The Exam
Park Ha-jun's workshop.
Before using the Skill Enhancement Ticket, he was sketching out the Barrier circuit.
His goal was to run the Barrier nonstop for 24 hours using his own mana reserves.
But if he revealed its full performance to the world, wouldn't it invite unnecessary suspicion? Suspicion that he was asd123.
He might reveal it someday, but with the Mines' threat looming, extra caution was needed.
...If possible, I need to hide the Barrier's feel, too.
To that end, Park Ha-jun had been designing a distorted Barrier—a circuit imperceptible through senses or mana.
And today, he'd finally figured it out.
If I define space in a special way, it'll work.
Specifically, by hiding the "membrane" in another dimension.
Place the Barrier's membrane not in the 3D space where humans physically exist...
But outside the fourth dimension, in an extra one, distorting it sensorially and magically.
A Barrier with 100% actual performance would look like just 10% to others.
Even from the explanation alone, it was clear this was an incredibly complex approach.
A matter of space and dimensions. Something impossible without acquiring the Darkness attribute.
But now that he had Darkness, it was feasible. For Park Ha-jun, who explored shapes and space, it wasn't all that hard.
More like an intriguing puzzle...
Of course, that was just talk—the objective mathematical and magical difficulty was immense.
Park Ha-jun had spent a long time devising solutions.
And he'd turned those ideas into the first project for Lab 2.
Because Darkness and space were Lab 2's domain.
Two weeks later...
- Analysis of energy interactions within Riemannian manifold structures via Hodge theory...
Lab 2 submitted the project results. Park Ha-jun was quite satisfied.
Composed of expert researchers, the report was neatly organized with clear outcomes.
Quietly pleased, he began transcribing the results onto parchment.
Mathematically define the world beyond four dimensions, bridging theory and reality with the Darkness attribute.
Then draw the membrane in that higher-dimensional space. No special functions—just a practical, sturdy one, mindful of mana consumption.
No mage, no matter how skilled, could fully gauge this Barrier's performance.
Its true form hidden in higher dimensions. What people saw was merely its shadow.
Like projecting a cube onto a plane yields a square—only a "slice" of the reality manifests.
This was reflected in the system, too.
The perceivable performance was "0.2," but the actual was higher (α).
Implementation looks solid...
However.
Messing with dimensions meant insane mana costs.
Park Ha-jun tweaked the mana consumption design with Circuit Enhancement, but...
Even slashing Impact Absorption and Defense drastically, 9,730 was the best he could do.
Circuit Enhancement
The circuit's capacity limit increases.
Probably because of the "circuit's capacity limit."
If he could raise that limit, the Barrier's mana issue would be mostly solved.
So, Park Ha-jun pulled out the Skill Enhancement Ticket.
He'd delayed using it while pondering which skill to apply it to.
But now he was decided. Circuit Enhancement it was.
Nothing mattered more than safety, and he could always get another ticket later.
With his thoughts settled, Park Ha-jun activated the ticket.
Fwaaah—
A new system message appeared.
The circuit's capacity limit increases further!
Park Ha-jun immediately checked the changes.
By nerfing everything but mana consumption, he'd brought it down to 930.
...Better than nothing.
At least now he could maintain the Barrier throughout his active hours. He counted that a blessing.
Anyway, his safety net was secure.
"Ugh..."
He stretched. With the grueling work bearing fruit, he headed to bed with a clear mind.
...Tomorrow, time to start preliminary enrollment.
The math test would probably be in a month.
Given the tight timeline, it wouldn't be too brutal. He'd link magical phenomena mathematically and ask for solutions.
...Still, no forcing pure math on them.
Park Ha-jun's role was to awaken math's utility and necessity.
He'd never compel it. If that were the goal, he'd have quit long ago.
"...Can't wait."
Murmuring softly, Park Ha-jun closed his eyes.
Preparations were complete.
Now, focus the remaining time on selecting students and locating the Mines.
The next day, Jeong Hyun-seok's office.
Beside a mountain of documents awaiting approval sat an incongruously open book.
Introduction to Differential Geometry
"......"
Jeong Hyun-seok pressed his temples, glaring at the equations.
Curvature tensors, Ricci flow, geodesic equations... They felt like ancient script.
What's the point of this...?
He sighed deeply and closed the book. One of Korea's two 4th-circle masters wrestling with undergrad math?
...How did it come to this?
It started with the Association President's suggestion.
- A B-rank mage, Shin Ye-ji, broke through after his lectures. Might be worth trying, no?
Jeong Hyun-seok, ever eager, accepted without hesitation.
It was the President's idea, and he desperately wanted to shatter his 5th-circle wall.
He wouldn't pass up any help.
But then.
- ...To enroll, you need to pass a math test. Think you can? No shame in skipping if it's tough.
A test, out of nowhere.
Refusing would make him look ridiculous.
The next Archmage candidate fleeing a mere exam? Unthinkable. He didn't want to disappoint the President.
- Math? Piece of cake.
...And so it happened. Now he regretted it bitterly.
Jeong Hyun-seok's time was sliced by the second.
Counter Mines, respond to shifting global politics, hone magic in spare moments.
Was wasting it on this dusty subject right?
And it was brutally hard.
The deeper he delved, the more unknowns emerged.
...Is pouring time into this truly worthwhile?
Doubts gnawed endlessly.
Of course, he acknowledged the professor's papers.
They opened new horizons in attribute magic, backed by real growth cases.
But no guarantee it'd work for a 4th-circle master like him.
"..."
Sighing again, Jeong Hyun-seok reopened the book.
Whining wouldn't help. Pride was on the line. He couldn't quit.
And so, Jeong Hyun-seok studied math without giving up.
[Curvature quantifies how space "bends." On a 2D surface, the deviation of a triangle's angles from 180° indicates curvature...]
Three weeks after Park Ha-jun's initial student screening and test scheduling announcement.
In a shabby lecture hall at Yeonhee University's science building, mismatched heavyweights sat quietly.
Jeong Hyun-seok, the mage second only to the Association President.
Shin Ye-ji, B-rank yet 4th-circle unlocked.
The seasoned 3rd-circle veteran Hwang In-su.
Plus twenty more mages and thirty scroll makers...
Waiting silently for Park Ha-jun, they stole glances at an unexpected figure.
Jeong Hyun-seok. A titan who could teach at the world's top university—why was he here?
His mere presence choked the air... and drove home how precious this class was. A lecture for a 4th-circle master!
Can't miss this chance!
They tore their eyes from him and frantically reviewed summary notes.
Jeong Hyun-seok, flustered by the fervor.
Why are they studying so intensely...?
He had to "prove" himself, sure... but those kids should be researching magic instead.
It's relative grading—just study enough... He couldn't say it aloud, just cleared his throat awkwardly.
In that tense atmosphere, Park Ha-jun entered, followed by two TAs—an odd trio.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Park Ha-jun, teaching mathematics."
An odd introduction.
"Thank you for attending despite your busy schedules. Without further ado, let's distribute the exams."
Swallows echoed. Jeong Hyun-seok feigned calm, awaiting his paper.
He took the politely handed sheet and scanned it.
[Problem 1. Below are two topological knots (A) and (B) representing the fire attribute. Prove they are isotopic, and explain why they produce differing 'efficiency' in actual spellcasting from the perspective of 'knot energy state.']
[Problem 2. Present a PDE model to predict the spread of 'Frost Wind,' and solve for the case with the added variable 'natural wind.']
......
Devastatingly hard.
Is he insane...?
He'd announced moderate difficulty beforehand.
The professor was mad. If this was moderate, what was hard...?
Small mercy: He wasn't alone.
Five minutes in, no pen scratches yet.
Park Ha-jun watched, seeming flustered.
The silence stretched endlessly—until one pen scratched. Shin Ye-ji.
"..."
The B-rank 4th-circle mage.
Seeing her write, Jeong Hyun-seok felt urgency... and faint realization.
She didn't luck into breaking the wall...
Don't change, don't break through. Simple truth.
To surpass walls, endless effort—no fearing the unknown.
Steeling himself, Jeong Hyun-seok reread meticulously and began scribbling.
That evening.
While the mage community burned over the exam's hellish difficulty,
Jeong Hyun-seok shared quiet tea with the Association President in his office.
"...Your face says you struggled."
At the President's teasing, Jeong Hyun-seok chuckled dryly and sat.
"Struggled? Worst exam of my life."
"That bad? Well... top awakeners need discrimination."
Not ordinary awakeners—mages and scroll makers, where learning was power.
Jeong Hyun-seok smiled faintly, nodding.
The President tilted his head.
"...Something happen? Your vibe's totally different from yesterday."
Indeed, doubt had yielded to relief.
"Mindset shifted. Honestly, I thought math was a time sink before. Better spend it on magic research...
"Now?"
"Yes. Invaluable. His problems made me rethink spells from new angles."
Not just hard—solving them deepened spell understanding naturally.
The exquisite problems themselves were guidelines.
Low-level folks wouldn't see it.
But for a 4th-circle master like Jeong Hyun-seok, perfect enlightenment.
"And this sounds weird, but... looking back, it was kinda fun."
A flavor like magic research, yet different. Oddly addictive...
The President just laughed heartily.
"Forgot yesterday's face already? More like relief than fun."
Jeong Hyun-seok couldn't deny it. He didn't understand the feeling himself.
"Maybe. Anyway, I'm genuinely looking forward to his class."
"You might fail."
"..."
The President smirked, sipping coffee.
A trait pioneer as professor... Curious what Korea will look like in a year.
Unlike his own clumsy early guidelines.
Korea might truly become a magic superpower.