Magus Supremacy

"Relearn what I know about magic, huh? Thankfully, that is exactly what I came here for." Grey chuckled and was about to move on when he noticed the glowing message still remained on the wall.

"When I say relearn magic again, I'm talking about some new techniques. All my life in this continent, I went from clan to clan, learning their fighting techniques which made use of Ki. Since I don't know how to use it, I replaced Ki with mana.

So hence, I produced warrior mage techniques that require mana usage. Sure, you would relearn the basics of magic too though. So it's like learning everything from scratch. Though the book isn't complete."

"Wait! The book isn't complete? Hold on! So is your damn message!" Grey roared as he realized the words had abruptly ended. His face twisted with frustration. "Where is the remaining part of the book? Where is the first half hidden? Damn it, Thalos, say something!"

"What do you want me to say? My master always loved mysteries and acted like some detective or puzzle-maker. If you want to gain his power and knowledge, you need to be smart, if not smarter, than he was." Thalos replied with a shrug as he casually scanned the room, his eyes soon catching sight of the faint glow of the portal that had been mentioned in the message.

'Damn it! Where is the book kept here? Where can I find it though?' Grey thought, pacing rapidly around the room. His boots scraped against the stone floor as he searched between rocks, cracks, and uneven patches of ground. Nothing revealed itself.

"Most importantly, how do we get out of this cave?" Thalos muttered as his gaze shifted to the massive boulder blocking the entrance. His brows furrowed. 'I could punch it open, but I don't know exactly where we are. I only ever followed my master here through teleportation. When we were about to leave, he would draw a magic circle to take us wherever we needed to be.'

Grey wasn't listening. His thoughts spiraled with agitation. 'Where is it? Where is the book? Don't let my trip here be useless, damn it, I—'

He stopped abruptly when his foot brushed against a loose stone, causing him to stumble forward. In his scramble to steady himself, his hands shot out instinctively. Mana flared from his palms, striking the wall with an uncontrolled burst.

To his shock, the wall reacted. A glowing crack appeared where his palms had landed, light spilling out like a vein splitting open. Grey leaped back, heart hammering in his chest, and watched in silence as the crack widened slowly.

Then, something slipped through.

A book.

Grey's eyes widened in relief. He lunged forward without hesitation, yanking it free from the wall. The crack sealed itself shut the instant the book was removed, leaving only silence behind.

"Finally got the damn book." Grey cheered, raising it high above his head like a prize. His voice echoed through the cave.

Thalos, unmoved, simply sat down at a corner of the cave, resting his weapon across his knees. He watched silently, his expression unreadable, as if waiting to see what Grey would do with the newfound treasure.

Turning the book around in his hands, Grey noticed immediately that the remaining half was torn off. He grimaced but quickly shrugged it off. Half a book was better than none at all.

Not caring that they were stranded in an unknown cave, Grey eagerly sat down on the ground, crossing his legs like a student before a teacher. He had completely forgotten the danger and the distance from home. All that mattered was the book in his hands.

'Let's see what this book is about.' His excitement surged as he flipped open the worn cover.

On the first page, large bold handwriting greeted him:

{This book was written by the one and only best mage in the whole of Arondale. It contains all my years of being a mage and the magic I encountered. Treat it like a princess, and learn as much as you want.

Though it isn't complete because I tore the remaining half which contains more advanced magic spells, techniques and so on. Because one can't be too sure. Who knows, you might be someone evil. Lol}

'Huh? Arondale?! Is that the name of the continent we both come from? Damn it! I wish I could also find a book that can give me all my memories back too.' Grey thought as he flipped to the next page, and there he saw it written clearly.

<Introduction to Magic>Without wasting a second, he began reading the contents.

"Magic is a term for extraordinary abilities which normal humans aren't supposed to wield. Those who wield it are called mages, which immediately puts them above the normal humans.

Mana is the energy source to power our magic, and the mana core is mostly found around the chest of mages. Just a little underneath the heart."

'Hmmm. Interesting.' Grey thought as he nodded inwardly while reading on.

"To use magic, one needs to awaken their mana core and make sure they have mana. That is when they can use the abilities their luck so chooses. Some people have one, two or three different affinities. But only those truly fortunate and powerful can wield three, four, or even five affinities."

'Affinities?' Grey thought with a raised eyebrow when a blurry image suddenly flashed in his mind. He could see himself standing before someone who radiated immense aura and overwhelming power, the figure's presence alone making his heart beat faster.

Months of experiencing these strange flashbacks had built his resilience against the headaches that usually followed, which was why he could quickly steady himself and return to reading.

"Right! Affinities are the different magic types mages can wield. One could have an affinity with wind, earth, fire, metal, smoke, mist, poison, lightning, protection and so on. Depending on either one's luck or one's hereditary."

'Oh! So that's what affinities mean. If I recall properly, I used wind and lightning on several occasions. During the alleyway battle with those Midnight Suns, and then against Thalos. So that means I have two affinities, huh? Good to know.' Grey thought with a wide grin on his face before eagerly continuing.

"Anyway. That's basically all about magic, so let's delve into how one can awaken a few basic affinities, how to use them, the spells, and how destructive the affinities are. Stick around because this is going to be a wild ride."

With a knowing smile tugging at his lips, Grey flipped through the pages, ready to reawaken his affinities and reclaim the magic that was once his.

The mere thought of channeling mana again sent a strange warmth through his chest, and his fingers trembled slightly, not with fear but with excitement. Whatever waited on the next pages felt like the beginning of a long-awaited reunion between him and the power he was meant to wield.