Chapter 194: Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place (Third Update)
It was obvious—this Matthew Merlin had been jointly recommended to join the Hand of Mana by Joey and Oswald. Nine times out of ten, it was because he’d achieved something with Vanrison’s Formulas. Otherwise, why would a Title Archmage and a Worldshaper casually sponsor someone together?
But honestly, in everyone’s eyes, such an achievement probably meant he’d proposed a few new ideas in the research on Vanrison’s Formulas, or maybe handled the calculations for a specific module. As for the so-called ‘huge contribution’—that was most likely Joey and Oswald exaggerating.
At first, everyone just listened and let it go…
But now, the more they listened, the less it made sense…
What the hell is going on?
Did Joey just say he cracked Vanrison’s Formulas?
The first thought that popped into everyone’s mind was: Did Joey have too much to drink?
Otherwise, why would he say something like that?
Everyone knew that, in magical research, you could talk about a participant’s contribution or achievements, but ‘cracking’ something—that was always reserved for the project leader.
Unless someone had achieved something utterly unimaginable in this magical research—far beyond what anyone else could manage…
Only when one person’s results surpassed everyone else’s combined would the word ‘cracked’ even be used.
The research on Vanrison’s Formulas was led by Joey, but now Joey was saying that Matthew Merlin had cracked them…
What on earth was going on here?
It didn’t take long before someone couldn’t hold back.
“Lord Joey, I have a question!” The speaker was a Fifth-ranked Title Archmage. Leon remembered Joey had introduced him before—this was Elgin, from the northern tundra of the kingdom.
“Go ahead.”
“As everyone knows, Lord Joey, you’ve spent more than a decade on Vanrison’s Formulas. Frankly, there’s no mage in Andalusia Kingdom who understands them better than you. I’m curious—what exactly did Grand Mage Merlin achieve with Vanrison’s Formulas that earned such high praise from you?”
“Heh…” Joey didn’t say much, just smiled and pulled a sheet of draft paper from his pocket. “That’s a great question, but unfortunately, I can’t give you a detailed answer. Grand Mage Merlin’s contributions to Vanrison’s Formulas aren’t something that can be explained in a few words. If you really want to know, I suggest you look at this draft—Grand Mage Merlin calculated all this in just one hour…”
“Thank you, Lord Joey.” Elgin nodded and took the draft from the attendant, beginning to study it carefully…
At first, Elgin’s expression was perfectly calm, but as he kept reading, the face of the Fifth-ranked Title Archmage gradually changed.
By the end, there were even a few beads of cold sweat on his forehead.
Elgin didn’t even care that this was a Hand of Mana gathering. He pulled out a goose feather quill and a fresh sheet of paper, found a table, and started calculating furiously.
“How is this possible…” As Elgin’s calculations grew deeper, the sweat on his forehead only increased, becoming more and more dense.
It was a full ten minutes before Elgin carefully put away his own draft paper…
Then, under everyone’s gaze, he nodded to Leon: “My apologies, Grand Mage Merlin.”
“You’re too kind…” Leon just smiled, saying nothing more.
Elgin’s sudden change in attitude immediately drew everyone’s attention. Almost everyone looked on with curiosity, and a few Title Archmages who were close to Elgin even took the draft paper from his hands…
Everyone at a Hand of Mana gathering was a top mage of the kingdom—their insight and experience were far beyond what ordinary mages could imagine. As soon as the draft was passed around, they instantly saw how remarkable it was…
This level of calculation was simply terrifying…
Forget a Fifth-ranked Grand Mage—even a Fifth-ranked Archmage, or a Fifth-ranked Title Archmage, shouldn’t have this kind of terrifying calculation ability. The data on that draft paper was dry and complex, but everyone could see just how monstrous the calculation behind it was—efficient and precise, like a machine that never made mistakes.
At this point, everyone finally started to understand…
Why could this Matthew Merlin, with the power of a Fifth-ranked Grand Mage, go toe-to-toe with Darren, a Ninth-ranked Archmage…
That’s right—it was all because of this terrifying calculation ability.
For a mage, calculation ability is directly tied to combat strength. The stronger the calculation, the more efficient and precise the spellcasting. When a Grand Mage’s calculation ability reaches a certain level, it’s actually possible to break through rank limitations and contend with an Archmage.
It’s just that Grand Mage Merlin’s leap was a bit too extreme…
Looks like Joey and Oswald really did have good reason to jointly recommend Matthew Merlin…
“Joey, a single draft paper doesn’t prove much…” Just as several Title Archmages were about to nod in agreement, a cold, untimely voice suddenly interjected.
The voice sounded icy, and when addressing Joey, it didn’t bother with the courtesy of adding ‘Lord.’
In the entire Andalusia Kingdom, the only one who would address Joey like that was the Chairman of the Black Tower Council—himself a Ninth-ranked Title Archmage who’d touched the realm of the extraordinary—Heron, whom Joey called ‘the undead freak.’
That’s right—the one speaking now was Heron.
The Chairman of the Black Tower Council slowly stepped out from the crowd, his gaze sweeping past Leon. At Heron’s level, a Fifth-ranked Grand Mage was hardly worth his attention, even if that mage had just gone up against a Ninth-ranked Archmage, even if he possessed terrifying calculation abilities…
In fact, forget this Grand Mage—even in a hall of thirty-some people, with over twenty Title Archmages present, the only one Heron truly acknowledged was Joey.
“Joey, as one of the elders of the Hand of Mana, you should know what we stand for. The Hand of Mana pursues the sharing and exchange of magical knowledge. Look at every member—each has their own unique understanding of magic. Now you want to admit a Grand Mage just because he’s good at calculations? That’s laughable…”
“Heron, you think that’s laughable?” Joey glanced at the Chairman, his expression growing visibly sour.
The other Title Archmages in the banquet hall all instinctively took a few steps back, making space for the two.
No surprise—this scene was all too familiar…
Every Hand of Mana gathering, these two would clash. Sometimes, if the mood struck, they’d even come to blows. Making space now was better than getting caught in the crossfire later.
“Heh, Joey, you don’t think it’s laughable? Look—every member of the Hand of Mana is at least a First-ranked Title Archmage. Anyone who’s reached this level—whose calculation ability is inferior to others’? Find me one, just one, and I’ll agree to let Matthew Merlin join the Hand of Mana!”
“I…” Joey opened his mouth, but found himself unable to speak.
Heron’s words could only be described as insidious…
Anyone who’d seen that draft paper knew the young Grand Mage’s calculation ability outstripped many Title Archmages present. Of course Joey knew that too. The problem was, he couldn’t say it out loud…
What was he supposed to do—just point at some Title Archmage and announce, ‘Look, this guy’s calculation ability isn’t as good as Matthew Merlin’s?’
That would be taking the joke way too far…
Title Archmages have their pride too!
Knowing it in your heart is one thing, but saying it in public? That’s a slap in the face—anyone with a bit of temper would never stand for it.
“Kev…” After a cold laugh, Heron called Kev by name. “Tell me, is calculation ability alone enough to join the Hand of Mana?”
“Yes, Kev, let’s hear it!” Joey wasn’t backing down either.
“Uh…” Kev nearly burst into tears on the spot…
Am I really this unlucky?
He’d just gotten bruised and battered thanks to an incompetent disciple, and now he was about to be dragged into a power struggle between two mage factions. Wasn’t this a bit much?
It was obvious—supporting Joey meant offending Heron, and supporting Heron meant offending Joey.
The problem was, Kev couldn’t afford to offend either of them…
Both were beings who’d touched the realm of the extraordinary, each backed by one of the kingdom’s two major mage factions. Whether it was personal strength or factional power, Kev—who kept to the east—couldn’t possibly provoke either. To offend one was enough to give him nightmares for weeks…
Just as Kev was about to burst into tears, he suddenly noticed Heron’s right hand—hidden behind his back—making a strange gesture…
“Lord Joey, Lord Heron…” At the sight of that gesture, Kev stiffened, then brightened visibly; his earlier hesitation vanished without a trace. “Since both of you think so highly of me, I’ll offer my opinion. Personally, I believe that simply having good calculation ability isn’t enough to qualify for the Hand of Mana…”