The twisted black cube hadn't changed much, still rotating slowly but steadily.
The model at its center, however, became increasingly clearer and more stable under the cascade of blood.
Reg quickly gathered his mental energy, trying to pull it into his consciousness, but after a few flickers, it once again showed signs of instability.
"This still isn't enough!"
He couldn't afford to hesitate. Letting go of his rationality, he freed his inner madness, no longer suppressing it, and immediately drove his hand deeper into his flesh.
Energy particles, like a small knife, pierced in. The goal wasn't to create a larger wound but to "stir" within the injury, stimulating the sensory nerves.
The pain was instantly amplified, surging from his hand to his brain.
"Pain, pain, pain!"
The pain signals erupted in his mind like fireworks, immediately triggering a mental storm, and his heart seemed to constrict with the surge.
The flow of blood from the wound didn't change much; it even reduced as the wound contracted, but the concentration of energy particles surged dramatically.
The blood, now enriched with energy particles, poured onto the black cube, causing the magical afterimages to become increasingly clearer.
Between the seven two-dimensional structures, aside from the invisible hinges designed in advance, it seemed that some connections had spontaneously formed that Reg couldn't identify.
The entire three-dimensional structure became more compact, resonating with his consciousness even stronger.
Even without direct contact, he could vaguely feel an instinctive pull.
Instinctively, Reg began to weave the magical model, and under the enhanced resonance, the Heart of the Red Moon seemed to draw a far greater number of energy particles to wash over his heart.
"Has it finally succeeded...?"
He muttered softly, his face pale from the pain, yet this couldn't hide the joy in his heart.
The changes brought by this attempt were edging closer to the legendary magical afterimage, which excited him greatly.
Both the blood lost and the pain endured had not been in vain…
Of course, having it in his hands and digesting it properly would truly make it his!
His eyes sharpened, and he took a deep breath. His mind slowly sank as he began to guide the "magical afterimage" to imprint into his consciousness.
This time, the magical afterimage, after flickering a few times, stabilized and, with just a slight "pull," disappeared from his view.
"Pop~," a faint sound of breakthrough echoed in his mind.
Reg immediately focused his attention, and the magical afterimage had appeared within his consciousness!
Just as he was about to make a move, the resonance between the afterimage and his mind suddenly intensified, and in the blink of an eye, it merged seamlessly with the magical model.
In that instant, Reg seemed to see the red moon overhead.
The red moon was generously casting its light across the world, and he stood bathed in its glow.
Energy particles, like a warm current, cascaded down from above, warming his entire body and soothing his heartbeat, making his mind increasingly stable and peaceful.
With each breath, the flow of energy particles was more powerful yet gentler than before.
At the same time, inexplicable knowledge flowed through his mind, guiding his mental energy to actively adjust and modify the original magical model.
Even when he occasionally made mistakes, the afterimage, overlapping with the model, would provide instant feedback, allowing him to quickly correct it.
Such a state—casting magic while simultaneously adjusting the model—was unimaginable in everyday life.
A wizard apprentice's energy is limited, and even managing to weave a single ring of magic is a considerable achievement.
To modify the magic in real time while casting? That would be a wild dream—after all, he was still just an apprentice!
Yet the reality was, he had done it effortlessly.
Since the afterimage began to overlap with the model, it subtly changed, actively guiding his hidden mental energy to complete the casting of the Heart of the Red Moon.
It was this automatic operation of the magic that allowed him to divert his attention to adjusting the imperfect Heart of the Red Moon, achieving something that others could never do!
...
As the red moon faded, the first light of dawn appeared, and Reg slowly opened his eyes.
If someone had been observing him, they would have noticed the fleeting red gleam in his eyes and the faint glow emanating from his body, as if he were cloaked in a shimmering aura.
Strange and mysterious!
As he opened his eyes, the unusual features gradually receded, and he returned to his normal scholarly appearance.
What he saw with his eyes hadn't changed much, but there was a subtle difference, something Reg couldn't quite describe—perhaps it was a shift in his mentality.
There was no doubt that he was pleased with the effect the "magical afterimage" had, but if he were to be honest—
Had the Heart of the Red Moon's magical model truly been imprinted in his consciousness?
Unfortunately, the answer was "not yet."
Even though he had tried every method, even strengthening the energy output with the "Trick of Painful Touch," the magical afterimage, after stabilizing for a time, still collapsed irreversibly.
Thus, by the late hours, he had no longer had the assistance of the magical afterimage.
However, the benefits it brought were already very apparent, nearly equal to months of painstaking study, leaving him reminiscing until the early morning, unwilling to part with it until the red moon disappeared.
He withdrew his mind, touching the black triangular "tattoo" on the back of his hand, feeling a calm and peaceful joy in his heart.
Though he hadn't achieved his long-desired "imprint," the mysterious effect of the black triangle allowed him to steadily progress toward his goal.
This sense of a bright future, of taking steady steps toward his ideal, made him both joyful and reassured.
"One failure doesn't matter. If one attempt doesn't work, I'll try again. If two attempts fail, I'll try ten!"
"It's just a bit of blood, not like I can't handle it! And... who says I always have to use blood?"
This attempt was itself an experiment.
Through it, he had further confirmed the energy particle-absorbing properties of the black triangle, and now that he understood this pattern, he could try more methods.
Forget about it—higher magical ink, paper, even boosting the output of flame gloves…
"I was a little reluctant before, but now... it's different!"
Reg sighed, reluctantly pulling his gaze away from the back of his hand.
"Time to head back to the academy. Don't waste time on the road if I can help it..."
Though he could afford to be patient and not use the black triangle immediately, the desire to become a one-ring wizard still made him feel a sense of urgency.
These methods, which he had imagined, would largely depend on magical materials, which were hard to find in the outside world, and it could take ten days or even a month to find them, but—
The wizard academy was different from the outside. As long as one could pay the price, getting magical materials would be much easier!
Reg had already planned to return, and now, with a goal in mind, he looked forward to it even more…