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The day before.
The last day of the dungeon exploration club's summer vacation schedule.
Swoosh.
Wind and rays of light entered the space that had been filled with darkness, and the dungeon disappeared.
Ding.
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[C-Rank Monster Wave Ended]
―Cumulative Reward: 51K Mana Points (x2)
=====
'That's it.'
Finally.
I gathered points equivalent to 9 stars by combining unused mana points, magic power, inner power, outer power, and more.
'Point status.'
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[Mana Points: 926K]
―Magic Power: 512K
―Inner Power: 536K
―Outer Power: 116K
―Points Remaining Until Absorption of the Archmage's Heart: 0K
=====
The points required to become a 9-star mage or swordsman are 2,048K.
I succeeded in gathering a total of 2,090K points.
Of course, Davian's power is divided into inner power, magic power, and outer power, so he can't immediately become a 9-star mage or 9-star swordsman.
But anyway, I filled the points needed to absorb the Archmage's Heart.
'Now, if I get 2,048K magic power points, my magic power alone will be 2,560K points.'
Moreover, if I invest all the mana points I've gathered so far into magic power.
3,486K.
Only 610K remains until I surpass the barrier of a 10-star mage.
'Only... I've changed a lot too.'
In all of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd playthroughs, I didn't even gather 300K of magic power.
Now, 610K mana points don't feel like such a big number.
At this rate.
Graduation might not be impossible.
At that moment.
Ding.
=====
[Absorption of the Archmage's Heart]
―You have met the conditions to absorb the item 'Archmage's Heart'.
―Complete the following procedure to absorb the item 'Archmage's Heart'.
Enter the Archmage's Hidden Place.
There is a secret space behind the fireplace inside the cabin.
Perform concentrated training there for 8 hours.
Then the Archmage's 9-star magic power will be absorbed by the user.
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"What the f*ck."
Samantha, who was next to me, was surprised and asked.
"Davian? Why are you suddenly swearing?"
"Oh, it's nothing."
It was a situation that naturally made me swear.
In order to absorb 9-star magic power.
I have to stay in the Archmage's Hidden Place for 8 hours.
'8 hours...'
The wall of 9 stars that the most renowned mages on the continent can barely overcome in their entire lives.
Historically, the number of mages who have surpassed this wall at an age where they can still perform as mages is not very high.
According to the explanation in the notification window, I can obtain that much magic power in just 8 hours.
But.
The Archmage's voice left in the Hidden Place came to mind.
―Because of the time axis problem that I couldn't solve in the end, time here flows completely differently from the human world. And every time you enter, the time axis is turned upside down arbitrarily. I tried to find a pattern of change, but I failed. One month here could be one hour in the human world, or one day here could be ten years in the human world. The flow of time changes differently each time you enter.
'Is he telling me to absorb the Archmage's Heart or not?'
The final quest of this game that Davian, or rather Kang Eun-seong, possessed is graduation.
And the great nation across the sea, the Marino Empire, is constantly eyeing the Alkancia Kingdom.
I've been trying to delay it as much as possible, but before long, a passage to the Demon Realm will also open.
In the midst of all this, he wants me to enter the Hidden Place and stay there for 8 hours.
What if I get expelled from the academy during that time?
What if Elton Academy disappears altogether due to the invasion of demons?
No, what if the Alkancia Kingdom disappears altogether?
That's a failure of the final quest.
I can't even guess what kind of life awaits me after that.
With all the items 'Return Stone' that allow me to return to the starting point while maintaining my points already used up.
Will I lose all the points I've gathered and start over?
Will the game just end there and I'll die?
Will I live a life tormented by new quests forever?
I can't know anything.
'It can't be like that.'
Anyway, the important thing is.
I have to graduate this time, no matter what.
I have to come up with a plan.
It doesn't make sense to enter the Hidden Place and risk several years passing by, but.
It makes even less sense to give up on this, since it's giving me 9-star magic power for free.
As always.
After careful consideration.
I have to make the best choice.
"It's been a while, Davian."
"Yes, teacher."
"How's your body?"
"Very good."
"Have you been injured?"
"No."
"Oh, of course. You know I don't want you to get hurt, right?"
"Of course."
The second semester started.
Before the first class, Davian went to the infirmary first.
Since he wasn't taking Medium Frill's healing magic class as a second-year student.
Davian visited the infirmary about once a month to have various conversations with Medium.
Of course, the main topics of conversation were Davian's recovery ability and changes in his body.
But when Davian rarely got hurt.
They often had other conversations as well.
"Do you have any worries these days? You've looked a bit unwell since the semester started."
"I do have some worries."
"Really? Davian, the invincible, has worries. What is it? Tell me."
"It's not the kind of worry I can tell anyone about."
Medium crossed her arms and tilted her head as if intrigued.
"What? Is it a secret worry? Is it about girls?"
"It's not that."
Medium kept coaxing Davian to talk about it.
But Davian's worries weren't the kind he could confide in anyone.
'I've found a way to gain 9-star magic power in just 8 hours, but I'm worried about how much time will pass outside.'
Who can I confide in with that?
"Then what is it? It's not good to carry everything alone. You'll get tired of it. Davian, your goal is just graduation, right? So, is it a worry related to graduation?"
"Well, you could say that."
"Why do you always worry about graduating with this skill? Frankly, you're already better than this year's graduates?"
He had long surpassed that level.
Graduates? What a joke.
Now, he had the skills to stand shoulder to shoulder with the professors.
But because Davian was growing so rapidly, the people around him didn't know Davian's exact level well.
It was natural since even Davian didn't know exactly where he was.
"You saw a Lich appear at the academy not long ago. You never know when something like that might happen again, and the situation might be worse than then."
"You're usually so strong and confident. But when it comes to graduation, it's like you're possessed by a worry doll."
Davian looked at Medium with an expression that said he didn't understand.
'Medium Frill. If you had died three times without graduating, you wouldn't say that...'
Medium continued.
"Then you need to get stronger, our Davian. To protect the academy and graduate."
Davian nodded.
"Yes. Actually, there is a way, but the risk is a bit high."
"What kind of risk?"
It had already been a year since he started meeting Medium every month like this.
Since they couldn't just talk about the effects of potions or recovery abilities every time.
Medium and Davian had exchanged many stories before they knew it.
That's how much Davian's heart was open to some extent.
"This is just like a novel."
As Davian began to speak.
Medium put her hands on her chin and sat closer to Davian.
"Yeah. What kind of story is it?"
"Let's say a mage found a way to become incredibly strong. But to do that, they have to go into a cave and train alone, but they don't know how long it will take. They can't give up and come out of the cave halfway."
"You might not be able to come out before graduation?"
"Yes. Yes?"
Davian looked at Medium in surprise.
"Why? Are you surprised? It's your story. Davian. And my student and test subject, Davian, is only worried about graduation."
"So, you're finally admitting that I'm your test subject."
Medium smiled brightly and patted Davian's shoulder.
"I'm kidding, kidding. I just thought you had too many worries. Anyway. Then you can draw a warp magic circle in front of the cave and carry a scroll that allows you to go there at any time, right? And if you tear the scroll when you can't do anything with your current skills..."
I've already done that.
The day before the semester started, I went to the well that was the entrance to the Hidden Place and carved a magic circle directly onto the outer wall of the well before returning.
However, the problem is... what if someone gets to me before I can even take out and tear the scroll?
The fact that I've decided to enter the Hidden Place means that.
No matter how much time passes outside, no matter what happens to the kingdom and the academy in the meantime, it will be a moment when Davian can die right away.
If it's a moment when I have to make a choice that could ruin everything, there's a high probability that it's a seriously dangerous situation.
Maybe not even enough time to fully take out and tear the scroll in my pocket.
'If I choose to enter the Hidden Place thinking it's just a little dangerous, I could ruin everything.'
"What if I don't have time to take out and tear the scroll? What if I can't hold out while the warp magic is activated, even if I tear it? So, what if I die without even going to the cave?"
"Hmm... that's serious? Shouldn't you make a decision and go to the cave before that?"
"Once I go to the cave and start training, I can't go back. I can't just enter the cave because it's a bit dangerous."
"Going there is the very last moment?"
"Yes."
"I don't know what you're comparing it to, but I understand what you're saying. Then how about this? I saw it in the Royal Medical Center Library..."
Creak, creak, creak.
"Phew, that's it."
Medium Frill wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Then she looked at Davian's face as he lay down.
"Oh, that's right. My sweat isn't the problem."
Medium quickly took out a clean, cold towel and wiped Davian's face.
He had sweated so much that the towel quickly became damp.
"How is it? Can you stand it?"
Davian, who had a rolled-up cloth in his mouth, shook his head.
"Can't you stand it? Should we stop? But I've almost opened it all the way... Should I close it again?"
Davian looked down at his left arm.
A dozen or so medical devices that looked like scissors were embedded in his left arm, keeping the flesh open.
A medical device that gradually widens when you turn the screw on top.
"What should I do... If I had known that anesthesia wouldn't work, I wouldn't have started. What should I do? Davian. Should I close it again?"
Hoo.
If I close it again now.
All the pain of cutting and opening the flesh that I've endured so far will be useless.
Of course, Medium is constantly using healing magic to reduce the pain.
But that doesn't completely eliminate the pain of tearing open bare skin.
"Eol-ah-ah-ah-a-yo?"
He couldn't pronounce it properly because he had a wad of cloth in his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue.
Fortunately.
Medium Frill understood what he was saying pretty well.
"How much is left?"
Davian nodded.
"It's almost done. I think I can do the surgery if I open it up just one more time."
"Ye-oh-ae-yo"
"Continue?"
Davian nodded again.
"Okay. Just bear with it a little longer."
Medium put one more medical device that spread the flesh into Davian's left arm wound and started turning the screw.
Creak, creak, creak.
The medical device forcibly widened Davian's torn flesh.
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