The Extra's Rise-Chapter 108: Nimran (3)

Professor Nero’s voice cut through the din of idle chatter, instantly commanding the attention of every student in the room. His presence alone was enough to silence even the most talkative among us.

"Listen up," Nero began, his tone as sharp as a blade. "Your practical evaluation for this field trip will involve a rather straightforward task—straightforward, of course, only in concept, not execution."

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on ƒreewebɳovel.com.

He let the tension build for a moment before continuing, pacing in front of the gathered students. "Each pair will be assigned a specific beast to hunt and kill. These beasts have been equipped with a specialized mana detection device. The device will analyze the unique mana signatures of the attackers to confirm the kill. This means no clever cheating, no switching targets, and certainly no sabotaging your peers. Your success is yours and yours alone."

The room buzzed with excitement and apprehension. The mention of beasts always added an edge of danger to any assignment, and I could already see some students glancing at their partners with a mixture of relief and trepidation.

"As for the theoretical portion," Nero continued, "you will also be divided into groups to prepare a presentation. This presentation will focus on your assessment of the ecological and magical environments of Nimran, with particular emphasis on the interactions between beasts and the natural mana flows of the region. Your professors will judge the presentations based on thoroughness, originality, and clarity."

With that, he cast a glance over the crowd, his piercing gaze sweeping through us. "You’ve all been paired as per the last practical evaluation, so you already know who your partner is. Make use of this familiarity to plan effectively. And don’t waste time bickering—it’s unbecoming of future leaders."

A brief silence followed his words, only broken by a few muttered whispers between pairs.

"Now," Nero concluded, "I will leave you to prepare and mingle. Use this time wisely."

And with that, Nero walked away, his coat sweeping behind him as he exited the room, leaving the students to absorb the details of the task and begin their preparations.

"Hey, Rachel," I started, lowering my voice slightly. "Do you know anything about something called a ’Black Star’?"

Her brow furrowed slightly in thought before her eyes lit up with recognition. "Black Star… that’s like the dark mana equivalent of a Mana Star," she said, closing her notebook. "It’s a compressed form of dark mana, created by slowly condensing a significant amount of dark mana into a single, stable point within your core. It’s incredibly difficult to achieve because it’s not just about effort—it requires a deep affinity for dark mana. Without that innate talent, it’s impossible."

I nodded, digesting her explanation. "So, it’s basically a conductor of dark mana?"

"Exactly," Rachel replied, her expression brightening. "Once you’ve formed a Black Star, your dark mana becomes much more potent and easier to manipulate. It’s like a permanent upgrade to your mana management, but it’s dangerous to attempt if you don’t have the right compatibility."

"Do you have something similar?" I asked curiously.

"Yes," she said, a small smile gracing her lips. "It’s called a White Star. It’s the equivalent for light mana. Forming it wasn’t easy, but light mana has always come naturally to me, so it was achievable with the right guidance."

I absorbed her words, my mind already racing with possibilities. "And how long would it take to form something like that?" I asked.

Rachel’s smile turned rueful. "That depends entirely on your talent and dedication. For someone deeply attuned to dark mana, it could take days or weeks of concentrated effort. For anyone else… it’s likely impossible."

I nodded, a determined glint in my eye. "Thanks, Rachel. That was helpful."

She tilted her head, her golden hair shimmering under the room’s warm lighting. "Arthur, are you planning on trying to create one?"

"Something like that," I said with a small smile, not giving too much away. Rachel knew me well enough to pick up on the undertones, but she didn’t press further.

"Well," she said, her voice softening, "be careful. It’s powerful, but it’s also dangerous if done wrong. Don’t push yourself too hard."

I nodded, appreciating her concern, but my mind was already racing, tangled in the puzzle of the Black Star.

Now, the concept of the Black Star—and its counterpart, the White Star—finally clicked into place. A mana core, as I understood it, was just a well of mana nestled deep within your body, a reservoir that fueled all magical endeavors. A Black Star or White Star, however, was something far more refined, more deliberate. It was a star, compressed and purified to an extraordinary degree, a conductor of elemental mana that elevated the wielder far beyond the mundane.

Compression and purification. That was the key.

But therein lay the snag: my connection to dark mana wasn’t innate. My affinity for it came entirely from Lucent Harmony. Without activating it, my dark mana affinity was nonexistent—a phantom gift.

Which meant forming a Black Star might well be impossible for me.

’I may not be able to make it,’ I thought, the weight of that realization pressing down like a stone. But the allure was undeniable. A Black Star wasn’t just a luxury—it was a necessity. If I could compress my dark mana into something that pure and potent, programming my Lich would be far simpler. The task would shift from borderline impossible to merely an uphill battle with a thousand unknowns. A marked improvement, really.

So this was Jin’s cryptic clue. It all made sense now. The book he left in my spatial ring probably contained detailed instructions, and the potion he slipped in was likely a tool to aid in the compression process—a shortcut for people like me who weren’t blessed with a natural affinity for dark mana. Gravemore hadn’t mentioned it because, logically, he wouldn’t assume I could make one. He knew my limitations.

But logic never had much of a say when it came to ambition.

’You can do it,’ Luna’s voice echoed in my head, cutting through the swirl of doubts.

’How?’ I asked, her confidence in me lighting a spark of hope.

’There is a way,’ she replied, maddeningly vague as ever. ’But first, get the Basilisk Heart. Then, I’ll guide you so that even in your unactivated state, your Black Star will hold.’

I paused, dissecting her words. If she was saying the Black Star could persist even when my dark mana affinity wasn’t active, then she knew something I didn’t. Luna’s knowledge always had its limits—strangely human, really—but she seemed confident she could solve this.

Which meant, first and foremost, the Basilisk Heart was the linchpin. It wasn’t just a piece of the puzzle; it was the cornerstone. Without it, none of this would matter.

’So, you’re telling me you don’t know how to make a Black Star, but you know how to keep one stable after I somehow pull it off?’ I asked, half-serious.

’Exactly,’ Luna replied, unbothered by the jab. ’I can’t do everything for you. Some things, you need to figure out yourself. It’s part of growing, Arthur.’

Her words had an odd ring of truth to them, but I wasn’t exactly comforted. This wasn’t a problem I could bludgeon through with hard work alone. If I failed to create the Black Star, there wouldn’t be a second chance. And I’d have to find another way to assemble my Lich—an even more convoluted, fragile way.

Still, Luna’s faith in me was oddly reassuring, even if it came wrapped in her usual cryptic packaging. Somehow, it felt like more than blind optimism. Maybe she saw something in me I hadn’t quite grasped yet.

’Fine,’ I thought, straightening my back. ’First the Basilisk Heart, then the rest.’

This field trip wasn’t just an evaluation anymore. It was the start of something bigger. Something I couldn’t afford to fail.