The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 390

That afternoon.

We finished an additional two and a half hours of rest.

And headed straight to the Green Castle’s main training ground.

“Is Mimir still in Dante’s Book?”

I asked Elena, who was floating in front of me as we moved.

“Yes. She said she finally found what she was looking for… and that she’s sorry, but she’ll be focusing on her research for a while. That’s what she asked me to tell you.”

“I see.”

She found what she was looking for, huh.

‘My teacher was right.’

My teacher was right when he said that what Mimir was looking for would be in Sector B-3.

It’s amazing.

Back then, my teacher only knew about Mimir extending her life in this state because I told him.

How did he immediately figure out what Mimir wanted?

“Oh, and Tei has agreed to oversee Hayul’s training.”

“Tei, you say?”

That’s unexpected. For Tei to agree to such a bothersome task.

“How does Tei plan to conduct the training?”

“Well, I’ve never seen Tei teach anyone before, so I don’t know. You’ll have to ask Tei directly.”

“Ah.”

So it’s that rare of an occurrence.

“We’ve arrived, it seems.”

In the distance, a massive gate with a comfortable green hue came into view.

That was the site of Halamanium, the main training ground of the second stage. The Green Castle’s training grounds.

“Magnificent.”

Soonchan exclaimed, “Wow~”, as he looked up at the gate.

“…This green. It’s not an artificial green, is it?”

Adela was observing the gate with a very intrigued expression.

“Is the mana flowing from the magic stones inside the gate what’s turning it green?”

Elena looked at Adela with a surprised expression.

Asran also looked a bit surprised beside her.

I probably had a similar expression.

“Y-yes, that’s right. Like the Radiant Magic Stone Cave. This training ground is also filled with special magic stones. This iron gate is green because of the mana emitted by those magic stones. You’re very perceptive. The gate completely blocks mana, so you shouldn’t have been able to sense it.”

I hadn’t told them anything about the structure of the Green Castle.

Judging by Elena’s reaction, it doesn’t seem like she was the one who mentioned it either.

So, Adela figured it out on her own… What did she see that made her so sure there were magic stones inside?

“It’s not like she heard the voice of mana.”

Before, when she distinguished my mana from the dragon’s mana.

I heard that she knew because she heard the voice of mana.

But not this time.

‘I don’t hear the voice of mana.’

The voice of mana isn’t something only Adela can hear.

I can hear the voice of mana better than Adela.

If I don’t hear any sound, it means Adela didn’t hear any sound either.

“Yes, it’s not that.”

As expected.

“It’s just… the green on the gate looked like the face of mana.”

“The face of mana?”

What does that mean?

“Face… maybe it’s weird to call it that. Should I say the form of mana?”

Whatever it was, she sensed the form of mana from that green.

“Anyway, you felt a mana phenomenon from that green, right?”

“Yes.”

Adela nodded and continued.

“If we assume that green is a mana phenomenon, the only thing that could color such a thick and large gate like that would be magic stones filling the inside, right? I also thought of the Radiant Magic Stone Cave.”

“…The more I see it, the more amazing your senses are.”

Elena praised Adela with an expression of renewed admiration.

“No… It’s not that amazing…”

Adela gave a wry smile with an embarrassed expression.

“The face of mana…”

I took my eyes off them and looked at the gate.

Now that I hear it, that green definitely has a strong trace of mana.

Like Adela said, it does look like the face of mana.

‘There are things that can only be known because you don’t know them.’

A phrase I once saw in a book suddenly came to mind.

People who know something take it for granted and move on.

But people who don’t know it find it strange and delve deeper into it.

Isn’t that the situation right now?

“…Amazing. Color can also prove the form of mana.”

It’s like when people go on a trip and sign their names on a wall to leave their mark.

“The connection between color and mana. Good. I learned something new thanks to you.”

“No. You don’t have to say you learned something…”

“No, I really learned something big.”

When you learn one thing, you miss another.

Mimir and I might have been missing the basics when it came to improving mythical magic.

Mana is classified as color. I think I’ve been looking at mana too much from a dragon’s perspective.

‘If I look at mana in its purest form, maybe I’ll see something different.’

If this is an enlightenment, then it’s an enlightenment.

Once we enter the training ground, let’s focus on making the most of this realization.

‘I have a good feeling about this.’

It felt like something I was lacking would be fulfilled.

* * *

After that.

We performed the task of injecting our mana into the gate.

It was an act to gain entry, and if you entered without doing this, a rejection reaction would occur.

“Hoo. It sure sucks up a lot.”

Soonchan shook his head and approached me after finishing the task.

“I’m tired. So tired.”

“Stop exaggerating.”

It’s obvious that he’s not tired at all.

“…I’m just saying. It’s always the most tiring to just stare at the clock.”

“I’ll admit that.”

There’s nothing more tiring than a boring task. That’s why I hate detailed medical checkups at the hospital.

“…”

Adela approached us with a very languid expression.

It seems like Adela just finished the task as well.

“Sleepy?”

She looked like she was carrying all the tiredness and fatigue in the world.

“Yeees. A little…”

It seems like Adela is the one who’s tired, not Soonchan.

She seems to be completely drained, not physically, but mentally.

Since Adela hates boring tasks, it must be even more draining for her.

“All three of you. Thank you for your hard work. That completes the authentication.”

Then, Elena approached us.

“You can go in now.”

Elena looked at me, Soonchan, and Adela in turn, then gave a wry smile.

Her expression changed as she saw Adela’s blinking eyes.

“Even this part is typical of a genius.”

She seems to have thought of the characteristics of a genius after seeing that she can’t stand boring tasks.

“…Huh?”

Adela answered blankly with her eyes half-closed.

“It’s nothing. Thank you for your hard work.”

Elena smiled and brushed it off.

“Anyway, it’s all done, so you can just go in.”

Elena pointed to the green gate.

“Well, since everyone seems bored, shall we go in right away?”

“…Yeees.”

Adela answered in a daze. Was it that boring?

‘Ah, when we were resting earlier. She was the only one who didn’t sleep.’

During the break, Adela was the only one who didn’t sleep, and she was studying hard with her notebook open.

That might be why she’s so sleepy now.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t told you about the training content yet.”

“…!”

Then, Adela’s eyes snapped open. She was jolted awake by the mention of training content.

“The training content is simple.”

Squeak-!

The green gate slowly began to open.

“Win.”

Green light began to flow out from the gap in the gate, and the interior scenery came into view.

“More precisely… defeat each other’s partners. And claim victory.”

The interior was a typical training ground.

The only unique thing was that the walls on all sides were dyed green.

“Partners?”

Soonchan tilted his head slightly and looked at Adela.

“…Are you saying I have to fight and beat Adela?”

“No. It’s different.”

Elena looked at Soonchan, then at Asran.

“Soonchan, Adela isn’t your partner, is she?”

Soonchan’s eyes widened.

He looked at Elena in front of him, reacting as if he had seen a ghost.

“E-Elena… your body…?”

No. Is it the opposite?

I should say he’s reacting as if he’s seeing a person, not a ghost.

“Yes.”

Elena smiled and took Soonchan’s hand.

Normally, there shouldn’t be any sensation or warmth.

Because Elena doesn’t have a physical body.

“I-I can feel it…?”

But that’s not the case now.

Elena has regained her physical body.

“Are you surprised?”

Elena’s smile became even brighter.

“The official name of the green magic stones that fill the area around this training ground is ‘Phantasm Stones’. They are magic stones with the power to blur the boundaries between dreams and reality. They are so special that it’s hard to classify them separately… but if I had to classify them, they would belong to the illusion category.”

“…Phantasm Stones?”

“Yes.”

Elena took her hand away from Soonchan and gathered the surrounding mana at her fingertips.

“They can put targets to sleep, make them fall into illusions, or make them dream. If the mana density is increased, it’s even possible to make dreams a reality. That’s what kind of magic stones they are.”

The green formed a clear shape.

“We used this power to create a physical body.”

Soonchan was silent with a blank expression.

“So, does that mean this situation is a dream?”

“It’s a dream, and it’s not a dream.”

“…?”

Soonchan’s eyes narrowed.

He had an expression that showed he didn’t understand anything.

“Would it be easier to understand if I said it’s an illusion, but not an illusion?”

“…I’m even more confused.”

“Hmm… then…”

Elena paused, looking troubled as she thought.

“As the mana of the illusion-type magic stones concentrated in one place, the illusion didn’t simply remain an illusion, but became an illusion with a form. A kind of tangible illusion.”

“Uh… um…”

Soonchan’s expression changed to ‘I think I get it?’

“If you don’t understand, just think of it as a virtual space. Elena’s body is a kind of avatar.”

“Ah, a virtual space and an avatar.”

…To be honest, they’re very different. But it seems like it would be hard to make him understand no matter what I say. So, I decided to just go with the virtual space explanation.

“I understand. Sorry for interrupting. Please continue what you were saying.”

“…Where was I?”

“You were talking about who the partners are.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Elena cleared her throat.

“The main purpose of this training is to improve your practical combat skills. And the way to prove that your combat skills have improved is to fight and win against your partner.”

“Yes. So, who is that partner?”

Soonchan asked with a stiff expression.

“…You haven’t figured it out even after I’ve said this much?”

Elena looked lost for words with a bewildered expression.

It was as if she was saying, ‘How can you not figure it out even after I’ve said this much?’

‘…His brain is blocking him from thinking about it.’

Soonchan is quick-witted, if nothing else.

If it were the usual Soonchan, he would have figured out who the ‘partner’ was a long time ago.

The reason why Soonchan is reacting so dumbly now is different.

“It’s me.”

“…Huh?”

Trauma.

The trauma that fills Soonchan’s mind is preventing him from reaching the truth.

To put it simply, he’s ‘escaping reality’.

“Ah, Asran? What do you mean…”

“I’m saying that I’m your opponent.”

Asran, who also gained a body, smiled and placed his hand on Soonchan’s shoulder.

“Ji Soonchan. Welcome to hell.”

Soonchan trembled and turned his head.

“Try to win if you can.”

There stood a grim reaper.

“If you can win, that is.”

A 9th Circle space magic user.

The worst grim reaper, Asran Polohamruin.

“…”

Soonchan knelt down with a despairing expression.

“Adela. Your opponent is me.”

“Yes.”

“Do your best.”

Right next to those two, Elena and Adela were smiling with amicable expressions.

“I’m… doomed… I’m doomed…”

Heaven and hell.

Two things that cannot coexist were coexisting in one place.