Chapter 22: Revision
Joshua was so deep in thought that he barely registered the hand shaking his shoulder.
"Let's go," Maydee's voice pulled him out of his daze.
Joshua blinked. "Huh?"
Maydee gave him a look. "Are you that tired already?"
"No, just… thinking. I'm sorry Master, i got lost in my own little world."
She narrowed her eyes but didn't push further.
As they walked, Joshua decided to test the waters. "Master, did you also learn all of this?"
"Of course," she said with a hint of pride. "These are the basics. It took me years just to begin to understand the concepts." She glanced at him with a knowing smirk. "Hard, right?"
Joshua's mind went blank for a second.
Years???
It took her years to understand this??
Joshua had finished the book in a few hours.
Not just understood it—mastered it.
He could calculate energy pathways, optimize transformation rates, and even refine the formulas to make them more efficient.
But instead of blurting that out, he forced a strained smile. "Yeah, it's… uh, really difficult, Master."
Maydee nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I was worried for a second that you'd get overconfident. It might take you years, but I'll make sure you understand the book from cover to cover."
Joshua's smile twitched. Years?
He gulped. "That's… reassuring, Master."
He needed to keep this to himself. If Maydee ever found out how quickly he had grasped the material, she'd probably force him through more insane training—or worse, start questioning how he was able to learn so fast.
Nope. Not happening.
Time to play dumb.
"…Master, if it's okay, can I rest now? My head is about to explode."
Maydee gave him a knowing smirk. "Of course. Let me take you to your room."
Joshua froze mid-step.
"My… room?"
"You can't just keep sleeping in mine."
Joshua awkwardly scratched his head and chuckled. "Uh, sorry about that, Master."
Maydee simply waved him off.
At the end of the corridor, she pointed to a door. "This is yours. Sleep well. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow."
Joshua nodded, his expression calm. But deep down, he was panicking.
Years? She thinks it'll take me years?
He clenched his fists.
The moment he got back to the real world, he needed to revise some of the equations. There were flaws in the energy conversion process—inefficiencies that could be optimized further.
His heart raced with excitement.
What if he could take real-world physics and apply it to magic?
Joshua smirked to himself as he lay on the bed.
Disconnect.
Back to Reality
Joshua opened his eyes.
His room. Feeling slightly nauseous, he turned his head to the side.
A faint buzzing noise filled the silence—his phone vibrating on the bedside table.
"What time is it…?" He grabbed the phone and glanced at the screen. Only a few hours had passed.
He groaned.
Then he saw the name on the screen.
Vaughn.
Joshua sighed and answered. "You fat fuck, why are you calling so late?"
Vaughn's frustrated voice came through.
"Hey nerd, what the fuck is this game? I just got thrown aside like a beggar! I don't even have cash! I can't understand their language! How the fuck am I supposed to play?!"
Joshua grinned.
"Now you see the hardship? Suck it up and play it as you go."
"But—"
Click.
Joshua hung up.
He barely had time to set the phone down before it buzzed again.
Vaughn.
Joshua sighed and picked up. "What now?"
"BRO. PLEASE." Vaughn's voice was pure desperation. "You HAVE to help me. I'm starving. I stole an apple, and some old dude started chasing me with a fucking cleaver. I had to dive into a pigsty to escape."
Joshua burst out laughing. "You—HAHAHAHA! You're covered in pig shit?!"
"IT'S NOT FUNNY, JOSH! THE NPCS ARE LOOKING AT ME LIKE I'M A LITERAL DISEASE."
Joshua wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, man. This is the best thing I've heard all day."
"DUDE. HELP."
"Nope. You dug your own grave."
"I SWEAR I'LL PAY YOU—"
"You have no money, dumbass."
Vaughn groaned. "Okay, fine, I'll owe you one. Just tell me how to get started!"
Joshua smirked. "Alright, listen up, peasant. Step one: Find a job."
"Where?"
"I dunno. Maybe ask the guy whose food you stole."
"…I'd rather starve."
"Then enjoy being broke."
"I hate you."
"I know."
Joshua hung up again, chuckling as he set his phone down.
Vaughn was going to have a rough time.
But that was his problem. He needs to learn to adapt. He owes his friend in the real world however, it is very different on the other side. He will just call him back tomorrow.
Joshua went to find his old books.
Joshua flipped through the pages, skimming key concepts he could apply to energy manipulation in the game.
1. Energy Transfer Principles
The core functioned similarly to a capacitor, storing energy and discharging it when needed.
However, just like in electrical systems, there was resistance loss when energy flowed.
2. Magnetic Field Compression
If he could use magnetic principles, he could potentially compress magical energy into a more efficient form.
That would increase storage capacity and reduce waste.
3. Shockwave Mechanics
Could he apply real-world ballistic physics to spellcasting?
If so, he needed to understand firearm mechanics first.
Joshua's eyes gleamed.
He grabbed his laptop and started researching modern firearms.
Firearm Specifications: 9mm Pistol
A standard 9mm round had:
Bullet Weight: 115 to 147 grains (~7.45g to 9.53g)
Gunpowder Charge: ~5 grains (0.32g)
Muzzle Velocity: ~350 m/s (varies by round type)
Muzzle Energy: ~500 Joules
Effective Range: ~50 meters (accurate fire)
Joshua leaned back, memorizing every number.
Why?
Because if he could replicate the energy output of a 9mm pistol in spell form, he could:
Optimize spell projectile speeds
Enhance penetration power
Control energy expenditure for efficiency
He grinned.
Most mages probably never even considered this level of calculation. They relied on instinct.
Joshua would use science.
He closed his books, took a deep breath, and returned to bed.
Connect.
When Joshua opened his eyes, he was back in his new room in the village.
He smirked.
Tomorrow's training?
He was going to break every expectation Maydee had.