Chapter 223
Chapter 223
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 223
>Chapter Title: I Am a Breeder
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First, let's sort this out.
Three circles.
The rings centered around his heart were, to put it bluntly, a bit lacking to fully handle transcendence.
‘How many more do I need to fully wield transcendence?’
For now, he had no idea.
There was nothing to compare it to.
But even so, the reason he could smile was something else.
‘Transcendence is like that by nature.’
Even after stepping into the realm of transcendence, not every grand archmage could keep it open at all times.
Transcendence was like opening a new horizon, akin to Obern's overclock, but it had a clear duration.
So, what was different from before?
‘A lot has changed.’
Previously, even drawing out transcendence for a single moment required bearing a massive risk.
In other words, the act of opening transcendence itself burdened the vessel, making it an adventure in its own right.
But now...
‘Let's see how feasible it is.’
Aster left Senior Teheman behind and tried opening transcendence for a moment. Or rather, he tried to.
If not for Senior Teheman's voice ringing in his ears.
"First, I have a lot I want to hear, but... are you planning to stay like that?"
"......?"
"No, I mean, isn't class about to start soon?"
"Wait, is it that time already...?"
At Aster's question, Teheman pulled a pocket watch from his pocket.
[8:43]
"This isn't... 8 PM, right?"
"Does Jenion have a night class? That's why I'm mentioning attendance. You've been managing the backlash for quite a while."
Academy classes started at 9.
But attendance was due by 8:10.
Roll call began at 8:30, and being marked late officially started from then.
In other words...
"I'm... late?"
"Hurry over. I hear they sometimes let it slide if roll call hasn't ended yet—hmph."
Before Teheman could finish, a gust of wind whipped up beside him.
Teheman blinked at the sudden breeze, but Aster was already gone.
Staring at the spot where Aster had been, Teheman recalled the Aster from moments ago.
‘Definitely...’
Right before Aster opened transcendence.
Teheman had clearly sensed it.
Though that aura vanished completely at his words, in that brief instant, Teheman knew.
"...Has he taken another step forward?"
No, that phrasing was a bit off.
Aster had already reached transcendence originally. It was just that his vessel wasn't whole, so he couldn't wield its full power.
To be precise, he'd finally returned to his rightful place.
In other words, he'd become a true grand archmage.
‘...Is there precedent for this?’
Teheman pondered deeply.
According to academy records, Aster was 14.
As a Black-White Slums urchin, it might not be exact, but it was probably close.
Had anyone in history reached transcendence at that age?
After a moment's thought, Teheman shook his head.
‘No idea.’
Teheman didn't know everything.
But from what he knew, no one had reached transcendence at 14.
That made this a monumental event worthy of record—not just in mage history, but in all history...
Yet, for some reason.
Teheman felt less awe and more amusement.
"A grand archmage worrying about being late. That's unprecedented too, isn't it?"
Realm doesn't define a person's character.
And Aster was the prime example.
* * *
After that day, Aster faced another challenge.
‘How to make circles—that's the issue.’
For reference, making the fourth circle itself was simple.
No need to push himself like with the second and third; just gather mana and form it.
But how to gather mana without a core?
That was simple too.
Unlike the first circle, the second and third cores had been split from an existing one, so they could hold mana.
So, what Aster was pondering wasn't how to make the ‘fourth circle.’
Rather...
‘Yes, how to make the first circle.’
Truthfully, it wasn't a concern Aster needed to have.
Whatever the principle, he'd already made the first, and gone on to the second and third.
So why worry now?
The Magic Tower.
He planned to enshrine the circle's secrets within it.
But that wasn't easy.
The first circle had been forged on the spot amid the enlightenment of reaching transcendence... and honestly, he couldn't explain its principle.
So, he thought this:
‘If I made the second and third circles that way, couldn't others make a first circle the same way?’
That's where the problem arose.
Let's see.
Two methods had been used this time.
One was core splitting.
The second was...
‘New Heavenly Origin Art.’
That was the issue.
"How exactly... I somehow operated it following the flow back then."
He couldn't recall the imagery he'd used to operate the New Heavenly Origin Art.
The answer surely lay in that imagery.
It was truly bizarre.
Look at him now.
At dawn, in his private training room, Aster sat cross-legged and tried operating the New Heavenly Origin Art.
The operation itself was fine.
‘The New Heavenly Origin Art runs stably.’
Does that even make sense?
A vision with specific imagery requires visualizing it to operate, yet it worked without knowing what that imagery was?
Even the Crimson Flame vision couldn't be used without envisioning a ‘solitary blazing fire.’
"Tch, the answer seems to be in the New Heavenly Origin Art, but..."
What imagery had caused this phenomenon?
Impossible to know.
On the other hand, he thought:
Maybe tell Parun or Henji and research it together...
But Aster shook his head at that.
‘Too early for that.’
They were brilliant mage scholars, no doubt, and more versed in Heavenly Origin Art than him... but even they couldn't do much in this situation.
You need clues to research, right?
Meaning, even collaborating required finding at least a starting thread...
"Hoo."
Finishing the New Heavenly Origin Art operation, Aster slowly opened his eyes.
"This'll work itself out eventually."
The Magic Tower wasn't a 1-2 year plan.
No need to rush.
Even if he never found clues about circles until his dying day, it wouldn't matter.
Well, he wouldn't just sit idle, but anyway.
Putting aside thoughts of circles, Aster shifted his attention elsewhere.
To the New Heavenly Origin Art.
"It's the real deal, alright."
The New Heavenly Origin Art was impressive.
Operating it himself showed a clear difference from Heavenly Origin Art—the biggest being this.
‘Free from attributes.’
Of course, Heavenly Origin Art could also freely change attributes. But why was this a ‘difference’?
The answer lay in reliance on other visions.
Heavenly Origin Art heavily depended on them.
By itself, it was just neutral mana; to use other attributes, you needed the related vision.
‘Like Crimson Flame, for example.’
In other words, you had to combine Heavenly Origin Art's base with Crimson Flame or other applications.
But New Heavenly Origin Art was different.
Psssh—
Aster observed the water droplet rising from his fingertip with his mana sense.
‘Water attribute mana.’
Without learning the Decullan water attribute vision, Aster was using water attribute mana now.
Not just water—earth, wind, all mana types were the same.
Of course, it wasn't perfect.
"I can handle it, but the power's much weaker."
Naturally, it fell short compared to visions specialized and refined for one attribute.
But it wasn't bad.
‘No need to stick to Decullan visions anymore.’
Before, he'd clung to them for synergy with Heavenly Origin Art, but now he could adapt any vision.
No need to learn them fully.
Just extract and integrate the attribute mana know-how.
In other words, greater possibilities.
There were other advantages too, but...
That's when.
Ding-ding, ding!
Aster snapped from his thoughts at the alarm clock's wail in the private training room.
"Time already?"
It was suddenly 8 AM.
Aster packed up and stepped out.
Not for school.
It was the weekend.
...Though with finals looming, weekends meant little to academy students, but still.
Heading out, Aster went to the academy's main gate.
"You're here?"
Aster nodded half-heartedly at Evelyn's greeting and glanced at her face.
"Dark circles are heavy. New look?"
"...They're dark circles. You're teasing, right?"
"Yeah."
It was the kind of remark that could earn a punch, but Evelyn sighed familiarly.
She was used to it now.
"Anyway, it's today, right?"
"Yes, today."
What was today?
[1st Black&White Grand Auction]
The so-called First Black-White Slums Auction.
‘Black&White Great Auction? Giant Auction? Tch, whatever the name.’
Today was the day of the auction dubbed the ‘Grand Auction’ among nobles.
In other words, the day Evelyn's semester-long project bore fruit.
Maybe that's why.
Stepping outside Hazen, Aster took in the vast blue plains.
Normally empty without a soul, now lined with carriages and merchants.
"Wow, lots of people."
"Right? Tons."
"All heading to the auction?"
Evelyn shook her head slightly at Aster's question.
"Probably only a few are there for the auction itself. Most have other goals."
"Other goals?"
"Yeah, well... where people gather, money flows, so merchants setting up shop. Or scouts checking the vibe and auction situation."
"What for?"
"What else?"
Evelyn smiled slyly.
"You really don't know, do you? This is like discovering a new business model. Nobles flocking to a Black-White Slums auction? Makes you think you could hold them elsewhere too."
"Hmm."
"To dig deeper, you'd need certified auction house fees, consignment processes, accessibility... but of course, you don't care, right?"
Excitedly chattering, Evelyn realized her audience was Aster and tossed in a question.
And predictably, Aster's response was as expected.
"Of course not."
Why?
‘I am a breeder.’
With a performing bear in tow, just collect the money and eat.
"I'm rich now."
That's when the wyvern's voice came.
[Friend.]
‘...Yeah?’
[Then, Moonlight Stone for me.]
...Aster didn't reply.