Jeneric's lips and eyes twitched uneasily.
The Wise Sienna.
The legendary wizard was manifesting clear hostility as she slowly approached him.
'But why?'
Though the answer to his question seemed quite obvious, Jeneric still mulled over the question again and again.
The reason…. The reason?
The biggest thing had been his father's mistake. So to Jeneric, this felt incredibly unfair.
His father and predecessor, the previous Green Tower Master, had been a stubborn and radical man. His father had insisted that interpreting Witch Craft, the heritage of Wise Sienna, was an absolute necessity they could waste no time with.
Witch Craft, known as the grimoire of fantasy, was more of a concept in Akron than a book itself.
What deserved attention was that Akron's Witch Craft was divided into three parts. One volume was in Akron, and the second, albeit a copy, was held by the royal family of Aroth.
In reality, the remaining two volumes of Witch Craft did not exist, and the magical book possessed by the royal family was nothing more than something Sienna had casually made to boost the royal family and Aroth’s value. But since only Sienna knew this truth, future wizards had no choice but to be obsessed with the illusion of finding and deciphering the remainder of Witch Craft.
The previous Green Tower Master had harbored a strong desire for honor. He longed to interpret Akron's Witch Craft, to get permission to study the remaining volume of Witch Craft from the royal family, and to leap beyond the Eighth Circle.
So he had insisted on dissecting Mer, a familiar who couldn't feel pain. It wasn't like they were completely breaking Mer apart, simply opening and closing her body a few times.
In fact, there had been others who had entertained the thought before him.
High-ranking wizards accessing Akron, the Tower Masters, and even the royalty of Aroth had thought that if some secret was hidden in Witch Craft, dissecting the familiar that managed it would be more efficient.
Dissecting the familiar was overwhelmingly easier than prying open Witch Craft, which reproduced the concept of the Eternal Hole.
But they had only entertained the thought without ever attempting to put it into action. Like Witch Craft, the familiar Mer was also a legacy left by Sienna. They had been stuck at this impasse when the Green Tower Master of the generation claimed that he would take all the responsibility and requested to perform the dissection.
Justification? He had plenty. The Green Tower Master had been the child of two disciples of the Wise Sienna, and he had claimed himself to be Sienna's successor. The Red Tower Master of the generation, who had also succeeded Sienna, vehemently opposed, but the royal family of Aroth had accepted the Green Tower Master's proposal. All of this happened one hundred years ago.
So they dissected Mer, but there wasn't much gain. They wouldn't dare touch the fully sealed memories, and even the structural formula of the familiar was incomprehensible.
From the start, there was no secret about Witch Craft implanted in Mer. No matter how many times they performed the dissection, they couldn’t have possibly gained anything.
"Lady… Lady Sienna, there seems to be a misunderstanding," Jeneric stuttered.
But Sienna didn't give an answer. Jeneric thought her silence was a blessing. He had blurted out what he could, but even upon reflection, there was nothing for her to misunderstand.
"The act that angered you, Lady Sienna, was something my father committed. I... I have no connection to that incident." Changing his tone, Jeneric vehemently protested his unfair treatment. Of course, Sienna paid no mind to his pleas.
Crack!
A magical spear materialized beside Sienna's head. Without warning, the spear shot forward. Startled, Jeneric blinked away. If he hadn't, the spear would have skewered his head.
"Did I not." The spear came to a halt right where Jeneric had been standing, and Sienna sneered, "Tell you not to move?"
"W-what…. What?"
"I told you just now, didn’t I? Would I have really killed you? I was going to stop it myself, but you got scared and moved on your own. Isn't that right?"
"L-Lady Sienna, about that—"
"Don't get me wrong. I have no intention of punishing you for the sins your father committed." That was a lie. "But that doesn't mean I have a reason to think well of you. You tortured Mer, didn't you?"
"That... that is…."
"And you've been parading around claiming to be my successor? I heard your name for the first time today, yet you've been profiting off mine over and over again."
There was rage concerning Mer. However, it was irrational to direct it at Jeneric, so a different reason was necessary. Fortunately, there were plenty of reasons for Sienna to discipline Jeneric.
"And as if that wasn’t enough, what about when you opposed Eugene's inheritance of Akasha? You were the most outspoken about it, weren’t you?" shot Sienna.
"W-well, that was so abrupt that…."
"Abrupt? And who are you to judge that? Ah, of course. You can oppose it. That’s fine. But! Not only that, but you claimed to be my rightful successor and tried to take Akasha from Eugene. You tried to test Eugene, didn't you?" she continued.
Jeneric swallowed hard. Sienna raised Akasha high with a show of force.
"So. This time, I will test you. To see if you're truly a worthy wizard to claim my succession."
"H-how could I possibly stand against you, Lady Sienna? This is too cruel."
"Cruel? Then I'll make you a clear bet. If your magic so much as grazes my clothes! I swear on everything to acknowledge you as my successor. I'll forgive your late, unknown father for using my name for his benefit. I'll even forgive you for tormenting my beloved familiar. And right, Akasha? I'll give it to you too." Sienna grinned, her lips curling in amusement.
As she laid out her terms, Jeneric's expression began to shift. He was still shocked and bewildered, yet avarice gradually filled his eyes.
To merely graze her clothing? It didn't seem a difficult condition. The opponent was the legendary wizard, the wise Sienna, but she was still a human wizard.
'Just a graze....'
If he could accomplish that, Jeneric would gain a great deal.
He would become recognized as the successor to the Wise Sienna and master of Akasha. He would receive all honor and glory. Even the Wise Sienna could not renege on her words after declaring it in front of so many people. Jeneric slowly nodded while calming his heart and took up the challenge after a prolonged silence.
"Understood. If it means being recognized as Lady Sienna's successor, I, Jeneric Osman, will undertake the trial. As the current Master of the Green Tower and a wizard who carries on Lady Sienna's legacy,” declared Jeneric.
"You talk a lot," Sienna tilted her head with a chuckle. "Well, are you not going to use magic? You're not planning on letting me attack first, are you?"
Jeneric’s expression hardened at her words, and he drew his staff. Perhaps it was because he'd decided to challenge her with magic, despite calling it a test. Sienna's outspoken words were beginning to grate on him.
'Let's put her in her place.'
Jeneric's body plummeted downwards. He had no need to ponder which magic to use. Out of all the magic he could perform, he opted for his most outstanding spell. His Signature, the symbol of an Archwizard — Yggdrasil. Light surged from Jeneric's staff, and the enormous glow engulfed his form. Sienna watched from above, her feet planted firmly in mid-air.
"What a fucking stupid spell," she criticized with narrowed brows.
The concept of a Signature spell had existed centuries ago as well. Today, the standard for an Archwizard was set at the Eighth Circle, but before the Circle Magic Formula was properly developed, anyone and everyone had claimed to be an Archwizard.
From long ago, wizards were obsessed with unique spells that only they could perform. In that era, to distinguish a real Archwizard, one had to display such unique magic — their Signature.
"Times sure have changed. To think that one could claim to be an Archwizard with such a mediocre Signature,” said Sienna. She was sincere. In some ways, it could be considered the downside of the Circle Magic Formula. Since the Eighth Circle had become the definitive standard, even those casting such mediocre spells could claim to be an Archwizard as long as they were at the Eighth Circle.
So what was so mediocre about it? First off, its activation was too slow. Something was earnestly being formed within the light, but the process was sluggish and full of gaps. The light itself served as a protective barrier, but Sienna could shatter it and tear Jeneric apart right this moment if she wished.
She couldn't help but admire his judgment for opting to use such a slow Signature without a second thought. Was he taking the test too lightly? Or did he believe his signature would be completed before his defenses were broken? Either way, it was shallow and unworthy.
'An unnecessarily large tree. The constituting formulas are…. Hmm, quite interesting, actually.'
The spells used to form Yggdrasil were mostly original magics from Jeneric and the Osman family. Sienna narrowed her eyes, intently observing the light spreading below.
Akasha would lay out the formulas constituting Jeneric’s magic and allow comprehension by the user. However, Sienna succeeded in perfectly deciphering and understanding Yggdrasil without even needing to rely on Akasha.
'Acceleration and simultaneous casting of magic. This is a pathetic attempt at mimicking Eternal Hole.'
It was insignificant.
'Every single bark of the tree is imbued with a defensive spell. He’s half merged his physical form with the tree to enhance his regeneration. He can escape by shifting to other roots as well.'
It was insignificant.
'He has dominion over the earth where roots are planted…. The range is stupidly wide. But the assistance for precise calculation is severely lacking. Are you planning to compensate for the lack of precision with an inflated size and numbers?'
It was insignificant.
'Blossom buds on every branch. They’re meant to gather mana from the air. The petals then burst to release the artillery. It’s a wide-area magic reflecting artillery off the petals.'
It was genuinely insignificant. It was truly trivial. He had just slapped on everything that was supposed to be great, but none of it was complete. This magic is just a coward's attempt to look brave. There was no real defense, evasion, or attack to present.
How should she crush this, then?
Zzzraaahhh!
The light vanished, signaling the completion of Yggdrasil. A magical tree, as gigantic as the spire of the castle, had sprung up from the lake. From deep within the tree, Jeneric opened his eyes.
How long had it been since he'd been given the opportunity to fully unleash Yggdrasil like this?
Delighted in his sense of omnipotence, Jeneric turned his attention towards Sienna. There was no need to look up at the sky since the tall and massive structure of Yggdrasil allowed him a wide field of view.
[Thank you for waiting.]
She must have failed to break through. Jeneric chuckled lightly while moving Yggdrasil.
Kwaaarrr!
Countless tree roots and trunks sprung upwards from underneath the lake. With every movement of Yggdrasil’s tendrils, giant waves rolled across the lake.
[I regret that I cannot concede the first attack to you, Lady Sienna. So, I shall initiate the attack.]
"Absolutely insane," Sienna muttered. Sienna scoffed and shook her head. The arrogance in that voice, confidently boasting about a not-so-impressive, insignificant magic, was too intolerable.
"Fine. Come at me, kid." Sienna expressed her intense annoyance.
Yggdrasil invoked its magic. High-speed offensive spells poured onto Sienna in swarms, but Sienna stood still. There was no value or need to evade such magic.
The attacks she was bombarded with consisted of different types of offensive magic, yet when they reached Sienna, they all met the same fate — annihilation. Pure annihilation. The attacks, the magic, faded into nothingness.
[What on earth…?!]
A wide-range dispel? It was the magic-sealing spell. It was well-known that the Wise Sienna had indulged in magic-sealing spells, which nullified an opponent's magic and stripped them of their magical ability. It was her specialty.
"Next," Sienna uttered.
What kind of magic was it? Jeneric could only feel confusion and doubt.
Kwaaarrr!
Dozens of roots, no less thick than the tail of Raizakia, pounced on Sienna all at once.
The Eternal Hole was activated. Sienna bent her finger slightly and extended her left hand forward. The space around Sienna began to distort and shake.
Crash!
The trajectories of the roots aiming for Sienna were forcibly altered.
'What's this?'
The twisted trajectory wasn’t the end of it. The roots that had entered the distorted space tangled with each other and twisted themselves into a knot. Jeneric was taken aback and tried to retract the roots, but even that didn’t go as planned.
Crack, crack...!
The entangled roots pressed against each other and flattened.
Thud!
Eventually, the agglutinated mass broke and fell down below.
Jeneric could not comprehend the spectacle before his eyes. The scene before his eyes wasn’t the result of any magic-sealing spell. Jeneric had full control of Yggdrasil, yet the control slipped away immediately when the tendrils entered the space around Sienna.
“Next,” repeated Sienna.
An idea arose in Jeneric's mind. There was a faint possibility…. No, it was impossible. No matter how great the Wise Sienna might be, there was no way such a thing could be possible.
The expansive branches shuddered in unison. Hundreds of buds turned their heads towards Sienna. He had not yet gathered sufficient power, but Jeneric wanted to verify the idea he had conceived. Buds yet to bloom burst open, and as many petals embroidered the surrounding space. Thin threads were drawn between the fluttering petals, and the lasers pierced everything they touched as they reflected between the petals. It was impossible to predict their trajectories. No matter how fast they moved, the repeated reflections would inevitably impale their target in the end.
Sienna chuckled and flicked her finger.
Whoosh!
The distortion spread even further, eating away as it expanded its sphere of influence. The moment the reflected lasers entered the space, their trajectory changed, similar to the tendrils from before.
Boom!
The redirected lasers collided with other beams and caused an explosion. But it wasn't over yet. Sienna entered the space she had created, then pointed her finger toward the scattering petals.
A beam of light shot from her fingertip and made contact with a petal. Just as with Yggdrasil, the beam of light was reflected by the petals. Hundreds of petals floating in the special space were redirected as the path of the reflected beam. The petals were destroyed the moment they reflected the light.
A single beam of light had destroyed hundreds of petals in the blink of an eye. By the time it had destroyed all the petals, the beam of light was no longer thin. It had grown large enough to blast a gaping hole in Yggdrasil.
It was too fast, and its power was incalculable. In shock, Jeneric shifted his position.
Crack!
The colossal tree crumbled. Jeneric, who had moved to another root, hid silently in the lake without erecting a new tree. He simply could not understand. The light that had just pierced the tree had been guided by Yggdrasil's petals. Was she making use of another wizard’s magic as she pleased?
The beam of light had easily penetrated through the layers of protective spells he had cast. No… instead, it felt as if his defenses had voluntarily thinned. It was as if Sienna was dominating his magic.
"Your Signature is shoddy,” said Sienna as she looked down at the lake. Finding Jeneric among the many roots spread out at the bottom of the lake wasn't difficult for her. "There were plenty of ways to break it, but this seemed the best way to trample on your petty pride."
[What…. What did you do exactly?]
"You think I don't have a Signature of my own? Don't tell me you thought the Eternal Hole was my Signature?"
No one would dispute it if the Eternal Hole was claimed to be a Signature, but it wasn’t Sienna’s Signature. Her Signature was named — Empress Rule.
This magic worked in a space defined by Sienna, taking control of any other spell in that space. In simple terms, if the magic being cast was inferior to Sienna's, it was easy for her to take, and she could control it at will.
Yggdrasil? Signature? Such an ambiguous, vague magic. She had even figured out the formulas through Akasha, so what couldn't she control?
Sienna chuckled and moved her finger. It drew a line through the air, and magic bullets as small as grains of sand appeared in the air.
What followed was a one-sided onslaught.
The sand-sized bullets tore through Yggdrasil. She allowed him to flee here and there, gave him a little time to recover, and then repeated the process. She gave him opportunities to resist before trampling on him repeatedly.
Later, she even wrapped the roots of Yggdrasil in streams of lake water and threw him into the air. She didn't allow him to escape. She cut off his retreat, broke his shell, and dragged Jeneric out.
"Arrgh!"
Jeneric's body was propelled high into the air before falling back into the lake.
Splash, splash, splash.
Waves of water continued to raise a cloud of spray until Jeneric finally lost consciousness.
