The True Value of Illusion Magic
Professor Ash, standing on the podium, brushed back her ash-gray hair. Her gray eyes lazily swept over the students.
"Nice to meet you, new students. I'm Professor Ash, in charge of basic illusion magic. No family name since I'm a commoner. Didn't bother making one."
Illusion magic didn't exist in the advanced courses. This was common knowledge among mages, as it was dismissed for lacking physical destructive power and thus having poor combat utility.
"Illusion magic can't directly destroy an enemy's body like fire or ice. That's why it's classified as a beginner subject."
A lazy smile spread across Professor Ash's lips.
"But living beings perceive the world through their five senses. What if you could perfectly twist those senses?"
The students' eyes grew serious.
"The enemy would leap off a cliff on their own or mistake allies for monsters and kill each other. Illusion is the most terrifying magic—it makes foes self-destruct without any physical force."
Serving as an academy professor meant being at least a 7-Circle high mage. From 8-Circle onward, they were hailed as grand mages, but even 7-Circle made one an elite force in the empire. No one dared belittle her for being a commoner.
"Scary stuff."
"Still sounds like a distant tale to us."
To the students, it felt like a far-off story. But Rian's brown eyes gleamed with a strange madness as he listened. His mind burned with thoughts of illusion magic's possibilities.
Implementing perfect virtual reality right now is impossible.
Building the data and syncing the senses required massive preparation. But it was a worthy goal. Mastering this would let him create a world with perfectly synced sight, sound, and touch while lounging on a soft bed.
Even if it's not real, I could see and hear everything I've imagined.
Of course, that meant studying more magic first.
Rian showed intense interest in illusion magic. Meanwhile, Asrion kept his arms crossed, glaring daggers at him.
What the hell is that punk scheming now?
Asrion couldn't even call Rian a con artist in his head anymore. He'd previously rationalized it as artifacts or tricks for a mental victory. But shattering Professor Ash's massive jungle illusion in one go? No matter how he denied it, that demanded overwhelming mana and insight.
No way he's the real deal... right...?
A reluctant unease gnawed coldly at Asrion's gut.
"Alright, everyone take your seats."
At Professor Ash's instruction, they all sat down.
"Shall we start with the most basic visual illusions?"
Just as Professor Ash was about to direct the practical exercise—
"Professor."
Rian shot his hand up.
Professor Ash nodded with interest.
"Yes, Rian? A question?"
"I just thought of an illusion magic structure. Mind if I demonstrate it real quick?"
Vesperia looked at Rian in surprise at his unexpected early aggressiveness.
"Rian's being proactive... "
Ardelia seemed startled too. She didn't rate illusion magic that highly. She acknowledged its utility depending on application, but she preferred direct physical power.
"A structure you just came up with? And a demo?"
"Yes."
Rian needed a beta test to verify his theory. And he had the perfect beta tester candidate.
"Ooh? Sounds good. Come up front and show us."
"I need a target. Can I pick one myself?"
Professor Ash readily agreed.
Rian's gaze swept the classroom. It stopped on the silver-haired boy in the front row glaring murderously at him.
Rian pointed right at him.
"Asrion, who's been staring at me the whole time."
"W-what?!"
Asrion jumped up in shock. But soon a sneer curled his lips.
Daring to use me as a guinea pig to humiliate me? Fine. I'll smash your pathetic illusion.
Asrion strode confidently onto the podium. He basked in the students' stares as he faced Rian.
"Ready? If it's a lame trick, it'll shatter in under a second. Brace yourself."
Asrion haughtily tilted his chin up.
He'd received basic training on countering illusions. He was confident he could break Rian's.
Just don't get fooled by it!
Rian indifferently eyed Asrion as he mentally deployed the formula.
Imbue context of the situation and force-inject a spatial narrative into the brain. Align signifier and signified to trap the target's cognition in the novel I write.
Magic was imagination made real. Complex code helped, but will and imagery were key. Especially for illusion magic, where they reigned supreme.
With his code-solving prowess, plus prepared will and imagery, Rian snapped his fingers lightly.
Pop.
A faint mana ripple slammed into Asrion's mind.
"......!"
Asrion's vision blacked out instantly. The podium, students, Rian—all vanished.
And the next moment—
Whiiiiiish—!
A ferocious wind roared, tearing at his eardrums.
"A-aaahhh!"
A scream burst from Asrion.
His body plummeted toward an endless black abyss. Infinite freefall. Nothing below his feet. Sickening buoyancy and guts-lurching nausea dominated him.
Icy knife-winds slashed his cheeks.
Illusion! That commoner's fake!
Asrion thrashed to cling to reason. He recognized it as illusion. But his senses still registered it as real.
Then I'll just smash it myself!
Confident, he drew up mana to dispel it. Even if it failed, a crack would form! Spotting that would break the illusion.
"Dispel!"
He chanted inwardly.
Nothing happened.
W-why?
Despair flooded Asrion's gray eyes. He felt no mana circulating in his body.
Not just the falling terror—it blocked his brain from even perceiving his own mana circuits.
This wasn't mere visual trickery. It perfectly controlled all five senses, denying him even the sensation of being a mage. A flawless prison.
My mana’s gone!
The realization shattered his composure.
"S-save me! Aaaaah!"
Asrion flailed limbs in empty air, screaming desperately.
But in the real classroom, it was entirely different.
"H-heuk... haaah... aaah! Save me! Save me!"
Asrion sprawled on the podium floor, curled up, thrashing and shrieking. He clawed madly at the air, begging for his life.
No magic effects or winds surrounded him. Just a ridiculous sight of him writhing on bare floor.
But the terror on his face was real.
"W-what the hell is going on?"
"Why's Asrion acting like that?"
The students paled, watching the bizarre scene.
Professor Ash's gray eyes widened in shock.
My god.
She was an illusion expert. She vaguely discerned the structure Rian had layered on Asrion.
Not just visual deception. It fully twisted tactile and vestibular balance senses. And anticipating the dispel attempt, it severed mana perception entirely.
Such refined, perfect control. That's not just raw 8-Circle mana power. It means he fully understands and applies the essence of illusion magic!
Chills ran down her spine. Illusion's terror lay in killing without physical force—make the brain believe, and heart attacks followed.
Just block the sensation of breathing...
Blocking mana sense meant he could kill anytime.
Meanwhile, Rian nodded at the beta test results, eyeing his excellent tester.
"Hm, no frame drops, physics engine runs smooth. Solid pass. That mosquito's reactions were super realistic—nice and juicy."
Rian scratched his chin, muttering. The test seemed sufficient.
He snapped his fingers lightly to release the spell.
Pop.
"H-haaah!"
Asrion collapsed, gasping raggedly.
His consciousness, yanked back to reality, couldn't adjust. Soaked in cold sweat, his unfocused eyes groped the podium, barely confirming he lived.
Trembling legs from the fall's aftershock wouldn't support him. And he'd even pissed himself—the podium reeked of urine.
"Ugh, piss smell."
"No way Asrion actually pissed himself?"
"Damn, that illusion must've been terrifying."
"What the hell did he see?"
Rian indifferently looked down at the sprawled Asrion.
"Great beta tester. Good job."
He turned to the awestruck Professor Ash.
"Professor, you said this is only a beginner course, right?"
"Eh? Oh, yes. That's right, Rian."
She replied with a voice full of regret.
"Then, Professor... once he recovers, is there a way I can study more advanced illusion magic?"
