Chapter 116: An Unexpected Guest (1)
5pfhmKThe first half of the magic school year had come to an end.1utvOE
ij0Uq1Despite the many challenges and hurdles, the atmosphere at the end of the semester was warm and pleasant.5kzOZx4
QDkThe teachers, too, were engaging in jokes with their students, waiting for the time to head home.q96PKI
KCJElbuIn swordsmanship schools, where physical training is emphasized, rest is considered as important a trait as the training itself. However, this doesn’t mean that magic schools, focusing on mental fortitude, overlook this fact.qkzqv
QWKmbThe mind, though invisible, is an inherent function of humans. Even the most tenacious student needs a break to cool down an overheated brain.nfSNzcG
2sj3XuHowever, it’s important not to completely let go of the tension, so Alpheas Magic Academy required students who didn’t participate in the presentation to write a paper on a free topic.eGNF
uQBOf course, this didn’t apply to Shirone. Having received the highest score for his presentation on ‘Supernatural Existences’ at the Supernatural Psychic Science Research Group event, he could enjoy a carefree vacation.OZO
XDLTGECOn the last day, as students began to leave for the holidays, Shirone visited the empty third training ground.TuBkr
BypKCbqUsually noisy with the sounds of chanting and magical explosions, the place was now filled with a serene silence.hAhZ5
CitThe third training ground was among the largest. A 1,600-meter track ran around the outside, and the divided areas were equipped with various devices for testing magical effects.3UmE4FW
fc8dEOQShirone entered the teleportation training area. A mage can use countless movement magics: Teleportation, Fly, Dark Port, Air Walk, etc. The best environment to train all these magics was a desolate open field.lBC
ZiMwT0Shirone reflected on his progress over the past six months.2Le4tMo
F7EMGdc‘First, movement magic.’ccdks
apfOiHis primary movement magic was Teleportation, which had evolved to allow curved movement in Rainbow Drop and high-speed lateral movement in Patrol Technique.RPWQ
fkj043He couldn’t ignore the achievements in Photon Output either.TFOX
jezInitially just a magic for transmitting information, it transformed into a powerful offensive magic, Photon Cannon, upon comprehending the Particle of God.kwTU6
uUiTiCMThis enabled him to easily master flash magic, maintaining light for an extended period.RjV83lc
vHSNShirone didn’t stop there; he continued to evolve. He developed Laser by mathematically regressing Photon Cannon.fvqxMz
UpYWhile Photon Cannon had a higher single impact, the cumulative damage of Laser was nearly infinite. It was a terrifying magic capable of destroying any hard object unless it was immune to Laser’s waves.IdF
ktGIx‘I’ve actually worked quite hard.’R9A
q8xWShirone smiled contentedly, especially pleased that his proficiency in his major magic had jumped a level.FbXyQ2F
M7WjRCurrently, Shirone’s photonization theory had surpassed sub-light speed and reached near-light speed realms. His reason for visiting the training ground was to attempt Space Warp, impossible for a mage not at the near-light speed level.hl7
se6RHSb‘How will it feel?’jPTS
U1BSpace Warp differed fundamentally from Teleportation. It lets one distinctly experience the special nature of light as space-time folds.EkN9G
5WhVkAs he activated his Spirit Zone, his synesthesia made the surroundings vividly clear. Focusing on a point, Shirone unfolded his photonization magic at near-light speed.kBSqdr
TYcQHis body vaporized into light, shooting high into the sky, then crashing down to the ground.SChK
3pKzcuArriving at his destination, Shirone, pale-faced, gasped for breath.qXE
UIbtOua“Huff! I did it!”bb4js
IrmJ7JlIt was a sensation he had never experienced before. The scenery he saw during Space Warp was different from Teleportation.Z0t
4RrcTeleportation felt like the world was compressing and rushing in, while Space Warp felt like the sky and ground were rotating as if the world had folded.s1R4E2
NUCh‘This is Space Warp. My mind’s all over the place. It’s unusable in battle like this.’GHsqPw
GL78Even Ethella Romie, a Grade 6 mage, relied on Teleportation in her battle with Arcane. It proved that Space Warp wasn’t effective in combat.NmV6rN
sVUUPySpace Warp’s real advantage was in movement, not battle.Tvio
Xjj1p2For long-distance travel, Teleportation risked collision with obstacles. Thus, most mages use it within a 10-meter range. However, Space Warp could transcend space regardless of obstacles.a8CIlvp
v9ELmBut to see practical effects, the Spirit Zone’s radius needed to be unimaginably larger than its current size.jUjV
m6Tr3iShirone’s current Spirit Zone had a diameter of about 50 meters, quite large among students, but insufficient for advanced magic like Space Warp.fDmZ6
ogac6Ultimately, his magic level had outpaced his Spirit Zone. Normally, magic follows the level of the Spirit Zone, but as an Unlocker, Shirone’s exceptional insight allowed him to surpass theoretical barriers.C5HnYXV
qpDS‘It’s an asymmetrical balance. Should I be happy about this?’P6KaU
wHoHis Spirit Zone had grown significantly, not in size but in durability.V4uO
62ec1uIf asked to unfold a Zone like six months ago, he could easily reach 100 meters in diameter.UmFtE
HjqBut using high-level magic with such an extended Zone would shatter it. Thus, it was more realistic to consider his Zone still at 50 meters.GAE5YFh
asxQu‘With a Zone this size for Space Warp, people would laugh. For practical use in real situations, the diameter needs to be at least 200 meters.’0zqpqYf
aYCHe estimated that for a mage to travel 10 kilometers, Teleportation would require about 1,000 casts. But with a 200-meter Zone, only 50 Space Warps would suffice.AZ4u
R6xmOIn a battlefield where every second counts, saving 950 casting times is incredibly efficient.8To
6U13qvZ“Having powerful magic alone isn’t everything. Without a supportive Spirit Zone, one cannot be a great mage.”4hK
6nJAnd even focusing on expanding the Spirit Zone wasn’t the answer. It had to be durable enough for major magic and dense enough for precision.UTmus
nLdJvPT“Oh my…”A1PI8by
zemZyShirone stood there, mouth agape, feeling as if the path before him stretched to the horizon.KTj
6wYThe range of skills a mage needed to master seemed endless: the radius and durability of the Spirit Zone, omnipotence and omniscience, adaptability and proficiency, combat experience, and judgment, to name a few.ELlaet
i5pKseJWhat thrilled Shirone the most was the realization that all these skills needed to simultaneously balance and elevate together.dv8
xbSFWith this revelation, he began to see the form of the path he was pursuing and what magic truly meant.yrJuqj
quAxM3oShirone felt exhilarated. Sensing the outline of the vast world of magic, albeit faintly, was a sign of growth.hKEVTG
nPyR0LThis was true for Siena, Ethella, and Arcane too. They had all undergone immense training to reach their current positions. Although it seemed a daunting journey, it didn’t feel like a bridge to nowhere.y3B0
RyyPWkD‘I can do it. I can climb even higher.’V0f
2lxJHaving successfully advanced to Class 4, he could apply for the advanced class next semester. And eventually, upon graduating, he would achieve his dream of becoming a mage.5ZhJkk
JgHNk3“Me, a mage…”wyWp
vjLJust the thought made his heart flutter. There was a time when he thought he’d spend his life in the mountains. But now, his long-cherished dream was becoming a reality.v7Lh
jHU“So much has happened.”TeXHlG
H8VqHe remembered being ridiculed by his peers for not being able to perform a single spell when he first entered the school. And wasn’t there the extraordinary incident of the teleportation test?k25n6dc
KKMilS“Haha! Looking back, it was pretty silly.”mb0F
ODJLVGBLeaving the movement magic training area, Shirone entered the cutting magic training area in Section 4.oaUAN
l1bhCThis was a place for testing magical cutting force, with a viscous cylindrical target floating above a magic circle.FTviU
kHAShirone approached the target and extended his hand.7hQW23N
IPrj5“Wind Cutter.”qgVh
yJFyCAs he chanted, a fierce wind whipped up. The sharp wind slashed the target, splitting the cylinder in two with a loud slap.gbAc
LaZTk9Wind specialists usually adjust the viscosity to the maximum for training, but for Shirone, who was trying it for the first time, the success of the magic itself was satisfying.FAt4Q
cGSZq“Hehe, this is easy.”VMczE
SKovUFfHis omniscience had grown immensely since his initial enrollment.TdTzSG
eQxhCPassing all subjects with over 80 points, basic spells like Wind Cutter were no challenge.N8U7Kd7
u6gOf course, knowing omniscience doesn’t mean everyone can achieve omnipotence. The reason he could instantly manifest a new spell was due to his inclination toward insight over analysis.y2M
mFr1Mages can be broadly divided into theory and sensory types. Each has its pros and cons, but sensory types tend to learn faster when trying something new.N0S5Sud
yysgmEspecially Shirone, whose disposition was distinctly more on the sensory side. This was why Arcane had once said he learns in actual combat situations.yskly
50p1RReviewing six months of progress, Shirone smiled contentedly. He felt like he had become quite mage-like.qn5cUw
OTqXMb“Hey, Shirone!”3uh7O
agLQm“Uh?”OGv
M7HEsLooking around the track, he saw Nade and Yiruki waving.xqoEN
S8RlbShirone was about to run over when a fun idea struck him. He stopped and switched his Spirit Zone to target form, calculating the distance to his friends before executing Space Warp.7Thow
7dhWith a metallic scraping sound, Shirone instantly appeared in front of the two.C9e
qk3l7“Whoa! What was that?”MMS
VXXq1BNade jumped back in surprise, and Yiruki’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting it.pzV
PVS4sTR“Did you just do Space Warp? You’ve been practicing it till the end of the semester?”IJTXPml
XFDShirone replied with a sheepish smile.YylyKbk
d6ZWTlc“No, I just came to review since I won’t be able to practice in the training ground for a while.”VskB
Yytt4Kg“But you just succeeded in Space Warp today, right? It’s fascinating. Do it again.”wNG3
sxRILNade was excited, but Yiruki snorted dismissively.fT0yB
TxY5S“What’s so fascinating? You’ve seen it before.”Xp0CU
ypS36w“Well, it feels different seeing our peer do it. When teachers do it, it’s one thing, but seeing Shirone do it is another.”EYOYO
GL7“True, Space Warp is considered advanced even for senior students in the advanced class.”6jMmGBY
EkEwvtBBeing called a specialist wasn’t for nothing. Teleportation is basic for mages, but Space Warp is closer to being a major.b2MoV5v
UdT8l6Although both are classified as movement techniques, a 6th-grade certified mage must master Space Warp.gD5K
2hs6rOHowever, even for specialists, using near-light speed as a student was more challenging than expected.wVosS
MGy5hcl“But there’s still no real use for it. The travel distance is too short.”nukVu
p8dP“What do you mean, no use? At least you surprised Nade.”OcQ
MdzWkjV“What? When did I get surprised? I can do Plasma, too. Want to see it here?”qJXp4lN
c9d2b2Nade was defensive, but the situation was already obvious. Yiruki, seeming annoyed, waved his hand and spoke to Shirone.J3Bkpt
kqGV8“Enough. So, in summary, you were here, indulging in self-admiration by casting great magic alone in an empty place?”f7VvMVB
5jkZShirone blushed. Although he was just reviewing his progress, in some way, Yiruki wasn’t wrong.iW8NMJe
ltYMgya“No, it’s not like that…”EeFn9N
FSWTAKc“Well, you can afford to do so. You’ve shown the most growth this semester. Anyway, if you’re satisfied, let’s go say goodbye.”u3pEb4Y
ocle“Right, it’s getting late.”IddR
R4EMost students had returned home, but a few, like Shirone and his friends, stayed to thank their teachers for their hard work during the semester.jcWe
fJ06They left the training grounds and headed to the building where the teachers stayed. The dormitory doors were open, and cleaners were busy in each room.Pb4iW
IPtwjaShirone looked for the conference room. As expected, many teachers were there, chatting over tea before heading home for the holidays.55DALx
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