The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 27

Returning to my room, I immediately opened the Book of Idread.

I opened to page 210, placed my hand on the magic circle, and rotated my circle according to the mysteries of Resonance.

My circle spun fiercely, shaking the surrounding mana.

Woong, woong, woong!

The resonance ring synchronized with the surrounding mana and the ring of the mind, resonating.

‘Got it.’

Mana poured out from the two rings that had become perfectly one.

Flash-!

The magic circle on page 210 emitted a tremendous light.

And after a moment.

‘Oh, formal successor of Vitenner. I wish you success in your endeavors.’

I heard my teacher’s voice, which I had also heard on the first test page.

And I was on the second test page.

“Welcome, Successor.”

Just like on the first test page, a woman greeted me.

“I am Beta, the guide in charge of the second test page.”

The guide on the first test page was Alpha (α).

The guide on the second test page is Beta (β).

At this rate, will the guide on the third test page be Gamma (γ)?

“On the second test page, we will test how freely you can manipulate your circle.”

Beta smiled and continued her explanation.

“You will learn the details of the test when it begins. If you pass the test, it will be determined that you have fully mastered the 2nd Circle. Pages 32 to 81, which contain information about 3rd Circle magic, will be updated.”

She repeated the words I had heard from Alpha, word for word.

“Wait a minute, 81 pages?”

The pages updated when I passed the first test page were pages 18 to 31. Only 14 pages in total.

So, I was expecting about 20 pages to be updated this time at most, but.

“Suddenly, 50 pages are being updated?”

Suddenly, more than three times the number of pages are being updated.

Of course, it’s good, but I’m a little taken aback.

“That means the 3rd Circle of Vitenner-style magic is on a different level.”

“So, the difficulty of learning it is on a different level than the ring of the mind or the ring of resonance.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to it, but also a little scared….”

Anticipation of gaining new knowledge and anxiety about the difficulty of learning it.

Two emotions coexisted.

Of course, anticipation was much greater.

The higher the difficulty of learning, the more powerful the 3rd Circle must be.

“That concludes the explanation. Would you like to start the test right away?”

“Ah, yeah. Please do.”

First, I need to pass the second test page.

“Then, let’s begin the second test.”

Just like during the first test page.

Beta’s body also turned into mana and scattered in all directions.

‘It’s amazing, even after seeing it again.’

A magical persona.

To be able to have a normal conversation with a doll made of mana.

The more I think about it, the more incredible the technology is.

‘I will now announce the contents of the second test.’

While I was admiring it, I heard my teacher’s voice again.

The chaotic thoughts in my mind instantly calmed down.

‘The test is simple. From now on, 100 magic circles will appear in front of you in order.’

A magic circle floated in the air.

It was a magic circle similar in shape to the one drawn on page 210 of the Book of Idread.

‘Activate all 100 magic circles.’

I slowly brought my hand to the magic circle.

‘If you synchronize with the magic circle and resonate your circle, the magic circle will naturally activate.’

I slowly felt the magic circle and synchronized my circle.

Woo-oong-!

After about 10 seconds of synchronization, the magic circle was successfully activated.

At the same time, the next magic circle was updated.

While changing the mana value of the circle to match the changed magic circle.

“Huh.”

Suddenly, the magic circle changed its appearance.

It was the magic circle I had activated a moment ago.

‘For reference, the update time per magic circle is 3 seconds. If you do not activate the magic circle within that time, it will return to the first magic circle and reset, so be careful.’

“……Ah.”

That means I can’t just activate 100 of them slowly.

“Am I supposed to memorize them?”

I used resonance again to activate the magic circle.

And as the second magic circle was updated, I moved my circle, remembering the formula I had tried to activate earlier.

However.

“That’s not the same magic circle as before?”

What is this?

The magic circle was different from before.

‘Also, except for the first magic circle, the rest are completely random.’

‘There’s no point in trying to memorize the patterns.’

“……Wow.”

Random?

I didn’t expect this.

‘It’s not an easy test, but I believe you will pass it safely.’

‘Then, good luck.’

With those words, my teacher’s voice was no longer heard.

Left alone, I stared blankly at the magic circle and let out a hollow laugh.

To do a task that takes 10 seconds even when fully prepared in 3 seconds?

And 100 in a row?

Wow…….

“The difficulty has really gone crazy, hasn’t it?”

I had a feeling that it wouldn’t be an easy journey.

* * *

After a long 8-hour challenge.

I left the second test page for now.

“Ah, my head.”

I didn’t pass the test.

I just came out for a while.

I reached my mental limit and needed a break.

“Even after doing this, 10 is the limit….”

In the past 8 hours, I hadn’t even activated 100 magic circles, I had only managed to activate 10.

And that was only barely achieved.

“100 is nowhere in sight.”

It’s already difficult to perfectly combine two different circles into one.

And I have to do this within 3 seconds, matching the magic circle.

It sounds easy when you say it, but it’s incredibly difficult.

Think about it.

It took a lot of time just to connect the ring of the mind and the ring of resonance.

I had so much trouble with this simple alignment, and on top of that, I have to synchronize with the ‘values’ that the magic circle presents randomly.

And 100 of them in a row.

How could this be easy?

“Hoo. I guess I have no choice but to keep trying.”

At first, even two were difficult, but after constant effort, I managed to activate 10 magic circles.

If I keep trying, I might be able to pass someday.

“Fortunately, I’m starting to get the hang of it.”

If I keep trying, I might succeed someday.

“……Or not? Even with the knack, 100 might be too difficult.”

Honestly, I can’t be sure.

That’s how crazy the difficulty of the second test was.

Even if I could pass by just blindly trying, it would definitely take a lot of time.

‘Should I look for the other books my teacher left behind?’

I scratched the back of my head and rechecked a sentence in the middle of page 31 of the Book of Idread.

[For reference, the book I wrote is not just this one, the Book of Idread.]

[If you feel a wall, look for the other books I left behind.]

[They will surely be of great help to your achievements.]

If you feel a wall.

That sentence stood out particularly.

Is it because I’m feeling a wall in real time?

‘I should go get some fresh air first.’

There’s no point in just agonizing over it.

To clear my head and get some air into my brain, I decided to take a walk.

And buy some snacks on the way back.

I need some sugar.

I took a light stroll along the promenade near the dormitory.

The night air in May was cool and pleasant.

“Nice.”

Maybe it’s because it’s putting fresh air into my brain.

I feel very refreshed.

I guess people need to get some fresh air.

“Hello.”

“Adela?”

While I was enjoying my leisurely walk, I ran into Adela.

“Hi. Are you taking a walk too?”

“Yes. I’ve been in my room all day, so my head is foggy….”

“Ah. So, because classes were canceled, you were stuck in your room all day again?”

I can see it in my mind’s eye.

She must have been stuck in her room studying all day.

“Yes. There was a slightly interesting paper, so I was reading it.”

“A paper? What is it? If it’s interesting, show it to me later.”

“Um. I don’t think you really need to see it. It was very plausible at first, but the ending was a bit much….”

“Ah. So, it was the typical conclusion that the approach was good?”

“Yes.”

That’s how magic papers are.

They start out very interesting, but then they get lost along the way, and the conclusion ends up being neither here nor there.

It’s a common occurrence.

“So, that’s why you had such a disappointed look?”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yeah. I could tell right away.”

It was like the expression of a child who was disappointed because they didn’t get the gift they wanted on their birthday.

It was written all over her face, ‘I’m disappointed.’

“The disappointment is as great as the expectations were.”

Adela smiled bitterly.

“What kind of paper was it that made you so disappointed?”

At this point, I’m curious about what kind of paper she read.

What kind of paper could be so great at the beginning and then disappoint Adela so much?

“It was a paper on space-time magic.”

“Ah, one of the seven great challenges?”

“Yes.”

The seven great challenges of magic.

It literally means things that cannot be solved.

One of them is space-time magic.

In the long history of magic, no one has ever realized space-time magic.

Except for the first great mage, Ray Bell Vitenner.

“Was the beginning that plausible?”

“Yes. The approach itself was incredibly sensational.”

“For you to say that, it’s a bit concerning. Can I see it?”

“It’s really nothing special.”

“It’s okay. I’m just curious about that sensational approach.”

“If you say so….”

Adela took out her phone, switched to e-book mode, and handed me the paper she was reading.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

I immediately started reading the paper.

The beginning was definitely a paper that Adela would be impressed with.

“Oh, this is literally sensational. How is this approach even possible?”

“I know, right?”

However, from the middle, the theory suddenly became incoherent, and in the latter half, the theory completely collapsed.

This is not just a case of a promising start and a disappointing end, it’s a case of a promising start and no end at all.

There’s just no tail.

“It’s definitely disappointing.”

“……Right?”

The gap between the beginning and the end is too big. It’s like someone else wrote the second half.

“Why did it get so twisted from the middle?”

“I was curious about that too, so I did some research on my own. But I couldn’t find an answer.”

“……Really?”

I continued to read the paper.

The nonsense in the latter half was so bad that it could be considered art.

Yeah. The more I look at it, the more it’s nonsense.

‘By the way, these theories in this paper. I feel a strange sense of familiarity.’

It’s like the nonsense looks somewhat plausible.

Or that it looks strangely familiar.

And the last page.

“Huh?”

The moment I saw the very last sentence, my eyes widened.

“……I would like to state that the above paper is based on my own analysis of the books left by Ray Bell Vitenner?”

“Yes. The author of this paper is said to have studied Ray Bell Vitenner’s books extensively. The only mage who has ever used space-time magic in all of history is the legendary great mage, Ray Bell Vitenner. So, I guess the research started from there.”

Adela sighed softly.

“But with that kind of conclusion at the end, it’s a meaningless study….”

She looked like she couldn’t be more disappointed.

“It’s frustrating, right? That’s why I said you didn’t really need to see it….”

“Sorry. I need to concentrate for a moment.”

“Huh? Okay.”

I immediately checked the very first page of the paper again.

Even after looking at it again, it was a parade of excellent approaches and theories that were admirable.

When I first saw it, I just thought it was amazing.

But now that I know that the author of this paper studied the books left by Ray Bell Vitenner, my teacher, the paper looked a little different.

‘This… the form and structure are a bit different, but….’

My eyes started to tremble as the paper went into the middle part.

‘Looking closely, there are many similarities to Vitenner’s basic theories.’

This paper is something that only someone who has studied Vitenner’s style could write.

‘It’s superficial, and the most important theories are missing, but it’s clear.’

The more I look at it, the more certain I am.

This is definitely a paper based on Vitenner’s theories.

It seems that it is indeed a paper based on the ‘books’ left by Ray Bell Vitenner.

“Adela. Who wrote this paper?”

“Huh?”

I think I need to meet the author of this paper.

[For reference, the book I wrote is not just this one, the Book of Idread.]

I need the ‘books’ that my teacher left behind that he possesses.