Chapter 259: Professor Carnus and the Tri-Elemental Orbs (Han)

Timothy finally arrived during Professor Carnus' class, looking a little wearier than usual, but he had a look of resolve on his face. Now what was the reason for it, Han precisely didn't know, but he hoped it was because of him learning a Spell. Timothy plopped beside him and didn't say a word.

Han only sighed in relief. But it was too early for that. The Professor was out for blood—not literally, but the man eyed the two of them with some unbridled interest. Was he a sadist or something?

And yet the Professor would leave them out for last.

"Which one of you would like to present the [ Tri-Elemental Orb ] for me?"

There were some uncomfortable looks that erupted in the class, others pointedly looking at the top Students. Some were even willingly looking at Ellynn this time around, as if expecting her to save them from the trouble when they were the ones who ostracized her.

Somebody raised a hand, it was Russel. It earned a raised brow from several Students and from the man himself, but the Professor cleared his throat. "You want to cast it for us?"

"Sir... didn't you say that we have to learn to cast one elemental orb and not three?" Russel might have been the boy that nobody wanted—but he was certainly the one that they needed.

At least, that was how Han saw it.

The Professor sighed and snapped his fingers, "So be it. One [ Elemental Orb ] and since you've been brave enough to point it out, then you can go ahead first."

It was a stroke of bad luck.

Russel had a look of chagrin on his face, but then stood up. "Haha, I'll do my best, Professor." He put on a brave face, and when Teresa and the others weren't around him, he actually looked like someone you could take in seriously. He shook his hands in the air, looking like he was getting the shakiness out of his hand, and then opened his bag.

He reached for an orb... it was his catalyst?

Han had only seen wands and rods, but it was his first time seeing just an orb. It was a dull gray color that shined slightly, and though it didn't look like anything special—Han felt the air around them still. The orb in the young man's one hand glowed, and he motioned for what was probably the mana inside of it to go out and take shape.

At least that was what it appeared to Han.

It took a couple of seconds, but then something stirred and took shape, and it was an orb just like the one Russel had in his hands. The orb then turned green and spun, small gusts of air started around the orb.

"You've indeed performed the Spell, but is that all the range and power it can do?" Professor Carnus asked. He raised a brow and sighed, moving close to the orb and then flicking a hand at it—the orb flew off and then disintegrated. "An orb like that could barely form a breeze during a hot weather, but nice try. Who's next?"

Nobody raised a hand, even Penelope didn't raise hers. And neither did her genius little brother Elliot, so the man sighed and shook his head. The Professor spoke again, "We shall go by names then."

Whether it was intentional or something by mistake—the Professor really didn't make them go first. Maybe it was because the Battle Mage first wanted to make sure that the other Students could perform them well enough to hit Han and Timothy if they were to fail.

... And there were people who failed.

Unable to even muster an Elemental Orb in the first place, as if the mana popped and then it was gone and others that nearly had the Spell, but then it exploded in their faces. When compared to them, Russel actually did good enough to be in the average. Most, if not at least half of the Students performing the Elemental Orb with varying degrees of success.

Others could barely muster enough fire to boil water, and then there were others who met or even exceeded the Professor's expectations. And of those that exceeded, Han and Timothy knew three of them. Penelope performed a [ Light Orb ] and had insisted that Light was an element and got away with it—mostly because she blinded the people in the front row, and the Professor thought it was good.

Han might have wanted to say that he could do a [ Light ] Spell, but knew that the Professor wouldn't take them so kindly as he did with Penelope. Probably say that their [ Light ] weren't appropriate enough, and so Han would glumly watch—would have glumly watched Elliot perform a [ Hydro Ball ], but it nearly snagged his and Timothy's head.

Heck, the curve of the water... which he now officially called a [ Water Sickle ] crumbled some Kraelonia Academy's walls at impact.

"Ah, my apologies—I had a terrible aim." Elliot Primrose said with a duck of his head.

But Han had a feeling that it was more of a statement that was closer to 'I'm sorry that I missed attacking the two of your heads'... if not Han's head, at least Timothy's. He would have wounded up collateral damage if it weren't for his [ Dodge ] Skill, and he had pulled Timothy down with him.

Anyhow, Penelope once again offered a Healing Potion to Timothy while lightly chiding her brother. Professor Carnus however said, "That was an exemplary one, and if one could use that consecutively and with better aim. You'd be a great asset to any army or adventuring group."

When Ellynn came up... she looked once at Han with something that might have been a frown, or maybe a look of pity—but also performed the [ Elemental Orb ] easily and with no form of hindrance. Similar to how Russel started with tiny gusts of air revolving around it—it did the same, and the others would only watch.

Until the orb disappeared.

There were sounds of scoffs and jeerings, but the Professor didn't make a sound. And then a mini tornado ripped through the grass and tore them from the ground without the sight of a singular orb.

"She made it invisible." Han blinked—remembering how she once attacked him by accident in the Hidden Library with wind blades. It was something that one couldn't see with a naked eye... but the Professor was content.

"Natural affinity to Wind helps you take on its most optimum form," he noted, pleased, and he didn't even have much of a suggestion to offer except say this. "At the end of the day, this is still made through Spell Casting and one with the capacity to see mana and trace it out will find where the orb is, but to most unpracticed—it would be of much difficulty. Great job."

Soon enough, everyone else was done.

And though Han had only paid most attention to the three, and Russel since he was the first—there were also those who excelled enough to garner praises from the Battle Mage. Most had produced Elemental Orbs that were of Fire and Wind, probably because it was the easiest to create? But similar to how Elliot had done a Water Sickle—someone did a [ Lightning Orb ] and would have zapped some Students if it weren't for [ Mana Shields ] put up before it could fully strike.

This 'Kyse' guy got reprimanded, but he was also given some commendation.

Now it was finally time for Han and Timothy. The Professor called the two of them in front and gave them a look, "I have been kind enough to allow the two of you to observe our class today, but if you cannot show me improvements in your mage studies—I will let Kyse hit the two of you with his Lightning Orb, accompanied with Miss Ellynn and Sir Primrose. You have been warned, so show me what you can."

Han raised his hand and managed a grin, "Uh, can I show mine first?" He threw a look at Timothy and gave him an apologetic look. Whatever kind of magical trick Timothy had in his sleeve, it would definitely be better than his. It all came to presentation and one's presence, and in order to avoid getting compared to his friend, it was best that he go first.

It was almost a rule in life.

The Professor could get appeased with his Spell and mentally pass him, and then Timothy can wow the crowd with whatever he had. The Battle Mage Carnus gave him a begrudging nod, "Very well then, you first."

Perfect.

Han dug his hands into his pocket and pulled out his wand—his Inventory could be opened up even in his pants' pockets, so it avoided the attention. Albeit, now that he thought of it… could the Battle Mage assess the wand's rarity by a look? Or could Ellynn tell it was from her father's by a singular look of a branch?

It was much better that the two of them didn't.

And yet the Professor eyed it, once again speaking. "Do you think that getting yourself a wand would allow you to be more efficient in channeling your internal mana? I can give you points for that, it's nothing special like the old wands, but even modern wands still perform that function to a certain extent. Any Mage who can't perform Spells alone or with terrible control of mana needs a wand."

But the Battle Mage also cleared his throat, probably because he had a wand too. "It's also for those who need to perform Spells with greater caliber than usual. You may begin."

Han managed a sheepish laugh and then pointed the tip of the wand into the ground. This wasn't just for channeling how his mana flowed—the Wood Elf's promise was a wand of much greater caliber.