Chapter 432
Chapter 432
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 433
Chapter Title: Future Enlightenment
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...Three days ago.
After hearing about Kim Chang-hyun from Pico, I was browsing the [Special Limited Shop] for my next ability purchase.
[Mysterious Proficiency Elixir (???)]
Category: Special
Description: Upon consumption, grants a portion of the experience and insights from four years in the future, amplifying training effects.
*Duration: 3 days
*Usable within: 15 days
Price: 45,000 points (10% discount)
"...Is this any good?"
I'd bought and used regular Proficiency Elixirs a few times before, but this one was a bit different.
It was pricier, and it had this unusual line about gaining a portion of "experience and insights from four years in the future."
[Me: Is the Mysterious Proficiency Elixir any good?]
[Pico: Depends on how much experience and insight you have from the future~ lol]
"...That's not helpful."
What should I do?
Honestly, having lingered at A-Rank in Mana Control Technique for so long, I had a small burning desire to reach S-Rank.
If this elixir could get me there, I'd gladly pay the 45,000 points.
As I stared blankly at it, a sudden curiosity struck me.
Four years from now.
If the prophecy was right and I was going to die soon, wouldn't consuming this be pointless?
Out of idle curiosity, I decided to ask Pico.
[Me: If I die tomorrow, is this useless?]
[Pico: Wonder if I can tell you that.
From your reaction, seems like you know something.]
[Me: What is it? Tell me.]
[Pico: Hmm. Alright! I'll tell you! You have free will to forge your own future, so it's not set in stone.]
I knew that.
That's exactly why I was curious about this elixir.
[Pico: It'll give you experience based on the possibilities where you're alive four years from now, from the most probable futures among them. So no worries.]
"If there's even a possibility of being alive in four years..."
If that was true, it was absolutely worth buying.
Four years of experience and insights wouldn't be something to dismiss lightly.
After agonizing over it, I decided to check the other limited items.
There might be something even better.
"Let's see."
I started from the top special trait.
[Mysterious Red Elixir (???)]
Category: Special
Description: Permanently increases stamina recovery speed by 10%.
Price: 30,000 points
"Pretty standard."
My stamina recovery was already plenty high. Next.
[Point Attack (???)]
Category: Special
Description: Increases all stats by 1% per 10,000 points held.
Price: 50,000 points
A bit unusual. Not sure about the efficiency, but it didn't seem great for my urgent situation.
Next.
After browsing for a while...
"Nothing good."
I couldn't find anything appealing.
As expected of [Special] items, the effects were unique, but each had some shortcoming.
I paused to think, then checked my Mana Control Technique proficiency.
[Mana Control Technique (A-Rank)] [Proficiency: 79%]
"More progress than I thought."
Considering the time it takes to go from A-Rank to S-Rank, I'd built it up pretty fast.
I'd used exploits from Outsider benefits and had way more real combat experience than most.
Of course, once I reached a certain level, growth had stalled completely.
I checked the Proficiency Elixir again.
[Mysterious Proficiency Elixir (???)]
I'd skip a regular one, but borrowing "future insights" was tempting.
Maybe it'd break through my growth plateau.
"...Alright. Let's do it."
I already had my points spending plan set.
Buying the 400,000-point trait [Dragon Slayer (SS)]...
Among what was left of the 100,000 points after that, only the [Mysterious Proficiency Elixir] would significantly impact my showdown with Cruas.
I immediately added the two to my cart and purchased them.
[Purchased 'Dragon Slayer (SS)'.]
[Purchased 'Mysterious Proficiency Elixir (???).']
Woooong!
Two lights flashed before my eyes—one seeped into my body, the other became a vial of transparent liquid.
I grabbed the vial, popped the cork, and downed it.
[Consumed 'Mysterious Proficiency Elixir (???).]
"...Hmm."
Taste was ordinary.
I'd wondered if there'd be some immediate reaction, but nothing happened.
Well, potions take time to work.
I'd have to wait patiently.
...About 15 minutes passed like that.
As I prepared for training, I squinted.
"Is this thing even working?"
The next day after consuming the Proficiency Elixir.
I'd trained through the night without sleep, but no changes.
I felt a slight better grasp on mana, but it was negligible.
"...What the hell."
I finally stopped training and scratched my head furiously.
All flash, no substance. Way less effective than a regular Proficiency Elixir.
According to the description, it granted insights from four years in the future...
"No way the me four years from now gained zero insights?"
I let out a huge sigh and flopped onto the floor.
No results after starting with high hopes—my motivation vanished instantly.
What was wrong?
I pulled out my smartphone from my pocket and typed a message.
[Me: Hey. Mysterious Proficiency Elixir has zero effect. This a scam?]
[Pico: Proficiency Elixirs aid in gaining insights!]
"I know that much."
Then another message arrived.
[Pico: Training like that all day won't help~]
I stared blankly at the message. What did "training won't help" mean?
After thinking long and hard, a different thought flashed through my mind.
"...Training and insights are separate realms?"
I sat up and typed.
[Me: What's the difference between an A-Rank Wizard and an S-Rank Wizard? How do I reach S-Rank?]
[Pico: 10,000 points for a hint. 300,000 for the full answer~]
"...For real."
I considered ignoring it, then replied grasping at straws.
[Me: Hint.]
A small light emitted from my body, and a message appeared.
[Spent 10,000 points.]
The reply came.
[Pico: The difference between A-Rank and S-Rank Wizards is in their understanding of mana. And their approach to training.]
"...Approach to training?"
[Pico: The power gap between A-Rank and S-Rank isn't that huge. What separates them is their understanding of mana.]
[Me: So don't I still need training to gain insights?]
[Pico: Some insights come from training. But you've already trained plenty, Seonwoo, and gotten all the insights training can provide. More training will just backfire on building new understanding.]
I'd gotten all insights from training?
"...Yeah, proficiency hasn't budged from recent training."
[Pico: Think deeply about mana! Hint ends here! lol]
"Okay."
I'd spent 10,000 points, but I grasped how to train now.
Worth it.
"Alright. Start over from scratch."
I exhaled shortly, sat on the floor, and began mana meditation.
This state during mana meditation was best for contemplation.
At the same time, mana hidden in my heart began to slowly rise.
...I gain insights.
Insights...
Understanding of mana...
...But how do I gain insights?
Pico pointed me in the right direction, but now I had no clue how to proceed.
Then, advice from an S-Rank Wizard I'd seen on TV long ago came to mind.
...That growth requires diverse experiences.
This world values experience over raw power levels.
No matter how strong, you can't beat a veteran with countless experiences.
...So how does accumulated experience deepen mana understanding?
How much do I understand mana?
I decided to think about the root: 'mana' itself.
My power level was already complete through training, traits, and elixirs.
But does that make me an S-Rank Wizard? No.
Unlike them, I couldn't control mana with precision.
So how had my Mana Control Technique proficiency risen so far?
Thinking alone, the answer came.
When training, winning battles, miraculously beating strong foes, triumphing over overwhelming numbers...
My proficiency rose with each 'new experience' using mana.
To fill the remaining 21% to S-Rank, I needed matching new experiences.
Now I got it.
Make new experiences.
Not holing up in a room wasting time—I needed to go out and gain them.
In that instant, countless thoughts blossomed in my mind.
I couldn't pinpoint them, but instinctively, I knew.
These were experiences from my future self.
Woooong...
[Latent trait 'Overimmersion' activates.]
Fragmented memories seeped into my mind.
[New experience accumulated via foreign power.]
[Victorious in battle against a spirit possessing Origin Force.]
['Mana Control Technique (A-Rank)' proficiency rises by 5%.]
I didn't know what, but an experience piled up inside me.
Battle with a spirit...
Spirits usually mean 'spirits' or 'summons.'
No idea what 'spirit possessing Origin Force' specifically was, but I gained power through new experiences.
[Victorious against multiple S-Rank Wizards.]
['Mana Control Technique (A-Rank)' proficiency rises by 6%.]
Another new experience.
Battling multiple S-Rank Wizards.
No clue how that happened, but proficiency rose again.
...How much time passed in this trance?
Continuing meditation in Overimmersion, another experience flashed by.
This one was different—strong enough to send chills down my spine, burrowing deep into my body.
No idea what it was, but it must've been huge for my future self.
The message appeared.
[Subjugated disaster-grade beast.]
['Mana Control Technique (A-Rank)' proficiency rises by 10%.]
['Mysterious Proficiency Elixir (???.)' duration has fully ended.]
Swoooo...
Flash!
I opened my eyes.
Consciousness returned, and deep golden mana flowed from within me.
"...My king?"
A voice came from behind.
...Haryeong's voice.
I felt dizzy for a moment.
How long had it been since I started training?
"You're back?"
Haryeong stared at me and bowed politely.
"One day remains until the warning about Cruas you mentioned, my king."
One day...
That meant three days had passed.
"...Already?"
I slowly stood.
Haryeong stared, then said,
"Your aura has changed."
"Has it?"
I wiped sweat with a towel.
Extreme focus from Overimmersion left my body exhausted, like total depletion.
"Did you perhaps gain some enlightenment?"
At Haryeong's cautious question, I paused, then chuckled.
"Enlightenment... Yeah. A pretty important one."
I checked the floating messages.
[Obtained major enlightenment using 'Overimmersion' and 'Mysterious Proficiency Elixir'!]
[Achieved 'Pico's Advice' accomplishment.]
[Reward: Obtained 5,000 points.]
['Mana Control Technique (A-Rank)' proficiency greatly increases!]
['Mana Control Technique' rank rises to S!]
[Can now manifest more precise and destructive spells!]
[Achieved 'S-Rank Wizard' accomplishment!]
[Reward: Obtained 20,000 points.]
After three days of training, I finally reached the long-desired S-Rank realm.