“I’ll summarize the situation.”
Archiwood, wearing a tense expression, initiated the conversation.
In the middle of the expansive training ground,
He positioned himself uncomfortably between Lennok and Roden.
“This is a simple match for Assistant Professor Evan to demonstrate his elemental magic. Make sure to be cautious so as not to unnecessarily escalate the situation.”
“…………”
“What, is there a problem?”
Roden, who appeared subdued, inquired, noting Archiwood’s irritable demeanor.
“Uh, were you and Assistant Professor Evan acquainted before?”
Despite Roden’s initial jealousy-driven inquiry, as the situation escalated, he appeared to have second thoughts.
In reality, his discomfort arose from Archiwood unexpectedly aligning with Lennok and participating in the event as a mediator.
Archiwood, who had merely been passing by, was drawn into the situation with just a word from Lennok, making it difficult for Roden to find ease.
“………..”
Archiwood, wearing a disgusted expression, promptly averted his gaze, ignoring Roden’s words.
This response was entirely anticipated.
Archiwood couldn’t reveal the true reason for his close attention to Lennok’s words.
Lennok placed a reassuring hand on Archiwood’s shoulder and addressed Roden,
“He’s here in a mediator’s capacity for now, and won’t interfere unnecessarily. Don’t worry.”
“Are… are you sure?”
“Of course.”
Lennok offered a reassuring smile.
“After all, we’re just going to briefly show elemental magic, what’s there to worry about?”
Instead of responding, Roden briefly glanced at the audience.
At the far end of his gaze, a young girl with a buzz-cut nodded briefly, prompting Roden to reply.
“Well, alright then…”
“……….”
Unaware of the subtle shift in Lennok’s demeanor, Roden began gathering his mana.
Simultaneously, Lennok summoned Davi and readied his mana.
As Archiwood stepped back, upon a brief signal, Roden unleashed his mana fiercely towards Lennok.
“Kuek!”
Bang!!
In an instant, Davi’s form flashed, and Roden was sent hurtling backward.
He soared over ten meters, landing outside the training field, leaving everyone in shock.
A battle decided within a mere second.
It was such a one-sided encounter that it hardly warranted discussion.
The undergraduates who had followed the proceedings from the classroom began speculating about the astonishing events.
“Bailey was blown away in one shot… Is elemental magic usually like this?”
“No, from what I’ve researched, it usually involves elemental spells. Maybe the Assistant Professor has something special.”
“But a magic that completely reflects back? That’s incredibly powerful.”
“It’s not for nothing that Professor Aris scouted him from the outside. Maybe the Assistant Professor will give a special lecture on his spells?”
“Oh, I’d really like to listen to that.”
Priscilla, who had been observing closely, spoke with a bewildered expression.
“Assistant Professor, even if you’re demonstrating, isn’t it a bit much to send Bailey flying before he even tries anything?”
“………”
In response to Priscilla’s words, Lennok remained silent, lost in thought.
What had transpired was entirely coincidental, but the process behind it was far from random.
At first glance, it might have appeared as if Davi had simply reflected Roden’s magic, overpowering him effortlessly. However, the true explanation delved into a complex cause-and-effect relationship.
‘I couldn’t feel any mana at all.’
What Roden had employed was the ‘Shock Horn,’ a unique shock-type magic commonly used by wizards. To directly deflect such magic, even with a spell, would necessitate an exceedingly advanced technique. Moreover, to send Roden hurtling such a distance would require near-perfect reflection of his original magic back at him. This was something Lennok couldn’t assure without establishing a magical domain.
Executing such a intricate manipulation of mana instantaneously, and doing so without Lennok himself detecting it? It bordered on the unbelievable.
Lennok knew there had to be a more concrete explanation.
“Davi.”
[Confirmed.]
Davi, who cradled an invisible gemstone between its front paws, responded.
[It seems that what I just used is the power of a relic.]
“……….”
Sebastian had asserted that the abilities possessed by top-tier ancient relics differed significantly from the modern magic system. If that were the case, then the hypothesis that Davi’s ability to repel the magic was a part of Compassion of Archangel’s capabilities aligned perfectly.
‘It’s not even just repelling magic. This is……’
If Davi had reflected the magic based on its physical presence, there should have been a process involving the mana being discharged and then redirected. However, according to the mana flow Lennok had observed, there was never any change in the direction of the mana.
Yet, despite the constant flow, the mana that had been fired had seemingly turned back towards its caster.
There was only one possible conclusion.
“Hoo…..”
Suppressing his quivering emotions, Lennok withdrew a cigarette from his pocket, imbued it with mana, and tossed it to Davi.
In the next instant, Davi’s form shimmered once more.
“Huh? Why is there a cigarette here?”
Priscilla picked up the cigarette that seemed to have fallen from the sky, her head tilted in confusion.
“…………”
It was now certain.
One of the potent auxiliary abilities possessed by ‘Compassion of Archangel’ was a form of teleportation that could move objects containing mana through space.
Subsequently, Lennok transported the unconscious Roden to the infirmary and wisely spent the remaining time demonstrating Davi’s control over lightning mana to the other students.
While it was true that Davi had learned the teleportation spell through the iridescent gem without expending mana, there was no need to disclose that fact to the other students. In this context, showcasing Davi’s proficiency with lightning magic, which suited its appearance, would yield a more positive response.
Zap…!!
Davi playfully frolicked in the air, manipulating lightning, while manipulating lightning remained Lennok’s specialty. It deftly seized the lightning that surrounded it and performed an array of tricks. When a bolt of lightning descended from the sky in response, the students’ reactions were nothing short of exhilarating.
“It summoned lightning!!”
“Davi is the best…!!”
“Long live the spirits!!!”
Despite the peculiar turn of events in the midst of it all, Lennok couldn’t help but offer a faint smile as he watched the students captivated by the breathtaking performance.
Among the spectators were students from other departments who had heard rumors and even school officials. Lennok knew that showcasing this level of skill would silence any doubts about his future prospects.
As he glanced at Davi, who was receiving lavish praise from the crowd, Lennok thought to himself. Davi was basking in the immense applause and cheers of the hundreds gathered around.
[Raise me higher so I can see the top of everyone’s heads…!]
“………”
Did even spirits require character education? Lennok pondered this question. While the telepathic communication might not reach others, it was necessary to hush it nevertheless.
Fortunately, everything had concluded well. With the lecture over, it seemed fitting to disperse the undergraduate spectators and head to the library.
‘It was an unintended coincidence, but the gains from this incident are not insignificant.’ Lennok reflected.
He had never imagined that this serendipitous opportunity would unveil one of the relic’s abilities. Considering that he had never contemplated putting Davi in the forefront during team battles, it wasn’t an exaggeration to call it a coincidence unique to this University.
Lennok composedly suppressed the excitement bubbling up within him. ‘Let’s stay calm… The first step is to properly verify the teleportation ability.’
However, despite his repeated self-reminders, it was challenging to contain his excitement, perhaps because he understood the value of teleportation abilities all too well. Acquiring this rare spatial capability, especially one that didn’t rely on mana, was a significant gain.
He had harbored suspicions when he first heard about the relic, but now there was no doubt. If he obtained the relic’s ability to teleport living organisms, he could achieve mobility on par with teleportation without suffering from mana poisoning.
Moreover, if, by some stroke of luck, the teleportation ability, which had been incomplete with just the gemstone, could transport the user when fully combined with the staff…
‘………’
Just the thought of it made it nearly impossible to conceal his excitement. It meant he would have to completely reconsider his strategies for the exploration team.
‘I shouldn’t wait for Irina Pheffield to make her move; I should act first,’ he resolved.
He knew he needed to acquire the rainbow-colored half gem and the staff with silver wings on both sides. ‘I’ll have to contact Sebastian as soon as I get back.’
As Lennok contemplated these thoughts and began to walk toward the audience seats, someone approached him from behind. Up to this point, Archiwood, who had silently observed the situation, regarded Lennok with a stern expression.
“What is it?”
“……It seems those inferior ones saw nothing, but you can’t fool my eyes.”
In Archiwood’s eyes, there was a strong conviction.
“You pretended to borrow the power of spirits, but I saw everything. The moment you interfered with the space of the mana he used…!! You must’ve manipulated him with that unbelievable magical ability.”
“………”
As someone from a prestigious magic academy and considered one of the promising talents, Archiwood’s discernment was keen.
Archiwood didn’t suspect that Lennok had used a teleportation ability, but he did recognize that Lennok had interfered with the fabric of space itself. This was likely possible due to the honed insight he had gained through interactions with more advanced wizards.
Upon observing Lennok’s stoic expression, Archiwood’s fingertips quivered. Only after his speculations had solidified did Archiwood fully grasp that Lennok was an exceptionally skilled wizard, virtually untouchable.
He attempted to maintain a composed demeanor but couldn’t conceal the faint fear that crept over his face.
“Your skills are absolutely unbelievable. Why would a monster like you enroll in the Elemental Studies Department of this university? Are you an inspector sent from another magic tower?”
His emotions seemed to fluctuate as he switched between formal and informal language. Judging by the slight trembling of his body, it was evident how much courage it took to pose that question—
However, was there any necessity to provide him with a direct answer?
Lennok couldn’t be bothered to respond and instead wore an enigmatic smirk. Yet, this reaction only served to cement Archiwood’s beliefs, and his face drained of color as if his spirit had departed. He then bowed his head in despair.
In a voice tinged with resignation, he turned away and said, “I will cooperate fully with whatever happens from now on. Please, no more stealing my mana.”
As Lennok watched Archiwood walk away with a defeated countenance, a clear bell chimed in the distance, signaling the end of the lecture.
Acknowledging greetings from other scattered undergraduates, Lennok promptly made his way to the library.
Although he had unintentionally secured Archiwood’s complete compliance, it didn’t seem like a disadvantage. In fact, having influence over someone holding a significant position within the university could prove beneficial.
Lennok swiftly pushed aside these concerns and quickened his pace. Time was not on his side. If he intended to skim through relevant materials by the end of the day, he needed to hurry.
Extracting his cellphone, he messaged Sebastian to expedite data transfer. Using his mana, he shielded himself from the prying gazes.
[Should I not be with these humans?]
… He also made a mental note not to forget to attend to Davi, who had started uttering nonsensical remarks.
The day at Rabatenon University was drawing to a close.
