The Aura Ascendant: A Knight's Unbroken Path

After eating their lunch, Julia's group spent their time getting to know each other. Soon, even Gian opened up to them, as it seemed that he really thought that Julia just used her father's authority to enter the Magic Tower.

However, he somehow realized that he was wrong after the three classes.

"I don't mind it… Just act like a true noble next time." Julia said as she also knew that she'd meet Gian every day. It was better to fix their issues now.

Then, after this matter was settled, they all went to their lecture hall.

The moment the students filed into the dimly lit room, they knew this wouldn't be a typical magic lesson.

Instructor Wesley, a middle-aged man with a gentle smile on his face…

He was already inside the room the moment they entered. He was idly spinning a sphere of mana between his fingers.

Julia and the others immediately guessed what it was.

It was definitely a small Mana barrier.

They watched this barrier sometimes become as dense as steel, sometimes as thin as glass, before popping like a soap bubble.

It was such an interesting sight…

"Sit down…" He said, not raising his voice, yet the room fell silent instantly.

"You should know my name now as you were briefed by Instructor Chavez… Today, we're discussing the single most important spell in a mage's arsenal—the Mana Barrier."

They already knew this spell.

As a matter of fact, when they heard that their fourth class was actually Mana Barrier Training, they were all confused. After all, a class aiming to teach a single Zero-Circle Spell was unexpected.

Wesley's smirk deepened as he saw their expressions…

"Oh, I know what you're thinking. 'We've cast this a thousand times. What's left to learn?'" He snapped his fingers, and the air in front of him rippled as a multi-layered barrier materialized—each layer was glowing a different hue.

"Tell me, how many of you can do this?"

Silence.

"Exactly."

Then, Wesley continued explaining why mana barrier deserves its own class

Wesley paced around the platform and spoke.

"Every other spell—firebolts, lightning, even the legendary spatial magic—can be countered. But a properly cast Mana Barrier?" He paused. "It's the reason mages still rule battlefields despite Aura Users swinging swords like overgrown barbarians."

A few students chuckled after hearing this.

Well, calling Aura Users barbarians was quite harsh, but they could understand what he was talking about.

They stayed silent as they listened to their Instructor.

"We'll have a bit of a history lesson for now, and you can take notes if you want." Wesley continued.

"During the War of the Shattered Crown, a single Fourth-Circle mage—Diva the Unbroken—held off three hundred Aura Knights for six hours using nothing but layered Mana Barriers. They broke their swords on his shields. They shattered their fists against his magic. And when they finally collapsed from exhaustion? He incinerated them all with one spell."

He let that sink in and detailed a few similar events where Mana Barriers were deemed as extremely important, more than any other Spells for practical usage.

It was certainly true that they could easily get cut in half by Aura Knights or Swordsmen. However, once their Mana Barriers were up, they wouldn't get easily killed at all.

"Aura Users rely on brute force. We rely on intelligence. And nothing outsmarts raw power like an unbreakable defense."

There might be a bit of exaggeration, but everyone nodded at this.

Wesley clapped his hands. "Now, let's move beyond the basics, the layering of Mana Barriers."

Most students cast a single shield.

Wesley demonstrated stacking three at the same time. It was also done swiftly, almost without any delay.

"Most aura strikes are linear force. By varying density, you disperse their impact. Think of it like…" He gestured vaguely. "Punching water versus punching stone. They'll exhaust themselves before they crack you."

The explanation was certainly good as they easily imagined the feeling on that.

After giving them a few lessons about that, he started teaching them about the Reactive Shaping of the Mana Barrier…

Apparently, barriers didn't have to be static domes.

Wesley morphed his barrier into a spiked shell, then a slanted plane that deflected attacks rather than absorbing them.

It was such an interesting sight and none of them had seen this before.

"I admit that reactive shaping of Mana Barrier can be tough and requires more focus, but still, it must be something you should learn, especially if you're facing fellow magicians instead of Aura Users."

Wesley paused for a moment as he saw his students nod in agreement.

"Also, if you're opponents were Aura Knights, why take the hit if you can redirect it into the idiot swinging at you?"

This instructor was truly something else…

Julia smiled as she liked how Instructor Wesley was explaining things to them.

After that, the instructor continued and taught them the other thing they had to take note of when practicing Mana Barrier, which was duration and strength.

"You all know the trade-off…" Wesley said. "Stronger barriers drain mana faster. But here's the secret—pulsing."

He then threw his staff above him, and then he cast a barrier that flashed into existence only moments before the staff landed on him.

Then, he also canceled the barrier and caught the staff…

'So that was pulsing… Creating a barrier only at the moment of impact.'

The five students immediately understood without needing to be explained by the Instructor.

"Timing is everything." Instructor Wesley said.

Then, with the remaining time in the class, Wesley demonstrated more of his skills.

He allowed the students to fire off their spells at him as he showed them how great his Mana Barrier was.

Wesley would also show different types or modifications in his barrier.

Against a fire spell, he used a thin barrier to rebound it off. Then, against another spell, he used a different barrier to shatter the spell completely.

There was also a spell where he used a three-layer barrier, and he even allowed the first one to shatter and show that his second barrier was also solid and could deflect spells.

After some time, when everyone realized that the Instructor was only playing around, he finally felt satisfied.

"And that, children, is why this spell has its own class."

"In our next lesson, we'll discuss offensive barrier techniques. Yes, you heard me. Now, you can get out for your next class."

***

Julia and the others couldn't help but feel excited about their future after seeing those impressive Mana Barriers that Instructor Wesley had shown them…

'Hehe… I'll surprise Van soon…' Julia thought.

Well, she also had Mana Barrier training with Van, and for some reason, Van could always break her barrier with only a few taps.

Her Mana Barrier, which could last for more than a minute, could only last a few breaths from Van's strikes.

Now, she wanted to immediately learn more about this barrier and show Van who was the real boss.

For now, however, she had to attend the final class of the day.

Soon, they entered the Tower's library… To be exact, it seemed like they only occupied a room inside the library for a quick study session.

Nonetheless, as soon as they entered the library, they realized that it was completely different from their imagination.

Several books drifted through the air as a magician was arranging them.

However, on another part, there were also books rearranging themselves in slow, deliberate patterns.

Soon, they were welcomed by Archivist Ofelia. As expected, she looked like a true scholar who had dissected magic down to its bones.

However, what was different about her was the raven perched on her shoulder. It cocked its head as the students entered, and Julia even noticed that it started a croaking chuckle…

In any case, Ofelia seemed strict, unlike Instructor Wesley, who was quite fun.

After a brief introduction, she snapped her fingers, and a dozen blank stone slates shot from a nearby shelf, hovering before each student.

"Spellform Slates…" she said… "They record your magic. Not the effects but the composition or framework… Every mistake, every wasted spark, every embarrassment."

She smiled, and it was not a comforting expression.

"Today, you face your worst enemy. Your own inefficiency. This is to help you compare your current self to your future self…"

The others were still confused about the Spellform Slates and how they work, but the Archivist was already instructing them to cast a spell!

"Begin with Spark Spell…" She commanded. "It is the easiest Zero-Circle Spell, so you should pass this…"

Of course, the five of them were able to attend this Academy among many other applicants, so obviously, they were confident of passing.

Julia then proceeded to cast the Spark Spell…

After a few moments, a tiny flame appeared, and it was quite stable…

It was just Julia. Everyone else did the same, and they were all satisfied with the result.

However, for some reason, the slate beneath it pulsed red!