Chapter 65: Chenmi’s Magic (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 65: Chenmi’s Magic (2)
“Anyway, about this Chenmi character…”
Murakan continued his explanation. It was a lengthy one, but the gist was that Chenmi was a genius the likes of which only appeared once in a thousand years.
Throughout the story, Jin’s eyes sparkled with the characteristic fervor of a magic enthusiast, while Gilly watched him with a gentle gaze.
At times like this, he still shows glimpses of his childhood innocence.
It was time to leave the countryside and head for the Free City of Tikan.
Although no official bounty had been issued, returning to the capital to use the teleport gates was out of the question after the chaos they had caused.
The trio opted for the sea route.
After half a day’s carriage ride, they reached the docks and chartered the finest vessel available. The captain began preparations to set sail the moment he laid eyes on the jewels and precious metals—wealth one could hardly dream of seeing in such a rural port.
“I shall see to it that your journey is most comfortable!”
Even the few sailors roused from their sleep offered no complaints once they saw the gold.
“It will take a full week to reach Tikan.”
The ship departed about an hour later.
On the first day, Jin practiced Spirit Energy Release while enjoying the pleasant sea breeze. Since this was a training regimen he never missed unless circumstances were dire, there was nothing particularly unusual about it.
The interesting part began the day after Chenmi’s magic tome was fully deciphered.
“I was wondering which of Chenmi’s light magics this would be, and—kahaha! I think it’s exactly what you need most right now.”
“What is it? Tell me!”
Jin, who had been sitting cross-legged in his cabin, rushed over to Murakan.
He couldn't hide his excitement. The spells Murakan had described when talking about Chenmi were often destructive enough to strike fear into the dragons of that era. There were spells that could instantly disintegrate an opponent into particles of light, piercing magics that could bypass all shields, and spells that summoned an avatar of light.
Every single one of them was peerless.
Seeing Jin’s anticipation, Murakan burst into laughter once more. Then, his expression suddenly turned serious as he spoke.
“Chenmi called this magic ‘Flash Cannon.’”
“Flash Cannon! Don’t tell me it’s the one that disintegrates opponents into—”
“No. It’s simply a spell that momentarily blinds the opponent by generating an intense burst of light.”
“Oh.”
Jin, suddenly calm, nodded.
He spent a few seconds contemplating the utility of a spell called Flash Cannon. While not what he had expected, it still seemed quite useful.
“It would be perfect for creating openings during combat or for making an escape.”
“Oh, kid. You don't seem that disappointed?”
“He must have left it in the magic tome because it has its uses. I’d be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed, but as you said, it seems like the magic I need most right now.”
“Indeed, indeed. Besides, it’s an easy spell to learn. I gave it a test run as soon as I finished deciphering it just now… Wait, close the cabin door. Draw the curtains, too.”
Though it was still afternoon, the cabin became reasonably dark.
“It’s not that you can only use it in dark places, but it is light magic, after all. Now, I’ll give you a demonstration, so keep your eyes wide open and watch closely.”
Ssssss—
Mana began to coalesce in Murakan’s right hand. Jin fixed his gaze on the mana, watching as it turned pitch black.
It’s light magic, so why is it turning black…?
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
The mass of blackened mana emitted a brilliant white light, like steel on the verge of melting. It lasted only a fraction of a second, but the moment it erupted, Jin reflexively let out a groan.
“Ugh!”
The sudden, blinding radiance was overwhelming. It felt as if he had stared directly at the midday sun, as if his eyeballs had been pierced by needles made of light.
It feels like my eyes have swollen up instantly.
The Flash Cannon had lasted for only a single second. Even with such brief exposure, his eyes throbbed. When he finally opened them again, his vision was filled with floating blobs, like grease spots on water.
He felt a sudden urge to deliver a solid blow to Murakan’s jaw for telling him to ‘keep his eyes wide open,’ but stronger than that was the thrill that made his skin crawl. The sheer effectiveness of Flash Cannon was undeniable.
This is incredible…!
If he could deploy something like this at will during combat, he could handle formidable enemies he couldn't otherwise defeat. It would also be incredibly effective for escaping. It was a top-tier spell, useful for both offense and defense.
“From what I know, this Flash Cannon was actually Chenmi’s most cherished spell. What do you think?”
“It’s amazing. And I assume what you just showed me wasn't even thirty percent of the true Flash Cannon’s power?”
Jin understood perfectly without needing a detailed explanation. Murakan nodded, looking satisfied. This was the result of a clumsy imitation performed immediately after deciphering the tome.
Furthermore, since Murakan had described it as an easy spell to learn, Jin would likely be able to master it before they disembarked.
“With your talent, you should be able to grasp it in two days. If you spend the rest of the time absorbing the magic tome, you’ll have a new weapon before we even reach Tikan.”
Even after understanding the contents of such unique magics, their true value could only be realized by absorbing the magic tome itself. The method was simple: one had to convert the tome's cipher system into runes and etch them onto their body.
“Of course, kid. I assume you’re planning to make me do the Rune Substitution as well?”
“Yep.”
“I wonder how you’re ever going to pay back all these debts.”
Jin immediately began learning Flash Cannon. Murakan had said it would take two days, but it took Jin less than a day to completely grasp the theory.
He truly was a magnificent mage. To create such a great spell with such a sophisticated yet simple formula.
However, there was a reason the formula was simple. Even if it were preached to every mage in the world, not just anyone could use it. Flash Cannon fundamentally required a level of mana sensitivity only a once-in-a-century genius possessed, and its mana consumption was extreme.
Flash!
He realized this as soon as he cast an incomplete Flash Cannon as a test. A wave of exhaustion and dizziness washed over him, yet Jin wore a satisfied smile.
It was because the caster was completely unaffected by the light of the Flash Cannon.
Being magic, it was fundamentally different from natural light. Even if he stared directly at the Flash Cannon with his eyes wide open, there was no strain on his vision at all.
“By the way, kid.” Four days later, Murakan asked after finishing the Rune Substitution. “That magic tome from the mage named Shuziel Hister or whatever. I can't decipher it at all. I think it’s just ordinary trash. Why don't we use it as kindling?”
“Why kindling, specifically?”
“Because it’s annoying. This cipher system is annoying enough to irritate even me, the great Murakan.”
Jin almost replied that it was a cipher imbued with precious memories. Instead, he simply smiled.
I originally considered deciphering it myself and using it right away… but no matter how much I think about it, it’s better to return this to my Teacher later.
His magic teacher had dedicated her entire life to recovering the lost magic of the Hister family. Although they were currently only connected by the deep bond from his previous life, Jin still felt a debt of gratitude toward her.
“I’m certain it’s a magic that will see the light of day once we find a good cryptanalyst. I have a very good feeling about it. So don't obsess over what you can't do, and tell Gilly to keep it safe.”
“You, kid… you said you could burn my precious erotic picture books whenever you wanted…”
“Don't compare the two, O Great Black Dragon. If the Rune Substitution is done, just etch the magic tome onto my body.”
“Ha! Between Strawberry Pie and me, it’s like we’re your personal slaves. Haven't you ever heard the story of a cruel master being stabbed to death by his slaves?”
“Unfortunately, I grew up in Runcandel.”
Murakan began etching the magic tome onto Jin’s back. Its contents had manifested as glowing characters about the size of his fingertips. As Murakan carefully pressed the characters against Jin’s left shoulder blade, the magic tome was etched in like staining ink. The runes emitted a faint glow, making them look like a special tattoo.
“I really wanted to etch it on your butt. Or maybe your di—”
“Enough with the lame jokes. Shall I try casting it?”
As soon as the tome was etched, his understanding of Flash Cannon increased drastically. The runes on his body were stimulating his mind.
“Flash Cannon.”
Whoosh!
The moment he chanted the spell, the entire cabin was instantly dyed pure white. Sharp planes of intense light sliced through the curtains and even reached the deck.
Thud, thud, thud. The startled captain rushed to the cabin from outside.
“Guests, is everything alright? What was that sudden light…!”
Jin and Murakan looked at the captain and said in unison, “Light? What light?”
“Oh, it’s… it’s nothing. I must have been seeing things.”
It wouldn't do any good for the captain to realize that Jin had used light magic, which had vanished since ancient times.
*
The ship arrived at the Free City of Tikan on the second day of July, 1795.
Jin paid an extra fee to the captain, who had provided a satisfactory voyage, and passed through the gate immediately using forged identification. While passing through, Murakan briefly transformed into a cat.
“Meow.”
Murakan, held in Gilly’s arms, turned his head this way and that.
“Tikan has a completely different atmosphere from Akin, Young Master.”
“Indeed. It’s full of vitality.”
Compared to its beautiful scenery, Akin had been filled with people steeped in despair because of Tessing. In contrast, the open sea was visible from anywhere in Tikan. This was due to Tikan’s unique structure. The entire island was shaped like a conical tower, consisting of ten floors in total.
While its form was closer to a tower than a free city, the name carried the aspirations of the former rulers of Viment who had built it.
“Young Master, shall we look for a place to stay first?”
“You’re not going to look for a shabby inn and beat up the owner again like you did with Jet, are you?”
Poof!
The moment Murakan spoke while transforming back, Jin nearly had a heart attack.
“Murakan! Do you know how many eyes are watching? Transforming in the middle of the city…”
Tikan had a small population, but it was a city with very high population density. Transforming in the middle of a main street was a surefire way to have one’s identity exposed.
Just as Gilly was about to join in the reprimand, Murakan shook his head.
“Humans are less interested in others than you think. Haha, I’m sure no one saw.”
Looking around, it truly seemed to be the case. Everyone was busy moving about, and no one seemed interested in the trio who had just arrived.
“Oh.”
That was, until they realized it only seemed that way.
“The cat… turned into a person.”
The startled Jin and his companions turned their heads toward the voice simultaneously.
“How did you turn into a person?”
A young girl, clutching a dragon-shaped plushie tightly, was looking up at the three of them.