The chamber was silent except for the faint hum of residual magic in the air. Reyon exhaled slowly, his breath steady despite the growing tension that filled the underground battlefield. The second image of Leywin stood before him, an eerie reflection of his grandfather—only younger, sharper, and undeniably stronger than the previous one. This image was unlike the last. Not only was it a 4th-circle mage, but it wielded σ with a proficiency that made Reyon's skin prickle.
And most importantly… it could use the Infinity Symbol.
Reyon clenched his fists as mana surged through his body, his mind analyzing every detail of the image's stance. This time, it wasn't attacking him outright. Unlike the previous one that immediately shot arrows and spells without hesitation, this image stood poised, watching him with an unnerving calm.
"…A spar?" Reyon muttered, realizing the subtle difference.
It wasn't blindly following a programmed assault. No, this image had intelligence behind its movements—it wanted to gauge him, to measure his worth.
A smirk tugged at the corner of Reyon's lips. "Fine, I'll take the challenge."
He activated Vector Field, the air around him distorting as invisible forces expanded from his body, reinforcing his defenses. Without wasting another moment, he shot forward. The stone beneath his feet cracked as he propelled himself with vectors, closing the distance in an instant.
"Wind Razor."
Reyon raised his hand, stacking five σ symbols into the spell, reinforcing it far beyond its natural limits. The moment the magic activated, a storm of razor-sharp wind blades roared to life, slicing through the air like invisible scythes, converging toward the image of Leywin. Each blade shimmered with raw power, enhanced by the intricate vector manipulations Reyon had perfected over years of training.
The image reacted instantly.
With a flick of its wrist, a series of σ symbols appeared, lowering the power of the incoming attack. Then, a black sphere materialized in front of it—the unmistakable Infinity Symbol's orb. The storm of wind razors twisted and bent as if sucked into a void, the howling winds vanishing into the dark sphere as though they had never existed.
Reyon's eyes narrowed.
Infinity at 50% power… It's absorbing the attacks more efficiently than before.
His instincts screamed as the orb pulsed and shot the absorbed spell back at him—a twisting surge of razor winds, now under the control of the image. Reyon had anticipated this. He had already experienced this counter once before.
He sidestepped.
The redirected spell roared past him, slicing deep gashes into the stone wall behind. Dust and debris erupted into the air, but Reyon had already begun moving again. It was confirmed now—this image was using more of the Infinity Symbol's potential. It wasn't something he could defeat with just vector mastery alone.
But he wasn't here to win by brute force—not yet.
First, I need to learn.
He had to understand how the image controlled Infinity, how it applied σ in battle, and most importantly—how his grandfather fought.
He activated Vector Eyes, his pupils glowing faintly as he traced the flow of mana around him. Every ripple in the air, every minute distortion in energy, he could see it all. His Vector Field adjusted accordingly, reinforcing itself against unseen forces.
This time, he changed tactics.
"Icicle Surge."
Unlike Wind Razor, which was flexible and singular in form, Icicle Surge was composed of multiple solid projectiles. Reyon had already tested this theory against the previous image—the 3rd-circle version had failed to absorb all of the icicles because they were rigid, unlike the fluid nature of wind.
Now, he wanted to test it against the Infinity Symbol's 50% power.
Five σ symbols were stacked into the spell. The air temperature plummeted as jagged ice formations materialized in midair, brimming with mana so dense that even the space around them trembled. Reyon thrust his hands forward, and the barrage of icicles shot toward the image with deadly precision.
The image reacted immediately.
It cast Infinity once again—the black orb manifesting faster than before. The icicles surged toward it, and unlike last time…
They were completely absorbed.
Reyon's heart clenched. Not a single shard had escaped. The Infinity Symbol's power at 50% was vastly superior to what he had previously faced.
And then—it retaliated.
The orb pulsated before launching the absorbed icicles back at Reyon, but this time, something was different.
σ symbols had been added to the counterattack.
The icy projectiles were now reinforced by additional enhancements. Not only had the image absorbed Reyon's spell, but it had also improved it, making it even more dangerous than before.
Reyon's muscles tensed as he braced himself. "Vector Field, hold."**
The first icicle struck.
An explosion erupted on impact, the sheer force shaking the entire chamber. Before Reyon could react, another icicle crashed into his barrier, sending a shockwave through his body. His Vector Field cracked, struggling to absorb the enhanced power of the attack.
The third icicle hit.
This time, his defenses shattered.
BOOM!
The impact sent Reyon flying backward, his body slamming into the cold stone wall with a sickening thud. Dust and debris cascaded from the ceiling as the chamber trembled from the sheer intensity of the explosion.
For a moment, everything was still.
Reyon's vision blurred. The taste of iron filled his mouth as he coughed, a sharp ache running down his spine. His arms trembled as he tried to push himself up, his breathing ragged.
The image of Leywin stood unscathed.
It hadn't moved from its original position. The black orb of the Infinity Symbol still pulsed faintly in front of it, a silent reminder of the overwhelming power it wielded.