Strange use of Magic (Black Clover AU) Chapter 119: Strange Shapes and Symbols

[Third Person's PoV] 


Stephen was back in his library, deep in thought, surrounded by towering stacks of books on his desk. The collection ranged from simple geometry textbooks to complex tomes on deciphering runes and magic circles.


“Within the universe, geometric shapes and patterns often represent structure and order,” Stephen muttered to himself. “Different shapes symbolize specific energies or concepts—power, balance, protection, creation.”


He continued flipping through the pages, mentally cataloging every detail. “So, it’s safe to say that by utilizing these geometric shapes and their precise ratios within a magic circle, one can manipulate the very structure of the universe itself through the Mystic Arts.”


Circle: Represents wholeness, unity, infinity, and the cyclical nature of life.


Triangle: Often linked to power, masculinity, the trinity, and the element of fire.


Square: Symbolizes stability, grounding, the four elements (earth, air, fire, water), and material reality.


Pentagram: Represents the human form, protection, and spiritual balance.


Hexagram: A combination of two triangles, signifying the union of opposites, harmony, and spiritual power.


Flower of Life: A complex pattern of overlapping circles, representing life, interconnectedness, and the divine blueprint.


Stephen raised his palm, facing it upwards. Above his fingers, a circle of crackling orange energy began to form. Gradually, various geometric shapes materialized above it, stacking and interlocking in intricate layers.


“By rotating any of these shapes, even slightly, their meanings shift—and with them, the structure and nature of the spell changes,” he murmured. The shapes above his hand began to rotate in different directions, their angles shifting imperceptibly.


“Often, these shapes have more than one meaning depending on how they’re used. Some are considered sacred due to their religious significance. The belief people invest in these symbols amplifies their power. For example, the pentagram holds immense strength because of the diverse spiritual meanings it embodies.”


Closing the book, Stephen set it aside, focusing on the floating shapes above his hand. With a tun! sound, the geometric forms descended into the circle, locking together to form a complete magic circle.


As they clicked into place, the circle glowed and solidified. The crackling energy faded, and the fiery orange light transformed into a radiant golden hue, signifying the stability and balance of his energy within the magic circle.


“I understand it now…” Stephen whispered, as another magic circle materialized in his free hand.


He spread his arms wide, both circles glowing in unison. Around him, three-dimensional shapes—spheres, pyramids, cubes—began to materialize, floating in the air. As they combined, they formed a miniature model of the universe itself.


“I guess there’s a reason they call them the building blocks of the universe,” Stephen mused.


With a snap of his fingers, the magical constructs dispersed into glowing embers. “Now, for the runes…” he said, picking up another ancient tome from the desk.


Feeling restless, Stephen stood and began pacing through the library’s aisles, reading aloud to himself. His eyes scanned each page carefully, flipping from one to the next.


“If geometric shapes are the structure of the universe, then runes are its scripture. They are the laws and concepts of existence, given form as symbols and words. And because there are infinite concepts, there are equally infinite runes. A single rune can represent multiple ideas—like fire and burning. Ultimately, it’s the user’s intent that defines how these concepts are wielded.”


As he walked, Stephen traced glowing symbols in the air with his fingers, the runes flickering briefly before fading.


“For spells involving runes to produce a desired effect, they must follow a Rune Scripture. Think of it like constructing a sentence. A single letter or word might hold meaning or power, but when combined with others, it creates a sentence with even greater significance.”


He paused, flipping to another page, his eyes gleaming with understanding.


“It’s the same with runes. Individually, they’re potent—but when combined harmoniously, they amplify one another’s strength. Like language, though, the combination must make sense. You can’t just throw random runes together and expect coherent magic.”


Stephen stopped in front of a towering shelf, tracing more symbols in the air as he spoke.


“For instance, if you use the Rune of Wind and the Rune of Fire together without intention, they’ll clash, resulting in chaotic, uncontrolled magic. But if you interpose the Rune of Support between them, you create synergy—invoking a storm of flames. That’s the foundation of a Rune Script.”


Stephen lowered his hand, the glowing runes dissipating around him as he closed the book. A thoughtful smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.


“This is definitely much harder than I initially thought,” Stephen muttered, his eyes narrowing at the intricate symbols sprawled across the parchment. “Everything needs to be precise, down to the smallest curve when working with runes. And it’s not like I can just memorize every single one—there are practically infinite variations. Even if I manage to remember a lot of them, that doesn’t mean I’ll be able to reproduce them perfectly on the first try.”


He sighed deeply, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation at the mountain of work ahead.


“Now, to decide what I’ll focus on first…” Stephen mumbled as he began pacing the room.


He swayed side to side, clearly torn. “Elemental or physical… which direction should I take first?” He rubbed a stray white strand of hair as he contemplated. “I already know enough basic elemental spells. What I’m really lacking is in the physical realm—like manipulating matter.” Stretching his arms overhead, he yawned. “Better get started then. Lots of work to do…”


And with that, Stephen delved back into his studies, poring over geometry and runes while simultaneously reviewing the spell he’d borrowed that allowed for matter transmutation. He also began examining various magic circles to aid in the process.


When his allotted 24 hours in the library were up, Stephen felt himself pulled back into his body, only to sense someone moving around outside his room.


Still smirking from the progress he’d made, he slipped back into his astral form, invisible once more. Phasing through, he poked his head out of the door—and his expression immediately turned amused when he saw Wanda crouched on the floor, trying to peek under the door for any sign of light.


Blushing at the unexpected—and slightly compromising—position she was in, Stephen chuckled and asked, “What are you doing?”


“AAAAHHH!” Wanda yelped, scrambling to her feet and slamming her hand over her mouth. Her back pressed against the wall opposite his door, her chest rising and falling rapidly.


“I-I wanted to see if you were asleep…” Wanda admitted bashfully, her eyes reddening as she looked anywhere but at him.


“And your brilliant idea was to peek under my door?” Stephen asked, raising an eyebrow.


“I was just checking if any lights were on…” she mumbled, staring at the floor. “I was going to leave if I didn’t see any—not even from your candles.”


“Weirdo.”


“Ugh!” Wanda groaned, flinching slightly, though she could hear the amusement in his voice and knew he didn’t mean it.


“You could’ve just knocked, you know,” Stephen said, still smirking.


“I didn’t want to wake you,” she replied softly.


Stephen let out a sigh. “Alright, just come in,” he said, floating back through the door into his room.


Wanda hesitated for a moment before nodding and following after him. She quietly closed the door behind her and watched as Stephen settled back into his body and rose from his meditative position.


“I’m sorry for waking you…” she whispered.


“Don’t worry about it,” Stephen waved her off. “I was just resting. I was going to head out in a bit anyway.” He gave her a curious look. “So… what did you want to talk about?”


Wanda fidgeted with her thumbs behind her back, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. “Well… mostly about what happened at the beach between us…”


Stephen patted the space beside him on the bed, and Wanda shyly walked over, sitting down with a soft sigh.


“I just wanted to know… what exactly that meant between us. Was it just a one-time thing? A spur-of-the-moment kind of deal? Or… is there more to it?” Her voice grew quieter with each word, her gaze still fixed on her hands.