Chapter 46 Interlude Four – Spell Ark
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It was just after six in the morning.
In the courtyard of the boys’ dormitory, I was putting effort into the morning training that I had been skipping recently due to various circumstances.
Higurashi, rubbing her sleepy eyes, also joined me, practicing the Phoenix Temple Spear Technique (Hououin-ryu) with a wooden stick. I had been teaching Higurashi a defense-focused style called Black Tortoise (Genbu) in the dungeon.
After finishing my warm-up exercises, I practiced using the magic “Blast” repeatedly to get accustomed to its feel.
This magic has a short range, so it seems best to incorporate it into close combat situations to use it effectively. Unlike physical skills, timing the activation of magic without saying the magic’s name out loud is proving to be challenging.
I’m working on getting better at it through practice, but I’m also paying close attention to Higurashi.
”Higurashi, at the current downward swing, one more time.”
”Hmm, this move?”
”Yeah. It’s like using the sweeping motion from the previous stone thrust to deflect the attack at your feet and then using that force to strike.”
”I see, so this is a counter. Is it something like this?”
I have also downloaded the movements of the form, but I don’t necessarily understand all of their meanings. As I’ve ranked up from the introductory level to the basic level, I’ve gained more techniques to use, but that also means there’s more material to understand. Even now, as I watch Higurashi’s movements, I noticed a sudden downward cut that felt off. Watching others practice is also a form of practice.
While trying out a combination of using recovery spring to replenish magic and using Blast, I thought about whether I could attach the activation point to the palm and move it, instead of in mid-air.
In close combat, it’s important to be able to adjust your aim even after attacking, because both sides move a lot. For example, if your opponent, like Himeno, is really fast, she might not be where you aimed when you attacked.
”Blast!”
Before, I used to unconsciously keep a little distance between where I activated the attack and my body, but this time, I overlap them almost completely with my palm. And when I quickly moved my hand, I realized that the gathering place of magic power for activation also moved along with it.
Alright, with this, I can shoot the air cannon to match the movements of fast opponents.
And I activated the magic.
”Whoa!?”
The next moment, my hand was forcefully pushed back. My body was pulled by my arm and I ended up falling on my butt, spinning in place.
”Are you okay, Tsuchimiya-senpai!?”
Higurashi was surprised and rushed over.
”Ouch… Sorry, but could you bring me some water from the spring?”
”Got it!”
The water from the recovery spring is placed on the nearby bench along with a mug so that it can be used right away.
It seems like I’ve hurt my left shoulder quite badly. There is a strong pain in my whole arm and chest muscles, making it hard to breathe.
”Tsuchimiya-senpai…”
Higurashi filled the mug with spring water and came back. Just a sip is usually enough, but this time it’s a bit more.
I took the spring water with one hand and as I drank it, the water soaked into my body and eased the pain. I cautiously raised my arm and the pain was gone, and I could move it normally.
”Phew… I’m okay now. Thank you, Higurashi.”
”Hey, your arm was bending in the wrong direction. I hope you don’t worry me too much. You didn’t accidentally cast Magic on yourself again, did you?”
”I didn’t mean to, but the recoil was stronger than I thought, so it ended up happening.”
Higurashi seemed a bit surprised, but this time it was beyond my control.
But wait, maybe this recoil power can be useful.
”You guys are energetic this morning.”
As I was thinking about a new experiment, someone called out to me from behind.
”Good morning, Manager!”
When I turned around, Gil-san was standing in front of the dormitory door, looking at us.
”Gil-san, good morning.”
Gil-san, in his usual black military outfit, walked over to us. It’s still early in the morning, but the dorm manager seems to have a lot of work… although I’ve only seen him reading manga.
”Was that Magic from Blast just now? You’re using it in an interesting way. You have quite a good sense. But Magic should be sealed in the teleportation facility. Why are you able to use it within the school?”
”Well… there’s a reason for that.”
”A reason, huh… well, can’t be helped.”
He’s still the same easygoing person as always.
”Blast, but I just came up with a new way to use it. I’d like to use it without saying the magic name if possible, but it’s kind of hard.”
”Non-verbal casting… that’s tough. Thanks to the ‘Player System,’ you guys default to shortened casting by ignoring spell incantations, but even that is usually considered advanced technique.”
”I see, so normally you have to chant the spell. But if you can shorten it a lot and activate it with just the magic name, then you just need to clear that hurdle, right?”
”Well, if you can do that in the first place, then shortening isn’t necessary. Magic is about designing magic circuits, assembling spells, and using powerful words – in other words, spells – to excite the circuits and activate magic along with magic power. And the traces of magic power flow remain as magic circuits. So, where are these magic circuits? Deep in your mind.”
”Deep in your mind?”
”Strictly speaking, it’s different, but that’s the only place we can feel it. That place is called the ‘Spell Ark,’ a domain where you first feel it, marking the entrance to becoming a true magician. And how deeply you can delve into the Spell Ark determines your status as a magician.”
”It sounds like trying to grasp a cloud.”
Higurashi mutters, looking distant.
”No, when activating Magic, magic power flows through something called a Magic Circuit, right? If you can feel that, then isn’t that the Spell Ark?”
”You got it. Not bad at all, kid. If you can fully grasp the magic circuits, you can activate magic without any incantations by channeling magic into them. Well, it’s easy to say, but if you can activate a few spells without incantations, even professionals like magicians will take notice. If you can recognize even a part of it, you can shorten the incantation. If you keep that in mind while using magic, you might be able to do it someday.”
”It seems impossible right now, Tsuchimiya-senpai.”
Is it really?
Actually, I’ve been feeling a strange sensation for a while now. It’s been vague, but listening to Gil-san’s story just now, I feel like the image is starting to take shape.
It’s hard to put into words, but I feel like deep down, behind the scenes, at a distant height, and in an unreachable world, Kondou-senpai is watching over me. I used to think it might simply be the afterlife.
When Kondou Spear shows some kind of power, that feeling gets stronger.
And when I use magic, I have a similar sensation, like the flow of magic is closer to me, in that world(?), just ahead. If that’s the Spell Ark is…
I close my eyes and focus. I chant the magic name.
”Blast.”
Magic activates at the tip of my left hand, pointed in an empty direction.
”Tsuchimiya-senpai?”
I felt it. Surely, somewhere very close to the depths of something, like an electric circuit, magic flowed.”
In a space overlapping with everything yet nothing, like images burned into a cathode ray tube screen, the magic circuit exists. It feels strange, like it’s far away but right in front of me.
Carefully, I channel magic into the magic circuit.
”!!”
Magic gathers at the tip of my left hand, and Blast activates.
”Tsuchimiya-senpai! What was that!?”
”No way… Are you a genius!?”
Alright. I successfully activated magic without an incantation.
”Thank you, Gil-san. Thanks to you, I got the hang of it.”
”…Wait, hold on. Something’s not right with you.”
”It’s nothing new for Tsuchimiya-senpai to be weird.”
Hey, don’t say that to me. I still think I’m within the realm of normalcy if you remove external factors.
”Hmm…”
Gil-san closes his eyes and massages his forehead, then turns to me with a serious expression.
”Hey, kid. How far can you dive?”
”Is that the Spell Arc? This is my first time recognizing the Magic circuit, so I’m not sure. But I feel like there’s ‘something’ much deeper inside.”
If I aim for that, maybe I can go even further. Will I be able to meet that person if I go there?
”Where you are right now is the entrance. But if you step further in, be careful. Or better yet, just don’t. It’s usually impossible, but you might be the exception.”
”Be careful? What should I be careful of?”
”The Spell Ark is connected to everything. If you step deeper in, information beyond what humans can perceive will come into your mind. Skilled magicians are often a bit crazy. It’s not uncommon for great magicians to completely lose their minds in their later years. Don’t even think about going as far as you can.”
”Yes… understood.”
That’s scary. If I didn’t know, I might have gone there. Let’s be cautious, slowly and carefully observing.
”Tsuchimiya-senpai. Do you think it’s okay to try a little bit of magic now?”
”Haha, there’s no way that would be possible.”
”It’s not recommended for beginners to get deeply involved in magic, kid”
Yeah, I’ll be careful.
For now, I’ll be satisfied with just being able to use magic without chanting. I’ll try using flashy magic without chanting later when I go into the dungeon.
”If you can use magic without chanting, then you won’t need to worry about the magic seal at the teleportation facility. There are plenty of other ways to get through once your level goes up, but at your current level, it should be quite rare.”
”I don’t want to attract too much attention, so I’ll make sure not to get caught.”
”Also, the Commander-in-Chief, Celestia, told me to monitor and report on you guys, but is it okay to mention the magic without chanting?”
”What!? Why would she tell you something like that! Let’s just keep quiet and do your job!”
Commander-in-Chief, isn’t that the most important person? I wish she hadn’t asked him that, and I feel troubled. What’s this old man suddenly being so frank about?
”It doesn’t matter to you, but I don’t want the players to find out later and say, ‘The manager sucks.’”
”It would be worse if they found out about your comment later, wouldn’t it?”
I feel like leaking classified information could be a serious crime.
”I’ve known her since he was in diapers. She may be loud, but she’s not that important.”
This guy really doesn’t seem interested in working. I’m actually impressed.
”If our information gets leaked to Celestia-san, will there be any disadvantages for us?”
”I don’t know… I think she’s just curious, but I don’t know the reason. As long as you guys haven’t done anything wrong, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
”Okay, let’s just pretend we didn’t hear that. Manager, do your job so you don’t get fired. Oh, but I do want to know why she’s monitoring us.”
”Got it. Well, I’m not exactly free to respond to every call, but I’ll ask about it next time I see her if I remember.”
Isn’t he too free? Really?
And then Gil-san went back inside the building, and we regained our focus and continued practicing.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.