"Iz, what do you think is the most important type of magic?"

"Mmm... that’s a very good question. What do you think?"

"I’d say... Arcane magic?"

"Arcane, huh. It certainly is an incredibly profound field of magic. The calculation and construction of many spells rely heavily on Arcane principles."

"But... it isn’t the most important."

"There are way too many types of magic. Iz, just tell me directly."

Izparut placed a hand against his chin in thought.

"Mmm... personally, I think the most important branch is Elemental Magic."

"Elemental?"

"That’s right. Spatial magic, temporal magic, mental magic, summoning, creation, projection—even Arcane magic itself, which many consider the very foundation of all magic..."

"None of them are as important as the elements."

"Are they really that important?"

A flame appeared in Kanzaki Rei’s palm, illuminating the snowy night of Knorlea.

"Elemental magic is simply... powerful destructive force, along with the corresponding elemental properties. The most basic form of magic."

"So why is it the most important?"

Elemental magic truly was the most fundamental form of magic.

Every mage began learning elemental spells from Level 1 onward. Whether attacking or defending, elemental magic was always involved.

It was too fundamental.

Far less complex than spatial or temporal magic.

Far less unpredictable than mental magic.

Izparut reached out and touched the flame in Kanzaki Rei’s hand.

The fire instantly solidified.

"It is precisely because it is fundamental... that it forms the basis of everything."

"You can afford to slack off in your study of Arcane magic. Some Arcane techniques and tools may never even affect your magical path if left unused."

"But the elements..."

"No matter what stage of magehood you reach, you can never abandon the pursuit of mastery over them."

"Elements are the root of all magic."

Whoosh!

Light and darkness exploded outward around Kanzaki Rei!

Yet as he looked at his disciple, Kanzaki Rei’s understanding of magic deepened even further.

Back then, all he knew was that advancing from a Level 1 Mage to a Level 2 Mage required a series of rituals.

Certain things had to be proven.

But he never understood why those things needed to be proven.

Now, revisiting everything from the beginning...

The mountains were no longer mountains.

The waters were no longer waters.

The advancement from Level 1 to Level 2 was fundamentally about demonstrating one’s magical foundation. What Origin observed... was a mage’s mastery over the basics.

As long as that aspect could be properly displayed—

It didn’t necessarily have to involve casting elemental magic.

It was simply that most advancement ceremonies had already standardized this into the default process for mage ascension.

But in reality, perhaps there were better ways to demonstrate that mastery.

Rather than rigidly following a fixed advancement formula and showcasing eight predetermined spells—

That method might actually suppress the talents of certain individuals.

The dust settled.

Although Kanzaki Rei had served as Sueharu’s target throughout the entire process, he remained completely unharmed.

"Alright."

"There’s only one final step left."

"Show it to me."

Sueharu nodded lightly.

A bone gradually materialized in his hand.

It belonged to a Second-Tier Lord-class monster.

Just a few days earlier, Kanzaki Rei had taken Sueharu into a dungeon.

Throughout the entire expedition, Kanzaki Rei never intervened once.

He merely supervised from the sidelines as Sueharu completed the dungeon conquest himself.

That had been Sueharu’s first true battle.

The monsters themselves weren’t particularly strong. Kanzaki Rei hadn’t enhanced them in any way.

Still, toward the very end, Sueharu had experienced a small but genuine brush with death.

A giant serpent had nearly bitten off his arm.

Fortunately, Sueharu’s magic had been just slightly faster, killing the creature first.

A Level 1 Mage solo-clearing a Second-Tier dungeon and slaying a Second-Tier Lord—

That was an undeniably glorious achievement.

Soft light swirled around him.

Glorious achievements.

A solid magical foundation.

Everything had already proven that he possessed more than enough qualifications to become a Level 2 Mage.

Not just any Level 2 Mage—

But an exceptionally outstanding one.

Sueharu achieved a Perfect Advancement.

The joy on his face surfaced naturally, and even Kanzaki Rei found himself slightly affected by the emotion.

"Master!"

"I feel like my thoughts have become so much clearer!"

"Mhm. That’s the sensation of your spirituality improving. Recall the things I taught you. Feel your own spirituality."

Sueharu nodded vigorously.

"Yeah!"

"When you become a Level 3 Mage, you’ll gain Perception. At that point, you’ll discover an entirely different world."

"The world perceived through awareness is completely different from the world seen through the eyes."

As Kanzaki Rei described the future awaiting him, Sueharu seemed to glimpse it as well.

It was as though he truly saw the day he would become a high-ranking mage.

His heart surged with longing.

The future itself felt intoxicating.

"Master..."

"Tell me... if I really become very strong someday..."

"Would I have a chance..."

"A chance to bring them back to life?"

Sueharu’s voice gradually weakened, yet his eyes remained filled with desperate hope as he looked at Kanzaki Rei.

That question...

Back then, Kanzaki Rei had once wondered the same thing himself.

As one gradually experienced the growth of overwhelming power, ambition naturally expanded alongside it.

You began feeling as though anything could be accomplished.

Anything could be realized.

He had once dreamed that after becoming strong enough, he could return to Earth.

Dreamed of becoming the strongest existence in the world.

Seeing Kanzaki Rei remain silent, Sueharu spoke softly again.

"I heard... that the legendary Moonstar, Sosophia, possesses the power to resurrect the dead."

"If..."

"I mean, hypothetically... if one day I became as powerful as Moonstar... could I really do those things?"

Kanzaki Rei parted his lips slightly.

Moonstar truly was terrifyingly powerful.

Only after meeting Yakadikt did Kanzaki Rei finally understand what level of existence Moonstar truly represented.

In the end, every disaster in this world...

Every pain.

Every conflict.

To the current Moonstar, all of it amounted to nothing more than childish commotion.

Back then, Ansu had dominated the mortal world entirely. The entire realm existed beneath the Ansu Dynasty, and several Level 9 Class-Changers served beneath him as subjects.

Such prosperity.

Such magnificent authority.

Yet even that empire had been utterly shattered to pieces by the descending White.

Kanzaki Rei did not explain just how powerful Moonstar truly was.

Instead, he smiled faintly and said,

"If you can become Moonstar..."

"Then you should possess the power to change all of this."

Light reignited within Sueharu’s eyes.

"Then I’ll work toward becoming Moonstar!"

"Master, will you become Moonstar too?"

Kanzaki Rei smiled.

"Yes."

"I will too."

"I will become Moonstar."

The God-Tier Talent "My Wish" had already activated.

That desire had now become Kanzaki Rei’s wish.

Which meant that, given enough time, one day he would inevitably become Moonstar.

No matter what form that took...

Even if the entire world itself became twisted—

That wish would eventually come true.

And at the very moment that wish was made—

Kanzaki Rei’s naked eyes witnessed fate itself distort.

Countless threads of destiny converging toward him snapped apart one after another before reconnecting once more.

Among them was a single thin golden thread that shone with extraordinary brilliance.

Even though it was only a thread, Kanzaki Rei immediately recognized its source.

It belonged to Yakadikt.

"I just hope I won’t have to fight her over it..."

Among all possible existences, the Moonstar that Kanzaki Rei feared most in relation to "My Wish" was Yakadikt herself.

He truly didn’t know—

Which was stronger?

Her miracle...

Or his wish?