Chapter 43-The Pioneer of Magic (1)
Is this what it feels like to harden the brain? Kim Moo-jin’s eyes trembled in their sockets in response to words he never suspected to come from a student’s mouth.
“You…you developed mana fairy tales by yourself?”
Mana was a universal mystery. After opening a new world with mana, wizards constantly researched ways to lower casting consumption. Due to the limitations of mana, a wizard had no choice but to cling to its secrets. A century passed by, and the situation remained the same – it was still perceived as a problem without a solution.
If what Kang Min-hyuk had outlined was true, he’d solved the issue that had plagued wizards since the dawn of time. The reason wizards were seen as inferior to warriors was due to limited stamina – a low-level wizard could produce just enough magic to buy a little extra time for the warriors, which was why they gained a reputation as an auxiliary force. The invention of mana fairy tales was an event that would turn academic magic upside-down.
From the moment a magic student entered the academy, they were told:
“If you’re serious about magic, remember this: wizards are unappreciated in our world because circle five is the furthest they can progress. Even if you are especially skilled and become an archmage, the peak magic you can use is the high-end of the fifth circle, and even that can’t be used for long. Wizards aren’t suited to the catastrophes of this world. Unlike reinforced warriors who can fight to the end with only a weapon, you lose the power to survive the moment your mana runs out.”
Kim Moo-jin stared at Min-hyuk with eyes smudged with astonishment, awaiting his response. The students of magic also focused on Kang Min-hyuk. Had he developed a solution to the problems that made mana weak?
“I know that my discovery will change the structure of academic magic, but what I’ve told you is true. Couldn’t you tell, Professor? My research into double casting and changing form at the magic conference should have shown you the path I was walking.”
Kim Moo-jin wanted confirmation from Kang Min-hyuk’s mouth that the dream technology was invented.
“You must be crazy.”
Kim Moo-jin’s perspective had changed from one of awe to disbelief. He’d expected to analyze and teach from the video of Suseongjeon, but his mind became entangled in a huge event.
‘What happened to Kang Min-hyuk?’
In his past, he stood out as a reinforced warrior and had shown unprecedented growth as soon as he walked the magical path. It was a situation that couldn’t be interpreted through logic. The mind couldn’t comprehend, but the facts were undeniable: Kang Min-hyuk changed the game of magic.
Kim Moo-jin’s voice trembled.
Even he, called the Iron Blood Sword, was often unable to control his emotions in front of Kang Min-hyuk.
“If what you say is true…you will be a pioneer of magic.”
* * *
The news of Suseongjeon was soon delivered to the department. It was as though a fire had fallen on the step of the department head Choi Byung-ho. The revelation of the mana fairy tale was enough to make his heart flutter with the mere description.
Choi Byung-ho returned to his office, and shortly afterward, Kang Min-hyuk joined him.
“Ah, Hyuk. Did you find the training difficult?”
“It was okay.”
“Come on and sit down.”
Choi Byung-ho trembled in anticipation.
Kang Min-hyuk sat down on a soft sofa, and Choi Byung-ho, as usual, sat on the opposite side, rather than taking the senior seat. He was considered great by the students due to his modesty; he approached them as equals rather than an authoritative force. Choi Byung-ho smiled as if he was a subordinate, a person who satisfies the opponent.
“I heard that you succeeded in the creation of mana fairy tales?”
His voice quivered.
After hearing about the mana fairy tale, Choi Byung-ho pinched his cheek several times because he couldn’t believe it. Double casting and changes in the form of magic were both great discoveries. In particular, the double casting could strengthen a wizard’s power, but the fundamental problem remained.
The double casting was useless without the mana to match it. It was recently nicknamed ‘Premature Ejaculation’ in reference to the fire burning away so swiftly after double casting. For that reason, the current magical academia was eager to solve mana’s problem, and Kang Min-hyuk came along and plucked it out of thin air.
“Yes, it was successful. Did you not hear it from Professor Lee Hak-beom? After the magic conference was over, the Professor and I started studying mana fairy tales, and recently we were able to complete a perfect theory.”
Choi Byung-ho’s expression brightened at Min-hyuk’s explanation.
He became overly excited, and his breath moved through his lungs in hot bursts.
“Can you reveal it to the academy? Or…can you reveal it to me alone?”
Choi Byung-ho asked. As the head of the department, he was invested in the students’ development, but the top priority would always be a personal improvement.
When he first entered the school, he looked down at the students sternly, and now he shook his tail like a dog.
“I began this study with the support of the Department of Magic. We plan to provide mana fairy tales to all as a top priority. I have no intention of failing the expectations of the head of the department.”
Choi Byung-ho grabbed Kang Min-hyuk’s hand, his face filled with unparalleled joy.
“I have a discerning eye. When you entered the academy, I recognized you as the treasure of the department of magic!”
He laughed.
The truth was that upon his arrival, Choi Byung-ho was knocking on the calculator to see how helpful Kang Min-hyuk could be.
“I have one request,”
“A request? Yes, of course. Anything you like.”
People with fast calculations are comfortable with them. If you firmly hold the initiative, your opponent will cooperate.
“I’d like you to gather contacts from the World Magic Association. We can all gather here at lunch tomorrow, and I will reveal the technique. That’s all that I require.”
It was time to take the lead.
* * *
There was uproar when Choi Byung-ho eagerly contacted the magical associations around the world – they could not hide their horror.
“Is that true?”
“You figured out a way to reduce the amount of mana consumed?”
“I’ll come immediately!”
An audience with the world magic association and representatives from several towers was a significant step. Compared to those who hold power in their respective countries, the name of Choi Byung-ho was insignificant. Choi Byung-ho was a good politician, and due to this, he became the head of the department, but he is not an outstanding figure as a wizard.
However, those who received the call could not ignore Choi Byung-ho’s words. Knowing that he was the spokesperson for Kang Min-hyuk, they prepared to leave immediately and got on a plane to Korea.
The magical forces arrived one after another. Among them were also the renowned Archmages.
Figures akin to John Wesley of the British Magic Association also appeared in the Department of Magi, which was acting as an auditorium to the event. Those who attended were filled with strange expectations. Taking a long step to the request of a young student named Kang Min-hyuk could have hurt their pride, but that wasn’t important anymore.
The wizard’s challenge might have been solved. If that’s the case, they’d run for a month and travel much further than Korea.
“Is this technology possible?”
“I am not sure, but this is Kang Min-hyuk we’re talking about…he succeeded in double casting and changing the shape of magic. As long as there is a precedent, nothing is impossible for him.”
People whispered among themselves, eager to confirm the authenticity of the claim. Their disbelief was not rooted in a lack of trust but the sheer enormity of the discovery.
When Kang Min-hyuk appeared, the noisy auditorium sank into deep silence.
“First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your attendance. My name is Kang Min-hyuk, a freshman in the Magic Department at Hunter Academy.”
Clap clap clap.
Clap clap clap.
Applause filled the room; there was no order to do so; they responded out of respect for the wizard before them.
“Before explaining the mana fairy tale, I will first tell you the direction I intend to take this knowledge. I don’t want to monopolize what I have found. What I really want is a revival of magical academia. Therefore, we will release the mana fairy tale to you without any charge.”
“What?!”
“You say it’s free?”
“Why?”
It was a shocking decision. Mana fairy tale could earn billions of dollars – it was a skill many would pay a great deal of money to possess, but money didn’t mean much anymore for Kang Min-hyuk. After discovering the red mana stone’s secret, Kang Min-hyuk accumulated enough wealth not to worry about financial problems.
He’d share it for free. The decision and people’s reactions to it were all part of his plan. He gained fame through the magic conference, which was the first step. In exchange for revealing the double casting and the change in magic to people, people paid attention to Kang Min-hyuk’s name, which made possible the situation as it stood. If Kang Min-hyuk had been an anonymous student, his invention would be dismissed as bullshit. However, since he’d already stunned people, they had doubts but were forced to listen. He had the ear of many famous magicians.
That was the second step.
From the moment that these famous wizards moved according to Kang Min-hyuk’s intention, his voice grew clearer…
What would the next steps be?
Go strong with the knowledge or consider a price? Kang Min-hyuk has no power, so disclosing free knowledge did not cause trouble, but the deadly poison was released. He would be the sanctuary of academic magic. He had invented three major technologies. The world magic alliance was greedy, but they couldn’t touch Kang Min-hyuk.
That was how it had to be. One wrong touch would result in an attack from other forces.
In the face of such breathtaking power, Kang Min-hyuk would make people have no choice but to rely on him with a promise of greater knowledge. His discoveries would advance the world of magic.
When he adapted to receiving knowledge from himself like a baby bird, Kang Min-hyuk would build a new tower to break through the limits of his knowledge.
“The game of magic academia will change.”
Whether you compromise yourself, whether you join yourself, or turn to yourself, the magical academia will revolve around its own tower. In a fairly bold and deliberate way, Kang Min-hyuk tried to destroy the tower that the magic academia had built for 100 years.
He laughed.
“From now on, I will talk about mana fairy tales.
It was poison.
However, it was a poison that wouldn’t harm the human body, and a human being with a desire would have no choice but to swallow it.
People listened.
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