[Translator - Clara]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 59: Training Camp (4)
The artificial sun rose over the campus athletic field.
32 trainees stood in neat rows and columns on the vast space covered in soft grass.
Oscar, watching them with satisfaction, opened his mouth to speak.
"The training method is simple. Starting now, useãAccelerationãand run around the field until you collapse from exhaustion. Easy, right?"
"...?"
Question marks appeared above the trainees' heads.
Their purpose for gathering wasnât to build physical stamina but to stabilize their mana circuits.
As expected, Demian Proud, known for his prickly personality, furrowed his brow and asked,
"What does running have to do with stabilizing mana circuits?"
"Hmm. A good question."
Oscar didnât particularly dislike that attitude.
Even though they were young, they were still mages.
And mages werenât the kind of people to do something cheerfully unless they understood it with their own minds.
In short, it was a matter of explaining everything from start to finish to gain their understanding.
"First, you should all be aware of one fact. The Imperial Magic Society has deemed it impossible to artificially stabilize mana circuits. They recommend ceasing any experiments related to it entirely."
Hearing this sudden revelation, the traineesâ pupils wavered.
"Wait a minute. Does that mean what weâre about to do is illegal?"
"Well, thereâs no legal force behind it, so donât worry. Itâs merely a safety guideline."
"â¦Still, itâs unsafe, isnât it?"
"That sounds even scarier."
Oscar, looking at their suddenly darkened expressions, continued,
"As you all know, mana circuits are far more complex than regular blood vessels or nervous systems. One wrong move can lead to disability or death."
This phenomenon was referred to as mana overload in the Empire and inner demons in the Yan Kingdom.
"In other words, the society concluded it was impossible because they couldnât find a 100% safe method."
"If itâs that dangerous, wouldnât it be better to stop now?"
"Donât worry. They couldnât find it, but the White Tower has discovered a completely safe method."
Oscar pulled a book from his coat.
"Youâve all heard the rumors about the discovery of Oscar Sageâs hideout two days ago, havenât you?"
Everyone nodded.
That rumor had stirred quite a commotion in the White Tower.
"Unfortunately, no advanced magic was found there. However, this breathing technique was. Commonly known as the Oscar Breathing Method."
"!"
The trainees collectively stared at the book as if mesmerized.
The Oscar Breathing Method was famous as a lost treasure of the White Tower.
"Wait, is this that breathing technique? The one that allows you to absorb mana 24/7?"
"If you master it, doesnât it completely eliminate the drawbacks of harmony-type mages?"
"Does this mean mastering it stabilizes the mana circuits?"
"No, it doesnât."
Oscar waved the book lightly and explained,
"As you know, this method allows you to absorb mana continuously, 24 hours a day. Normally, mana circuits are activated briefly only when casting magic, but this keeps them semi-permanently activated. While itâs extremely tiring, it accelerates the stabilization of mana circuits to an entirely different level."
Of course, if this method alone could make one a Level 4 mage, the training camp wouldnât even have started.
"Iâve prepared training to maximize the effect of this breathing method. That training is running."
"?"
More question marks popped up.
Most wore expressions that said, âWhy is the conversation going there again?â
Oscar explained why they had to run in simpler terms.
"As you know, muscles grow by repairing and regenerating after minor damage. Whatâs amazing is that mana circuits are the same. If you push them to the limit, creating a state that requires regeneration and healing, theyâll grow stronger and stabilize faster. This is why mages who frequently face life-and-death battles on the front lines improve so quickly."
Of course, there was a simple reason why this rough method was thoroughly rejected by academia.
"The only downside is that until the damaged mana circuits return to normal, youâd need to drink expensive potions like water and have a priest on standby."
"Oh! Donât tell meâ¦"
"Exactly. With the Oscar Breathing Method, you donât need to spend all that money or effort."
The Blue Towerâs desperation to obtain this method stemmed precisely from this.
They knew theyâd never close the gap with the White Tower without it.
Oscar looked over the trainees and asked,
"Now, do you understand why you need to run?"
"â¦"
In short, the mana circuits needed to be thoroughly strained and damaged for the training to be effective.
Seeing their inability to object further, he gave the order.
"What are you waiting for? Start running!"
* * *
"Take a five-minute break, then run 10 more laps around the field. How many laps?"
"Ten laps!"
"Listen to your tone! Make that 15 laps! How many laps?"
"Fifteen laps!!!"
The training was intense enough to seem more fitting for knights than mages.
But complaining was awkward when even the instructor was tirelessly moving.
"Speed up at the front! Donât block the pace!"
"Are you selfish? Canât you see your teammate about to collapse? Support them!"
"If you fall behind, consider yourself dead! If you donât all finish together, youâll start over from the beginning!"
Oscar, yelling instructions, ran back and forth through the ranks, covering twice their distance.
With the instructor putting in so much effort, who could dare complain about exhaustion?
"Amy Lavin, over here for a moment."
When he spotted someone reaching their physical limit, he didnât hesitate to call them aside.
"Here, drink this potion in one go. Itâs an advanced potion set to be released next quarter."
"Huff, huff⦠Senior⦠This is too much. Canât I just stop running without taking the potion?"
"Of course. Your peers will only need to run five more laps each. Go rest over there on the bench."
"â¦Iâll take the potion."
Naturally, the trainees were on the verge of losing their minds.
Their stamina and mana felt like they were drying up by the second, with a metallic taste filling their mouths.
They were truly starting to understand what it meant to run until the brink of death.
âWhy does that man have such ridiculous stamina? Was he a knight aspirant or something?â
âWasnât he guzzling alcohol daily just a few months ago?â
âNow that you mention it, his frail, sickly image has completely disappeared.â
Physical limits varied from person to person.
For those who hit their limit despite consuming a potion, Oscar would calmly teach them the breathing techniqueâs mantra instead.
Some of the trainees, seeing this, had a sudden thought.
âWait, if I just collapse, I can rest, right?â
âItâs not like thereâs a prize for coming in first. Why risk my life for this?â
A few cunning individuals pretended to collapse, but they couldnât fool Oscarâs sharp eyes.
"Here, drink this potion."
"â¦Uh, I already drank one earlier."
"You couldâve run more. Think of this as punishment for deceiving both me and yourself. Now, drink it all."
A sly grin stretched across Oscar's face, a faint trace of madness glinting in his eyes.
After thoroughly draining every bit of strength from the trainees without sparing a single one, Oscar addressed the scattered "corpses" lying about.
"Meals will be prepared at the dining hall in the annex. After showering and changing clothes in the dormitory, come by to eat. Itâll take about an hour to get ready."
[Translator - Clara]
[Proofreader - Gun]
"â¦Wait, are you going to cook it yourself, senior?"
"Of course. I can't very well make you handle that on top of everything else."
As Oscar calmly walked off toward the dining hall, groans and complaints began to ripple through the trainees.
"How many days of this do we have to endure to reach level 4?"
"Itâs only the first day, and I already want to go home⦠I could be back in my room instantly if I just rode the mana lift."
"â¦Iâll endure."
At that moment, Benjamin Scott, who had been lying flat on the ground, suddenly bolted upright, his determination clear.
Wasnât he the one who had been dismissed and ignored by Leo Brült just a few days ago?
"Iâm going to finish this training no matter what and return as a level-4 intermediate mage."
"Same here. I have to move up to face that insufferable guy again and put him in his place."
With Sylvia Finn adding her voice to the resolve, other mages began to feel inspired.
This even included Damian Proud, who had seriously been considering quitting.
'â¦No way I can let those guys outpace me.'
The thought of being the only one left behind as the others achieved level 4 was a nightmare Damian couldnât bear.
After a brief rest, the trainees headed to the dining hall, where they were greeted with a sight that left them all stunned.
"Did⦠did you really cook all of this, senior?"
"â¦Iâm starting to get scared of him. Is there anything he canât do?"
Salads, soups, nutritious steaks, and even pasta dishesâall perfectly plated and delicious-looking.
And the taste didnât disappoint either.
"When did you even learn how to cook like this?"
"Here and there, by watching others."
Oscar replied as he took off his apron and chefâs hat.
The truth, however, was that he had learned it all on the battlefield.
'In war, even high-ranking mages canât afford to sit back and act noble. Everyone had to pull their weight somehow.'
In those desperate times, when one person often had to do the work of three or four, Oscar had learned to cook.
"Listen while you eat. Resting is also part of training. Once you're done eating, head back to your dormitories, donât mess around, and sleep until morning. Tomorrowâs training will start just like todayâs."
The clinking of utensils paused at his words, a collective dread washing over the trainees.
Cale Smith, who had cunningly consumed two advanced potions earlier, hesitantly raised his hand.
"Senior, if mana circuits are really similar to muscles, wouldnât daily strain end up being counterproductive?"
"A reasonable point. But you donât need to worry about that."
Oscar casually revealed a large backpack brimming with potions.
"I came prepared for that. And if necessary, Iâll just get more from the potion-making department. Iâll make sure your physical condition stays optimal, so trust me."
"â¦"
The trainees, now as silent as mute frogs, couldnât muster a single word of complaint.
* * *
-Day 5 of the Training Camp
The first to notice a change in his body was Damian Proud.
When he opened his eyes that morning, he immediately felt different.
âWas my mana always this smooth?â
The sensation of mana coursing through his circuits felt alien, yet pleasant.
Previously, no matter how hard he tried to steer it, the mana resisted his will.
Now, it glided effortlessly, like navigating a corner with ease.
âMaybe this crazy training is actually workingâ¦â
Initially, heâd thought the training was absurd and had been on the verge of quitting.
But with his mana moving as if perfectly in tune with his intentions, even simple spellcasting had become enjoyable.
âHuff, huff.â
Oddly enough, even the dayâs physical training felt less taxing than usual.
His body felt lighter and more agile, as though something had shifted entirely.
"Interesting."
After noticing the change, Oscar summoned Damian to his room right after training.
"Congratulations."
"Uh, what for?"
"For earning the qualifications to reach level 4."
"â¦Me?"
Damian's eyes widened in shock, as if heâd just been given a life-altering diagnosis.
Oscar chuckled lightly and nodded.
"Yes. You must have noticed something different about yourself."
"I just thought⦠it was the result of the training."
It turned out that his mana circuits had stabilized to the point where he could install the fourth mana circuit, the hallmark of a level-4 mage.
After three and a half years of chasing that dream at the academy, he now stood at its threshold, achieved in just five days of training camp.
"Here, use this when installing your fourth circuit."
Oscar handed him a book.
When Damian opened it, his eyes went wide with amazement.
âThis isâ¦.â
Inside was a detailed schematic for the mana circuit.
Even more astonishing, it was tailored specifically to his physique and mana usage habits.
And it didnât stop thereâthere were diagrams for circuits to install at level 5 and level 6 as well.
"Did you⦠make this yourself?"
"Yes. Any issues?"
"â¦"
Damian stared at Oscar in stunned silence.
It suddenly became clear just how enormous the gap between them was.
âFor him to create this means heâs already fully analyzed my body and mana circuitsâ¦â
And yet, Damian had never shared such details.
That meant Oscar had deduced it all simply by observing him during training.
"â¦"
This was on par withâor perhaps greater thanâthe skill of the famed designer of the Violet Brigade, who crafted circuits with extensive shared data.
Oscar had achieved similar results through sheer observation alone.
ââ¦So this is what it means to be a genius.â
A figure destined by the heavens to leave their mark on the era.
Strangely, Damian felt no jealousy or resentment, only awe.
One doesnât envy the clouds for being high or the mountains for being tall.
"Anyway, congratulations. I knew youâd be the first."
Oscar extended a fist.
Damian looked at it for a moment before letting out a small, defeated laugh and bumping his own fist against it.
"Thank you, senior."
For the first time, Damian sincerely called Oscar his senior.
[Translator - Clara]
[Proofreader - Gun]