Chapter 234.1

The Enchanted Forest located behind the Demon King Academy.

Magic circles for appeared one after another, and students began to teleport there.

It seemed everyone was accounted for.

“Let’s begin then.” (Anos)

I drew magic circles on the students’ bodies.

The target was their sources.

“Meditate.” (Anos)

I channeled my magic power through the magic links I connected to the students, striking their sources with them.

“Envision the future you aim for and should reach. Dive deep, deep, deep into its abyss and gaze into it. Awaken the future sleeping at the very bottom of your origins and manifest that ideal here.” (Anos)

As I instructed, they gazed into their own abyss and envisioned their ideal form.

Before long, the bodies of the students began to be enveloped in light, one by one.

Once the future they aimed for was clearly depicted in their minds, it would come true.

As the students began to shine, their outlines distorted, and the light began to split into two.

The more they gazed into their ideal abyss and meditated on their thoughts, the more the splitting progressed.

Eventually, the majority of the students split their bodies and sources into two.

“” (Anos)

After being enveloped in a particularly dazzling light, before each of the students’ eyes stood another, grown-up version of themselves.

“…W-What the h.e.l.l is this…? It looks exactly like me…!” Ramon exclaimed, pulling back.

In front of him was a Ramon created through .

He was taller than Ramon, with a body clad in muscular armor.

His face was much more gallant than the real Ramon’s.

“ is the future form you will all be aiming for from now on. Based on the ideal you envisioned and a part of your sources, I combined it with my magic power to materialize your potential.” (Anos)

The doubles standing before them was one of their possible achievements.

“Fight, steal their techniques, steal their power. And then, envision again. As your ideal form changes, will constantly change and evolve accordingly. However, you will not reach an ideal that exceeds your grasp. Use your Magic Eyes to gaze into the abyss of and discern its limits. Understand through your own experience what suits you and what is unnecessary.” (Anos)

The students’ started running all at once, as if to guide them.

“Hey. Hey! Where are you going…?!” (Ramon)

Ramon chased after his own .

“A regular spell materializes your ideal in terms of power and technique, but it can’t recreate your mind. No matter how much magic power you give it, it won’t become smarter or gain knowledge. It’s a ma.s.s of pure combat techniques. However…” (Anos)

I held my palm over the ground.

A huge amount of particles of magic power rose from Delsgade behind me, and gathered at my feet.

A shadow in the shape of a sword appears.

It levitated in silence and presented its hilt before me.

As I grasped it, the Abolisher of Reason Venuzdonoa materialized.

I stabbed it into the ground and imbued it with magic power.

“I will destroy that logic.” (Anos)

Multiple layers of shadow extended from Venuzdonoa, connecting to all the doubles.

“Hey, Ramon.” (Edonica Ramon)

Endowed with thoughts by the Abolisher of Reason, Ramon’s double spoke.

“W-What…?” (Ramon)

“You think you’re smart, don’t you…? Well lemme tell you, you’re an idiot. You’ll be an idiot forever. So, I’ll teach you one thing: idiots have their own way to fight!” (Edonica Ramon)

Ramon’s drew a magic circle.

From there, a jet-black sun appeared.

“…S… Seriously…?! You’re telling me I can use the spell?!” (Ramon)

Ramon retreated, and hid behind a tree.

“There’s no way you can defend yourself that way, and it doesn’t even work as a hiding spot either. Just turn off your brain and do whatever you can to keep defending! ‘Cause you’re that stupid!” (Edonica Ramon)

The burned the trees to ashes and struck Ramon directly.

“Gyaaaahhhhh…!!” (Ramon)

Ramon was incinerated and reduced to ashes.

In the next moment, I revived him with the spell.

“It doesn’t matter how many times you die. Remember the sensation of being revived. Once you get the hang of it, try using on yourself. Even if you can’t do it, you’ll come back to life in three seconds.” (Anos)

Ramon stared at his double standing before him.

“Come on, this is how you use the . If you don’t get it, learn it with your body!” (Edonica Ramon)

“Dammit…! Who the h.e.l.l are you?! There’s no way you’re me!”

With a desperate resolve, he charged at his .

All around the Enchanted Forest, the students were fighting their counterparts in the same manner. Their opponents were overwhelmingly superior, knowing all their moves inside out. It was a battle they had no hope of winning. And one by one, they met their demise.

Pushed to the brink of death, right up to the edge of destruction, their sources grew stronger and shone more brightly. However, it wasn’t about causing needless suffering. They needed to acc.u.mulate experiences worthy of their growth.

By understanding firsthand the gap between their current selves and their ideal, they forged themselves toward that ideal. Furthermore, itself was honed to become an even better ideal.

Receiving advice and guidance from their ideal selves, the students gradually mastered their powers and techniques, even as they faced death countless times. When the sources used by returned to their bodies, it would become their flesh and blood, allowing them to leap even further forward.

Biffiting of a training session, the forest was filled with screams of agony.

Suddenly, I caught sight of one girl.

It was Naya, also nicknamed ‘Bookworm’ by Eldmed.

In front of her stood a completely motionless .

Its appearance was almost identical to her current self.

“Khahaha!” (Eldmed)

The Conflagration King, who had been watching the students’ intense battles with amus.e.m.e.nt, walked over to Naya.

“Why the long face, Bookworm?” (Eldmed)

Eldmed, leaning on his cane, peered into Naya’s face.

She kept her head down and muttered,

“…I’m hopeless, aren’t I…? Even the Demon King’s won’t move for me…” (Naya)

The Conflagration King listened silently.

“Unlike everyone else, my double has almost the same magic power as I do now… It means I have no potential for growth, doesn’t it…?” (Naya)

“Khahaha! No potential for growth? Why do you think so?” (Eldmed)

“Because… if the Demon King’s magic and Magic Eyes judged it that way, doesn’t that mean it’s true…?” Naya said, dejected.

“Indeed, indeed. The Demon King’s Magic Eyes are absolute, and the Demon King’s is perfect. Anyone who falls short of that judgment would be considered utterly talentless by everyone.” (Eldmed)

Naya looked even more depressed at those words, and she lowered her head.

Leaning on his staff, the Conflagration King gazed at her with a scrutinizing look.