The Lowest-Ranked Hero Has Returned

Chapter 16 - Mental Training (1)

“You secured the research funds?”

Professor Jade\'s wrinkled eyes widened in surprise in a shabby lab that looked like it could collapse at any moment.

“Yes, just as you requested—1 million gold. I’ve secured it.”

“…Huh.”

Professor Jade stared at me with a look of disbelief.

Well, it\'s understandable.

What kind of candidate would bring 1 million gold just to participate in a professor\'s research?

Especially to a professor engaged in what the Holy Nation would call “forbidden research” that’s considered unforgivable.

“Are you... out of your mind?”

I never thought I’d hear such words from Professor Jade.

“Wasn\'t it you who said that at least 1 million gold was needed to start the research?”

“…I did say that.”

His expression showed that he never actually expected I’d get it.

“But I thought the Republic was covering your tuition fees. How did you manage to get 1 million gold?”

“Did you look into my background?”

“Just answer the question.”

Professor Jade frowned, his wrinkled eyes narrowing. I shrugged and answered calmly.

“I borrowed it from a friend.”

“Borrowed? 1 million gold?”

“Have you heard of Juliet Kang?”

“Never heard of him.”

“He’s the son of one of the top five conglomerates in the Republic, and he\'s my friend.”

“Hmm.”

Even if he’s from a wealthy family, lending 1 million gold to a mere candidate is no small feat.

“Why are you so desperate to study stigmas?”

“There’s something I need you to create, Professor.”

“Something you want me to create?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

Professor Jade looked at me with curiosity, and I slowly opened my mouth.

“A stigma amplifier.”

“A stigma amplifier?”

“In simple terms, it’s a drug that artificially accelerates the stigma to increase mana.”

For someone like me, who constantly struggled with a lack of mana, it was like rain in a drought.

Of course, it only temporarily increases magic, but the amount of magic generated by an overdriven stigma is far more significant than that produced by any elixir or magical artifact.

\'If I had taken the stigma amplifier during my duel with Professor Lucas, the result might have been different.\'

If anything, it would have been Professor Lucas crashing into the wall and collapsing, not me.

That\'s how immense the magic boost from the stigma amplifier could be.

Of course.

With great power comes significant risk.

“You mean to accelerate a stigma artificially… Ha, ha ha ha ha!”

Professor Jade laughed, his shoulders shaking as if he’d gone mad.

A grating, unpleasant laugh escaped from between his lips.

“You... Do you have no idea what happens when a stigma is artificially accelerated?”

“I do know.”

“You know, and yet you’re saying this?”

Professor Jade’s eyes gleamed dangerously.

“The stigma is both a vessel that contains magic and something akin to a heart that circulates magic throughout the body. And you want to accelerate that artificially?”

He had conducted several crazy experiments himself, but the stigma amplifier was a far more insane idea.

“If a stigma goes berserk, the meridians in your body will twist, and soon after, your organs will rupture, leading to a painful death.”

It’s essentially a poison, even if you call it a stigma amplifier.

“Sure, maybe through research, we might create something that a person can survive using once. But if they drink it more than twice, their body won’t withstand it.”

“I don\'t need it to withstand more.”

“…What?”

“As long as the effect is certain, it doesn\'t matter if I die after using it once.”

“…Ha.”

A low sigh escaped from between Professor Jade’s lips.

He waved his hand dismissively, as if he no longer found the conversation worth continuing.

“Get out of my lab immediately.”

A firm dismissal.

Professor Jade’s face was marked by clear irritation as he turned away.

‘Well, I suppose that’s the expected reaction.’

I would have chased someone out too, if they had made such a crazy request.

‘It can’t be helped.’

To get the professor to research the stigma amplifier, I couldn’t just keep my cards hidden.

Srrng.

I drew my sword from the scabbard at my waist.

Seeing the sharp, polished blade, Professor Jade laughed in disbelief.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to try and threaten me with that?”

“Would such a threat work on someone like you, who’s been steadfastly researching stigmas despite pressure from the Holy Nation?”

“Then?”

“Instead of explaining, I think it’s faster if I show you.”

I brought the sharp blade to my neck.

And I slashed.

Shwack!

Blood spurted out like a fountain.

My head, severed from my neck, rolled across the floor.

“Wh-what the...!”

Professor Jade sprang up from his chair, his face aghast.

As blood poured out, drenching him, he stood there in shock.

“…Huh?”

The blood that had splashed on him turned into gray ash and fell to the floor with a soft patter.

And then,

"Do you understand now? Why I said it didn’t matter."

“Gasp…!”

Professor Jade, his mouth agape and his expression like he’d seen a ghost, took a step back.

“You, you... what in the world…?”

Well, this reaction is only natural the first time you see it.

“You were trying to use an illusion spell on me…”

“A warrior wouldn’t be using illusion spells, would he?”

Though, thanks to Senior Sophia, I can use it a little if needed.

“This happened thanks to the ‘Blessing of revival.’”

“…Blessing of revival?”

“Yes. It’s a blessing that regenerates the body when a fatal injury that leads to death is sustained.”

“Hah.”

Professor Jade looked at me with disbelief.

I returned my sword to my neck and asked,

“If you still don’t believe me, should I cut it off again?”

“N-no! That’s not necessary!”

Professor Jade shook his head frantically, his face filled with fear.

Phew.

He took a deep breath, calming his excitement, and then spoke more composedly.

“So, you’re saying that because of the Blessing of revival, your body regenerates from any injury?”

“Well, it’s a bit different, but... you could think of it that way.”

“…So that’s why you asked me to develop that insane potion to amplify stigmas.”

Even if the stigma goes out of control and twists the body’s energy flow, it wouldn’t matter if the ‘Blessing of revival’ could regenerate it.

In other words.

At least for Dale Han, the stigma amplification potion would be a perfect elixir without any side effects.

“But no matter how powerful the blessing is, isn’t there a limit to how much your body can regenerate?”

“Limits, huh…”

A bitter smile crept onto my lips.

If there were such limits...

I wouldn’t have wandered alone for hundreds, thousands of years, longing for death.

“At least it’s not to the extent that the side effects of the stigma amplification potion can’t be healed.”

“Hmm.”

Indeed.

After witnessing a severed head regenerate in an instant, there was no room left to doubt the regenerative abilities of the ‘Blessing of revival.’

‘If he truly possesses a blessing that regenerates fatal wounds leading to death...’

Gulp.

Professor Jade swallowed dryly.

A hot sensation spread from the back of his neck, sending chills down his spine.

‘This could dramatically advance the stagnant research on stigmas.’

Why is stigma research so taboo?

Of course, there are religious reasons, but more than that, it’s because tampering with the delicate nature of stigmas is extremely dangerous.

But if someone could nullify that risk altogether and help with the research?

‘…Perhaps.’

He might be able to realize the ‘dream’ he had longed for so much.

‘Oscar.’

A young man with bright red hair, whose cheerful smile suited him so well.

The face of his former student naturally came to Professor Jade’s mind, and he closed his eyes tightly.

A pang of guilt that burned like fire gripped his chest.

The more he remembered his student, the more he felt as if someone was choking him, making it hard to breathe.

“Professor?”

“Oh… Sorry about that.”

Professor Jade shook his head as if to dispel the thoughts from his mind.

“So, you’re saying that since side effects don’t matter to you, you want me to create a stigma amplification potion?”

“That’s correct.”

“Hmm. A stigma amplification potion…”

Amplifying stigmas to unleash explosive power momentarily...

“…It shouldn’t be too difficult to create.”

“Oh?”

“Well, several studies have already been on how to induce stigma overload. The issue is ensuring the overload leads to a temporary increase in mana… That’s going to require some more research.”

“I’ll help with the research.”

“Ha! You? Help with the research?”

Professor Jade shook his head, as if dismissing the idea as absurd.

“Aren’t you in the warrior department? You’ve never even taken any classes on magic or alchemy, so how could you…?”

“I’ve studied the theory, so I know it to some extent.”

“Hah. This is ridiculous… Then how about you solve this problem?”

Professor Jade pulled out one of the many papers piled haphazardly on the table and handed it to me.

The content on the paper was related to three difficult problems left behind by his distant ancestor, the ‘Great Sage.’

The problems were so difficult that even most professors in the magic department couldn’t solve them, let alone understand them.

He handed it to me just to mess with a warrior department student who didn’t even know how hard magic really was.

“I solved it.”

“What?”

Solved it?

After just glancing at the paper?

Sigh.

Professor Jade took a deep breath and took the paper back.

“You might not know this, but these aren’t problems you can just guess the answer to... What?”

“Is there something wrong?”

“N-no. H-how…? This can’t… This can’t be right.”

Professor Jade’s hand, which held the paper, began to tremble.

“Y-you…”

Fire blazed in Professor Jade’s eyes as he looked at Dale.

It was like seeing the first love of his dreams, and his breathing became rough.

The professor quickly approached and grabbed Dale’s shoulders roughly.

“You…! Have you considered transferring to the magic department?!”

“Pardon?”

“After graduation, join my research lab! I’ll support you in the name of ‘Bastian’!”

“No.”

That’s a bit much...