“Fire bolt!”
A bolt of fire shot forward and collided with a set of wooden targets at the end of the chamber. The moment the blazing projectile struck, the wood splintered in every direction. The explosion was far larger than a standard tier one spell should have produced, and the flames even reached the two targets on either side.
“Yes, I did it... Ack!”
Elian smiled as he watched the targets shatter, but his moment of triumph was short-lived. He had finally managed to cast the spell successfully and dodge the first attack coming his way, only to be struck by another that followed immediately after.
“Even if you manage to hit your target, Elian, you still have to watch out for any secondary threats that might follow immediately after.”
Roland entered the room to find Elian sprawled across the ground. Although his progress had been slow, he was getting better at keeping his composure. Every now and then, he managed to complete his spell and hit his target, but more often than not, something still went wrong.
“There will be students from other magical academies waiting for you to let your guard down. Never relax unless you are absolutely certain there is no one around you.”
“Y-yes, Deputy Professor.”
Elian replied as he rubbed the back of his head. Even though a paralyzing bolt had struck him, he seemed to have grown accustomed to the sensation, making Roland wonder if he should increase its strength.
“But what brings you here... could it be? Is this training over now?”
His eyes widened as though salvation itself had appeared. He had spent half of every day for the past week enduring this exercise, and it was obvious he wanted nothing more than for it to end. However, Roland had not come to dismiss them. Instead, he intended to add another layer to their training.
“Not quite. Come with me for now.”
“Ah...”
The young man's shoulders slumped in disappointment. Roland turned and walked into the main chamber, with Elian following close behind. The other students had already gathered there, with Selphie hurrying in from outside and nearly tripping over her own feet.
“My apologies, Deputy Professor!”
She stumbled to a stop just before Lucienne. It was obvious she was not herself today. She looked exhausted, with dark bags beneath her eyes, the result of spending the past week cramming magical formulae into her head.
“You've all worked hard. Some of you have begun to grasp the essence of your new roles, while others still have a long way to go.”
Elian's expression fell, as though he believed those words had been directed at him. Lucienne lowered her head as well, but Roland knew they had all been putting in genuine effort, and that counted for more than talent alone.
“It's fine. Don't get discouraged if your progress has been slow. It's only been a week since you began learning these skills properly.”
He did not want to sound too harsh. Some of these young mages had probably never struggled this much before, especially after spending their lives being praised for their talent. Being confronted with their own shortcomings day after day could easily shatter their confidence if he pushed them too far.
“What matters is that every one of you has improved. However, the competition will not wait for you. To give you the edge you need, I have prepared something for each of you.”
Roland gestured toward a large table that looked completely out of place in the illusory chamber. Resting on top of it was a large rectangular crate covered with multiple locks and engraved with runes. As he approached, the runes flashed briefly, and the locks slowly disengaged. A mage hand spell lifted the lid, and the students leaned forward as curiosity got the better of them.
“What are these, Deputy Professor?”
Selphie's eyes sparkled as she looked inside the crate. Her hat, as always, slipped over her eyes, but she quickly pushed it back into place.
“As you already know, the Runic Department will be providing magical devices for your use during the Convocation. These are prototypes that will help you manage your spells and mana far more efficiently than any enchanted equipment currently available.”
Roland continued as he removed the most important part of the devices first, the runic batteries. There were several ways to attach them to the body, and they were only slightly larger than a modern day 9 volt battery. They shared the same rectangular shape but were about twice as long. Their metallic surface was covered in miniature runes.
There were many shapes the batteries could have taken, but in the end he settled on a rectangular design instead of a cylindrical one. He had relied on other smiths to manufacture them, and producing a rectangular shape was much easier than machining a perfectly cylindrical one to fit a specific holster. Flat surfaces also made it easier to engrave runes without imperfections that would reduce the overall grade.
“Each of you will receive one battery along with a customized receptor device. The battery stores mana in advance, so your own reserves will no longer be the only source you can rely upon.”
Roland placed one of the rectangular batteries on the table before lifting what looked like a leather harness. There were several ways to carry the batteries, and he had brought a variety of harnesses, belts, and straps for the students to choose from.
It was possible to place a battery inside a spatial rune that would power the enchantment from within. However, the amount of mana required meant the battery would have to be both quite large and made from tier three materials to function properly. Such equipment was forbidden during the competition.
“Stores mana, this block does?”
Roland stepped aside as Selphie spoke.
“Yes, it does. Please choose whichever harness you prefer for carrying it. Pick one that best suits your fighting style and will not interfere with your casting or movement.”
These were still prototypes, and this group would be the first to test them. If it had been his choice alone, Roland would have recommended the belts. They were the least intrusive, could be easily concealed beneath robes or armor, and were comfortable to wear. However, everyone had their own preferences. Even the chest harness he had designed for Armand was among the options, and Oxian already seemed interested in it.
After examining the contents of the crate, each student selected the option that suited them best. Oxian chose the chest harness, which could be easily hidden beneath his clothes while remaining protected by the rocky armor he formed around his body.
Leron chose a slender thigh strap that could be securely fastened over his light trousers. As a scout who relied heavily on agile movement and silent maneuvering, he could not afford any extra bulk around his chest or waist.
Elian chose a wide leather belt that rested comfortably around his waist, and Lucienne made the same choice. Selphie, on the other hand, opted for a combination of a belt and a shoulder strap with multiple battery slots positioned across the front, allowing her to replace them quickly. It was as if she expected to use a great deal of mana and knew that being able to swap batteries without delay would be essential.
"Once you have secured the harness, place the battery into the slot."
Roland instructed, and the students followed his directions.
"You will not feel anything just yet. First, take these armbands. Each one has been fashioned to match your specific mana pattern and will only work for you. For the time being, you will be limited to the armbands, but they can later be crafted into other forms, including armor, if you wish."
The students slipped the armbands over their wrists, watching curiously as the metal bands glowed with a faint, pulsing light. Roland observed them closely. Matching the devices to their individual mana signatures had been a straightforward process thanks to the all-purposeASA scanners and his previous experience with his disciple. There was virtually no chance that any of them would reject their user, but another issue remained.
The armbands, batteries, and even the runes had all been made from tier one materials. Because of that, their lifespan was limited. They might need to be replaced after several hours of continuous use or sooner if they were subjected to an exceptionally prolonged exchange of spells. This was one of the things Roland intended to test today. Once he had gathered enough data, he would begin upgrading every component.
"Now then, channel a small amount of your mana into the armband to activate it."
Some of the students hesitated at first. Testing an unfamiliar magical device always carried a degree of risk, but once Lucienne activated hers, the others quickly followed.
Roland knew the sensation would feel strange at first. The armband forcefully redirected the user's mana, and every mage instinctively tried to resist and regain control. Once the flow stabilized, however, the equipment began functioning exactly as intended.
"Oh... this feels strange."
Selphie said as she quickly chanted a simple light spell, producing a glowing orb above her fingertip. She stared at it for a moment and immediately realized it was much brighter than she had intended.
"Oh, I barely used any mana. The power output is stronger, and the casting speed has increased too!"
Lucienne cast a clairvoyance spell to detect the people around her, and her eyes widened in surprise. The mental feedback was far clearer than usual. It felt as though a veil had been lifted from her mind, allowing her to perceive everything with remarkable clarity.
"The range has increased, and casting feels so effortless..."
Oxian clenched his fists and activated his signature earthen skin spell. A rocky layer formed almost instantly, coating his arms with far less delay than usual. Even after his entire body became encased in sand and stone, the armband and batteries continued to function flawlessly.
Leron simply used his stealth magic to blur his body before them. He activated and deactivated the spell several times, each attempt improving the speed of the casting while consuming very little mana, just as Roland had said.
Even Elian was shocked when the fire bolt spell he cast was produced much faster and at half the mana cost of the original version. Each of the students looked at the armbands as though they were legendary treasures, but they soon turned to Roland with concern on their faces.
"Deputy Professor... Does this magical equipment have any drawbacks?"
Selphie asked directly while creating a small light show above her head as she tested the limitations of the armband.
"There are no drawbacks to using these runic devices. The only real downside is the batteries. They will need to be replaced after a certain amount of your mana has been used."
The question gave him the perfect segue into the next device he had prepared. Roland knew the treasure hunt could last for quite some time, and that the students had limited space in the spatial bags they could carry, but there was a solution.
"Take a look at this. It is called a runic battery charger. If your batteries run out of mana, you can recharge them manually by transferring your own mana into them. Use it whenever you have the time and your mana reserves are full."
"Oh!"
Selphie's eyes widened again as Roland presented the charger. It was not much to look at, just another rectangular box crafted from polished dark steel. It featured several distinct slots along its upper surface where the batteries could be inserted.
Roland demonstrated its use by placing an uncharged battery into one of the slots and channeling some of his own mana into the device. As soon as the process began, a red light appeared on the side to indicate that the battery was charging.
"This light will gradually change color. It will go from red to orange, then yellow, and finally green to indicate the battery's charge level. You can also use it to check how much charge your current batteries have left, although that will not be necessary forever. A feature like that will eventually be integrated into your armbands."
With that, the presentation was over and the students were fully equipped. All that remained was for them to return to their personalized training chambers and practice with their new equipment.
"Return to your training chambers and try out your new equipment."
As soon as he gave the order, the five students hurried back to their respective simulation chambers. Only Selphie remained by the table, eager to experiment with a few more spells. Roland returned to the central observation room to watch their progress, and the improvement in their proficiency became obvious almost immediately.
Elian, who had been falling behind the most, displayed a drastic change in demeanor. His spellcasting was sharper, his chants were faster, and there was a reason for it. The enchantment on his armband maintained a constant clarity spell that eased the stress that had been weighing on him and making every task more difficult. Although it consumed some of the battery's charge, it was the boost he needed to finally keep his composure under pressure.
This time around, he was able to dodge more of the random bolts fired at him, and casting fire bolt spells came much more naturally. He reached the point where his targets had to be replaced several times. Eventually, the difficulty could be increased, and the circle he stood in was made smaller, something he clearly did not appreciate.
The others performed well too. Oxian moved much faster than before and could conjure larger stone walls to protect his puppets. Leron's concealment magic had grown stronger, and his offensive spells had improved as well. He sliced through the hidden puppets to support his team. Lucienne could now repeatedly cast her new spells and make better use of her skills to continue progressing.
"Everything is working within the expected parameters."
"It certainly seems that way, Professor Wayland."
Arion commented as another round of applause filled the control room. The other teachers from the Runic Department had gathered to watch Roland explain the prototypes and present them alongside the students.
"There is no need for that. We still need to gather more data on the prototypes before we can produce more for the other students."
"Leave it to us, Deputy Professor Wayland!"
Stephen saluted him for some reason, as though Roland were some kind of military commander, and the others in the room followed suit. Roland was not quite sure how to react, so he simply nodded. At least now he could devote more of his attention to other matters. Time continued to pass, but it felt well spent.
‘At least for the next week, I should be able to leave them on their own and focus on other issues.’
Once everything was finished, he returned home, where more work awaited him. The upper section of the mobile runic armor had been assembled and was almost ready for its first live walking test. Then there was Agni, whose levels continued to rise steadily.
The next few weeks passed in a blur. Work on the golem consumed nearly half of his time, while Agni's training took up another third. With help from the other members of the Runic Department, Roland was able to reduce his own involvement at the Institute.
His training methods were adopted by many of the other competition teams. Personalized training rooms were created for the remaining students, and improved versions of the runic battery equipment were introduced to give them time to adapt. Finally, with less than three months remaining before the competition began, Agni achieved the breakthrough.
"Awooo!"
"Oh? You finally leveled up. Good job."
Roland stood in front of a runic monitor as Agni came padding back. By this stage of their training, he could even leave him alone to fight the creatures. Agni no longer needed Roland's help to earn the final level.
Name :
Sunlight Wolf [Divine Form] [ L 250 ]
Type :
Fire/Earth/Divine Beast
It felt quite cathartic to reach such a high level. It was a monumental achievement that few people or monsters could accomplish on their own. Under normal circumstances, it would have taken many more years, but thanks to Roland's knack for finding the best grinding spots, he had achieved one of the fastest progressions possible.
"Well then, Agni, are you ready to change your form?"
"Woof!"
There was not a hint of hesitation in the bark, and the wolf's tail wagged like a propeller. However, Roland was not about to transform his wolf inside an undead ruin deep within a dungeon. It would be much safer to return home and do it in a controlled environment.
"Good. Let's head home then. But first, let's take a look at the options..."