Chapter 156: How to Deal with a Mage (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 156: How to Deal with a Mage (4)
Three months ago.
Roman set a goal: to analyze magic.
From that moment on, he collected every magic book he could get his hands on, spending every spare second dissecting their contents.
The Understanding of Magic.
It was the most fundamental of theories. Though he had read it once before, Roman reviewed its contents anew.
「Magic begins by resonating the mana within one's circles with the mana of nature. Since it is impossible to fully manifest magic using only internal mana, a person's mana affinity—dictated by their inherent disposition—is a crucial factor. If the mana held within the body is attuned to the fire attribute, one can draw upon the power of fire existing in nature, creating a powerful synergy when casting fire magic.」
Resonance with nature.
That was the root of magic.
Ordinary mages studied The Understanding of Magic and, just like their predecessors, strove to find the mana attribute that suited them best. Fire, water, wind—just as the book dictated, they focused on mastering spells related to their compatible attributes rather than opposing ones.
When he first read the book, Roman had taken the words literally. But after facing Edwin Hector, he began to interpret its teachings from a completely different perspective.
'Resonance with nature means a specific signal occurs whenever magic is cast. People often describe magic as a divine miracle that creates something out of nothing, but as The Understanding of Magic explains, it is not a power manifested without conditions. If I can read that signal, wouldn't it be possible to detect the magic beforehand and evade it a step faster?'
It wasn't just about sensing the flow of mana and reacting. It was about finding a consistent pattern.
He sought to pierce through to its very essence. Starting from a basic theory, Roman’s questions chained together, building upon one another.
'Magic is a highly organized discipline. Because anyone can cast the exact same spell by following a clear system, mages have passed down their knowledge through generations to establish the current foundation. This means it is possible to exploit this standardized system. Spellcasting. The moment the mana rising from the circles connects with the mana of nature, I can predict what spell the opponent is casting based on its shape, mana density, and attribute. For example, if it forms a spherical shape with a small amount of mana and a fire attribute, the mage is undoubtedly casting a Fire Ball. If I can perceive that in advance, responding is simple. A Fire Ball explodes in a straight line. With just a single step to the left or right, I can easily evade it.'
He let his imagination take flight, vividly visualizing himself dodging a Fire Ball.
'Sensing the resonance of mana is difficult. Therefore, to apply this theory to reality, I must perfectly understand their spells and master their system myself.'
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles.
A perfect victory began with understanding the opponent.
Expensive magic tomes. He bought them all. Filling his bookshelves, he crammed that vast knowledge into his head.
He had even checked to see if he possessed potential as a mage, but he quickly discovered that circles and the mana of the Dantian could not coexist. It was a power he could never wield himself, no matter how hard he studied. Yet, driven by the sole determination to dissect magic, Roman spent a fortune and countless hours studying exactly like a mage.
During the first month, his progress was incredibly slow. Since he had no prior foundation, he didn't rush, focusing instead on meticulously grasping the core concepts.
But as time passed, his analysis gained momentum. As his bookshelves filled up, Roman began to comprehend the true essence of magic.
Finally, exactly three months later, Roman Dmitry realized the necessity of combining his theoretical studies with real combat.
* * *
Roman spoke.
"The reason I was able to react to your magic a step faster, Felix, is because I read a consistent pattern. Based on the amount, shape, and attribute of the mana, I determined in advance which spell you would cast and chose my response accordingly. Whether you were going to use Fire Ball, Fire Wave, or Rune Flare—once a mage decides to cast a specific spell, predicting its trajectory and purpose based on its nature is not that difficult."
From those very first words, Felix was left astounded.
Roman spoke as if it were nothing special, but putting that theory into practice was a completely different matter.
First of all, it required:
1. The sensory ability to read mana resonance.
2. The profound knowledge to identify a spell just by looking at the shape of that resonance.
3. The rapid judgment to react instantly based on that information.
At the very least, these three absolute conditions had to be met.
Felix's eyes trembled, but Roman calmly continued, answering the questions Felix had asked one by one.
"Breaking curse-type magic like Hold was simply a form of neutralization. According to established magical academia, a curse can be lifted by expelling the foreign mana that has invaded the body. However, this method inevitably takes too much time. On a battlefield where every second counts, it is hardly a viable solution. Therefore, I chose to use the mana inside my body to trigger an explosion against the external mana. An internal explosion. A slight miscalculation in the range or intensity of the blast would cause severe self-inflicted damage, but if controlled properly, it can completely shatter the curse."
This, too, made absolutely no sense.
Upon meeting Roman, Felix had asked three questions: how he reacted a step faster, why curse magic didn't work on him, and what kind of barrier had blocked his spells.
Roman had given clear answers. Yet, even hearing them with his own ears, Felix knew that simply understanding the theory didn't mean just anyone could replicate it.
"Lastly, the third question. The barrier that blocked your magic was formed by projecting Aura outward to create a 'shield.' I call this the Sword Barrier. It is a method of using the powerful, destructive force of Aura defensively to block an opponent's attack."
Sword Barrier.
It was a technique from the Murim. Unlike the methods of this world, which used Aura explosively, the Sword Barrier required meticulous, absolute control just to project it outward. If an ordinary swordsman tried to mimic Roman's method, far from forming a shield, their unstable Aura would detonate before they could even shape it.
When Roman first brought up The Understanding of Magic, Felix had questioned his logic. But as the explanations continued, Felix realized exactly why he had no choice but to lose.
Thud.
Roman closed the book. Then, he asked, "My explanation is complete. Do you have anything to add?"
To refine his own knowledge, he did not hesitate to share his secrets with others. It was an immense display of absolute confidence.
Looking up at Roman, Felix could not bring himself to say anything else.
"...No, I do not."
* * *
After the conversation ended, Felix returned to his quarters.
Though it had been a brief exchange, the discussion with Roman made him feel incredibly small.
"What on earth did I just hear?"
Felix. People called him a genius. Until now, he had lived his life believing he was one of the gifted few, but Roman Dmitry existed on an entirely different level.
A monster. There was no other word to describe him.
As Roman explained his methods for dealing with mages step by step, Felix felt his entire understanding of common sense crumbling to pieces.
'Roman Dmitry is not someone who simply relies on instinct. He thoroughly analyzes his opponent and, through flawless calculation, claimed dozens of victories against me. Offering a reward of 10,000 gold in the first place must have been for the exact same reason. Because he was absolutely certain of his victory, he deliberately backed himself into a corner with a massive bounty.'
It was not a normal way of thinking.
No matter how confident someone was, in a situation where a fortune was on the line, Roman Dmitry had openly detailed exactly how he won. His intention was clear. Rather than worrying about his knowledge leaking, he wanted to put their heads together to refine his own understanding. Since it was a method that not just anyone could replicate anyway, he displayed the sheer boldness of not hiding his uniqueness.
'Could I have done the same?'
No. He absolutely could not have.
Even if he couldn't refine the knowledge on his own, he surely would have kept it hidden away, pondering how to profit from its rarity. It wasn't that such a decision was shameful. Knowing that most people would make the exact same choice only made Roman feel like even more of an anomaly.
Suddenly, his earlier conversation with Roman echoed in his mind.
"Felix, the fact that I defeated you is not what's important. I have something I wish to gain from our duels, and one-sided matches like yesterday and today are not what I want. So, do not hesitate to use any means necessary to defeat me. As long as it is within your magical capabilities, I will allow whatever method you choose."
Roman had been consistent from beginning to end.
He didn't care at all about revealing his strength or his unique knowledge; he only hoped to grasp even a sliver of potential through his clashes with Felix. He was willing to spend a fortune and risk leaking his secrets in the process. It seemed that as long as he could take a single step forward, he didn't care who followed behind him.
It was awe-inspiring.
Because it was something he could never emulate, Felix felt, for the first time in his life, that his own existence was utterly insignificant.
'Even a powerhouse like Roman Dmitry strives endlessly to become stronger. But what on earth have I been doing? Ever since my master went missing, I've only avoided reality under the excuse of having no other choice. As the Master of the Phoenix Magic Tower, I have done absolutely nothing to move forward. The same goes for my decision to come to Dmitry. If I truly had the resolve, I would have chosen self-improvement instead of chasing money.'
In hindsight, meeting Roman had brought him enlightenment. But if he had made the right judgment from the start, he wouldn't have chosen to come to Dmitry, no matter how much gold was offered.
At this very moment, Felix forgot all about the transaction. Putting aside the massive bounty, he, like Roman, wished to truly gain something.
'For the remaining time, I will pour everything I have into my duels with Roman Dmitry. I hope he gains even a single spark of potential through me, and that I, too, can take something away from our battles. I will spend this time not simply to make money, but for my own growth.'
There are many kinds of people in the world. While some despaired upon encountering an insurmountable wall, others used it as a stepping stone for growth.
Felix belonged to the latter.
From that moment on, regardless of victory or defeat, Felix threw himself entirely into his new reality.
* * *
Time passed.
Even after his mindset changed, they held dozens of duels, but Felix failed to win even once. It was a brutal series of one-sided defeats. Yet, he no longer cared about winning or losing.
Felix constantly struggled to bring down Roman Dmitry using every method at his disposal. Perhaps recognizing that effort, Roman never made any condescending remarks despite winning every time. Felix was an excellent test subject. With the rich combat experience Felix provided, Roman Dmitry's reactions grew increasingly proficient.
Before long, two months had passed since his arrival in Dmitry.
Living away from Frank, Felix came to realize just how strange of a land Dmitry truly was.
'Dmitry is merely a peripheral barony. Yet, its military strength is overwhelmingly superior to any standard measure.'
Take the guards at the castle gates, for instance. He had assumed they were just systematically trained, but after seeing Roman Dmitry's private soldiers, his opinion completely changed. They were truly warriors capable of matching a hundred men each. Even the ordinary soldiers displayed such overwhelming martial prowess that they could easily be called knights if they were simply handed armor and helmets.
Furthermore, their loyalty was absolute.
He occasionally had the chance to watch their training, and they displayed such fanatical fervor that they looked ready to bite off their own tongues if Roman ordered it. The same went for the common people. Even though Roman was clearly not the Lord of Dmitry, he held an overwhelming, almost sovereign presence within the territory.
It was clear. He was a ruler.
Roman Dmitry was a man entirely accustomed to ruling over others. His uncompromising attitude and the natural way he accepted the people's absolute loyalty evoked a strange sensation in Felix.
He thought of his own master. With his absence, the magic tower had begun to shake and fracture. If the Phoenix Magic Tower had a central pillar like Roman Dmitry, perhaps it would have moved in a much better direction.
Then, one day, Felix heard something shocking from a blacksmith at the local forge.
"Does Young Master Roman visit the forge often? Well, he drops by occasionally to check on the people's livelihoods, but he uses a private forge when he crafts swords himself. Actually, I heard a rumor from the Master Blacksmith. He said that when Young Master Roman works, the flames of the furnace wrap around his entire body. It makes him look so incredible that he resembles a god of fire."
It was just a chance conversation. But at the description of flames wrapping around Roman's body, Felix could not simply let the words pass.
'Could it be?'
His heart pounded against his ribs.
The ability to embrace fire. If the blacksmith's words were not an exaggeration but the absolute truth, it was the very answer Felix had been desperately searching for.
The secret technique of the Phoenix.
To perfectly manifest Burning, one needed precisely that ability—the power to embrace fire.