Chapter 4: Beyond Limitations

Two years had now passed since Kaidën's baptism and he was four years old. During those two years he had learned more magic and more mana in increasing complexity, devouring every book and manuscript in the library that he could find. For hours at a time he would sit with ancient tomes poring over intricate drawings and schematics detailing basic magical principles.

Kaidën's second favorite subject after martial arts was magic. He had discovered a martial arts book while he was at the library with his parents and spent every spare moment he had studying the intricate moves and moves. His father, Duke Valtorin had hired a private tutor among the guards to come over and teach him the art and Kaidën had picked it up quickly.

Hard training had hardened his physique, and he was stronger and more good-looked than other boys of his same age. His blue eyes were full of inquiry and inquisitiveness, and he had always neatly combed black hair. His parents couldn't help but be proud of their small son's achievement.

When Kaidën approached the tender age of four years, he began to be readied by his mother to begin magical training. It was in morning that she had him sit in the mansion's dining hall in between the rich tapestry and sunlight that filtered in through gold-coated windows. He was informed that he would have a new tutor coming in, a renowned magic instructor who had arrived at the magic tower.

Professor Orion was of lofty standing due to both academic achievement and high mana. He was famous both for theoretical magical abilities and being able to teach even the most challenging spells. But Kaidën's mother warned that Professor Orion was also said to have been arrogant and disdainful of common people and those with lesser magical abilities.

Kaidën's parents had nonetheless managed to procure Professor Orion's services through their standing and their very generous compensation. Kaidën's father, Duke Arin, had even offered Professor Orion a magical artifact that was very valuable and extremely potent, something that would grant Professor Orion immense power and prestige.

When Professor Orion arrived at the mansion, Kaidën's parents greeted him warmly. Kaidën was standing with them and observed Professor Orion's disdainful attitude. Professor Orion's eyes swept over Kaidën, and Kaidën caught a flicker of distaste that he thought he glimpsed for a second. But Kaidën's parents did not seem to see Professor Orion's attitude.

Professor Orion began Kaidën's lessons in magic by measuring Kaidën's mana level. Kaidën sensed Professor Orion's disappointment when he heard that Kaidën's mana level was extremely low. Professor Orion's eyes furrowed and he cursed to himself, "A colourless mana user. such a delight."

Despite Professor Orion's disdain, Kaidën was determined to learn. He practiced spells and read every spare moment. Professor Orion taught him the basics of every element's spells, but Kaidën could not remember. Professor Orion's frustration grew, and Kaidën could feel it.

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A month had passed, and Kaidën wasn't showing any improvement. Professor Orion's attitude towards Kaidën turned cold, and Kaidën's parents began to worry. They tried to make Professor Orion see that Kaidën was still young and that he would eventually acquire magical powers. But Professor Orion wasn't convinced.

"You're wasting your time and your resources on this boy," sneered Professor Orion. "He'll never do anything with magic."

Kaidën's parents were shocked to hear Professor Orion's sarcastic words but refused to abandon their son. They begged Professor Orion to continue with Kaidën's lessons in hopes that he would eventually make some progress.

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Two months later, Kaidën had learned at last the basic element magic spells. But due to low mana capacity, he could only attain the basic level. He found that there were two basic spells in fire magic: fireball and fire bullet. Three in light magic: basic heal, light ball, and basic purify. One in thunder magic: stun. One in black magic: shadow control. Two in water magic: water ball and ice bullet. And two in wind magic: basic wind control and basic sprint.

Colorless magic had a unique spell called barrier that was weaker than barrier spells like firewall, water wall, and light barrier. Kaidën wasn't able to cast barrier spells that were more potent, so he had to make do with basic magic.

As three months were coming to their close, Professor Orion chose to quit due to Kaidën's slow progress and Professor Orion's disappointment. Though Kaidën's parents were urged to continue with it, Professor Orion canceled the deal and let Kaidën study magic on his own.

"I apologize if I have overstepped my bounds, Your Excellencies," Professor Orion answered with disdain in every syllable. "But I have more auspicious avenues to investigate. This child is beneath me, I don't see him making any progress, it best to just give up on him and maybe ur second child will be better."

Duke Arin was saddened, he knew that kaidën did seem to have potential in the way of magic due to his poor potential and is low mana capacity, but he wasn't one to give up on his child so easily. Even after so many invitations to different magic instructors ranging from even the bottom to the top and with all refusing to teach the talentless boy, Duke Arin, decided to get kaidën some detailed books on magic as he was quite smart for his age, and maybe he might be able to at least understand magic.

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Five months had elapsed and Kaidën's hard work was finally starting to yield results. He had mastered spells in every element and began experimenting with more complex spells. His mana pool remained small but he had discovered a way to work around those constraints and make do with everything he knew of chemistry and theoretical magic to come up with creative workarounds.

Kaidën's parents were so delighted at what had happened with their son that they went out and learned to see their son differently. They accepted that Kaidën's lack of colourful mana wasn't a disability but a special opportunity that would allow their son to do some sort of magic in some special way.

As Kaidën matured and became more schooled as a mage, he was finally able to see what magic actually involve. He had found that magic spells were actually chemical reactions and had been attempting to combine lowest level magic spells with other lowest level magic spells to make more potent ones.

Using chemistry principles he had picked up in a previous life, Kaidën cast more potent than normal intermediate-level and high-level spells. He used wind magic and flame magic and cast a spell that would explode but that he could regulate. He used wind magic to suck in atoms of oxygen in the air and used it in synergy with flame magic and had a more destructive effect than inferno that covers a wider radius.

Kaidën's magical abilities had eclipsed those of more experienced mages and had developed a very unique magical structure that wasn't merely potent but efficient as well. Yet it was to remain a limiting factor to grow and develop it more.

All that notwithstanding, Kaidën never lost faith because he was driven by his love of magic and to learn it. He devoted every spare instant to magic, studying magic, conjuring spells, and experimenting with new quantities of magic. The longer it continued though, Kaidën's magic continued to grow more and more powerful and he began to see the full reach of everything he could do with it. He was no longer that boy with that former wasteland mana anymore; now he was a talented mage in his own right with his own unique type of magic and drive to make it.

And so Kaidën continued and continued with greed and lust for magic and being greatest ever.