“It was a joke. But I was really surprised. I think you haven’t been to the lab for about two weeks, and I never expected you to accomplish something like this during that time… You’re really amazing.”
“It’s just the beginning, isn’t it?”
“No. Your theoretical knowledge, Lennok, is already approaching level 6. It’s very specialized and well-organized. If we look back at the inquiries over time, it’s clear. You already have a solid theoretical background, so if you just hone your magic and refine your techniques, you’ll quickly reach a higher level. Of course, you should also practice elemental magic…”
“I see.”
Although Aris articulated these thoughts, Lennok remained resolute in abstaining from the study and application of elemental magic.
Davi, presenting an elemental-like appearance, proved challenging to associate with the true essence of an elemental being.
The prospect of augmenting Davi’s capabilities through conventional elemental magic appeared to hold minimal promise.
Instead, Lennok’s aspirations for Davi leaned more towards harnessing potent computational capacities using artificial intelligence.
A high-performance artificial intelligence that could be housed within a supercomputer. Once equipped with its algorithm, Davi would surpass the accuracy and speed of any ordinary computing apparatus.
‘I have several ideas. Let’s try them one by one and use them as needed.’
Lost in contemplation, their reverie was interrupted by the halt of the train.
“We’ve arrived.”
An ancient ruin stood in a desolate expanse.
At a fleeting glance, the ruins of a dilapidated fortress hinted at the existence of a colossal castle that once graced this site.
They had secured this location for a magical demonstration, an accommodation that still maintained tenuous ties to the outer world.
Within the fortress, numerous petite residences emitted a medley of diverse magical energies, even visible from the train’s windows.
Such an occurrence was natural given that scholars like Aris, practitioners of magical arts, had convened here.
Carrying his suitcase, Lennok disembarked the train with his companion.
Faces of other wizards accompanying them came into view.
Among them, a recognizable figure caught Lennok’s attention, prompting a nod.
“Professor Rechellen.”
The young man with a sweeping hairstyle was Pavlen Archiwood.
“If you needed an assistant, you could have asked me.”
His smile, as smooth as ever, seemed to have wiped clean any memory of their past rivalry, directed at Aris.
“Archiwood, now is not the time to be concerned about me.”
Aris’s tone turned frigid as her gaze lowered.
“Shouldn’t you go and greet the people who made it possible for you to attend this conference?”
To openly acknowledge that one’s involvement was owing to connections was audacious indeed.
Archiwood’s expression wavered momentarily, yet his composure held more steadfastly than expected.
Was enduring such humiliation a testament to his determination to enter her research team?
Considering his fixation, his sentiments towards Lennok were unmistakable.
“Then, I shall proceed ahead.”
With a nod of his head, Archiwood, accompanied by fellow wizards who had disembarked from the train, proceeded to greet the assemblage gathered within the fortress.
Observing from the periphery, even Lennok couldn’t deny her prominence.
A member of the esteemed Sinclair Tower, a young level 6 wizard, and a professor affiliated with a government university.
An evident elite boasting both skills and background that were typically formidable to attain individually.
“Then, I shall move ahead. Given the tight schedule, the meeting is set to commence shortly.”
Handing Lennok the suitcase she had been holding, she departed.
It was an expected role for an assistant.
In an Earth-based laboratory, as a graduate student, such dynamics were familiar.
The familiarity of these circumstances made acceptance less strenuous, thanks to his knowledge.
Leaving behind her established private quarters, Lennok opted for a seat in a somewhat distant practitioners’ dormitory.
The domicile was designed to accommodate four, and his fellow occupants had already arrived.
Upon Lennok’s entrance, the three who had been unpacking their belongings briefly turned their gazes toward him, but swiftly diverted their attention.
After all, they were unlikely to cross paths again after this day.
Lennok, without uttering a word, commenced unpacking his belongings, lost in contemplation.
It was improbable for Lennok to participate in the meeting today. A day’s respite seemed more fitting.
There was a necessity to organize the queries he intended to pose to Aris during the return journey.
‘I wish I could have more specific knowledge about the self-domain… First, whether Aris knows how to use the domain or not.’
The self-domain that only the adept among level 6 or higher wizards could access.
While Lennok had discerned how to invoke the domain during the duel with Craig, he lacked proficiency in its application.
With restrictions on high-level magic information within the university, Lennok’s only means of acquiring pertinent knowledge lay outside its confines.
Contemplating the potency of the domain exhibited by Craig, it seemed feasible to employ it effectively against adversaries mightier than Lennok’s current level.
As Lennok engaged in these ruminations, the mansion’s door abruptly swung open wide.
The dormitory’s occupants instinctively turned their heads, attuned to the surge of mana.
Undoubtedly, the newcomer was a wizard of extraordinary caliber.
Silhouetted against the pouring sunlight, Pavlen Archiwood gazed at Lennok, a smile playing on his lips.
“Step outside.”
***
Lennok had anticipated this day’s arrival, yet the audacity took him by surprise.
Was it fueled by lingering resentment, or was Archiwood driven to expediently subdue Lennok?
Regardless, evasion seemed an unlikely option in the current circumstance.
And truthfully, Lennok harbored no particular inclination to avoid it.
“At least here, we won’t be bothered by other bastards.”
Archiwood remarked with a smirk.
On the plateau distanced from the fortress’s ruins, amid the deadened woods, where the frigid wind and withered trees held sway.
His mana was already at full throttle as he raised his hand toward Lennok.
As Lennok’s brow furrowed at the audacious gesture, Archiwood’s grin widened.
“Don’t worry. I won’t touch your face. And if you give me the answer I want to hear, it will be over quickly.”
“……”
“Normally, I’m not the type to like such rough methods. But sometimes using your hands directly is the most effective.”
Archiwood muttered.
“And for guys with thick faces like you, this is the fastest.”
“I have a question too.”
“Didn’t you learn how to speak respectfully to your seniors at school?”
Ignoring Archiwood’s nonsense, Lennok said.
“Was this your purpose in following the conference using your connections?”
“…That’s none of your business.”
Archiwood’s expression betrayed that this was not a calculated move.
Indeed, it was merely the previous day when Lennok had decided to accompany Aris on this business trip.
The likelihood of Archiwood foreseeing this and subsequently pursuing it was low.
Evidently, Archiwood’s actions were the result of a spur-of-the-moment decision.
The prospects of Lennok turning the tables seemed remarkably feasible.
“Okay. Let’s keep what happened here a secret from the professor.”
Extracting a cigarette from his pocket, Lennok’s action caused a faint shift in Archiwood’s demeanor.
The anomaly was understandable, as Lennok had never displayed a penchant for cigarettes during his time at the university.
“Instead, you’ll have to deal with it for a while.”
Several abilities begged to be tested.
Without delay, Lennok summoned mana, allowing it to flow slowly beneath his feet.
Encompassing the entire forest, he cast a tempering spell that seemed to embrace the surroundings in a single gesture.
Harnessing mana, he commandeered the contiguous space, inducing a property transformation—essentially, the space underwent a comprehensive inversion.
The property alteration technique, an exclusive skill of a level 6 wizard, played a pivotal role in accessing the opposing magnetic field.
With a swift motion, he triggered the Domain.
Wheeeng!
An instant suffused the pair with an immensely distinct magical aura emanating from Lennok, corroding the nearby vicinity.
Its span extended roughly 10 meters in radius.
Despite instantaneously breaching Lennok’s perimeter, Archiwood remained oblivious.
‘It’s better this way,’ Lennok mused, his countenance unyielding as he scrutinized his adversary.
A conspicuous chasm existed between the two wizards.
The circumstances rendered Archiwood a prime specimen for testing the Domain’s effects.
Opportunities for exploration had eluded Lennok during his bout with Craig, owing to the necessity of fending off the opponent’s spells.
Hence, Lennok’s purpose in tracking Archiwood to this point was clearly defined.
Growing vexed by Lennok’s poised demeanor, Archiwood amassed mana within both palms, deftly weaving a spell.
“You’ve been talking nonsense since earlier. I wonder when you’ll realize your situation,”he quipped.
[Wind Wolf]
Whoosh!
Zephyrs coalesced into a distinct shape, guided by intent.
A wolf materialized from the air’s currents, crouching briefly before rising with a resounding howl.
“After you have your limbs torn apart, we’ll talk again.”
[Grrrr……!]
The wind wolf lunged at Lennok with immediacy.
A wind-based magic with a hint of summoning entwined within its essence.
Although its utilization of atmospheric currents was intriguing, something else held greater significance.
Lennok discerned a revelation as he observed his opponent wielding mana within his expanded Domain.
With a deft gesture, Lennok arrested the wind wolf’s advance.
The lupine apparition, teeth bared, froze mere inches from Lennok.
Temporal inertia seemed to clutch it, suspending time itself.
Archiwood’s visage contorted in response to Lennok’s unforeseen maneuver.
“What… What just happened?”
‘Ass expected,’ Lennok ruminated.
Certainty washed over him.
The mana interference capability he already possessed had been magnified manifold within the Domain’s confines.
Whether other Domains bore this characteristic or if it was unique to Lennok remained uncertain…
The potential implications of wielding mana interference in this manner appeared boundless.
‘It’s like trying to control mana directly…’
Crack! Crack!
The immobilized wind wolf fragmented and dispersed into the ambient atmosphere.
Archiwood struggled to sustain his magic, yet the power he wielded was no longer his own.
His lips clenched tightly, his gaze locked on the dissipating gusts, an expression of disbelief etched upon his features.
Undoubtedly wrestling to comprehend the turn of events, he finally managed to articulate his bewilderment.
“Aris Richellen must really cherish you. How powerful an artifact did she give you to make this possible?”
Lennok’s response materialized in a smirk.
“Is that the best answer you came up with after all your thinking?”
“You damn brat…!!”
Right from the outset, Archiwood likely sensed that something was amiss.
Yet, seizing the ill-gotten gains at this juncture would only escalate matters further.
Acutely aware of this predicament, he gritted his teeth and dispatched yet another spell hurtling directly toward Lennok.
[Strike]
[Stair]
[Wind]
An array of magic, each possessing distinct forms and hues, executed with curious yet graceful gestures, unfurled before Lennok—novel phenomena for him.
Possibly due to its reliance on atmospheric currents, this magic brandished an unusually rapid casting tempo, with mana deployment appearing conspicuously absent around Archiwood.
Perhaps this attribute was intrinsic to wind-based sorcery?
The prior words about refraining from facial contact now held no significance.
Lennok simply stood unmoved, systematically dismantling each conjuration that came his way.
Puff-Puff-Puff!!
In the midst of dispersing zephyrs, Archiwood’s baffled countenance came into view.
Lennok extended his hand, expanding his awareness to the feeble magical energies lingering therein.
Touch was unnecessary; Lennok could discern the intricate workings without physical contact.
All phenomena experienced and embraced within this domain now rested squarely in Lennok’s grasp.
Witness the unseen, touch the intangible.
He seized the essence comprising Archiwood’s inner being and contorted it.
Creak!!!
“Ugh, uh, kahak!!”
An agony akin to the splintering of one’s foundational support must have surged through him.
Archiwood sought to resist, yet an understanding of how to quell the impending implosion was beyond his reach.
Step by deliberate step, Lennok advanced, his hand alighting upon Archiwood’s slumped shoulder.
Gone were the bloodshot eyes harboring animosity; nevertheless, thoroughness was paramount.
Initiating the task warranted appropriate follow-through.
“Are you okay?”
“…What, what?”
“You just got attacked by strange monsters and barely managed to escape. You’re lucky you’re not dead.”
“……”
“Well, it’s fortunate. You may have lost your mana, but you’re not seriously hurt. Be grateful you’re still alive.”
Initially regarding Lennok with a mix of incredulity and incredibility, Archiwood’s visage rapidly drained of color as the implications of Lennok’s words took hold.
Lennok was outlining the course of events that lay ahead.
Extending his hand hesitantly, Archiwood faltered.
“Wait, I was wrong.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lennok gradually directed his hand toward Archiwood’s chest,
“No, not my mana. What the hell is this?!”
“Keep talking.”
Bang!!!
A faint smile graced Lennok’s lips as he shook his head.
“I still have some experiments I want to try.”
“No, please, please!”
Crackle!!
(To be Continued)
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