Chapter 158
Chapter 158
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Test (4)
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Jamie quietly alternated his gaze between the two screens.
Taking them as disciples was one thing, but he needed to check how far they could master the Full Body Breathing Method.
"Do you think you can learn it in a day?"
Jamie hadn't even needed a full day.
Of course, he'd had Black's assistance, but that was to refine Linmel's Full Body Breathing Method into his own.
For them, he planned to have them inherit Linmel's breathing method as is, without his modifications.
Without an incantation assistant on Black's level, they couldn't use a method like his anyway.
Of course, he'd made slight adjustments to the incantations to suit Anne and Lennon's characteristics.
'Anne is born with a scholar's talent, but her magical aptitude is abysmal. So, a slow but steady accumulation approach.'
Anne could replicate anything she saw on the spot.
She would acquire the Full Body Breathing Method quickly. But her channels and heart core couldn't handle mana absorbed across the entire body.
So, he'd designed it to reduce the absorption amount slightly but sustain it longer.
Her meditation time would be longer than others', but the efficiency would still be over three times that of ordinary breathing methods.
'Conversely, for Lennon's breathing method, I accelerated the absorption rate.'
Lennon's magical talent was comparable to any great archmage.
He had the makings of a great archmage someday.
So, he'd designed it to start from the second stage of the five-stage Full Body Breathing Method without hesitation.
Having received plenty of elixirs in his family, Lennon's core and channels were far superior to his peers'.
Still, it was impossible for him to master it by the end of the day. He was a prodigy in many fields beyond just magic, but not a genius.
Anne's insight pierced the essence of magic at a glance, while Lennon had to read, memorize, and understand.
He learned faster than most, but compared to Anne, it was woefully inadequate.
'Still, their levels will end up similar in the end.'
Anne built up steadily, while Lennon surged explosively.
The moment he mastered the Full Body Breathing Method, Lennon would surpass Anne in an instant. That much was obvious.
Of course, looking at it long-term...
"Lennon. The key will be how far you can go."
Jamie watched the two boy and girl compete with great enjoyment.
12 hours passed.
Children who should have been playing around hadn't budged from their seats, staring only at the magic tomes.
Anne was reading the magic tome for the tenth time.
She understood it.
She had thoroughly grasped how the incantations were structured, how their interactions sustained the Full Body Breathing Method, and what breathing pattern was required.
Yet she kept rereading it because understanding alone wasn't enough.
'If I try, I could do it right now.'
No, she could have from the first full read.
The problem was that 'being able to do it' and 'doing it perfectly' were different.
Anne wanted perfection, and half-success was worse than failure.
'Splitting the mana is the hardest part.'
Splitting mana required delicate mana control, the most difficult aspect for Anne with her poor magical talent.
It wasn't just her. Mana control scaled with a mage's realm, so exceptional mages naturally excelled at it.
Lennon had a higher realm than Anne, but across the magical world, his level was average.
He wouldn't overcome this hurdle easily either.
'Feeling mana particles like grains and splitting them to a size absorbable through the skin... Teacher Jamie does this naturally?'
The magic tome said to 'meditate in a safe place, seated in lotus position without moving.'
But Jamie maintained the Full Body Breathing Method even in daily life. Anne's brilliant mind couldn't comprehend how.
She realized anew that the title 'history's greatest talent' wasn't given lightly.
'I'm stuck here... and the second condition is harsh for me too.'
Anne made a bitter face.
The first was splitting mana particles to a skin-absorbable size.
The second was the core's storage limit.
The Full Body Breathing Method stored overwhelmingly more mana in the core than ordinary methods. Frequent use strained the heart.
Compared to oral breathing, it only shortened time slightly.
The solution was one: expand the core to multiple locations.
A act that shattered mages' common sense.
But Anne, with her lacking talent, saw the possibility.
Meanwhile, unlike Anne, Lennon could do both but was stuck elsewhere.
"...Damn it all."
He couldn't even properly understand the incantations.
Split particles?
Expand the core?
He didn't know how it was possible or why it was necessary.
"Why split mana at all? It says to breathe through the skin, so is there really a need?"
"Expand the core? That's impossible by common sense. The heart acts as the mana core because all blood vessels and channels connect to it. Other organs can't do that."
These were preconceptions he inevitably held as a mage.
Lennon's preconceptions were so ingrained he couldn't accept what he saw at face value.
He even suspected Jamie was toying with him.
It was pitiful for a 9-year-old boy, but that's how Lennon had been raised.
'No way. No matter how much he dislikes me, he wouldn't pull something like this now.'
Lennon trusted Jamie.
Above all, this breathing method was the only answer to maintain the absurd amount of mana building in his body.
"Hoo... Brutally tough."
How far had Anne gotten?
Her brain was extraordinary, so she might understand the Full Body Breathing Method in full.
In fact, Anne had grasped the theory just as he thought.
"Fine. I'll concede where comprehension is needed. Admit that and move on."
Acting stubborn like before was enough.
Lennon gave up on understanding.
Staring at a book didn't suit his temperament.
"Just dive in first."
Following the tome would work out somehow.
Better to see than hear, better to do than see.
Experiencing it bodily would lead to understanding even if he resisted.
Lennon sat in lotus position as written and began meditating.
Ignoring success or failure, he focused first on splitting mana particles.
A blue glow enveloped him.
"Intriguing."
Anne had understood the Full Body Breathing Method as expected.
Lennon, also as expected, hadn't. Jamie could guess why, but the next action was completely unforeseen.
Lennon had abruptly started using the Full Body Breathing Method.
"You're the dive-in-first type too, huh?"
Jamie laughed.
It was commendable. The difference between experiencing it bodily and not was like heaven and earth.
Jamie had thought Lennon lacked initiative. He liked acting like a schemer. 'Schemer' sounded cool, but bluntly, they hated moving themselves.
In simple terms, no initiative. They preferred ordering others rather than legwork.
So, he'd thought Lennon could never beat Anne.
'Whether you've changed lately or this was your true self all along.'
It was positive.
Especially for things like the Full Body Breathing Method that required hands-on trial. Worst case, twisted channels could cripple him, but Jamie was here.
With him present, Lennon wouldn't be crippled.
"Anne. Looks like you need to step it up."
Anne was smart and proactive.
The issue was she froze when facing magic beyond her level, unsure how to approach it.
Like running 50m without breaking 10 seconds, or learning dance but constantly confusing left and right, not even basic steps.
No matter how hard she tried, excellence was impossible.
This might make quitting magic seem right for Anne, but that's why Jamie was here.
"I'll make you a great archmage."
The first step was the Full Body Breathing Method.
Mastering it perfectly taught mana adjustment.
As class rose, control—mana adjustment—grew crucial.
Mages with poor innate mana but excellent control excelled.
Expanding the core to other body parts solved mana shortage too.
The Full Body Breathing Method was essential to compensate Anne's weaknesses.
'If worst comes, I can help with core expansion, but...'
Jamie wanted her to realize it herself.
Help wasn't bad, but his disciple should manage at least that much.
"Slow and steady. Make it your own that way."
Another 12 hours passed, and the test ended.
Jamie clicked his tongue at the haggard Anne and Lennon.
He hadn't expected both to pull all-nighters obsessing. He'd gone without sleep too.
'Kids of just 9 and 10.'
Missing one night's sleep wouldn't wreck them, but all-nighting was foolish.
Minds cleared with sleep.
Unless at Jamie's level, sleep was essential.
But he didn't scold. He'd set the one-day limit, and he'd witnessed their effort.
"......"
"......"
Yet despite the effort, both wore grim expressions.
Jamie spoke.
"You both failed."
Neither had acquired the Full Body Breathing Method.
Effort was effort; failure was failure.
Jamie wasn't one to praise effort. He was cold, deeming lack of talent for hard effort yielding failure.
"What do you think I'll say?"
"......"
"......"
Neither could respond this time either.
From receiving the tome, they'd heard only mastering the Full Body Breathing Method made them disciples.
But they'd failed.
There was some injustice. Even veteran mages couldn't master it in a day.
Children with mere years in magic failing was expected.
But they lacked courage to claim unfairness before Jamie. He'd warned of the difficulty, and they'd accepted.
"I'm sorry. We tried so hard..."
"Effort alone doesn't make a great mage."
He cut off Anne coldly.
"Just give us a bit more time..."
"You didn't even understand properly, just blindly trying until collapsing multiple times. Think more time brings sudden enlightenment?"
He negated Lennon too.
Both made bitter faces. Anne shed tears openly.
Lennon held back, but his expression matched hers.
To such children, Jamie said,
"But."
They looked up at him through reddened eyes.
He seemed like a huge adult despite being their 'little brother.'
"You showed will."
"......Will?"
"Will, you say?"
"Yes. Will."
The will to succeed, tenacious persistence to master it somehow.
Unyielding endurance.
They hadn't achieved it before time ran out, but felt the deprivation and frustration.
Jamie believed will, persistence, and endurance combined forged a complete person.
"You failed. That's undeniable."
At 'failure,' they frowned again.
Too young to hide expressions.
Jamie continued undeterred.
"But without the time limit, you'd have kept trying, even to death. Right?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
They answered vigorously, sincerely.
Not bravado before Jamie.
Thus, they qualified as disciples.
"Not mastering the Full Body Breathing Method is regrettable. I expected some progress. But separately, you exceeded the standard."
"The standard..."
"From today, you're both my disciples."
At Jamie's calm words, Anne and Lennon blinked at each other. Not grasping fully, Lennon asked cautiously.
"D-disciples?"
"Why? Don't want it? Then leave."
"No!"
Lennon shot up excitedly.
Anne jumped up too, facing him and cheering.
"Yay!! We passed!!"
"Passed! I passed!"
Anne and Lennon hugged and bounced around.
24 hours was harsh for kids. Pent-up emotions burst.
They wailed, laughed, shouted disbelief and joy.
Hard to believe they weren't on good terms.
'Yes. Hell awaits, so enjoy now while you can.'
Jamie smirked, fondly watching them.
14,000,605 hellish training regimens flashed in his mind.