A Talentless Mage Devours a Disaster-Class Future - Chapter 16

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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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Episode 16

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[!] Rewards Granted: All Attributes +5, Flame’s Ultimate Form: Meltdown Inherited, Proficiency Increased in All Traits and Spells.
[!] Ultimate Form Inheritance is conducted in consideration of the user’s capabilities.
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Aeon stared blankly at the window hanging before his eyes.

“…….”

Pure amazement.

‘Magic of the ultimate realm….’

Aeon’s expression tightened as he clenched his fists.

His body still burned with heat, and the acrid smell of burnt ash seemed to linger at the tip of his nose.

Though exhaustion had rendered him nearly immobile, something in him wanted to leap from the bed and dance.

Ding!

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[!] The user has unconfirmed content.
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More notifications appeared in succession.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[!] Mana Manipulation Lv.2 → Lv.3▲
[!] Heavenly Movement Art Lv.2 → Lv.3▲
[!] Trait: Pain Tolerance Unlocked
[!] Trait: At the End of Despair Unlocked
[!] Flame’s Ultimate Form: Meltdown Inherited
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“……Quite the haul, then.”

Aeon’s eyelids descended slowly, then rose again.

He examined the newly acquired traits first.

Ding!

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
『Pain Tolerance (Lv.1)』
Classification: Trait
Effect: Resistance to physical damage and pain is increased.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

【Flame: So this stubborn one endured through sheer determination and unlocked an interesting trait. Hey, Magic. Did this kid awaken it on his own?】
【Magic: Indeed. I don’t think there’s much more to explain.】

Ding!

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『At the End of Despair (Lv.1)』
Classification: Trait
Effect: Concentration is maintained in extreme situations.
Effect: Mana regeneration speed increases slightly in extreme situations.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

【Earth: Not half bad, is it? This one’s body never seems to be intact, so that’s the thing.】

“…What does that mean?”

【Earth: Exactly as I said! Keep pushing your body like that and you’ll be taking your leave before these old fogies.】

“…Thanks for the concern, grandmother.”

【Earth: Of course I worry!】

This was the last one.
Time to see what the Supreme Technique truly was.

【Flame: Well… don’t get your hopes too high.】

I tuned into Yggdrasil and pulled up the Supreme Technique’s description.

Ting-!

The same cheerful notification sound as always.

And then,

Whoooosh-!

What followed was altogether different from before.

‘…What kind of flame is this?’

This time, even the border was entirely different.

『Flame: Meltdown』
Classification: Supreme Technique
Effect: Compresses flame to its absolute limit at the extremities of the body, then releases it explosively upon impact, exceeding the critical threshold. The uncontrolled heat melts the surroundings along with the impact.
◆◆◆━━━━━━━━━━◆◆◆

All Aeon could deploy right now were Basic Flame Manipulation and the Heavenly Movement Art. Yet suddenly, he’d inherited their Supreme Technique as well?

【Earth: Why dampen his spirits before he’s even started?】
【Life: That’s right. After all, this is the Supreme Technique he’s finally obtained.】
【Flame: Well, see for yourself then? There’s a reason I’m saying this.】

Aeon closed his fist slowly, as if testing something.

“…Well.”

Then he gazed down at his hand, drawing mana upward.

【Flame: Wait, don’t tell me you’re thinking of deploying that magic here?】

“…Is it forbidden?”

【Flame: Do you think magic at the Ultimate Point is child’s play?】

“Then…”

【Flame: You deploy it only after you’re discharged from this place. As for whether that rotting body of yours can handle my magic at all—I have my doubts.】

“…Understood.”

Aeon gave Flame a curt reply.

‘Well, even so, this much is…’

The reward he’d gained at this crossroads of fate was far from merely good.

***

Two days later, Aeon left the Medical Ward.

“Ahh…”

He drew a deep breath, and crisp air filled the depths of his lungs.

Savoring the fresh air, he made his way to the Arcane Hall.

Exion was outfitted with every facility needed to cultivate mages, and the Arcane Hall was one of them.

Its exterior stood out even from a distance.

While Exion’s main buildings boasted white stone and gilt ornaments, this one was conspicuously dark.

‘So this is the Arcane Hall…’

As he drew closer to the walls, he noticed rough, irregular scars scattered across them.

Repairs were constant; workers and mages always lingered nearby.

Creak—

He pushed open the door and stepped into a vast interior.

“Hm?”

Someone noticed his presence.
When Aeon turned his head, three figures stood together.

Aeon first checked their year by their Student Brooch.

Two second-years and one third-year.
Then he committed their appearances to memory.

A composed expression, nothing excessive about it.
And beneath it, a quiet confidence radiating outward.

‘…Their presence really is different.’

An entirely different atmosphere from the first-years.
Simply standing still, their exceptional nature was palpable against the skin.

One of the second-year boys approached first.

“Here to use the facilities? The manager stepped out for a moment, so I’ll show you around.”

His voice was calm.

“I’m Marcel Brion. Call me Marcel.”
“Yes, Marcel.”
“Marcel? …Hmm, that has a nice ring to it.”

A second-year girl beside him looked Aeon up and down.

“I’m Iris Belen. Just be careful not to get pushed around too much by this idiot Marcel.”
“Hey! What’s wrong with me!?”
…….

As Aeon gave a polite bow in return, a third-year boy stepped forward.

“Leonhardt Keil. Call me Leonhardt.”

When Leonhardt offered his hand for a handshake, Marcel whispered something from the side.

“By the way, Leonhardt is pretty famous here at Exion. Good to know.”
“There you go again with helpful advice, Marcel. Didn’t I tell you? You can ignore what he says.”

Aeon largely ignored the second-years’ comments and shook Leonhardt’s hand.

“First-year Aeon Iskar, sir.”
“Right, Aeon.”

In that moment, Iris’s eyes flashed briefly.

“Wait… hold on… Aeon?”

The corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

“You.”
“……?”
“You’re that new student everyone’s talking about?”

…Everyone’s talking about?

“Talking about? What are you talking about?”

Marcel asked, and Iris answered.

“The dormitory fire the other day. From what I heard, a student from the Northern Region did something pretty bold—apparently he saved several people from being killed. …And where are your ears, anyway? You didn’t hear the rumors?”
“Well, I’m hearing about it now. But wait, this guy’s the one?”

Whoosh—whoosh—

Marcel’s gaze flickered between Iris and Aeon.

‘…has the rumor spread that far?’

Aeon hesitated for a moment.
Since there seemed nothing worth hiding, he nodded.

“If there’s only one Aeon Iscar, then it must be me.”

Iris tilted her head.

“Honestly… you’re kind of ordinary?”
“Hey! What kind of thing is that to say?”
“No, it’s just… I thought I’d get more of an extraordinary impression, you know? Sorry, that’s just my personal take.”

Her tone carried a hint of disappointment. It wasn’t outright mockery, but it was hardly warm either.

“But are people from the Northern Region always this quiet?”

Iris cut Marcel off immediately.

“Hey, that’s regional prejudice talk.”
“What about all the chatter you’ve been doing this whole time?”
“That’s… well… I mean….”

She laughed sheepishly and changed the subject.

“Anyway, Aeon. Come over here. If you want to use it, the procedure’s simple. You have your Student Brooch, right?”

Aeon unclipped the brooch from his uniform collar and handed it over.

Iris took it and, with practiced ease, held it up to the internal mechanism.

Click.

A hum—

A rune flared with light.

Iris handed the brooch back to Aeon once she’d confirmed it.

“The Measurement Chamber… hmm, looks like it’s your first time here? Obviously you’d go to the beginner level.”

Aeon took a steadying breath before speaking.

“I’d like the intermediate Measurement Chamber, please.”

Iris’s eyes widened at that.

“So you’re saying… wait, what…?”

Marcel, standing nearby, let out a low chuckle.

“…heh, well. What can you do? New students will be new students. Another fool like me, I see. Aeon, higher grades don’t mean better here. You got confused just like I did, didn’t you?”

Marcel explained the reason he’d said that.

“Higher-grade chambers just withstand stronger impacts, but the actual equipment is better maintained in the beginner level since it was renovated more recently.”

Iris nodded and spoke.

“So, if you’re coming for the first time, you should start with the beginner level….”

Aeon spoke once more.

“Please let me use the intermediate measurement chamber.”

Hearing Aeon’s response, Iris pouted slightly.

“Sigh… you’re incredibly stubborn.”
“Is it because you’re from the Northern Region?”
“Do you even know where the Northern Region is?”
“……Up? That’s right, isn’t it?”
……

She turned her head to look at Leonhardt, a third-year student.

“What should we do?”

Leonhardt, who had been listening quietly until then, opened his mouth.

“Let him through.”

His voice was low and carried weight.
It was clear he was their leader.

“I’ll take responsibility.”
“Huh? You, senior?”
“What’s the harm.”

Leonhardt shrugged.

“It’s not like using a measurement chamber wears it out.”

Iris continued, her expression troubled.

“That may be, but… Bruno is currently in the intermediate measurement chamber.”
“…Is that so?”

Leonhardt raised one eyebrow slightly at her words.

“Then that would be rather awkward.”

Marcel added quietly.

“Given Bruno’s temperament, this kid would likely suffer too. That bastard’s definitely the type to do it.”
“Hmm….”

Leonhardt thought for a moment, then opened his mouth toward Aeon.

“Strictly speaking….”
“……?”
“It’s almost impossible for a freshman to use the intermediate measurement chamber. However, since we’ve met like this today, I’ll let you in. But in exchange.”

He spoke with absolute calm.

“I won’t protect you inside or anything like that. Is that alright with you?”

Protect?
Aeon felt that ominous word linger in his mind for a moment.

‘…Is this right, Flame?’

【Flame: Do as I say. The shock absorption capacity of a beginner’s Measurement Chamber won’t cut it.】

‘…Understood.’

Aeon let out a quiet sigh.

“It’s fine.”
“Good.”

Leonhardt gestured toward the Measurement Chamber.

“Then go on in.”

Iris pulled out an Access Pass and tossed it to Aeon.

Thack—

“Room 8.”

Room 8 was on the second floor.
Measurement Chambers lined both sides of the second-floor corridor, each door marked with an indicator showing whether it was in use or vacant.

As Aeon walked down the corridor, a door ahead suddenly burst open and a large silhouette tumbled out.

The man who emerged was heavily muscled, his face scored by a deep scar that ran all the way down to his neck.

‘…Is he a mage?’

Despite wearing a second-year badge, his atmosphere was anything but that of a student—it was menacing.

The moment he saw Aeon, his mouth fell open.

“Huh?”

His voice was rough.

“Who’s this punk? What’s some wet-behind-the-ears bastard doing up here on the second floor?”

Before Aeon could respond, the man seized him by the collar.

Jerk—!

“Listen here, …a first-year? Some green brat fresh off the boat nosing around where he doesn’t belong? Some pampered noble’s son who never learned his place?”

Aeon’s vision wavered.
But his expression remained perfectly still.

He raised his hand slowly.

—Tap!

He touched the scarred man’s wrist lightly.

The kind of sound that should accompany a gentle brush.
Yet the scarred man’s grip suddenly went limp, all strength draining away.

Slip—

“……What?”

The man’s eyes widened.
Aeon spoke quietly.

“I came because I needed to.”
“…You’re really putting on a show, aren’t you.”

The senior pressed his face closer. His ragged breathing carried a weight of suppressed anger.

“This your first time here?”
“……?”

He growled as he spoke.

“You think you’re the only one like this? That there’s just one or two of you?”

He gestured with his fingers as he went on.

“The ones bragging about their background, the ones swaggering around pretending to be strong, the ones trying to rub elbows with the right people.”

And then he looked Aeon straight in the eye and asked:

“Which type are you?”

Aeon answered the man’s rudeness with perfect calm.

“Fortunately, I don’t seem to be any of those.”
“……What?”

Pat, pat—

Aeon straightened his wrinkled collar and brushed past the man without pausing.

The man stood there for a moment, stunned.

“……Hell, what a brat….”

Behind him, the man muttered a curse under his breath.
Aeon pretended not to hear.

Even if he had, he had no time for it now.

【Earth: Bruno Calder… so it’s him. Good to see he’s still full of fire.】
【Water: It would’ve been better if he hadn’t noticed us. Can’t be helped, I suppose.】

Before the door to Room 8.

Beep—

He held up the pass, and the door slid smoothly open.

“…….”

The interior was larger than expected.
It was covered in pristine white absorption panels, and the floor was marked with runes arranged in a circle to dissipate vibrations.

Directly ahead stood a mage’s target.
Above the target, numbers made of smoke were displayed.

『0』

When a target or panel was struck by magic, the impact displayed its destructive force as a numerical value.

【Flame: Meltdown was a spell I created very early in my active period. It has plenty of flaws, but it packs enough destructive power to suit a Tier-1 mage like you.】
【Earth: Decent destructive power for a Tier-1 mage? That’s rich.】
【Flame: It’s just a manner of speaking.】

“Leonhardt! Did you let him in?”

That man from before—Bruno—seemed to be picking a fight with Leonhardt now.

“Calm down, Bruno. And I’m your senior.”
“Senior, my—”

Leonhardt’s voice continued.

“If anything goes wrong, I’ll take responsibility. So keep quiet and follow along.”
“Right now—!”

Aeon pushed their noise out of his awareness.

【Flame: Begin.】

“Huh…”

He maintained his focus.

A spell of the Ultimate Point.

The Ultimate Form.

According to the knowledge he’d gleaned, it was magic that only those who had reached the end of all logic could wield.

‘So this is what it’s like…’

He hadn’t come here to learn magic or to train.

He’d come to verify something.

Whether these voices rifling through his mind were lying, whether it was truly possible to surpass a Grand Mage.

Shiiiiin…

Heat gathered along Aeon’s arm.

Something seemed to roil at his fingertips.

Heat that had been compressed and held back, now approaching its breaking point, ready to burst at last.

That heat enveloped his fist.

The first flame spell Aeon had ever cast.

Crackle-crackle-crackle…!

Fire ignited in his palm.

‘The Ultimate Form…!’

Aeon closed the distance to his target in a single breath, then drove his fist forward with all his strength.

The heat gathered in his hand burst outward in a direct impact.

Crack—!

The target shattered under that single blow.

Up to this point, ordinary magic could have accomplished the same.

But the shock that emanated from Aeon’s strike extended all the way to the absorption panels.

And in that moment, the suppressed heat finally broke free.

Meltdown.

Boom—!

Hissss…

Like embers catching flame, the shockwave began to spread outward. The heat that originated from a single point cascaded across the panels in a chain reaction, consuming them.

And then—

ROOOAAAARRR—!

A massive explosion erupted, leaving behind a crater as though a meteor had struck.

Where the panel had been was now a gaping pit. Along its edges, molten material flowed slowly downward, and from its surface rose black, acrid smoke mingled with red sparks.

The Measurement Chamber filled instantly with a choking stench.

“Urgh…!”

Aeon’s stomach lurched, and his vision swam for a moment.

The pain that had seized his entire body came roaring back.

“Hah… hah…”

It was real.

The Ultimate Point truly existed.
Their magic was overwhelming and terrifying.

Bang—!

The door burst open.
Marcel and Iris rushed in.

Their faces were urgent as they cried out.

“Danger!”

Both of them grabbed the staggering Aeon at once and yanked him back.

“Senior!”

Iris spun around and shouted.

In that instant, Leonhardt Keil stepped into the Measurement Chamber.

“Leave it to me!”

The spell was already being cast in his hands.

“Everyone, hold your breath!”

Whoooosh—

Hydro Gale.

Crash!

The air inside the Measurement Chamber changed in an instant.
A torrent of water at tremendous pressure filled the space and surged toward the molten debris.

Water spray scattered up the walls, and a cold, damp chill swept into the corridor.

Sizzzzz—

The glowing-hot debris cooled rapidly, and a sudden burst of steam filled the entire field of vision.

And then, from within it.

Whoosh—

A crude, powerful hand thrust out abruptly.

Snap!

That hand seized the collar of the reeling Aeon.

A deep scar carved across his face. The man from the corridor who had grabbed Aeon’s collar—it was Bruno Calder.

“Bruno! What are you doing?”
“You stay out of this.”

Holding Aeon fast, Bruno spoke.

“You… what kind of creature are you?”

The Talentless Mage Swallows the Calamitous Future — Chapter 16

Author
Wang Mocci
Publisher
Daon Creative
Planning / Editing / Production
Yeon
Cover Art
Dali

UCI
G720:N+A036-20260706063.0016

ⓒ2026, Wang Mocci

※ This e-book is protected under the copyright law of the Republic of Korea.
No part or whole of this work may be reproduced or modified in any form without permission from the author and publisher.

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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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