Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: The Fourth
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"No way, did you do something...?"
Torbal shot me a suspicious glance as Grenil showed no signs of coming to his senses. Everyone here could handle mana. The moment it leaked from my body, Grenil's condition turned strange, so Torbal's suspicion was only natural.
"Urk... N-no, it's not like that! Torbal! Don't do anything foolish... Just stay put, uuek...! It's just that I'm lacking...!"
"H-hey! Grenil!"
I had no idea exactly what Grenil had seen. But given how awful his state was, I could only guess he'd witnessed something horrific.
'But... was it that shocking?'
Still, it was a fragment of my memory. Seeing him dry-heaving with a face pale as death and trembling like a leaf left a bad taste in my mouth for no good reason.
"Ahh..."
Grenil's condition didn't improve at all. The nonstop retching brought the meal to a natural end, and he eventually passed out cold.
"This... sorry about that. He's the one who suddenly insisted on tagging along, but I didn't expect him to be in such bad shape. He ruined what should have been a pleasant dinner. Let me apologize again. Shimo and I will take our leave, so please finish your meals."
As Torbal signaled, servants rushed in from all sides, loading the collapsed Grenil onto a stretcher and carrying him out. With them gone, the vast mansion was left with just me, my two disciples, and a few servants watching from afar.
"Master. What in the world happened?"
"Mana suddenly burst out from Master's body right after..."
My appetite had soured from all the retching noises. I set down my fork and answered my disciples' questions.
"Who knows. Looks like he saw something shocking."
"Shocking...?"
I nodded, slid off my chair, and picked up the box I'd set beside me. I dumped the platinum coins inside straight into my money pouch and tossed the wyvern leather bracer to Shimo.
"This is yours, Shimo. I'll engrave some runes on it later."
"R-really? Is it okay for me to have it?"
I nodded without a word. It was way too big for Durel or me, with our childlike builds. Besides, I'd promised Shimo a magic tool, so the bracer was rightfully his.
Leaving the delighted Shimo behind, I turned toward the stairs. My two disciples, who'd been sitting there dazed, finally snapped to and called out.
"M-Master? Where are you going?"
"Aren't you eating more? You haven't even finished as much as usual..."
"I've got some thinking to do. You two finish up."
The concern that would normally please me felt annoying now. All because of the massive inspiration that had taken root in my mind. It was chattering away noisily even now. A searing heat churned in my head, and my heart pounded wildly with anticipation for the miracle about to be born.
Dominion.
It was a massive question that rippled across the once-still lake. I climbed the stairs, shut my door, and sat comfortably on the bed.
The first mana circle absorbed natural mana, starting its circulation. The mana flowed in, spun through the second circle, wrapped around the third. Infused with the powers of concealment and amplification, it began tracing a stealthy yet fierce fourth circle.
Dominion. A principle unlike any of the existing mana circles. A mystery that influenced not myself, but the outside—and others. As the shape of the fourth circle grew clearer, blue mana began swirling around my body.
'The fourth...'
The moment the fourth circle tried to embody the principle, the gathered mana scattered. The unfinished mystery shattered into pieces.
Bam-!
The backlash from the failed spell surged through my body. My small frame twitched, a sharp pain stabbing near my heart.
First failure. On to the second attempt. Mana in my body slowly advanced, clearly shaping the circle.
Then the second.
Bam-!
Failed again. This time, the shock was bigger. A cough-mixed sigh escaped my lips, mingling with blue mana that filled the room. I sped up now. Before the collapsing circle could fully dissipate, new mana surged in and swallowed it whole.
Then the third.
Bam-!
This one was different. A massive shock rocked my body, but the mana circle barely held its form, unstable as it was. I poured fresh mana atop it, forcing it into rotation.
In that instant, a melting sensation enveloped my entire body. My eyes saw my body perfectly fine. But I couldn't distinguish. The sensation spread through me, eventually consuming my mind.
The boundary between myself and mana blurred, then vanished. It felt like I'd escaped the instability of a human body to become mana itself—brimming with potential.
Mana is infinitely free, holding the potential to become anything.
This sensation expanded deeper. Just as my very existence grew hazy and memories began to mingle...
Flutter-
The mystery draped over my body asserted itself. The elven treasure called Nature's Grace awakened my sense of skin, yanking my mind from the brink of immersion back to awareness.
And at the same moment...
The fourth mana circle's shape completed, overlaying the principle of Dominion.
⟨ Dominion ⟩
Mana spilled out from my body and began to rotate. The sparkling blue flow resembled a cosmic galaxy. Mana held countless possibilities. Perhaps it wasn't so different, after all.
The mana spun faster. At its center—me—a blue galaxy formed.
The initial radius was ten meters. But as time passed, it expanded. The massive mana from the four rotating circles kept pouring out to claim the domain.
Soon, the blue mana filled the entire room.
The moment the fourth mana circle completed. It felt like the missing puzzle piece had clicked perfectly into place, shaking my mind. Enlightenment flooded in instantly, presenting endless possibilities.
I can do it now.
The magic I'd only imagined.
Manifesting my inner world outwardly.
As I slowly exhaled, the blue galaxy blanketing the room began to rotate. The twinkling stars represented possibilities. An incomprehensible number collided in the spin, birthing new creations.
And with that, one spell activated.
Inner World Partial Manifestation
⟨ Infinite Archive ⟩
The world I held was vast beyond measure. Even binding fragmented memory shards into book form to build a grand library, it was still true. Thus, what I could summon was but a fraction—and even that incomplete.
Hence, partial.
Rumble-
The large room's space warped and rippled. Heavy columns and furniture were pushed aside, vanishing. In their place rose endless bookshelves. The walls were no longer cold stone papered over. Dense bookshelves pressed in, and even the smooth floor turned into shelves of unknown depth.
It looked like a sea of books surging in.
I stood atop it, gazing blankly around. The shelves stretched endlessly, transforming the room into a familiar library wing. Tilting my head, I heard wind whispering between the heavy shelves, carrying the scent of ancient tomes.
No illusion. All of it was real mystery made manifest here and now.
Even the bed I'd sat on was gone.
I rose, pulled a book from the shelf. Each book held one world. As I lightly opened the one in my hand, countless books flew over, forming a chair in my path.
I settled lightly atop the chair of memory-books.
'Won't last long...'
Flip-flip-flip-
The book in my hand flipped rapidly. In this library holding countless worlds, I was utterly free.
In this moment, I could become everything I remembered.
That was when it happened.
Rumble-!
The surrounding shelves began shaking unstably. The manifestation lasted barely over thirty seconds. Yet the limit had already come.
If I used a barrier to fully sever it from outside space, I could extend it indefinitely—but no need or ability for that now.
Slowly, the library I'd summoned began to crumble. Amid the scattering books, my disciples' urgent voices rang out.
-Master? What's going on in there...!
-The door, the door won't open! Master!
-Manas flaring wildly! Do something!
In the collapsing world, I raised my hand. Bookshelves on the wall collapsed, revealing a large door.
Click-
The door opened.
The moment my two disciples appeared...
The world that had filled the room was gone without a trace.
Sitting on the bed, chin propped, I wore a bored expression.
"Why the fuss?"
"Master...?"
"Th-the door opened...? No, you're fine...?"