“After surprising everyone in the team match, why are you so dull now?”
“What else could it be? That’s his real skill.”
Amidst the endless jeers, Rockefeller frowned.
Losing in just one second set a new record in the history of Aizen Arena.
‘Limberton, that bastard, making a fool of himself right from the start…’
Professor Gomon cautiously approached and asked,
“Professor Rockefeller?”
“What is it?”
Judging by his sideways glance, it seemed to be because of Dame Bellen nearby.
“Shouldn’t Dame Bellen be watching from up there? She more than qualifies.”“…She’s been banned from entry.”
“Banned? Why?”
“She once got drunk on the unlimited alcohol provided and ended up being rude to a member of the imperial family.”
“Oh.”
As Gomon nodded in understanding, Bellen looked at them suspiciously.
She pointed at Hersel, who was just stepping onto the arena.
“Did you really enter him as a representative of the Magic Department?”
“I tried to convince him until the very end, but he was adamant.”
“Sigh, that stubbornness of his… Well, there’s no changing it now. So, how is he? At least at an average magician’s level?”
At Bellen’s question, memories flashed through Rockefeller’s mind.
Hersel Ben Tenest.
He aced every written test.
His academic talent was undeniable.
His understanding of magic and calculations surpassed even most professors.
How was his wand-handling skill?
The precision of his spellcasting was like a ruler-drawn line, each angle meticulously perfect.
No one knew how much effort he had put in, but in terms of technique and precision, he was comparable to elite magicians.
However, he had one fatal flaw.
—How many times must I tell you? Your mana is tangled!
—It might look like that, but this is the most stabilized version.
He lacked the natural ability to handle mana, something most could do instinctively.
—Your mana distribution is off. That’s your problem. Especially when using manifestation magic, all you create is garbage.
—Shut up, Rockefeller! I’m focusing on stabilization—I don’t have the capacity to perfect everything!
Sometimes his mana would be insufficient, other times it would be overly distributed.
Had he not possessed academic brilliance and excellent wand-handling skills, he wouldn’t have been able to manifest magic at all.
‘No matter how outstanding the rest of his abilities are, if he’s clumsy at mana control, his talents will never shine.’
At first, Rockefeller had tried to train him whenever there was an opportunity.
But there was no significant improvement.
“You don’t look happy. Is that kid really okay?”
“I don’t know how to answer that.”
“Still, isn’t he a mage of the same unique category as you? Don’t tell me you failed to teach him any decent magic?”
Rockefeller ran a hand down his face.
Decent magic?
He had taught him something.
—A magic that distorts space. It can contract and expand locations when needed. It might sound grand, but it has no offensive power. Unless he utilizes the surrounding terrain, it won’t affect living beings. Just remember that it’s only useful for creating or closing distances.
—There’s a heatwave rising here. Does that mean the space is distorted? Did I succeed?
Not quite at a usable level.
“He shouldn’t even exist. He was supposed to chase after magic like a mirage his whole life, only to realize he lacked talent and end his days in despair. He was never meant to awaken his sense for it…”
Rockefeller’s unfiltered criticism made Bellen’s expression darken.
“So, this means we’re starting with two consecutive losses?”
Yet, not all hope was lost.
“It’s too early to conclude. It may not be impressive, but fortunately, he does have some magic he can use.”
“What kind of magic?”
“A type that amplifies its effect in exchange for self-imposed restrictions. Also, according to him, he’s learned a few spells that might be valuable depending on the caster.”
Rockefeller himself would never use such magic, but Hersel must have had his reasons.
Clinging to that faint hope, Rockefeller scanned the opposing team.
His eyes widened in shock.
‘…That guy?’
The academy actively recruited talented individuals every year.
He had memorized the names of every promising prospect.
Mirror Torel.
Hersel’s opponent was a magician’s worst nightmare—another magician.
* * *
On the way to the center of the arena, Limberton was rubbing the bump on his forehead.
I couldn’t help but scold him out of frustration.
“What were you thinking?”
That guy had grown strong enough to be among the Ten Elites.
Of course, only when wielding a bow.
◆ King of the Reverse World ◆
1. In a world opposite to this one, I am the law.
– Absorbs magic through the mirror.
– The absorbed magic is transferred to the caster.
– If an image in the mirror is attacked, even if the actual body is not struck, the reflected image takes damage five seconds later.
– The mirror decides the damage ruling.
Stealing magic wasn’t a rare ability.
The real problem was the mirror’s judgment system.
To put it simply, it was like a technique used in action movies.
Actors don’t actually get hit.
They only pretend to be struck.
But by adjusting the camera angle, they create the illusion of a realistic attack.
Torel’s blessing turned that illusion into reality.
Even if an attack only grazed or passed nearby, it was almost always considered a direct hit.
A broken ability.
So, what now?
To take down Torel, that mirror had to be dealt with first, which was no easy feat.
Damn it.
Originally, he should have appeared in the fifth match, but of course, things got messy.
“What a shame. I’m actually better at fighting magicians than knights.”
Torel sighed regretfully, and the referee stepped in to separate us.
As we waited for the signal to start, Donatan asked,
‘You’re not preparing any liquid gold techniques?’
‘I wish I could use them, but that wouldn’t be wise.’
‘Why not?’
‘Hetherson was a criminal. A genius, yes, but also the creator of inventory magic. If I reveal the liquid gold he spent his life collecting here, what do you think will happen?’
The only one who knew I inherited the liquid gold was the elderly professor who had been in charge of Hetherson.
He had been close to Hetherson and had only wanted the inventory magic, leaving the inheritance untouched as a secret.
‘Better refrain from using it in public. If the Shadow Sentinels find out, it’ll be a problem.’
If I revealed it here, in a place where the entire nation was watching, who knew what kind of trials I would face?
‘I won’t use the liquid gold or my ability in this fight. I’m going to win under these conditions.’
‘You mean that hardening ability?’
‘Don’t give it such a lame name.’
‘Did I say anything wrong?’
One-second invincibility = Hardening.
Hmm, I had no counterargument.
It had more functions, but that’s how I usually used it.
Regardless, I wasn’t at a complete disadvantage.
I lightly tapped the Felia’s Staff, which I had carefully hidden in my chest.
“Whisper of the Mist”
Attribute Type: Concealment.
A staff crafted by a Grand Mage from an otherworldly tree for his disciple.
Completely hides spell formulas until activation.
Only the owner can perceive their own mana.
Increases spell accuracy by 30%.
Improves mana efficiency by 10%.
Opponents cannot see the spell formation or sense the mana.
It only becomes detectable after activation.
A tool perfect for ambushes.
Then there was the sheath at my waist.
Upon stepping into the arena, the referee only announced names.
Since the equipment served as identification, it wasn’t necessary, and most of the selected talents were already well-known by name.
Here, I would be recognized as a knight, except for the Frost Heart.
By adding psychological warfare, I could become sheer confusion to my opponent.
“Begin!”
As soon as the referee signaled the start, Torel dashed backward.
Keeping distance was the basic strategy for a magician facing a knight.
Of course, Torel was formidable in close combat as well…
But since I had once taken two punches from Roan and remained standing despite his broken fists, caution was inevitable.
When I pointed the sheath at him, Torel spoke.
“A sheath without a hilt—it looks empty. What’s the meaning of that?”
“I just don’t need it.”
“I can understand your confidence.”
Torel lifted his mirror with telekinesis and smirked.
However, the sweat trickling down his forehead showed he was nervous.
Good, I had successfully made him believe I was a knight. Now, it was time to close the distance.
Of course, charging in recklessly would only make me a target for a barrage of spells.
I was about to activate the prepared spell, hidden by Felia’s Staff.
The spell I was about to use belonged to a rare category—Shadow Leap.
Rockefeller had taught me this spell, but unfortunately, it required fulfilling annoying conditions.
[Restriction 1]
The spell activates only after informing the target of my intent and making it clear that I will arrive soon.
“Shall I show you a magic trick?”
“…You? Magic?”
“In just a blink, I’ll be right in front of you.”
Pop!
Before my sentence ended, my surroundings shifted.
The distance between Torel and me was now barely 30 centimeters.
It was the perfect setup for an ambush, yet I could only raise both palms.
Because of the second restriction.
[Restriction 2]
For three seconds, my entire body, except my head, is paralyzed.
Appearing right in front of an enemy while completely frozen was practically a death sentence.
This was why Rockefeller had dismissed it as a garbage spell.
But it all depended on how you used it.
Before Torel could instinctively strike back, I opened my mouth.
“Wait.”
When someone abruptly says ‘wait’ without even showing intent to attack, any normal person would hesitate for a moment.
To top it off, my sheath conveniently fell to the ground.
Dashing at incredible speed only to drop my weapon and then initiate a conversation—
Even I would be momentarily confused.
As expected, Torel swallowed hard and asked,
“W-what is it?”
“Well, you see…”
Three seconds had passed.
I casually bent down and reached for the sheath.
“I dropped this.”
At the same time I straightened my posture, I launched an uppercut strike.
Torel instinctively jumped back to avoid it.
I didn’t even graze him.
His expression twisted in disbelief.
“Are you messing with me?!”
Any skilled magician had good reflexes.
To counter knights in close combat, they trained their bodies rigorously.
A transparent tendril shot out from Torel’s staff like a whip.
Whoosh!
The moment it coiled around someone, even an aura-clad knight would suffer immense physical restrictions.
I twisted my body slightly to dodge it.
With my trained physique, avoiding it wasn’t difficult.
I caught sight of Torel’s sly smirk.
He was confident that his mirror would register the attack as a hit.
But that was an issue for five seconds later.
I just had to break the mirror before the ruling was finalized.
I hurled my sheath at the mirror.
Whoosh!
Torel immediately flicked his staff.
A water bullet shot out and shattered the airborne sheath.
His smirk deepened triumphantly.
“That mirror must be bothering you, huh? Looks like you think it hides some secret.”
He spoke in a tone that suggested he had dealt with opponents like me countless times.
But arrogance was a weakness.
“Torel, haven’t you found it strange?”
“Huh?”
“You dodged my surprise attack, even at this speed.”
The moment Torel saw the staff in my hand, his eyes widened in shock.
The sheath that had been knocked away mid-air abruptly changed trajectory due to telekinesis.
Since it had been concealed, he hadn’t had the slightest chance to notice.
“If I had used aura, this would have been over already.”
As soon as I finished speaking, the mirror shattered with a loud crash, scattering shards in all directions.
***
Torel was speechless.
‘That guy… used magic?’
His shock was brief.
He had wielded a staff.
He had cast magic.
He didn’t know why he was in the Magic Department instead of the Knights’ Division, but the proof was right in front of him.
‘I did think something was off.’
In truth, he had sensed something strange the moment Hersel closed the distance and attacked.
If he had merely wrapped himself in rapid aura, the fight would have already ended.
But he hadn’t done that.
‘The Magic Department isn’t allowed to use aura. Was it because of the rules?’
Torel smirked.
After all, he had already broken the rules himself.
“Referee, isn’t Hersel Ben Tenest disqualified for a foul? He used aura when approaching me.”
When he had approached in an instant, he was certain he had used aura.
However, the referee’s response was hesitant.
“…Hmm, wait a moment. It’s taking time to assess properly.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s difficult to determine whether the leap he made was magic or not.”
Torel was stunned.
He hadn’t sensed any mana.
There had been no spell formula.
Just as he was about to argue—
“That was magic.”
The Grand Mage, Lynderi, appeared and made the call himself.
“There was no spell formation. I saw it clearly without blinking.”
“But that’s only because the spell formation appeared where Hersel had been standing. You simply couldn’t see it from your position. And as for mana, it lingers in that area. You just couldn’t sense it due to the distance.”
Torel fell silent.
He couldn’t comprehend what had happened, but the Grand Mage’s ruling was absolute.
Was this a hint?
Lynderi glanced at Hersel and muttered meaningfully.
“Looks like he learned some rare magic from Rockefeller. And he even possesses a special artifact.”
“That statement is unfairly biased, isn’t it?”
As Hersel shot him a sharp glare, Lynderi cleared his throat.
“Ahem, my apologies. I have a bad habit of thinking out loud.”
“Ugh, those Magic Tower people are all the same—”
“Hmm? What was that?”
“…Nothing.”
The short exchange ended, and Lynderi stepped back.
The referee resumed the match.
Torel took a defensive stance and pondered.
“So, it really was magic? Meaning he can’t use aura.”
That meant his victory was all but secured.
“I never imagined your claim during the observation was actually true.”
“Oh yeah, I did mention it back then. That I was from the Magic Department.”
“Right. And that’s actually good news for me.”
Torel activated manifestation magic.
A mirror floated into the air, causing Hersel’s eyes to widen.
“What? Did you think the mirror you broke was special? Too bad. That was just an ordinary mirror.”
“Damn. Guess I wasted my efforts.”
“If you had attacked me instead of the mirror, things might have been different. But now, it’s too late.”
Although Torel spoke confidently, manifesting a magic mirror required an immense amount of mana.
It wasn’t just an illusionary construct—it had to perfectly recreate the reflective properties of a real mirror.
‘I was planning to use this trick to catch someone off guard in the next match… What a waste.’
Torel began drawing a spell formula.
Now that he knew his opponent was a magician, he was certain Hersel would respond with magic.
‘If you really are a magician, you have to counter with magic.’
A Water Mole spell seeped into the arena floor.
Torel manipulated it with his staff and sent it hurtling toward Hersel.
A sharp-angled strike from the creature’s fluid body.
Hersel swung his staff.
‘The Grand Mage said he has a special artifact. That must be why I couldn’t see his spell formula.’
In that case, he just had to read his opponent’s movements.
Torel carefully tracked Hersel’s staff movements, analyzing his technique.
His gestures were exceptionally precise.
It almost felt like he could see the spell formula itself.
‘Looks like he has some skill. Well, I could tell from the way he used telekinesis to break my mirror. His accuracy was insane.’
As the final part of the spell formation took shape, Torel withdrew the Water Mole.
It was a powerful magic.
A wide-area spell that engulfed everything in flames—
“Volcanic Rain.”
‘I’ll steal it.’
As soon as the spell activated, the previously invisible spell formula became visible.
Torel angled his mirror toward Hersel.
The spell formation and mana were sucked into the mirror.
Hersel blinked in shock.
Torel grinned and shouted loudly.
“I’ll return it!”
But instead of a meteor shower of fire, tiny snowflake-like embers gently drifted down from the sky.
“…Huh?”
To read Chapters ahead 👇
CH 221-225 (The Underdog) $3
CH 226-230 (Who am I?) $3
CH 231-235 (Frostheart Vs Wisdom) $3
CH 236-240 (I want to lose) $3
CH 241-245 (Finals) $3
CH 246-250 (Vs Valient) $3
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