Arena number six, the arena where Kafka Crowbell likes to use as his sanctuary for his alone time.
"Teacher Crowbell" Hellen greeted the teacher that's currently sweeping the stands.
The dark-haired teacher looked at us with surprise, quickly clearing his throat and stopping what he was doing "Director Goldenlaw! And you... what brings you two here today?"
"Well, I came here to oversee today's close-combat applied magic with student Alen" she gave the teacher a calm and mocking smile.
"Oh... even though it's his free day?" He looked at me with a grin that told me all I needed to know "Oh, I see that you're replacing that idea that students learn at their own pace with my superior method"
"I haven't changed my way of thinking, teacher Crowbell. It's just that this student's pace seems to be on a more advanced level than other students"
I don't like where this conversation is going.
"Then I'll be more than willing to give this students some extra lessons" he patted my shoulder and chuckled in a way that sent shivers down my spine.
"M-miss Goldenlaw... you still haven't told me why I have to do this..." my trembling voice and sweaty forehead denoted how uncomfortable I felt.
"According to teacher Crowbell, you managed to cast a tier four spell. Skipping over two tiers that you can't even cast" she pointed at my chest, where the magic circle of any mage is "And you never did that spell again"
"I'm here to see you achieve that... at some point of this year" she turned around and created some distance between her and where Kafka and I are.
"But this class isn't about magical advancement" the teacher held out his hand to stop Goldenlaw "This class focuses on optimizing casting and decision-making of a student that engages on up-close fights"
"And it's original purpose was to give a certain teacher a place to slack off and do nothing productive" she smiled, knowing that he couldn't talk back against that.
Kafka only rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue
"I'm glad you agreed to make this a class whose purpose is to train student Alen"
"What...?"
I glanced at my teacher, he also glanced at me with an equally surprised expression.
"Yes! I think student Alen has some potential, and I want to exploit it as much as possible"
"...?"
This... is exactly what I wanted...
I get to be directly trained by Hellen Goldenlaw and Kafka Crowbell.
"Now... student Alen, we'll both be teaching you how to advance in magic"
"You can't be serious Goldenlaw!" A clearly unhappy Kafka crossed his arms and looked at miss Goldenlaw with disapproving eyes "I don't know what you see in him, but he's not worth it"
That hurt.
"He's stuck only knowing... what? Four spells. Only a single affinity? Stuck on the lowest tier while his classmates can do at least one tier two spell" he lifted a finger for every single thing I failed at for him "Sure he can cast spells without chanting an incantation, but that's a cheap trick that only works against people that don't expect it"
"But he managed to skip tiers and cast a spell that's way above him, and he was a key part on taking down a group of thugs. I think he deserves at least a chance to prove himself"
"That... was only luck, if he can't replicate it without putting himself at risk, then skipping over tiers is useless! Even more useless when he hasn't been able to replicate that!"
"Bu-"
"No! Goldenlaw, no talk about potential could work" Crowbell's tone was low and angry, his face looked like he could attack at the blonde director at any moment "it's not wise to waste our time on a special class for a single student"
It's really uncomfortable to be here right now...
"That's where you're wrong!"
They both turned around and looked at me.
"Right now, I'm the best students you have! I went from the bottom of the class, to eleventh rank, almost a top ten in only two weeks of classes"
"Th-"
"Out of any student, I'm the one that has earned the most points up until now. And we both know that my two secrets, incantationless and that skipping of tiers, far outweighs my shortcomings"
He knows that I can bring the S class to a next level, making him stand out to other teachers, and that I do have something to be interested in.
"It seems student Alen understands the importance of the special treatment he'll recieve" she had a proud smile, knowing that Kafka might agree to this proposal thanks to what I said.
"..."
"I'll only agree if he stops being a measly first circle mage"
He gave up!
"I'm glad we got to an agreement teacher Crowbell" the blond director gave Kafka a gentle smile.
She still suspects him, right?
"I didn't agree to anything! He still needs to prove himself"
"Did you hear student Alen? Now you have work to do" her smile seemed more wicked now that she was looking at me and not Kafka.
"Thank you teacher Crowbell!!" I bowed my head to show my gratitude.
"I still haven't agreed, you du-!" He stopped himself before saying something really bad in front of a director "Start by praying that you reach second circle"
Now is where all my problems begin.
To reach a second circle it's required an amount of mana... an amount that I haven't reached.
And using a cheat method from the game won't work because I need specific items.
But...
...
I could do something like create an outer circle?
No, that isn't a permanent solution. And it requires extreme ways to reach it.
But... maybe it doesn't need to be extreme...
Think...
Last time, I managed to do an outer circle by using up all the mana I had until my body instinctively used the mana in the air.
Couldn't there be a way to use the mana in the air without putting my life at risk?
Maybe... if I start creating a second inner circle... my mana, which is concentrated on a single place, wouldn't be enough to create a second circle. Given my current mana pool, I'd say that I'd only be able to complete half a circle.
But that's when outside mana comes into play... but I'm not that guy. Even someone like Hellen Goldenlaw'd would have problems controlling outside mana while creating an inner circle.
But... what if I don't create an inner circle?
What if... I only focus on creating an outer circle... and force that outer circle inside me?
No... that'd be impossible! I think...
Why am I so dumb!? The only two things I can think of, are just simple training to get better mana, which would take a long time, or cheat with something that doesn't even guarantee a chance of success.
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"He's been there for a while" the blonde director stood next to Kafka Crowbell with arms crossed.
"You gestured me to not help him" the dark-haired teacher crossed his arms as he looked at Alen with judging eyes "Are you sure that this is the way to do it?"
"I don't expect him to reach a second circle today, but I want to see if he can come up with something on the spot"
"He thinks this is his only chance..."
"That pressure will only make him work even harder"
Kafka remembered that day where Alen casted a tier four spell, he knew that the kid has some trick up his sleeve "I'll give him a maximum of three classes to prove himself"
"That's like... today and the two classes of next week?"
"With today, then it'd be four classes..."
Goldenlaw smiled when she heard Crowbell's caring tone. Maybe, she could trust him despite what he does to his students and how they both became distant due to walking down different paths in life.
______________
I need to choose...
Give up and train, hoping that they give me another chance later... or accept that I screwed up my only chance to train under them.
Create an inner circle as much as I can and using outside mana to make up for what I lack.
Create an outer circle and force it inside me.
...
Option two is the best I can do! Although it's incredibly difficult, every other option is equally or more difficult than it. Option two also gives me a clear chance of success, unlike option three. And if I focus and I'm lucky enough, I can do it today, making it faster than option one.
I need to close my eyes and relax.
...
Once I relax... I need to focus on my own mana.
And now... I should be able to see what I read about.
A vast and open dark space, it feels like when I'm submerged under water.
It's different than creating an outer circle. When I did that, I felt pain, mostly because I stabbed myself on my thigh and used a make-up chainsaw with a spell and a wooden training knife.
Now I feel... at peace.
Once I feel myself submerged, that's when I need to focus.
I need to move my own mana... but, where is my first circle? I should be able to feel it...
No... I feel it... it's just... really small...
Like I could... wear it as a ring on my index finger... I read that a first circle should surround me...
It doesn't matter right now! I need to do something with all my other mana.
I have to move it... with my will and mind.
Just like casting a spell, you feel a tingle that moves to your hand before a spell manifests itself.
That tingly sensation moves around me.
Circling and making a ring around me, but it's not enough... it should be a complete ring.
But I can only see it as if it was a loading circle that races around me.
But!
I expected this.
And now is when the hard part begins.
When I manipulated outside mana, it felt different... instead of being submerged like inside mana, outer mana felt more like floating I the air.
Focus on that feeling.
If I'm using all the mana I have on this one place, then I have nothing else on the rest of my body.
Or at least, that's what I think.
Now I can...
...
...
...
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