Kim Kang-in couldn't hide his astonishment as he stared at the Element Mana Light before him.
'This is on a completely different level from what I'd imagined. Just how…?'
The Element Mana Light.
A chaotic mana stone that had been abandoned by Red Tower Master James Filler and later handed over to the Blue Tower.
Even Kim Kang-in, one of the world's top three experts in mana stone refinement and the master of the Blue Tower, had admitted defeat.
Not only him—every elite craftsman of the Blue Tower, each one considered a master in their field, had raised both hands in surrender.
And yet here it was—perfectly refined, flawless to the last detail.
Kim Kang-in's shock was only natural.
'Don't tell me…'
As a thought struck him, his eyes widened further.
"The person who refined this Element Mana Light was…"
His gaze, trembling with equal parts hope and disbelief, locked onto Shin Ha-yul.
"Yes. It was me," Ha-yul answered calmly.
"…Oh my god."
Kim Kang-in pressed a hand to his forehead and let out an involuntary exclamation.
He had suspected it—barely—but hearing it confirmed left him reeling.
"You mean to tell me… you solved what James and I couldn't figure out for four years?"
A problem that had stumped two of the greatest mana stone scholars of the age—solved by an eighteen-year-old academy student.
If James Filler were to hear this, he'd probably faint on the spot.
Kim Kang-in gave a short, incredulous laugh.
"More importantly, Ha-yul… why were you even carrying this mana stone? Was that just coincidence?"
"Yes, pure coincidence," Ha-yul replied with a sheepish look.
"I only brought it because I figured the Blue Tower was the best place to handle a mana stone of this grade."
That was true enough—Ha-yul hadn't known that the Blue Tower Master himself was researching the Element Mana Light.
"…May I ask how you came across it?"
"I'd rather not say. Let's just leave it at—I got lucky finding it, and I got lucky refining it."
Kim Kang-in let out another dry laugh.
"Getting your hands on such a rare mana stone is one thing, but refining it by luck… if James heard that, he'd clutch his chest and collapse."
As someone who had devoted over ten years to the study of mana stones, Kim Kang-in knew one thing for certain: there was no such thing as luck in refinement.
Refinement was pure skill.
A single spark of inspiration might influence the method, but turning that spark into reality required technique—unyielding mastery.
"Well, fine. Every mage has the right to keep their secrets. I won't pry."
He fixed his gaze back on the refined Element Mana Light resting on the table.
"May I… hold it?"
"Of course."
"Thank you."
Kim Kang-in gently picked up the stone.
"…Even more beautiful up close."
It had been dazzling even from a distance, but up close, it was breathtaking.
'So this is the perfected form of the only mana stone capable of holding four elemental attributes at once.'
Just looking at it was intoxicating.
If he could, he would have started dissecting its structure right then and there.
"The more I look at it, the more I'm in awe. You really refined this yourself?"
"Yes. I can show you proof, if you'd like."
"No, no need. You've no reason to lie about something like this. I'll take your word for it."
"Thank you for your trust."
By now, every trace of irritation had vanished from Kim Kang-in's mind.
All that remained was fascination, excitement—and the burning curiosity of a researcher before an unknown miracle.
"Very well, then. What kind of artifact do you want me to make?"
"As long as it enhances elemental magic efficiency, I don't care about its form."
"Hmm. You don't already use an artifact?"
"No, I don't."
"Then a bracelet or necklace would be best."
If it were an ordinary mana stone, compression techniques could make it small enough for a ring.
But compressing the Element Mana Light was impossible—it would destabilize instantly.
Given its size and stability, a bracelet or necklace was the most practical choice.
"Honestly, a staff would be the most efficient use for a stone of this caliber…"
"Staves aren't really my style. And they're not exactly in fashion anymore."
"True enough."
With the modernization of magic, mages had taken to the front lines themselves.
Carrying a bulky staff had become more of a hindrance than an asset.
"In that case, since the stone isn't especially durable, a necklace would be the safest option."
"Yes, I agree."
Kim Kang-in carefully placed the Element Mana Light back into its case.
"Then let's move on to the matter of payment."
Admiring the stone was one thing—but a formal commission still needed compensation.
"For a mana stone this advanced, I'll need rare supplementary materials. The production cost will be considerable."
He gave a faint smile.
"Still, there's probably no need to talk money with the direct heir of the Magus Family, is there?"
Indeed, discussing payment with the youngest son of the Magus Clan seemed unnecessary.
"Should I just bill the family for the production fee, then?"
"No. That won't do."
"…It won't?"
"No. I don't want anyone—including my family—to know about this artifact."
"Ah, I see."
So it was a hidden trump card for the successor competition.
That explained it perfectly.
"Then how will you handle payment? The estimate is roughly this much…"
He scribbled a figure into his notebook—a number high enough to make anyone wince.
"Are you sure you can cover this without your family's help?"
"No, I can't," Ha-yul admitted plainly.
Preparing that kind of money personally was impossible, even for him.
"That's why I plan to offer a different kind of payment."
"A different kind…? And what would that be?"
A reward valuable enough to replace such a sum—what could it possibly be?
Kim Kang-in's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"It's simple," Ha-yul said with a calm smile.
Shin Hayul raised his hand and pointed toward one side of the room.
The same spot he'd gestured to earlier—
the crafting table where Kim Kangin had been engrossed in his research.
With a faint smirk, Shin Hayul pointed to the mana stone resting there.
"Right here, right now, I'll refine that Element Mana Light for you."
"…What?"
The value of a mana stone varies drastically depending on whether it's been refined or not.
Of course it does—no matter how high-purity the stone, if it can't be used, it's nothing more than a decoration.
And for something like the Element Mana Light, one of the most unworkable of all mana stones, the difference was even greater.
The refined version could easily be worth more than ten times that of the unrefined one.
"If you wish, I can even perform the refinement right here in front of you, Tower Master of Blue."
"You mean to tell me… you're willing to share your method of refinement with me?"
"Yes. If you wish."
And to top it off, he was even offering the key to solving two years of the Blue Tower Master's research.
"At this point, I'd say it more than covers the fee, wouldn't you agree?"
"…'Covers the fee'? This is beyond that. I should be the one offering you something more in return."
With an offer like that, it wasn't merely equivalent to an artifact commission—it was a monumental bargain.
"If that's what you think," Hayul said smoothly, "then please grant me just one favor."
"A favor?"
"Yes."
Shin Hayul smiled faintly.
"Hmm. Come to think of it, you mentioned you had another important reason for visiting besides the artifact commission. Is this related to that?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Kim Kangin let out a low hum.
"Alright then, let's hear it. As long as it's not something completely absurd, I'm willing to consider most things."
"You don't have to worry. It's nothing difficult for someone like you, Tower Master, and it's certainly not something that will bring you harm."
Hayul began to rummage through his coat.
"In fact, it might even be beneficial for you."
He drew out an object wrapped in a bundle of black cloth. Carefully, he unfolded the fabric—
and the moment what was inside revealed itself, Kim Kangin's eyes went wide with shock.
"An IL Chip!"
An Innovation Leveling Chip.
Among all the illegally modified artificial intelligences, this one ranked among the worst of the worst.
A vile creation of the Black Tower—its very excrement.
Why in the world was that in Shin Hayul's hands?
"Let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point."
Hayul placed it on the table and continued.
"There's a puppet of the Black Tower hiding within Obelisk Academy. I need your help to eliminate them."
Obelisk Academy – In front of the dormitory
I returned to the dorms in Secretary Jung Soo-ah's car.
"Then, take care getting in."
"Yes. I'll see you again soon."
I was planning to take a taxi back, but she insisted it wouldn't be proper for her to let a guest do that.
Well, it was nice getting a comfortable ride back, so I wasn't complaining.
"Whew."
Once I got back to my room, I went straight to the shower, then sat down at my desk.
"Guess I got lucky."
I never imagined Kim Kangin would be researching Element Mana Light.
Not even in my wildest dreams.
"Thanks to that, I can have the artifact made without my father ever finding out."
My original plan had been to secretly contact my father and have him fund the production.
After all, I'd just earned the Baek family's 3% mining rights share thanks to him,
so I figured getting a bit of financial support wouldn't be hard.
But then—what do you know.
Because Kim Kangin was already studying Element Mana Light,
I managed to save that reward for later use.
I'll definitely find a good use for that down the line.
"And the issue with the Black Tower is settled too."
If not for the Element Mana Light, it would've been difficult to secure Kim Kangin's cooperation.
"It's hard to believe, honestly. You're saying there's a Black Tower mage hiding within the academy? Do you have proof?"
"If not, then even more so. The Blue Tower cannot move on a student's suspicions and uncertain information alone."
"However… if this is part of your compensation for the refinement, then that's another matter."
"Alright then. I'll take the risk and move as if I believe you."
Even in such a favorable mood, that's what he said.
If he'd been in a foul mood—without the Element Mana Light—convincing him would have been impossible.
"Even if I did manage to persuade him, it would've been a hassle."
To win him over, I might have had to reveal that I could see mana's color or that I was immune to mental manipulation magic—
at least one of the two.
Only then would my words have carried enough credibility.
"But this time, I got everything I wanted without revealing a thing."
Even thinking back on it, it was a flawless deal.
I didn't expose my secrets,
and I preemptively prevented any chance of this incident leaking outside.
The artifact production was underway without a hitch.
I even secured an ally to help handle the Black Tower.
All it cost me was the refinement of the Element Mana Light and the knowledge behind it.
I lost nothing—and gained everything.
Honestly, it almost feels too perfect.
Things have gone so smoothly that it's starting to feel… eerie.
"Well, in any case, everything's ready now."
All that's left is to strike back—
against the Black Tower scum, and whichever one of my brothers hired them in the first place.