Invincible
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#88
🕑 Added 2024-08-27 06:51:46 +0000 UTCPreparing for the Expedition (2)
The day before the expedition.
I successfully hardened the Liquid Gold into a metallic consistency. It took three weeks to get to this point. Today was the day to learn my ultimate skill.
Swish!
When I sliced the firewood with the hardened Liquid Gold, Hetherson ran his hand over the cut surface.
“Nice and clean. With this, even with your tiny mana pool, you should be able to scratch a knight with aura.”
Aura is vulnerable to mana. If a knight wants to defend against a spell cast with a power level of 5, they need 10 units of aura. According to the professor, this is because aura, being a corrupted form of mana, causes a resonance effect. It’s a complicated topic.
“I’ve passed.”
“Don’t get cocky. Even so, knights are the toughest opponents for mages.”
Even if magic works well, a knight is still a knight. They can slice through magic with their overwhelming physical abilities or simply dodge. Allowing a knight to close the distance spells certain death for a mage.
“Do you think I don't know that?”
“I’m saying this because I don’t want you to die from overconfidence.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Alright, since you’ve passed, let’s get to teaching you the ultimate technique.”
Hetherson wrote the incantation on the blackboard. Today's topic was coating weapons with the hardened Liquid Gold. It was the start of my ultimate skill lesson.
“To coat a weapon with this material, you need a specific incantation.”
Hetherson taught me the adhesion spell to fix the Liquid Gold onto the weapon. The adhesive agent used was dark energy.
“You can’t just wrap it around with manipulation?”
“Right. If you did that, it would scatter like dust when you swung your sword. Be happy. Once you learn this, your weapon will be better than one infused with aura.”
It takes only 60% of the mana to penetrate 100% of the aura. The hardened Liquid Gold can hold mana. This was Hetherson's secret to killing the Empire’s three knight commanders.
“Honestly, I was ready to die when that knight commander closed in. If this technique hadn't caught him off guard, he would have cut my head off.”
Hetherson mimicked the move with a chalk in place of a dagger, reenacting how he killed the knight commander.
“When I stabbed him in the chest, he was stunned. He never imagined a mage’s strike could be so strong. While he was momentarily paralyzed, I used that chance to put distance between us and survived.”
Hetherson’s lips twitched, recalling the thrill.
“The principle is simple, but it’s an impressive technique.”
This guy is a genius. It’s a shame he’s a convict. Who would have thought to create a mana blade, a technique typically reserved for battle mages, using magic?
- That Hetherson is quite an extraordinary teacher,’ Donatan remarked joyfully.
For someone who can’t use aura, this weapon would indeed give my swordsmanship a significant boost.
‘Weren't you calling him a scammer and a lowlife before?’
- Ahem.
Even so, without the ability to strengthen my body with aura, I’m just a child holding a chainsaw.
“Did you bring it?”
“You mean the lunchbox?”
“Of course, but I meant the dagger to be coated.”
I placed a long object wrapped in cloth on the desk.
“What’s this?”
“A longsword. Why?”
“A longsword?”
Hetherson's eyes widened.
“Why is a mage carrying this?”
“I thought it wouldn’t be bad to become a battle mage this time.”
Hetherson looked at me as if I were crazy.
“Are you insane? Do you think you can pull off something meant for those who can use aura?”
A battle mage is someone who can fight without a sword. They can infuse both aura and mana into their weapon, making their attacks far superior to regular knights. This is why people fear battle mages.
“Why not? I can mimic it using this material.”
“You’re crazy. Are you trying to be a scammer like that bastard?”
Just as Hetherson finished his thought, the old professor spoke up.
“It’s an interesting idea. Maybe it’s possible for him.”
“What? Have you lost your mind, old man?”
“I don't mean he’ll be a battle mage in the conventional sense, but in a different way. If he can wield both aura and mana, that’s also a type of battle mage.”
Hetherson asked, surprised.
“You, can you use aura?”
No.
“Ha ha ha, Hetherson, you underestimate this student. We originally intended to place him in the knight department of Frost Heart. He has outstanding qualities as a knight.”
No, I don't.
“I see, I thought he was just a weakling, but it turns out he’s quite capable. No wonder he looks fit despite studying magic.”
Hetherson’s gaze changed as he looked at me.
“Let’s get on with the lesson.”
“Alright. If you think you can do it, why not? This might be thinner than a dagger, but it will still increase your cutting power significantly when combined with mana.”
I can’t use aura!
***
The long table stretched out. Professors were seated in every chair.
These were the ones overseeing the upcoming Dungeon expedition.
Rockefeller, sitting at the head, surveyed the professors with a voice laced with annoyance.
“This time, one of the seven sparrow statues in the faculty building has gone missing.”
He was returning from being scolded by the principal.
“Do you have any idea who might be causing these disturbances?”
The tense professors swallowed hard.
“N-No, we don’t.”
“We’ve been monitoring any suspicious students as you instructed, but no one stood out.”
Rockefeller sighed, a frustrated sound.
“Fine, we’ll discuss this in detail after the expedition.”
For now, there was something more important.
Rockefeller looked around at the seated professors.
“As you know, while our internal training is like any other academy, outside is different. Even during an expedition, Frost Heart maintains a real-combat approach.”
When outside, even if students died before their eyes, they wouldn’t intervene. Protecting one's life was a key virtue for a Pathfinder. Professors had to steel their hearts for these expeditions.
“Remember, your role is to evaluate and prevent students from escaping.”
However, there was one exception.
“If the instructors from the Roaming Band intervene, you may step in.”
They wouldn’t allow adult wolves to interfere in the fights of the pups. Frost Heart didn’t want the students to face total annihilation. Whenever they identified exceptionally talented students, the Roaming Band often sent their instructors to eliminate potential future threats.
“This time, I want to make an exception.”
Some professors looked puzzled.
Rockefeller used conjuration magic to display the faces of the students.
“This year, we have too many talented students.”
Pointing his staff, he highlighted Riamon, Silla, Leana, and a few others before stopping at Belman.
“If the Roaming Band instructors confront these students, let them handle the fight first. Intervene only if it becomes too dangerous. And these two…”
Rockefeller zoomed in on the portraits of Luon and Hersel.
“They can handle the instructors on their own. I personally hope you create opportunities for these two to face the instructors.”
A professor hesitantly spoke.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Let them experience the consequences of provocation. If students kill the instructors, it will be a great humiliation for them.”
There was another reason for Rockefeller's decision.
‘Hersel Ban Tenest, even you won’t have time to score points if you’re targeted by the instructors.’
He couldn’t let Hersel get good grades. Rockefeller still intended to transfer Hersel to the knight department. Therefore, he hoped for a poor performance like in the third trial.
***
Late at night.
Luon smoked a cigarette, looking out the window. He had collected many items during his nightly escapades.
A black pebble from the fountain. A piece of glass from the mosaic of the founder’s image, representing the eyes. A rusted metal headband he had dug up. A sparrow statue from the faculty building.
These were all gathered based on information from the floor-bound consciousness of Felia.
“Cough, that smell is awful. Put it out immediately.”
A female voice came from beside him. More accurately, it came from a pigeon with a headband around its ankle. The pigeon was normal; the headband contained another fragment of Felia’s consciousness.
“Alright.”
Luon extinguished the cigarette, then looked at the pigeon curiously.
‘This one has memory retention, unlike the floor-bound Felia. Now that I think about it, I got the same impression from the Forbidden Library entities.’
If it controls a host with a brain, does it retain memories? In that case, the floor-bound Felia might also have memory retention under the right conditions.
“How can we give it a body?”
“Why care about that deceitful woman?”
Both the consciousness he met last time and the floor-bound Felia showed a belligerent attitude towards each other. Luon was curious about the reason but didn’t ask.
It would only create conflict.
“Not going out tonight?”
“I plan to rest. I have the expedition coming up.”
Luon smiled gently, and the pigeon replied wistfully.
“That sounds boring.”
“I’ll leave the window open. Go play outside if you want.”
“Hmm, is the expedition to the Dungeon?”
“That’s right.”
It was Luon’s first time entering the Dungeon. It excited him like a kid before a field trip.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“You’ll have fun. Battle mages were exceptional in the past. No matter how many monsters come at you, you’ll handle them easily.”
Luon’s eyes turned cold as he asked.
“Did you watch my training with Arkandrick?”
He hadn’t mentioned that to anyone. Yet, she knew.
“Would you be mad if I did?”
“Who knows? I might just close the window.”
“Stingy… Fine, I won’t spy on you. Let’s forget this happened.”
Luon ignored the sulky pigeon and lay down on his bed. The upcoming Dungeon expedition was what mattered now.
He closed his eyes, hoping it would be a satisfying experience.
***
The chair rattled. We were moving in a wagon covered with a white canopy. Our destination was likely an untouched snowy field.
I handed motion sickness medicine to Aslay and Limberton, who seemed uneasy.
“Drink this.”
Aslay took the potion and gulped it down, looking relieved. Limberton waved it off, saying he was fine, and asked,
“It’s so cramped in here. How long do we have to stay?”
“Probably over five hours. Just sleep as much as you can.”
I handed them belts.
“Use these to secure yourselves to the seat. You won’t fall over in your sleep.”
The seats had short pillars like bars. Aslay and Limberton looped the belts through the pillars, securing themselves.
“Hersel, can’t we at least get some fresh air?”
“The professors will wake us when it’s time.”
We repeated this process of waking up and sleeping through breaks. Eventually, we received the order to disembark.
All first-year students, yawning, stepped into the dense vegetation.
Crunch.
The scent of damp foliage. Knee-high grass. The towering trees were thick. In the wilds, the professor scanned the students.
“Let me briefly explain the Dungeon expedition.”
His monotone voice was amplified by magic.
“This test is also based on group performance. Points are awarded for the number and grade of monsters hunted and for gathering resources from the Dungeon.”
In summary, it was similar to the third trial, with an added treasure hunt.
“You’ll find more details in the pamphlet in your backpack.”
Treasures included rare herbs, mana stones, and relics from ancient civilizations that lived here before the Dungeon. Finding a significant relic would warrant a personal invitation from the Emperor.
Although unlikely to find anything significant, there was one notable relic: a stone tablet.
“You have five days. Good luck.”
The professors left. I took out a compass and a blank map from my backpack.
“First, we scout. We’ll record our position on this map, determine if it’s an optimal location, and set up a base.”
The two nodded. Explaining more as we moved, we entered the forest before anyone else.
Rustle.
There was no wind, yet the vegetation moved. The forest began to glow a dull purple.
“Hersel, the forest’s color is changing.”
“Think of it as the Dungeon greeting us.”
This was the Purple Forest, the entrance to an uncharted Dungeon.
Rustle.
A wolf’s howl echoed as we took another step.
Grrr—
