77 Third Magic

Zelterch's dwelling within the dimensional rift was far from the fantastical scenes imagined by most magus. It was rather ordinary.

The dimly lit room lacked any electric lights, with the only source of illumination coming from a weakly flickering chandelier above. Upon seeing the entire room, one could describe the décor as utterly meager.

Besides a large desk and chair, the room had nothing but pitch-black walls and bare floors.

"What's the matter, kid? Surprised by the state of this place?" Zelterch glanced at Roy, who had just entered the room.

"A bit, yes. The décor here is much more... simplistic than I imagined."

Indeed, the room's lack of luxury made it look extremely austere.

"Hmph, how vulgar. I don't need sleep or rest, and I rarely stay here for long. Those unnecessary luxuries hold no meaning for me."

"Besides, this place hasn't changed for hundreds of years. But since it's in a dimensional rift between parallel worlds, there's no dust to accumulate."

After saying that, Zelterch sat back down in his chair and continued, "So, what exactly brings you here? What is it that you seek my advice on? As you said, as someone who walked this path before you and someone with ties to the Third Magic, I suppose I can offer some relevant guidance."

"Thank you."

Roy nodded slightly and quickly approached Zelterch, explaining his troubles and his request.

...

"There's an issue with your body, so you're asking me to help develop it?"

After hearing Roy's story, Zelretch looked at him with a peculiar expression.

"Are you joking? You need me to help develop that body?"

"Yes, I do."

Roy nodded, confirming Zelretch's statement.

"This body isn't my original flesh and blood but was reforged by Shiki's hand. While I don't feel any discomfort, there's a strange sense of dissonance."

"I believe there are aspects of this body that I haven't fully grasped or discovered, so I'd like to ask for your help in identifying any abnormalities."

"Abnormalities, huh. But you're saying your original body was destroyed?"

Zelterch looked at Roy with a strange expression.

"What's wrong? It was completely obliterated by the collision between the Third and Second Magic."

"You couldn't tell?"

"No, I couldn't see any sign of it." Zelretch shook his head.

"Your soul and this body seem perfectly attuned to one another. I see no trace of any reconstruction."

However...

"If what you're saying is true, then you've suffered a great loss, kid."

"A great loss?" Roy was momentarily stunned, not quite understanding Zelretch's words.

"Kid, don't you realize the true value of your previous body?"

"My body? The value of that first-generation magus body with only ten or so magic circuits?"

"Hahahaha, what a shallow response. Do you really think that body was ordinary? If so, it's not enough to call you blind."

"Think about it carefully. If your soul has the stature of an Outer God, Foreigner... then naturally, your body must also have considerable value."

"Soul is energy, and the body is a vessel. A person's soul and body are always a match. How could a body that houses a soul like that be considered ordinary?" Zelterch gave him a strange look.

"To judge the value of that body solely by the number of magic circuits is an act of sheer wastefulness. Only those self-proclaimed magus aristocrats would be foolish enough to do such a thing."

Zelterch's response to Roy's confusion was full of sarcasm.

"That body was the perfect vessel for a god to possess. Even if you called it a Holy Grail, Philosopher's Stone, or an Omnipotent Object, it wouldn't be an exaggeration... it might even fall short. That body lacked any trace of Ether or this world's influence. It was, in every sense, an ordinary human. The value of that body is immeasurable. If certain hidden gods or other entities knew such a body existed, they'd fight tooth and nail to obtain it."

"That body really held such value? Are you sure you're not pulling my leg? I never noticed anything special about it."

"Hmph, why would I need to deceive you?"

Zelterch huffed and said irritably, "You were blind. After living a mundane life for so long, it's no wonder you failed to realize its worth. Truly a waste. I was curious to see how far you could grow with that body, but you lost it so quickly."

"To put it into perspective, if you used that body as magical material to craft a mystic code, you could forge weapons that defy this world's rules. Even if a god used it to create a second Excalibur, I wouldn't be surprised."

"..."

"Well, nothing can be done now. Even if you say all that, my body was torn apart in the clash between the Third and Second Magic. There's likely not even ash left of it." Roy shook his head, his expression somewhat helpless.

"Was it truly destroyed?"

Zelterch stroked his beard, his face filled with a strange expression. "I have a feeling it won't be that simple."

"As I said, your body and soul both come from outside this world, making you a Foreigner. When you were accepted by this world, it meant that they were endowed with entirely new significance. The value you possess transcends this world, venturing into entirely new realms."

"Could such a treasure be destroyed so easily? Although I don't really want to believe it, it's quite reasonable that it could be torn apart by both the Third Magic and the Second Magic simultaneously. But this coincidence is just too much. The old man still finds it hard to accept."

"Alright then, kid, come a bit closer, and let me check your body."

Roy nodded and took another step forward.

"Sit down, and I'll guide you."

Following instructions, Roy sat in the chair of Zelretch. The soft leather instantly made him feel a surge of comfort as he sat down, a sensation far more pleasant than even his own bed.

Even though the room was meager, the furniture was far from it. It had to be said, that this old man sure knew how to live in style.

"Now, close your eyes and try to use your body. Awaken your magic circuits and ignite the Third Magic's flame. Let me see how much this body, forged by that Root representation, can achieve."

Roy closed his eyes, following Zelretch's instructions, and began channeling his magical energy, activating the Third Magic while trying to illuminate the magic circuits in his body.

This time was different from his initial brief trial when he had just been resurrected. He was now pushing his body to its limits, attempting to demonstrate the full extent of the power within this body.

As soon as he closed his eyes, Roy found himself in an endless darkness, unable to see anything. But as he ignited the Third Magic deep within his soul, the space gradually began to brighten, and a pure white light emerged in his hand. Soon after, countless golden cracks, like veins, spread from beneath his feet, eventually illuminating the entire dark space.

These radiant paths, stretching horizontally and vertically like a web, formed a network within his body. The only difference was that the ends of these paths connected to square, flat octahedron-like structures.

Roy was sure of it. He had seen these luminous paths before.

These were his magic circuits.

The Count had once used a rough method to forcibly open his body's magic circuits, marking his first encounter with these transparent pathways.

But back then, there had been only a few scattered light paths in the darkness. Now, this scene had turned the entire darkness into daylight.

If these paths were all real, he couldn't even imagine what kind of state his body had reached.

"Kid, what do you see?"

"Magic circuits... so many of them. My magic circuits have multiplied countless times, and their number is beyond belief."

"How should I control them?"

"Trust your instincts, and find the core of your body. I'll channel magical energy into you, and the rest is up to you."

There was no right answer; the mysteries of his body could only be uncovered by himself.

Zelretch raised his hand and opened a new door, channeling a massive amount of magical energy from the parallel world, continuously feeding it into Roy's body.

Soon, in Roy's vision, the light of these pathways grew even more intense, and they began to move as if they had come to life, pulsating before him.

They separated and converged, forming a new path right before him, leading to an unknown destination. If he relied solely on his eyes, all he could see was the distance within this space.

"Move forward."

With that thought, the scene in his mind began to shift. He stepped onto the longest light path, getting closer to its end.

This is it.

He knew he had guessed correctly.

He continued forward.

As he drew nearer, the scenery before him expanded until he finally reached the end. At the very end of this world, he saw a cluster of white light amidst the countless pathways.

A faint glow, along with the Magic representing his soul... Roy knew exactly what it was. It was the core symbolizing the Heaven's Feel, the Third Magic, now contained within his body.

If it were just a simple use, as a mere vessel, the Third Magic he could exhibit would be only the tip of the iceberg. Only by fully grasping this core could he truly perform the miracle known as the Third Magic.

"The Holy Grail."

Roy quickly approached, reaching out his hand to grasp the glowing core. The moment his hand made contact, the core emitted an even more brilliant light, and all the light paths simultaneously flared up, indicating that it had successfully activated. Or rather, it had been fully awakened.

At the same time, on the external body, Roy felt a slight itch from his limbs to his torso, a strange warm current enveloping his entire body. White light illuminated the lines on his skin, radiating outward, while the concentration of magical energy in the air began to rise rapidly, becoming easily noticeable.

This phenomenon was strikingly similar to the scene when the False Angel descended, and due to the influence of the Third Magic, the surrounding environment started reverting to the Age of Gods.

Zelterch furrowed his brow but did not stop the flow of magical energy from parallel worlds through his hand.

Although the concentration of magical energy in the area had reached a terrifying level, something that could be considered lethal, this was merely a rest stop he had built within a dimensional rift. It wouldn't affect the temporal environment of the real world, so no matter how much the magical energy increased, it wouldn't be an issue.

But what was the reason behind this endless desire and absorption? Zelterch attempted to withdraw his hand, but Roy's absorption of magical energy had reached a ravenous level. His body seemed like a vortex, constantly craving more and more magical power.

"Interesting. Is it magical energy you're craving? Well, that's perfect! If there's one thing this old man has in abundance, it's magical energy. Absorb to your heart's content!"

Zelterch stroked his beard and opened several more dimensional rifts, drawing in even more magical energy.

He was curious to see whether Roy's body could be satisfied and what might happen if it stored enough magical energy.

Time passed quickly. White lines continued to spread across Roy's body, countless trails of light radiating endlessly. Every vein, every hair, seemed to glow brightly.

In the darkness, Roy gripped the white orb of light, struggling to suppress it with all his strength.

"Light..."

Outside, even the well-experienced Zelretch was becoming numb to the miraculous sights that Roy's body displayed.

"One hundred sixty."

"Three hundred seventy-five."

"Eight hundred twenty-six."

"One thousand seven hundred fifty-two..."

And still more. Magical energy continued to be absorbed by him. The vortex at his chest showed no signs of slowing down, if anything, it only grew faster.

Magic circuits continued to light up across his body, and Zelterch had long since given up on counting.

Roy's body had become like a beacon, illuminating every corner of the dark room. Zelterch never imagined a single person could hold so many magic circuits, and due to the nature of the Third Magic, each one of them was unlike a regular magus's circuit.

They were of higher quality and greater power, filled with the pure force of the magical energy itself.

The pale light continued to sway and flicker, with his body resembling a glowing pearl in the night.

If Zelterch had to describe it, he would say that Roy's magic circuits had become sentient.

This kid didn't come to him just to seek advice... he came here to freeload on magical energy to light up all his circuits.

"Clever brat." 

Was it almost enough?

Watching the speed at which the circuits lit up slow down, Zelterch had made his judgment about Roy's body. There were currently over six thousand magic circuits present, and who knew how many more were still to be discovered.

But even at this count, Roy's control and output capacity of magical energy already exceeded those of other Lords like Kayneth by over a hundredfold.

And magic circuits aren't just measured by quantity alone. All of his circuits were connected to the pure circuits of the Third Magic. Zelterch couldn't even estimate the full scale of power that could be drawn from them.

Still, only such a body could contain his soul... the Foreigner.

Remarkable. This body could indeed be considered a miracle, akin to the reappearance of a god.

It was over.

When the number of magic circuits on his surface reached around nine thousand, Roy opened his eyes to see Zelterch inspecting his body with great interest.

"Fascinating, fascinating! Kid, the secrets your body holds are far too many, even I was taken aback."

"You're exaggerating. While this body may be extraordinary, it's hardly worthy of your amazement."

"Heh, now you're being humble with me. But I've already helped you unlock most of the secrets hidden in your body." As he spoke, Zelterch withdrew his hand, and the vortex vanished completely.

"As for matters concerning the Third Magic, I don't understand much about it either. How you develop it further is up to you. However, I suggest you visit the Einzbern family when you have the time. They might still have some records on the subject."

"Thank you for your assistance."

Feeling the nearly limitless power surging within him, Roy nodded and stood up, thanking Zelterch.

Zelterch had truly done him a great favor this time.

He had already obtained all the materials left by the Einzbern family and Matou Zouken. The path ahead was his to tread, slowly mastering this power.

"It's nothing. This kind of help is but a minor task for someone like me. Besides, the stronger you become, the better you'll fulfill my request."

Zelterch looked at Roy seriously and continued, "Being given such a body, though I don't know her intent, I suspect the matter won't be simple."

"Take this advice, before my request is delivered, do your best to improve yourself, gain more knowledge, and familiarize yourself with the Third Magic. Grow stronger, until the day you can truly stand alongside me."

"I understand. Thank you for the guidance."

Roy solemnly nodded.

"Very well. I have other important matters to attend to, so I won't keep you. I'll send you off now."

With that, Zelterch didn't wait any longer. He raised his hand to open a dimensional rift, preparing to send Roy away.

Roy bowed slightly, expressing his gratitude.

As he left, a faint smile appeared on Zelterch's face, as if he had thought of something amusing.

"Oh, by the way, kid, one more piece of advice before you go."

"In the Clock Tower, power and status go hand in hand. Control your power and understand your status. Teach those so-called nobles who dare to plot against you a lesson. Let them know what kind of identity they should assume when dealing with the newly born Magician of the Third Magic."

"I understand."

With that, Roy was carried away by the approaching dimensional rift.

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