The classroom became a sea of flame, the floor, windows and ceiling all enveloped in the powerful form of instructor Lorem, who was sitting on her desk as always, holding something in her mouth—a long black pipe with golden runes sparkling as if writing something in a strange language.
'Those runes seem familiar...'
Asura felt a sense of deja vu from the pipe before his attention shifted back to the teacher, who casually moved her hand, lighting the pipe filled with a sweet-scented magic herb used to soothe those with PTSD or other illnesses related to the mind.
"Now then... Stage Three is the big one that most knights await all their lives."
"Because of this."
Her body twirled around, showing two beautiful feathered wings created of flames attached to her back as she lowered her jacket, revealing her scarred shoulders and muscular back, and the same feathers created a tail that came from the bottom of her skirt through a flap seemingly activated by mana.
"Manifestation."
"The unique identifiable skill that is finally unlocked at Stage Three. Because otherwise, we cannot easily tell the difference between a Stage Two and Three without displaying this ability."
"During the later end of stage two, as you amass enough mana inside your core and refine it into mana crystals, your core will finally evolve for the first time since you cast an elemental spell."
Asura felt his heart beating rapidly, wondering what the difference was between his Liberación and this Manifestation apart from the sheer increase in magic particles that were now completely different.
Before small crystals of fire element surrounded Lorem... Now, those crystals were all blazing flames raging around her body as they were pumped full of her mana.
"You see, the actual creation of this form is rather simple..." She chuckled before half of her Manifestation faded, leaving her soft arm without flames, and the magic returned to crystal form. "This phenomenon is caused when you inject the mana created by a Stage Three core into the magic crystals around your body."
"Any questions?"
Her body leaned against the desk as she seemed to struggle, or so it seemed to Asura, who could see all the flames around her were fluctuating back to crystals as the mana ejected from her body seemed blocked by something...
She took a drag of her pipe and closed her eyes to calm herself down.
Maybe the instructor has her own story... I have never seen this kind of thing before, but the pain and suffering she must endure just to teach us is likely more than Xavida's dragon curse... What happened?
[Her race is a rare existence born with perfect synergy with the magic world... It seems that in her life, she has been forced to endure the most painful choices to sacrifice her blood and existence to keep this kingdom safe.]
'Eh?'
[But she does not have long to live... Her flame is dwindling, and her race can only be fixed by another of her race, and at this moment, the other does not exist...]
'Really!? There's no way to stop her death?'
"Instructor Lorem, why do you say only those outside the body and not the newly created Mana crystals inside the body, too?"
The question was quite smart and came from the prince, a shocking question, but even so, Asura would still punish him shortly—when nobody existed to see or link it to him, he would attack.
Preferably in the southern wilds in the assessment.
"Hmmm, Valos, that was a rare good question from you. In truth, the reason is quite simple... Because we would mutate into disgusting monsters beyond recognition."
"The devils of the abyss use this method..."
"Those violent and dark beings that lived in the depths of this world and tried to usurp the planet's control over seven hundred years ago."
"When they perform their ability, it is not called Manifestation, as that refers to using the magic around us to empower our bodies and keep our form without losing it forever."
"I admit that some Manifestations will change the summoner slightly, making their hair change colour, arms and legs turning into animal parts—but that is all temporary and never a permanent disfigurement."
She turned around and pointed to the pages on our black slates, and they contained more detailed explanations about the Manifestation and the dangers of trying to copy the devil's path.
[That devil's way is similar to your Liberación but more crude and incomplete... Because a true devil can use the ability in the same way as Manifestation, but the effect lasts much longer and will restore your previous form afterwards.]
So their information is wrong?
[Not wrong, but incomplete.]
I see... What's stronger?
"Instructor Lorem, which is stronger?" This time, the princess asked politely as she lifted her hand, seeming unaffected by the heat in the classroom as she wore her full uniform and sometimes looked back at Asura with a strange look.
He had been ignoring it because the prince constantly gave him death stares.
"The Devil's Path is infinitely stronger."
"Eh?"
"What!?"
"Then how did we win all those years ago!?"
"Calm down, calm down!"
Instructor Lorem's hands moved to silence the class as she showed a rare laugh and looked out the window as her flames finally vanished completely—for a moment, there was a sad look in her eyes as she stroked the pipe in her lips.
"The reason for that is simple: our ability only uses the outside magic to improve our body greatly, but it doesn't increase our magic power or density. If anything, it makes us lose density as we are focused on physical strength..."
"While the demons are strong... without their technique, their bodies are almost one level stronger than their current Stage..."
Her eyes became serene and serious as she looked over the entire class, except Asura, showing her faint smile before her words caused everyone to doubt the woman who had defended the kingdom for hundreds of years, maybe longer.
"If you encounter a devil or monster that can use this ability and are only Stage Three or Four. Run. Don't look back... Even if you are with comrades or loved ones."
"Run."
The lonely feeling in her voice washed over the entire class as it began to feel cold and lonely. Her lips sucked on the pipe as she moved around the desk and sat in her chair, no longer in a playful mood.
"Because the Devils can use their transformation to boost their magic density and power... What was one stage above becomes two stages above, and that's just physical and defensive power."
"Do you know the difference between the density of stage two and stage three spells?"
Her lovely crimson hair seemed to shimmer with light as she pointed to the huge wall beside her and instantly cast a fireball that smashed into the wall. The damage was pretty strong, causing the rock to shake and the floor to burn.
Thud!
"This is a Stage Two Density Firebolt."
Wow... it's amazing.
[Watch closely, focus your eyes and witness the horror of increased magic density!]
Hearing the words of Brian Asura did just that, while his hand subconsciously grasped Xavida's tightly and suddenly, her eyes seemed to become more vivid as she too could see and feel his current thoughts.
'Watch Closely, Don't Remove Your Eyes For A Second!'
These were the words and thoughts that Xavida felt as she watched in shock, feeling like his hand was not only healing her wounds but improving her sight and smell and even giving her a little feeling like she was stronger.
The hidden benefit of his upgrade is the Sensual Link.
Holding his hand, feeling the intense pleasure of the dark goo being devoured and taken from her body, Xavida's anger at Asura began to fade rapidly, the pleasure and strange sharing of senses causing her to gasp as Lorem lifted her arm.
"I can see!?" Xavida called out before a huge ball of flames identical to the firebolt of Stage Two but more than ten times larger as it smashed into the wall.
Boom!
A huge explosion followed as the entire wall was destroyed ashes spread around the classroom as a hot storm of embers filled the room—a deep crater over two metres wide forming where the wall used to be as the entire room shook, almost like the entire floor above might collapse.
"See. Imagine this damage increased by one hundred times."
[Did you see?]
"This is why I tell you to run because as the stages get closer to five, the density difference is a magnitude different."
"Stage Zero to One is a different of Nine."
"Stage One to Two is a difference of Ninety."
"
"If you are against a devil that is Stage Four... then even I would be forced to call for aid from all the instructors and knights that currently serve the kingdom..."
"So please, be careful...."
Asura's eyes were focused not on the damage... but on the trembling arm, muscle and hand of Lorem, noticing that her entire right arm was covered in strange markings—a thick haze denser and more deadly than Xavida.
It was constantly eating her mana and limiting her...
[Don't think of helping her as you are... That curse will devour you whole.]
"C...Class is over—go enjoy your dinner." Lorem's voice seemed tired, as if she pushed herself too hard. Asura saw even the small flame crystals fading from around her body... crumbling as the black aura destroyed them...
Ignoring the advice of Brian... Walking past her, he slowed down and tried to devour a few strands of the black curse...
That instant, Lorem and Xavida looked at him with strange and differing eyes.