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“It’s the same this time too.”

No matter how many times I activated [Mind’s Eye], nothing changed. While pondering for a long time, I suddenly remembered the auditory hallucination I heard when resonating with the mana of the Yin dimension.

『〈Mind’s Eye〉will be embodied』

‘Embodied…’

At first, I thought it meant it would be activated unconsciously, but that wasn’t it. Even after trying it out in various ways for days, nothing changed at all. The ability had disappeared like a mirage.

It was a rather useful ability, so I felt a bit disappointed, but then I suddenly came to my senses.

‘This isn’t like the Crazy Mage.’

A sense of wariness suddenly rose within me.

It felt like the dulled senses that had been submerged beneath the surface were sharply rising. Only then did I realize that I had been overly reliant on the convenience provided by [Mind’s Eye].

But who am I?

Isn’t the Crazy Mage a man who hates relying on baseless superstitions?

If I rely on superstitions, it’s only a matter of time before I become possessed by a demon and become a cripple. It’s not like the knights of the expedition went crazy and did foolish things for no reason, falling for the demons’ tricks.

In that sense, [Mind’s Eye] was like a superstition. I didn’t know when or how it came to be, or what its essence was. It was just that the situation at the time was so surreal that I had forgotten about it.

‘To realize it only after it’s gone.’

But it’s okay. I can do well from now on. The Crazy Mage is a man who does well from now on.

Mind’s Eye was an ability that couldn’t be controlled from the beginning. Thinking about it now, there were more than a few strange things about it. I didn’t even know why it activated…

‘It wasn’t even a magical phenomenon.’

It had been giving me seemingly accurate information so far, but that made me even more wary.

In the end, I had to be the one to judge whether the information was “accurate.” If I relied solely on Mind’s Eye, my senses would likely become dull.

In other words, the probability of dying unjustly would increase.

.

.

.

“It’s better this way.”

It felt like I had only regained my true essence after awakening the mana of the Yin dimension.

I decided to focus on the present. I had to use this as an opportunity to sharpen my senses. In any case, since I had awakened the mana of the Yin dimension, the gains were much greater.

Now that I had achieved resonance once, I could easily access enough mana of the Yin dimension to fill three Circles.

Of course, I had to handle it carefully. Its destructive power was excessive, and if I wasn’t careful, I could be consumed by the mana.

As a bonus, the number of rings in my heart had increased to four.

I had finally escaped the apprentice stage and entered the realm of a true mage.

Considering I had only uttered Ifrit’s name once, the rewards were beyond expectations.

Since things had turned out this way, should I try resonating with Ifrit again and aim for even greater rewards…?

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I slapped my head.

“Get out, demon! Get out of my head!”

Absolutely not.

There was no guarantee that things would work out as smoothly next time. If I messed up, I could become a cripple forever.

I wanted to live as the Crazy Mage, not a crazy cripple.

After organizing my thoughts, I noticed the sun was slowly rising outside the window.

It had already been quite some time since I came down from the mountaintop and had been living on jerky in the training hall used by the former apprentices.

I picked up the few old books and notes I had organized and went outside.

A cool breeze blew pleasantly.

* * *

Iron stepped out of the dining hall, patting his full belly. He had eaten more than usual because there had been meat dishes for the first time in a while.

“Ah, this is nice!”

The warm sunlight made him drowsy.

He wanted to go back to his quarters and take a nap, but Iron shook his head.

He started walking slowly along the edge of the training ground to help with digestion.

But as he walked, his eyelids grew heavier.

‘Damn it. Walking makes me even sleepier. Should I just take a quick nap?’

Iron looked around but soon realized it was impossible.

“One! Two! Three! Four!”

“Count as you go!”

Makan, the musclehead, was already running shirtless, and Palge was waddling around, practicing incantations. And…

Zion was staring at him from afar, grinning.

A grin that seemed to ask, ‘Aren’t you going to run?’

“Ahahaha. I was just warming up. Shall we start now?”

Iron muttered loudly to himself and joined Makan’s run. Of course, he was cursing inwardly.

‘Sigh. One madman disappears, and another one appears.’

The law of madman conservation, perhaps.

With Ruin gone, Zion was diligently acting like a madman, as if he had been waiting for this moment. He wouldn’t let anyone slack off even a little.

If Iron hadn’t joined the training just now, Zion would have definitely come running to bother him.

Mad ‘I can’t just ram into him.’

Even before Ruin appeared, Zion was already stronger than him. There was no point in fighting him; he would only get beaten up.

“Count again as you go!”

“One! Two! Three! Four!”

Damn it.

Running with a full stomach was hard enough, but counting made it even harder. It felt like the meat he had eaten would come back up.

‘…Sigh, this is my fate.’

Of course, Iron could physically feel the positive effects of the training.

Hadn’t he seen it with his own eyes?

Zion cornering the Warmages of the Red Demon Tower.

And Ruin putting up a good fight against the infamous Crimson Mage.

That’s why he was enduring it and not running away.

…The real reason was that he had nowhere else to go, but anyway.

‘Still, this is too much.’

Wasn’t this going too far?

With Ruin gone, couldn’t they slack off a bit?

It’s not like anyone wasn’t training at all.

It would be so much better if they could just relax a bit, chat casually, and then train!

Did they really have to train like madmen?

Iron suddenly turned his head to the side.

He felt a sense of camaraderie when he saw Ain Samael struggling just as much as he was.

“Huff huff. Am I wrong? Don’t you agree, Ain?”

“What are you talking about? What did you even say? Are you crazy?”

Never mind.

Iron shook off his thoughts and started running mindlessly after Makan. He thought it was better that way.

After a few laps around the training ground, his body seemed to adapt again, and his breathing stabilized.

He ran, chanted, and practiced horseback riding postures, and before he knew it, the sun was setting behind the mountain, casting a red glow.

“Phew.”

Finally, the training for the day was over.

Iron gathered with the other apprentices in a corner of the training ground, resting and watching the sunset.

As they caught their breath, a wistful voice came from one side.

“When is Ruin coming back ?”

Zion shrugged.

“I don’t know. Lihan said he went up the mountain as soon as he regained consciousness.”

“It’s been two weeks already. Did he fall off a cliff and die?”

“Is that something he would do?”

“…”

Everyone shook their heads. While they couldn’t say for sure about others, it was hard to imagine that stubborn guy falling off a cliff and dying.

“Should we ask Lihan when he’s coming back?”

“Lihan’s not here. He’s out on an errand for the Commander. And you. Hey.”

Zion suddenly glared at Palge.

“Why aren’t you using honorifics? A subordinate should use honorifics.”

Zion raised his hand as if to strike, and Palge hurriedly waddled back.

“Why should I use honorifics?”

“That’s how subordinates are supposed to be.”

“But my speech pattern makes it difficult to use honorifics.”

“Do it if I tell you to.”

“…I’ll try my best.”

Zion stood up, dusting the dirt off his buttocks, and said,

“He’ll come back eventually. When the Commander returns, he’ll just make us train like crazy again, so why are you getting worked up already? And this time, let’s surprise him a bit.”

Iron, who had been silently listening to the conversation, nodded absentmindedly.

‘That’s true.’

Come to think of it, today’s training seemed even more intense than when Ruin was around. He had felt like he was going to die earlier, but now that it was over, his body seemed to have endured it.

Even if Ruin trained them again, it wouldn’t be as difficult as before.

Iron suddenly felt proud of himself and puffed out his chest. The smell of earth and mountain air mixed and entered his nostrils.

“Ah, refreshing!”

“Bullshit.”

At the sudden voice, Iron whipped his head around.

‘Who the hell is cursing?’

At first, he thought Zion had said it, but Zion’s mouth was closed.

“Refreshing, my ass. Are you here on vacation? Is training refreshing?”

The voice came again.

Iron looked around, but no one was speaking. Then he suddenly realized that Zion’s gaze was directed upwards.

…A chilling feeling washed over him.

Following Zion’s gaze, their heads turned upwards…

Suddenly, Palge muttered in a daze,

“Huh?

Smack— Zion slapped the back of Palge’s head and said,

“Use honorifics.”

“…Yes, sir.”

The figure floating in the air wobbled once and then slowly descended towards the ground.

“…Levitation? Could it be that the Commander has reached the 4th Circle?”

Ruin, landing on the dirt floor, then wickedly curled his lips.

“You guys. Just that and you’re refreshed? Refreshed? Let’s see how amazing your training was that you said would surprise me. Race to the middle of Mount Khaoto. While chanting. The last one gets an extra two hours of horseback riding. Run.”

“Ack!”

“Sir.”

“Uwaaaa!”

“Iyaaaaa!”

The apprentices, as if possessed by ghosts, rushed forward.

.

.

.

.

‘Bastard.’

‘This… demonic bastard.’

‘It’s worse than before. Getting easier, my ass.’

Under the bright moonlight.

The apprentices returned to their quarters, limping and clutching their thighs. Everyone looked like death warmed over. The refreshing feeling of finishing training was nowhere to be found.

And…

“Ugh. Ugh…”

Iron, who had stayed behind the longest to finish his two hours of horseback riding, was crawling like a squid, his legs trembling.

“Heave-ho. Heave-ho! How’s it feel? Still refreshed?”

“N-no.”

“Oh, come on. You’re lying. It’s refreshing, right? This is what being refreshed feels like, isn’t it?”

“…”

Iron desperately ignored the voice coming from beside him.

“What’s wrong? Are you so refreshed that you can’t even speak? I’m going ahead. Come eat when you’re ready.”

“…”

Iron watched Ruin, who had finished all the training just like him but was now running ahead, humming a tune, and realized something.

He had been wrong.

Ruin was the only true madman.

* * *

I slept lightly again today.

But maybe because I was lying on a soft bed for the first time in a while, I seemed to have slept a bit more than usual.

I went out to the kitchen, tore off a chunk of hard rye bread, and was chewing on it when I sensed someone to my left. I waved happily.

“Good morning!”

Iron, who had been crawling out like a crab, was startled and crawled back in.

‘Strange guy.’

I suddenly remembered yesterday. It wasn’t bad watching the apprentices train after a long time.

Everyone was diligently training even while I was away. Especially Zion destroying his mana core was an achievement even I hadn’t anticipated.

But complacency is forbidden.

Didn’t I fall off a cliff because I was careless while coming down the mountain yesterday?

Using myself as a lesson, I trained the apprentices several times harder than usual. Now is the time they need a strong push.

After finishing the rye bread, I brewed a cup of tea, casually perched on the railing, and sipped it.

Looking outside, amidst the thick fog, someone was gazing endlessly at Mount Khaoto in the dawn light.

‘Kazen.’

Unconsciously, I followed his gaze and stared blankly at Mount Khaoto.

As more time passed, the elders appeared one by one with serious expressions and disappeared into the main house with Kazen.

“…”

While I continued to sit and appreciate the surrounding scenery, someone suddenly rushed out of the main house and started running towards me.

“Young Master.”

The Head Steward, who had run up to me, bowed respectfully.

“The Head is looking for you.”

“Alright.”

I had been waiting for this.

The Head Steward walked carefully behind me, unlike before. Only after reaching the main house did he step forward and announce respectfully,

“Head, Young Master Ruin has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

Creak—

As I entered, Kazen was sitting in the head seat, and the elders, including Norman Wonju, were occupying the seats on both sides with grave expressions.

All eyes in the room focused on me at once.

“…”

The atmosphere felt somewhat suffocating, so I greeted them brightly first.

“Good morning?”

———-