Chapter 05 The Man who will Keep you Alive

Shota sat by the window, his gaze fixed on the golden dome of the Tokyo Barrier in the distance. To him, the room was an aquarium of muted sounds and grey shapes. 

Mirai, seated beside him, provided a running commentary in a cheerful whisper, her voice the only thing that even partially pierced the static.

The door to the classroom slid open, silencing the chatter instantly. The man who entered had a lean, athletic build and a face that looked like it had seen too much weather. A faint scar traced his jawline. 

“Settle down! I am Instructor Arata Fujimori. You may have heard the name. Former Pro Wizard. I am the man who will try to keep you alive.”

The instructor cleared his throat.

"Before anything else, I want to make one thing clear! This is not a daycare. This is not high school. I am not here to babysit you, hold your hand, or wipe your tears because you got your feelings hurt. My job is to do two things, and two things only: show you how to survive an encounter with a hostile force, and tell you when you screw up. Your character growth? Your motivation? Your emotional well-being? That's all on you."

He paused, looking over the class for a reaction.

"If you're a snowflake and can't take the pressure, the door is right there. Leave now. Because if you get hurt during training, it's on you. If you get bullied by your classmates, it's on you to handle it. If you can't make a single friend in this entire academy, boo-hoo. That's also on you."

He jabbed a finger toward the window, towards the world beyond the barrier.

"You need to learn one thing, and learn it fast. The enemy out there will not wait for you. They will not hesitate. They will not listen to your excuses. They will not play fair. Your only job is to be ready. To be hardened. So, I'll say it one last time. If any of you are going to start crying before we even begin... get out of my classroom."

A dead silence filled the room. No one moved.

 “Good. Everyone up. The rest of your education starts now. Theory is for tomorrow. Today, we establish a baseline. I need to know what I’m working with, and more importantly, you need to know where you stand. We’re moving to the training facility. Today you will be measured—your magic type, your mana capacity, your control."

 Enji, from a few rows ahead, shot a glare over his shoulder at Shota, still annoyed from their earlier encounter. 

“Time to see what you’re really made of, zombie."

Mirai looped her arm through Shota’s, pulling him to his feet.

 “See? No boring speeches. Just straight to the fun part. I can’t wait to see what your numbers are, my lovely Sho-kun.”

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They arrived at a set of large, reinforced double doors. Arata pushed them open, revealing a vast, circular training room.

In the center of the room, on a raised dais, stood a pedestal holding a large, perfectly clear crystal orb. Behind it, a massive blank screen on the wall.

“This is the Mana Focus Crystal. You will place your hand on it and channel your magic. It will measure your stats, tier, and raw power output. The results will display there.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over their anxious faces.

"Now, listen closely. Do not take these numbers to heart. This is a baseline, nothing more. A starting point. So, if you get what you think are crap stats, don't start crying in the corner. Everyone in this room has the potential for growth. That, fundamentally, is why I am here. My job is to give you the methods—the drills to increase your mana reserves, the exercises to sharpen your control, the tactics to use your spells effectively.

And when I am done with you, every single one of you will have the skills of an S-tier wizard. I will make pros out of you all... even if I have to beat it out of you myself. But let me be clear: this path will not be easy. Most of you will want to quit. But for those who keep up. For those who endure. You will go pro. Now, let's see what I'm working with. When I call your name, step forward."

Instructor looked down at his clipboard, ready to call the first name. 

"Sensei! Let me set the bar for these extras. I'll show them how it's done!"

Enji swaggered forward as he ignored the line of students. He reached the dais, cracked his knuckles, and slammed his palm onto the crystal.

"HAH!"

A violent explosion of orange flame and concussive force burst from his hand, making the crystal glow red and causing several students to flinch back from the heat and noise. The screen behind him showed results.

FIRE MAGIC \ TIER-1 \ POWER: E+

Instructor didn't even look up from his clipboard.

 "Aggressive output, decent control. Not bad. Next, Himura."

A boy with green hair stepped forward. He offered a small, nervous bow to the instructor before approaching the crystal. Placing his palm on its surface, he closed his eyes in concentration.

A soft green glow emanated from the orb. From its base, thorny green vines sprouted, wrapping around the crystal in a slow, living embrace until it was partially encased.

NATURE MAGIC \ TIER-1 \ POWER: E

"Nature magic, not bad. Next! Mirai Osanai."

 She waved at instructor, popping up from her seat.

 "Present~!"

She gave a playful little twirl before skipping to the dais, pausing only to wink in Sho's direction.

 "Wish me luck, Sho-kun!"

Placing her hand on the crystal, she focused. Her earth magic gathered around her arm, solidifying into a gauntlet of stone that ended in a rapidly spinning drill. 

The screen updated, showing her power.

EARTH MAGIC \ TIER-2 \ POWER: D-
HEALING MAGIC \ TIER-0 \ POWER: F

"A dual affinity. A good primary and developing secondary. An interesting combination. Next! Yami!"

A girl with pale silver hair and dark eyes stepped forward. While everyone else cast a shadow on the ground, hers seemed to bleed from her body, rising around her like a cloak of black, shifting steam—a living aura.

She placed a pale hand on the crystal, and the inky vapor around her flowed into it. The clear orb turned pitch black, swallowing the light for a moment before the screen lit up.

DARK MAGIC \ TIER-1 \ POWER: E

"Uncommon. This one got potential. Next! Tetsuo."

A student who looked like he spent most of his time in a weight room stepped forward. He didn't speak, simply nodding at instructor before planting hand on the crystal. With a low grunt, he channeled his power. There was no flashy element, but the air distorted around his fist, and a deep thump resonated through the dais as a pulse of pure kinetic force slammed into the crystal.

KINETIC MAGIC \ TIER-1 \ POWER: E+

"Raw physical force projection. Direct and effective. A power type, not bad. Next! Shota!"

A snicker from Enji followed his name. Shota stood and walked to the dais as if in a trance. He placed his hand on the cool surface of the crystal. He didn't even try to channel anything. 

A soft, blue light enveloped the orb. The screen flickered.

BARRIER MAGIC \ TIER: UR \ POWER: 0

"UR? Interesting. But power at zero, seems like you haven't used your magic for some time, to not show any numbers."

Then, Enji burst out laughing, slapping his knee.

"UR? ULTRA RARE?! You got the ultimate tier score for a support skill! From now on, your pro wizard's name should be Ultimate Extra! What a loser! UR tier for a barrier! And I didn't think you could get any lamer! What are you gonna do when an enemy appears, huh? Hide behind your shield until he dies from boredom? Oh, wait, you've already mastered that whole 'standing still' crap!"

The rest of the class joined in, laughing.

"Listen up, you Ultra Extra!" 

Enji shouted, his fire magic exploding in his palm.

 "This is where your money's at! Just like the Witch Queen! Or any other real element—stone, lightning, wind! But hey, don't worry. You definitely scored yourself a lifetime supporter role!"

As the laughter echoed around him, Shota simply stared at the screen, ignoring any sound around him. 

Power: 0. It was just a number, but it felt like a confirmation of everything he already believed. He was empty. He pulled his hand back and walked to his seat.