The AI Archmage - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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AI Archmage Episode 24

 

“Ice, unleash your piercing touch from my hands. With cold blessings upon us, accepting your will, great power shall…”

 

A long incantation continued.

 

“【Blizzard】.”

 

A bitter storm swirled from the woman’s hands, then began mercilessly freezing the surroundings.

 

6th Circle Magic, Blizzard.

 

A high-level ice magic that freezes a certain area.

 

“Huu.”

 

She concentrated on her mana while trying to gradually expand its range.

 

But not long after.

 

Crack.

 

At some point, the Blizzard’s range stopped and the ice began to break.

 

She frowned and heightened her concentration even more.

 

“Urgh…!”

 

But soon she staggered and had no choice but to withdraw her magic.

 

“Is anything beyond this still too difficult?”

 

The 6th Circle Magic itself was successful, but she was lacking in terms of sustaining it.

 

But then.

 

“Excellent.”

 

The marquis who had been quietly watching slowly approached and praised her.

 

“Such a concise and precise incantation. Truly a talent who will shoulder the future of the Main House.”

 

“It’s not enough.”

 

“Impatience is not good. Time and experience will solve this. Talent combined with effort will eventually shine.”

 

“That’s… true.”

 

She also nodded in agreement with the marquis’s words.

 

Because her father’s words were right.

 

She calmed her boiling mana and took a deep breath.

 

“Huu.”

 

Throb.

 

For a moment she felt a slight pain but ignored it.

 

Because that wasn’t what was important right now.

 

She had experienced it from before anyway, and it had long been confirmed that the occasional pain wasn’t a problem.

 

‘…It’s annoying, but there’s no problem with it.’

 

She soon shook her head and checked the date for a moment.

 

Two weeks until heading to the Blue Tower.

 

After those two weeks, she would face her younger brother Sion.

 

…The utterly incompetent disgrace of the family.

 

“Teacher?”

 

Those were her father’s words, but really, what an unfunny joke.

 

That incompetent fool becoming a teacher.

 

Naturally, it must have been obtained through unreasonable coercion.

 

She had no intention of tolerating her younger brother’s such absurd outrageous behavior.

 

The family’s honor had to be protected.

 

The possibility that he might suddenly display talent and become a proper teacher?

 

That couldn’t be.

 

Cornelia snorted and shook her head.

 

And then she also thought about the Blue Tower.

 

This time, it wasn’t just her incompetent brother who needed to be struck down with an iron hammer.

 

It was time to settle matters with the Magic Tower that was still showing lackluster results while consuming the family’s support funds.

 

“Father, you said this matter would be left entirely to my judgment. Is that correct?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Then, if the Blue Tower is no longer worth investing in, may I dispose of it at my discretion?”

 

“I’ll leave that to you as well.”

 

The marquis supported her without a moment’s hesitation.

 

“I’ve been supporting the Blue Tower solely because of the ‘new possibilities’ it pursued.”

 

“The plan that Master Belusian established in the past, you mean.”

 

“Yes, but the future that Belusian presented disappeared along with his disappearance. I had expectations for his disciple Lumia Kabala as well, since she was said to be a genius of legendary proportions…”

 

The marquis frowned.

 

“Apparently, she wasn’t quite at that level.”

 

“I understand.”

 

“Still, it was once one of the Four Great Magic Towers. The value of the land they own and the things they possess is very high. It would be good if we could obtain these using the support funds as justification.”

 

Of course, that didn’t mean immediately.

 

But there was no reason to give them more opportunities either.

 

If the Blue Tower failed to show the ‘value’ the marquis expected, there would be no need to be patient any longer.

 

“I detest those without value. If something has no value, being devoured is the natural law.”

 

“I understand that as well.”

 

Having received confirmation up to this point, there was no need to delay further.

 

“Would it be alright to move up the schedule a bit?”

 

“Why?”

 

“If we arrive on the scheduled date, the Blue Tower will prepare for the visit, won’t they? Only by visiting unexpectedly can we see things as they truly are.”

 

“That makes sense. How early are you thinking of departing?”

 

Cornelia thought for a moment at the marquis’s question before speaking.

 

“I’ll depart in one week.”

 

* * *

 

“Everyone, did you sleep well?”

 

Sion, who began his lecture as usual today, swept his gaze across the lecture hall once.

 

Though only about two weeks had passed, his lectures had become something that all students of the Blue Tower attended.

 

His past notoriety no longer held much meaning.

 

And for good reason—the content of his lectures was so excellent that it was hard to reject them based on past infamy alone.

 

Of course, there were still a few concerns that came up among the students from time to time.

 

“…Magic tool utilization makes magic easier, which is good, but it can’t raise our level.”

 

“Right. In the end, what determines a mage’s value is their circle, but if there’s no change in circles…”

 

Magic tool utilization was certainly appealing.

 

Especially magic transformation and chantless magic were nothing short of revolutionary.

 

But no matter how revolutionary these innovations were, the level of the circles themselves remained the same.

 

Was this really… okay?

 

Such worries that they might be swept up in magic tool utilization and drift away from the fundamental goal of ‘circle advancement.’

 

Naturally, Sion was aware of these concerns.

 

Sion also agreed that circles were important. Using magic tools was ultimately meant to broaden the ‘scope’ of magic.

 

For a mage, the level of circles represented height.

 

And the higher that level became, the broader the scope for utilizing magic would naturally become.

 

The type of mage Sion aspired to be couldn’t be lacking in either aspect.

 

Therefore.

 

“What I will teach you today is a mana cultivation method.”

 

Sion decided to present the students with a new goal.

 

Namely, a mana cultivation method.

 

“M-mana cultivation method?”

 

Tult, who was concentrating on the lesson from the front row as usual today, opened his mouth wide.

 

It was a natural reaction.

 

Fundamentally, mana cultivation methods were a mage’s secret techniques.

 

Their very livelihood.

 

That’s why all the magic towers of any significant standing systematically managed their mana cultivation methods.

 

For example, high-level mana cultivation methods were only passed down separately to select disciples.

 

That’s how important mana cultivation methods were to mages.

 

That’s why they were shocked.

 

“Is, is that really true? A mana cultivation method… Could it be the same type that you use, teacher?”

 

“No, it’s not.”

 

Sion shook his head and explained.

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to teach it to you. It’s just that the mana cultivation method I use is something you couldn’t handle.”

 

“That… dangerous?”

 

“If you tried that cultivation method, your survival rate would be less than 10%. No matter how important circles are, you wouldn’t want to gamble with your lives, right?”

 

“Th-that’s… right.”

 

The students found themselves nodding unconsciously at Sion’s words.

 

Because it was true.

 

Of course they wanted to become excellent mages, but only when their lives were guaranteed.

 

A mana cultivation method that could kill you despite potentially faster growth was meaningless.

 

The reason magic towers bothered to select talented individuals before teaching them mana cultivation methods was because those with low talent couldn’t learn them at all.

 

The students’ mood dampened a little.

 

Because they clearly felt the limits of talent from Sion’s words.

 

But Sion’s words weren’t finished.

 

“Listen to the end. That doesn’t mean the Mana Cultivation Method I’m about to teach you isn’t good.”

 

“Wait, teacher.”

 

At that moment, Briella raised her hand and asked Sion a question.

 

“There’s one problem with that Mana Cultivation Method. Everyone here is already learning one, you know?”

 

“I know. The Blue Tower’s Mana Cultivation Method. The Mana Cultivation Method created by Belusian, the previous Tower Master.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Briella nodded.

 

“It’s funny for me to say this, but I think the Mana Cultivation Method we’re learning isn’t qualitatively bad.”

 

“That’s correct. Moreover, abandoning a Mana Cultivation Method you’re already learning to learn a new one isn’t very efficient. Right?”

 

“That’s also… right.”

 

At the point when Sion said that, Briella realized he hadn’t said those words out of ignorance.

 

Then why?

 

Sion simply provided the answer to that.

 

“Don’t worry. The Mana Cultivation Method I’m about to teach is compatible with the cultivation method you’ve learned.”

 

“…!”

 

At those words, the students’ eyes widened without exception.

 

… Compatible?

 

Was that… something that could be done so easily?

 

Mana Cultivation Methods are the foundation of a mage.

 

Naturally, it’s an extremely delicate area.

 

Yet Sion was casually saying he had ‘done’ that delicate work.

 

That’s impossible.

 

Really impossible, but…

 

‘Could it work?’

 

The students all thought the same thing without exception.

 

Normally it would be absolutely impossible, but since it was Sion saying it, it somehow had strange persuasive power.

 

“T-tea-teacher.”

 

This time it was Eira who raised her hand.

 

She spoke to Sion cautiously with a timid expression.

 

“That… Mana Cultivation Method you mentioned. What advantages… does it have?”

 

“First, it’s very stable. It’s also suitable for Magic Tool Utilization. And lastly…”

 

Sion said with a grin.

 

“If you meet certain ‘conditions’, growth is fast. I guarantee it. If you just follow my words well, everyone here will reach 3rd Circle within a week.”

 

“…!”

 

The students were shocked again.

 

It really sounds like complete bullshit, but since it’s Sion saying it, even bullshit seems like it might work somehow.

 

Then Tult quietly spoke up.

 

“Teacher, this might sound presumptuous, but I’m already at 3rd Circle.”

 

“I’ll make you 4th Circle.”

 

“Loyalty!”

 

Tult quickly demonstrated his faith in Sion.

 

Seeing this, Briella clicked her tongue and shook her head.

 

‘Looking at that bastard’s eyes, he seems to be moving into the realm of faith…’

 

Just a short while ago, he was the first one to rush at Sion wanting to beat him up, but his attitude had completely flipped in an instant.

 

Even so, did it make sense to change sides like flipping your palm this way?

 

At most…

 

‘He just taught chantless magic through magic tools, made magic transformation possible, gave practical training, and discovered dragon bones while normalizing the Magic Tower, right?’

 

Hmm.

 

Briella crossed her arms for a moment, objectively analyzing herself and thinking about what the things that just came to mind actually meant.

 

This all happened within just a few weeks.

 

Moreover, Sion himself was a monster capable of freely using chantless magic and magic transformation without magic tools…

 

‘Ah, it’s understandable that his eyes would flip.’

 

Assessment complete.

 

When she thought about it carefully, it would be strange if he didn’t flip out at this level.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“…3rd Circle.”

 

Briella’s gaze turned to Eira, who was muttering quietly.

 

“If it’s 3rd Circle, I have to go for this.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“This is worth trying even if I have to sell my soul. 3rd Circle in a week? I have no choice but to go for it.”

 

“…?”

 

I don’t know why, but this one’s eyes look strange too?

 

And amidst such reactions from the students, Sion spoke.

 

“Of course, I won’t force you. If you’re anxious, you don’t have to do it. That’s also a choice.”

 

While saying this, he put a bit more force into his words.

 

“However, everything I just said is true. Within a week, everyone in this lecture hall will reach 3rd Circle.”

 

It was a confident tone, but even so, there were bound to be students who couldn’t believe it.

 

“Teacher! Even so, how can you be certain that we’ll reach 3rd Circle within a week! Do you have some kind of ‘definite method’!”

 

“The decisive means for you all to reach 3rd Circle. That is…”

 

With those words, Sion placed something down on the lectern with a thud.

 

It was a glass bottle filled with small pills.

 

“Exactly, doing drugs.”

 

“Wh-what? Drugs? What is that?”

 

“An elixir made by grinding dragon bones.”

 

“Ah.”

 

At those words, all the students had no choice but to acknowledge it.

 

“By any chance… do we get that if we learn the mana cultivation method?”

 

“You need to take it and train with it. What am I, a god? How can I create something from nothing when there’s nothing there?”

 

“….”

 

For a moment, silence descended among the students.

 

And then at some point.

 

“Me, me! Me first!”

 

“I’m first!”

 

The students’ eyes turned red as they desperately raised their hands and began shouting.

 

After all, there’s no hero when medicine is involved.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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