It was Saturday.
In the blink of an eye, the week was already coming to an end, with the holiday just around the corner.
"Yawn~"
Noah was currently sitting on the back bench of his classroom, listening to the lecture with a somewhat sleepy expression.
At the front of the classroom stood the ever-beautiful Morgana Celestine.
She stood before the large digital board, dressed in her usual elegant black outfit that perfectly complemented her figure. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, while her sharp eyes swept across the classroom.
"Today," she began, crossing her arms, "we will start with Mana Theory."
Some students immediately straightened their backs, while others looked bored. A few even appeared excited.
"You might already know some of the basics of mana," she continued. "However, since this is the first time I'm teaching you Mana Theory, we'll start from the very beginning."
She turned toward the board and tapped it with her finger.
A diagram appeared on the screen, depicting a human body with a glowing core near the stomach.
"First question," she said, turning back to face the class. "What is mana?"
The classroom fell silent for a moment.
Then, a student sitting in the front row raised his hand.
"Yes?" Morgana prompted.
"Mana is the energy that allows us to cast magic," the student answered.
Morgana nodded slightly.
"Correct, but incomplete."
She began walking slowly across the classroom as she continued her explanation.
"Mana is the fundamental energy of this world. It exists everywhere—in the air, in the earth, in water, and in all living beings. A person absorbs mana into their body and stores it within their mana core. From there, they circulate it through their mana channels and use it to cast magic."
'That was a brief but very simple explanation.'
Noah had inherited most of the previous Noah's memories. And despite being good for nothing, the previous Noah had at least studied these basic concepts.
So why was the instructor teaching them all over again?
The answer was simple.
No matter how common certain knowledge might be, there would always be people who knew little or nothing about it.
Morgana drew another diagram on the board, illustrating mana flowing from the core through the channels and into the arm.
"We can also reinforce our bodies with mana, allowing us to move faster and increase our physical strength. However, for now, we'll focus on magic."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"To cast magic, mana must flow in a specific pattern. If the pattern is incorrect, the spell will fail. And if the mana flow becomes unstable, the spell might explode right in your face."
She looked at the class with a serious expression.
"Which, I hope, none of you are foolish enough to attempt."
Some students laughed nervously.
Meanwhile, Noah leaned back in his chair, listening attentively.
Morgana continued, "Now, for the second question. What are the different methods of casting magic?"
This time, Lyria raised her hand.
"Yes?" Morgana said.
"There are several methods," Lyria answered. "Magic circles, runes, and hand signs."
Morgana nodded approvingly.
"Good."
She turned toward the board and wrote down the three methods.
"Magic circles, runes, and hand signs. These are the most common methods of casting magic. Among them, magic circles are the most efficient and widely used. They are stable, precise, and allow us to cast complex spells."
She then drew a circular diagram filled with intricate symbols.
"Runes, on the other hand, are usually carved into weapons, armor, and other objects. They are primarily used for enchantments and passive effects, though they can also be employed for support magic and smaller spells."
She demonstrated by drawing several rune symbols on the board.
"Hand signs are faster but less stable. They are mainly used in combat situations where there isn't enough time to draw a magic circle."
She paused before adding, "Symbols are similar to runes, but they are simpler. They are often used for quick casting and support magic."
After finishing her explanation, she turned back toward the students.
"Now, let's move on to elemental affinities."
At those words, many students immediately became more attentive.
"Mana allows us to control various elements. Most people are born with an affinity for a single element. Some possess multiple affinities, but such individuals are relatively rare."
She turned to the board once again and wrote down the names of the basic elements.
"Fire, water, wind, and earth. These are the four basic elemental affinities. Most people possess an affinity for one of these elements."
She then added a few more names to the list.
"Ice, gravity, sand, sound, and several others belong to the category of rare elements. Not many people possess these affinities, but they aren't extraordinarily rare, either. You'll undoubtedly encounter people who possess them."
Noah quietly glanced at the word Ice written on the board.
He possessed an affinity for ice himself.
Of course, there were plenty of other rare elements as well, including shadow, mist, and even poison.
Morgana paused briefly before continuing to write on the board.
This time, however, she wrote down an entirely different list.
As the words appeared on the screen, the classroom gradually grew quieter.
"These are not natural elements," Morgana explained slowly. "They are known as conceptual elements."
Several students looked confused.
Meanwhile, Noah narrowed his eyes slightly.
He knew perfectly well what these elements were and who possessed affinities for them.
One of the students slowly raised her hand.
"Instructor... what exactly are conceptual elements?"
Morgana turned toward her.
"Natural elements allow us to control the world around us. Fire burns, water flows, wind moves, and earth provides support. These elements are fundamental parts of nature."
As Noah listened to her explanation, his thoughts drifted toward Lyria, who possessed an affinity for light.
Damien also possessed a light affinity, although he had several other elemental affinities as well.
Then Noah's gaze shifted toward Kaelan, who possessed an affinity for darkness.
After a moment, he refocused his attention on the lecture.
Morgana paused before continuing, her tone becoming slightly more serious.
"But conceptual elements are different."
She tapped the board, where the words Light and Darkness were written.
"Light governs energy and life, while darkness governs death and souls. These elements also possess several other unique properties."
The classroom fell completely silent.
Even Damien, who had been leaning lazily against his chair, was now listening with considerable interest.
"People who possess conceptual elements are extremely rare," Morgana continued. "Their abilities are often far more dangerous and complicated than those associated with natural elements. For instance, those who possess the darkness element can even perform necromancy."
She turned around and surveyed the entire classroom with her amethyst eyes.
"So, don't make the mistake of thinking that magic is simply about throwing fireballs or creating wind blades. Mana is the foundation of everything. No matter which element you possess, if your mana control is poor, your magic will always remain weak."
After delivering her explanation, Morgana's serious expression softened into a slight smile.
"And that is why, starting next week, we will begin mana control training."
The moment they heard those words, several students immediately groaned.
Morgana's smile widened slightly as she watched their reactions.
"Yes," she said cheerfully. "You're all going to suffer."