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While hunting, Kang Min-hyuk felt like Kim Seong-ho was drawing a certain line. Between warrior and wizard, there was a certain courtesy, but neither had expected to become friends.

“It’s not a bad party…”

A class D party…their skills must have been good to have reached that level in just a few years, and their teamwork was excellent. Above all, their personalities worked well together. Despite their initial reservations, even Lim Yun-ho and Jung Min-Cheol were polite when Kan Min-hyuk joined. Kim Seong-ho served as a mediator, considering Kang Min-hyuk as much as possible.

Min-hyuk liked it.

In a harsh world dominated by force, it was hard to find a party like Kim Seong-ho’s. However, their skills were poor compared to what he saw in Suhomun…

Suhomum was where Kang Min-hyuk grew up, and it was said that Jeong Pan-soo, who is younger than Kim Seong-ho, defeated A-class monsters. That was great but relatively common in Suhomum, so the skills of Seong-ho and his companions were not high enough to bring admiration.

They didn’t even reach the toes of the current successor.

“Sorry…I don’t think I can join the party.”

“…ah.” Kim Seong-ho’s expression was regretful.

When Min-hyuk saw the gloomy faces of the younger brothers, he added an explanation: “It’s not a situation where I could hunt often. I’m so busy with personal business, and I keep irregular timing. I could join occasionally; can I take your contact details and call you when I’m available?”

“Yes!”

Kim Seong-ho’s face brightened, “That would be great.”

Kang Min-hyuk knew that their skills didn’t meet expectations, but he liked the party and needed to attend hunts regularly. He couldn’t get a new one every time, and the difference of skill between himself and the guardian gate wouldn’t have helped his training. The three brothers were at a level where they could grow at a similar pace to Min-hyuk, and their hunts appeared to be at an appropriate level to challenge him. They seemed to understand each other.

After they’d exchanged contact information, Seong-ho looked pensively at the wizard.

“Klinssman…”

“Yes?”

“I sensed it during the hunt…you’re of a higher order and destined for greatness. We, too, have a reason to be strong. Next time we meet, you will see our true power. I hope you don’t forget us.”

They shared a knowing gaze. Perhaps they also have special circumstances.

Kang Min-hyuk smiled, “I’m looking forward to it.

* * *

Kang Min-hyuk learned a lot from hunting as a party. First of all: the possibilities of magic are endless. He gained faith in magic that he didn’t have before. He used the 2nd circle Fireball magic over ten times against seventy goblins. Although they’re the lowest-ranking monsters, to take over fifty of them out in one blow was an incredible feat. When he reached the 3rd circle, the explosive power will be even stronger.

At that point, he could play the role of Ildangbaek alone. No matter the strength of a reinforced warrior, they can’t be superior to a wizard when the enemies are many.

“My magic is limitless…” Kang Min-hyuk whispered to himself. Wizards had lost credibility over the ages. Those of circle three or higher were still valued; their firepower was still utilized in lower-class battles, but they were useless when dealing with A-class monsters. No matter how many enemies a Fireball can hit, it’s pointless if the damage is minimal. So, wizards were rejected, and swordsmen created a technique named ‘Aura Wave’ – this was used in place of magic.

Klinssman’s world was different. It had 6th circle magic, yet to be invented in Min-hyuk’s world, but there was also magic beyond that. If Kang Min-hyuk could bring through magic so powerful that it could take on A-class monsters, then a new world will open to wizards.

A hopeful thought. The future opened up to him, but at the same time, he was reminded of how far he had to go.

“I’m still too weak…”

Stronger than similarly graded wizards, yes, but what if he compared himself to the people of Suhomun? They’d have slaughtered the seventy goblins with strength alone. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

People develop according to their environment. To grow, you have to look above, not below yourself…he was ready to test his limits. He wanted to get stronger quickly, and that meant acquiring Klinssman’s knowledge. There could be no delay.

Fortunately, Kang Min-hyuk had a shortcut to help him achieve his goal.

“The Mana Room…”

He returned home right away. Upon his arrival, Kang Min-hyuk set the Mana room’s output to step two instead of step one. The pressure of the Mana Room was a catalyst for growing the circle. If he was to grow as quickly as he wanted to, he had to take some risks.

“Like I did at Suho Gate…”

In Suhomun, Kang Min-hyuk was called the Dok-jong. He easily solved all problems and was a force to be reckoned with among the poisonous species who devoted all the daily routines to training. Kang Min-hyuk, who lost himself for a while as he enrolled in the Department of Magic, found a little of his original form.

He began to raise his mana. The moment the mana flowed through the magic circle and touched the mana stone, the space turned blue and strong pressure hit Kang Min-hyuk.

“Wow…”

Training in the level 2 Mana Room would pose a risk to his life.

* * *

His head felt tight…he wanted to spit out the vile energy that pushed through his esophagus – the pressure caused by mana was intense.

‘No… I have to be patient.’

He suppressed the overwhelming energy. The training had already begun. If he lost his center before the mana subsides, he could fall into a coin mouth. He clenched his teeth.

In the first stage, mana was poured quietly according to the passage of the guardian gate. However, the second stage changed like a rough wave; it wasn’t smooth like the first—powerful shocks coursed through all of his blood vessels.

The mana of his body, the mana of the stone, and nature’s mana was all up and down…Kang Min-hyuk’s body experienced all of it.

“Thump! Thump!”

His body trembled. Blood dripped from his nose, but he kept his focus on the mana.

It was very different from the Guardian Gate. There, he experienced severe training. There were times when he lived outside in Umdongseolhan, where, because of strengthening his body, he was drowning in coin mouths. At that time, Kang Min-hyuk endured with an indomitable will. Mana is a supernatural power. With the will to sustain, Kang Min-hyuk eventually achieved his purpose in every crisis.

He showed the same endurance in the Mana Room. Even at the young age of eight, he experienced hard training, and he did not succumb.

“Crrrack!” The tooth was broken.

The circle was opened, and the surrounding mana was quickly sucked up. As it was repeated, thousands and tens of thousands of times, mana, which was like a rage, gradually regained stability.

“Finally,…” a great sigh fell through Min-hyuk’s lips. He succeeded.

His body, which trembled in shock, eventually stabilized. The mana of the second stage was unstable, but it began to follow Kang Min-hyuk’s will. He did not miss such an opportunity. Mana was used to remove impurities accumulated in blood vessels, and high-purity mana was filtered into the circle. Although he was dizzy from the high oxygen levels, Kang Min-hyuk’s mental power did not lose its center in any situation.

How much time had passed?

As the mana stone lost its light, the mana power that pressed Kang Min-hyuk disappeared.

“Hoowook, hoowook.”

It was finished…Kang Min-hyuk dropped his head and exhaled a full breath from the bottom of his lungs. His head had been drenched with cold sweat for a long time, but the strength emanating from the circle was as bright as his face became.

“I did it…”

He’d attained a 2nd step output. He believed that Klinssman’s world could harness about four steps. Kang Min-hyuk succeeded in reaching a level beyond the recommended to students who had been training for many years. He could already see that the second stage was completely different from the first. The circle became harder, and the amount of mana it could hold increased greatly.

He laughed, elated, and lay on the ground, gazing up at the gray ceiling.

“Klinssman…why did you choose me?”

An archmage such as John Wesley would have surely been a better choice…he’d already reached the sixth circle; with Klinssman’s knowledge, he would’ve formed a force that already contained a textured background in the British Magic Association. In contrast, Kang Min-hyuk had started from the bottom. There was still a long way to reach great power; it was hard to understand Klinssman’s choice.

“I don’t know why you chose me, but I don’t want to miss out on this opportunity. Now, I have strength. There’s no reason not to risk my life for this!”

He laughed merrily.

From that day on, he honestly believed that he could grow to be whatever he wanted to be. He began to train in two stages every day. The intensity of the output was difficult to adapt to, but he didn’t give up. After fifteen days of rigorous effort, he passed the climax of life and death and formed a third circle in his heart. After mere months of entering magic…he had revolutionized the academic wizarding world.