Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Eyelid (13)
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***
[There are as many insights as there are mages in the world, and thus as many spells.]
“Oh, this opening doesn’t mess around.”
Compared to the boring theory up front, the corners of this book were worn down, with lines scribbled here and there—clear signs it had been read to death.
The Professor walked down the main road, flipping through the pages. He wanted to plop down by the riverbank and pore over it properly, but even a quick skim showed it wasn’t a one- or two-page read. With time pressing, he decided to study on the move toward the next city.
[Magic falls into two broad categories: Origin Spells, which manifest one’s inner imagery based on personal insight, and Tracing Spells, which borrow the insights of others. An Origin Spell projects the insights etched into your mind onto the world. Since it’s imagery you’ve fully comprehended, no incantation or hand seals are required—just a vivid image and the mana to fuel it.
I know many mages struggle with the ‘imagery’ part. Even I, the great Dormann Baldanis, had my time as a 1st Circle mage before grasping the seven forms of water.
A strong image isn’t a mere stored memory of facts. It’s a single, unified concept woven from dozens of overlapping memories within you.
Picture ‘Dormann Baldanis.’ The great 7th Circle mage, with his lush, magnificent beard; mentor to the lords of five water spires; a promising mid-thirties man at 125 years old. Innumerable traits any mage would know.
That’s just data in your head, not imagery.
Now, picture ‘mother.’]
Thump!
[What comes to mind? Her name? Talents? Appearance? No, I’d wager your heart stirred first. That’s a ‘strong image.’ A singular concept etched into your soul, tangled with emotions, experiences, and countless memories tied to the subject. Mages imprint their target this deeply into their soul, then impose that image on reality to cast spells. Don’t worry about etching the image—no need, if you’ve gained the insight. The corresponding image is already in your mind. Hard to put into words? Even better. It means the imagery surpasses your rhetorical limits.]
“...Projecting soul-etched imagery onto the world...”
[Of course, this feels alien to novices stepping into magic’s realm. That’s why most spires train 1st Circle mages in Tracing Spells first, acclimating them to incantations before crafting Origin Spells.]
...It’s tough. The book explained it so simply that it clicked intellectually, but internalizing it as sensation was another beast. So how the hell do you actually cast magic?
[Enough theory—let’s jump into practice. Tracing Spells are best learned hands-on. In my magical system, Dormann Baldanis’s, incantations serve as catalysts to implant the target’s image in the caster, while hand seals break it into basic components.
On the most fundamental water spell: ‘Dormann Baldanis’s Hydro Orb.’
Imagery: The essence of water.
Incantation: O water brushing my fingertips, I understand you, so you and I are one.
Image: A serene lake. The caster is the lake itself; the water is merely contained within.
Hand Seal: None. If abbreviating, fold the first joint of the left ring finger, the ‘stillness’ seal.]
“...This game’s fucked.”
Isn’t this too much?! He’d gritted his teeth and powered through that insane mana acquisition process—shouldn’t basic spells just fly out with a “Fireball!” at least?
He got the principle. For old man Dormann, ‘Hydro Orb’ was an Origin Spell. He’d condensed that insight into an incantation to let others evoke the inner image. Literally ‘borrowing’ insight through words.
- Jokasss: Info: There’s always a reason people say don’t do something.
- Take a Look: With that killer body, why not just go martial artist...?
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Lmao that’s why mages are ‘studiers.’ You gotta grind studies hardcore or you can’t cast shit kekeke
- Holy: Still cool though! Chant a spell and boom—water appears outta nowhere, lightning cracks!
- Speed Wagon: ‘Chant a spell and.’
- Deer Drug Please: Hey, Professor! Try this one! [Thou darker than twilight, redder than blood’s flow. By the great name buried in time, I swear thee to darkness here!] Kekeke image solid, right? I can pop a vid if you want! Go for it!
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Dragon kekeke Slayer kekekeke
- Jokasss: Can’t resist rootin’ mage vibes kekeke
- Speed Wagon: Counts as GG if you go insane and die from shame?
“Agh, so embarrassing...”
That was the problem. Incantations laid bare your inner self without filter, making them mortifying to shout. Charms were the worst: crap like “By my allure, I ensnare thee eternally at my side.” Hearing a hairy-ass allied mage on the battlefield twist his hands seductively while chanting that? Dizzying. Blood from the ears. Eyes rotting.
And now he had to do it. In front of dozens—no, hundreds—of viewers.
“Hmm... O water brushing my fingertips...”
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Kekekeke
- Deer Drug Please: Yo! He’s actually doing it!
- Highway Nacho Man: Hey kid! Tense your gut! Louder, more desperate! That ant-whisper voice’ll scatter any image!
- Holy: Kinda cool.
“Argh, seriously! Quit interrupting! You all wanna see mage shit too, right?”
- Speed Wagon: Fair. Mage players are rare as hell.
- Jokasss: Crushed a Mutation Blood platoon barehanded into jerky, now thinks splashing water makes him a mage kekeke
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Hmm? Oh, that’s ‘gravity magic.’ If I toss you, your neck snaps—mystical effect.
‘They’re thrilled, snagged another clip.’
Amid the viewers’ mockery, the parasite’s voice slithered in slyly.
[Embarrassed? Hard to grasp that emotion. It’s not wrong or harmful—why the aversion?]
‘That’s just how it is.’
The Professor tried brushing it off, then reconsidered.
Practicing magic while taking these assholes’ jeers head-on? Impossible.
Possible, sure. Psychologically? No. Like dancing in Gwanghwamun Square. He wasn’t trained not to tense up.
‘Hey, parasite.’
[Yeah?]
‘Keep talking to me from now on.’
Hated the thing, but if stuck with it, might as well use it.
Conversations with the so-called parasite happened inwardly—time slowed slightly when it spoke, surroundings hushed. Perfect focus zone.
[Kekeke... Forgetting grudges quick?]
‘No choice. In the wastes, brooding over every annoyance kills you fast.’
Hm. Nice and quiet now. Useful.
The Professor steadied his breath, closed his eyes, and poured focus into evoking the image in the words, then chanted.
“O water brushing my fingertips, I understand you, so you and I are one.”
A familiar ripple, like shifting the river water earlier. Water, I am water. I am the lake. Water contained in the lake is natural, just as in my body...
[Oh, not bad.]
Muttering endlessly like a monk in prayer, repeating the image—the parasite’s voice cut in. Cracking an eye: a child’s fist-sized blob of water wobbling at his wrist!
Ding-!
[Skill Acquired - Hydro Orb: Basic spell from Grand Mage Dormann Baldanis’s insight. Creates or hurls water. / Attack Power 0~5 / Mana Cost 0~5]
Registered as a skill. He’d done it. Actually cast Hydro Orb!
“It worked! Water appeared!”
- Speed Wagon: Not quite the proper Hydro Orb incantation. Other mages get a perfect orb hovering over their hand—yours is stuck to you, barely any volume.
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Damn! Pulled it off in this brutal setup! Not your average guy!
- Deer Drug Please: ‘Professor The Shameless’
- Number Three: Pretty impressive.
Impressive? More than that. Something manifested by his will and imagination. The thrill, the omnipotence—it was insane. He tried holding it in, but watching the blob squirm toward his gaze, a grin slipped out. First time in this game he felt pure, worry-free joy.
***
Splash!
Giggling and playing with the water for a while, something pinged his senses.
Rustle!
No need to hunt it down. Obvious as hell.
Three scrawny men huddled behind a tree at the path’s mouth.
‘This setup, this composition. Oh yeah, it’s that.’
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: That’s it.
- Speed Wagon: Yup.
- Holy: ???
- Highway Nacho Man: That’s the one.
- Deer Drug Please: Forgot ‘cause your playstyle’s been so weird till now.
- Take a Look: So vanilla it feels off?
War spikes certain numbers.
First: Refugees.
Some flee cities, but most are locals from nearby villages, hauling bundles while dodging the lord’s troops looting for war supplies and conscripts—not Mutants.
Second: Ghouls.
Corpses breed death-qi in shadows, spawning undead. But World 3 ignores this. Battlefield dead either shamble to their queen or get cremated by the city. No corpses, no ghouls.
Third:
“Hey! Big guy! Hand over everything and scram! U-unless you wanna die!”
The bandits right in front of him.
Obvious story. Fled with nothing, scraping roots, dodging patrols, starving for days. Spot someone hale? Even saints snap.
‘All three skin-and-bones, terrified. Green—no blood on their hands.’
Trembling arms, stammering voices. Glancing nervously at each other while he watched. Rabble. Lv1 wild dogs or rabbits in other games.
Farmers though—tools wickedly sharp...
‘Hm... Ten minutes of getting diced should be fine?’
Chat check: Similar thoughts.
- Jokasss: Why poke this guy...?
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Dome roulette! That’s a monster in human skin!
- Speed Wagon: Cold take: Letting ‘em land a few ain’t bad. Professor’s daily workout pending. Burned extra last night, but that covered skipped days. Gotta harass infection factors steady or they creep back—sit and tank some.
- Take a Look: Hi! I’m Refugee Bandit 1! First heist day—nervous, but we’re armed, he’s huge but unarmed, no prob! See! Sickle stuck! Uh... why? Looks fine? What’s with that chill smirk?
- Number Three: Bro, he’s smiling...
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Dudes charging Professor’s mug are the real idiots.
That made the Professor glance at himself. Over 2m tall. Muscles bulging infection-dark, coppery-red. Dozens of deep scars. Hood half-hid it, but crimson eyes gleamed.
The bandits trembled, gripping tools, glaring. Tugged his heartstrings.
“The weight of family, huh...”
“H-heh heh heh... Looks like a wounded soldier. Cough up the pouch quiet-like, and you live...”
“Th-those shoes! Leave ‘em!”
“Clothes too! We’ll wash ‘em!”
“Shut it! Hey mister! Ignore them—move quick! Any tricks... Yeah. One ear sliced off!”
“Eek!”
Middle guy probably roped in the other two. Ballsy, if reckless...
“Decided. Scare ‘em off light.
‘Dads scrambling for family? Weakness of mine.’
He unslung his pack at their words, set it down, closed his eyes, focused.
- Jokasss: Oh, magic time?
“Yeah. Even bumpkins know magic’s scary.”
To peasants, mages were legend, myth. Bards painted them as evil kidnappers in hero tales. Perfect for intimidation.
‘Bigger than last time.’
Hands raised, recalling the sensation, he chanted. Second time, embarrassment faded.
“O water brushing my fingertips, I understand you...”
“Keh heh heh, good. Stay meek...”
“W-wait... J-Jesker! What’s that thing?!”
“Water... in midair?”
Incantation done: apple-sized blob between upraised hands. Freely floating, not stuck.
“Mage! It’s a mage!”
“Huh huh huh. That’s right! This body is a water mage! One who comprehends water’s embrace! That is I!”
Ecstasy surged from his toes. Yes! This is gaming! Those terrified eyes! Envious stares! Game on! Proper play!
No pain, no head-voice—pure normal power. And it’s his!
Self-esteem, shrunken for ages, swelled at the cowering bandits. Aah, losing it! Too happy! Water rules!
“Keh heh heh heh! You lowly worms disturbed this mage’s peace—pay the price!”
“Ugh... Uwaaaah!!!”
“Any, Milli! Daddy’s going first!!”
- Take a Look: Wait, don’t. Yo, if you throw that...
‘Oh shit!’
Caught in the vibe, he hurled the water unwittingly. Too late to cancel—it flew at the bandits.
“Dodge! I didn’t mean to kill...!”
“Uwaaaah!”
The Hydro Orb sliced through air, burrowing between the panicked bandits...
Splash!
“Bwububu!”
“Ow, cold!”
.
.
.
.
“...?”
“...? Ow, cold?”
It drenched them.
Soaked bandits and frozen Professor. Silence blanketed the four.
- Jokasss: Kekekeke ‘I didn’t mean to kill...!’ Lmao they’re dying kekeke hit by that kekeke
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Damn! Wet clothes! Crisp fall air—if they didn’t dry quick, hypothermia! Scary af! Mage!
The stunned bandits clocked the spell’s weakness and started laughing.
“H-heh heh heh heh! What? That’s it?”
“Keh hi hi hi. Told ya! Mages are just fairy tales!”
“Y’know, story mages were all rich! Bet this guy’s loaded!”
“Keh heh heh heh!”
“Oo hi hi hi hi!”
“Kekeke kekeke!”
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Kekekeke
- Jokasss: Kekekeke
- Holy: Kekeke
- Deer Drug Please: Lmao can’t breathe kekekeke
‘Embarrassing...! Dying of shame!’
Laughter echoed across real and game worlds. The Professor’s face burned max red.
***