Eugene was in utter shock. He was already a master mage, and he hadn't even used his wand to boost his magic. He knew his own potential wasn't that high to achieve such a rank so quickly. He was right; the real reason he had become a master mage was because Rei's potential in magic was immense. If Rei had been born with magic, even if the he had low mana he could still have easily learned and conquered the entire world.
"Looks like you're ready already," Rei said, a subtle smile playing on his lips. "You should try to use different types of spells now." Eugene, still processing the revelation, simply nodded, then took out his wand and began practicing the various spells he had been taught, his golden light shimmering across the field.
Rei then turned to Bart. "Okay, it's your turn, Bart."
Bart's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes!" he exclaimed.
"First, I will explain the theory," Rei instructed. "Come to the Midgard." Bart eagerly followed Rei into the vehicle. Rei pulled out a copy of a book and began explaining seismic waves: how they affect the earth, and how they can be used with spirit arts. He then detailed how walls, boulders, and other formations are created using seismic waves. By the time Rei finished explaining, the sun was beginning to set. "Okay, that's it for today," Rei said. "Tomorrow, I want you to do a revision of what you learned, okay?"
Bart, tired from the dense learning, sighed. "Okay, but why do we need to remember this? I just want to use sorcery."
"Magic and sorcery are two very different things, Bart," Rei clarified. "Magic is changing reality, but sorcery is about understanding the world so it can help us."
"Okay, I will remember that," Bart said, a hint of understanding dawning on him.
Rei drove Eugene and Bart back to town. As he parked the Midgard and sent them off, a bird landed nearby. Rei took a note from its leg and read it. "The Revolutionaries are doing great," the note began, "and our organization is showing progress. It is becoming bigger day by day. Levi made all the blueprints you gave him and is enjoying himself too." The note also detailed the budget conditions, inventory, and even listed forbidden weapons. Rei then attached the blueprints for the magic gun and magic rifle to the bird's leg and sent it back. Tenko, who had been in Rei's blind spot, watching him with concern, his Nyx scepter humming faintly and a bad feeling in his gut, immediately acted normal as Rei turned around. After eating, they went to sleep.
That night, Tenko had another vivid dream. The sky was black, but the ground glowed with a dark blue color. Tenko saw his shadow getting bigger and bigger, and suddenly, it smiled at him. Tenko was scared and took a few steps back when he suddenly collided with something soft. He turned around to see a dark blue slime, laughing in the voice of a little girl. Her laugh was childish, yet unsettling. "So you are Tenko?" the voice giggled. "Just a little more time, and then I will..." Suddenly, the voice turned gruesome, deep and menacing. "...consume you!"
Tenko woke up, breathing heavily, his heart pounding. He was very scared. He looked at Rei, who was sleeping soundly, then looked at his chaos scepter. Tenko remembered Rei once having to face something similar, something terrifying. Tenko didn't know what Rei had faced, so he hadn't understood Rei's fear before. But now, he knew. Tenko's face hardened with determination. He thought that if Rei could do this, he could too. He then closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.
He was in that dream again. The shadowy smile of the slime returned, and the childish girl's voice said, "You came back, even after I scared you so much." Her slimy body started getting bigger, like a surging wave, and her voice slowly changed, becoming gruesome again as she snarled, "Now, I will consume you!" However, Tenko, with a determined expression, did not move. The slime body, unable to consume him, suddenly dissolved and was destroyed.
The slime's voice, now a frustrated whisper, echoed: "My body might not have formed, but as soon as it will form, I will consume you!" Tenko barked back, looking at the lingering shadow with a fierce, determined expression.
The next day, when Rei woke up, he noticed that Tenko was sleeping a little longer, more like he usually did before the intense training of the past week. "He finally came back to his old habits," Rei thought with a small smile. Rei got refreshed and ate his food. After some time of reading a book on herbs, Bart and Eugene arrived.
"Okay, let's go," Rei said, gathering his things. He took them in the Midgard and drove towards the field.
"Eugene," Rei instructed, "you go out and practice your Holy Magic while I will teach Bart about sorcery."
"Yes!" Eugene said eagerly. He went out, his golden light already faintly visible as he began to focus. Rei then started asking Bart questions about seismic waves. Bart answered some correctly, while he was unable to answer others. After that, Rei again explained about seismic waves to Bart. By then, Tenko had gotten up and silently joined them.
After explaining about seismic waves, they both went outside and saw Eugene practicing. One thing was strange: Eugene was not using his wand, though Rei didn't mind it. Rei took Bart to the side. "Now, Bart, put your hands on the ground," Rei instructed. Bart placed his hands flat on the earth. "Now use seismic waves as I explained," Rei continued. "No need to keep it confined to any shape for now."
Bart closed his eyes and concentrated. He used the seismic waves as Rei had taught him, and before him, a big boulder slowly emerged from the ground. "Keep practicing it like this," Rei said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.