Chapter 319
Chapter 319
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 319
>Chapter Title: Do You Eat With Your Hands?
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As soon as I finished speaking, Lucifer seemed lost in deep thought, unable to continue.
I waited silently for him to gather his thoughts, and it wasn't long before he finally spoke.
"Still... I don't think disciple is the right word."
"Disciple doesn't fit?"
At my question, Lucifer nodded.
"I'm not saying I can't teach the Troubleshooter. It's just..."
He trailed off, as if struggling to find the right words.
I could understand what he meant.
In other words, the weight of the term "master" was too much for him to bear.
I could have pressed further, but instead, I nodded as if I got the point.
Because.
What mattered wasn't the title—it was the act of teaching itself.
"Call it whatever you want. Anyway, you're saying you'll teach the Troubleshooter?"
"Yes, if that's what needs to be done."
"Good. Give it a try. I don't know how talented the guy is, but you'll definitely learn something from it too."
Truth be told, there was a reason I'd introduced the Troubleshooter to Lucifer.
Because there was real value in him teaching someone.
In a sense, it was a chance for him to systematize the battle-focused magic he'd honed during Troubleshooter training.
'It'll give him time to spot and refine the gaps in his fundamentals himself.'
Anyway.
"Troubleshooter?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Greet us and step back. Lucifer will call for you later."
"So... from now on, I learn from Lucifer-sensei?"
"Yeah. And don't forget what you said earlier."
"What I said..."
What else?
"You said you'd pledge your loyalty until your bones grind to dust and your body turns to powder, as long as he teaches you magic."
"Oh..."
Looking like a beggar who'd lost his tin cup, the dazed Troubleshooter let out a weak sigh and nodded.
That was when Lucifer stepped forward.
"Before he goes, may I have a quick word with him?"
"Should I step out?"
"No, it won't take long."
"Alright, then."
With my permission, Lucifer bowed his head slightly and led the Troubleshooter to the corner of the training ground.
The nearly two-meter-tall giant Lucifer and the slender Troubleshooter.
Their pairing evoked images of a back-alley scene more than a conversation, but Lucifer finished quickly.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"No problem. So..."
When I asked what they'd talked about, Lucifer's answer was concise.
"I gave him some training."
"...Training?"
"Yes. I told him to take a light lap around the Black-White Slums."
...Is that light?
The Second Black-White Slums were vast.
I didn't know how it compared to other cities, but it sure wasn't a distance you could call "light."
'...And why's a wizard running laps?'
Maybe misreading my stare.
Lucifer scratched his head awkwardly.
"Is it too light? At least four laps..."
"...No, that sounds about right."
"Then I'll ramp it up gradually."
No, I said it's fine.
My brief frown at Lucifer's common-sense-defying training methods didn't last.
Soon, I realized that Lucifer's idea of "magic" differed from other wizards'.
Well, yeah.
Troubleshooters were like that from the start.
'Even if it's wrapping magic around your fist and smashing heads, he sees it as magic.'
Anyway, that wasn't the point right now.
The Troubleshooter's training was Lucifer's domain now.
So, what was important now?
"How's the training going?"
"Yes, I've been practicing the breathing technique and mana circulation you taught me every day."
"Let me see..."
I sharpened my senses and observed Lucifer.
And the result.
"...Not bad."
"Really? That's a relief."
I wasn't just saying it.
Lucifer's condition was genuinely solid.
'Mana's built up nicely.'
From his diligent breathing practice, the circuits I'd cleared with Mana Shower showed no blockages.
Of course, the accumulated mana was still minimal...
'But that's what elixirs are for.'
At this point, his foundations were solid.
"Any sticking points in your training?"
"Well..."
As if he'd been waiting, Lucifer continued.
His questions mostly revolved around doubts from practicing the old Heavenly Origin Art—things I could answer.
Not all of them, though.
"And about the Collision Formula."
"What's wrong with it?"
"It's too hard. And not efficient. See..."
Despite his words, he'd clearly trained hard, as he clumsily demonstrated the Collision Formula.
Faint mana sparks flickered over his palm, and he was sweating profusely from the focus.
Yet he could only hold it for about a minute.
Crackle, fizz.
The Collision Formula scattered.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Lucifer spoke.
"With this much concentration, it's better to cast other spells. The mana cost too. Sure, most of the mana from the Collision Formula can be recalled to the core, but..."
"The drawbacks outweigh the benefits?"
"Yes, exactly."
Lucifer was spot on.
And it wasn't just the Collision Formula with these flaws.
Not only it, but the Interference Formula that disrupts barriers, unnamed mana circulation techniques, even Explosion Annihilation.
All these demanded serious focus from the caster.
So, naturally, it puzzled him.
'Why hone mana circulation when you could just learn other spells more easily?'
But I had good reasons for mastering mana circulation techniques.
"So, how do you plan to acquire new spells?"
"...Pardon?"
"Let's see. How many spells do you think combat wizards use?"
"Well..."
He trailed off, as if he'd never considered it.
It seemed obvious in a way, but to me, it was fascinating.
Because.
In my past life, Lucifer himself had answered this very question.
Pushing aside the nostalgia, I calmly recalled what he'd told me back then, adding my own insights.
Combat wizards' spells fell into three categories.
"First, defense. Second, attack. Third, mobility. But do combat wizards only use those three?"
"Obviously... not."
"Right. Take barriers alone—they have at least three types. They vary by the opponent's spell attribute, and whether it's piercing or explosive. Of course, at a high level, you don't need to distinguish like this..."
Sss.
I conjured a barrier and tapped its surface with a finger.
"But against peers, adapting the structure to the situation is more efficient. And the essential barrier structures number eight in total."
"Eight... structures?"
"Yeah, eight. You learn ones countering the four main attributes of that era, plus 'piercing' and 'explosive' variants for each. And those eight are just the basics."
Naturally, spell attacks weren't limited to 'piercing' and 'explosive.'
Some were hybrid, and bizarre spells to shatter barriers were developed daily.
So.
'In practice, you master dozens of barrier structures.'
I explained calmly, but Lucifer frowned, as if it was hard to imagine.
"You can learn all those spells?"
"It's not about learning them outright. In combat, you adapt on the fly."
"Is that... even possible?"
"Why not? And that's just barriers. Think about how many attack spells you'd need."
"...That many, yeah."
"Exactly. Mobility spells are fewer—just speed boosts or flight on demand. Maybe three or four variants. Anyway, a proper combat wizard juggles dozens: barriers, attacks, mobility."
"Dozens..."
"Yeah, dozens."
Of course, dozens weren't that tough.
Mostly variants of core spells, boiling down to applications.
Still, the sheer volume was undeniable.
How was it possible?
Simple.
"It's like learning to hold a pencil. You habituate it young, practice variations, and it becomes second nature. But that's not the point now. You asked why learn Collision Formula?"
"...Yes."
"Because there aren't that many spells."
"..."
"Our situation differs from noble houses. We don't have that many secret arts, and even if we did, keeping up with centuries of refinements is impossible."
That's why we'd devised mana circulation techniques.
Unlike fixed spells, they offered infinite potential.
If I had to compare...
Spells were intricate machines with dozens or hundreds of gears.
Mana circulation was primitive tools.
Free to adapt, unlike rigid spell forms.
"Collision Formula is just the start. Master it, understand mana structures, and you adapt to any situation. It's tough at first, but replacing dozens of spells? Bargain."
"Then I have a question."
"A question?"
"If these techniques can truly replace a hundred spells, why do wizards bother learning so many?"
"Do you eat with your hands?"
"...Pardon?"
"You slurp soup with your fingers? Grab and tear meat by hand?"
"No, but..."
"Why not? Hands can do it all."
"...Ah."
Lucifer finally got it, letting out a gasp of realization.
"I'd use a knife and fork if I had them. But without? Starve? Nah?"
"...I understand now."
That's how mana circulation techniques began.
To fill the spell gap.
Now, it felt natural, but anyway.
"So, any more questions?"
"About Collision Formula. You said collide mana particles, but I can't grasp them well..."
After that, Lucifer sought answers for solo training hurdles.
I was busy teaching New Heavenly Origin Art and forming circles, but I answered each question sincerely.
...And so, the first day of teaching faded.
A time that might never return.