"You should have kept pressing on. Didn't you know that errors decrease as the number of attempts increases?"
"That also needs bullets! If you followed your strategy, you'd have to walk all the way to the house documents."
"Look! You're right! There's nothing in the world that can be consumed infinitely. The same goes for energy."
"Why are you saying this all of a sudden?"
"Ahahaha!"
Shirone burst into laughter. Everyone who challenges their dreams is. So, success and failure are just secondary matters.
Even if people in the world point out that it's useless or mock him as an idealist who can't support a family, hasn't humanity come this far because someone is doing it in the end?
"It's okay, even if it's not me. I'm... It doesn't matter if I become fertilizer for someone else."
Shirone no longer cared. He was grateful for all the luck that had allowed him to make his dreams come true, and he just needed to keep moving forward.
Eruki asked with curiosity.
"Shirone, why are you laughing like that? Did you eat something strange?"
Shirone shook his head without answering and made a promise over and over again and kept moving forward.
"I'm back, guys."
***
Two days remain before the suspension is lifted.
Neid and Eruki arrived at the fourth training field early in the morning and waited for Shirone.
It was early, but it was summer, so the sun was shining, and the two of them were yawning at the entrance.
"What's up?" Nade said, rubbing his sleepy face.
"Didn't you say you had something to show me?"
"What isn't he suddenly showing? I'm filled with energy just from what he's shown me so far."
"Well. It must be a tattoo of a pepper."
"Puhahahaha!"
Eruki and Neid burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Shirone entered the training field.
"Oh, you were already here. But why is Neid like that?"
"I don't know. I guess it's because he's a pervert."
"Puhahaha! Tattoo! Tattoo there... Fuhahaha!"
A nervous Shirone didn't ask. Probably because the two of them were exchanging silly jokes and laughing.
"Anyway, let's get started. Because I want to show you quickly."
"What are you showing me? Tattoo? Fuhahaha!"
Eruki said as if it were pathetic.
"Stop it. It's not funny anymore. Anyway, why did you call me here? What do you want to show me?"
"Wait. I'll try it right away."
After walking to the center of the training field, Shirone reached out toward the rocky mountain.
"What? Photon output? Did you increase the output?"
Shirone fired a photon cannon. A flash of white light passed quickly in front of Neid and Eruki's eyes.
Bang!
The rock exploded with a muffled roar.
The eyes of Neid and Eruki, which had been dull a moment ago, widened. Their jaws looked like they were going to drop.
The place where the light hit was wide and sunken. The two of them ran and searched for traces without saying who arrived first.
"What is this? Is it magic?"
"It's strange. I'm surprised by the light. I know photons can't merge. Shirone, what did you do?"
Shirone said with a proud expression.
"A new weapon I learned this time. It's not a photon output, it's a photon cannon."
"It's a Photon Cannon. The meaning is plausible. What's the principle?"
"Well... It's a bit long, so to speak."
While Shirone kept his words, Neid quickly ran. And he shook Shirone's shoulder with a completely awake face.
"Tell me quickly! How did you do it? Putting physical force into light, this is absolutely impossible."
Light and electricity are cousins, so Neid was clearly aware of what Shirone had done.
"I'll tell you soon. So... Would you like to go somewhere with me?"
Shirone and the others entered the restaurant in the noble district. While satisfying their hunger with seafood pasta, Shirone talked about how he mastered the Photon Cannon.
The dust whirlwind on the bed, the situation in which the werewolf was thrown off the cliff, and the principles of the Photon Cannon he understood at that time.
Even without mentioning Armin, the Photon Cannon was Shirone's unique idea, so it was easy to explain.
Neid and Eruki listened attentively, not knowing if the pasta was going into their mouths or their noses.
After an hour of explanation, Eruki, who was lost in thought, put down his fork and said:
"I've heard of my father's gauge symmetry. The essence is this. Are you saying there's a separate particle that carries mass? And you can handle that particle?"
Shirone realized again how great a person Eruki's father was. Teaching his son about gauge symmetry and nothing else. As the head of the Dragon, he seemed to be aware of all the cutting-edge theories established throughout the mage society.
Neid said.
"In short, the result of the immortal function is mass. You mastered the Photon Cannon and lost your sense of portrayal."
"Huh. Plus, I don't even have nightmares."
Eruki and Neid were lost in thought. A particle that transfers mass to matter. Shirone's realization was a major discovery.
Especially the Photon Cannon was Shirone's unique magic. Because no one is omnipotent. If you're not a person who has directly experienced the infinite realm, it's not possible to simply cast it by mastering omniscience.
"Incredible, Shirone. This may be even bigger than we imagine. If you patent it, it's a discovery that would allow you to sit on the money cushion immediately."
Numerous inventions that could be made with Shirone's theory were already appearing in Neid's mind.
"So I want to ask you something, can you go to the library with me?"
"Huh? The library?"
"The school library is under disciplinary action, so entry is prohibited. So I'm going to the aristocratic library. To research a bit more about the Photon Cannon. But since I can't enter, I want you guys to take me."
"No problem. It'll help us too. But why can't you go alone?"
Commoners cannot enter the aristocratic library. If the suspension is lifted, you can use the academy library, but I realized something after going to the logging and burning village. Denying one's identity doesn't change anything. At least I wanted to be honest with my friends.
"Actually, I'm not a noble."
Neid, who was chewing pasta, opened his mouth in blank amazement. Eruki was also looking at Shirone as if in shock.
"I'm a commoner. I was abandoned in a stable when I was young, and now my parents raised me. My father is a common mountaineer."
Though he jumped into the world of magic late, I couldn't imagine that he was a commoner. In particular, the fact that he was abandoned by his biological parents didn't fit at all with Shirone's outstanding appearance.
"I'm sorry. I haven't told you until now. I'll accept any criticism. But I didn't want to lie to you anymore."
Neid and Eruki looked at each
other. Through their eyes, they felt the same feelings for each other.
Eruki turned to Shirone and spoke first.
"It's a shocking fact. But to be honest, I don't feel anything special. Anyway, you're Shirone."
"Me too. I feel the same way. I wouldn't have known if you hadn't told me, but now that I've heard those words, nothing will change. The moments we've shared together won't disappear."
I thought my friends wouldn't understand, but it was just a personal expectation. When it was acknowledged by them, Shirone felt moved in his heart.
Eruki lowered his head and laughed.
"So it was something special. The reason you learned magic late was because you weren't a noble. Well, talent isn't something you're born with, considering where you come from. It's really cool."
"Thank you. For saying that."
Neid waved his hand at Shirone's excited appearance.
"Hey. It can't be that serious. I think I'm luckier to be your friend without prejudice. If I had known in advance, I wouldn't have even dreamed of the research presentation a few days ago."
Eruki gave up on his thoughts and stood up from the table. If he stayed here any longer, the atmosphere would only worsen.
"Alright, let's go to the library. It was boring to play, but it worked. Let's burn with a passion for learning properly!"
Shirone and Neid got up and shouted.
"Alright!"
"Yes!"
***
Bashka, the capital of the Kingdom of Toramia.
There was a dungeon 70 meters underground that was completed 100 years ago in the underground mountain range that surrounded the capital. Called the Labyrinth of Darkness, this place was once the hideout of the great mage Vilthor Arcane, who ruled the world.
Arcane, an authority in dark magic, fought with various nations until he suddenly disappeared 40 years ago due to an incident.
At that time, Arcane's mage level was an unofficial level 3.
Once you reach level 3 or higher, you are granted the title of Archmage, whether it's public or unofficial.
The mage level is determined by achievements and reputation, and the Mage Association manages it with a special scoring method.
The number of points required to advance from level 10 to level 9 is 1,000 points, including achievements and fame. And the number of points needed to go from level 4 to level 3 was 280 million points.
In other words, mages of the third level were those who had accumulated achievements and reputations that ordinary people couldn't imagine.
Comparing the 500 points for the achievement set for clearing the demon cave with a grade A risk level and the 100 points for the reputation set for meeting the king by invitation from the royal castle, one could guess how much Arcane was revolutionizing the world.
Arcane rose to the position of an unofficial third-level mage 40 years ago, at the age of 89. Looking at the score at that time, the part about his achievements was 100 million points, and the part about his fame was 180 million points.
The reason his reputation was higher than his achievements is because he was a troublemaker who turned the continent upside down.
Prohibited experiments were basic, and the downfall of the era when the national foundation wavered due to accidents like the production of anarchists in association with dark organizations.
People over the age of 70 would shudder just at the mention of Arcane's name, so it was clear how high his notoriety was, not to mention the 280 million points.
"Ugh, ugh!"
Arcane opened his eyes in a glass tube filled with green liquid. He was not wearing a single piece of clothing, and his skin was stretched like that of a 149-year-old body.
'Finally... It's done, the essence of darkness.'
It was the dark power he had accumulated over 40 years. Arcane intended to absorb it and recreate his former glory.
The reason humans die as they age is because cells reach the limit of self-replication. However, Arcane was suppressing cell division through a bio-maintenance device.
Arcane looked around and saw the crystal on the desk. At first, it was something as bright as a diamond, but now it had turned black. It was thanks to the accumulation of dark power in the crystal with daily magic injection.
'Alpeas, wait! I will definitely repay this debt!'
After being mortally wounded by Alpheus in his early twenties, Arcane's magical power rapidly diminished.
However, he survived with only one thought of revenge, and finally, today, he would regain his former power and become a great mage once more.
As the green liquid from the life support system flowed down the drain, Arcane's back bent as the water level dropped. It was a senile body that could be placed in a coffin immediately.
When the front part of the crystal ball was cut, Arcane gasped and crawled out.
"Kanis! Arin! Are you here?"
A boy and a girl who looked young opened the door and entered. The atmosphere was somewhat gloomy, probably because they had learned dark magic.
"Did you call us, Master?"
"Clothes. Give me my clothes."