The class began.
Prof. Kareth: Well then, we didn't get to do anything yesterday. Actually, if I'm correct, we didn't do anything yesterday, she said, her eyes subtly flicking toward Shiro for a split second. So consider this our first real class.
She stood before the group of students in the vast, artificial forest.
Prof. Kareth: Let's start with a simple question. Someone tell me, what are the basic types of fighting?
A girl raised her hand tentatively.
Student: Aren't they Short-Range and Long-Range?
Prof. Kareth: Correct. But there is something else, a deeper layer to that.
Unsheathing the katana from her hip, she pointed its tip toward a thick tree trunk about ten meters away.
Prof. Kareth: There are two fundamental ways to destroy that trunk. First, she said, not moving from her spot, you can use your Art Style and attack it from here, a long-range attack. Or, you could attack it from far away with a projectile. The second way, she continued, taking a single, fluid step forward, her blade still held ready, is to go near and personally cut it into two pieces. Close-quarters.
Student: But what's the real difference?
Prof. Kareth: I'm so glad you asked that. The difference determines a person's entire combat personality and how they channel their power.
She clapped her hands together, the sound sharp in the quiet clearing.
Prof. Kareth: You'll all understand it better after you've done it. So, your first task: each of you will destroy that tree trunk in any way you like. Show me what you've got. Okay, go!
A student stepped forward first, positioning himself where Professor Kareth had stood.
Student 1: Art Style: Earth! Second Form—Earth Spike!
As he swung his katana upward, a massive, pointed rock erupted from the ground beneath the trunk, spearing through it from below and splintering the wood violently.
Just as he finished, an identical tree trunk reappeared in the same spot. Most of the students murmured in confusion, but Lucien and the silver-haired girl next to her showed no surprise, having understood the magical replication at work.
The next student, a girl, positioned herself even farther back.
Student 2: Art Style: Fire! First Form—Meteor!
She pointed her katana toward the trunk, and a large ball of fire descended from the simulated sky, crashing down near the trunk. The explosion was loud and flashy, but it only destroyed half of the target.
Prof. Kareth: Oh ho! So it hits where you're pointing?
Student 2: Yes, Professor. But it's hard to control the landing precisely.
Next was Lucien. He stepped forward calmly, unsheathing her katana in one smooth motion.
Lucien: Art Style: Fire! First Form—Crimson Trio!
He swung her blade, and three sharp, concentrated blades of fire shot toward the trunk. They sliced through the wood with surgical precision, cleaving it into three perfectly even pieces, each cut at a clean 45-degree angle.
A voice, light and teasing, came from the side.
???: Ooh, someone's showing off, I see.
Lucien: Isn't it your turn now, Mira?
It was Mira's chance—the silver-haired girl who was always with Lucien. She walked to the designated spot and unsheathed her katana only halfway, the blade glinting.
Mira: Art: Water. Evolve: Ice! First Form—Pillars of Death!
Instantly, four massive, razor-sharp pillars of ice erupted inside the trunk, bursting outwards in four different directions. She then calmly slid her katana back into its sheath with a soft click. Professor Kareth didn't comment immediately on the attack itself, but her raised eyebrows showed she was visibly surprised by the display.
Next was Arien. She stood at the same spot as the others, fully unsheathing her katana but not moving from her position.
Arien: Art Style: Air! First Form—Air Bullet!
As she spoke, a compressed sphere of air shot forward, invisible until it struck the trunk and left a massive, clean hole straight through the center. Other students followed with their own varied attacks.
At last, it was Shiro's turn.
The moment Shiro stepped forward, Lucien's eyes tracked him, though she gave no other sign of recognition. Shiro, for his part, seemed completely unaware of her presence. Professor Kareth watched intently, curious to see how this enigmatic student would approach the task.
What Shiro did next, no one expected.
He simply unsheathed his long katana and started walking. He didn't stop at the firing line; he walked right up to the trunk, getting as close as physically possible. Then, with a single, clean swing powered by pure physical strength, he cleaved the trunk cleanly in half. No Art Style, no flashy technique. Just raw, simple force.
A ripple of surprise went through the other students.
Arien: Well... that's about right for him.
After everyone had finished, Professor Kareth stepped back to the center.
Prof. Kareth: Well, did you all see the difference?
She didn't wait for an answer.
Prof. Kareth: Then I'll spell it out. Beyond Short-Range and Long-Range, there are two types of power application: Magical and Physical. As an example, we can take Lucien, who is a Long-Range Physical fighter. His technique required a sword swing to manifest. And the girl who used ice, Mira, is a Long-Range Magical fighter. Her will alone, with just a touch to her blade, commanded the element.
Prof. Kareth: The easiest way to identify which is which is that a Physical fighter needs to move their katana in a specific way to activate their Art Style. For a Magical fighter, intent and a touch are often enough.
Prof. Kareth: Now, don't take this as an absolute rule, but generally, in Short-Range combat, Physical fighters have a slight advantage in direct clashes. However, if a Short-Range fighter has an Art Style like Fire, Gravity, Air, Water, or Sound, they gain a different kind of versatility. But for pure SR dominance, Physical is often the best fit.
Prof. Kareth: And for Long-Range, you're fine with almost any Art, as long as it's not Sound—you got it? For LR Physical fighters, they have an added layer of defense. Because they have to move their katana, they can parry or block if a SR user closes the distance, something that is much harder for a LR Magical fighter to do.
She then gestured toward Mira.
Prof. Kareth: And what this silver-haired girl did... we haven't reached that in the SR curriculum yet, but I'll tell you now. It's the evolution of a basic element.
Prof. Kareth: And if you manage to evolve your Art Style to its next level, you can potentially use both the base and the advanced element. It doubles your options and your power.