Olenna regaled on how she became stronger than others at her age. Aside from her talent and high attributes, it appeared Olenna truly possessed keen eyes for magic.
To start with, it was well known that each tier advancement would mean something had changed, not only in the quantity and quality of mana but also in the entire magic system within the mage's body.
Tier advancement was likened to constructing a castle or a town. Initially, at tier 1, there was only a magic core, and it was compared to an empty land with only people. Mana was akin to resources, and so mages gathered these resources to have people build something — a house or a castle, symbolizing a fortified or stronger magic core, thus allowing the mage to reach tier 2.
The subsequent step involved mages creating magic circuits or magic circulation, equivalent to planning the layout of a city or roads. Magic circuits already existed in the body, but they were just a mere blueprint, and it was up to the mage to activate or create them. Once magic circuits were created, it allowed for far more efficient usage of mana when casting a spell, along with its regeneration. After magic circuits were created, mages would then fortify their magic core once more because the bigger the city became, the larger the castle must be, leading to tier 3.
Tier 3 was where the mage had to form links. A link essentially represented posts or towns connected to the main city. The link served to enhance the mage's focus on magic, and there were six links surrounding the magic core. An example of links would be a fire mage, who tends to create a link, which was said to be fire-based, further enhancing their fire magic. However, not everyone could have the six links, so creating more links to connect would be harder than before. After links were created, regardless of their numbers, the mage once again fortified their magic core, thus advancing to tier 4.
Tier 4, the tier where Olenna was, was where the mage attempted to awaken the magic core. It was said that when the magic core matured enough, it could be awakened, allowing the mage to access a greater power. This would also allow the mage to be more attuned to mana and magic. The analogy for this would be a comprehensive upgrade to the main city after many years of care. Finally, the magic core must be fortified once more to progress to tier 5.
Tier 5, after all those upgrades, left many wondering: what's next? It was said that the magic system in the mage's body was comparable to a territory owned by a noble, so what's the next step? Build a kingdom. A substantial amount of mana was required, which was why progressing from tier 5 to tier 6 took a considerable amount of time. After a sufficient amount was fulfilled, then the magic circuits as the roads were to be increased or upgraded. It didn't stop there. More links were created as well and this time 12 links were available. Afterward, another fortified the magic core and then tier 6.
Tier 6 was both simple and challenging. The mages basically had to undergo a comprehensive upgrade to everything and then finally fortify the magic core. From Tier 7 to Tier 8, nobody knew about it, and it wasn't public knowledge. Even Olenna didn't know anything about it, aside from the fact that it would involve another upgrade and fortifying the magic core.
"That was really informative, but how did you progress so quickly to tier 4?" Lucas inquired.
"Well, many things. First, a deep nourishment, then a deep understanding and patience. It is also beneficial to have all 6 links connected because it will make your future progression much easier. It has been proven that the fewer links you have, the less chance you have of reaching higher tiers. Additionally, the number of magic circuits you possess also influences that factor. The fewer magic circuits you have, the more challenging your journey will be."
Lucas nodded at that. The number of links connected depended on the understanding of the mages, but what about the number of magic circuits? It mostly depended on genetics because creating magic circuits that didn't exist from the blueprint was exceptionally hard. Then there was the matter of mana and magic in the attributes because once those attributes reached their peak, they couldn't be increased anymore. This meant there would be no further resources to advance to higher tiers. Even if the mage managed to ascend to a higher tier within their limit, it would barely scratch the level of the said tier.
"I think that's all I would like to ask, Olenna. I have to return to the archives."
"Hmm, aren't you ever bored reading every day? I mean, I understand that we need a lot of knowledge, but continuously reading for what? Six hours or more? That's too much even for me."
"Well, I have to do that if I want to get better," Lucas chuckled. "Then, I'll see you in the afternoon, Olenna."
"Yeah, see you later," she replied back with a smile, seemingly satisfied with their conversation.
With that, Lucas returned to the archive, realizing he had not completed the basic section yet. According to the list, there were more than 1000 reading materials in the basic section, and he had only scratched about 20 percent of them. He really needed to step up his game, or else he wouldn't be able to finish all of this by the time the week ended.
Lucas stopped in front of a bookshelf, reaching out to grab a book he had not read. However, his hand paused as he encountered some peculiar information through his EoO on another book.
He pulled out a book titled "The Biography of the Great Archmage Poldansius". A book written by the tier 7 mage Poldansius detailing his own. Poldansius, a renowned great mage, and his famed artifact was the teleportation gate, widely utilized by every country. However, despite his prowess, his skills as a writer fell short because the biography he wrote about himself was filled with exaggeration and narcissism. Despite many criticisms directed at his biography, he remained indifferent about it and stated people were merely envious of his beautiful book.
Lucas had previously read this book, way before he possessed EoO, and he would admit that he didn't have much recollection of this book. But that was not the point. The crucial aspect was that EoO had provided information he wasn't aware of and probably something that only he knew at this point.
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Type: Book / Magical Book
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Description: The original biography written by Poldansius himself, filled with exaggeration and narcissism. However, beneath the ostentatious narrative lies a secret. It contains the knowledge personally imbued by Poldansius. Only individuals with potent magical sight can discern the uniqueness of this book.>
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"This… is interesting ...," Lucas mumbled as he opened the book and flipped to the first page. As suspected, although he couldn't recall much, the opening of the biography was filled with superfluous words and paragraphs, giving the impression that Poldansius had crafted the book primarily to inflate his ego. However, upon closer examination with EoO, the words and paragraphs changed and rearranged themselves into an entirely new composition.
{"If you're reading this, either you are a bored individual wielding a powerful magic sight of tier 5 on my fabulous book, or you are simply an insane bastard. I mean, who in their right mind would use a powerful magic sight on a book about me, brimming with exaggeration and beauty?"} Lucas scoffed in amusement. Indeed, no one would likely use their magic sight on such a book. Even if they did, nothing peculiar would be apparent until they flipped the page.
{"This book was created to contain my progress and secrets. As a tier 7 mage, like any other mage, I dream of becoming a tier 8 mage. However, the path is not easy, and it can't be achieved with half-assed preparation. By the time I realized this, it was too late. I am old and it is too much sacrifice to start from the beginning. So, in the hope of continuing my legacy, I write this book for the person who reads this book till the end shall inherit my secrets and legacy.
"So, my inheritor, bear witness to my legacy! Uncover my secrets! Reach the realms beyond my reach! Forge a new legend!"}