The Hollow Thunderstrike in My Hand
The strike that severs the empty shell of lightning recreates itself in my hand.
Crackle-crackle-crackle-zzt!
It was no different from an A-rank technique, yet for some reason, it was called an S-rank—a bizarre spell.
If this right hand turned the enemy into a donut, it could sever their fate entirely.
Man, this thing...
'Fucking badass...'
Lightning attributes really struck a chord in a man's soul.
Did this mean I was one step closer to becoming a true Sun Caller?
I focused my mind even more on my right hand, getting used to the sensation of wielding magic.
Mana extended from my heart, flowing through my circuits and manifesting through my right hand.
The key to magic was manifesting the 'mental image'—altering reality with one's own deeply ingrained image, built on an understanding of phenomena.
What I'd realized here was that it wasn't just about picturing the technique itself, but imagining the story of the one who wielded it. That gave the technique density, building a more intense image.
I had to say, this felt like top-tier talent.
Having consumed countless fantasy works in modern society, I possessed images on a whole other level from the people of this world.
Having accessed creations from around the globe via the internet, when it came to 'image construction', I might just be the best in this world.
Yeah, I could definitely become the ultimate Sun Caller...!!
'...Now I'll stand in the heavens. Me...!!'
As I lost myself in such irrelevant thoughts, concentrating mana in my right hand—
Elise, having come back to her senses, suddenly grabbed it.
Eh?
"Gah...! Are you insane, Elise?!"
Her hand was gonna get fried by the lightning...!!
I yanked my hand away in a panic and looked at Elise, but...
"Don't freak out."
"But Elise... your arm...!!"
"Doesn't hurt at all?"
"Huh?"
Elise really had no injuries whatsoever.
Her hand that had gripped my right hand was pristine white, without a single mark.
"......?"
What the...?
My right hand was still crackling with lightning, putting on a wild light show.
'No way... is this...?'
Elise grabbed my right hand again.
"This thing... it's hollow inside? How'd you do that?"
"What do you—?"
Elise kneaded my hand, inspecting it closely.
"Hmm... what is this? Visually and audibly, it's super flashy... but it doesn't exert any physical force at all?"
Just as Elise said, my lightning dealt zero damage to her hand, despite its appearance.
Why?
"...Elise, what's going on here?"
"No idea. First time I've seen anything like it. What exactly did you manifest? How'd you make it only affect sight and sound...?"
...Was it because I visualized it from stuff I'd only seen on a monitor...?
Wonder if it'd be different in 4DX?
Nah, probably not the issue...
"Hmmm... I thought it was weird during the pulse diagnosis earlier too..."
Elise admired my thunder for a while before gathering her thoughts and speaking.
"One thing's for sure: the magic you manifested is an illusion. No clue how you made such a perfect one... but in its current state, it hardly counts as magic."
My thunder wasn't magic...?
"If this isn't magic, what is it? Isn't there illusionists or something in this world? It produces light and vibrations—doesn't that affect reality?"
"You're misunderstanding something. What you did is closer to projecting an illusion onto reality without altering it. Your lightning? Checked it—doesn't emit light or vibrate the air. We're just perceiving it that way."
Eh... so my thunder really had zero effect on reality?
Fine, whatever—but wasn't this still a form of magic?
"Magic requires a mental image as its foundation to exert physical force, but you created something that's purely visual. Sigh... I can't even comprehend how that's possible..."
Elise pressed her temples like she had a headache coming on.
"But... Elise... is there a difference between mental image and imagination?"
I'd thought imagination was the mental image.
I figured magic was manifesting imagination into reality via mana...
Was I fundamentally wrong?
Elise sighed and explained.
"...If you could cast magic with just imagination, everyone would be a mage. Building a mental image is like erecting a sturdy tower amid the chaos within."
"That tower stands unshaken in any situation, a firm wedge rooted in your core, from which you reshape reality."
"You know human mental images constantly shift? Magic training forcibly fixes them, sharpening clarity over time."
"A mental image is a world governed by your own laws. Raise its density enough, and it surpasses reality's own."
"Thus, a strongly built mental image imposes your world's laws on reality. In short, magic's pinnacle is eroding reality into your own world. Get it now?"
...In summary, a mental image is crafting a world with your own laws inside you?
My inner world was a scattered mess right now, nothing fixed, forms dissolving before they could hold.
Using Elise's standard chants and seals slowed the chaos, letting it take shape.
But it wouldn't fix in place—lose focus, and it shifted instantly.
'Ah, now I get it.'
Mental image and image were totally different.
Images came from surface consciousness, while mental images delved deeper into the unconscious—beyond my easy control.
My current magic was a convincing shell. Like a hologram, no substance.
Image without mental image—an odd structure...
To give this thunder physical power, I'd need to fix lightning in my chaotic unconscious.
'Sounds brutal...'
"Don't get too down. You've got real talent, surprisingly. That illusory thunder? Normally, it'd count as a success. I told you—magic can't form on image alone. Your mental image definitely formed lightning during activation."
"...Yeah."
Elise was comforting me.
...But one question lingered.
"...So why's it like this? What's powering this illusion...?"
I pointed at my thunder.
Didn't magic need both image and mental image to activate?
"...That's the part even I can't figure out... A shell with no core—where'd the substance go...?"
Sigh... no easy path after all.
Guess I'd keep practicing chants and seals.
Peaceful Slime Hill.
People weren't even hunting—just staring up at the sky.
"Hmm... looks like it's stopped."
"Dry sky outta nowhere with a thunderbolt—scared the shit outta me."
"Dungeon Master pulled some crazy stunt again, I bet..."
"Eh... no big deal right now, anyway. Back to hunting, folks!"
The explorers of Slime Hill treated the bolt as a minor hiccup and resumed hunting.
A few more days passed, and Starlight Lake Park's opening day loomed.
The park management office had already started recruiting shop owners and artists for performances, while the staffing agency hired guards and cleaners for inside.
Granite Fist and the dwarves trained the new hires, speeding up development.
Finally.
Dragon Mask Padak had joined to help manage the park.
Inspired by Goseongji ditching for dungeon broadcasts, he'd gotten legal leave to assist the Dungeon Master.
'Hmm... still looks like a fine spot. Guess I'll recuperate here for a bit.'
He briefed the security team's leader on duties.
"You'll patrol the park in three shifts once it's open to civilians. Monitor and handle most issues. Got it?"
"For fights? Or crowds and safety?"
"Those too, but watch for thieves. We've got high-value sunstones in the night lighting—bound to attract crooks."
The park would be packed post-opening, making theft tough, but weirdos always showed up.
Wall-climbing types or trolls stirring trouble—security had to catch 'em to keep the park clean.
'Kinda like gallery moderation.'
Guards were essential for pleasant visits.
The opening was near.
Magic Tower research wing.
Aisha approached a nearby male researcher, asked something—and his face paled. He suddenly felt ill and headed to the infirmary.
"...I just asked what he thought of my looks—why...?"
Not her usual question, sure...
But that was straight-up fleeing, right?
"What the hell was that?"