I lifted the Orb of Dreams, which was now glowing softly with a warm yellow light.
A few days ago, after Vermut had poured all of his magical power into this place to cure his granddaughter's illness, the orb had changed.
In this world, every magician possesses their own unique attribute—things like fire, water, wind, and so on. Vermut's attribute, however, was electricity.
That's why the orb, which had resonated with his mana, had transformed into what it was now.
All the magical energy he had built up over more than forty years—so dense and refined—had been absorbed into this small sphere, changing it completely.
A faint tingling sensation pulsed from the orb, brushing against all five of my senses. It was subtle but unmistakable, like the air before a storm.
Feeling that strange vibration, I closed my eyes and began to focus.
In my mind, I drew an image—a moderately sized iron sword, nothing fancy, just practical and balanced.
With that image clear in my head, I slowly poured my mana into the Orb of Dreams.
Woong.
A faint vibration ran through my hand.
Then, as if responding to my thoughts, the orb began to shift and reshape, light flickering across its surface. Within seconds, the shape of a sword materialized, exactly as I had envisioned it.
I gripped the hilt and gave it a few swings.
Swish. Swish.
Each motion sliced cleanly through the air, producing that familiar, satisfying sound.
"Good," I muttered under my breath. "No problems."
I had half-expected something to go wrong. After all, the orb had absorbed an enormous amount of power.
Vermut had assured me that it was fine—that the change was only because his mana had given it a new attribute—but still, I couldn't help but worry.
That's why I had waited until now.
I wanted to test it in a place where it would be safe.
This training room—tucked away in one corner of the gymnasium—was the perfect spot. It was a special facility built for magicians and swordsmen to freely test their abilities without worrying about collateral damage.
Now that I confirmed the orb was stable, I finally allowed myself to relax.
The walls here were made entirely of anti-magic materials, dense and sturdy enough to block even the faintest magical interference.
On top of that, the entire room was enchanted with layers of protective spells—barrier wards, temperature control, and even automatic restoration magic.
In short, it was the perfect place to experiment without worrying about blowing something up.
After all, I couldn't exactly cause a commotion in the middle of the imperial capital.
But I didn't come here just to check the condition of the Dream Orb.
There was something else on my mind.
When I'd heard Vermut's explanation earlier—that the orb had absorbed the electricity attribute—a thought struck me.
If that's the case…
Couldn't I, someone who isn't a magician, use a power similar to magic?
The moment that realization hit, I smacked my knee with excitement.
I'd seen something like this before—in a manga.
Mark of the Black Flame.
A powerful villain who terrorized the world wielding a sword infused with the power of black fire.
He had never learned magic, yet he used that sword to unleash attacks that rivaled any mage's spells. I still remembered how cool that looked back then.
Of course, my situation wasn't exactly the same.
The Dream Orb wasn't a sword—it was just a round, glowing object. But still, there were possibilities.
If I could somehow harness that electrical energy, I might be able to create my own version of "magic."
That's why I came here—to test it.
However…
"…How do I even do this?"
That was the problem.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't figure out how to actually use the orb's power.
I'd been mulling it over for days, and I was still stuck.
In manga, they just pour in some magical energy, and boom—things start glowing and working like it's the most natural thing in the world.
But in reality?
The more I tried to think it through, the more my head started to hurt.
Maybe I was overcomplicating it.
"…Let's just try it."
Overthinking things never suited me anyway.
I tightened my grip on the Dream Orb and took a deep breath.
Whatever happens next—well, I'll figure it out as I go.
I tried channeling more magical power into the Dream Orb that had taken the form of a sword.
But nothing happened. Not even a flicker.
"Tch… this isn't it."
I frowned, lowering the blade slightly.
Then a thought crossed my mind.
What if the problem wasn't the orb itself… but the way I was channeling the magic?
This time, I focused my energy only on my palm—not the orb. I slowly guided the flow, imagining it wrapping around the blade like a thin coat of light.
Zzzzt!
Tiny sparks burst from the surface of the sword, running along the edge like living lightning.
A grin tugged at my lips. "It worked."
The yellow energy danced wildly, flickering and snapping in every direction. It wasn't pure magic, but it was close enough.
And for the first time, I was certain.
This is it.
If I could control this energy properly, even as a swordsman, I might be able to wield something close to magic.
The thought alone sent a rush of excitement through me.
Eager to test it, I approached the wall and pressed the button beside the control panel.
Beep.
[Simulation starting. Please set the level.]
"Level 2."
Level 1 was too easy—basic monsters without any real strength or special abilities. Even an untrained person could deal with those.
But Level 2… that's where the real challenge began. Monsters with instincts, power, and killing intent.
Exactly what I needed.
[Virtual combat Level 2 simulation will begin shortly.]
The calm, mechanical voice echoed through the room.
Then, with a low mechanical hum—
Gruk.
A holographic shape flickered into existence before me.
Green skin. Yellow eyes. A twisted grin that revealed rows of sharp teeth.
A goblin.
About the size of an elementary schooler, but the malice in its expression was far from childish. It licked its cracked lips as if savoring the thought of fresh prey.
I tightened my grip on the sword, the yellow sparks crackling louder in response.
"A goblin, huh? Perfect."
Normally, goblins are only dangerous in groups. A single one shouldn't be a problem.
This was exactly the opponent I needed to test my new technique.
Without hesitation, I surged forward.
The sword flashed, trailing streaks of golden light as I closed the distance in an instant—
And the first strike of my new power began.