The one-and-a-half-month journey to the Royal Capital was not a period of travel; it was Lencar's private, moving academy. He walked for fourteen hours a day, slept for six, and dedicated every waking moment to mastering the complex, terrifying arsenal he had stolen. The destination was the deadline, and the road was his classroom.
His initial challenge was to integrate the seven new Devoured Magics—Stone, String, Needle, Iron, Bind, Earth-Spike, and Plant—into the rigid, inflexible frameworks of the three Copied Magics—Fire (Rion), Wind (Marta/Yuno), and Chain (Revchi). The Replica Grimoire helped, providing a single, dedicated page for each magic he possessed, serving as a clean index for his mind.
The Grimoire Overview (Current Arsenal)
Lencar often stopped in quiet mountain passes to open his grimoire, not to cast, but to inventory his assets:
Page
Magic Type
Source
State of Magic
New Spells/Techniques
P1
Wind Magic
Yuno/Marta
Copied (Fixed)
Technique: Zephyr Burst (Movement using fixed spell recoil)
P2
Fire Magic
Rion
Copied (Fixed)
Technique: Heat Suppression (Muffling the searing output)
P3
Chain Magic
Revchi
Copied (Fixed)
Technique: Anti-Magic Latch (Targeting magic sigils)
P4
Concealment
Devoured (Vex)
Integrated (Flexible)
[Aura Cloak: Regulator]
P5
Stone Magic
Devoured
Integrated (Flexible)
[Stone Shroud], [Rock Barrier]
P6
Iron Magic
Devoured
Integrated (Flexible)
[Iron Shell] (Dense Body Armor)
P7
Needle Magic
Devoured
Integrated (Flexible)
[Mana Silencer] (Suppression on cast)
P8
String Magic
Devoured
Integrated (Flexible)
[Trip Wire], [Cutting Filament]
P9
Bind Magic
Devoured
Integrated (Flexible)
[Mana Thread Detector] (Scrying)
P10
Heretic Mode
Asta
Arcane (Toggle)
[TOGGLE] (Absolute Magic Immunity)
Lencar spent weeks wrestling with his Copied Magics. Since he couldn't change the underlying structure of spells like [Towering Tornado], his only path was absolute control over the Stage 5 Mana volume.
He would aim the [Towering Tornado] at a distant sapling. He didn't want to destroy the sapling; he wanted to polish it. He spent hours, his focus an excruciating effort, forcing the Regulator to constrict the mana flow to 1% volume. The violent, cyclonic energy of the fixed spell would descend, not as a typhoon, but as a tight, focused cone of scouring wind that stripped the bark without breaking the wood.
The Fire Magic was equally demanding. He had to shed the fear of the Compressed Ember. He practiced making the fire silent. He learned to immediately engage the Needle Magic's [Mana Silencer] technique to coat the Fire Magic's output, allowing him to launch fist-sized fireballs that generated no residual mana signature. He could now assassinate an opponent with a burning projectile that left no lingering magical trace for a Captain to track.
His Chain Magic training was the simplest. He practiced the Technique: Anti-Magic Latch—firing the inflexible, dull iron chains and using his mana sensing to have them automatically latch onto the mana signature of a target's grimoire or cast spell. The chains were dull weapons, but perfect handcuffs.
Forging the Integrated: New Creations
The Devoured Magics were his true power. They were integrated, meaning Lencar possessed the fundamental affinity and could create unique spells. This was the focus of his exponential growth.
Defense Integration: Lencar combined Iron Magic's ability to create dense matter with Stone Magic's ability to manipulate earth. He developed [Iron Shell], a spell that instantly coated his Mana-Forged body in a dense, flexible armor only a few millimeters thick. It was heavier than any standard Noble's armor, transforming his already durable body into a mobile tank.
Stealth and Detection Synergy: This was the most complex and valuable training.
He merged Concealment Magic (subtraction) with Bind Magic's innate ability to sense fine threads of mana. The result was [Ghost Trace]: He could cast an invisible layer of Binding Mana into the surrounding area, allowing him to detect any mana signature that passed through the "threads," even if they were actively using high-level Concealment Magic. This was a magical sonar system, turning his blindness into a total advantage.
He also created [Phantom Sight], merging the thermal principles of Fire Magic with the subtle density readings of Stone Magic. This allowed him to "see" disturbances in the ambient temperature and ground density caused by large mana users, effectively allowing him to track high-level mages who were trying to hide using non-magical means.
The Final Test: The Royal Road
Two weeks before the exam, Lencar emerged from the rugged foothills onto the wide, well-patrolled main roads leading into the Royal Capital. The risk of detection was immediate.
He instantly engaged his Concealment Magic: [Aura Cloak: Regulator]. His massive Stage 5 Mana went silent, his signature settling to the hum of a low-ranking squad member—unremarkable, but present.
He encountered his first patrol: two Blue Rose Knights, a woman and a man, flying lazily overhead.
Conflict: Avoidance and Proof of Concept.
The woman, a Stage 4 mage, dipped lower. Lencar instantly dropped his mana signature using the [Aura Cloak] to Stage 6, the level of an average recruit. He deliberately made his physical appearance look exhausted.
"You there, boy!" the Blue Rose Knight called down, landing her broom near him. "What's your business heading to the capital? Traveling alone?"
Lencar gave her the perfect, commoner response, a mix of awe and exhaustion. "Y-yes, Ma'am! I have a grimoire, and I'm hoping to take the Magic Knights exam. I've been walking for months."
The knight scoffed, sensing his Stage 6 mana. "A bit late, aren't you? Well, keep moving. And stay off the path once it gets dark. Bandits are thick this close to the city."
She flew off. Lencar continued walking, his heart steady.
Analysis: Success. The [Aura Cloak] passed visual inspection. They assumed my Stage 6 power was merely an exhausted Stage 7, not a concealed Stage 5 with Arcane utility.
That night, Lencar found a thicket of trees near the road and engaged his [Phantom Sight]. The entire area shimmered with faint magical auras and heat signatures. He watched the patrols move, tracking their paths like data streams.
He saw a single, strong signature approaching rapidly, traveling on a broom—a Stage 3 Elite. Lencar immediately engaged his [Aura Cloak] to its absolute minimum—Stage 9 (Commoner).
The Elite Mage zipped past, unaware of the commoner sleeping twenty feet away.
Lencar lay there, the cold, analytical smile returning. He was ready. His body was forged, his mind was surgical, and his power was invisible.
The Heretic was no longer walking toward the capital. He was infiltrating it.