Cycle of Destiny

Chapter 3 A Futile Attempt

But Harry wasn't as relaxed as he appeared. After the list was announced, he grew increasingly impatient. After one class, he casually asked the wizard, Elwin, "Mr. Elwin, I have a question. Why is it that after each meditation, when I re-enact my magic half a day later, I always feel a little less magic power than when it first ended?"

"That might be your misconception," Alvin replied. "Many people feel that they are at their strongest right after meditation, but that's just a temporary feeling of fullness. The actual magic absorbed doesn't disappear for no reason."

"Is it possible for a magician's magic to dissipate automatically?"

The wizard Alwyn didn't understand why Harry was asking this question; perhaps it was out of curiosity. But he still patiently answered Harry.

"Unless spellcasting consumes it, mana doesn't normally decrease on its own," Elwin paused, then continued, "However, some advanced mages have discovered that if they absorb and manipulate magical elements too quickly and in too large quantities, and their mental space isn't yet sufficient to hold and consolidate that much energy, they might fall into the trap of 'blindly greedy'—focusing solely on accumulating a large amount of mana in a short time without simultaneously 'purifying' and 'condensing' it. In this case, the actual mana absorbed might be less than expected. But that's usually a problem only advanced mages encounter; it won't happen to you apprentice mages."

Harry knew perfectly well that his situation wasn't just "less," but rather that everything had slipped away like sand through his fingers. He could only console himself with the thought that perhaps his exceptional talent had caused him to encounter problems typically faced by advanced wizards.

The academy possesses an alchemical potion called "Enhancing Magic Potion." The "enhancing" in its name refers to strengthening magic power, but not by increasing the total amount of magic power. Instead, it enhances the purity of magic power through purification. Simply put, it compresses and refines the magic power within a mage's body. Sometimes, the total amount may even decrease slightly, but it makes the magic power purer, thereby increasing the power of magic.

This type of potion is usually only used by intermediate and higher-level mages. Before that level, the most effective way to increase its power is still by increasing the total amount of magic power, and besides, it's expensive.

But Harry didn't care about all that. He was willing to try anything to solve the problem. Luckily, his wallet was still quite full, otherwise most people wouldn't have been willing to buy it to try it out.

He took a small sip before meditating, as the magician who sold him the potion had instructed. He found that the magic produced by meditation was indeed purer, but the result still disappointed him—in the end, he retained none of it.

He then tried different dosages, spending a lot of money, but none of them were successful.

A year had passed since Harry arrived at the magic academy. When the results of the second assessment were announced, most of the average students had successfully become first-level wizards, while Harry remained an apprentice.

This time, he received significantly less attention and inquiries. He explained that he would devote more time to meditation and was confident he would succeed next time.

The aura of genius completely faded from him. When others talked about his extraordinary talent, they would deliberately avoid him, trying their best not to be heard by him. He also understood that the whispers behind his back were no longer envy, but ridicule.

Despite his inner turmoil, he still appeared cheerful and overweight in front of others. His sadness didn't affect his appetite or weight; he even seemed to have gained a little weight, as if this trouble hadn't affected him at all.

He continued to try various methods, but to no avail. Six months later, the third assessment ended, and his repeated failures led him to be categorized as "incompetent and lazy" among his fellow trainees. This time, he fabricated a very weak excuse, but he no longer had the chance to use it—everyone had lost interest in his failures.

Sometimes when he was out, he would notice people secretly watching him, but no one came up to him to ask him anything anymore.

Unlike the Knight Academy, which strictly requires students to be of knightly or noble birth, most people who dedicate themselves to magical studies are commoners; noble births like Harry's are rare. This is mainly because, on the continent of Arcanos, the only profession that allows commoners free and unrestricted access to the power system is that of a mage. This is also one of the reasons why the noble class doesn't look down on mages—in their view, this group's origins are mostly too vulgar.

For ordinary people, embarking on the path of magic is a rare stepping stone to advancement, so most are extremely diligent. Once they become formal magicians, they dedicate their lives to the pursuit of magical mysteries. Some of the particularly intelligent ones eventually find opportunities in academies and gradually grow into revered archmages.

As for the sons of knights or nobles, some had lost their inheritance rights, while others had performed poorly or gotten into trouble at the knight academy. In short, they all came to the magic academy for less than honorable reasons. They thought life at the magic academy was comfortable and undisciplined, and that they could laze around for two years until they ran out of money and then leave. Others found magic too difficult, and the repeated failures completely discouraged them, ultimately making them the laughingstock of everyone.

The fates of these people are mostly similar: the family will provide them with a periodic relief payment, hoping they will never return and bring shame to the family in front of outsiders.

For the rest of their lives, poverty and alcoholism awaited them, until one day they got drunk, got into an argument, and were eventually found dead in a roadside ditch.

Harry's repeated failures also affected the noble blood flowing through his veins. They said that people of his class were too arrogant and too lazy, and that "that's just how those noble lords are."

But Harry wasn't being perfunctory, nor did he look down on wizards. After learning of his talent, he hoped to achieve something in magic and have a place for himself on the continent of Arcanos, but the Creator was unforgiving and completely ignored the little fat boy's long-held desires.

Harry was desperate, but the wizard Alvin was even more desperate. Alvin had been the one who put Harry to the test when he was still at the Knights Academy, and after waiting and hoping, Harry finally arrived at the academy. Even more fortunately, the academy chose him to be Harry's teacher.

The academy's choice of Elwin as mage was well-considered, for there was no better choice than him for such a talented apprentice. He was never stingy with his praise for his magical apprentices. He was also more patient than most mages. His understanding of magical knowledge was both profound and unconventional. For a magical newcomer like Harry, his guidance was invaluable.

When the mage Elwin began learning magic at the age of fourteen, prejudice against mages was still deeply ingrained across the continent. His perseverance was threatened, and his family threatened to strip him of his inheritance. But he did not give up. The glamorous environment, the extravagant lifestyle, and the family crest that once brought him honor were left behind as if discarding an ill-fitting suit. It's worth noting that he also possessed exceptional talent in martial arts, and his family had high hopes for him. He didn't choose to learn magic out of necessity, but out of love—a love from the bottom of his heart. Recalling the excitement he felt when he first witnessed a mage casting a spell, his heart had never been at peace since.

He secretly studied magic at the Knight Academy, but secrets don't stay hidden forever. Discovered, he was banished home. The head of the household began restricting his freedom, followed by a series of horrifying scandals. He rebelled, attempting to escape the family's control in various ways, even threatening suicide at one point. Finally, after being rescued from a rope hanging from the rafters, his family, succumbing to endless fear, gave in. The family patriarch solemnly declared that he would no longer worry about the future of this heir who had broken the family's heart. Elwin, having finally achieved his goal of being expelled from the family, won this protracted war. Whether he felt the joy of victory at that moment, no one can know for sure.

After that, he devoted himself to studying magic, oblivious to day and night, meals, and fatigue. He has now been studying magic for over ten years, and he doesn't care about his clothes. If you saw him, you would think you were seeing a beggar. In fact, when Harry first saw him, he really thought he was a beggar.

Some called him a madman, and he truly was—a madman obsessed with magic. Magic meant everything to him. He wanted to uncover its mysteries, spread its brilliance, and create new magical innovations. He said he had a dream: to one day become a holy magician, to establish a magic academy in his home province, so that everyone, noble or commoner, could learn magic, and to make his family, who had abandoned him, understand that he hadn't gone down the wrong path, but that some people held onto the wrong beliefs.

But sometimes gods find pleasure in tormenting their creations. Faced with a flame so passionate about magic, the magical elements responded with icy indifference.

Despite over a decade of diligent training, he remained a novice mage. He possessed an unparalleled passion for magic, yet his magical skill was utterly mediocre. He made no magical innovations, and his achievements were far from great. In the eyes of other mages, he was merely an object of ridicule. The academy's mages made no attempt to conceal their contempt for him; they mocked his shabby clothes, his low talent, and his dullness.

It must be so painful for a person to have such a conflict between their passion and reality. But he never lost heart, nor did he ever doubt whether it was right for him to abandon his family mission and choose to study magic. His passion for magic remained as genuine as ever.

This pure-hearted man slowly began to despair while teaching. He saw no passion in his students, nor did they possess much talent; clearly, they only saw magic as a blacksmith's hammer, a tool for making a living.

Years of teaching had made his hair whiter, his clothes dirtier, and his brows furrowed deeper. At thirty years old, he looked like a little old man, and his heart felt like it was bound with an iron block, constantly sinking.

Harry's arrival was like a ray of dazzling sunlight streaming into his previously dark room. Even though he couldn't become a great wizard, what an honor it would be to make even the smallest contribution to the growth of a great wizard!

But Harry broke his heart completely with his failure, just as the gods would do.