NOVEL NEXT Chapter 109. Magic
With the fruit of his study, Helion went to an enclosed training ground in the Temple and started his test.
Taking the processed heart of a bird that can control lighting as a catalyst, Helion used a method to inject his mana into an object and imbued a lot of mana at several points on the processed bird's heart.
After spending more than a minute to imbue his mana, the mana inside the processed bird's heart had already become extremely volatile. It soon exploded while sending blinding thunderbolts in all directions.
Luckily, Helion dropped the heart and immediately created an earth wall when he sensed the bird's heart was going to explode.
Thanks to the earth wall he created, although the hand that previously held the bird's heart had become injured and his body spasmed for a whole minute, Helion is still alive.
He drank a potion while pouring another potion on his hand to heal it. But even after he poured three bottles of potions, his hand is still heavily injured. "This fucking hurts. I should find a healer as soon as possible; otherwise, this injury will definitely leave a mark."
Helion looked at his burned hand before turning to he earth wall and the surrounding testing ground that had been ravaged by lightning.
Watching the ravaged testing ground, Helion became excited. "This is definitely the power of a thunder blessed that's either just advanced to Level 2 or has almost advanced to Level 2. Luckily, the power has been dispersed in all directions, which greatly weakened its strength. If all of it heads toward me, I don't think I'll survive."
It's essential to note that, before this, the most advanced study on this path could only yield a result comparable to a recently advanced Level 1 blessed.
"This is such a groundbreaking discovery. So, I guess it's okay to give it a new name because this definitely has gone beyond the reach of alchemy." Casually saying something that's pretty much sacrilegious to the god of alchemy, Helion continued his thought and decided on a new name: "Let's call it magic."
He called it magic based on a children's story he found in the Temple's library a long time ago. A story about a hero from another world who killed a demon king. In the story, the hero is known to call the blessed power as magic.
After using his earth element power to fix the testing ground, Helion kept his findings a secret and stashed every research note in his room.
Through his years of staying in the Temple, Helion has sensed there's something suspicious going on with the Temple. Although he hasn't done much investigation for fear of being found out, he still decided to hide his invention of magic as a trump card.
Once he is sure he has hidden the research note thoroughly, Helion goes to a healer to have his wound treated.
The healer was a bit surprised upon seeing Helion's injured hand. In response, Helion only said, "I got injured while testing a research result."
The healer easily accepted his reason. After healing most of the injuries and telling him to use a low-grade potion on his hand once a day, Helion took his leave.
With his injuries healed, Helion continued his investigation of the temple while advancing his study on the creation of magic.
As time passes, his control over magic has become better. When he is almost seventy years old, Helion has found a way to direct the firepower of magic, a way to decrease the mana triggering speed to less than a minute, and a method to increase the power of magic to almost reach blessed power equal to his current level.
Of course, to cast stronger magic, he'll need to consume rarer material accordingly. Luckily, he has enough money and strength to either buy said rare material or obtain it while he's completing the temple's task.
At seventy-four years old, he finally reached the limit of Level 2 and found himself unable to advance any longer. At the same time, his investigation into the Temple has borne results that make him shudder and angry.
Through his years of investigation, he had already uncovered traces of the Temple's dirty dealings, such as how it instigated wars for the sake of adopting war orphans with the talent to become earth element blessed.
What chilled him and made him scared was when he found clues that the case of many Level 3 who have gone missing or died might have the Temple's involvement in it.
It's also the reason why, even though he has enough contributions to exchange for the training method to advance to Level 3, Helion doesn't immediately advance.
But he knew he couldn't delay it forever because the Temple's higher-ups can easily calculate his current Level by comparing his progression speed.
Helion merely delayed his advancement for two years to procure as many processed magic materials and potions to keep himself safe.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
By the time he felt he had prepared thoroughly to confront whatever problem the Temple would send his way, Helion exchanged his contribution to obtain the Level 3 earth element training method.
While meeting the High Priest to exchange his contribution with the training method, Helion secretly observed the High Priest's expression.
Seeing as the High Priest had shown no suspicion, he thanked the High Priest and prepared to leave.
Before he left, the High Priest wore a kind smile and added a sentence that triggered his paranoia, "Before advancing, you should meditate in silence and not announce it to the world. This way, you can focus entirely on your advancement without being disturbed by unnecessary thoughts. Furthermore, by keeping it a secret, even if your advancement fails, you won't be too embarrassed."
'Is it also to make me disappear cleanly? And how did he know one of my plans was actually to spread the news of my advancement? Is it possible someone has used this trick before to stop themselves from disappearing mysteriously?'
Helion's inner thoughts were in chaos, but outwardly, he still smiled and bowed to show his gratitude. "Thank you for your advice."
Helion left and went to the main hall to give his prayer to the god of alchemy before walking toward a meditation room.
After notifying the person in charge of the meditation rooms, he waited for a few trainee priests to bring several carts filled with magic ores.
Watching the trainee priests leave the ores next to the mats he'll use, Helion subtly sighed at just how rich the Temple actually is. 'The amount of ore in those carts is enough to buy my family's residence several times over.'
Once the trainee priests left, Helion patted his pockets that were full of processed materials.
After carefully checking the materials in his pocket, he began studying the training method to advance toward Level 3.
It took him two whole days to learn the technique. During that time, several trainee priests came by to bring him food and drinks.
When Helion finally felt he had thoroughly studied the method, he began his advancement to Level 3.
His advancement couldn't be called smooth, as the mana in his body nearly went out of control several times. But he managed to overcome every difficulty and advanced successfully.
That means, at seventy-six years old, Helion finally advanced to Level 3. It wasn't extremely fast, but it was still much quicker than half of the Level 3 blessed, many of whom only advanced after reaching eighty or even close to a hundred years old.
Once he advanced to Level 3, Helion didn't immediately leave. He continued to meditate for a few hours, followed by checking the processed casting materials he brought with him.
Only when he saw that all casting materials were still usable did Helion leave the meditation room.
Not long after Helion left, the old High Priest appeared in front of him.
While smiling kindly, the High Priest patted his shoulder, "It seems your advancement is a success."
"Everything is thanks to the god of alchemy's blessing," Helion answered with a grateful tone full of piety.
The High Priest nodded with satisfaction for his response, "As a Level 3 blessed, it's time for you to see the true core of our Temple."
"Come and follow me." The High Priest motioned and immediately moved without giving Helion any room to object.
'Is it finally my turn to disappear?' Helion felt his heart thumping after hearing the High Priest's words.
After subtly touching his pocket that's filled to the brim, he stopped hesitating and immediately followed the High Priest.
After taking a few turns, they entered a restricted area. It's an area that includes the Temple's treasury and the room where the Temple's sacred artifacts are held.
Passing through mazes like corridors, Helion saw the High Priest stopping at an inconspicuous corridor. After pulling several ornaments, a secret passage appeared on the wall next to the High Priest.
Pointing to the secret passage, the High Priest turned toward Helion, "Let's go in."
Without hesitation, the High Priest entered the secret passage and waited for Helion to follow suit.
Helion didn't immediately enter. Instead, he muttered to test the water, "I never knew there was this kind of secret passage in the Temple. I always thought creating secret passages and secret rooms was only the nobles' hobby."
The High Priest chuckled and answered, "Hohoho, of course we do. But unlike the nobles' secret passages and rooms used for emergency escape or hiding, ours are meant to hide treasures or secretly transport precious items."
"And as I mentioned before, the place we're going to is an extremely important place that only the core higher-ups of the Temple or a Level 3 blessed from the Temple are allowed to enter. It contains our Temple's most precious secret. So, of course, we must hide it in a secret room." The High Priest continued while picking up an unlit oil lamp hung on the wall behind the secret passage. After lighting it, the dark passage was slightly illuminated.
Hearing the High Priest's explanation, Helion entered the secret passage while keeping his alertness.
He thought the interior of the secret passage would be gloomy and dirty. But aside from the darkness, it gave off a simple sense of beauty.
Whether it's the floor, the ceiling, or the wall, all of them are made of extremely tough-looking metals.
The High Priest probably noticed Helion's confused expression upon seeing the metal passage, so the High Priest explained, "This passage is extremely important, so we have spent a lot of resources to reinforce it."
Helion has a bad feeling, but he still nods upon hearing the explanation.
After walking straight for approximately half an hour, the High Priest stopped while pointing forward. "From now on, you must proceed on your own. Remember to knock that door three times before entering. I shall wait for your return here."
Helion looked forward and faintly saw a wooden door sculpted with reliefs of many people in a praying motion.
He glanced at the High Priest before walking cautiously, ready for any trap. But even after reaching the door and knocking three times, Helion still didn't find anything dangerous.
Opening the door, a brightly lit room appears in his view.
Perhaps because the secret passage has a stale smell, but a refreshing fragrance hit Helion's face after he opened the room.
When his eyes got used to the room's bright light, Helion observed the room.
On one side of the room, there's a bookshelf filled to the brim with books. While on the other side, there's a mountain of magic ores that's enough to buy a kingdom.
In the middle of the room, there are many tables filled to the brim with mountains of papers, tools, or unknown creatures.
Standing amidst those papers is a man wearing simple clothes.
Helion observed the man and found him extremely familiar.
As someone who has been adopted by the Temple since he was young, he has seen the face in front of him more often than he has seen the face of his parents. "The God of Alchemy…"