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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 7
It had been a week since I acquired this new body.
During that time, I’d been collecting the materials necessary to practice necromancy.
After that, I began training in magic using the methods I already knew.
But I soon hit a wall.
Because the core problem still hadn’t been resolved.
‘I can’t form a mana ring.’
In my past life, I received a mana ring from the Demon Lord, Illinas.
All the magic I had learned—including necromancy and dark magic—was based on that mana ring.
But my master had once warned me very clearly.
- You can erase the mark left on your soul, but you can never remove a ring forged by a Demon Lord.
That’s why I turned down Dicreia’s offer to create a mana ring for me.
Honestly, I was feeling optimistic—at least until I confirmed that I could use immensely powerful basic magic after obtaining this new body.
I thought that, naturally, forming the first mana ring in my heart would be easy.
Besides, the magical knowledge I acquired in my previous life was anything but small.
I had even snuck into the Royal Palace’s restricted archives and smuggled out hundreds of grimoires.
My master had urged me to study them as quickly as possible, and because of that, their secrets remain vividly imprinted in my memory to this day.
And yet… It wasn't easy.
The method I remembered for creating the first mana ring was simple in theory—Sit still, feel the mana around me, and repeatedly condense it into the heart.
This natural cave had a significantly higher mana density than most places, so I thought I could form a ring quickly.
That’s what all those countless magical texts had said, too.
But now, even after a full week, there hasn't been a single change in my heart.
‘Why?’
I tried thinking it through, but couldn’t find the answer.
That’s when I spotted a leather bag tucked into the corner of my desk.
The one containing Equinox.
The idea of asking it for help briefly crossed my mind, but I immediately pushed it away.
‘No. Not yet.’
The power struggle between us wasn’t over. If I caved first, it’d only get harder to control it later.
Like taming a wild horse—I had to wait until it completely exhausted its strength.
Only once it truly submitted to me, only once I could wield it exactly how I wanted, would it be of real use.
In the end, I found myself back at square one, staring at Nocturne, the staff I’d propped up beside me.
By now, it was moving around quite freely. It could stand on its own, and sometimes even took strolls by itself.
Of course, it needed my permission to do so—but still, seeing it return alone in the middle of the night, glowing faint red as it descended the mountain path, could be… unnerving.
‘Still, he said he’d been very lonely all that time.’
The staff had never been lucky.
It had never spoken to any of its previous masters. And because of that, it had never been able to unleash its power.
After all, Sentient Artifacts are bound by restrictions—they can’t act on their own unless permitted by their master.
That loneliness of 168 years without a single conversation—I had to do something to ease it.
My master once told me something about that, too…
- When an object carries a soul, you must be mindful of its heart. If it's left to fester in loneliness for too long, darkness takes root. And when that happens, it loses its reason. Once it’s consumed by that darkness, it becomes a demonic beast—one that brings chaos to the world. Never forget this.
That’s why Nocturne is dangerous. Just a little further down this path, and who knows what it could become.
'It might be one of the legendary Sentient Artifacts I know of.'
There are a few demonic beasts I recall from my past life—creatures that once plunged the world into ruin.
But that doesn’t matter now.
It’s already left Lyernoff’s hands and come to me.
I intend to use this one properly.
I looked at the crimson gem embedded in Nocturne standing beside me and asked.
[Do you know how to create the first mana ring?]
- Yes, I do.
[Then tell me. Use the most plausible and reliable explanation.]
Nocturne paused for a moment, seemingly gathering its thoughts, and then began to speak in a low voice.
- I retain knowledge of quite a few magical texts. Among them, the most credible is the General Theory of Magic, authored by the Great Archmage Edmon.
Edmon...
A familiar name.
He was the most ancient and powerful mage in the continent’s 4,000-year history—a living legend.
But I never knew he wrote a book.
[Can this information be trusted?]
- Yes. I was created by Godrian, Edmon’s 210th disciple. I can’t say for sure if the book was the original, but Godrian taught me from General Theory of Magic, and I remember its contents clearly.
That was enough to earn my trust. I nodded, and Nocturne began to recite.
- Mana exists everywhere. To form a mana ring in the heart, one must first be chosen by mana. That is, mana must voluntarily settle in the heart and be granted the opportunity to form a ring.
- Some are born with mana rings from birth, but the majority are not. Those without must create their own through consistent training.
- The most critical part of this process is the continuous accumulation of high-purity mana in the heart.
- The process is grueling. Pure mana is rare to find, even harder to condense—and harder still to root into the heart.
As I listened up to this point, I realized what the current problem was.
'The nature of the mana distributed in this place is the issue.'
There’s a vast amount of mana here, but its properties are wildly mixed and unstable.
Edmon was pointing out this exact flaw.
After organizing my thoughts for a moment, I asked Nocturne.
[Then how do I create high-purity mana?]
- You must go through a purification process.
When the term “purification process” came up, something came to mind.
A mana purification device.
I once learned how to make one from Master Balthazar.
Back then, I had access to magic and plenty of tools, so it was relatively easy to build.
'I don’t have any of that now…'
Still, I could make it.
I’d just use basic magic instead of full-scale magic—and I already had all the materials I needed.
I got up and walked toward the campfire near the desk.
From the pile of pre-chopped firewood, I chose a log of jadewood and placed it on the fire.
Jadewood burns hot and long due to its high density.
With basic magic, I could generate enough heat to melt the glass-like substances mixed in with the sand.
‘Ignite.’
The activation word left my lips, and the response was immediate.
The dying embers flared up, catching the jadewood log in an instant.
I slowly fanned the flame, then grabbed the fine sand powder placed beside it.
Using a sieve, I separated out the glassy particles from the rest.
With those, I would melt and mold a glass container into the shape I needed.
Fwoosh—
A sudden surge of flame roared up again, and it began heating the plaster bowl placed on top.
About thirty minutes passed. The plaster had turned a glowing red, and the glass particles inside started to melt.
Beads of sweat formed on my skin from the heat.
I tried to block the heat with a barrier of wind—but realized basic magic wasn’t enough for that.
I could summon a breeze, sure—but forming a full wind barrier was beyond its limits.
'Well, I’ll just have to tough it out.'
A wind barrier would’ve made the task easier, but it wasn’t essential.
What mattered now wasn’t comfort—it was getting results.
While the glass melted, I went back to the desk and started mixing plaster to shape it.
I molded it into a long tube.
I used basic magic again to summon a breeze, drying the plaster completely, before continuing the process with the plants hanging on the wall.
The surface of these plants is covered in microscopic pores, and they’re incredibly tough.
That makes them perfect for serving as filters in a mana purification device.
I pressed them as thinly as possible and layered them together to create the filter.
By the time I finished assembling the filters, the glass on the fire had completely melted into a glowing red liquid.
I inserted the plaster tube I’d made earlier into it.
Then, using telekinesis, I lifted the liquid glass and blew into it with a gust of air.
Air flowed into the liquid glass through the plaster tube, causing it to expand into a rounded form.
It looked nearly complete—but this was the critical stage.
'One wrong move and the whole shape could warp.'
I focused all my attention and used telekinesis with great precision.
The molten glass floated in midair, and little by little, it began to take shape.
A narrow-necked, wide-bottomed triangular flask.
How much time passed—I couldn’t say.
After completing the bottle, I began shaping other items as well.
I also made the glass tubes and two small bottles needed for the mana purification device.
Once I finished shaping everything, I closed my eyes for a moment to rest, and that’s when Nocturne’s voice reached me.
- Master, it seems to be complete.
[Really?]
I stood up from my seat and approached the desk.
Indeed, as Nocturne had said, the glass bottles had cooled and turned transparent, and both the long and short glass tubes had solidified and stabilized.
I assembled the parts, including the filters, and completed the mana purification device.
‘Now, I just need to activate it.’
I used basic magic to create a mana flame inside the largest glass bottle.
At that moment, the surrounding mana began to be drawn through the filter and into the flask.
It seemed to be going smoothly.
Although the bottle was rougher compared to the ones I made in my past life, its functionality was the same as before.
The mana drawn into the purification device mixed with the blue flame inside, emitting lights of various sizes. This sight was identical to the one I had seen before.
‘It’s a success.’
I waited until the mana flame was completely extinguished.
Once the flame went out, only the mana, now glowing blue, remained inside the flask.
This was “pure mana.”
Seeing this, Nocturne quietly exclaimed in admiration.
- Amazing. To think you refined pure mana so easily.
[So, this means I can train with this now, right?]
- Yes, that’s correct.
After calculating for a moment, it seemed that it wouldn't be difficult.
With the mana purification device, I could easily refine pure mana whenever needed.
‘I’ll need to be more diligent from now on.’
With that resolve, I sat down and sucked the mana from the flask.
Then, I closed my eyes and focused on my heart and the mana within.
‘The sensation is definitely different.’
Perhaps because it was pure mana, the feeling that spread through my body was distinctly different.
It felt much more vivid, and it was relatively easier to concentrate it on my heart.
I repeated this process throughout the night.
When I finally opened my eyes, it was already morning.
I turned to Nocturne, who was still standing beside me, and asked.
[What do you think?]
- It seems to be effective. Try using basic magic.
Following Nocturne’s advice, I used the basic magic “Ignite” outside by the campfire.
Suddenly, fire shot up from the air, despite there being nothing to catch fire.
Seeing this, I realized that my mana had definitely grown stronger.
‘My basic magic has gotten stronger. This is proof that pure mana has gathered in my heart.’
It was good news.
I faintly smiled and asked Nocturne.
[Does the book say how many times this grueling task must be done?]
- It depends on the worker’s skill, but on average, it says you must do it for 60 years every day.
[What? 60 years?]
Is this some kind of joke?
Are they seriously saying I need to do this grueling task for 60 years just to create a 1st-circle mana ring?
Just as I was about to ask Nocturne for clarification, I heard something buzzing under the desk.
It was the sound of Equinox crying from inside the leather bag.
The sound was much stronger than anything I had heard before.
[How can this be? That creature shouldn’t have that kind of power.]
It hadn’t even received permission from me, nor had I lent it any of my power.
Yet, it was releasing such power—that was strange.
Then Nocturne answered.
- Earlier, during the process of settling pure mana into your heart, some of the mana leaked out through your breath. I think that old fellow is using that mana.
Upon hearing the explanation, I finally understood.
The mana that leaked out through my breath was essentially the same as my own mana.
I stood up to subdue Equinox, and soon I could hear its voice.
[A necromancy mana ring can’t be made with such crude techniques! If you truly treat me like this, I’ll burn myself right here!]
An obvious threat.
I sensed the moment had come.
If I missed this opportunity, I wouldn’t be able to tame it.
I quickly approached the desk, took out the leather bag with Equinox from under it, and grabbed the torch hanging on the wall.
I lit the torch.
Whoosh—
The bright light illuminated both Equinox and me.
I unfolded Equinox and brought the torch closer, asking—
“Should I just burn you, old man?”
I didn’t wait for a response.
I held the torch near, and the top page of the book began to catch fire.
As it burned, the pages flipped rapidly, blowing out the flame.
Seeing this, I couldn't help but laugh.
‘So, you weren’t really going to burn yourself after all.’
With that, I knew I had the upper hand.
I pulled the torch back slightly and asked.
"Guess you didn’t really want to burn, huh?"
Then, the creature’s voice emerged from above the book.
- Are you threatening me?”
[You’re the one who threatened me, old man.]
The creature fell silent.
And then, I made my final move.
[Serve me as your master.]
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HELIO SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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