The Kraken's Mage (Part 2)
When she arrived at the training grounds, an astonishing sight unfolded before her eyes.
Dozens of students had already gathered, testing the capabilities of their Kraken staffs. Every single one of them was unleashing blue, wave-shaped flames from their weapons.
An upperclassman approached Iris.
His eyes sparkled with excitement, and a wide grin stretched across his face. He looked like someone who had just been let in on the world's greatest secret.
"Hey there. I'm Taeo. I'm in charge of training new recruits for the Magic Department branch of the Kraken Club."
He spoke with a bright laugh.
Taeo studied Iris for a moment before asking,
"Before I teach you the magic of the Kraken, do you mind if I ask your major and year?"
"I'm Iris, a sixth-year. My major is non-attribute magic."
Iris replied.
"Oh, non-attribute..."
Taeo's eyes gleamed with intrigue.
"In that case, you're in for a truly mind-blowing experience."
Taeo continued enthusiastically.
"Since you're a senior, let's skip the basic hand-holding. I'll start you off with the absolute fundamentals: Kraken Fire."
He thrust his Kraken Wave Staff forward.
Instantly, blue mana began to ripple around the staff, resembling the gentle swaying of a calm sea.
Then, without warning, a massive orb of magic—surging like a tidal wave—shot from the tip of the staff and erupted in a colossal explosion in the distance.
The blue flames that bloomed from the blast boasted overwhelming destructive power. The surrounding air vibrated, instantly growing thick with heat. It looked as if the ocean waves themselves had transformed into fire.
Iris couldn't close her mouth. Her eyes were wide with sheer astonishment.
"See that?"
Taeo said with a smirk.
"That's the first stage of Kraken-style magic: Kraken Fire."
Iris shook her head, still unable to believe it. The sheer force of that spell looked like something only fire majors of her year could pull off.
"Th-that's only the first stage?"
Iris waved her hands frantically.
"I... I don't think I can do that."
Taeo laughed heartily.
"Haha, I said the exact same thing at first. Honestly, my major is illusion magic."
"Illusion magic...?"
Iris asked in disbelief.
"Yep."
Taeo nodded.
"Just trust me and give it a shot. You know Magic Missile, right?"
"Yes, of course."
Iris replied.
Magic Missile was the most basic non-attribute offensive spell, taught to every freshman the moment they entered the Academy's Magic Department.
"The structure is exactly the same."
Taeo explained.
"Give it a try. Just crank up the output a bit."
Iris took a deep breath and raised her staff.
The moment she did, the staff began to emit a dark blue glow, looking like light leaking from the depths of the abyss.
As a non-attribute major, Magic Missile was a spell she could cast with her eyes closed.
Naturally, she began to gather mana at the tip of the staff.
The process of gathering, compressing, and altering the properties of mana to increase its physical force was a routine deeply engraved in her muscle memory.
Iris began to ramp up the mana output using her own personal method.
She applied her unique formula for regulating mana flow and condensing energy.
It was a specialized technique she had developed over years of researching non-attribute magic.
Finally, she triggered a minor, instantaneous explosion within the compressed mana to generate forward propulsion.
Iris fired the Magic Missile just as she always did.
At that exact moment, the unexpected happened.
BOOM!
A thunderous roar erupted from the tip of Iris's staff.
Simultaneously, a massive torrent of blue fire exploded outward.
It wasn't a simple flame. A surging wave of blue fire, writhing as if alive, charged forward with ferocious intensity.
Its scale was overwhelming, far eclipsing the demonstration Taeo had shown her.
The giant blue wave of fire raced toward the target, detonating violently the instant it made contact.
KA-BOOM!
The shockwave of the explosion shook the entire training ground.
Blue flames shot high into the sky before scattering in all directions like fireworks. It was a spectacle that inspired both terror and awe.
Every eye on the training grounds snapped to Iris.
Some stood with their mouths agape in shock, while others stared at her with expressions of pure reverence.
In an instant, Iris, who had been just another ordinary student moments ago, had become the center of everyone's attention.
"What... what is this?"
A stunned gasp escaped Iris's lips.
She stared at the staff in her hands with wide, disbelieving eyes, unable to comprehend what she had just done.
Taeo rushed over to her.
"Hey, how did you do that just now?"
His voice was a mix of shock and sheer excitement.
"I only cast Magic Missile... How is this even possible?"
Iris asked, unable to hide her bewilderment.
Taeo looked visibly flustered, clearly not expecting this level of power.
However, he forced a smile and replied,
"A-amazing, right? This is the true power of the Kraken Wave Staff. Tell you what, why don't you try casting another spell?"
"What kind of spell?"
Iris asked.
"Just try any other spell you know. You'll understand once you do it."
Taeo explained.
Though she still hadn't fully grasped what was happening, she prepared her next spell.
This time, she decided to cast 'Formless Whip,' one of the representative basic spells of non-attribute magic.
But the magic Iris cast was slightly different from the standard basic spell. As a dedicated major, it carried her unique expertise.
"Formless Whip: Consecutive Strikes!"
Iris shouted.
At that moment, multiple whips wrapped in thick blue flames erupted from the tip of the staff.
Moving like the living tentacles of a giant Kraken, the whips lashed through the air and slammed downward.
It evoked the image of a colossal, burning Kraken, incomparable to the common, boat-sized lesser Krakens.
The whips of blue fire danced through the air, leaving the onlookers utterly mesmerized.
A stunned murmur escaped Taeo's lips.
"What in the world..."
Iris held her breath. Only then did she realize.
This weapon was different from any other magic weapon.
It wasn't just a staff imbued with a single attribute.
No matter what spell she cast, the Kraken staff overlaid it with the attribute of the blue wave flames.
This was no simple feat.
She knew all too well why attribute magic was so difficult.
Each attribute magic had its own laws and principles. Understanding and controlling them demanded immense effort and talent.
It was like trying to solve complex equations written in entirely different languages all at once.
That's why I ended up choosing non-attribute magic in the end, Iris thought, looking back. Because manipulating pure mana itself suited me much better.
Non-attribute magic had its own challenges, of course. She had to produce the desired effects using nothing but raw energy, without the aid of any elemental attributes.
But to Iris, this path was much clearer. Instead of agonizing over various divided attributes, she could focus all her efforts on a single path.
That was how she had achieved her current level of skill.
But this Kraken staff changed everything.
Iris was already at the absolute top tier when it came to mana control.
All she needed to do was form the basic structure of the spell, and the staff handled all the complex, attribute-related calculations for her.
Iris's heart began to race.
A shiver ran down her spine as she realized the sheer possibilities of what could happen when her exceptional mana control met the incredible power of the Kraken staff.
This... might actually be insane.
Iris took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.
How many things will I be able to do now?
Her eyes were now filled with determination and anticipation.
Her hand trembled slightly as she gripped the Kraken staff, but it was from excitement, not fear.
As time passed, Iris grew highly proficient in using the Kraken Wave Staff.
The blue flames erupting from her staff were no longer a wild horse she couldn't control.
With every swing of the staff, the magical waves flowed gracefully, perfectly reflecting her will.
"Kraken Tempest!"
With Iris's shout, a massive vortex of blue fire surged from the tip of the staff. It looked like a fiery tornado rising straight out of the ocean.
"Whoa... look at that!"
"I can't believe a non-attribute major is pulling that off..."
Gasps of admiration erupted from the surrounding students.
The expressions on the faces of the upperclassmen who used to look down on Iris were particularly priceless.
"How is she doing that..."
A senior majoring in fire magic muttered.
A flash of jealousy crossed his eyes alongside his shock.
Iris's magic demonstrated far greater versatility and stability than his own specialty, fire magic.
Rumors of the Kraken staff's incredible effects spread rapidly, and the Kraken Club's Magic Department branch snowballed in size.
They transcended being a mere club, transforming into something resembling a small cult.
"Brothers and sisters! Receive the grace of the Kraken!"
"Ooh! All hail the Kraken Cult!"
I blinked as I watched the Kraken Club members passionately "proselytizing" in front of the shop.
"This is getting a bit weird. They look like a cult."
At my words, Chloe giggled and replied,
"I know, right? But honestly, if I used it, I might end up like them too."
We watched the spectacle for a moment before slowly walking away.
Just then, William suddenly stopped and turned to look at us.
"Hey, guys... you do realize we only have five days left until our project deadline, right?"
Chloe's face went pale.
"It's already that close? I can't believe time flew by so fast..."
William nodded and added,
"And from what I've heard, some of the other groups have already finished theirs..."
Chloe cried out in surprise.
"Oh my gosh, really? I've been spending all my time in the forge lately, so I had no idea. What are we going to do?"
I simply smiled and replied,
"Don't worry. What do you think you guys have been doing all this time?"
"Um... practicing magic engraving?"
William answered cautiously, anxiety laced in his voice.
"Exactly! That is the core of our project. Five days is more than enough time."
The two of them exchanged glances at my nonchalant attitude. Their faces still held lingering anxiety.
"Will we really be okay?"
Chloe whispered in a small voice.
To be honest, I was starting to get a bit bored of making the exact same weapons lately.
This seemed like the perfect opportunity to try something new.
Well, shall I start making something else then?