City of Witches Chapter 223

Dense magic power becomes a massive storm in and of itself.

Watching the brilliant golden magic reflections scattering in all directions while vibrating the air with a low hum, Eloa fell silent for a moment.

Duke Tiferet, hunting Homunculi and public enemies with a single sword.

Although she had many public enemies as foes, there were also no small number of Witches who admired and yearned for her.

For that reason, while wandering the Mortal Realm, many Witches would come to her requesting instruction.

Their reasons were varied.

For safety, for greater achievement in Magic, to become stronger.

When they came with their plausible reasons and aspirations, she would readily impart her honed martial arts.

'This doesn't seem to suit me.'

'It's different from what I thought.'

'I'm sorry.'

And usually, they would give up before even two weeks had passed.

It wasn't because the Witches lacked patience or perseverance.

Witches are typically more tenacious and diligent than any human, to the point where in some aspects, it could be called madness.

The reason such Witches chose to give up quickly was because that much time was enough for them to calculate.

The calculation that 'No matter how hard I try at this, I won't gain anything in the future.'

Because Tiferet's teachings were something that ran on a completely different track from ordinary Witches.

Therefore, Eloa, three days after the training began—

That is, as soon as she realized Siwoo had no talent for martial arts, she unconsciously placed him on the same level as the other Witches.

She accepted it with brief disappointment, thinking, 'He'll probably quit soon.'

Thus, she didn't even think to properly check.

What talent he possessed, where his strengths lay.

She didn't even question how someone who seemed utterly ordinary had survived countless battlefields.

"Still not enough? It's starting to get difficult now."

Starting to get difficult now?

He didn't look like that at all.

Not a single drop of sweat had formed on his forehead.

If he put his mind to it, he could probably produce twice, even four times this amount of magic power.

"If you used all of that for Body Enhancement, your Spirit Body would burst."

"I suppose so...? Honestly, I can't even handle this entire amount."

As Siwoo gestured lightly, about half of the magic power quickly dissipated.

Seeing him handle magic power so freely, Tiferet couldn't help but be amazed once again.

Because she could clearly see just how profound his mastery over magic control was.

"Shall we reduce it a bit more?"

"Yes, is this enough?"

After reducing the magic power a few more times, only an amount remained that Tiferet thought wouldn't be excessive for proceeding with enhancement through the magic circuit.

"Good, that seems appropriate for a first attempt."

Eloa realized her voice had lightened with anticipation without her noticing.

"I'll explain the method first."

"Yes, please."

"Sit down for a moment."

"Okay."

As Siwoo sat cross-legged, Eloa continued her explanation.

"Originally, Body Enhancement begins from the Brand, circulates through the magic circuit, completes one full cycle to the extremities, and is achieved. However, since your Brand's location is different, we'll need to make a slight adjustment.

From now on, I will guide your magic power. Remember the sequence well.

Of course, I have no intention of harming you or recklessly probing for anything, so you can rest assured. Is that alright?"

Eloa spoke in a cautious tone.

Eloa always used careful and earnest speech, but now it was especially so.

Surrendering control of one's magic power, or accepting another's magic power into one's own body.

Both of these are extremely dangerous acts.

Because if even the slightest malice or mistake mixes in, one could suffer internal injuries difficult to recover from.

Even when teaching Body Enhancement to other Witches, many had shaken their heads at this part.

"Ah, I didn't even think of that."

But Siwoo obediently bowed his head and waited for Eloa.

Despite it being only half a month, and despite not having such enthusiastic lessons, he readily showed his disarmament.

Siwoo stepped forward without hesitation because he didn't know the risks in detail, but to Eloa, it was seen as a significant token of immense trust.

"Duke?"

"Ah, understood."

Eloa hesitantly stretched out her white hand and placed it on Siwoo's crown.

"It's best to move as little as possible."

"Yes, I understand."

Her magic power seeped ever so slightly into Siwoo's body.

Like priming water, Eloa's magic power, burrowing into the circuit, slowly began to guide Siwoo.

In the process, Eloa could observe Siwoo's magic circuit in its entirety.

The circuits spreading throughout his body, centered on the Brand in his left eye.

Guiding the magic power through the Yangbai acupoint to the Baihui acupoint, Eloa gradually began to spread it throughout his entire body.

"........"

"........"

Neither spoke a word.

Because if either one's concentration wavered in this state, they could witness an unsightly outcome.

"Done, did you remember it?"

Enhancing the body is trickier than it looks.

If magic power isn't applied in the correct sequence, tangles in the magic occur.

Also, if it isn't precisely and differentially distributed considering joint movement and muscle mass, a major disaster could happen.

For example, when performing a punching motion, if the fist is imbued with 10 units of magic power but the shoulder only receives about 2, it could result in dislocation or other self-inflicted injuries.

Therefore, the process naturally becomes complex and requires caution.

"It won't be easy to remember in one go. I'll do it once more."

"Ah, I think I've memorized it. I was just reviewing it in my mind."

"Is that so?"

If it were the expectation she had for Siwoo earlier, she would have told him not to talk nonsense and to observe carefully again.

But right after witnessing the amplification of magic power earlier, it didn't seem like mere empty bravado.

"Show me."

Siwoo rose from his seat, tilted his head left and right, and then began circulating magic power throughout his body.

A much greater amount of power than what Eloa had demonstrated was distributed appropriately and correctly across his body.

"Wow... it really works."

"Try moving carefully, will you?"

"Like this?"

"Be careful...!"

-Boom!Eloa had suggested simply walking around, but Siwoo threw a punch into the air as if throwing a light jab.

The omnipotent feeling of becoming a superhuman when wearing the armor.

A fist swung so fast it would be invisible to ordinary eyes tore through the air.

He then swiftly moved his body back and forth.

He rapidly alternated jumping left and right, or launched his body as if swinging a sword.

With just a light kick off the ground, he soared nearly 20 meters into the air before landing.

The martial arts he had somewhat internalized while sparring with Eloa unfolded with astonishing naturalness.

"........"

Eloa unconsciously let her mouth fall slightly open.

It must be similar to the feeling of seeing a baby you just taught to walk suddenly say, "Hmm, I think I get it," and immediately perform a windmill.

In any case, his adaptability far exceeded her expectations.

"Hup! Hup! Hup!"

Siwoo moved his body this way and that.

He wanted to try something like a Shoryuken or a Leaf Hurricane, but since the duke was watching, he settled for some clumsy shadowboxing instead.

His body moved freely.

It was amazing that he could move like this even without the armor's assistance.

(1) Think about the body's movement in advance.

(2) Move the armor accordingly.

(3) The body inside moves.

With steps (1) and (2) omitted, his body moved exactly as he thought, with almost no delay or error.

To put it simply, the difference in sensation was like clicking an icon on a monitor with a mouse versus directly touching it with your hand.

Eloa was bewildered.

Siwoo's movements when not using magic power had been utterly clumsy.

In a way, he was the very epitome of "a person who cannot properly control their body" that she had encountered countless times.

But as soon as he reinforced his Spirit Body with magic power, his movements became as free as if he had shed a sandbag.

His hands and feet, which had constantly been out of sync, now matched perfectly.

Eloa vaguely realized.

He had been holding onto what she had taught him quite accurately, visualizing it in his mind.

However, he hadn't been born with the motor skills necessary to execute it, so he couldn't realize it.

Like a bicycle slowing down and falling sideways.

But now, with the aid of magic power, movements his body couldn't follow were being perfectly realized.

From the beginning, he had been a genius at handling magic power, not his body.

Her astonishment was brief, as curiosity suddenly welled up.

"Siwoo-kun."

"Yes, Your Grace. Thanks to you, I've learned something good."

"Would you like to try following this as well?"

Eloa took a breath in.

She pulled her front foot back, tightly aligning it with her rear foot, and infused it with magic power before thrusting her heel forward.

Bending both legs into a horse-riding stance, but extending the front leg so it forms a right angle with the supporting foot.

Push off the ground, concentrate that force without waste into the legs, then accelerate by rotating the waist.

Rotate using the force drawn up to the back as an axis, Simultaneously accelerating with magic power.

Finally, gather all the force from the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fist to an extreme point and release it forward...

-BANG!

As Eloa's vertically clenched fist split the air, a sound like striking an iron plate rang out.

Even though it hadn't touched anything.

The rooftop cement that had been supporting her was now visibly cracking and splitting.

The most fundamental of basics that she instinctively applied when using swordsmanship.

It was the ultimate Foot Technique (emitting force), gathering all generated force without leakage to a single point.

"Whoa... Bongkwon...."

Siwoo applauded in admiration.

He had memories of being beaten by that in the past, which made his insides feel a bit tense, but it was certainly impressive.

Eloa's fluttering pink hair settled as she exhaled a hoo and calmed her breathing.

"Now, you try."

"You want me to copy that...?"

He couldn't bring himself to do it.

If it were just flailing his limbs, he might have given it a try, but after seeing a display like a martial arts master and being told nonchalantly to give it a go, the thought "How am I supposed to do this!" naturally arose.

"It's simple. Relax your body as much as possible and use only the necessary muscles."

That's easier said than done...

"But you have a distinction here. Don't try to move your body."

"Don't move my body?"

"That's right. Relax your body as much as you can, and focus only on the magic power within your magical circuit with the feeling of moving it."

"...Could you show me a few more times?"

"It's not difficult."

Eloa assumed the same posture as before.

And for his reference, she thrust her hand forward with the exact same magic power, the exact same force, and at the exact same timing, without a single error.

At a glance, it seemed like nothing special, but it was an extremely high level of skill.

Because her body moved tracing the exact same trajectory without even a 1mm error.

It was like performing a long jump and landing at the exact same distance with the exact same posture without any error.

It meant Eloa's physical control ability had transcended the human realm.

"Hoo... How is it?"

Siwoo watched Eloa's demonstration intently.

What he focused on wasn't her posture or movements.

With his left eye that could visualize the flow of magic power, he observed at what timing the magic power was distributed and how it affected acceleration.

"I'll give it a try."

"Please do."

Under Eloa's gaze, which seemed indifferent yet brimming with expectation, Siwoo mimicked the movements of hers that had surfaced in his mind.

-KOOOONG!

And then.

A small crater formed on the rooftop.

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A commission work provided by Amelpifejoa-nim!!!

Happy moments from Amelia's childhood with the previous generation Merigold...!!!

They really look so harmonious.... So cute!!!