The Nameless Extra: I Proofread This World

In this world, among adventurers and mages alike, there existed a belief so old and so absolute that it became a law.

To be born without attunement, without even a single affinity, was considered the cruelest fate a mage could suffer.

People strongly believed that without affinity, a mage would never go far. That no amount of effort could bridge the gap between themselves and those who were naturally blessed.

Even if they trained harder, studied longer, or endured more pain, they would always remain a step behind.

Effort, they said, could polish talent, but it could never replace it.

And this belief did not exist without reason.

Affinity truly mattered. It hastened their growth, sharpened their understanding, and eased their mastery of spells that tied to their respective element.

The Magus Spire had proven this again and again, recording generations of data that confirmed the same truth: Those born with a single strong affinity were considered blessed.

And those born with multiple were hailed as prodigies, and beings destined for greatness. Magic bent toward them naturally, and learning a new spell was a piece of cake.

And then there were those born with none, which the Magus Spire called the Unaffined.

They were always met with quiet pity or open dismissal. The world believed their potential was limited, and that their struggle was ultimately futile.

They were even told, sometimes gently, and sometimes cruelly, that they would never reach the heights of true greatness.

Was the world wrong to believe this?

No. They were not entirely wrong with it.

Affinity still remained one of the strongest foundations for producing powerful mages and warriors.

But what most people failed to understand was this: Affinity was never a requirement for someone to be a great mage.

No, it was just an advantage.

To lack affinity did not mean being unable to use magic. It did not forbid one from wielding fire, shaping ice, or commanding wind.

It only meant that nothing came easily for them.

Every spell demanded more of their effort. Every breakthrough required more failures. Progress was slower, heavier, and far more painful.

In simple words, affinity was nothing more than just a booster. But it was also a limiter, which not many people would want to admit to.

A mage born with an ice affinity would grow rapidly in frost magic, yet struggle with flame or lightning spells.

The element that favored them also narrowed their growth, guiding them toward one path while making others steeper.

Thus, their path had a direction paved for them, but they could only thread that path.

Meanwhile, the Unaffined?

They had none.

No element pulled them forward or held them back. Their road was longer, harsher, and often thankless, yet it was open in every direction.

They could walk any path they wanted.

Or all of them if they wished.

And so, while the world looked upon them as the unfortunate ones... only Ruvian, who knew this better, saw them in a different light.

It was precisely because they lacked affinity that their path in the realm of magic was truly limitless.

That was why Ruvian had never once felt depressed or disappointed by the absence of attunement within him.

[Magic Affinity]: N/A

He had never seen being Unaffined as a loss worth mourning.

Affinity and the lack of it were merely different starting points, each carrying its own set of advantages and drawbacks.

Ruvian had long since accepted that his path would simply require more effort than most. If magic demanded more from him, then he would give more.

As simple as that.

”For today, we’ll begin with two basic spells of [Pure Mana].” Airin said.

She raised two fingers, her gaze steady as it moved across the arena before returning to Ruvian.

”The first is [Magic Missile]. The second is [Mana Shield].”

”From my own research and studies, these are among the most fundamental spells ever recorded. They are classified as [Pure Mana].”

”And for your information, [Pure Mana] is in fact an affinity, as well,” she said calmly, as if correcting a misconception she had encountered far too often.

”Just not the one people like to acknowledge. Mainly, it has to do with the lack of spectacle, lack of identity, and because of that, most people often dismiss it as lesser.”

”But in terms of structure, [Pure Mana] spells are far simpler than most other affinity frameworks. That’s why they are taught first. And that’s why most can use it, despite not having the affinity for it.”

She folded her hands behind her back.

”Though the results won’t be impressive if I must say, and the power ceiling is lower at the start, but... the learning curve is far more forgiving for every scholar.”

”So don’t expect immediate results. But if you continue refining these spells, then they will serve you well.”

Ruvian nodded, accepting her words without hesitation.

’[Magic Missile] and [Mana Shield] spells... Exactly what I needed for now.’

Airin stepped closer and began to recite the chant for the first spell, breaking the incantation into clear segments.

Ruvian listened carefully, focusing not just on the words, but the rhythm and even the pronunciation so that he could memorise it, and recall it easily.

When she finished, she gestured for him to repeat it.

Ruvian echoed the chant slowly, without channeling even a trace of mana. There is no need for casting yet. All he needed to get used to was chanting it first.

’Ugh. To recite it in Dead Language is quite troublesome.’

Airin corrected him a few times whenever he was in the wrong until the incantation no longer felt foreign to his tongue.

He repeated the process of the incantation with [Magic Missile] a few more times. Only after he got used to that chant did Airin lead him toward the far side of the arena.

A magic dummy stood there, unmoving, its surface faintly marked by previous tests and experiments.

”You still need to practice the chant, but for now, I will give a demonstration.” Airin said. She tapped the dummy and guided him to stand where he should.

”Alright.” Ruvian nodded.

”After my demonstration, I want you to try and cast the spell and aim it from this distance... and without using your wand.”

Ruvian stepped forward and positioned himself to where Airin had told to, his expression calm and composed.

It was in the 10-meter range.

But then, Airin created another distance for herself which was 20 meters.

Airin raised her right hand.

”Watch well.” She said gently.

She stopped a few strides away from Ruvian and turned back slightly, ensuring he had a clear view of her movements, she looked almost casual.

”[Magic Missile] is a spell of compression.”

”After chanting the spell, you’ll have to channel the mana to your palm, but don’t think of it as pouring energy outward.

Apparently, that’s the mistake most beginners make. Mana that spreads is mana that loses shape. As a [Pure Mana] mage, you should avoid that from happening.”

”Instead, imagine forcing it inward. Compact it. Strip away excess flow, and make it denser.”

A faint reddish energy stirred around her palm.

”Once the mana is compressed enough, the structure stabilizes on its own. At that point, the spell framework locks...”

She gradually smiled.

”So, all that’s left is to aim at your target.”

The mana gathered visibly now, condensing into a single, luminous mass hovering just above her palm.

’It’s huge...’

Ruvian didn’t expect that she had a lot in her.

What he was seeing now was a dense sphere of mana, heavy enough that the air around it seemed to distort.

”Then, you release it.”

The sphere vanished from her palm in an instant.

The magic beam moved at a speed that defied perception, so fast that Ruvian’s eyes failed him entirely.

A thunderous impact echoed across the arena as the projectile struck the dummy in a straight line.

The reinforced dummy shuddered violently, its enchanted surface glowing as it struggled to absorb the overwhelming force.

The vibrations rolled through the chamber and into his chest.

Even the other four scholars had gone still, their movements halted, as their gazes snapped toward the battered dummy in surprise.

The silence that followed was heavy and instinctive. None of them trusted themselves to speak after witnessing it.

Ruvian’s eyes widened in awe.

’....’

Airin exhaled softly and turned back to him calmly.

”That’s the basic form of it.”

Ruvian slowly turned towards her.

”Basic?” he calmly asked.

The word slipped out of his mouth before he realised he had spoken it.

’That’s basic?’

After a few seconds of dumbfoundedness, he managed to compose himself.

And through that, Ruvian understood one thing... he had never truly measured this world properly at all!

’What the hell does she mean that is just basic!?’

For all his reading, and for all the confidence as someone who had proofread this world, magic had remained something conceptual, and distant.

But now... only now did it sink in that, in this world, magic was no longer a concept he could keep at arm’s length.

It was naive of him to think so.

Even his encounter with the demon had taught him that.

These feelings, they felt terrifyingly real, so much that it’s enough to shake his foundation and install a dangerous fear inside of his heart.

However, what he felt and what he thought did not align. Despite the tremor in his confidence, his expression betrayed him.

He could feel the adrenaline surge through his veins.

While keeping that incredulous smile on his face, he quietly said in his head:

’I want to learn.....’

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[Chapter 43: More About This World]