Ifrit: From This Day Forward, Deception Magic Could Create Miracles Too!

Ifrit had always been someone who valued comfort.

After all, he had died from overwork in his previous life.

Having come to this magical world in this life, he did not want to exhaust himself like that again.

Come to think of it, Deception Magic suited him quite well.

It did not require intense battles—unlike someone like Natsu, who, even in a one-sided fight, still had to slam his fists into the other guy's face. It looked cool enough, but how much hardship and pain did that take?

And it was quite useful for running away, too.

With Deception Magic, he could live comfortably, face little pressure, and find some fun from time to time.

Therefore, over all these years, including the years since joining the guild, his strength had barely improved. Of course, his magic power had grown somewhat, but there had been no qualitative leap along his magical path.

The fact that he had used that Tier 6.0 for so many years made that clear enough.

The weak ones could basically be dealt with in one shot. As for the strong ones, he would not take the initiative to accept commissions involving them.

But during the battle on Galuna Island, Ifrit had discovered that Tier's firepower was insufficient.

And in the battle against Phantom Lord, he had realized even more clearly that when facing a strong opponent alone, with no way to avoid a fight, his magic gave him little chance of turning the tables.

Ifrit feared death.

After so many years, he had finally developed a sense of crisis, and with it, the motivation to take another step forward.

However.

His way of growing stronger was not physical training.

It was—

Thinking.

After all, Deception Magic was the inherited magic of House of Valier, yet none of its ancestors had ever produced a truly powerful mage.

It could be said that wherever Ifrit reached represented the limit of Deception Magic.

He had no reference at all. He could only carve out a path forward step by step on his own.

He had watched Bleach in his previous life, and he knew of a big shot whose ability resembled his own—Aizen.

But he was not Aizen. He was not that powerful, nor was he that gifted.

Magic power and spiritual pressure were not the same thing.

Deception Magic was not Kyoka Suigetsu, either.

Though they were very similar, they were ultimately different.

He had to forge his own path.

But what was the next stage of Deception Magic?

Interfering with reality?

Impossible.

The essence of Deception Magic's power was simply deception.

Deception meant using false words to deceive someone, thereby controlling their emotions and achieving one's own goal.

It was not some extraordinary magic.

It was merely the falsehood painted by a swindler's words.

It would never become real.

Clack-clack.

The train rolled onward.

Outside stretched a vast, desolate land.

Ifrit took a deep breath, leaned back in his seat, and adjusted himself into a more comfortable position.

But an unpleasant smell wafted into his nostrils.

He turned his head. The middle-aged man seated beside him awkwardly shifted as far away from him as he could.

Ifrit gave him a friendly smile. The man immediately smiled back and hurriedly assured him, "I'm getting off at the next stop."

"It's all right." Ifrit smiled and shook his head before looking outside again.

"Sir, you seem to have something on your mind," the man cautiously said.

"Yes, I'm thinking about fraud," Ifrit replied casually.

"Fraud? Sir, have you been scammed? My condolences." The man first comforted him, then said indignantly, "I hope those scammers go to hell!"

"I've been scammed too."

It was as if he had opened the floodgates.

The man said, "It was last year. A scammer approached me, and at first, I had no idea he was a scammer. He said we were from the same hometown, and he talked me right into it. I really believed him."

"He told me there was an investment project that could make a fortune."

"He spoke so quickly that he made my head spin. He painted all kinds of benefits for me, and he kept flattering me."

"I almost agreed on the spot. If a coworker hadn't called for me, I definitely would have been scammed right then."

"Later, he disappeared for a while, and I actually felt regretful about it."

"After some time, he showed up again, richer than before, and told me there was another opportunity."

"I was tempted, and then, well, you know. I got scammed."

"Scammers like that are terrifying. He guided me through the entire thing, and I never realized that every decision I made was a trap he had set!"

"When I was being scammed, that was when I trusted him the most!"

"I truly thought I was about to make a fortune. I couldn't sleep properly, and my hands shook when I ate. I had no control over my emotions at all."

"To be honest, even long after he had left, I still didn't realize I'd been scammed. I even talked myself into it and made excuses for him, thinking something had delayed him, or that the longer I waited, the more I would earn."

"It wasn't until more than half a year had passed, when the enforcement team came to find me, that I became certain I'd been scammed. Only a small portion of the money was recovered."

"Sir," the man earnestly advised, "if you encounter fraud, never think you can deal with them yourself. They're professionals. You should stay away from them immediately!"

"Thank you." Ifrit nodded and said with a smile, "I'll keep that in mind."

Psssh—

The train arrived at the station.

"Sir, I'll be getting off now. Have a safe journey." The man stood up.

"Have a safe journey as well." Ifrit rose to return the courtesy.

After the man left, he sat back down.

After a long while, he shook his head and gave a soft laugh.

"After being scammed, that was when he trusted the scammer most? I really learned something today."

Ifrit's trip through Omilas had been quite pleasant.

On the third-to-last day before leaving Omilas.

He visited the famous local volcano and bought a piece of Ever-Burning Volcano Jade.

It was quite remarkable and could store flames.

He planned to give it to Natsu. Natsu would definitely like it.

For the rest of that day, he selected gifts for everyone in the guild.

On the second-to-last day before leaving Omilas.

He went to the final attraction.

Mount Omilas.

The scenery here was quite extraordinary.

Mount Omilas itself was rather ordinary, but beside it lay a basin that remained shrouded in mist year-round.

He followed the other tourists into the mountain.

After they had moved far away from any sign of human activity.

The guide at the front began singing loudly.

At first, the tourists merely listened, but before long, they could not help joining in.

Ifrit was no exception.

It was a feeling of deep relaxation, almost indulgence.

They crossed the mountain and arrived at the basin.

The tourists began to grow nervous—the mist here was far too thick. Visibility was low, and they could only see two or three people ahead. Beyond that, everything was swallowed by white fog.

A rope was tied to everyone's right hand to prevent anyone from getting lost.

Quite a few people clutched their ropes nervously, afraid of being left behind.

The surroundings were silent.

Other than the fog, nothing could be seen.

Everyone grew increasingly tense, their minds involuntarily imagining monsters hidden in the white mist, silently emerging from within it.

Or perhaps, from behind the crowd, devouring everyone one by one like candied hawthorns on a stick!

Ifrit reached out his hand. He could not grasp the white fog, yet it existed all the same, bringing fear and unease to people.

His eyes gradually brightened, and a faint smile curled across his lips.

On the day he left Omilas.

Like all the other travelers, Ifrit boarded the return train with a satisfied heart.

Deception Magic.

A very weak kind of magic.

House of Valier's inherited magic had a long history, yet none of its ancestors had ever become a renowned mage.

His adoptive father had only used it to impersonate a magician and earn enough to get by.

After inheriting this magic, Ifrit had reinterpreted it through his own strength.

Deception Magic had two applications: deception and fraud.

He regarded them as two stages.

The first stage deceived the five senses, while the second guided emotions.

Ifrit had first chosen deception of the five senses as his main direction of development.

Thus, within the first stage, he had developed two realms.

Together, they were called "Mirage Deep Realm."

Mirage was the first realm, deception that everyone could see.

The Deep Realm, meanwhile, was deception that people could not see, or even become aware of.

Before this day.

Whether it was the two realms of the first stage or the second stage, Deception Magic itself had possessed no offensive power.

Until today.

Ifrit had finally deduced the two realms of the second stage!

From this day forward, his Deception Magic could be said to have officially entered the Second Realm!

It could also be said that he had raised Deception Magic to an entirely new height!

Mirage Deep Realm, Misty Valley Empty Mountain

Ifrit used the ring finger of his left hand to push up his glasses, but his hand remained raised for a long time, because behind that palm—his face wore an easy, proud smile that he could not restrain for a long while.

From this day forward.

Deception Magic, too, was magic capable of creating miracles!