Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Fallen Fury
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A short while ago.
After descending to the training grounds, Loan immediately levitated the chunk of mana he had received from Aul into the air.
‘It’s a chunk of water-aspected mana. What if I think of this as a mana core?’
He drew inspiration from organic shaping magic, like that used for mud golems.
A core of mana.
This condensed mana would promote bonding with surrounding matter and respond to the caster’s will. That was why it was a core.
‘Since the mana-binding structure is similar, if I draw in the ambient mana from the atmosphere to build upon it and condense it to a higher density…’
‘And if I add magic for increasing pressure and controlling mana movement to that.’
Loan channeled his flowing thoughts into the chunk of mana through Convection.
His will, spreading out wantonly through the powerful medium.
Soon, the mana in the atmosphere began to coalesce around the chunk, growing in volume.
As Loan controlled its scope, the density increased further, and the water cloud, unable to contain its own power, formed violent waves in the air like a tsunami.
“Whoa!”
Adrian’s gasp was understandable.
The cloud of water Loan had created was, at a glance, both breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly dangerous.
But Loan trembled for a different reason.
Intoxicated by the immense power he wielded for the first time, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the potent magical creation he had brought forth.
He then struggled to recall the image he had conceptualized.
‘Heavier and faster, from an even greater height, all while maintaining its shape without the slightest dispersion.’
There was no strain.
Since the mana was already externalized, all it required was a powerful will and a few minor spells.
To realize Loan’s intent, the water cloud shot straight up into the air.
Everyone’s gaze followed it, seemingly without end.
Feeling a small thrill of excitement, Loan murmured an incantation he had come up with on the spot.
Soon.
*Shwoooooo— Kra-koom!*
The result that followed was utter devastation.
The training ground was laid to waste, and parts of the buildings struck by shrapnel were heavily damaged.
Amidst the chaos, simply getting soaked by the crashing waves was incredibly lucky.
Even so, the two Runners from the Honor Division immediately stood up and confronted Loan.
They paid no mind to the stares of the division members who had gathered from all over, drawn by the aftermath of the explosion.
“What is this… reckless act! What would have happened if we were hit head-on?”
“How could you cast such a powerful spell so carelessly?”
Loan was startled by the sheer power of the magic he had manifested, by the damage it had caused everywhere, and by the countless eyes fixed on him.
He thought it only natural to apologize to the seniors he had unintentionally harmed.
But Sienna stepped forward before he could.
“Who are you to blame? Isn’t it your fault for setting foot in the training grounds so carelessly? Is the Honor Division so soft?”
“…”
It was an excessive rebuke, a clear provocation, but they couldn't retort.
A training ground was a place where accidents could happen at any time. One had to assume danger was always lurking.
That was why personal training grounds existed, and why the division training grounds were managed even more strictly.
What’s more, they had entered another division’s training grounds without any notice.
They would have had no one to blame but themselves if they had died in an unforeseen accident.
As the two Honor Division Runners answered with silence, Oscar and Lucas quickly sent away the onlookers who had gathered around.
They asked for understanding, explaining that the training had been a bit intense.
With the scene cleared.
Adrian approached the two drenched figures.
Having deployed a barrier of aura to block the water, he was perfectly dry.
“If you came all this way, you must have been heading for the Faith Division headquarters, right? Did you have business with me?”
His question was friendly, but his aura was anything but.
Miguel, with a downcast expression, managed to pull a wet piece of paper from his tunic.
“This is an official document from Commander Magda for Commander Adrian.”
Adrian took the paper and frowned as he tried to unfold it.
The ink had bled from the water, making it illegible.
“What did it say?”
“I don’t know the specifics, but I believe it was a request for consultation on Le Tell’s magic…”
“A magic consultation wouldn’t be for me. Loan is the only mage in our division.”
“Yes. It’s for Loan.”
“Is that so? What a strange day.”
Magda was famous for her eccentric personality, but if the official request was as he said, it meant she had completely swallowed her pride.
For the egocentric Magda, it was a very surprising decision.
Adrian stroked his chin and shook his head several times.
“Something feels off. You don’t think she’s trying to poach Loan, do you?”
“With Commander Magda, that’s a possibility…”
Oscar’s voice trailed off as he gazed at the ruined training ground.
For someone who could wield magic like this, the rank of Oz was meaningless.
It was natural to covet such a talent, and considering his abilities, requesting his help as a consultant was also understandable.
Adrian seemed to share this thought as he posed a pointed question to the two Honor Division Runners.
“What do you two think? Loan is an Oz. From another division, no less. Does a consultation make sense?”
The two Runners nodded in unison, then spoke one after the other as if to defend the idea.
“It makes sense. As mages ourselves, this might sound strange to you, but mages are inherently strange beings…”
“Our sole purpose is to understand phenomena and pursue truth, and for that, anything is possible.”
Adrian showed curiosity at their words.
He went so far as to plop down on the rubble of a shattered stone wall and continue his questioning.
“Wasn’t that Auntie Magda a bundle of pride?”
“It is a fitting pride for one who stands closer to the truth than anyone. But she is also a great archmage because she does not hesitate to open her mind when there is something worth listening to.”
“So you’re saying Loan is worth listening to?”
“The Honor Division has been well aware of his achievements. His magic is difficult to understand, almost like a unique form of magic, but the breakthroughs in his theories and concepts have been a great source of learning for us as well.”
Miguel added to Sarah’s reply.
“His performance on the battlefield was incredible, but for a mage who can wield such powerful magic as he just demonstrated, rank is frankly meaningless.”
“Better than you two?”
“…Of course.”
A firm affirmation.
Their attitude, which had been suspicious of Loan just moments ago, had completely changed after the drenching.
It was inevitable.
Though it was a spell they had never seen before, if a single spell could inflict this much damage, he had to be regarded as a mage of a much higher caliber than themselves.
Not to mention, he was clearly a wielder of immense mana.
“How powerful was that, exactly?”
“It was a spell that could easily be 4th-Class or higher.”
“A 4th-Class mage… so you’re evaluating him as my equal?”
“…”
The two suddenly became mute.
Adrian burst into cheerful laughter.
“Hahaha! I’m kidding. I don’t get hung up on things like ranks. It’s not like ranks are given based on skill alone, right?”
Adrian’s expression was incredibly bright as he said this.
He had no reason to be upset when his subordinate was being recognized.
So, Adrian decided to grant Magda’s request. However.
“It would look bad if I tagged along, so you go with him, Vice-Commander. Make sure that old lady doesn’t spout any nonsense.”
“Understood.”
Oscar placed a fist over his heart, accepting the commander’s words as a formal order.
Adrian said.
“Loan, you seem to have a lot on your mind. Let’s talk about your achievement later. To deal with that lady’s personality, you’ll have to go for a bit.”
“Ah, yes. Understood.”
A critique of him had just unfolded, but Loan didn’t seem to have been listening.
With the commander stepping in and the situation seemingly resolved, he had been completely engrossed in reviewing the spell he had just cast.
“It was just getting fun, so I’m a bit disappointed too. Still, I’m glad you look happy.”
Loan gave a slightly embarrassed, awkward smile.
He couldn’t hide his feelings.
He was elated by the fact that he now had a powerful source of mana he could draw upon all at once.
‘It’s all thanks to Aul…’
Of course, it wasn't a fundamental solution.
It was merely a partial resolution to a problem that had troubled him for a long time.
Whether he would always have to feed it his head like that and whether it was only possible with the water aspect were still questions to be investigated and solved, but he was happy nonetheless.
‘The potential for application is endless. I need to review the process again.’
Loan’s joyful review continued even as he walked behind the Honor Division Runners and Oscar.
* * *
Loan was immediately guided to the central hall of the Honor Division headquarters.
The atmosphere was similar to a magic lecture hall at the academy.
On one side were several tables, and beside them were rows of various books and magical tools. The solid rock walls surrounding the hall were scarred with marks from burns, breaks, and scratches.
The marks continued all the way up, even when he craned his neck to the ceiling.
It seemed that all research and testing took place here.
“We’ve brought Loan from the Faith Division.”
At Sarah’s report, the Honor Division mages, who had been focused on their individual tasks, turned their heads in unison.
Several of them eagerly approached Loan.
“Welcome. You wield telekinesis with such freedom. Your sense for tuning your will is very refined. Could you show us here?”
“The Commander seems to regret letting you go. I mean, for her to ask you to conduct research with us. By any chance, are you also versed in black magic?”
“I’m studying the theory you presented at the last academic conference. The harmony of aspects was very impressive. It seems you’ve gotten quite close to the core principle. Could you take a look at my research?”
A flood of friendly words poured out.
The soaking wet Sarah and Miguel, and Oscar with a giant sword on his back, were completely ignored.
Loan was somewhat taken aback by the attitude of the senior mages, but fortunately, Magda’s appearance instantly cleared the clutter.
The still-glamorous woman spoke with a languid expression.
“I hear you caused quite a commotion before coming here.”
The Faith and Honor Divisions were at opposite ends of the Union headquarters, separated by the main building.
Even if Loan’s magic had considerable destructive power, it wouldn’t have been easy to know about it from inside the tower.
“Yes. I was practicing a new spell.”
“A new spell?”
“I was inspired by you, Commander, and tried to manifest a sudden downpour of water.”
“If it was inspired by my magic, it must naturally be excellent. Which explains the state those two are in.”
It felt like a compliment and a reprimand all in one.
As Loan wore an awkward expression, Magda asked.
“Does it have a name?”
“I haven’t named it yet.”
“Then how about Fallen Fury?”
She must have come up with it on the spot, but he loved it.
Loan’s face lit up.
“The fall of fury, is that what it means? That’s so cool.”
“You have a good eye. Your sensibilities are decent.”
“You’re great at naming spells. Then, could it be that the Barrier of Blue Flames was…”
“Yes, I gave it that name when I was Vice-Commander.”
“I knew it! I thought it was incredibly cool. So it was your work, Commander. Then does the meteor you showed me last time have another name? It was the first time I saw it in person, but it seemed a bit different from what I know.”
Magda’s eyes gleamed as she looked at Loan.
“You noticed that? But I haven’t named it yet. Since you brought it up, you must have something in mind?”
Had she been waiting for this? Delight spread across Loan’s face.
“Your meteor wasn’t just a simple rock; it felt like it was full of gas, about to explode at any moment. Like it was heralding some kind of ruin?”
“Oh, and so?”
“How about Nebular Ruination?”
“Nebular Ruination. It rolls off the tongue nicely. It has a certain romance to it.”
The two of them had very similar tastes.
Loan was more talkative than usual, and the members of the Honor Division had never seen Magda so pleased.
If the Vice-Commanders of their respective divisions hadn’t intervened, they might have continued to discuss the implications of spell names and the literary nature of incantations.
A moment later, Magda, a wide smile on her face, said.
“You have a talent for language. Then we should have much to talk about regarding Le Tell’s grimoire, which is today’s business.”
“What about…”
“Can you, by any chance, interpret Infernal?”
When Loan tilted his head in confusion, Magda quickly added.
“The language of the demon world, used by demons.”
“Ah…”
Loan gave a slight nod.