Chapter 234. Realm
“It’s my first time ingesting food… so this is what it means to taste. Compared to experiencing it indirectly through memory, this is incomparably better.”
The Administrator openly savored the flavor.
From a Mage’s perspective, it was inefficient. After all, a clone had no need for nutrition.
“Mmm, this jerky and wine, even compared to the memories of the main body, the taste is quite decent. Verden, it seems you, too, pursue a certain degree of gourmet taste.”
The Administrator’s tone was far too nonchalant.
It was a complete contrast to the atmosphere when he had tried to kill Verden with high-tier magic, <Arcane>, and even transcendental magic.
Originally, <Clone> belonged to the 6th-tier illusion series of spells.
A trick to disturb the opponent’s senses. A form made of magic power, capable of carrying out motions calculated by spell formulas.
And that was all.
A clone could never act like a human.
Even if one refined it with mastery and created a more sophisticated clone, it could never cast magic beyond 5th-tier. Independent thought was, of course, impossible.
An impossible existence.
Yet, somehow, it was accepted without question.
‘Because he’s the Demon King.’
Mado <Origin>.
Though it had been specialized toward elemental branches, it was thoroughly improved by the Demon King’s research and branched out into multiple series.
The spells, magic circles, magical theories, and magical items born from it were legendary achievements.
It was no exaggeration to say that the Demon King had advanced the world of magic by a hundred years. Compared to that, an unusual clone wasn’t even particularly astonishing.
A moment later, the Demon King finished his meal.
Satisfied with the lingering flavor and texture, he opened his mouth.
“So then, is your body alright?”
“Isn’t it a little late to ask that?”
“It was never to the extent that you would die or be crippled. More than that, you have quite a sturdy body for a Mage. There must not be many Mages throughout history who tempered their physique to the same degree as you.”
“Was it you, Administrator, who treated me directly?”
“Golems like Alpha have no knowledge in this field. And as you can see, it is not exactly a domain I’m confident in, either.”
Indeed, the treatment had been rather sloppy.
“Don’t complain too much. Why would my main body ever need to learn emergency treatment when there’s no reason for him to get injured in the first place.”
That was true.
In the magic duel with the Administrator, Verden had brushed against the line of death. If this was the extent of a clone, then just how powerful was the true Demon King, a 9th-tier transcendental being…
It was beyond imagination. No, it was something one did not even wish to imagine.
‘Even so…’
Verden gazed at the Administrator.
The awe he had displayed during the magic duel was now gone, and… strangely enough, he seemed oddly approachable for being the Demon King’s clone.
One might even say he had a touch of humanity.
Catching the meaning of Verden’s gaze, the Administrator gave a faint smile.
“Until now, you must have constructed the figure of the Demon King within your own imagination. Encountering him only through books or stories, you would have limited his every action and word to an image befitting the Demon King. Thus, the real and your imagination were bound to diverge.”
“Diverge…?”
“The main body was not always solemn, austere, and serious. He may have been the transcendental among transcendents, but his foundation was still human. He had his preferences, carried his duties and sense of mission as the Demon King, and, befitting one obsessed with magic, was curious and willful.”
Even the fact that he had one day suddenly disappeared spoke to that.
The Administrator muttered softly, shaking his head.
“Well, that was the main body. As for what kind of personality the Demon King had, let’s leave it at that. More importantly, Verden, I wish to speak with you about a different matter.”
“So that was why you waited for me to awaken.”
“It’s already been four days since I moved you to the Administrator’s Chamber. My time to maintain this form isn’t abundant, but because of Alpha… hm, in any case, what I wish to speak of is your physical condition. Think of it as the Demon King’s curiosity, or perhaps his advice.”
Physical condition?
“There doesn’t seem to be any particular problem…”
“It’s not about your injuries, it’s about your mana circuits. Take a look at your own realm.”
Verden immediately focused inward.
As the Administrator said, he observed the mana circuits throughout his entire body. Soon perceiving his current level, Verden’s eyes widened.
“6th-tier?”
The wall was broken.
How long had it even been since he reached upper 5th-tier?
‘But something feels strange.’
He could clearly feel the 6th-tier.
Yet, he could not read the finer subdivisions of the realm. Whether lower, middle, or upper. It was as though the stairs between levels had collapsed, merging into a single floor.
It was far too ambiguous to confidently determine the exact stage.
‘Is this the result of activating the Defying the Heavens magic circle for the second time?’
Truthfully, there could be no other cause… yet it was still staggering. To leap nearly a whole tier in the blink of an eye.
“You must find it strange as well. Such rapid change has no precedent in the memories or knowledge of the main body. Even if it were possible, the body should have burst long ago, unable to withstand it.”
However.
“There is one theoretical possibility.”
The Administrator and Verden.
Their gazes crossed.
“Verden, have you ever, in the past, experienced the 6th-tier, or even a realm beyond that?”
***
For the sake of Defying the Heavens, Verden had used the magic tower’s power source.
He had pulled out the source’s conduit, and directly inserted its connection into his own heart. By bridging it, he became part of the circulation, part of the power source itself.
That sensation was still etched in his memory.
It was like transcending the human species. The omnipotent feeling of moving infinite magic power with his own will was indescribable.
“……”
Recalling that time, Verden closed his mouth.
In this situation, silence was tantamount to affirmation.
The Administrator spoke.
“So, you do have something in mind.”
“…Must I say it?”
“Even if you don’t, I already know. It must be the influence of that magic circle carved into your body.”
While treating Verden, the Administrator had examined the Defying the Heavens magic circle in detail.
It was something unknown even to the Demon King.
Only after several days of study could he faintly grasp its true intent.
The Administrator narrowed his eyes.
“It does more than expand mana circuits. Beyond mere physical transformation, in the end, it reconstructs the body itself, a complete inversion of the world’s laws.”
Even now, it was hard to believe.
Restructuring the body meant transcending the limits of one’s birth. An idea and action no one had ever managed.
Not even the Demon King himself.
“That magic circle, did you create it yourself? Without anyone’s help?”
“……”
“Madness, utter madness. There’s no other way to put it.”
It was neither sane nor insane.
It existed beyond such categories, the work of a true madman. A creation born of utterly disregarding one’s own life.
There was no probability of success in restructuring the body.
If ten million people attempted it, ten million people would die. The same would hold true for a hundred million.
The epitome of impossibility.
“And yet, you succeeded. And perhaps, in that process, you briefly experienced a realm comparable to that of a transcendental being. The overwhelming talent you possess must also be one of the results.”
“You seem certain of it, even without my answer.”
“Well, I am still the Demon King’s clone. Though my magical ability is lacking, my intuition and insight are not much different from the main body. More than that, it’s not an inborn talent, but a talent you seized for yourself… the more I come to know you, the more you are filled with the unknown. In that sense, may I ask you a question, Verden?”
“Go ahead.”
“Why did you create that magic circle?”
Why, indeed.
There could only be one reason.
Recalling his intense emotions, Verden opened his mouth.
After all, his counterpart was only a clone that would soon vanish. Whatever was spoken here would never leave this place. For that reason, he did not bother to conceal it.
“For revenge.”
“Revenge… unexpected. Yet that makes sense. Without such a clear purpose, you could never have possessed such mental strength and obsession.”
The Administrator nodded.
“And this revenge, what kind is it? Was your family or a friend murdered by someone? Or the annihilation of your entire house?”
He listed plausible motives.
Deep vengeance was usually tied to the taking of lives.
But Verden’s answer went far beyond his expectations.
“I was subjected to human experimentation in the magic tower.”
“…?!”
The Administrator’s eyes widened.
It was only natural. He knew full well how horrific the human experiments conducted by Mages driven mad by magic could be.
That madness was the epitome of cruelty, even in ancient times.
The Demon King himself had once subjugated such Mages, and thus knew the details.
A silence hung in the air.
Then the Administrator lowered his head, clearing his throat.
“Khmm, such a thing… I am sorry.”
The Administrator grew solemn.
It was the natural reaction of any sane Mage. Verden himself, however, remained calm.
The atmosphere chilled in an instant.
The Administrator quickly shifted the subject.
“In other words, your body is walking once more upon that same experience. Even if only for a fleeting moment, because you have walked that path before, you are adapting and evolving all the faster. And this is my personal opinion, but… with your current body, it would not be strange if you reached the 7th-tier.”
The 7th-tier…?
Verden blinked.
The 7th-tier? Perhaps someday, but for now, it was a realm that felt entirely unreal. Struggling to gather his thoughts, he asked cautiously.
“Are you saying there is a separate reason why I cannot reach the 7th-tier?”
“Yes. This is the problem.”
The Administrator tapped his own forehead lightly.
“You have not yet attained spiritual enlightenment.”
***
Originally, Mado was the essence of a Mage.
It was the enlightenment achieved by one who had reached at least the 5th-tier. That was an undeniable truth, and Verden was a Magus.
For that reason, he could not understand.
He had already become a Magus, so how could he not have attained enlightenment?
“It is a reasonable thought. Then, Verden, can you show me your Mado here and now?”
“…Very well.”
Verden slowly raised his hand.
Though his body still creaked in pain, he endured it. Drawing in a deep breath, he focused his mind.
Mado <Infinity>.
At the tip of Verden’s index finger, a spiral of gravity was born.
It was not bound to any tier. It was magic power and magic itself, embodying Verden’s will and imagery directly.
“As expected…”
The Administrator stroked his chin.
His azure eyes pierced straight through to the core.
“You truly are a Magus. But while your body has already reached beyond, your mind has not, and so imbalance occurs. For that reason, your Mado is also incomplete. Put simply, one could call it ‘half a Mado’.”
“…!”
Verden twitched at the corner of his eye, then responded immediately.
“But I definitely saw Mado.”
“You saw Mado…? Could it be, you remember the abyss of Mado?”
It rose up with utmost clarity.
The countless Mados that had unfolded before Verden. At that explanation, the Administrator’s expression grew even more serious.
“Normally, the abyss is forgotten the instant one walks the path of Mado. It is too fleeting, and occurs too deep within the inner self. Only special beings like the main body could retain that memory. But to remember many Mado’s…”
His voice trailed off.
His thoughts grew deeper.
“You did not choose any one path in the abyss. But that itself is also a choice, and can be interpreted as a Mado in itself. To summarize again───”
Verden’s body was special.
Mado, which should only be pioneered through the harmony of body and mind, he had achieved through bodily growth alone, beyond the limits.
Even if it was only half.
And the Administrator had another reason for his certainty.
“Verden, do you remember the moment you blocked the transcendental spell?”
“I do not.”
“At that time, I saw it. From you, unconscious, a dark crimson magic power erupted… it utterly ‘annihilated’ my primordial flame.”
…That oppressive force.
“Dark crimson magic… then that is my true Mado?”
“That is what I believe. The circumstances make sense. Your distant consciousness must have, however briefly, harmonized with your body.”
Verden clenched his fist.
A 6th-tier whose exact realm could not be determined, and half a Mado.
“Then, what exactly is my realm…?”
“Well, this is the first case I have ever seen. But if I had to give it a name───”
His body was already perfected in magic.
With only spiritual enlightenment, he could become a transcendental being immediately.
The Demon King spoke in a low voice.
“One could call you, a quasi-transcendent.”
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