Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The stimulation from Iruki’s stunt rippled through the students as they shared their observations.

“Odd as he may be, isn’t he quite impressive? His detonation reaction speed seems to be even quicker now, while the explosive force remains constant,” observed one student.

“It must be his savant syndrome at work. He can probably calculate the reaction formula with incredible accuracy because of it,” another surmised.

Intrigued, Sirone joined the conversation. “Is the reaction formula used for causing explosions?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m not very familiar with detonation magic, but I understand that explosive force can vary based on the reaction formula setup. It’s somewhat similar to how the combustion formula operates in flame magic.”

“I see. With such explosive power, I suppose there’s little need to bother with learning flame magic,” Sirone reflected.

“Actually, it’s quite different from flame magic in application,” another student explained. “The display we just witnessed was only possible because of Iruki. Normally, a student would require a substantial amount of time to trigger an explosion. Even Iruki’s savant syndrome would need more time to compute if he wanted to increase the explosion’s power. Cutting down that calculation time is a true measure of skill for mages specializing in detonation magic.”

“Hmm...” Sirone pondered this new insight.

The difficulty of rapidly adjusting capabilities within a swiftly moving isolation Spirit Zone echoed the complexities he juggled with teleportation. While he relied on intuition, Iruki’s approach was noticeably different, relying on swift calculations—courtesy of his savant syndrome.

Detonation magic is undoubtedly strong. Its greatest strength lay in creating large-scale explosions from a single point. The isolation Spirit Zone shrinks as it extends from the center, which makes it exceptionally suitable for detonation magic.

However, its essence was inherently destructive. Iruki’s natural ability, the characteristics of his Spirit Zone, and his specialization all converged on explosive outcomes.

Why is Nade friends with someone like him? Although Sirone was fascinated by the history of magical wars, he maintained the belief that magic didn’t need to be destructive. I’ve never learned magic with the intention to harm someone. Curiosity about Iruki sprouted within him, yet he felt it might be too late to pursue a friendship.

***

Iruki had not shown up to class due to the disciplinary action taken against him.

For Sirone, his absence brought mixed feelings. While he felt sympathy for Iruki, he also had a sense of relief. What would I even say if we met again?

After a routine day, he went through his first official assessment in Class Five. He scored an average of forty-one points, but he still found himself at the lower end of the rankings. That being said, managing to increase every subject by ten points within a month was no small feat.

The following day, students reviewed their test scores, tidied their desks, and basked in their newfound calm after the exam frenzy. The atmosphere was one of ease.

“Phew, finally some downtime. Want to go grab a bite and then head to the club?” someone asked their friend.

“That sounds great. I guess the stress really does work up an appetite.”

While groups of students dispersed to their various research clubs, Sirone hadn’t committed to any.

I should head to the library and study more. An average score in the forties won’t cut it... While not the ideal result, he could feel his backbone of knowledge growing stronger. It was particularly heartening to see that the knowledge was connecting much faster than anticipated. It’s a sign that my network of knowledge is evolving. I’ll keep at it until the end. He drew encouragement from having completed reading the twenty books he had borrowed just a week prior.

“Hey, Sirone,” a girl said.

While he was packing his back, Sirone was approached by a female classmate, her friends watching with clear interest from a distance.

“Hello. Can I help you with something?” he asked.

“Yeah. We’ve been discussing that you’d be a perfect addition to our club. We’re researching transportation magic, and we believe our work would benefit greatly from having you onboard. Our work is also related to photon magic.”

“I see...” Sirone considered the offer with interest. Other clubs had approached him since his academic rise, but this was the first with a direct connection to his skillset. Joining was entirely up to the student, but it never was a waste of time.

The school’s evaluation criteria included practical exams, theory exams, and performance evaluations. For performance evaluations, students were to submit a research paper on a topic of their choice between semesters, and joining a study group could streamline the effort. Most students resolved their performance evaluations this way and spent vacations visiting their hometowns or engaging in other activities.

Sirone had also researched the requirements for joining several study groups. Aside from academic achievements, the prospect of studying with like-minded peers was appealing. But ultimately, he decided against it. His backbone of knowledge wasn’t yet complete, and jumping into research prematurely could be detrimental. Even if the invitation was based on his reputation, he wasn’t confident that he could keep up with their pace once research began.

“I’m sorry,” he began. “I’m focusing on a particular field of study, but I haven’t seen big results just yet. I’m planning to concentrate on that for now.”

“Really? I understand. That’s unfortunate, but I get it.”

“I’m sorry for declining, especially since you went out of your way to invite me.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said with a smile. “What’s there to be sorry about? If you ever change your mind, just let me know.”

The female student was surprisingly considerate and went back to where her friends were. In fact, there weren’t many students who acted out of emotion at the level of Class Five. Of course, there were exceptions, like the eccentric Iruki. The laughter of the female student and her friends echoed in the corridor as they left the classroom.

It must be nice to have friends. It seems like fun. A sense of emptiness crept into Sirone’s heart. He had Lian and Amy, but Lian attended a different school, and Amy had advanced to the graduating class.

“Huh? Sirone, are you heading out?” Nade asked. “Let’s go together.”

“Yeah, I am,” he answered, having recognized his voice without even looking at him.

Whenever Sirone found himself alone in the classroom, Nade would inevitably appear, eager to strike up a conversation. Sirone contemplated whether it truly made a difference whether he was friends with everyone or not. On days like this, when he felt a void within, Nade’s considerate companionship was as soothing as long-awaited rain.

They exited the classroom together and engaged in a conversation about magic and academics. Sirone found those subjects enjoyable, and Nade demonstrated a knack for grasping them.

“The library has many books, but clubs often have a good selection of specialized texts too. By the way, didn’t you get an offer to join a research club earlier? It’s a reputable one. Why’d you turn it down?”

“Because I just don’t have the time for it.”

“Understandable. You need to focus on your theoretical grades. Still, I’m jealous. I don’t even have the motivation.”

Sirone was surprised by Nade’s unexpected statement. “You have so many friends. It seems like you’d be a good fit in any club.”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I’m in one already. Believe it or not, I’m the president.”

“Really? I had no idea.”

Reflecting on it, Sirone realized he had never asked. He had assumed Nade would dislike being tied down to any group, but it appeared he was mistaken.

“What kind of club is it?”

“Actually, it’s a bit embarrassing to talk about.” Nade laughed. “There are only two of us, including me.”

“Doesn’t that fall below the minimum requirement? You wouldn’t receive any funding.”

Although clubs were considered to be autonomous, the school standards demanded that they consist of a minimum of three people. One was singular, two was a pair, and three or more were considered a group.

“Well... an upperclassman in the club graduated last year, so I inherited the presidency. I’ve been worried about it ever since.”

“They graduated?”

There were numerous clubs, but it was rare for one to have members from the graduating class. Moreover, passing the graduation exam indicated that the senior had exceptional talent.

Sirone was truly intrigued. “Would it be okay if I took a look?”

“Really? I thought you weren’t interested in clubs.”

“I’ve always been interested, but I was worried about being a burden. I thought joining should be approached with caution.”

“What are you talking about?” Nade asked with a chuckle. “It’s just kids studying and having fun together. There’s no pressure at all.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Actually, I’ve always felt that you’re somewhat unapproachable. Mature, maybe? I mean... We’re all just kids messing around and making mistakes with what we say. Even in Class Five, there are delinquents, but most are good kids if you get to know them. You should try to loosen up a bit.”

Nade’s advice was something Sirone needed to take to heart. Reflecting on it, both Lian and Amy had been the ones to reach out to him first. I wasn’t always like this. Have I been too tense without realizing it? In fact, there had been almost no moments of peace since he entered House Ojent.

Nade, who had been watching Sirone think with a serious expression, suddenly spoke as if he had come to a decision. “Heck! Why not? This is really a special case, but I’ll introduce you to my club. Just promise you won’t mock it for being small, okay?”

“Really? That would be amazing. Thank you.”

“There you go again. It’s nothing between friends. Come with me. You’re in for a surprise.”

***

The place Nade led Sirone to was a secluded area located in the northwest section of the school’s central park. About a hundred tetrahedral shapes formed the structure of the building, creating a complex colony. The edifice was constructed from iron, and upon closer inspection, one could see magic symbols intricately engraved on its surfaces.

Sirone was immediately struck by the unconventional form and structure of the building and asked, “Where are we?”

“It’s a warehouse where magic devices are stored,” Nade explained. “You could say it houses almost all of our teaching materials. Our research lab is here too.”

Research labs weren’t assigned a specific location. The president of a research club would submit application documents, and the school would allocate an available room.

Even so, why a warehouse? It seemed peculiar to have a research room in such an out-of-the-way spot, especially given the size of the campus.

“This is like a secret hideout, safeguarded by upperclassmen for generations. Our club actually has quite a history. You wouldn’t believe how many fights there have been to claim and protect this place.”

“But this is a bit...”

“Ha! It’s okay. The coolest part is the amount of materials available in the warehouse. You can create anything. By the way, what I’ve told you is just between us. I’m telling you all this because I trust you.”

Sirone’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Really?”

He hadn’t expected Nade, who seemed so ordinary at school, to be breaking the school rules. “Come on. I’ll show you.”

Nade led Sirone into the building. As complex as the structure was, there were multiple entrances and exits. All the buildings were interconnected, and wandering inside of it felt like a maze.

“What do you think? Pretty cool, isn’t it? Don’t worry about memorizing the layout. We rearrange the building’s structure when we have spare time.”

“Rearrange the structure? Is that possible?”

“Yeah, the official name of this place is Istas. The building itself is a magical device. It’s much quicker to relocate the building for sending items to the entrance than to locate and move the items, considering both storage and transportation logistics. That’s why the structure changes frequently, particularly on days with practical lessons at the school. In other words, it’s impossible to find us unless you know how.” Nade gave a sly chuckle with his last statement.

A hideout that remains undiscovered... Sirone’s heart raced with excitement. He was just like any other boy his age thrilled by a secret lair.

“Actually, finding your way here is straightforward. However, since you’re not a member, I can’t reveal the secret to you yet. But let me know if you want to join. You’d be more than welcome.”

Sure enough, Nade led the way with ease through twenty warehouses via a convoluted path. Finally, they reached a building with blue interior walls. Within this building complex were ten large and small warehouses, with Nade’s research club claiming the largest one for themselves.

“Ta-da!” Nade exclaimed. “Here we are!”

Sirone stepped closer, his expression a mix of curiosity and apprehension. He wondered about the type of research that would require such a hidden location. A warped sign dangled above the metal doorway that read: Paranormal Science Club.

“P-paranormal science...?” Sirone mumbled in disbelief.

As they made their way to the club, Sirone had pondered various research fields he might encounter, but the realm of paranormal science had never once entered his thoughts.

Suddenly, Nade was brimming with excitement. “What do you think? Our club is pretty cool, right? We research the supernatural. Ghosts, souls, the afterlife, aliens, hell, and even deities. We cover it all,” he elaborated.

At first, it sounded absurd, but as Sirone listened, his interest grew. One topic in particular caught his attention—deities.

Some magicians denied the existence of deities. While there were religions and clerics performing miracles in various nations, many viewed their abilities as just another branch of magic from a different perspective. Conversely, some religious individuals viewed magic as a different manifestation of miracles, sometimes branding it as heresy.

All of this led Sirone to ponder which perspective was correct and whether gods truly existed. “Yeah, this seems intriguing. It might not be directly related to magic, but it’s definitely worth exploring,” Sirone stated.

“Right? I knew you’d get it. Come on! Let’s go inside. Feel free to make yourself at home.”

As Nade ushered Sirone through the doorway, the dusty cloud that greeted them sharply contrasted with the orderly sanctuary Sirone had envisioned. Just swinging the door open had sent a swirl of dust into the air, causing Sirone to cough and instinctively furrow his brow.

The warehouse, stretching out over an expansive fifty square meters, was a scene of neglect. Desks with broken legs were strewn about, and the tabletop was cluttered with stale bread and papers crumpled beyond recognition.

He told me he remodeled this place... It appeared that only the sign had undergone any remodeling.

“It’s a bit messy, isn’t it?” Nade asked with a laugh. “You’ll get used to it. Come in! Don’t just stand there.”

Sirone wondered why the expectation was to adjust to the mess rather than to clean up the space. Yet, his bewilderment was quickly overshadowed by what he saw next. Ahead, a chalkboard hanging crookedly on the wall was the focus of a boy fervently writing equations.

Sirone’s eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the figure. “Huh?” he mumbled.

It was none other than Iruki, who was supposed to be serving a week’s probation.