Lucian's first day of classes was both fascinating and amusing. His classmates, eager and excited, chattered about the academy's rumored trials and upcoming mana-measuring ritual, which would assess each student's magical potential. For Lucian, the idea of measuring his mana as a human intrigued him; he was eager to see how the humans quantified magical strength.
"Alright, everyone!" Professor Hawke, a stern yet knowledgeable instructor, called out, silencing the students. "Today, we'll begin with the mana assessment. This will give us a baseline of your potential, so we know how to tailor your training."
The students lined up, taking turns placing their hands on a glowing crystal orb at the front of the classroom. As each student did, the crystal would glow brighter, emitting a faint hum, the strength of which varied based on the student's mana. The stronger the glow, the higher the mana potential.
Ronan, the confident boy Lucian had met on the first day, grinned as he stepped up and placed his hand on the orb. The crystal flared to a solid, bright blue.
"Excellent," Professor Hawke nodded approvingly. "Ronan, you have an impressive mana potential."
Lucian waited patiently at the end of the line. When it was finally his turn, he approached the crystal with a calm expression, resting his hand lightly on it. He decided to channel just a fraction of his mana, keeping his power under control.
But the crystal reacted instantly—flaring into a bright, blinding gold. The room fell silent as the glow intensified, illuminating the classroom. Professor Hawke's eyes widened, and murmurs spread through the class.
"Is it… broken?" one of the students whispered, shading their eyes from the light.
Professor Hawke looked astonished. "This level of mana… it's off the charts!"
Lucian removed his hand, the crystal dimming back to normal, and he gave a small, polite bow. "Apologies, Professor. I didn't mean to overdo it."
Professor Hawke cleared his throat, clearly rattled. "No… no, that was remarkable, Lucian. I haven't seen such potential in a student in years. We'll… need to have a discussion with the Headmaster about this."
Lucian felt a flicker of amusement. In his former life as a demon king, such displays were trivial, but he couldn't help but enjoy the effect his power had here.