Chapter 78 — The Reason for Failure
"What?" Ren's entire body tensed as he immediately asked, "What exactly is the reason?"
What troubled him most right now wasn't failure itself—but failing without finding even a single clue. He had no direction, no idea how to move forward.
As long as he could identify the problem, at least he would know where to improve next.
"Your innate domain," Yuki Tsukumo said slowly, emphasizing each word, "is too powerful."
"…What?"
Ren was utterly confused.
The reason for failure… was that it was too powerful? What kind of logic was that?
"An innate domain is a mental landscape," Yuki explained calmly, "and it represents the most intense and core aspect of a sorcerer's inner world."
"This mental landscape is closely tied to one's innate technique—that goes without saying. A technique is shaped by the sorcerer's inner self, and over time, it also reshapes that inner self in return."
"For example, my mental landscape is 'imaginary mass.' That aligns perfectly with my innate technique, Star Rage, which grants targets imaginary mass."
"That's a single, pure concept. To manifest my domain, I only need to push that concept to its extreme—until it overflows."
—
"But your technique…"
She looked directly at him.
"…the Limitless technique—manipulating the probabilities of all things."
"In terms of sheer performance, there's no doubt your technique surpasses mine by a wide margin."
"But the problem lies precisely there."
"It's a technique that encompasses everything."
"And that means your mental landscape is overwhelmingly vast and complex—like an entire boundless universe."
"With the current level of barrier techniques…"
"…it simply cannot contain something of that magnitude."
"That's why the moment your innate domain flows into the barrier, it collapses instantly."
"And it also explains something else," Yuki continued, her gaze lowering slightly as she recalled the earlier scene. "Even your failed Domain Expansion produces such powerful effects on reality."
"Because that power is simply too great. Even its 'leakage' during failure is impossible to ignore."
"…Then…"
Ren parted his lips, stunned speechless for a moment.
"…what should I do?"
"Do I suppress my innate domain? Make it… less powerful?"
"That's impossible," Yuki shook her head.
"An innate domain is the core of a person's mind and soul. Suppressing it is the same as suppressing your very being."
"With the strength of your domain, the level of suppression required would be no different from suicide."
"No one can achieve that."
"And besides," she added, "Domain Expansion is the ultimate release of one's power."
"Self-suppression goes completely against its nature."
"So…"
Ren looked at her, lost.
"So," Yuki continued, meeting his confused gaze, "your only option…"
"…is to further strengthen your barrier technique."
"You already understand how difficult that is," she said plainly. "Current barrier techniques cannot solve your problem."
"That means you'll have to break beyond the limits of the existing system—refining barrier techniques to an entirely new extreme, a new peak."
"That will require an immeasurable amount of time and effort."
"And even then…"
"…there's no guarantee you'll succeed."
Ren's expression gradually darkened.
"But look at it this way," Yuki Tsukumo said, a faint smile returning to her lips, "once you do succeed in expanding your domain…"
"…it will undoubtedly be something unprecedented—an unimaginably powerful domain."
"C-can I really do it…?" Ren muttered.
Yuki smacked him on the forehead.
"How would I know?"
"Uh—" Ren froze, completely stunned.
"But," Yuki placed her hands on her hips, her presence rising sharply, "what kind of look is that?"
"Fifteen? Sixteen?"
"When I was your age, I didn't even know what Domain Expansion was."
"If you want to talk about something being impossible, at least wait until you're thirty or forty."
"Until then, put everything you've got into figuring out how to make it work."
"That's the kind of spirit my disciple should have!"
"Otherwise," her eyes sharpened with a dangerous glint, "I'll throw you out as a disgrace to my name."
"Uh—"
Ren shuddered under her glare.
Though… when he thought about not having to call Aoi Todo his "brother," it almost sounded… not so bad?
He quickly shook his head.
Of course he understood Yuki's intentions.
She was pushing him forward.
And she was right.
Up until now, everything had come too easily for him. Whatever he learned, he mastered instantly. Without realizing it, that had nurtured a certain arrogance and impatience. The moment he encountered a problem he couldn't solve right away, despair began to creep in.
That wasn't a good sign.
This was a chance—to temper himself, to truly settle down.
No matter whether he succeeded or failed in the end, he would gain something.
"I understand!" Ren straightened, looking at Yuki seriously. "Master, I'll give it my all!"
"Good!" Yuki grinned and slung an arm around his shoulders, pulling him tightly under her arm. "That's my disciple!"
…Wait.
Pressed against her, Ren's thoughts drifted hazily.
Why did that loud, over-the-top declaration feel more and more like Todo's style?
No way.
He absolutely refused to turn into that kind of person.
With renewed determination, Ren strode out of the classroom.
Yuki and Utahime Iori stood side by side, watching his departing figure.
"Utahime," Yuki suddenly called out as Utahime was about to leave. Her previously bright expression turned completely serious. "What I'm about to say—don't tell Ren yet."
"The situation isn't as optimistic as I made it sound."
Utahime stiffened.
"If there are techniques that can naturally expand a domain from the moment they're born with it…"
"Then there must also be techniques that are fundamentally incompatible with domains."
"And I suspect…"
"…Ren's technique is one of those."
"His mental landscape is far too vast."
"That kind of all-encompassing, infinite-possibility landscape isn't just a single real world…"
"…it's the overlap of countless real worlds."
"In my opinion, there is no barrier in existence that could contain something like that."
"…What?" Utahime's eyes widened in shock. "If that's the case, then why did you just—"
"Let him waste his time?" Yuki finished with a self-mocking smile.
"In the end, this is just my conclusion—based on my own understanding."
"I don't believe Ren's potential is limited by my perception."
"Logically, I should feel despair. But deep down, I still hold onto a sliver of hope—that he can break through my limitations with his own ability."
"After all," she turned slightly, a faint smile on her face, "his technique represents possibility."
"A technique reflects a sorcerer's inner world."
"And he himself… is the embodiment of possibility."
"Perhaps—just perhaps—he can create a path from the impossible."
"And your role," she added, her expression turning serious once more, "is to prepare for failure in advance."
"So that when the day comes—when Ren is crushed under the weight of countless failures—you can be there to steady him."
"To comfort him."
"And if necessary…"
"…to guide him back before he loses his way."