"What's forbidden magic?" Orin asks, looking at Sho.
"Forbidden magic is magic the World Guild won't allow players to use," Sho says. "Though I'm not sure how they'd even track it."
Mr. Sato cuts in. "Any system breach magic is forbidden."
"Now what does that mean?" Orin asks.
"System breach magic is any magic that breaks the laws of the world," he says. "For example, time magic. Abyss. Name Binding. Individual Magic. Hereditary Magic. Soul Rewriting. Memory Manipulation. And other types that break the rules. Think of it like a bug in the system."
"I've never heard of those," Anya says. "The World Guild told me since I'm the top player. It's time people know."
"So what's the agenda?" Valen asks.
"Players already use Individual Magic," Anya says. "It comes from the soul similar to hereditary magic. I think we should remove them from the forbidden list."
"Individual Magic is a type of magic a person develops on their own. Their own program. Their own rules. The problem is the level of freedom it allows."
"Who uses Individual Magic?" Orin asks.
"The most famous cases," Sato says. "Would be Reyna. Her phoenix magic was fully developed by her."
"Arthur uses a form of it."
"So if I taught people my magic, would that be allowed?" Rei says.
"You can't teach someone else your Individual Magic. It's not possible. When you create magic, it uses your unique signature. Even if someone copies the signal or mana pattern exactly, it will fail."
"Isn't Shino able to copy individual magic? The Slime Queen did it during the Slime Queen fight," Rei asks.
"Aside from Shino, since she is the manifestation of mana," Sho says.
"What's the difference between Individual Magic (IM) and Hereditary Magic(HM)?" Orin asks.
"HM is built into a family system," Sato says. "It's a magic line tied to blood, origin, or assigned identity. Everyone in a family has access to a version of it, but only one person can truly hold its active form."
"With HM the entire family line shares access to the same base ability," Sato says. "If a family holds water manipulation, every member inherits that core structure at birth."
"But it does not stay identical."
"The system mutates it over time. As people are born, marry, or merge into other families, the magic shifts. It evolves across generations. The original form can weaken, split, or fuse into new variants depending on lineage pressure and compatibility."
He continues. "That means HM is stable in origin. It carries history inside it."
"IM works differently."
"It does not come from lineage. It forms from a single person's understanding of the system. The user builds it from scratch using their own interpretation of commands, rules, and output structure."
"Two people can never naturally develop the same IM. Even if the effects look similar, the internal logic differs completely."
Sato glances around the room.
"So the key difference is this."
"Hereditary Magic is an inherited structure that evolves through bloodlines."
"Individual Magic is a created structure born from one mind, one system interpretation."
"One is history. The other is invention."
//Think of it like a first name and a last name. Your last name is your hereditary magic.
//It comes from your family. Your first name is your Individual Magic. It comes from you alone.
//You build it from your own understanding of the system even though your name is originally given to you.
//You chose who you become.
"Why is HM banned?" Orin asks. "It's not like you can control it."
"The World Guild is scared that since we are from another world, our IM would become extraordinarily powerful," Sato says.
"How do you use HM?" Circe asks.
"That's harder to know," Sho replies. "I haven't figured it out yet."
"Anya," Ashen says, "what about Abyss magic?"
"Abyss magic erases things," Anya says. "Sound. Light. Even existence. The World Guild doubts anyone can use it. If someone does, they'll kill them."
"Who uses Individual Magic?" Circe asks.
"So this is about removing Individual Magic from the list?" Risto asks.
"Not only that," Sho says. "The magic system is deeper than we thought. We need better ways to teach it. NPC methods aren't reliable."
"What do you mean?" Teruki asks.
Sho leans forward. "I believe this world runs on strict rules for magic, rules we haven't even seen yet. We don't know other ways to become more powerful."
"There aren't limits to the system, per se," Sho says. "But I want a guild like Windswords to research the system and develop it further."
"Windswords?" Adrian asks.
"They're a guild focused on mana," Sho says. "Mana is energy. Like on Earth, it can be manipulated."
"Hmm," Adrian says. "That's above me. But we should learn how this system works."
"Forbidden magic," Lyra says. "If those are banned, worse types exist."
"What do you mean?" Ripley asks.
"I can use all of them," Lyra says. "There's no counter the system made for them."
"What are you saying?" Yuto asks. "You've used them?"
"Not on people," Lyra says. "But I've learned them. I'd use them if needed. I also agree with Sho. The ten tier system we have now does not seem accurate to what I know about magic. The magic system is command based, and with commands it's hard to categorize them."
"What do you think of them?" Sho asks, her voice cold.
"The World Guild wants players strong enough to surpass NPCs," Lyra says. "We've only seen two floors. Deeper in the tower, there'll be entire civilizations. Elves. Dwarves. More."
She pauses.
"Billions of enemies. That's a disadvantage. There are other types of magic I think should be forbidden."
"And what are those?" Anya asks. "If you fear them, what should be banned?"
"Anti magic," Lyra says. "It should be forbidden."
"Oh?" Pendant laughs. "Why?"
"We can all agree the weakest in the room is Adrian," Lyra laughs. Her pink hair shifts.
The room goes quiet. People glance around. Adrian smiles.
"I agree," he says. "Everyone here is incredible. I'm not sure I'll ever match you."
"Then we agree," Lyra says. "If someone who doesn't use magic gains anti magic, it flips the balance. Right now, power stays at the top. Anti magic lets anyone counter the strongest."
Sho laughs. It sounds cold.
"If you rely on magic so much that anti magic beats you, you're weak," she says. "If Pendant reveals it, or someone else finds it, everyone gets stronger. That's what we need."
"Sho," Lyra says, "you don't understand."
"Oh?" Sho says. "What don't I understand?" Lyra says. "The beauty of magic is that you can always find a counter to anything… or anyone."
"Your power comes from mana," Lyra says. "Magic controls everything. Defense. Healing. Movement. Anti magic isn't magic, it's anti mana."
Before Sho answers, Pendant speaks.
"I invented anti magic," she says. "I won't let you ban it. I didn't design it for the weak. If it breaks your system, then the system needs to change."
"You speak from privilege," Lyra says. "Your guild wants to erase magic. Of course you support it."
"I agree with Lyra," Circe says.
"Of course you do," Hex laughs. "You're in her guild."
"I agree too," Arthur says. "You're ignoring other factors. Assassinations. Rankings."
"Assassinations won't change," Hex says. "There are already ways to block magic. Rankings would shift, but the world adjusts. Anti magic won't matter much."
"What magic do you use to be so confident?" Cerce asks.
"Does your guild master not remember?" Hex taunts.
"Enchantment," Archer says.
"Hey– "
"Of course," Ezekiel adds. "The weakest type."
"Weak?" Hex laughs. He snaps his fingers.
A barrier expands from him. A black sigil spreads across the floor, layered and complex.
"This is a technique I created," Hex says. "It's not anti magic, but it blocks all magic inside this field."
"It's weak," Ashen mutters.
"What was that?" Hex snaps.
"It's weak," Pendant says. She snaps her fingers. The barrier shatters.
"What?"
"A poor imitation of my magic," Pendant says.
"Still," Han stumbles, "no one else could break it."
"Interesting," Valen says. "A barrier that blocks everyone except the caster."
"Pendant is right," Anya says. "It's weak. The outer layer is fragile. It only works in one on one fights."
Lyra draws in mana.
"Target_Field(HIDDEN)," she says.
A pink barrier expands. It mirrors Hex's, but denser, sharper.
"So that's your angle," Hex laughs. "You can't copy me."
"A crude magic," Lyra says disgustedly. "I'd never use this. "
Hex clicks his tongue. "If Sho wasn't here …"
"What would you do," Lyra laughs.
"Lyra," Hex yells, letting his mama release across the room.
"As if you could," Lyra smiles. "Unlike you, I protect myself."
"Don't forget our fight. I beat you," Hex says, eyes locked on Lyra.
"I wouldn't call that a win," Lyra replies. "You caught me at a bad time."
Hex laughs. "You always have excuses."
"Really?" Valen steps forward. "Hex, I could beat you without magic. Without mana."
Hex smiles. "I'd like to see that."
"Why?" Orin asks. "Valen stands second only to Sho. If he says it, I listen."
"Let's stay realistic," Hex says. "Valen relies on mana. Without it, he loses."
Valen's gaze hardens. "There's no point arguing with someone beneath me."
"Huh?" Hex tilts his head, black hair shifting. "The day you get a bounty worth chasing is the day you die."
"Well," Valen says, "Sho has a high bounty. Why not go after her?"
Hex shrugs. "I don't kill women."
"You almost killed me."
"Almost doesn't count. And it was during a fight that..."
"Silence, guys." Sho signs.
I look over at Sho. She closes her eyes, shoulders slack, the tension leaving her face. The noise around us fades for her. She looks drained, done with the back and forth.
Hex notices. His eyes narrow, then he smiles, slow and sharp. He leans forward a little, watching her, like he's waiting for something to break.
Lyra exhales. "This is exactly why..."
"Why what?" Hex taunts. "You aren't anything special. I'm violently against you becoming an S Rank. If anything, I think Valen is the only person who deserves it besides Sho and myself."
"Why don't I deserve to be an S Rank?" Lyra asks.
"Among the many issues I have with you, you're boring. You run away from every conflict. You think your guild is the best for no reason or merit."
"Then why do you deserve it? A self proclaimed assassin who kills other players?"
"Find one player I've killed."
"Of course we wouldn't. They'd be dead."
"Even if what you said was true, that doesn't erase my other accomplishments."
"What accomplishments?" Lyra laughs.
"Ignoring all other accomplishments I have. I'm a top five player. That accomplishment cannot be said for you."
"Rankings aren't the only thing that matter."
"Then what matters? The amount of members in your guild? Your allies? Because you have none. Your guild is the same as G2, barely any members in S Rank. You use magic every other player could use. There's nothing special about you. If you were placed into Sho's battles, you would be dead."
"I won't be criticized by someone who uses enchantment magic."
"When did I say I use enchantment magic? I use a personal magic I developed."
"You have no allies because you can't trust anyone. That's why you'll remain weak."
"I don't trust any of you," Lyra says. "Because I'm not an idiot. We learned in this world that magic and trust aren't luxuries given freely. I only trust my guild, just like Sho does."
"So you fear something," Archer laughs. "People like you, guilds like yours, are weak because you have no allies. If we were to kill Circe or Ashen, you would be distraught. Not only that, but your guild would no longer qualify."
"Don't you dare threaten my guild," Lyra says, her mana fluctuating like the wind. "I won't be criticized by players whose skills I'm surprised Sho hasn't wiped off the map."
"If you think that's something warranted, then why don't you do it? Why don't we have a guild war?"
"I could take out your entire guild in a few days, max."
"Enough," Mr. Sato says. "Stay on topic."
"I'm not the only one who learns about forbidden magic." Lyra speaks up. "Risto, Lilith, and Pendant also know it."
I turn my head toward Reyna. Her face tightens with discomfort. I track her gaze across the room.
A smile.
Lilith.
"What do you mean?" Sho asks. "What magic did they learn?"
"Of course they did," Adrian says, cutting through the silence. "How else would Lilith have beaten Reyna?"
"What?" Lilith exhales, sharp and raw.
"I was there," Adrian says. "During your challenge against Reyna."
"You made her forfeit."
"Made her?" Lilith's tone turns cold. "That's a bold claim. What makes you think that?"
"I always thought it was strange," Adrian says. "Reyna wouldn't accept your challenge when you were that far below her."
"I reached rank eleven," Lilith says.
"I don't mean rank," Adrian says, a faint smile forming.
Pendant chuckles. Yin rolls her eyes.
"You think I couldn't beat Reyna?" Lilith asks, unimpressed.
"I don't," Adrian says. "Pendant."
Pendant looks at him and smiles. "Do you have the memory crystals?"
"I don't," she says. "But one of my copies might."
"No need," Adrian says. "For those who weren't there, Reyna forfeited the fight and gave up her rank."
"Adrian," Reyna says. "Drop it."
He ignores her. "Why defend Lilith this hard? It was a forfeit."
"There's no version of this where Lilith beats Reyna."
"What are you implying?" Risto asks.
"I think a group called the Ten Curses used name binding," Adrian says. "They forced her to forfeit."
"There's one person who can answer that," Lilith says, pointing. "Reyna."
"So," Adrian says, "why did you forfeit?"
Reyna exhales. "There's no real reason."
She pauses, like she's stepping back into that moment.
"I didn't want to fight," she says. "There was no point. After what happened with Arden, with Eli not in a good place, I had other priorities."
She looks down.
"And I wouldn't have beaten her."
I go still.
At first, Adrian's claim feels off. But I've never heard Reyna speak like this. I remember those days. Eli stays in bed. Teruki watches her every second. I still remember the cake.
Eli won't admit it, but she loves Teruki. Reyna won't admit it, but she'd burn the world to protect the guild.
Adrian exhales. "Then that's it. Still doesn't add up." He hesitates. "I know what happened with Arden. Everyone does. I… apologize."
Lilith leans back, resting her cheek in her hand. "No harm done."
"Arden?" Yin says. "That's the guy Eli killed?"
"Yeah," Hex says, grinning. "She laughed while it happened. That video was insane. He got eaten by a bear."
"If you planned to forfeit," Lyra says, "why even show up? There's no point in walking into a loss."
"What would you do?" Reyna asks. "When you feel that kind of pressure, do you run?"
"I do," Lyra says. "Every time."
"Coward," Archer mutters.
"Call me what you want," Lyra says. "I stay alive. Most players agree with me."
"I can't believe someone like you is going to be S rank," Archer says.
"How dare you," Circe snaps. "Watch how you speak about Guildmaster Lyra."
"We're losing focus," Mr. Sato says. "Back to forbidden magic."
"You all act like I'm wrong for trying to survive," Lyra says. "Risto's done worse than anyone here."
"What do you mean?" Sho asks.
Lyra looks at him.
"Risto learned forbidden magic."
Sho freezes. She turns to Risto. Shock fills her face. "You serious," she says, voice tight. "The kindhearted attendant of Valen."
"I needed too."
Sho speaks again, confusion rising. "Why?"
Risto lifts his hand and points at Shino. "Because of her."
"Me," Shino says. "What did I do?"
Risto stays calm. "The slime queen. There is a way to take it out in one move."
"You," Shino starts. Her voice drops. Sadness slips in.
"We did not assign you this task," Risto says. "This stays theoretical."
"What magic," Shino says. Her voice rises. She slams both hands on the table. "What magic did you want to use on me?"
The room goes silent.
Valen extends his hand. "You don't need to answer her. Monsters don't need answers."
I look at Adrian. He stays quiet. He doesn't speak. I see tension in him. He wants to act, but he holds back. Like he waits for something.
I met his eye. His golden eye catch the light. Tears form there. I remember how young he still is. Sixteen or seventeen. I lose track. I only see the weight on him.
Reyna speaks sharp. "How dare you. Shino is not a monster. She stands with us. Let's stop this talk."
Valen answers cold. "I won't take orders from someone like you. You're lucky my sister stands in your guild. Otherwise you would not speak so freely."
"Otherwise what," Teru shouts. He steps forward. "These people form my guild. They matter to me. Say it again."
"Valen, Let's stop this conversation." Adrian sighs.
Valen holds his ground.
"Adrian," Valen says. "Your guild member lost control."
Adrian looks at him. "Valen, your sister feels uneasy."
Valen turns back. "There is no reason for her to feel uneasy. She enters danger because of her guild and because of you."
"What," Teru says. His voice shakes. "I have nothing to feel uneasy about." His voice climbs higher.
"You don't understand. You don't understand anything. I've had this pain in my chest. It won't go away. I can't feel anything except regret and pain."
Teruki falls back into her chair. Tears run down her face.
"It's all my fault," she says.
Adrian jumps up. "Tenshi, that's not true."
"You don't understand," Teru snaps, voice cracking. "If it wasn't for me, Eli wouldn't have been attacked. I saw it. I knew something was wrong with Arden. I knew it. I still let it happen."
Her breath breaks.
"She cries every night because of me. She won't even look at me the same anymore. Like I'm something she regrets knowing. I keep thinking about what I should've said. What I should've done."
Her hands curl into her sleeves.
"I could've changed it!"
Her voice drops, smaller now, but it hurts more.
"If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't have gone into the Spider Queen's nest. Those players wouldn't be dead. I keep seeing them. I keep hearing them. I should've healed them. I should've protected them in that cave. I was right there."
She shakes her head.
"I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't fast enough. I wasn't anything enough."
A pause. Her throat tightens.
"If it wasn't for me, we wouldn't have fought Valen."
Her eyes glaze.
"If it wasn't for me… if I had paid attention… Calder wouldn't be gone. Adrian wouldn't have lost his eye."
Her voice breaks on Adrian's name.
"I see how they look at me. The Crusaders. Adrian. Everyone. I see it. They don't need to say it."
Her breathing turns uneven.
"They think it's my fault."
A step back.
"It is my fault."
Silence.
Her voice turns hollow.
"I should've been the one to die."
Her nails dig into her arms.
"I'm useless. I've always been useless."
A voice tries to cut in.
"It's not…"
But she doesn't hear it.
"If it wasn't for me."
Her head shakes once.
"If it wasn't for me."
Her voice rises, sharp and broken.
"I ruin everything I touch!"
Teruki suddenly stands. Her chair scrapes hard against the floor.
She walks out. The door closes quietly behind her.
The room stays silent.
Rei follows after her. The door shuts again with a heavy sound.
Yin exhales. "Tsk. Kids."
"She ruined our conversation," Lyra says, sighing.
Adrian exhales. "What did you say?"
Shino turns towards Risto. "What magic did you intend to use on me?"
They ignore Adrian like he is not even there.
"I was going to use Abyss magic on you. However..."
Shino laughs. "Abyss magic wouldn't work on me."
"I highly doubt that," Lyra says.
"Do you want to test it?" Pendant asks with a small, sharp smile.
"Let's not," Adrian says quickly. "We don't need anyone getting hurt."
Lyra tilts her head. "Do you know why Abyss magic is forbidden?"
"No," Adrian says.
Risto looks toward Valen. "Try using the magic on Shino."
"What?" Adrian yells. "I refuse."
He steps in front of Shino. "Instead of testing magic on people, why don't you go after your sister?"
"This is more important."
"Risto!" Adrian shouts. "Don't you dare cast that magic."
"I'll deal with the consequences," Valen says.
A blue barrier forms around Adrian, locking his movement in place.
Shino leans forward. She removes one of her arms and places it in the center of the table.
"Let's see if it can destroy this part of me."
She slams it against the table. It holds.
Risto begins the Abyss casting. Dark cold mana spreads through the room. The air shifts. The magic pulses and glows as more mana feeds into the orb.
The spell fire.
It twists mid-air and curves toward the arm.
Sho sits still, eyes closed.
It hits Shino's arm.
Abyss magic sinks in. It twists through her limb, tearing from the inside.
Her arm crumbles into dust.
Shino's skin turns black.
The spell doesn't stop at the arm. It spreads. It targets her whole existence. Her essence. Her power.
Shino screams.
Her body melts like a candle. She sinks, slower and lower, losing form.
Then it stops.
Her body snaps back, whole again.
Shino!" I shout, but my voice comes out weak.
I look at Adrian inside the barrier. His face goes pale.
Shino drops to the ground in a pile of purple light.
She screams.
Lyra smiles. "Looks like it worked."
"Did you just kill her?" I say, pushing myself up.
Adrian slams against the barrier again.
Pendant steps forward. "This is boring."
She snaps her fingers. Purple mana fills the room. The barrier tightens around Adrian. Anya's guards collapse where they stand.
"Risto!" Adrian yells. "What the hell did you just do?!"
"I… I'm sorry," Risto says. "I thought -"
"Shut up!" Adrian snaps.
He tries to move forward, but he stops.
Valen smirks. "Go on. Draw your pathetic homemade sword."