The Power of Imagination

"Use your imagination," Lynn said. "For example, with your Light Gathering Spell, I suggest you imagine the light around you as a three-dimensional space woven from countless rays. Casting Light Gathering Spell means pulling those lines over one by one, handful by handful..."

There was a certain scientific basis to the principle he was describing, but it was not entirely correct.

With his limited scientific knowledge, he only knew that light was a dynamic, omnipresent wave, and that the room they were in was a bright, three-dimensional space woven together from waves of light.

But as he saw it, because of the existence of magic, this world had walked a path utterly different from scientific research. Using the scientific theories of his previous life to explore the essence of magic was completely meaningless. What mattered most was realizing magic within limited theory.

And the method he proposed was something he had naturally comprehended after obtaining the Dark Elf Bloodline inheritance and consecutively mastering several spells related to the natural phenomenon of "light."

Of course, this comprehension was also inseparable from the knowledge he had gained in his previous life. At the very least, in Lynn's view, his understanding of the world, of nature, and of magic was completely different from that of others.

When Black heard this, he clamped his hand around his chin and sank into deep thought, his brows tightly furrowed.

Those who could become mages had at least some degree of comprehension. Added to that, the method Lynn described was extremely concrete, and his spirituality seemed to sense something. He could not help but begin trying it.

Fortunately, Light Gathering Spell did not consume too much mana, and he still had some strength left.

He gathered his mind, silently sensing the sunlight filling the room, while slowly chanting the incantation and guiding his mana.

For an instant, it was as if he truly saw the densely packed lines of light within the room, layer upon layer, woven into a three-dimensional space.

And he perceived them with his spirituality, grasped them with his mental power as an invisible hand, and fused them with the mana within his body, causing a qualitative change.

All at once, an unreal radiance gathered at the tip of his staff like a miniature sun. The crisscrossing light within the room grew extremely dim.

"I... I succeeded?"

Black's mouth fell open in astonishment, his face full of disbelief. His slightly clouded, exhausted eyes were stung by the brilliance of the Light Gathering Spell, yet he could not bear to look away.

This was not his first time learning a second-circle spell. Previously, he had spent 13 gold coins to purchase a second-circle Evocation spell, but because it was too difficult, he had been unable to learn it for ages.

Only after saving money for several more years had he changed to this relatively simpler Light Gathering Spell, hoping he could pass the Initiate Mage assessment.

As an ordinary person obsessed with magic but limited in talent, this was already the limit of his life.

For this, he had even remained single until now...

The staff member stood stunned for a full half minute before coming back to himself. He looked even more excited than Black. "Congratulations, Mr. Black! You have passed this assessment. You are now an Initiate Mage. I will prepare the corresponding professional badge for you shortly."

The Initiate Mage assessment is actually just successfully casting a second-circle spell? Isn't that a bit too simple?

Lynn subconsciously grumbled inwardly, but he quickly understood. It was only relatively simple for him, for Elaine. For someone like Black, however, it was enough to consume half a lifetime of time and savings.

Thinking of this, he looked toward Black with quite a bit of emotion.

The man was very calm, his eyes unfocused as he stared into empty space. Only after a long while did he murmur, "Did I really succeed?"

After receiving the staff member's confirmation once again, his eyes suddenly blurred, but he immediately controlled his emotions and turned around to face Lynn.

With his right hand holding the staff, he covered his chest, pressing the tip of the staff tightly over his heart, and bowed to Lynn with great solemnity.

"Thank you very much for your help, Mr. Lynn. Your words benefited me enormously!"

When he raised his head again, his face carried an incomparably sincere, incomparably joyous smile. "I truly don't know how to thank you. In order to purchase the Light Gathering Spell spellbook, I spent all my savings..."

As he spoke, he smiled somewhat ashamedly.

Lynn waved his hands again and again, telling Black not to take it too much to heart.

He had spoken up to help the other man partly because his interest had been aroused. Recently, he had come into contact with a great deal of knowledge about "light" magic, which had filled him with interest in related things.

On the other hand, Black reminded him of himself in his previous life. They had both been corporate slaves, and being able to pursue one's ideals outside of work was truly far too difficult.

For such a person, he felt a certain admiration, which was why he had simply gone with the current and helped.

[You have successfully imparted magical knowledge to another and verified your own concept. "Wisdom" inspiration acquisition progress: 2/3]

The twisted script of the Codex of Origin surfaced before his eyes. Lynn turned a blind eye to it, but inwardly, he was quietly delighted.

This action earning him experience for the [Wisdom] star was within his expectations. After all, he had already more or less figured out the method for upgrading the Codex.

But he had not expected to gain this much progress. He was only one step away from obtaining another self-selected spell.

And according to his conjecture, this spell should be chosen from among the second-circle spells.

Over here, Black thanked Lynn repeatedly again, saying that if there was anything at all, Lynn could come to him for help. Then he left together with the staff member.

Lynn watched the two of them disappear through the door of the assessment room. When he turned back, he saw the three managers of the Magic Association all looking at him.

Barton had one hand pressed against his round belly as he watched Lynn with a smile, looking like he was admiring his proud disciple. But when the corners of his eyes caught sight of his two colleagues also staring at his proud disciple with appreciative gazes, his face abruptly tightened.

"Ahem." He pressed his fist to his mouth and coughed twice, trying to draw the others' attention. "Don't waste time. Hurry up and get on with the exam."

The other two acted as though they had not heard him.

Adolph, draped in blue robes, had divine light flowing through his eyes, as though whirlpools were spinning within them as he stared at Lynn. In an unhurried tone, he asked:

"Those words you spoke just now—did you read them somewhere?"

Lynn paused for a moment, then still chose to answer honestly. "It was only a recent realization. It just happened to have some connection with Mr. Black's spell, so I couldn't help saying it."

Adolph nodded. He had long since expected Lynn to answer like this. It was just that the theory had quite a unique quality to it, one that even many senior mages would find difficult to articulate, so he had merely confirmed it.

He smiled and said, "Child, do you know what the magical root pursued by the Blue Tower is?"

The magical root? The source of the path of magic? I'm only an Apprentice Mage. It probably isn't time for me to be thinking about such profound questions yet, is it? Lynn thought self-deprecatingly.

He honestly shook his head, looking every bit the well-behaved child waiting for the old man's instruction.

Adolph continued, "We of the Blue Tower focus on the cultivation of the mind and spirituality in order to seek a kind of power that exists only within the hearts of intelligent beings, a power that transcends all things..."

His gaze was deep, and he guided him patiently. "At the same time, it is also a kind of magic, an ultimate magic capable of creating all things and containing all magic! And just as you mentioned earlier, child, this power of the mind is 'imagination.'"