CHAPTER 24…………………………….
024. The Third Ring
A deep night without anyone’s disturbance.
“…Done.”
I wove together the third ring using the mana in my circle and the mana I had absorbed from Magic.
Just like with the first and second, it consumed far more mana than expected.
The scale of it was nothing a normal mage’s circle could even compare to.
In terms of sheer mana capacity, it rivaled the best of all the contractors I had met so far.
Thinking back to the days when I had not even a speck of mana and couldn’t even form a contract with Magic, I couldn’t help but feel deeply moved.
“Now the real part begins…”
I exhaled and adjusted my posture.
Then I picked up the mana stone that had been resting in a wooden box.
Nervous… that’s how I felt.
This was a method of absorbing mana completely different from before.
I had once forced several contractors to use this method.
But they hadn’t been given enough time.
They needed explosive growth in a very short period.
In other words—if they had had enough time, I never would have made them go through this.
Because…
“…It’s going to hurt like hell.”
It was a rough, brutal method.
Every contractor who had tried it testified that it was the worst pain they had ever experienced in their lives.
One even said death would’ve been preferable.
…Honestly, I wasn’t confident I could endure the pain as well as they had.
Maybe because I had spent so much time with books, my senses were especially sharp…
…Enough excuses.
“Fuuuuh.”
I took a long breath and clenched the mana stone tightly.
I didn’t have time either.
I wasn’t going to stay trapped in this Ice Rock forever.
I had to slay the dragon that had become a calamity, and fix this world’s twisted magic.
I wasn’t in a position to whine about being sensitive or unable to endure pain.
“I’ll do it.”
Wuuuuum—
The moment I resolved myself, I channeled mana into the hand gripping the mana stone.
The manas began to resonate with each other.
The stone tried to hold the mana I pushed into it but…
Kiiiing, kiiing.
Collisions occurred between the stored mana and mine, their flows out of sync.
Like metal grinding at high speed—king, kiiing—a sharp screech echoed.
Until—
Crack.
A fracture split across the mana stone.
The cracks spread wider until—ka-boom—the stone shattered completely.
The fragments instantly lost their light.
The mana sealed inside it burst free.
Now!
Wuuuuuung.
I spun the mana in my circle at high speed.
Like a heart pounding faster and faster, until my breath caught in my throat.
I spun it at maximum speed, interfering with the flow.
Before the released mana dispersed—
I drew it into myself.
The mana, bereft of a destination, poured into me.
It was like opening a dam—the vast flood rushed in.
If I failed to match its flow, then just like the mana stone—
…the one to shatter this time would be me.
Wiiiiiiing.
“Ghhhhh!”
A torrent of mana slammed into me.
It felt like my insides were twisting from the mana flooding in at a speed I’d never experienced.
Grrrk.
I clenched my teeth, forcing myself to endure.
There was no other choice.
I poured the torrent into the woven ring.
But the backlash from the surging flow struck back.
It felt like a beast’s claws were ripping out my heart.
“U-urgh!”
Even with my teeth clenched, groans spilled out.
My skull felt like it was being split open by a raptor’s beak.
A pressure like my eyeballs were about to pop out made nausea rise.
I wanted to vomit instantly.
But I forced it down.
I swallowed, and swallowed again.
Because if I released it now…
…it wouldn’t be relief that came, but the shattered fragments of my circle and death from the mana’s rampage.
“Ghhhhh!”
Just as I was barely holding on to my slipping consciousness—
『 The contractor’s mana is unstable. 』
A calm voice echoed in my head.
『 As the contractor’s privilege, mana stabilization will commence. 』
…This existed?
Or… had I done the same myself once?
Back when I was Magic, I had interfered with my contractors’ mana flows.
When they risked a mana rampage, or when a spell manifested unstably.
Though… I hadn’t been this kind about it.
Wuuuuuung.
The raging flow of mana gradually slowed.
The twisting inside me relaxed into ease.
“Hhh-urgh?!”
Before I could even gag, blood welled up and streamed out of my mouth.
I coughed, and spat out a flood of blood.
It was unpleasant, but my body felt lighter.
“Hah… ahh…”
The third ring filled with mana.
Wuuum.
Its flow stabilized as well.
I had achieved the Third Circle.
“Haha.”
Laughter burst out.
I collapsed onto the spot, blood-soaked.
“Ha… thought I was dead…”
My eyes slid shut.
I didn’t resist.
Without even getting up, I sank into unconscious sleep.
Hog worked diligently and faithfully.
“Hog! Bring this over here!”
“I’m trying to move that over there… can you help?”
“Hog, can you handle this one for me?”
Whenever there was heavy lifting to do, the other members always called for Hog first.
He had always been strong, but ever since his engraving had been rewritten, even he was shocked by the strength he could exert.
Being able to help others brought him great joy.
Thanks to Hog’s , he could carry logs alone to build fortifications, and the repairs finished much faster.
“You…”
As the repairs wrapped up, Ronan watched Hog carefully.
“Did your strength… increase again?”
“D-did it? I-I’m not sure…”
“You’re not sure? I can see it just by looking.”
“H-huh?!”
Until Ronan pointed it out, Hog hadn’t even realized he was carrying two logs on his shoulders.
From then on, Hog became aware that his strength had grown beyond control.
He lifted the massive rectangular shields that usually took two men, one in each hand.
Not just lifting them—he swung them around freely.
And it still didn’t strain him.
Was this because his engraving had been rewritten?
Troubled, Hog went to find Esric.
Knock, knock.
He carefully knocked on the captain’s door, but there was no answer.
Knock, knock.
“C-captain? It’s Hog!”
Silence.
Not even a presence inside.
Was he not here?
Hog leaned forward and peeked through the window.
“Wh-wha…?!”
Esric was sprawled out on the floor.
Red stains around his mouth and clothes—blood? Hog’s heart sank.
“N-no!”
He rushed to the door.
Instead of knocking, he slammed his whole body against it.
Bang—crash!
The heavy door broke open instantly.
Hog stumbled into the room.
“C-captain! Captaaaain!”
He half-screamed, rushing forward to lift Esric up.
The sticky blood smeared onto his large hands and arms vividly.
“Captain! Esric!”
His desperate cry filled the room.
He looked like he was about to burst into tears.
And just before the tears fell—
“U-urgh… what?”
Esric, whom he thought dead, slowly opened his eyes.
“What the hell? What is it?”
His tone was casual, even annoyed.
It was Esric as usual.
Relieved, Hog smiled wide.
“Y-you’re alive!”
His voice cracked with emotion. Esric blinked a few times.
“Of course I’m alive. Wait… what happened to the door?”
“I-I thought you were dead, so I…”
“What?”
Esric gave a baffled look, then let out a short laugh.
“Well, let me go first. You’re gonna suffocate me.”
“S-sorry!”
Hog quickly set him down.
Back in his senses, his respectful speech slipped out again.
He didn’t notice, but Esric did, chuckling softly.
“Thanks.”
What a good kid.
I really picked the right man.
But looking at myself, it wasn’t strange he misunderstood.
My shirt was soaked crimson with blood.
No wonder Hog reacted that way…
He was still staring at me worriedly.
“A-are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just spat up some blood.”
“B-but that’s usually what people don’t call fine…”
“Well, I’m not ‘people,’ am I?”
“Ohh.” Hog nodded as if that explained everything.
Too much hassle to explain in detail.
“So why’d you come, anyway? Not just to ‘rescue’ me, right?”
“Ah, um… well…”
Hog began explaining his condition.
“First—sorry.”
“Eh? Captain, what are you apologizing for?”
“That’s because of the engraving I rewrote.”
The engraving carved into Hog’s body—
It didn’t just boost his power.
It multiplied it, and at its limits, it grew even further.
Like training muscles—tearing them, letting them heal stronger.
That’s how functioned.
“I’ve never heard… of an engraving like that…”
“Of course not.”
Normally, when engravings were made, they used fundamental magic like .
Simple, straightforward magic to maximize an artifact’s effect.
That was the proper use of engravings.
The problem was—I had engraved it onto a person.
A human given an engraving abandoned limitless possibilities.
They could never form circles, never manifest aura.
And I had engraved a fundamental magic on him at that.
Artifacts could handle it—they could keep strengthening or physically transform.
But the human body had limits.
There was no guarantee his strength would just keep growing safely.
If something went wrong, it could trigger a mana rampage.
He could lose his reason, or his body could become uncontrollable.
“That’s why I’m apologizing.”
It was a small chance, but a real risk.
“I wasn’t trying to use you like some tool. It was just… the best option I had.”
That was the truth.
Hog quietly stared down at his knees.
“…I am…”
After a while, he finally spoke.
“…grateful to you, Captain.”
When he raised his head, his face bloomed with a smile I never expected.
“You know I’m from Norghil, right?”
“I do.”
He had told me when he first introduced himself. I’d also heard his name called when he was with the Ice Rock guards.
A criminal from Norghil territory.
Hog had been one of them.
“In Norghil… I wasn’t a person. I was really just…”
His voice trembled as he clenched his fist.
It was as hard as stone.
“…a thing.”
