Chapter 3 : World End Game

At the exit of the kindergarten, one could spot a black luxury car that stood out from the others. It was a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a car that ordinary people could never hope to afford in their lifetime.

As the children began to leave the kindergarten, two tall men dressed in suits and ties stepped out of the car. Seeing their young master emerge from the crowd of children and approach the car, they both respectfully bowed, opening the door for him and assisting him in getting into the car.

As he sat in the car on his way home, Lee Min-Ho thought about what he would do in the future. Firstly, he needed to regain his ability to use magic. After that, he would need to check if this world had an organization similar to the Mage Tower of his world since the inhabitants of this world could possess a magical circuit, there might be mages in this world as well. If not, he would have to create one and take on apprentices. Until now, he had gathered information about the history of this world in an orthodox manner, with information that anyone could have. However, if there were hidden events that the higher authorities of this world didn't want him to know about, he wouldn't be able to find the information he sought through normal methods. He would have no way of discovering them through regular means. He would need to go through many things to learn the true history of this world, but for that, he would need his magic. For the moment, he would settle for not standing out too much, passing himself off as a child who was just much more mature and above average, but not too much.

By being more mature and intelligent than children his age, his parents trusted him more and watched him less. This allowed him to train without anyone noticing, and he could deepen his general knowledge simply by asking for books. However, he didn't want to stand out too much either because it would only handicap him in the long run. If he started passing classes and finishing university before he even turned ten, he would miss out on a precious opportunity to make connections from a young age. As a former aristocrat of the magical society, he knew more than anyone the importance of relationships, and even in his previous life, he had started making acquaintances among mages of his age very early on. Age is a very important barrier when it comes to relationships; it's easier to interact with people of the same age than with older individuals, even if mentally he's over 200 years old but physically only five. Moreover, he had to forge a behavior similar to ordinary humans, and that would be quite tedious since it wasn't something he was used to doing.

Even though he had behaved quite antisocially until now, he would have to change that as soon as possible.

As Min-Ho looked outside, lost in his thoughts until now, he realized that they were almost already at their destination.

The car slowed down and stopped in front of a magnificent villa. Lee Min-Ho stepped out of the Rolls-Royce Phantom with the help of the men in suits who had accompanied him. He found himself facing the splendid facade of his residence, an elegant villa that offered all modern comforts while retaining a touch of classic refinement.

As he crossed the villa's doors, he savored the feeling of familiarity and security that this place provided him. The well-maintained gardens stretched around the property, offering a peaceful haven away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

Inside the villa, a warm and welcoming atmosphere prevailed. Luxurious furniture and carefully selected artworks added an elegant touch to each room. Lee Min-Ho felt at home in this comfortable and familiar environment as the pleasant and sweet smell of Bulgogi teased his nostrils.

Lee Min-Ho made his way to the kitchen where a delicious aroma wafted through the air. His mother, an elegant and graceful woman named Lee Ara, stood near the counter, busy preparing dinner.

"Good evening, Mother," he said with a warm smile as he entered the room.

His mother looked up from her preparations and smiled back at him. "Good evening, my dear. How was your day at school?" she asked, her eyes shining with affection.

Lee Min-Ho nodded. "Same as usual," he replied, keeping his usual simple answers.

Although he didn't like ordinary humans, Lee Min-Ho wasn't ungrateful, and this woman was the one who had brought him into this world in this life and had cherished him. He had grown attached to her, somewhat like a master becomes attached to his pet.

During dinner with his mother, they exchanged small talk about his day at school. His father wouldn't be coming home tonight because of his work. After finishing dinner, Lee Min-Ho headed to his room.

In his room, Lee Min-Ho went straight to his bed. He knew he had to use every available moment to train; he needed to unlock his magical circuit as soon as possible.

He sat comfortably on his bed, crossing his legs. Closing his eyes, he focused on his breathing to reach a state of inner calm. Once he felt sufficiently relaxed, he began to mentally visualize his magical circuit.

Although the magical circuit is associated with an organ similar to a circulatory and nervous system, it does not strictly reside in the physical body but rather in the soul, which is anchored in reality by the brain. Although it is of a higher dimension than the body, it is the soul that preexists the body and defines its form. However, if the body is damaged, the soul also suffers.

During his reincarnation, his soul took on the form it had when he was a fetus, so as not to compromise his own body. Furthermore, it merged with the new soul that was supposed to be in his place at that time. That's why his appearance wasn't perfectly identical to what he had in his past life. In reality, he was composed of two souls: that of an infant, free of impurities, and that of a mage over 200 years old.

Now that he was relaxed, Lee Min-Ho needed to place his mind in a state of self-hypnosis necessary to control his magical energy optimally.

To do this, he uttered his aria, "Lapse."

The energy center of mages resides in their heart, from which the first part of their magical circuit emanates, spreading throughout their body. This first part of their circuit acts like a circulatory system composed of veins and arteries, allowing the body to naturally absorb mana present in the air more efficiently than ordinary humans. The circuit then guides this energy to the core located at the corresponding location of the heart, and the artery part of the circuit guides it throughout the body. Then comes the second part of the circuit, which can only be opened when the first part of the circuit has been opened completely. The second part is similar to a nervous system originating from their brain and spreading throughout their body, allowing them to send commands to the world to force it to actualize a possible phenomenon.

While breathing deeply, Lee Min-Ho guided his magical energy to the parts of his circuit that were still closed. He channeled his magical energy and visualized the energy flows circulating through his circuit, attempting to awaken them.

Gradually, he felt the closed parts of his circuit begin to open, each channel widening to accommodate more mana.

It was a delicate process, requiring total concentration and perfect mastery of his own mind. Lee Min-Ho knew he couldn't afford the slightest mistake.

But he was determined, resolved to fully open his magical circuit and regain the full measure of his powers.

As he continued to work, immersed in a state of deep trance, he felt his magical circuit responding to his efforts, gradually unfolding to reveal all its latent power.

After hours of intense effort, Lee Min-Ho finally felt a sense of satisfaction welling up within him. His magical circuit had opened completely, absorbing a flow of pure mana throughout his being. He had succeeded.

Feeling exhausted but happy, Lee Min-Ho opened his eyes and took a deep breath. He could feel the magic pulsating within him, vibrating in harmony with his very essence. It was like rediscovering a part of himself that he had lost for too long.

A triumphant smile spread across his face as he realized that his hard work had paid off. He had regained his ability to use magic and successfully opened his magical circuit.

However, something caught his attention and changed his expression. At the top of his field of vision appeared a stopwatch, and a voice soon made itself heard.

[Congratulations, you have fulfilled the conditions to gain privileged access to the World End Game.]

[You have obtained the title Beta User.]

[You have obtained the title Magic Pioneer.]