004 episode. Solitary and Mana Circuits (2)
“Go in.”
I followed the guard’s instructions and entered the room.
Crackle- Crackle.
The door closed and the light of the world disappeared.
‘I was in the mine until two hours ago. In the meantime, I had to be called by Gerek and beaten with a stick.’
The possibility of a runaway occurring immediately after swallowing the zirconium was assumed, but the runaway did not occur until now despite the preparations.
‘It’s cozy.’
He leaned his back against the wall and felt the cold brick on his skin.
There was neither light nor sound, and it was like being in a dark vacuum.
He was neither anxious nor anxious, perhaps thanks to his “coolness” and “indomitable will” characteristics.
The past few days have passed so frantically, and I felt rather warm to be able to contemplate like this.
‘About ten days is enough.’
Cain’s body is extremely hardened at the level of a normal person. There was no problem mentally or physically.
I closed my eyes and calmly waited for the time of ‘runaway’ to come.
how much time has passed
The mana and blood all over his body began to boil.
The blood vessels that had been hardened were pierced, and mana from the outside was rushing into the body.
‘If you are swept away by the flow, your blood vessels will burst and you will die.’
He calmly guided the flow of mana.
It went back and forth along the blood vessels, weakening the flow. Sweat began to form on his forehead.
The work went on for several hours.
If he lost his mind even a little, his blood vessels immediately burst, so he was demonstrating superhuman concentration.
And then-
“Whoa.”
I let out a sigh of relief, relieved.
The runaway was successfully stopped.
As proof of that, atmospheric mana was sucked into my body at my will.
I don’t have a container to put it in yet, so the moment I lose my concentration, I go out again.
“… … Let’s rest a little and build the circuit.”
The whole body was exhausted.
As I fumbled on the floor, I found a bowl lying around when the lid of the bowl was opened.
I could feel the cold soup and dry bread on my fingertips.
‘but. Solitary confinement has a strong meaning of punishment.’
The prison food isn’t very good, but it’s still enough to provide enough nutrition for the laborers.
I picked up the bowl and poured the soup into my body. It tasted like cement paste dissolved in water. He tore the bread and swallowed it.
Anyway, because it was food, it felt like a little energy was circulating in my body.
I slowly closed my eyes and fell asleep.
* * *
As soon as I woke up, I started working.
It gathers mana in the cell and turns it vigorously along the blood vessels. The whole body is heated, and the vessel and passageway for mana right next to the blood vessels—the circuit is built.
Sweat drops form in the pores of the body as if to expel all waste products from the body.
Time. ear. sense of touch. smell. taste.
The senses that have been lost with age regain their full function.
The senses that had been hardened by adulthood returned to their original maximum function.
I opened my eyes.
“Ha ha ha ha ha.”
A laugh came out of his mouth.
After hard work, the circuit was completed.
Huge and complex circulatory pathways formed along blood vessels. I could feel the mana flowing through it.
I don’t know how long it took, but it was clear that a day had passed.
“I expected it to take at least three or four days.”
It takes about a week for even any genius to build the first circuit. Even then, the help of a superior is essential.
Cain’s natural qualities.
And knowledge as a writer who built the world.
It was the result of the fusion of those two factors.
Extend your arms out in front of you, palms facing upwards.
Hwareuk-
The mana gathered in response to my will, reconciled into a small flame and rose on it.
After that, the hologram appeared dimly.
[Circuit Level: 1 – Mana 95 / 100]
If magic could be used simply with circuitry, knights and combat priests could also use elemental magic.
‘The most difficult thing is to calculate the formula.’
Calculation of magic expression coordinates and element fusion ratio.
If everything isn’t correct, the magic won’t work. The reason why wizards are rare here is that they are rare.
There are two main types of wizards.
have been systematically educated from an early age,
Or, he has the talent to use magic only with his innate ‘sense’.
‘And I’m in both cases.’
Literally.
The core material of the original novel is ‘magic.’
Therefore, the most elaborate setting is magic.
It’s like having a huge magic library in my head.
If you combine that with Cain’s talent, this is possible.
A halo of three colors rose from his hand and moved to each spot and turned into magic.
burning fire,
A terrifying flash of lightning,
And an ice flower that emits a solid cold air.
[Circuit Level: 1 – Mana 17 / 100]
[Circuit Level: 1 – Mana 16 / 100]
[Circuit Level: 1 – Mana 15 / 100]
Of course, the mana consumption is extremely high, so it cannot be maintained for long.
Moreover, it is impossible to use such striking magic in front of a guard or other prisoner.
‘The way is simple.’
「Strengthening」, 「Agile movement」, 「Strong body」.
Enhancement-type magic is visually indistinguishable.
I waited a few hours for the mana to fully regenerate. And I put 3 types of strengthening magic on my body.
Mana replaced the broken tendon, and full energy permeated the whole body.
He got up and tested his body with small movements.
It’s not bad.
Pre-injury condition, or more.
After a minute or so in that state, I checked the amount of mana again.
[Circuit Level: 1 – Mana 45 / 100]
‘If you count the time, you can maintain this state for about two minutes.’
Lowering the output and applying magic only to the necessary movements seemed to be able to keep it longer.
After dispelling the magic, I straightened my posture, sat down and closed my eyes. The mana remaining in the body continued to circulate along the circuit.
‘Amount of mana 100, it is still at the level of members of the Blue Serpent’s end, but considering the characteristics of 「Mana Sensitivity」, it can be increased explosively in the future.’
Circuits are similar to muscles, and the more you use them, the more they grow.
Anyone can increase the total amount of mana through training.
Although the rate of growth and its limits are determined by innate qualities.
* * *
The guards were gathered in front of Cain’s cell.
“Isn’t he dead? No matter what, I couldn’t hear a single sound for ten days… … .”
“Nope. I glanced through the bowls from time to time and saw that he was sitting with his eyes closed.”
They wagered on the prisoners entering the cell.
A closed space without light or sound.
You lose your sense of time and you don’t even know who you are.
Most of the time, even after a week or three days at the most, he screamed and banged his head against the wall, asking me to get it out of here.
Wasn’t Kiftel, the class A class leader famous for being poisonous? It’s a bit quiet now, though.
… … But this guy named Cain was strange.
At first, I thought that I was fainting in the sitting position, but it seemed that was not the case as the food bowl was emptied neatly every time.
“It’s time. Let’s open it.”
The guard in charge in front nodded and unlocked the lock on the door.
quiver-
“Pr number 776, it’s time to get out.”
Cain frowned at the sudden burst of light. He quickly got used to the brightening of his vision, got up and headed out.
As if waking up from a long and comfortable sleep.
Shake your body like other prisoners,
And he didn’t even have slanted eyes.
Rather, his eyes were more intense than before entering. At that sad glare, the guards retreated.
“Prisoner number 776, what is your name?”
“This is Cain.”
“Where are you?”
“This is the quarantine ward at Kentrock Prison.”
“… … Please tell me the current year.”
“Stop joking. Warden.”
The guards were confused.
“Let’s go.”
Cain said to the guard in charge, who was blankly in charge.
“Aren’t you supposed to go to the infirmary for procedures?”
“Yeah, it is.”
The guard in charge then moved.
Cain limped along with him.
Cain’s eyes turned to the hologram floating in front of him.
[Circuit Level: 1 – Mana 150 / 155]
* * *
“You are great. It’s been less than a month since I’ve been in, so I’m alone. Do you remember my name?”
Cigarette smoke is still hazy in the infirmary.
I knew what the question meant.
If they are judged to have had a mental disorder, they will be quarantined in a psychiatric ward.
“Estelle. remember.”
It’s that she’s from the slum outside the wall. I also know that I don’t have a good relationship with my sister.
In a strict sense, I am her creator.
She smiled and said in a languid voice.
“Looking at my eyes, I don’t think I’m crazy. Seriously, a psychopath with such a handsome face doesn’t suit him, right? It hurts my heart for nothing if I’m covered in scars with those kind eyes.”
Before entering the cell, the small wounds on the face or body had not yet been fully recovered due to insufficient nutrition or living environment.
Woong-
A ray of light from her hand wrapped around me. Soon, my mind cleared and the scratch healed quickly.
‘I’ve disabled the circuit, so there’s no need to worry about getting caught.’
The circuit can be turned on and off.
Even the same mana user cannot detect the opponent’s circuit without special detection equipment.
The guards were originally provided with detection equipment, but there were no accidents for a long time, and it was said that they were kept in a warehouse and not in use.
‘But there is a possibility.’
I thought of the artifact that Estelle would have.
Items that were paid by the denomination or acquired by themselves while wandering the continent for work.
Among them, there is also a necklace that completely hides the user’s mana.
‘I would not have kept valuables in this room.’
It is an item that will be handed over to the main character in the second half, so there is no reason not to have it. Because it was designed so that the story progresses only when it is delivered.
However, there is a possibility that the story will be distorted if I have it, but my top priority is the ‘task’.
If I can’t get out of this place, the original story is meaningless.
“I heard there was a fuss in the factory.”
“… … .”
“Rotten was here. I seriously injured the back of my hand and my ear. I was able to heal my ears, but my hands couldn’t hold the power properly.”
“Like me?”
“Right.”
She smiled and replied.
“Normal prisoners don’t fight like that—. Oh, I’m not saying you’re wrong. I believe there is neither good nor evil in this prison.”
“I think so too.”
She moved her hand to direct the beam towards my arm.
“Oh, and. You said you swallowed zirconium, is that true?”
“… … .”
“Well, it doesn’t matter if you don’t say it, but I don’t see you as someone who is going to commit suicide. your eyes are Wasn’t there some other purpose?”
also sharp
If I answered clumsily, it would be read in the “eyes of truth”, so I was silent. Instead, he stared intently at her.
“Am I pretty? enough to keep looking. Come to the church. Then you can see me on the weekend.”
It was very shameful.
… … I just stared
den-
A bell rang from outside to signal the hour.
“Wait.”
Estelle stopped the treatment and turned the chair towards the window. Closing her eyes, she clasped her hands together in front of her chest.
“… … .”
Outside the window was an empty space.
At the end of her body was a statue of a woman with a benevolent smile.
Teyumesa, goddess of the earth.
It is the state religion of the Empire and the only religion allowed on this land.
Her statues are said to fertilize the land and ward off demonic energy.
Stone statues of exactly the same shape are erected throughout the Empire’s territories wherever inhabited.
I looked at her hand.
Sunset passing through the window was stroking the eight-pointed star pattern on the back of her hand. The octagonal star was emitting a soft light by itself.
… … And the calluses on her hands.
It is proof that you have been wielding a heavy weapon for a long time.
The installation of the statue is done by priests with combat skills like her. Traveling around the continent, praying for the well-being of towns and cities, and spreading the gospel.
‘If I put my mind to it, I will knock out about 20 adult males without breaking a sweat.’
That’s why no guards were assigned to the infirmary.
After praying, she opened her eyes.
And the treatment continued.
In Cain’s unfamiliar tone, I asked.
“Do you believe in God?”
“But why do you keep talking nonsense— no, I believe it. Because I believe, I use divine magic like this.”
Without realizing it, I laughed out loud.
There is no such thing as a god in this world.
Not in a metaphorical sense, but in a literal sense.
After meeting the protagonist, she realizes that fact.
“What, why are you laughing?”
“I’m the same age, so if you want to let go of the horse, let it go.”
“Are you the same age? How do you know my age? Did you hear from the guards? You haven’t told anyone?”
Seeing her bewildered, I smiled.
* * *
Igor’s roommate, Morphine, was on his way to the dining room and had fallen from the group and was returning to his room.
‘After all, I forgot the most important thing.’
quit smoking
Of course, it wasn’t his.
Cigarettes came into the kiosk every month, but the quantity was so small that the class heads of each class monopolized it.
‘Ji will carry things around.’
The object that Morphine was chewing on was Igor.
“I hate having something on my body, so yes, you carry my cigarette.”
His role was a cigarette bag.
Other colleagues were also serving as handkerchief pockets or nail clipper pockets.
‘Still, I’m feeling good these days, so maybe I can get some value and smoke it.’
In the past, Igor lost a battle and handed over the class to Kiftel.
Then Kiftel had an accident and went into a solitary cell, and Igor regained his position as class leader.
As long as there are no abnormalities, it is highly likely that the current state will be maintained.
It’s close to impossible to survive three months in solitary confinement.
‘It’s me, it doesn’t matter who becomes the class president. It’s the same because both of them smoke cigarettes and take money.’
Morphine arrived at the Class A building, nodded at the guard, and headed inside. I reached the last room and opened the door.
“uh?”
Has the date already been that way?
The newcomer was back.
You must have heard the doorbell, but without looking at this side, she climbed onto her bed and sat up straight toward the window.
‘A cheeky bastard.’
Blue Serpent.
Monopoly on farmland, distribution of illegal weapons, operation of black markets, etc.
A gigantic organization in the dark district with no untouched fields.
I was very nervous at first because I was a former executive at such a place. In the back alleys or back and forth, small people like myself had no choice but to do so.
However, when the truth was revealed, he was an asshole who could not use his limbs properly.
Its bizarre mental strength and cool eyes can sometimes make you goosebumps, but anyway, it wasn’t a physical threat.
‘Rumors are inherently exaggerated.’
Rotten suffered because of negligence.
The hierarchy must be firmly grasped.
Moreover, since I went to a solitary room, my mind must have changed.
“Hey, when you come back, you should say hello. Did you enjoy living alone? yes?”
He reached behind his back and raised his palms.
The newcomer still hadn’t turned around.
Nettle-!
The palm of the hand parted the wind.
The target is between the guy’s right ear and cheek.
‘This bastard went to solitary confinement and became deaf. I’ll fix it… … .’
And in the next moment, something incomprehensible happened.
“Big, huh.”
He had his body lifted up, strangled by the newcomer’s right hand.
Apparently he turned around… … .
I couldn’t even see the next move.
“You, you, uh, uh, how.”
“The question is—”
A voice as cold as if it would cut out the heart,
“I do.”
rang the room.