Infinite Mage

“You should have kept pushing! Don’t you know that the more trials you run, the less the error becomes?”

“But we needed bullets for that! Following your strategy, we could have ended up staking even the house deed!”

“See, that’s the point! Nothing in this world can be infinitely consumed! Energy is no exception!”

“Why are you bringing that up now?”

“Hahaha!”

Shirone burst into laughter. Everyone striving towards their dreams is united in purpose. Thus, success and failure are merely secondary. 

Even if the world points fingers, calling it a pointless endeavor, or mocks them as idealists unable to support a family, humanity has progressed to this point precisely because someone chose to take on those challenges.

“It's okay if it’s not me. Even if I become just a stepping stone for someone else, I don't mind.”

Shirone stopped worrying. He felt thankful for all the luck that had shaped him, deciding to keep moving towards his dreams.

Yiruki, puzzled, asked, “Shirone, why have you been grinning like that since a while ago? Did you eat something weird?”

Shirone shook his head without answering, reaffirming his determination as he walked.

“I’m back, guys.”

Two days were left until the suspension was lifted.

Nade and Yiruki arrived at the 4th training field early at dawn, waiting for Shirone.

It was early, but bright due to summer, and both yawned continuously, eyes fixed on the entrance.

Rubbing his sleepy face, Nade complained, “Ah, what’s this? Calling us out so early.”

“Didn’t he say he had something to show us?”

“What’s there to show all of a sudden? We’ve already seen enough to be overwhelmed.”

“Maybe he tattooed his wee...”

“Puhahaha!”

Imagining what Yiruki said, Nade burst into laughter. Meanwhile, Shirone entered the training field.

“Ah, you were already here. But why is Nade like that?”

“Dunno. Maybe because he’s a pervert.”

“Puhahaha! Tattoo! A tattoo there…! Puhahaha!”

Anxious, Shirone didn’t ask. It must be some silly joke they were sharing.

“Anyway, let's start. I’m eager to show you.”

“What are you showing? A tattoo? Puhahaha!”

Yiruki spoke with a look of disdain, “Stop it. It’s not funny anymore. But why did you call us here? What do you want to show?”

“Just wait. I’ll show you right now.”

Shirone walked to the center of the training field and extended his hand towards the rock mountain.

“What’s this? Photon Output? Did you increase its output?”

Shirone executed the Photon Canon. A white flash swiftly passed before Nade and Yiruki’s eyes.

Boom!

With a dull roar, the rock exploded.

Nade and Yiruki, who had been nonchalant moments ago, were now wide-eyed, jaws dropped.

The impact area on the rock was flattened. They ran over to inspect the aftermath.

“Wha-what’s this? Magic? Or real magic?”

“That’s odd. To embody impact in light. I know photon types can’t be fused, but what happened here, Shirone?”

Proud, Shirone explained, “This is my new weapon, not Photon Output but Photon Canon.”

“Photon Canon, huh? Sounds plausible. But how does it work?”

“Well… it's a bit long to explain.”

When Shirone hesitated, Nade rushed over, shaking his shoulder with an incredulous expression.

“Hurry up and tell me! How did you do it? Imbuing physical force into light, that’s absolutely impossible!”

Nade, with his affinity to electricity and light, understood the gravity of Shirone’s achievement.

“I’ll tell you. But... would you mind coming somewhere with me?”

Shirone’s group entered a restaurant in the noble district. As they filled up on seafood pasta, Shirone narrated how he discovered Photon Canon.

The story spanned from the swirling dust above his bed, the incident of throwing Ulk off the cliff, to the moment he realized the principle of Photon Canon.

Even without mentioning Armin, Photon Canon was entirely Shirone’s original concept, making it easy to explain.

Nade and Yiruki listened intently, forgetting to eat their pasta.

After an hour-long explanation, absorbed in thought, Yiruki put down his fork and said, “Gauge symmetry, I’ve heard about it from my father. It boils down to this: there exists a separate particle that transmits mass, right? And you’ve managed to control it.”

Shirone realized anew how extraordinary Yiruki’s father must be. To teach his son about gauge symmetry, a cutting-edge theory in magic society, was impressive for the leader of the Thunder Dragons.

Nade added, “In short, the product of Immortal Function is mass. And with Photon Canon, you’ve also rid yourself of the Mourning Sensation.”

“Yeah. I don’t have nightmares anymore either.”

Yiruki and Nade sank into contemplation. Particles that transmit mass to matter - Shirone’s realization was monumental.

Especially, Photon Canon was a magic unique to Shirone. No one else could perform Omnipotence with two particles, and without experiencing the Infinite Realm directly, even mastering Omniscience wouldn’t suffice.

“It’s incredible, Shirone. This might be more significant than we can imagine. If you patent this, you could sit on a gold mine right away!”

Nade’s mind was already brimming with inventions that could be realized using Shirone’s theory.

“That’s why I want to ask you for a favor. Would you accompany me to the library?”

“The library?”

“I can’t enter the school library during suspension. That’s why I want to visit the noble’s library. I want to further research Photon Canon. But I can’t get in, so I need you guys to take me.”

“That’s fine. It will be beneficial for us too. But why can’t you go in alone?”

Commoners are not allowed to enter the noble library. He could use the school library once his suspension was lifted, but after his experience in the Firefield Village, he realized denying his identity changed nothing. He wanted to be honest with his friends at least.

“The truth is, I’m not a noble.”

Nade, who was munching on pasta, stopped and stared blankly. Yiruki also looked at Shirone in shock.

“I’m a commoner. I was abandoned in a stable when I was young and was raised by my current parents. My father is a simple lumberjack.”

Entering the magical world late, who would have thought he was a commoner, especially abandoned by his birth parents? This revelation did not match the untroubled demeanor Shirone always carried.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you until now. I’ll accept any criticism. But I didn’t want to hide it anymore.”

Nade and Yiruki looked at each other, their eyes conveying mutual understanding.

Yiruki was the first to speak, “It's a shocking revelation. But honestly, it doesn’t change much. You’re still Shirone.”

“I feel the same. If we had known from the start, maybe, but hearing it now changes nothing. The times we’ve shared together aren’t just going to disappear.”

Shirone had hoped his friends would understand, but it was only a personal expectation. Receiving their acceptance, he felt deeply moved.

Yiruki chuckled, bowing his head, “So, that’s why it was a special admission. You learned magic late because you weren’t a noble. Talent doesn’t come with one’s birth status. You’re truly remarkable.”

“Thanks. I appreciate you saying that.”

Seeing Shirone’s emotional reaction, Nade waved his hands dismissively.

“Hey, hey. No need to be so serious. I'm actually glad. We became friends without any preconceptions. If we had known earlier, we wouldn’t have experienced events like the recent research presentation.”

Yiruki, deciding to change the topic, stood up from the table, “Alright, let’s head to the library. I was bored to death anyway. Let’s ignite our academic fervor!”

Shirone and Nade stood up, joining in with enthusiasm.

“Great!”

In the capital Bashuka of the Kingdom of Thormia.

In the Jijeon mountain range encircling the royal castle, a dungeon 70 meters underground, completed a century ago, lay hidden. Known as the Labyrinth of Darkness, it was once the hideout of the archmage Viltor Arcane who once dominated the world.

Arcane, someone who excelled in dark magic, frequently clashed with various nations until he mysteriously vanished 40 years ago after a certain incident. 

At that time, Arcane’s mage rank was an unofficial third grade.

Upon reaching or exceeding third grade, one is bestowed with the title of an archmage, regardless of official or unofficial status.

A mage’s grade is determined by their achievements and renown, managed through a special scoring system by the Magic Association.

For example, achieving 1,000 points from achievements and fame is required to ascend from 10th to 9th grade. To rise from 4th to 3rd grade, a staggering 280 million points are necessary.

This means a third-grade mage has accumulated achievements and renown beyond ordinary comprehension.

A Grade-A dangerous dungeon eradication earns 500 achievement points, and a royal summon to meet the king earns 100 fame points. Considering these, one can guess how much Arcane stirred the world.

40 years ago, at the age of 89, Arcane reached the rank of an unofficial third-grade mage. His score at the time was 100 million points for achievements and 180 million for fame. 

His fame surpassed his achievements because he was a troublemaker who turned the continent upside down.

Banned experiments were just the start; he formed dark organizations, spawning anarchists, causing national upheavals. 

People over seventy tremble at the mention of Arcane, a testament to his infamy, which is clear even without mentioning the 280 million points.

“Phew.”

Within a crystal tube filled with green liquid, Arcane opened his eyes. Bare and wrinkled, his 149-year-old body was a testament to his age.

“Finally… finally, it’s complete, the essence of darkness.”

It was the dark power he had gathered for 40 years. Arcane planned to absorb it to reclaim his past glory.

Humans age and die because their cells reach a replication limit. But Arcane suppressed cell division using a life support system.

Glancing at the crystal on his desk, initially diamond-like but now turned pitch black, he had accumulated the dark power with daily Injection Magic.

“Alpheas, wait for me! I will repay this humiliation.”

After suffering a critical injury from a young Alpheas, Arcane’s magic power rapidly declined. 

But surviving on revenge, Arcane was about to regain his past power and rise once again as an archmage.

As the green liquid in the life support device drained, Arcane’s frail body bent. He looked old enough to be encased in the tube.

The front of the crystal tube opened, and Arcane crawled out, gasping for air.

“Canis! Arin! Are you there?”

Two young-looking children entered, their demeanor somber, likely due to their dark magic training.

“Did you call for us, Master?”

“Clothes. Bring me my clothes.”

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