Elatrium (1)
‘Ah.’
A gasp escaped my lips.
Why?
The moment I willed myself to acquire the [SSS] Draconic Basic Mana Circulation Method.
A vast cosmos unfolded before my eyes.
Stars twinkling in profound, infinite darkness.
They writhed and shifted as if alive, breathing.
Soon, those starlights began spiraling, rotating in a helix, gathering into a single flow like the Milky Way.
Woooong, wooooong!
That radiant spiral of light eventually transformed into the shape of a dragon.
It was as if a massive dragon's eyes and body had materialized in the universe.
‘Whoa.’
The dragon's form, one with the cosmos, swam gracefully before me, filling the surroundings with a majestic aura.
The dragon slowly approached me, then became a single beam of light that flowed into my chest.
“······!”
The beam spread from my chest.
It felt like mana flowing like a river, filling my entire body.
Streams of light coursed through my veins to my fingertips and toes, granting the sensation of becoming one with the dragon's power.
“Hoo—.”
With every breath I exhaled, a haze-like energy poured from my body, flickering into a dragon shape that enveloped and protected me.
Kwaaaa!!
Finally, the energy swirled around my body once more.
It left remnants of the Draconic Basic Mana Circulation Method deep within me before vanishing.
Swoooo....
Gentle stardust scattered around me, confirming that the illusory experience had been real.
Successfully acquired [SSS] Draconic Basic Mana Circulation Method.
This is a superior circulation method to [S] Rachel-Style Basic Mana Circulation Method.
[S] Rachel-Style Basic Mana Circulation Method has been absorbed into [SSS] Draconic Basic Mana Circulation Method.
Done.
The Draconic Basic Mana Circulation Method had successfully taken root in my body.
“Ugh.”
I shot up from my seat.
Power surged through every inch of me.
‘Above all, wielding mana feels so much more natural now.’
It was like my mana circuits' output had skyrocketed.
“Fire.”
Kwaaaa!!
Trying out the 1st-circle spell Fire made it clear.
Before, it took 10 units of mana to cast Fire.
Now, just 1 unit sufficed.
‘So this is the power of a dragon.’
I'd lacked confidence before.
Confidence that I could beat a mage of my level.
With this power?
I could take on several mages of the same level without breaking a sweat.
A grin crept across my face.
The moment I stepped out of the lair, the world would face an unprecedented grand mage surpassing Arthur Bennett.
“Alright then.”
Time to start serious magic training for real.
Shrrr—
The magic training gear I'd bought.
[A] Elementary Mana Staff
[A] Elementary Mana Orb
[A] Elementary Wind Pendant
[A] Elementary Mana Robe
[A] Elementary ······.
All A-rank.
Pretty pricey.
But looking at myself geared up, I nodded in approval.
‘Now I actually look like a mage.’
Shrrr.
I stood on the magic circle again, robe fluttering.
And the next choice: Basic Magic Practice.
The curtain rose on true magic training.
“Hmm.”
Black and red hair blended harmoniously.
Like the deep, subtle hue of black tea.
Long, soft strands shimmered mysteriously with every sway in the wind.
“Should I... message him now?”
Delicate, balanced features.
Skin so clear and translucent it seemed to hold light.
A faint reddish tint made her look even more vibrant and alluring at first glance.
It was Hong Seolhwa.
“Ugh, just one more day... let's send it tomorrow.”
She'd resolved to contact Madoje and ask to meet.
But inexplicable shyness had kept her from it for days. She just paced anxiously.
“Ah!”
A memory flashed while thinking of Madoje.
Yesterday? The day before?
Madoje had commented on GuguneWhiteSundae's post.
“GuguneWhiteSundae. How's he doing?”
No close ties.
But with so few users on the Gold Lounge Channel, the name was familiar.
They'd chatted occasionally.
She'd asked out of concern.
Curious if they'd talked, but mostly pity and worry for WhiteSundae.
Having watched his diligent life, hearing his mana circuits were ruined had crushed her.
Especially since she'd been living with her own ticking time bomb then. Shared pain hit deep.
Her emotions amplified.
She hoped Madoje had helped him.
‘But even for Madoje...’
Could he revive completely destroyed mana circuits?
Even if Madoje reached out, she doubted much improvement.
Yet.
“······?”
Her clear, deep eyes blinked.
His reply sounded like Madoje had treated him successfully.
‘No way?’
She asked tentatively.
A potentially rude question, poking at his pain.
But somehow...
She had a hunch Madoje's mystical herbs had worked a miracle for him too.
“······!!”
Her hunch became reality.
“My god!”
Chills ran through her as ecstasy overwhelmed her; she clenched her fists tight.
The Gold Lounge Channel erupted in seconds.
News articles flooded the web.
Madoje had said it was fine to mention his help, but asked to keep the Gaia Slime fluid secret, so no specifics were revealed.
Speculation ran wild, and Madoje's name spread rapidly in superhuman circles again.
A little earlier.
Gu Donghyeon paused, overcome with emotion, took a deep breath, then continued.
Donghyeon paused again, suppressing deep emotions to write his final message.
·····
···
·
“Whoa. He's healed. Good for him. Really.”
Donghyeon's message arrived just as I finished magic training.
I clenched my fists without thinking.
‘I had a feeling it would work.’
A subtle certainty I'd felt.
My sharpened intuition had whispered it.
Popo's fluid could revive Donghyeon's mana circuits.
‘Man, he's really emotional.’
I could feel it in his words.
The gratitude pressed down, heartfelt.
I replied with a smile.
‘What the heck is Popo?!’
To rival Half Elixir's power.
Popo's fluid matched the grand healing of Saintess Sophie Pruni.
“Ugh. Our Popo. What a lucky charm, a total blessing.”
“Popo?”
Popo, tilling the soil, turned to me.
?_?
A face asking what's up.
“Aigoo, our little blessing. Thank you, so much!”
No empty words.
I was truly grateful for saving my friend from despair.
And for sticking by me so faithfully.
“Popo!”
I hugged Popo, who beamed ∩_∩ and bounced happily.
Aigoo, so cute.
“Chuchu!”
Then Chuchu scampered up to me.
“Yeah, our Chuchu too...”
I reached to pet Chuchu.
But Chuchu pointed at the mandragora first.
“Chuchu!!”
“Huh?”
Mandragora.
Oh yeah, it had changed.
It flowered?
“Oh!”
Time to harvest its seed with Breath of the Seed.
“Chuchu!”
But Chuchu's reaction was off.
Gesturing wildly at me.
“···The mandragora... got up on its own... and walked?”
I understood Chuchu's words perfectly. Good job, me.
Wait, not the point.
The mandragora tried to escape?
“Chuchu!!”
Chuchu nodded vigorously.
Whoa!
Shocking.
Yeah, when I looked up mandragora before.
Mandragora at peak mana could walk on their own.
“My god.”
I couldn't hide my bewilderment.
It nearly got away.
“Chuchu!”
Seeing my shock, Chuchu put hands on hips and shrugged proudly.
Trust me, the gesture said.
“Yeah. Our Chuchu. Reliable, so reliable!”
“Churrr!!”
I petted Chuchu's head.
Chuchu purred happily.
“Alright, better harvest the seed quick and eat it.”
Stew it with nagatara meat—
Twitch!
Did the mandragora just twitch?
My imagination?
“First, sprinkle Breath of the Seed.”
I got more from Chuchu.
Surprisingly, the mandragora needed five.
Whoa! More than Seondo.
Woooong!
Green and blue lights shimmered on the mandragora's petals.
Done.
Once the effect fully sets, prep to harvest the seed.
“But this won't be enough Breath of the Seed for long.”
To ramp up mandragora and Seondo numbers fast, I'd need tons.
I pointed that out.
“Chuchu!”
Chuchu stepped forward boldly.
Pang pang!
Tiny hand patted its chest proudly.
“Chu!”
Trust me.
“Ho. Gonna fetch more?”
“Chuchu!”
“Okay. Count on you, Sergeant Chu!”
Chuchu snapped to attention, heels together, back straight.
Crack!
Whoa, this guy.
Somehow knew to salute me perfectly.
“Haha.”
Chuchu ignored my laugh, plucked a bunch of Cheongmyeongsu grass and Lunadria from the field.
Then stood at the tunnel entrance.
“Good luck, Sergeant Chu.”
“Chuchu!”
With that, Chuchu vanished into the tunnel.
Paaaat!
Chuchu zipped along like lightning.
Chuchu pondered why the Elatria had moved their home.
‘Chu!’
The Elatria's original home.
Once fertile soil, now parched and barren.
Yes, the Elatria had no choice but to seek fertile ground for survival.
‘Chuchu!’
Chuchu recalled Popo enriching the soil with slime.
‘Chu!’
Racing like light, Chuchu's mouth curved confidently.
This deal would surely win over the Elatria, the tree spirits.