Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 313

Episode 313 Arc (3)

The water that had finally soaked my throat is now pouring out.

Theon took a deep breath, calmed his breathing, and slowly turned his gaze back. He coughed slightly as he looked at the person still staring at him.

“Ahem, hmmm… It’s been a while, Asher.”

I answered as if nothing had happened, but well.

Beyond the stern expression, you can clearly see the anxious feeling inside.

Of course, that would be natural. Theon tried to kill Verden, and Verden threatened Theon's life several times.

But now we are in the same group.

In addition, if we look at the hierarchical relationship, Verden was the superior and Theon was the inferior.

An awkward atmosphere was inevitable.

Of course, this only applies to Theon.

It was a problem that Verden didn't care about at all.

Locke chuckled.

“What’s wrong, Theon? Are you suddenly feeling uneasy?”

“Strictly speaking, you two are the same candidates, and I am an outsider, so it is bound to be uncomfortable. That is why I will go first, so I hope you can have a leisurely conversation.”

“Since when do you think like that… Huh? Hey! Theon!”

Despite Locke's call, Theon left without looking back.

Her movements were smooth and almost noiseless. Her movements were noticeably different from when I last saw her in the duchy.

The three of them watched Theon's back as he walked away.

Verden said.

“I heard that they were temporarily accepted into the ark, but I didn’t know they were living so well.”

“He is a very adaptable person. And now he is not a temporary member, but a full-fledged member of the Ark. He mainly helps Lord Locke with the investigation into Gluttony. I heard he is doing quite well.”

“It’s all thanks to my master, Elder Ren Balhak. He transformed a mediocre assassin into something useful in just a few months. He’s a cut above me when it comes to sneaking in and gathering information. He’s from Gluttony, so he’s well-versed in their movements and ways of thinking. Of course, if we fight head-on, I’ll just overpower him.”

Locke puffed out his chest proudly.

His appearance had also changed.

After more than a year, he had become a young man, and not only had his body grown, but his muscles and spirit also seemed to have become stronger.

'Well, that's about it for the reunion.'

Verden asked Locke.

“I heard that Gluttony appeared in the Western Continent.”

“Oh, yes. That’s right. All the guys from the Eastern Continent and the Central Continent were gathered in the Western Continent. As expected, when we actually investigated, we found that they were touching the bodies of dead people.”

“If it’s a body…….”

“You probably already know that the Bohemian Tower and the Black Hour are at war. Gluttony is secretly stealing the bodies of dead wizards and their scattered body parts.”

A series of troubled sighs followed.

“It’s not easy to track them down, especially because of the heteromorphs and subhumans who specialize in stealth. Even if I find them along the way, dealing with a large number of them is difficult for me.”

It was easy to understand Gluttony's purpose.

The body of a wizard working in the magic tower would seem like an excellent material to them.

'It's so disgusting.'

Verden felt a strong sense of displeasure.

It is inherently and physiologically repugnant to carry out horrific human experiments, as if they were assembly lines.

However, what he was curious about separately was not Gluttony.

“Did Bohemian Tower or Black Hour notice that too?”

“You probably don’t know the identity, but you probably know something about it. But I don’t think there’s anything worth investigating. Black Hour doesn’t have the resources to deal with multiple magic towers, and Bohemirn Magic Tower doesn’t seem to care much about dead bodies. It only cares about taking the magic items Gluttony leaves behind when he takes the bodies.”

ah.

“But one of the direct units of the Bohemian Tower is showing some plausible countermeasures. For example, by burning the corpses in the vicinity.”

“Direct unit?”

“Well, that is…… the annihilation unit that Robelin, the disciple of the Bohemian Tower Cult that has been a hot topic recently, is a member of.”

* * *

Robelyn, who grew up in the same orphanage.

It had been a long time since I had heard her name directly from someone else.

I reacted internally, but it only lasted a moment.

Verden remained expressionless, not showing any sign of knowing.

“If it’s Robelin, then is she the fourth disciple of Matapju?”

“Oh, I see Brother Asher knows about you too. I heard that it’s no exaggeration to say that you’re the most famous wizard because of this war. It also helped that you survived even after meeting Dahit, the leader of Black Hour, at the Cliff of Eternity.”

Black Hour and Bohemian Tower.

It was the time when a magical battle took place between two transcendent beings representing each group.

“And above all, the fact that he was a 4th rank before becoming a disciple and has already set foot on the 5th rank in no time is the most influential. The fact that he achieved many bloody feats in the war with Black Hour, to the point where he was given the nickname of ‘burning punishment’, is the next.”

… … Already 5th rank?

It's too rapid to be called natural growth.

That's right.

“Did you take the magic pill?”

“It would be the same as any other disciple of the Magic Tower. The Magic Tower is able to hold at least one Mandrake extract per year. And if you consider that he is a person who is naturally susceptible to the effects of the Magic Core, it wouldn’t be that strange.”

The wizard's treasure, the magic core.

As the eccentric alchemist of the principality, Rito Barslan, said.

───But the meaning of the Magic Core isn't simply to increase magical abilities. More fundamentally… …it's to supplement the magically deficient parts of the wizard's body and help them grow further. By becoming one with the body.

As a result, Verden obtained the eye of the beholder.

It was an unexpected effect caused by a body reconstructed through reverse flow.

'But, unless you're like me, most of the time it just stops at increasing magical abilities.'

And only a small number of users among them will rise through the ranks. Perhaps Lobelin is one of those cases.

“……If it’s the 5th tier, it wouldn’t be far off to pioneer the magic realm.”

“People say the same thing. They say that his growth will soon reach the level of a magician. He is literally a genius. Of course, he can’t compare to Brother Asher.”

Locke scratched the ball.

Although he spoke so naturally, he was actually aware of the slightest hint of it.

Past and present.

Something that I felt from the wizard in front of me had changed significantly.

'Listener, what on earth happened to you, brother?'

'I don't know the details, Mr. Locke.'

The two people exchanged glances.

Then Locke's ship rumbled faintly.

“Hahaha, it’s been a while since I’ve eaten so I’m a little hungry… If you haven’t eaten yet, would you like to go to a restaurant with me? This must be your first time here at the Ark. To be honest, the food here is seriously delicious.”

“Let’s put that off for later. Right now, I have somewhere to go.”

“Oh, is that so? It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

That's enough talk about the Western Continent.

Because I heard what I wanted to hear, including Gluttony.

Locke and Gil parted ways.

Two people took steps.

“We’re going now.”

“Understood, Asher.”

The destination was the library of the ark.

* * *

Verden had a deep connection with books.

The measured limit hierarchy is the worst hierarchy 1.

As a young worker at the magic tower, he was only given very basic learning opportunities.

I couldn't even dream of having someone teach me magic like other people, let alone discuss and debate about magic.

So I took books as my teacher.

The wizards cleaned and organized the messy room, and in between, they crammed the knowledge contained in the books into their heads.

Desperately, not to forget even a single word.

There was only one reason: I wanted to become a wizard.

Verden's extraordinary memory was both innate and a side effect of unofficial human experiments.

On the one hand, it was also a struggle towards a dream.

I read a little faster. I remembered a little more.

Based on that, I went back to the roots of the theory and understood magic. I remember that the physical labor was hard, but it was still a rewarding day.

At that time, all I had was the longing, the hope, the aspiration to become a wizard.

It's completely different now.

But there was something that didn't change.

When I see a library filled with countless books, my heart naturally flutters.

“The library here on the Ark contains most of the books in existence, from fairy tales to the highest level magic books. The number of them is too numerous to count.”

Verden let out a silent exclamation as he listened to the listener's explanation.

A distant ceiling.

The wide hallways and multi-level spaces contained numerous bookshelves, each containing even more books than the others.

I can say this with certainty here.

The library's size is said to far exceed that of the libraries of the ten magic towers combined. Of course, not all of the books here are about magic.

Berden, who was blankly looking inside, barely suppressed his agitation.

“……Where is the magic book?”

“It is my job to guide you, Asher. But here, it is beyond my authority. Isn’t that right, Librarian?”

“Of course.”

Someone appeared from beyond the bookshelf.

A dark green top with two buttons fastened and dark brown pants. Leather boots.

A neat old man wearing a dark green robe that reached down to his shins and had geometric magical decorations on the sleeves and collar.

He approached the two people, carrying a backpack and wearing round glasses.

“How have you been, Librarian?”

“As you can see, it’s very peaceful. I guess you are too. By the way, who is this person? I haven’t seen that face in Ark.”

“He is a candidate for the new ark.”

“Oh, I see. I am the librarian who manages the Ark’s library. Just call me that, like the listener did. At least in this library.”

“My name is Asher.”

Verden also bowed his head slightly and showed his respect.

“You’re more polite than you look. And since you’re new to Ark and you’re looking for the library first, it’s only natural that you’re a wizard. So I’d like to ask, what kind of book are you looking for? If you don’t want to just leisurely browse the library, I can help you.”

“I’m looking for books about magic.”

“If that’s the case, it’s inside there. I’ll show you the way, so follow me.”

The listener remained near the entrance to the library.

Verden, leaving him behind, followed the librarian who was walking down the hallway lined with huge bookshelves. He glanced around and thought.

'He's the head librarian of Ark… … I think he's a wizard.'

It was difficult to gauge the extent of the situation.

The reason was that, whether it was magic or presence, nothing else felt special.

If he was intentionally hiding his power… … it was clear that he was definitely not someone to be underestimated.

Meanwhile, the librarian stopped walking.

A dead end alley lies before your eyes, filled with old bookshelves and old books.

At that moment, the librarian made a light gesture, and the bookshelves and books were torn into hundreds of pieces, revealing the hidden location.

A huge circle stretches straight into the sky.

The walls lined with bookshelves were packed with books.

'It's more spacious than it looks from the outside.'

It wasn't an illusion.

It's clear that the internal space was expanded using spatial magic.

It was one of the magical techniques used by the Magic Tower and some powerful countries. It was not completely unseen, but it was rare.

There aren't many people who can afford to spend a huge amount of magic stones on maintenance costs.

“You can choose any of the books inside this room that you want. The ones up high can be found by using <Flight> magic. However, the magical books that you cannot read are stored separately.”

“If you say it is not accessible, what type are you referring to?”

“It’s magic of the 7th tier or higher, or even the highest attribute magic, such as space magic. It’s one of the powers that is not allowed to the candidates for the ark. Do you know why?”

“I think it’s because of greed.”

Verden answered immediately.

A wizard is a being of inquiry.

That's why I follow my curiosity and pursue the unknown.

But it requires self-control to moderate it, or in other words, the ability to objectify one's own abilities.

'Because magic that cannot be handled is fatal.'

There is no need to bother looking through history books.

Even on a global scale, it is not uncommon for wizards to be injured or killed due to the abuse and misuse of magic.

“You’re sharp. You’re right. Knowledge of high-level magic or magic above the sixth tier is very difficult to access unless you’re in a related magic tower. If you let them see it freely, most magicians will only focus on it. They won’t be able to use it or understand it properly.”

Of course, it wasn't just because of that.

“It is also a device to arouse a desire for improvement. You will be able to see it only when you overcome various trials and become a candidate.”

Is this one of the rewards for the ordeal?

Verden understood the ark's intentions.

'Well, I didn't even think about the 7th tier… … It's a shame about the spatial magic.'

That too, quite a bit.

Verden is so knowledgeable that he can create a teleportation magic circle right away if he has the materials.

However, I was lacking in theory about spatial magic itself. For no reason, I simply had never encountered it in the Bohemian Tower.

'I have no choice but to postpone it until later.'

It's not something you can get just by force.

I'm just happy that the space magic book is here.

Anyway, the first place is gone.

Then, I have no choice but to choose the second best option.

“Then, can I see a book about the 6th-tier magic?”

“Sixth level… Of course. If you go up to the IF-48 floor above, you’ll find the book you want. Everything is there, except for the ones that aren’t there.”

"thank you."

“Hahaha, no. This is my job. You can’t borrow it separately, but you can come and go freely while you’re staying at the Ark, so come by whenever you want. If there’s a book you can’t find, call me. Then, have a good study.”

* * *

The heart of the library.

The librarian returned to his seat, laid down on the soft chair, and exhaled deeply with a somewhat tired expression.

The listener who had been waiting spoke up.

“How does it feel to see it in person? Isn’t it definitely different?”

“How is it… Before that, answer my question.”

The librarian took off his glasses.

The unique eyes filled with magical power shone.

“What on earth did you bring?”

It was both shocking and curious.