Chapter 19: Special Talents (I)

The weather in May wasn’t very good—the sky was gray, with light rain falling from time to time, which affected the courses of the upper-year students at Rexox Academy. But for first-year students like Jiang Zhe, it hardly made any difference.
As Professor Hode said, even after passing the basic assessment in the history of ancient magic, one couldn’t immediately master a series of spells; one had to start with the relevant fundamentals.
Jiang Zhe had been taking the course on Fire Green Magic for over a week now, yet the lessons still focused on complex academic topics like the arrangement of elements and their properties, leaving him dizzy.
Was this the magical world he had longed for?
But compared to a week ago, Jiang Zhe wasn’t in a hurry anymore, because he had already mastered one spell—[Fireball].
Fireball was a quite ordinary second-level Fire Green Magic, but it was also extremely important. It was a spell that every apprentice fire mage must become familiar with and master, as it served as the foundation for countless higher-level spells.
Reconfiguring the arrangement of fire elements and tapping into their negative energy to make the entire elemental arrangement unstable and prone to explosion was the theoretical basis for the third-level spell [Violent Fireball].
Maintaining multiple [Fireballs] around the caster’s body for protection over a long period was the concept behind the fourth-level spell [Fire Shield].
Another example was [Chain Fireballs], also a fourth-level spell, which involved the rapid release of several fireballs.
All higher-level spells were built upon lower-level spells—of course, except for special spells.
That’s why fundamentals are so important!
But still, Jiang Zhe found it hard to develop much interest in those elemental arrangement charts…
The white clouds were so white…
It wasn’t Jiang Zhe’s fault he felt bored—he was alone after all!
Scott chose Illusion Magic, and Allen chose Enhancement Magic. The three of them only met in compulsory courses like Black Magic Defense, Potion Making, and the History of Ancient Magic.
So, in the Fire Green Magic course, Jiang Zhe was on his own…
Oh, it seemed that red-haired girl was there too—her name was Ravia Phaularia. She always did well in this course, unlike someone who was constantly distracted in class.
“Professor, the characteristics of fire elements are destruction and absorption!”

“Very good, Lavia, please sit!” He gestured for the red-haired girl to sit down. Professor Hod turned a page in his book and said to the dozens of students present, “You must remember that among all elements, fire has extremely powerful destructive force. High temperature, burning, and persistence are all characteristics of fire… As everyone knows, fire is easy to master, yet it is also the most difficult to fully control… Hundreds of years ago, the great dark magician Dak Kar discovered the negative energy of fire. Unlike fire itself, this negative energy is extremely violent and hard to control… Below third-level magic, we actually use only the positive energy of fire, such as flame spells and fire breath. Above third-level magic, you will gradually come to understand the negative energy of fire, such as the Violent Fireball spell, which involves negative fire energy…”

“How can we distinguish between the positive and negative energies of fire?” asked Lavia, the red-haired girl.

“That’s exactly what I’m going to explain,” said Professor Hod. He paused briefly, pointed his wand at the blackboard, and immediately a series of unfamiliar symbols appeared on it.

“The characteristics of fire are destruction and absorption. Positive energy has burning and scorching effects, like a torch. Although it is deadly, most of its energy dissipates as heat, making it easy to control. But negative energy is different—it is violent and hard to control. The elements are arranged densely, absorbing surface heat into the center before releasing it all at once, causing tremendous destruction… This is knowledge that you, future dark magicians, must master!” With that, Professor Hod turned his head and glanced toward the back of the classroom, only to see a boy with dark golden hair resting his head on his hand and gazing out the window.

That kid! Professor Hod shook his head in exasperation, then closed his book and said, “Well, that’s enough for today’s class. Starting tomorrow, I will teach you the basic fire spells [Small Fireball] and [Flame Spell]. Although both are first-level spells, they form the foundation for most advanced spells… Remember this, students!”

“Okay, Professor Hod!” The dozens of children nodded and packed up to leave.

As they left the classroom, Lavia glanced back and saw that Hod hadn’t left but had moved to the back of the room.

“Rude commoners!” she muttered, biting her lip, as she left.

By then, Professor Hod had reached the back of the classroom, his wand raised high.

“Thwack!” Jiang Zhe got hit on the head.
Looking up, Jiang Zhe saw Professor Huo De standing beside him, smiling faintly as he said, “Sosu, if this continues, I won’t give you high grades for your usual performance!”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jiang Zhe scratched the spot where he was hit, saying helplessly, “I didn’t expect you to give me high grades anyway…”
That kid! Professor Huo De was both amused and exasperated. He sat down next to Jiang Zhe and asked with a smile, “What’s wrong, little Sosu? Why do you look so unhappy? Is it because I refused your request to teach you more advanced magic? Don’t blame me for that. Can you really call that wobbly ‘fire ball’ of yours a true fireball? That unstable thing—do you really think it can be used against others? It’s already good enough that it doesn’t blow you up.”
“Is that so?” Jiang Zhe turned his head, glanced at Professor Huo De, then stretched out his right hand and murmured, “Fai Eireo Beia Gola!” As soon as the words left his mouth, an orange-red fire ball the size of an adult’s fist appeared in his right hand, emitting a slight heat.
“Hm?” Professor Huo De was stunned. He examined the fire ball carefully and found that its internal elemental structure was much more stable than a few days ago. To be fair, this was already a decent magic—no, it should be considered excellent!
Suddenly, Professor Huo De noticed the burn marks on the little guy’s right hand that hadn’t faded yet, and he began to understand.
“It seems I underestimated you, little Sosu!” Professor Huo De said with a slight smile. “But even so… Hah, are you trying to tell me that you’ve already mastered this magic, kid?”
“No!” Jiang Zhe shook his head seriously. “I’m thinking about a question.”
“Hm?” Seeing that Sosu wasn’t deliberately ignoring his lessons out of temper, Professor Huo De was surprised and asked, “What question?”
“Professor, what exactly is magic?”
“…” Professor Huo De’s expression changed.
“The magic books say, ‘Magic relies on the caster’s spells and gestures to coordinate the communication between internal magic power and external elements, thereby achieving the desired effect.’ But I’m confused—do these magics already exist? Like the fireball spell you taught me, how did this magic come into being? Did it already exist and was merely discovered by ancient magicians, or did it not exist at all and was created by them?”
This child… Professor Huo De’s forehead broke out in a thin layer of sweat as he stared at him in disbelief.

After a long silence, Professor Hod said in a deep voice, “Thors, you should know that magic is based on alchemy. Ancient magic history records this in great detail. When I studied magic in Riox, I also had doubts about this, and I’m still confused… The history of magic has gone through many changes. The earliest texts were lost in wars. A magician once mentioned that magic might have originated from the Age of Gods, the ancient times. Later, when the gods declined, magic itself did not disappear. Ancient alchemists recovered magic by finding the proper arrangement of various elements… But I don’t think that’s the case. I believe the magic we have now is simply the result of some magicians accidentally reestablishing the correct element arrangement, creating that magic, analyzing and improving it, until it evolved into the magic we use today…”

Jiang Zhe raised his head in confusion and asked, “Professor, what do you mean…?”

“Thors, what’s the purpose of spells?”

“To help the magician’s internal magical energy communicate with external elements…”

“Exactly. That’s why I’ve always thought that spells are merely auxiliary. As long as a magician has enough mental strength, they don’t need any spells or gestures at all…” Saying this, Professor Hod patted Jiang Zhe’s head and smiled. “Hehe, Thors, it’s too early to tell you these things. You’ll understand naturally once you become a great magician…”

“Wait, Professor Hod. Do you mean that great magicians don’t need spells to cast magic? Instantly?! ”

“Huh? You little brat actually knows about instant casting?” Professor Hod was clearly surprised. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Yes! Instant casting magic—Dean Kaines can do it, but only for spells below level four…”

“Ah?” Jiang Zhe’s tone was filled with disappointment.

“Pat!” Professor Hod tapped the kid’s head. “What’s that expression? Do you think great magicians can instantly cast forbidden spells? You little rascal! Don’t just focus on the level of magic. Look!” As he spoke, his lips moved slightly, and an orange-red fireball appeared in his right hand. Not only was it about four times the size of Jiang Zhe’s, but the orange-red flames also contained some purple flames…

“Your magic is only passable. You’re still a long way from being as skilled as I described, you little brat!” Professor Hod grunted.

The temperature of the flames…

Jiang Zhe immediately noticed the difference between the two fireballs—not in size, but in the temperature of the flames. That was what truly mattered! A qualitative difference!

“See? That brat is truly too smart—so smart it’s a headache…”
With a wry smile, Professor Hod said seriously, “See? It’s still just a Level 2 Fireball spell. Why does yours seem so weak?”
“Mental focus and control?”
“And also,” the professor dismissed the magic and patted Jiang Zhe’s head, “concentration! Master this spell first, kid!”
Jiang Zhe dismissed the magic in frustration and muttered, “Could I cast it instantly once I’m proficient?”
“Heh,” Professor Hod smiled, stroking Jiang Zhe’s head seriously, “Sos, don’t forget—this spell is one I taught you. For you, I have different standards. You’d better satisfy me, otherwise…”
“Otherwise?”
“Otherwise, I won’t teach you any other spells!”
“How could you do that?” Jiang Zhe widened his eyes.
※※※
In the evening, on the highest floor of the ancient castle, in the room belonging to the rector of the Rexox Academy, the great mage Gret Kaines sat at the desk, smoking his pipe while reviewing materials for the new student exams.
Suddenly, the old rector’s gaze shifted slightly as he spotted the new student who mattered a lot to him.
“Sos… a commoner?”
“Knock, knock, knock!” There was a knock at the door.
The old rector glanced casually toward the door and said indifferently, “Come in, Hod!”
“Rector!” It was Professor Hod who entered. He handed over a thick stack of documents and said respectfully, “I’ve almost finished the basic courses. I’d like to apply for outdoor practice courses!”
“Hmm, you can decide that for yourself,” the old rector took the documents, glanced at them, then set them aside. He then smiled while biting his pipe and said, “He’s very much like you, that child…”
“That brat is far smarter than me!” Professor Hod shrugged and said, “Back in my first year, I hadn’t even begun to question ‘the essence of magic’!”
“Oh?” The old rector was surprised and asked curiously, “That child is already questioning it? That’s amazing!” With that, he stood up, faced the floor-to-ceiling window, and gazed at the grass outside the castle, saying, “This question has puzzled generations of mages. I thought you might be able to figure it out…”
“I’ve disappointed you…”
“Disappointed?” The old rector turned around and said cheerfully, “How could I be disappointed? I heard you taught that child Fireball spells ahead of time?”
“Yes, but for some time now, I don’t plan to teach him any more spells…”

“Hehe,” the old dean smiled faintly and said mysteriously, “I see… Can he do what you can’t?”
“I didn’t mean that…”
“Is that so? Even if you didn’t say it, you still hope so, don’t you? But… that requires extremely strong control… I heard that kid often daydreams in your classes.”
“Hehe, maybe I’m not cut out to be a professor,” Professor Hod said self-mockingly. “I just want to guide him down the right path… As for his future achievements, it depends on fate…”
“Ha! As an outstanding magician, believing in fate?”
“Maybe…”
※※※
What exactly is magic?
If a series of spells are merely different arrangements of elements…
“Boom!” A fireball suddenly appeared in Jiang Zhe’s hand.
If that’s the case…
No, no, maybe not. If magic really is just different arrangements of elements, then those great magicians in history should have discovered it long ago, right?
Professor Hod said that the power of spells isn’t just about different levels; it’s also closely related to the caster’s own magic power, mental strength, and control… Oh, and affinity for elements too!
By “proficiency,” Professor Hod probably means I should cast this spell more often?
Nonsense, I know that too!
The problem is, with my meager magic power, casting a fireball is already at its limit, right?
Sure enough, the foundation of magic is still magic power?
It seems meditation is the most important…
“Scott, how can one store strong magic power in the body?”
“Meditation!” Scott, who was in the bed next to him, turned over.
“Is it only meditation?” Jiang Zhe asked with a strange expression.
Meditation refers to the process by which magicians draw in scattered magic power from the outside world. But the key is that the magician must think of nothing and remain in a state of absolute stillness. Yet Jiang Zhe had fallen asleep several times while meditating…
“Hmm…” Scott hesitated for a moment before sitting up and saying, “I remember a magician once saying that the process of meditation isn’t about storing magic power from the outside world in the body, but rather slowly shaping the magician’s body into a ‘container’ capable of storing magic, so that the magician can absorb magic elements from the outside world more quickly. That way, even if the magic power in the body is exhausted, it can be slowly restored… And another magician added that each time magic power is used up, it’s also a process of expanding this ‘container’…”

“That’s it!” Jiang Zhe’s eyes shone with excitement.
“Don’t blame me for not warning you!” After a pause, Scott said with a strange expression, “Running out of magic power is extremely uncomfortable. It severely damages the soul and weakens mental strength. Recovering mental strength is even harder than recovering magic power…”
“Huh? Really?” Jiang Zhe was stunned and asked doubtfully, “Then why didn’t my mental strength show any abnormalities the few times I ran out of magic power?”
“Is that true?” Allen, who was wiping his armor nearby, interjected.
“No feeling at all?” Scott asked in astonishment.
Jiang Zhe shrugged and said, “I just felt sleepy. But once I woke up after sleeping, I was completely back to normal!”
“Magic power and mental strength?”
“Mm-hmm!”
“Incredible…” Scott hesitated for a while, looking at Jiang Zhe curiously, and then asked in surprise, “Do you have some item that helps with recovery?”
“No!” Jiang Zhe shook his head. Suddenly, he remembered the magic array on the back of his left hand, which he had always hidden with a white glove. Could it be this?
Actually, Jiang Zhe was wrong. The function of that magic array was merely to suppress the negative energy in his body, including eliminating some negative emotions, achieving the effect of ‘calming the mind’. As for other effects, it was just white magic attached to it—something to discuss later.
“Indeed…” Indeed, Scott didn’t find any special items in his roommate. After thinking for a while, he said uncertainly, “It might be a matter of personal aptitude. Sos, maybe you have a recovery ability ten or even dozens of times greater than ordinary people!”
“Recovery ability?” Jiang Zhe was stunned. He raised his right hand and realized that the burn marks had gradually faded without him noticing.
“Speaking of which, I remember that no matter what injury I get, I recover very quickly. Look, the burns from the fireball explosion yesterday have almost gone away…”
“Really?” Allen leaned in, staring at Jiang Zhe’s right hand for a long time before saying strangely, “Dude, I don’t think you should waste this talent by becoming a knight…”
“Back off!”
※※※
A recovery ability ten or even dozens of times greater than ordinary people? Including magic power and mental strength?
If that were true, maybe it would be possible to reach what Professor Hodde called ‘proficiency’?
But… how is that possible!
Lying in bed, controlling the fireball in his hand, Jiang Zhe pondered deeply.

It seemed that the glowing fireball was disturbing Allen, who was sound asleep in the next bed. In a daze, he said, “Thors, can you tell those damned stars to go back to sleep?”
“Hah!” Jiang Zhe looked up at the star pattern on the ceiling, feeling drowsy creeping in.
Indeed, it was already very late…
In a half-asleep state, Jiang Zhe fell into sleep.
As usual, he heard heavy snoring in his dreams.
What on earth was that?
Vaguely, Jiang Zhe could see a mountain-like figure slowly rising and falling steadily in a thin layer of white mist, and the snoring came from that “mountain.”
Why did he dream of it every day?
What exactly was it?
At some point, the snoring stopped. In the thin mist, a pair of pale red eyes opened, calmly glancing at Jiang Zhe before closing again.
Huh?
What was that?
Jiang Zhe could sense that there was no trace of malice in that gaze, but somehow, there was a strange feeling—indescribably strange…
Hesitantly, Jiang Zhe stepped forward and reached out…
“Ah!”
At that moment, a scream woke Jiang Zhe up.
It was Allen!
The guy was crouched in the corner of the bed, looking shocked, his right hand trembling as he pointed above Jiang Zhe’s bed…
“That… that…”
“Incredible!” On the other bed, Scott pushed his glasses up in surprise.
“Hm?” Jiang Zhe raised his head in confusion, his expression changing slightly.
Above the ceiling, a fist-sized fireball hovered, emitting heat with a hissing sound.
That fireball…
“Thors,” Scott said, licking his lips with a strange expression, “don’t tell me you kept this magic active while sleeping until this morning…”
“Uh, if it’s not you guys, then it must be me…”
“Huh,” Scott took a deep breath, pushed his glasses up, and said calmly, “Control it, and tell me—has your magical energy been depleted?”
Following Scott’s instructions, Jiang Zhe controlled the fireball and made it float in front of the three of them. Then he shook his head and said, “I don’t feel anything different…”
“As I thought!” Scott pinched the bridge of his nose and said gravely, “If I’m not mistaken, Thors, you have a recovery ability dozens, even hundreds of times greater than that of ordinary people—both in terms of magical energy and mental strength. That’s your talent!”
“Wow…” Jiang Zhe was momentarily stunned.

At that moment, the fist-sized fireball suddenly emitted continuous hissing sounds, startling Scott into shouting urgently, “Thors!”
“Hm?” Jiang Zhe hadn’t reacted yet, while Allen was too scared to speak.
Watching the fireball emit a faint, unnatural white light, Scott let out a soft sigh, took off his glasses and put them in his pocket, then forced a smile. “Thors, do you know the biggest difference between the second-level [Fireball] and the first-level [Small Fireball] spells? Well… although their power is far less than that of the third-level [Explosive Fireball], they can still explode…”
“Boom!”