Ch.287282 – Spell-Breaking Technique

An AI observer that adjusts cameras based on big data predictions of participants’ movements and applies appropriate mosaic censoring according to the situation.

NoName’s sudden self-harm evaded even the near-prophetic AI censorship.

For about one second, the scene of glass shards embedding into her palm was broadcast live.

A reddish hue soaks her arm beyond the mosaic.

“No, NoName student…! She just… cut her arm! Even with pain synchronization, this is…!”

The camera quickly turned elsewhere.

But the audience and commentators who witnessed this at the venue all fell into panic.

“The Cephiron Steering Committee has just filed another complaint about unauthorized magic use! Um… it seems the issue is that Lee Jae-hwan participant mixed sleeping agent components into the ‘Red Woody Barrier’, which is problematic.”

“This is our first time seeing something like this, so we’re completely stunned, but if it’s true, Altair Academy’s middle school division will not only forfeit the match, but Lee Jae-hwan will likely face severe disciplinary action. I really hope this isn’t the case for Altair Academy…!”

“The observer is now showing the blood NoName student has shed. It appears to be a significant amount, enough to make me wonder if the match should be suspended.”

“NoName student is recovering her wound with tissue regeneration magic…! Ah, perfect casting! Thank goodness, really thank goodness!”

The component analysis was temporarily postponed due to the strong desire of the remaining participants to continue the match.

However, the commentators with mage backgrounds couldn’t hide their lingering uneasiness.

“While it’s not clearly captured on the mana wave screen, from what we can sense here at the venue, there seems to be faint mana remaining in the blood on the floor. I suspect NoName student might have implemented the Hieronymus treatment method.”

“The Hieronymus treatment method?”

“Yes. It’s a method of dissolving mana in blood and expelling it when directly hit by magic that interferes with the nervous system. Actually, most nervous system interference magic naturally expels through salivary or sweat glands in about an hour… but if you want to continue competing immediately, you can’t just wait around.”

“But the Hieronymus method is an emergency treatment usually taught only to special forces… I have no idea how NoName student knew about it—everything is so mysterious!”

It must have been pain incomparable to a paper cut or stubbing your toe on a doorframe.

People afraid of blood left the arena to catch their breath, and some parents looked at her with shocked expressions.

Meanwhile, Altair Academy already had the atmosphere of a funeral home.

This was especially true for the juniors who had already competed and the seniors who still had high school division matches ahead.

‘The third-years losing? And to an 8-year-old child?’

Altair’s Four who had been achieving miracle victories were completely defeated by just one girl.

The competition meant to showcase Altair’s talents to the world had transformed into a venue simply to announce the name “NoName.”

“No matter how much of a genius she is, this is…”

Even if Name had encountered countless theoretical magic knowledge in virtual reality, she only started moving her actual body after being rescued from the capsule just 16 months ago.

“This doesn’t make sense…”

A chill runs down spines at her incomprehensible performance.

The participants clearly gave their all. No, they went beyond giving their all and showed they could break past their limits.

The already notoriously vicious 3-circle magic of Lee Jae-hwan and Jo Su-yeon from the middle school division was cast with the strongest output seen in this competition.

Until then, students had expected victory. They were even more concerned about Name’s safety.

But what was the result?

Name’s barrier still remains more than half intact.

“I wasn’t seeing things back then… That kind of skill isn’t something you can learn just by watching.”

Shin Yeon-ho of Altair Academy suddenly left his seat, muttering.

He had already sensed Altair’s defeat.

Sometimes incomprehensible beings emerge in the world.

And just as Altair Academy was inwardly lamenting that they had simply encountered a natural disaster…

BOOM!

A massive explosion echoed throughout the arena.

“What the!”

Shin Yeon-ho turned his head in surprise.

Name’s body was pushed back significantly, instantly driven to the corner of the arena.

In the swirling sandstorm, three magic circles forming a triangle targeted her.

[Joint Casting: Relative Humidity Adjustment]

[Joint Casting: Turbulence]

[Casting: Steam Cloud Explosion]

Oh Deok-jae, who had thrown away his broken glasses in the fierce battle, drew the magic circle’s perimeter with overwhelming mana.

He implemented complex equations as circuit formulas and completed calculations in a split second to fix the system.

As the magic circle expanded with more variable settings, bulging veins appeared on his arms and legs.

Nevertheless, he steadily filled in rune characters one by one, and finally completed the essence of “Joint Casting.”

A small wind born in a hot, humid area carries embers and grows larger.

In an instant, a tornado that grew to a size that could pierce the sky was fired at Name with fierce momentum.

“How can an academy student perform Triple Casting…!”

Shin Yeon-ho shouted in astonishment.

“Name! This is too dangerous!”

“Don’t try to endure it! Run away quickly!”

People in the audience screamed, looking for Name.

The powerful magical force that could knock down even a sturdy adult male was palpable.

With a body weight of less than 20 kilograms, no matter how much she tried to increase her weight with aura, she would surely be blown away into the sky.

“Name, that’s enough! NoName!”

Professor Cheon’s face trembled as he shouted at the top of his lungs.

With the appearance of “Triple Casting,” which no one in the middle school division had ever demonstrated before, the academy competition entered a new phase.

* * *

I carefully observed the flame tornado swirling with enough force to burn everything.

‘Triple Casting…’

Double Casting is within the realm of effort.

Double Casting is an extreme application of practicing drawing a square with one hand and a triangle with the other.

But Triple Casting?

It could be compared to drawing a square with your thumb, a triangle with your index finger, and a circle with your middle finger.

The hot wind approaches.

“This is much cooler than the seniors who played tricks with barrier magic!”

I offered praise with a voice full of joy.

I’m not sure if my words reached them, buried under the sound of the wind.

Now it’s my turn to respond.

It had been a while since I used a dispelling formula, but for some reason I felt confident I could do it perfectly.

First, I separate the mixed combustible gases.

The explosion’s shock wave is less than 1atm, not as strong as its intimidating appearance suggests.

I put my hand into the counterclockwise rotating mana mass to find the bottleneck point of the mana flow.

‘Now!’

[Dispel: Steam Cloud Explosion]

BOOM!

The tornado split into three branches as it exploded from within.

But the fierce flames that were more intense than before began to subside.

Without delay, I need to create a dispelling formula to normalize the turbulence.

The current turbulence intensity is level 3 severe.

I adjust the turbulent diffusion term and Reynolds number to normal values and convert kinetic energy into thermal energy to slow down the fluid velocity.

[Dispel: Turbulence]

Finally, I can adjust relative humidity with my eyes closed.

Using the thermal energy obtained from the second dispelling formula, I forcibly increase the saturated vapor content by raising the temperature.

[Dispel: Relative Humidity Adjustment]

I compressed the three circuit formulas again and shaped them into an arrowhead.

At that moment, two branches of the tornado rushed right up to me.

BOOM!

I threw my body to avoid the explosion point and ran with all my might along the outer wall of the arena.

I concentrated the extra aura from sacrificing one horn on both legs.

Because my legs are short, I had to step more powerfully.

This would probably make me look funny while running, but I had no time to dwell on such thoughts.

[Casting: Forging]

While running fiercely, I pulled out a bow-shaped weapon from the concrete outer wall.

I wove Arabesque thread on both ends of the bow to create a bowstring.

I engraved the concentrated dispelling formula I had just created onto the arrowhead.

SWOOSH-

I lowered my posture by spreading my knees and stopped in place instantly.

Small sand particles flutter in the direction I had run.

I stretched out my arm and pulled the bowstring tightly against my cheek.

I take a deep breath and close one eye.

‘Aim… and fire.’

SWISH!

The moment I released my fingers, the arrow left the bowstring.

The arrow lodged perfectly in the center of the triangular joint casting magic circle spinning like the moon in the sky.

[Joint Dispel: Steam Cloud Explosion – Turbulence – Relative Humidity Adjustment]

CRASH!

The magic circle shattered and uncast mana poured down like a waterfall.

Satisfied with the result, I threw the bow into the air and brushed back my disheveled hair.

“That was close. I never expected Triple Casting.”

In response to my casual remark, Oh Deok-jae replied in a calm tone.

“Name, about what our academy friends said earlier. Isn’t it funny who’s calling who an otaku?”

“Huh? Oh, a little.”

“At the academy, they proudly use magic they’ve never been taught. They learn sacred magic and barrier magic that others barely know through their connections, and give them all sorts of strange names. And then they go around calling themselves geniuses, which I find ridiculous.”

“Is that so.”

“What’s so important about being able to calculate a bit faster? But at the academy, they call all such people geniuses. I can’t accept that.”

“Then what’s your definition of a genius, senior?”

“Something you love your whole life. I think someone’s a genius only if they passionately love and fall in love with something. The feeling of love doesn’t come just because we want it to. Oh, don’t misunderstand. Despite how I look, I don’t like Japanese anime. Same goes for idols.”

That’s a bit unexpected.

“Then do you consider yourself a genius, senior?”

“Yes. I love magic. Even if I’m not ahead of others, even if no one recognizes me, I feel like I could live my whole life focused only on magic. What about you, NoName? Are you walking this path because you truly love magic?”

“I think differently from you, senior. I want to be ahead of others, and I want people to recognize me. But still, I love magic. This is the one thing I can confidently say I’m sincere about.”

“I knew you’d be different. You really are a genius, aren’t you?”

“Let’s stop the idle talk here since we’re short on time. Ah… so where did you learn all these magic spells, senior?”

Even setting aside Triple Casting, each of his magic circles was orthodox and flawless.

At my question, he curled one corner of his mouth as if wondering why I would ask such a thing.

“I learned from textbooks, of course. When you read something a hundred times, you start to realize things on your own.”

Oh Deok-jae draws up his magical power. Whatever his aura heart was like, the surging mana was extraordinary.

As I brushed away his crazed gaze, I decided to pour all my remaining aura into this final attack.

It should be fine to give just a taste for such a bright child.

I tightly grasped the golden aura in my hand.