Descent of the Legendary Archmage

[April the 30th, 11:28 AM]

Two minutes before the start of the match between Shin Hayul and Baek Sahyuk.

“Oh, I didn't expect to meet you here, Patriarch Shin Inhyuk.”

In the VIP showroom, Shin Inhyuk was talking to a man.

''The Blue Magic Tower master.”

“Long time no see.”

The master of the Blue Magic Tower, Kim Kangin. Korea's best mage, and the first one to succeed in establishing a magic tower in Korea.

A genius among geniuses, who, at the age of 50, became the youngest 8th circle mage.

He greeted Shin Inhyuk with an indulgent smile.

"Did you come to see Hayul too?"

"...That's right."

Shin Inhyuk doesn't like this man much.

Or I guess I should say that he's not fond of him.

He wasn't fond of how this man more than 10 years younger than him was an 8-circle mage like him.

And he wasn't fond of how there was a magic tower that could oppose the Magic Shin Clan in the small country of Korea.

And most of all, he wasn't fond of how he criticised everything that the Magic Shin Clan did.

“So it seems like you have the same purpose as me?”

Of course, Shin Inhyuk was not as foolish as to reveal his thoughts about him, since nothing bad would come from becoming close with a big shot like the master of the Blue Magic Yower.

“The news article was just too provocative. Without even realizing it, I found myself throwing aside all my work. Hahaha!"

The Blue Magic Tower master had an indulgent smile on his face as he looked around at the arena outside of the showroom.

Shin Hayul and Baek Sahyuk were standing in their positions waiting for the match to begin.

"Is it true?" He asked as he looked onwards at Shin Hayul's back.

"True?"

"The article on Shin Hayul. Is it true?"

Was he really able to overcome his disability and resurrect?

If he somehow had overcome it, then how?

Was a new technology of AI developed for those who were incompatible?

Or was Shin Ha-yul able to fix his peculiar constitution?

"..."

Shin Inhyuk didn't answer.

Or rather, he was unable to answer.

Since even Shin Inhyuk was not fully sure, he had no way of answering.

"Hm. I won't tell you. That's what you're implying, huh."

Kim Kangin inferred his own meaning from Shin Inhyuk's silence.

"Well, that's fine. Since there's only 1 minute left till the duel, I'll figure it out myself."

He can tell what's happened to Shin Hayul just by looking at him.

You can't fool the eyes of Kim Kangin, an 8-circle mage.

[Starting from now, the second bout of group H will begin.]

And just in time, the notification that announced the start of the bout could be heard.

At once, the two people both looked out the showroom and focused their attention on Shin Hayul.

[Match begin!]

After a moment of stillness, the duel began.

And after exactly three minutes had passed.

"...!"

"...!"

Kim Kangin and Shin Inhyuk.

At the same time, the two people rose from their seats in astonishment.

‘‘What on earth is that magic... "

The two men's eyes that had been looking at Shin Hayul violently shook.

* * *

Modern magic is fast.

It's the same as how even problems that humans have to tediously calculate are able to be done by a computer program in 0.1 seconds.

Artificial intelligence embedded on the nape, responds to the user's mana 'collection’ and produces results in an instant.

The result produced is the 'manifestation' of magic.

With the development of this kind of magic, it is natural that the magic of the past would die out.

However, even modern magic has its drawbacks.

The drawback was that one was unable to freely use this magic.

If you cannot understand why this may be a drawback, it'll be easier to understand if you use the analogy of a game.

Inside a game, the boss monsters follow only the set processes and repeat the attacks in a set pattern.

If you'd extended your arms just a little bit more or if you'd swung your sword just a little bit more to the side then you would have been able to kill the foe, but because the process is already fixed, you are unable to do so.

This is exactly what modern magic is like.

For example, there is a magic spell called Reverse Cutter.

[Reverse Cutter]

[Max Range 37.44 meters]

[Max Speed 117 km/h]

[Note - The trajectory can be modified only once.]

Modern magic is unable to escape these fixed characteristics.

If the opponent is 38 meters away, then Reverse Cutter will never be able to reach.

And because I know that it can only change direction once from its orbit, I don't even have to think about a second change in direction.

Most will dodge the first change in direction and counterattack.

Just like the attack patterns in games, this is something very obvious.

In this way, modern magic had been excessively standardized.

For this reason, sparring between modern mages is like that of a game of baduk*. *(T/n: A board game.)

How well you are able to read the opponent's moves, and how flexibly you are able to react.

One can say that this is the most important ability in a fight between mages.

Kwaaaaaang!

"Oh! He dodged it again!"

“Shin Hayul's insane at reading the opponent!”

“It's the fifth time already!”

And fights, where one must read the opponent, happened to be my greatest speciality.

"You'll beat me using only 1-circle magic?

"You're a defect who doesn't even know himself. If you can do it, then do it!"

Baek Sahyuk shouted and moved his mana.

In less than 1 second into the future, that mana will turn into a magic spell and fly toward me.

At that moment, my brain accelerated at an unimaginable rate.

'Currently, the distance between me and Baek Sahyuk is about 25 meters.’

‘After dodging the fire missile just now, my body is currently in an awkward position.'

'Before I had dodged 5 of his spells because I had announced that I would beat him using only 1-circle magic, Baek Sahyuk is currently filled with rage.'

‘This is the time when the audience members are starting to cast their doubts upon Baek Sahyuk.'

‘And from Baek Sahyuk's perspective, it must be humiliating that he had used 5 spells against someone incompatible with AI.’

My brain is special.

Not only because I'm incompatible with AI, but ever since I was young, my brain was different.

The speed at which I process information is different.

In the blink of an eye, my brain processes countless thoughts all at once.

So it's inevitable that a fight like this is my speciality.

‘The only magic that Baek Sahyuk can use in this situation is...'

And my brain's memory is different as well.

In my head, I have every single piece of information on 'open source magic' that presently exists memorized.

When I analyzed all the magic information, Baek Sahyuk's personality and the present situation.

'3-circle magic. Specifically, Baek Sahyuk's specialty. Explosion or Wind Tempest. '

This kind of conclusion can be drawn.

But it's still not enough.

Explosion and Wind Tempest.

Both are AOE three-circle magic spells.

If I'm unable to guess which one it is out of the two, it's impossible to perfectly counter it.

I need one more hint.

I observed the mana floating around Baek Saekhyuk's body with a penetrative gaze.

'A flash of red.'

And with that, I was able to confirm it.

[With the Bytenor style of magic, depending on your achievement, you are able to see mana. For a 1-circle mage, you'll be able to see the mana's 'color' for a very brief moment.]

Although it was only for an instant, I saw mana that glowed red.

'Conclusion. Explosion.'

The spell that Baek Sahyuk was preparing was the 3-circle fire magic explosion.

After reaching that conclusion, I instantly moved my mana.

This was the first time I had used magic since the start of the fight.

'1 circle magic. Water.'

My magic, which had been cast 0.5 seconds later than Baek Sahyuk's, covered the area faster than his explosion did.

"Die! Shin Hayul!" Baek Sahyuk shouted with bloodshot eyes.

At the same time, his mana burst out.

In theory that mana will react with the air, and cause an explosion around me.

However,

"...What?"

Pshhhh-!

Explosion did not activate.

All that was around me was just steam.

The 3-circle magic, explosion, was a spell that set fire to everything in a large radius.

An outstanding attack spell, boasting a short activation time combined with an AoE trait that makes it difficult to dodge.

However, it still has its weaknesses.

‘Explosion won't trigger in spaces filled with water.’

If you know the opponent's going to use Explosion, it's not particularly hard to block.

"...Water?"

Baek Sahyuk, who had seen the vast amount of water floating around me, frowned and murmured.

"You did that to my explosion with just 1-circle magic? No, hold on, you. That magic casting speed…”

"Why? Is it weird because my magic is activating so fast?"

"..."

Silence fell upon the stadium.

Everyone seemed astonished that I, a person incompatible with AI, had used magic without any preparation.

The same was true of Baek Sahyuk.

His face showed that he was quite shocked.

I didn't miss the moment when Baek Sahyuk was not paying attention.

'1 Circle Magic, Wind Spear.'

In that instant, the wind attack magic, wind spear, formed at my fingertips, and flew towards Baek Sahyuk.

"You son of a bitch...! Do you really think you can beat me with only 1 circle magic!"

Regaining his senses, Baek Sahyuk used 'barrier' to deflect Wind Spear.

He then dropped his barrier and gathered up his mana, as if he couldn't care less about what happened to the deflected wind spear.

‘‘Just because you can use a bit of magic don't think you can start crawling back! You pile of trash...!"

Thump!

At that moment, the sound of Baek Sahyuk's shoulder blade brutally ripping apart could be heard.

‘‘Argh!"

Fortunately, the safety settings inside the stadium prevented any blood from spilling, but he would still be in the same pain.

"You, you son of a bitch! What have you done...! "

Baek Sahyuk does not know what happened just now.

“You can't figure it out? Should I show you again? "

I cast Wind Spear again and threw it at Baek Sahyuk.

Slam!

Once again Baek Sahyuk formed a barrier and blocked my wind spear.

I don't know if Baek Sahyuk has the capacity to learn, but this time he didn't release it.

My wind spear steadily soared through the skies and at the very moment my wind spear had reached a certain height,

‘‘That, that's!”

my wind spear stopped mid-air and did a 180, with the sharp end facing Baek Sahyuk.

Phwoosh!

And accelerated.

Slam!

Of course, this Wind Spear was stopped by Baek Sahyuk's barrier and disappeared.

"The wind spear... After being deflected, it accelerated in the air again...? "

"Nice observation."

Baek Sahyuk's eyes trembled with confusion.

"There's no way that a mere Wind Spear can trigger twice..."

My Wind Spear is special.

No, it's not just my Wind Spear.

My ‘magic’ is special.

“There's four this time.”

This time I cast four Wind Spears.

The wind spears that were floating above my head flew towards Baek Sahyuk.

Baek Sahyuk quickly created a barrier and blocked the Wind Spears.

However,

Phwooosh!

‘‘Argh! "

Baek Sahyuk was only able to block 3 of the Wind Spears.

The wind spear, which had avoided Baek Sahyuk's barrier and flew towards his back by changing its trajectory, could not be avoided.

“H-how did only one Wind Spear's trajectory...?!”

"It's good to ask questions but,"

I looked at Baek Sahyuk groaning in pain and taunted him.

“I still have three shots left, so should you be blanking out like that?”

"...!" Baek Sahyuk immediately looked around the vicinity.

And sure enough, the 3 spears that had been deflected had all turned to face him.

Baek Sahyuk immediately moved away.

'In modern magic, spells that have been activated are the same as projectiles that have already been thrown.'

In the study of magic, for a Wind Spear that has its flight path already determined, changing direction is impossible.

For this reason, Baek Sahyuk chose to try and dodge.

"That's a good decision."

But that's only true for modern magic.

For the Bytenor style of magic that I wield, things are different.

‘‘What!?"

The wind spear that had been loaded in the air, changed its trajectory once again in accordance with my will.

The target was the place where Baek Sahyuk's body was moving to.

‘The wind spear doesn't have enough mana to travel that distance.'

And that's why I fused three wind spears together.

'Combine.'

The Wind Spears, which had quickly become one, swiftly flew towards Baek Sahyuk.

Phwoooooosh!

‘‘Arghhh! ”

I hit Baek Sahyuk's stomach.

"Th-the magic is fusing mid-flight? What kind of bullshit..."

This is the scary thing about the Bytenor style of magic.

A type of magic I can use with liberty, that completely shakes the very foundation of modern magic.

The opponent's 'common sense’ is all but an advantage for me.

'Just like how Baek Sahyuk, who had thought about wind spear's traits, immediately dropped his barrier like that was the obvious thing to do after deflecting it once.'

The false information had become a fatal poison.

That's the scary thing about my Bytenor style of magic.

Baek Sahyuk let out a groan and stood up.

“You son of a bitch! Looking past the magic casting speed... What kind of witchcraft did you use for mere 1-circle magic to behave like this...!"

He shouted with an expression completely distorted with pain.

"Mere 1-circle magic you say."

I laughed.

"You're looking down on 1-circle magic too much."

1-circle magic has its own strengths.

"Sahyuk. Do you know this?"

I smiled and focused my mana on the lower half of my body.

“When you kill people, you don't need some grand knife.”

At the same time, I kicked off the ground.

I, who had arrived at Baek Sahyuk's side in an instant, said this while releasing the mana left in my infinity circle.

"A person can die from just a bolt point pen."

"What nonsense are you saying again..."

He immediately tried to use magic.

My magic casting speed can't even be compared to Baek Sahyuk's.

'1-circle magic. Water.'

The released mana shortly became a droplet the size of a human head.

"Hmph!”

“Gulp!”

“Gurgle!”

Baek Sahyuk's face was entirely submerged in water.

“The same is true with magic.”

Baek Sahyuk, who became unable to breathe, urgently scratched at his mouth and nose.

"There is no need for such grand magic to kill people."

I gripped the shoulder of Baek Sahyuk whose body was frantically moving around and sat straight down.

"Safety Zone? The magic that protects the body is completely useless here,” I muttered to Baek Sahyuk, who was convulsing at the pain of being unable to breathe.

“People easily die, even with just water."

“Hmph!”

“Gulp gulp!”

“Arghh! Ackk!”

Baek Sahyuk's, whose windpipe had been clinically blocked, desperately kicked about.

“Just like what's happening to you now.”

At the same time, Baek Sahyuk's body began to lose strength.

It's only been 30 seconds, but he's already turning purple.

If I maintain water for any longer, he might actually die.

Upon slightly releasing the water, I got up.

"Instructor. Is there any reason to fight beyond this?" I said to the instructor, who had dropped his jaw to the floor in astonishment.

"...Ah, ahem."

The instructor, who had stared at me blankly, came back to his senses.

“The match is over! Shin Hayul is the winner!”

At the Instructor's announcement, there was a momentary silence.

And exactly three seconds passed.

”Woahhh!"

"Amazing! Did you see that?"

Acclamations burst out.

‘‘That was a wind spear? "

"I thought it was a reverse cutter for a moment."

"I seriously got goosebumps."

"Fuck. Did he really defeat Baek Sahyuk with just 1-circle magic?"

I laughed in the center of the cheers.

"...This feeling. It's been a while."

Achieving victory and hearing cheers for the first time in a year tasted quite... No, very sweet.