An Extra’s POV

Forced Magic Activation.

It was the a forbidden technique among Mages, but for some… it could be considered something of a trump card—albeit a temporary one.

Once a Mage's Mana was depleted, they could never use Magic no matter how hard they tried. The Spell just wouldn't activate regardless of the means.

However, Forced Magic Activation bypassed this by inducing one critical element into the mix.

—Sacrifice.

Just as there was a way for Martial Artists to exponentially increase their abilities by sacrificing their Life Force to grow stronger, Mages could also let go of something incredibly important to attain a temporary burst of power.

They would have to let go of Mana itself.

Despite what was displayed by the system, every Mage—no, perhaps every human, really—had a secret stockpile of Mana within them.

This stockpile of Mana was what made it possible for anyone to grow Magic and develop Skills and Classes if they practiced over time. Many considered it a representation of latent abilities embedded in everyone, waiting to be manifested.

It was trite that zero multiplied by zero was still zero, and that it was impossible for something to emerge from nothing. So, once a Mage depleted their Mana, where did this refill over time come from?

From this same stockpile of Mana.

Without it, Mages would have no way to grow any further than they already had, and they would likewise be crippled if they drained everything at once.

In essence… they would never be able to use Magic again.

This was why Forced Magic Activation was a forbidden technique, but the Otherworlders still learned it during their compulsory education.

The hidden stockpile was an essential part of Magic learning, so Lucielle and their other Magic Tutors had to reference it one way or the other. They never went in-depth on it, though.

Being the inquisitive one, however, Eric went and asked Lucielle all about it after classes.

She did him the service of properly explaining everything about the latent stockpile of Mana and Forced Magic Activation to him, just as he wanted.

thing after—something like a word

ever use it, Eric. You'll completely ruin

now echoed in the mind of the young Mage who closed his eyes and channeled that hidden power within him, more

disobey you.' Sparks of Mana began to emerge from him as he focused everything

ignored the jagged blade that approached him at a rapid rate, instead

only his own arrow and not completely drain the Mana that was within him, but Eric knew he

all of the arrows that emerged

all the energy that he had pent-up within himself in one

instantly activated, dissolving all the jagged blades the moment his wave of energy was

"Ahh…"

a state of absolute lull. It felt like time had suddenly slowed down, and the tension around

and the fleeting

but he

end here.' A sad smile played on his face as

to use his last ounce of Mana

his wand in the direction of

so slow…

time, and

But he didn't.

Cus—!" Before Eric could complete his Spell, he suddenly felt

… Something very ominous.

~SQUELCH!~

behind, ripping apart a

any sensation, so the moment he felt

like that of a female, with scaly skin and

chest was ripped open by this arm, and before he could even process why and how,

realized it

one shutting off my Skills, aren't

General, also listening to the splashing sound that his blood made

him with her hand, causing fatal damage that not even he could hope to reverse at

but she wasn't even looking in his