NOVEL NEXT chapter 40
40 – Wizard’s Tower – 3
Of course, magic isn’t infinite.
If you use it, it will run out someday.
When depleted, do not use even simple magic until your mana is completely restored.
“Until your mana runs out, is it?”
“Yes.”
In addition, depletion of mana causes serious exhaustion.
The whole body loses strength and becomes lethargic, and severe people experience pain even when they just breathe.
That’s why the first thing I heard when learning magic in this world was that no matter what happens, you shouldn’t run out of magic.
But deliberately depleting your mana?
Isn’t Arvein researching body strengthening magic?
How the hell did this story flow?
I had such a question, but I couldn’t put it into my mouth.
Because Arvein’s eyes were sincere without wavering.
“… All right.”
In the end, I nodded and slowly began to release my mana.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha.”
I was out of breath, and my body was weak.
“The amount of mana is average. But the width of the magic furnace is laughable.”
I lay on the floor and quietly looked at the ceiling.
“I can see why Charlotte brought you here.”
Arvein looked at me like that and quietly wrote something in his notebook.
The exhaustion caused by the depletion of mana was more like discomfort than pain.
I had to use more strength than usual to move my body, but the strength doesn’t come out.
“This is unpleasant.”
“Everyone says the same thing when they first run out of magic power. Once you get used to it, you won’t be very impressed.”
It’s a feeling I never want to get used to.
“But I don’t think you need to do it multiple times. You’ll probably get a feel for it soon.”
I couldn’t understand Arvein’s words, but I didn’t even have the energy to ask him again.
“Isn’t it true that the mana was completely released?”
“Yes.”
I tried to raise my mana as usual, but I didn’t feel anything.
It was completely exhausted.
“Okay. Then close your eyes and take a deep breath.”
I followed his advice without questioning anything.
“Slowly get rid of other distracting thoughts. Remember that feeling when you release your mana.”
When channeling mana.
Reviving that sensation, I calmly concentrated.
“Where and how did the magic flow? And how did it move?”
The magical energy raised from the heart spreads throughout the body along the way.
Like the flow of a river.
“How is the magic that extends from the heart to the whole body made up?”
Consciousness sinks as if drowning in water.
It felt like walking on an ordinary street.
One step. Two steps.
A door began to appear at the end of the road.
If I go out here, my consciousness will be completely awakened.
I quietly turn my back to go back the way I came.
And what I saw there.
“Huh?”
“You must have noticed.”
It was a door leading to another road.
My eyes opened.
I felt the shock of seeing something I couldn’t understand.
Surely, magic is the way to release magic.
The road that starts from the heart goes straight in only one direction.
That’s why there’s no need to follow the cycle of magical power unless you’re a knight.
Exquisite control of the power to go straight and the power to turn and return.
If you can’t do it perfectly, your body will suffer from overload.
You have to be constantly conscious of the flow of magical power.
You need to adjust the amount of mana you break according to the width of the mana path.
The result of perfectly calculating these two is the circulation of magic power.
And the moment you miss even one of these, a gap will form.
That’s the price to go beyond your limits.
Some people think that a knight is simply a monster that can be pushed by force, but a knight must be more careful and meticulous than anyone else when fighting.
But if there is such a thing, if this path can be used to cycle magic.
The story is completely different.
“With this magical power, where does it lead?”
“It leads to the heart just like the magic furnace we normally use. To put it simply, it is the other side.”
“I didn’t know there was a road like this.”
“You are not the only one. I was just like you until I started researching. Even Charlotte-sama didn’t know.”
Arbane nodded, saying it was natural.
“This path can only be seen when mana is depleted. Normally, it is completely covered.”
“What the hell is this for?”
“Okay. I don’t know what’s accurate. Even though Miss Charlotte has made many guesses, nothing is certain. But that’s not what’s important.”
The important thing is that you can use this road.
Arvein slowly began to explain to me.
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Press the little finger of the right hand slowly with the thumb.
It was a routine.
A ritual to forcibly open a path that is not normally used in the body.
This time, press the little finger of your left hand with your thumb.
It was a routine to close the door again.
Somehow, it seemed like I heard a clicking sound.
“How is it?”
“… It seems to be done.”
“Then let’s get right into the actual battle.”
“Yes.”
At Arvein’s words, I pulled out Neia and took a stance.
He also raised his sword and aimed it at me.
I closed my eyes and slowly raised mana from my heart and spread it throughout my body.
Magic power flowed along the road as usual.
The moment you are about to reach the end of the road.
I caught my breath and pressed the pinky finger of my right hand with my thumb.
The door that had been firmly closed began to open slowly.
The rushing current changed direction and fell into a new path.
It was through the heart.
At some point, the amount of mana flowing out and the mana returning to the heart became equal, and a perfect circulation was created.
“I’m going.”
As soon as I opened my eyes, I was the one who took off my feet first.
It wasn’t such a tactic as winning the game.
It was to get used to this unfamiliar sensation.
“Suck!”
The first blow was a horizontal slash aimed at the right shoulder.
Of course, Arbane lightly raised his arm to block the attack.
It would have been fine if the swords collided and entered into a power struggle, but I stepped back for now.
“Hmm.”
It was a strange feeling.
I didn’t feel particularly strong.
The speed of movement and the power when swinging the sword did not change much.
However, a sense of incongruity felt fiercely.
What is the true nature of this?
In terms of good and bad, it was definitely the former.
“Is it the end?”
“… It can’t be.”
Let’s think while moving.
Because I have a lot of time anyway.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha.”
The clock in the corner of the room was pointing to 12 o’clock.
“Since it’s the first day, shall we stop here?”
Arvein’s words that he would create an extreme situation were not lies.
The sparring started at 2:00 PM.
During the long 10 hours, I was only able to take a 5-minute break.
Of course, dinner was fasting.
Of course, it was the first time he had swung his sword non-stop for such a long time.
“You are weak.”
Arvein didn’t look tired at all.
“There are times when you can’t rest for three days when you fight against demons on the front line. Physical strength is the most important factor for a knight.”
I don’t think my stamina is weak.
Swallowing such dissatisfaction inside, I quietly sat down on the floor.
“Just a few final questions before I finish.”
“Okay.”
“First. What do you think has changed?”
“Hmm.”
What has changed.
To be honest, I didn’t notice anything that made me stronger.
It was a matter of course.
Arvein didn’t do research to make body strengthening magic stronger.
It was a study to eliminate the ‘gap’ that could arise in an emergency situation.
And the collateral benefit from that was simple.
“Movement is much smoother. It feels exactly one beat faster.”
The disappearance of the process of circulating the flow of magical power meant that the consciousness could be fully focused on movement.
Until now, even in simple poses, it felt a bit stiff.
But I didn’t feel that at all in today’s sparring with Arbane.
On the contrary, I only thought that it was lighter than usual.
Being able to take the desired action a little faster and more reliably was a huge advantage in actual combat.
“Second. Are there any side effects?”
“It doesn’t seem to exist.”
If I had to question it, the first time I drained my mana and the activation of the hidden path was unpleasant.
Creating a routine was also a tedious task, but considering the necessary cost, it was worth it.
“Third last. Did the circulation of magic ever break during today’s sparring?”
“No.”
Until the operation was stopped, the circulation of magic never stopped.
At first, I kept worrying about it because I thought I might not know.
1 Hour. 2 Hours. As the three hours passed, I started to feel more and more confident.
Unless the direct flow is cut off, this cycle will not end.
“… Not bad.”
“Let’s go back first.”
“Yes. First, get a room from Miss Charlotte. You’ll still be awake at this hour. And be back here by 5:00 tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
I lowered my head slightly and left the room, leaving behind Arvein, who was recording something.
★
“Who are you?”
“This is Ike.”
“Oh, come in.”
I heard Charlotte’s voice and slowly opened the door.
There were no Reina or Sophia in the room.
Only Charlotte was sitting in a chair, sorting out his papers.
“I sent those two to rest earlier.”
“Is that so?”
As if he had read my thoughts, I slightly flinched at the answer that came back.
“The room is right downstairs. As soon as you get down, walk all the way to the right and you’ll see a sleeping room. It may be inconvenient, but stay there for today.”
“Okay.”
I wondered what the two of them would have done today, but I thought I was tired and decided to take a quick break.
So the moment I turned my back without hesitation.
“Wait a minute.”
Charlotte caught me.
“I have something to tell you.”
She was sorting out her papers a while ago and was staring at me before I knew it.
I couldn’t ignore the call, so I sat down slowly.
“Well, it’s not a long story. Perhaps tomorrow, while you and Arvain are sparring, the old men of the Mage Tower will visit you.”
“Maybe….”
“Yes. They are people who have taken the position of Elder because they have been active in the Mage Tower for a long time. They’re welcoming that I’ve brought you guys from Arcana, but there seems to be a lot of things they don’t like.”
A sneer crept across Charlotte’s face.
“For example, why did you bring Sophia, who can only convert magical power into the attribute of light at most? And why did I send you to a guy like Arvein? Things like this.”
I remembered what Arvein said in the morning.
The people of the Mage Tower despise themselves for leaving behind the quest for the truth.
“I can handle this anyway. Sophia’s talent still leaves me with a question mark, but it’s not to the point that those old people ignore it. But the problem is on your side.”
Charlotte’s finger pointed right at me.
“He will probably try to separate you from Arvein, citing various reasons. It won’t matter if you’re really interested in the Magic Tower, but I think you’ll like Arvein’s research more.”
“That’s right.”
“So just think the dog is barking and ignore it. After all, I’m behind Arvein, so even old people won’t be able to touch it.”
… Elder of the Magic Tower.
It must have appeared in the original work as well.
My memory was vague.
Well, it’s probably not an important story.
Thought so, I stepped into the sleeping room.