Academy’s Genius Mage

Chapter 079

* * *

“First, let’s summarize the problem we’re facing.”

“My power measurement reads 1750 points, but my circle is at the 2nd level.”

“And the circle has expanded to the dantian instead of the heart.”

“That’s correct.”

Professor Frost stroked his chin, looking extremely interested. It was a quintessential expression of a theoretical mage.

“We can dismiss the possibility of an error in the Mana Meter. The amount of mana gathered in the crystal ball wasn’t even remotely low enough to cause an error. What do you think?”

“I think the same.”

“Then there’s only one possibility. The Mana Meter could not find a score corresponding to your circle.”

Professor Frost eliminated each possible error, arriving at the correct conclusion.

“You can surely feel the increase in your mana, can’t you?”

“Of course.”

“It seems we’ve decided on our course of action.”

Professor Frost stepped closer, asking cautiously.

“To fully understand this phenomenon, I need to examine your blood vessels and circle. Can I go ahead?”

“Please do.”

“If you’re making this decision because I am an academy professor and your advisor, feel free to reconsider. I won’t be offended at all.”

For a mage to expose their blood vessels and circle to someone else was akin to risking their life.

In a defenseless state, it was possible for someone to completely ruin the blood vessels and circle.

Professor Frost pointed this out precisely.

However, Ian firmly shook his head.

“I’m alright. Inspect them as many times as you need. I want to solve this mystery.”

Ian trusted Professor Frost.

Had he not met him, or had Frost not acted like a mentor, he would never have overcome the Mana Concentration Disorder. Therefore, even if his blood vessels and circles were damaged by Frost, it would leave no regrets.

“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do my utmost.”

Following Professor Frost’s instructions, Ian sat down and folded his legs into a lotus position.

He immediately entered meditation.

Circulating mana through the blood vessels in a typical state is vastly different in efficiency than doing so while meditating.

Since this was a very safe place, and Professor Frost was beside him, Ian completely relaxed his guard.

Woowoo―

The circle began to rotate slowly.

Professor Frost’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment.

‘Unbelievable.’

He could distinctly feel the synchronization of the circles in the heart and dantian rotating at the same speed, something even Professor Frost was experiencing for the first time.

But his surprise was brief.

Returning to the composed expression of a model theoretical mage, Professor Frost diligently tracked the mana racing through Ian’s blood vessels.

‘Astonishing speed. The mana running through the vessels is getting faster and faster.’

He pressed Ian’s dantian with his left hand. Although only one circle had taken root there, the amount of mana flowing out was inexhaustible.

‘And it’s not just running swiftly. The mana from the heart’s circle and the dantian mana converge in a regular pattern. But why?’

The mana flowing out of the circle, circled Ian’s body twice, inspiring a revelation in Professor Frost.

‘Could it be because of that?’

Having caught a clue, Professor Frost drew upon more mana to investigate all the blood vessels in Ian’s body.

What he initially thought was a chaotic tangle of blood vessels was in fact being reorganized.

The two types of mana, fused from the heart and dantian, were creating a new path.

An hour passed in this way.

It had been enough time to exhaust both Ian Oracle and Professor Frost completely.

Professor Frost removed his hands from Ian’s body just before Ian fainted.

“It’s all over now.”

“Gasp, gasp…”

Ian lay sprawled on the floor.

His breath wouldn’t calm down easily.

It had been a very long time since he had used that much mana, to the point where the sky seemed to turn dark.

Sweat was barely formed on Professor Frost’s forehead.

This was an indirect indicator that his mana was higher than Ian had thought.

“How was it?” he asked.

“I discovered something very interesting. I was able to make some very plausible hypotheses. But it’s still in the hypothesis stage.”

“It’s a relief that at least a hypothesis came up. It’s better than finding absolutely nothing, isn’t it?”

“Positive, indeed.”

Professor Frost pulled out a small glass bottle from his pocket.

It contained a blue liquid.

“If you drink this, you’ll calm down a bit.”

“Oh, thank you.”

It was a mana potion.

Mana naturally recovers when one meditates or rests.

Consuming a mana potion boosts his natural recovery.

The potion Professor Frost offered was a low-grade mana potion.

Even at a low grade, mana potions were significantly more expensive than health recovery potions.

Professor Frost waited patiently until Ian had caught his breath.

“Are you feeling better now?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Professor Frost sat down heavily next to Ian.

“It seems like it’s been a while since our last outdoor class.”

With that one statement, Ian sensed that the conversation might be lengthy.

“What do you think a circle is?” asked Professor Frost.

“Are you asking for the definition of a circle?”

“Precisely.”

“If you trace its etymology, it means ‘to spin round and round.’ A circle rotates on its own but, when several are combined, they revolve around a heart.”

“That’s why the difference between having one circle and multiple circles becomes exponentially significant. The more they resonate with each other, the stronger the power becomes.”

However, this wasn’t a hypothesis that could resolve Ian’s problem.

Other academy students, like Milo Vinettia, were at level two with a mana conversion score of 981 points.

Ian knew that Milo had two circles.

In other words, approaching the problem with general circle theory wouldn’t work.

“I think the same. General circle theory can’t explain this phenomenon.”

Ian felt as if his thoughts were being read.

Professor Frost continued, “But I don’t want to say that circle theory is entirely wrong. There’s a reason why people consider it a universal theory. You do know what happens when more than two circles gather in a heart, right?”

“I do. They orbit around, centered on the power core. I’m not sure if ‘revolution’ is the right term.”

“Exactly. Just as mana rotates within a single circle, multiple circles rotate around a central point. In other words, forming an orbit in groups is related to mana amplification.”

Ian nodded.

Professor Frost’s explanation was as clear and engaging as that of an excellent private tutor.

“Then, wouldn’t the shape of that orbit have some significance?!”

Professor Frost asked.

“Are you saying it’s like forming runes and casting magic?!”

Ian replied.

“As expected, you are excellent!”

Professor Frost said with a satisfied smile, ready to continue his explanation, but Ian’s next question came a bit faster.

“But my circles are apart. They are too distant to form an orbit together, and they do not actually revolve.”

“Good question. But it’s difficult if we focus only on visible phenomena. Let me tell you about something else momentarily. What do you call a magical act that amplifies mana by drawing something?”

Though unexpected, Ian immediately recalled the answer to the question.

“A magic array.”

“Correct.”

Ian had also seen magic arrays recently.

After clearing the educational dungeon, a 6th-circle Master named Horizon showed a teleportation magic array.

Technically, it was a magic array that assisted spells, but the principle was the same.

“The magic array bears a very similar nature to beast magic. The only difference would be its persistence. If you can leave the magic array permanently, as long as the mana supply is consistent, the magic will activate.”

“So, does my circle have something to do with the magic array?”

Professor Frost nodded vigorously.

“It is very much related. In fact, it’s so related that one might express it as your destiny.”

His heart throbbed.

Destiny meant that a significant fate or encounter had been made.

“Mana Concentration Disorder was the hint.”

“Pardon?”

It was something he had never thought of.

Mana Concentration Disorder was, as the name implied, a disorder.

It had been a curse that shackled him from birth until now.

But for that to be a hint?

“As you know, your veins were peculiarly twisted. They spread in a disorderly manner. No matter how hard you tried to draw mana, it was weak, and creating a circle in your heart proved impossible.”

He had tried consuming elixirs meant to unblock his veins.

Despite the agonizing pain that resulted in blood vomiting, the end result was unchanged.

“But with the new circle settling in your dantian, everything was resolved. The veins that appeared chaotic now interlocked very precisely.”

Ian felt the stability in his veins.

The very day he contracted with a spirit, Ian practiced mana manipulation at the training ground and checked his veins.

‘The strong vein linking the heart and the dantian. Sturdier and more trustworthy than steel.’

He believed that this was probably the reason.

It was now that he began to understand Professor Frost’s reasoning. The dantian should not have been empty; it needed to be filled. At least for Ian, it did.

“I understand that my veins have stabilized, but how does that relate to the magic array you mentioned earlier?”

“Your circle doesn’t revolve collectively due to positional constraints. However, if the circles synchronize even without moving, that changes everything.”

“Oh.”

Ian felt like he understood the answer.

“Instead of moving the circle directly… I draw a magic array with veins to amplify mana?”

“Precisely.”

It was truly astounding.

Ian deduced the answer in his mind and articulated it, but he found it difficult to believe.

It was entirely separate from modern knowledge.

“Professor… has there been another case like this?”

“None at all. It’s a very new and fresh case.”

“It wouldn’t be strange if my body became a subject of study, would it?”

“You should be cautious for the time being.”

Ian sighed.

In a way, he felt like he was finally solving a mystery. His father had left the glasses for him as an heirloom when he enrolled in the Academy.

Eventually, because of these glasses, Ian contracted with a spirit and resolved his Mana Concentration Disorder.

‘Was this my father’s arrangement all along?’

It felt very much like his father.

He never directly gave the answers. He’d provide a small clue, leaving the rest for Ian to figure out on his own strength.

Now was no different.

‘And along the way, I truly met many connections.’

He had not only become stronger as a mage but was also maturing as a person.

“Professor, are you planning to write a thesis based on my experiences?”

“Undoubtedly, it’s a very intriguing subject. It could supplement the gaps in existing circle theories. But I’ll hold off considering your position. Visit me when you’re less busy.”

“Understood.”

Ian stood up. However, he faced the wall instead of heading for the exit.

“May I train a bit more before I leave? I happened to acquire some potions.”

“Feel free.”

Professor Frost left the training ground first.

Fortunately, Ian had the professor’s training ground to himself.

Without worrying about being seen, he unleashed all the magic he had.