Chapter 33: Seven Seconds Is Not Enough
Chapter 33: Seven Seconds Is Not Enough
Chapter 33: Seven Seconds Is Not Enough
Only Rex knew the terror in his heart.
He was well aware of his own blood magic.
Blood Stasis was not only a restrictive spell but also a psychological attack.
He had thought Owen was caught in the bloody storm he had created.
The murderous intent in Owen's eyes was almost tangible, terrifyingly so.
"Kill you?" Owen shook his head. "Just teaching you a lesson."
The Grand Magus Academy prohibited killing, and since he had promised not to embarrass Leopold, he intended to keep his word.
Maintaining credibility was crucial for Owen as he sought to carve out a reputation in this world.
With a wave of the Sunforged Tree in his hand, the surrounding storm intensified around Rex.
His clothes were instantly shredded, and numerous wounds appeared on his body.
Then, in an instant, blood spurted from all the wounds, turning Rex into a blood-drenched figure, horrifying to behold.
Rex collapsed to the ground unconsciously, blood gushing out.
Advanced Magic: Aura Blade!
This was elementless magic, a storm formed from sword energy.
"Gulp---"
Someone swallowed loudly, their gulp sounding deafening at that moment.
They quickly looked around.
It turned out that everyone was stunned by Owen's action, swallowing in unison, creating such a loud sound.
"He won... a freshman beat a third-year!"
"My goodness, what did I just witness?"
"I saw the rise of an invincible magus."
"No wonder Owen doesn't attend classes; he simply doesn't need to."
"Did you catch the details? Owen transformed the intermediate magic Whirlwind into the advanced magic Aura Blade in the blink of an eye. Even sixth-year students can't do that."
"Too strong. Owen is the number one freshman. No, maybe the best below third-year!"
"Damn, he must be the strongest freshman in history."
Now they understood why Owen had so casually accepted Rex's challenge.
Owen, holding Erin's hand, walked calmly towards the dormitory building.
The onlookers watched Owen's departing figure, speechless and choked with emotion.
...
As night fell, the stars gradually brightened in the sky, like countless diamonds embedded in the black canopy above.
The moon rose from the east, casting a soft silver glow that illuminated the earth.
The gentle night breeze brought a hint of coolness, offering comfort.
A dark shadow crossed the moon, then gracefully landed on the inner wall of the Grand Magus Academy Library.
Bathed in moonlight, Owen's face appeared exceptionally handsome.
To study a forbidden spell, one must venture into the restricted section, located on the library's subterranean level.
The presence of students during the day, along with the patrolling library staff, made any attempt then impossible.
Sneaking a look at forbidden spells was most convenient at night.
Owen pushed the door open and, as expected, found the library pitch dark, devoid of any human presence.
Moonlight streamed through the windows, casting mottled shadows on the ancient bookshelves.
The tall shelves, like black mountains, stood silently, as if harboring endless secrets.
The scent of books permeated the air, carrying a strong sense of history.
Having spent three months in the library, Owen was naturally familiar with its every detail.
He confidently made his way to the entrance of the lower level.
A wooden door blocked his path.
As he reached out towards the door, without even touching it, magical runes appeared on its surface.
This magic array, composed of countless intricate lines and symbols, interwove and overlapped, forming complex patterns.
Under the moonlight, these patterns shimmered with a faint glow, as if pulsating with life's rhythm.
Each part of this magic array was filled with power, seemingly in constant motion and rotation.
Though the lines and symbols appeared chaotic, a closer inspection revealed a rigorous logic and order.
Each symbol held a specific meaning, each line a particular path.
It was not just a door, but a powerful magical tool designed to deter intruders.
Only those who knew the correct incantations and gestures could open this door and gain access to the lower level.
This is why at night, the library was left unattended.
With the magic array in place, there was no need for the Grand Magus Academy staff to keep watch.
Owen was one hundred percent sure that if the gesture to open it was incorrect, the magic array would activate.
However, he had [Prophecy].
"[Prophecy] activate."
Owen detached himself from his body.
He saw "Owen" touching the magic array, its symbols responsive to touch.
By following a sequence and connecting specific lines, the wooden door could be opened.
He had only seven seconds to analyze and find the correct path.
This was a significant challenge.
Within the world of [Prophecy].
Owen touched a symbol, instantly triggering a change in the magic array.
A powerful wave emitted from it, a warning sign as the array mistook a student's accidental touch.
The first attempt was incorrect.
His pupils narrowed slightly as he quickly tapped the second symbol.
Fortunately, it was the correct one.
With the second symbol right, he prepared to connect to the third.
The first try was wrong again, and the magic array lit up brilliantly, turning slightly red as a warning.
Owen, fearless, quickly changed the connecting route.
Perhaps fearing accidental harm to students, the array provided alerts when a wrong route was chosen.
This bug in the system was Owen's advantage, turning the task of unlocking the magic array into a matter of time.
The seven seconds passed swiftly.
Owen returned from the world of [Prophecy] to his physical form.
"Interesting, the founder of the library probably never anticipated someone with this kind of ability."
He felt a bit smug, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Using the route from the prophecy, he connected the magic array.
As expected, the array did not react adversely, flickering faintly before disappearing from the wooden door.
Owen gently pushed the door, but it remained as solid as rock.
Suddenly, an aged face appeared on the door, yawning:
"Who's there, not sleeping at this hour? What brings you to the lower level so late?"
Owen looked at the ancient face on the door, feeling a tingling sensation on his scalp, his body as if struck by lightning, half-numb, with his facial muscles twitching involuntarily.
Had he failed?
The aged face glanced at Owen and yawned again:
"Coming to see forbidden spells at such a young age, I wonder who gave you the authority. Quite bold."
With that, the wooden door opened automatically.
Owen's eye muscles twitched slightly, and he suddenly remembered what Leopold had told him.
He had the highest level of access in the Grand Magus Academy.
This was a mark of respect for his status as the saint of dragons.
Could this aged face be involved in access authorization?
Without overthinking, Owen stepped into the lower level.
Once inside, he took a deep breath.
The Grand Magus Academy was indeed not to be underestimated, a door with two lines of defense.
An ordinary person would have indeed found it difficult to pass.
The space was filled with various ancient books and scrolls, carelessly stacked on shelves or scattered on the floor.
Each book and scroll was etched with complex magic arrays, emitting a strong glow.
Owen knew that these were sealed forbidden spells, each possessing immense power.
He casually picked up a scroll, the text on it both familiar and foreign.
Can't understand it?
He tossed aside the scroll and picked up another one. This time, he could read it clearly:
"Flame of Apocalypse."
He eagerly scanned the content of the scroll.
"Flame of Apocalypse, heed my call, burn everything, bring destruction. In my name, you shall appear!"
Owen silently recited this incantation in his mind.
But aside from this incantation, the scroll contained nothing else.
It was the same with the other scrolls.
They had only incantations, no methods for manipulating arcanergy or supplying mind power.
These scrolls were all style and no substance, impossible to learn from!
Owen set these scrolls aside and continued searching for Thunder Resonance.
With his strong mind power and persistence, he finally found Thunder Resonance.
After careful examination, he couldn't help but praise the magus who conceived the idea of using thunder to temper the body.
"Truly a genius."
Owen wasn't greedy. Taking only the forbidden spell Thunder Resonance, he prepared to leave.
"Wait, what's this?"