Chapter 209

“Honestly, I was surprised.”

“For both of you, considering it’s your first time wearing Magic Armor, you did exceptionally well.”

After quite some time had passed.

Ulan and Delia successfully completed the examination of the Magic Armor. Perhaps that’s why? The engineers praised them until their mouths went dry.

“Alright, now…”

“Just one final test left.”

As soon as the reason for all the praise was revealed, Ulan questioned in confusion.

“Is there more to do?”

“I already said it was the last one earlier.”

Delia also frowned.

Initially, they only seemed to be checking the output limit, but their statements kept changing. The engineers responded awkwardly.

“As you mentioned, the official examination item was the test you just completed.”

“So, that means…”

“Apart from the official test items, there’s one more test we’d like to conduct.”

With a rather serious expression, the engineers continued their explanation.

“It’s simple.”

“As you probably know, your Magic Armors each contain magic circuits suited for a knight and a mage respectively.”

“Therefore, we want to see if a Magic Explosion occurs when you attempt to come into contact while activating your Magic Power and Aura.”

“…?”

Didn’t they just say it was a simple plan?

Ulan frowned.

He didn’t understand a word they were saying. In contrast, Delia grasped the content and purpose of the test immediately.

‘Magic Conflict Experiment.’

The Magic Power typically used by mages and the Aura emitted by knights are known for having opposing properties, even though they are similar in nature.

Thus, when the two forces collide while activated, a powerful Magic Explosion occurs.

This was the principle behind magic erupting when slashing with a sword wrapped in Aura.

“Do you get what I’m saying?”

“Yeah, simply put…”

After organizing her thoughts for a moment, Delia explained it in a way Ulan could understand.

“Uh, I see now.”

A moment later, Ulan nodded.

As if a question had been resolved. Then he suddenly grabbed the double-handed axe he had left on the ground.

“So, we just need to fight now.”

“…Huh?”

“Alright, let’s fight right away.”

Did he really understand what they were saying?

As Delia dumbfoundedly asked, the engineers watching the situation hurriedly shouted.

“Wait, hold on!”

“We’re not telling you to fight!”

“How do you come to such a ridiculous conclusion from what we just explained?!”

The engineers shouted in exasperation.

Ulan retorted confidently.

“Activating the Magic Power and Aura to make contact means we’re supposed to fight, right?”

“Uh, well…”

“That’s… not wrong.”

In fact, testing through a duel would yield much more meaningful data. However, the engineers had no desire to go that route.

There was one reason for that.

Ulan’s monstrous strength.

A force so brutish it could obliterate the renowned Magic Barrier in a single strike. If Delia’s Magic Armor took a hit from that kind of power?

‘It would definitely break.’

No matter how sturdy the Magic Armor was, it wouldn’t be as strong as the Magic Barrier. So, rather than just breaking, it could be completely torn apart.

‘If that happened…’

Delia could also be in great danger.

Of course, there were various cushioning and safety devices for the wearer, but Ulan’s strength was simply beyond common sense.

Thus, the engineers shook their heads.

“W-Well, fighting is absolutely out of the question!”

“By just surrounding your fists with Magic Power and Aura, we can tell if a Magic Explosion occurs or not.”

“Oh, I see there’s that method!”

Desperate efforts bore fruit.

Miraculously, Ulan understood and put down the double-handed axe. The engineers let out a sigh of relief.

“Just as a side note, fists are just an example, and you need to make contact with all parts as well.”

“Why?”

“Because the Magic Armor has magic circuits specific to each body part, and there’s a possibility of a Magic Explosion occurring in places other than the fists.”

After finishing their additional explanation, the engineers moved to their positions.

“Now, we’ll proceed with the test!”

The final test of the Magic Armor.

Soon, Ulan and Delia’s Magic Armors faced each other. Without waiting for anyone to go first, they activated their respective powers.

Whoooom!

Class 3 Spirit and Stellar Magic.

The manifestation of their immense power caused the surrounding atmosphere to vibrate faintly. Finally, as they finished preparations.

“…Ulan.”

Suddenly, Delia addressed him.

“I want to try something, is that okay?”

“Of course. What is it?”

“Then please just stay still.”

Don’t do anything.

At her request, Ulan nodded and maintained a stationary stance. Delia then walked slowly towards him.

When she finally reached right in front of him.

Delia spread her arms wide and cautiously attempted to hug Ulan. Ulan tilted his head at this unexpected behavior.

“Delia?”

“Stay still.”

With that resolute answer.

The two Magic Armors made contact perfectly.

In that moment, the opposing nature of the two forces collided, resulting in a fierce vibration.

Magic Response.

The engineers, noticing this, became busier.

“No abnormalities in the chest and shoulder areas.”

“The arms and legs have slight abnormal reactions, but no Magic Explosion.”

“Other parts are…”

Fortunately, the reactions weren’t intense enough to trigger a Magic Explosion. Just then, Ulan’s eyes suddenly widened.

As if he discovered something belatedly.

‘I see. If I do this…’

It involved making contact with every part of the Magic Armor except its back. Ulan honestly admired Delia’s efficient actions.

However, there was something strange.

Even though they had accomplished all their objectives, Delia showed no signs of wanting to let go. As he was about to take a step back, she muttered.

“…Not yet.”

With that whispered statement, Delia hugged Ulan even tighter.

“This isn’t enough.”

After finishing her cryptic response, Delia seemed to burrow deeper into him, refusing to separate. At that moment, Ivella was seen throwing a fit from a distance.

‘Whether she cares or not.’

But that didn’t matter to Delia.

What was important now was the fact that she could hold Ulan under the pretext of the test. With her eyes closed, she expanded her senses to the fullest.

Thump-thump, the vibrations and sounds.

Was it the sound of Ulan’s heart she was hearing? Or was it a phenomenon due to the Magic Response? She didn’t care what it was.

“Hehe.”

A faint smile blossomed.

Even though she was wearing the Magic Armor, she felt happy to be connected to Ulan.

However, happiness was short-lived.

“Delia student!”

“We confirmed the front! Now please make contact with the back area!”

A request to change positions.

Even though she didn’t want to let go, there was no choice now that the reason had evaporated. Just as Delia was about to separate from Ulan.

“Delia.”

Ulan called out to her.

With a very serious gaze.

“I also want to try one test. Would you help me with it?”

“Of course! What is it?”

Delia nodded enthusiastically.

At the same time, Ulan recalled his past life.

It was right before the final battle against the Giant King Rargtan, while he was running away from the traps he had set.

Back then, the seven heroes rode a creature called ‘Myukan’ that the giants raised, which looked a lot like an ostrich, but much larger.

‘It was way bigger than an ostrich, though.’

Anyway, perhaps because he had fought for quite some time while riding Myukan, Ulan felt a gradual fusion of his senses with it.

Then, at the moment he risked his life to break through a trap.

He felt, if only for an instant, as though he had become one with Myukan. As if Myukan’s legs were his own.

And at that moment.

A strange phenomenon he had never known before occurred.

‘My range had widened.’

A Master with a Class 5 Spirit.

At that time, Ulan’s range extended to ninety-nine steps. But when that phenomenon occurred, his range almost doubled.

‘I didn’t understand it at the time, but…’

Now he had a guess as to why.

It was because the ninety-nine steps of range were being measured based on Myukan’s stride instead of his own.

‘Of course, that’s not definite.’

So he wanted to test it.

If the stride while wearing the Magic Armor was as wide as Myukan’s stride.

‘And…’

There was one more thing to confirm.

After realizing in his past life that he had widened his range while riding Myukan, he witnessed the realm beyond mastery for the first time.

‘If I could recreate that situation, I might be able to witness the Realm Beyond Mastery.’

Based on this thought.

Ulan conveyed to Delia what he wanted her to do.

“After moving to the spot where the Magic Barrier is, unleash a damaging magic attack towards me.”

The reason he designated the Magic Barrier was that, at the standard of the Magic Armor’s stride, that was precisely forty-five steps away.

Meanwhile, at Ulan’s sudden request, Delia seemed taken aback.

“What? A damaging spell?”

“Yeah. Something powerful if possible.”

Ulan nodded.

She, however, looked confused.

It was as if she couldn’t understand why he was making such a request out of the blue. When Delia hesitated, Ulan casually added,

“It’s fine. Just trust me.”

“…Okay. Be careful.”

There were many things she wanted to ask, but she decided against it. Ulan wasn’t the kind of person to make such requests without a reason.

After accepting Ulan’s request for cooperation,

Delia strode confidently toward the destination he pointed to, the Magic Barrier. The engineers were left baffled by the sight.

“What’s going on? Where’s she going?”

“Hmm? She’s heading toward the Magic Barrier?”

“Why?”

“I have no idea. Still, since it’s Delia, she must have something planned, right?”

Unlike Ulan, who had caused issues by breaking things, Delia had cooperated throughout the tests without causing any incidents.

Perhaps that’s why?

The engineers watched Delia’s back with expressions of strong trust.

But soon, it didn’t take long for that trust to crumble.

Right after Delia arrived at her destination.

Suddenly, a fierce disturbance in the surrounding Magic Power occurred.

“…?”

The engineers’ expressions changed.

Just as they started to realize something, dozens of Stellar Magic formations materialized around her.

“…!”

“D-Delia student?!”

“What are you doing right now?!”

Although the engineers tried to stop Delia after grasping the situation, it was too late.

By the time they realized what was happening, Delia had already infused the formations with her Magic Power.

“Huff.”

Meanwhile, Ulan was repeatedly taking deep breaths, awakening all the sensations in his body. Then he spread the Spirit throughout the entirety of the Magic Armor to start a circulation.

And he recalled.

The time when he glimpsed the Realm Beyond Mastery.

“The conditions to recreate it are two-fold.”

The first condition was to surpass the given limit and recognize a range much wider than before.

The second was to have a life-and-death environment.

When these conditions were satisfied, he confirmed that the Realm Beyond Mastery existed.

“That’s why I asked Delia.”

Among all those in the Plume Workshop, the only being strong enough to push Ulan toward death would be the High Mage Delia.

And just in time.

The prepared magic was activated.

“D-Danger! Ulan student!”

“Get to the corner!”

The engineers shouted urgently.

No matter how much of a master one was, facing such extensive magic was dangerous. Even if he slashed it, he would be caught in the explosion.

But Ulan didn’t retreat.

He merely tightened his grip on the double-handed axe.

Not long after that.

Delia’s magic poured down like a bombardment.

Bang bang bang bang bang!

It was a class 7 Stellar Magic.

When such a powerful spell capable of wiping out the entire workshop was upon him, Ulan was engulfed in familiar memories.

‘Death.’

A dead end with no way to escape.

Faced with the life-threatening destructive magic, Ulan pushed his body into the pit where life and death intersected.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

His heart raced, and the blood throughout his body boiled with excitement, as if igniting the spark of life to find a path forward.

‘……’

And in that moment.

All distractions vanished from Ulan’s eyes.

Moreover, he even forgot he was wearing the Magic Armor, beyond merely sharing sensations with it.

And thus, he took a step forward.

Time froze, making the incoming magic seem to be suspended in the air until he finally swung forward to cut through it.

The scenery before him transformed.

‘……!’

Not only that.

His field of vision, the sensations of his whole body, and everything surrounding him expanded as if they were widening.

Then he took another step.

By doing so, his range certainly increased.

As he broke through the given limits, a tingling sensation enveloped his entire body.

And finally, at the moment he took his last step.

He reached the boundary of his range.

Ulan’s eyes widened as he spotted something beyond forty-five steps.

The scenery he had glimpsed in his past life.

‘The Realm Beyond Mastery!’

Without any hesitation, he reached out.

The pinnacle of martial prowess. The realm beyond the Master lay right before him. However, to say the least, Ulan couldn’t proceed toward it.

‘My body…’

It wouldn’t move.

Just like Delia’s magic was lodged in the air, Ulan’s body was similarly ensnared by the Realm, preventing any motion. No matter how hard he strained, it was in vain.

A distance that was frustratingly close, but ultimately unreachable. As he gazed at the scenery beyond the range he couldn’t reach, Ulan surmised the reason.

‘It means I lack the qualification.’

The minimum requisite for challenging the Realm Beyond Mastery was being a Class 5 Master. In other words, one had to create more than five complete Spirits to qualify.

Nevertheless, Ulan felt no despair.

Merely witnessing the Realm Beyond Mastery was sufficient to fulfill his purpose.

‘Alright, I’ll gladly accept.’

He would soon take down the remaining Lords and challenge the Realm Beyond Mastery once more.

Afterward, moving not toward the boundary beyond his range, but rather toward the edge of forty-five steps, his body finally regained its capacity for movement.

However, so preoccupied was he with confirming the Realm Beyond Mastery that he had forgotten one thing: the fact that Delia was still within reach.

“Ah.”

As he belatedly realized this, Ulan collided right into Delia.

Of course, despite wearing the Magic Armor, the impact from the collision was significant.

Whirr! Whooom!

Delia’s Magic Armor spun two and a half times in mid-air before burying itself deeply into the ground.

“….”

Her helmet was stuck in the ground.

All at once, a hushed silence filled the area.

The sudden turn of events left Professor Melt, the engineers from Henneth, and all the students from Arsen Academy speechless.

Even Ivella, who had been boiling with jealousy since the moment Delia hugged Ulan, sat there dumbstruck during this instant.

“…Is she dead?”

The first concerned voice emerged.

After Ivella’s remark, the engineers snapped back to their senses and shouted.

“This isn’t the time!”

“Let’s go save Delia!”

Shortly thereafter.

Except for the fact that Delia had fainted, thankfully, her life was not in danger. Thanks to the safety devices of the Magic Armor working just in time.

Though the Magic Armor took the full brunt of the impact instead, the engineers didn’t care too much.

“Haa, that’s such a relief.”

“Magic Armors can be repaired, but if a person breaks, they can’t be fixed.”

The engineers let out a sigh of relief.

And with this, the test finally came to a close after many ups and downs.

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