Chapter 46
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Formation Process of Static Buoyancy
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"Ah, you couldn't pull that off? I figured a senior like you would've nailed something that easy ages ago, so that's why I asked. Guess you didn't do much club activity..."
"...What?"
My taunt had landed perfectly—Rore's face hardened in an instant.
"Hey. You wanna get wrecked? You call this easy? President! What kinda punk did you recruit?!"
"Hey, hey. Ian. Are you nuts? What the hell are you saying?!"
"No, I really thought it'd be easy, that's all."
Rore yelled, and the president shot me a panicked glance.
Seeing their ugly mugs, I wondered for a split second if I'd messed up.
But the bridge had already been crossed—no turning back now.
And that post ExtremeEfficiencyFanatic had uploaded? Totally doable.
Still, I needed to lay some groundwork.
"O-Of course, I can't do it right this second, but if I just take a quick look, I bet I could manage. Like, combining some mid-4th rank spells decently?"
"...Huh? 4th rank? Yeah, sure. That's right. I was trying the same—main 4th rank with some 2nd and 3rd mixed in. But a freshman pulling off 4th rank?"
Ah. So that was the sticking point. 4th rank.
Of course, I wasn't at the level where I could cast any 4th rank spell on sight yet.
But as long as the imagery wasn't too tricky, I could handle it.
"Ian. Come on, you can't just trash-talk your seniors like that. They're still ahead of you. Rore. And you, too—don't talk to a new recruit like that."
"President. Forget it. Tell him to give it a shot. But if he falls flat on his face, it's not on me."
"Ha... Why are you so desperate to chew out the new guy... Ian. Sorry about what Rore said earlier. Discrimination like that isn't okay at the academy. But just hold off. You'll die if you screw up that spell. If there's an accident mid-flight, our club funding gets cut."
The president was trying to play peacemaker, true to form.
But Rore couldn't care less.
Fine then. Time to show 'em.
"No, President. I can do it. That's why I said it."
"Ugh..."
"Give me a sec to check it out. What if I actually fly?"
"Ha. Stare all you want. A commoner freshman's got no shot. If you pull it off, the flying craft's yours. Hell, I'll call you 'senior.' Not that you'll manage."
"Deal. Throw in a Grand Prostration, too."
I ignored Rore's pissed-off rant and headed for the canoe.
It was perfectly symmetrical front to back, no doubt.
The bottom curved in a sleek, ideal hull shape.
It'd rock a bit, but the buoyancy should keep it from capsizing.
But flying wasn't like boating.
The sky had no up or down.
On a broom, you could spin and flip freely.
That's why brooms beat this canoe knockoff.
Which meant I could totally ride something like this.
...Not solo, mind you. Thanks to ExtremeEfficiencyFanatic.
I pulled up his post.
Title: Analyzed that canoe-shaped flying craft KimMuggle posted
Author: ExtremeEfficiencyFanatic
Judging by the boat shape, they didn't plan for flips.
Accounting for upside-down flight would've needed way more spells.
I'll break down the simplest, most efficient way to fly this thing. No flips or pilot errors causing crashes assumed. Grip it tight.
Explanation centered on the attached diagram. (Image: canoe with various spell formulas overlaid)
1. The 4th rank spell in the center levitates the craft. Pure upward lift only.
2. 3rd rank at the tail: forward thrust spell.
3. 2nd rank on left/right sides: weaker thrust spells for steering.
4. Around the seat: balance spell. Keeps it from rocking over.
#1 only needs computation at startup, then constant output tweaks for altitude. Steady mana drain.
1 & 2 could merge with higher ranks, but that takes mad practice.
Tweak #2 output for speed while #4 stabilizes shakes. Steer with #3 meanwhile.
#4: Tense up, predict flip direction, counter-push opposite. Precise output or you overcorrect and flip the other way.
Same for the rest. Output control is key.
Too much? Crash. Too little? Flip.
There are spells to anchor the pilot, but that's targeted gravity—4th/5th rank minimum.
Summary: Can't control output? You fall. Grind output practice. Multitask overlapping spells too. Botch balance mid-turn? Splat.
—This ain't computation skill lol, straight impossible.
—Wandering Battle Mage: First flight I bragged I could handle all this and ate dirt. Nostalgia hit.
—Even flying at first makes you a prodigy lol.
Complicated write-up, but the takeaway was simple.
Just balance with spells if it starts to flip mid-flight.
Key 4th rank only computed once, then output tweaks for height.
Flight boiled down to 'output' control—one of magic's eight pillars.
And here, force had to be applied physically to the craft.
"I'll test it outside."
"Break the craft screwing around? Pay up. Not sure if commoners even have cash."
These guys and their commoner jabs.
Always mid-tier talents pulling the class card.
Can't hack it skill-wise, so they flex status? Pathetic.
I tuned out Rore and hauled the craft outside.
Planned to levitate it first, practice spells solo.
"...Ian. Sorry."
Chayuri Floridel followed and spoke up.
Tough to chat one-on-one inside.
"For what?"
"Didn't I push you into the Flying Magic Research Club and get you dissed? Thinking back, flight research costs a fortune for crafting—lotsa vain nobles probably. Didn't consider a commoner like you. And building the craft..."
Why's she acting all out of character?
Not her fault anyway. If anything, I escalated.
"Why's that on you? I got the cash. And pricey craft? Bonus for me—nail flight, it's free."
"But I should've taken responsibility..."
"It's fine. I'm flying anyway. And I joined 'cause I wanted to."
"...Got it. Then if you fall, I'll take the blame and catch you. No worries."
Chayuri felt accountable, apparently.
Didn't think I'd actually fly, either.
But hey, safety net if I somehow ate it.
Not that I would.
I set the craft down and prepped spells.
ExtremeEfficiencyFanatic's formulas? Image-trained 'em in the clubroom.
4th rank compute was straightforward, intuitive—ready to cast.
Start with that 4th rank. #1 from the post.
Pure vertical lift for the craft.
[Formation Process of Static Buoyancy] (4th Rank)
Vertical lift | Continuous output adjustment required | Mana drain: 9.1/sec
A growing vortex sits in the center.
Updraft lifts the craft.
Directly above, lines descend from top to bottom.
Slower than the vortex, they collide to generate buoyancy.
Finally, wing-like arrays flank both sides.
Not wings—stabilizers correcting lateral twist for pure vertical float.
These four components combine for lift.
Vertical buoyancy only. Nothing else.
Whooo— The canoe rose.
Feed more power to the formula, it climbs higher; ease off, it settles low.
Not more mana—more like emphasizing each stroke.
Different from precision resizing. First real taste of output control.
Mana cost? 9.1 per second, separate from that.
546 per minute. Not cheap.
But peak efficiency for low ranks, it seemed.
Higher ranks had more tricks, but efficiency's depths were beyond me still.
Wobble—
Lifted fine, but it rocked immediately.
[Formation Process of Static Buoyancy] enforces vertical rise relative to the craft.
External twist mid-lift? It climbs skewed to the ground.
Hence #4: keep it level with the surface.
#4 was 2nd rank—easier compute.
Descending airflow lines settle.
Zigzag barriers at the ends block them.
Pins tipping craft upright, holds steady in equilibrium.
[Stable Descent] (2nd Rank)
Counter-twist stabilization | Precise output critical
Fwooo—
Hit the near-flip direction with [Stable Descent].
But overpowered it—now tipping opposite.
[Stable Descent] (2nd Rank)
Opposite direction counter | Light output
Quick recast opposite, lighter this time—but underpowered.
A few back-and-forths later, I got the feel for balanced output.
Now for takeoff and steering.
#2 and #3 looked similar.
Forward-thrust 3rd rank #2: twin pillars side-by-side, wild flames erupting from ends.
Steering #3: single-pillar 2nd rank version.
In thrust terms: pillars as standard and boost exhausts.
Cruise steady or punch acceleration.
Steering skips boost, side-thrusts to turn the craft.
[Simple Acceleration Control Method] (3rd Rank)
Forward thrust | Output tweak for speed
[Propulsion for Light Turns] (2nd Rank)
Directional thrust | Output sets turn radius
[Simple Acceleration Control Method] got it moving forward.
Fine-tuned acceleration output for speed control.
[Propulsion for Light Turns] demanded the same finesse.
Turn sharpness? Pure output dial.
Handful of reps, and I had it down.
These four spells, context-swapped? Flight achieved.
Fussy output tweaks across multiples—not easy multitasking.
But low ranks. Once the feel clicked, outputs flowed instinctively.
You don't calculate steering angle driving.
Spatial kinesthesia, muscle memory.
Same here—master the output sense per spell, flight's no biggie.
"Ooh...! Flying that gracefully, Ian."
Chayuri, who'd watched the whole practice, clapped in awe.
Sun had set. Four, five hours gone?
"Ever flown before?"
"Nah. First time."
"First? How...?"
Clapping cut short by shock. Didn't peg me for success either, huh.
Whatever. Results speak.
Practice nailed 80% feel. No crises, I'd cruise stable.
Hunted down Rore and the president.
Figured they'd bailed inside—instead, jaws dropped nearby with Chayuri.
No need to wait. Demo flight now, claim craft.
Bonus: Demote that smug senior to junior.
I walked toward Rore and the president.