Infinite Mage (Re-make)

The chant that used to take over two minutes to say was completed in under four seconds. Clutching his chest, he finished the spell. A massive tornado shot up into the sky, whipping dust into the air as if it were tearing the atmosphere apart.

“Whoa!”

The younger students screamed as the powerful wind rushed through the area.

When the dust finally settled, Sanuel stood there calmly, smiling as if nothing had happened.

He waited for the ringing in everyone’s ears to fade before speaking.

“This is the foundation of word magic: the supersonic technique. It’s essential for actual combat. Of course, speed alone isn’t enough. What you heard might have sounded like gibberish, but I memorized every word of that verse perfectly. The tornado’s strength proves it.”

Still in awe, the students remained silent, but they understood. They had seen the power with their own eyes.

Shirone was no exception.

The power of words...

The final tornado was at least ten times stronger than the first.

Is this what the graduating students can do?

And yet, Sanuel was still just a student, though one chosen to assist Ethela. Amy, who had been watching quietly, felt both nervous and inspired.

I need to catch up.

The mood in the class shifted. The uncertainty that had filled the students’ faces was replaced by determination.

That was exactly why Ethela had asked Sanuel to perform.

“Thank you for your hard work, Sanuel,” she said. “I’m sure the students learned a lot today. I appreciate you accepting such a demanding request.”

“No need to thank me, Miss Ethela. I’ll come whenever you call.”

Sanuel bowed respectfully—his demeanor was far more formal than the more casual students in the advanced class who were already accustomed to Ethela’s presence.

So this is the world I’ve stepped into, Shirone thought.

Even someone as gifted as Sanuel was still an unofficial 10th-level magician after graduation. And the one teaching him? Ethela—a nationally recognized 6th-level magician.

Just how powerful is she...?

It wasn’t a surprise that the students stayed quiet and respectful even after Sanuel left.

“Alright, everyone,” Ethela said, breaking the silence. “Did you enjoy the demonstration?”

“Yes!” the class responded, their voices louder than usual.

Ethela nodded, pleased.

“Word magic, or speech magic, is a branch of sound magic. I showed it to you because it’s closely tied to strengthening your Spirit Zone. Let me ask: How can thoughts become reality?”

The students answered together, “Through language!”

“Exactly. Humans think in language. But does anyone know what that truly means?”

A student from Class Four raised their hand. “It means we can turn our thoughts into something we can see.”

“Correct. If you can visualize your thoughts, they become real. That’s the core of elocution—spoken magic. The elocutionist shapes their words and receives their meaning in return.”

Ethela raised a finger to emphasize her next point.

“The foundation of word magic is simple: speak and repeat. Speak and repeat. By doing this, the meaning grows stronger, and the spell becomes more powerful.”

A student from Class Seven spoke up. “Teacher, will we learn that language too?”

Ethela smiled. “Would you like to?”

“Yes! That guy from earlier was awesome.”

“It’s important to choose a major,” Ethela explained. “Unfortunately, Speech Magic is its own specialized path, so it won’t be part of the general advanced curriculum.”

“Then how do we strengthen the Spirit Zone? Doesn’t it rely on words?”

“Good question,” Ethela replied. “That’s what I’ll explain next. Words are used to enhance specific forms of magic, and each branch has its own language. But the Spirit Zone is purely mental—it doesn’t rely on spoken language or supernatural power. So how do you strengthen it?”

She paused, stepping into what she called the image zone.

“With a unique concentration technique called the sequence method. Raise your hand if you’ve ever counted from 1 to 100 in your head or aloud.”

Most hands went up.

“Now, who here can count from 1 to 1,000?”

Many hands from the lower classes went down, but the upper-level students kept theirs raised.

“A sequence is just what it sounds like—a string of numbers. But unlike language, numbers are universal truths. They’re ideal for training the Spirit Zone.”

“Does counting help with concentration?” one student asked.

“Yes. But not mindless counting. Just like in word magic, you must reflect on what you say. With a sequence, you think about each number and absorb it. If your focus slips, the sequence fails.”

It’s the same core principle as verbal magic—only instead of using words, you use numbers.

“So that’s why you showed us the demonstration first,” a student said, realizing the connection.

Ethela continued, “The faster you perform the numerical sequence, the stronger your Spirit Zone becomes. This boosts everything—activation success, magical power, precision, and more. But don’t misunderstand—sequence magic isn’t a shortcut. It’s not just about speed or technique. True improvement comes with disciplined mental training. Now, let me show you how it works.”

Shirone activated his Spirit Zone, which expanded into a ten-meter-wide sphere—this was the standard size for training exercises.

“I’ll show you how to strengthen the Spirit Zone using only numbers—no spoken spells, just internal sequencing. I’ll count by tens so you can follow along. Let’s begin. One.”

As soon as he said the first number, the Spirit Zone visibly expanded.

“Hundred.”

Someone in the crowd gasped.

“Wait, did he just jump to one hundred?”

For the sequence to be effective, every number had to be processed clearly. Skipping or rushing would usually make the sequence meaningless. Yet Shirone had already reached a hundred in just a second.

“Four hundred.”

The students were in shock. Shirone was accelerating—fast.

“Eleven hundred. Seventeen hundred. Twenty-four hundred.”

Shirone could hardly believe what he was seeing.

This is insane. How is he counting that fast?

He kept adding numbers quickly, and in less than ten seconds, the count had already reached 2,400. As the numbers kept rising, the Spirit Zone grew until it became a massive 40-meter sphere.

All this power came from the sequence method alone.

When he reached 10,000, the sequence stopped, and the Spirit Zone shrank back to its original size.

“Whew.”

His breath remained steady, as if he hadn’t just performed an extraordinary mental feat. Reaching 10,000 in a single breath required not just incredible focus but profound mental control.

It wasn’t surprising that he had once been the youngest bishop of the prestigious Order of Karsis.

Unbelievable, Shirone thought.

How much training does it take to do something like that?

Even though Shirone’s composed appearance hid it well, the weight of her ability was clear.

She turned to the class.

“You saw that, right? The faster you count, the more your Spirit Zone expands. This won’t replace practice—you still need a strong Spirit Zone to begin with—but it’s a great way to enhance it during combat.”

Shirone’s eyes lit up.

That’s it!

As someone who specialized in defense, Shirone had been looking for a way to use his active magic more efficiently.

If I can reinforce my Spirit Zone like that…

Ethela continued.

“The basic goal is to count from 1 to 1,000. That’s your foundation. Focus on reducing the time it takes to reach 1,000 before you try higher numbers.”

Class ended, and the students began to break off to train. Many of them started practicing the sequence method with determination.

Shirone found a quiet spot to practice alone.

Alright… let’s do this.

He began counting from 1 to 1,000, mentally tracking his performance.

It took me 48 seconds.

Not bad for a first attempt. More importantly, he had managed to keep his focus the whole time—a rare accomplishment for beginners.

Counting isn’t the problem. Should I try a higher count? No… Ethela said to focus on speed first.

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder.

She reached 10,000… and that was just an example. Could there be a special method behind it?

Then, an idea sparked in his mind—something he'd experienced before, when time seemed to slow down as he crossed an impossible bridge.

Insight. It’s not about saying the numbers—it’s about feeling them.

He realized he could group numbers into modules, processing them as sets instead of individual counts. Without even realizing it, he was tapping into the principle of modularity—the core concept of information magic.

Shirone immediately began testing it.

He grouped numbers into tens—processing 10, 20, 30, and so on as single thoughts instead of ten separate counts.

10… 20… 30…

With each step, he felt the rhythm, filling in the gaps between numbers with focused awareness.

One thousand!

He reached it much faster this time. His Spirit Zone shifted into offensive mode.

Photon output!

With a sharp burst of energy, a concentrated beam of light fired toward the forest.

“Whoa! What was that?”

To the students, it looked like a thin line of light, but in reality, it had been a sphere—projected with incredible speed.

Shirone grinned and clenched his fist.

Yes! I did it!

His classmates gathered around.

“Photon output. Is that your new targeting spell?”

“Isn’t that kind of… pointless? Maybe it’s related to information magic?”

“It doesn’t matter. If it hits the target, it counts. And it looked fast—really fast.”

The others nodded in agreement.

While it might not have been the most powerful attack, when it came to speed and precision, it was something special.

The commotion caught Ethela’s attention.

Bright flashes of light repeatedly burst from Shirone’s hand, captivating the watching students.

Active magic…

It was clear that Shirone had successfully reinforced his Spirit Zone.

Ethela walked over with a calm expression.

“Shirone, you’ve prepared well.”

“Thank you, but honestly, I just managed to pull it off.”

“It seems the sequence method worked. Want to try again? I’ll evaluate your performance this time.”

“Yes, I’d like that.”

Shirone activated his photon output spell once again, while Ethela watched closely, tapping her lips thoughtfully.

This isn’t just a basic sequence...

He’s gone beyond the basics. Could he have combined it with modular integration of the information stream?

Whether Shirone figured it out through study or intuition, Ethela could see that it was the result of sharp insight.

After a moment, she suggested, “Shirone, have you tried aiming at a moving target yet? How about stepping into the image zone?”

“Yes, I’ll try.”

As Shirone approached the training device, the other students paused their practice and gathered around, eager to see what would happen.

“How accurate is photon output magic?”

“It’s one of the fastest spells, but the precision depends on the caster,” one student explained.

Ethela checked the safety settings. “Alright. Begin.”

Shirone nodded. With a snap of his fingers, a target appeared and shot into the air.

The thorns of Shirone's offensive Spirit Zone shot out rapidly, and one of them struck the moving target.

Photon output.

Without hesitation, Shirone cast the spell. A brilliant beam of light burst forth, disintegrating the target instantly.

"Whoa…"

The students gasped in awe.

Though the spell wasn’t destructive in the traditional sense, the sheer brilliance of the display left a strong impression.

Am I doing okay?

Shirone kept going, firing flashes one after another. Each time, the targets vanished the instant they appeared.

His spell’s effectiveness—unhindered by distance—was evident.

Yes! I’ve got this!

His sequence count had already passed 1,500, and the scoreboard steadily ticked upward.

He had destroyed 172 targets so far, and with over 20 seconds left, reaching 200 was well within reach.

So he really is using modularization…

Ethela nodded to herself. The insights Shirone had gained while overcoming that mental barrier were clearly helping him in this test.

I was unsure at first, she admitted internally. Given Shirone’s introspective nature, I thought he’d rely more on mental fortitude than technical skill. But maybe he’s got a competitive side after all.

That drive to win had sharpened his focus and accelerated his progress.

When the one-minute timer ended, Shirone descended from the platform, breathing hard. All eyes turned to the scoreboard.

342 points.

“342 in one minute? How do you not miss a beat?” one student exclaimed. “Maybe I should switch to photon output!”

“Don’t be fooled. That’s not easy,” another replied. “Shirone mastered teleportation. That’s why he can pull it off like this.”

Meanwhile, sitting a little apart from the crowd, Neid and Iruki watched the scene unfold.

“As expected of Shirone,” Neid said. “He’s naturally defensive, but he’s showing strong offensive skills, too. This might push him into the top group.”

Iruki shook his head. “I don’t know. 342 isn’t that high.”

“But for a first attempt, it’s impressive! We couldn’t even output photons yesterday.”

“It’s not about how many times you do something. It’s about understanding its core. That’s where Shirone shines.”

Neid turned to him, surprised. “Wait, are you complimenting him?”

“I’ll give credit where it’s due. Besides, this test is the perfect opportunity to see who’s better.”

“…What are you planning?”

Iruki didn’t answer. He stood up and walked toward the image zone.

“I’d like to try, Miss Ethela.”

“You, Iruki?” Ethela’s expression darkened with concern.

Iruki had a habit of diving into reckless demonstrations, often causing chaos.

“I’ll just warm up a bit. Don’t worry—everything’s safely configured.”

Ethela had little choice but to nod. It would be unfair to hold back a student’s enthusiasm during the test.

“Fine. But no accidents, understood?”

“You got it.”

The students’ attention shifted again, this time to Iruki. Even Shirone couldn’t help but watch with curiosity.

Can Servant Syndrome even handle a sequence-type spell?

While Iruki’s ability allowed for complex processing, rapid counting was another challenge entirely.

What’s he planning to show us?

To everyone’s surprise, Iruki activated his Four-Way Escape type spirit zone.

“Huh? He’s using that again?”

“It’s fast and small, but isn’t it harder to hit with? Wouldn’t an attack-type be better?”

Despite the doubts, Iruki compressed his spirit zone further—down to just 20 centimeters wide—to maximize speed.

As soon as the signal activated, the countdown began: 60 seconds.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The compressed spirit zone moved like a tornado, striking targets with pinpoint precision.

“Oh!”

Even Ethela’s eyes widened in astonishment.

He’s using the italic form… An unusual approach, but it works.

The scoreboard quickly passed 100.

Having just performed the same test, Shirone could assess Iruki’s style.

I see now.

While Shirone’s photon output eliminated the delay over distance, Iruki’s escape-type zone reacted instantly to the targets.

The downside? He had to see the targets directly. But Iruki…

He wasn’t relying on reflexes. He was predicting where the targets would go—a hallmark of Servant Syndrome.

Iruki grinned.

Pretty shocking, huh, Shirone?

His spirit zone suddenly moved so fast that it was nearly impossible to follow.

“Huh?!”

Gasps echoed through the room as targets exploded all around, as if caught in a storm.

Pupupupupupupu!

Because he minimized power to avoid excessive force, detonation occurred without delay.

When his score passed 200, Shirone could already tell.

He’s going to beat me.

And strangely, he didn’t mind.

But how did he strengthen his spirit zone like that? Modularization?

“Nope,” Neid replied beside him, almost reading his thoughts.

Though caught between rivals, Neid didn’t mind pure competition.

“Iruki wants to beat you his way. He’s not counting in the thousands like you.”

“Then how many?”

“One million.”

Shirone’s jaw dropped. A million in one minute? Is that even possible?

Before he could process it, the countdown ended, and Iruki stepped down, having used the full minute.

Final Score: 548 points.
It was a score far beyond anything Shirone had ever achieved.

“That’s incredible,” the students whispered in amazement.
“548 points with an escape-type? Is that even possible?”
“I used my Servant ability to calculate all the target’s dynamic equations. Honestly, isn’t that cheating?”

Even Etella was intrigued.
The target was captured in a breakaway formation, but the result combined mathematical calculations with a bit of genius. Still...
There had to be more to it.
How did the Spirit Zone move so much faster than the target?

Her curiosity grew as she thought.
Could it be... Could that child really be capable of such a thing?

Iruki, having finished his exercise, walked over to Shirone, eyes wide.
“How did the review go? Was everything okay?”

Shirone nodded, still impressed. “Yeah, that was amazing. I didn’t expect you to use the italic type like that.”

“Hmm, is that all? That’s a bit disappointing.”

“What?” Shirone frowned, but Iruki ignored him and continued.
“By modularizing numbers, I can increase the speed. It’s a way to use your strengths.”

Shirone was taken aback. He had no idea how Iruki had done it.
“Want me to teach you how I strengthened it?”

“Are you serious? It feels like you're controlling me.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not claiming to know everything.”

Iruki was always good at pushing people’s buttons.
“It’s not that special. I increased the unit by modularization, then reduced it using algebra.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Shirone asked, confused.
That method... No, this isn't at that level.

Iruki’s earlier comment about knowing the method but not being able to follow it wasn’t a lie.
“If you apply logarithms, even astronomical numbers can be simplified. This was just practice. The real test will be the practical evaluation.”

Shirone bit his lip. Logarithms could make even the largest numbers easier to understand.
10 billion? No problem. But logarithms are typically used to simplify complex formulas.
However, when applied to simpler number games like sequences, the calculations became trickier.
But he did it. He created his own sequence formula using Servant Syndrome.
Just how far can Iruki go?

Shirone had met many geniuses—Karmis, Amy, the Ozent Family—but none had such an extreme natural talent like Iruki.

“What do you think? Do you think you can beat me now?”

“It’s not about beating anyone. If you gave your best, it doesn’t matter who wins.”

“That’s such a typical answer. Fine, think of me as someone who was just bad from the start. But next time, be careful with your words. It’s unpleasant hearing an idealist talk about life and death without any real skills.”

Shirone clenched his teeth.
What’s he complaining about now?
He just wanted to say that life is precious.
If even that’s considered idealism, then he would have to prove it.