The Undying Magician - Book 1 - Chapter 32 - Tensions Building (Patreon)

                                                                          Nathan

                                                  Year 2849 | Month 5 | Day 15 | Saturday
                                                                              Five days later

I stop in my meditation as Instructor Leo’s voice rings out through the training facility during Magic Circuitry, “Everyone, stop whatever you’re doing and listen.”

He looks around the facility for a few seconds before continuing, “I believe everyone in the class should have had enough time practicing your magic circles to be able to safely make one with the device and cancel it without killing yourself.” His gaze locks onto Muscles as he says this, only to turn to the magi-tech board in front of him while snapping his fingers. “So I am now giving you permission to learn and cast the most basic spells.”

This announcement causes the room to explode into whispers as the cadets all quietly chatter amongst themselves in excitement.

“If you are able to cast three basic spells, with their pseudo codes shown here,” he pauses as he points at the magi-tech board, where three different sections of pseudo code appear, describing what we will have to do for three different programs, before he continues, “then I will allow you to begin making your own spells.”

The chatter in the room immediately ceases as everyone sees the pseudo code written on the board.

Each of the three spells starts with the spell’s name above the pseudo code, with them being a neutral mana barrier spell, non-neutral mana bullet spell, and a non-neutral mana blast spell.

As for the pseudo code beneath the titles… just trying to read it is already giving me a headache.

“Now, before I start, I’ll give you a few reminders.” The instructor says before holding up one finger, ignoring the pitiful looks sent his way by the cadets. “Remember that each arc of mana has one hundred units of mana in it, and these units of mana are the input that the magic circle automatically enters into the instructions until it’s told to stop.”

He then turns to look at the pseudo code himself as he raises a second finger, “The magic circles that you use are designed to read all of the coding languages, their usable libraries, and the added functions and commands for magic coding. Which I will be going over in a few minutes.”

Finally, he turns back to us again and raises a third finger, “And lastly, make absolutely sure that your code does not have any infinite loops, and has a reachable finite end before you try running it in a magic circle. Otherwise, it will backfire. And I doubt you’ll like the outcome of that.”

He then lowers his hand and crosses his arms before asking, “Any questions?”

Silence fills the training facility.

“I guess that’s a no,” he says, then turns to look at the magi-tech board again whilst swiping his hand, causing it to change from the pseudo-code to instead show a large chart of commands and functions, along with each of their descriptions. “Then let’s begin.”

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                                            A couple of hours later, in fundamentals of fire

“-and this energy conversion is the reason why electricity is generally hot, despite not being of the fire element.” Instructor Leo finishes with a faint nod towards Arthur, who had originally asked the question he just finished answering in the first place. He then looks down at his wrist and frowns before looking up again and stating, “Class is over for the day.”

Everyone almost immediately begins to get up from their seats whilst gathering their things.

As I’m doing the same, I pause at the sound of the instructor’s voice, “Nathan, if you’d please stay after class for a bit. I’d like to talk to you.”

Huh?

I turn to look at him, only to find him messing with something on his phone.

Uh, okay then. He hasn’t talked to me one on one outside of training during Magical Warfare since Sunday.

I return to gathering my things whilst ignoring the odd looks sent to me by some of the other cadets before walking over to the front of the class.

At this point, most of the cadets in my Magical Warfare class know that there is something going on between me and the instructor, even if they don’t know what. But it’s not really that difficult to tell, considering how much attention he gives to me during the training periods.

Not to mention how I’m the only cadet he calls by name alone. Which also attracts some attention during Magic Circuitry, and this class.

The instructor doesn’t look up from his phone until the last cadet – aside from me – leaves the room.

“I just wanted to give you a heads-up,” he says with a faint grin on his face that makes a shiver run down my spine, “but we’re going to be doing our first mock-battle next Monday in Magical Warfare.”

Okay, that might be annoying.

“Also, if you don’t mind, the doctor would like me to introduce you to someone during lunch today,” he suddenly adds, the grin on his face fading in the process. “Since you’re immortal, he thinks that it would be good for you to learn better swordplay. And – as much as I hate to admit this – I agree. This instructor was also told by the doctor about your immortality, so that isn’t an issue either.”

My eyes twitch slightly at this revelation.

Is that psychopath just going to keep telling people? What happened to my immortality being a secret?

I nod my head before saying, “Okay.”

The instructor gives me a short nod before turning to walk towards the door, “Then I’ll see you in the Magical Warfare classroom during lunch.”

He then continues through the portal without waiting for me to respond.

I frown at the portal before shaking my head and walking towards it with my things.

If the instructor already knows, then there’s nothing that can be done. And I did need a sword instructor, since I would probably do better in a close combat fight anyways.

With that thought in mind, I pass through the portal and begin making my way towards Mana Manipulation.

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“That’s enough for today.”

I let out a sigh of relief as I stop stretching my mana arc at the sound of Instructor Dawn’s words.

“Why do you try so hard in this class?” I hear Cyria ask me out of curiosity.

Without looking at her, I begin to put my books and notes into my bag while answering, “Because I started out with less mana arcs than you and the others. So I need to put in more work to meet the class’s requirement.”

Which really is unfortunate.

I don’t know why I only have two mana arcs to start with. Normally the number of mana arcs someone has to start with is the same as their talent level.

So a level 3 talent should have 3 mana arcs to start.

Cyria looks confused at my answer before she shrugs and turns to the others, joining the conversation Aidan and Sophia were having.

I guess she didn’t see my results for the tests on Monday for Magical Warfare.

The five of us – Cyria, Aidan, Rebecca, Sophia, and myself – all begin to get up and leave the classroom, but right after we walk through the portal, I pause and say, “I’ll be going to the Magical Warfare classroom during lunch today instead, so go ahead without me.”

“Why?” Aidan asks almost immediately with a frown as Cyria asks, “Is it the instructor?”

Meanwhile the other girls look confused, but neither Sophia nor Rebecca seem to be all that interested. Which makes sense, considering that I did technically just meet the two about a week or so ago.

It’s Cyria’s reaction that surprises me a little. Since I met her not too long before the other two.

“Yeah,” I say to her question before waving slightly and turning to walk away, “I’ll see you all in class.”

I can practically feel Aidan and Cyria’s gazes digging into my back.

They’re gonna start asking questions soon, aren’t they…

Although, it’s possible my ‘apprentice relationship’ towards Instructor Leo will come to light during the mock-battle on Monday.

And at this point? That might just be a good thing.

Not only would it satisfy their curiosity, but it might shut up the two annoying idiots in Magical Warfare.

Because having them constantly trying to compete with me and ask me questions is really getting annoying.

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