NOVEL WEB Chapter 63: THE STUDENT THEY TRIED TO MOCK
As he spoke, Markus began adding his own markings to the enchanted board, his additions flowing seamlessly into Ashcroft's original design. The pattern grew more complex, geometric precision giving way to organic flow as theoretical knowledge translated into practical application.
"Unlike our modern Mana magic, which focuses on single elemental principles," Markus continued, his confidence growing as the seal took shape, "Aether has no fixed formula. It can manifest in any pattern, adapt to any need, reshape itself according to the practitioner's will and understanding."
The completed seal pulsed with contained energy as Markus channeled his mana into its structure. For a moment, nothing happened, then the air above the pattern began to shimmer and twist, reality bending as magical forces responded to the theoretical framework.
A small creature began to form, translucent, whale-like, no larger than a house cat but moving with the fluid grace of something born from pure magical theory. It floated through the classroom with obvious intelligence, its form shifting between states of matter as it navigated around students and furniture.
"The downside," Markus concluded with scholarly satisfaction, "is that true Aether manipulation was lost centuries ago when the old civilizations fell. We're reduced to using Mana magic, which can only approximate Aether's capabilities through focus on individual elemental principles."
The demonstration drew appreciative murmurs from the assembled students, while Ashcroft nodded with genuine approval. "Excellent grasp of lost magical theory, Mr. Thornley," he said, his voice carrying the warmth reserved for students who truly understood complex concepts. "Your theoretical foundation is impressive."
All eyes turned to Yomi, who had remained silent throughout the explanation, his attention seemingly focused on something beyond the classroom walls. The expectation was clear, after Markus's sophisticated demonstration, what could a Dra'kesh possibly contribute to advanced magical theory?
"Mr. Masaru," Ashcroft said, his tone carefully neutral though his eyes showed curiosity about how his newest student would respond to such academic pressure. "Do you have anything to add to Mr. Thornley's explanation?"
Yomi looked up with the kind of calm attention that suggested he had been listening carefully despite his apparent distraction. "I don't know what that seal is supposed to do," he replied simply, his honesty carrying more weight than false confidence would have.
Laughter erupted from several students, their amusement carrying the cruel edge of social superiority confirmed. Here was proof that the mysterious Dra'kesh who had dominated physical assessments was completely out of his depth when it came to genuine academic pursuit.
Markus's smile widened with obvious satisfaction, while other students exchanged glances that suggested their assumptions about racial capabilities had been validated. Even some of the first-years who had witnessed Yomi's orientation performance began to doubt whether physical prowess translated to intellectual achievement.
Ashcroft's expression flickered with what might have been disappointment, his scholarly hopes deflating as he confronted the possibility that he had misjudged his newest student's potential. Perhaps I expected too much, he thought, his enthusiasm for the unusual assignment beginning to wane.
It was then that a familiar voice echoed in Yomi's mind with characteristic mechanical precision.
[Brief explanation: Aether corresponds to Ki in host's original world.] [Recommendation: Demonstrate understanding through practical application.]
Yomi's eyes narrowed with sudden comprehension, pieces of a puzzle clicking into place as the System's guidance illuminated connections he hadn't previously recognized. The theoretical framework Markus had described, the organic patterns that defied geometric logic, the emphasis on will over formula, all of it aligned with principles he had mastered in his previous life.
"May I?" Yomi asked, gesturing toward the enchanted board with newfound interest.
Ashcroft gestured for him to proceed, though his expression suggested he expected little more than an educational demonstration of ignorance. "By all means, Mr. Masaru. Perhaps hands-on experience will illuminate theoretical concepts."
Yomi approached the board with measured steps, studying the seal Markus had created with new understanding. The pattern was elegant in its complexity, a theoretical framework that attempted to channel forces beyond ordinary magical comprehension. But to his enhanced perception, it was also fundamentally flawed, not incorrect, but incomplete, lacking the organic integration that would allow true Aether manipulation.
Without hesitation, he began altering the existing pattern, his modifications flowing across the enchanted surface like living script. Where Markus had used geometric precision, Yomi incorporated flowing, organic markings that seemed to pulse with their own inner rhythm. The symbols he added were unlike anything in the academy's curriculum, demonic murim script that predated human magical theory by millennia.
Students leaned forward with growing fascination as the seal transformed under Yomi's touch. The modifications weren't random, each addition served a specific purpose, creating connections and flows that hadn't existed in the original design. What had been a complex theoretical exercise became something approaching living art.
"What kind of markings are those?" whispered one of the senior students, her voice carrying academic curiosity mixed with unease. The symbols Yomi was incorporating seemed to shift and flow even as she watched, as though they existed partially outside normal visual perception.
Instead of channeling mana as Markus had done, Yomi placed his hands at specific points along the modified pattern and began drawing on forces that no academy instruction had ever addressed. Pure Ki flowed through the seal, not asking permission from reality but commanding it to respond according to his will.
The effect was immediate and dramatic. The seal completed itself in its original form, not the approximation Markus had achieved, but the perfect theoretical framework that Ashcroft had initially drawn. For a moment, it pulsed with contained power that made the air itself seem to thicken with potential.
Then it went dormant, the energy dissipating as though the demonstration had failed completely.
Laughter erupted from the student body once more, their amusement now tinged with relief that the social order had been maintained. The mysterious Dra'kesh who had disrupted their expectations during physical assessment had proven inadequate when faced with genuine intellectual challenge.
"Well," Markus said with obvious satisfaction, "I suppose that demonstrates the difference between theoretical knowledge and... whatever that was supposed to be."
But Ashcroft stood frozen at the front of the classroom, his weathered features pale with shock as he stared at the dormant seal. Unlike his students, his decades of study allowed him to recognize what had actually occurred and the implications were staggering.
****
"Mr. Masaru," Ashcroft said once the other students had filed out, his voice carefully controlled though his eyes blazed with barely contained excitement. "Please remain behind. I believe we have much to discuss."