Forced Magic Activation.
It was the a forbidden technique among Mages, but for some… it could be considered something of a trump card—albeit a temporary one.
Once a Mage's Mana was depleted, they could never use Magic no matter how hard they tried. The Spell just wouldn't activate regardless of the means.
However, Forced Magic Activation bypassed this by inducing one critical element into the mix.
—Sacrifice.
Just as there was a way for Martial Artists to exponentially increase their abilities by sacrificing their Life Force to grow stronger, Mages could also let go of something incredibly important to attain a temporary burst of power.
They would have to let go of Mana itself.
Despite what was displayed by the system, every Mage—no, perhaps every human, really—had a secret stockpile of Mana within them.
This stockpile of Mana was what made it possible for anyone to grow Magic and develop Skills and Classes if they practiced over time. Many considered it a representation of latent abilities embedded in everyone, waiting to be manifested.
It was trite that zero multiplied by zero was still zero, and that it was impossible for something to emerge from nothing. So, once a Mage depleted their Mana, where did this refill over time come from?
From this same stockpile of Mana.
Without it, Mages would have no way to grow any further than they already had, and they would likewise be crippled if they drained everything at once.
In essence… they would never be able to use Magic again.
This was why Forced Magic Activation was a forbidden technique, but the Otherworlders still learned it during their compulsory education.
The hidden stockpile was an essential part of Magic learning, so Lucielle and their other Magic Tutors had to reference it one way or the other. They never went in-depth on it, though.
Being the inquisitive one, however, Eric went and asked Lucielle all about it after classes.
She did him the service of properly explaining everything about the latent stockpile of Mana and Forced Magic Activation to him, just as he wanted.
However, she told one thing after—something like a word of warning.
"Don't ever use it, Eric. You'll completely ruin your prospects as a Mage."
As those words now echoed in the mind of the young Mage who closed his eyes and channeled that hidden power within him, more tears flowed down his eyes.
'I'm sorry, Lucielle… but I have to disobey you.' Sparks of Mana began to emerge from him as he focused everything on his wand.
He ignored the jagged blade that approached him at a rapid rate, instead focusing on the flow of Mana that coursed through his body.
It was possible to eliminate only his own arrow and not completely drain the Mana that was within him, but Eric knew he couldn't stop there.
He had to save everyone—stop all of the arrows that emerged from the Curse Magic.
And so, he released all the energy that he had pent-up within himself in one swift and powerful burst.
[Absolute Interference] instantly activated, dissolving all the jagged blades the moment his wave of energy was sent forth.
"Ahh…"
This release of pure, unfiltered Magic, sent the entire area around Eric into a state of absolute lull. It felt like time had suddenly slowed down, and the tension around him was completely gone.
Everything felt like an illusion, and the fleeting essence of Mana began to depart from him.
He was in bliss, but he also felt something else.
'I won't be able to use Magic anymore. It seems… all my dreams end here.' A sad smile played on his face as he looked at the faces of his allies.
Justin was still falling, so Eric decided to use his last ounce of Mana to protect him.
The boy in glasses raised his hand, pointing his wand in the direction of the rapidly descending boy.
Everything felt so slow… so surreal.
Eric felt like he could take his sweet time, and that this moment would last for an eternity.
But he didn't.
"Wind Cus—!" Before Eric could complete his Spell, he suddenly felt something.
… Something very ominous.
~SQUELCH!~
He felt something pierce him from behind, ripping apart a hole in his chest.
Eric's surreal state could not properly process pain, or almost any sensation, so the moment he felt a complete hole dug through his chest, the first thing he did was look down.
He saw a hand protruding from his chest—almost like that of a female, with scaly skin and massive claws.
His entire chest was ripped open by this arm, and before he could even process why and how, blood burst out of his chest.
"Ahh…" Eric realized it at that moment.
"Annoying pest. You're the one shutting off my Skills, aren't you?"
As he heard the disgruntled voice of the Dragon General, also listening to the splashing sound that his blood made as it poured on the ground before him, he understood it all.
Dragon General, Kar'en had pierced him with her hand, causing fatal damage that not even he could hope to reverse at this point.
His blurry vision turned to Alicia, but she wasn't even looking in his direction.
She was completely lost.
'It's too late, huh…?' Eric had no idea why his consciousness remained despite his heart being crushed and his body losing too much blood.
Perhaps it was because he still had some of that remnant Mana left inside him.
With its power, he raised his trembling arm and aimed his wand at his falling friend. A brilliant light shone from the stave, instantly generating a gust of wind to cushion Justin's descent so he wouldn't die.
'I didn't even need to chant or cast the Spell…' Eric smiled.
Who would have thought that he would attain such a level at this point—right when he was about to die.
As his consciousness faded, and the final vestiges of his Mana left his body, Eric decided on what would be his final legacy.
The last of his energy sparked brightly, and he whispered words only he could hear.
"[Absolute Explosion]"
And so, the last thing that he witnessed… was his glorious manifestation of destruction as it consumed both himself and the one who killed him.
A perfect explosion.
~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!~
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Thanks for reading!
Ahh... alright then. Two down, one to go! I hope you enjoyed Eric's little character Arc.
Do you think he had regrets about choosing to come and save them?
