BXBX NOVEL Chapter 58: The Trial Tower (3)
The world around him remained unchanged. The only changes occurred within himself. No significant physical abnormalities had occurred…Does that mean this place cannot harm me? Two forms of consciousness…one thought analyzed the functions of the brain itself, and the other focused on incoming information found in the surroundings to perceive bodily damage. An ordinary person’s mind would have been tangled up in confusion at such a blurring of barriers, but Kang Min-hyuk naturally accepted the situation.
His body was fine, but his mind was confused. Could he live with a divided consciousness for the rest of his life? He didn’t think so. But, as soon as he questioned his capacity to handle it, his fractured thoughts merged back into one. As Kang Min-hyuk’s brain developed, he entered a state of transcendence, and it was possible to control the division of his mind. Kang Min-hyuk, who confirmed such a fact as a repetitive act, concluded that it was not a variable to worry about. At the same time, a new possibility emerged from his exasperation.
Processing two minds simultaneously was an exceptional skill. In the case of double casting, it was usually used through mana memory, but you can cast directly without such a process if you only have the brain’s power. Casting different magic with two thoughts has the same effect as double casting, but the speed at which the magic is completed is inevitably different.
There are disadvantages and strong advantages for wizards to prepare more than one magic at the same time. That is, the casting speed is slow due to the method of mana memory. If magic takes 1 minute to use, it takes about 1 minute and 30 seconds to double cast. Of course, it would be beneficial to consider that it takes two minutes for single use, but the fact that the first magic is revealed late was a definite disadvantage. The ability to quick-fire would be disabled.
Kang Min-hyuk’s recent development held great promise in this respect. For a wizard who manifests magic with willpower, the two rituals working together could have enormous potential.
“Was I destined for this?”
In the Tower of Trials – a situation requiring great strength – Kang Min-hyuk became equipped with the tools he needed to complete it successfully. Upon entering, he dwelled within a body suitable for the Tower.
The flow of mana shown in an unfamiliar space gave birth to the spirit of the moon. The pressure that others call ordeal gave Kang Min-hyuk an incredibly special ability. Kang Min-hyuk was convinced that it wasn’t accidental, but that there was a thread of fate running through its heart.
“I have to figure it out.”
Kang Min-hyuk was not a passive person. He couldn’t just let this event happen to him without figuring out its origins – the how and the why it came to be. He wanted to know what exactly had caused his (and Klinss’) growth…but not right now. The pressure on his brain was getting stronger, and Kang Min-hyuk decided that he could not bear it anymore.
“Time to leave.”
He stood up and began to walk. The mana around him was strong, as if it didn’t want to let him go, but Kang Min-hyuk’s will was stronger. He was only a few steps away from the exit. As he stepped toward the same passage he’d entered, vast darkness struck Kang Min-hyuk as it had in the beginning.
Hwaak.
Ping.
He felt dizzy and was blinded for a moment. He could barely support his staggering body enough to raise his aching head.
“You really came back alive…”
Avid stared at him in disbelief.
* * *
Nobody could believe he had come out alive. Although the Spark was a sign of survival, it was just too long for Kang Min-hyuk to have survived. But a miracle happened. When he saw Kang Min-hyuk emerge through the crack, Avid’s expression was smudged with surprise.
“How the hell did he do it?!”
His mouth was dry, and his body trembled. H knew how shocking his return was to Avid, who had experienced the pain of a trial. Surprisingly, there was no visible trace of the ordeal. There must be an effect in which the skin burns or deforms due to mana’s pressure, but Kang Min-hyuk returned in his original form.
“Klinssman, what happened in the ordeal space?”
Kang Min-hyuk couldn’t answer. He had not yet adapted to the outside world, his head was dizzy, and his body screamed.
Tssss
“Wow.”
Mana trickled out of Min-hyuk’s body.
Due to his long stay in the Tower, the mana attached itself to Kang Min-hyuk’s whole body. Even though he didn’t eat anything, it was thanks to the mana that he was alive. As soon as it all passed away, Kang Min-hyuk felt a strong sense of helplessness. He couldn’t feel the full power that had filled his body anymore, and he couldn’t think properly because of the despair that was left in the hollow spaces left by the departure of energy.
Avid noticed Kang Min-hyuk’s condition and waited for him.
“I think I need a break,” Min-hyuk murmured.
“…I forgot for a moment. The time you spent in there seemed quite different from the time we spent out here.” He realized it belatedly. Avid waited until Klinssman was ready to communicate.
Kang Min-hyuk regained his mind after a long time, and after discovering Avid, he said, “How long has it been?”
“Two days have passed. What happened inside? And how did you endure the pain of trial for such a long time?”
The questions flowed unchecked.
However, Kang Min-hyuk did not answer. Avid’s expression was eager; Min-hyuk understood his curiosity but felt no obligation to satisfy his hunger for answers.
“I’m not sure either. I endured for a long time, and now I’m here.”
The truth plus lies. Avid did not appear to believe in it, but that was the end of the answer that Kang Min-hyuk could give.
“That’s all I remember.”
* * *
Kang Min-hyuk recovered and went back to his daily routine. He was away for two days. The most important part of the trial was whether the power gained could be applied in Kang Min-hyuk’s reality.
A Bony Brain. The nutrient of consciousness is the weapon of the wizard. Although cognition is important for a reinforced warrior, it is more necessary for Kang Min-hyuk’s psyche than Klinss’s body, which is not innately gifted in magic. Kang Min-hyuk wanted to return to reality quickly, so he focused on learning the magic knowledge that Klinssman had prepared.
“‘…Was it this easy before?”
His acquisition of knowledge progressed remarkably quickly. Kang Min-hyuk had always been smart, but now his brain’s capacity was changed completely. It was as though his mind was sucking up all of the knowledge – in the past, it took five hours to learn ten theories, but now he could accomplish the same in just two hours.
Everyone who experienced the trial experienced positive mental power effects, but no one had achieved such dramatic results. Was it because his experience was different from the rest? Kang Min-hyuk, who had almost learned the fourth Circle magic in an instant, deliberately omitted the last remaining magic.
“Let’s check a little more.”
He walked to the magic library, wanting to see how much his brainpower had improved.
[Advanced Circle Five Magic]
[Advanced Sixth Circle Magic]
He pulled out the higher-grade spell-book. The system and method of magic became more complex as the circle ascends. So, as time passed, Kang Min-hyuk had no choice but to invest a long-time learning, but he wanted to check how much time was needed for magic higher than the fourth circle.
He opened the book at the front page, revealing a complex system he had never experienced before, but there was no sign of hesitation in turning the page. The old version of himself would have taken at least a month or more to learn the fifth and sixth circle magic, probably longer than that.
By the time the library was closed, Kang Min-hyuk had completed the books.
“…Can this be so? My brain power has improved beyond comparison.”
The advanced fifth and sixth circle magic was alive in his head. It was an unexpected reward. He thought his brain power would improve to some extent, but he didn’t know there would be such a drastic difference.
In fact, Kang Min-hyuk was able to acquire knowledge even faster than he thought. If he opened two books – one on either side – and read them simultaneously, each side of the brain accepted the knowledge that was sucked into the head without difficulty. Dividing the brain into two is not just about the nutrients of thought. Different brains could move the right and left hands independently, and the same applied to the eyes. On the outside, it may seem very bizarre, but the brain’s power could be used in more ways than expected.
“This is a tremendous blessing for a wizard.”
There were many things Min-hyuk wanted to check…but not in Klinssman’s body. No matter how great the ability, if it belongs to Klinssman, it is virtually meaningless. There was no reason to stay there anymore. It was time to return to the original world.
* * *
Birds sang beyond the window. The bright noise of morning fell over Kang Min-hyuk’s being as sunlight filtered in, warming his skin. Kang Min-hyuk got up from his seat and went out to the yard, feeling the cool air tickle his face.
“Phew…”
He was nervous that his new powers might not affect his world. If Klinssman’s brain received the benefits rather than being attributed to the soul, then the pain from the Tower of Trials would be meaningless. Kang Min-hyuk did not sacrifice for Klinss alone. The purpose of making Klinssman stronger is the same, but the top priority was personal.
The large yard was enclosed behind a high wall; it was there that Kang Min-hyuk used his brain’s powers.
“Ah.”
The Splitting Ritual began. Soon after, magic arose from Kang Min-hyuk’s hands.
“Fireball!”
“Lightning!”
Wow…
Bzzz
…Success. The abilities obtained from Klinssman’s dimension were also applied.