The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 28

‘Go Sang-jun. The author of this paper is Go Sang-jun.’

‘Thank you. I’ll repay you for this later.’

Immediately after hearing the author’s name from Adela, I headed straight to my room and began gathering information about a person named Go Sang-jun.

[Go Sang-jun]

[Unaffiliated Magic Researcher]

[No Photo]

[Age Unknown]

[Gender Likely Male]

[Only one published paper to date: ‘The Feasibility of Space-Time Magic’]

[Seemingly had a mental breakdown due to harsh criticism of his paper, disappearing after its publication a year ago]

This is all the information I, a mere student, could find.

There are no achievements or awards, so there isn’t even a photo.

‘It seems difficult to find him on my own.’

Since he’s unaffiliated, it’s hard to pinpoint anyone who might have connections to him, and it would be impossible to search by foot.

‘I’ll have to borrow some power from the Blue Magic Tower.’

I could ask my father to move Uncle Seok-hyun, but it’s better to ask the Blue Magic Tower this time.

The Mado family has weak connections with magic researchers.

If it’s about finding a researcher, the Blue Magic Tower, which also has numerous researchers, is the perfect place.

I immediately sent a text to Kim Kang-in.

[Could you possibly find someone for me?]

* * *

The weekend passed in a flash.

The Blue Magic Tower agreed to take on the task of finding Go Sang-jun.

Thanks to that, I was able to focus on the second test throughout the weekend.

I went into the second test page whenever I had a chance over the weekend.

After about 40 hours of challenges, I succeeded in activating the 25th magic circle.

‘Now, I’m a quarter of the way through.’

Activating 10 took 8 hours.

Activating 25 took 40 hours.

At this rate, activating 40 might take over 100 hours.

No, it might be difficult even with 100 hours.

‘The magic circles are getting more complex as I go further…….’

It was already tough at the beginning, but it’s getting even tougher.

And I’m only at the 25th one.

I can’t even imagine how difficult it will be when I get to 50 or 75.

‘Sigh.’

‘Next, Shin Ha-yul.’

While I was sighing, the instructor called my name.

‘Yes.’

I slowly got up from my seat and headed to the training room.

‘What score will he get?’

‘I don’t know. Shin Ha-yul has been on fire lately, so maybe over 50?’

’50 is too much, isn’t it?’

‘Isn’t it possible? Looking at Shin Ha-yul these days, his mana sensitivity and control are top-tier.’

Monday morning’s class was a kind of test to check individual mana sensitivity and control.

‘Student Shin Ha-yul, please enter immediately.’

‘Yes.’

As I entered the training room, ten mana stone panels greeted me.

Mana stone panels surrounding me like buttons.

I took my place between the panels.

‘They put a lot of effort into this.’

These mana stones are a type of luminous stone.

They emit light when they contain mana and lose light when they lose mana.

—There will be a final check before the test. Student Shin Ha-yul, please block the mana of the glowing panel.

The central panel, glowing by absorbing mana from the outside.

I placed my hand on the panel and blocked the mana.

Beep!

The light of the luminous stone vanished instantly.

‘Easy.’

This is everything for this test.

Ten mana stone panels light up randomly, and the examinee touches the glowing panel and blocks the mana flowing into the mana stone to turn off the light.

It’s that simple of a test.

—As I’ve heard, your control is excellent. To perfectly block the mana of the mana stone in that instant…….

Of course, the test method is easy, but the difficulty is not.

Rather, the difficulty is on the harder side.

Up, down, left, right, front, and back.

Instantly sense the reaction of the mana stone panels that exist in all 360 degrees.

After placing your hand on the corresponding panel.

Analyze the mana value flowing into the mana stone accurately, then move your mana to block the mana.

You have to repeat this series of actions continuously for one minute.

‘The average score for this training is 27.’

The average panel processing time for elite students with an average magic casting speed of about 1 second is about 2 to 3 seconds.

In fact, everyone says this training is the most difficult and complex.

—Then, I will start the training in 5 seconds. Get ready.

‘Yes.’

Of course, that doesn’t apply to me.

[5]

[4]

…

Difficult and complex?

This training, where you only need to grasp one mana value, is?

I’m taking a test where I have to control all 37 mana modification formulas, including the mana value?

And I have to control not one, but two circles at the same time!

[Start!]

Beep, beep, beep!

I snorted and began blocking the mana of the mana stone panels.

‘People who say this is difficult should really go to the second test page.’

Compared to the Vitenner-style second test that I’m currently struggling with, this training is nothing.

If the Vitenner-style second test is TOP, this test is like instant coffee.

No, it’s just plain water.

‘……Ah, I’m getting angry for no reason.’

Could it be that I’ve accumulated a lot of stress over the past three days?

I focused on the training more than necessary.

Beeeep!

The light of the mana stone panels vanished at an incredible speed.

And exactly one minute passed.

[Finish!]

—Training complete!

—Student Shin Ha-yul! Number of panels touched! 74!

I easily broke the all-time record.

‘……I really wish the training on the second test page was just this level of difficulty.’

I sighed deeply.

* * *

Wednesday afternoon.

Today was the day for sparring training.

‘Hey, hey! This isn’t right!’

My sparring partner for today, Soon-chan, shouted with a horrified expression.

‘Why? What’s not right?’

‘This crazy magic! Even so, this isn’t right!’

Five wind spears were constantly circling around Soon-chan.

‘It’s a common 1st circle magic, why?’

As I smiled, the five wind spears flew towards Soon-chan simultaneously.

‘Bullshit! Where does this look like a common 1st circle magic! You shameless bastard!’

Soon-chan used his specialty fire magic to create fire walls in all directions.

It’s a 3rd circle magic, ‘Fire Wall.’

If they collide there, the wind spears, which are only 1st circle magic, will disappear instantly.

But whatever.

‘What’s the point of only protecting your upper body?’

As long as they don’t collide, there’s no problem.

Whoosh-!

My wind spears bent like snakes, moved out of the range of the fire wall, and changed their trajectory towards Soon-chan’s lower body.

‘Agh!’

Soon-chan, noticing that the wind spears were aiming for his lower body, used double casting to cast a barrier on his empty lower body.

He blocked my wind spears.

‘Oh. You blocked it well?’

‘Wow, this is really absurd. What is this?’

Soon-chan looked at me with a disgusted expression.

‘I wouldn’t say this easily, but you’re really disgusting.’

‘Thanks for the praise.’

In battle, being called disgusting is the highest praise.

‘I wanted to experience how dirty you are, so I tried a magic battle. But this is really impossible. There’s no answer.’

‘Don’t exaggerate.’

‘No, seriously. I feel like I’m going to lose my hair if I do a long-range magic battle with you.’

He had a serious expression.

‘Then what should I do?’

‘What else can I do?’

Soon-chan lowered his center of gravity and took a stance as if he was about to rush in.

Mana shining in a silver color reminiscent of steel.

It permeated every part of Soon-chan’s body.

Soon-chan, who had instantly reached me, swung his fist towards my face.

It was a powerful fist filled with mana.

He used all of his 3rd circle mana for physical enhancement.

‘In close combat, your modification magic is useless~ that’s what I’m saying!’

The heavy fist grazed my skin.

‘You thought well.’

He exploited my weakness of not being able to use magic above the 2nd circle.

‘Certainly, if it becomes a melee fight, the advantage of modification magic fades, and only the output difference between 2nd circle and 3rd circle remains. Yeah. Good strategy.’

‘Right?’

Soon-chan swung his fist at me again with a triumphant expression.

A powerful punch containing 3rd circle mana.

‘But Soon-chan, you…….’

I easily deflected the punch.

‘Are you confident in fighting me in melee combat?’

‘……Oh, shit?’

Soon-chan cursed with a ‘I’m screwed’ expression.

* * *

‘That guy is a cheat in himself.’

Soon-chan, who had lost to me, glared at me while chewing his lip.

‘Long-range is dirty. Close-range is a natural-born strongman. Ugh. Disgusting! Disgusting!’

‘If you’re upset, you can do the same physical training routine as me.’

‘……Hey. I still want to be human, okay? I heard about your workouts these days, and you’ve really gone beyond the realm of humans.’

‘Hmm. My exercise performance has definitely improved a lot lately.’

As I became a 2nd circle master, the Infinity Circle evolved my body again.

Thanks to that, my morning workouts are getting more hardcore.

‘You’re a real monster…….’

‘Is that a compliment?’

‘It’s an insult, you bastard!’

Soon-chan laughed heartily.

‘Anyway, what are you planning to do in the future?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Isn’t your goal to win the Olympiad in two months?’

My eyes widened slightly.

‘……How did you know?’

‘How would I know? Have I only known you for a day or two? I can tell just by looking at you.’

Soon-chan smiled slyly.

‘To properly compete with the older students in your current position, that’s the best way. So I thought you were aiming for the win~.’

‘…….’

‘And I became sure after seeing you overwhelmingly taking first place in all the tests and training these days.’

Soon-chan smiled brightly.

‘How is it, am I right?’

‘…….’

‘Looking at your expression, I’m right. Hehe.’

Soon-chan chuckled.

‘Anyway, you. You know it’s hard to win the Olympiad in your current state, right?’

‘I know.’

The World Academy Olympiad, a competition for the world’s most promising talents, where only the best geniuses gather.

To win this competition, you have to overwhelm all the 3rd-year students, who are basically 4th circle users.

‘Moreover, the favorite to win this year’s competition is a 5th circle user.’

Not even a 4th circle, but a 5th circle user has to be defeated.

Certainly, I can’t win in my current state.

‘With you only being able to use 2nd circle magic, it’s impossible to win no matter how I think about it.’

‘It’s impossible with 2nd circle.’

Soon-chan doesn’t know, but I can use 3rd circle magic if I use Resonance.

But it doesn’t mean much.

‘Actually, it’s impossible even if I use Resonance.’

I might be able to do something against 4th circle users with Resonance, but it’s really impossible against 5th circle users.

‘In the first place, it’s hard to use Resonance in the Olympiad.’

Because of the 12-hour penalty, the opportunities to use it are limited.

In other words, you have to be able to beat a 4th circle user without Resonance to get a gold medal within reach.

‘At least 4th circle.’

Reaching the 4th circle before the Olympiad.

This is a prerequisite for a gold medal.

‘And for that…….’

Go Sang-jun.

I need to find him and get another ‘book’ left by my teacher.

‘It’s not just for this test. It’s also necessary to attack the next test, the third test page.’

* * *

Friday.

The call I had been waiting for finally came.

—We found where researcher Go Sang-jun is currently located.

Kim Kang-in laughed in a hollow way, as if he didn’t expect it would take a week to find just one researcher.

—I guess the saying ‘the darkest place is under the candlestick’ applies here. I never thought he would be so close.

Ah, there was another reason why he laughed hollowly.

‘Is he in Seoul?’

—Yes. He’s in the shopping district near the academy.

‘That’s something…….’

It’s fair to say the darkest place is under the candlestick.

—I’ll send you the address with the detailed location.

‘Yes. I’ll check it.’

I checked the text that Kim Kang-in had just sent.

It’s really close.

I could get there in 20 minutes on foot.

—Perhaps it was a big shock that his paper, which he had prepared for his entire life, was harshly criticized a year ago. He has now given up research and is hiding in a small bookstore.

‘A bookstore?’

—Yes. A small used bookstore. The store doesn’t even have a name.

Located in this place…….

A nameless used bookstore?

‘Could it be.’

I slowly searched the address on an internet portal.

And I went into the road view to check the store’s appearance.

‘……!’

I was surprised at the same time.

—What’s wrong?

‘This bookstore…….’

—Ha-yul?

This bookstore is the regular bookstore I often visited to buy old books.

And.

‘No……. I was just a little surprised because it’s a bookstore I often go to.’

It’s the bookstore where I’m presumed to have obtained the Book of Idread.