Training Addict Magician in a Growth-Focused Story

Training Addict Magician in a Growth-Focused Story

EP.15 Mana Recovery Honey Candy

Leon headed towards the city center, completely concealing his mana to the level of an ordinary person using the Bracelet of Hidden Magic. The bustling streets of the city center, which he hadn’t walked through in a while, were as lively as ever. Passing by the mage tower where Arpina’s laboratory was located and continuing towards the outskirts, a Gothic-style gray stone building came into view. Unlike the mage tower with its single high spire, this large building had multiple connected spires adorned with intricate decorations, contrasting with the clean exterior of the mage tower. Surrounding the prominent building was a vast estate.

This was Widia Academy.

At the entrance, people who were older than Leon but still had a youthful appearance walked around with books tucked under their arms. There weren’t many of them, suggesting it was likely a holiday. Leon, with a curious expression, looked around as he passed through the main gate and headed towards the large circular arena located on one side of the academy grounds, as Ria had instructed.

Entering the spectator seats, he noticed a scattering of people seated here and there.

‘I thought it would be packed, but I guess not.’

It seemed that since the duel involved personal disciples who had not yet enrolled in the academy, it didn’t attract much attention from the academy students. However, the arena wasn’t entirely empty. In the front row of the spectator seats, individuals who exuded the aura of high-ranking mages were seated in a row.

‘It looks like this duel is more of interest to high-ranking mages than to students.’

It appeared that the duel was between the personal disciples of these high-ranking mages. Among them, Arpina was also seated. Leon took a seat in an empty spot towards the back. Soon, the duel began.

The duel proceeded in a more subdued atmosphere than Leon had expected. Two disciples entered the arena, bowed respectfully to each other, and then began their duel.

Most of the participants appeared noticeably younger than the academy students. Occasionally, there were duels between second-rank disciples, but the majority were first-rank. Ria had mentioned that it typically took mages with average talent 2 to 3 years to progress from the first to the second rank. Here, “average talent” referred to mages with dual or triple attribute constitutions, not single attribute constitutions.

Leon had shortened this period to six months through the power of elixirs and the exceptionally favorable training environment provided by the orb.

‘It’s said that moving from the second to the third rank requires an even longer time…’

Yet, he had managed to do it in just five months.

As Leon watched the duels and assessed his own skills, Ria stepped into the arena. Her opponent was Rowen.

‘Isn’t she supposed to be a second-rank? …Is the gap between them not that significant?’

When Leon faced Forn, he realized that even a single rank difference could be insurmountable. If it weren’t for Arpina’s unique magic, which drastically reduced the time required to cast spells, and the artifacts he had obtained as rewards, he couldn’t have guaranteed victory against Forn, who used ordinary dark magic.

Both Ria and Rowen would have learned unique magic, so that difference wouldn’t be significant. Also, unless they were in a special situation like Leon, they wouldn’t possess many artifacts.

‘Is it purely a matter of talent?’

Leon focused intently on the duel.

Ria was the first to attack.

“Aqua Sentinel!”

True to being Arpina’s disciple, Ria seemed to have learned the same basic magic from Arpina as Leon. Despite having a light attribute constitution, there was nothing as efficient for an apprentice mage’s training as Arpina’s basic magic. A blue slime floated around her. It was a much clearer blue than Leon’s slime.

‘Is it the difference in mana quality? …Or just the difference in attribute talent?’

Given her light attribute constitution, Ria would naturally be weaker with water magic. While Ria chanted her incantation, Rowen also recited a memorized spell first.

“Fireball!”

A fireball similar to the Triple Fireball Leon had used appeared around Rowen. However, Rowen didn’t immediately attack Ria with it. She seemed cautious, likely because of the water magic’s advantageous attribute.

“Blast!”

Ria chanted a follow-up spell to Aqua Sentinel and immediately began casting another spell.

“Light, imbue my hand. Lumen Manus!”

“Flame Barrier.”

Rowen raised her palm, and a wall of fire erupted from the ground. Being a second-rank mage, she could memorize two spells. Rowen quickly followed up with another incantation.

“Let the wall transform into sharp thorns to pierce the enemy!”

The flames that had risen turned into multiple spikes, surging towards Ria. The light-infused hand Ria had summoned collided with Rowen’s fiery thorns.

Boom—

The intense clash forced Ria to step back.

“Oh?”

“Indeed…”

“To withstand that attack… It must be her light attribute talent. Or perhaps her mana quality is high…”

One of the mages watching the duel intently from the front row muttered loudly. Although Ria had retreated with a frown, Rowen’s expression wasn’t good either. It was generally difficult for a first-rank mage to block a second-rank mage’s attack head-on. The fact that she managed to block it would have hurt Rowen’s pride.

Rowen immediately hurled the fireball she had summoned earlier at Ria.

“The spark is the manifestation of will, rise and annihilate.”

“Water Wave!”

Ria countered with a follow-up spell to Aqua Sentinel. Normally, she would have blocked it with the advantage of attributes and talent, but Rowen’s magic was extraordinary. The sparks from the massive fireball transformed into smaller fireballs, all rushing towards Ria. In a hurry, Ria chanted,

“Awaken, mana. Infusion!”

Leon’s eyes widened. The spell Ria hastily cast was the same one Forn had used. It was a spell that suddenly enhanced physical abilities overwhelmingly.

‘Is this also a common spell…?’

With her now enhanced agility, Ria quickly dodged the incoming fireballs through the water streams. By then, Rowen was already chanting another spell. Several more exchanges followed. As the battle gradually tilted, it ended with Rowen’s victory as Ria’s mana ran out first.

Leon analyzed the reason for Rowen’s victory.

‘The advantage of memorized spells.’

With the increased number of spells that could be cast by simply chanting the incantation, Rowen had a slight edge. Otherwise, Ria might have won. The strength of her light attribute magic wasn’t fully evident yet, as she was still an apprentice first-rank mage.

Leon’s analysis seemed accurate, as the high-ranking mages were all praising Ria after the duel, despite Rowen being the victor. As Leon descended to the arena to congratulate her, he saw a crowd gathering around Ria and paused.

‘Rowen is also incredibly talented with her six-attribute constitution…’

Leon glanced at Rowen’s face. As expected, her face had noticeably darkened.

A man who appeared to be her master approached and patted her back. It seemed more like a gesture of consolation than celebration. Rowen’s expression darkened even more, sensing this. Rowen’s master soon approached Arpina and began conversing with her, leaving Rowen alone.

As Leon watched Rowen, she turned her head and their eyes met. She bit her lip hard and quickly turned her head away. Leon glanced at Ria, who was receiving praise from the surrounding mages, and then approached Rowen.

“You won, so why do you look so upset?”

“Do you really not know?”

Rowen snapped, her eyes sharp. Leon shrugged.

“You won, that’s a fact. Is there a need to beat yourself up over it?”

“Can’t you see all those people crowding around her? They all think she’s more amazing than me, so they don’t even look at me.”

“I came to congratulate you, didn’t I?”

“…Do you think I’d be foolish enough to be happy about that? You came to mock me, didn’t you! Or maybe you couldn’t approach her, so you came to me?”

Leon shook his head. He didn’t intend to have a long conversation anyway, so he just said what he wanted to say.

“Your fire magic combos were impressive.”

“What would an ordinary person know…”

“Here, a congratulatory gift.”

Leon interrupted Rowen and extended his palm. On it was a mana recovery honey candy.

“What’s this…”

“A candy that gives you energy when you’re tired.”

“What…”

“Just take it.”

Leon forcibly placed the candy in Rowen’s hand.

“Don’t let others’ reactions sway you and dig yourself into a hole. Eat this and cheer up. That’s all I have to say.”

Without waiting for Rowen’s response, Leon turned away. He figured the reaction would be nothing but more glares. In truth, Leon’s dislike for Rowen was genuine. To be more precise, he was indifferent. He was indifferent enough that he wouldn’t intervene if Rowen were in trouble unless it directly affected him.

However, seeing Rowen hitting a wall and feeling dejected sparked an unexpected sense of pity. It would be an exaggeration to say it reminded him of Park Hyunsoo, who had been stuck at home after losing the use of his legs.

‘Seeing a young kid already feeling defeated touches something instinctual in humans.’

Perhaps it was a modern person’s sensibility. Leon glanced at the mages around Ria, who seemed rather cold-hearted. Then, his eyes met Ria’s.

“Gasp.”

‘…Why am I surprised?’

Leon awkwardly smiled and waved at Ria. Despite noticing Leon, Ria didn’t brighten up as usual. Instead, she quietly looked back and forth between Leon and Rowen.