Monday — Just Before Class Began
Right before Monday's class started, Instructor Go Chang-su spoke up, saying he had a brief announcement.
"This concludes the midterm comprehensive evaluation. Based on these scores, we'll be forming teams for upcoming exams and training sessions."
From second year onward, the real training to become a mage begins.
There are more practical exercises and more group activities.
In that sense, the midterm comprehensive evaluation scores serve as the ideal data for dividing students into teams.
"Starting from the second year, all training results will be reflected in your grades, so I hope everyone gives their best."
Training doesn't weigh as heavily as written exams, but from the second year onward, results from training are also factored into overall grades.
If you take training lightly, your student record after graduation will be in ruins.
From now on, I have to give my all in every single training session.
Especially since my first-year grades were abysmal, I'll have to work even harder.
"Then, I'll now announce the midterm comprehensive evaluation results."
The instructor pressed a control pad on the lectern.
A holographic screen appeared behind him.
On the screen was a ranking list of the midterm comprehensive evaluation, displayed from first place downward.
"Let's begin with applause. The glorious first place came from our class — Shin Ha-yul."
All eyes, including the instructor's, turned toward me.
"Congratulations. Among all eighteen-year-olds in Korea, you are currently the most outstanding."
Clap, clap, clap—
Applause echoed across the room.
There were strong, sincere claps — and others that were weak and hollow.
The former came from those genuinely congratulating me.The latter were tainted with envy and jealousy.
And then there were the ones who didn't even bother pretending — students who didn't clap at all, glaring at me with quiet resentment.
"As your instructor, who's witnessed your unrelenting effort since first year, I'm truly proud of your achievement."
The instructor smiled warmly and offered genuine applause.
"Thank you, sir."
"Well, since it's come to this, let's set a goal — keep your first-place ranking for the next two months and qualify to compete in the Academy Olympiad. It'll be a valuable experience."
World Academy Olympiad.
The number of participants allowed from each academy is strictly limited.
No first-year students are selected.
Only three are chosen from the second year.
The remaining seven are selected from the third years.
"Yes, sir. I'll do my best."
That's exactly my goal anyway.
"Good. It might be difficult with your first-year grades, but do your best."
Of course, getting selected won't be easy.
Like I said, my first-year grades were the worst.
Unless I maintain an overwhelming lead in grades over the next two months, qualifying for the Olympiad is impossible.
"Pfft. The guy who got by with vision magic thinks he's Olympiad material."
"Heh. Give it a week, his bubble's gonna burst."
"He's still an unfit failure, no matter what…"
The students who'd always looked down on me whispered snidely behind my back.
Their sneers made their intentions obvious — they wanted to provoke me.
I answered their cheap mockery with a faint smirk.
The way their expressions instantly twisted was quite satisfying.
"Alright, let's begin the class."
And so, Instructor Go Chang-su's lecture — The Origin and Beginning of Sorcery — began.
'Well then, guess I'll start self-study.'
No offense to the instructor, but I already knew all of this content. There was no need to listen again.
Quietly, I began reanalyzing the notes I'd written last night about the Bytener-style magic.
* * *
Monday's classes all ended.
Perhaps mindful of the midterm evaluation's aftermath, every class today had been theoretical.
"Ugh, I'm so stiff. How can all eight periods be theory classes?"
Soon-chan stretched his body here and there, loosening up his joints.
"Well, tomorrow's all practical training, so…"
"...That's not exactly good news either."
He grimaced mid-stretch. His constantly changing expressions were almost funny to watch.
"Seriously, just work on your stamina already, you weakling."
"You done talking? You magic pre—"
Soon-chan trailed off mid-sentence, grimacing again.
"Damn it. I can't even call you a magic preemie anymore."
"If you're jealous, then train harder and fix your weakness."
"...Yeah, fine. I'll overcome it. Just you wait."
He ground his teeth.
"Really? Then let's strike while the iron's hot. How about we hit the training gym after dinner?"
Lately, I'd been neglecting physical training too.
Might be good to push myself a bit with Soon-chan for once.
"Uh… I would, but my body's really not in good shape today."
I could practically hear his eyes rolling in his skull.
"Didn't you just say you were stiff?"
"I meant my joints are stiff. Ow, ow—my knee hurts."
He grabbed his knee and winced in fake pain — the kind of acting even a three-year-old would call out.
I snorted.
"If you don't wanna work out, just say so, idiot."
He shot back with an indignant look.
"No, let's be clear. It's not that I don't wanna work out — I don't wanna work out with you. Got it? With you, man."
"What's wrong with me?"
"How the hell am I supposed to keep up with your insane training pace? I'd die."
"Drama queen."
"If that's drama, then a funeral's a comedy."
He snorted.
"Anyway, I'll train on my own. Don't worry about me — I've got my own routine."
Soon-chan waved his hand dismissively, adamantly refusing to work out together.
"Alright then, suit yourself. I'll go alone."
"So this'll be your first visit to the training room as a second-year, right?"
"Yeah."
"...The first-years are gonna freak out."
"Freak out? Why?"
"Anyone who sees how you train for the first time will freak out."
He shuddered dramatically.
"It's just exercising. What's there to freak out about?"
"Exactly. It's just people exercising. Yeah. Peo-ple."
Somehow, the word people came out in sharp, staccato tones. Probably just my imagination.
* * *
About two weeks later, I visited the physical training hall again — and noticed quite a few unfamiliar faces.
"Hey, that's Senior Shin Ha-yul!"
"Whoa, even he uses this place?"
There were a lot of new faces — probably the newly admitted first-years.
'Guess I really have been neglecting training.'
After advancing to second year and obtaining The Tome of Idred, I'd thrown myself completely into mastering the Bytener-style magic and had let training slide.
A bit of self-reflection was in order.
Even The Tome of Idred had said it:
[The Infinity Circle flows throughout the entire body, forming a vast network that is influenced by physical conditioning.][A well-trained body forms a stronger circle and increases rotational efficiency.][Never neglect physical training.]
Even aside from strengthening the Infinity Circle, physical training is essential.
Unlike in the past, mages now often fight on the front lines — which means stamina has become one of their most important attributes.
'Alright. Let's start light, just my usual routine.'
Since it had been two weeks, I decided to do extra thorough stretching first.
"Um, excuse me, Senior."
As I was carefully loosening up, a sturdily built male student approached me.
Judging by how he called me senior, he must've been a first-year — a face I didn't recognize.
"If it's alright, could you maybe give me some tips on training? I heard that when it comes to physical conditioning, no one in the academy can match you…"
"Me?"
At that moment, an inexplicable silence fell over the training room.
"Goddamn."
"Guess we'll be hauling another corpse out today."
Right after that, sighs rose up all around.
"I remember when I was that clueless."
"Ignorance really is a sin."
"I'm betting ten thousand won he doesn't show up here again starting tomorrow."
"Only ten? I'll put down a hundred."
The male student who had just asked me to teach him looked utterly confused.He had no idea what was going on.
"Hey, kid. Listen while I'm being nice—take that back."
A familiar face walked up behind him, patting his back and shaking his head.It was a guy I'd often run into here at the gym over the past year.
If I remembered right, his name was Kang Jae-hyuk from Class 3.
"Ha-yul's definitely the best when it comes to working out in this academy. His stamina and physique are probably unmatched."
"Yes, I've heard the rumors."
Yeah—my name carried weight around this school.
The first reason I was famous: I was the academy's only Incompatible.The second: I was the youngest of the Shin family, the Magic Tower clan.And the third? My physical abilities.
"Think about it carefully, kid. He's an Incompatible. Oh—Ha-yul, don't get me wrong, I'm not insulting you."
Kang Jae-hyuk waved his hand at me mid-sentence, telling me not to take offense.
"Anyway, this guy used to take eight whole seconds just to cast a simple first-circle spell. Not anymore, of course."
"Yes, sir. But… is that a problem?"
"Ah, jeez. You really don't get it."
Kang Jae-hyuk tapped his own head and sighed.
"Think about it. Let's say you take eight seconds just to cast a basic Water spell."
"Yes."
"With that kind of delay, do you think you could possibly complete all the first-year coursework?"
"Uh…"
"See? You're not confident. Because it's impossible. Anyone who says otherwise is full of crap."
Kang Jae-hyuk's words came like machine-gun fire.
"But this guy—he actually did it. How do you think?"
"...How?"
"With his body."
"...What?"
"With. His. Body. This freak of nature compensated for every deficiency with sheer physical ability."
"..."
"You get it now? His body isn't normal. His physique itself is magic. This is magic. Okay?"
He was exaggerating a bit — but he wasn't wrong.
Honestly, I've never once thought my physical abilities were inferior to anyone's.I'd made up my mind a long time ago: if my magic lacked power, I'd make up for it with my body.So, for the past year, I'd pushed myself relentlessly to build my physique.
Even before that, back in the Shin family, I'd always trained my body consistently.
"This guy's not even human. If you learn from this lunatic—uh, this monster—you're gonna die. I mean it."
Kang Jae-hyuk looked the junior dead in the eyes with all seriousness.
But—
"Hearing that makes me want to learn even more."
The junior's eyes shone brightly.
"...Ah."
"Oh my God."
More groans erupted from all around.
"Senior Ha-yul, please teach me the secret to forging such an indomitable body!"
Ignoring the collective despair around him, the junior stared straight into my eyes, resolute.
"Alright."
I liked people like him — passionate, driven. Their enthusiasm fueled my own growth.
"Thank you, senior!"
"Then let's start with some warm-ups together."
"Yes, sir!"
And just like that, I began training with my new junior for the first time.
"...I'm not watching this."
"Ugh, let's just pray for the poor guy."
Sighs echoed from every corner of the gym.
* * *
"Puhahaha! I knew it! What the hell did you do to the kid?"
That night, I was chatting casually with Soon-chan in the lounge.
"From the looks of it, that poor guy's never setting foot in the training room again."
Soon-chan laughed slyly, elbowing my side.
"I might've gone a little overboard, honestly. He actually kept up better than I expected…"
Even though I'd taken over two weeks off, my condition had been too good — so I'd ended up pushing my training harder than usual.
As a result, the poor junior had fainted.
'Is this the effect of the Infinity Circle?'
My physical state had been unbelievably good — almost unnaturally so.
Even running through my usual routine, I didn't feel tired at all.
'They did say the body and the Infinity Circle are closely connected. I guess that's what this is.'
The more I trained my body, the stronger the Infinity Circle became.And the more I refined the Circle, the stronger my body grew.
An incredible synergy.
At this rate, winning the Olympiad would be much easier.
It was the kind of fortune I'd been hoping for.
"So then what? Why'd you stop mid-sentence?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just reflecting a bit."
"What a boring answer."
Soon-chan made a disappointed face, chugged down the rest of his canned coffee, and tossed it toward the trash can.
"Ah."
But the can bounced off the rim and rolled away.
I focused my mind on it.
"Huh?"
The can floated midair, guided by my mana, adjusted its trajectory, and dropped neatly into the bin.
"You couldn't even make that shot?"
"...Whoa, what the hell?"
Soon-chan's lips parted in disbelief as he stared at me.
"You controlled mana that fast just to steer the can? What's with your control level?"
He was so shocked he didn't even catch my jab.
"It's nothing. You just treat mana like your own limbs."
I turned over my half-empty can and poured the rest of the coffee out.
The dark liquid scattered into the air — and I held it there, suspended with mana.
The droplets floated, swirling gently in midair.
"Like this. Easy, right?"
"...Wow."
Soon-chan stared blankly at the floating coffee for a long while.He looked completely stunned.
Just as I was about to stop the little demonstration, his face suddenly twisted with fury.
"You little bastard, did you just play with my drink?"
Ah.So that's what he took issue with.