Chapter 84: The Secret of the Red Flame (2)

Owl-Bear was just the beginning. After them, Gnoll (the Corpse Squad) followed persistently. Unlike Owl-bear, Gnoll was a D-class monster, but they caught the scent of his blood and formed a group of hundreds. They chased him in a swarm, and Kang Min-hyuk was forced to deal with them relentlessly. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Hyah!

Slice!

Hack!

Whenever Kang Min-hyuk’s sword flashed, a Gnoll’s head flew away, until the number of fatalities was innumerable. Only after he’d slaughtered the hundreds of monsters tailing him could Kang Min-hyuk find room to catch his breath.

“Hoowuk, hoowuk”

His first move was to secure a safe place. He rubbed soil all over his body to mask his scent and took a break to compose himself. Klinssman had mentioned that the portal wouldn’t reopen for another six hours, so he had to distribute his energy wisely.

“Klinssman’s mana had increased…”

It wasn’t as noticeable when dealing with Owl-bear, but Kang Min-hyuk’s intuition could sense the ascension. Fortunately, he had kept Klinssman’s diary with him. He opened the page and checked the second half contents, which he hadn’t read earlier.

[If you cross the barrier for me, your intuition will tell you that monsters form nutrients that nourish my body. That’s the effect of ancient magic. In exchange for killing monsters, life is gained. This gave me the foundation to get stronger quickly. However, the more life I take from monsters, the more feral I become…but the only thing that matters to me is strength. Getting stronger and stronger, and killing monsters is the reason I live.]

Ancient magic…it didn’t make sense, but Kang Min-hyuk had to accept it. He was presented with an unknown world and had no choice but to believe in Klinssman’s path.

“Is it the resentment of losing your family that made you this way?”

He didn’t know Klinssman’s true identity. What was clear, though, was that he was paying a high price for his improvement. He had taken Kang Min-hyuk into his body, violating the laws of causality. This time, he chose to gain strength through ancient magic. His body always bore the brunt of his challenges, as if his own well-being was insignificant. He never took any protective measures. His journey beyond the barrier was no exception.

Upon gaining the power of guardian swordsmanship, Klinssman made a bold choice to risk his life for strength. Kang Min-hyuk was strong, too, so he could defend himself against the monsters, but Klinssman’s time there would never have been smooth – a fact proven by his wounds. Nevertheless, Kang Min-hyuk endured time beyond the wall. Klinssman’s body, which became so much stronger within a month, resulted from such trials.

“You’re living a hideous life, Klinssman.”

In a world of billions of people, Klinssman was just one human being, struggling alone. Nobody knew what he was doing, but he’d decided to dedicate his entire life to the destruction of monsters. Kang Min-hyuk felt sorry for him. If only he could abandon his pain, people were sure to support him, just by the revelation of his magical knowledge. Still, it was Klinssman’s choice, and Kang Min-hyuk respected it. Besides, it would help both of them get closer to their goal.

Kang Min-hyuk picked up his sword. The remaining time was about four hours – at that point, the portal would reappear, and he’d have a route back to the hostel.

“I can’t waste that time…”

It was brief, and the growth opportunities were plentiful. If Kang Min-hyuk could help Klinssman progress, he would be safer when he returned.

The night was deep; darkness swallowed him up, and a very long and arduous four hours ensued.

* * *

Hwaak-!

His head was spinning. Opening his eyes, Kang Min-hyuk saw his dorm. His breath gushed out in heaving bursts. He’d spent a lot of time recently between the boundary of life and death. Ultimately though, he lived. The white light came and summoned Kang Min-hyuk back to the safety of Klinssman’s shabby room. He went through to the communal shower room and washed the blood from his body.

“Ugh…”

Pain shot through his body. Because of the countless monsters he’d faced, he’d also gained a deep wound. However, the ability to absorb life force gave him room to fight in a situation where he would have otherwise fallen.

He looked in the mirror, and Klinssman’s face stared back. The image was that of a fourteen-year-old, but his mind, body, and spirit were closer to somebody in their twenties. The rate of growth was colossal – was it due to the vitality of ancient magic? It seemed as though that could cause a rapid aging process. Until Klinssman explained, there would be no way of knowing. He was an enigma.

At the end of his shower, fatigue awaited Kang Min-hyuk. However, he chose not to take a break and instead opened up the diary again. It was his turn for growth, now.

[Top 5 Circle Magic]

[Top 6 Circle Magic]

[Top 7 Circle Magic]

Usually, when Kang Min-hyuk formed a circle, he had to unearth most of the corresponding magic himself. This time the situation was different. Even for the top seven circle magic, hundreds of spells were recorded densely in the book.

“Whoah…you know all of this?.”

Kang Min-hyuk didn’t know if the spells recorded were the lower-level of circle seven, but the top was a treasure among treasures. Circle eight was undiscovered as of yet, so the seventh circle’s heights was the most powerful magic known to humanity. Klinssman had recorded that as though it was as straightforward as a recipe for a sponge cake. If anybody but Kang Min-hyuk had seen the book, it would be seen as a practical joke or a madman’s ramblings.

There was a lot to do.

Even with improved brainpower, to master it all would be time-consuming. Kang Min-hyuk confirmed the last of his fourth-circle knowledge.

[Spirit Magic]

“…Spirit magic?”

It was an unexpected word. In Kang Min-hyuk’s world, the spirit was a monster that threatened civilization…it was confusing. Klinssman’s explanation of the brand of magic was on the next page.

But now Klinssman was using the word spirit magic.

As Kang Min-hyuk turned the page, Klinssman’s explanation of the spirit magic appeared.

[Spirit magic is potent; it enhances the power of elemental magic. For example, a wizard named Poseidon figured out how to strengthen water magic by forming a circle of water properties and increased water control through a spirit contract. The ability to command and transform water into magic is the basis of spirit magic.]

Poseidon’s secret was exactly what Kang Min-hyuk was curious about. As though he knew it, Klinssman was leading him toward the answer. It was a form of spirit magic. Kang Min-hyuk waited patiently for the light of day to enter the dim dorm.

* * *

The day dawned, and bright sunlight filled the gray room. Kang Min-hyuk headed straight to the academy library and opened a book on spirit magic.

[The spirit is a mystery being. Shortly after the monster appeared in the world, some wizards insisted on the existence of a ‘spirit world’ – a new realm revealed through a dimensional rift. However, one cannot approach it in the usual way, and the spirits were extremely hostile to humans – therefore, when they appeared in the human world, they often attacked people. Some say there is a way to utilize the powers of the spirits, and there have been cases where it shows results, but that was 1000 years ago. There are no spirits in our world anymore.]

In Kang Min-hyuk’s world, the spirits appeared as a monster. Still, they became extinct in Klinssman’s world, which meant that Poseidon successfully signed a contract with a spirit known to be extinct…and that was why people don’t know how he formed a circle of water properties and how he increased the power of water. That was why research did not reach the spirit’s realm.

The hypothesis that a contract was signed with a spirit known to have been extinct did not make sense until now, 1,000 years after extinction. Klinssman wasn’t showing him how to defeat the spirits and locate and generate a contract with them.

[Among the various methods of using spirits, Poseidon uses the mysterious magic of a wall wave. Spirit magic comes down as a one-person tradition, and all that I can offer is how to form a contract with the spirits. I believe this alone will give you meaningful results.]

Klinssman hadn’t told Min-hyuk the right answer but had left him with the possibility of incompletion. He could find how to sign a contract with the spirit, but now how to use the power. He read numerous books on the topic – everything he could find about Poseidon, but nothing exceeded the knowledge that had been stuck for 1000 years. Kang Min-hyuk left his seat.

Science had never been all about books. If he couldn’t find an answer, he would try a different way.

He found the person he was looking for. Her reaction to his approach was sensitive.

“What? You pretend not to know me for a month, and now you want to talk?!”

Elisha’s face contorted.

Last month, Elisha had expressed an interest in Kang Min-hyuk – an intellectual curiosity. However, Klinssman hadn’t maintained communication, so Elisha’s interest dwindled. It was an understandable reaction.

“Miss…may I propose another deal?”

“A deal? Whatever you offer, I won’t accept it. Why don’t you just quit now?”

“The magic of prominence descends as a one-man tradition. Break the rules and share them with me.”

“What?! Are you insane? No way.”

Elisha’s expression turned harsh.

Just as Elisha’s circle formation method was used to form a number-oriented circle, Elisha’s knowledge could be the key to the wall wave’s secrets. Both prominence and wall-wave were spells derived from spirit magic. So, Kang Min-hyuk made an offer that she could not refuse.

“In return, I’ll show you how to sign a contract with the spirit.”

Prominence and Byeokpa were different processes. Byeokpa succeeded in finding the water spirit and signing a contract, but the dominance lost its source of power.

“What..?”

There was a ripple in Elisha’s eyes.