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Chapter 40.2: The Square (2)
Eugene and Gargith entered the gym attached to Gargith’s lodgings. Just as he had planned back at the bank, Eugene was here to witness Gargith’s operation of the Red Flame Formula.
“You’ve already learned the White Flame Formula, so why are you interested in the Red Flame Formulas as well?” Gargith asked.
Eugene shrugged, “I’m just curious.”
“Well, it’s not like it’s difficult for me to show it to you,” without any further questions, Gargith pulled off his shirt and threw it aside.
Eugene didn’t understand why Gargith even felt the need to take off his clothes, but it seemed pointless to make a big deal out of it, so he calmly continued to watch Gargith. While flexing his bulging muscles, Gagith struck a pose and held it.
Eventually, Eugene couldn’t hold it in any longer, “...You’re just circulating the Red Flame Formula, so why do you have to take such a distracting posture?”
“It’s my preference,” Gargith grunted.
“Is that so….”
Gargith’s eyes slowly sank into a calm focus. Soon, his whole body was engulfed in reddish mana. This was the Lionheart collateral clans’ Red Flame Formula. At a glance, Eugene could already see the difference between it and the White Flame Formula.
Between the two, the density of the mana was incomparable. Although it resembled the White Flame Formula in the way that it flickered like tongues of flame, this resemblance was only skin-deep, as there was a huge difference in the actual power of the two scriptures.
“Can the Red Flame Formula also split the core?” Eugene asked curiously.
“Our family’s Red Flame Formula can go up to the Fifth Star,” Gargith answered with pride. “The version of the Red Flame Formula taught by the main family doesn’t allow you to split off new cores. But various collateral branches have further developed the Red Flame Formula. Thanks to the efforts of our amazing ancestors, our family has succeeded in increasing the number of stars that can be generated by the Red Flame Formula to five stars. As far as I know, among all the versions of the Red Flame Formula derived by the collateral lines, only a handful can generate five stars.”
‘...Father’s family could barely even reach the Second Star,’ Eugene recalled.
Looking at it this way, it seemed that the Red Flame Formula would never be able to surpass the White Flame Formula. While stroking his chin, Eugene was lost in thought for a few moments.
When he came out of his musing, he asked Gargith, “How many stars do you have?”
“I’m on the Second Star,” said Gargith.
The Second Star of the Red Flame Formula was incomparably weaker than the Second Star of the White Flame Formula, which Eugene had already graduated from.
‘Even though it’s been developed over hundreds of years, the Red Flame Formula is still limited to five stars. Vermouth, that bastard, really was one hell of a genius.’
The direct line’s White Flame Formula and the collateral lines’ Red Flame Formula.
‘And the Red Flame Formula taught to the knights who serve the direct line doesn’t even allow you to split off your core.’
All this said, the Red Flame Formula was still an excellent mana training scripture. The Knights who swore allegiance to the main family were honored to serve the Lionheart clan and took great pride in learning the Red Flame Formula.
‘No matter how hard I think about it, I just can’t understand why. Vermouth wasn’t such a petty bastard, but….’
He had still ordered that the White Flame Formula be kept as the main family’s secret, while the Red Flame Formula would be taught to the collateral lines and their descendants. However, the main family was not allowed to use their strength to help develop it further, so the development of the Red Flame Formula was left solely up to the collateral lines and their descendants. In this way, the gap between the direct and collateral lines could be narrowed but never closed.
“...I’ve seen enough,” Eugene eventually declared.
Although he still couldn’t understand Vermouth’s actions, Eugene wasn’t too deeply invested in figuring it out. For now, what was clear was that the White Flame Formula was superior to the Red Flame Formula.
‘If it had enough potential, I was thinking of trying to graft the Red Flame Formula onto the White Flame Formula, but it looks like there’s no need.’
Even among all the collateral lines, the Red Flame Formula belonging to Gargith’s family was excellent enough to be counted as one of the best. But it still wasn’t good enough to make Eugene feel eager to learn it.
‘Looks like there’s no need to add the Red Flame Formula.’
Of course, what Eugene had seen wasn’t the peak of the Red Flame Formula’s Fifth Star. However, just from the density of the mana and its movements that he had seen just now, it was enough for him to determine the full level of the Red Flame Formula. So, without any regrets, Eugene turned his back on it.
“I’m heading off,” he said.
“You’re leaving already?” Gargith asked. “But the giant’s testicles should be arriving soon.”
“I’ll leave the fine inspection up to you.”
“But I’ve already taken off my clothes and started circulating the Red Flame Formula. How about a spar or a practice match?”
“I’m definitely going to win anyway, so what’s the point of sparring? Instead of thinking about that, why don’t you—how did you put it?—listen closely to the voice of your muscles.”
“That’s some great advice…,” Gargith nodded his head as if he was deeply impressed.
He immediately got down and started doing push-ups, but Eugene didn’t turn to look back at Gargith.
‘...So Akron, huh?’
Sienna’s smile had yet to fade from Eugene’s mind.
‘Didn’t they say that Sienna left her last grimoire there?’
The three-volume series, Witch Craft.
‘There was nothing that stood out in her mansion. The same goes for her statue as well. If so, could that mean that there’s something in the Green Tower of Magic’s library?’
That was the place where Sienna could usually be found during her time as the Tower Master.
‘It would be ridiculous of me to start snooping around the Green Tower of Magic for no reason. For now, I’ll need to wait for the reply to Lovellian’s recommendation letter to see if I’m permitted to enter Akron….’
Balzac Ludbeth, the Black Tower Master, had also said that he would write a letter of recommendation for Eugene. Since things had turned out like this, Eugene felt that he could expect a positive reply to these letters of recommendation.
“There’s no need to be in such a hurry,” Eugene muttered to himself as he headed into the Red Tower of Magic. “It’s not like I’m the one who’s been kept waiting.”
Since they had already waited three hundred years for him, there shouldn’t be any complaints if they waited a little longer.
‘It’s not like I asked to be reincarnated, you know?’
Instead of returning to his room, Eugene headed straight for the elevator and rode it down to the underground laboratories.
‘Besides, I should be able to find them within ten years at the very latest. Since they’ve already been waiting for so long, they can wait a little longer.’
Entering an empty laboratory, he closed the door behind him. Then, he casually tossed aside the coat he was wearing and placed the fragment of the Moonlight Sword in the center of the laboratory.
“Let’s start by examining it step-by-step,” as he muttered this, Eugene stared down at the fragment of the Moonlight Sword.
He had watched as the fragment continued to soak up the moonlight all morning. Although nothing seemed special about it, other than the fact that it could emit light, it was definitely still a fragment of that terrifying Moonlight Sword.
A sword that only Vermouth had been able to use.
“...Hm,” Eugene hummed as he slowly circulated the White Flame Formula.
Using the stars around his heart as circles, he cast a spell.
Fwooosh!
A huge fireball appeared in front of Eugene. Although it was only a First Circle offensive spell, the fireball created from the mana of the White Flame formula was so huge that it was impossible to believe it was merely a First Circle spell.
Eugene confidently tossed the fireball at the fragment of the Moonlight Sword, but it didn’t even leave a scorch mark. The moment the fireball touched the fragment, the mysterious power of the fragment scattered all the mana contained within the spell, disintegrating it.
‘It’s different from the Devouring Sword,’ Eugene observed.
The Devouring Sword, Asphel, cut apart the magical structure and swallowed the mana.
‘It’s also different from Gedon’s Shield.’
Gedon’s shield sent any attack that connected with it veering off in another direction.
‘This destroys the structure of a spell just by touching it. That’s how it scatters the mana contained within a spell.’
Eugene recalled Vermouth’s favorite method of attack. When he held Asphel, he would cut apart all the spells that came his way and use the mana to increase his own strength.
Although it was strong enough to cut apart most spells, it was impossible for Asphel to cut apart the magic of high-ranking demons and Demon Kings. This resulted in their battle with the Demon King of Carnage being hellishly difficult.
However, after obtaining the Moonlight Sword, even the spells of those high-ranking demons and Demon Kings couldn’t touch Vermouth. All magic would disintegrate as soon as it touched the Moonlight Sword. Then Vermouth would immediately swing Asphel, swallowing up all the scattered mana and converting it into his own strength before attacking.
‘....It’s impossible for such a tiny fragment to disintegrate high-ranking spells.’
However, something like a low-level spell would be dispersed immediately.
‘Under these circumstances, even placing it in a wooden box is enough to conceal its power.’
The condition for the power of the Moonlight Sword to be activated was that it needed to come into ‘direct’ contact with the mana. As an example, Eugene had been able to operate the White Flame Formula as usual even while carrying the wooden box next to his chest.
‘Just by carrying it around with me when I go out, I can deal with any surprise attacks.’
It was a barbaric way to use it. However, wasn’t the power of that fragment itself rather barbaric?
“Since that’s the case, let’s just be barbaric together.”
With a happy smile, Eugene pulled out Wynnyd.
‘If that fragment doesn’t interfere with my mana….’
The mana pulled up by the White Flame Formula engulfed Wynnyd.
‘And if it doesn’t interfere with any spells I cast….’
After manifesting his sword-light, he cast his spells. Dozens of magic missiles obediently hovered around Eugene.
‘Then that means that the density of my mana increases with every increase in the level of my White Flame Formula.’