Genius Prismatic Mage Chapter 79

#079. Vortex of Desire (5)

“… … !”

My heart ached.

It was hard to breathe.

It was a pain so intense it was mind-numbing, much more intense than when I built the first ring.

Graham’s words flashed through my mind.

“Anyone can create the first circle if they put in the effort. As long as they have the ability to sense and manipulate mana. However, the second circle is different.”

Building a circle is simple.

Draws mana from the air and rotates it around the heart.

Rotation leaves a trajectory.

The solidified trajectory becomes a circle.

That is, you can build a circle by filling a certain number of rotations.

The first one is yes.

But from the second time onwards, it’s different.

“The number of revolutions required to establish a trajectory increases to an astronomical amount. With normal training, it would be impossible to build the next circle in a lifetime. What is needed at this time is enlightenment.”

At the moment of enlightenment, the orbital speed increases dramatically for a certain period of time.

At a speed that makes your usual training feel pointless.

“There is no academic consensus on when enlightenment comes. This is because the type of enlightenment varies from person to person, making it impossible to set a standard.”

Enlightenment.

That may come with an understanding of magical theory.

It may come with a change of heart due to some incident.

Or it could come with some true awakening, or advancement in religious insight.

The forms are so varied that classification is impossible.

But there was one thing in common.

‘…all moments of enlightenment are related to mental activity.’

Graham’s voice quickly passed through Ray’s head.

“Enlightenment. That’s why magic is sometimes called the study of exploring one’s inner self.”

“However, it is difficult for an ordinary wizard to experience a moment of enlightenment even once in their lifetime.”

“Do you remember? The saying that Mana waves to those who are honest with themselves.”

However, not all wizards can receive Mana’s Greetings.

Because knowing yourself is truly difficult.

Because the vast majority of wizards live without even establishing their own identity, let alone exploring their inner selves.

No, not just magicians, but all humans would be like that.

‘I am….’

Ray’s mind reeled from the overwhelming pain.

‘I am….’

Who am I?

‘I am….’

For what reason do I live?

‘I am… Ray… .’

How many people will be able to live while establishing themselves?

‘I have to find the rainbow… .’

How many people live their lives with a firm goal in mind?

I guarantee you, very few.

However, not all of these propositions applied to the boy.

‘…You can’t fall down here.’

Because the boy had a stronger sense of self and goals than anyone else in the world.

At the moment before losing consciousness, the boy’s hand, which was pulling out a knife, moved at lightning speed.

Phew!

The place where the knife was stuck was my master’s thigh.

For a moment, the pain dissipated and I had time to catch my breath.

Ray didn’t miss the gap and grabbed hold of his spirit, which was about to collapse.

‘You have to hold on.’

The pain in my chest was growing increasingly intense.

What was actually only a few seconds felt like an eternity.

Reflecting on what I know, it seemed like this was the moment of enlightenment.

Wooooowoooo───!

A red mana that repeats a fierce rotation around the heart.

As the orbit accelerated, the trajectory became clearer and the outline of a ring began to take shape around it.

It couldn’t be said to be a complete link yet.

About a third of the way done.

If we were to give an exact figure, it was like that.

However, that was enough for some change to occur within the ring.

Woohoo──!

The manas contained in the first ring recognized the new space and began to move from the existing ring to the ring that was not yet complete.

Along with it, the mana in the air surged into the empty space of the existing ring.

Among the various colored manas, the one that takes up the largest portion is the brilliant purple color.

The external mana that filled the ring in an instant was rapidly purified.

The remaining mana that could not enter was stuck to the outside of the ring in the form of a thin film.

As if I was being pulled by an irresistible force.

‘… The speed at which mana is filled in the ring is faster. Several times faster than usual.’

Normally, the rate at which mana is refilled in a ring is not this fast.

I could tell intuitively.

This is due to the accelerated orbital speed.

Mana is forming a new ring with a fierce rotation, sucking in mana in the atmosphere like a whirlpool.

‘… The pain in my chest is subsiding.’

The total amount of mana increased within the ring.

Also the number of elements that have increased together.

My whole body felt full and energetic.

My blood was boiling and my heart was pounding.

With this newfound power, I felt like I could do anything, but also like my body would explode if I didn’t do something.

“… … .”

When the pain subsided enough to allow him to hold his body upright, the boy’s entire body was drenched in cold sweat.

I glanced up, feeling a sense of relief spread throughout my body.

In the distance, mercenaries were seen about to fire their guns.

Their presence was recognized even before entering the vacant lot.

The original plan was to have John and Skyle fight, and then head to the entrance to the clearing alone to deal with the remnants.

However, the Rock Deers’ rampage was something that was unexpected.

Because of that, the task of stealing the card from John was delayed, and he was still stuck in his seat.

‘The response speed is faster than I thought.’

I didn’t feel any great sense of crisis.

If you get in the car and rush in with Veronica’s protection, you can close the distance in an instant.

Veronica specializes in defensive magic, so I figured her defenses would be able to withstand a few shells.

Once I got close, I could get out of the car and deal with the rest without much difficulty.

but.

Rather than that method now.

Woof!

Ray drew up the purple mana contained in the ring.

Mana, responding to his will, ran up his forearm and gathered into a sphere above his palm.

It’s about the size of a fist.

But it didn’t end there.

An empty space created within the ring, using purple mana.

The purple mana that was stuck around the ring was sucked straight in and purified.

The purified mana raced up the forearm again, towards the palm.

The process was repeated at a furious pace.

The circulation of mana, like infinite power.

It was a skill that could only be used when the orbit was accelerated with enlightenment.

Wooooowoooo───!

The purple sphere began to expand and was now as large as the head of a grown man.

Also, it continued to grow without stopping.

“Wh, what…!”

Michael groaned.

Although I didn’t have the ability to see mana like Ray, I could certainly feel it.

‘What the heck is this…!’

A crystal of high purity elements that grows infinitely in the palm of your hand.

Michael couldn’t help but be surprised.

It wasn’t just because it was a strange phenomenon I had never seen before during my half-life of practicing magic.

The composition and combination of elements that make up the crystal followed exactly the formula for the magic he had previously taught.

I got goosebumps all over my body.

‘Wow, that’s ridiculous. You’re going to imitate the ministry magic that I’ve spent nearly ten years learning just by seeing and hearing it?’

“Please tell me about the operating principles of mission magic.”

When I heard that.

I imagined it, even though I doubted it.

Since I was able to copy a stealth spell after seeing it once, I guess the same goes for a ministry spell.

But that was just imagination.

Ministry magic is a magic with a much higher level of difficulty than the basic magic of stealth.

Moreover, performing magic with such high output─.

‘…impossible.’

Increases magic output.

It wasn’t a matter of simply adding more elements while maintaining the mixing ratio.

Insert the elements.

This means that the number of elements that need to be handled simultaneously increases.

That is, the elemental sensitivity must be excellent.

A realm of pure talent, not hard work.

Moreover, it is an element of control and manipulation that is notoriously difficult to handle.

Even if Professor Reg Polter, the master of magic, were to give it his all, he would not be able to reach this level of output.

While Michael was astonished.

The elemental crystal had now grown to the size of half a man.

and.

Woohoo──!

A hundred or so mana streams extended from the crystal.

The purple stems were all in the shape of chains, and they penetrated beyond the defenses and into the bodies of the surrounding rock deers.

Knock knock!

Knock knock!

It was at that moment that the Rock Deers stopped charging and turned around.

The guys started to run towards the mercenaries outside the battlefield.

───!

────!

The panicked mercenaries began firing.

But the shells only hit the ground, raising a cloud of dust, and did not hit the Rock Deers.

BAM─! KWAANG──!

It wasn’t because their aiming skills were poor.

Rather, the Lockdeers were moving as if they could read all of the mercenaries’ thoughts.

It was thanks to the tightly connected chain.

Because Ray, holding the chain, was reading the turret’s movements and controlling the hundred or so Rock Deers one by one.

Fear and dread spread through the mercenaries’ vessels.

And the colors of those emotions were clearly visible even from a distance.

*

A wind mixed with the smell of blood swept through the quiet empty lot.

The protection is long gone.

But the rock deers no longer attacked.

Knock knock.

Or pat a fallen compatriot with the tip of his nose.

Knock knock.

He just walked around making sad sobbing sounds.

With a shaking of the head, a gesture that has no clear meaning, but is somewhat filled with sadness.

In the middle of such rock deers.

There were four people gathered together.

Ray and Veronica.

Michael, and John, breathing his last in his arms.

They were the only humans currently surviving in the open space deep within the canyon.

“I’m… sorry… Miha… El. I didn’t… know things would… turn out like this… In the end, it would be the last… ugly appearance…”

Stories that were buried deep in the heart flowed out weakly through old lips.

Corruption committed while operating Kernel Water.

A plan to eliminate the mercenary group and take the money.

The incident where he tried to poison Ray.

And the reason I was looking for the Rock Deer in my memories wasn’t to say thank you.

“Catch… that guy… and… start… the… company… for… research… and… kulk!”

He said it was an obsession and a hope.

I thought that if I could capture a blue rock deer, I could create a new water source.

“But… in the end… a vain hope… perhaps… my memory is faulty…”

John’s head turned with difficulty.

At the end of the line of sight were two blue-skinned rock deer.

An entity believed to be Fran and his mother.

Two guys huddled together and rubbing their heads together.

Everyone in the room now knew that those two were not the mysterious beings John had described in his stories.

It was just a mutant with a different skin color.

Michael read the emptiness in John’s eyes and spoke in a quiet voice.

“… No. It can’t be my memory that’s wrong. The CEO is not the type of person to mistake what he saw.”

A faint smile appeared on John’s face at Michael’s consolation.

Perhaps because he was facing death, all the golden desires that had filled his bowl had disappeared.

As if everything had been washed away by a strong wind.

“Thank you… yes. I’m sorry… ah… for leaving me… I wasn’t prepared to… do that…”

John’s speech became increasingly choppy and difficult to understand.

“Where would I… go… if I left your side, Representative?”

But Michael understood it all and continued answering.

The face was calm.

But from the way he held John’s hand tightly, I could tell he was trying hard.

“My coat… inside… gurgle!”

Michael followed John’s instructions and took an object out of his bosom.

“This is….”

It was Bank Ignis’ black card.

“The passwords I’ve been saving… to give to you… are the… date you and I first met… Cluck!”

Michael looked down at the cards in his hand with a bewildered expression.

Meanwhile, the old man’s breathing became weaker.

“Thank you for…your…hard work.”

As if it were a final greeting, the hands they held were tightly clasped together.

As the old man’s eyes closed, Michael’s breathing became more labored.

That was when.

Ray discovered something in the sky behind the two.

Far away, across the void.

A brilliant blue dot was coming our way.