The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 15

15.

Early in the morning, I put on my practice mage robes, stretched, and left the dormitory gate.

Light rain was falling from the sky, which was covered with gray clouds. In the southern region, influenced by the Red Mountains, the rain carried a pleasant warmth.

I enjoyed the sound of the rain for a moment, then tucked ‘Lin’s Diary’ securely into my chest pocket and walked out into the rain.

– Are you looking for a place where you can practice magic to your heart’s content? If so, the Battle Dragon Field is perfect for you.

According to the proctor’s explanation, the Battle Dragon Field was an outdoor combat training ground created for practicing powerful, wide-ranging magic.

High-level magic, like a barrier of [Damage Absorption] and [Instant Restoration] spells, surrounded the field, allowing you to unleash magic without worrying about damaging the surroundings.

The entrance to the Battle Dragon Field was blocked by a barrier of flames. When I held the student ID ring on my left index finger to the magic circle, the flames parted, clearing the way.

– Welcome to the Battle Dragon Field, Class 1388, Rain Ludwig.

– Currently, all 30 rooms are vacant.

The voice echoed from the guidance magic.

I felt a flicker of interest.

Back when I created Ludyen, it was impossible to add voice to the guidance magic. Magic has come a long way in 300 years.

“I’ll use room 15. It’s right in front.”

Using room 1 or 30 would require walking quite a distance. I hate bothersome things.

– Approved.

The Battle Dragon Field was shaped like a fan, with 30 training rooms partitioned by three-star barriers [barriers that require a three-star mage to break].

The training rooms were also small fan shapes; the area where the user stood was a bit narrow, but it gradually widened, allowing for the unleashing of wide-area magic.

“Give me a target. A sturdy one.”

Then, from among the complex magic circles drawn on the ground, a brilliant light shone into the summoning circle, and soon a golem rose up.

“About a quasi-2-star magic level? Well, that’s not bad.”

From the start, this is for experimenting with runes and mathematical formulas. If I were to fight something with a high magic level, I wouldn’t be able to observe meaningful results.

“Let’s go.”

I opened Lin’s Diary. The research begins with my first creation rune, Yun (蝡) [a Chinese character meaning ‘wriggling’].

“Yun grants the trait of ‘molecules wriggling’.”

I created this to compensate for the weakness of fire magic, which is powerful in instantaneous damage but becomes powerless when the attack is nullified by a defensive barrier.

To make the flames wriggle.

I wanted to create a trait where the flames, instead of burning up and disappearing, would burn slowly yet persistently, gnawing away at the target.

“Magic circle construction, triangle.”

When I spread my palm, a red ring floated above it. A triangle is the construction formation for fire magic.

“Rune bestowal, Yun (蝡).”

Just as the rune was about to be engraved in the center of the magic circle, it scattered into particles of light.

‘I guess 1-star magic won’t work.’

After calming my magic power with a deep breath, the moment I fully spread my palm, I felt blood rushing to my shoulder blades.

At the same time, lightning crackled around my palm, and a triangular magic circle rose up. One more, and another.

The interlocking magic circles rotated, scattering a bewitching light, and the rune of Yun (蝡) was engraved in its center.

‘It’s 3-star magic, so I should be putting in three runes.’

Yun occupied all three slots by itself, so it could be seen as very inefficient. Of course, it’s only natural since it’s not really a rune yet, just a child’s scribble.

“Mathematical formula calculation, matrix mechanics.”

When the triple-layered magic circle shattered, the supernatural defied the world’s principles and spread a variable paradox.

A torrent of wriggling flames surged towards the golem.

There was no intense explosion typical of fire magic; only embers that clung to its massive body like insects gradually began to glow brilliantly.

‘What is that trash magic?’

Someone inadvertently watched the scene from afar. It was Hubert, who had come out for morning training to relieve yesterday’s stress.

‘Since there was only one rune engraved, it must be 1-star magic, but can’t that guy even use 1-star magic properly?’

The first characteristic of fire magic is its flamboyance. Such quiet fire magic must be the most basic of the basics.

‘Coming all the way to the Battle Dragon Field to practice such magic?’

Three years as an assistant?

It was all nonsense after all. The fear I felt when he stared at me yesterday must have been a delusion. He was nothing special.

‘To have grown up as a noble of a prestigious family and only be able to do that, what a pathetic guy.’

Hubert shook his head with a sneer born of contempt and moved towards his assigned room, number 3.

And a few seconds later?

The golem crumbled and collapsed, shaking the ground. Although the reaction didn’t spread elsewhere due to [Shock Absorption].

The deep insides of the finely split rocks… were dissolved and melting. The flames that had received the trait of Yun (蝡) had burrowed into its body and burned its core.

‘Well, the intended feeling is coming out…’

But it took 30 seconds to melt a quasi-2-star golem, that’s too much. Is the problem the rune’s completion, or the mathematical theory?

‘Finding that out is the real fun.’

Now, let’s slightly modify the rune. Or, should I apply a different mathematical theory from the start?

* * *

Yonbatrikibre.

– The rune of Yun (蝡) has been modified to Yun (蜦) [another Chinese character, implying a more refined wriggling] by redefining the theory of matrix mechanics.

Ludyen’s fourth function, besides detecting magic that can be acquired from the surroundings, also summarizes the research conducted today.

Socrafres.

– Can inherit the research progress of ‘unique magic’ from the surrounding environment.

– Progress 37.1%.

Look at this.

The progress increased by 0.1%? But the problem is the standard for this progress.

Whether it means the mathematical theory is definitely complete, or the rune has become more refined. Or whether there is meaning in the process of training like this…

‘There’s no need to think about it so hard.’

There’s plenty of time. And I raised it by 0.1% this morning.

Just as I was closing the notebook with a smile, I heard the sound of an alienating cold wind slicing through the air. When I looked to see what it was, I saw a familiar back.

‘His name was… Hubert something. A young one from the Rohinum School.’

Each time the fan-shaped magic circle shattered in Hubert’s hand, blades of wind howled eerily as they flew, tearing apart the erratically flying targets.

‘Not bad. He’s quite skilled, but…’

Why do both this guy and that guy have such painful and annoyed expressions when they use magic?

Why?

Unable to understand, I just shrugged and turned around. It was time to return to the dormitory and prepare for school.

* * *

[The procedures required to activate magic are broadly divided into three categories.

1. Magic circle setup.

2. Rune bestowal.

3. Mathematical formula calculation.

Anyone who knows the basics of magic can perform the first two steps, but the problem that magicians face lies in this third step.

Magic is the act of interpreting the equations that make up the world, that is, the principles, and then displacing those equations in a different way (without causing errors in the principles, of course) to perform miracles.

If we list the third step in detail, it is as follows.

3.1 Setting the coordinates to cast the magic and calculating the formula.

3.2 Solving the coordinate equation.

3.3 Solving the principle equation existing on the coordinates and then inputting the alternative equation.

If even a single calculation among these equations is mistaken, or if the mathematical formula used is incorrect and extracts an imaginary root, a disaster often occurs.

For example, the fire magic engulfs the caster, the land at the wrong coordinates sinks, or the summoned creature does not obey control…

Therefore, the Great Mage Lin established a mathematical formula called ‘Lin’s Discriminant’ to quickly distinguish between real and imaginary roots.

Let’s calculate the equation with the premise that D=b²-4ac in the quadratic equation ax²+bx+c=0 (where a, b, c are real numbers) with respect to x.

D>0, real root.

D=0, multiple root (when real roots are equal).

D<0, imaginary root. The formula is extremely simple, easy, and perfectly distinguishes between real and imaginary roots, so it was immediately adopted as an essential formula by the Magic League...] A week had passed since entering university. The third period class was on quadratic equations and discriminants. I never imagined my name would appear in the textbook, so I let out a hollow laugh... "From now on, I will give you five examples using 'Lin's Discriminant,' so solve them in 10 minutes!" "Yes." "Your brain capacity may be smaller than a monkey's testicles, but 10 minutes should be enough, right? The Great Mage Lin made this formula so easy for you dung-heads!" While inwardly applauding Professor Owen's ability to specialize in human humiliation, Rain had to narrow his brow in deep question. 'Who is it?' Lin was always on the battlefield, so he never had the chance to make these formulas known to the world. It would be different if he had returned alive with his comrades, but... 'Ristana, Kies, and Friede only knew addition and subtraction in mathematics, and I never taught them my formulas.' But how many of the formulas Lin created were already commercialized in the Empire's magic system? If not those three, then who? I know the Osarius School organized and announced it, but who on earth gave this knowledge to the school? Wait, there is one suspect. A hateful brat who called himself my disciple and persistently followed me... 'Tureina.' Could it be her? I should go to the library and investigate her life. If there are any records left. 'Was she the one who sent me the diary?' That's unlikely, so I shook my head to clear away the delusion. It's already been 300 years. Everything I knew has become a legend of the past and is buried. Since it was a formula I created, it didn't take me even 30 seconds to solve the five problems. They were all problems that had been formalized to easily learn the formula by heart. As I was doing that, Krista next to me nudged Rain's arm with her elbow. "This." "You want me to teach you? Give it here." "What would I learn from you? I'm the genius of the age, Krista. A genius among geniuses who is equal to or greater than you." Owen glared at us, so she immediately lowered her head and handed over something with her busy, fidgeting hands. It was a luxurious wooden box. "What's this?" "Cookie." "Cookie?" "Why are you glancing at it? Men like this, right?" "???" "I had some time left over from magic training, so I tried making one. I originally bought a popular one from the store, but I gave it to someone else." Tilting my head, I opened the wooden box and immediately slammed it shut. Cold sweat flowed, and my fingers trembled with chills. There was hell inside. A hellish banquet, charred black by hellfire, making it hard to even recognize the shape... "Did you make this out of mud? Assassination mud cookie?" "What?" "Or did you put poison in it..." Have I ever seen such a devilish woman? To make a poisonous cookie just because she doesn't like me... I shuddered, and I heard students whispering. "Finding imaginary roots is so easy, wasn't Lin actually a god?" No. He was definitely human. "Or an angel from heaven?" He was human. "Or the reincarnation of a great sage?" Stop it, please! I was so embarrassed that my face actually turned hot. 'His face is red?' But there was someone who interpreted it differently, and that was Krista. 'What? He's embarrassed by such a small gift; he acts like an adult, but he has such an innocent side?' A few minutes later, Owen began to explain the examples on the blackboard in detail and began countless personal attacks, and the bell rang just when I was thinking about suicide. "Wow, that was freaking hard." "My head almost exploded." One by one, they made groaning noises, but unlike the last class, they were all smiling brightly. There was no need to ask why. "Rain, what club are you going to join?" Today's fourth period class was club promotion time, called the flower of . Students look around the club rooms to find a club to join. "Of course it's magic volleyball, right? The descendants of prestigious families have a duty to play magic volleyball to maintain their dignity." "I don't know." "You don't know?" A club. I wonder if there's a book club or something? Rather than mingling with others, I just want to read books in the library. Quietly, and lost in thought. I wanted to immerse myself in the sea of books. "I haven't decided yet. I'm thinking of looking around a bit." I really just intended to look around. Really. I had no intention of having a magic duel with a disciple of the Eight Great Schools...