Merlin clapped his hands, silencing the tension in the room after Kalki's defiance. His eyes scanned the class, lingering on each student for a moment before settling back on Kalki, who still stood, fuming in disbelief.
"As I was saying," Merlin began again, his tone firm but not unkind, "strength in one area doesn't make someone better. This academy isn't just for magical prodigies like yourself, Kalki. It's for everyone to find their strengths and work on their weaknesses."
Kalki's fists clenched, but he sat down, still glaring in Kaiho and Lucky's direction.
Lucky, ever the quick responder, shot back, "Heh, didn't see that coming, huh?" He grinned widely at Kaiho and Nat, who couldn't help but laugh along.
Kaiho tried to stifle his chuckle but failed miserably, "Yeah, guess he's not the top dog in everything!"
Nat crossed his arms, smirking. "Just 'cause he's good at magic doesn't mean he's got everything figured out."
Kalki glared but kept his mouth shut this time. Merlin gave the trio a sharp look, and they quickly quieted down.
"Now," Merlin continued, "let's move on to something more advanced. Today, we'll start learning summoning magic."
The class murmured in excitement, the tension from earlier already dissipating.
"Summoning magic," Merlin explained as he raised a hand, "is the art of calling forth beings, creatures, or even elemental spirits to assist you. It's an incredibly versatile magic, but it requires strong control over your mana."
Kaiho's eyes widened. Summoning? That sounds awesome!
Merlin motioned to the front of the class, and with a slight flick of his fingers, a glowing circle appeared in midair. The intricate patterns of runes and symbols spun slowly, and from within the circle emerged a small glowing creature resembling a fox, its fur shimmering with faint light.
"This is a basic summon," Merlin said. "But summoning isn't just about calling a creature to your side. You must form a bond with it, share your mana, and understand the creature's nature."
The class watched in awe as the glowing fox trotted up to Merlin's side, curling around his legs. Merlin knelt down, stroking the creature's head gently before dispelling it in a shimmer of light.
Kaiho was practically bouncing in his seat. "I've gotta try this!" he whispered to Lucky.
Lucky gave him a thumbs-up. "We'll get it, no problem!"
Merlin began pacing again. "Now, I'll teach you how to summon a basic elemental spirit. Don't expect it to be easy—summoning requires both focus and a deep connection with your mana."
Kaiho gulped. Focus? Connection with mana? This might be trickier than I thought…
As Merlin prepared the class for their first attempts, Kaiho exchanged a nervous glance with Lucky. The thought of summoning a magical creature was exciting, but after their struggles with the mana stones, the reality was starting to set in.
But in typical Lucky fashion, he flashed Kaiho a confident grin. "Hey, if I can smash mana stones, how hard can summoning be?"
"I don't think it works that way," Kaiho muttered, his skepticism clear as Merlin continued the lecture.
Merlin raised an eyebrow but didn't seem fazed. "Alright, class. What do you think summoning magic might be? Anyone?"
Yashoda's hand shot up again, her eagerness to answer almost annoying at this point. "May I, sir?"
Merlin sighed lightly. "Yashoda, once again. Go on."
"Summoning magic can also be called transportation magic, used to call upon our familiar," Yashoda explained confidently.
Merlin nodded, but then added, "It's not as simple as just transportation magic. There are two types of summoning: one is creation, and the other is contract."
Kaiho, Lucky, and Nat exchanged glances, their faces blank as their brains collectively tried—and failed—to process this barrage of information. Kaiho could feel his brain shutting down. He glanced at Lucky and Nat, who looked as fried as he felt.
Merlin continued, unaware of their growing confusion. "To put it simply, creation is exactly what it sounds like. It's about creating something. For example, if I wanted to create a bird, I'd need to understand the biological structure of a bird. Once you've mastered manipulating mana—those 'true atoms' we talked about—you can assemble them into cells, which become tissues, which then form organs, and eventually, a living organism."
Kaiho blinked. "That's… biology," he muttered under his breath.
Merlin turned, his eyes landing on Kaiho. "You're right, Kaiho," Merlin said, causing Kaiho to nearly jump out of his seat.
Kaiho's eyes widened. "He can read minds?!"
Merlin chuckled. "I can't read minds, but I can read expressions. Seems like you're starting to understand." Merlin then continued, "Creation magic, like this, is also the basis for making things like stone golems. It's a technique that overlaps with alchemy."
A student in the front raised their hand. "Sir, why not create life with it?"
"Life? Well, technically, you could, but you'd need a soul to do that. Souls are… let's just say, a different level of complexity. That's something you'll learn later, in more advanced courses."
"Okay, sir," the student said, sitting back down, though looking slightly disappointed.
"Now, the second type of summoning is contract-based. It's like a set of codes or algorithms. It places restrictions on one or both parties to fulfill their side of a deal. For example, if I made a contract with 'A,' I could summon them whenever I need their help. If they break the contract, the algorithm will punish them for breaching it. This is the basis for summoning familiars, spirits, or other beings."
Kaiho furrowed his brows, trying to piece it all together. "I think I'm getting it," he muttered, glancing at Lucky and Nat. He paused when he noticed their blank, wide-eyed stares. "Uh… guys?" He waved a hand in front of their faces.
No response.
Kaiho sighed dramatically. "Ahhh, are they dead? This class is killing them!"