"If everything was already built, why would I need you?" Im said, watching his students' shocked faces. "You're here to help build the herb garden—and learn what mages can do. First, we need a house. Stand behind me."
The three scrambled to his side as Im pulled a thick staff from his cloak—half a meter long, capped with a large, unrecognizable gem that glinted like polished amber. He held it diagonally, pointing at the steep hillside ahead, and chanted in an ancient tongue Leon couldn't understand. The gem blazed with golden light, streaming down like liquid fire to the base of the slope.
"Ha!" Im shouted. The hillside cracked with a thunderous roar, and a landslide of dirt and rock crashed down, splitting around Im as if guided by an invisible barrier. Leon stared, transfixed—he'd never seen anything like it. A man-made landslide, controlled with magic. Back on Earth, real estate developers would have begged for such power.
The fallen earth covered the small flat area they'd chosen for camp. Before Leon could wonder how they'd fix it, Im's staff glowed again. The loose dirt and rocks rumbled, sliding down into the valley below. What remained compacted like wet clay, hardening into a smooth surface.
Im repeated the process twice more. When he finished, the camp had expanded to 500-600 square meters, and the once-gentle slope behind them had become a 20-30 meter tall stone cliff. Im panted slightly—casting and controlling such large spells had drained him, but he'd pushed through to impress his students.
"Magic isn't just for fighting," he said, turning to the wide-eyed trio. "It can do what no human hands can. Now, go find tall, straight trees—I'll bring them back, and we'll build the house."
Leon hesitated. "Wait—we don't have to build it ourselves?"
"Can the three of you build a house we can sleep in tonight?" Im snorted. "I'd rather sleep in the woods than in something you cobble together. Now go."
As the students trundled down the hillside, Im collapsed onto a rock, closing his eyes to meditate and replenish his mana. When they were out of sight, he pulled a pouch of seeds from his pocket and scattered them along the edge of the newly flattened area. He uncorked a small bottle of thick white liquid, whispered a spell, and the liquid turned into a green-tinged mist that settled over the seeds.
Grass sprouted instantly, growing to finger-height, a uniform carpet of bright green that stood out sharply against the wild underbrush. Im nodded—done.
An hour later, Leon, Dahlia, and Flower returned, having marked 20 suitable trees. They froze at the sight of the lawn. "Master, where did this grass come from?" Dahlia asked.
"Green Net Grass—magic-bred," Im explained. "Its deep roots hold soil in place, preventing landslides. With alchemical potions and magic, it grows fast—even in winter. It's also good pasture for cattle and sheep."
"Wow," Leon breathed. Back on Earth, this grass would make him a wealthy rancher. Even here, it could support a thriving herd. But Im waved a hand dismissively. "It's the lowest-tier magic plant. Only the seeds hold mana—once grown, it's useless for anything but farming and erosion control."
Im led them to the woods, where he'd sent them to "hunt" trees just to keep them occupied. Now, he put on a show: thin wind blades sliced through trunks, branches stripped off automatically, and logs floated back to camp like driftwood. By noon, 40-50 logs were piled high, forming a small hill.
"Let's eat first," Im said. "We'll finish the house this afternoon and sleep in it tonight."
Leon pulled out the loaf of bread he'd brought, then glanced at the others. "Did any of you bring food? This is only enough for one meal."
Dahlia and Flower exchanged awkward looks. "We thought you'd handle it," Dahlia said.
Leon sighed. "You could've brought flour at least!" The bread would barely feed four people. They all turned to Im, expecting him to conjure provisions and scold them.
Im cleared his throat. "I didn't bring food either. This is wild survival, not a picnic. Food comes from the land. Leon, I should criticize you for bringing so much—but I didn't explain, so no blame. After this meal, you'll need to figure out dinner." He acted as if he hadn't been just as caught off guard.
After lunch, Im got to work. Heat shimmered over the logs, drying them instantly. Wind blades split each log into three parts: two halves and a thin plank. The halves flew up, embedding themselves in the ground to form four walls. Two long logs joined end-to-end, floating over the walls as a beam, and the planks laid themselves across it for a roof.
The house was rough—Im was no carpenter—but it was sturdy. Leon stared, amazed. Magic made even construction look effortless.