Chapter 161
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: Stabilizing the Turbulent Mana
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As we drew closer to the mine entrance, the situation came into sharper focus.
Unlike usual, a faint haze of pale smoke hung low over the area.
"Poisonous fumes? I didn't think it was at the stage where they'd start spreading."
"It's not poisonous fumes. It's just a byproduct from mana constantly reacting in a confined space. It's not immediately lethal to the human body, but you don't want to breathe it in for too long."
The conditions were perfect enough to yield Oriharcon, but if it all blew up, that meant nothing.
"How far have you dug?"
"Not quite the ten meters you specified, but we've managed about six."
Id only been a day since I started crafting the mana stone pillars.
Thanks to the tireless undead, perhaps.
The progress was faster than expected.
"Close enough. That's sufficient. Berus, take those mana stone pillars over there and plant them straight into each hole, precisely."
"Huh? Just bury them like that?"
"Yeah, just make sure they're positioned right—no tilting. Bury them upright and assemble them. The instructions are written here."
"Hmm... Alright, got it."
No need for extra work. The pillars were large, but with a light weight-reduction spell, it should be quick.
After handing the pillars to Berus, I headed straight into the mine.
The mine was currently inoperable for regular mining, so no one else was around.
"Oh... Brother, what is he doing?"
"We still have time. If a thousand words won't get through, sometimes you have to let them experience it firsthand. Let's just watch for now and let him do as he wants."
I ignored the twin supervisors trailing behind and kept walking.
My destination was the spot where they had set up the barrier magic circle.
It would be nice if I could use spatial transfer magic, but with the turbulence here—not to mention the risks of casually using space-related spells in this place—it wasn't wise.
Passing the barrier circle site, I reached the end of the tunnel, where the mana density hit like a wall, thick enough to choke on.
It was a wide space, but it still needed more work.
Have to expand this.
"Ugh... What kind of mana is this..."
The two following me grimaced, clearly feeling it too.
"Step back."
I signaled for them to move away.
"There's nothing here. It's dangerous instead."
Lida, ever vigilant unlike her sister and constantly scanning the surroundings, grabbed my arm as she spoke.
"Something to find."
"What are you looking for?"
"A suitable spot."
Reshaping the terrain required focus.
But first, something else.
"Damn it. No wonder the chaos— they carved this thing right here."
I spotted the fusion magic circle the twins had inscribed and reached out.
Honestly, at first, I thought it was a mistake.
The mana was so dense that I'd overlooked the circle too carelessly.
Excuses about the wild mana in the area wouldn't cut it.
No room for repeating that mistake.
"H-Hey! Wait, what are you—"
I smashed it outright, shattering it into pieces.
"The magic circle... broken in one go..."
"How did he destroy it instantly..."
Instead of answering, I placed my hand on the ground and activated the Heart of the Machine God.
Thoom...
Ripples spread out from me several times, soon triggering a massive energy conversion.
The Heart of the Machine God drew on vast authority, not mana directly, so it was unaffected by this mana-sensitive place.
Grgrgrgrrr...
Space warped and twisted around me.
The nearby tunnel widened gradually, expanding from a ten-meter diameter to about fifteen.
Existing structures were pushed outward.
Good thing there was plenty of empty space.
The two watched in shock as the space suddenly grew, looking around wide-eyed.
"This is..."
The mages stared with round eyes, unable to comprehend.
Whether spirit, holy, or elemental magic, they all consumed mana as a cost.
But the Heart of the Machine God was authority—different from mana usage.
Of course, I had no intention of explaining.
Even if I claimed my heart held such power, they might not believe it, and I had no obligation to tell them.
I reshaped the finished space's floor into a smooth, sturdy surface.
Then, on the flattened floor, I etched geometric patterns like ornate decorations.
Not just for aesthetics.
It was like an answer sheet to prevent errors when forming and fixing dozens of magic circles simultaneously.
Hmm, three Alphauri arrays here...
And seven Sigma Rud arrays there... no, just three.
"Brother... what on earth is that guy doing..."
"Shh. Wait a bit."
Not content with dozens or hundreds of circles on the floor, he merged them into a massive one.
Individual circles intertwined to complete the giant formation.
After inscribing them on the walls and ceiling too, he even ran artificial simulations to test.
Durability good, output solid, effects reliable.
With the blueprint done, time to lay the board.
This wasn't temporary; it required full effort.
I adjusted in real-time for every variable and issue I could foresee.
The seven circles around my heart, fused as one, spun at varying speeds, accelerating gradually.
Immense mana erupted from my body outward.
Sip.
[The turbulence is intensifying. Prepare for unstable explosion.]
Not my first or second time. The knowledge and ingrained habits from there felt as vivid as data on a memory card.
"You two."
I spoke up, still focusing on tuning the mana.
"I brought you here for two reasons."
I continued.
"First, to have you here in person so you don't pull any unnecessary stunts during an important operation."
It was a situation where they could take offense, but the odd atmosphere kept them silent.
I knew their sense of justice, which was why I brought them.
They couldn't leave a dangerous place unchecked.
"Second, report back to the Bergal Mage Association that this place is no longer a problem."
"One question."
"Go ahead."
"Are you... saying you can resolve this situation?"
"And if I am?"
I glanced back and snapped my fingers.
A massive magic circle layered one atop another, enveloping the entire area.
Circles covered floor, walls, ceiling, and air, rotating like meshed gears, gradually gaining three-dimensional form.
"It's impossible for a human to control a natural disaster..."
"Mages,"
I clapped my palms lightly together, then slowly pulled them apart, forming a spherical magic circle between them.
Each turn of my hands subtly altered its shape.
"aren't they the ones who dominate and explore such natural phenomena? If the goal is right in front of you and you turn away saying it's impossible, are you even a mage? That's just cult nonsense."
Need to focus now, so stay quiet.
I closed my eyes, sat, and gradually accelerated the mana.
The circle I was installing here was, bluntly put, the grandest project since returning from Labyrinthos.
Nearly a perpetual mechanism, it demanded vast time, skill, realm mastery, and mana.
I had all four, or means to handle them.
But preparation couldn't be lacking.
"I need full concentration from now on, so I can't mind you two. Don't cause trouble—just wait quietly."
If I were a mage, I'd probably not want to leave after seeing this.
The circles rapidly shifted, added, removed, refined.
Even a single 1st-circle component demanded total focus.
Truth be told, the twins weren't entirely wrong.
An unstable mana mine offered huge gains. And I could fix it.
But one mistake, and every worker here dies.
Someone might say just use undead, but I wanted Cascadia's growth, not a one-man show.
What was Luna doing now?
Probably healing Arsha at her side.
Suddenly, Luna's reluctant expression before I left came to mind.
Finish quick and head back.
Lida and Rabena of the Bergal Mage Association couldn't tear their eyes from the scene.
And who could blame them?
They were hailed as geniuses.
They'd deciphered great archmages' legacies, even debunked research at mage tower conferences.
With minds sharp enough for that, they figured they'd at least grasp the basics, even if not fully.
But.
Now, both shared the same thought.
This wasn't debunking—it was knowledge beyond comprehension.
Like Stone Age folk watching an archmage cast great magic.
How had someone like this stayed unknown?
Even if he was bluffing now, they didn't care.
They couldn't pinpoint Leon's exact level, but his magic circles had long shocked the siblings, who'd studied them for years.
From miracles without mana to his current actions, they stared blankly despite not understanding.
He was still a teenager.
Just one or two more years to twenty.
Far younger than them, yet utterly unbelievable.
Even Rabena, who usually stammered and shrank back.
Even Lida, known for his cold demeanor and sharp tongue.
Neither could shake off the awe easily.