Chapter 66: The Combat Needed to Improve One’s Skill (2)

It was the westernmost coast of Kanas.

Upon arriving there, Raion used Formation on a tree to create a small ferry boat.

“Are you really saying you’re going there?”

Caldein was already worried — especially since Raion had insisted they leave without telling anyone.

“It’s a place best dealt with as soon as possible.”

“But from what I’ve heard, no one who’s entered that island has ever returned.”

“Are you saying one of the continent’s few Fifth-Circle mages is afraid of some island?”

“Please don’t tease me. I’ve only just reached this level — I barely have a grasp on how to use my magic properly.”

It was like handing a legendary sword to a novice swordsman.

Still, Caldein had accumulated considerable knowledge over the years.

“Didn’t you follow me because you wanted to test yourself?”

“Didn’t Your Highness knock me out and load me into the carriage?”

In truth, Caldein had only come to his senses after they had already arrived at the western shore.

“Well… you still had a choice once you woke up.”

“I have no way of going back. Besides, how could I possibly leave His Highness behind and return alone?”

In short, Caldein had been kidnapped by Raion.

Raion simply shrugged and climbed into the boat.

“If you’re coming, then let’s go.”

“Understood. But… where are the oars?”

Caldein, about to row, looked around.

“There’s no need for that.”

Raion placed his hand on the boat and activated a First-Circle spell, Wind, that had been engraved on the stern beforehand.

Whooooooosh—!

Wind burst forth from the engraved formula, acting like a motor. The boat began moving forward.

Its speed gradually increased.

Caldein was astonished again at the clever application of magic.

“W-wait! Did you inscribe a magic formula on the back of the boat?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s quite ingenious. But doesn’t it have a time limit?”

Normally, once a magic formula activated, its effect would end immediately.

But since the wind continued to blow, it meant Raion was directly supplying his own mana.

“I’m using my own mana. Once you understand both my formula and Vladmia Mahal’s formula system, you’ll be able to do this too.”

“Ohh…”

As Raion spoke, Caldein quickly pulled out a piece of parchment and began sketching the mana flow he saw before him.

Even though he had reached the Fifth Circle, his scholarly instincts were as sharp as ever.

As Raion increased his mana output, the boat sped up even more.

They cut across the sea, and the island ahead grew steadily larger.

It was the island Stephan had strictly forbidden anyone from visiting — Sellios Island.

Even at a glance, it was enormous.

Judging by its size alone, it was almost as large as the Kanas Territory.

“I’m sensing a very unpleasant aura from that island.”

Caldein’s expression hardened slightly as he sensed something ominous.

Raion felt the same.

“Looks like there are plenty of nasty things waiting for us. Just to be sure— let’s confirm it. Detection!”

A translucent map appeared, dotted with red points.

But the red dots weren’t only on land — they appeared in the sea as well.

Those red dots began moving rapidly toward Raion and Caldein’s boat.

[Target Information]

Name: Sea Serpent

Rank: C

Life: 999 / 999

Stamina: 2,890 / 3,020

The red dots approaching them were Sea Serpents.

Their territory extended not only to the northern waters of Kanas but also to the seas around Sellios Island.

Fortunately, they were a lower rank than Crimson Wolves and didn’t seem particularly dangerous.

“Guess we’ll need to prepare.”

“Prepare for what?”

“The Sea Serpents are coming — in a swarm.”

“Seriously? But I don’t see—”

Caldein quickly looked around.

The calm, rippling surface of the sea revealed nothing.

“They’re below the water. Just watch closely and learn how I handle this!”

Raion didn’t draw his sword. Instead, he began tracing a formula with both hands.

It was a Fourth-Circle spell — Thunder Breaker.

The two completed formulas were instantly engraved on the surface of the water and activated.

Bzzzzzzzt—!

The Sea Serpents, monsters about two meters long with the front half of a lizard and the tail of a fish, were struck as the lightning exploded across the surface.

The white lightning spread across the sea, and the Sea Serpents leapt upward.

There wasn’t just one or two of them.

On the map Raion had created with Detection, the red dots representing the creatures were fading one by one due to Thunder Breaker, but even more were swarming in from behind.

“This won’t be enough. Caldein, as soon as I get off the boat, deploy a Mana Barrier around it!”

“Ah, understood!”

At Raion’s command, Caldein quickly traced a formula with his fingers and created an Energy Wall.

Meanwhile, Raion jumped off the small ferry and crafted a raft using some wood he had taken from the storage.

He had distanced himself from Caldein to avoid causing him harm, since the next spell’s destructive power was immense.

Raion immediately began tracing magical formulas with both hands.

This time, the spell he used was the Fourth-Circle spell Water Blaster.

Since it gathered and swirled water into powerful vortices, the surrounding seawater began to rotate violently.

It wasn’t a spell used in the conventional way.

Caldein, who was maintaining the Mana Barrier, couldn’t help but stare in astonishment.

“That’s technically a Fourth-Circle spell, but… it’s practically a full reconstruction of the original!”

Originally, Thunder Breaker and Water Blaster didn’t have wide attack ranges.

Of course, the lightning-based Thunder Breaker could extend its reach depending on the conductivity of its medium.

However, what Raion was doing far exceeded any theoretical parameters Caldein knew.

Shwaaaaaaa!

The two enormous whirlpools drew in all the Sea Serpents approaching them.

The rotation was so intense that escape was impossible.

Then Raion, just as before, traced the formula for Thunder Breaker and activated it.

Flash! Bzzzzzzzzzt!

A tremendous surge of lightning was sucked into the two whirlpools.

Inside them, the Sea Serpents convulsed as the white light flickered furiously.

Shiiiiiiiii!

Moments later, as the whirlpools gradually calmed, the corpses of Sea Serpents floated to the surface, filling the nearby waters.

“Half lizard, half fish, huh? Well, they could make decent food.”

Raion opened the storage compartment and collected all the Sea Serpent corpses.

The sea, once stained red with their blood, slowly returned to its natural blue hue.

“……”

Raion returned to the boat.

Caldein, still on the ferry, couldn’t erase the scene he had just witnessed from his mind. He only snapped out of it when he heard Raion knocking on the Mana Barrier.

Thud! Thud!

“Are you back to your senses yet?”

“Ah, yes, sir!”

“You watched carefully, right?”

“I did, but… how are you able to use magic like that?”

Raion’s gestures and formulas weren’t anything extraordinary—

But the magic that erupted from his fingertips defied Caldein’s imagination.

“It’s a method you can learn too. The difference lies in whether or not you can control your mana directly.”

“Control… my mana?”

Magic was divided into stages: manifestation, composition, application, amplification, and reconstruction.

Normally, a mage would trace an already complete formula to activate the spell.

But if Raion’s words were true, he was implying that one could ignore those formulas and operate mana directly.

“For now, let’s head to the island and test your spells there. It’s too cramped out here.”

With so many Sea Serpents wiped out, there was little chance of more showing up.

Thus, the small ferry began moving toward Sellios Island once again.

Meanwhile, back at Kanas Castle, they had discovered which gate Raion had used to leave.

Upon hearing Jade’s report, Shtefan’s face turned pale.

“He really went out through the western gate?”

“That’s what I’ve been told.”

There were no monster hunting grounds west of Kanas.

Beyond the sea, however, lay a place known as the Black Island—Sellios Island.

As soon as Shtefan heard that Raion had taken a carriage through the west gate, only one place came to mind.

Raion had once mentioned wanting to visit that very island.

“He really went there…”

“Where do you mean, sir?”

“The island beyond the western sea of the territory — Sellios Island.”

Jade had seen it marked on a map before, but he didn’t know much about it.

“Is that place dangerous?”

“It’s a restricted zone. Many adventurers challenged it in the past, but none ever came back alive.”

“…Ah, I see.”

Jade didn’t seem particularly alarmed.

Shtefan was dumbfounded by his calm reaction.

“Are you not worried about His Highness?”

“Who should be worried about whom, sir?”

“I mean His Highness. That place is deadly for anyone who sets foot there.”

“I don’t know much about Sellios Island, but I can’t imagine anyone being capable of harming a Sword Master who can also use high-tier magic.”

Shtefan personally knew Raion was a Sword Master.

But he had never heard anything about him using magic.

“Magic? His Highness can use magic as well?”

“He’s been studying it for quite some time. I saw his power firsthand during the last subjugation, when he wiped out both the Crimson Wolves and the Saliva Wolves all on his own.”

Jade didn’t know exactly what spell Raion had used back then—

But he had personally witnessed the devastation it caused.

“With magic, he defeated the Crimson Wolves?”

Shtefan had seen the hides of the Crimson Wolves after that subjugation.

Though Commander Alkas had reported the matter, it had been almost unbelievable.

Then, after the incident with Administrator Conrad, things became hectic, and Shtefan had completely forgotten about it.

“The Master went ahead to block the Crimson Wolves alone. I don’t know what spell he used, but by the time I arrived, an area of roughly fifty mirs was completely scorched.”

“……”

Shtefan was speechless at the revelation.

Even Alkas hadn’t seen it firsthand — the details had been passed down through his vice commander, Pavilion, so the report had been incomplete.

“In any case, I don’t think the Master would recklessly put himself in danger.”

“But still…”

“He probably slipped out while the butler was away. If it truly concerns you, we can inform the butler once he returns.”

Unlike the worried Shtefan, Jade seemed completely unconcerned.

“For now, let’s just wait. Besides, there aren’t any boats heading there anyway, so he’ll have to come back soon.”

Just as he said, the seas around Kanas had never developed any fishing industry due to the Sea Serpent nests and Sellios Island.

The threat of monsters was so great that there weren’t even villages near the coast, much less ships.

However, Shtefan was completely unaware of Raion’s hidden capabilities.

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