Suddenly, everything around lit up as if it were broad daylight. Ian was pushed back by an overwhelming heat, gasping for breath.0

Rumble.0

The endless flames that had been erupting finally began to subside with a rumbling sound.0

Ian staggered and covered his face, exclaiming, "Ah, my eyes, damn it...." 0

Ian couldn't shield his eyes because he was using both hands to withstand the pressure. A headache from the depletion of magic and a sense of betrayal followed. This was because of an unfriendly message on the information window; he felt tricked by the vague wording of the game's interface. He had thought that the essence bead amplified magic with its own magical power, but it was actually amplified by absorbing the wearer's magic.1

I don't think it was like his in the game… Ah. Ian then realized something. 4

Ian then realized that he had never used the essence bead alone in the game. Thanks to the priests, who were no better than robbers, he had worn artifacts and magical armaments by the time he could afford the purification costs. Among them were items that wouldn't perform well without a magic stone or essence bead, so he never thought of using the essence bead alone.1

So those items were controlling the essence bead? This was a plausible guess. Considering the game's settings often had their reasons, even if it looked unnatural.3

Like the overlapping magical power inside the essence bead. Ian's brow furrowed again as he naturally picked...0