11
Chapter 11
— Whack!!
— Whack!!
Benny was training silently in a corner.
Swing, and swing again.
After relentless repetition, the sound began to change.
What was once a dull thud became sharp and fierce.
The teacher's assistant and her younger sister seemed busy preparing a meal. Assistant Morse moved back and forth with a basket, while Sancta followed quietly behind.
And there stood the teacher in front of me, hands clasped behind his back.
"Are you getting more comfortable with the Mana Storage you learned last time?"
I nodded in response to the teacher's question.
At first, I didn't realize how incredible the Mana Storage was. I'd heard it was superior to the Circle, but honestly, it didn't feel like much at the time.
I thought it was simply a different method of gathering mana.
But as each day passed, the difference became clearer.
"Yes, Teacher! Since creating the Mana Storage, I can feel the mana perfectly. It's as vivid as paint held in a transparent box!"
Edelyn replied with a radiant smile, her voice louder than usual.
That expression brought a sense of satisfaction to Enoch.
"Good. You're doing well. However, Mana Storage alone isn't enough to stand out at the Academic Festival. Today, I will teach you how a wizard should actually fight."
The teacher pointed to his own heart.
"The traditional Circle method only hindered magic because it drew mana from the heart. It caused mana loss and slowed down the magic manifestation time."
This time, the teacher pointed to me.
"In contrast, the Mana Storage is located in the head. There is no mana loss, and the magic manifestation time is overwhelmingly fast. Do not regret that the only spell you possess is Water Ball."
The teacher spoke with absolute certainty.
"I'll teach you how to wield a true Water Ball. It will be on an entirely different level than before."
While I had only thought about increasing my mana capacity, the teacher was focusing on how to utilize the magic.
His perspective and level of thinking were simply different.
I felt grateful to be learning from a teacher like him.
I took a deep breath.
'That's right. The problem was that I, an F Class, tried to imitate others. I will carve my own path.'
"Now, focus. Feel the mana within your Mana Storage."
I closed my eyes at the teacher's command.
A clear regular hexagon appeared in my mind. A transparent, still water container, filled to the brim with purple mana.
"Now, create a Water Ball."
I slowly opened my eyes and reached out my hand.
A magic circle flashed instantly in my mind, and mana surged toward my fingertips.
"Water Ball!"
A smooth, deep blue water droplet materialized.
Perhaps because of the Mana Storage, using the Water Ball didn't feel draining at all.
'I used to struggle even after casting it just once...'
"Good~ well done."
Those few words of praise seemed to carry a heavy weight of meaning.
"Now, launch it. But..."
The teacher pointed to a tree twenty meters away.
"Curve it to the left just before it hits the target."
Edelyn's eyes wavered.
'Trajectory Correction... that's a technique far too difficult for me.'
Controlling a spell's path mid-flight required immense mana control and concentration.
It wasn't something a student at the Academy could usually achieve. Moreover, my mana capacity was pitifully low.
"Teacher... that's too..."
Her lack of confidence was evident in her voice.
"You can do it."
The teacher spoke calmly yet firmly.
"You can. You've built up your mental strength through all that running, haven't you? Believe in yourself. I guarantee you can do this."
He truly believed in me. His eyes were steady and unwavering.
'I want to live up to that trust. I want to prove to him that I can do it.'
I can do this. Because the teacher believes in me. Because I have the Mana Storage.
I tightened my grip.
The Water Ball shot forward in a straight line.
"This is the important part! Don't lose hold of your spell!"
I imagined a transparent thread connecting to the Water Ball.
No, it wasn't just imagination. I could clearly feel a thread made of mana.
A thin, vivid line stretching from my fingertips to the Water Ball.
An extension of my mana!
The Water Ball approached the target rapidly.
10m... 8m... 5m... 3m...
"Now!"
I yanked the mana thread hard.
In an instant, the regular hexagon of the Mana Storage shifted violently to one side.
The Water Ball, which had been flying straight, curved at a right angle right in front of the tree!
— Thwack!
With a blunt sound, the Water Ball struck a rock beside the tree.
A brief silence followed.
"You did it! You actually did it! Well done, Edelyn. Wow. I had my doubts, but to succeed on your first try? You're a natural!"
The teacher beamed with joy and patted me on the head.
Seeing him like that, an indescribable wave of happiness washed over me.
Being acknowledged by someone I respected. My suppressed confidence and euphoria overflowed all at once.
For six months, no one had said anything like that to me. No one had praised me. I had lived as if I were invisible.
My eyes grew misty. Edelyn quickly hid them behind her bangs.
"Now, let's try something else."
The teacher's expression turned serious once more.
"Next, we'll learn the Barrage."
"Barrage?"
"Since you only have one spell, the only way to increase your destructive power is to win through sheer quantity."
'Honestly, succeeding in spell control was impressive enough, but a Barrage too? Now we're talking. I can't wait for the Academic Festival.'
Enoch let out a sly grin, but quickly regained a serious expression when he realized Edelyn was watching.
"Maintain one Water Ball and keep producing more."
Edelyn's determination flared at the thought that Enoch was putting in this much effort for her sake.
"Yes, Teacher!"
Edelyn focused.
"Do you know the greatest advantage of the Mana Storage?"
Edelyn shook her head, eyes closed.
"There's absolutely no mana loss when manifesting a spell. The number of Water Balls you can use before and after using the Mana Storage is worlds apart, right?"
Edelyn nodded.
"Mana is important, but there's one more thing you need for a Barrage."
Edelyn's curiosity grew as Enoch paused for effect.
"And that is physical strength! That's why you've been running yourself ragged for the past week. Now it's time to put that fruit to use."
Edelyn's eyes widened slightly.
'All that running every morning was for this. Teacher had everything planned from the very beginning!'
Enoch took a step back and spoke.
"Begin. Start with one."
Edelyn's mana surged calmly.
"Water Ball!"
The first Water Ball floated up in perfect form.
"Now, the second."
Another Water Ball materialized at her fingertips.
"Good. Keep maintaining it."
Sweat beaded on Edelyn's forehead.
One was easy. But creating a new Water Ball while maintaining the existing one was on an entirely different level.
"Three!"
A third Water Ball was added.
"Four!"
Four Water Balls floated around Edelyn, each hovering in a different position.
"Just staying in one spot isn't helpful. Move the Water Balls!"
"Hup!"
The four Water Balls began to orbit Edelyn like satellites. Her brain felt as if it were burning.
Contrary to the precarious feeling, her mana remained remarkably stable.
This was the ideal image of a wizard that Enoch had envisioned.
'I could stop here, but I'm starting to get greedy.'
"Good. Now maintain that state and add a fifth."
Edelyn's face turned pale.
Soon, she pulled herself together.
A fifth Water Ball was created.
"Six!"
The sixth.
"Seven!"
The seventh.
"Eight!"
"Kh... ngh..."
Edelyn swallowed a scream that had risen to her throat. Every nerve in her body was on edge.
She could no longer use magic rationally. She had to feel the overall flow like an instinct.
Eight Water Balls were dancing around Edelyn.
"Now, nine!"
The ninth.
"Ten!"
Edelyn gasped for air, controlling ten Water Balls.
The Water Balls dancing in a non-linear pattern were a work of art.
Enoch's eyes sparkled.
'She's a genius! A genius born to be a wizard! I've never seen a talent like this, even including before regression!!!! Except for myself.'
"Good. Just like that... fire everything you've got!"
As Enoch designated the target, Edelyn raised her hand toward it.
She took one deep breath.
Ten Water Balls scattered in all directions.
And they struck the trees and rocks Enoch had pointed to with pinpoint accuracy.
— Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
— Splashhhhhhhhh.
Amidst the successive bursts of water spray, the training ground felt as if it were caught in a heavy rain. Trees shook and cracks appeared in the rocks.
— Whack!!
From afar, the sound of Benny's downward strike could be heard. It paused briefly due to the water spray before continuing.
Edelyn could no longer hold on.
— Stagger.
Just as her knees were about to buckle, Enoch quickly caught her.
"Good. Wonderful."
Enoch's voice softened.
"Just keep doing what you did today. No matter what the S Class or A Class kids do at the Academic Festival, you'll be the best."
Edelyn leaned comfortably into Enoch's arms.
Even while staying still, her body wouldn't stop trembling. It was because she had exhausted all her mana.
Soon, a strange feeling washed over her.
Her mana was empty, but she felt a sense of fullness within her body. It felt like the satiety that comes after complete exhaustion.
Enoch placed his hand on Edelyn's head.
"From now on, you are a true wizard. Your talent is far too great to be a mere extra at the Academic Festival, Edelyn."
Edelyn breathed heavily. Her eyes were filled with the euphoria of her remarkable growth and a deep respect for her teacher.
'Teacher made my imagination a reality.'
A girl who had spent six months doing nothing but reading books alone was now making ten Water Balls dance simultaneously.
Edelyn closed her eyes, feeling the warmth coming from Enoch's embrace.
Soon, she fell fast asleep.