The AI Archmage - Chapter 61

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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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AI Grand Mage Episode 61

“Um, excuse me, Teacher.”
Tult, who rarely contradicted Sion, raised his hand carefully as he spoke.
“The Red Tower is one of the Four Great Magic Towers. And it’s not a place that drifts in and out of that ranking—it’s maintained its position among the Four Great Towers for centuries by tradition.”
“I know.”
“Because of that, the mages of the Red Tower are exceptionally skilled.”
Tult continued cautiously.
“Even mages of the same Circle are superior to us in every way—the types of magic they can use, their operational ability, their experience.”
“I see.”
Sion nodded calmly and countered, “So?”
“So what?”
“Huh?”
“Why does that become a reason for you all to avoid a duel with a Red Tower mage?”
“Ah, well… because we wouldn’t stand a chance, would we? And besides, if we lost a match for nothing, it would bring great shame to the Tower…”
“That’s exactly it.”
Sion looked directly at the students as he spoke.
“Why are you all talking as though defeat is a foregone conclusion?”
“Then… should we win?”
“Of course.”
Sion’s face showed not a trace of hesitation as he answered.
‘Is he serious?’
The students murmured among themselves.
“Let me ask again then. Exactly why do you think you’d lose?”
“Well…”
Countless reasons for their inevitable defeat flooded through Tult’s mind.
And in the end, one of them came down to—
“The difference in natural talent is simply too clear.”
As he spoke, Tult found himself bowing his head without thinking.
‘How shameful.’
To tell his teacher outright that lack of talent was the reason.
It was difficult to say.
But it was the truth.
Those who entered the Red Tower had at least the potential to reach the 6th Circle—that’s what it meant.
Mana affinity showed most directly a mage’s latent potential.
It measured how compatible one was with mana and whether one could smoothly ascend to higher Circles.
Most Magic Towers evaluate this before accepting disciples.
And the students in this lecture hall—
“Our mana affinity is… not particularly good. Especially compared to the Red Tower mages, there’d be a stark disparity.”
“That would only be true if you trained in pure magic alone.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Why do you think I’ve been teaching you Magic Engineering? Simply because it’s unusual?”
Sion let out a short laugh.
“It’s because that’s the means by which you can narrow the gap in talent you’re talking about.”
“…!”
“If you have no interest in magic, then nothing can be done about that. If you haven’t been captivated by the wonder of magic itself, then you can’t become a mage. If interest itself counts as part of talent… yes, I can’t save someone who lacks even that. But…”
Sion held the students’ gazes directly as he continued.
“If you’ve been fascinated by magic as an academic discipline, if you possess that bare minimum condition of interest, then I can narrow that gap in talent.”
“…!”
“Of course, I won’t claim that my method can make you the best. I don’t deny outright that talent creates hierarchy in this world.”
Everything in the world is ranked by hierarchy in some way or another.
But at least we can prevent the difference from existing right from the starting point.
“In short, I can ensure you don’t fumble helplessly against mages from the Four Great Towers. I’ve already done so.”
Sion’s confident declaration filled the lecture hall with silence.
Briella raised her hand hesitantly and asked.
“Um, Teacher? You said you’ve already done so… what do you mean by that?”
“I’ve already distributed Magic Tools to you all and taught you how to use them.”
“We know that. We understand how powerful chantless Magic Tools are…”
But that was the power of the Magic Tool itself.
It’s not the power of magic itself.
“You’ve definitely improved your ability to utilize Magic Tools through class, but your magical realm hasn’t changed at all.”
“Well, there must be something else I taught you.”
“If you taught us something… oh.”
Only then did it occur to her.
The Improved Mana Training Method.
Sion had certainly refined the Blue Tower’s Mana Cultivation Method and taught it to his students.
“Everyone, remove the Magic Tools you’re wearing from your bodies.”
“I… I beg your pardon?”
The students exchanged bewildered glances, but followed his instruction nonetheless.
Sion then proceeded with his next directive.
“Now I want you to manifest magic. Use 1st Circle Magic, but instead of the conventional method, focus on the Mana Circulation from the Mana Cultivation Method I taught you.”
“Here… right now?”
“That’s right.”
Sion nodded at Briella’s question.
“W-well, I suppose… it’s been quite a while since I’ve used an Incantation, so… huh?”
As Briella began the Incantation, she sensed something odd.
“What… what is this? Something’s strange.”
Briella shook her head and stopped the Incantation.
She closed her eyes for a moment to concentrate, then spoke a short phrase aloud.
“Mana, gather.”
In that instant.
A low hum resonated.
Condensed mana began to coalesce above Briella’s palm.
1st Circle Magic—Magic Missile.
Briella stared blankly at the magic she herself had manifested, her mouth hanging open.
“…W-what?”
Even the one who had manifested it was bewildered.
“How… how is this possible?”
In truth, what had triggered the magic’s manifestation was just one sentence.
What had actually triggered the magic’s manifestation was a single, brief statement.
With her actual abilities, she would have needed three or four times this length just to manifest even a simple 1st Circle spell.
Yet she had reduced it to this degree of brevity?
What astounded her most was how naturally her mind had computed the spell.
She was not alone.
Gasps of amazement echoed throughout the Lecture Hall.
The other students, too, had manifested magic through remarkably efficient calculations compared to before.
That this was possible without Magic Tools…
Tult stared at Sion with trembling eyes and spoke.
“T-teacher, this is…”
“It’s adaptation. You didn’t realize it consciously, but your computational abilities have naturally improved in certain areas.”
This didn’t apply to all magic, he meant.
Yet even so, this was such an impossible change that the students couldn’t hide their shock.
“Teacher, could this possibly be…”
Even Eira, who thought she was beyond ordinary surprise, stared at Sion with trembling eyes.
Sion chuckled softly and nodded, continuing.
“That’s right—the Integration of the Mana Cultivation Method you’ve learned and Magic Tool Utilization. What I’ve repeated countless times.”
“This is…”
“Well then, it seems we’re ready to move to the next stage. You must have grasped the concept of Integration I mentioned.”
Sion smiled and looked around at his students as he spoke.
“From now on, I’ll teach you the method to overcome the limits of the ‘Mana Affinity’ you just mentioned.”
“…!”
The students’ eyes widened at those words.
Without waiting, they returned to their seats and fixed Sion with gleaming eyes full of attention.
Watching his disciples gaze upon him with reverent eyes, Sion smiled inwardly.
‘Yes, grow well.’
After all, when the Red Tower mages arrived here, it would be far more advantageous to have more means at his disposal.
[Human, where has the pure heart of a master taking joy in his disciples’ growth gone?]
‘It died a long time ago.’
[Ah, I see.]
Akasha gave a vague answer and decided to drop the subject.
Whatever this eccentric Creator thought, the results were good enough anyway.

* * *

A few days later.
Squeak. Thud!
Carriages pulled up in succession before the Blue Tower.
The carriage doors swung open, and mages began filing out one after another.
Dressed in gaudy crimson robes, they stood on the road with expressions of utter indifference.
“……Tch, this is why the backwoods are so tiresome.”
“This tower here was once called one of the Four Great Magic Towers?”
The Red Tower mages made no effort to hide their contempt.
It was entirely at odds with the organization they belonged to.
Since there was no long-distance teleportation circle within the tower itself, they’d had to ride in carriages for days from the nearest city.
Even worse, the road leading to the tower wasn’t properly maintained, making the ride thoroughly uncomfortable.
“Master Maxwell, you really did manage to live in such a dreadful place, didn’t you?”
……
At the Red Tower mage’s mockery, the mage in the gray robe simply remained silent.
The mage who had been sneering at Maxwell lost interest when met with no reaction, shaking his head dismissively before heading off elsewhere.
Maxwell was alone.
He had never truly belonged to the Red Tower, nor had he sworn any oath of allegiance.
That was when Hayden called him over.
“Master Maxwell? From now on, stay close by my side.”
“……Yes, I understand.”
“A courtesy of sorts. You’d like to see your old colleagues, wouldn’t you? The view will be excellent from a front-row seat.”
……
Courtesy?
Who would call such a proposal, dripping with malice, an act of courtesy?
But Maxwell simply nodded his head.
……That was the nature of the contract, after all.
“Well then, shall we go?”
Hayden fixed his gaze on the Blue Tower and began walking forward.
‘This time, she won’t be able to refuse, Lumia.’
Yes, there was no other choice.
Today, he would pronounce a death sentence upon the Blue Tower.
A crimson tide flowed toward the azure magical tower that stretched toward the sky.
The Red Tower mages showed no hint of tension.
Rather, they were supremely confident.
One might have thought they were simply entering their own home.
And as they laid eyes on the Blue Tower’s surroundings, the Red Tower mages continued their mockery without pause.
“There’s a path, sure, but…… what exactly is this? I don’t even see a proper structure, and how is this any different from the wilderness?”
“And they still dare call this a Magic Tower? Unbelievable…….”
These were mages who dwelled in towers constructed with every conceivable premium material and enjoyed countless privileges.
To their eyes, the Blue Tower was scarcely worthy of the name Magic Tower.
A fierce heat shimmered within the Red Tower mages.
Red Mana—the symbol of the Red Tower.
Befitting a tower specialized in flame, the mana these Red Tower mages wielded carried intense heat.
But the heat they radiated now was far from ordinary.
Generally, heat is invisible unless one openly displays their mana.
In other words, the Red Tower mages were making a statement now.
– We don’t even regard you as worthy opponents.
…… or so they were saying.
Yet unlike the other mages reveling in their contempt, Hayden’s expression had grown somewhat rigid.
‘……It seems quite different from the last time I came.’
He had visited the Blue Tower several times to persuade Lumia, so he knew the tower’s original state.
Even then, this road hadn’t been properly maintained.
But one thing was certain.
Something…… had changed.
And Hayden felt a twinge of displeasure at that fact.
According to his plan, Lumia would have to beg him for help while trapped in a desperate situation.
This way, there would be no disruption to his scheme.
“Maxwell.”
“…Yes.”
“Do you know anything about this? Has there been some significant change at the Blue Tower recently, perhaps…?”
“No.”
Maxwell answered with few words.
In truth, he knew little of substance.
The contract had forbidden him any connection to the Blue Tower for twenty years.
“I see. How peculiar…”
Hayden made no effort to hide his displeasure, clicking his tongue as he walked.
The moment they emerged from the forest, they encountered a mage from the Blue Tower, positioned and waiting to receive them.
“Welcome.”
“…!”
Maxwell’s eyes, which had been staring silently with a dark expression, trembled.
“Bar… Barean…?”
It was none other than Barean who stood before them first.
Unlike himself, who had once surrendered to the contract rather than abandon magic, Barean was a former companion who had even given up his Mana Heart.
Barean’s gaze turned toward Maxwell as well, wavering slightly.
But soon he withdrew his eyes and bowed respectfully to Hayden.
“Welcome to the Blue Tower, Hayden Kaul.”
“I don’t believe we’ve met before.”
“There were various circumstances involved, but I’ve only recently returned to the Tower. However, there should be no issue with my assistance, so please have no concerns.”
“Hmm…”
This time too, Hayden was quite displeased.
The mage from the Blue Tower receiving him for the first time was also someone he did not know.
But Barean’s next words struck a nerve with Hayden.
“My apologies. It seems the Tower has been quite busy lately with an engagement ceremony underway.”
“…An engagement ceremony?”
“Yes.”
Barean smiled faintly as he spoke.
“The engagement between Lumia, the owner of the Main Tower, and Sion Rostery.”
“…What?”
Whoosh!
In that instant, the mana enveloping Hayden erupted in a wild inferno.

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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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