Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Hayar
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“Such a thing...”
Too late, I grasped the situation. I had unleashed a spell of tremendous power on an opponent who had merely proposed a light spar.
Beyond the white frost scattering in the air, the middle-aged mage's figure came into view.
'Lucky...'
He wasn't dead. Nor badly injured. The magic I'd poured out had been far more potent than I'd anticipated.
'At the last moment, it veered off slightly from the backlash.'
The middle-aged mage sat slumped on the ground, clutching his right arm where frost had settled. The emotion in his eyes was bewilderment rather than rage.
“Th-this... you... what in the world...”
“My apologies. It was my first time using that spell in actual combat.”
“That was your first time...? No, when did you even prepare your mana? I didn't sense a thing.”
“Right from the start...”
“Right from the start? Meaning you cast your spell at the same speed as me. Yet with that kind of power? And you completed it faster than I did? Unbelievable... No... that's just an excuse...”
Swish—
The man rose to his feet and lightly shook out his right arm. The frost shattered in a white spray, and his entire right sleeve tore away. The exposed skin was slightly reddened, but there were no serious wounds.
“Perfectly fine... He shifted the direction at the last instant. Incredible control... If we went again, it might be different... No, pointless.”
The hostility that had flickered in the man's eyes for the first time vanished. In its place settled faint goodwill and admiration.
“I yield. I underestimated you far too much. A youthful appearance doesn't tell the whole story of one's magic... Stealthy and swift mana manipulation, delicate control over destructive spells... You've mastered it all. I sensed the pinnacle of combat practicality in your magic. Tell me—which school are you from?”
Exclamations bordering on soliloquy spilled from him in rapid succession. His expression betrayed a faint ecstasy, as if he'd gleaned some profound insight from my spell.
'He's not right in the head.'
This was his demeanor even facing someone who'd nearly killed him. The man's passion for magic bordered on madness.
“Infinite Archive.”
“Infinite Archive... Never heard of it. But I'll remember it. You—Lumia, was it? I'm Kurzan. I belong to the School of the Heavenly Flow.”
School of the Heavenly Flow. The name suited his aura perfectly. Peering into Kurzan's world through my eyes etched with starlight, I saw black clouds drifting over a clear sky.
Rain and currents of water. That was the overall impression. Likely the school of mages who summoned rain for cities. I nodded at the deduction that flowed naturally.
At that moment, Kurzan looked up. Gazes pressed in from all directions. It was inevitable. The spell I'd just cast had struck a solid stone wall. Not a massive impact, but the vibrations that spread would alert any mage.
“A shame, truly a shame. I'd love to talk more, but I have an errand to attend to early today, so I must take my leave. Lumia—if you're still here when I return, I'd like to discuss the truths we each pursue.”
“Yes. I'd like that too...”
There was no reason to refuse a conversation about magic. I wasn't sure how long I'd stay here, but if he came back, a deeper discussion sounded worthwhile. Arcana let me glimpse only the world he'd built, after all.
“I was rude upon first meeting. My words must have seemed impolite, yet you have a good heart... Farewell.”
Step—
Kurzan turned and walked away, his gait carrying a hint of excitement. Though a fellow mage, he felt worlds apart from those I'd encountered in the Ber Kingdom.
'School of the Heavenly Flow...'
Flap, flap—
In the vast library of my inner world, a book unfurled from one of the endless shelves. Etched upon its pages was the clear blue sky Kurzan had revealed.
I'd seen the world he harbored and witnessed his spellcasting with my own eyes. I understood the principle and observed the phenomenon. Reproducing the magic posed no great challenge.
Shhh—
Mana spread from my slightly raised right hand, gathering moisture from the air. Soon, a transparent droplet formed above my palm.
It didn't create water from pure mana. This way was far more efficient—minimizing waste and maximizing the magical effect.
'Rotation... amplification... golden ripples...'
I hadn't yet sorted through the inspiration that had struck. His constant interruptions had shattered my train of thought. But now it was quiet. I sank naturally into contemplation.
It was a perennial dilemma. What law would best suit my third mana circle? All I lacked was that spark of insight to crystallize the knowledge. And now, it loomed just a step away.
Shhh—
The droplet hovering over my hand began to spin. The resulting vortex slowly split apart, forming three distinct shapes at one point. Golden ripples born from the rotations generated an uncanny amplification.
A stroke of serendipity.
An unexpected harvest in an unexpected place.
My mind burned hot, just like when my first mana circle had fully formed.
“Hoo...”
With a long exhale, a new ring faintly manifested over the two already encircling my heart. As the unstable third ring began to embody the law of amplification, golden ripples spread outward, flooding me with intense pain.
“...!”
My breath caught. Agony radiated from my heart, engulfing my body and rattling my skull. But this was right. I couldn't stop now. The third ring wasn't complete yet—I couldn't fully control the amplified mana.
Even as the rampaging mana swelled chaotically, oblivious to up or down, the three rings around my heart never ceased their rotation.
An instant stretched into eternity. Amid the torment clouding my mind, I steadied myself and forcibly accelerated the mana circles' spin.
Kiiiing—!
The rotation hum audible only to me filled my ears.
Thud—! With that sensation, the pain surging through my body abruptly subsided. My third mana circle was complete.
“Hoo...”
A long breath escaped me, and Gentle Wind billowed outward in a wide arc from my body.
'Double... no, a bit more.'
The mana cost for casting spells had decreased. Using the same amount as before would now yield even stronger magic.
Mana efficiency had improved. There was no better way to put it.
Right now, anything seemed possible. As the Gentle Wind swirled endlessly from my feet, a familiar girl peeked out from beyond the training ground.
It was Lenila.
“Lumia? Was that shockwave you? Did you blast the wall with magic?”
“Lenila.”
“Training early is fine and all, but could you be a little more careful? Everyone else is still sleeping.”
“...Sorry. I wasn't thinking.”
“What kind of spell were you practicing? Oh, was it one you wanted to show me?”
“No, not exactly...”
“Hmm... Got it. I'll look forward to it later. How about breakfast first?”
The Gentle Wind faded as she spoke. Listening to her, I suddenly felt ravenous.
“Is it that time already?”
“Not quite... Normally, I'd still be sleeping. But since you're up, it'd be a waste to go back to bed. Wanna eat?”
“Sure.”
Lenila flashed a bright smile at my reply, nodded, and turned to dash ahead.
“Come on! I'll make something tasty!”
'She's going to make it herself...'
I doubted the carefree girl could whip up anything proper. Prejudice wasn't ideal, but I felt uneasy.
Following her led to a spacious kitchen. She rummaged through the ingredients on the shelves and pulled out two large loaves of bread, thinly sliced ham, and pouches of cheese and dried nuts.
“Here, ham and cheese between the bread...”
'Sandwich... Not bad.'
The moment Lenila went to layer cheese atop the big bread.
Boom—!
A deafening roar shook the entire branch building.
“What was that...?”
I frowned and stood. If the rumble and mana fluctuations had come from inside the building, I might not have reacted so strongly.
But the boom originated from outside the branch.
Lenila looked uneasy too. She stood and slowly stepped out of the kitchen.
“An earthquake or...?”
Grr rumble—!
This one was even bigger. A savage roar sent fine dust sifting down from the ceiling.
By now, sensing the gravity, most people inside the headquarters emerged outdoors. Durel was among them.
The moment he spotted me after glancing around and came running—
Boom—! The central ceiling of the building collapsed.