Be that as it may, being able to receive magical instruction directly from Kalimford, the six-star mage whose name enjoyed the greatest prestige even among those of his same rank, was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Although easily crossing the wall of five stars was not realistic, at least for a while it did seem possible to aspire to a notable improvement in his magical level.
That thought made Dereck feel quietly satisfied.
‘I hope I can raise my magical mastery as much as possible while this opportunity lasts…’
Six-star mages are masters of the highest level, and in the entire world there are only a handful of them.
However, not all mages of that rank share the same inclination or temperament.
That was something obvious.
The higher the magical mastery, the firmer each person’s theory and personal interpretation become.
Depending on whom one takes as a teacher, one’s vision and values regarding magic inevitably change.
In the end, once a certain level is surpassed, there is no choice but to follow the line of one’s own master.
In fact, even the young noblewomen who had learned magic from Dereck showed a freer and less rigid way of using mana than that of traditional academic mages.
Depending on who transmitted the magic, differences between schools became inevitable, and mastering all types of magic became something close to impossible.
Moreover, Dereck’s former teacher had been none other than the black mage Fina.
He had received many teachings from her, but her instruction carried a deadly danger Fina’s status itself.
Being known as the disciple of a black mage was an absolute forbidden line, something that could not be revealed under any circumstances.
Black mages, capable of defiling corpses, manipulating souls, and trampling human dignity without hesitation, had always been persecuted and suppressed in every era and region.
‘The magic I can learn from Kalimford is completely removed from that danger. At the very least, I can try to cross the wall of five stars by following an orthodox path.’
Sitting in his private room, Dereck stroked his chin with a serious expression.
He opened and closed his hand several times, testing the sensation.
His physical condition had already fully recovered, but the image of the six-star spell that Kalimford had manifested was still burned into his memory.
A domain that made any ordinary person lose the will to fight just by facing it.
In truth, even Dereck had felt an absurd pressure upon witnessing that magic.
“…”
The tips of his fingers trembled slightly.
Dereck was not someone who showed confusion easily.
His ability to remain calm in any situation had allowed him to survive for years in the merciless world of mercenaries.
Even so, when recalling that magic of overwhelming scale, a slight excitement inevitably welled up inside him.
That was the domain of six stars.
The level Dereck longed to reach.
And someone who had already arrived there was standing right before him.
‘If I’m honest, right now I don’t think it’s possible.’
A six-star combat mage can summon meteorites with complete naturalness.
An illusion mage can deceive everyone, transcending perception and consciousness.
A transfor