Infinite Mage [Remake]

Rian trembled like a leaf in the wind as he saw the sword instructor standing right in front of him.

"Master, this is a misunderstanding!"

"You little brat!"

Before Rian could explain, the instructor grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the ground.

"Aaargh!"

As Rian's body arced through the air, Shirone instinctively closed one eye, unable to watch the impact. A loud thud echoed as Rian crashed onto the ground, his limbs twitching uncontrollably.

"Follow me, you rascal! Forget training—you need to rebuild your mindset from the ground up!"

Dragged away by his legs, Rian glanced back at Shirone with a twisted expression. Though no words came out, Shirone could clearly read his lips.

Just you wait.

After that incident, Shirone constantly felt an uneasy prickling at the back of his head, but Rian never showed up. According to rumors, the sword instructor had dragged him off into the mountains.

Only after a month passed did Shirone finally relax. People tend to forget things quickly unless they're truly significant.

Would he really hold a grudge over something like that?

With a light heart, Shirone returned to his studies, engrossed in the history of his homeland, the Kingdom of Tormia.

Over the past four months, he had read eighty-two books. It wasn't an overwhelming number, but his reading speed had steadily increased with each volume.

My theory was right.

It had taken him twenty days to finish his first book. But once he fully understood that one, the rest became much easier.

No book contains entirely new information. The same ideas resurface in different forms, only with varying levels of depth and detail.

There's nothing to fear. The hardest part is just getting started.

Shirone estimated that if he built a solid foundation with two hundred books, the remaining six hundred and fifty would be much easier to digest.

His favorite part of history was undoubtedly the contributions of wizards. Scholars researched theories, but wizards brought them to life, making the impossible possible. Because of this, the field of magic was just as diverse as any academic discipline.

Yet, not every scholar became a wizard. The key difference was the ability to enter the Spirit Zone—a state of heightened perception that only the most sensitive minds could achieve.

Since Shirone had already mastered the Spirit Zone, he dedicated himself even more fiercely to expanding his knowledge, resisting the temptation to study other fields. For now, he focused solely on history, knowing that once his intellectual foundation was complete, his learning efficiency would skyrocket.

Thinking about the wizard he might one day become, even sleep felt like a waste of time.

"Hoo…"

Shirone let out a satisfied sigh as he closed the final page of the book on his nation's founding.

At that moment, the door burst open.

"You bastard! I endured hell just to make it to this day!"

The voice belonged to none other than Ogent Rian, back from his so-called exile. His face, twisted with rage, made him look like a demon reincarnate.

Shirone sighed internally.

Persistent, isn't he?

Judging by the intensity of his anger, it was as if he was reliving the exact moment he had been dragged away a month ago. The only difference was that he looked more exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and a thinner frame.

"Did you seriously come all this way just for that?"

"Of course! Do you have any idea what I went through? I climbed up and down cliffs so many times that I lost count! Every time I thought my grip would fail, I pushed through with one thought—revenge!"

Shirone felt uneasy. If Rian had been nurturing his grudge every day, then to him, Shirone must have become his sworn enemy.

"Aren't you going to answer? You think I'm making a big deal out of nothing? Why did you snitch on me, huh, you coward? Just looking at you makes my blood boil!"

"I didn't tattle. I simply told the truth."

"You should have just said no! I trusted you!"

Shirone had dealt with enough aristocratic logic to know it was pointless to argue.

"What do you want me to do?"

Rian faltered at the unexpected response. From the way Shirone carried himself, he looked more like a seasoned butler than a mere servant.

"So, you're mocking me now? I don't know what nonsense you've been hearing, but I'll make sure you understand exactly who I am. Follow me."

Shirone obeyed without resistance. Judging by Rian's rage, he was probably leading him somewhere to beat him senseless.

Well, that's better than being killed. If he wants to hit me, so be it. I'll endure it.

He couldn't let the opportunity his parents had risked everything for go to waste. Every time fear crept in, he imagined his mother and father sharing a warm meal together.

They arrived at a small training ground, one of the many within the estate. This one was Rian's personal area, a place where no one would hear cries for help.

While Rian lit a torch, Shirone swallowed dryly. He wished this would just start already—the waiting was making him more anxious.

Rian tossed him a wooden sword.

"Take this."

The sword was thick—closer to an axe handle than a blade.

"Why are you giving me this?"

"We're settling this with a duel. I'm not some coward like you. I'll prove my worth with the sword. I'm going to be the greatest swordsman in the world, after all."

Shirone was baffled.

"How was I being a coward?"

"As an Ogent servant, your duty is to protect an Ogent. Instead, you threw me under the bus just to save yourself. You didn't even hesitate. Even if my family looks down on me, I won't be treated the same way by someone like you. Now, come at me. I'll even give you three free attacks."

Rian's eyes sharpened. Despite his arrogance, that look alone made him undeniably a member of the Ogent family.

Shirone unconsciously tightened his grip on the wooden sword.

'It's heavier than I expected.'

In other words, once his three free attacks were over, his bones would be at risk of breaking.

What should I do?

Despite the rising despair, Shirone refused to give up.

I have no choice but to swing.

Even if the chances were slim, he wouldn't abandon his only opportunity.

"Yaaah!"

With a fierce cry, Shirone lunged, his sword raised high.

Rian smirked. His stance was all wrong, his balance a mess.

He's never held a sword before.

As he easily blocked Shirone's attack, Rian counted aloud, "One!"

A crisp sound rang through the air. To Shirone, it felt like a lion's footsteps growing closer.

Gritting his teeth, he swung again.

"Two!"

Another easy deflection. Rian's smirk deepened.

But then Shirone's eyes changed.

Spirit Zone.

In that moment, the world slowed down. Gathering all the information he could, he launched a decisive strike.

Rian scoffed. A vertical slash, a horizontal slash, then another vertical? Too predictable.

As he raised his sword to block, something unexpected happened.

With a loud crack, both wooden swords shattered.

Rian froze in shock.

"This… This is sword destruction?"