Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Magic Genius with Korean Patch
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"How... how did you do it?"
Gildard asked in a trembling voice as he watched Jeon slowly open his eyes.
However, Jeon didn't answer right away.
No, he couldn't.
'Mana absorption through my arms is now controllable. But... the speed is insanely fast.'
He had tried it thinking it might work.
But the result was far more astonishing than Jeon himself had anticipated, leaving him a bit flustered.
'Normally, it would take over a month, but it filled up in less than 30 seconds.'
Compared to the example Gildard had demonstrated, it was several times—no, dozens of times faster.
This was faster than any existing mana cultivation method, and unlike those methods that interrupted midway due to breathing issues, it filled up in an instant.
It was an achievement that even Jeon, who had accomplished it, found shocking.
"The mana around you seemed to get sucked right into you. Did you... fill up your mana in that short time? And even completed the accumulation?"
Growing impatient at Jeon's silence, Gildard asked again.
He looked ready to stomp his feet if there was no answer this time.
Jeon organized his thoughts and gave a vague response.
"Yes. I succeeded in filling my body with mana. Completely accumulated."
"Heh heh."
Gildard let out a disbelieving chuckle upon hearing Jeon's answer.
And rightly so.
The basics of mana cultivation methods involved drawing in surrounding mana through breathing, but the essence lay in how effectively one could stabilize and accumulate the mana inside the body.
Yet the boy before him had not only gathered mana but stabilized and accumulated it as well.
He had achieved this entire process without any instruction, and at an unbelievably fast speed.
"Then how did you draw the mana into your body? It didn't look like through breathing..."
"Breathing felt uncomfortable, so I tried a method that felt more natural to me."
"A method more comfortable than breathing... exists?"
"Using artifacts by holding them made absorbing through my hands feel familiar. Recalling that sensation made absorption much easier."
"Heh, heh heh, that's possible? Heh heh heh..."
Gildard muttered blankly and chuckled dryly at Jeon's continued explanation.
In his magical life, mages accumulating mana via cultivation methods was the absolute basics, an unchanging benchmark.
Mages were judged on their proficiency with these methods.
Even grand mages of 7th circle or higher aspired to operate cultivation methods with every breath, training relentlessly for it.
'Absorbing mana not through breathing, but through arms?'
It was as if one root of magic's foundation had crumbled for Gildard.
And it wasn't just the method that was unique.
The speed and stability were overwhelmingly superior.
'At that rate... it's dozens of times faster than me or most mages.'
And this was from a single attempt without proficiency.
If mastered, he could fill mana in the blink of an eye.
'It's no exaggeration to say he's overcome one of a mage's greatest weaknesses: sustainability.'
After expending accumulated mana, mages had to replenish via cultivation.
For Gildard, who had reached 5th circle with substantial mana capacity, full depletion required half a day of cultivation to refill.
At Jeon's speed, it would take less than 10 minutes.
'This is... a genius?'
No, even "genius" fell short.
He had forged his own path diverging from all mages, and it was far more advanced.
In terms of mana cultivation, he had created an entirely new realm.
Gildard couldn't find words to describe Jeon's talent.
'But why does this even work?'
Meanwhile, Jeon focused on a more fundamental question, regardless of Gildard's thoughts.
Ever since the ruins incident, his arms had gained mana absorption ability.
Applying cultivation principles slightly had exponentially increased the speed.
'No, it felt like they were waiting for this moment and sucked it in voraciously.'
To describe it with past-life memories, his arms were like vacuum cleaners devouring mana.
Judging by Gildard's reaction, no other mage did this.
Jeon had created a unique mana cultivation method just for himself.
'Did that grand mage's lingering will open some path?'
At this point, Jeon grew curious about what exactly had happened to his body in those ruins.
He even wondered if the mage's attempt to possess him via his arms had modified his body.
Still, good things were good.
"Anyway, that means I've mastered mana cultivation."
"Heh heh... yes. I didn't expect you'd master it in a day—no, create a new one."
Gildard responded with a hollow laugh, his voice still laced with disbelief.
Even for a genius, grasping the knack and principles took a day.
Then a week of repetition to familiarize.
But Jeon had completed it all in half a day and exceeded expectations.
"Hmm, shall we move on to learning magic now?"
"Y-yes... let's."
The pace was so fast even the teacher, Gildard, struggled to keep up.
Still, he tried to pull himself together.
'Right, a once-in-a-lifetime genius is before me. I just need to teach him well.'
If this boy became a historical genius, he could be one of his teachers.
With that mindset, Gildard refocused on instructing Jeon.
"First, let's accurately assess your current level. Excluding secret arts, what's the highest circle of magic you can use?"
"Hmm... only 1st circle so far."
"Then raising your circle comes first."
"Is raising circles easy?"
"Well, usually not..."
Gildard paused at Jeon's question.
In general, even entry into magic took at least 2 years for an average person.
Reaching 2nd circle from 1st took another 3 years.
3rd circle: 5 years, sometimes more.
But that was average.
For prodigies like Lena Silvermont, entry to 3rd circle took just over 4 years total.
"Talented individuals reach 3rd circle in about 5 years at best."
"Higher circles take longer?"
"Up to 3rd is reachable with effort and talent, but beyond is enlightenment territory—unpredictable."
3rd circle was the limit of effort and talent.
Beyond, each circle required enlightenment.
Prodigies stagnated at 3rd for decades, dullards advanced quickly—impossible to predict.
"Just curious, but from what circle can Silvermont secret arts be used?"
"Ah, secret arts exist from 1st circle... but."
Jeon, knowing magic only from books, peppered questions.
Gildard hesitated mid-answer.
"I forgot to mention amid the shock."
"Mention what?"
"Silvermont secret arts require their mana cultivation method. It involves special stabilization and accumulation; only that refined mana works for secret arts."
Not all family or school secret arts were like this, but some required specific cultivation.
Silvermont was one such case.
"Cultivating with Silvermont method yields silver mana. Secret arts need this silver mana."
Gildard formed a silver mana circle before Jeon's eyes.
This was the foundation for Silvermont secret arts.
'What a shame.'
Jeon had created an amazing cultivation method, but this was separate.
As teacher, Gildard couldn't help it—mana quality had to change.
Without secret arts, only general magic, which lacked the same weight.
'Truly regrettable.'
As Gildard felt deep regret,
"Hmm... so if I can use silver mana, no issue learning secret arts?"
"Yes, that's ri...?"
Jeon stared at the silver circle, then opened his hand, focusing mana.
Soon, an identical silver circle formed in his hand.
"Wh-what, how, ho-how...!?"
Gildard, who had maintained composure, gaped in shock.
But it didn't end there.
A silver triangle drew inside Jeon's silver circle.
This was the basic structure of Light magic.
'No way... no... no...'
Fwaaah!
Silver light burst forth—Light magic manifested before Gildard's anxious eyes.
"I-im-impossible...!?"
Just Light magic.
Yet Gildard's eyes widened as if witnessing the unbelievable.
And rightly so.
Silver mana was a trait from Silvermont cultivation, but fully imbuing it into magic was another realm.
Secret arts required cultivating special mana and fully expressing its traits in spells.
Yet Jeon achieved both without their method.
"H-how, how did you do it!?"
Gildard grabbed and shook Jeon in disbelief.
But Jeon had no real explanation.
"Hmm... it just worked...?"
"What do you mean...!"
Gildard felt indignant at Jeon's casual reply.
He had regretted Jeon missing secret arts moments ago.
But this was too much for any mage.
Creating a new cultivation, mimicking mana quality on sight, understanding and manifesting it in magic?
The world played favorites with talent, but this was extreme.
'But it really just worked...'
Jeon felt wronged too.
He didn't know why either.
It stemmed from first seeing Guardian rune.
His head foggy from undeciphered runes, Lena used silver mana magic before him.
Something clicked, enabling Guardian via silver mana.
Now, he just recalled and tried it.
To him, it was purely "it just worked"—no talent talk needed.
"Haha, hahaha, hahahaha..."
Seeing Gildard's shock from his doing,
"Hmm... shall we end today's lesson here and resume tomorrow?"
Jeon decided to give him recovery time.
"Hahaha, haha... Yes. That... would be best."
Gildard nodded, aware of his state.
"Tomorrow... we'll focus on secret arts and circle advancement."
"Ah, yes. Thank you. See you tomorrow."
"Y-yes. See you... tomorrow."
Thus, the first day's lesson ended.
Fortunately, from the next day, Gildard wasn't so shocked as to halt lessons.
Though shocks occurred occasionally.
'Right, he's in a completely different realm. Not the same as me—totally different person.'
He endured with resolve.
And so, two months passed quickly.