Growth (1)
There was only one month left until the first rift. I had to prepare within that narrow window.
And above all else, the most important thing was this.
I have to grow.
My current rank was 2nd Circle.
In terms of mana alone, thanks to Mana Amplification, I was close to 4th Circle.
But I still couldn’t use magic above 2nd Circle.
“Lia, could you call Chief Alberte for me?”
“Yes! Of course.”
Lia left the office, and a short while later Alberte came in.
“Tower Lord, you called for me?”
“Sit down. There’s something I need to discuss.”
Alberte took a chair, and I spoke directly.
“I’ll be honest. At my current level, it’s hard to respond to a dimensional rift.”
“You, Tower Lord? But you’re the one who created 4-system fusion magic…”
“That’s only magic fusion. My actual rank is still merely 2nd Circle. My mana quantity is 4th Circle level only because of Mana Amplification.”
Alberte’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he soon nodded as if he understood.
“Then… you want to raise your rank?”
“Exactly. So tell me, how do you even rise in rank?”
According to the community information before the game started, you hunted magical beasts or cleared quests to increase your rank...
But now that the game had become reality, there was no such convenient system.
“There are two methods for advancing your rank.”
Alberte began his explanation with a grave expression.
“The first is natural growth. It’s a method of slowly increasing your rank through steady training and mana accumulation. However, it takes a long time. It usually takes two to three years just to go from 2nd Circle to 3rd Circle.”
My face stiffened. Two to three years? I only had one month right now.
“What’s the second method?”
“Rapid growth. It’s a method of forcibly expanding the mana circuits with the help of a high-ranking mage. It’s dangerous, but the effects come quickly.”
Alberte hesitated for a moment, then went on.
“But your case is a little special, Tower Lord. You already have enough mana thanks to Mana Amplification. The problem is crossing the ‘wall’ of rank…”
“Wall?”
“Yes. Every rank has a gate you must pass through. It’s not as simple as having more mana. You don’t automatically rise just because your mana is abundant.”
“A wall, huh... Explain that in a little more detail.”
“Hmm... Put simply, each rank requires a unique kind of ‘enlightenment.’ To advance to 3rd Circle, you need to understand the essence of mana. 4th Circle requires harmony between attributes. 5th Circle requires a sense of space...”
I nodded as I listened to Alberte’s explanation.
“Then what exactly is the enlightenment of 3rd Circle?”
“It is the state of no longer merely using mana, but becoming one with it. Mana is no longer moving according to your will; rather, you move in accordance with the flow of mana.”
The instant I heard that, something flashed in my mind.
Becoming one with mana...
Suddenly, I remembered the sensation I felt when fusing magic.
The moment four different mana streams came into harmony within me as I fused the four systems.
Back then, I hadn’t been controlling mana. I had felt its flow and moved in step with it.
“Alberte, let’s do a practice run.”
“A practice run?”
“Yeah. I’m going to try breaking through to 3rd Circle right now.”
“Tower Lord, isn’t that too hasty? Breaking through to 3rd Circle requires proper preparation…”
“It’s fine. I’m just going to try it once. I’ll start right away, so be ready in case something happens.”
“...Yes. Understood.”
I stood up immediately and sat down in a cross-legged position.
After one deep breath, I slowly began drawing up my mana.
The mana expanded by Mana Amplification writhed within my body. But this time, I didn’t try to forcefully control it.
Instead, like when I fused magic, I began to feel the flow of mana.
Right. Let’s leave it to the mana.
I stopped leading the mana and let the mana lead me.
Then, something astonishing happened.
The mana inside my body began to circulate on its own. Like a river flowing naturally, it turned smoothly and without resistance.
And at that very moment, a lightning strike of enlightenment burst through my mind.
Ah, so this is it!
Mana was not something to be controlled. It was a partner to dance with. I was not supposed to wield mana alone; I was supposed to harmonize with it.
Whoooosh—
A vortex of mana rose around my body. But unlike before, it was not violent. It was soft and natural, like a spring breeze.
“Unbelievable...”
Alberte muttered in a stunned voice.
“To cross into 3rd Circle so naturally...”
The instant the circulation of mana was completed, blue light burst from my body.
I felt something hot surging up from the deepest part of my chest. Only now did it feel like I had finally become a real mage.
“Success.”
“Wow... You really reached 3rd Circle.”
Alberte said in an emotional voice.
“Tower Lord... you have no idea how difficult it was when I tried to break through to 3rd Circle twenty years ago. But you made it look as natural as water flowing from high ground to low...”
“Did I?”
“...At this point, I suppose I have no choice but to call it extraordinary.”
When I first fell here, I spent my time adjusting to this place.
After the magic fusion, I was tied up with negotiations with Vilheim Magic Tower and the recruitment event for talent, so I never had the time to properly grow myself.
But now that I had actually tried it...
It had gone more easily than I expected.
“Was it really this easy?”
“There’s no way. Perhaps, through magic fusion, you had already experienced the core of each rank and unconsciously absorbed the necessary enlightenment.”
“Really?”
“Yes. That is my humble assessment.”
I nodded as I listened to Alberte.
Come to think of it, while fusing, I may indeed have unconsciously learned the sensations required for each rank.
“Then should I ride this momentum and try 4th Circle too?”
At my words, Alberte’s face stiffened instantly.
“Tower Lord, that is far too dangerous. Advancing from 3rd Circle to 4th Circle is a completely different matter.”
“But I just reached 3rd Circle so easily...”
“Tower Lord. 4th Circle requires a complete understanding of harmony between attributes. It goes beyond merely becoming one with mana; you have to accept different attributes as part of yourself. And... when you cross the wall into 4th Circle, a phenomenon called mana backlash occurs. All mana suddenly flows in reverse for an instant, and if you can’t endure that...”
He pointed to his own chest.
“This happens.”
“But I already succeeded with 4-system fusion. I even harmonized opposing attributes like light and dark.”
When I argued back, Alberte shook his head.
“Fusion magic and rank advancement are different. Fusion is harmonizing external mana, but rank advancement is completely reconstructing your own inner self.”
Still, I wanted to try. There wasn’t much time left until the dimensional rift. I needed to become stronger, even if only a little.
“I’ll try just once. If it’s dangerous, I’ll stop immediately.”
“Tower Lord...”
“Alberte, get ready.”
Alberte sighed and nodded.
“...Understood. But please, be extremely careful. If anything feels even slightly off, stop at once.”
I sat cross-legged again. This time, I needed even deeper concentration.
Now that I was in 3rd Circle, the flow of mana felt far clearer than before. It was no longer a single river, but a great current formed by many tributaries joining together.
Harmony between attributes...
I began assigning attributes to the mana within me. Flame, water, wind, earth. One by one, I infused my mana with the four basic attributes.
At first, it went smoothly. I could feel each attribute’s mana taking its place within my body.
But then...
Crackle—!
Suddenly, the four attributes began to clash with one another. It was a completely different kind of backlash from the one that occurred when I created fusion magic.
“Kuhk...!”
In that instant, the “mana backlash” Alberte had mentioned began. All the mana that had been flowing forward suddenly started to reverse.
It felt like the blood in my entire body was flowing backward. Along with the pressure that felt like my heart might burst, my consciousness began to blur.
“Tower Lord! Stop!”
I heard Alberte’s frantic shout.
No, just a little longer...
But just then, an ominous cracking sound rang out from my mana circuits.
Craack—!
“No!”
Alberte instantly poured his own mana into me and forcibly calmed the surging current. The backflowing mana rapidly stabilized.
“Haa... haa...”
Cold sweat drenched my entire body. My hands and feet trembled, and my vision went hazy.
“That was truly dangerous. If you had gone any further...”
Alberte’s voice was thick with worry.
“There’s a fine crack in your mana circuits. Fortunately, it’s not at a serious level, but you should avoid any strenuous magic for the time being.”
I gave a bitter smile.
“So 4th Circle is still too much, then...”
Still, I had gained something from this attempt.
I had personally experienced what the wall of 4th Circle actually was. In that instant of mana backlash, even if only for a brief moment, I had faintly sensed what true harmony between attributes meant.
“Tower Lord, are you all right?”
Alberte supported me with a worried expression.
“I’m fine. But Alberte, from what I just felt... I think the wall of 4th Circle isn’t about simply harmonizing attributes. It’s about understanding the ‘essence’ of each one.”
Alberte’s eyes widened slightly.
“The essence?”
“Yeah. Flame isn’t just heat; it’s the attribute of change. Water is adaptation. Wind is freedom. Earth is stability. It seems like true harmony is only possible once you grasp those fundamental meanings.”
Alberte let out an admiring breath.
“Amazing. To reach such an enlightenment from a single attempt... I’ve only studied that theory for twenty years.”
I slowly got to my feet and said, “For now, it looks like I need a little more preparation before 4th Circle.”
The fine cracks in my mana circuits would probably need a little more time to heal.
Then, at that moment—
“Tower Lord! It’s an emergency. We’ve received word that strange magical beasts have appeared on the outskirts of the village!”
Lia said breathlessly.
“Magical beasts?”
Alberte and I asked at the same time.
“Yes! They say they’ve never seen anything like them before... Their entire bodies are wrapped in a purple glow, and ordinary attacks don’t work at all!”
At once, a chill ran down my spine.
Magical beasts affected by the Prism Spectrum... one of the omens of a dimensional rift?
They were probably the same kind of beasts we had seen in the first suppression battle, the Grimwolf leader, and... creatures likely influenced by another rift.
“Alberte, summon all the disciples. Lia, find out the exact location and scale.”
“Yes!”
After the two of them rushed out, I quickly threw on my robe.
The fine crack in my mana circuits still ached, but now was not the time to worry about that.
When I stepped out of the office, the disciples had already gathered. Carlos, Mira, Thomas, and even Sophia.
All of them wore tense expressions.