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Practical Tests Part 4
Since we had split up, the rock wyvern couldn’t find a target and we were able to successfully escape.
“What a waste.”
That was my first impression after watching their battle. Everyone had refined their ability to infuse magic power into a magic ritual and were able to do it with ease. This wasn’t talent—ever since they were kids, they had tirelessly practiced until they mastered this ability.
“Repetition”—It was the most important and valuable act for us scientists.
Young scientists value knowledge built up from repetition much lower than knowledge from pure talent or some sixth sense like IQ. They tout their intelligence and their high IQ as a reason they can conduct even higher level research.
But the god of science is heartless. The supreme sense and intellect that they believe they have often serves little use as they find inconsistent results and as their research runs into the ground. The more they devote themselves into their research, the more they are forced to realize just how ordinary they are, regardless of whether they want to believe such a thing.
On the other hand, Ronald and the others knew the importance of repetition but not the value of the knowledge that comes with it; they were a kind of people that didn’t exist on the scientific side.
To scientists who wanted reproducibility, knowledge was everything, after all. Their journey consisted merely of obtaining that knowledge and nothing else. To deny that would be to deny one’s very existence.
Ronald and the others didn’t consider magic a discipline, but rather a sport that consists of practicing mixed with rare talent and your bloodline, or maybe something more akin to working out.
“I’ve changed my mind. Gather up once more.”
I restrained the rock wyverns with 《Wind Manipulation》, and the examinees widened their eyes in shock as the rock wyverns grinded to a halt.
“I’m a busy man. Gather up once more.”
I casted the same spell once again.
“Y-you, that’s—”
Alan impulsively walked up to me and placed a finger on the now unmoving lizard statues.
“You’re all so incompetent,” I said.
“What did you say!” roared Alan, who I promptly ignored and continued talking.
“Magic isn’t about talent, it’s about studying. You need to fix this fundamental misunderstanding of yours to start.”
I placed the palm of my left hand on one of the wyverns and chanted, “O seven wind blades, obey my power and turn to chakrams.”
Seven large chakrams suddenly appeared in the air, and they twisted and turned as they sliced off the limbs and head of a rock wyvern. Before long, it turned back to sand that scattered onto the floor.
Ah, I ended up breaking it. Regardless, three rock wyverns were too much for the examinees. If I were the professor, I’d make them crush one at most, and I wouldn’t mind giving them a handicap or some hints on top of that.
“……”
While Alan flapped his mouth around in shock, Ronald stared at me as seriously as if he were fighting Fate herself.
“I’ll say this now, but this isn’t some new type of magic, but the same spell that you guys had used before—【Wind Cutter】.”
“Stop lying! Everything down to the shape and the power is different!”
“Not at all,” I replied. “If you could freely wield 【Wind Cutter】, then you could do that very same improvement.”
“We can do……that?”
“Yeah. This is your beginning as well as a critical juncture. Now choose. Will you seek the knowledge that is sorcery, or will you drown in the word talent and throw all thought away?
This time I planted a seed of magic knowledge. Whether it blooms or not is up to them.
And so I began my teachings of the most fundamental building blocks of knowledge.
◇◆◇◆◇◆
“Now! Wind Barrier!”
Ronald had used himself as a decoy, and he two behind him began their improved incantation for Wind Barrier and aimed at the feet of the wyverns hot on Ronald’s tail.
The spell normally wouldn’t have nearly enough power to stop a body as large as a rock wyverns, but they’d find this improved version that was more akin to a boundary more than enough as long as their timing was right.
The moment a rock wyvern lifted its leg, several cube-like blocks of wind crashed into its body like a giant hammer.
Having lost its balance, the rock wyvern tumbled forward and sent tremors running through the ground. At the same time, the other four set off a combination of 【Fireball】and 【Wind Cutter】to form a giant blazing wind blade which gouged into the wyvern’s neck.
The rock wyverns were weak to air, and cleverly wrapping it in fire vastly strengthened its punch.
This was the very essence of pseudo-fusion magic. Many simply called it fusion magic, but truly fusing the spells required several modifications on the magic rituals. They had perfectly followed threw with my directions without any rehearsal. These guys are really interesting.
“O nine wind blades, obey my power and turn to chakrams.”
In an instant, Ronald sent nine wind chakrams flying towards the rock wyverns which gouged at their necks and effortlessly decapitated them.
The rock wyvern turned back to sand which fell back to the floor.
Ear-splittingly loud shouts of joy arose from the grounds.
That was nothing. Their necks were their weak spots, and they would recover any other damage in a couple dozen seconds. I had hinted as such earlier, which they had discovered after talking it out.
The clincher had been the fact that the rock wyverns’ necks had been unnecessarily thick. One of the basic things about the structure of a living being was that tough places most often signified a place that being didn’t want anyone to touch.
So, they planned to use 【Fireball】and 【Wind Cutter】to create a pseudo-fusion spell that cracked through the neck and have Ronald’s improved【Wind Cutter】serve as the finishing blow.
They two were shouting with joy, and when I turned to look towards them, I found Alan’s wind enchanted sword thrust deep into the rock wyvern’s neck.
And like the others, it turned to sand and collapsed to the floor.
Now the test has concluded with our overwhelming victory. Sylphy’s spell had been broken by humans, no, children. It must be a huge blow to her pride. Surely, she’s vexed……or not? In fact, she was grinning like a child who had just pulled off a prank.
“You’re actually amazing. To think that just changing the magic ritual a bit would let off such a powerful spell,” said Alan. “I’m surprised.”
“Well, that’s your own power, built from all the training you had put into 【Wind Cutter】,” I replied.
That was the truth. To activate a spell with an incantation, you had to have a precise understanding of the magic rituals the founded the spell as well as enough magic power. In short, you needed extremely fine control, so only those who have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into their training of 【Wind Cutter】could improve the spell.
“I-I see.”
Alan loosened up and shyly scratched at his face.
Then, Ronald’s face turned serious as he turned to me and asked, “Who in the world are you?”
I’ve been getting that a lot lately.
“You’ll find out sooner or later if we both make it in. And you know, do you really expect me to explain every last detail about myself?”
“No……that was arrogant of me. Sorry,” replied Ronald.
“Sure, now keep your head up. Your spell was fantastic, and it had nothing to do with talent and everything to do with the hard work you had put in up until now.”
Well, this is enough, right? If the exam’s over, then I have no more business here. I’m a busy man after all.
I turned my back towards them when Rebecca quietly announced, “The exam has concluded for group A. Good work everyone. We’ll post the numbers of those who passed in front of our main school building in a week. Well then, dismissed.”