Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The Pathless Bridge earned its name fittingly due to its challenging location, suspended between the highest peaks at the training ground, soaring a thousand meters above the valley floor. The 700-meter-long bridge arched over a rapid stream flowing far below.

“Why is it called the Pathless Bridge?” Sirone asked.

“It’s quite literal,” Amy replied. “It’s a bridge that’s practically impossible to cross used for teleportation training. The difficulty levels range from one to ten. Even for someone in Class Four like me, anything above level eight is genuinely dangerous.”

Sienna added, “Of course, the difficulty will be set at level one with no obstacles for the advancement test. Even teleporting seven hundred meters is already an immense challenge for Class Seven students.”

Amy, turning her gaze to Sienna, asked, “Wait, then how will they be judged? Will the first to cross be the one to advance?”

“The furthest teleportation will determine the winner. While it’s not inherently dangerous due to the safety measures in place and professors on standby for emergencies, the true risk comes from the students’ competitive spirit. If their competitiveness gets out of hand, they could end up colliding with each other.”

Amy believed that the potential for collisions between students could be the determining factor in the competition.

“Students will naturally aim to outperform Sirone, but there is a strategy. He would need to make a strong start as soon as the competition begins. It’ll require a significant amount of mental energy to maintain such acceleration, but someone like Sirone should be able to withstand it,” Amy added.

Sienna nodded in agreement. “That’s why I plan to coach Sirone myself starting today.”

“What? You will?” Sirone gasped. Hearing this plan for the first time, he looked at her with wide eyes of surprise.

Amy offered him an encouraging smile, which only made her feel a sense of unease. “Why go to such lengths?”

Sienna took a moment before responding. “I played a part in how this situation unfolded. My initial recommendation was to place Sirone directly into Class Five. Unfortunately, my proposal was blocked by other faculty members. If they had agreed, Sirone wouldn’t be facing this predicament now.”

“But if the others find out you’re helping him, it could become a bigger issue. Of course, other students will spare no effort to research teleportation, but if it becomes known that you, a professor, personally trained Sirone, his success in the test could easily be discredited. Let me train him instead. I’m confident in my ability to prepare him for a level one challenge.”

This time, Sirone’s gaze shifted to Amy. He had expected her to be angry at him for purposefully avoiding her.

Sienna, with a puzzled expression, questioned Amy, “I’ve heard about your graduating class exam application. Wouldn’t it be better to focus on that? You don’t have the luxury to worry about Sirone.”

“What? Is that true?” Sirone turned to the girl, surprised by her proactive decision.

Her decision to be the first to apply, at a time when no one else had yet taken the step, signified her intent to achieve success through honorable and straightforward methods.

She indeed has a remarkable character. She’s really amazing, Sirone thought. Moreover, her visit, despite likely being swamped with her own preparations, was unexpected and generous.

Meanwhile, both Amy and Sienna, driven by their pride, were steadfast in their desire to help Sirone and showed no signs of backing down.

“I can find the time for teleportation training, regardless of my schedule. So, why not let me take over, Professor? Your direct involvement might negatively impact Sirone’s advancement.”

“But this will be his first experience with magic. Such significant lessons should come from a professor. You should concentrate on your graduating class exam. Aren’t you already aware that you only get one shot at it per year?”

Both of them wore faint smiles on their faces, yet their eyes conveyed a seriousness that was far from being joyful.

Amy turned to Sirone and asked, “Well, who will it be? Me or Professor Sienna? Surely learning from your girlfriend is the better option.”

Sienna, not backing down, retorted, “With the graduating class exam looming, how much assistance can you really offer him? Stop being stubborn, and listen to me.”

Sirone, without a moment’s pause, declared, “I’ll do it on my own.”

“What?” they both exclaimed simultaneously, looking puzzled.

“It wouldn’t be right to receive specialized training from a professor overseeing the exam. Nor do I want to burden Amy. She needs to focus on her own test. I will face this challenge on my own.”

Amy couldn’t hold back her frustration. “You idiot! Do you realize what kind of opportunity this is? Other students will be hiring private tutors to prepare for the test. Moreover, you’re under close scrutiny. Tackling this alone is beyond your capability.”

“I understand that as it is.”

“What?”

“Isn’t that the very reason you’re aiming for early advancement to the graduating class too? Because you can’t go further if you stay content where you are. For me, Class Five is merely a stage on my journey to becoming a mage. Like you, I’m ready for whatever result comes my way.”

Finding herself at a loss for words, Amy cleared her throat.

In that moment of silence, Sirone’s attention shifted toward Sienna. “Please believe in me. I can’t promise success, but I’ll give it my all and live with the outcome without regrets.”

Sienna, recognizing his resolve, stood and said, “If that’s the student’s wish, then as a professor, I should respect it. But if you ever have any questions or doubts, feel free to come and ask. That offer stands for all students.”

“Yes. Thank you for your concern.”

Just before exiting the room, Sienna turned to Amy with a cautionary note. “I’ll let it slide today, but please avoid entering the boy’s dormitory in the future. You could face disciplinary measures.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Amy responded, her head bowed in humble acknowledgment. She knew she was fortunate it had been Sienna who found her, not someone else.

As Sienna departed, the room’s atmosphere shifted to an awkward silence. Despite the myriad of events that had unfolded between them, this was the first time they were alone together.

“Um, so...” Amy began, trying to navigate the uncomfortable quiet.

The tolerance for the awkwardness likely stemmed from a glimmer of expectation, yet that flicker of hope was buried so deep and fragile that it seemed as if it might shatter at the slightest touch.

“I should probably go as well,” Amy said, breaking the silence.

“Oh, okay! Thank you for coming to see me,” Sirone replied, his politeness causing Amy to pause as she reached for the door.

She didn’t know what kind of relationship she wanted with Sirone, but it certainly wasn’t an awkward one based on seniority.

“You’re such an idiot! Why didn’t you tell me about what was happening? You should’ve told me about it. It’s not just your own problem.”

“I know, but I didn’t want to burden you with it.”

“Why? Because of your pride?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s because... I didn’t want to push you away.”

“What?”

Amy’s voice tinged with confusion, her cheeks warming ever so slightly.

“If I shared that I was being bullied, our already strained relationship would have become even more awkward.”

Amy fell silent, contemplating his words. Could it be that Sirone was feeling the same way as she did?

“You’re my goal. When I first came to this school, I saw your name at the very top.”

Although it wasn’t exactly what she had in mind, Amy acknowledged Sirone’s potential.

“Then let’s drop the formalities,” she said.

“What?”

“Do you think you can surpass me with such a timid approach? If you’re going to challenge me, do it with conviction.”

“But...”

“I don’t like it. It’s cowardly to greet me with respect upfront and then try to outdo me from behind. Compete with me where I can see you.”

Her suggestion was radical, although reasonable, as it dismissed the importance of class, which was directly tied to social status. It showed that she truly believed in his potential.

“But you’d better catch up quickly. If you can’t back up your confident words, I’ll take back my offer. Got it?” Amy said, her words tinged with embarrassment as she turned her face toward the window to hide the flush on her cheeks.

At that moment, Sirone called out to her, “Amy.”

She froze. That idiot... Dropping formalities moments after I told him to... Shifting her body with a somewhat awkward expression, Amy discovered Sirone’s intense gaze locked onto her.

“I will catch up to you,” he promised firmly.

Amy, momentarily caught off guard, allowed a small smile to cross her lips. “By then, I’ll have graduated and moved on. If you’re really confident, then show me what you can do.”

With those final words, Amy leaped out of the window.

Sirone rushed to the window, but all he could see was the darkness of the night.

She’s incredibly fast. There was probably a significant gap in their abilities, but now wasn’t the time for admiration. The teleportation test...

It was time to pour everything he had into it.

***

Sirone temporarily set aside his other studies. With only a month left until the early advancement exam, he was determined to master teleportation within that period.

Upon closer examination, he acknowledged that the task was more daunting than anticipated, realizing his disadvantage was greater than initially thought. His foremost challenge was to learn teleportation on his own. Furthermore, his lack of practice in other forms of magic meant he was short on practical experience.

I’ll have to reduce my sleep. I’ll devote myself entirely to mastering teleportation, limiting sleep to just three hours each night.

The first step in his journey was to gather all available literature on teleportation magic. To his relief, obtaining the books was not as difficult as he had feared. Do others not even need to borrow from the library?

Rumors indicated that about twenty students were applying for the exam, all likely employing more hands-on methods of preparation. There’s a real chance I might fail this time. Suppressing his impatience, Sirone began to methodically study the fundamentals of teleportation.

“Hmm... Time is a concept born from light.”

The first chapter was already challenging. Encountering abstract concepts of time and light was a sudden shift when his aim was to understand swift movement. I need to concentrate.

Teleportation magic was deeply rooted in the theory of photoionization, which was considered a monumental breakthrough in magical science. This theory allowed for the manipulation of light at its core.

Moreover, to master light is to... master time. It’s not merely about moving swiftly. It’s about converting one’s body into light to surpass the limitations imposed by time.

Kergoth, a renowned expert in time magic, encapsulated this in a refined formula: Time and space were intrinsically linked as one entity—space-time. Thus, if one could control time, one could similarly control space due to the absolute consistency of light and its absolute speed.

“Relative velocity is the discrepancy between time and space, yet light seamlessly merges the two,” Sirone recited. This revelation led him to a deeper understanding. “Time is a concept born from light.”

Kergoth’s philosophies resonated with Sirone’s discoveries, culminating in the essential formula for teleportation that was rooted in photoionization theory.

The formula is quite straightforward. But the challenge lies in the application. Above all, exceptional control and skill… Theoretical understanding was one thing, but it remained doubtful whether any mage could truly comprehend light with such precision. No mage can mentally adjust measurements that occur on a scale of 10 to the power of 20.

Sirone reviewed the book again. Time mages had classified the speed of light into four categories: faster-than-light, light speed, near-light speed, and sub-light speed.

Faster-than-light remained a theoretical concept. Attaining this was theorized to enable Time Slip magic, but it was a level no mage had reached—a domain solely of the gods.

Throughout human history, only the most extraordinary time mages had achieved light speed. They possessed the extraordinary ability to halt time with stop magic. Such individuals who reached this level were exceedingly rare throughout human history, numbering so few they could be counted on one hand.

Sirone shifted his attention to the segment on near-light-speed. This was described as slower than light speed, yet beyond what could be achieved physically. It involved the manipulation of space-time, and exceptional magical prowess was necessary to perform spatial teleportation. While current technology could not accelerate any matter to near-light speeds, for mages, such feats were achievable. This was presumably due to their capacity to warp phenomena mentally.

Remarkable... Intrigued by the enigma of these velocities, he refocused on the category that aligned with his current level of skill. Sub-light speed.

This term was not recognized in physics. It was a classification coined by time mages. It was likely estimated to be within the realm of the speed of sound, but since it was challenging for biological eyes to differentiate between near-sub-light speed and the speed of sound, they opted for this classification.

Yet, it’s equivalent to the speed of sound. Herein lay the risk associated with teleportation. Although photoionization theory reduced the body’s mass to virtually zero, at the relatively lower stage of sub-light speed, there was still a significant risk of impact in the physical realm.

It would be disastrous to run into an obstacle. Regardless of the reduced mass, a collision at such speeds could be catastrophic. On the Pathless Bridge, he was told there would be no obstacles, yet the challenge remained: dozens of students would attempt to teleport simultaneously.

Can I do it with just the basic formula?