Chapter 98: Mana Manipulation [1]

"In previous lecture, I teach you about mana control, This time it would be mana manipulation."

Yuki paused as she looked her entire class.

"Now, I at least know that you have some knowledge about mana but can someone tell me what exactly manipulating mana can let you accomplish?"

A few hands raised when Yuki asked that question and without delay, she picked one of the cadets who raised their hand to answer.

-"Manipulating mana lets us control elements of nature like fire, water, wind, and earth and as well as special elements like Light and Darkness."

That was a perfect answer. But it looks like Yuki had something more to add to it.

"True, but mana grants us much more than the ability to control elements. Aside from controlling the basic elements, you can control their sub-elements. Now, who can tell me what sub-elements are?"

Again, as soon as Yuki shot a question, many hands were raised instantly.

With a satisfactory smile, Yuki picked Joseph, to answer.

"Each of the basic elements has a higher form of itself. These advanced forms are called sub-elements. One element can have multiple sub-elements, and individuals with an affinity for two or more elements can sometimes unlock entirely new ones."

Joseph paused briefly before continuing.

"For example, someone with an affinity for Fire might eventually develop an affinity for Lightning or Plasma. Meanwhile, someone with an affinity for Water could develop Ice or Mist. These aren’t necessarily limited to a single element, either. Combining two different elemental affinities can produce something entirely new."

Yuki nodded approvingly.

"Excellent answer, Joseph. You’ve understood the concept quite well."

She turned toward the blackboard and began writing.

"However, there’s something I want you to remember. Sub-elements aren’t simply stronger versions of their parent elements. They are different manifestations of mana with their own properties and applications."

She drew several lines connecting the basic elements to their respective sub-elements.

"For instance, Fire can develop into Plasma, Ash, or even Magma under certain circumstances. Water can develop into Ice, Mist, or Blood. Earth can develop into Metal, Crystal, and Sand. Wind can develop into Sound, or even Vacuum."

She paused and tapped the blackboard.

"These are only a few examples. There are countless variations, and not every individual will be capable of developing them. Your elemental affinity, talent, mana quality, and understanding of the elements all play important roles."

Several students began taking notes.

Yuki continued.

"Now, let’s talk about something more interesting. What happens when someone possesses an affinity for two or more elements?"

She turned toward the class.

"Does anyone know?"

A few students raised their hands.

Yuki glanced around before selecting a girl sitting near the front.

"Yes, Lilly?"

Lilly Ashfaq stood up.

"Combining different elemental affinities can create compound elements. For example, combining Water and Wind can produce Ice, while combining Fire and Earth can produce Magma."

"Correct."

Yuki nodded.

"However, that’s only the simplest explanation. In reality, combining elemental affinities is much more complicated. Simply possessing two affinities doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be able to combine them."

She wrote two words on the blackboard.

Affinity.

Compatibility.

"These two factors are extremely important. Some elements naturally complement each other, while others are difficult to combine. Even if someone possesses two compatible affinities, they still need sufficient mana control and understanding to create a stable compound element."

Yuki turned around.

"Let’s take an example. Imagine someone who possesses both Fire and Water affinities. What do you think would happen if they attempted to combine them?"

The classroom fell silent.

A student eventually raised his hand.

"Wouldn’t the two elements cancel each other out?"

"That’s one possibility."

Yuki smiled.

"Fire and Water are opposing elements. If someone lacks sufficient control, their mana could become unstable, resulting in the two elements interfering with each other. However, a sufficiently skilled individual might be able to combine them into something entirely different."

She snapped her fingers.

A small flame appeared above her palm.

Then, a thin stream of water emerged from her other hand.

The two elements slowly approached each other.

Instead of canceling one another out, they began rotating around a common center.

A moment later, a strange cloud of white mist appeared.

"This is one possible result."

Yuki waved her hand, dispersing the mist.

"Of course, the outcome depends on the individual. Elemental combinations aren’t fixed recipes. Two people with identical affinities might produce entirely different results."

She said as she took out small small white paper in square shape paper out from her storege space.

"This is elemental paper. Now, pour a small amount of mana into this paper to get to know your elements."

She said as she snapped her fingers and papers flew from hands and appears on every student’s desk.

"If the paper turns into ash, you possess a Fire affinity. If it becomes wet, you have a Water affinity. If it floats into the air, you have a Wind affinity. If it turns into dust or small fragments of stone, you have an Earth affinity."

Yuki paused before continuing.

"Of course, these are only the basic elements. There are other possible reactions that indicate special elemental affinities. For example, the paper might glow, or turned into pitch black colour."

Meanwhile, Lorenzo already poured small amount of mana into paper.

Then white papar turned into black colour.

I stared at the paper resting on my desk.

Its original white surface had completely changed, turning into a shade of black so deep that it seemed to absorb the light around it.

However, after observing it carefully, I noticed something peculiar.

’No, it’s not pure black...’

The color was slightly different from what I imagined Darkness to look like.

It wasn’t an absolute blackness. Instead, it resembled the shadows cast by objects under dim light.

’Could this be Shadow?’

Every basic element had its own sub-elements.

Darkness and Shadow were closely related, after all.

They were two sides of the same coin, yet they weren’t necessarily identical.

’Interesting.’

I looked at my palm.

A faint trace of mana gathered around my fingertips, but I quickly stopped before anything happened.

I needed to understand what this affinity could actually do.

After all, I had never inherited the Shadow God lineage from my father.

At least, not as far as I knew.

’So, I might not have inherited the Shadow God lineage, but I have a Shadow affinity?’

That was an interesting development.