NOVEL NEXT Chapter 163: Van's True Level
[ The Layman's Guide to Enchanted Bonds: A surprisingly readable book on magical restraints.
Useful For: Learning common slave-collar loopholes.
Key Insight: "Most collars are designed to suppress active casting—not passive mana sensitivity." ]
There was no need for argument… He must quickly read this book as he needs to understand more about his collar.
It was actually quite surprising that Julia brought him this book.
Well, she probably didn't think too much of it since, aside from him, there shouldn't be any servant who was even thinking about escaping.
'Guide to enchanted bond, huh… It should have plenty of things to learn from.' He mused.
Nonetheless, he still took a quick look at the remaining book.
[ Zero-Circle Spells: Theory Without Practice: To learn more about the Spells below First-Circle.
Useful For: Understanding how mages structure even basic magic.
Key Insight: "Intent shapes mana before words do." ]
Van has already read a book quite similar to the Obsidian Tower, and during Julia's lessons. However, this book was a lot thicker and seemed to contain more knowledge about all the Zero Circle Spells and not just the common or easiest Zero-Circle Spells that Apprentice Mages could summon…
But as Van was about to put it to the last when his Lens noticed a pamphlet sticking out of its pages.
Van carefully unfolded the handwritten pamphlet—"The Forbidden Appendix: Broken Chains"—its edges were already worn from repeated handling.
The ink was eve faded in places as if someone had written it in haste, yet the words it contained were very important to Van.
His Ocularis Lens immediately highlighted the most critical passage:
"All collars fail under one condition: when the wearer's will exceeds the maker's power."
This seemed like it wasn't just theory. Most likely, it was a tested method.
As for the person who wrote this, it must be another servant trying to free themselves.
But how?
Van flipped through the pamphlet and soon, his Lens started scanning every line, cross-referencing it with the rune diagrams from "Fundamentals of Rune Engraving" and other books.
***
The collar around Van's neck was no ordinary restraint.
According to his studies over the past few years, it was a Tier-3 Mana-Suppression Seal, with various effects to ensure that he wouldn't rebel…
But according to the rune manual, all magical seals had a "heart rune"—a single, critical glyph that acted as the anchor or the core for the entire enchantment.
Soon, Van's Lens had identified its likely location…
[ Cervical Vertebrae C7 – Base of the Neck ]
Why there? Because it was the junction point where the collar's magic synced with the wearer's nervous system.
The problem? Disabling it required either Mana Disruption, which was impossible for Van since he couldn't use mana, or the other method was Physical Alteration.
It was risky since the pain glyphs would activate before he could break it…
So why did the Forbidden Appendix suggest escape was possible?
The pamphlet's cryptic line held the answer:
"Some bonds break not by force, but by forgetting. Let the seal think you are nothing. Then, be everything."
Van wryly smiled after reading this… It felt like it was written by a poet and not a servant. This looked impossible and completely nonsense.
Nonetheless, Van still used his Ocularis Lens in order to help him analyze it… There must be a hidden message on it.
[ Analysis Initiated ]
[ Subject: "The Forbidden Appendix: Broken Chains" – Decryption Protocol Active ]
There was a lot of information in this paper, and he certainly needed this Lens to help him analyze it faster.
Soon, Van's vision flooded with blue holographic text as his Lens dissected the riddle:
[ "Some bonds break not by force, but by forgetting."
Interpretation: Collars monitor conscious resistance. Suppression triggers with detected willpower.
Hypothesis: If the wearer's "presence" is erased from the seal's awareness, enforcement mechanisms may idle. ]
[ "Let the seal think you are nothing."
Cross-Referencing "Fundamentals of Rune Engraving": Tier-3 seals use adaptive resonance. They "learn" the wearer's mana signature over time.
Proposed Method: Temporary mana signature suppression via "Aura Void" state (see below). ]
[ "Then, be everything."
Critical Insight: Seal disruption requires overwhelming the heart rune's capacity by flooding it with "noise" – but only after bypassing its awareness.
Conclusion Found: "Sealing the seal" = Mask presence, then trigger a feedback loop to overload the anchor or core rune. ]
At this time, the Lens paused for a moment as it continued to analyze the paper.
"So it's like that… Sealing the seal..." Van mused.
However, it was still not going to be easy.
"But this is going well. This progress is good." Van muttered to himself.
Then, after a few more seconds, his Ocularis Lens showed the information about the 'Aura Void'
[ New Data Unlocked: "Aura Void Method" – Tier Restricted ( Level 3 Aura Required ) ]
"Aura Void Method?" Shane mused as he read more information about it.
Apparently, it was an Aura Technique like his Mind Sword that attacks the mind of his target and Dawn's Crescent Reversal that deflects almost any attacks.
However, the Aura Void had a huge requirement unlike the other two... Unfortunately, he couldn't learn this Aura Technique unless he reached the third level or the Blue Aura…
In any case, Van still read what he must do after learning the Aura Void Method.
[ Phase 1 ( Void State ): User collapses their aura into a "null" state, mimicking death. Duration: <10 seconds ( or risk vital shutdown ).
[ Phase 2 ( Surge ): Floods the heart rune with amplified level 3 aura pulses, exploiting the seal's brief "search cycle" for the missing host.
Warning: Insufficient aura reserves ( Current: Level 1 ) may cause: Collar backlash and damage the aura core.
Indeed, after many years of training, Van was already considered to be an Aura Knight at the First Level.
He already had an invisible Aura that he could move around his body and his weapon.
However, up until now, no one knew about it aside from himself since he had been suppressing it all along.
"Level three, huh…"
Van's jaw tightened.
'I don't even know a method to advance my Aura…' Van mused.