Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 834

Chapter 834

'I was too complacent. To think I tried normal methods against a mad forest.'

What kind of forest gives branches when you give up?

Moreover, he heard that Gainando just sat down to rest near the forest as soon as he started, and a branch simply fell from above.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to try challenging it with evil magic."

"Kihihi. I told you, just keep walking."

"To say that now..."

Even Yi-Han, who was usually good at ignoring things, felt slightly indignant after hearing this repeatedly.

Was she telling him to keep walking without knowing when the forest would give a gift?

However, Ragesa was quite serious.

Apart from teasing students, she didn't lie about magic.

"There really is no answer but to keep walking. I told you, didn't I? The forest looks at your capacity. Then how would it measure capacity? The forest isn't omniscient. In the end, it watches to see when you truly give up. When you give up for real, without a trace of lingering attachment, that's when it sends a tree."

The Mad Wood King's forest judged a mage's capacity by their endurance.

When they gave up without leaving a single trace of perseverance in their heart.

That was the mage's capacity.

"...!"

Yi-Han shuddered upon hearing the explanation.

And he looked at Gainando.

'Wait, does that mean this bastard sincerely gave up as soon as he started??'

To be precise, about an hour had passed since he started, but it was essentially the same.

How could he give up so cleanly without leaving a single trace of perseverance in his heart?

"When you said it had to be long, you meant that even if I declare I'm giving up, the forest won't believe it, right?"

"That's right! Do you understand now?"

Even if Yi-Han declared 'I give up!', if there was lingering attachment in his heart, the forest wouldn't accept it.

To truly give up sincerely, one had to push oneself to the extreme while walking and walking through the forest.

When it's so hard you feel like collapsing, when you truly want to give up.

That's when the branch would appear.

"Hmm. Master? Master?"

Yi-Han immediately gave up and called the mad doppelganger.

This kind of giving up was so easy!

  *

Indeed.

The mad doppelganger, surprisingly, didn't get angry and listened to Yi-Han's words seriously.

Opportunities to visit a spirit king's forest and receive its branches were rare.

A mage should rightfully receive the best branch and refine it into a staff.

"Is there perhaps a way to threaten the forest?"

[How do you threaten a forest?]

"...With powerful and great ancient magic?"

At his disciple's unbelievably pathetic question, the mad doppelganger spoke with a contemptuous gaze.

[What do you think magic is, lowborn?]

'You're hitting a sore spot.'

Yi-Han reflected.

After constantly learning at Einroguard that 'magic isn't omnipotent', to make such an irresponsible request.

[But there is a way. Let royalty advise you.]

"!"

Yi-Han brightened at the reassuring advice.

Indeed, an ancient great mage was no ordinary being.

[Keep walking. Until you collapse from exhaustion.]

"..."

[Don't eat, don't drink, don't rest, don't sleep. It will be a good experience.]

'He's talking recklessly because his main body became undead.'

As the main body had become a lich and the doppelganger himself had become more of a thought entity than a living being, he probably had no appetite or need for sleep.

However, Yi-Han was still vividly alive, so it was difficult for him to do that.

How long would he have to walk to collapse from exhaustion?

"Yes. I understand."

Yi-Han thought he should let the mad doppelganger's words go in one ear and out the other, just like Ragesa's.

However, the mad doppelganger was indeed one step ahead of his disciple, befitting a master.

[Lowborn. Report when you get your hands on a branch. I will personally examine it.]

"...Is, is that really necessary?"

Yi-Han was flustered when the mad doppelganger was more serious than expected.

It wasn't like a midterm exam, so why inspect this?

[It's worth it. You're making a new staff. If you collapse lazily too early, I won't forgive you.]

The mad doppelganger spoke with several times more pressure than usual.

Yi-Han tensed up, knowing that the other party had listened to and endured many of his requests despite everything.

If his patience exploded and he went mad, there was no telling what this mad doppelganger might do.

"Of course. Who am I? I'm your disciple, Master. If I can't receive the best branch here, I'd rather refuse."

[That's wrong, lowborn. What nonsense are you babbling?]

'No. Why is he so petty while being royalty?'

Yi-Han grumbled inwardly when he was pointed out after trying to speak like royalty to match the atmosphere.

[But lowborn. I understand your concern too. The higher the realm you reach, the harder it is to collapse from exhaustion. Just like how the more knowledge you gain, the harder it is to attain enlightenment.]

"That's right. What should I do?"

[Inflict pain on yourself. It's asceticism.]

"..."

As only unexpected advice came out, Yi-Han regretted calling him today.

He should have cut him off earlier at least...

Regardless, the mad doppelganger began explaining various magic.

Making Yi-Han's limbs heavy, hunger and thirst, fatigue, sleepiness.

"But Master. Because I have a lot of mana, such curses don't work well on me."

[I understand. It's the hardship of those born gifted.]

"Thank y..."

[I'll teach you how to flow curses into your marrow and soul.]

"..."

Ancient magic might not be able to persuade the Mad Wood King's forest, but it knew how to flow curses deep into the bones and soul of Yi-Han himself.

"Why on earth was such magic developed?"

[You should have learned this before. Your memory isn't good.]

"What? Ah..."

Yi-Han, who had been wondering what he was talking about, finally realized.

If it was magic he had learned before, it was <Gonadaltes' Decline>.

It was magic that started from the transcendent idea of absorbing the world's pain, curses, and decay.

'I see. If one can absorb others' wounds or curses, then one could also flow curses into one's own marrow or soul.'

Since it was originally magic that absorbed and controlled pain, curses, decay, and so on, it was natural that various derivatives came out as applications.

Although he didn't know why, among those derivatives, putting curses deep into the mage's own soul came out...

He could understand even using it for attacks, but this was just pure self-harm, wasn't it?

[Concentrate.]

'I'm applying decline. I'm cursing myself. Not casting it on the surface, but absorbing an uncreated curse and putting it deep into the marrow...'

Following the mad doppelganger's instructions, Yi-Han made repeated attempts.

It was a truly strange sensation.

This whole process of trying to somehow curse oneself by exploiting the gaps of the mage that was oneself.

And Yi-Han felt anew that he himself was an irritating opponent.

'What the hell is this mana...'

An impregnable fortress showing not even a small gap.

Curses thrown from the outside were crushed like eggs thrown at castle walls.

He had to create and absorb curses inside the castle walls, not outside.

Skin and muscles, flesh and blood and mana, and bones, the soul inside...

What he had simply thought of as 'himself' was an aggregate of various elements that could be fragmented more than he thought.

At that moment, Yi-Han realized he could curse his bones directly.

Bypassing the interference of his own mana.

"Become heavy!"

Yi-Han was surprised at the unpleasant sensation of the curse he felt for the first time.

After the curse was cast, before the mana could pull out and process the unpleasant foreign substance, <Gonadaltes' Decline> hid it deep in the marrow.

His arms and legs definitely felt heavier. Yi-Han shouted joyfully.

"Did you see?!"

[Be quiet. Next is the soul.]

Although a mere 2nd year mage was observing himself, dividing each element and casting magic, the mad doppelganger didn't praise him at all. He was truly ruthlessly cold.

Originally, a mage becoming aware of their own soul separately was important in all schools.

Especially for schools that deal with spirit bodies or astral bodies, like the illusion magic school, this soul awareness was very essential.

However, it was never easy for a mage to distinguish each of their organs, flesh and blood and mana and bones.

The concept of oneself was surprisingly difficult to view unfamiliarly.

Having accomplished this, he could now distinguish others' components and souls and cast magic on them.

"Wait. Master. But this seems applicable when casting magic on other people too."

Yi-Han belatedly realized and asked a question.

He thought it was just a self-harm spell, but looking at it now, its applications seemed broader than expected.

This perspective seemed fully applicable to other people too.

[Don't act like an idiot who just discovered the sun rising today.]

'Your words are too harsh.'

Yi-Han grumbled inwardly.

Of course it would feel natural to him since he learned everything in ancient times, but from Yi-Han's perspective, each and every thing was bound to be fascinating.

He could feel how one ancient magic was influencing current imperial magic.

"Master. I have one more thing to ask."

[I told you to cast a curse on your soul.]

Despite the mad doppelganger's warning, Yi-Han continued what he wanted to say.

Having dealt with the mad doppelganger for a long time, he could now distinguish between real anger and fake anger.

Of course, fake anger didn't mean he wasn't angry. It just meant anger to the extent that he wouldn't come to kill Yi-Han.

"Isn't it usually easier to practice this by grabbing someone else?"

Yi-Han's question unexpectedly hit a sharp point.

In fact, it was originally easier to grasp others' components and souls.

Usually, magic was easier to cast on oneself, but this kind of soul awareness and cognition was harder to grasp one's own.

So masters of the illusion magic school usually made their disciples grasp the master's components and soul.

Even if the disciple made a mistake, the master could respond as much as needed.

[I told you to cast a curse on your soul. Don't make me say it twice.]

However, the mad doppelganger wasn't much interested in what was easier or harder.

He just wanted to quickly make Yi-Han curse deep in his soul and then make him walk.

"Yes. I understand."

Yi-Han, thinking he couldn't hold out any longer, prepared again.

It was similar to what he had just done, but a bit more difficult.

Beyond the bones located in the deepest place, casting a curse somewhere even deeper in the soul, then applying Gonadaltes' Decline to bind it firmly.

It felt like going to such lengths just to curse oneself once, but there was no choice.

"Become heavy!"

He felt a much stronger effect than before.

Indeed, a curse engraved on the soul was more powerful than one engraved on bones.

Following the mad doppelganger's advice, Yi-Han added curses one by one. His arms and legs became heavier, and fatigue and drowsiness came over him.

[Now walk. Think as you walk.]

"About what?"

[About the world's pain and curses. What must be done to eliminate this abominable pain and curses. Lowborn, think about your weakness too. It would be good to be indignant at your weakness that can do nothing. Turn those thoughts and emotions into power and draw it out.]

"..."

Even as his mind became hazy, the mad doppelganger's voice was heard very clearly.

Yi-Han suddenly remembered a story he had heard before about the skull principal's disciples.

Burn yourself, or burn the skull principal, or burn the continent.

He seemed to remember hearing something like that...

'...I feel like I strangely understand the reason...'

Although he still didn't understand what kind of power the mad doppelganger was telling him to draw out, he felt that power might fly at the mad doppelganger himself.