Chapter 16
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Episode 5 - Specialties [2]
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The next morning arrived quickly.
After breakfast at the dormitory restaurant, I headed to the classroom hall, the first-year class building.
The main class of the day was about chivalry.
As an exploratory class, students from various specialties participated, including those in wizardry studies.
Due to the large number of students, the class was divided into groups.
In my class, I found Charlotte and Alexis.
Alexis took advantage of the exploratory class as an opportunity to socialize with his fellow knights.
Charlotte aimed to take a knight studies class as a secondary subject on her path to becoming a combat-type mage.
After all the students gathered, we waited for the instructor.
It wasn't long before Professor Andrius arrived.
"I've already introduced myself, so there's no need to repeat it. This is my assistant, Alice."
Alice nodded politely.
Only graduates from the Sanctuary of Heroes personally selected by the professors could become assistants.
They helped instruct classes and could substitute for professors if necessary.
Professor Andrius took a look at everyone present.
'Lucius Behringer, Ashly Sephir, and Dorian Blackstorm.'
Andrius nodded and continued.
"Students specializing in magic and spirituality, please raise your hands."
More than half of the students did so.
Professor Andrius then directed them toward Alice.
"You will work with my assistant, who will teach you how to apply magic and spirituality to martial arts."
Meanwhile, Andrius began his class with the knight studies students.
"Today is our first lesson. We will delve into aura and its fundamentals."
The students became excited at Andrius's words.
"Three forces arise from the use of mana: aura, magic, and spiritual magic. Does anyone know why aura stands out?"
The first-year students were lost from the first question.
Why was aura different?
It wasn't a topic many had considered.
Usually, knights only focused on gaining a better sense of mana to improve their aura.
It was then that I looked at Ashly, who raised her hand, identifying herself.
"Ashly Sephir."
Andrius nodded, and Ashly's words followed.
"It's because aura loses its mana properties during transformation."
"Correct."
Magic amplified mana, and spiritual magic resonated with mana.
However, aura was a force created from mana, absorbing and processing it within the body.
In the process, mana would lose its fluidity, making it more difficult to control.
"Now, can anyone explain how we use the accumulated aura in our bodies?"
Looking at Ashly, she seemed to lack the answer.
"How do we explain its utilization?"
"All you do is… try, right?"
All the students had done was intuitively exert their power.
But there was no clear explanation of how it was actually used.
Of course, Professor Andrius didn't seem to be looking for answers.
All he was doing was introducing the basic theory that underpinned aura studies, a new subject in the Sanctuary of Heroes, added to the curriculum for the first time the previous year.
Andrius aimed to introduce teachings to the Sanctuary of Heroes that had previously been exclusive to the Sanctuary of Heroes of the beastmen.
Therefore, it was natural that first-year students were unfamiliar with the concepts.
As Andrius began his explanation, I slightly raised my hand.
Few professors disliked students who spoke up confidently, even if they were wrong.
"Lucius Behringer."
The professor said as my words followed.
"We use the power of aura by burning mana."
Andrius seemed surprised.
"Correct. Do you also know the crucial factor that allows control of the aura?"
"Physical strength."
"Well done, Lucius. Have you studied aura before?"
"No, never."
"How did you come to know this?"
"It's simply the fundamental essence of aura."
Sometimes, people overlooked the nature of the power they wielded.
While using Aura without understanding its essence or principle was not necessarily problematic, understanding it made a significant difference.
Aura, strongly influenced by the user's will, benefited from understanding its characteristics.
"Excellent! Ashly earns 5 extra points, and Lucius 10 more."
Professor Andrius seemed satisfied from what I saw.
"As Lucius mentioned, we use the force generated by burning mana when we use Aura."
Professor Andrius's tone became serious.
"Starting this year, I will integrate the principles of Aura study into all my first-year classes."
"Professor! What Aura subject are you referring to?"
A student asked as the professor responded.
"It is the study of Aura. A fundamental subject in the Sanctuary of Heroes of the beastmen."
The first-year students were astonished by this unheard-of field of study.
"Since today is our first class, we will spend the day learning to use Aura. Today, we will talk about the Aura Step."
The Aura Step maximizes the power of a jump by concentrating Aura in the legs.
'The Aura Step.'
A smile appeared on my face.
It was a new concept, unknown in Liam's time.
"Anyone with Aura can learn the Aura Step, but its effectiveness varies depending on skill."
Professor Andrius lifted his foot.
His silver Aura shone, and he seemed to levitate.
The students burst into amazement.
Walking smoothly through the air, Professor Andrius continued.
"Next, I will explain the principle of the Aura Step."
Thus began Andrius's lecture on the Aura Step.
"The operating principle of Aura is not very different."
Strengthening the body with Aura naturally increases energy.
The Aura Step was a practice that focused Aura and power on enhancing a specific area of the body: the leg muscles.
As Professor Andrius continued his lesson, someone entered and interrupted.
"Professor Andrius. Professor Rossell is looking for you and Assistant Alice."
"Professor Rossell? Understood."
Nodding, Andrius turned to us.
"My assistant and I will be away for a short time, so practice the Aura Step on your own."
With that, Professor Andrius left.
Almost immediately, a voice echoed beside me.
"Lucius, do you want me to teach you the Aura Step?"
Ashly approached with a mischievous smile.
However, I responded with a skeptical expression.
"Do you want me to call you 'little sister' too?"
"Why are you so mean?"
Ashly crossed her arms, smiling.
"I'm older than you, so if you call me 'big sister,' I'll help you."
Ignoring her words, I said,
"I won't learn from you. Your methods are shady."
"What? You can't even use the Aura Step as the rookie representative? That's pathetic."
Fortunately, our conversation was interrupted.
Dorian Blackstorm, the number 1 in the entrance exam from his empire, was nearby.
Dorian clicked his tongue, staring at me as he spoke.
"I can't believe they made this guy the class representative. The Sanctuary of Heroes' standards seem low."
Looking at Dorian, I said calmly,
"Does it bother you that I'm the class representative?"
And Dorian responded as we stood face to face.
"It's not a complaint. I'm just surprised that someone who can't even use the Aura Step is my class representative."
Dorian looked at the other students, expressing his frustration.
"You're not the only one. There are more people here who can't use the Aura Step. Ha, it's embarrassing for the whole class."
Some students became angry at his words.
But it wasn't easy to challenge him.
No matter what others said, he was the best in the class.
Without a doubt, he was one of the greatest talents among the nearly 800 first-year students.
In response to Dorian's comments, I said,
"If you aspire to be a hero, shouldn't you maintain some dignity?"
Dorian frowned.
"Dignity? Are you lecturing me about heroism? I come from a lineage of heroes."
Dorian belonged to the principality of the Blackstorm knights, founded fifty years ago by the hero Moire Blackstorm, known as the Golden Sword.
Having followed the path of a hero since childhood, Dorian was proud of his lineage.
"And what does your lineage have to do with this?"
I said, frowning.
"It matters because a hero is someone who is chosen."
"I don't agree. I believe a hero is someone who never gives up."
These "heroes" were truly ridiculous.
Then Dorian laughed and said,
"It's ridiculous to hear such idealistic ideas from a mere class representative."
I frowned even more and said,
"Do you think you rely too much on your lineage?"
Then Dorian responded,
"To me, my lineage is just an advantage. There's something else I believe in."
"And what is that?"
"Skill, Lucius Behringer."
Wooom!
Dorian, who had been two meters away, closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
Other students marveled at his incredible speed.
The average student couldn't even comprehend such velocity.
But I simply smiled.
"You think that's fast?"
"I think I need to show you again."
Dorian laughed angrily and said,
"If you're so confident, do you want to race to see who's faster?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Dorian Blackstorm. Is it sensible to compete with someone who hasn't even mastered the Aura Step?"
When Ashly intervened with a frown, Dorian seemed satisfied.
"Ashly Sephir, I have a question for you."
"What?"
"How did Lucius Behringer become the class representative?"
"How would I know?"
Dorian then looked back at me, smiling.
"Didn't he stand out because the students of Radren are incompetent?"
This wasn't going well.
At that moment, Charlotte shouted,
"Did you just insult my brother?"
Dorian then looked in her direction.
"I just stated the truth, Charlotte Ares. I had high hopes for him, expecting him to become one of the empire's greatest heroes, but I never imagined he would be dethroned from the class representative position. It's disappointing, honestly."
Ashly's smile turned cold.
"You seem quite upset about not being chosen as the class representative. But have you considered that maybe you weren't selected simply because you weren't the right one?"
Dorian looked at her, smiling.
"If I were in charge, he wouldn't have become class representative."
He turned to me and said,
"He's just lucky to hold that position."
Ashly was irritated and said as she turned around,
"Let's go, Lucius. There's no need to listen to this nonsense."
"I think the same."
Just like Ashly, her rival Charlotte playfully pulled down the skin under her eye with her finger and stuck out her tongue.
"Ha, ha, look at this!"
The students on Dorian's side mocked.
However, I smiled, looking at Dorian, and said,
"I accept that challenge."
"Lucius!"
Ashly shouted at me from the side.
"Isn't it too much to let this slide? And..."
I shifted my gaze from Dorian and looked at Ashly seriously.
"You shouldn't get involved, Ashly."
"....."
Ashly said nothing and looked at me wide-eyed.