Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: Chapter 56: Test (3)
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“Oh, you want us to master it by the end of today?”
“You’re joking, right?”
Anne and Lennon couldn’t believe it.
The Mana Breathing Method was the foundation of all magic—and everything.
A mage’s aptitude was determined by how familiar they became with it. Some mastered it in one go, while others couldn’t even after a lifetime of effort.
Even an ordinary breathing method was like that, but the Full Body Breathing Method was his original creation that only Linmel had mastered before Jamie.
Its difficulty was obvious without even flipping through the book.
“No joke. If you can’t do it, you can’t become my disciple.”
“B-but...”
“No buts. It’s either you can or you can’t. Those are the only two options.”
Jamie stopped smiling.
He looked back and forth between the two students with a serious expression.
“Becoming my disciple isn’t that easy. If you’re not confident, turn back now.”
Anne bit her lower lip, and Lennon furrowed his brow.
Neither could answer rashly.
Jamie waited silently. He knew better than anyone how difficult it was.
But it wasn’t impossible.
‘Anne. You can do it.’
A girl who went through countless thoughts at a glance and understood in an instant.
That was the talent of Anne Meyer, the scholar.
And Lennon.
‘Lennon. You can do it too.’
Not on Anne’s level, but it wasn’t impossible for him either. Of course, it wouldn’t be as easy as for Anne, so he might feel a huge sense of defeat in this test.
But just opening up the possibility would lead to tremendous growth for Lennon.
He might fail, but this test wasn’t about seeing results in the first place.
“Made your decision?”
Anne answered first.
“I’ll do it. I’ll make it happen somehow.”
Seeing the resolve in her eyes, Jamie smiled faintly and looked at Lennon.
“You?”
“...I’ll do it too. I’ll make it work.”
Lennon responded with burning determination as well.
It was a satisfying answer.
Jamie nodded, handed the breathing method book back to Lennon, and raised his hand.
“Explaining more would just waste time. Let’s start right away.”
As he lowered his hand, the space shifted.
The two widened their eyes at the sudden change and looked around.
Regardless, Jamie continued.
“Time here passes at half the speed of outside. Meaning 24 hours here is 12 hours out there. So practice without worry.”
“Wh-what is this place?”
“You’ll get answers after everything’s done.”
Jamie snapped his fingers, and the two vanished.
They had been moved to separate rooms.
Jamie created a chair and sat down.
This space was a fusion of Gremia and the reverse world of Beyond Avalon.
The result of combining Gremia’s freeform construction ability with Beyond Avalon’s reverse world.
“This thing really is something.”
Beyond Avalon.
He didn’t know who made this staff, but they had the power to manipulate even the spacetime of the reverse world.
And it synergized so well with Gremia that it would be incredibly useful.
“Let’s see.”
He tapped the floor with the staff, and two screens appeared.
Each showing Anne and Lennon.
Jamie crossed his arms and watched them intently.
Ivan, knowing Ishtar, naturally approached and shook his hand.
“Silver couldn’t make it today.”
“I heard. Shame. He would’ve been thrilled to see the progress on the new drug development.”
“He didn’t even come to work today.”
“Ah. Well, I can introduce you later. Follow me, everyone.”
Ashtar smiled and led the way.
A few steps behind, the kids approached Ivan.
“Have you been here a lot?”
“Did you come with Teacher Silver?”
“Hey, hey—calm down, everyone. Ask after it’s all over. Big bro here will explain everything.”
Ivan thumped his chest with his fist.
To the kids, he looked reliable, and they all seemed expectant.
Only Finn couldn’t join the group. No helping it. Those kids were all Beta Class like Ivan, while Finn was alone in Alpha Class.
He’d been in Alpha long enough that he only knew the others by face, aside from Ivan.
Ivan turned back and beckoned Finn.
“Finn, don’t stand there alone. Come here. We’ll be together from now on.”
“Ah, right.”
“We gotta show those guys who always ignored us what’s what. With Apophis, we could hit the top ranks—no, top 10 in the school. Right, Mr. Ashtar?”
“Hahaha. With the new Apophis EX under development, more than possible.”
“Ooh!!”
The kids couldn’t hide their excitement at ‘Apophis EX’.
The upgraded version of X.
The name of the new drug in development.
Ashtar opened the door while looking at the kids.
“Come in. It’s a drug storage, so it’s a bit chilly.”
True to his word, cold air lingered in the storage room.
Various glass vials lined transparent cases.
Ashtar walked to the center, placed his hand on the floor, and a small pillar rose.
He tapped the pillar with his finger, and it split into five branches, revealing a transparent glass tube inside.
About the length of an adult man’s index finger. Ashtar carefully took it out.
“This is the EX, but it’s not complete yet.”
“It’s... iridescent.”
The transparent liquid shimmered faintly with rainbow hues in the light.
The students swallowed dryly.
“Mana absorption rate 1.5 times higher than X, and concentration up to twice—we’ve confirmed it.”
“Wow—no comparison to X.”
“But since it’s not finished, the side effects are severe, so not on the market yet.”
“What side effects?”
“Fever, body aches, that sort of thing. Haha.”
At the mention of fever and aches, Finn cautiously raised his hand.
“Does X have those side effects too?”
Ashtar looked at Finn.
He scanned him up and down before speaking.
“Pale skin, slightly gaunt face, no strength in the shoulders.”
“Yes. Started suddenly this morning...”
“You suspect it’s from Apophis?”
“N-not suspect exactly, but even good drugs have side effects...”
“Ah, not accusing you. Just correcting a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?”
Finn tilted his head, and Ashtar nodded, continuing.
“Simply put... your name?”
“Finn Bartik.”
“Finn. That’s muscle soreness.”
“Muscle soreness?”
“What happens to your body the day after intense exercise?”
“Muscles stiffen up. Hurts to move.”
“Exactly. Apophis boosts mana absorption. Meaning you absorb more mana than usual, so what happens to the heart’s core?”
“It grows.”
“Right. What if it grows bigger than it can handle?”
“...Does it tear?”
“Cores don’t tear. But to maintain the size, it draws on the body’s energy. Naturally, you feel weakened.”
“That’s my condition now.”
“Exactly!”
Ashtar snapped his fingers cheerfully.
“The longer the core maintains that size, the better your body will feel. No worries.”
“Phew. Glad to hear it. Thought it was a side effect.”
“Varies by person, but you’re improving. Keep taking it steadily.”
“Yes.”
Apophis X indeed.
Anne said overuse was bad, but experts knew best.
After that, they exchanged brief Q&A, and before the students left, he gave them small Apophis EX samples as gifts.
“Diluted version of the new drug. Effect similar to X, but added orange flavor for taste. No side effects.”
He winked at Finn when mentioning side effects.
Finn coughed awkwardly, embarrassed.
“Then we’ll head out. Next time with Teacher Silver!”
“See you next time.”
Ashtar waved to the students, then dropped his smile as they fully disappeared.
“Fucking hell. Why do I have to deal with these brats?”
He roughly swept back his silver hair and sighed heavily.
As he lit a cigarette and headed to the lab, someone snipped the end off.
Ashtar scowled and turned.
“You crazy?”
“No smoking indoors.”
A woman in a dark robe.
“Haa—world’s so damn annoying.”
“Trash in the bin.”
As Ashtar tossed the butt on the floor, she levitated it with magic.
“Don’t piss me off. Before I smash you.”
“Handled Teacher Silver’s body cleanly.”
Silver.
The Phoenix Academy teacher whose head Ashtar crushed underfoot last night.
And homeroom teacher to those kids who just left.
Realizing that, Ashtar couldn’t hold back laughter.
“Those little shits, kekeke! Performing like clowns in front of their master’s killer. Especially that old kid. Believed every word. Muscle soreness my ass. Kikikikik!”
The woman showed no reaction to Ashtar’s words.
Deflated, Ashtar coughed awkwardly.
“Anyway, where’s the doc?”
“Checked side effects and went back to the lab.”
“Busy guy. Isn’t it boring as hell here? Can’t smoke, drink, bring girls. Dying of annoyance.”
“You’re getting paid to basically play. What’s boring?”
“Hey, Mary. I didn’t come for money.”
“...”
“Came for blood.”
Madness gleamed in Ashtar’s eyes as he said it.
Then he grinned and patted the robed woman’s shoulder.
“Won’t kill you, so relax.”
“Kill me, and you die too, Ashtar.”
“True. Doc wouldn’t let it slide. Not bad though?”
Ashtar wiggled his fingers, and Mary sighed deeply.
“I won’t ask you to act for our cause. Just fulfill the contract. It’s business.”
“Of course, of course. Employee serves the boss diligently~”
Mary ignored the sarcasm.
Bored, he stripped off his uncomfortable suit and flung open the window.
“No appointments today, so this manager’s heading out to play.”
“Don’t cause trouble.”
Ashtar grinned and leaped out.
Alone, Mary contacted someone.
“Teacher. Ashtar’s stepped out.”
-Don’t worry. He’s under surveillance anyway. Can clean up any mess quick.
“Good then.”
-Hang in there a bit longer, Mary.
“Yes, Teacher.”
Pocketing the communication orb, Mary walked to the open window.
Cool wind blew in. The robe slipped, revealing blue hair cascading down.
Anne sat at the desk, rapidly devouring the magic book.
Truly difficult content.
On a whole different level from what she’d learned at the academy.
‘Can I do it?’
Anxiety crept up, but she shook her head to clear it.
Not can I—I must.
She wanted to become a mage great enough to revive her family. That dream had never changed.
But frustration was inevitable.
So many amazing kids around her.
She’d heard she was smart since childhood and somehow made it to Alpha Class, but she couldn’t imagine going further.
So she studied like mad. If magic was lacking, she’d compensate with academics.
But even that was hard.
Some wielded adult-level skill at age 9. Others exploded with potential and grew rapidly.
She’d stagnated for a year. If she hadn’t learned magic, would she have lived happily like other girls her age?
“No. I’ll become a mage no matter what!”
She could play freely with peers, bask in parental love.
But that wasn’t the life Anne wanted.
“I can do it. I have to.”
At just 10, the girl had no choice but to grow up.
The boy was the same.
“I won’t lose.”
Lennon had known since childhood his talent far surpassed his worthless brother’s.
Everything was easy—studies, magic, even manipulating people or sowing discord behind the scenes.
He just needed his father’s recognition. A bit more growth, and he’d have it.
Then he met Jamie Welton.
Devastating. The defeat from a boy a year younger didn’t heal easily.
Then his father, Simon Count, extended a hand, and Lennon began changing himself.
Everything went smoothly. Not full recognition, but the positive attention he’d craved. He absorbed his father’s magic quickly.
He had no doubt he’d rise in the magic world.
If only not for Anne Meyer.
“Once is enough for that experience!”
Being crushed by Jamie Welton was sufficient.
He couldn’t tolerate someone else surpassing him with superior talent.
He’d prove his superiority somehow.
Convert envy, jealousy, inferiority into power and master the Full Body Breathing Method.
He knew.
This test favored Anne.
So what?
“I’m Lennon Simon. Proud son of Richter Simon!”
The boy and girl lit fires in their eyes and heightened their focus.
Jamie watched the two immerse themselves in the magic book on the screens and muttered contentedly.
“Pass.”
They had what it took to be his disciples.