A Brilliant Mind

Kan'na narrowed her eyes and formed a massive magic circle, around halfway to completion a golden ripple formed across it. Her creation was forcefully canceled and made her pause.

Nine's understanding was that good? He was able to predict the direction she was going with her magic and stop it before it even was created? What an impressive feat! The read speed of Nine currently was beyond anything Kan'na had imagined!

Walking towards Kan'na Nine constantly disabled her magic spells, "Your proficiency with runes is among the best I've seen. Such a thorough understanding, and you use so much creative freedom with it. Truly a talented prodigy. You've earned my respect."

Kan'na swept her arms across and formed several Magic Concatenations, the compressed spells began to glow brightly. This time they were able to form, but still were quickly disabled. Nine shook his head in amazement, "You even studied Concatenations to this level. Tell me, are you open to the idea of becoming a Scholar in the Arcane Academy? I could put in a recommendation, I truly wish to see what you're capable of."

"I'm not finished just yet, see if you can keep up!"

Kan'na took on a serious face. Tens of Magic Concatenations formed at once, Formations spreading across the Arena beneath her feet. The level of dual casting Kan'na was currently doing was something many mages of even Third Stage struggle to do! Yet she looked like she was doing it effortlessly!

Yet. . . ! Each Formation, each magic spell! Every single one was quickly disabled by Nine's inescapable eye! Time and time again that golden ripple formed and the magic was shattered! Kan'na eyed her MP and sighed, "This simply isn't a feasible solution."

Nine paused his steps, "Have you given up?"

"Only with using this brute force method. I had hoped by changing up some sequences it would require you to take longer, but way to prove me wrong!"

Kan'na exhaled and the dense mana around her scattered. Rolling her stiff shoulders she quickly strategized.

'I have to save some cards for Akiol's plan, and my War Sight is currently preoccupied. . . although this is incredibly inefficient it should throw him off guard enough.'

Kan'na reached up and gently touched her hairpin, its presence reminding her off yet another option she had. But she would prefer not to use it if possible.

'This might be rough, but if it works the payoff would be huge!'

Kan'na once again outstretched her hands, the mana around her become so dense that even those without good mana sense would be able to see the fluctuation! Nine couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air. This level of mana could only mean one thing!

Magic Concatenations and Formations began to form at a rapid rate. Nine quickly disabled these, but his attention was drawn to the area behind Kan'na. The ambient mana was moving oddly. Mana Control wasn't unheard of, since you would need a proper amount of it to ascend Stages. However its uses in combat was purely supportive. Offensive mana came from inside, not the ambient kind.

Moreover. . . Nine found that his mana control was on par, meaning he couldn't stop whatever she was doing. If a Second Stage had peak Mana Control, then what was holding them back from ascending?

Then what happened next made every single Mage stop what they were doing. Those with an understanding in runes found their eyes widening. Even fighters who only studied magic to improve their Mana Control was beginning to understand the insane thing that was occurring.

The mana was willingly forming into foreign runes?! Moreover as Nine read it again and again he felt himself awestruck. The entire language was incredibly familiar, but it was just out of his grasp of understanding! He couldn't decode what this spell was going to do!

This random individual, some complete stranger picked by the South Province. A mage of no renown. . . had access to an entire language that The Gated Arena hadn't seen?! Moreover mana was willingly forming itself into it!

Nine couldn't help but say, "Is that. . . the language of mana itself?"

He was so awed that he didn't stop the next Magic Concatenations from forming and was rapidly blasted by various spells. He rapidly raised his hands, "Wait wait! I admit my loss!"

Kan'na stopped in shock, "What?"

"I no longer care about winning. That language, where did you learn it?"

Kan'na looked behind her towards her old magic language, "Oh this? I created it?"

Silence. . .

Outrage then spread across the mages.

"What?! You actually dare lie to our faces?!"

"What arrogance! You simply cannot create a magic language!"

Kan'na made a face, "And how are typical runes formed? Naturally? Someone must have created it, it's the same process here."

Nine lowered his hand, "You. . . created it? You're not lying?"

"Why would I? I can't properly use that language with my own mana just yet, but it works with the ambient kind."

"Hahaha. . . Hahahaha!"

Nine stood up and dusted off his clothes, "I was a fool. You've long outmatched me in magic! I'm amazed."

Kan'na cracked her stiff knuckles, "You sure you don't want to continue? You're among the best of mages. I'd hate for this to end so suddenly."

Nine shook his head, "From the beginning I wasn't a fighter. I can only disable magic spells due to me lacking the proper amount of mana to launch my own."

'Lacking in mana. . . ? Hmm. . .'

Kan'na raised a hand and an incredibly complex magic circle began to form, "Let me show you something, I promise this isn't a trap so let it activate please."

"I've long given up it doesn't matter to me."

Nine blinked and suddenly his entire surroundings were switched with white. Looking around he suddenly felt the urge to look upwards. And what he saw made him collapse to his knees, "This. . . such a thing is possible?"

"It's still heavily under testing. I feel once I complete it the things holding me back as a mage will simply vanish."

"Vanish?! This is. . . this is groundbreaking! If you complete this then your path to even Fifth Stage will be a walk in the park!"

"Oh it's that impressive? I've spent years on this so that's pleasing to hear."

Nine looked at Kan'na with more than awe. He simply couldn't believe such a talented mage was never found. If such a person was given all the resources they needed. . .

Looking towards his own hands he couldn't help but second guess his own efforts. The decades he spent towards studying magic, could he do something like this with the knowledge he gathered. . . ?

Kan'na coughed, "Anyway the reason why I brought you here was to get a second opinion on this. You're the only one I found that had an understanding of runes comparable to my own. Since I've pretty much been on my own for some time."

"On your own. . . ?"

"Yup!"

Nine couldn't believe what he was hearing. This person. . . was beyond the realm of a genius! Nine couldn't help but scratch his head, "I can't. . ."

"Not right now! I figured we could converse sometime in the future."

"You're willing to share your secrets to something this groundbreaking?"

"Why wouldn't I? I won't be the last to think of this. Though I only show those qualified."

"If. . . if you're willing I would be more than happy to help!"

Kan'na smiled, "Excellent! In exchange I shall give you this. Feel free to tinker with it, but maybe it will be of use to you?"

Kan'na rapidly created a small magic circle, it didn't actually have any purpose. Instead it acted like some sort of document. Nine quickly decoded it and his eyes widened, "Wait this is. . . ?"

"Mana line refinement. It might help with your Mana problems."

"You can do this?"

"That I did not create. It was a process refined through centuries, I can't say anymore than that though."

"I thought I would forever be plagued by this issue of mine. This alone. . . this should elevate my power more than threefold!"

"Glad you enjoy it, I look forward to our future cooperation."

"Likewise! Although be careful of Heave, he's a bit. . ."

"I have my plans, I didn't use everything against you after all."

"Hahaha! Of course you didn't! The South found someone incredible!"

"I'm not that great."

"No need to be humble! Our meet was a fortunate encounter for me. Now how do I leave this place?"

"Ah I'll send you out."