Genius Wizard who sees Rainbows- Chapter 41

#041. The Old Tale and the Circle (3)

 

 

 

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*Wooooooong───!*

Mana surged around the boy’s heart, leaving behind a searing pain deep in his chest.

Two weeks ago.

It was a night when he had just emerged from the 50th sector into the wastelands.

On that night, much like now, the boy drew mana into his chest to form a circle.

Exactly as he was doing now.

Not a single detail was different.

Though his attempt back then was purely instinctual and devoid of any background knowledge, it turned out to be the right approach.

The difference between then and now lay in one clear factor:

The boy of the present was fundamentally different in his ability to handle mana compared to his former self.

Since arriving in the 49th sector, he had been in constant combat.

Countless uses of magic throughout that time had driven his explosive growth.

*Wooooooong───!*

The resonance of mana grew louder, and the boy’s face contorted in pain.

What should have taken minutes to reach had been achieved in mere seconds.

As a result, the pain he had to endure was extreme.

His heartbeat raced uncontrollably, and his blood, heated and fervent, surged violently throughout his body.

It felt as though his body might explode at any moment.

Yet, he didn’t relinquish control over the raging mana.

Was it because the elderly man, the most knowledgeable about magic and mana in the room, had yet to intervene?

Was it fear of what might happen if he let the reins of this wild, untamed mana slip?

Neither.

He continued solely because of an instinctive certainty—

*Wooooooong───!*

—That a massive reward awaited him at the end of this path.

It would undoubtedly be a reward unlike anything he had experienced before.

A springboard to take a giant step toward his goal of vengeance.

Cold sweat drenched his body.

He clenched his teeth and endured, persevering through the pain.

And then, at some point—

*Pop.*

The mana vanished.

Like a meteor burning itself out under frictional heat, it disappeared on the spot.

Success or failure?

The thought didn’t cross his mind.

He felt a lingering heat along the trajectory where the mana had moved, and atmospheric mana rushed in to fill the space, replenishing it.

The mana that flowed into the path erased the residual heat and left a refreshing coolness in its place.

Soon, it formed a perfect ring encircling his heart.

It was the ring he had longed for since the moment he vowed vengeance.

“This… can’t be.”

The old man was at a loss for words.

He had expected the boy to construct a circle within a short time.

But never had he imagined it would happen in a single attempt.

Even for himself, who had been hailed as a prodigy, it had taken three months to create his first circle.

For those of average talent, it typically took a year, even with a complete understanding of the process and guidance from a mentor.

For those without talent, it was something they could never achieve in their lifetime.

Yet this boy had succeeded—without assistance, on his very first try.

*Tears trickled down the old man’s cheeks.*

As someone who had devoted his life to the world of mana, he found it impossible to contain his tears in the face of such an extraordinary moment.

“You’re amazing! Truly amazing! You’re a genius, you know that?”

Veronica leaped from her seat, unable to contain her excitement, and celebrated Ray’s success as though it were her own.

The boy himself, however, remained composed, quietly inspecting the circle formed within his chest.

The old man, having composed himself as much as possible, spoke.

“The circle you’ve created is primarily composed of the elements of enhancement, weakening, and regeneration. However, there are traces of other elements as well. Though faint, almost every known type is present. This… is truly possible?”

“……”

Because of previous discussions with the old man and Veronica, Ray had no difficulty understanding which mana color corresponded to each element.

But he preferred to understand mana through the emotions associated with it.

The red mana tied to anger.
The soft pink mana tied to sorrow.
The white mana tied to worry.

These were emotions deeply imprinted on his heart.

The vibrant, multicolored mana within his circle, centered on these three hues, flowed like a galaxy of stars.

“Can you see the mana contained in my circle?”

“I can’t see it, but I can feel it. If you don’t want others to sense your circle, you can stop the flow of mana.”

“How do I stop it?”

“That depends on the will of the circle’s owner.”

Though the explanation wasn’t detailed, Ray immediately grasped its meaning.

By focusing his mind, he stopped the flow of mana with ease.

At that moment, neither the old man nor Veronica could detect Ray’s circle any longer.

“It’s best to keep your circle hidden in your daily life. There’s no need to reveal yourself as a mage in this harsh world. During magic use, it can’t be helped, but even then, its detection range will vary with distance.”

The old man’s advice carried the weight of experience and genuine concern.

Mages, while wielding immense power capable of bending the rules of common sense, were often entangled in disputes and danger because of it.

Ray nodded in agreement.

“So, how does it feel to have created a circle? Can you sense how it’s fundamentally different from ambient mana?”

“Absolutely.”

Ray was in awe.

The texture and quality of the mana were worlds apart.

Even the mana he had admired in the ring paled in comparison to the mana within his circle.

The only drawback was the fixed size of the circle, limiting the amount of mana he could use at once.

“How do I increase my circle?”

Despite having achieved something miraculous, Ray’s question suggested he was unsatisfied. The old man chuckled in disbelief.

“The theory is simple. You need to rotate mana along the path of the first circle to leave a new trajectory for the second. The same applies to creating a third circle above the second. But the difficulty increases exponentially with each additional circle. That’s why most mages remain at a single circle for their entire lives.”

The old man himself had three circles—a testament to his deep understanding of mana and lifelong dedication to magic.

Ray once again drew ambient mana into his chest, attempting to create a second circle atop the first.

The mana moved but felt sluggish, unable to gain proper speed.

It formed only a short, faint trail before dispersing back into the air when Ray lost focus.

“…This isn’t something that can be completed in a short time.”

“Constantly rotating mana to pave the way is key to a mage’s training. You’ve just formed your first circle, so you’re likely exhausted. Take a rest before we continue with lessons—”

“No, that’s not necessary. Let’s move on to the next step right away.”

The old man observed Ray’s resolute expression before nodding.

Perhaps, he thought, he might have enough time to pass down all his knowledge to the boy before his death.

‘If I told others he created a circle in seconds, they’d dismiss it as a ridiculous joke.’

The boy’s talent surpassed all imagination.

While he had initially planned a structured curriculum for Ray, it no longer seemed necessary.

“I’ll demonstrate a spell. Can you replicate it?”

“Yes, I’ll try.”

The old man extended his right arm, palm facing upward.

Mana stirred within his circles and flowed down his arm, gathering in his palm.

The collected mana blended into a gray hue.

*Crrrrk.*

A gray crystal materialized in the air above his palm.

Tiny crystals formed around it, coalescing into a small stone that fell into the old man’s hand.

Placing the stone on the table, he asked, “What do you think? Can you do it?”

The one who was most surprised wasn’t Ray, who was asked the question, but Veronica.

Of course, Ray had just demonstrated something unbelievable by successfully creating a mana circle on his first attempt. However, using magic was an entirely different matter.

If creating a circle required the ability to manipulate mana, then using magic demanded academic knowledge.

*”The basics of magic lie in precisely understanding the types and ratios of elemental materials. You also need formulaic calculations.”*

Even a slight miscalculation could cause the elements to repel one another and explode. It required both precise control and proper knowledge.

So how could anyone just cast a spell without any explanation?

Unless one already knew the spell, it was impossible.

And she couldn’t imagine that Ray would know the spell the old man had just used—a complex one that involved at least seven different elements.

That’s why Veronica was stunned when she heard his response.

“Yes, I’ll try.”

“Wait, Ray, are you serious?”

“I think I can do it.”

Ray’s calm voice matched his composed gaze as he looked at Veronica’s wide, disbelieving eyes.

He recalled the battle against the man in the basement. At that time, he had mimicked his opponent’s ability to harden his skin like metal, allowing him to escape a dire situation.

It had been an unconscious act, performed in the heat of the moment, but Ray felt confident he could replicate it deliberately this time.

…Though the spell just now had used more types of mana than before, it wasn’t an issue.

Ray had memorized every single detail of how the old man cast the spell. Not a single step had escaped him.

*Hoo.*

After taking a deep breath, Ray meticulously retraced his memory. He began selecting the necessary mana colors from his circle one by one.

While the three primary mana colors dominated, the circle still contained nearly every shade, ensuring he had all the materials needed.

Ray carefully extracted the mana needed for mixing, matching the exact quantities the old man had used.

From the circle to his chest.
From his chest to his right arm.
From his arm to his palm.

As the mana coursed through each part of his body, leaving behind a faint, soft sensation, Ray shivered slightly.

It felt like a child who had only ever painted with dried-up paints suddenly discovering the vibrant freshness of wet paint.

A faint excitement swirled within him, his heart racing with anticipation.

The mana gathered in his palm moved smoothly, following his guidance. When it finally coalesced into a single, unified color—

*Crack.*

A gray crystal materialized in the air above his palm.

*Crack. Crackle.*

More crystals formed and began fusing with one another.

*”Grandfather… didn’t you say that magic requires proper knowledge to use?”*

Veronica’s gaze was wide with shock, her thoughts almost audible in the way she stared at Ray. She sent a questioning look to the old man, but he wasn’t in any state to respond.

The old man was still staring at Ray, utterly captivated, his breathing uneven from the overwhelming emotion of witnessing this moment.

*Crack!*

Finally, the gray crystal completed its transformation into a small stone, dropping into Ray’s hand.

It was about the same size as the one the old man had created, but its surface was rough, lacking the smoothness of the original.

“Impress—”

“I’ll try again.”

The old man’s words, full of emotion, were cut short.

Gray crystals were already reappearing above Ray’s palm—this time at least ten times faster than before.

 

 

 

 

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