat. Eat. Your desired meat."
Words ended—hind leg with clear bite marks appeared before me.
'Eat nothing or climb Kilimanjaro like snow leopard—me craving life!'
"Thanks, I'll dig in."
Mind rebelled, but hand snatched quick; grateful smile bloomed.
"Good, that's it. No more bullshit—live nicely. Hunger's no sin."
"Master's words—I'll engrave forever."
Master turned, exited after stern lecture.
'Grr, how debate life without tear-soaked bread! Someday I'll crush that devil-kin Gandalf Master!'
Blazing rivalry.
Far abroad, I embodied weakling's sorrow body and soul.
Crunch.
Savored bone-picked boar scraps Gandalf left.
'Tasty!'
Suppressed tears—wild boar evoked poignant bliss.
Even split, we'd kill each other for it.
Whiff whiff.
'Any liquor left?'
Might as well go full grovel—I emptied myself.
Meat was meat; groveling, groveling.
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"Y-You're letting me go?"
Unbelievable affirmation from that Master guy.
"Yeah. Teaching thick-skulled no-progress you tires this old body."
'Believe it? Promised extras, but shipping me on a deep-sea trawler?'
Trusting society beautiful, but scammed too often—doubt first.
"Urk! Thanks, Master. Didn't mention, but I'm 45th heir of Immeasurable Kang Clan Sword Faction, born to revive house. Fine for me, but parents, Grandfather, elders worry huge. If you send me home, I'll never forget—bones to dust, dust to wind gone."
Miss chance, world's idiot. Gandalf Master's whims flipped anytime, experience taught.
No pride left.
Just yearned for dear Korea's embrace.
"Sounds like I oppressed, exploited, imprisoned you? Not resenting after legit succession gift?"
Dangerous. Hurt pervert Master's feelings, he'd maroon me.
Panic rose.
"Eastern proverb: Master as parent. Unintended start, but bonded—how harbor ill toward grace like parents? This Kang Hyuk, no ingrate."
Pulled mismatched heroic resolve, guts and gall out.
"Of course. Heaven and earth know my efforts for you."
My acting topped by scam incarnate.
How casually invoke heaven/earth like collab chief?
"Parting soon, unknown reunion—so special gifts from this Master."
'Huh? G-Gifts?'
Old me would've leaped; bad gift memories froze face stone-statue stiff.
"Why, don't want?"
Gandalf Master's scowl matched mine.
"N-No. How? Just, undeserved—conscience stings. Master, can't I just accept gratefully?"
World's Kang Hyuk never groveled/feared so.
Kindergarten: principled against parents' discipline, grabbed two choco pies, liter milk, fearlessly ran 4 nights 5 days.
Yet before Gandalf, I shrank.
Magic-learned, knew 8th Circle's weight well.
"Heh, no need refuse. Just accept this Master's hot heart."
Truly wanted refuse sticky heart—shut eyes against goosebumps.
"Come, my one disciple."
"Wh-where?"
Casual call like neighbor's dog—confirmed worries legit.
"Come nicely, or...."
Roooar.
Words end—will-only, head-sized compressed crimson Fireball.
"Lead on. Your heartfelt gift—heart's pounded expectant since mentioned."
Sure he won't kill—eyes squeezed.
Rebel only earns beatings.
Die clean if dying—wise choice.
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'Ugh! Wh-what's this?'
Eyes shut like Heartless selling for 300 rice tribute, followed Master to magic tower basement.
Self-generator-equipped tower bristled high-tech: elevators et al.
Master's passphrase opened huge door.
Before it: massive magic circle dazzling eyes.
'Unknown runes, shapes galore. What circle is this?'
Not high-circle mage—limited knowledge.
Somehow sharper head since arriving.
Past IQ 150+ me felt clearer brainpower.
"Well, how's this Master's gift?"
"Huh? G-Gift?"
Master proudly called circle gift.
"Dolt. Other mages'd carry me to sky. Tsk, spoon-feed table-set meal... Geez."
Gandalf eyed me world's pity.
'So?'
My magic knowledge pathetically scant.
Like explaining calculus to kid fresh on sums.
"What, sit center already?"
"Huh? Th-there center?"
Red orange yellow green blue indigo violet rainbow plus shimmering gold—20m diameter circle.
Told sit dead center.
'W-Wait, is he...?'
Magic circle newbie, wondered if dimensional transfer.
Bang!
"Dolt! Transfer you, you'd orc-shit out next day!"
'Orc shit...'
Of shits, picks vilest orc—rival to dog turds.
'Hmph! Born 8th Circle?'
Master quick-witted, not mind-read perfected—recently learned.
Earthworm ages 200 years, not dragon but spirit; human 200, piercing psyche easy.
So safe occasional mind-baring.
"Think you're strong?"
"Huh? Not, but enough self-defense."
Truth: sans Master, no beatings anywhere confident.
"Yeah? Beat well-armed elite soldiers?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Block one sword from Aura Blade knights?"
'What's this now?'
"..."
"Survive horde orc warriors—double human physique?"
Gandalf smirked cold, unseen usually.
"B-But they don't exist here?"
Master's foes—honestly, tough wins.
Aura-specialized knights way beyond current me.
"Then block bullets?"
"Huh? B-Bullets?"
Clueless his point. Superman aside, who blocks barehanded?
"I ignore bullets, even decent cannon shells."
'Damn, super Gandalf geezer confirmed.'
Tone screamed truth.
"Trust me. Short of dragons, you'll be boss to most."
'Boss? Not yakuza.... Sigh.'
Master's desperate yakuza-job wish for me.
Who stops that pigheadedness sans suicide?
"Do as you like."
No freedom till escape.
Democratic Korea, homeland—grieved like never, born till now, slight lie.
'I'm going, Mom.'
Master's circle screamed danger.
200+ year spirit-class, but kidlike as neighbor kindergartener.
I: poor kid yielding lunch money to violence.
"M-Master...."
Called desperately pre-center sit.
"What?"
Nose-picking, clueless slaughter-lamb me, answered dully finger-in.
"N-No Chinese mana stones here, right?"
Chinese stones fatally undercut circle trust.
"Hyuk, one question."
"Yes?"
Sudden query.
"Think living modern world sans Chinese possible?"
"......"
Speechless.
Shriveled center, long sigh, cross-legged.
'Yeah, Chinese stuff sometimes gems.'
Self-consolation.
Problem: gems random as pearl from oyster.
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'Half-year expected—impressive kid.'
Deflated on circle, assuming mana pose, Kang Hyuk.
Idal admired endlessly.
Even Callian geniuses take half-year+ for mana condense, barely 1st Circle.
If magic sword-easy, dogs/cows great mages.
Hard-won normal realm.
Idal's new disciple: under two months to 2nd Circle.
Integrating knight lower, mage middle, spiritist upper dantian.
'At 3rd Circle, fusion natural—but no time. More hold, mana riots.'
Idal eyed clueless posing disciple sadly.
Unlike Callian, no top-grade mana stone materials.
Result: trapped mana destabilized, activated beyond calc.
Mana return law—strong mana instinct reverting.
'All on your luck now. Pray God Adein's blessing.'
Not dimensional, but ultra-dangerous forced knowledge transfer circle.
Mana-cleared body: force-inject to 2nd Circle max.
3rd+: self-enlightenment only.
Thus magic: sages' art.
'All 200-year magic theory to you. Rest yours. Your insight shapes life.'
Hyuk deep in breathing, Idal opened side door.
3m circle appeared.
Core: implant all head-knowledge via magic.
'Awaken, disciple! Proclaim world's Idal's great disciple!'
Unbreached 9th Circle wall.
Idal wished: sole disciple surpass as great archmage.
"Mahaim!"
Clear incant from closed-eye Idal.
Whirrrrr!
Circle slowly emitted myriad mana.
Each trait swirling.
Hyuk's circle: mana danced too.
Bearing Idal's earnest dream of great archmage.