Chapter 304: Three Guests (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 304: Three Guests (2)
The Star of Hector.
A genius mage.
The titles bestowed upon Edwin Hector were proof enough that his existence had always been extraordinary.
He, too, had once possessed absolute confidence in himself.
But over the past few years, that confidence had been steadily chipped away.
Meeting Roman Dmitry on the Southern Front had forced him to face an insurmountable wall. Realizing he was utterly powerless—even after identifying the culprit who had starved the Hector Kingdom—had left him drowning in a profound sense of helplessness. Even so, Edwin Hector did not give up. He mercilessly whipped himself into shape, honing his magic at the Sky Magic Tower and forging an alliance with Roman Dmitry. He did everything within his power.
But then, an event occurred that shattered his last remaining shred of confidence.
In the total war between Kronos and Dmitry, the Kronos Empire had deployed an 8th Circle mage.
‘...The 8th Circle is a realm I can never hope to reach, no matter how hard I struggle or how many decades I devote to my training. The Kronos Empire—the very entity I seek revenge against—is an absolute monster. And Roman Dmitry, the man I once fought a fierce war against on the Southern Front, has surged so far ahead that I dare not even look up at him.’
It was a bitter irony.
The Master of the Sky Magic Tower praised Edwin Hector's progress, calling him a "genius of the century," yet whenever he looked up, he saw beings far beyond his reach. Roman Dmitry, the man who had handed him his greatest defeat, and Kronos, the archenemy of Hector. No matter how far he reached out, he could never touch them. They had already attained a realm beyond the heavens—the Heaven Beyond Heaven.
He was consumed by spite.
Gritting his teeth, Edwin Hector invested every waking moment outside of his political duties into his training, immersing himself entirely in his magical development.
Then, one day, Edwin Hector witnessed a shocking sight.
The Swordsmanship Presentation.
As Roman Dmitry stood before the crowd, speaking of a "swordsmanship revolution," Edwin saw the future of the magical world.
‘Roman Dmitry described the brain as the Upper Dantian. If circles are formed in the heart—the Middle Dantian—and the vessel of aura is created below the navel—the Lower Dantian—then it stands to reason that the Upper Dantian can also be developed. If we can unlock the secrets of the Upper Dantian, it will undoubtedly become the key to a magic revolution.’
Magic.
How did this unknown power manifest?
By forming circles in the heart and assimilating the mana within them with the mana of nature, one could summon disasters akin to natural cataclysms at will. But in this process, circles were not the only requirement for a mage. An extremely developed brain was also necessary. If the circles were the pathways for mana, the brain was the processor that handled the excessive flow of information and mana rushing into the mind. Thus, both the circles and the brain had to be developed to manifest high-circle magic.
Therefore, as a mage's circle rose, their heart and brain developed in tandem.
The reason those hailed as "geniuses" became mages was because inherent brain development was directly linked to magical talent.
This realization shifted his entire perspective.
If the theory Roman Dmitry spoke of entailed the development of the Upper Dantian, it could be interpreted as a method to artificially enhance one's "brain capacity" after birth. It was a truly staggering hypothesis. If a 3rd Circle mage could develop their brain enough to process 5th Circle magic, they would possess a power that completely overwhelmed others of the same level. It wasn't just about a raw increase in magical power; the complex synergy—such as the processing speed of spells—would undoubtedly lead to a quantum leap in progress.
He fell deep into thought about the future.
To exact revenge on the Kronos Empire, he needed the power to face monsters like Shepir.
Ultimately, Edwin Hector made his decision.
Desperate to grow stronger, he cast aside all his petty pride and departed for Dmitry.
Around the time the sun reached its zenith, Edwin Hector arrived in Dmitry—just after Hoffman had departed.
* * *
A request to teach him about the Upper Dantian.
It was a sudden, unprecedented turn of events.
Even though it was a situation that might have flustered anyone else, Roman Dmitry merely looked at Edwin Hector with calm, steady eyes.
"Dmitry and Hector are allies belonging to the same Kingdom Alliance. However, that alone is not a sufficient reason to teach you about the Upper Dantian. Why should I take on such trouble?"
At those words, Edwin Hector's eyes flickered.
Though it was a somewhat unfavorable response, Roman Dmitry's statement made one thing clear: he did indeed know the secrets of the Upper Dantian.
If so, this was an opportunity.
Edwin Hector spoke up.
"I agree that this is a reckless request. Although you explained the concept of the 'Dantian' at the Swordsmanship Presentation, sharing that information without compensation would be forcing Dmitry to make a one-sided sacrifice. Let me be blunt. I am certain that the Upper Dantian is the key to a magic revolution. If Hector achieves meaningful results through this shared knowledge, we will transparently disclose the entire process and its conclusions to you. We will do our utmost to help Dmitry achieve the exact same results."
He did not try to hide his intentions.
Dmitry held all the cards.
As the party in an absolute position of weakness, Edwin knew all too well that a half-hearted negotiation would only ruin their relationship.
"And though this is highly confidential, we are currently in the process of secretly relocating the Sky Magic Tower to Hector. I am not asking you to blindly trust Hector's capabilities. The Sky Magic Tower and I will unravel the secrets of the Upper Dantian and produce meaningful results. Lord Roman Dmitry, in this war, the Kronos Empire proved that they possess magical forces beyond imagination. Shepir's magic was destructive, and their limits are unfathomable. The Kingdom Alliance needs a power to counter them. Hector, along with the Sky Magic Tower, will become the counterweight to Kronos's mages."
The world was changing.
Kronos had revealed its foul ambitions, and the revelation that they used black magic had thrown the Sky Magic Tower into a state of crisis.
They could no longer trust Kronos.
Thus, the relocation of the Sky Magic Tower was excellent news for Dmitry.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"Dmitry has the Phoenix. Do you believe they cannot uncover the secrets of the Upper Dantian on their own?"
"No. I acknowledge the Phoenix's capabilities, but we do not have much time. The ceasefire with the Kronos Empire is meaningless. With no way of knowing when they will reveal their ambitions for continental conquest again, I believe we can achieve results much faster if we combine our strength. I would actively welcome the Phoenix Magic Tower joining the research on the Upper Dantian. This is not about monopolizing the results. I only wish for us to work together and produce an outcome that satisfies everyone."
Roman smiled.
Edwin Hector's judgment was correct.
Revealing his purpose so honestly was the best possible choice he could make from his position of weakness.
Roman Dmitry stood up from his seat.
"Let us move. There is something I want to show you."
* * *
The place they arrived at was the magic tower.
As Roman Dmitry stepped inside, the Phoenix mages gasped in surprise and quickly scrambled into formation.
"My Lord, what brings you here?"
It was Felix.
Upon spotting Edwin Hector, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"I wish to use the magic training ground. Prepare the area and summon Nox."
"Understood."
No special explanation was needed.
Immediate execution followed.
Roman Dmitry's orders were absolute. No matter what command he gave, Felix and the other mages obeyed without question. To them, Roman Dmitry was a god-like figure. After all, had he not rescued the crumbling Phoenix in the Frank Kingdom and successfully rebuilt their magic tower?
Everything proceeded smoothly.
Following Felix's guidance, they moved to the magic training ground, where Nox was already waiting as ordered.
"Nox, step forward."
"Yes, My Lord."
Nox stepped forward.
Roman Dmitry looked at Edwin Hector, who still hadn't grasped the situation, and spoke.
"I have heard that after entering the Sky Magic Tower, Prince Edwin Hector gained enlightenment and reached the 5th Circle. Nox is also a 5th Circle mage, just like you. If you can defeat Nox in a magic duel, I will teach you the secrets of the Upper Dantian without any conditions."
For a moment, Edwin Hector wore a strange expression.
He could not fathom Roman Dmitry's true intentions. But one thing was certain: he could not refuse this offer if he wanted to learn the secrets of the Upper Dantian.
Therefore...
"I accept the duel."
Edwin Hector chose to win it with his own two hands.
* * *
On the training ground, Edwin Hector stared down his opponent.
A duel between mages.
When both opponents were of the same circle, landing the first strike was of paramount importance.
‘The moment one gains the upper hand, it is incredibly difficult for the other to turn the tables with magic of the same level. I must disrupt his casting from the very beginning with a quick spell, then seize the momentum with a follow-up attack.’
It was a logical judgment.
Magic had many limitations. The more powerful a spell, the more casting time and complex calculations it required. In a one-on-one duel, a mage was rarely granted the leisure to cast their magic freely. This was precisely why there were so few high-circle mages among war mages. War mages were a class that utilized low-circle magic with maximum efficiency, and Edwin Hector, through his extensive battlefield experience, had mastered their ways.
His circles vibrated.
As he watched his opponent with sharp eyes, Roman Dmitry gave the signal.
"Begin!"
"Lightning Arrow!"
Crackle!
The first strike belonged to Edwin Hector.
Using a 1st Circle spell that bypassed the casting process, he simultaneously added Aqua Arrow to enhance its elemental destructive power. The combined forces of water and electricity surged toward Nox. Edwin Hector immediately expanded his circles, swiftly beginning the incantation for a high-circle follow-up spell.
It was incredibly fast.
And yet...
"Fire Cannon!"
Whoosh!
Roar!
An intense blaze erupted.
Edwin Hector's eyes widened.
For his opponent to unleash a 5th Circle spell without any visible casting meant he had bypassed the process using Memorize. It was completely unexpected. Before the duel began, they had agreed to use Memorize only once, but he hadn't anticipated that Nox would unleash a 5th Circle spell right from the start to seize the upper hand.
But this was actually an opportunity.
Instead of countering with his own Memorize, Edwin Hector displayed rapid adaptability.
"Stone Wall!"
Rumble!
Abandoning his ongoing cast, he instantly transformed basic elemental magic into a wall.
While forming a wall out of intangible forces like fire required 4th Circle magic or higher, Stone Wall was a simple spell that required virtually no casting time. He didn't use it to block his opponent's magic directly. Instead, he formed the Stone Wall right beneath his feet, launching himself into the air in an instant.
Step!
It was a shocking sight. A brilliant shift in perspective.
Without expending much energy, he rendered Nox's magic completely useless simply by escaping the range of the flames.
Boom!
Roar!
The flames exploded.
The Stone Wall melted instantly, but thanks to it, Edwin Hector had seized his chance.
"Memorize: Thunder Cannon!"
Crackle!
Zzzzt!
It was a testament to his accumulated experience.
Edwin Hector had faced monsters like Roman Dmitry on the battlefield. He had realized that relying solely on the raw destructive power of magic would achieve nothing. Through continuous, life-or-death experience, he had internalized the quick-witted adaptability of war mages.
It was a risky move. Had his timing been off by even a fraction of a second, he wouldn't have escaped Nox's magic. But thanks to that bold decision, Edwin Hector—now holding the advantage with his unused Memorize—seized the perfect opportunity to counterattack.
In a duel between mages, the difference in circles was absolute.
For Nox, who had already exhausted his Memorize, there was no way to block a 5th Circle Thunder Cannon head-on.
The only remaining option was Blink.
Teleporting through space would solve the problem, but anticipating this, Edwin had specifically chosen Thunder Cannon for its rapid execution speed. Blink was not omnipotent. It, too, required casting time. Immediately after using Memorize, Nox would have no choice but to counter with low-circle magic. That was the dilemma.
Due to the overwhelming power of a 5th Circle spell, Nox was in a position where a single mistake would lead directly to defeat. Edwin wasn't absolutely certain of victory, but he firmly believed he held the upper hand.
But as Edwin Hector immediately prepared his next spell, he witnessed an unbelievable sight.
"Fire Cannon."
Whoosh!
Roar!
Nox had manifested a 5th Circle spell once again.
As electricity and fire collided violently, Edwin Hector recoiled in utter bewilderment.
‘...What on earth is this?!’
Did he use Memorize again?
No. If that were the case, the onlookers wouldn't be standing by so calmly.
Then the only remaining possibility was that he had manually cast it. But casting a spell of that caliber so quickly was realistically impossible.
He desperately channeled his mana.
He had absolutely no intention of admitting defeat. He had staked his life on the future of Hector.
At that moment...
"The duel is already over."
From right behind him, Nox appeared.
Not only had he cast 5th Circle spells back-to-back, but he had also found the leeway to position himself behind Edwin using Blink.
Edwin was bewildered.
He could not accept this reality. He had trained bloodily at the Sky Magic Tower, and he was confident that he would not lose to any mage of the same level. Yet, this result was overwhelmingly one-sided.
As Edwin Hector stared at Nox with a horribly distorted expression, Roman Dmitry's voice pierced his ears.
"Prince Edwin Hector. Dmitry has already applied the theory of the Upper Dantian to magic."
Edwin's expression cracked.
It was a shocking revelation. The uncharted territory he thought he had discovered was a land Dmitry had already conquered and planted their flag upon.
"I will ask you once more. Why should I take on the trouble of teaching Hector the secrets of the Upper Dantian?"