Magic. A complex art of arrangement of mana in varied structures, assigning different properties and attributes to it through well-defined patterns and then reconstructing and materializing it to your desire. The intensity, the vibrations, the amount, the topology, if even one thing was off, the magic spell would break down and fail.

Magic was difficult, unbearably so. Using your entire body as a medium for mana and assembling magic circles in the ethereal plane of existence was much tougher than drawing them out on boards with the assistance of computers, the calculations and terms all made in sigils and glyphs were even worse. It took time, and effort, and was inconvenient overall when compared to skills that immediately made your body accustomed to bending mana with your will.

As time passed by and more and more people awakened with skills, magic was slowly pushed away as a useless method of combat and was being used simply as a way to elevate living and technological advances like sciences. It was not useful against the monsters that dwelled in the gates and dungeons forming all over the world.

{That's strange, didn't that one goon use a magic arrow? And you use magic crazy fast too} the system said as we made our way from the dorms back to the awakener course's building. The afternoon sun hung low from the sky, thankfully it wasn't too hot or sunny out.

"Magic arrows, flares, and some stalagmites from the ground. Do you think that is what magic can do? That is not even the basics of the basics. You can do that stuff even without making a circle around your heart. True magic goes beyond both of our imaginations."

We reached the awakener course's empty building. I stepped in through the familiar gates and walked to the back of the lowest floor. "And the person teaching this class is the youngest and the strongest mage in recent years. A hunter ranked 462 at just twenty-one years of age."

We came against a dead end at the furthest end of the floor. I gazed around my surroundings and my eyes landed on a framed painting on the walls. I opened my watch and checked the schedule I had downloaded on it.

Advanced Magic class was scheduled for 3 PM. The location was a simple, "Figure it out." The section for the class was signed by the teacher, it was just an unintelligible mess, at least to the untrained eye.

The signature was a badly written set of glyphs and sigils that were a clue to the location. At the bottom of the framed painting was another signature similar to the first one, but the sigils and glyphs making it up were starkly different.

I observed both the signatures carefully for a few seconds before stretching my hand out.

"There's a couple bait sigils in here. Useless, remove them."

My heart pumped the mana from my body to my fingertips and an ethereal magic circle formed in the air. I drew out the sigils and glyphs around the circle, and it broke down. Clicking my tongue, I pushed my mana again and laid them out in a different combination. After repeating the process thrice, the magic circle finally formed a concrete structure.

"See this? This is what magic is."

The circle rotated fiercely and a wave of mana burst outward. The very structure of the building of the hero course had started to change as the wall in front of me broke apart and shoved itself to the sides. The modernist feel inside the building was torn away as spirits and faeries revealed themselves, giggling around in the air. Yellow wisps formed in the air and illuminated the dark, stony passage the wall had revealed.

A snicker left me at the extravagant sight. The awakener course's building had completely transformed into a dungeon from the medieval ages.

{Unbelievable...}

Even the system was stunned. "We haven't seen anything. This must've been nothing more than an after-thought for her."

{Such skill, with a single person}

"Ahahah!"

"Are you going in!? Going in?! Play first!!"

"Hey, hey, won't you play with us?"

I smiled and took a step ahead. The faeries and spirits laughed and giggled as they saw me going further into the dark passage, they joyously danced around, passing through my body and circling around me.

Magic was difficult and unpopular. Very few must have chosen it, and considering how difficult it was for me to crack the spell, I doubt anyone else would have done it.

For a person of her caliber, locating a limiter or two was no big deal. I would act ignorant of it and charm her with my skill and knowledge. A young person would make the mistake of trusting someone even younger than themself.

"Do you get it, system? All her skills, I will become her pupil and take it all from her. She will help me break this damn limiter, and then clear my way to take over the world."

{You...}

I held in my laugh and continued ahead, the wisps still laying themselves out in my path to show me the way ahead. My smile grew wider and wider, the strength I seek, this was the first step toward it. The power that magic held, with my expertise I would take it to a new realm that only I can enter.

The end of the passageway leading to a turn entered my sight, my steps got quicker the closer I approached.

At last, my feet stopped at the turn, and before I could even see ahead, impassioned words entered my ears.

"You, be my pupil!"

Standing there with her ruby red eyes dripping with confusion was a familiar black-haired girl with streaks of purple.

{Huh!?}

HUHHH!?!?!