Compared to a week ago, my daily life had changed so drastically it was like heaven and earth.
"Student Shin Ha-yul. Training room, Monster Rush drill—perfect score."
"...Shin Ha-yul again?"
"Unbelievable. That's his third perfect this week, isn't it?"
Training sessions that had once been a serious challenge were now as easy as breathing.
Maybe it was because these drills were designed for 2nd and 3rd Circle users, but honestly—they felt way too easy now.
"Hey, he's using a body acceleration spell right now, right?"
"Looks like it. There's no way that speed's human."
"But if he is, why don't I sense any other magical fluctuations?"
"Probably a light version of acceleration magic. That guy's always been a physical monster anyway."
"Ah, right…"
Judging from the whispers around me, everyone seemed to think my movements were boosted by body acceleration magic.
'But I didn't use anything like that.'
In reality, I hadn't even bothered to coat my body with mana.
This was pure physical ability.
'The Infinity Circle really is something else.'
The Infinity Circle's body-enhancement effect—thanks to that, my physical stats were up by about one and a half times.
'If I reach the 3rd Circle, will I get even stronger?'
Probably.
There was nothing about this in Idred's Codex, so I couldn't say for sure, but—
If the Infinity Circle's high-purity mana circulation directly amplified physical capability, then every increase in Circle would naturally multiply that enhancement.
"Ah, maybe I should learn Memorize once I hit 4th Circle."
"Why out of nowhere?"
"Just thinking—it looks damn useful when Shin Ha-yul uses it."
"Forget it, man. I asked my grandpa about it. He said Memorize isn't actually that great—it's just that Ha-yul's sense for using it is freakishly good."
"Yeah, my dad said the same thing. It's not Memorize that's broken, it's that secret spell of his."
"What was that spell called again?"
"Modification Magic, I think?"
That was the name I'd publicly given to disguise Bytener-style magic.
A secret art that could freely alter spell structures—officially introduced to the world under the name Modification Magic.
After that name spread overseas, chaos erupted.
People abroad who'd seen the footage from my midterm evaluations called it revolutionary and even offered absurd sums of money to buy the spell.
Thanks to that, the phone lines at the Magic God Family haven't stopped ringing since.
"At this rate, Shin Ha-yul might actually make it into the Olympiad."
"As long as he keeps up this momentum and doesn't screw up in next week's Battle Survival test, he's golden."
"Man, life really is unpredictable."
"From rock bottom to climbing back up—what a comeback story."
Voices of admiration echoed around me.Apparently, my messy life story was fascinating to watch.
Not that I minded. They didn't mean it in a bad way—and, honestly, even I had to admit my life was kind of interesting.
'Still, some things never change.'
I turned my eyes toward a group huddled together on the opposite side of the room—their aura alone reeked of bad energy.
"...That bastard again."
"Freakin' cripple thinks he's hot shit."
"He'll crash back down soon enough."
No matter what grades I pulled, there were always a few who'd talk trash.
Even if I won the Olympiad itself, those guys would just say I got lucky.
One hundred percent guaranteed.
People like that weren't worth a second of attention. Let them bark all they want from the sidelines.
'I've got better things to focus on.'
It was far more productive to train than to waste time caring about idiots.
'Alright. Focus.'
I closed my eyes and directed my full concentration into the two Infinity Circles within me.
The Ring of Intention and the Ring of Resonance.
Two mana engines that seemed similar, yet operated with subtle differences, spun throughout my body.
'Reduce the vibration and rotation of the Ring of Resonance by 12.33% and 4.63%, and increase the mana purity of the Ring of Intention by 8.98%.'
To synchronize the two completely, their performance had to become one and the same.To achieve that, each Infinity Circle needed fine-tuned, individual calibration.
Thump. Thump.
The two rings pulsed almost perfectly in rhythm with my heartbeat.
Compared to four days ago, the improvement was obvious.
But still—
'Not quite there yet.'
It was better, sure.But not perfect.
Synchronization rate: about 99%.
"Phew…"
I exhaled deeply and released my focus.
'100% synchronization… damn, it's hard.'
Reaching the level of 2nd Circle Mastery—the Resonance State—was a nightmare.
For the past four days, it had been tormenting me endlessly.
The circulation of mana within a Circle involved countless intertwined factors—adjust one thing, and another went out of balance.
Trying to align both rings perfectly under those conditions was, naturally, no easy feat.
'Still… I feel like I'm right on the edge.'
With that thought, I focused once more.
And so, my endless trial-and-error in pursuit of perfect resonance continued until training finally ended.
May, Second Saturday.
As always, I wrapped up my morning physical training early, to the usual chorus of gasps and awe, and headed back to my dorm.
'Ah, I should stop by the convenience store first.'
Since I planned to spend the whole day experimenting with Infinity Circle synchronization again, I decided to pick up some snacks and sports drinks on the way.
But as I changed course toward the store—
I ran into someone unexpected.
"...Shin Ha-yul."
Baek Sa-hyuk.
The eldest son of the Baek family, and the man who—out of his own pocket and effort—had prepared the perfect stage for me. Like some twisted Santa Claus.
He was glaring at me now, grinding his teeth so hard I could hear it.
"Surprised you're not home for the weekend."
At my words, the sound of his teeth grinding grew louder.
"Oh, wait. You're probably still on probation, huh? Can't go home even if you want to?"
"...Shut it."
"Well, yeah. You abused your family's influence for personal gain, and the result? Total disgrace. Even if you weren't on probation, I doubt you'd have the guts to show your face at home."
"Shin Ha-yul, you little—!"
Baek Sa-hyuk snapped.
He charged at me, completely losing his composure—his mana surging wildly.
'What, he's seriously using magic over that?'
I'd only mocked him a little. I didn't expect he'd actually cast a spell right here in the middle of the street.
'Red…'
A brief flash of crimson flooded my vision.
The fiery hue of the Fire Attribute.
And in this state of mind, the only fire magic Baek Sa-hyuk would use—his specialty and his most lethal spell—
'Conclusion: Burning Impaction.'
A 3rd Circle close-range fire spell—one of the most destructive of its tier.
But strong magic always came with a price.
I raised my fist straight upward and—
I struck his right arm upward.
Fwoooosh!
The explosion that erupted from Baek Sa-hyuk's palm roared skyward, the fiery surge tearing through the air.
"You son of a—!"
His Burning Impaction was nullified in an instant.
Before he could even finish cursing, I was already behind him. I grabbed his head and slammed it into the pavement.
"Let go—! You bastard!"
"Are you insane?"
I pressed harder, grinding his face into the ground.
"You're lucky there weren't any bystanders. If someone had gotten hurt, you'd be on your way to prison right now."
"..."
At my cold tone, Baek Sa-hyuk's resistance began to fade. His reason must have been crawling back, little by little.
"Hey! You two! What's going on here?"
Two instructors came running up, probably having heard the blast.
"Students Shin Ha-yul and Baek Sa-hyuk?"
"What was that magic just now?"
Their expressions were grave.
"...Damn it."
Baek Sa-hyuk spat out a curse beneath me. I released his head, straightened up, and gave the instructors a respectful nod.
"Baek Sa-hyuk used magic against me."
"What?"
"The details are… over there."
I pointed toward a nearby CCTV pole.
"It's all recorded. You can check it yourselves."
"...Understood."
Both instructors nodded, still looking deadly serious.
"...Shit."
The words came faintly from the ground.He wasn't cursing his punishment—he was terrified of the tongue-lashing he'd soon get from his father.
"Why… why is this happening to me…?"
Baek Sa-hyuk muttered pitifully, wallowing in self-pity.
Not an ounce of sympathy stirred in me.
Serves you right.
No other phrase fit this situation better.
What filled my mind wasn't pity—it was suspicion and caution.
'No matter how short-tempered he is, he's never been impulsive enough to cast a lethal spell over a bit of mocking.'
As I watched him slump under the instructors' support, head bowed low, my eyes narrowed.
'At this rate, he might do something stupid.'
I'd have to keep an eye on him.
The disciplinary action for Baek Sa-hyuk's unauthorized magic use came quickly.
The evidence was irrefutable, and the instructors themselves had witnessed it, so the decision was made almost immediately.
"Ten demerit points will be added to Student Baek Sa-hyuk."
I was genuinely surprised.
Casting a high-lethality 3rd-Circle spell on a public street without clearance—And yet it ended with a mere ten-point penalty?
Even without casualties, it should have meant expulsion at minimum.Suspension at the very least.
A slap on the wrist like this could only have been the result of outside interference.
— You useless idiot!
"...I'm sorry, Father."
Baek Sa-hyuk's father, Baek Man-sik, the current head of the Baek Family, bellowed through the phone. His voice was loud enough to make the room vibrate.
— All you had to do was keep your mouth shut until graduation! Was that so hard?
"...No, Father."
The reason Baek Sa-hyuk had gotten off so lightly was obvious—the Baek Family's intervention.
As one of Obelisk Academy's biggest donors, their "influence" spoke for itself.
— And that's what I call my eldest son… pathetic.
"I'm… sorry."
Baek Sa-hyuk bit down hard on his lip.His head bowed, his hands trembling violently.
A storm of emotions flickered across his face.
— Listen carefully. Don't cause any more problems. Just graduate. Quietly. Like a dead rat. Got it? All I want from you is that diploma from Obelisk Academy.
"...Yes, Father."
Baek Man-sik had completely given up on him.
Between the disgrace of the youth tournament five years ago and now this debacle, the shame had piled up far too high.
— This is your final warning. If you ever bring disgrace to our family—or to your sister—again…
He didn't bother finishing the sentence. He didn't need to.Baek Sa-hyuk understood perfectly what came after.
"Yes, Father. I understand."
— Useless fool.
The line went dead.
Baek Sa-hyuk's hands turned white from the pressure of his grip.Blood began to trickle down between his fingers.
"Don't bring shame… to my sister? Hah."
That was as good as saying his sister would inherit the family.That Baek Sa-hyuk was finished.
The realization hit him like a hammer.
"Why…"
Shock turned to hatred.
"This is all Shin Ha-yul's fault…"
Everything—his humiliation, his fall from grace—it was all because of him.
If not for Shin Ha-yul, he would still be the proud heir of the Baek Family, basking in admiration and prestige.
"Shin Ha-yul… If it weren't for that bastard…!"
His eyes turned blood-red with killing intent.
And then—
"As expected, you've built up quite the grudge against Shin Ha-yul."
The door swung open, and someone stepped in as if they owned the place.
"...Leng Smith?"
A man with a thin, weasel-like mustache, stroking it with a sly grin.
"You should be more polite to your instructor, Mr. Baek Sa-hyuk."
Leng Smith. The French instructor.
He approached slowly, his expression unreadable but heavy with intent.
"Tell me, Baek Sa-hyuk… don't you want revenge on Shin Ha-yul?"
Baek Sa-hyuk's shoulders stiffened.
"Re…venge?"
"Yes. Revenge."
Leng locked eyes with him, their faces barely five centimeters apart.
"A sweet, intoxicating revenge."
As he whispered those words, a dark aura began to ripple around him—the corrupted black mana unique to the Black Magic Tower's sorcerers.
The taint of a fallen mage.