Magister Insanity

Quickly dressing, I left my room and stepped out of the male dormitory. From there, I made my way toward the Lecture Halls and, upon arrival, entered the Ways of Survival course room.

Instructor Joel was already waiting, seated cross-legged on a red carpet at the center of the room.

Sensing my arrival, he lifted his head. An excited gleam flickered in the white eyes behind his mask, but just as quickly as it appeared, the light dimmed.

It was unsettling.

Forcing a faint smile, I greeted him calmly:

"Good morning, Instructor Joel."

He returned it with ease.

"Nice to see you again, my dear student. But you don't look too well. Are you feeling unwell?"

So he noticed my condition with just a glance, huh?

Then again, it would've been more surprising if he hadn't. Looking like a starving vampire wasn't exactly subtle.

Taking a seat, I answered lightly:

"Instructor, there's no need to worry. I'm just a bit under the weather, that's all."

Joel shook his head.

"That won't do, Sleepless Sonny. Just by looking at you, I can tell you're not alright. In this state, you won't be able to handle the special training method I prepared for you today. And that… is truly unfortunate. I even went out of my way to prepare it."

There was a melancholy in his voice, but I wasn't deceived.

He prepared something for me? My body shivered. This was the same man who had ambushed unsuspecting students whenever they entered the classroom. Just what horrifying thing could he have prepared… for me?

…Wait. Hold on.

"Instructor, what do you mean I won't be able to continue?"

Joel's gaze lingered.

"You see, Sonny. One must always regard the body as a temple. If it falters, you must let it recover, or it will simply crumble. And any damage done to the body inevitably affects the mind, which is equally sacred. At some point in your journey, you will need to treat the mind with even greater care. After all… a broken mind is far more difficult, and far more painful, to heal than a broken body or temple."

"So, in essence, this is a lecture about mental health, yes?"

"Precisely. Most people disregard their mentality and focus solely on the physical body. However, for true Blasphemers who wish to reach the territory of the Gods, this is a fatal mistake! Mind, Soul, and Body —these three aspects of yourself must not be seen as separate, but rather as a single structure. If one of these three falters, the rest will inevitably fall behind as well."

Mind, Soul, and Body as one? It wasn't a foreign concept, and it was quite intriguing… if I was being honest. But there was a flaw in this theory.

Frowning, I asked,

"But isn't the Body just a three-dimensional structure while the Soul exists in a ninth-dimensional space? How can these two be considered equal? Isn't that a contradiction?"

He nodded, folded his arms and then proceeded to explain,

"Yes, you are correct. The Soul can exist without the physical body, and the body cannot survive without the soul, being bound to operate only in the material plane. But if that were all there was to it, then how could the Dreadspire forcibly pull people from the material world into the Soul Realm? Wouldn't they simply perish upon entry? If that was truly the case, why are you still alive?"

"…?!"

Without waiting for a response, the masked instructor tilted his gaze toward the ceiling and continued:

"Truth be told, the reason isn't all that complicated. If my memory serves me correctly, in the study of mysticism, the Soul of all biological creatures can be divided into four levels. At its core is the Phase Body, which represents an individual's intrinsic spirituality. And when I say spirituality, I mean the natural affinities that define one's Legacy."

"Beyond the Phase Body lies the Soul Body. This acts as the Soul's interface with the Soul Realm and stellar space. It is, essentially, the external main manifestation of the Soul. This is what people refer to when they talk about the 'outline' of the Soul. It radiates a unique wavelength and an individual's soul wavelength can reveal glimpses of their personality, often appearing as 'colors' according to contemporary studies."

Oh, so that was why the different souls had different colors. I should look into this during my free time.

"Thirdly, there is the Physical Body, which you can also call the Body or Vessel. This level is self-explanatory: the body anchors the Soul Body to the material plane and allows interaction with physical objects. Under normal circumstances, it cannot perceive the spiritual plane unless influenced by an eternal force that exists beyond the individual 'I,' the limitless 'I,' and the Universal 'I.'"

So one was form and the other was material. This was simple information that I already knew but I listened nevertheless.

"Finally, the last aspect is the Mind Body. This encompasses your brain and represents the full spectrum of your inferential, analytical, observational, and identification abilities. It is one of the most crucial levels for any individual, especially a Blasphemer, because everything you do such as learning, processing information, even strategizing depends on this part of your Soul. Within it also lies your 'personal domain,' though that is a far more complex topic for another day."

Joel paused to gather his breath before continuing.

"As for why people can enter the Soul Realm while still possessing physical bodies, it comes down to a subtle transformation that occurs at the very last moment: that is, the Soul merging with physical body."

"…What?!"

I blinked, stunned, and repeated his words in disbelief.

"The vessel… merges with the Soul? How is that even possible? Are you saying that, right now, my body and Soul are… merged?"

His gaze deepened.

"Yes, quite frankly, that is correct. This is something no one has been able to fully explain to this day. However, there is a well-regarded theory proposed by a great philosopher. According to him, the reason the physical body and the Soul merge upon entry into the Silver Void is the Soul's natural instinct for self-preservation. Of course, some theories suggest that the enigmatic nature of the Dreadspire plays a role, and many Blasphemers seem to support this idea as well. But as of now, nothing is certain."

He then looked at me. For some reason, it felt as though the instructor was smiling behind his porcelain mask.

"But there's nothing to worry about. As you are now, you're completely fine. Once you survive the next Phrase and become an Enlightened Blasphemer, should you choose to return home, you'll be able to learn Soul Projection. Then, you can enter the Silver Void with only your Soul Body and enter or exit the Soul Realm whenever you wish. Quite remarkable, isn't it? Though… of course, not everyone has a home to return to."

Was that last part really necessary?

Putting it aside, the Soul seemed far more complex than I had originally imagined. The idea of the body merging with the Soul… this was the first time I had ever heard of such a phenomenon. The guys back on Earth would have gone insane just hearing it.

Perhaps deepening my understanding here was the right choice after all.

Gathering my thoughts, I forced out a question. It was something I have been curious about for a long while.

"Teacher, you said all biological creatures have a Soul, yes? Then what about Eldritch Creatures? Can they be considered biological if they have physical bodies and organs, even their own anatomy?"

The masked instructor rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm… that's a tricky question. Eldritch Creatures are a special case due to their mysterious nature. You know that monsters can generally be classified into two groups: those corrupted by the Dreadspire, and those born from the environment. Regardless of their origin, these creatures still require a physical body and a core to act as an anchor... otherwise, they would simply fall apart."

"They're a peculiar bunch. They do not possess Souls in the conventional sense, yet they maintain the anatomy and behavior of biological beings. Because of this, they have the innate ability to absorb the Souls of living creatures and evolve. At certain stages, they even gain the power to attack the mind and steal memories, which was one of the core reasons why it was important to cultivate a strong mentality and develop a mind of iron."

Monsters that can attack the mind… how terrifying.

Intrigued, I asked,

"Is there any concrete way to defend against this kind of mental assault?"

In response, he replied calmly:

"Another interesting question. The natural defenses of the mind are usually enough to fend off most attacks. However, the situation changes when your opponent is a Mythical Creature of Fallen rank or higher. If you ever find yourself facing one, your best chance is to rely on an Echo that offers mental protection. And if you have a Legacy Ability that offers mental manipulation, even better. Otherwise… you're completely screwed. These are the only method I can recommend."

He paused briefly then said:

"That said, there is another possibility: though it's only theoretical in a sense, and frankly insane. Mind-related sequence abilities cannot affect a mind that is already broken. In fact, the effect could even rebound onto the attacker due to the target's unstable mind. But most people don't attempt this. After all, only a complete lunatic would deliberately destroy their own mind just to resist having it destroyed. What would be the point then?"

With a shrug, Instructor Joel concluded the lecture.

"In any case, make sure to rest and recover. Your body is a temple, and your mind is just as sacred. Class is dismissed for the day."

"Thank you, Instructor."

He chuckled. "Ha ha, no need to thank this old man. Tell me, which class do you have next?"

"Runes."

"Ah." His excitement dimmed. "That one might be difficult."

"Do you mean Instructor Irene?"

"Yes. Most Sleepless complain about how stern she is. But she means well. Something happened in the past..."

Before he could continue, I interrupted abruptly.

"The last batch of Sleepless she taught, none of them returned, isn't that right?"

His eyes widened.

"You already know? Then you understand why she is the way she is."

I did know. It was a common story.

"Regardless, she won't force you to attend her lecture if you're unwell. Just explain the situation and she'll understand. Also, stop by the infirmary. The healer there will take a look at you."

"Okay. Thank you again."

Leaving those words behind, I bowed slightly and exited the Ways of Survival class.