Chapter 146
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Magic Tower Tour
"Kyaaak!"
"Uwaak!"
"Ah."
Three screams echoed through the cafeteria.
The faces of the three who had drawn wooden chopsticks showed a mix of joy and despair.
"Then Ian and I are paired up!"
"Why is it always Hisenna who wins out in these draws..."
"I was in a different team during the subjugation festival too... I think it's unfair."
The reason for their contrasting reactions was the lot drawing they had just done.
It was to decide who they'd pair up with for the Magic Tower tour.
Unable to agree on pairs among the four of us, they had settled it with a draw.
The result: me and Hisenna, Elrim and Chayuri.
"What's the big deal? We're all friends anyway. You two don't get along?"
"That's not it, but..."
"Losers are losers!"
For some reason, Chayuri and Elrim didn't look too happy.
It wasn't like one of them was left out alone as during the subjugation festival. Why the long faces?
...Posting something like this on the gallery would just get me flamed for being clueless again.
Since it was a fair draw, I decided to stay quiet.
And a little later, we all went our separate ways.
"Husband nya!"
"Miss me?"
"This is fun nya!"
Back in the dorm room, Churu was lying on the bed reading a comic book.
It was by a famous author on the continent, and I'd bought it thinking it'd be good educational material for her.
Churu seemed to have entered the late stages of her adolescent growth spurt.
She was eating less and getting smarter by the day.
She'd already learned enough letters to read comics,
and it wouldn't be long before she could tackle proper novels.
Granthis developed intelligence at an astonishing pace.
According to Furrylike, there'd be one more rapid growth phase after this, and then she'd reach adulthood.
"I'm gonna cultivate now, Churu. Don't bother me."
"Nya!"
Churu replied without taking her eyes off the comic.
Her growing smarts were making her a bit more docile, which was nice.
I focused on cultivation for the rest of the night.
After acquiring FlapFlap's spell [Dragon Sense], I'd come to appreciate mana capacity even more deeply.
Whether it was casting, flight, or sustained spells,
the higher the hierarchy, the exponentially greater the mana consumption.
With [Dragon Sense] active, I could fight for just over five minutes.
Factoring in other spells, the actual usable time was much shorter.
Even in my duel with Professor Multiple, I'd only cast 6th hierarchy spells three or four times before nearly collapsing from exhaustion.
If that final blow had failed, I would've lost.
Hierarchy intuitively reflects spellcasting prowess.
That's why I'd been overly fixated on raising mine lately.
For the rest of break, I'd dedicate more time to cultivation,
and reserve [Dragon Sense] for truly critical moments.
"No wonder the gallery's full of efficiency guides."
As your hierarchy climbs, it's easy to see why efficiency becomes an obsession.
Hierarchy gains and cultivation speed slow down, making efficiency essential.
Title: Am I Finally Understanding the Importance of Efficiency?
Author: Kim Muggle
Had a realization dueling Professor Multiple this time.
Definitely feeling mana shortages more as I go.
That Dragon Sense spell I learned before? Can't even sustain it for 5 minutes.
Makes me think that's why everyone obsesses over efficiency.
I'm grinding cultivation hard, but gains drop off as I progress,
so having thoughts like this... does that mean I've grown a bit?
Grown? Lol
Meditate more if you're having those thoughts.
This guy's belly is full. Normal cultivation gives tens or hundreds of mana.
Cultivation gains dropping off...(cultivating with 40k mana)
Others take 10-20 years for what you've done in half a year. And your gains are still absurdly high. Don't complain when you're full.
Don't get used to your current fast growth. Magic is supposed to be a boring, grueling process.
I'd posted carelessly on the gallery and got an earful.
They were right, though. Compared to others, my cultivation efficiency was still insane.
I steeled my resolve again.
Dragon Sense is inefficient by design. Those obsolete races' spells aren't meant for humans.
Dragons have incomparable mana pools, elves insane regen.
They don't prioritize efficiency. Low-starters like humans get wrecked using the same spells.
(munching dragon con)
(elficon watering plants)
Oh, so that's how it is;;
That's why you meditate. No mana worries then.
Transform into a magical girl and mana is infinite~
Some human mages overcame it their own way, like those guys.
But that's for high-nics who built hierarchy unconventionally. They're top-tier even among high-nics.
Dragon spells guzzle mana by design, so shut up and cultivate.
It was a racial difference, huh.
FlapFlap's spell did consume more mana than usual, as expected.
No wonder dragons and elves get called obsolete races.
Anyway, cultivation waits for no one.
Growth is growth, no matter what.
With threats unknown, I needed to build strength diligently.
I was plenty strong for a cadet now, but still felt lacking—
maybe the archmages' mindset was rubbing off on me.
Title: Mammathong Fags, This Ain't the Time, What Are You Doing?
Author: CantDoThisEither
We're being way too complacent right now.
Other heroines are pushing hard non-stop.
Can't slack just 'cause Mammathong is first heroine.
Push while we have the chance this time.
Mammathong simp yass when tf
Mammathong will handle it herself...
What we do here won't even reach her anyway.
Protests are for uncultured red gang trash.
Fr, Mammathong's past her prime lol.
Fuck, red gang trolling, grab 'em!
Kill them!
lolol
In the carriage heading to the Magic Tower,
posting that I'd paired with Hisenna for the tour had become gallery bait.
The reds and duchess talk were blowing up lately.
Pathetic for archmages, though.
Just got back from research, Mammathong squad eat shit ooo
Oh ricefag's back
Big bro's here!!! Everyone bow to 1st squad leader!
Wtf how'd you get high-nic access already?
Not fully recovered all hierarchies to high-nic cut yet.
Kinda a loophole. Boost certain aspects just for gallery access to pass the cut.
Found it researching dimensional magic.
Tell me too
Me too!!
I can 'cause my base hierarchy is high-nic level. Can't if you never crossed it.
Wanted to try high-nic once...
Had plans for what to post...
And SubsidyRiceEater was back.
After disappearing for a while, he'd been researching how to regain high-nic access.
He hadn't fully recovered to the high-nic cut.
Instead, boosting specific hierarchy elements just for gallery use tricked the system.
Apparently, dimensional magic research revealed roughly how the gallery determines the cut.
Possible only because his loss was temporary.
Such loopholes wouldn't let mid-nics snag high-nic status.
The gallery hierarchy remained intact.
After some more scrolling, the carriage slowed.
Peering out, a massive tower loomed high.
The Magic Tower. Ruled not by an Archmage Duke, but by the Tower Lord.
The Tower Lord was said to rival the world's few Archmage Dukes in prowess.
Why hadn't he become an Archmage Duke and founded a house, instead creating this tower?
Unlike Archmage Dukes, little was known about the Tower Lord.
I vaguely recalled passing by at the Arcane Fist workshop.
Only his striking red hair stuck in my memory.
I snapped a photo of the tower through the window and posted it to the gallery.
Title: Our Dimension's Magic Tower, Isn't It Fucking Huge?
Author: Kim Muggle
(photo of the tower piercing the sky)
Hawawa, such a huge tower~
Wtf, way bigger than expected?
This rivals a Tower Lord's tower, no?
Hard to believe this came from your dimension's level. Proper Magic Tower quality.
What, it's just big?
Could be, but looks legit from the pic.
88th Floor Penthouse, a high-nic who seemed to be a Tower Lord in his dimension.
Even he thought it was a decent Magic Tower.
Odd for a dimension maxed at 9th hierarchy.
Only way to know for sure was to go inside.
Soon the carriage stopped, and we entered the Magic Tower.
The interior was far grander than it appeared from outside.
A vast atrium from the first floor, with soaring ceilings.
As awestruck cadets gaped and began sightseeing, a man's voice rang out.
"Welcome, Merhen Magic Academy first-years. I'm Millio Lever, chief researcher of the Magic Tower. For now, everyone freeze in place."
Millio, as he introduced himself, halted all the cadets.
The cadets froze with baffled expressions.
"Now, I'll explain the Magic Tower's 'rules'."
Murmurs—
The cadets buzzed in confusion at his words.
Little was known about the tower, so most were clueless about these 'rules'.
And Millio began explaining them.
They were most intriguing.
1. Travel between floors follows special rules.
2. Say your name three times anywhere to return to floor 1. Never forget this.
3. You were told to bring a partner. Stay with them at all times.
4. If your partner vanishes or is missing long, tell me. If you can't find me, back through any door to reach the chief researcher office on floor 18. Report to any researcher there.
5. No stairs in the tower. If you see any, stay away.
6. Never step on a shadow with no object casting it.
7. Harbor no hostility toward the tower.
8. Your quarters are on floor 1 with all amenities. No unauthorized floor travel.
9. If you end up in an unknown space, recall rule 2.
"The tower has many rules, some undiscovered. I'll share the essentials for visitors.
All tours will be under my guidance. There are more rules for floor travel, but remember these and you'll avoid most dangers, even if you end up elsewhere.
With that, welcome to the Magic Tower, visitors."
Hearing the 'rules', the cadets were all bewildered.
Millio smiled brightly, as if used to their reactions.
The Magic Tower tour had begun.