But Creating Magic Is No Ordinary Feat

"But creating magic is no ordinary feat. You know that, right?"

"Of course. That's why I'm not going to invent something entirely from scratch. I'll approach it as recreation—or editing."

"…I still can't get a feel for it."

"Just wait."

Knowledge and theory mattered when one set out to create magic, but something else mattered more than either.

One had to be a genius.

It had been the same on Earth. The ones who changed the world were a handful of scientists—geniuses, in other words.

Yujun trusted his Genius trait, but he knew perfectly well that it would not be enough on its own. People said a fool and a genius were separated by a single sheet of paper, yet Yujun figured that sheet was thicker than an elephant's leg. As he stood now, he fell hopelessly short. He needed a drastic change.

Time to swap my item setup.

He pulled every magic-related item he owned out of his inventory. If his current set existed solely for combat, he naturally possessed gear meant for other purposes as well. How many items did he have, anyway? Letting that mountain of equipment rot unused was no different from committing a crime.

I really have been using my equipment for nothing but fighting.

Not that he'd ever had much reason to use it for anything else.

Yujun looked over the items spread across the floor.

Something usable in here…

He filtered out every option tied to raw magical power. What mattered most right now was intelligence and magic comprehension. If there was one more requirement, it had to involve spellcasting.

The items he singled out with particular care numbered six in all.

Two rings to start… and the rest is armor, then.

The remaining accessory slots offered nothing but options tied to mana and magical power. Nothing else satisfied those three conditions.

Options related to magic comprehension really are rare.

He was learning that all over again.

He equipped all four pieces of armor as well. None of it would matter much in a fight, but for the situation at hand, the set could hardly have been more fitting. The words creativity and utility attached to the set effect, in particular, were impossible to pass over.

"Yujun. You look ridiculously cute dressed like that."

Manuela said it out of nowhere. Yujun's expression went stiff.

"…What?"

"You look like you're wearing what apprentice mages wear."

"I mean, I am."

"Oh? That explains it."

Manuela smiled, dimples showing. Being treated like a child left him oddly irritated—and it didn't help that she currently wore the face of a girl who had only just turned twenty. The smile never left her mouth.

"Stop laughing."

"Why?"

"I can't concentrate."

"You haven't even started yet…"

Yujun let out a sigh. He hadn't been self-conscious at all until she opened her mouth. The moment she did, the embarrassment hit him all at once.

"Look somewhere else."

"No."

That bright, beaming face of hers had never looked so infuriating.

If I don't want to keep looking at that, I'd better finish this fast.

He began running back through Ancient Magic and the magic of the present age inside his head. On theory alone, the information packed into him was close to perfect. That was only natural, given that he held an Ancient Magic skill of EX++ rank. Setting aside magic created independently, the way Yenil's had been, the volume was so vast he half wondered whether he knew every spell in the world.

Just going through all of this is going to be a job…

Manuela, worrying over the exact same thing, put in a word of her own.

"Isn't the time way too tight? From where I'm standing, even modifying a spell looks like at least a few days of work."

"If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. I'll do everything I can."

He felt bad saying it where Yenil was concerned, but dragging things out indefinitely on the excuse that he was busy was itself a viable method. Keep at it long enough, and sooner or later he would manage to modify a spell. For the moment, at least, a fair amount of confidence had taken hold.

So this is what it feels like when your head gets sharper.

Ever since he became a player, his brain had seemed a good deal more capable than it had been back on Earth, but that improvement had mostly been a matter of memory, and he rarely felt it in ordinary life. The moment he put on the gear he had just taken out, though, he felt it. It wasn't simply that he had gotten smarter. Every ability related to magic had risen by a wide margin.

Creation, modification—whatever it is, I think I can do it.

He already understood the principles and structure behind how magic activated, and on that foundation he felt he could build new spells as well.

Yujun sat in a comfortable posture, as if settling into meditation, and closed his eyes. Manuela scrambled to copy him, dropping into the exact same pose.

"Is this posture supposed to be good?"

"I'm just trying to clear my head."

"Ah… I'll clear mine too!"

She could do as she liked.

Yujun activated Super Concentration.

The ability had once come with a clean split between strengths and weaknesses. It was fine while in use, but if it went on for long, a crushing dizziness came crashing down. A skill one had no choice but to use briefly and then cut off. That was how he had thought of it.

Lately, though, he had the feeling that Super Concentration's side effects had all but vanished.

No. It wasn't merely a feeling. It was the truth. Even when he held Super Concentration for a fairly long stretch, there was no real pain, no dizziness. He couldn't claim there was no effect at all, but compared to before, it was negligible.

I'm turning into more and more of a monster.

Being able to sustain Super Concentration for a long time. That alone put him several steps above everyone else. And the skill was not useful only in combat. When he wanted results beyond his limits, there was hardly a better skill to be had.

As he organized the theory of magic, Yujun kept being startled.

This is insane.

With his magic comprehension multiplied several times over and Super Concentration layered on top of it, he felt as if he had become some grand archmage who had mastered every spell in existence. In raw magical power alone, of course, he had surpassed the level of a grand archmage long ago. But when it came to establishing magic itself, Yujun had been close to a complete novice—and now he was nothing of the sort. As if he had studied magic for decades, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for centuries, he could tell without even trying which combinations would be strong and efficient, and which would fail.

What's certain is that the work—the research time—has been cut drastically.

He discarded every combination that was obviously going to fail. And there was no need to combine one complete spell with another. He could partially analyze a single spell and draw out its characteristics. Taking only the advantages made the difficulty higher, but not so high that it seemed impossible.

I'll try everything that looks like it has a chance of succeeding.

The worst side effect he ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could expect was mana flowing backward. He had health potions and mana potions to spare. With every last one of them set out before him, Yujun began combining magic.

Yenil, the ancient mage who had once made her name as the Black Sorceress.

The instant the coronation ended, she could not contain the excitement of learning New-Generation Magic.

"Mmm-hmm. Hmm-hmm."

Even while she prepared to keep her mind in peak condition, she hummed under her breath.

Shin Yujun has already proven he's strong. More than enough.

But she had never once seen him use this new magic. That had left her faintly dissatisfied, and now that he had promised to teach her New-Generation Magic soon, her mood had lifted.

Still, it doesn't seem like players who've learned New-Generation Magic are all that common.

She had wandered the battlefield and watched the spells the players cast with careful attention, and every one of them fell far short of the magic she herself used. Not a single person employed a spell that satisfied her eye. The conclusion she drew was that this thing called New-Generation Magic must be considerably difficult to learn. If not that, then it might be a magic passed down only to a select few.

You'd have to be on that man's level to learn New-Generation Magic, wouldn't you?

She had been placed in the position of becoming his temporary disciple. For her, it was no different from luck—or a blessing. She would have to meet at least the minimum conditions and qualifications required to learn New-Generation Magic. That was why she was preparing all the more thoroughly.

When on earth is this coronation going to end?

Yenil's face began to harden. That damned coronation showed no sign of finishing. It was a fortunate thing for Yujun, but for Yenil, who wanted to learn magic as soon as possible, it was nothing short of infuriating.

Sertiphs was receiving the celestials who came pouring in with every manner of flattery, greeting them with a bright, open smile.

His own achievements aren't even that great, and yet he puts on a display this sickening.

Inside Yenil, Sertiphs's image was steadily worsening. The longer the time for learning magic was delayed, the worse it would get. High-ranking celestials kept coming to seek Sertiphs out, and the processions escorting them, far from shrinking, had only grown longer.

For now, all I can do is wait without a plan. He wouldn't turn around later and say he's busy, would he? Tell me he'll teach me some other time?

The coronation didn't even seem to have properly begun, and that only made Yenil more uneasy.

Three hours had passed since Yujun crossed his legs and began his contemplation of magic.

"Yujun. I don't actually have to sit like this, do I?"

"No. Why are you doing it?"

"I thought if I copied you, something might come of it."

"And did it?"

"No."

"Then sit however's comfortable."

"Mmm… Have you gotten any results?"

"Yeah. I'm satisfied."

"Really? You made a spell?"

"Some I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠made. Some I combined. Some I altered a little."

"Are you actually a genius?"

"I wouldn't say that."

He had never neglected his studies, so his grades hadn't been low, but that was all. He hadn't been the sort of student who stood out in class for how well he studied, and his ability to learn hadn't been exceptional either. There was no way his brain had suddenly awakened just because he came to the Tower of Infinity, so all of this could be credited to his traits, his skills, and his items.

"I'll show you the new ones first. Tell me what you think."

"Okay."

Yujun drew up his mana.