Chapter 119

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 119

Chapter Title: Synapse Plasticity Hyperactivation

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I examined the 6th-circle magic formula that SubsidyRiceEater had drawn for me.

Just looking at the shape of the magic formula, it wasn't intuitive at all.

It even felt abstruse.

SubsidyRiceEater had called this thought acceleration magic.

But for someone like me who couldn't even imagine how to express thought acceleration as a 6th-circle construct,

visualizing the magic from the formula alone wasn't easy.

"Wonder if he's in the gallery right now..."

I'd drawn some aggro, but SubsidyRiceEater didn't show up right away.

The guy usually drops everything—even when swamped with papers—to react to redhead posts, so I'd hoped.

Looks like he wasn't in the gallery right now, though.

But a moment later, he finally showed up late.

SubsidyRiceEater ultimately failed to reclaim his highnic.

Jootak could set a temp nick from IP as highnic at his discretion, but

even though he'd sacrificed for dimension magic research,

Jootak said exceptions were hard in an Archmage Gallery that proves skill.

Suddenly, SubsidyRiceEater—who didn't give a damn about dimension magic anymore—prioritized reclaiming his highnic.

Makes sense from his view; he'd lost his gallog too, so he'd want his highnic back.

Lately, whenever SubsidyRiceEater appeared in the gal, the temps' mockery rained down like they'd been waiting.

Anyway, that's that.

He was originally a highnic holder anyway; he'll get it back eventually.

More importantly, this magic mattered to me.

(Former) SubsidyRiceEater tried playing tough but got attacked as expected.

In the end, he gave a bit more hint about the magic.

"Hm..."

SubsidyRiceEater's magic was purely academic.

Meaning the design was based on precise theory.

For this magic, based on neuroscience, I suppose.

So, to visualize, grasp how the 'brain' organ produces 'thought'.

Less visualization, more understanding, really.

Anyway, how does the brain work?

I examined the magic formula again.

"Still abstruse..."

Still an abstruse diagram no matter how I looked.

6th-circle magic formula of six constructs.

Most striking were constructs like wriggling cells.

Looked gross like long-legged bugs.

Two such cell-like constructs.

Compared to simple other constructs, these two were tricky to draw.

Raised overall computation difficulty.

Next, a third construct linking those two.

And a fourth moving over the third like painting it, lines overlapping.

Fifth and sixth were simple.

Visually, cross and upward arrow.

Unlike priors, so clear it was disorienting.

The disharmony and abstruseness of those six constructs made this magic harder.

"Principle of thought."

Re-reading SubsidyRiceEater's comment, I scrutinized the formula once more.

Fifth and sixth—cross and arrow—fairly intuitive. No clue role, but anyway.

Ignore those two, focus on four constructs.

Two gross cell-like constructs.

Tube-like third linking them like a passage,

and fourth filling/painting that tube.

Glance: something moving through passage.

Cells. If truly cells, linking cells, transmitting something.

Then fifth and sixth meanings...

Ruuuumble...

At that thought, I deliberately sank my consciousness.

Banished all distractions impeding thought.

In deep consciousness, probed only this magic.

Enlightenment felt imminent.

Ignored noise on purpose.

Focused all energy solely on understanding this magic.

Resumed thinking.

Two cells. Link via one passage, transmit something through it.

Then what of remaining fifth and sixth?

No long pondering needed.

Straightforward, clearly self-evident role.

Not cross, but plus (+).

And upward arrow.

Boost speed.

Speed of something transmitting between cells.

Very simple equation, but function clear.

Enlightenment neared; felt awe at designer's greatness.

Expressing such grand concept with mere plus and arrow.

Compared to other magics deploying curves for acceleration,

this was concise, profound.

Achieving this greatness so simply.

Perfectly grasping designer's intent,

finally saw meaning of cell-like things,

understood neural transmission linking those two constructs.

And if that speed leaped exponentially.

——!

Hyperactivation of neural transmission speed linking neuron to neuron.

Insight into this magic dawned; computation succeeded,

with sensation of brain and eye veins bulging to burst, the world began slowing.

No—precisely, the world didn't slow.

Human brain processes external info, sends signals to body organs.

Those signals become senses; we perceive world through senses.

This magic exponentially accelerates that process.

Not half-baked low-tier thought acceleration.

Actually accelerates the thought process itself.

Already, my brain transmitted neurotransmitters at speeds ordinary humans can't.

Thus, thought power surged, and all physical senses leaped too.

But this alone couldn't explosively boost physical ability.

Muscles and skeleton remained same, couldn't endure.

Sudden brain boost outpaced body.

Or rather, this magic—not just thought acceleration—under assumption of sufficient physical strength, could exponentially boost bodily functions too.

Unexpected performance for top researcher's magic.

Same logic applied to thought acceleration part.

Not fabricating brain; actually boosts my brain's info processing speed.

Bad side: overworks brain cells.

Made sense low-realm beings risked danger overusing.

But even knowing, couldn't stop this supreme sensation now.

Sensation of reading world far faster than others.

Amid superiority, I test-cast magic experimentally.

—!

——!

Computed two magics.

They flew in sequence.

But only because my thought speed rose.

In reality, they'd look near-simultaneous.

Not just thought speed boost.

Beyond faster connections, connection count increased too.

Via extra links, handled more thought volume simultaneously than usual.

In short, while active, boosts thought power and speed simultaneously.

Bonus: usable to enhance physical ability too.

After several magic experiments,

regretfully released high amid need to end,

deactivated magic.

Bursting veins shrank; world's speed gradually normalized.

"Whew... mana drain ain't light."

Tremendous magic, but mana cost huge.

No— for 6th-circle yielding this effect, rather low.

That asymmetric.

Felt well-optimized just from formula.

Core constructs complex, but rest concise,

such effects from simple constructs astounding.

"Precisely 111.7 per second."

Mana drain: 111.7 per second.

Not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠accelerated thought time—real-world time.

Considering my mana regen, net 71.7/sec loss.

1 min: 4302. 10 min: 43020.

Assuming no other magic, ~22 min now.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Of course, using with others, actual time far shorter.

Mana pool bigger always better. Gotta train harder.

Anyway, succeeded with 6th-circle magic.

Meant to thank SubsidyRiceEater, share news in gal.

Opened gallery; late comment from him.

"Huh?"

What the hell.

So per principle, cells have normal lifespan.

Pulls it forward explosively, consumes lots at once.

Low realm = ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠short lifespan, cells die quick.

That it?

"But then high realm means longer lifespan too."

In other words, high-realm mages have extended lifespans.

Makes sense. Ilmost Archduke, Lee Soo-ah looked young despite age.

SubsidyRiceEater over millennium old, looked normal 30s.

Anyway,

my mana capacity under 100k, only ~3 months learning magic.

But used over 5 min fine?