The Battle of Wits and Power

"Do you have any information?"

"Are you trying to start a conversation?"

"I see. We'll have to talk, then. I still don't have a master to share my mind with."

Arin spent the entire night talking with Harvest.

It was the first time she had shared so many words with someone, after having spent most of her childhood alone.

After completing two months of basic experiments, Arcane finally opened the glass chamber, but Harvest remained still. From the beginning, it wasn't space that had restrained him.

"Come out. You resonate with Canis. You won't be bound by the limitations of subjugation. The reason will be explained later."

There was no answer.

It was unexpected for a magically-enhanced creature with superhuman computational speed to be so slow to respond, so Arcane turned back to ask again.

"Is there something bothering you?"

"Why Canis?"

"Hmmm, do you dislike it? It's strange that you, who've never experienced mental resonance, already have a preference."

"I understand that it's not beneficial for me to be subjugated to you since I inherited your memories. But Canis is stubborn and has a strong pride. She likely won't listen to my advice. That kind of personality becomes a weakness in battle."

"…That's true."

"On the other hand, Arin is different. She lived in Radum for ten years, unable to meet anyone except Canis. Because of that isolation, her sensitivity to mental resonance is extraordinarily high."

"Are you talking about the initial experience?"

The initial experience, or 'chogyeong,' referred to the unique brainwave pattern when someone experiences something for the first time, as though they were encountering it for the first time.

Arin, who had grown up without seeing anything, couldn't distinguish objects like an ordinary person. However, her sensitivity to impressions, to the feeling of something, was extraordinarily high—almost to an unknown degree—and this was the greatest talent for a psychic mage.

Arcane knew very well that Arin's talent was more special than Canis'.

"Arin won't do. She's too fragile."

"I don't understand. The initial experience covers for other weaknesses. She could maximize my abilities."

Arcane smiled bitterly.

Is it because even though they share the same memories, their judgments differ due to the different forms?

"Your reasoning might be more logical, but Arin can't do it. You'll go to Canis."

"Hehehe."

Harvest, who had exploded 2 kilometers above ground, was now falling in a broken state.

"So that's it, Arcane."

He realized at the final moment.

He understood why Arcane had chosen Canis over Arin, despite Arin's superior magical talent.

'They were both the same stubborn fools.'

With no weight, Harvest fluttered like a feather in the air, making his descent even more pathetic.

"Harvest!"

Canis crawled towards Harvest, who was stuck to the ground like a shadow.

His form was full of holes, making it nearly impossible to look at.

"Why? Why did you do it? I didn't care if I died! If you were going to do this, you should have never betrayed me in the first place!"

"Hehehe, how should I have known?"

Harvest spoke with a faint vibration.

"You're my master."

"..."

"A magical creature only needs to do what its master desires. There's no such thing as a human who wants to die. So, Canis, stop torturing yourself."

Canis lowered his head.

He was angry and frustrated, wishing he could die, but why wouldn't he want to live?

He could deceive the world, but he couldn't deceive Harvest. That's why the magical creature had self-destructed.

"Sorry, Harvest. I…"

Harvest didn't care.

A magical creature only needed to do what its master desired. That was its design, so death wasn't such a shocking thing.

What he was most interested in now was Shirone's combat abilities, which had defeated both Canis and himself.

'What strange magic.'

The ability to vibrate molecules.

However, when reviewing the entire battle, it wasn't just that the magic had failed.

'He doesn't hesitate to overpower his opponent. Yet, he's not aggressive.'

His battle style, focusing solely on results, actually resembled that of a magical creature.

'The speed of emotional restoration is impressive, which must indicate superhuman insight. The time between identifying a problem and finding a solution is so short that he seems almost like an inanimate object.'

Harvest helplessly grinned.

A talent that is absolutely specialized in something.

What exactly it was, he didn't know, but it wasn't something commonly found in nature.

'Hehehe, Arcane, you're going to have a tough time.'

Indeed, Arcane's expression was grim. Neither this creature nor that one was obeying him.

Fuming with anger, Arcane approached Canis.

"Pathetic, Canis. Even if you stain my face…"

Shirone interrupted.

"Shut up."

While Arcane was intrigued by Shirone's unexpected outburst, the others were shocked by his change in attitude.

"Hehehe! What a spirited child! What do you think? I have a proposition for you…"

"Shut up. Don't you hear me?"

Arcane's face tightened, but Shirone didn't care and continued.

"I've been holding back desperately. One more word, and I'll break you."

A faint red glow surrounded Shirone's entire body.

'Laser.'

If Arcane, who was specialized in absorbing energy, could reach a point where he might explode from over-saturation, he wasn't someone to be easily mocked. But the onlookers felt the cold sweat trickling down their backs.

"Isn't that too provocative? Your opponent is a great mage. What if something happens…"

Etella said.

"It's fine," replied Nade and Iruki simultaneously.

"What do you mean by that? Shirone is just a student! You have to stop him now!"

"No. This is a difficult situation for Arcane too. I don't know how, but the laser Shirone is using is a top-tier photon output spell. It's a counter to dark magic. Even a great mage would have difficulty dealing with it, and Arcane, given his fatigue, will find it hard to defend himself. Shirone knows this, which is why he can speak so emotionally."

Nade's face froze.

Even if that was the case, the audacity with which Shirone was treating a great mage was something only someone like Shirone would dare.

Arcane acknowledged it without hesitation.

"Yes, with the way you are now, you could defeat me."

The words from a great mage were almost unbelievable, and Canis and Arin stared at him in shock.

"Red wave. It seems like the principle behind it is vibrating particles, and yes, it's truly the nemesis of dark magic. And since I'm already worn out, it'll be quite difficult for me to defend against you."

Arcane observed Shirone's reaction.

"Well, how does it feel to hear that from a great mage?"

"What's it to you? Didn't I tell you to stop talking?"

"Isn't it interesting, magic?"

"…"

"Magic is like that. It's neither fair nor bound by rules. There are no limits, so it's unpredictable. A mage who can destroy a city with meteor magic might be killed by a trivial mercenary. That's the world of magic. So if I fall to you, it won't be surprising."

"So, what are you trying to say? Do you want to atone for your sins?"

"You could take it that way, but…"

Arcane's body erupted with black smoke like flames. The air became suffocating.

"Only after the battle do you truly understand."

Shirone involuntarily took a step back.

Pure combat. The scent of death, something only those who have crossed countless life-and-death lines could emit, pressed heavily on him.

"How about it? Want to face me?"

"…"

Shirone remained silent. His previous aggressive words had completely shifted to a calm demeanor.

'Indeed, the material is truly something special.'

He had no tactical obstinacy. His thinking was as flexible as water, and his vision was open in all directions.

At this moment, Canis understood where Shirone had diverged from him.

The Genius Who Lost His Light (2)

"It's a good decision. It's not easy to deny a decision once made. You must never stop thinking, no matter the situation. Everything in this world is decided by the amount of thought put into it. Battles are no different."

"Don't mistake me. I have no intention of forgiving you."

"Heh! If you've got that kind of spirit, then you're beyond my expectations. Shall I take a guess? You're the type that grows through real experience. A school that only teaches you the basics isn't for you. How about it, come with me? I'll make you the greatest mage."

"Stop spouting nonsense. The teachers at school are far more respectable than a murderer like you."

"If that's how you feel, then tell me. What did you learn here? Photon cannons? Red waves? Or maybe some advice on the Immortal Function?"

Shirone's eyes wavered slightly.

"How do you know about that…?"

Arcane burst into laughter.

This is why he liked being a teacher. He could gather naïve kids and say whatever he wanted without consequence.

"Truly rare. Do you think the Immortal Function is just some ordinary thing? But, child, there are monsters out there in the battlefield that you can't even imagine. Once you join them, even the Unlocker won't seem so special."

Shirone swallowed dryly.

How many life-and-death moments would it take for him to no longer see the Unlocker as exceptional?

Regardless of skill, their accumulated experience made them entirely different