Yi-Han looked at the burning puppy with an expression of injustice, but the puppy had already run far away.
The students of White Tiger murmured among themselves, watching the scene with an 'I knew it' expression.
Yi-Han felt annoyed for no reason.
"Cheer up, Wardanaz! Being afraid of by a puppy doesn't define a person's character!"
"That's right, Mr. Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family!"
Despite the encouragement from friends of other towers, Yi-Han didn't feel any better.
'I have to think that unless they are foul-tempered enough to kill me or undead, they will all run away.'
With a sad realization, Yi-Han rummaged in his coat pocket. The burning puppy continued to bark and howl.
"?!"
Professor Bungaegor wondered what Yi-Han was doing.
Surprisingly, Yi-Han pulled out a sweet potato. Gainando tried to walk forward carelessly toward him but was caught by his friends.
"Come here."
Yi-Han flicked his fingers, enticing the puppy with the sweet potato. The burning puppy stopped barking and slowly approached, lured by the smell of the sweet potato.
'Not bad.'
Professor Bungaegor smiled.
Although the lesson was to teach methods of enduring the temperamental burning puppy, not enticing it with sweet potatoes...
It was a good idea.
Instead of forcing or being stubborn with the monster's reactions, it was about flexibly understanding and catering to what the monster wanted.
This was the first step in taming a monster.
The boy of the Wardanaz family understood this well, even without being taught, evident from his actions...
Thump!
Yi-Han, seeing the distracted puppy, quickly lunged and hugged it tightly.
He then lay on top of it to prevent it from escaping.
"Got you."
"..."
Professor Bungaegor was astonished.
Yelp!
Woof! Grrrr! Whine... Whimper.
Initially startled and barking, the puppy soon submitted to fear, becoming docile and looking up at Yi-Han.
Lying on the ground, Yi-Han scratched the puppy's belly. The puppy wagged its tail, panting happily.
Although different from Professor Bungaegor's idea of friendly taming, it was taming nonetheless.
...Using deception and fear.
"Professor, look. We've become friends."
"Yes, good job. Stay hugging it for a while."
Raphael of White Tiger, looking at Yi-Han hugging the burning puppy without getting up from the dirt, wore a disgusted expression.
Such a ruthless fellow.
Was this level of ruthlessness necessary to possess such dark magic abilities, even though he was not from a knightly family but a high noble family?
"Yawn."
How much time had passed?
Someone yawned, followed by several students.
Only then did Professor Bungaegor realize something was off.
'Has it been this long?'
The duration of the flame resistance potion prepared by Professor Bungaegor varied for each student, to prevent them from predicting and preparing in advance.
But it shouldn't have lasted this long.
'What...'
Professor Bungaegor scrutinized Yi-Han.
To her astonishment, the potion's effects had already worn off. There was no sign of flame resistance energy in the body.
Yi-Han was simply...
Emitting mana from his body, repelling the flames of the burning puppy. The puppy whimpered and spat flames, but they couldn't reach Yi-Han and were pushed to the ground, dissipating.
To block the flames purely with the release of mana, without using a protective barrier or any other spell, was remarkable.
That was not a mage's technique, but a swordsman's.
'What a brute!'
Yi-Han misunderstood Professor Bungaegor's gaze as having a different meaning.
'Professor, I too need to survive.'
Yi-Han had his reasons.
After all, depending on a single potion and risking one's life to hug a burning puppy was dangerous.
Yi-Han, having instincts, had no choice but to protect himself in his own unique way.
Though his method was incredibly unconventional and something others couldn't possibly imitate...
Yi-Han had yet to realize that the effects of the flame resistance potion had ended. He had thought that even with his mana, he would feel the heat if the potion's effect wore off.
'But stroking this puppy, I feel strange.'
It was a kind of delusion of grandeur.
It was as if he had gained a newfound confidence in using fire elemental magic.
It was similar to how he felt more confident in handling the bead after his near-death experience with Professor Boladi.
The latter had a basis, whereas the former did not.
'...A trap?'
Yi-Han gazed intently at the puppy. The burning puppy wagged its tail and panted.
"The potion's effects ended a while ago."
"What? Really?"
Startled by Professor Bungaegor's words, Yi-Han came to his senses.
Seeing this, Professor Bungaegor thought to herself.
'Next time, I must bring a creature that can't be blocked by mere mana.'
Unaware that he had dug his own grave, Yi-Han asked the professor.
"Professor, can the fire puppy cast hypnosis?"
"...Did you drink alcohol instead of the flame resistance potion?"
After hearing Yi-Han's explanation, Professor Bungaegor dismissed it casually.
"That's not hypnosis or deception, but your genuine heightened understanding of the fire element."
"Ha ha. Is that so?"
Yi-Han responded with an air of disbelief. Professor Bungaegor nearly hit him, then stopped.
"It's true. You're learning basic elemental magic, right? What's important when using basic elemental magic? Familiarity with the element."
When using basic elemental magic, what mattered was how vividly and strongly one could visualize the element.
A student who grew up in hot, fiery places would be attuned to the fire element.
A student from the wave-crashing coast would connect with the water element.
Depending on their life experiences, students would naturally be influenced differently by the elements.
Conversely, continuous contact with a specific element increases understanding of that element.
"Theory is important, but as a mage, don't lose touch with your intuition, Wardanaz. Your understanding of the fire element has indeed increased."
Professor Bungaegor spoke earnestly.
Yi-Han, who had been half-skeptical, listened. It wasn't bad news.
Merely enduring the embrace of the burning puppy increased his understanding of the fire element.
"But seeing such an increase, you might have a talent for the fire element?"
"What? But I have a talent for the water element."
Yi-Han responded, puzzled. It was unusual to possess talents in opposing elements.
Professor Bungaegor replied as if it was obvious.
"You wouldn't gain such an understanding from petting a burning puppy for several minutes if you didn't have a talent for the fire element."
"!"
Yi-Han realized he hadn't had many opportunities to test his talent for the fire element.
Professor Garcia had warned him of its dangers, and he had nearly died a few times from misuse outside…
"Huh?"
'Could it be that I actually had a talent for the fire element?'
His burning anger towards the professor might have unwittingly developed into a talent for the fire element.
Perhaps his affinity for the water element was just because Professor Boladi constantly harassed him, making him familiar with it...
"Wardanaz, don't limit yourself. It's better to try things out and gain understanding through experience."
"Thank you."
"You can learn how to use the flame resistance potion another time. I'll prepare a suitable monster for you."
"Thank you... Wait a moment. Professor! Professor!"
Yi-Han called out desperately to Professor Bungaegor, but the professor coldly walked past, leaving him behind among the students who were getting beaten up by the burning puppies.
Evening.
Yi-Han was diligently sewing with Nillia. Other friends were also sitting together, busily working their needles.
All around, the students' clothes and coats bore burnt holes here and there, scars left by the flaming puppy.
Nillia's face lit up with admiration as she looked at the fabrics Yi-Han had bought from outside. Her expression resembled that of an old master artisan admiring a protege.
"You have a good eye, Wardanaz. You chose well...!"
"It's all thanks to your teachings."
"Sturdy, tough, and water-resistant. Yes, this is the right material for a coat."
"We should also prepare for camping."
To complete the task set by the skull principal, they had to cross the lake. If unlucky, they might have to spend the night there.
"I know all about camping!"
Yi-Han's declaration excited Nillia, who eagerly raised her hand.
The students of the Blue Dragon let out exclamations of awe as they looked at Nillia.
Yi-Han felt a sudden pang of sympathy seeing Nillia's elongated ears perk up.
'Those from the Black Tortoise, they're too stingy with praise.'
Such a kind friend...
"What should we prepare, Nillia? A camping tent?"
"It's fine. Just a coat will do."
"Oh. What about a camping blanket for the ground?"
"It's fine. Just a coat will do."
"...Don't we at least need a blanket?"
"It's fine. Just a coat will do."
Nillia was excited to share the wisdom of the <Shadow Patrol> with her friends.
The knowledge of sleeping in a cold ravine with only a coat was essential for them.
However, the faces of the Blue Dragon students darkened.
Unable to bear it, Yi-Han intervened.
"Don't misunderstand, everyone. Nillia was just joking."
"Ha... Haha! It was a joke! Hahaha!"
"I was 100% sure it was a joke!"
Nillia looked at Yi-Han as if to say, 'What are you talking about?'
"I wasn't joking. I only need a coat... Uh-uh."
Yonaire quickly covered Nillia's mouth.
Despite minor issues, the friends finished mending and preparing their clothes.
The newly made cloaks and masks of dark fabric would protect them in any situation.
Ratford said with a pleased expression, "You all look like splendid thieves."
"Haha. Don't say it like that."
"It's embarrassing."
The Blue Dragon students were at a loss for words at Ratford's compliment.
Were they really that impressive?
"It's time. Let's go."
Yi-Han and his friends rose from their seats.
Tonight, they would raid Professor Uregor's workshop!
The students were divided into two groups.
Those who had ventured out at night several times, and those who had never done so.
Yi-Han was naturally among the former. He no longer felt any hesitation wandering the academy in the evening.
With a casualness akin to taking a leisurely stroll.
"Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family. Do you know how to open the door to the Gaksu Pavilion?"
Yi-Han nodded in response.
Ratford would handle the physical locks.
Yi-Han would deal with the magic ones.
'We've already finished checking.'
It was easy to check the first-floor main gate lock of the Gaksu Pavilion, as it was frequently used for classes. Ratford had already made a fake key.
"Follow me quietly."
Yi-Han instructed his friends and approached the main entrance of the Gaksu Pavilion with Ratford.
His friends cautiously trailed behind them.
"!"
To their surprise, there was a large hole in the main door of the Gaksu Pavilion. It looked as though something large and bulky had charged through and broken it.
The students were in awe.
"You prepared this in advance! Amazing!"
"...What is this?"
"???"
At Yi-Han's bewildered voice, the students there were startled.
