Chapter 197

“What are you scribbling away at?”

Kaisel came over and plopped down beside me with a thud.

Since she was a vampire lord who couldn’t use a magical exoskeleton, she had nothing particular to do, and out of boredom, she seemed to want to strike up a conversation with me.

“Writing a magic book.”

“Lucky you. While you’re working those guys to the bone, you get to enjoy your leisure time.”

“What? Want me to work you to the bone too?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Seeing Kaisel bow her head properly in apology made me chuckle softly.

I put a period on what I’d been writing and looked ahead.

The mages in their magical exoskeletons were locked in a fierce struggle with the gate.

After working all day, the gate had already expanded to about the size of a five-story building.

The green grassland beyond the gate was freshly encroaching upon the ruined earth.

“Hmm… Good. At that size, even Floating Island Sion could pass through.”

With a satisfied smile, I turned my gaze to the magic book. I reflected on what I’d just written.

Kaisel, who had been looking at the book alongside me, suddenly spoke up.

“Hmm… Could you explain this content?”

I nodded readily and read from the book.

————————

<Baek Jun-woo’s Magic Book>

-Reflections on the Divine Realm.

So,

The realm of magic can be explained through the structure of the human nervous system.

The magical neural network created upon reaching the 7th Step corresponds to the peripheral nervous system that extends to the fingertips.

The human peripheral nervous system allows us to feel sensations and move our bodies, and similarly, a wizard’s 7th Step allows them to feel the world (read the Akashic Records) and move magical power with much greater precision.

In other words, ‘divine senses’ are formed at this stage.

However, for a 7th Step wizard to read the Akashic Records and move magical power still requires tremendous mental effort.

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Kaisel’s expression grew serious.

“Divine senses… 7th Step… I’m neither a Circle mage nor a Ki-blood mage, so can I open the 7th Step?”

Now I could see she’d been worrying about being left behind.

“But you’re an ancient being. Opening the 7th Step should be easier for you than for us, shouldn’t it? An instinctive approach suits you better than a rational one. Look for the answer within yourself. You’re someone who has directly witnessed gods with your own eyes.”

Seeming to resonate with my words, Kaisel nodded deeply. Then she pointed to the next section and asked,

“Looking at what you’ve written, the 8th Step seems incredibly special… What are the conditions for opening the 8th Step?”

————————

The magical neural network created at the 8th Step can be seen as corresponding to the spinal cord that runs up the center of the body toward the head, and the brainstem and cerebellum connected at the end of the spinal cord.

When humans grab something hot, they immediately pull their hand away; when they move their pupils to focus, freely move their limbs, and breathe—these are all functions of the spinal cord, brainstem, and cerebellum. Similarly, a wizard who has reached the 8th Step can read the Akashic Records without much conscious effort and can command more precise magic with less effort.

Also, from the 8th Step onward, ancient beings like calamities or egos become exponentially more likely to mistake the mage for a god.

If 7th Step wizards still have the uncanny valley effect of artificial intelligence robots imitating humans, 8th Step wizards possess the naturalness of a beating heart, breathing lungs, and meeting eyes—essentially indistinguishable from humans.

————————

The conditions for opening the 8th Step…

“It’s definitely a matter of willpower.”

“Willpower?”

“The willpower to construct and create the complex magical neural network that spans eleven dimensions. That’s why I think the 8th Step might be the limit for the human soul.”

“The limit…”

“Right. So if I whine about doing a little dissection, that’s nowhere near enough. Even having the willpower to split open your own head and observe your brain in a mirror wouldn’t be sufficient willpower. Work harder.”

“…You’re insane.”

I shrugged my shoulders. Kaisel might be disgusted, but I was just stating facts.

Kaisel, looking queasy, scooted away slightly to put some distance between us, then carefully asked again after a moment.

“…Anyway. So what’s the 9th Step? Is it that moving?”

“Ah, that’s beyond words. It’s truly moving.”

————————

And finally, the 9th Step I experienced through <Samantha> was a realm that created part of the outermost portion of the brain—the cerebrum.

More precisely, it could be seen as the realm that creates the limbic system of the cerebrum, which generates impulses and emotions.

Once again, everything changed.

Up until the 8th Step, magic had been a distinctly mechanical and computational task for me. I had to calculate how to move Circles to weave mana patterns, how to move Ki-blood to cause destruction.

But at the 9th Step, when emotions moved, Circles moved automatically, and Ki-blood moved automatically.

I no longer felt like I was ‘controlling’ magical power. Just as I don’t think about ‘controlling my arm,’ magical power was me, and I was magical power.

Additionally, the information I could interpret through the Akashic Records increased overwhelmingly. Even information I couldn’t understand now gave me a rough feeling.

Just as you naturally feel anxious when hearing a monster’s roar even without knowing the monster,

Just as you feel the urge to eat when smelling food you’ve never tried,

I could ‘sense’ even targets I didn’t understand.

It was like being dead until now and suddenly coming alive—an incredible sensation.

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“Every time I wear <Samantha>, I feel it anew. ‘Ah, this was it…’ It’s a dangerous sensation that could make you forget yourself. Since everything goes according to my will, there are aspects where I get swept away emotionally. Yeah. It’s like returning to being a newborn child. Everything is fascinating, and everything seems like mine…”

“Hmm… I want to experience it too. But I can’t use a magical exoskeleton, can I? The spirits dislike me… Is there no other way?”

Kaisel looked dejected. In truth, even the 8th Step was a distant realm for Kaisel right now… but still, having limits drawn for herself didn’t seem pleasant.

I nudged her with my elbow.

“You might be able to reach the 9th Step without a magical exoskeleton. After all, you’re an ancient being and a transcendent species that surpasses humans.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah. I have that feeling. And you just read it, didn’t you? My feelings aren’t just feelings anymore.”

“Judgments made by unconsciously accepting countless pieces of information from the Akashic Records… essentially no different from prophecy… is that it?”

“Exactly.”

Kaisel’s eyes, which had been downcast, glowed red with renewed energy.

Having regained her spirits, Kaisel asked energetically,

“Then what about the Outer God? Is it around the 10th Step? How strong would that be?”

“Well…”

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So,

What kind of realm would the 10th Step be?

Just as the development of the cerebrum makes language abilities, thinking abilities, and motor skills more refined in every aspect… perhaps I would finally master divine techniques and acquire divine thinking abilities and communication skills?

When that time comes…

Would I be able to accurately grasp the Outer God’s intentions and schemes?

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“It’s still vague. From my current position, I can’t even understand the Outer God’s intentions and schemes. What kind of world is that bastard trying to create? Why does it want to destroy this world so badly?”

As I muttered, Kaisel frowned.

“Is that important? Isn’t the Outer God’s goal to wipe us all out and remake everything?”

“No. How it plans to eliminate us and what it wants to remake, and how. That’s the problem. We’re being too vague right now. Like mad horses running without knowing what lies ahead.”

That was my current limitation. I had gained divine abilities and divine emotions, but hadn’t obtained divine thinking patterns.

Nadia had said earlier with tears,

‘Creation is truly not far away now!’

It sounded good.

But

Creation…

What the hell is that?

Creation. Creating a new world. But…

‘What kind of world…?’

Whether to create or not was no longer a heavy or important question. Rather, what creation was, how it should be accomplished—those thoughts kept coming to mind.

Just. It felt like that was how it should be.

“Just as the standard for distinguishing great people from ordinary ones varies according to each person’s beliefs and plans… there must be better gods and lesser gods.”

Suddenly,

Kaisel started in surprise and stared at me.

“What? Why are you so surprised?”

“Ah, no. It’s a misunderstanding.”

“What misunderstanding?”

Kaisel couldn’t meet my eyes and turned her gaze away. She spoke in a shrinking voice.

“Just… I remembered something. An old memory.”

“A memory? That’s good. You’ve forgotten most of them, haven’t you? What kind of memory?”

“There seemed to be an administrator who… spoke just like you.”

Kaisel blushed and suddenly stood up to leave.

“I-I’m going now.”

Her retreating figure looked tense and flustered, swaying unsteadily.

…Hmm. Should I catch her? She seems like she’d give an interesting reaction. Should I suddenly grab her shoulder to startle her? Should I check if she has a fever by touching her forehead?

Ah, I can’t control my mischievous impulses these days.

As I was mulling over what would produce the most amusing reaction and half-rising from my seat,

-Wow! It’s done! Now we can pass through to the 40th floor of the Tower of Covenant!

Nadia’s bright voice struck my ears.

* * *

40th Floor. Plains of Revelation.

The sky here was filled with stars. The stars moved slowly. Complex flight patterns with no fixed trajectory, like fireflies. They flickered as if speaking to us.

-All the definitions of ‘signs’ and ‘premonitions’ in the world were established right here. That starlight is the very source of prophecy and intuition.

Nadia, who’d been in a good mood since I opened the gate, chattered away.

“Hah… Plains of Revelation. Our Society always coveted this region. No, not just us—every organization did. Even as the Academy declined, they protected this region to the very end. It’s land where their history and pride are embedded.”

Even Yeon Gae-bu-so, who usually showed little emotion, gazed around with a wistful expression as he shared his thoughts.

However, I had no choice but to lift the handbag containing <Samantha>.

“This is the Academy’s headquarters?”

“Yes! Those buildings visible among the mountain peaks are all Academy buildings.”

Lytol, an Academy graduate, answered with an excited voice.

“Hah… It’s been so long since I’ve been here, it feels refreshing. I can see smoke rising—are they cooking? Let’s hurry. Academy food is surprisingly good. Before we negotiate over the memorial tablet, let’s at least get a good meal.”

Lytol couldn’t hide his smile as he quickened his pace.

But Yuria grabbed Lytol’s sleeve.

“Huh? Why?”

“Wait. Something’s strange.”

As expected… Yuria, with her [Magic Eye], noticed something suspicious.

I looked back at Lytol and asked,

“That’s the headquarters? You see smoke from cooking?”

Lytol looked puzzled as he replied,

“Yes. So?”

Hah… Damn it. I should have known things were going too smoothly.

I tore off my necklace and brought it to my handbag as I spoke.

“Then why isn’t there a single living soul there?”

A desolate wind swept across the surroundings.