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A few weeks later.
A bathroom in the back of the Exitum bar in Kanzar City.
Beneath it lies the underground secret base of the Marino Empire's spy organization.
"We have confirmed another casualty."
"That makes six already. And they're only targeting key executives for assassination."
Thump!
Crack.
The stone table Odin slammed his fist on split in two.
Odin Nassar.
With striking blonde hair and a body clearly honed through rigorous training.
One of the 32 branch leaders of the Marino Empire's spy organization and the chief in charge of base X-7.
His high position rarely brought him to the Kingdom of Alkancia, but the recent assassinations of executives forced him to come here.
"Our organization's executives are being killed off one by one, and you still haven't figured out who's doing it!"
The subordinates reporting to him pressed their foreheads to the ground.
"We apologize!"
"We apologize! ...But we have found one commonality among the dead executives."
"A commonality? What is it?"
"They all had contact with Saturn before they died."
"Saturn? You mean the contact, Saturn?"
"Yes."
"What kind of disguise are they using here?"
"They're involved in a pickpocket gang."
Another subordinate added to the report.
"There was an incident with that pickpocket gang a few weeks ago."
"An incident?"
"Yes. Apparently, two young nobles barged in and slapped all the pickpockets on the cheek before leaving."
What kind of nonsense is this?
"What's the size of the pickpocket gang?"
"About fifty."
"Two guys showed up and slapped fifty people before disappearing?"
"Yes. Not just the pickpockets, but also some toughs they usually hang out with were there, and they all got hit the same way."
"There's definitely something there. Bring Saturn here immediately. Quietly, so they don't notice."
"Yes."
After the subordinates retreated.
"I wondered why nothing was going right with our branch. Now even our executives are being assassinated one after another."
The black-haired woman standing next to Odin replied.
"I can't help but think this is also related to that guy."
Sierra Clock.
The deputy branch leader and Odin's right-hand woman.
She had served Odin as her superior since she first joined the spy organization.
"That guy? You mean Davian Naughne?"
"Yes, Branch Leader."
Odin slowly nodded.
"Kuper Karun was also taken out recently. Have we heard from the guys in Elton City? What's he been up to lately?"
"Yes. He's been diligently attending the academy, but he disappears every weekend to go somewhere."
"And our executives have all been killed around the weekends?"
"Yes, Branch Leader."
Odin slowly stroked the hilt of the sword at his waist.
A threatening glint shone in his eyes.
"I regret it."
"What do you mean?"
"I should have come over and eliminated that Davian guy myself sooner. No, even if I had just sent Sierra, things wouldn't have gotten this bad."
"It wouldn't be fitting for the Branch Leader to move because of such an insignificant person."
"If he's the one behind this, he's ultimately made me come to the Kingdom of Alkancia."
"Who knew Obsess would fail? Leave it to me. I'll take this opportunity to cut off his life and relieve your worries, Branch Leader."
Odin slowly nodded.
"I've received reports that he's quite something, but his little game ends now. But, we should praise him enough for making us move like this."
While Odin and Sierra were talking.
Before long, Saturn, who was in the pickpocket gang, came down to the underground base.
"Branch Leader! You called for me!"
At the same time.
Elton Academy.
Professor Camilla Lucia's four-element magic class was in full swing.
"Okay, today I'll show you a new spell. The principle is simple."
Water element magic emanated from Camilla's hands, and then, like last time, fire element magic burst out and began to evaporate the water droplets.
"Now, before it all disappears, we're going to condense it. As densely as possible. Pack it in tight."
In front of Camilla's palm, the steam condensed into a round ball shape.
An exclamation escaped Karin's lips.
"Wow! You condensed the steam so much that it doesn't merge back into water? How did you do that? Davian, do you know?"
"Well, I've never seen that before."
It was true.
He had never seen anything like that before.
He thought he might be able to replicate it if he tried a few times.
But that wasn't the problem.
'What is she going to do by packing the steam so tightly?'
It would at least be pretty if she froze it instantly and scattered it around the lecture hall like last time.
Or she could create an ice spike and make a wide-area attack magic.
But this time, she was just condensing the steam.
Camilla continued her explanation.
"This is important. If you mismanage your mana even a little while packing it in, the steam you worked so hard to create will turn back into water. Everyone knows that the steam made by boiling water is actually made of tiny water droplets, right? If they merge, they'll turn back into water. Then it's a failure."
The steam that Camilla had created condensed into an even smaller ball.
"Now, this is full of negative energy. Everyone knows that water element magic has negative energy, right?"
Whoosh.
A flame appeared right below the steam ball.
"Now, fire element magic. Fire element magic is full of positive energy. Now, we mix them."
Crackle. Sizzle.
Electric sparks began to fly from the ice ball.
"What?"
"What is that?"
"Why is something like that coming out of the water?"
"Lightning...?"
Kwajik!
The lightning that shot out of Camilla's hand flew and struck the target set up on the opposite side of the lecture hall.
Boom!
The target exploded.
All the students sitting in the lecture hall had bewildered expressions.
"W-What was that!"
"What did I just see?"
"Some kind of lightning exploded!"
"Lightning? Like the lightning that strikes from the sky on a rainy day?"
Too surprised, one student's voice grew louder.
"S-She actually created lightning!"
Professor Camilla pointed at the student who had just spoken.
"Correct."
"Huh?"
"That's right, I created lightning."
While everyone was still confused.
Davian nodded.
'She's using the potential difference.'
Thunderclouds, which are clouds created by heating moist air.
Lightning is generated within them by the potential difference between negative and positive charges.
'Professor Camilla Lucia. Amazing, really.'
Camilla turned around and stretched out both hands again.
"I don't know if any students understood, but if you do this quickly..."
Just as a steam ball was about to form in front of Camilla's palms.
Crackle!
Lightning burst out immediately.
"How about that? You could use it in a real battle, right?"
The students' mouths dropped open.
"Ooooooh!"
Everyone was admiring Camilla's magic when.
One brave student raised their hand high.
"Yes, speak."
"Professor. But is there a reason to make lightning so complicatedly? You could just fire a fire element magic, and the target would explode anyway."
"Good question. Come forward."
"......Yes?"
"Come on. I'm not going to make you create lightning magic."
The student who had asked the question hesitantly stepped forward.
"Now. What's the fastest magic to hit that target far away?"
Too easy a question.
The fastest and farthest-flying magic is wind element magic.
"Wind element magic."
"Right? Okay, from now on, when I say one, two, three, you hit that target with wind element magic. I'll use lightning magic."
"Yes."
"One, two, three."
Crackle.
Boom!
…….
Swoosh.
Rustle.
No matter how fast the wind is.
It can't keep up with lightning.
The speed of lightning is 100,000 km per second.
Nearly one-third the speed of light.
"Okay, next. Then what's the most destructive magic?"
The student, who was staring blankly at the target Camilla had blown away, answered.
Another easy question.
"Fire element magic."
"Then you fire a fire element magic at that other target. I'll count one, two, three."
"Yes, yes..."
"One, two, three."
Whirr!
The fireball that the student sent flying soared fiercely towards the target.
Just before the fireball reached the target.
Camilla, who had been standing still and watching, fired a lightning magic.
Kwajik.
Boom!
Just like before, the lightning magic pierced the target the moment it was unleashed.
And its destructive power was also.
Much more powerful than the fireball the student had sent flying.
"How is it?"
"Ah……."
"Here's a magic that's faster and goes farther than wind element magic, and has a more powerful destructive power than fire element magic. Now, are you going to learn this, or not?"
"I, I want to learn it!"
"Right?"
Camilla smiled and lightly tapped the student's shoulder.
The bright smile made her beauty even more striking.
"Now, go back."
"Yes, Professor."
Professor Camilla looked around at the students.
"I wrote a paper arguing that this magic should be included as the 5th element magic. Because it's neither fire, nor water, nor wind, nor earth. But the old fogeys in academia said it couldn't be done. That only the ancient four elements can be included in four-element magic. So, I just came up with a name for it separately. The name of this magic is..."
The students, captivated by Camilla, focused on the professor's lip movements.
"Lightning Bolt. Now, everyone come forward. Practice."
The practice began for the rest of the time.
All the students got up from their desks and stood wide in the space behind the podium.
"No, not like that. It'll all clump together and become water droplets."
"More. You have to compress it more. Otherwise, the collision of negative and positive energy won't happen."
"No. You don't burn the steam with fire element magic. You have to put it inside. That's how the collision happens."
"No. That's not it. Like this."
"No."
Professor Camilla went around correcting the students' attempts.
But.
No one was able to create lightning.
Not even a small spark was produced, let alone lightning.
"First, focus on condensing the steam."
"No, the balance is not right."
Camilla's gaze, which was individually guiding the students, turned to Davian.
'I don't think all these kids will succeed. This class is for you. Davian Naughne.'
Camilla corrected another student's magic with a loud voice.
"You're not condensing the steam with wind element magic. It won't condense strongly that way. You have to control your mana. Like when you make water droplets. But don't let the steam merge."
Everything was said for Davian to hear.
There was also a way to stick next to Davian and teach him in detail.
Then Davian would be able to learn Lightning Bolt faster.
'I want to see you do it on your own. Davian Naughne. Show me the extent of your talent. Let me know how much I can expect from you.'
About 30 minutes passed like that.
Crackle.
The sound of electric magic being triggered was heard from somewhere.
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