**Chapter 68: Strengths and Weaknesses in Magic**
“Alright, let’s begin the ‘Magic Acquisition’ class. Everyone, please settle down.”
A gentle-faced male instructor stepped forward, announcing the start of the lesson. The students, who had been buzzing with excitement due to Yuri’s bombshell revelation, finally quieted down.
“I am Houston Baretis, and I will be your instructor for ‘Magic Acquisition.’ I also serve as the homeroom teacher for Class B. I look forward to working with you all over the next year.”
With his glasses perched on his nose and white hair neatly combed, the elderly instructor wore a well-tailored suit. In stark contrast to Ms. Carder, the homeroom teacher for Class A, he exuded a calm and amiable demeanor.
“Now then… We, as magicians, often use magic as if it were second nature. Can anyone explain how we activate it?”
Baretis posed the question to the entire classroom without singling anyone out. A few students raised their hands, and he chose one to respond.
“Um, you in the front row. Please state your name before answering.”
“Yes, I’m Maurice Louis. When we use magic, we go through three steps: constructing the spell in our minds, channeling magical energy, and finally, activation.”
Maurice, the serious-looking student who had been called upon, explained with clarity.
“The spell structure is referred to as a ‘Magic Circle.’ By channeling magical energy into the circle we’ve constructed in our minds, we can activate the magic. Sometimes, we use incantations or magical tools to assist in constructing the diagram.”
“Very good. Just as Maurice said.”
Baretis nodded with a warm smile.
“Acquiring a new spell means memorizing the spell structure—your Magic Circle—and being able to visualize it instantly in your mind. The more advanced the magic, the more complex the structure, making it harder to use.”
As Baretis continued his explanation, a female student raised her hand.
“Yes, you there.”
“I’m Amy. I don’t have a surname since I’m a commoner. So, what you’re saying is that if we can memorize the spell structure, we can use any magic, right?”
“Of course, to activate magic, you need an appropriate amount of magical energy. If you don’t have enough magical power to fill the structure you’ve visualized, the magic will either fail to activate or will be incomplete. Moreover, to memorize and visualize the intricate Magic Circles of advanced spells perfectly requires considerable talent.”
Baretis answered Amy’s question in a gentle tone.
“Additionally, each person has their own ‘Magic Output’ and ‘Magic Attribute.’ Output refers to the amount of magical energy one can release at once, while attribute indicates which types of magic one is suited for.”
He moved to the blackboard behind him, drawing several numbers and shapes.
“For instance, if a spell requires one hundred units of magical energy to activate, and a person’s output is eighty, the magic will activate in a diminished form, resulting in lower power. Furthermore, if a user’s magical attribute leans towards ‘Water’ and they attempt to use a fire-based spell, the effectiveness will also be reduced.”
On the blackboard, he drew a cross with ‘Fire’ at the top and ‘Water’ at the bottom. The words ‘Wind’ and ‘Earth’ were written on the sides. Next to the cross, he added a horizontal line, labeling it with ‘Light’ and ‘Darkness.’
“Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and then Light and Darkness. These six attributes are considered the fundamental magical attributes. However, some individuals may possess magical affinities that do not fall under these categories, such as those suited for Body Enhancement or Healing. When using magic of their strong attribute, they can achieve greater power than usual.”
Baretis scanned the classroom and smiled brightly.
“Now, let’s find out which attributes suit you best. It’s quite simple. We will use the basic elemental magic of the ‘Sphere.’”
Baretis distributed stacks of paper cut into ten-centimeter squares to each table.
“This paper is a simplified version of the device used in your entrance exam to measure magical power. It can gauge the power of the magic that touches it.”
He raised his index finger and activated a spell, conjuring a fist-sized ball of fire above it. Gently, he touched the paper with the fireball, revealing the number ‘10.’
“The basic power of the ‘Sphere’ magic is ‘10.’ If a higher number appears on the paper, that indicates a strong attribute, while a lower number signifies a weak one.”
In other words, by touching the paper with the spheres of the six attributes, students could determine their magical affinities. It was a straightforward method to measure strengths and weaknesses in numerical form.
“Now, please give it a try. If you’re able, feel free to use Thunder Ball or Poison Ball as well. Just be careful not to injure your classmates while casting your spells.”
With permission granted, the classmates began to activate their magic, bringing the spheres close to the paper to measure their power.
“It seems my strong attributes are Fire and Thunder. My weak one is Water,” Viola remarked as she produced spheres of fire and thunder, both registering numbers above twenty. In contrast, her water sphere yielded a number less than half of the basic power.
“I think I’m strong with Water. Fire seems to be my weak point,” Primula said, having conducted her own tests. It appeared that even twins did not share the same magical affinities.
“Rest… that’s impressive. You got a perfect ‘10’ across the board!”
When Rest tried, every measurement came out exactly the same. It seemed he had no particular strengths or weaknesses.
“Hmmm… It’s nice not to have any weak spells, but if I don’t have any strengths either, I’m not sure which magic I should prioritize learning,” Rest said with a wry smile. Essentially, he was a jack of all trades, master of none.
(Well, I can learn magic just by watching it anyway. I suppose I’ll just continue to memorize everything as I have been.)
With that thought, Rest placed the paper he had been holding back on the table, resolved to keep moving forward.