"Magic encompasses merely three elements! Mana, which, when combined with Will, creates a spell generating extraordinary effects." He then drew a plus sign between Mana and Will, and an equal sign between Will and Spell.
After incorporating two additional symbols into the existing three words, Professor Anderson placed his chalk on the holder and turned to face his students. With the students in front of him, he raised his right hand, summoning a small magic circle from which a ball of flames emerged.
"Some of you might not fully grasp this concept through demonstration alone, so let me put it in simpler terms," Professor Anderson said, before making the fiery orb trace endless circles in the air.
"To harness magic, one requires not only the caster's mana but also their will. Without it, magic cannot ensue because there lacks a desire for a specific outcome when invoking magical forces." He then altered the motion of the fireball, having it form an endless square.
"In essence, if you desire nothing to occur, then nothing will," Professor Anderson explained. After making this statement, the fireball ceased its movement, hovering motionlessly in the center of his palm for a few moments before extinguishing itself.
As the small fireball extinguished, Professor Anderson clenched his hand into a fist and then slowly opened it again. Observing his class, he noted their wide-eyed wonder at the display of his magical prowess before deciding it was time for the next part of the next lesson.
"Alright, now that you've witnessed the essence of magic firsthand, let us progress to a fundamental aspect of casting magic, which is mastering mana control." Professor Anderson announced, clapping his hands together for emphasis.
"I'd like each of you to close your eyes," he instructed, pacing leisurely among the desks, his hands clasped behind his back.
"With your eyes shut, I want you to envision a dark expanse." As Professor Anderson continued his leisurely circuit around the classroom.
Gabriel diligently followed the guidance provided. Closing his eyes, he easily conjured the image of a vast, dark void—a concept made familiar through its depictions in various movies and series.
Professor Anderson guided the students through the visualization exercise, saying, "After envisioning this dark space, imagine a ball of blue light at its center. This represents your mana core." As he continued to stroll among the students.
Gabriel followed the instructions meticulously, conjuring up a ball of blue light within the imagined space. As soon as he did, he felt a tangible presence of the blue light in the center of the dark expanse. However, the mana core that appeared was minuscule, no larger than his pinky finger. It resembled the size of a 50-cent bouncing ball dispensed from children's vending machines.
Despite the size of his Mana Core, Gabriel thought that size might be insignificant when it comes towards Mana Cores, he couldn't help feeling somewhat perplexed by its smallness. Nevertheless, he chose to focus on sensing his mana, diligently adhering to Professor Anderson's guidance.
"Don't worry if you can't seem to visualize the ball of blue light at the center of the darkness. This simply indicates that your sensitivity to mana may not be as acute as the rest of people, but it's not cause for concern. Sooner or later, you'll begin to sense your mana," Professor Anderson continued, pausing briefly after noticing a few students frowning, unable to conjure the mental image of the blue light amidst the dark.
"Now, for those who did manage to visualize the blue orb amidst the darkness, you'll have noticed that your light ball varies in size. Some may find it as large as a hand or even slightly larger, while others may perceive it to be smaller than a finger," Professor Anderson proceeded, leading into an explanation of the phenomena occurring within the dark space.
"Those among you with a larger blue light orb, congratulations are in order. This indicates you possess a higher amount of mana than the average person." After imparting this news, Professor Anderson paused to applaud the students for a few moments.
"However, it's crucial to understand that having more mana doesn't simplify the process of controlling it. In fact, those with larger orbs of blue light might find mana manipulation to be more challenging than others," Professor Anderson clarified, tempering the initial excitement with a dose of reality for those with more substantial manifestations of mana.
Professor Anderson offered consolation to those dismayed by the size of their blue light orbs.
"For those with a smaller one, don't worry—mana grows the more you use it and the more you train. This means you can increase your mana amount," he explained, alleviating the concerns of those who felt disheartened by their initial mana levels.
Gabriel initially felt disheartened, realizing he had less mana than many of his peers. However, the reassurance that he could enhance his mana through training brought him relief.
"Now that everyone has visualized the light blue orb and gauged their mana levels, I will unveil the true nature of this light ball," Professor Anderson announced, casting an aura of mystery over the classroom.
"That light blue orb is your Mana Core. It is the epicenter where all your mana converges and resides," Professor Anderson revealed with a dramatic shift in tone, enlightening the class about the essence of the light blue orb.
"Now, the key is to draw mana from this source for utilization. It represents the most critical component of your mana system. Should your mana core suffer damage or break, you would be rendered incapable of utilizing mana indefinitely, unless a method to mend or heal it is discovered," Professor Anderson illuminated the importance of the Mana Core to the students in a grave tone, highlighting the repercussions of any damage or breakage.
"However, there's no need for excessive concern, as damaging the Mana Core is not easily accomplished. This is precisely why practicing mana control through the use of the Mana Core is advisable," Professor Anderson reassured the students, noticing the anxious expressions that had appeared on some of their faces after learning about the critical nature of the Mana Core and the severe consequences of its impairment.
"We will commence our training in mana control by extracting a small amount of mana from the Mana Core and directing it throughout our body," Professor Anderson stated, turning back towards the blackboard.