Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1412: Riddle of the Circle

The professor and Raze began walking side by side, heading toward the main building where most of the academy’s core lectures were held. Of all the places on campus, the central structure was the one Raze was most familiar with.

It was where he had spent most of his time teaching back when he was stationed at the academy. Out of all the changes that had swept through the institution, this building appeared to have remained largely untouched, preserved, as if sealed from time itself. That was why he assumed the principal’s office was still located within its walls.

During his previous visit, he had more or less confirmed this assumption. The principal’s office was a place he had entered several times before, though always under invitation, never with full access.

Back then, the principal had been someone else, before Ibarin’s appointment. Raze had been called in on numerous occasions, but he had never been granted the freedom to explore the room’s inner workings. And for good reason.

The office was known to house a rare collection of magical records, notes, and discoveries, a growing archive passed down from one principal to the next. If something truly revolutionary was found, it was often documented here. Though, some knowledge, especially that tied to powerful secrets, might be concealed by the Grand Magus himself.

Still, Raze wasn’t interested in everything. What he truly hoped to find was information on Time Magic. It was one of his innate affinities, an incredible power resting within him, but despite possessing it, he still had no idea how to properly wield it.

Upon entering the main building of the academy, Professor Tink led him toward a hallway lined with professor offices. The academy was well-funded, and each professor was provided with a private study for their research and experiments.

When Raze stepped into Tink’s office, he couldn’t help but smile.

As expected, it was a complete disaster zone. Scrolls were half-opened on desks, books stacked in precarious towers, powerstones left lying about the floor, and half-drawn magical circles stretched across the ground like a chaotic artist’s canvas.

But to Raze, it wasn’t a mess. It was beautiful.

He knew what this meant.

There were all kinds of professors in the magical world. Some joined the academy merely to secure a stable position, a safe and quiet job. But then, there were the rare ones: those who carried an unrelenting passion for magic, who continued their research purely for the love of discovery.

Raze could tell, without a doubt, that Professor Tink was one of those rare few.

"Forgive me for this," Tink said with a gentle smile, sitting at his desk. He reached for a blank sheet of parchment and, with mana swirling at his fingertip, quickly drew a series of lines and runes before handing the page over. "Would you mind completing this puzzle for me?"

Raze raised an eyebrow. "Is this a test?"

Tink chuckled. "Well, the other students claimed you were their instructor, but I wanted to see for myself, to grasp your understanding of magical theory.

"There are many who possess sharp memories but lack fundamental comprehension. Some can memorize entire libraries of formulas, but have no idea why the formulas work, or how they connect."

Raze smiled faintly at that. He accepted the parchment, and without saying a word, mana began to glow at his fingertip.

Tink watched closely. He had expected Raze to explain the puzzle verbally or perhaps draw a single symbol. What he didn’t expect was for the student to modify the puzzle using magic right before his eyes.

Within seconds, Raze handed the parchment back. The once simple diagram now had dozens more runes, far more intricate than before.

Tink’s eyes widened. "This is... this is..." He was utterly speechless.

Raze hadn’t solved the puzzle in the way most students would. He hadn’t erased or replaced anything. Instead, he had added to the original spell circle, expanding on it. Without changing the structure, he had altered the end result of the circle when mana would be channeled through it.

Multiple new rune layers were now woven into the spell, introducing complex instructions for how the mana would behave, how it would split, react, and convert.

And to do this? To modify a working spell circle on the fly? It was something no one could accomplish blindly. One would have to already possess complete knowledge of each rune’s function, of each instruction’s cause and effect.

It was clear. Raze didn’t just understand magic. He mastered it.

What shocked Tink the most was the speed.

The changes that would have taken most scholars weeks of research and testing had been made in mere seconds.

"You have to be some kind of genius," Tink muttered in disbelief.

Raze’s expression shifted. "No, please. I am far from one of those

people," he said, his voice serious. "If I were simply a genius, then all the nights I stayed awake studying, all the effort I poured into learning, none of it would matter. It would all be credited to luck or birthright. And I can’t accept that."

Tink instantly realized his mistake. With how young Raze looked, it was easy to throw labels like "prodigy" or "genius" around. But the truth was more complex.

If Raze was a professor, as he clearly deserved to be, calling him a genius would actually be insulting. It would erase the countless hours he’d spent earning his ability.

"You’re right," Tink said quietly. "That was careless of me."

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder. "But how? How are you able to grasp these concepts without studying them for years like the rest of us?"

Raze didn’t answer. Instead, he gently diverted the conversation.

The two continued to talk, moving through a range of magical topics. Eventually, the conversation turned toward Tink’s personal projects. Raze, curious and eager to learn, offered suggestions and even assisted where he could.

He ended up offering insights that opened Tink’s mind to new ideas. And before either of them knew it, a great deal of time had passed.

"Would you look at that," Tink said, glancing at the wall clock. "In about an hour or so, you’ll need to get ready for your next event. But still... I can’t believe you had no teacher, no professor to guide you. And everything, everything, was self-taught?

"I originally thought Wilton had some secret, extraordinary instructor working behind the scenes. But now... I see the truth. You’re the extraordinary one."

He gave a light chuckle. "You’ve made this old man’s day far more enjoyable than you could imagine. There are many talented students out there, but so few are passionate about the fundamentals, about magic circle theory or research. Even among professors, it’s rare.

"So I have to ask, can I offer you anything in return? Some form of reward, at least?"

Raze’s expression shifted as the opportunity presented itself.

This might be his chance.

"There is something I’ve heard of," he said. "A special item kept at the Central Academy. One that allows a person to see... into another’s mind."

****

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