Chapter 610: Dragon Raid (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 610: Dragon Raid (8)
The manifestation of magic and the act of dispelling an already cast spell are much like assembling and disassembling a computer.
A computer, after all, can only be used once its various components—the CPU, graphics card, memory, storage, power supply, motherboard, and so on—are all brought together, connected, and supplied with power.
Magic is not so different.
The magic circle is the motherboard, and the various patterns within it are the components.
Once you fill the magic circle and finally infuse it with mana, the power source, the spell is complete.
Then what about disassembly?
Every object has a set order for disassembly.
‘Disassembly is the reverse of assembly.’
You simply have to perform the steps of assembly in reverse order.
If the process was A, B, C, D, then you just go back to the beginning with D, C, B, A. That’s it.
Dispelling is no different.
The various formulas drawn into a magic circle.
If you unravel the phenomenon they create in the exact opposite order, the spell is undone.
Looking at the process alone, it’s not much different from taking apart an object.
However, unlike other objects, there is no clear way to confirm the shape, structure, or assembly method of a magic circle. One has to rely on a certain degree of intuition, which is why the success rate is typically very low.
But this was only true in the world of ordinary mages.
Kim Do-jin was not one of them.
To him, dispelling was the easiest thing in the world.
Why?
‘Is that the part that reinforces the wall’s durability?’
Because he could see it.
The flow of mana that filled this world.
And how the magic, formed from that mana, was structured internally.
In a sense, it was like having the blueprints of a finished product seared into his eyes.
That’s why he was confident.
He believed he could dispel any magic in the world, as long as he was given enough time to disassemble it.
He certainly had been.
“I’m not quite sure where to even start with this one.”
The barrier before him was a bit perplexing.
No, actually, it was more than a bit.
Its external structure was so solid that it took time to see through, but he eventually succeeded in piercing it.
The problem was what lay inside.
‘For the life of me, I can’t tell where it begins or ends.’
The tangled flows within were so free-spirited they seemed to follow no rules at all.
There were clearly sections, each with its own role, yet there was no distinct law separating them. Mana freely crossed from one section to another, attaching and detaching itself repeatedly.
As a result, it was impossible to tell where the spell began and where it ended.
Without knowing that, disassembling it in reverse order was nothing but a pipe dream.
“Hmm… what to do.”
Giving up was not an option.
An artificially created environment.
An illusion spell and a transparent barrier set within it.
If he simply ignored this, it would mean struggling endlessly against the traps his opponent had laid until he died.
He had to break through.
But how?
“…I’ll have to resort to a more brute-force approach.”
Any student who struggled with math has probably experienced it at least once.
The tedious grind of solving a simple calculation problem on a multiple-choice or short-answer test.
A problem that could be solved in an instant with a single formula, approached with the epitome of simplicity: burning through time to inch toward the correct answer.
With his hand on the barrier, he scanned the chaotic, free-flowing currents of mana.
‘Why did that one suddenly change direction? Ah, the mana over there was running low.’
It was chaotic, yet organic.
The flows knew when and where weaknesses appeared, and they moved to compensate for each other.
The fact that the range of this compensation wasn't fixed was what created such immense chaos.
‘And that chaos is, paradoxically, boosting the overall efficiency like crazy.’
In a way, you could call it a paradigm shift.
You know those people.
The lazy ones who, despite having a messy room, insist they have their own system of order.
But looking at the flow before him, he started to think that claim might not be entirely wrong.
‘Maybe it’s true.’
Of course, nine out of ten people who say that are probably lying.
‘I’m starting to get it.’
With each passing moment, he understood a little more.
How to clear away this chaos that was the pinnacle of efficiency.
And, in a way, how to advance his own magic, which had been stagnant from the very beginning.
Modern mages were trapped in a box.
To be precise, they had willingly walked into the box and locked the door from the inside.
The magic circle.
A tool to use magic more easily and conveniently, using fixed formulas like mathematical equations.
Kim Do-jin had been free from that.
No, in truth, he hadn’t been completely free.
He finally realized he had only taken a step or two away from the rigid magic circle.
It was unavoidable.
Before entering this body, he had been a complete novice when it came to magic.
The only mages he could learn from were all stuck in that box, so it was only natural he couldn't break completely free.
‘But things are different now.’
He had seen a new world.
The ingrained notion that only perfect systems and order could be efficient had been shattered.
That alone made Kim Do-jin’s magic faster and stronger, but…
‘It’s not enough.’
This one insight wasn't enough to understand.
What medium was used to create this coexistence of immense chaos and efficiency?
Until he knew that, he would never reach his opponent's level… but that was fine.
‘I’ll find out when I face the one who created this magic.’
The dragon he would eventually meet.
By watching the process of its magic manifesting, he would surely understand the medium as well.
And though it was a little lacking, what he had now was enough.
‘I can do it.’
At least, he could shatter this barrier.
The method was surprisingly simple.
‘I will create a law where there is none.’
Their freedom allowed them to help each other from afar, growing stronger and more efficient.
So what would happen if that freedom was restricted?
If he divided their areas and fixed their positions so they could no longer interfere with one another.
‘While leaving the properties of the mana as they are.’
The mana was commanded to help its brethren.
But the path to help was now blocked.
Eventually, the mana would be trapped, circling endlessly within its designated area, growing restless. Frustrated at being unable to carry out its orders, its only end would be self-destruction.
Crack!
“There we go.”
The mana, unable to perform its designated role, lost its power and collapsed.
No matter how sturdy a wall, it’s bound to crumble once a small crack appears.
He pushed his own mana into the gap created by the dissipating mana, accelerating the collapse.
Crackle!
CRACK!
When the cracks that had started spreading from his hand finally covered the entire surface…
SHATTER!
The wall crumbled.
A fierce blizzard, arriving just in time, picked up the fragments and scattered them.
And the illusion magic naturally faded, revealing the hidden landscape.
“……”
Unfortunately, contrary to his expectations, nothing had changed.
There was only the same snow and ice that covered the landscape he had already traversed.
His disappointment was brief.
Kim Do-jin felt it.
“Hm?”
The faint presence of a being he hadn't been able to sense a single trace of until now.
Sensing this, Kim Do-jin smiled.
He felt that the emerald mine was not far off.
“Alright, let’s get moving again.”
He and his party members pressed forward.
* * *
A series of bizarre traps followed.
A massive ice wall, once distant, would suddenly charge forward to block our path.
Lush trees would rearrange themselves at will, confusing the trail.
A snow-capped mountain we had set as our goal would dissipate like a mirage, only to reappear in a different direction.
They were all various tricks designed not to harm us directly, but to stall for time.
Because of them, we lost a considerable amount of time.
It couldn't be helped.
In a place where everything looked the same, we had no choice but to navigate by specific objects or landmarks. But since those kept disappearing and reappearing elsewhere, even I got confused two or three times out of ten.
And so, day after day passed. On the night of the fourth day, we made a temporary igloo in a suitable spot and took out a mana stone heater to forcibly thaw our frozen bodies.
As he was melting a frozen combat ration over the hot stove, old man Merlin let out a stream of praise.
“What a pathetically petty dragon.”
His condition was not good.
He was already the oldest among us, and with the mana that helped his body function being drained away, he was under the most physical strain.
Furthermore, his crotchety personality played a part.
Whenever I tried to help him because he looked like he was struggling, he would snap that he wasn't some washed-up old man yet.
It wasn't that I didn't understand.
People who have reached a certain level of mastery tend to be fiercely independent and dislike receiving help from others.
I had a bit of that tendency myself.
I was sitting on a makeshift chair carved from a large tree, stirring the same combat ration I’d been eating for days with a spoon, trying to force it down.
Just then, Irina approached and plopped down in the seat next to me.
“Do you mind if I sit here?”
“……”
She had already sat down, so why was she asking?
Letting out a groan just as I had a moment ago, she stared at her combat ration with a look of utter boredom before asking me a question.
“I’m sure you’re aware, but the party members’ conditions are starting to worsen.”
I was aware.
As they say, a light rain soaks your clothes.
With their mana being slowly siphoned away, they were left with about 70 percent of their usual amount.
While one could say that was still a lot, it was also the baseline where danger began.
“If we’re delayed any longer, we’ll be defeated before we even fight.”
Without enough mana, you can't fight.
Buffs, healing, magic, swordsmanship.
All these elements required sufficient mana to maximize their effects.
She was reminding me of something I already knew. Then she asked.
“How much longer do you think it will take?”
“I’m not sure.”
I could still feel the dragon’s presence.
It was still a bit faint, but it was incomparably stronger than when I first broke the wall.
We were definitely getting closer, but it wasn't close enough yet.
That made it difficult to estimate accurately.
Three days, or maybe four?
Perhaps a week.
Or even longer.
Only one thing was certain.
Either way, it was enough time to inflict critical damage on the party.
So I had to find a way.
A brilliant move that would let us find the creature’s hiding spot at once and engage it in battle.
But what was that method?
How could I…
Just as my thoughts began to spiral.
“That’s enough.”
Irina’s cool voice quelled the storm in my mind.
She warned me.
“Don’t get heated now.”
Maintain the same cool reason you’ve had until now.
A charming smile graced her lips as she offered me comfort.
“Otherwise, won’t the brilliant move that’s right in front of you just run away again?”
In that instant, a lightning bolt struck my mind.
A brilliant move right in front of me.
Run away again…?
“Ah.”
I’ve got it.
A way to stop being tormented by traps, conserve as much mana as possible, and close the distance to the beast.
I immediately told her the idea that had popped into my head.
“Instead of us going to it, why don’t we just call it over?”
A shift in perspective.
Hearing this, she licked her red lips with her tongue, a look of interest on her face, and asked.
“Tell me more.”