Chapter 20: A Talent?!

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: A Talent?!Lian and Dax were speechless. That final attack had been breathtaking—a lance of pure wind had pierced the monster, splitting it in two before exploding, clearing the fog around them. Sera, on the other side, was somewhat more composed. She knew Patrick’s reputation as the strongest Bronze 5 Mage in Grimreach, which was why she was his apprentice. His potential was staggeringly high. So why had he not reached Silver Rank? He was waiting for something—or so he claimed. Before Patrick could rejoin the others, he did something that stunned Lian and Dax. The Mage approached the monster’s carcass, its blood still pooling beneath it. Without a word, he raised his hands, using his wind element to tear open the beast’s abdomen. An object rolled out from its stomach. Before Lian and Dax could get a closer look, Patrick had already seized it. The moment the Mage picked up the object from the ground, a portal opened beside the monster’s remains. "Well, I presume you have all finished on your end, is that correct?" Patrick’s voice, calm and composed, stood in stark contrast to the chaotic surroundings. His robe, once a symbol of unblemished authority, was now tattered and stained with both his blood and the beast’s. "Affirmative!" replied the Grimreach Knights. As the fog cleared, they quickly moved to flank the Mage, followed by the remaining two Dustwall Knights. "Good. Then we can leave, but first—" Patrick snapped his fingers, and in an instant, a new robe replaced his shredded one. Sera did the same, swapping her robe as well. Their garments were similar: pristine white robes with bronze veins, the standard attire of their academy. The number of bronze veins indicated their level, while the color signified their magical rank, a badge of honor and power. Lian stared at them with growing longing. His leather armor was in tatters, filthy and worn. He wished he could change, but he had no spare clothes, let alone a spatial ring. "One day, I will have one of my own!" he thought, clenching his fist. "Before we go, allow me to congratulate all of you. You performed admirably. We completed the mission perfectly, without casualties," Patrick said, addressing the group. Then, turning to Lian, he continued, "Come with me. We need to discuss something." Lian was taken aback. He had no idea what Patrick wanted to talk about. Had he done something wrong? But then, catching Sera’s scrutinizing gaze, it clicked. This was about what he had done earlier—using magic without an arcane formula. "Well, damn..." he thought, shaking his head before following the Mage. As they walked, Lian glanced at the Steel-rank monster’s carcass. "So powerful!" he murmured as he passed it. "Even a creature this strong was defeated. My father was right—never be arrogant. The world is too vast to be complacent with your own power..." After a short walk, with Patrick leading and Lian trailing behind, they reached a secluded spot to talk. "First of all, Lian, I want to congratulate you on a job well done," Patrick said with his usual warm smile. "But there is something I need to know... Do not worry, I am not here to judge you or anything like that. I simply want to understand your... talent." Lian tilted his head, staring at the Mage with a puzzled expression. "I am not sure what you mean, Mage Patrick..." A soft chuckle echoed through the surrounding forest. "My apologies. You see, Lian, among Mages, there are some... special ones, gifted with unique abilities," Patrick said slowly, elaborating. "Take Sera, for example. Do you know why her control over the fire element is so potent?" Without waiting for Lian’s response, the Mage continued. "Simple—because of her talent. Sera’s talent grants her superior control, power, and versatility with fire. Do you understand now why she is so exceptional?" "Oh?" Lian finally grasped why Sera seemed so powerful despite being at the same rank as him. True, she had awakened her mana before him, but her strength was on another level entirely. Until now, he had never understood why. "Let me give you another example," Patrick added, pointing to himself. "I, too, have a talent. Casting spells without arcane formulas would be impossible otherwise. It is precisely because of my talent that I can face a Steel 1 monster." Lian was beginning to comprehend the world of Mages more clearly. None of this was in the books—or perhaps he had not read that far. "Now, it might seem that all Mages have a talent, but the truth is the opposite. Mages with talents are rare—extremely rare. That is why I was surprised to learn you have one, and it seems quite intriguing," Patrick said, his words cutting into Lian’s heart like blades. "A talent?" Lian thought, his expression questioning. "It is not like that at all—I have a System. But... I could use this as a loophole. Then I will not have to hide when I use the System!" A spark of cunning lit up his thoughts, a way to turn his secret into an advantage. With this in mind, Lian spoke more openly, less afraid than before. "I am not certain. Earlier, when I used the fireball spell, it felt natural to do so without a formula. However, from what I recall, its power was weaker than when I use the chant." "Why do you not try it again so I can take a look?" Patrick asked, his tone ever gentle. "Of course!" Lian was eager to be evaluated by a Mage as powerful as Patrick. Closing his eyes, Lian activated his System. "Geometric Spell, Circle." A circle appeared in his mind. He immediately began tracing its outline. His eyes remained closed as he worked. In truth, he had never tried it with his eyes open—it seemed impossible even to imagine. After a few seconds, the circle was complete. From Lian’s hands, a fireball materialized, then shot toward a nearby tree. [Accuracy: 52%] There was no explosion, no spectacular effect—just a faint mark left on the tree’s trunk. Lian opened his eyes, staring at the scene with confusion. He did not understand why his spell was so weak without the arcane formula. It had happened before. But before he could complain, the sound of rhythmic, steady clapping reached his ears. "Bravo, Lian. You have an extraordinary talent!" Patrick said, his eyes gleaming like gems as he looked at the boy. "In some way, it seems similar to mine. However, you do not need to fully master a spell before casting it... There seems to be more to it, but it is up to you to discover how to wield it to its fullest." Lian observed Patrick’s reaction with a strange look. Could what he was doing truly be remarkable? "I understand what you are thinking, but trust me. Once you join me at the academy, you will realize. No one can teach you about your talent—you can only discover it yourself, step by step, as you advance in magic. A Mage could die of old age without ever knowing if they had a talent or not." "Join you at the academy?!" Lian latched onto those words, repeating them as if seeking confirmation. "Of course. Do not worry about anything—just focus on following me. I will handle the rest. But first—" Patrick said, glancing back at the portal that had formed. "Let us return. You will learn everything in due time. Your parents must be worried about you. This Raid was a success—you can boast about it to them!" With those words, the two turned and headed toward the Gate. "Alright, everyone, we can go," Patrick announced, stepping through the Gate first. The others followed in tow. And so, Lian’s first Raid concluded successfully. From this moment forward, his true journey as a Mage would begin. --- Author’s Note! Well, this Gate Raid spanned many Chapters, but please understand—I had to introduce so much. Do not worry, though—there is plenty more to explore. Are Mages and Knights the only paths available? Who knows... One thing is certain: Have you ever seen a chicken eat a magical pill, start cultivating, and become a phoenix? What? You have? Well, then forget that cliché, because I am about to bring others! After all, in this world, cultivation is real, but rest assured—no magical pills are needed to cultivate. However... they might exist. Who knows! With the next two Chapter, Volume 1, the introductory arc, is complete!