Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 525

“That was a strange question, wasn’t it? Someone like Wodanaz probably wouldn’t have that problem.”

“Uh… um. Yes.” Ethan answered, his face showing nothing, like always.

Ethan quickly thought of his teachers – Headmaster Skull, Professor Voladi, and others – and tried to look calm.

“In some ways, a calm student like Wodanaz might find this method difficult,” Professor Inguldel tapped his wooden sword thoughtfully, his eyes sharp as he looked at Ethan. “It’s more of a swordsman’s approach than a wizard’s.”

Both swordsmen and wizards manipulated mana in much the same way.

However, some wizards looked down on swordsmen, calling them ‘monsters using mana without much thought.’ Swordsmen’s methods were a bit rough.

Unlike wizards, who learned through theory and study, swordsmen were more secretive.

Secrets were passed down orally within families, and leaks were almost forbidden. So, it was less organized and less based on theory.

When explaining how to use mana to activate a part of the body, a wizard might say:

-‘Use three units of mana, like for a small light spell. Do this, say these words…’

Swordsmen say:

-‘Feel the fire inside! Send it to your arm!’

But even the swordsmen’s way had advantages.

“As I understand it, knowledge isn’t enough. It’s the wizard’s will that changes the world. Swordsmen also use their will. Think of your strong will, your desire to do something. Put that feeling into the idea of what you want to do, to make it stronger.”

Will.

Even with theories, spells, and potions, the will to change the world was the core of magic.

Making this will strong and steady was the usual way.

But Professor Inguldel was suggesting a different way.

Raise this will like a fire and use that power!

‘Interesting.’

While other White Tiger Tower students were focused on swordsmanship, Ethan was thinking about something else. He was always curious about different kinds of magic.

‘Primal magic?’

The words ‘primal magic’ echoed in his mind, a term Headmaster Skull had used about forgotten, powerful magic from long ago.

Many friends didn’t care, but Ethan wasn’t prejudiced.

If it had advantages and could be used, why not use it?

Professor Inguldel stood up and put a steel rod on the floor.

Then, he picked up a wooden sword and swung it lightly. He didn’t even use mana.

With a sickening ‘screech!’, the wooden sword sliced right through the steel rod.

“!”

“…!” The students gasped. Their eyes went wide with shock.

Unlike the students, Ethan felt something else.

‘Enhancement magic?’

He felt mana as if he had cast a cutting force enhancement spell on the sword.

“What did you feel?”

“I felt the profundity of swordsmanship!”

“…Besides that, I mean.”

“Isn’t that it?”

The White Tiger Tower student scratched his neck, embarrassed.

“It felt like the cutting force was enhanced, am I right?”

“Well observed.” Professor Inguldel was pleased.

“It’s the *idea* of ‘cutting’ that changed the mana in the sword.”

“By focusing on the idea of ‘cut,’ Professor Inguldel made the mana act like it was meant to cut, even though it was just a wooden sword.”

“…!!”

‘Impressive.’ Ethan was surprised.

It sounded simple, but it was remarkable.

Wasn’t it like using magic that a wizard would cast after studying, chanting, and using potions, just with senses and will?

It would be faster for the wizard, but no one could deny the swordsman’s perfection.

“I know everyone wants aura. But aura is just a step. Don’t focus too much on it. Use the right sword for the situation. A light sword for a quick fight, a heavy sword for a strong enemy. Now.”

The students paused, impressed.

“Yes?”

“Everyone’s had enough rest, so get up. You get angrier when you’re tired.”

“……”

Later, when you’re good at using concepts, you can control your emotions even when you make them strong. But you can’t do that yet.

The easiest way was to make them angry.

“Get up. Now. Get up.”

“Ack! Ack!”

“W-wait! Five more minutes!”

Professor Inguldel hit the students with his wooden sword until they got up.

The students rolled around, but Professor Inguldel kept hitting them until they got up.

Ethan was grateful for the first time that he had been in the festival.

‘Saint Iactus, thank you.’

Clang!

“Put more emotion into it.”

Clang!

“More!”

Clang!!!

“Still not enough. The mana hasn’t changed.”

“Kraaah! Kraaah! Kraaaah!”

“Good. That’s how you raise your emotions.”

“Huff, huff.”

As Dergyu knelt, panting, Ethan spoke to him.

“Should I cast an enhancement spell on you?”

“Ah, no. It’s supposed to be hard… huff. Haa. And the professor is doing this because he cares about us… so.”

‘With that mindset, it might be bad.’

According to Professor Inguldel’s theory, to change mana by arousing emotions, one had to explode with emotion.

Thinking like that would be bad.

“Wodanaz.”

“?

Giselle spoke to him. Ethan turned his head.

Unless the school was flooded or an evil wizard appeared, Giselle rarely spoke first.

Giselle looked tired. She lowered her swords and said in a rough voice.

“Watch me. Just watch.”

Ethan and Dergyu turned, curious.

Giselle stared at Ethan, then closed her eyes and nodded.

And then, she swung her sword.

Whack!

Unlike the others, this strike hit the steel rod, leaving a mark.

Professor Inguldel clapped.

“Well done! You exploded with anger!”

“……”

“……”

“Hey. I need to practice too.”

“Is your body okay?”

“If I don’t practice now, your friend will make me even less okay soon.”

“M-Moradi isn’t that kind of guy… well, he is.”

“……”

Giselle stared at Dergyu as if he was ridiculous.

‘Is this guy for real?’

‘Should I think of Headmaster, Professor Verdus, or Professor Voladi? There’s also…’

Ethan closed his eyes and meditated.

There were more opponents than he had thought.

Professor Inguldel watched him with interest.

‘Does he not have an opponent?’

Students from knightly families had to compete to grow.

They had been dueling or fighting within families.

So, they had a strong competitive spirit.

But those from noble families like Wodanaz didn’t need to compete.

Refinement and etiquette were helpful, but not this time.

It seemed hard to explode with emotion…

Wham!!!!

“……”

“……”

Professor Inguldel and the students stared at Ethan, looking at the shattered sword and the crushed rod.

What was this anger?

“…I get it!”

“What?”

“That Wodanaz guy. He must still be furious that I kept talking about Quidditch!”

‘I don’t think that’s it.’

No matter how he thought about it, it wasn’t that kind of anger.

Professor Garcia welcomed the students.

“Has everyone been well?”

“Yes, Professor!”

“We’re having the lecture here instead of in the hall because…”

The students stared at the lake.

Were they supposed to go in the lake?

‘It’s cold.’

‘Is that why you taught us underwater breathing?’

“…it would be a mess inside, so we came here. It’s better in a wide-open space.”

“So, we’re not going in the lake?”

“Huh? No, we’re not.”

The students were happy.

However, Ethan was cold-blooded.

“Is a monster coming out of the lake?”

“No.”

“Ah. The lake itself is the monster!”

“…Should we do it somewhere else?”

Professor Garcia regretted choosing this spot.

Only after calming the students could Professor Garcia get to the point.

“The magic we’re learning is for self-defense. Some of you learn magical dueling, but…”

The students looked at Ethan.

Ethan said, “Why are you looking at me?”

“Ah, no. Just…”

“…Basically, some students aren’t familiar with fighting.”

The students nodded.

Using magic in a fight was harder than it seemed. Even for the White Tiger Tower students.

Even if they focused, they sometimes failed. It would be harder in a fight.

“It’s self-defense magic for those students.”

“Oh…”

‘This is a professor.’

Ethan and the other students were moved.

Suddenly throwing iron balls was more like a thug than a professor.

‘Is it defensive magic?’

“First is the Undead Repel magic. It surrounds you with an aura that undead don’t like. Weak undead won’t come close.”

“Undead…”

“Repel…”

The students took notes.

“And Undead Detection magic. It catches energy from undead creatures. If you use it, you can catch undead.”

“Undead…”

“Detection…”

“Let’s also learn the Lesser Undead Reverse Summon magic. You can defeat weak undead with this.”

“…?”

“???”

The students felt uneasy.

It was strangely focused on undead.

Why?

Ethan asked, “Professor?”

“What is it?”

“Are you saying that Headmaster is going to attack us soon?”

“Wh-what are you talking about? Someone might misunderstand.”

“……”

“……”

The students jumped up and copied notes.