A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special - Chapter 37
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 37. Training! (3)
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It was about a week into the training when Romantica’s efforts bore their first visible fruit.
‘This time I’ll do it!’
Romantica focused on the object before her.
Manipulating air pressure through magic was no simple feat—and reshaping a tin can into a smooth sphere using that pressure alone was harder still.
‘I’m beginning to understand why Dezir assigned me this.’
Over the past week, she had failed countless times. Two things eluded her: the ability to modulate Mana’s intensity, and the precision to control its range.
And when she finally succeeded in shaping the can into a sphere, it would mean she had mastered both—the refined Mana Control needed to command strength and scope with absolute precision.
Crunch.
The can, which had shown no progress until now, began to crumple slowly. The deformation spread methodically from the edges toward the center.
‘This pressure difference feels right. Just need to hold it steady.’
Romantica sharpened her focus.
The contraction continued. The pace quickened at times, slowed at others, but overall remained constant. After about ten seconds, the can took on the form of a smooth bead.
Crunch.
A satisfying sound rang out.
Soon the can had become a perfect sphere.
“Look at this! I did it!”
“Impressive.”
Clap, clap.
Dezir applauded.
“For you, this is practically child’s play!”
Romantica’s expression grew smug. She had earned the right. In just one week, to handle Mana with such precision was truly remarkable progress.
“We’re done training, then?”
“No, the whole point of this exercise is for you to construct your Third Circle. Rest for a moment, then we’ll try it.”
“Isn’t that a bit sudden?”
“I’ll help. I’ll guide you through the details so you can construct your Third Circle with my assistance.”
“That’s possible?”
“I’m confident in my ability to manipulate Mana. At this point, I can actually construct it using your Mana instead—of course, I’ll need your permission.”
“I don’t see why I’d refuse.”
“No, it’s not that simple. Circle Construction is extremely delicate work, so I need direct physical contact with you to ensure accuracy, and the location is…”
“Location?”
Romantica suddenly recalled where the Circle was positioned.
The Circle sat at the heart—where all blood vessels converge.
The heart.
And there, a small mound rose gently.
“Y-y-you…!”
Romantica’s face flushed crimson as she stammered. She looked ready to emit steam from her ears.
“Y-you shameless bastard!”
“That’s exactly why I’m asking permission!”
“What? Permission? Does permission make this acceptable?”
“There’s no other way. It’s unavoidable for Third Circle Construction.”
“The Circle is just an excuse! You perverted freak!”
Romantica bared her teeth at Dezir as he approached, a clear threat to bite if he came any closer.
Dezir raised his hands, signaling he had no intention of advancing.
“Of course it’s not easy showing your back to someone! But to construct your Third Circle properly, you need to—”
Romantica didn’t hear the rest of what he was saying. Her expression blank, she repeated back to him.
“What? My back?”
Back.
The part of a person’s or animal’s torso opposite the chest and belly.
Showing it would admittedly feel awkward, but even so, there was nothing objectionable about that area at all.
“…W-well, yes. My b-back…? If it’s just that, there’s n-no real problem.”
Romantica averted her gaze.
Dezir sensed something odd in how her demeanor had so suddenly shifted.
“Wait, you said it was absolutely impossible just a moment ago. Why are you suddenly changing your tune?”
“I-I don’t know, you idiot!”
“That’s strange. Did she miscalculate something?”
“Q-Quiet! Just try constructing that Third Circle already!”
Seeing her reaction, everything became clear. Dezir Armang nodded, thereby validating her misunderstanding.
After Romantica had recovered her mental faculties, they began earnest preparations for the Third Circle Construction. The preparations were complete—the door locked to keep out visitors, the curtains drawn, the lights extinguished.
Romantica slowly removed her upper garment and held it in front of her, baring her back to Dezir Armang.
Dezir Armang placed his palm against Romantica’s warm back.
“Then I’ll begin, Romantica.”
“Do you think I can do it?”
There was a hint of worry in her voice.
“You already possess enough Mana to achieve a Third Circle. You simply didn’t know the method before, so it’s entirely possible.”
Romantica nodded at his words.
“Close your eyes and concentrate. Take a deep breath… yes, that’s right. Now try to move your Mana.”
Her mind had grown calm. Tension had vanished without a trace. Because of this, she began to move her Mana with greater serenity.
Soon the Mana of the First Circle began to rotate, and interlocking with it, the Mana of the Second Circle started its rotation.
“Draw the Mana outward, slowly.”
Romantica obediently followed his instructions. Pure Mana began to spill slowly outward beyond the Second Circle.
“It’s scattering!”
“I’ll hold it. Don’t be afraid—draw out the Mana you need.”
Dezir Armang seized Romantica’s Mana, holding it together so it wouldn’t disperse. Meanwhile, Romantica drew out all the Mana necessary for the Third Circle.
“Now rotate it as if drawing a circle.”
A low hum resonated through the air.
As the Mana rotated, a ringing tone echoed forth. Since all the Mana within the Second Circle had been drawn out, the volume of flowing Mana was immense.
“Like shaping a tin can into a sphere.”
“I understand.”
As if proving that all their prior efforts had not been in vain, Romantica handled the Mana brilliantly. The rotating Mana took on the form of a sphere under her control, beginning to wrap around the Circle.
“Excellent.”
Her Mana Control ability was indeed remarkable.
“W-What do I do now?”
Sweat poured down like rain.
Romantica clenched her teeth, busy controlling the Mana. Simply maintaining this state alone required tremendous spiritual strength.
Dezir Armang began to take control of Romantica’s Mana.
“Now I’ll construct the intricate details. Keep the Mana in spherical form so I can concentrate fully on this.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Dezir Armang moved the Mana within her body. He refined the compressed Mana in its spherical form and divided it into several segments, fragmenting it. Then he made the fragmented Mana rotate.
Soon those fragments formed spheres of their own—a formation where tens of millions of spheres comprised a single greater sphere.
“Ugh!”
Now tens of millions of spheres rotated at different speeds each, creating a geometric pattern. The Circle began to overheat.
Romantica’s brow furrowed deeply.
“It hurts!”
“You must endure!”
A process of extraordinary precision.
He refined the Mana meticulously, rotating each piece in turn. As the rotated Mana gained momentum, it simultaneously acquired a restorative property that drew in surrounding Mana.
‘Source Mana.’
This was called the Circle’s Source Mana. It would restore itself automatically so long as one did not exhaust it beyond its limit.
Now the crucial thing was to manifest this at an optimal size.
If the Circle was too small, the potency of magic would be weak; if too large, the Source Mana sustaining a vessel one couldn’t bear would collapse.
‘I cannot afford to make a mistake.’
Dezir Armang calculated the threshold limit of Romantica’s Source Mana. The calculation finished in an instant. He immediately materialized the Mana and constructed the framework of the Third Circle.
“Aah! Aaaugh!”
Forming a new organ brought with it corresponding pain. Romantica tried desperately to endure, but screams kept forcing their way up her throat.
“Nnngh!”
Yet despite everything, Romantica did not collapse. She did not lose consciousness. A thin line of blood trickled from her compressed lips. She held onto her Mana with superhuman perseverance.
Hearing her screams, Dezir Armang’s heart grew urgent.
‘Just a little more, just a little more.’
All that remained was to layer the fully refined rings of Mana until they reached optimal size.
“Haah… haah…”
Romantica’s breathing had grown ragged.
Separate from Dezir Armang’s growing urgency, the work wasn’t proceeding smoothly. The rotation speed of the Mana had begun to gradually slow.
“I can’t… I can’t hold it anymore…….”
As Romantica’s concentration wavered, the binding force that kept the Mana in its spherical shape began to falter.
“Keep going.”
With each passing moment, Dezir Armang’s burden grew heavier. He had to expend additional willpower to maintain the Mana in its spherical form.
Dezir pushed harder, accelerating his pace.
He seized control of the Mana, forcing it into physicality, constructing the Circle. Everything had to be finished before Romantica’s concentration reached its absolute limit.
At a ferocious speed, the Third Circle began to expand.
Thump.
And then Romantica collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. Her limbs twitched in rhythm with her ragged, gasping breaths.
Because she had removed her clothes, her back lay bare to the air, and though she desperately wanted nothing more than to dress herself again, exhaustion had left her unable to move even a single finger. She closed her eyes and drew in a long, steady breath, then released it slowly.
Dezir removed his own shirt and draped it over her, then gently stroked her hair.
“You did well.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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