The oppressive weight in the room, which only a few had truly felt, suddenly lifted. The air seemed to lighten, becoming easier to breathe, and the underlying tension that had settled over the space simply vanished. The room now felt ordinary again, the pervasive hum of Master Elara's raw energy gone.
Professor Aris stepped forward, her stern gaze sweeping over the rows of students. Her voice, clear and resonant, cut through the last whispers of nervous energy.
"Alright, students, listen closely," she announced, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"The theoretical portion was merely a prelude. The real lesson begins now."
She gestured subtly towards Master Elara. "Master Elara will provide the demonstration for today's lesson." Master Elara stepped forward smoothly, her movements economical and precise. Her gaze settled on the students, and her voice, calm yet authoritative, filled the quiet room.
"What does it truly mean to be awakened?" Elara began, her hand already reaching down to the sleek, black brief-like case at her feet. As her fingers touched it, a faint, almost imperceptible shimmer passed over its surface.
"Is it something that goes beyond your limits? No. It's more like opening a door to a certain point, allowing your body to properly handle the vast mana already stored within it. It's like waking your true self and unleashing the hidden potential you possess."
From within the case, she retrieved the perfectly spherical object. It was a dull, obsidian black, absorbing all light, and it rested in her palm, as big as a regulation-sized baseball. With a deliberate step, she walked to the demonstration desk at the front of the room and placed the dark orb upon its surface.
Then, she extended one arm, positioning her hand a few inches above the orb, not quite touching it. In the silent room, a soft, internal luminescence began to emanate from the obsidian sphere. The desk beneath it was bathed in a gentle, glowing light, reminiscent of a softly lit bulb illuminating the space around it.
The students watched, captivated, as the seemingly inert object pulsed with an unexpected inner radiance.
As Master Elara slowly took her hand off the orb, the soft light began to fade, slowly dimming until the sphere returned to its dull, obsidian black. Her voice then cut through the mesmerized silence.
"We will begin with the first phase. Does anyone have any questions?"
A low murmur rippled through the room. Many students were still mesmerized, whispering questions to themselves, their eyes wide with a mixture of wonder and confusion. Was that real? Did everyone have that power? they seemed to ask silently.
Then, Finn raised his hand, his analytical mind already sifting through the implications of Elara's words and demonstration.
"Master Elara,"
he began, his voice clear,
"you mentioned 'allowing your body to properly handle the mana already stored within it.' Does that mean everyone inherently possesses mana, and awakening is merely the process of gaining control over it, rather than acquiring something new?"
A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Elara's lips once more. "Correct," she affirmed, her gaze settling on Finn.
"And please, just call me Miss Elara. 'Master' makes me sound like I've been around for centuries, and I assure you, I'm not that old."
Another hand shot up from the back, belonging to a shy-looking girl.
"Miss Elara," she stammered, her voice barely audible,
"if everyone has mana, why do some people seem to have... none at all? And why do others awaken with such incredible power?"
Before Miss Elara could fully address that, a boy from the front row, bolder than the last, chimed in,
"And is the Ascension Trial specifically designed to 'open that door' you talked about, or is it just to measure how much mana we already have flowing?"
Miss Elara nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful.
"Those are all good questions, and they get to the heart of understanding mana. Yes, everyone has mana. Everything we see in this world is made of it; it's constantly flowing, much like blood flows in our bodies. But for most, it's so subtle, so minuscule, that you couldn't possibly feel or even know it's there." She continued, addressing the shy girl's point.
"And those who seem to have 'none at all'? They're simply not fully utilizing what they possess. Not everyone has the talent or the sheer dedication to learn what they're truly capable of. That's often the dividing line."
Turning her gaze towards the bold boy.
"As for the 'door' I mentioned, that's just my way of explaining how the trial works. Measuring mana is actually quite unimportant. It doesn't matter how much mana you have, even if you aren't awakened yet. Think of your mana like your body's energy. When you start running, you get tired quickly. But the more you run, the more you train, the better you get. If you compare your first run to your hundredth, you'll find you've gone much farther without even noticing it. That's progress."
"However," she emphasized, her voice growing serious,
"not everyone has that inherent talent. Every person has their limit. That limit is what hinders them from truly growing.
But some—a very select few—can go beyond it. Those are individuals like me, and many other awakened with truly unbelievable powers."
As her powerful explanation concluded, Zak, who had been listening intently, slowly raised his hand.
"Miss Elara," he asked, his voice cutting through the silence,
"why is it always people our age who are the ones to awaken? Why not much older individuals, or even young children?"
Finn, beside him, immediately piped up, nodding vigorously.
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Why does it seem to be tied to a specific age, like ours? Why don't we see older people or kids suddenly manifesting these powers?"
Miss Elara's lips curved into another smile, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction. It was clear she was pleased with the depth of the students' questions.
"Excellent questions," she said, her voice warm with approval.
"Again, a very good question, both of you."
She paused, considering her words.
"The truth is, age isn't strictly important to awakening. In fact, some research suggests that age doesn't ultimately matter in whether someone awakens. Mana is always present. It's just that your current age, the cusp of adulthood, is often the ideal time for your body to naturally begin handling mana flow and making better use of it."
"Those who awaken too early, especially young children, often face severe backfire from it. Their still-developing bodies simply cannot handle the vast mana suddenly unleashed, which can lead to severe physiological damage, or worse, even death. For now, only a very small number have awakened early, and only a fraction of those awakenings are non-life-threatening."
"Conversely," she continued,
"for those who awaken much later in life, when they are significantly older, they often find it incredibly difficult to fully utilize their capabilities. The flexibility and adaptability of their bodies, which are more common in younger individuals, are simply no longer present, making their journey much harder."
Miss Elara turned back to the dark orb on the desk, her gaze purposeful.
"Now that you understand the fundamentals a bit better, it's time for the practical application. Today, you will all know the feeling of mana for yourselves. When your name is called, please proceed forward."