If you understand it that well, can you even call it magic anymore? [Of course you can literally, but then it really is just another kind of science. Of course, that must be what Need means by them being the same at a high enough level.] Something like that... In my world--not that we have magic, but theoretically--someone with that much skill would almost certainly be said to have a talent. Their accomplishments would be lauded. But it doesn't sound like you think that.