AN - People of the world I have returned
Just as Professor Vastor continued his lecture, another man entered the room. The students turned to see Professor Marth, a man around forty years old, standing at 1.78 meters (5'10") with thick blonde hair. His face, aside from a neatly trimmed goatee, was perfectly shaven, revealing a calm and youthful appearance.
Professor Marth began to speak, his tone commanding yet approachable. "Today, we'll discuss the process and necessity of learning the procedure to regrow limbs. One of the biggest misconceptions is that it's impossible to regrow limbs or organs. The truth is, the human body does have such capabilities, but they are usually dormant. Awakening these abilities temporarily requires an enormous amount of energy."
He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. "We're talking about so much mana that it's impossible for a single mage to perform the spell alone. Usually, the procedure requires two teams. The first team sets the regeneration process in motion, while the second team provides the necessary energy to the patient. Without this, the strain of growing a full limb in minutes would drain the body of all nutrients, potentially killing the patient on the spot."
Professor Marth continued, "Most organs are even trickier. While a single mage can regenerate small organs like kidneys, larger or vital organs require too much energy. It's often best for a lone mage to stabilize the vitals while calling for reinforcements."
Samuel's mind drifted to Konoha, where such technology could have dramatically increased the scale of war by repairing soldiers and sending them back into battle. The implications were staggering.
Professor Marth then brought forth a patient, a middle-aged soldier who had lost his arm in a skirmish with the Gorgon Empire. "The first step," Marth explained, "is to consider the sex and build of the patient, then choose the best limb template we have at our disposal."
"Template?" Lith echoed, his confusion drawing reproachful looks from his peers.
"Yes, template. We can't allow the new limb to grow endlessly. The spell requires specific measurements to function properly."
An assistant brought in a cart filled with wooden arms, which Professor Marth compared to the soldier's remaining limb, searching for the closest match.
"Each of these models corresponds to a different spell. Here at the White Griffon, we have the largest archive of regenerative spells in the entire Kingdom. I like to think that's partly thanks to my work."
After selecting the best fit, Professor Marth summoned the rest of his team using a communicator amulet, forming two teams of three mages each.
"Technically, two mages per group should be sufficient," he explained. "The third is just to ensure everything goes smoothly. This isn't a warzone; there's no need to take unnecessary risks."
The spells were cast in mere seconds, and the soldier's new arm began to grow back at an astonishing rate. After about half an hour, the new limb was fully formed. The class erupted in applause, and the medical staff accepted it with modest bows.
Captain Zarran, the soldier, wept with joy as he flexed his new fingers. He could hardly believe it. In his eyes, it was a miracle—he was no longer a cripple and could soon return to active duty instead of being confined to a desk.
The only discordant note in the otherwise joyous atmosphere was Lith. He closely examined both arms, noticing the differences. The real arm was much more muscular, with higher bone density, and the new one was even slightly shorter.
Lith offered Zarran his index fingers. "Squeeze them as hard as you can."
After the test, Lith shook his head. "Professor Marth, is it normal for the new arm to be so disproportionate and weak?"
His classmates glared or signaled him to keep quiet, but Lith pressed on.
"Yes, it is," Marth replied calmly. "It will take a couple of years of training and therapy, but eventually, it should be as good as the original. Good catch. It's rare to see someone so young paying such close attention to detail instead of pestering me to teach them a spell."
While many students regretted not seizing the opportunity to ingratiate themselves with the professors, Samuel was impressed by Lith's maturity. Despite his young appearance, Lith's demeanor suggested he was far older in spirit. Samuel, who had lived long and seen much, recognized the signs of someone who was faking their youthfulness.
Lith then asked Professor Marth about his knowledge of anatomy. Professor Marth tilted his head, surprised by what seemed like a simple question. "I know everything I need to know. The shape and position of bones, where and what the various organs are, and so on. I'm a healer, not a doctor. I only need to know enough for magic to perform at its best."
This response only made Lith's knowledge seem more valuable. He tore a blank page from his notebook and used water magic to write down in detail one of his fake personal spells, created for his sister Tista years ago.
"An image is worth a thousand words," he said, handing the page to Professor Marth.
"Are you really willing to share your diagnostic spell with the academy and the Kingdom?" Professor Marth was stunned, while Professor Vastor looked as pale as a ghost.
Professor Marth used Lith's spell on the patient and immediately noticed the discrepancies in the regenerated arm.
While both Vastor and Marth were reeling from the discovery, Samuel, having caught sight of the terms Lith used while performing the spell, noticed his Sharingan activating on its own. Perhaps it was the desire for knowledge or the instinct to prepare for the future, but Samuel knew that as a rogue ninja, he needed to ensure that anything he observed couldn't be used against him.
While the professors were engrossed in anatomical details, Samuel discreetly performed the spell on his own arm. However, since the spell didn't cause any noticeable effect, he remained unnoticed in the presence of genius.
As the lecture ended, the students left with newfound respect for the intricacies of healing magic. Samuel and Lith exchanged a silent understanding—each recognizing the other's hidden depths. They both knew they would have to be cautious and clever in this world where magic and power could mean the difference between life and death