Chapter 44: The Regressor Completes It

[Command: Grant] ‘C’

A command specialized in imbuing objects with magical power. The effect varies depending on the mental image and amount of magical power used in the command, as well as the material of the object.

*The duration increases based on the compatibility between the object and the command.

As he examined the new skill, Lee Sehoon had a peculiar expression on his face.

‘I didn’t expect him to already have learned this...’

Before the regression, it took him until his mouth was sore from using the command to barely learn the skill, and now it was acquired after just one demonstration.

Feeling more suspicious than happy about this, Lee Sehoon thought,

‘Why is everything going so smoothly?’

Not only the self-defense techniques he learned from Ma Gwangsu before the regression, but also the command magic he used today, which he couldn’t use well before, now came out smoothly.

While the improvement in self-defense techniques could be attributed to his body returning to a healthy state from its previous mess, the command magic was different.

‘This is purely a matter of talent.’

Like Louis, who could use it despite being affected by a magical power block, command magic is not influenced by the user’s age or physical condition. The only requirement is talent for command magic. Even though Lee Sehoon had been a dullard who took five years to master it despite learning directly from the founder, the Beast King.

‘But suddenly, his skills have improved so much...’

Under normal circumstances, he would have thought it was due to his own improvement, but this time, the situation was different. Staring intently at the skill window, Lee Sehoon looked down at his body.

‘Has something changed in my body?’

It might not just be a matter of being younger; there could be changes due to the regression. As Lee Sehoon looked down at his body with a peculiar expression,

“...Teach me.”

Louis, who had been in a daze, finally came to his senses and approached Lee Sehoon.

“How do I do it? No, what should I do first? I’ll do whatever you teach me. Tell me anything. Hurry!”

Louis, with sparkling eyes, lifted his face. He was a completely different person from the one who had just been feeling the futility of life, and it was understandable given the situation.

Now that he knew the seemingly meaningless, stubborn training had real effects, he couldn’t help but feel energized.

“Calm down and sit. I’ll teach you.”

“Got it.”

Louis quickly sat at the desk. Seeing his quick and lively response, Lee Sehoon smiled wryly and wrote the incantation for the ‘Sphere’ on the whiteboard.

“Command magic is about how perfectly you can combine magical power and mental images. For that, you can ignore the structure, completeness, or efficiency of the incantation.”

What’s needed is the confidence to call fire water.

Even if it’s inefficient in the existing magic system, command magic can use it efficiently.

Like magic that ignores physical laws, command magic ignores the laws of magic.

“That’s really stubborn. It’s spontaneous.”

“Yes, of course. However, that doesn’t mean you can neglect the theory. You need a solid foundation to hold diverse mental images.”

You shouldn’t have fixed ideas but must have confidence in yourself and a broad knowledge and free thinking compared to other magicians.

In short, it’s a skill that you should give up on if you don’t have the talent.

“The most important thing is a strong belief that the mental image will become reality. Confidence and will in yourself are the most crucial.”

“...Got it.”

“It will be easier to understand once you try it. Let’s start with the Sphere.”

“Okay.”

After hearing the rough explanation, Louis immediately began refining his magical power as Lee Sehoon had taught him.

Hum─

The magical power in his mouth faintly flickered, and Louis’s brows slightly furrowed. Even though he had become more familiar with it recently, forming an incantation by flicking his tongue was no easy task.

However, Louis focused more on the ‘will’ Lee Sehoon had mentioned rather than being aware of his own inexperience.

‘The incantation might be a bit clumsy...!’

As long as it can be manifested as magic, and as long as it doesn’t cause pain, it’s fine.

With his eyes gleaming, Louis poured his will and the mental image in his head into the incantation in his mouth.

“<Sphere>”

Whoosh─

The command formed a sphere.

A small sphere the size of a pupil. It had the shape but couldn’t gather enough magical power to grow to the right size.

Seeing the failed attempt to create a command, Lee Sehoon had a curious expression.

‘This kid also had a beginner stage, huh.’

Before the regression, he only saw Louis struggling with this, and it felt strange to see someone less skilled than himself, giving him a peculiar sense of satisfaction.

As Lee Sehoon smiled contentedly at the small sphere Louis created, he was about to give advice when,

“”

The next command seeped into the inside of the sphere.

Hum─

The sphere, which was now absorbing surrounding magical power, pulsed slightly and compressed to the size of a fingernail.

Bang!

A sphere twice the size of his face unfolded in the air with a shockwave.

Although some magical power leaked out and the shape was slightly distorted, it was still a form that could be called ‘magic.’ Lee Sehoon’s eyes widened at the sight.

‘What is this...?’

He thought it would take at least three or four days just to create a sphere, but Louis had completed it by adding another command?

Some might say that since he completed it in two tries, his skills were lacking, but adding commands was more difficult in command magic.

‘Because even a slight difference in the mental image inside the command can cause a conflict.’

The application method Lee Sehoon practiced for at least half a year before the regression. Louis had instinctively performed it in one go.

‘Where did he get this talent...?’

It seems he won’t be able to show off his command magic skills for long.

As Lee Sehoon looked at the completed sphere, he suddenly noticed Louis was quiet and turned his head.

“...”

Louis, with a dazed expression, stared at the sphere he had created.

After staring at it for a while, he slowly raised his hand and gently touched his neck, which was wrapped in bandages.

“...It doesn’t hurt.”

Despite using magic, he felt no pain.

Instead, he felt a slight dizziness and a heavy body, the result of the mental energy spent on forming the incantation and the void left by the magical power drained by the command.

‘Right... This is how it feels.’

Using magic was originally like this.

The sensation felt so unfamiliar even though it had only been half a year, and Louis’s hand trembled slightly before he bit his lip tightly.

“Gulp...”

His eyes, which seemed about to overflow with tears, glistened. But instead of bursting into tears, Louis tilted his head back and bit his lip to hold them back.

Seeing his desperate effort, Lee Sehoon smiled and asked,

“Why are you holding back? Just let it all out.”

“Not yet... No.”

Using magic is just an intermediate step.

“Those bastards who did this to my neck... I won’t cry until I tear out their throats.”

His eyes, which glistened with tears, glowed with a fierce blue light. Seeing Louis’s burning passion, Lee Sehoon had a satisfied expression.

‘Right. This is how it should be.’

He was worried that if Louis became too happy just because he could use magic, he would lose his edge, but it seemed his innate character wouldn’t change.

While Louis held back his tears, Lee Sehoon looked at the completed sphere again.

‘Still, to achieve this level in just one day...’

He had planned to only build a foundation this week and gradually improve his skills in the hospital, but this level of progress made it seem better to discharge him sooner.

‘Especially since he also acquired Command: Grant... It should be fine.’

After roughly estimating the situation in his head, Lee Sehoon looked at Louis, who was sniffing with his head tilted back.

“This level is enough to move on to the next step.”

“Sniff... Next step?”

“Yes.”

Lee Sehoon, taking out his phone, slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

“Overcoming trauma.”

* * *

In the simulation training ground of the Ivory Tower.

Numerous figures were entangled and moved busily.

“Ah!”

“Get out of the way!”

“Damn...!”

Clang! Clang!

Seven freshmen, with urgent expressions, swung their weapons. Although their weapons were different, they shared a few commonalities.

First, they were all first-year students who had just enrolled this year. Second, they were students from ordinary or not-so-good family backgrounds.

And the last one.

Crash!

They were facing enemies that were skeletons made of black bones.

‘Why are these skeletons so strong...!?’

Skeletons, the most basic undead in necromancy.

Due to the lack of muscles and other bodily organs, they were often considered weak and limited.

Whoosh!

However, the black skeletons in front of them were overwhelming them with sheer strength and skill without using any special powers.

The fact that they were being outmatched by mere skeletons filled the freshmen with a sense of self-loathing, and a brown-haired young man watching the scene from outside the training ground had a bored expression.

“There’s not a single useful one...”

He had called them to gather combat data, but there was no one worth remembering. They were just a bunch of useless fighters. The young man, Gerwin Kruger, snapped his fingers.

Bang─!

Black magical power swept over the skeletons, and black flames rose from their empty eyes.

Crash! Bang! Crack!

“Gasp!”

“Cough!”

The skeletons’ attacks, now much stronger, instantly knocked the seven freshmen out of the training ground.

Seeing the freshmen fall without putting up a proper fight, Gerwin frowned and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk. That’s why we need to carefully select the freshmen...”

Just because they have a little talent, they are admitted without proper consideration, resulting in these useless ones.

After sending the skeletons back to the subspace, Gerwin looked at the freshmen sprawled on the floor.

“Get lost, you’re useless.”

“Yes, yes!”

The freshmen, who were groaning, quickly helped their injured comrades and left the training ground.

Since they were all from families connected to the UD Group, it was unwise to offend Gerwin, a member of the owner’s family.

“Just a waste of time...”

The special student selection for the Ivory Tower was coming up soon. Last year, he secured the position without any issues, but this year, it was uncertain, so he couldn’t afford to be complacent.

‘The most annoying one right now... is Lea Clovel, I guess.’

Although her grades had dropped since enrollment and she couldn’t maintain the top position, rumors were spreading that she had been skipping all her classes and locking herself in the workshop.

While it might be different in other places, in Babel, where geniuses abound, such seclusion is the most threatening.

‘I’d like to take care of it if possible... but this one will be a bit difficult.’

If she came from a less prominent family like the rejects from the Elemental Department he dealt with half a year ago, it would have been easier.

‘Maybe I should ask Bier for help again.’

As long as she is excluded from the special student selection, it doesn’t matter how. While Gerwin was seriously considering this,

Hum─

His phone suddenly rang. Seeing ‘Bier’ as the caller, Gerwin immediately answered.

“What’s up?”

-Gerwin. A challenge has been posted on the Tower’s bulletin board.

“...A challenge?”

-Things are getting complicated. Check it out quickly.

Hearing Bier’s slightly urgent voice, Gerwin immediately opened the Tower and looked at the bulletin board.

1st. Challenge [485]

A short title at the top of the popular posts. Gerwin felt an unpleasant sensation and clicked on the post.

[Challenge]

After a long rehabilitation, I have overcome the magical power block and can now use magic, albeit insufficiently.

Therefore, before re-enrolling, I would like to request a sparring match with Gerwin Kruger, the third-year head of the Command Department, to whom I owed a favor half a year ago.

The time is one week from today at 1 PM. The place is the Martial Arts Hall.

If you are concerned about injury and cannot participate, I will humbly accept it, so please reply without hesitation.

-From the suspended student, Louis Valentine

The challenge was straightforward, but its content was clear enough for all students to understand.

-If you’re scared to fight me, a former ICU patient, just say no.

The challenge was blatant, childish, and impossible to refuse. Gerwin Kruger’s eyes gradually twisted.

“This... bastard...”

Crack─

His phone shattered, and the challenge was accepted.