Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Etala strolled with ease within the Spirit Zone, an effortless feat that the others couldn’t perform.

“Now, this is the basic form of the Spirit Zone,” she explained. “However, in practical situations, there are very few opportunities to utilize the sphere’s full area. Let me give you an example.”

As she flicked her finger, a round target appeared twenty meters away. “With a Spirit Zone of ten meters in diameter, you can’t apply magical effects to that target. Your options are either to approach it or to expand the Spirit Zone. However, by altering its shape, this approach also becomes viable.”

As the size of the Spirit Zone uniformly decreased, it began to elongate toward the target’s direction. The volume remained the same, but by reshaping it, the distance was extended.

“In this manner, by exercising control over your mind, you can modify the Spirit Zone’s shape. Once you do...” Etala extended her hand gently. “Fire.”

As if tethered by an invisible thread, flames swiftly darted through the air, setting the target twenty meters away ablaze. Sirone’s eyes, along with those of the other students who had recently advanced to Class Seven, widened in astonishment as the gravity of Etala’s demonstration finally sunk in. Her unassuming appearance had initially given them a different impression of her abilities.

“But there is a fatal flaw to this method.”

The new students wore slightly embarrassed expressions, their discomfort stemming from the shocking impact of the previous demonstration, which had been revealed as a poor method.

“While you can alter the form of the Spirit Zone, constantly changing it during real-time battles becomes inefficient. Hence, mages standardize multiple forms for practical purposes. That’s the core concept of the Spirit Zone’s four patterns, collectively known as the Spirit Zone Quaternion.”

Having exclusively trained with a single Spirit Zone until this moment, Sirone felt his heart quicken its pace.

“As the first of the four forms, we have the defense form.”

Etala’s Spirit Zone constricted tightly, transforming into a cube made up of twenty triangles. It appeared sturdier than before, but from a distance, it still retained the semblance of a sphere.

“The basic shape of the defense form is a cube. It entails creating mental frames to construct the skeleton. The greater the number of frames, the greater the durability. It can shield as many allies as you can fit inside. Here, I’ve made twenty frames in order to make the shape you see now. Next, we have the attack form.”

As Etala’s Spirit Zone appeared to contract even more, it stretched out into numerous thorn-like shapes.

“The attack form is also commonly known as the star shape. Rather than diminishing the central area, the Spirit Zone expands in all directions, forming thorns that ensnare targets.” With this form, not only is it easy to pinpoint the target’s location, but it’s also effective when dealing with multiple enemies. Next is the target form.”

The Spirit Zone extended out from Etala in the cardinal directions, forming a cross shape.

“The basic form of the target form is a cross. Among the four forms, it boasts the longest single-volume range. Although its firepower may be somewhat less than that of the attack form, it excels at precise targeting and pinpoint accuracy. Mages typically rotate the Spirit Zone around themselves to designate the target.”

As Etala snapped her fingers, numerous targets materialized, and she inspected them with keen eyes.

“At a forty-five-degree angle, fire.”

Each time the rotating cross caught a target, flames shot out. They shot out simultaneously in all directions without the slightest deviation as if each had an eye at the rear.

“When using the target form, you will need to master the rotation speed of the Spirit Zone. While there is a linear Spirit Zone with the longest range, it’s rarely used except by specialists in sniper magic. This is because the mage isn’t at the center but at the end of this straight line, making it cumbersome to change direction. In other words, there’s a delay in applying magic to the target.”

After demonstrating three forms of the Spirit Zone Quaternion, Etala wiped her glasses and said, “Lastly, there’s the isolation form. It’s a technique that enables the center of the Spirit Zone to detach from the mage’s physical body.”

Sirone didn’t understand. If the Spirit Zone represented the mage’s mind, then it only made sense that the focal point would naturally be the brain. This felt no different from telling someone to take out their brain.

Etala continued with a relaxed posture. “Let me demonstrate.”

After a brief pause, the Spirit Zone, still maintaining its spherical shape, started to shift. Ten seconds later, the sphere’s barrier had completely detached from Etala’s body.

Sirone was utterly astonished. What on earth is at the center of her Spirit Zone now?

“This is the isolation form. Among the four forms, the isolation form is particularly unique. While the original Spirit Zone represents an extreme unity of one’s inner self and the external world, the isolation form embodies a controlled extraction towards the external world. The farther one detaches the core from themselves, the smaller the Spirit Zone becomes. It’s a challenging technique to the extent that there are specialized mages for this form. However, it allows for the most agile movement of the Spirit Zone among the four forms, and its activation is immediate.”

With a lift of her glasses using her finger, Etala demonstrated a continuous transformation of the four forms one last time.

It morphed into a cube, blossomed into a star shape, stretched into a cross, returned to its spherical form, and then spun rapidly before separating from her body. Multiple students gasped or commented in awe. The Class Seven students finally realized that the professor before them was not just a mild-mannered lecturer but a certified level-six mage.

“Starting now, you will all practice the Spirit Zone Quaternion, which means you will be repeating the four forms I have just shown you. Let’s proceed with practice according to your classes.” As the students received tailored instructions, Etala approached Class Seven to explain. “The first thing you all must grasp is the defense form. While mages have their specialties depending on their inclinations, it’s advisable to consistently hone your skills in the defense form. It allows you to maintain focus even in chaotic battlefields and provides resistance against anti-magic forces.”

Sirone remembered the school’s warning about anti-magic. Although the staff claimed ignorance, lingering questions remained.

“Professor, I have a question. Um, may I?”

“Of course, feel free to ask. You didn’t raise your hand to ask me if you’re allowed to ask questions, did you?”

“Actually, I was wondering why anti-magic is considered forbidden magic. Many mages are undertaking legitimate research on it.”

Nodding as if acknowledging a valid question, Etala replied, “Anti-magic manifests in two forms: the anti-magic spells wielded by mages and the anti-magic spells imbued in artifacts. Are you aware of this?”

“Yes, I’ve heard of it before,” Sirone answered.

“It’s best to think of anti-magic as a unique wavelength of the Spirit Zone rather than actual magic. It revolves around disrupting an opponent’s Spirit Zone using one’s own. However, when it’s a clash between humans rather than artifacts, it becomes a mental tug of war. Humans, as opposed to objects, possess emotions.”

“Does that mean that if it’s executed recklessly, it could lead to severe mental duress?”

“Exactly,” Etala answered. “In essence, mages who specialize in anti-magic dedicate their lives to mastering just that. They develop a mindset so steadfast that their thoughts become as immovable as objects. The school simply doesn’t wish to promote such techniques to students who are still growing and evolving.”

Sirone finally understood. Real combat magic, which could harm either party in a duel between mages, was not a topic appropriate for student exploration.

“Now, let’s refocus. I want all of you to delve into the basics of the Spirit Zone Quaternion.”

As the class began their exercises, Sirone started to practice the defense form separately. The technique felt like tightening one’s mind while simultaneously establishing a framework to prevent collapse. Sirone felt his Spirit Zone solidify and widened his eyes in surprise. Although it wasn’t as visible as Etala’s inside the Image Zone, the success was undeniable. I did it. It actually worked!

His success did benefit from his swarmer-type inclination, but it was still an impressive achievement. The years he had dedicated to practicing his Spirit Zone had paid off.

Suddenly, classmates pointed toward the Image Zone.

“Wow! Look at that!” someone exclaimed.

Upperclassmen from Class Four had been taking turns practicing, and Amy was in the middle of showcasing a spectacular technique. Her specialty was the target form. The cross-shaped form rotated ninety degrees to the right and then two hundred seventy degrees to the left, emitting a burst of flames in a breathtaking display.

Although the Spirit Zone spanned about twenty meters in diameter, a size considered average for a target-oriented form, the axis’s rotation speed was beyond belief. Targets emerged from every angle, but the number of flames that simultaneously erupted from four directions resembled a rapid-fire barrage.

After obliterating over one hundred targets, Amy exhaled deeply and deactivated her Spirit Zone. With her captivating looks and unparalleled skills, the awe in the younger students’ eyes was undeniable.

“Is that Miss Amy Karmis?”

“She belongs to the first rank of the noble hierarchy. Not only is she stunning, but her skills are also amazing! Being friends with someone like her would make life at the magic academy amazing.”

“Dream on. During my four years here, I’ve heard that over a hundred guys confessed to her. Not once did she bat an eye.”

“Can you blame her? House Karmis is among the most prestigious noble families in the kingdom.”

Eavesdropping on the conversation, Sirone’s curiosity intensified. Why did someone as talented as her associate with thugs in the back alleys of the city?

At that very moment, as if on cue, Amy descended from her Spirit Zone, and her eyes met Sirone’s. Instinctively, the other students followed her gaze, turning their attention to Sirone.

“What’s the deal with them? Do they know each other?”

“I doubt that. He just joined yesterday.”

“Do you think she’s genuinely interested? She typically avoids eye contact with guys.”

Amy quickly looked away. She had made a mistake in handling her gaze, but honestly, it was bothering her to the point of driving her crazy. That look in his eyes... He definitely remembers.

Unearthing her past actions could spell trouble, but she wasn’t overly concerned. With a resolute goal, she was singularly focused on becoming the best. However, that wasn’t the issue. The issue was that she recalled what her twelve-year-old self had attempted with Sirone.

Why on earth did I do that? And why did it have to be him, of all people?

“Amy, are you okay? Your face is red. Did you push yourself too hard in the Image Zone?” her friend asked.

Amy quickly shook her head. “It’s nothing!”

She refused to admit the fact that she had once harbored curiosity about Sirone as the opposite sex. Just my luck... I have to stop him from saying anything. Not only would it be humiliating, but I’m at a disadvantage. Now, as a mature woman herself, she knew that if the whole truth came to light, she would be the one who suffered the consequences. I’ll have to approach him discreetly.

After Amy’s demonstration, no other student used the Image Zone. They didn’t want to be compared to the top student in the advanced class from the very beginning of the new semester. Seizing the opportunity, Sirone made a request.

“Professor, may I try?”

“Hmm? The Image Zone?” Etala tilted her head in confusion.

A student who had just started learning the principles of the Spirit Zone Quaternion wouldn’t typically need to use the Image Zone.

“Well, let me think. According to the facility usage rules, higher-ranking students have priority.” After a brief examination of the Image Zone, she noticed no students approaching the device. “All right. It might be good for you to gain some early experience. Just make sure not to summon any targets. You could hurt yourself.”

“Yes, thank you.”

As Sirone entered the Image Zone, some of the upperclassmen whistled and applauded, as if they found his courage adorable.

Amy took a sip of water and then turned toward the commotion. Upon seeing Sirone, she accidentally spat out the water she had been holding in her mouth.

“Amy, are you okay? What’s with you today?” her friend asked.

“What does he think he’s doing? He’s only in the Class Seven.”

At that moment, Sirone entered the Spirit Zone. I can see it. The sight of the rapidly swelling blue sphere around his brain left him breathless. H-huh? Overwhelmed by the image, Sirone instinctively halted the expansion of the Spirit Zone.

The noisy commotion instantly subsided, and the students stared in astonishment, their mouths agape.

“It’s... huge,” someone remarked.

The students were all looking at Sirone’s Spirit Zone, which had a diameter of twenty meters. Considering that the average diameter in Class Seven was thirteen meters, it was evident that a significantly skilled freshman with a larger Spirit Zone had arrived.

“His Spirit Zone is so big!”

“So what? He still can’t use magic. That’s no different than a bubble of air.”

Unable to hear the comments of others, Sirone was already working with all his might to prevent the collapse. Something’s not right. Just ten minutes ago, he had successfully controlled it, but now, his mental framework was bending like a twig. Why isn’t it working?

It could be that the visual shock had shaken his mind, but Sirone believed he wasn’t that weak. There must be a reason. What’s different between then and now? What has changed between outside the Image Zone and inside?

At the same time, a flash of insight pierced through his mind. It’s the size. The expectation that a smaller Spirit Zone would make the Spirit Zone Quaternion easier was entirely mistaken. In fact, it’s the opposite. Even altering the form consumes mental energy. And ultimately, mental energy is... the Spirit Zone.

No matter what, to change the form, much stronger concentration was needed than now.

In that case... With determination in his eyes, Sirone declared to himself, I’ll expand it to the maximum.