My Muscle System in the Mage World

"Hmm, the power is not bad, but that's all it can do?" Aur asked, his gaze fixed on the Rat King, now tightly restrained in Stella's grip.

"There's a close combat feature as well, Master," Stella replied, a sly grin playing across her lips.

Without hesitation, she shoved the cramped body of the Rat King forward and gave its rear a sharp pat.

Boom!

A grotesque transformation began. The Rat King's veins bulge, swelling to the point of nearly bursting through its skin. Its body trembled, and its size began to shrink, compressing unnaturally. Inch by inch, the towering figure diminished, its height collapsing until it was no larger than a medium sword.

Then came the sickening transformation.

A wave of purplish liquid erupted from its body, a vile, viscous substance that gushed and splattered to the ground in thick streams, forming putrid purple-green puddles. The sound was wet, revolting, like flesh being torn and reformed.

Aur's brows furrowed. "Hmm."

In front of him, the Rat King was no longer there; in its place lay a purple chainsaw. Its sleek, metallic surface shimmered with hues of violet, the jagged teeth of the blade crackling with faint purple sparks.

A soft hum emanated from it, low and menacing, as though the weapon itself were alive. Faint runic engravings glowed along its edges, pulsing rhythmically, as if breathing.

"A fucking chainsaw!?" Aur blurted, his voice a mix of disbelief and intrigue.

"Yes, Master. This chainsaw can go as high as Tier Seven," Stella replied matter-of-factly. "Unfortunately, it couldn't quite reach Tier Seven, so it's stuck at the brink of Tier Six."

"The cost is Tier Seven material?" Aur asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Yes, Master. The longer the Rat King stays in this form, the faster the resources I've provided will be drained," Stella explained, her tone even as if discussing an everyday occurrence.

"Why can't it reach Tier Seven then?"

"Tier Seven or higher spells are things that can only be crafted by a Tier Seven or higher wizard," Stella explained. "This is the rule of the world, and no one has been able to defy it—except for one person."

Aur's lips curled into a soft chuckle. "I already know who that person is."

"But how was he able to do it?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Even we don't know that, Master," Stella. "It's always been a mystery. In a world where countless paths flourished, a single parentless boy climbed the stairs of power, one step at a time. With sheer talent and unyielding strength, he forged a path that led him to directly become a Tier Nine Wizard. Accomplishing such a feat should have been completely impossible."

Aur mumbled under his breath, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, "Sounds like a protagonist."

It really did sound like one.

Even a bigger protagonist than William, Nina, and that other woman...

"Hmm, what was her name?" Aur muttered, touching his chin thoughtfully.

He remembered her vaguely, a fleeting memory from when he'd been in that wretched slave cave—where people toiled endlessly, mining without rest or hope. That place, grim and suffocating, had been the site of one of his greatest gains. It was there that he obtained his Tier Six spell, the very spell he used to defeat Greater Lord Sky.

Aur had to admit, the slave girl had played a role back then—one deserving of credit. But at the time, he hadn't spared her more than a passing thought.

With a shake of his head, Aur dismissed the recollection and returned his focus to the present.

"Can it only turn into a chainsaw?" he asked, eyeing the weapon curiously.

"It can turn into anything you want, Master," Stella replied smoothly, "but the Rat King would require some training to adapt."

"Will the power remain the same?" Aur pressed, his brow arching.

"The form may change, but the power will depend on how efficiently the Rat King adapts to its new shape," Stella explained. "With practice, the strength can remain consistent, perhaps even improve—but for now, it excels in this form."

"Yes, master. The power would be the same, but it will come with technicality—like a chainsaw always beats swords. No matter how sophisticated the sword is, in front of the rotating force, it's like a hot knife through butter."

"Hmm." Aur casually nodded his head. All the fancy tricks were mere child's play in the end if you were brutally crushed. Wizards usually didn't have close combat spells, but it wasn't as though they shied away from them.

There were many spells that focused on close combat; Nina's was even more close combat-oriented, which was why he had crushed her so brutally.

"Stop the Rat King. I am going into seclusion again. If anything happens, inform me immediately."

The space in front of him tore, and Aur returned to his seclusion once more.

Falling onto the comfortable bed, he gradually closed his eyes.

Aur didn't immediately seek visions of his future; instead, a single sentence echoed repeatedly in his mind.

**"The Law of Muscles is Supreme."**

This was what the future Dragonian Aur had said, and the present Aur felt a faint idea begin to stir within him.

"Muscle Magic… I didn't know such a thing could exist."

Just as he had comprehended Space and Time Magic to attain the status of a Fourth-Dimensional Being, he had some understanding of Laws. But this was the first time he had heard of the Law of Muscles.

"Hmm."

Aur thought long and hard, but no answer came to him. Even in the libraries of this place—a vault belonging to an ancient sect that held some of the secrets of even the Human Emperor—there was no mention of Muscle Magic or the Law of Muscles.

The body path during that golden age primarily followed the Martial Arts route, with practitioners imitating beasts. Even the images they formed upon reaching Tier Four were those of beasts. In contrast, Aur's image was a pure reflection of himself.

"Is this the right path or the wrong path?"

He tightened his fist as his thoughts drifted back to the fight he had endured during the trial.

At that time, the Tier Four man had been undeniably stronger than him in his base form, relying solely on the sheer power of the giant bull image he had summoned.

"Its power was at least comparable to a Tier Five Wizard." Compared to such destructive capability, Aur's own power was lacking.

The image of the Dragonian Aur resurfaced in his mind once more.

"It didn't feel like me, even though it was me in the future. Something was a little off," Aur muttered, standing abruptly with squinted eyes.

"I need to go into seclusion to learn more about the future, to be certain—"

Before he could finish, Stella appeared instantly, her expression grim.

"Has someone invaded?" Aur turned toward her calmly.

"Yes, master," she replied with a nod.

"Let's go then. Tell me, how much mana is left?"

"The mana stock isn't much, master. Tier Eight is barely at two, and Tier Seven has only twenty-seven left."

"So fast!?" Aur frowned. The last time he checked, Tier Eight mana had been at least five, while Tier Seven had stood at thirty.