The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 57

The Rebirth of the Mythical Archmage-58

9 PM the next day.

After finishing all the scheduled tasks.

I arrived at the Blue Magic Tower at the appointed time.

As soon as I arrived, I immediately moved to the examination room and underwent a precise mana examination for the unique mana imprinting.

The examination alone took about an hour.

“That was the last test. Now, we just have to wait for the results to come out.”

Kim Kang-in approached me and informed me that all the tests were finished.

“This is your first time doing this kind of mana test, right? How was it?”

“The test itself was fine. But the test time was so long that it was a bit tiring.”

It was called a precise mana examination, but it was actually just a grind.

A simple task of going into the testing device and moving mana as instructed. Repeating this for three hours was not easy.

I said it was tiring in a nice way, but honestly, it was incredibly annoying and boring.

“But you finished relatively quickly, Ha-yul. Usually, people make errors while moving their mana, so they have to do it again and again, which usually takes about eight hours.”

“…Eight hours?”

The precise mana testing device that the Blue Magic Tower possessed was one of the newest testing devices in the world.

It was the first time I had heard about this device.

“People who are not skilled at controlling mana can take more than 14 hours.”

“…You have to do this simple labor for 14 hours?”

That’s terrible.

Isn’t that practically torture?

“It’s amazing that you call this simple labor. It is a repetition of moving mana, but it’s definitely not an easy task.”

“…Is that so?”

It’s just a simple task of moving mana as instructed.

Is that difficult?

“You have to move the mana very precisely. The error rate must be within 0.3%. It’s definitely not easy.”

“……”

I almost snorted.

It’s not easy just to move mana accurately.

That’s nothing compared to the test I took on the second trial page.

“You have a look that says you can’t understand.”

Kim Kang-in said with a smirk.

It seemed like my inner thoughts were showing on my face.

I quickly composed my expression.

Kim Kang-in’s smile deepened.

“Anyway, the test results are likely to be excellent. Of course, the quality of the artifact will also be higher.”

The unique mana imprinting is the stage where the artifact is customized for the user.

The final quality of the artifact depends on the perfection of this stage.

Like gears that are organically connected, a 1% error in a high-rank artifact can lead to a 10% performance decrease.

To prevent this performance decrease, the skill of the artisan is important, but the precise mana examination must be perfect first.

“This could be the best masterpiece in the history of the Blue Magic Tower.”

“Even so, it’s going to be hard to be the best masterpiece, right? Among the Blue Magic Tower’s custom-made artifacts, there’s the ‘Imperial Ring’…”

The artifact called the best masterpiece since the establishment of the Blue Magic Tower.

The Imperial Ring.

It seems impossible to surpass that ring no matter how I think about it.

“Your artifact will be at that level.”

“…Huh?”

Kim Kang-in smiled as if he was in a great mood, as if he liked my surprised expression.

“Of course, it would be impossible to surpass the Imperial Ring with a single attribute enhancement. But your artifact is not a single attribute enhancement artifact, but a four-attribute complex enhancement artifact. Considering its versatility, it’s comparable to the Imperial Ring.”

“Does that mean… the expected rank of my artifact is at least S-rank 4 tier?”

Kim Kang-in smiled silently.

It was a smile that meant strong affirmation.

“Oh my god…”

S-rank 4 tier artifact.

An artifact comparable to the Imperial Ring.

I can’t wait for it to be completed.

How am I going to wait three weeks?

“Haha! It’s the first time I’ve seen you look so excited, Ha-yul.”

“The comparison is with the Imperial Ring, how can I be indifferent?”

I wonder what it will look like when it appears before me.

I’m already excited.

“Um, has the name of the artifact been decided…”

I was about to ask more about the artifact with excitement when.

Buzz-!

The phone in my pocket vibrated.

“Excuse me for a moment…”

[Sender: Father]

I got a text from my father.

It was perfect timing.

“I’m sorry. It’s an important call, so may I be excused for a moment?”

“Yes. Take your time. There’s plenty of time until the test results come out.”

I immediately opened the text.

If my guess is correct, this text will contain the news I’ve been waiting for.

[The ship is scheduled to arrive at the port at 2:30 AM today.]

[The estimated time for receiving the materials is 6:30 PM tomorrow.]

[I will send the materials through Seok-hyun to match the time you finish training.]

The ingredients for the elixir that I had been waiting for had finally arrived.

* * *

8 PM the next day.

Finally, all the ingredients for making the elixir were gathered.

“Yeah. The condition is good. The quality is good. The size is perfect too.”

The horn of the Octo-Horned Beast.

The heart of the Catastrophe.

The eye of the Leviathan.

Mimir gave a thumbs up after checking all three materials.

It meant approval.

“At this point, we can go straight into making the elixir.”

Mimir pointed to the material preparation tools placed on the edge.

“First, prepare the materials. Just in case you make a mistake, let’s get a feel for it by preparing the extra materials.”

“Okay.”

I immediately started preparing the materials.

Using the appropriate preparation tools for each material, I carefully refined the materials while pouring my mana into them.

Each material had slightly different preparation methods, but the overall framework was somewhat consistent.

“…Ah. I made a mistake.”

“It’s okay. It’s still recoverable. Just cut off that part and try again.”

“I’ll try.”

I did my best to refine the materials under Mimir’s precise instructions.

How much time had passed?

My body was covered in sweat.

“Ugh. This is really not easy.”

“If it’s too hard, take a break. If you overdo it, the quality of your mana might change, and it will be annoying when you mix the materials later.”

The Blessing of Mana is a very sensitive elixir. Even the slightest mistake cannot be tolerated.

Thanks to that, the tension is always at its peak. So, how can I not be exhausted?

“This one was a bit close. Be careful with the final touches.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

As I prepared the materials, took breaks, and prepared again under Mimir’s instructions, I began to see the end.

“Now, only the three most important materials are left. Let’s take a break before that.”

Now, only the three most expensive rare materials are left.

The horn of the Octo-Horned Beast.

The heart of the Catastrophe.

The eye of the Leviathan.

Only super-expensive rare materials that cannot be recovered if you make a mistake.

I took a break before preparing those materials.

“Is your mana fully recovered?”

“Yeah.”

After about 20 minutes of rest, my somewhat scattered mind was immediately calmed.

“Okay. Then, let’s start with the horn of the Octo-Horned Beast first. Pour as much mana as possible into the preparation knife. Start by shaving the surface.”

3 hours.

“Slowly. Very slowly. Like shaving the outer surface of a pencil lead. Once that’s done, the next step is imprinting.”

6 hours.

“A little softer. Like coating each cell with mana. Good. Just like that.”

10 hours.

I was engrossed in preparing the materials from dawn until the sun rose in the morning.

“Now, slowly put it into the bottles you brought. Don’t make a mistake in measuring. You have to put exactly 87.34ml each.”

After 12 hours of effort, I succeeded in making the elixir, ‘Blessing of Mana’.

“…It’s done.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

Five bottles in total.

Looking at the five Blessings of Mana that were emitting a brilliant light, I couldn’t help but smile.

With this, all preparations were complete.

* * *

10:30 AM the next day.

I was looking at the sea from the express boat heading to Baengnyeong Island.

The weather is nice, the scenery is beautiful, and the breeze is cool, so I feel good.

‘I hope we get there soon.’

I stroked the Blessing of Mana that I had put in my side bag through the bag.

A total of five bottles of ‘Blessing of Mana’.

I want to drink them soon.

I want to drink this and weave the Ring of Expansion soon.

My head was full of such thoughts.

“Hey, man. Anyone would think you’re a model posing.”

Soon-chan popped out from behind, put his arm around my shoulder, and chuckled.

He’s more energetic than usual.

He seems to be intoxicated by the excitement of the trip.

“Are you trying to show off on purpose? Should I take a picture for you? Should I make a whole photo book for you?”

“No, thanks. What picture?”

I chuckled and turned my body towards the cabin.

“Oh, come on. Don’t you know that the only things that remain from a trip are food and pictures? Huh?”

Soon-chan naturally took his arm off my shoulder and turned his body in the same direction as me.

“The background is good too. Come here. Let’s take a picture with this bro.”

Soon-chan put his face close to mine and moved his phone around.

I moved my gaze along the camera lens appropriately.

“If you’re going to take it, take it quickly.”

I wish he would take it quickly and be done with it.

“Geez, you’re so impatient. Just wait a minute.”

I don’t know what he doesn’t like, but he keeps changing the angle of the camera.

“Ah, I don’t like it…”

“What? Your face?”

“You little…”

Soon-chan laughed roughly.

“I’m kidding. I’m kidding. What don’t you like?”

“The atmosphere.”

“The atmosphere?”

What’s wrong with the atmosphere?

“Yeah. Ah, this is not it…”

Soon-chan put down his phone and pondered.

“Ah. This is it.”

Then, with an expression as if he had realized something, he let out a small exclamation.

He shouted at Adela, who was standing blankly in the distance.

“Adela! Let’s take a picture!”

Adela approached with a puzzled look.

“A picture?”

“Yeah. The background behind us is amazing. It’s a sin not to take a picture with such an amazing photo zone. Come on, come in!”

“Ah, yes? Uh…”

Soon-chan pulled Adela and placed her next to me.

Adela came into the camera angle as it was.

Thus, a composition of Adela on the left and Soon-chan on the right, with me in the center, was created.

“That’s it! The picture becomes brighter when Adela is in it. Selfies are not for taking with dark men.”

Soon-chan laughed heartily as if he was finally satisfied with the picture.

“Okay. I’m taking it. Kimchi!”

“Ki, kimchi…”

Adela made a V-sign with her fingers with an awkward smile.

“……”

I just looked at the lens with the same expression as usual.

“Done.”

Soon-chan, who had finished taking the picture, grinned.

“Kuh. Awesome. This is it. This is the real taste of travel. Mwahaha!”

Soon-chan kept exclaiming as he looked at the picture he had taken.

“It’s a picture. It’s a picture. If I just do a little bit of editing, I can use it as a pictorial.”

His energy is at its peak.

He’s so lively that anyone would think he’s a seasonal mackerel.

I chuckled as I looked at Soon-chan.

“I’ll organize all the pictures later and upload them to the group chat.”

“Okay.”

“I’m going to take pictures with the seniors too. See you later.”

Soon-chan put his phone in his pocket and walked away from us.

His steps were very lively.

“He was energetic from the start, but he seems even more energetic today.”

“He’s just excited about the trip.”

“It’s not a trip, it’s training. Is it okay to leave him so excited?”

“Leave him be. He’ll be back to his usual energy as soon as the real training starts.”

If we make him go around Baengnyeong Island once, he’ll be back to normal.

“…That’s unexpected.”

“What is?”

“Normally, you would have said, ‘How can he be so excited when it’s training!’ and scolded him, right?”

“…That’s true. But more than that, were you imitating me?”

“Yes. Was it the same?”

“……”

It wasn’t the same at all.

It was just Adela with a slightly higher tension.

“…It’s the same.”

“Right? The slightly raised corners of the eyes are the point.”

Looking at those sparkling eyes, it was hard to say that it wasn’t the same at all.

Let’s just say it’s the same.

“Anyway, as you said, Adela, I think I would have scolded Soon-chan a lot if it were normal.”

“Right?”

Normally, I would have deliberately mentioned hellish training to lower his tension.

“Hmm. Is it because I’m in a good mood today? I don’t feel like scolding Soon-chan much.”

“Are you in a good mood?”

“Yeah. I’m a little excited thinking about training in the dense mana concentration of Baengnyeong Island.”

To be exact, I’m really excited thinking about drinking the elixir and weaving the Ring of Expansion.

“Ah! I know that feeling. I’ve only been here once five years ago, but it was really good then. So I’m really excited now too.”

Looking at her awkward attempt at doing the kimchi pose earlier, I thought Adela was more energetic than usual today.

She was more excited than I expected.

She seems more excited than Soon-chan.

“I heard that the mana concentration has become denser recently. I wonder how much it will be. I’m looking forward to it.”

Adela gazed at Baengnyeong Island in the distance with an excited expression.

Her long blonde hair fluttering in the sea breeze was like a painting.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

I smiled brightly, enjoying the mana concentration that was gradually becoming denser as the distance to Baengnyeong Island decreased.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

It seems like it will be a full 5 nights and 6 days in many ways.