The *Leddertrix VI Black Thunderstorm No. 7*.

That was the nickname for the personal airship used by Aryumon Blurshun, President of the Magic Association. Each airship alone cost an astronomical amount, and its upkeep was exorbitantly high, far beyond the means of an individual. But such things didn’t apply to those in the highest tiers of society. Aryumon wasn’t particularly interested in amassing wealth, but his passion for his collection of airships was undeniable.

*Vrrrrroooom!*

The loud hum of the heavily-tuned mana engine echoed across the docking area at the World Tree Na Mualan.

*Psshhht!*

Thanks to prior notification from the elves who received the transmission from the airship, Suhaksan, the elder of Na Mualan, arrived in time to welcome him.

“Well, Aryumon, it’s been a while.”

“Suhaksan, you’re as sturdy as ever.”

“It’s nice to see you, though your sudden visit has left me somewhat startled.”

“Yes, well… apologies for the lack of warning,” Aryumon replied with a tired expression, extending his hand for a handshake. Suhaksan’s eyebrow twitched.

‘Still as arrogant as ever, I see.’

A handshake was a human gesture, typical of human culture. Normally, the visitor would respect the culture of the elves, but Aryumon, as always, disregarded it. He was, after all, a staunch believer in *human superiority*.

And there was some justification for his beliefs. Humans made up the majority of 8th-class wizards, and historically, most of those who reached the divine realm of the 9th class were human. Additionally, the founder of magic itself was believed to have been human.

Moreover, Aryumon himself was one of the rare 9th-class wizards on the continent, so Suhaksan, despite his irritation, had no choice but to accept the handshake.

“What brings you here?” he asked.

If Aryumon’s visit was due to the rumors of the World Tree’s contamination, then Suhaksan had no intention of cooperating. He would never allow a human to meddle in such a sacred matter.

Thankfully, Aryumon seemed to be here for a different reason. He handed Suhaksan an official “Request for Assistance in Dark Magic Detection.”

“Hmm!”

Suhaksan took a deep breath as he examined the unexpected document. Displaying such a document in a public area like this was essentially announcing, “We suspect there’s a dark mage in your area, and we’re going to investigate.”

When concrete evidence of a dark mage’s presence was involved, the Ministry of Magic had absolute authority over searches, making it impossible to refuse. All races had agreed to this clause, so even Suhaksan, elder of Na Mualan, couldn’t reject it outright… though it did call for a certain level of discretion.

He wouldn’t allow a sacred site like the World Tree to be disrupted over a mere pest hunt.

“We’ll review it carefully,” Suhaksan said, taking the document and examining its contents. Shortly after, his eyes widened in shock.

“This… is this true?”

“Yes. We’re well aware this might seem like an intrusion, but we really need your help. We’re in a troublesome situation,” Aryumon replied.

The dark mage Cheoriban.

Decades ago, before he vanished, he’d been responsible for tens of thousands of casualties, a legendary dark mage who had suddenly reappeared in this region.

‘It’s still only circumstantial… but if this is true, Cheoriban has likely come to Na Mualan’s orchard.’

By now, he was probably hiding somewhere nearby.

*This is…*

The danger was more severe than he’d anticipated. This wasn’t the time for pride.

“…Shall we continue this conversation in private?” Suhaksan asked, his voice heavy. Aryumon nodded, relieved that things were proceeding smoothly.

* * *

It was quiet.

Shards of cold, invisible glass floated in the air around me, pricking at my skin.

Sitting in front of Yiphanel, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, channeling the *Soul-Calming Technique* with as much precision as possible.

The gas mask was long discarded.

If you ask if it’s dangerous, then yes, it’s definitely dangerous. This might shorten my lifespan, or I might collapse from the exposure.

But there was a reason I had to do this.

[Analyzing mana concentration in the air…]

The glasses weren’t all-powerful. When analyzing something new, there had to be direct contact between me and the subject.

Previously, I’d only needed to observe to analyze spells because magic relied on recognizable elements like magic circles and runes, which could be interpreted visually.

But some highly advanced spells required actual contact with mana for analysis, and the dense mana scattered around Yiphanel’s garden was one of those cases.

Simply observing with the mask on wasn’t enough.

Direct exposure was risky, but…

*With the Soul-Calming Technique, I can manage.*

The technique let mana pass through my body like water through a mill without absorbing it, allowing me to breathe in the toxic mana without it seeping into my system.

*Hoo…*

It took at least tens of seconds to activate the technique initially. In combat situations, it could take minutes.

Maintaining it wasn’t easy, either.

If I lost focus, even briefly, the Soul-Calming Technique would unravel instantly, but fortunately, the blessing of *Yeonhongchunsamwol* had mitigated that to an extent.

And yet…

*What is this feeling?*

It wasn’t just that it felt easier to maintain. Now that I thought about it, had I truly dedicated myself to improving the technique since receiving that blessing?

Sure, I’d practiced regularly, but it was more routine than research aimed at improvement.

Today, though, as I pushed the Soul-Calming Technique to its limits to filter the heavy mana, I began to sense something.

Even with my eyes closed, I could see mana flow as if I could grasp it, and I was able to blend my will into it.

Suddenly, I realized I’d stood up unconsciously.

I extended my hand into the empty air.

Where had I left my sword?

I couldn’t remember, so I simply mimicked gripping a blade.

I didn’t have any special swordsmanship techniques.

Just slashing, stabbing, and chopping.

That was all I had.

And that alone was insufficient against wizards. In the distant past, Hataeryeong, who had passed on the Soul-Calming Technique to me, once said:

*The key to fighting magic is controlling distance.*

The essence of anti-magic combat is retreating beyond the caster’s reach before darting in to strike at a critical moment.

I had no sword techniques, but I had strategy.

In his time, Hataeryeong honed his movements by pushing his *Mana Leakage Disorder* to the extreme, but for an ordinary human, there was a limit to how fast he could move.

The leaps used by Knight-class wizards far outpaced him, and his power jump had nowhere near their output.

Hataeryeong had no choice but to overcome these limits through constant combat and experience… but I didn’t need to do that.

I possessed a unique magic that no other wizard had.

*If I could activate the Soul-Calming Technique at will…*

Previously, the preparation time was so long that it left me at a disadvantage as soon as combat started.

But if I could slip seamlessly into the state of inner calm as needed, thanks to *Yeonhongchunsamwol’s* blessing, it might not be impossible.

*Perhaps… I could even keep the Soul-Calming Technique activated constantly.*

If I could imprint it on some corner of my mind, make it part of my breathing…

Then not only would I be able to move freely in spaces filled with dense mana like this… but I might even achieve the immortality that Hataeryeong dreamed of.

Not that I particularly wanted to live forever…

“Ugh!”

Perhaps I was focusing too intensely. I found myself slipping past the usual state of inner calm, diving into an even deeper mental realm.

It felt like sinking into the midnight depths of an ocean, with no sense of direction or grounding.

*This… is dangerous.*

Any further, and I might be unable to come back.

I struggled toward the surface, clinging to that single thought: *I have to wake up.*

*Grab!*

Someone, or something, grasped my collar.

It was a weak grip, easily shrugged off.

But feeling compelled, I looked down into the depths of the mental sea.

*…Yiphanel?*

There, I saw a young spirit girl. Her expression was ambiguous, difficult to read, and though she moved her lips, I couldn’t hear her voice.

Before her presence could register, another question struck me:

*Why is Yiphanel here?*

Wasn’t this my inner mind? Then I remembered that Yiphanel and I were connected at the soul level.

*Here… I can ask her what happened.*

I grasped her shoulders, calling out with all my strength.

“Yiphanel! Answer me! Who did this to you?”

But it was as if my voice couldn’t reach her. She tilted her head, her lips forming silent words.

I couldn’t hear.

*Damn it. Do I have to dive deeper?*

I quickly dismissed the thought.

Yiphanel seemed to have risen from the deepest depths of the sea, and going any further might leave me permanently stranded.

Then, in the farthest reaches of the abyss, a tiny violet butterfly flitted in and out of view. It was… Yiphanel’s

 inner world.

If I swam toward that butterfly, I could enter her mind.

*But that’s… not an option.*

Gently, I let go of Yiphanel’s hand. As much as I wanted to bring her back with me, forcing her awake now would be even more dangerous.

*I’ll come back for you,* I mouthed, hoping she’d understand.

And she seemed to. Her face softened into a faint, rare smile as she slipped back into the depths, waving her hand as innocently as a child saying goodbye. It left an ache in my heart.

*Bubble bubble!*

Turning away, I resurfaced from the ocean of the mind, snapping awake as my eyes flew open.

“Haaaa…”

My whole body felt refreshed.

Normally, sitting in one position would have left my legs numb, but now, it was like I’d just had a full night’s rest.

[Analysis complete.]

[Displaying results.]

As I prepared to examine the data, another notification caught my eye. It wasn’t from the glasses but a system message displayed before me.

“What…?”

Lines of messages unfurled.

*Skill ‘Mana Leakage Disorder’ level has increased!*

*All stats have significantly improved.*

*You can now control your physical strength with greater precision, and your body is more agile. Your mind feels sharper.*

*Vision has cleared, allowing you to see objects with greater clarity.*

*Your senses have sharpened, letting you perceive things previously unnoticed.*

I stared at the unexpected messages, feeling both stunned and disoriented.

“This… What’s happening…?”

Apparently, I’d only been utilizing a mere 1% of the *blessing of the Twelve Celestial Branches.*