Chapter 3: The Magic of Control
Elias could feel the tension building in his body, the frustration, the anger—everything swirling inside him like a storm ready to burst. The students in front of him had tested his patience far beyond what he thought possible. He had tried to be calm, tried to teach them with patience, but it was as if they didn't respect him at all. That thought was enough to push him to his breaking point.
Without warning, his voice cracked through the thick atmosphere of silence.
"SHUT UP!"
The force of his words shook the room. The students, who had been whispering and mocking him, went silent. The sharpness in his voice was raw, desperate. Elias stood from his desk, his hands trembling at his sides. His body was exhausted, worn down, and yet something deep within him stirred. He had had enough of being mocked, enough of being the joke.
"This is how it's going to be from now on," he continued, his voice a mixture of exhaustion and authority. "I'm not here to coddle you. You'll learn magic the way it's meant to be learned, or you can leave."
Suddenly, the system's voice rang out again, as though noticing something significant.
System: "Congratulations, Host. You've completed the 'First Mission.' Your reward? A card. Not much, but it's something. Don't get too excited, though."
Elias blinked, a mix of exhaustion and confusion flooding through him. A reward? He had no idea what the system meant by that, but before he could process it, something shimmered above his desk—a soft, glowing light. He stared at it in disbelief as a holographic display materialized in front of him. The shimmer solidified into a glowing, crystalline card that hovered just in front of his face.
The system's sarcastic tone did nothing to quell the confusion swirling in his mind. A card? He had no idea what it meant, but before he could process it, a faint shimmer appeared in the air above his desk, a flash of light before it condensed into a holographic display in front of him.
The card floated there, gleaming like a trophy for his meager success. As he reached out, the system spoke again.
System: "This is your first Summoner's Card. Sorcerer Vesper Card. It's the lowest rank. Don't expect it to do anything grand."
The card pulsed with energy. Elias watched in awe as the faint glow around it grew brighter. He felt a strange sensation—a tingling at the back of his neck—as if something was calling to him from deep within the card.
He instinctively focused on it, his body craving the strange power that the card promised. There was a sudden, sharp pain in his chest, as if his body was being stretched and reshaped. The card shimmered again, and in an instant, it fused with him.
A wave of knowledge flooded his mind—faster than he could process. A vast tome appeared in his hands, its cover weathered with age. The book's pages turned of their own accord, stopping on a single page filled with incomprehensible symbols. Elias didn't need to understand them. The moment his fingers brushed the pages, the meaning of the symbols was clear.
System: "Look at you. Reading spells like they're nothing. The Sorcerer Vesper Card isn't just some weak summon—it's a connection to true magical potential. But of course, you're too weak to make full use of it. You'll get one spell out of this. Use it wisely."
The book was filled with powerful spells, each one more intricate than the last. But there was something special about the way it resonated within him. Unlike his previous life, where magic had been foreign and untouchable, this was different. The knowledge flowed through his fingertips, and as he moved, he instinctively spoke the incantation for a simple fireball spell.
The flame sparked into existence, dancing in the air like a mischievous pet.
System: "How quaint. A fireball. You can't even control it well, but nice job anyway. Don't get too excited. You can't use it again without collapsing, and we both know how fragile you are."
Elias winced, feeling the strain of using the spell. His body, frail as it was, struggled to maintain even the simplest of magic. Still, something inside him refused to yield. This was his chance to prove something. He wasn't some pathetic weakling.
As he stood before the class, he took a deep breath. His voice was shaky but commanding as he addressed the students.
"Alright, listen up!" Elias's tone was harsher than he intended, but the class immediately fell silent. They had been expecting mockery, but the tone of his voice—unexpectedly authoritative—grabbed their attention. "You're going to learn something today. Not from your usual textbooks or boring teachers. We're going to do this differently."
The students exchanged confused looks. They had expected him to stutter and cower. Instead, there was a strange confidence in his demeanor.
Elias continued, his eyes narrowing. "I'm going to teach you a simple spell. Fireball. You've probably learned it a hundred times before, right?" The students shifted uncomfortably, nodding reluctantly. "Well, forget what you've been taught. Forget the way they told you to focus your mana. That's the slow way. The ineffective way."
He gestured toward the chalkboard, where a glowing diagram appeared on its surface without his touch. The runes flowed and shifted in midair, settling into a complex but elegant formation. Elias could feel the energy pulsing beneath the surface as he continued speaking.
"Magic is about control, not power. It's about precision and connection. You don't need to gather your mana in a million different ways—just focus on the core. Fire is simple. And I'll teach you to summon it in a way that makes it obey your will, instantly."
He demonstrated the process, holding up his hand as a tiny spark appeared in his palm. "Like this. A single point of focus. The rest? Well, just let go."
The students watched in stunned silence as Elias closed his fingers and the tiny flame grew into a roaring fireball. The way it swirled and shaped itself, responding to his every movement, was nothing like the chaotic, unstable magic they were used to.
Some of the students began to experiment with their own fireballs, following his instructions. To their surprise, the flames they conjured were stable and controllable. It was efficient—more than they had ever managed in their lessons. But even as they marveled, Elias felt a deep exhaustion settle in his bones.
System: "You've taught them arcane magic. You're ridiculous, you know that? You shouldn't be able to do this. But fine, at least you're useful in some way."
"Yeah, yeah," Elias muttered under his breath, wincing as his body groaned in protest. "I get it. I'm a freak of nature. I won't be able to do it again."
As the students continued practicing, Elias turned to leave, his knees nearly buckling beneath him. He had used his body to the brink, and he could feel his magic slipping away, the threads of power flickering and then fading into nothingness. His body couldn't handle it. Not yet.
Suddenly, the door slammed open. A teacher stepped inside, eyes wide in disbelief.
"You're still here, Elias?" The voice that spoke his name was sharp, carrying authority. "I'd have expected you to be long gone by now."
Elias froze. He recognized the voice.
The man stepped further into the room, his presence commanding immediate attention. "I'm Professor Dorian," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "And I am the Head Teacher for the Tier 6 students. Not that it matters, since you're clearly struggling with Tier 1. Tell me, Elias, do you plan on dying when you get to Tier 6? Or are you going to make it out alive?"
Elias's heart skipped a beat. Tier 6? Was he really expected to handle those students? The weight of the words sank in as he slowly processed what the teacher was implying. Tier 6 was no joke—if he was struggling here, what would happen when he faced students with far more power and skill?
The panic bubbled up in him for a brief second, but Elias pushed it back down. He couldn't afford to lose focus now. Not when he had just managed to teach these students something they hadn't known before. He wasn't about to back down.
"I'm not afraid," Elias said, his voice quieter but still firm. "I'll go to Tier 6. It's my next step."
Professor Dorian narrowed his eyes, sizing him up. "Good. You've been promoted. Head to Tier 6 immediately. You can leave. Don't disappoint me." His words were cold, but there was something unreadable in his eyes as he studied Elias for a moment longer.
Elias's breath caught in his chest. He had been promoted? To Tier 6? The weight of it settled on his shoulders, but there was no time to dwell on it. He turned without another word, feeling the pull of destiny lead him toward the unknown.
But before he left the room, something strange happened.
The system buzzed in his mind, interrupting his thoughts.
System: "Congratulations, Host. You've completed the hidden mission 'Teach the Students Magic.' Rate of completion: 100%. Surprising, isn't it? Your body shouldn't have been able to handle it, but you made it through."
Elias froze in place, the words hanging in his mind like an echo. He had completed a hidden mission? The realization hit him hard, and the exhaustion that had been creeping up on him suddenly overwhelmed his senses. But before he could fully process what was happening, the system continued.
System: "Your reward for completing the mission is a Unique Character Card. Don't get too excited. You're too weak to utilize it properly, but it's something."
A holographic display materialized in front of Elias, showcasing the card he had earned. He couldn't help but stare at it, feeling a mix of awe and trepidation.
Character Card:
Name: ???
Race: ???
Rank: ???
Tier: Tier 1, Lv1
Stats: ???
Skills: ???
Elias stared at the card in silence, the unknowns surrounding it thickening the mystery. Who—or what—was this being? And why was she tied to his strength? He could sense a strange power emanating from her, but at the same time, her existence was a riddle wrapped in shadows.
The system spoke again, but there was an odd undertone to its words now.
System: "You've summoned her, but you are far too weak to handle her true potential. You're limiting her to your tier, so don't get cocky. Let's see what happens when you push yourself further."
The card flashed brightly as Elias felt the presence of the humanoid figure materializing beside him. Her form was elegant, but there was an eerie air to her. Her face remained hidden, shrouded in shadows, and Elias felt an unsettling chill in the air as she stood silently by his side.
Elias's body, already on the verge of collapse, gave way as the strain of the day finally took its toll. His vision blurred as he stumbled forward, trying to maintain his balance. But the weight of everything—the magic, the card, the realization of what he was walking into—was too much. He could barely keep his eyes open as the room spun around him.
And then, just before everything went black, the system's final words echoed in his mind.
System: "Good luck, Host. You'll need it."
Elias collapsed to the ground, the mysterious figure standing silently beside him, her dark presence lingering like an omen. The world faded into darkness, and the only thing he could hear was the faint sound of her breathing.