The Academy's Time Looper-Chapter 49: Ego 2

The scene in front of him almost looked god-like to Athen.

Behind the professor was pitch-darkness, resembling the void that he had been in during his first night at the academy.

And, like a shining star in the night sky, the professor stood up straight, his entire body emitting a soft blue hue, with a bright blue sword in his hand.

The sword didn’t even seem real.

There was no material in it...just mana.

Did he mistake Professor Caldris’s role?

Athen was sure he saw Caldris using a wand to take care of the mercenaries that had been sent after them.

Perhaps sensing Athen’s confusion, Caldris simply glanced at the wand on the floor and said.

"I can use both...but not both at the same time."

Manifesting a weapon made of mana didn’t make you a magical sword master; in fact, it was just a basic requirement for both high-rank sword users and magicians.

It was because, unlike magical sword masters, you weren’t channeling mana into a physical object.

You were just taking a lump of mana from your body and shaping it like a child playing with playdough.

Having your sword or weapon knocked out of your hands in the fight was very common, so being able to manifest a replica of your weapon made out of mana was necessary.

All sword masters, the third-highest rank for sword mastery, were expected to be able to form mana swords.

And, for magicians, instead of making weapons with mana, they made defensive items to protect them, like shields or walls.

Nodding his head, Athen picked up his crossbow, nocked another arrow, and replied.

"So you’re a failed magical sword master?"

Seeing the professor’s mouth twitch, Athen...stood completely still and waited.

Not for a single moment had the thought of running passed through his mind.

He had achieved this goal of seeing the professor on the floor...but was that enough for him?

No...not at all.

Because that smug smirk that basically said, "Just give up already, so I can go get lunch and take a break," was still on Professor Caldris’s face.

He didn’t just want to pass this damn challenge.

Athen wanted to win in a fight.

He had seen this professor completely decimate three trained mercenaries with some simple spells, yet Athen remained still in front of the professor.

At that moment, as his arrogance reached its peak and his ego had fully taken control over his body, Athen felt something.

Maybe it was because he had just used his time-stopping ability, but his ears were ringing.

For a single second, he sensed something other than blood flowing inside his body.

However, it was hard to discern and make sense of it.

Because...it was with the blood.

The unknown substance he was sensing in his body seemed to be attached...no, attracted to his blood.

Wherever his blood went, the unknown substance followed after...like a predator chasing its prey.

It was just a guess, but Athen believed he knew the unknown substance.

Mana.

However, just like the blood flowing inside his body, Athen couldn’t seem to grasp or control it.

In retrospect, noble teenagers who received a private education at the finest lower and middle schools take about a year to sense and perceive their mana.

It is the first and most important step one needs to take to control the mana inside one’s body.

After sensing your mana, it takes at least one more year to be able to control it.

And then, after that, it’s a different time for everyone.

Actually putting attributes like speed and strength into your mana and augmenting your body’s physical capability is the first step in becoming both a magician and weapon-user.

To be honest, though, Athen didn’t really care.

Even if he could control the mana, how would it help in this fight?

He was using a damn crossbow.

Staring at the Caldris, who was tilting his head in confusion, Athen muttered.

"useless."

Seeing Athen not scurry and attempt to run away, Caldris sighed and raised his sword.

He still had about twenty-five seconds left, and he could take the student out in less than one, so there was no need for him to try.

Pointing the tip of mana sword at Athen, Caldris slowly approached.

As Athen stared at the arrogant and complacent approaching Caldris, all sense of caution and rationality disappeared, only replaced by desire.

As an unknown feeling crossed his mind, Athen was able to immediately identify it.

While others may have called it desperation or insanity, he called it.

"Rage."

Athen was mad...mad that he hadn’t done more.

When Caldris was on the floor, Athen could have continued attacking and stomped on the teacher, but he hadn’t.

Composing himself, Athen raised his crossbow and blankly stared through the scope at the teacher.

Taking a test shot, he clicked the trigger, not even looking at his released arrow, and picked another one up.

As he reloaded the crossbow, the professor simply raised his mana sword, and the arrow bounced off the blue sword, going to the side.

Crossbow arrows, unlike bow arrows, couldn’t curve, suddenly change directions, or be faster.

They just went straight at their target at a constantly slowing speed.

So, they were predictable.

And, to Caldris, who had fought against countless long-range weapons users, deflecting an arrow from Athen was as easy as breathing.

Scoffing at the scene, Athen... threw the crossbow behind him like he was discarding a piece of trash.

The weapon he had been so fascinated by at first had already reached its ceiling.

Seeing this, Caldris paused mid-step and confusedly stared at the empty-handed Athen.

"...are you giving up?"

Grabbing the last arrow he had, Athen looked right at the professor, making eye contact, and stayed silent.

*BANG*

At that moment, the arrow that Caldris had deflected suddenly hit the lava lamp of the intersection, destroying it and plunging the hallway into darkness.

In the dark hallway, only two things could be seen.

A light blue hue surrounded Caldris’s moving figure, and his mana sword partially illuminated him and the vicinity around him.

But, Athen, who was not inside the vicinity, could still be seen.

Looking into Athens’s blue-colored pupils, one would be reminded of the vast oceans that surrounded the human continent.