Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The Red Tower Mage's Secret
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"Pardon? Sister Chae-hwa?"
Nam Yeon-a tilted her head in confusion.
She hadn't expected Shin Yu-hyun to ask about Lee Chae-hwa.
"Yes, I'm interested in magic."
"You, Yu-hyun?"
Nam Yeon-a gave him a surprised look as she echoed his words. Generally speaking, Eastern martial artists showed little interest in magic.
They believed their martial arts far surpassed it.
In fact, most 3-circle mages couldn't hold their own against Eastern warriors. The warriors moved too fast for spells to even activate.
It wasn't until the 4-circle level, where chantless casting became possible, that mages could truly compete.
The problem was that magic was far trickier to master than martial arts, so high-circle mages were rare.
"I had no idea you were into magic."
"Warriors usually stick to one aura attribute, but mages use all sorts of supportive spells. I got curious about how that's possible."
"True, mages control mana differently—and they use spell formulas, too."
"Exactly. I'm especially interested in advanced magic. I can figure out up to 3-circle on my own, but anything higher is tough."
"That's a shame. I'm a mage myself, after all..."
Nam Yeon-a was both a magic engineer developing artifacts and a 3-circle mage.
She could explain up to that level.
But hearing Shin Yu-hyun wanted to know about 4-circle and above left her pouting.
"No helping it. It's fine."
Shin Yu-hyun let out a dry chuckle.
In truth, his interest in magic was just an excuse to meet Lee Chae-hwa.
He already knew quite a bit about high-circle magic from his past life.
After all, he'd been lovers with Maria Testarossa, the European witch.
From her, he'd learned more efficient mana control and magical theory.
Thanks to that, he'd optimized his internal energy cultivation and even acquired the unique skill Limit Mana Overdrive.
'Though actually using magic was still a stretch.'
Swordsmen, spearmen, fist fighters—Eastern martial artists cultivated mana differently from mages.
Warriors stored it in their dantian; mages formed mana circles in their hearts.
That fundamental difference meant they couldn't use each other's techniques.
Only Shin Yu-hyun, with his Chakra stat after regressing, could wield both necromantic black magic and the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan's martial arts.
"Got it. Chae-hwa and I go way back, so I'll put in a word for you."
"Thanks."
Shin Yu-hyun smiled faintly at Nam Yeon-a's offer to introduce him.
With that, she led him to Lee Chae-hwa's table.
"Sister Chae-hwa!"
"Yeon-a, you're here."
Nam Yeon-a approached Lee Chae-hwa's table and greeted her.
The early-20s Nam Yeon-a and late-20s Lee Chae-hwa looked like close sisters.
'As expected of a chaebol heiress. She really knows everyone.'
Nam Yeon-a usually holed up in her lab developing artifacts, yet she knew Lee Chae-hwa.
Artifacts were deeply tied to magic, after all.
They required magic stones and spell arrays, so magic research was essential.
Nam Yeon-a herself was a 3-circle Runner, equivalent to 3-star low rank.
Thanks to that, they'd bonded at a Namdu Group party.
"And who's this...?"
After exchanging greetings, Lee Chae-hwa eyed Shin Yu-hyun with interest.
"You probably know him already—Shin Yu-hyun of the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan. And he's the one who saved me in that unidentified dungeon gate recently."
"He saved you?"
"Yes."
Lee Chae-hwa stared at Shin Yu-hyun in astonishment.
She knew of him, of course—the auctioneer had named them both.
But she hadn't imagined this young man was Nam Yeon-a's savior.
"Nice to meet you. Shin Yu-hyun."
He nodded politely to Lee Chae-hwa and the Red Tower mages beside her.
"Likewise. Lee Chae-hwa."
"Yu-hyun wants to learn about magic."
Nam Yeon-a cut straight to the point.
Lee Chae-hwa blinked in surprise.
"From the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan?"
"Yeah, he's been interested for a while. Like, the way mages control mana..."
Shin Yu-hyun dove into a discussion on magic with Lee Chae-hwa.
It was his way to build rapport— he couldn't just blurt out her private dilemma.
Nam Yeon-a joined in, and for a time, they chatted magic together.
'What kind of person is he, exactly?'
Alone at the table, Lee Chae-hwa pondered.
Shin Yu-hyun and Nam Yeon-a had left after their talk, citing other business.
Now, curiosity about him burned strong.
His initial approach had seemed suspicious—a sword clan heir into magic?
She'd figured he just wanted their attention, hers or Nam Yeon-a's.
Big mistake.
'Constantly circulating mana through heart-formed circles?'
Even she, a 6-circle Beginner mage, hadn't considered it.
The debate left her stunned at his knowledge.
He wasn't just versed; he proposed entirely new mana cultivation methods she'd never imagined.
Nam Yeon-a and the Red Tower mages dismissed it as impossible.
But...
'Is it really impossible?'
Lee Chae-hwa sensed potential in his idea.
Eastern warriors' internal arts worked that way, after all.
Mages formed circles in their hearts and clung to the notion they couldn't flow mana through meridians like internal energy.
Shin Yu-hyun had just shattered that preconception.
'Needs testing, but it doesn't seem impossible.'
Circulating mana from the heart circles through the body's meridians.
She believed it viable—and if so, it'd accelerate circle formation beyond traditional methods.
The catch?
'Mana control precision.'
His method demanded extreme finesse.
Beyond Nam Yeon-a or her Red Tower companions at 3-4 circles.
That's why they shook their heads.
But at 6-circle, Lee Chae-hwa grasped it intuitively upon hearing.
She just lacked specifics—research would reveal it.
As she mulled his cultivation method, chills ran down her spine.
From his parting telepathic message.
- If you want to know mana control methods, contact me. I might be able to solve that constitution issue you have.
Her mind blanked white.
'How did he know?'
Cold sweat prickled her back.
She did have a personal problem, just as he said.
Above 5-circle spells, her mana slipped control and rampaged.
Her unique constitution activating.
The troublesome Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
'I thought no one knew.'
Only she knew.
Yet this man she'd just met saw right through her?
Mind-boggling.
'At this rate, specializing in fire magic is pointless.'
She smiled bitterly inwardly. Nine Yin Severed Meridians carried potent yin energy.
So she'd focused solely on fire magic among attributes.
Even converting her mana affinity entirely to fire.
Mages learned various elements, but some—like Red Tower mages including her—specialized in one.
She'd suppressed her yin with fire mana all this time.
Otherwise, she'd have perished long ago.
But limits loomed.
The harder she suppressed with intense fire mana, the fiercer the yin backlash grew.
High-circle fire spells triggered yang-yin clashes, shattering control.
That was her issue.
And Shin Yu-hyun offered to fix it—via telepathy, no less.
Unnervingly astonishing.
'So, what now?'
His private message implied he wanted something.
Her dilemma deepened.
'Now I just wait.'
Shin Yu-hyun had baited her before leaving.
All that remained was patience until she bit.
No rush.
She was the desperate one; he had plenty to do.
'Her help wouldn't hurt.'
If she sought aid, he'd spare no effort treating her Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
A 6-circle mage and Red Tower master—valuable indeed.
It'd solidify his standing in the Heaven-Splitting Sword Clan, secure anti-Getia support.
And when allying with European mages, Red Tower would prove useful.
Helping her yielded far more than it cost.
'With a 6-circle mage and Red Tower backing, I'd be set.'
Satisfied, he smiled inwardly.
Wrapping up the magic talk, he bid Choi Yu-ri farewell with Nam Yeon-a and headed to the auction warehouse.
To claim his lots early.
"We should probably have this delivered."
At the warehouse, Nam Yeon-a whistled.
Other items were portable, but the 3-star named unique boss Hekaton Beetle? Awkwardly huge—3.5 meters horn-to-tail.
Shin Yu-hyun just smiled.
"It's fine. I have a way to carry it."
Nam Yeon-a tilted her head curiously.
"How?"
"Like this."
- Ka-mang-i.
- Kyu!
Mentally calling, a cute cry echoed in his mind.
His shadow expanded.
The dimly lit warehouse hid it from Nam Yeon-a.
Slowly, the Hekaton Beetle sank into his shadow.
As if vanishing into the floor.
"Huh? What?"
Eyes wide as the massive body disappeared before her.
"How'd you do that?"
"A secret."
He grinned.
She sighed.
"You have so many secrets, Yu-hyun."
"Guilty."
"You know magic well, and that skill seems unusual too."
"Just studied some theory on magic. The skill's not as impressive as you think."
He brushed it off laughing.
She couldn't know he was a regressor with future memories.
Or that he'd inherited the Immortal King's legacy.
"Shall we head to your lab? I'm curious about that new coat—and there's something important to discuss."
"Important?"
"Yes. Ideally, just us two."
"Oh, got it."
His serious tone made her tense up too, nodding gravely.
Anticipation, excitement, and nerves flickered on her face.
"Let's go?"
"Yeah."
Thus, they headed to her artifact lab.
Wondering about the new coat.
Nam Yeon-a said she'd drive and to wait in the Charlotte Hotel lobby.
Moments later.
Vroooom!
A pretty red Porsche Boxster open-top sports car pulled up with Nam Yeon-a at the wheel. She yelled,
"Hop in!"