"What??" I blurted, eyes wide in shock.
How did that happen?
Who did that to him?
Wait.
Could it be why the novel didn't mention him in the first place, was he just some side character who got killed off at the start of the whole story, maybe for a background event leading up to a main one.
"Yes. Injuries were found on his body but the authorities are still yet to understand what exactly inflicted such injuries, plus he was utterly drained of mana when he was found, and it's likely he must have ingested Necrotox," she said, my frown only deepened.
Necrotox is an illegal substance which has the ability to render one manaless for a period of time. It completely detaches the connection of the mana veins to the manapool.
"But how about the mana signatures, couldn't they just trace that?" I asked since they could also use that method.
"That's the thing, the mana detected from the attacks he received had no signature," she said, I couldn't believe it.
How is that even possible.
It's not.
Well, it might somehow be possible if…
"No way. Don't tell me," I looked at her with wide eyes.
"Well that's how it appears. Perhaps the assailant has the ability to use atmospheric mana for their attacks," she said, I just couldn't understand what was going on anymore.
Someone somehow able to use atmospheric mana?
That person isn't just going to be OP, they would probably be the most dangerous enemy for someone to face. Using atmospheric mana means two things, one, infinite attacks, two, potent manifestations which equals lethal damage.
"But… how do you even know this?" I asked, she grinned.
"My sister is a third year," she said, I understood.
But sister?
I never knew she even had a family, the novel never once hinted at a backstory.
"So… what's his condition now?" I asked.
"Critical," was her response, "I don't think he will make it," she said, I sighed.
Well though I don't really like the guy that doesn't mean I want him dead.
"Mister Ryan, how about you," I heard, then turned to the raised platform where Miss Melina stood, by her side was a bastard I had no love for.
"Ethan," I muttered under my breath, then somehow managed to get Selena's hand off me before standing up and heading down the rows of seats.
"Now we will demonstrate the difference between a high ranker and a low ranker," she said, I frowned.
'Why do I feel like this is a targeted attack?'
'Is she trying to expose my vulnerability? But why?'
I reached the platform, she gestured for me to flank her right just as that bastard Ethan was at her left.
Wait, don't the management know I don't have mana?
I mean it was made clear to them by the royal household themselves. Though my family no longer shared any ties with me, I am covered as far as school is concerned. And that's because I was registered for the academy at least six years ago, with all my fees paid, that's the only reason I was even able to get into this place without even an ounce of mana, everything had been settled long ago.
'So why is she asking me to do this? Wait, don't tell me it's because I wasn't paying attention all along?'
'She can't be that petty… right?'
"Now I will give you both basic spells to chant, it's a fireball," she said, then looked at the whole class, "Now as I said before the demonstration you are about to witness is for you to get a better understanding of how the manapool operates. The purer the core, the bigger the pool, the bigger the pool, the wider the veins, the wider the veins, the more potent your spells," she said.
…
"Say after me, 'Elemental magic'," she started, they both felt their mana stir, "Flames of Ephynia," she said, they repeated it almost instantly, a huge fireball materialized in thin air, hovering just before Ethan. He was shocked at first but then watching the awestruck students, he smirked, then turned to the teacher, however instead of the recognition he anticipated, all he saw was her attention elsewhere completely.
Realizing what was happening he frowned, then turned to see a ball of fire hovering above Ryan.
The fireball in question was just the size of a clenched fist, however what seemed to grab the teacher's attention was something else entirely, "Why is it purple?" he thought, echoing everyone's thought.