But it was already too late for regrets.
Professor Boladi's magic lecture continued unabated.
"I've heard from Professor Verduus. You've decided to major in Enchantment Magic as well."
"...I'm just taking it lightly..."
"It's a good choice."
Enchantment Magic was particularly versatile due to its wide applicability and ease of integration with other forms of magic.
Cold Element Magic, in particular, synergized well with Enchantment Magic.
Those unfamiliar with Cold Element Magic often harbored several misconceptions about it: the intense imagery associated with biting cold, the difficulty in mastering and utilizing it.
-Perhaps the Cold Element is the most destructive and combative of all elements?-
But this was not the case.
In terms of instantaneous destructive power, the Fire Element was far superior. Fire ignited instantly, consuming its surroundings as it burned.
In contrast, the Cold Element did not immediately freeze the target upon invocation.
Continuously, the mage had to infuse mana to maintain the cold until the target was completely frozen.
It was an inefficient method.
'Hmm. I should refrain from thoughtlessly freezing things in the future.'
Yi-Han, who had hastily infused mana into the lake to create ice, reflected on his actions. If other professors had seen him, they might have criticized him as a fool.
Regardless, the Cold Element's other characteristics were also rather ambiguous.
Shape shifting or sustaining power?
The Water Element was superior.
Pure penetration power belonged to the Earth Element, and speed to the Lightning Element...
Excluding its freezing trait, the Cold Element was, in fact, rather ambiguous and tricky to use.
However, there were methods to effectively use it. If one knew how to, the Cold Element had distinct advantages incomparable to other elements.
One such method was through Enchantment Magic.
Thud-
Professor Boladi drew his sword. From his stable stance, Yi-Han realized the professor had trained in swordsmanship.
'Indeed, a person who stakes his life on magic combat wouldn't neglect close-quarter fighting.'
Whoosh!
Yi-Han felt the cold mana rising along the blade of the sword.
"Come at me."
"...!"
Yi-Han, trying not to show his excitement, managed his expression and stood up.
He took his wooden sword and assumed his stance. The professor immediately launched an attack, closing the distance with a swift, sharp thrust.
But Yi-Han, well-trained in swordsmanship, was not so easily bested by a straightforward, unfeigned attack from a distance.
He pushed forward with his wooden sword, deflecting the thrust.
Crack!
At that moment, part of the wooden sword froze.
Yi-Han forcefully expelled mana to shake off the ice. He couldn't end it like this.
'Professor Boladi probably doesn't know much about my style of swordsmanship. Just one hit would suffice...'
"Do you understand?"
"Excuse me?"
Caught off-guard by his own thoughts, Yi-Han hesitated.
"The Enchantment Magic, I mean."
"Ah... Yes. It synergizes well with the Cold Element."
There was no need for a mage to scatter coldness or shoot crystallized ice if they could imbue objects with coldness, continuously inflicting damage on the enemy.
A single brush might not be enough to incapacitate, but it was sufficient.
Yi-Han, proficient in swordsmanship, was keenly aware of how effective this method of cold enchantment could be.
'In a duel between swordsmen, one would have to continually clash weapons. After five or six hits, one would be rendered incapable of combat.'
Seeing that Yi-Han understood, Professor Boladi nodded and sheathed his sword. Yi-Han felt a tinge of regret inside.
"Throw it."
"Yes."
Professor Boladi gestured towards an iron marble. Yi-Han, managing his expression as before, picked up the marble.
'Keep calm.'
Without alarming his opponent, maintaining as much composure as possible...
Yi-Han drew mana from his entire body and infused it into the marble.
He remembered Professor Ingurdel's warning about the dangers of infusing too much mana into a sword.
But sometimes, there were unavoidable situations.
And this was one of those times.
Swoosh!
The marble, tearing through the air with a menacing speed, was suddenly launched.
At that moment, the dagger at Professor Boladi's waist seemed to come alive, moving on its own.
With a clanging sound, the dagger precisely penetrated the marble. The marble, which had been hurtling at great speed, suddenly slowed down and froze.
It was an unreal stoppage, something only the coldness summoned by a mage could achieve.
While Yi-Han was amazed, Professor Boladi was focusing on something else.
The vampire professor asked with interest, "Did you trigger the mana instantly instead of circulating it?"
"...Yes."
"It might strain the equipment, but disposable throwing weapons are fine. It's a good technique."
Yi-Han sighed in relief internally.
Fortunately, his hidden murderous intent had not been detected.
"We practiced this in swordsmanship class."
"Excuse me?"
Yi-Han hesitated.
He sensed the conversation drifting in an odd direction.
Professor Boladi's words sounded like, 'So you were taking swordsmanship classes to add this technique to your magic combat.'
For Yi-Han, who was taking the class for academic credits, it was an unjust accusation.
"It's not like I did it on purpose..."
"Well done. Now summon a Cold Shield."
Professor Boladi quickly changed the subject, signaling the end of the previous topic.
Yi-Han was uneasy but had no chance to clear the misunderstanding.
'...It should be okay. Surely.'
The 2nd Circle magic, <Cold Shield>, was much more difficult than <Water Shield>, even though they were of the same circle.
In terms of elemental difficulty, mana consumption, mana maintenance, and so on.
It felt unfair to call it the same circle magic.
But <Cold Shield> deserved its difficulty.
'It freezes any attack that touches it!'
It was an exceptional magic shield, not just freezing but also significantly reducing the power of attacks.
"Now command this shield to protect you autonomously."
"Yes... Excuse me?"
Yi-Han nodded, then was startled.
Throughout the lecture, he had struggled to master the shape-shifting technique of the Cold Element and had barely managed to create <Cold Shield>. And now, he was being asked to give it autonomy.
Professor Boladi, realizing Yi-Han's confusion, clarified, "Not right now."
"Oh. The final goal..."
"By next class."
"..."
Yi-Han regretted not infusing the iron marble with more mana when he had thrown it.
Would more mana have breached the defense?
"To command a shield to protect on its own... Wouldn't that require at least the 4th Circle?"
Yi-Han estimated briefly.
To create a Cold Shield that floated in the air, spinning around, and protected its master from incoming attacks?
...It would require at least the 4th Circle.
"That's correct."
"Professor. I'm a first-year student."
"?"
Professor Boladi looked at Yi-Han with puzzled eyes, wondering why he was bringing this up suddenly.
"...It’s the difficulty of the magic...?"
"Combining spinning and projectile properties in a water orb and Azirmo Summoning Enchantment. All of these are 4th Circle, aren't they?"
"..."
Yi-Han was genuinely at a loss for words.
In his time at the academy, Yi-Han never expected to be outwitted in logic by Professor Boladi.
-You have successfully performed 4th Circle difficulty magic before -> Therefore, you can succeed at 4th Circle difficulty magic again!-
It was an irrefutable and flawless logic.
Professor Boladi continued, still seemingly puzzled.
"Was that a joke?"
"...Yes... kind of..."
"You lack a knack for humor. No matter. Jokes are unnecessary in magic combat."
With that, Professor Boladi offered some consolation and was the first to leave the classroom.
Left alone after the lecture, Yi-Han sat with his head in his hands, full of regret.
'...I shouldn't have succeeded with the Cold Element magic on the first try.'
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that this single mistake had set off the entire chain of events.
Though the academy was still cold, Yi-Han seemed to have adapted to it after a couple of days.
'It's time to make my way to the Spire.'
Of course, some of his peers, like Gainando, might have suggested otherwise.
-Do we really have to go in this weather!? Let's go later!-
But Yi-Han knew better.
Excuses about the cold, the heat, upcoming quizzes, or having to play card games would prevent him from accomplishing anything.
-Alright, stop nagging...!-
Gainando, who had merely expressed concern once, felt unfairly chastised.
He didn't think this warranted such a scolding!
Clatter, clatter-
Evening.
Students of the Blue Dragon gathered in the recreation room, scraping the remaining food from their bowls with spoons.
Yi-Han, having finished his meal early, took out the potions he had received as a gift from Priestess Siana.
Given the weather and the fact that it was night, he needed to be prepared.
Gulp-
After swiftly consuming the drinkable potions, Yi-Han stood up.
"See you later, then."
"Take care."
"Thanks for your concern."
"..."
Gainando sent a disgruntled look at the warm exchange.
"What's the difference between what I said and this?"
"Is it sincere?"
"Hey? He's out!"
"Really?"
Fourth-year students Coholti and his friends were taken aback.
They hadn't expected anyone, especially in this weather, to venture out of the tower.
"Is he a freshman?"
"Not an ordinary one, that's for sure."
Coholti's comment made his friends nod in agreement.
They vividly remembered the scene of Yi-Han wildly casting magic in the twisted realm corridor.
Ordinary freshmen didn't do that.
-I told you, didn't I? The head of the Wardanaz family must have made a serious pact with a demon…-
-Has the Wardanaz family gone mad to do something like that?-
-Then consider my more moderate theory that the head of the Wardanaz family has some dealings with a dragon…-
-Guys, I love a good debate, but let's not make assassination-worthy comments about the Wardanaz family when we're outside.-
While Direth cursed them, saying 'You trash kids solve it', Coholti and his friends approached the situation realistically.
They needed a considerable amount of mana to solve the twisted realm corridor right now -> There's hardly any way to transport that much mana to the corridor without loss -> In such a situation, shouldn't they seek help from freshmen?
Of course, Direth and other upperclassmen might criticize them for 'bringing shame to the fourth-years', but Coholti and his friends felt no shame.
-Then you guys try dealing with the twisted realm corridor while being grilled by the professors!-
Therefore, Coholti and his friends were secretly waiting around the Blue Dragon Tower.
They doubted he would come out, but just in case he did, they wanted to make contact.
But they hadn't expected him to actually appear.
"Send a message! Quick, send a message!"
"Wait. I'm on it!"
The fourth-year students calmed their excitement and cast a spell.
Contacting freshmen was a risky business under the strict surveillance of the skull principal, but it wasn't impossible.
After all, these fourth-years had seen and survived many challenges at the academy.
Thump-
A paper bird whirled through the air and then dropped right in front of Yi-Han's feet.
“?”
Yi-Han, puzzled, picked up the paper.
Brave and wise freshman. Come to the twisted realm corridor as guided by Professor Mortum.
In doing so, faithful mages will reward your dedication!
“...”
Yi-Han was dumbfounded.
'Is there such a thing as letter scams in a magic academy?'
Rip, rip, rip!
Without a second thought, Yi-Han tore up the letter and discarded it. He didn't want to take any chances with potentially dangerous magic attached to it.
