Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 834

‘I was too complacent. I tried using normal magic on a crazy forest, but it didn’t work.’

What kind of forest gives you a branch just because you give up?

I even heard that Gainan just sat down near the forest to rest as soon as he started, and a branch just fell from above.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to try challenging it with dark magic.”

“Hee hee. I told you, you just have to keep walking.”

“Easy for you to say…”

Even Lee Han, who usually let things slide, felt a little frustrated after hearing that.

How was he supposed to know when the forest would give a gift? He could just keep walking forever!

However, Lagesa was quite serious.

Aside from teasing the students, he didn’t make false statements about magic.

“There really is no other way but to keep walking. Didn’t I tell you? The forest judges your worth. But how does it judge you? The forest isn’t all-knowing. In the end, it sees when you truly give up. When you truly give up with no hope left in your heart, that’s when it sends the tree.”

The Forest of Light judged a wizard’s worth by their endurance.

When they gave up with no hope left in their heart.

That was precisely the wizard’s worth.

“…!”

Lee Han shuddered at the explanation.

And he stared at Gainan.

‘So, this guy truly gave up as soon as he started??’

To be exact, it had been about an hour after he started, but that was basically the same thing.

How could he give up so easily, without any hope left?

“So, you mean just saying ‘I give up’ isn’t enough for the forest?”

“That’s right! Do you understand now?”

Even if Lee Han declared, ‘I give up!’ the forest would not accept it if there was still some hope in his heart.

To truly give up, he had to walk and walk through the forest, pushing himself to the limit.

When it was hard and he felt like he was about to collapse, when he really wanted to give up.

That was when the branch would appear.

“Um. Master? Master?”

Lee Han immediately gave up and summoned his Mad Doppelganger.

This kind of giving up was so easy!

*

*

Indeed.

The Mad Doppelganger, surprisingly, did not get angry and listened to Lee Han’s words seriously.

The opportunity to visit the Forest of the Spirit King and receive that branch was rare.

A wizard should naturally receive the best branch and craft it into a wand.

“Is there no way to threaten the forest?”

How could you threaten a forest?

“…With powerful and great ancient magic?”

At his unbelievably pathetic disciple’s question, the Mad Doppelganger said with a look of contempt.

What do you think magic is, you annoying boy?

‘He’s hitting where it hurts.’

Lee Han thought about it.

At Einroguard, he learned ‘magic can’t do everything.’ But now, he was asking for too much.

But there is a way. The royal family will advise you.

“!”

Lee Han was delighted at the reassuring advice.

As expected, the ancient archmage was no ordinary being.

Keep walking. Until you are exhausted.

“……”

Do not eat, drink, rest, or sleep. It will be a good experience.

‘He’s talking nonsense just because his main body became an undead.’

The main body had become a lich, and the doppelganger himself was now more of a thought-form than a living being, so he would not have any appetite or desire for sleep.

However, Lee Han was still vividly alive, so it was difficult for him to do that.

How long would he have to walk to really get tired and collapse?

“Yes. I understand.”

Lee Han thought that he should just ignore the Mad Doppelganger’s words like he did with Lagesa.

However, the Mad Doppelganger was, as expected, one step ahead of his disciple.

You annoying boy. Report to me when you get the branch. I will examine it myself.

“…Is it really necessary to go that far?”

Lee Han was taken aback by the Mad Doppelganger’s unexpectedly serious demeanor.

Why was he examining this like it was a midterm exam?

It is a worthwhile endeavor. It is the creation of a new wand. If you lazily collapse early, I will not forgive you.

The Mad Doppelganger spoke with several times more pressure than usual.

Lee Han was nervous because he knew that the other party had been very accommodating and patient with his demands.

This Mad Doppelganger was capable of anything if his patience exploded and he went berserk.

“Of course. Who am I? Am I not your disciple? If I can’t get the best branch here, I’d rather refuse it.”

That is wrong, you annoying boy. What nonsense are you spouting?

‘Seriously. Why is he so stingy when he’s royalty?’

Lee Han grumbled inwardly when he was called out for speaking like royalty.

But you annoying boy. I know what you mean. It’s harder to get tired when you are stronger. It’s like it’s harder to learn more when you already know a lot.

“That’s right. What should I do?

Give yourself pain. Asceticism.

“……”

Lee Han regretted summoning him today when he only received unexpected advice.

He should have at least cut him off earlier…

Regardless, the Mad Doppelganger began to explain various magics.

Making Lee Han’s arms and legs heavy, hunger and thirst, sleepiness, drowsiness…

“But Master. I have a lot of mana, so these curses don’t work well on me.”

I understand. The struggles of the gifted.

“Thank…”

I will teach you how to send curses flowing into your bones and into your soul.

“……”

Even if ancient magic could not persuade the Forest of Light, Lee Han knew how to send curses flowing into his own soul, deep within his bones.

“Why was this kind of magic even developed?”

I taught you last time, didn’t I? Your memory is not good.

“Yes? Ah…”

Lee Han, who had been wondering what he was talking about, finally realized.

The magic he learned last time was >Gonadalte’s Fall>.

It was a magic that started from the transcendent idea of absorbing the world’s pain, curses, and decay.

‘That’s right. If I can absorb other people’s wounds or curses, I can also send curses flowing into my own bones or soul.’

Since it was a magic that absorbed and controlled pain, curses, decay, and so on, it was natural that various derivatives would come out of its application.

I don’t know why, among those derivatives, putting a curse deep inside the wizard’s own soul came out…

I could even understand using it for attack, but this was just pure self-harm.

Focus.

‘Apply the Fall. I am cursing myself. Not cursing on the outside, but absorbing an unmade curse and putting it deep inside my bones…’

Following the Mad Doppelganger’s instructions, Lee Han tried repeatedly.

It was a truly bizarre sensation.

Trying to curse himself felt strange. It was like trying to find a weakness inside himself to put the curse through.

And Lee Han felt anew that his own self was an annoying opponent.

‘What kind of magic power…’

An impregnable fortress that showed no gaps.

No matter how much he threw curses from the outside, they would crumble as if throwing an egg at a castle wall.

He had to create and absorb the curse inside the wall, not the wall itself.

Skin and muscle, flesh and blood and magic power, and bones, inside that, the soul…

Things that he had simply thought of as ‘himself’ were a collection of various elements that could be fragmented more than he thought.

At that moment, Lee Han realized that he could cast a curse directly on his bones.

Immediately, avoiding the interference of his own magic power.

“Become heavy!”

Lee Han was surprised by the unpleasant sensation of the curse that he felt for the first time.

After the curse was cast, before the magic power could pull out and deal with the unpleasant foreign substance, >Gonadalte’s Fall> had hidden it deep inside his bones.

His arms and legs were definitely getting heavier. Lee Han shouted with joy.

“Did you see that?!”

Quiet. Next is the soul.

Although a mere second-year wizard was contemplating himself, dividing each element, and casting magic, the Mad Doppelganger did not praise him at all. He was truly terribly cold.

Originally, a wizard becoming aware of their own soul separately was an important task in all schools.

Especially schools that dealt with spiritual bodies or astral bodies, such as the Illusion Magic School, required this soul awareness.

However, it was never easy for a wizard to distinguish each of their organs, flesh and blood and magic power and bones.

The concept of oneself was surprisingly difficult to see in a strange way.

Having accomplished this, he could now distinguish the components and souls of others and cast magic.

“Wait. Master. I can apply this when using magic on other people.”

Lee Han belatedly realized this and asked the question.

He thought it was just a self-harm spell, but after doing it, it turned out to have a wider range of applications than he thought.

This vision seemed to be applicable to other people as well.

Don’t act like you just invented something everyone knows.

‘His words are too harsh.’

Lee Han grumbled inwardly.

It was natural for him to feel that way since he had learned and done everything in ancient times, but from Lee Han’s perspective, each and every one of them was bound to be amazing.

He could feel how one ancient magic was influencing the current magic of the Empire.

“Master. I have one more question to ask.”

I told you to cast a curse on your soul.

Despite the Mad Doppelganger’s warning, Lee Han continued to say what he wanted to say.

After dealing with the Mad Doppelganger for a long time, he was able to distinguish between real anger and fake anger.

Of course, fake anger did not mean that he was not angry. It was only anger to the extent that he would not come to kill Lee Han.

“Isn’t it usually easier to practice these things by grabbing someone else?”

Lee Han’s question unexpectedly hit a sensitive spot.

In fact, it was originally easier to grasp the components and soul of others.

Usually, it was easier to cast magic on oneself, but with this awareness and recognition of the soul, it was more difficult to grasp one’s own.

Therefore, the masters of the Illusion Magic School usually had their disciples grasp the master’s components and soul.

Even if the disciple made a mistake, the master could respond as much as they wanted.

I told you to cast a curse on your soul. Do not make me say it twice.

However, the Mad Doppelganger was not very interested in what was easier or more difficult.

He just wanted to quickly have him cast a curse deep inside his soul and then have him walk.

“Yes. I understand.”

Lee Han thought that he could not hold out any longer and prepared again.

It was similar to what he had just done, but it was a little more difficult.

Beyond the bones located in the deepest part, cast a curse somewhere deeper in the soul, and then use Gonadalte’s Fall to tie it down tightly.

He wondered if he had to go this far to cast a curse on himself, but there was nothing he could do.

“Become heavy!”

He felt a much stronger effect than before.

As expected, a curse engraved on the soul was more powerful than a curse engraved on the bones.

Following the Mad Doppelganger’s advice, Lee Han added curses in order. His arms and legs became heavy, and fatigue and drowsiness washed over him.

Now walk. Think as you walk.

“About what?”

The pain and curses of the world. What must be done to eliminate this detestable pain and curse? You annoying boy, think about your weakness. It would be good to be indignant at your weakness that you can do nothing about. Change that thought and feeling into power and draw it out.

“……”

Even though his mind was hazy, he could hear the Mad Doppelganger’s voice very well.

Lee Han suddenly remembered the story he had heard about the Skull Headmaster’s disciples.

Burning themselves, burning the Skull Headmaster, or burning the continent.

He was sure that was what he had said…

‘…I think I understand the reason why…’

Lee Han still did not understand what power the Mad Doppelganger was telling him to draw out, but it seemed that the power might fly to the Mad Doppelganger himself.