After the players unleashed their firepower in full force, I checked the status of the boss monster from a distance.
Despite the all-out assault, we still hadn’t managed to completely strip away the irregular’s mana coating.
The players who had poured out their firepower now had to quickly move again to deal with the lava golems.
“Seojin! Stall for time!”
“Understood.”
While Jung Seojin rushed forward to attack and prevent the boss from getting up, I sprinted toward the hunter who was using a binding ability.
“Huff! Huff! That ability of yours—how much longer can you maintain it?”
The hunter, who had been staring blankly at our battle, snapped out of it and answered.
“I-I’m at my limit. About five more minutes…”
Damn it.
To be honest, the only reason we had managed to hold our ground against the irregular for this long was thanks to his paralyze ability.
If the binding breaks and the boss regains its full strength, we’ll be wiped out no matter what we do.
That leaves only one option.
We have to take down the boss within the remaining five minutes, even if it means pushing ourselves to the limit.
Turning my back on the hunter, I called out to Eia.
‘Eia, how’s your condition now?’
-I have recovered. However, Tower Master, even while I was resting, you continued to…
‘Forget about me.’
I cracked my knuckles.
‘I already told you before. My spells take time to build up. Right now is when I’m at my peak.’
-…Please, don’t overdo it.
Sorry, but I fully intend to.
I lowered my stance and closed my eyes.
“Hooo…”
Focus.
All surrounding noise faded, leaving only silence. I could clearly sense the flow of mana coursing through me.
From experience, I knew that I could immerse myself the most when communicating with the mana inside my body.
I pushed my concentration to the limit, fine-tuning my control down to even the smallest trickle of mana within my veins.
<Copy Magical Position>
Above the boss monster, still lying on the ground in shock, I cast Copy Magical Position.
-Tower Master…!
Eia’s worried voice echoed in my mind, having read my thoughts.
‘It’s fine, just follow my lead.’
I opened my eyes wide and chose the magic circle to be embedded within the Copy Magical Position.
And that was…
<Copy Magical Position>
<Copy Magical Position>
<Copy Magical Position>
<Copy Magical Position>
<Copy Magical Position>
I linked five Copy Magical Positions to the initial Copy Magical Position.
“…Ughhh!”
The sheer volume of formulas flooding my mind was overwhelming, forcing a groan out of me.
But I couldn’t stop here. I connected a new spell to the five completed Copy Magical Positions.
That spell was…
<Mana Arrow> ×25
I attached five Mana Arrows to each position, preparing a total of 25 Mana Arrow magic circles.
“Senior! This is too much…!”
“What the hell is happening?!”
Jin Bora and the other players’ panicked voices buzzed in my ears, but as I focused deeper on the magic, their voices faded away.
I shut my left eye, using only the Sage’s Eye to set my target.
Up until now, I had mainly relied on Ice Javelin, trying to grow accustomed to it. But ultimately, this suited me better.
A magic of sheer quantity.
Each shot might not be individually powerful, but I could unleash an endless barrage until my hair turned white.
As the magic circles reached their ready state, a colossal flood of formulas surged into my brain.
This was the price of creating miracles from nothing.
But I could do it.
Eia and I split the workload, completing the calculations at a fast pace.
Don’t fear the overwhelming numbers.
Extract only the essence.
Identify the patterns linking the formulas, simplify them according to fundamental rules, and reduce, reduce, reduce.
Shrrrung!
A magical ecosystem began to form. Dimly glowing magic circles flickered to life like lanterns in the sky, their blue lights igniting one by one.
Though the activation timings were slightly off due to buffering, this was already a success.
-Tower Master, set the final firing trigger.
Nothing complicated. I inscribed the last formula.
‘Fire in the order of completion.’
And at last, from the garden of magic circles spread across the sky, a torrential downpour of Mana Arrows rained down.
A massive blue flood, reminiscent of a colossal squall, filled the air and violently hammered the irregular boss monster below.
Kwakakakakakaka!
The Mana Arrows relentlessly battered the irregular’s mana coating. Even that monstrous being foamed at the mouth in agony.
A surreal sight, even to me.
But it wasn’t enough yet.
[You have shattered the perfect wall of magic. Mana Arrow mastery has reached 110%.]
Faster.
Simpler.
[You have shattered the perfect wall of magic. Mana Arrow mastery has reached 120%.]
[You have shattered the perfect wall of magic. Mana Arrow mastery has reached 130%.]
Kwakakakakakaka!
Even though I had already exceeded 100% mastery, my Mana Arrow proficiency skyrocketed at an absurd rate.
This was the deepest immersion I had ever achieved in my life.
Right now, casting Mana Arrow felt easier than breathing.
Ping!
“Urgh!”
For a moment, my vision blurred.
I still had enough focus to sustain the spell, but my internal mana was running low.
However…
‘I can handle it.’
Just maintaining ‘this state’ was an overwhelming source of growth for me.
My magic stat increased as I gained enlightenment, expanding my mana reserves.
My increasing proficiency reduced mana consumption.
I rebalanced my mana usage to rely more on external sources, lightening the burden on my body.
And above all—though I didn’t even realize when I figured it out—I was now absorbing mana through my breath. The ambient mana in the air was replenishing my reserves like fuel.
At this moment, all of nature itself had become a mere tool for me to wield magic.
The thrill was beyond anything else.
[You have shattered the perfect wall of magic. Mana Arrow mastery has reached 190%.]
[You have shattered the perfect wall of magic. Mana Arrow mastery has reached 200%.]
[Mana Arrow has evolved into a new magic—Rapid Arrow.]
The form of Mana Arrow transformed.
Its colour shifted from blue to a dazzling gold, its size slightly shrinking while its shape became sharper and more sleek.
This was my new original spell.
[Rapid Arrow <Kim Yushin’s Original>]
Magic Circle Value: C++
Process: Single-step
Category: Output-type
Special Effects:
- Reduced mana consumption
- Increased casting speed
- Drastic efficiency boost with consecutive casting
Understanding: 51
Sustainability: 10
Control: 287
Output: 75
It was exactly what I needed.
A polished version of Mana Arrow with drastically reduced mana consumption.
Perfect.
With this, I could push even further.
Kwakakakakakaka!
Kwakakakakakaka!
Now, a golden rainstorm, not blue, pounded the irregular with relentless fury.
The ground beneath it caved in, forming an ever-deepening crater.
Crack!
The irregular’s mana coating, already fractured, shattered completely.
At last, Rapid Arrows pierced its bare flesh.
Eyes burst, skin tore apart.
Its body was riddled with holes, organs spilling out as blood soaked its entire form.
-Tower Master! You have exceeded your calculation limit! Any more and…!
No, not yet.
I am looking further ahead.
If I push myself a little more, I might be able to reach it. If I can reach it, why are you stopping me?
— Tower Master!
More. More. More. More.
The formulas are processed like flashes of light. At this moment, it feels like there’s no calculation in existence that I cannot process.
Summoning twenty Rapid Arrows at a time is not enough. I attach fifty more arrows at once.
More! Even more…!
— Please stop now!
A desperate cry pierced through my mind, snapping me back to reality for a moment.
‘Why? I’m not done yet!’
— The battle is already over! The Irregular is dead, and at this rate, you’re in danger! Please!
‘……!’
My heart sank. I hastily stopped my mana control.
I ceased the operation of the formulas and forcibly dispersed the mana that had been primed to run wild.
The rampaging mana, as if enraged by being interrupted, shook my body, making it difficult to regain my senses.
Clenching my teeth, I forced myself to focus.
I took slow breaths, carefully gathering and stabilizing the residual mana.
Just organizing the lingering spells took several minutes. An overwhelming aftereffect, something I’d never experienced before, wrapped around my body.
When I finally took a deep breath and opened my eyes, a flood of player messages dominated my vision.
[You have ascended to a new realm while being fully immersed in mana.]
[You have acquired the trait: Mana Breathing.]
[Over-Immersion trait has reached Lv.8.]
[Multi-Casting trait has reached Lv.4.]
[Accelerated Casting trait has reached Lv.4.]
[Remote Casting trait has reached Lv.2.]
[Mana has increased by 20.]
[Stamina has increased by 5.]
[Focus has increased by 10.]
[Willpower has increased by 3.]
……
My vision blurred. As the delayed backlash hit me, My body had no strength left.
Losing my balance, I staggered. Jin Bora quickly rushed in to support me.
“Senior! You overdid it this time!”
There was a hint of tears in her voice.
I saw Jung Seojin and the clumsy hunter running towards me as well.
Just before losing consciousness, I placed my hand on Jin Bora’s shoulder.
“…Bora.”
“Se-senior!”
“Make sure we get our reward…”
And with that, my consciousness faded away.
My blurry vision slowly cleared as I regained consciousness.
Where am I?
The distinct smell of medicine suggested I was in a hospital room.
My memories gradually returned.
Right, I was in the Lava Cave Dungeon, fought the Irregular boss monster, and collapsed…
Thinking back to that state, it was terrifying.
I had pushed my mana and mind to their absolute limits, yet I survived—it was a miracle.
Slowly, I opened my eyes.
‘…!’
I flinched.
The first thing I saw upon waking was Jin Bora’s face.
She was sleeping soundly, facing me.
…Honestly, she looks pretty.
Careful not to wake her, I rolled my eyes to scan the surroundings.
Seeing an IV drip attached to my arm confirmed that I was indeed in a hospital.
And Jin Bora… she must have been taking care of me all this time until exhaustion finally caught up with her.
That’s… kind of touching.
A brief flash of her teary-eyed face when she supported me flickered in my memory.
Maybe I was the one holding a bias against her.
‘…Hm?’
I suddenly noticed something extending over Jin Bora’s head.
It was her arm.
My gaze followed the arm upward, and at the end of it, I saw a smartphone in her hand.
Wait… a smartphone?
Click!
A photo was taken of me and the sleeping Jin Bora.
Jin Bora immediately turned her back to me and checked the picture.
Then—
“KYAAAAAHHHHH!”
She shot up, stumbling backward at a terrifying speed.
As she caught her breath, she turned to me with wide eyes.
“Se-se-se-se-senior! When did you wake up?!”
Ah, there it is.
This is the Jin Bora I know.
Under my cold stare, her face turned as red as a tomato.
“T-this is, um…! I-it’s not weird, I swear! I never planned to post it on SNS! I just… found you cute while sleeping and wanted to keep a memory…!”
And yet, you applied a cat whiskers filter to the picture?
“Come here. Now.”
Slowly, I raised my fist.
Seeing that I wasn’t making any sudden movements, she tightly shut her eyes and, with a yelp—
“Eiik!”
—headbutted herself into my hand.
“Owwww!”
She immediately clutched her head in pain.
At least she threw herself into it, which means she does feel guilty.
“A patient is lying unconscious in a hospital bed, and you take a selfie? Forget me getting mad—if you uploaded that, you’d get roasted online for being insensitive.”
“…I’m sorry.”
She lowered her head in shame.
I scratched my head, staring blankly for a moment before asking—
“What happened after I collapsed?”
“Yes! Potion Alchemist Jin Bora, reporting!”
She promptly sat down on a chair.
“Senior, you were unconscious for three days after collapsing in the dungeon.”
“…That long? What about the Academy?”
“Don’t worry. You were placed on medical leave, so you avoided expulsion.”
“Good job. What’s the current situation?”
I drew way too much attention back then. If this turned into a major hassle, it would be a problem.
“Unfortunately, our incident got overshadowed. No major media coverage or public attention.”
That’s not unfortunate. That’s a damn relief, you attention-seeker.
Our Mage Tower operates under secrecy.
“But how could this get buried? An Irregular boss monster appearing? A lot of people died, too.”
“Because, at the same time, Irregular bosses appeared in seven dungeons across the country.”
I shot up in shock.
What the hell?
“Keep going.”
“Three dungeons, including ours, had minimal casualties. Others had only one or two survivors—or were completely wiped out. As of now, over a hundred players have been confirmed dead. Even some top-tier Hunters perished.”
“……”
I rubbed my temples, deep in thought.
“This doesn’t make sense. Irregulars don’t just appear so easily. And all at the same time, across multiple dungeons?”
“You know what’s even crazier? It didn’t just happen in Korea.”
Jin Bora turned on the TV with a remote.
No matter the channel, the news was filled with similar reports.
A dungeon in Shanghai, China, was hit by the worst Irregular boss monster yet. Over two thousand casualties reported.
Considering how crowded China’s field dungeons always are, an Irregular incident there would be a massacre.
I should check the Grand Archive for information on any similar incidents in Erendel Continent.
“Oh, right! What about our rewards?”
“Hehe! We received the highest merit recognition and claimed all loot rights and rewards. Everything is safely stored in the Mage Tower.”
Her eyes sparkled as she continued.
“Oh, and something interesting happened in the dungeon! When you collapsed and Seojin and I ran to you, some scumbags tried to snatch the Irregular’s mana stone!”
“That’s common. So what happened?”
“That Hunter guy suddenly stood up and declared, ‘An Association officer has died, so as a certified Rank-5 Hunter, I will claim the loot! All assets from the boss monster belong to Kim Yushin! If anyone objects, speak now!’”
Oh? That clueless guy did that for me?
He could’ve claimed ownership himself, yet he backed me. I might have misjudged him.
Feeling more at ease, I leaned back in my chair.
“Anyway, when can I leave?”
“Since you’re awake, you can be discharged soon!”
“Really?”
“At first, you had mana depletion, mana reflux, even coughed up blood—it was bad! But by the next day, your mana was perfectly stabilized. The doctor says you just have symptoms similar to exhaustion now. Seriously, what kind of body do you have?”
“Good news.”
I sat up straight.
‘Eia.’
Silence.
‘Eia, answer me.’
Still nothing.
‘…Are you mad?’
Then—
— …I am relieved, Tower Master.
Her voice echoed in my mind.
That one sentence carried so much genuine worry.
‘Sorry for making you worry.’
The Tower Master does not need to apologize to the homunculus.
“Did it scare you a lot? Haah, I didn’t expect it to go that far either. Next time, let’s think of a way to win without reaching such an extreme level of Immersion.”
She hesitated for a moment before speaking.
—Question. When launching the final attack, why did you take on all the formulas I was supposed to handle as well?
Ugh, so you noticed after all.
—I do not mind. If a homunculus encounters a problem and is discarded, a new one can always be created. But the Tower Master, and the ‘Child of Mana,’ cannot be replaced by anyone. If a similar situation arises again, promise me that you will shift all the burden onto me.
“No.”
I spoke firmly.
“To me, you’re also someone irreplaceable. I survived this time thanks to you. Truly, thank you.”
—……
Hmm.
Suddenly, there was no response again.
“Fufu.”
Jin Bora, who had been peeling an apple, showed a peculiar smile.
“At the Mage Tower, Eia was really worried about you.”
“…Forget that. Call the doctor. If there’s nothing wrong with my body, I need to start the discharge process.”
“Okay! I’ll go get them.”
Name: Kim Yushin
Unique Ability: Sage’s Eye
Personal Traits: [Child of Mana Lv.2] [Master of the Mage Tower Lv.10] [Magical Engineering Lv.10] [Spell Lord Lv.10] [Over-Immersion Lv.8] [Potion Brewing Lv.5] [Information Processing Lv.5] [Accelerated Casting Lv.4] [Multicasting Lv.4] [Remote Casting Lv.2] [Analysis Lv.2]
Base Stats: [Mana 132] [Agility 12] [Stamina 12] [Strength 7]
Special Stats: [Focus 22] [Intelligence 9] [Willpower 6] [Endurance 2]
Total Stats: [202]
New Trait: New! [Mana Breathing Lv.1]
