Several days passed in a blur, and the day of the first lecture finally arrived. Julian found himself more anxious than he expected. Whenever he had time, he practiced his spells. He could hold them longer and push out more force, but the system still showed no improvement.
"Julian! Julian!" A voice snapped him from his thoughts.
It was Lisa, settling on the mat in front of him. "What were you thinking about?" she asked, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Nothing much. Just wondering what they'll teach."
They sat cross-legged in a spacious stone hall, sunlight streaming through tall windows. The walls were etched with strange carvings—animals, constellations, and figures that that looked remarkably lifelike. Small mats were laid out in rows across the stone floor, and each of them had picked one. This hall was further up the mountain, unlike the administration hall at the base.
Julian had learned from Phatt that ordinary external students weren't allowed lectures like this on the upper levels. Only after reaching third Compression could one become an internal student and attend. The strange looks and whispered remarks from inner students wearing grey robes with silver patterns during their climb up had confirmed it.
They're giving us special treatment.
Lisa introduced him to her housemates—two girls who looked like they'd rather be anywhere else, and a fat boy named Johnny, cheerful and eager.
Nathan and the others sitting nearby also introduced themselves.
"Nice to see ya, Julian. Have you absorbed your crystals?" Johnny asked, stomping his foot to the ground.
The floor rippled slightly, like a trampoline, and Julian and the others braced themselves.
"Johnny! I told you to stop that!" Lisa scolded from the side.
Just as Johnny opened his mouth to argue, Assistant Professor Aria from the first day entered. This time, she was alone.
The room quieted instantly. She stepped to the front and began speaking. Her voice was gentle, but every word carried clearly.
"Hello again, everyone. I am Assistant Professor Aria Montia." She paused for a moment before continuing.
"I hope you've all begun to adjust to your new situation. Many of you have asked about your families and friends. While I can't tell you exactly where they were teleported, as it was done randomly, I can assure you they are absolutely safe under the Human Emperor's grace.
Now then—have all of you absorbed the crystals we provided?"
A chorus of "yes" echoed through the hall.
Several students eagerly demonstrated their new abilities. Julian noticed many of them had fire-related skills. He looked back at Professor Aria—she seemed to observe quietly before continuing.
"I see many of you have awakened your talents. Please be cautious. While using them might feel natural, overexerting your mana pathways can cause serious harm. You may not know this, but only the First Generation—those born from a planet newly blessed by mana—receive innate talents like yours. The Davaris family where Lord Triton Davaris hails from is descended from Planet Urus's strongest First Generations. Only they still possess talents like yours."
Murmurs swept the room.
"Now that you know how to absorb mana, the next step is to compress it. After the first compression, a core will be formed near your heart. After every compression, a new spell can be carved on your core. This will allow you to cast spells beyond your innate talents. "
Julian had heard something similar from Phatt, but he had dismissed it at the time—Phatt was just an external student with no formal training. Julian had been careful not to reveal he could already use different spells, though perhaps too casually. Now, he knew to be more cautious.
I can only use Spark in front of others.
Professor Aria continued. "Mana core compression can be done up to ten times. Each stage allows you to use stronger spells and strengthens your body. After the ten compressions comes node carving, where you inscribe mana nodes into your body. But for now, your goal should be completing the Third Compression. That's when you'll be eligible to become internal students."
She paused.
"You must've noticed the mist covering the mountain. That's due to the density of mana here. This hall, higher up the mountain, is one of the few places where you can easily absorb enough mana for compression. The outer areas of the academy contain mana far too thin for any meaningful progress. For now, these lectures are your only chance to absorb sufficient mana. The monthly crystal allotment can assist, but it alone won't be enough."
Julian took a deep breath.
He hadn't paid much attention before, but the air truly did feel heavier—dense yet oddly refreshing. He closed his eyes and activated Mana Sight.
Since he hadn't found a mirror, he had checked his reflection in a pond earlier. He'd seen that activating Mana Sight made his eyes glow faintly.
When Julian activated Mana Sight, his vision shifted: motes of mana drifted through the air, glimmering like dust caught in sunlight. The density here was palpable, far richer than at the academy's edge. He deactivated the ability and focused on absorbing the ambient mana.
Warmth quickly spread through his chest.
Someone from the back raised her hand. "Professor, is there any way we can get more crystals?"
"You can complete tasks listed at the outer administration hall down the mountain," she replied. "Start with the easy ones before your first compression. The forest around the academy is teeming with dangerous beasts. Take on more than you can handle, and you'll likely end up dead."
A murmur spread through the room.
"We should be careful, guys," Julian heard Nathan say from beside him. He nodded in agreement.
Professor Aria gave a small smile. "Whatever you do, stay safe. You are now part of Agate Academy. Don't waste this opportunity. I've explained all I needed to. Use the remaining time to begin compressing your mana cores." With that, she just turned and left.
Julian shut out the noise around him, closed his eyes, and focused.
Warmth bloomed in his chest, his limbs tingled, and his breath slowed as he concentrated on drawing in more mana.
A system message appeared.
Core Compression - 4%