I had already sensed it since yesterday—
that my will had reached its peak.
But I had planned to wait until I'd mastered my magic a little more before activating the magic circle.
As the book said, impatience is poison to magic.
I intended to wait until my heart and mind (심의 / 心意) stabilized before using it.
That had been the plan.
'But I don't have the luxury of waiting now.'
The situation had changed.
My goal was the quarterfinals.
And with Adela as my round-of-16 opponent, I had to give everything I had.
Quickly, I turned to page 203.
A page engraved with a magic circle unlike anything I'd ever seen before.
Just looking at it made my fingers tingle—its complexity was beyond comprehension.
"Let's go."
I pressed my palm firmly against the circle and activated the Infinity Circle.
And in that moment—
'To the rightful successor of Bytener, I wish you great accomplishment.'
Ray Bell Bytener.
My master's voice echoed directly in my head.
Then, when I opened my eyes again—
"...Where am I?"
I stood in a room I had never seen before.
It looked like an antique study… yet somehow also like a training chamber.
"Welcome to the First Trial Page."
At the center of that strange room, a woman bowed to me.
"I am the guide assigned to this First Trial Page. My name is Alpha."
The woman who introduced herself as Alpha smiled kindly.
"...First Trial Page?"
"Yes. This is the first of several Trial Pages that exist within the grimoire Idred."
The grimoire Idred?
So that was the book's name?
Wait—
"Hold on. You're saying... this place is inside the book?"
"Yes."
"So you mean, that single page—page 203—
contains this entire space?"
"Yes."
"And this isn't some dimensional transfer to a faraway room through space magic…
but an actual separate space created inside the book itself?"
"Yes."
"...Huh."
I was too shocked to speak.
How could anyone possibly create such a thing?
What kind of sorcery could produce a separate world inside a book?
"You needn't be so surprised. You'll be able to do this yourself one day, Successor."
"...That's even more surprising."
Just how far did the limits of Bytener-style magic reach?
All I could do was laugh.
"What's this room for?"
I swallowed my astonishment and focused on understanding.
"As the name suggests, it exists for a trial."
"Ah, right—'Trial Page.'"
I couldn't believe I'd asked something so obvious.
Guess I still wasn't thinking straight.
"The First Trial Page tests whether the Successor's will—your 심의 (heart's intent)—has reached full maturity."
Alpha smiled gently.
"You'll learn the specifics once the trial begins. If you pass, it means your intent is fully cultivated,
and pages 18 through 31, which contain information on 2nd-circle magic, will be updated."
"Ah… so that's how the page updates work now."
"Yes."
No wonder.
No matter how much I trained, the next pages hadn't been unlocking.
"The explanation ends here. Shall we begin immediately?"
Alpha asked with that same calm smile.
"Yeah. If that's all, start right away."
"Very well. Then I shall commence the First Trial."
As she spoke, her body transformed into pure mana and scattered into the air.
"...So she was a magical persona after all."
Yet another phenomenon that should only exist in theory.
Was there any limit to Bytener-style magic?
The question I'd barely suppressed earlier crept back into my mind.
'I will now announce the content of the First Trial.'
My master's voice resounded in my head again.
My restless thoughts instantly grew sharp and calm.
'This gem is called the Element Manarite.'
Before me floated a beautiful jewel, glowing with strange light.
'Within it churns chaotic mana of four attributes, tangled and unstable.'
It emitted a shifting aurora of red, blue, green, and yellow.
'There is only one way to refine it: separate and stabilize the mixed mana perfectly within.'
At a glance, the mana inside was a complete mess.
Like sand, sugar, salt, and pepper all mixed together—
no, worse than that.
Four opposing types of mana clashing and refusing to blend,
yet still bound together in an impossible equilibrium.
'The trial is simple. Perfectly refine this gem.'
As expected.
Given everything he'd said, that was the only logical challenge.
'If your heart's intent has truly matured, you will succeed.'
'It won't be easy, but I believe in my disciple.'
'Good luck.'
His voice faded away.
"Element Manarite…"
I reached out and grasped the hovering gem of swirling colors.
"This is serious."
Touching it made things clearer.
The inside was pure chaos.
It was a miracle the gem wasn't exploding already.
"So I have to perfectly separate all this mana, huh?"
With even one mistake, it would all collapse.
The four mana types were linked—move one, and the others followed.
One slip, and it'd all detonate.
"Yeah… only someone who's truly mastered Bytener-style magic could refine this."
Considering all the collisions and unstable reactions that would occur inside,
no modern mage could hope to do it.
Only someone like me—
a practitioner of Bytener-style magic—had a chance.
"...Sounds fun."
A smile spread across my lips.
A surge of challenge burned in my chest.
"All right. Let's do this."
With my resolve firm, the Infinity Circle spun fiercely into motion.
Meanwhile, at that same hour—
The Blue Tower Master, Kim Kangin, was on the phone with the Red Tower Master.
"Sorry, James. It looks like buying the modified Wind Spear formula isn't going to happen."
He spoke fluent English.
—I figured as much,
replied the Red Tower Master, letting out a bitter laugh.
He hadn't really expected Shin Hayul to reveal the secret behind his magic.
After all, vision magic was something you guarded with your life, even for a king's ransom.
—There's no point trying to persuade him, is there?
"Probably not. That spell is the one lifeline he discovered at the edge of hell.
You think he'd give that up?"
That peculiar Wind Spear was Hayul's hope—
the sole magic that allowed him to overcome the penalty of being labeled inapt.
There was no way he'd reveal it so easily.
"It might even be a more advanced vision magic than we thought."
—More advanced?
Kim Kangin's eyes gleamed.
"I spoke with Hayul for a bit earlier. It seems Wind Spear isn't the only modified spell he has."
—What?!
When Kim Kangin had asked Hayul if he'd developed other improved spells,
he had answered yes.
"My guess? The Wind Spear itself isn't the vision magic.
His vision magic is the ability to improve and reconstruct spells."
That was the answer.
—Impossible!
Red Tower Master James Filler shouted.
—You know as well as I do how delicate magic formulas are! Such a thing can't exist!
"Well, maybe… but who knows?"
Kim Kangin tapped the table with his finger, smiling faintly.
"There might be an ancient magic out there that allows something like that."
After all, ancient magic and vision magic were essentially the same thing.
If a family obtained an ancient spell formula and kept it secret for their own use,
that very secrecy made it vision magic.
—Hmm. If I recall, that Shin Hayul kid has a hobby of collecting old grimoires, doesn't he?
"Yeah."
—If he really did obtain some kind of special grimoire, then it makes sense.
The Red Tower Master murmured thoughtfully.
—If what you're saying is true, that's a magic worth paying billions for.
"I agree."
Both men exchanged subtle, intrigued smiles.
"Well, we'll find out soon enough whether my theory's correct—tomorrow's match should make it clear."
—If he uses any modified magic other than Wind Spear, then your theory's confirmed.
No doubt the two of them would be watching Shin Hayul's match live tomorrow.
"So, that's all you called for?"
—Ah, right. You mentioned you were in the middle of an experiment. Sorry for interrupting.
"No worries. I happened to be on a break anyway."
—That's good, then.
The Red Tower Master chuckled.
—One last thing—just out of personal curiosity. How's your research going?
"...Not great."
Kim Kangin let out a bitter laugh and shook his head, then glanced toward a jewel resting on a nearby table.
"Perfectly controlling all four elements isn't easy."
—Told you it'd be difficult.
The strange gem shimmered, radiating four colors in erratic patterns.
The Element Manarite glowed with a dazzling, ethereal light.
—Don't get too obsessed with that research. Though… if you manage to refine it properly, you could craft an 'All-Type Artifact' from it…
The Red Tower Master trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.
May 2nd, 4:40 a.m.
I sat in my room, dark circles under my eyes, letting out a dry laugh.
"...Eight hours and forty minutes. Seriously?"
In my hand gleamed a jewel of four distinct colors.
Not the unstable, chaotic glow from before—
but a perfectly separated harmony of hues.
"Still… I did it."
The refined Element Manarite sparkled brilliantly in my palm.
Smiling broadly, I opened [Lei Bell Bytener]—
or rather, its true name, [The Grimoire Idred].
[Congratulations on passing the trial.]
The once-blank page 18 was now filled with my master's elegant handwriting.
[As a reward, I gift you the Element Manarite.
It will greatly aid you in artifact creation.]
Of course I knew.
The moment I first saw it, I'd felt it—
that this gem was a supreme-grade material for crafting artifacts.
But I hadn't thought much of it, assuming I couldn't take it out of the book.
"Didn't expect I'd actually be able to bring it out."
To think I could carry it into the real world—
what a delightful mistake.
'I'll need to find a craftsman worthy of this.'
I couldn't entrust such a precious material to just anyone.
I had to find the right artisan—someone who could match its value.
'No, that's not the priority right now.'
I carefully placed the Element Manarite in a small box and tucked it into my drawer.
Thoughts about the gem could wait.
For now, I had to focus on my upcoming match against Adela.
"About seven hours left till the duel."
After checking the time again, I picked up [The Book of Idred] once more.
"Let's see if I can grasp the thread of the 2nd-circle within seven hours…"
My eyes gleamed.
[Now, I shall explain how to weave the second ring.]
The seventh match of the round of sixteen had just ended.
Only one remained—Shin Hayul vs. Adela.
The current time was 11:25 a.m.
Less than five minutes left until the eighth match began.
"Shin Hayul still isn't responding."
"Could something have happened to him…?"
Even now, Shin Hayul hadn't appeared.
"What, did he run away or something?"
"Guess he got scared of Adela?"
"Knew it. Total coward."
"He's just hype—doesn't want people to see through the act, huh? Haha."
Jealous and petty voices echoed across the stands.
"Maybe something really happened to him?"
"Soonchan, try calling again."
"...He's not picking up."
Of course, not everyone was mocking him—
some were genuinely worried.
"This doesn't feel right."
"Shouldn't someone check his room?"
"I knocked earlier. No response."
Ji Soonchan bit his lip, his expression dark.
"..."
In the middle of the noisy coliseum, Adela sat quietly with her eyes closed,
utterly composed.
The crowd's noise didn't reach her ears.
Her mind was as tranquil as a still lake.
She seemed to give no thought to the possibility that Shin Hayul might not show.
"One minute remaining."
Four more minutes passed.
"Should we... really declare a default win?"
"It's looking that way."
Just as the instructors began discussing a forfeit—
"...He's here."
Adela's eyes opened.
At the same moment, a man appeared at the coliseum's entrance.
His expression was urgent—but beneath the tension, there was unmistakable exhilaration.
"Shin Hayul, you're late."
One of the instructors tapped his watch, eyebrows raised.
Do you even know what time it is? his face seemed to say.
"Apologies. My preparations took longer than expected."
Hayul bowed slightly.
"What kind of 'preparations' take this long—"
The instructor started to scold him, then stopped.
"Tch. We'll talk later."
There was no time for lectures now.
The match had to start immediately.
"You'll receive no extra time to compose yourself. You accept the penalty?"
"Yes. I understand."
"Then—take your positions."
The instructor exited the arena, leaving only two people behind.
Adela spoke first, her voice calm and clear, like the surface of a still pond.
"Are your preparations complete?"
She was simply being polite, recalling what he'd said earlier about his delayed preparations.
"Yeah. All done."
Hayul replied, stretching lightly.
"May I ask what kind of preparation kept you so long?"
A casual question—nothing more.
"Hmm. Nothing much."
But—
"Just getting ready to beat you."
"...What?"
Her eyes widened slightly.
Hayul's lips curled into a confident grin.
"Look forward to it. This fight's going to be far more interesting than you think."
And as his eyes gleamed,
two perfectly distinct magic circles—
dual rings—
shone brilliantly within his body.