Infinite Mage

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From Shirone's perspective, not much time had passed. After entering the Immortal Function, meeting the woman, and escaping through the black hole was all that happened. However, in reality, 10 days had already passed.

Shirone awkwardly smiled and raised his hand.

"Haha. Hi?"

"Hi, my foot, you jerk!"

"Ouch!"

Amy punched Shirone's face playfully. Though there was no real impact, pushed by her force, Shirone fell onto the bed, looking up with a pained expression.

"Ow! Why'd you do that all of a sudden?"

Amy was shedding tear drops like chicken droppings.

"You bad guy, making us worry like this... you bad kid!"

Shirone looked dazed. Everything was rushed and bewildering. But soon, he realized something and smiled warmly. Amy's tears told him all he needed to know about what had transpired.

"I'm sorry. I caused you all this trouble..."

"Shirone is back!"

Nade and Yiruki pushed Amy forward, burying Shirone under a heap on the bed. Caught unintentionally in Shirone's embrace, a blushing Amy screamed.

"Kyah! Hey, get off!"

"Ow! It hurts, it hurts!"

Shirone also screamed, more out of embarrassment than pain. Twisting his body with all his might to avoid further embarrassment with Amy, he ended up dropping his friends to the floor.

"Phew, what's all this about?"

Sitting on the bed, Shirone looked like a refugee who had just survived a bombing. On the floor, Amy, nursing her sore back, scolded Nade and Yiruki.

"That is quite the grand welcome back. Youth really is something else."

Shirone fixed his expression upon seeing Alpheas. His presence alone indicated the gravity of the situation.

Shirone asked Nade the most pressing question.

"What happened to Arcane? And the others? What exactly happened?"

Nade, who was being scolded by Amy, shouted in disbelief.

"That's not the issue! You've been dead for 10 whole days!"

"What? 10 days? And dead?"

"Of course, man! How can you be alive if your heart isn't beating? Explain what happened."

Shirone seemed shocked and was at a loss for words for a while. He knew he had to explain what he had experienced, but he didn't know where to start.

The door to the infirmary opened, and the teachers entered. Siena was surprised to see Shirone awake. Although she had prayed fervently for his revival, the shock of seeing it with her own eyes was considerable.

Even though she hadn't achieved the Infinite Realm like Shirone, she vaguely understood how terrifying and painful it was to come back from a state of mental disintegration.

'But I'm glad you're back. Thank you.'

Siena smiled at Ethella, who had been tormented by immense guilt over the past 10 days. As expected, Ethella approached Shirone with a face about to burst into tears.

"Shirone."

"Teacher, I'm sorry. I've caused trouble again..."

Ethella embraced Shirone before he could finish speaking.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault. I should have paid more attention. This will not happen again."

To the friends, it seemed like a beautiful embrace between teacher and student, but for Shirone, it was excruciating. Ethella hugged him so tightly he could barely breathe. Aside from the embarrassment, he felt like he was suffocating.

"Uh, Teacher..."

"Yes?"

"Sorry to ask, but could you let go? I can't breathe."

"Oh my!"

Realizing her mistake as Shirone gasped for air, Ethella quickly released him.

"I'm sorry. I just got too excited..."

Shirone took a deep breath, his face turning pale. But this feeling too was part of the real world. Delighted to be back, he smiled and said,

"Now I really feel like I'm back."

Noticing his friends' skeptical looks, Shirone hurriedly waved his hands.

"No, it's not what you think. I mean, this is..."

"You little brat, what are you going on about?"

Amy rushed over and pinched Shirone's cheek.

"Why? Am I not real enough for you?"

"No! That's not what I meant!"

Nade and Yiruki burst into laughter. Alpheas watched Shirone mingle with his friends, then quietly slipped out of the infirmary. He knew the busiest times were ahead for him.

"Headmaster."

Turning around, Shirone had quietly left the infirmary and was approaching him.

"What is it? You should rest for a while. Talk with your friends. We'll probably continue to be closed for a while."

"Thank you for your concern. But there's something I'm curious about."

"Oh? What's that?"

Shirone recounted everything he experienced without omission. From the moment he entered the Infinite Realm to how he returned through the black hole.

Initially, Alpheas listened with interest. However, as the story progressed, his expression gradually hardened. Especially when Shirone described the woman's abilities, Alpheas closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

"That woman said she knew me?"

"Yes. She said to send her regards to you, Headmaster. It's a bit of a hazy memory, but that's what I remember hearing."

Shirone wondered if he had brought up an unnecessary topic. Alpheas's expression was far more troubled than he had anticipated.

"Yes, I think I know who she is."

"You do?"

Shirone's eyes widened in surprise. Alpheas was undoubtedly a great mage, but the woman he had met existed beyond life itself, in another world. The idea that Alpheas knew someone from that other world was intriguing.

Alpheas's thoughts, however, were different. It wasn't coincidence but destiny that Shirone met her. From the moment he achieved the Immortal Function, it was destined to happen.

"Who is she, exactly?"

"Adrias Miro. She was known as the Labyrinth of Time and Space back then. A student of mine who specialized in Scale Magic."

Shirone looked stunned. He had never imagined that she was Alpheas's student. Especially the abilities he had thought divine were actually a form of magic, Scale Magic.

"What is Scale Magic?"

Alpheas Myrhe pondered how to explain, scratching his eyebrow.

"Shirone, in the world of mages, those who have reached the Immortal Function are called Unlockers."

"Yes, I've heard of it."

"Then this will be easier to understand. Miro was also an Unlocker. From a young age, her curiosity was immense. She delved into it endlessly, exploring worlds larger than the universe and smaller than particles. Scale Magic is a magic that only those who have realized the infinity of space-time can wield."

Shirone recalled his encounter with Miro. Indeed, her primary ability, the glass bead, freely manipulated the relativity of space-time.

"Miro said she had been watching over me. Is that possible?"

"Don't worry. Miro resides in a different dimension from you. But when you opened the Immortal Function, you may have briefly reached the same dimension. She must have been waiting for that moment."

"But why me? Unlockers are rare, but according to Arcane, there are quite a few. There must be many more talented than me."

Alpheas stroked his beard, pausing for a moment. The information he was about to share was highly confidential, known only to staff who had worked there for over 20 years.

"Miro is the founding president of the Supernatural Psychic Science Research Group."

Shirone pictured Miro's face. The founder of the research group he was a part of was impressive enough, but the fact that she was the first president nearly 20 years ago and had hardly aged was astonishing.

"Miro wasn't obsessed with phenomena. She believed too much couldn't be explained through knowledge. Along with her peers, she established the research group in Estas. The current President of the Thormia Magic Association, Garold Mikeah, was also one of the early members."

Shirone imagined the members of that time. According to Nade, the master key to the Estas, the Magic Warehouse, was created by an Unlocker with the same Savant ability as Yiruk. It wasn't Miro, and it probably wasn't Mikeah. He could guess how talented the early members were.

As Shirone pondered, Alpheas too, was reminiscing about events 18 years ago. Miro was a kind soul. If it weren't for that day's incident. Realizing something he had omitted, Alpheas turned back to Shirone.

"Shirone, do you know the total number of students in the school?"

It seemed more like a rhetorical question, as Alpheas quickly continued.

"The total changes, of course. Some graduate, take leaves of absence, or are disciplined. But no matter the number, this school always has one less student than it should."

Alpheas looked out the window as he spoke.

"Miro never graduated. She still resides in this school."

Shirone gulped. It felt like hearing a ghost story passed down through the school. But what did "resides" mean? Wasn't she said to be living in a different dimension?

At that moment, the idea of Scale Magic came to Shirone's mind.

"Then could it be..."

Alpheas nodded.

"Yes. Miro is in Estas. Of course, it's a higher dimension created by Scale Magic. Those who know refer to it as the Upper Layer."

Alpheas placed his hand on Shirone's shoulder.

"Promise me, Shirone. Don't speak of today's conversation to anyone. The Upper Layer is not something you should involve yourself in. Don't interfere with it under any circumstances. It could lead to chaos in the world."

Shirone hesitated to respond. The unknown world. Unlockers. Scale Magic. All this information swirled in his mind. He had no intention of recklessly stepping into danger, but promising never to get involved would be a lie in one way or another.

Alpheas sighed as if expecting this reaction.

"If you really want to know about Miro, I'll allow you to research the ruins of Kergos. This isn't to appease you. It's too dangerous to delve straight into the Upper Layer. So please, abide by this."

Finally, Shirone nodded. Alpheas's strict warning must have had its reasons. Shirone also preferred a gradual approach.

"I understand. But thinking that she's in Estas is kind of eerie. I might not be able to sleep in the research group. She could appear suddenly."

"Don't worry. Miro will never leave the space she created."

Shirone tilted his head, wondering how Alpheas could be so certain.

"But she's incredibly talented. Is there a special reason?"

Alpheas looked out the window with a sad expression. It wasn't a statement made with certainty, but he knew that Miro would never return.

"To Miro, this world is... just too painful."

Alpheas, Canis, and Arin left for the capital, Bashuka, to face an inquiry by the Magic Association. According to the teachers, the school would remain temporarily closed until the Association's decision was made.

Shirone was admitted to the infirmary. Having had no heartbeat for 10 days, the medical team decided to monitor his condition. Shirone, not wanting to do anything for the time being, was killing time with his friends.

"Shirone, I'm sorry. You must have felt so let down."

Sharelle said with a sad face. After regaining her memory, her biggest regret was coldly pushing Shirone away the day he brought coffee.

"No, it's not your fault. It was the magic. You didn't do anything wrong, Senior Sharelle."

"Still, how could I forget you?"

"It's really okay. Don't worry about it too much."

Sharelle's eyes softened like a deer's.

"Shirone, you're so kind. So, what are you going to do now? Are you going to demand my body?"

"Wha-?"

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