The Necromancer Who Was Despised

The circle is like a condition for using magic.

From the fourth class on, every moment is a testament to talent and effort.

You can’t do it with just one.

Teacher, research, tools, luck, enlightenment.

A combination of various factors becomes a variable to guide the wizard to a higher level, or it can tie them to that place for their entire life.

It’s not for nothing that even black wizards are accepted and protected by the mercenary guild.

They do it because it’s worth it.

“I can go up enough if I’m not disturbed. So until I come out, never come in.”

“… Yes, I understand.”

“Can I guard the door until you come out?”

“There’s no need for that. Just warn them not to come. You just have to set up No. 1 and No. 2.”

“… “I will do that.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll manage it thoroughly.”

“Yes. I’ll ask for it.”

“Yes, Inha oppa!”

After giving a prior warning to the group, I closed the research lab.

I had feared the group, but it was also the truth.

‘It’s not something that usually requires concentration.’

If I make a mistake, I’ll need to recover for a while.

Usually, even a wizard would have to risk their life even after preparing like this, but I’m not at that level.

‘Well, I’m confident of success if there are no interruptions.’

That’s why I gave them a slightly exaggerated warning.

I won’t need to resort to such forceful methods from the 5th Circle.

After completing the 4th Circle, my growth will accelerate for a while, and it’s calculated that I’ll reach the 5th Circle and the 6th Circle, my level from the previous round, quickly and without much difficulty.

Of course, it will still take years. Naturally, this is an astonishingly fast pace, as it usually takes at least 10 years to grow from the 4th Circle to the 5th Circle.

‘I wonder what will happen at the 7th Circle…’

I’m not sure, but it’s a possibility.

The 7th Circle, known as the high-ranking black magician. In the past, I couldn’t reach it, or rather, I didn’t reach it, but this time I planned to enter that realm.

The reason I’m so confident in this rapid growth is simple.

‘The gap between my mind and body will gradually narrow.’

In my judgment, this is the biggest hurdle right now.

Compared to my high mental level, my physical level is too low.

Because of that, there were quite a few things I couldn’t do, and I had no choice but to limit myself to the extreme.

The reason I was able to overcome that limit was because of my extensive preparations and the high-level staff that I had never acquired in my previous life.

Thanks to that, my growth has been faster than expected.

However, once I reach the 4th Circle, many of the constraints I have will be significantly reduced.

Even if I push myself a little bit, my body, which will have become considerably stronger, will endure the excessive burden and become even stronger, and as a result, I’m expecting to see even faster growth.

I’m reminded of something a philosopher I heard about on Earth said.

‘In the past, there was a possibility that my body would be destroyed if I pushed myself too hard, but after the 4th Circle, it will endure, even if it’s painful and difficult.’

That’s why I judge that now, while I’m still in the 3rd Circle, is the biggest hurdle.

I calm my mind and prepare for the ordeal.

First, I get plenty of rest and fill my stomach.

‘It’s going to take a while.’

In the meantime, the magic emitted from the seal fills the lab.

Specter floats quietly behind me.

When the inside of the lab is filled with magic, I begin the attempt to form a new circle.

I stabilize the existing circles, draw magic from the bowl, and begin to form a circle.

The existing circles begin to shake slightly, affected by the attempt to change.

Not one, but three. Humans are not naturally capable of doing several things at once, so it’s natural that they would collapse if they tried to do four things at the same time.

However, I’m a body that reached the end of the 6th class in my previous life.

It didn’t take much mental strength to control the existing circles.

‘If my mind was only at the 3rd class, I would have had to pay attention to each one of them in order to control them.’

But I didn’t have to worry about that.

Just naturally, if you try to control it, it will be controlled.

The reason a high-class wizard uses incomprehensible magic so easily is because they have mastered the process itself without having to concentrate on it individually.

It is impossible to use magic as if breathing, going through the process naturally, and to perform each process with concentration.

Of course, they have the concentration, calculation ability, and senses that match their level, which provides the basis for embodying new magic.

It is not that I am confident of success if I do not interfere.

‘However, it will take quite some time since it will not be done at once… ‘

The control of the existing circles was going well, and the formation of a new circle by extracting magic from the vessel was also going smoothly.

The problem was that the speed was extremely slow and this state would continue for more than a day.

‘It’s better than that. I thought it would take two or three days.’

The magic of all sides is absorbed and the vessel is also filled steadily.

One hour, two hours, three hours.

After a certain amount of time, the body naturally begins to get tired.

At that time, the specter began to share the energy it had with me little by little.

Swaa…

Fatigue is naturally relieved and the body regains its vitality.

Of course, my concentration was not disturbed because I received energy and vitality like this.

No, rather, since I regained the vitality that had been exhausted, the structure was such that my concentration could only increase continuously if I was careful only when the energy first came in.

In the midst of the silence, the fourth circle is gradually completed.

About halfway through the process.

‘Hmm?’

As the circle was completed, cracks began to appear in the vessel.

There was no anxiety.

‘Is it growing?’

As the circle grows, so does the body.

The vessel was the most affected.

The whole body begins to itch a little.

It was a sign that the body was becoming more familiar with magic, but it was much less than when I first received magic.

In fact, at first, it was bound to be quite dramatic.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t long after the dimensional shift.

It was no different from receiving mana and magic into the body in succession, so the body had no choice but to react more drastically than now in order to adapt to it.

Now the reaction is definitely weaker than then, but it was happening steadily and for a long time.

The itching and the expansion of the vessel make the formation of the circle a little more difficult.

‘Certainly, if I weren’t an exception, I wouldn’t be able to use this method.’

There was no answer but to use an extremely inefficient method, or to overcome the wall at once through research and realization, or to practice steadily under the guidance of a teacher.

Even that was a lonely fight in itself when it went beyond the 5th circle.

It should be considered that it cannot be climbed without enlightenment.

It’s not for nothing that the period from the 4th circle to the 5th circle takes at least 10 years.

After a whole day passed, I felt that I had completed 90% of the circle.

‘Just a little more…’

Don’t be careless until the end.

I concentrated until the very end, and perhaps sensing my determination, Specter transmitted an even greater amount of energy to me.

The result.

Booooooooom.

Waah.

A fourth circle formed inside me and began to resonate with the other three circles.

The vessel expanded greatly as the fourth circle was completed.

The itching gradually subsided.

Thud.

I clenched my fists tightly, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

At the same time, my body relaxed.

‘Ugh… .’

Thanks to Specter’s support, my fatigue was minimal, but I still felt the need to rest.

‘I’ll tell them later… .’

Rest for now. It’s not urgent. I’ve formed the circle, so I’ll postpone the test and announcement.

-Whooo… .

Specter, who had infused me with a massive amount of vitality, quietly left, and I fell fast asleep.

When I returned and informed them that I had successfully formed the 4th circle, the three women congratulated me.

It seemed that they had been quite worried, and they were overjoyed to see me safe and sound.

I immediately completed the living armor in front of them and showed them how to utilize 4th-class magic.

“… You’ve just completed your 4th circle, haven’t you?”

“Yes?”

“But you’re already using 4th-class magic… .”

“Is that surprising?”

At Tia’s words, Atrina nodded.

“I heard that circles are just preparation. I knew that becoming a 4th-circle magician meant that you were ready to learn 4th-class magic… .”

Kayla had said that she would teach me about magicians, so it seemed that she had learned to some extent.

It was clear that the two of them had grown steadily while I was holed up in the lab.

“If you have the ability, you can use higher-level magic even if you don’t have enough circles. I showed you that, didn’t I? Death’s Land isn’t a 3rd-class magic, it’s a 4th-class magic.”

Death’s Land is not an ordinary 4th-class magic, so you need to be at least a 5th-class to use it properly.

Of course, since you don’t have enough circles, you need to make various preparations.

“… Come to think of it, you’ve already used it. Phew… “I’m surrounded by amazing people.”

Kayla sighed and shook her head.

She must be saying that because she’s looking at me and Atrina, but I’ve always thought that Kayla is no slouch either.

However, I didn’t say anything in particular. I had told her before, and she knew very well that she was talented.

She just felt sorry that she was lacking compared to Atrina and me, and said that she would work harder so as not to fall behind, so there was no need to say anything.

“And I’ve been researching and preparing for the living armor for a long time now.”

“I know that. You had Mutrue’s help, didn’t you?”

“Yes. It’s not that surprising.”

I ignored Kayla’s exaggerated reaction and said to the group.

“I think I’m ready now that I’m a 4th-circle.”

The three women fell silent.

“As I’ve mentioned before, once we become 4th Circle, or rather, 4th Class, we decided to start outside activities.”

“…I’ll stay here.”

“That’s right. It can’t be helped. The outside is… too dangerous.”

“Instead, we decided to settle down and call you in within two years at the latest, right?”

“That’s right. I have no intention of breaking my promise. If things don’t work out, I’ll have Athena return here.”

Of course, that was highly unlikely to happen.

As we become 4th Class, rapid growth is expected thereafter.

So in two years, we’ll be at least 5th Class, and at that level, there’s no reason why we won’t be able to settle down somewhere.

At 5th Class, even a public Necromancer is possible.

Assuming we can tolerate the inconvenience, we could settle down anywhere, except in the Holy Empire.

Athena and Tia’s expressions darken.

“Of course, I don’t plan on leaving right away. I’ll make a separate undead to escort Tia, and I need to stabilize the surroundings more. It will take more time.”

I also need to further improve the Land of the Dead and then hand over control of it to Tia.

Me, Athena, and Kayla, who are in charge of most of the underground dungeon’s forces, are all leaving at once.

Depending on the circumstances, I could also take Baldur.

All the forces that were supporting Tia are disappearing at once, so Athena can’t help but worry.

That’s why I planned to prepare several safety measures.

‘And… I should give Athena an elixir soon.’

Going outside is fundamentally different from operating around here.

I planned to take all possible precautions.

After reaching 4th Circle, I took a few days to rest and get my body in top condition.

After that, I checked my body’s limits and realized that my physical condition was surprisingly good.

‘Well, in the last round, I wasn’t able to reach 4th Circle at this age.’

In the first place, there was a difference of almost 10 years from the start of my initiation.

The vessel containing the magic was slightly larger than in the last round when I was 3rd Circle, but my body was on a different level.