“The one who raised Esther to Class 5?” Jack Russell, an Archmage who had reached the very peak of Class 7, looked at Leonard with an unreadable expression.
This boy was arrogant.
The boy didn’t hide behind the fact that he was the associate of Jack’s apprentice; he was confident by nature. He showed no sign of shying back, even in the face of someone as powerful as the Magic Tower’s Chief Elder. But Jack preferred straightforward, arrogant ones over kindly suck-ups.
Jack turned to Esther for confirmation.
“It’s true, Master,” she said. She took a step forward as if trying to protect the boy. “Leonard learned Magic Missile just today, but he can already shoot multiple projectiles. He made the spell more effective and even taught me how to modify a completed cast.”
Now it was Jack’s turn to be surprised. He said gravely, “Now, Esther, what use do you have for that? You didn’t go around using my name to trick people into doing things for you, did you?”
“You little…!”
Furious, she lunged for him, but with the point of his finger, Jack sent her flying into the air. She began to spin. He was using Levitation, Hold, and Spin at the same time. Caught in his mana mastery, she was unable to cast her own magic and was forced to stay there, spinning.
“In any case, it doesn’t seem like you scammed him, but this is punishment for disrespecting your great master. Stay there for five minutes.”
“Let, me, go, right, this, moment!”“Quiet.” Jack pointed again and cast Silence.
Not even a minute had passed, and Esther was already foaming at the mouth.
Jack said, “I’m sorry you had to see something so unseemly. As you can tell, my apprentice does not have very good—well, actually, she has no manners at all, you see.”
“…!”
“You sure are energetic. Shall I make you spin faster?”
“…”
Esther shut her mouth at his warning and continued spinning in the air. Apparently, this wasn’t her first time.
She bent forward a little and kept her head close to the ground so that the spinning affected her less and didn't make her so dizzy. Once she was spinning stably, Jack finally turned to Leonard.
“It’s not that I don’t believe my apprentice’s words, but I must see for myself. Would you show me how to cast your improved version of Magic Missile?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Since it was a Class 1 spell, it didn’t take long for Jack to learn it. Even Esther had managed to modify her cast on the first try, so naturally, a Class 7 Archmage had no trouble at all.
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!
Five Magic Missiles shot through the air.
Jack looked thoughtful. “Not only does it take a fifth of the mana typically needed to cast the spell, but the explosive force of the missiles is also significantly higher. It’s not particularly difficult to cast, yet these modifications make the spell at least ten times more effective.”
His eyes glinted. Unlike Esther, Jack considered Magic Missile from a more practical point of view. Most people would brush it off as a mere Class 1 spell, but he didn’t. If Magic Missile were truly useless, it wouldn’t even be used as a test spell. It would have been buried.
Ages ago, mages would refine Magic Missile relentlessly. There were even secret techniques that could instantly kill powerful mages.
But his version isn’t as impressive.
However, the mere fact that Leonard was able to unlock some of the spell’s possibilities impressed him.
Jack wore a rare look of softness on his face. Naturally, his manner of speech was less harsh.
“Have you ever tried improving spells other than Magic Missile?” he asked.
“No. Today was my first time creating a Circle and using magic.”
Jack paused. “I’m not often left speechless, but I have nothing to say.”
For Jack, whose days were monotonous and all blended into each other, this was a very entertaining development, but it made his head hurt a little. As he pressed lightly on his temples, Esther stopped spinning and crashed to the ground.
“Ow! Would it kill you to put me down gently?” she cried.
“How does a hundred more spins sound?”
“I’m sorry!”
Esther immediately surrendered at his chiding and ran to hide behind Leonard.
Her master looked at her as if she were pathetic. “You’re using the person who let you advance past Class 4 as a shield? I am very aware of how soft you are, but it appears your demeanor is somehow worse than I thought.”
His words made Esther flush red, but she didn’t make a retort or move from her spot. The Archmage let out a long sigh, which said all that needed to be said.
“Forget it. Show me how you cast a spell using willpower,” he ordered.
“Yes, Master.”
Esther cautiously stepped forward. Though her store of mana hadn’t recovered completely, she could still cast a few Class 3 spells.
“Fireball.”
Fwoosh!
A large ball of fire appeared. As soon as it was created, Esther stared into the flames with intense eyes and slowly molded the spell, starting from the edges of the ball. She had to have developed a knack for it, because it changed shape in just a few seconds. She flattened it as if it were made of clay, creating a disc.
“Ooh, so it’s true.” Even with his mana mastery, Jack didn’t see any evidence of her employing any other spells. That meant she’d succeeded in modifying a Class 3 fire spell after it was cast.
The Archmage immediately detected the changes.
“The speed and firepower must be significantly higher, but it requires a different method to calculate its trajectory. Throwing a disc is very different from throwing a ball,” he observed.
“Yes. I’m still not confident in my aim.”
“Good for you. Next time, I want you to demonstrate it witha properly calculated trajectory. No matter how great an achievement is, it’s only half as impressive if you don’t go all the way, whether you’re casting a Class 3 spell or a Class 1 spell,” he advised.
Casting Magic Missile would have been enough to demonstrate her ability to harness willpower, but instead of a Class 1 spell, she’d cast the Class 3 Fireball because, deep inside, she wanted to show off her skills.
Jack saw right through the subconscious act of vanity. Esther only nodded at his comment.
Then, the Archmage raised his left hand. “Fireball.”
He created a mass of fire that was of similar size to Esther’s. The two other people looked at him with puzzlement, unsure why he’d suddenly cast his own spell, but they were shocked by what they saw next.
Fwoooo!
Not only did the ball of fire flatten into a disc, but it also spun at high speed. He’d further modified the spell Esther had failed to perfect. The projectile was perfectly stable, and even its flames were gentle.
When she saw it, Esther raised her voice and said, “You’ve got to be kidding me! Master, you already knew about willpower and how to use it?!”
“Of course, my foolish apprentice. All mages Class 6 and above know about this ability. But here at the Magic Tower, we simply call it ‘will.’”
“Then why—”
“Why didn’t I teach you?” Jack had expected the question. “It’s simple. This isn’t something that just anyone can learn. It is a power that one naturally awakens as they rise through the Classes. The signs begin to show once Class 6 is reached, and only once a mage has reached Class 7 can they apply will freely.”
Leonard understood before Esther did.
It’s the same as Transcendence Tier knights. Mages unlock their upper dantian at Class 7 and can use mind arts, which are superior to willpower. So there’s no way they wouldn’t know about it.
Esther finally comprehended Jack’s explanation, her eyes widening.
“Then can I, as a Class 4—no, as a Class 5 mage—use an ability that can only be used starting at Class 6 or 7?”
Jack nodded. “That’s why it’s so impressive that you learned it. In terms of mana cultivation, it’s like an External Force Tier knight mastering the use of an Aura Blade.”
“Uh.” She made a sound from her throat and turned to look at Leonard, who was staring ahead impassively. Their eyes locked.
The Archmage looked like he was about to die from amusement. “Congratulations, my apprentice. You can forget about trying to pay him back if you’re still at Class 5. Even a Class 6 mage would have to work for him for twenty years to repay him.”
Esther looked like she was about to collapse from the weight of her debt, making Jack snicker.
He said, “I think I know why you came here now. You thought that this wasn’t something you could pay off with your own efforts, so you were hoping to borrow my power and pass that debt onto me, hmm?”
“Uh.”
“Damn you, girl. Do you think your master is your wallet? Not only that, I hardly have any use for your willpower. You were the one who benefited, and now you’re trying to make me pay in your stead?”
He saw right through Esther’s thinly veiled plan and cast a spell on her, reducing her to a writhing mess on the ground. Only then did he seem satisfied for the first time in a long time. He turned to Leonard.
“Still, I cannot turn a blind eye to her debt. You saved her after she spent years staying stagnant. As Esther’s master, I wish to offer you two choices.”
“Please.”
The Archmage held up a finger to signal the first. “I, the Chief Elder of Atlantis’s Magic Tower, Class 7 Archmage Jack Russell, will take you in as my direct apprentice. I only have this one idiot, so having a second apprentice won’t change much. And I will swear that I will dedicate my whole self to guide you through the secrets of magic.”
His proposal was unprecedented. In fact, it was so shocking that Esther stopped convulsing and jumped up from the ground, trying to tell Leonard with her eyes to accept immediately.
Even among other Class 7 mages, the Archmage Jack Russell was the closest to becoming Class 8. The only reason he wasn’t the Towermaster was because it would take time away from his research. With his abilities, he could seize the position any time he wanted. Not even the most powerful forces in the Atlantis Maritime Alliance could pick a fight with his direct apprentices.
“As for my second offer, I will repay you how I see fit based on what you gave Esther. This is a proposal I’m making not as the Chief Elder but simply as Jack Russell. I will give you as much as I can, but I cannot say that it is a more valuable offer than the first. Even if you’re treated as an honored guest in the Magic Tower and receive countless commodities and artifact rental vouchers, it will not compare to my personal guidance.”
His arrogant words were overflowing with confidence, but Leonard didn’t think he was being conceited. If he had any intention of learning magic, there wouldn’t be many offers better than the first one. But Leonard was planning to stay on the path of the martial artist so that he could become a swordsman.
“I will choose the second,” he said.
Jack closed his eyes and reopened them. He knew that Leonard wasn’t being rash, and his voice lost its air of condescension. “A shame, but being confident about the path you want to take is also important. I will respect your decision.”
Reaching the External Force Tier in one’s teens was impressive enough, but the fact that Leonard had already decided the future he wanted despite his youth was even more amazing. Most people would feel doubt creep in at some point and become distracted by paths they hadn’t taken.
“From this day on, you will be treated as my honored guest in the Magic Tower. If there are any artifacts you would like to borrow or buy, just give them my name and you can take them. I will also give you access to any facilities and accommodations that can help you train and improve your mana cultivation. And if you wish to learn more about magic, I will hold a teaching session for you and my apprentice when I can find the time. What do you think?”
Leonard’s eyes widened when he realized that it was perhaps his own conviction that had made Jack generously offer more than the Archmage had originally planned. He accepted without hesitation.
“Thank you, Chief Elder Jack.”
“Just call me Russell. I don’t like being called Jack because it’s too common a name. And since I’m called ‘elder’ every day, it makes me feel old.”
The boy and the Archmage took one step toward each other and shook hands.
“Thank you for helping my foolish apprentice. It was good to meet you, Leonard.”
“Likewise, Russell.”
Frances never could have guessed the unimaginable bond that had formed when she was drowning under a mountain of paperwork for Bermuda.
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