Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Dual Core
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Having taken refuge in Barathrum, Lee Si-woo immediately summoned Harman.
Summoned by Lee Si-woo's will, Harman knelt lightly on one knee and spoke.
"You called for me, my Lord."
"Harman, how far along is the research on the Hexagram?"
Lee Si-woo had entrusted Harman with the study and research of the Hexagram, the mana technique handed over by the yellow-eyed man.
Even though he had acquired the man's knowledge, the Hexagram was simply too advanced for Lee Si-woo—who had been an ordinary person until just recently—to fully comprehend.
Fortunately, Harman had made considerable progress of late.
This was thanks to the environment in Barathrum, which allowed him to maintain peak condition without sleep, enabling him to immerse himself in research day and night.
"How could I ever neglect a task you've given me? I have made significant progress. If you update your knowledge in the library, you should have no trouble mastering the Hexagram. However... there is a slight problem."
"A problem?"
"The Hexagram is a unique technique meant exclusively for mages with six roots. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it exists solely for you, my Lord. For that reason, it operates on a different plane than ordinary techniques."
Harman drew a hexagram on the floor with his index finger.
"Hexagram refers to a six-pointed star, and as you can see, a hexagram is formed by six triangles that come together to form a star. The technique follows this same principle; as your proficiency and mastery of the technique grow, triangular mana terminals will form on your magic roots."
"Triangular mana terminals..."
"When mana terminals form on the magic roots, the speed at which you absorb mana from the atmosphere increases, as do the casting speed and power of your spells. But this is where the problem lies. The Hexagram's triangles... they only form on magic trees."
"They only form on magic trees? Does that mean..."
"Yes. To complete the Hexagram, you must evolve all six of your magic roots into magic trees. Just as you are about to evolve your elemental root into an elemental tree with the stone in your hand."
Lee Si-woo was speechless.
He had managed to obtain the Elemental Stone through a great deal of luck, but evolving the other five magic roots into magic trees was another matter entirely.
"Six magic roots into magic trees? This is... rather daunting."
"Haha, it seems I have unintentionally burdened you, my Lord. I was merely explaining the conditions necessary to *complete* the Hexagram. Even without evolving every root into a tree, the Hexagram is still an exceptionally powerful technique."
"Hmm, how does it compare to other techniques?"
"There is no comparison. The Hexagram overcomes the most critical weakness of a multi-root mage by linking all six magic roots through terminals."
"It overcomes the weakness? Heh, you don't mean...?"
"Indeed. An ordinary multi-root mage's growth is slow because they must fill all their roots with mana. However, a practitioner of the Hexagram grows all six roots simultaneously, making their growth rate no different from that of an ordinary mage. In terms of efficiency... hmm, I would say it's comparable to a two-root mage."
One-root mages are highly regarded because, having only one magic root, they advance to the next Circle the fastest.
The next Circle can only form once the existing magic root is completely filled with mana.
However, depending on one's perspective, some mages value two-root mages more highly.
This is because they possess two magic roots, allowing them to wield two schools of magic, and their growth rate is still quite reasonable.
In that sense, it was no exaggeration to say the Hexagram had elevated Lee Si-woo to an entirely new class of mage.
The moment he acquired the Hexagram, he became an unrivaled mage, capable of freely wielding six schools of magic while maintaining an excellent growth rate.
Lee Si-woo's eyes lit up as he spoke.
"Harman, I've heard that the assistance of a skilled practitioner is essential when absorbing a high-level elixir. Could you help me?"
Harman looked troubled by Lee Si-woo's request.
"I would love to help, but my mana is based on Barathrum's energy, so at the moment..."
With Barathrum's energy almost completely depleted, Harman's mana was practically nonexistent.
But Lee Si-woo spoke as if it were no big deal.
"I'm aware of that. Which is why you'll have to come inside me for a moment."
"What? What do you..."
Ignoring Harman's bewilderment, Lee Si-woo reached a hand out toward him.
He knew from experience that within Barathrum, anything he could imagine became reality.
So he had no doubt it would work this time, either.
That he could extract Harman's consciousness, absorb it into himself, and hand over partial control of his mana.
"Hmph!"
Indeed, Lee Si-woo's assumption was correct.
The moment Lee Si-woo willed it, Harman's body slumped over like a rotten log, and he felt Harman's consciousness settle into a corner of his own mind.
*N-No? How... how is this possible...*
It was as if Lee Si-woo had turned Harman into his own auxiliary AI, upgrading his single-core CPU to a dual-core.
This was a desperate measure, born from the fact that it would be nearly impossible for him, with his lack of experience and skill, to fully absorb the Elemental Stone on his own.
He believed that entrusting mana control to Harman would yield the best possible outcome.
*'Damn, I thought it might work, but it's still wild that it actually happened. Hmm... good. Next, I'll try taking Harman's consciousness outside with me. If that works too, it'll be an incredibly useful asset.'*
After organizing his thoughts, Lee Si-woo spoke.
"Then, let's begin."
Lee Si-woo placed the Elemental Stone he was holding into his mouth.
The colorless, odorless Elemental Stone slid smoothly down his throat before dissolving into mana around his solar plexus, flooding his entire being.
"Gasp..."
With the sensation of a balloon bursting inside him, Lee Si-woo's eyes rolled back into his head and his head snapped up.
Mana raged within him like a furious storm.
The shock was so immense that Lee Si-woo nearly lost consciousness, but fortunately for him, he had Harman.
*My Lord, grant me control of your mana. I will operate the Hexagram in your stead.*
Even in his dazed state, Lee Si-woo passed control of his mana to Harman, who resided in a corner of his mind.
Upon receiving control, Harman instantly seized the mana, which was rampaging like a rabid dog, and skillfully guided it toward Lee Si-woo's magic roots.
His skill was like that of an expert dog trainer instantly getting a problem dog on its leash.
It was, in truth, to be expected.
For a man who had once been a battle-hardened 4th-Circle Master, absorbing an elixir was child's play.
*'The mana is moving.'*
As the mana, like a powerful tide, moved under Harman's guidance, Lee Si-woo could vividly feel the magic roots within him.
The six magic roots, located between his abdomen and solar plexus, were strangely positioned at the six points of a hexagram.
It was as if they were already prepared to receive the Hexagram.
*'The first point.'*
Mana flowed into the magic root at the twelve o'clock point.
Like welcome rain soaking a drought-stricken land, the mana enriched the magic root.
Sprouts burst from the dry earth, and a sapling shyly raised its head above a field of dancing grass.
Blessed with immense mana, the tree shot up, growing so large it could gift the grass below a canopy of leaves.
A great tree, standing tall and alone on the fertile land.
Lee Si-woo trembled, thrilled by the magnificent presence of the magic tree.
"Haah..."
As Lee Si-woo, sitting cross-legged, let out a sweet breath, another tempest raged within him.
The roots of the magic tree, now standing tall at the twelve o'clock point, began to spread toward the other points.
As the magic tree's fine roots reached the hexagram's points at the ten, eight, six, four, and two o'clock positions, mana flowed into the magic roots at each point, bringing about a great change in Lee Si-woo.
As the magic roots filled with mana, the Circle in his heart began to spin furiously.
*Whoooosh.*
The Circle spun faster and faster, growing in size.
Simultaneously, Lee Si-woo's rank, which had been merely at the Beginner stage, broke through Expert and instantly reached Master.
The Circle of a 1st-Circle Master.
But the Circle, nourished by the endless mana gushing from the magic tree, spun on tirelessly. Eventually, as if deciding it was too much mana to handle alone, the Circle birthed a duplicate of itself.
The second Circle, still small and insignificant, began to spin timidly above the first, as if shy.
But its shyness was fleeting.
Startled by the sheer force of the tirelessly gushing mana from the magic tree, the second Circle gradually picked up its pace.
*'Even after breaking through the 1st Circle and forming the 2nd, the momentum hasn't slowed. This is...'*
The second Circle began to grow, just like the first, and in no time at all, it broke through the Beginner and Expert stages to reach Master.
Savoring the power of the two Circles, which had grown as if a stick figure had become obese in mere minutes, Lee Si-woo's eyes flashed open.
His body overflowed with vitality, as if he'd had his engine replaced with a brand-new one.
His feet felt as light as a feather, and a faint, warm euphoria coursed through his veins.
The waves of mana flowing from his body made the very air vibrate.
"Hooo..."
After taking a deep breath, Lee Si-woo called up his status window.
「Lee Si-woo ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆
Level: 250 > 307
Race: Human
Talent: [1] Crisis Detection (Anetium) [2] Mana's Blessing (Will) [3] Antennae (Ogong)
Technique: Hexagram
Unique Ability: Mineral Body (Platinum)
By consuming the Elemental Stone, he had completed the quest to become a 4-star, and reaching the rank of 2nd-Circle Master had raised his level to 307.
Considering that an ordinary 2nd-Circle Master's level was fixed at 300, his level of 307 was likely due to his Mineralization ability, which granted him superior prowess compared to his peers.
*'This gives me a proper footing to face the pursuer.'*
Harman, having confirmed that Lee Si-woo's rank had stabilized, spoke to him.
*My Lord, let us proceed to the library for an update. I believe it is time for you to learn the wind magic that Lime and I have researched and systemized.*
Until now, Lee Si-woo hadn't made much use of the wind magic from the avariel mage, Lime.
Not only was he unfamiliar with it, but it had always been more effective to throw another punch than to use a cutting wind at the 1st-Circle Beginner level.
But now, things were different.
He was no longer a 1st-Circle Beginner but a 2nd-Circle Master, and the power of the magic he could now wield was worlds apart from what it had been.
"Alright, let's go. And Harman, I know it might be unsettling, but would you be willing to come outside with me? If you can leave with me like this... I think you'll be an enormous help."
Lee Si-woo was quick-witted and thought on his feet, but compared to other mages, he was far from what one would call brilliant.
While Lee Si-woo was one of the smarter ordinary people, mages were, without a doubt, geniuses.
Therefore, having Harman with him like this would be a tremendous help.
Yes, like an accountant who'd been forced to do clumsy mental math finally getting a calculator.
*How could I ever disobey you, my Lord? I will do as you command.*
A faint smile on his lips, Lee Si-woo began to walk.
All that remained was to complete the update in the library and head back outside.
He couldn't be certain, but whether he was facing the pursuer or the monster mages, things were going to be very different from now on.
It was no exaggeration to say that the Lee Si-woo of thirty minutes ago and the Lee Si-woo of now were two completely different people.
*'They say the elemental magic of a mage who has absorbed an Elemental Stone is second to none... I'm looking forward to this. I wonder what level of mage I can take on now.'*