She uses a simple healing technique to prevent Irvine from worsening his injury. But to her surprise…
"What's going on here?"
"What is it?"
"Your tendons…"
"What about my tendons? Prof. Greene! You're making me scared!"
"You are… completely healed!"
"Eeh?"
Irvine leaps off the MRI table and stretches his legs like a cat waking up from a nap. Lo and behold, he feels no pain in the back of his thigh! In a burst of enthusiasm, he grabs Prof. Greene's right hand and leans his head closer to express his massive gratitude.
"A massive thanks, Professor! I will never forget this debt of gratitude!"
Despite still looking like he just rolled out of bed, he leaves the room with the enthusiasm of a puppy chasing its tail. Prof. Greene can only watch him go, confusion written all over her face like a poorly drawn comic strip.
"You let him leave?" the previous MRI operator asks from behind her.
"What about the instrument?" Prof. Greene replies coldly, not bothering to turn around.
"I haven't found any faults. It'll take some time to do a thorough check, but…"
"Forget it! I don't think there's anything wrong with that device."
"Then what about that guy?"
"Based on the difference in results from the first examination and the current one, it can be concluded that his injury improved during these two hours."
"But, ma'am! It's a severely torn hamstring. How could that even be possible?"
Prof. Greene gives him a cold glare. She's still confused, but the poor guy mistakes her look for intimidation.
"Aah, that's right! Of course, it's possible. It's you after all!"
Not interested in sharing her confusion, Prof. Greene simply takes her leave while pulling out her phone to make a call.
[Emily! What's up?]
"Javion! Can you come back next week for our recruit assessment?"
[I'm pretty busy here. Why? Isn't the new student intake still a month away?]
"This isn't for new recruits! I want you to re-evaluate the potential of a certain Seed E from the second year before this semester ends."
After finishing the call, she heads to the female students' dormitory to meet Elea Adlen.
Meanwhile, Irvine has just entered his room in the male students' dormitory. As soon as he flops down on the bed, Atniel immediately tells him to get up and check his weapon stock.
"Can't you let me rest first?"
<< Just do what I said! >>
With a face still looking like he just saw a ghost, Irvine forces himself to get up and opens his wardrobe. Inside, he finds two handguns with several spare magazines, a 40 cm long saber, a pitch-black army knife, and a smartphone he hasn't touched since that awkward video call with Maya.
He holds the smartphone for a moment, musters his courage, and deletes Maya's phone number along with all their previous call logs, feeling like he just cut a toxic relationship out of his life.
<< The knife! It looks interesting. >>
That is just a regular army knife, pitch black, and it has a unique wavy pattern on its sides and is heavier than a brick.
"This is a legacy from my late father. He was only a D-rank Ezlenmir soldier. Not much to brag about."
<< But he left you a great weapon! And I think we can do something with that knife! >>
"You want to teach me knife fighting?"
<< No! I'll teach you the initial stages of mana control. While your body still remembers the sensation of mana from before, I want you to be able to see the flow of that mana. >>
"But I can already see it! Honestly, I was really surprised. I never thought I would have that much mana. And that soft white plasma…"
<< Can you still see it now? >>
"What?"
<< It's easy enough to see mana overflowing in large quantities. But now, there's only a little bit of that mana seeping out of your body. And you can't see it, right? >>
"Eh? Is that true? There's still of it coming out of my body?"
<< Just like the heat released by the body, this also applies to mana. Even without pulling it out, a little bit of that mana will keep seeping out of your body. Before teaching you how to control it, you have to be able to feel and see that little bit of mana. >>
"Then, what should I do with this knife?"
<< Cut your hand! >>
"Wooo? Are you out of your mind?"
<< Just do it! >>
"No way! You want me to commit suicide? Why?"
<< Stupid! You only need to cut a little of your palm with the knife. I'll explain the rest after you do it. >>
"Just a little?"
<< Yes! >>
Irvine hesitates, gulping as he tightly grips the knife, fear etched on his face.
"Just a little, right?"
After mustering up his courage, he finally cuts his palm. Even though it's just a little, he looks so in pain.
<< More! >>
"What the? I'm not a masochist, you idiot!"
<< That little wound won't teach you anything! >>
"What do you really want?"
Irvine reluctantly makes a slightly longer cut. To his surprise, his palm starts to feel hot—much hotter than the usual pain from an injury.
<< Now observe your wound carefully. >>
"Just observing it, right?"
<< Stop talking and concentrate! >>
Irvine gulps again, confusion clouding his face. As expected, the wound slowly but clearly heals itself.
"Wooaaa! You really can heal my wound, huh?"
<< No! As great as I am, I can't heal other people's injuries. >>
"Then…?"
<< Did you see it? >>
"I saw it! But I'm still confused. How can my wound heal?"
<< So, you didn't see it, huh? Then do it again! >>
"Are you freaking nuts?"
<< Hey!!! That's not how you talk to your teacher! >>
Irvine kneels down, enduring the pressure in his head. The shout is so hard it makes him unable to argue anymore. Hence, he ultimately makes another cut on his palm.
Atniel tells him to pay attention to the wound, and in less than ten minutes, the cut closes up again. After cleaning the blood stains, he finds the wound healed without a trace. But confusion still hangs on his face like a stubborn cloud.
<< You still can't see it, huh? Then do it again, until you can see it. >>
"What exactly do you want me to see?"
<< Telling you will make it easier for you to see it! So, I won't tell you anything until you can really see it yourself! >>
"Is this how you teach your students? Deliberately torturing me for no reason?"
<< Yes! Pain will teach you more than what words can tell you! >>
And so, the hilarity continues as Irvine realizes he's signed up for the most bizarre class ever!