The following morning, Kael gathered his teammates in the training hall.
He had already reviewed the preliminary assessment schedule Seraphina had brought him the previous evening. Although the document contained only a rough outline, it was enough to understand what the academy intended to evaluate.
The assessment would not simply measure their individual strength. It would test their ability to adapt, coordinate, and make decisions under pressure.
Considering what had happened during the wilderness examination, Kael suspected the academy wanted to determine whether their previous performance had been the result of genuine teamwork or simply an unusual combination of circumstances.
Either way, he intended to take it seriously.
"About Seraphina’s proposal," Kael began. "She invited us to practice with her group. I think we should accept."
Elias immediately raised his hand.
"I agree."
Darius glanced at him.
"You haven’t even heard the details."
"Do I need to? Training with another group means more opportunities to improve. Besides, I haven’t had a proper chance to see how those people fight."
Mira nodded.
"I think it would be helpful. We usually practice with the same people, so working with another group might reveal some weaknesses in our coordination."
Darius considered their opinions before looking at Kael.
"Any particular reason you want to do this?"
"Several. Their fighting styles are different from ours, and the assessment will probably involve unfamiliar teammates or situations. Practicing with them gives us a chance to adapt beforehand."
Darius nodded.
"Then I’m fine with it."
Kael looked at Elias.
"Good. I’ll inform Seraphina.
"Excellent. I’ll finally have someone else to blame when I miss a target."
Mira covered her mouth, hiding a small laugh.
"Wouldn’t it be better to focus on improving your accuracy instead?"
"That’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m gathering information about the competition."
Kael shook his head.
"Your dedication to avoiding responsibility is impressive."
"Thank you. I’ve worked hard to develop it."
Quinn crawled from Kael’s shoulder to the nearby table.
"Qiu!"
"You’re not exempt either."
The spider stopped.
Kael had a feeling Quinn understood him perfectly.
...
The joint training session was arranged for the following afternoon.
Seraphina’s group consisted of four members, including herself.
The first was Seraphina, whose pale complexion and delicate features contrasted with the cold temperament of her ice magic. Her long, silvery-white hair fell neatly down her back, while her blue-colored eyes gave her an unusually composed appearance. Even when standing still, she carried herself with an air of quiet confidence.
The second member was Laira, a swordswoman who specialized in aggressive close combat. She had short, dark-brown hair that barely reached her shoulders and sharp amber eyes. Her athletic build and confident posture suggested someone accustomed to taking the initiative in battle. Unlike Seraphina’s composed demeanor, Laira appeared energetic and straightforward.
The third was Rhea, a wind-element mage. She had long, light-green hair tied into a loose ponytail, with bright green eyes that seemed to follow every movement around her. Her slender figure and calm expression gave her a rather gentle appearance, although her control over wind magic made her particularly troublesome to approach.
The final member was Maretta, their shield bearer. She was slightly taller than the other girls, with shoulder-length blonde hair and clear blue eyes. Her sturdy build suited her role, and she carried a large tower shield that looked almost too heavy for an ordinary student. Despite her imposing equipment, she had a friendly expression and a relaxed manner.
Their fighting styles were noticeably different from those of Team 37.
Laira preferred quick exchanges and aggressive attacks, while Maretta focused on protecting her teammates. Rhea provided ranged support, and Seraphina controlled the battlefield through her ice magic.
Kael found their composition interesting. Moreover, their team was friendly and didn’t look down on them despite the disparity in strength.
"Your team has a fairly balanced formation," Kael remarked after observing their first practice match.
Laira rested her sword against her shoulder.
"We’ve been practicing together for a while. Everyone knows their responsibilities."
"That’s good, but what happens when your formation gets disrupted?"
Laira raised an eyebrow.
"We’ll adapt."
"How quickly?"
The swordswoman smiled.
"Why don’t you find out?"
Kael accepted the challenge.
Their first exercise involved a simulated objective defense. Team 37 had to protect a designated area while Seraphina’s group attempted to capture it.
The initial exchange went poorly for Kael’s team.
Darius managed to hold the frontline, but Laira’s aggressive movements forced him to divide his attention. Rhea used wind magic to interfere with Elias’s aim, while Seraphina gradually restricted Mira’s movement with ice barriers.
Kael attempted to coordinate their responses, but the opposing group had already established control over the battlefield.
They lost the first exercise.
The second attempt was considerably better.
Kael changed their formation, allowing Darius to focus on defending the objective while Elias positioned himself somewhere with a clearer shooting angle. Mira remained behind the frontline, and Kael moved between the two sides to respond to sudden changes.
Quinn contributed by creating several strands of silk across the surrounding area.
Although the webbing was not particularly strong, it disrupted Laira’s movements and gave Elias enough time to land a successful shot.
They still lost, but the difference was noticeable.
By the end of the session, both groups had gained a better understanding of each other’s strengths.
Laira approached Kael while putting away her practice sword.
"You’re pretty good at adjusting your formation."
"It’s easier when the opponents reveal their habits."
"You’re saying I have habits?"
"Everyone does."
Laira laughed.
"Fair enough."
Seraphina approached them shortly afterward.
"Your team improved considerably between the two exercises."
"We still have plenty of weaknesses," Kael answered.
"That’s why we’re practicing."
She looked at the other members of Team 37.
"I think we should arrange another session before the assessment."
Mira nodded.
"That would be helpful."
Elias stretched his arms.
"As long as we don’t repeat that exercise too many times. My shoulders are already complaining."
Darius glanced at him.
"Your shoulders complain more than you do."
"That’s because they have to carry my responsibilities."
Kael ignored them and looked at Seraphina.
"Let’s arrange another session after we receive the official assessment details."
She nodded.
"Agreed."
Kael was about to leave when he noticed Seraphina looking at his right hand.
"Have you made any progress with your mana control?"
"A little."
"Can you show me?"
Kael hesitated briefly before raising his palm.
A faint layer of mana gathered around it.
The energy spread outward, forming a thin, curved surface. It trembled slightly, but unlike his previous attempts, it did not immediately collapse.
Seraphina studied it with interest.
"That’s external mana manipulation, isn’t it?"
"Yes. I’m still working on stabilizing it."
"Professor Helen mentioned that your technique was unusual."
Kael lowered his hand.
"She seems to have developed an interest in it."
Seraphina smiled.
"Perhaps because most students struggle to control mana outside their bodies with such precision."
Kael did not respond.
He didn’t care if his ability was unusual. What he cared the most was to understand how far he could develop it.
For now, he still had a long way to go.
...
Over the next several days, Kael devoted most of his available time to improving his mana control.
He no longer needed to repeat the same basic exercises for hours.
Professor Helen had adjusted his training after observing his progress, introducing exercises that required him to maintain the curved mana layer while performing simple movements.
The first attempts were unsuccessful.
Whenever Kael shifted his weight or moved his arm, the mana structure became unstable. His control was sufficient to maintain the shape while standing still, but the moment he introduced movement, its distribution became uneven.
Helen eventually identified the problem.
"You’re treating the mana as though it’s a fixed object," she explained during one session. "You are maintaining its shape through constant concentration, but you haven’t learned to adjust its distribution naturally."
Kael examined the curved layer around his palm.
"Then I should stop trying to hold every section in place?"
"Precisely. Mana is energy. It responds to your control, but it also follows the structure you establish. Rather than constantly correcting every fluctuation, you should learn to guide its flow."
Kael considered her explanation.
It was similar to the principle behind his Returning Tide Sword Manual.
Instead of resisting every external force, he redirected its momentum.
Perhaps he could apply the same principle to his mana control.
He tried again.
This time, rather than forcing the mana to remain perfectly still, he allowed it to circulate along the curved surface.
The result was noticeably different.
The structure still trembled, but the fluctuations gradually became smaller.
Helen watched without interrupting.
Kael maintained the formation for several seconds before releasing it.
"Interesting," Helen remarked.
"Was that better?"
"Much better. You have started understanding the relationship between mana circulation and structural stability."
She approached him.
"Try maintaining it again. This time, I want you to move your hand slowly."
Kael followed her instructions.
The curved layer formed around his palm. He carefully moved his arm to the side. For a moment, the structure remained stable.
Then its upper section collapsed.
Kael exhaled.
"Still not enough."
"However, you are getting closer."
Helen gave him a small nod.
"Continue practicing this method. You may be able to achieve a reliable result sooner than expected."
Kael nodded.
He could feel that something was beginning to take shape.
He simply needed to find the missing connection.
...
Three days later, Kael finally understood it.
The breakthrough happened during an ordinary afternoon training session.
He had been maintaining the curved mana layer around his palm while walking across the practice area. Unlike his previous attempts, he was no longer concentrating exclusively on preserving its shape.
Instead, he allowed the mana to circulate naturally while adjusting its direction whenever his movement disrupted the structure.
At first, the results were inconsistent.
However, after several attempts, he noticed something peculiar. The mana did not need to remain in exactly the same position to preserve the formation.
As long as its circulation remained continuous, the curved surface could maintain its shape even while the surrounding energy shifted.
He stopped walking.
Kael stared at his palm.
"Wait a minute..."
He gathered his mana again.
A thin, translucent layer formed above his skin. It spread outward, creating a curved surface that extended slightly beyond his hand.
This time, he did not force every section to remain still.
He guided the circulation instead.
The mana flowed along the curved structure, reinforcing its weaker sections while maintaining its overall shape.
Ten seconds passed.
Then twenty.
The structure remained stable.
Kael slowly moved his arm. The mana layer followed. He increased his pace and took several steps forward.
It did not collapse.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Finally."
He had done it.
"Professor Helen!"
The professor, who had been observing another student nearby, turned toward him.
"Yes, Kael?"
"I think I’ve got it."
Helen approached and examined the mana surrounding his hand.
Her expression changed slightly.
"You’re maintaining the structure while moving."
"Yes. I think I figured out how to stabilize the circulation."
"Don’t move yet."
Helen retrieved a small wooden sphere from the nearby equipment table.
"Keep the formation active."
Kael nodded.
She gently placed the sphere against the curved mana surface.
It rolled along the structure before sliding away.
The mana layer remained intact.
Helen’s eyes narrowed behind her glasses.
"Increase the pressure slightly."
She replaced the wooden sphere with a heavier training weight.
Kael concentrated.
The object pressed against the surface.
His mana fluctuated, but rather than resisting the pressure directly, he adjusted the circulation and allowed the force to travel along the curve.
The weight eventually slipped away.
The formation remained stable.
Helen stared at his hand for several seconds before speaking.
"Excellent."
Kael released the mana.
"Does that mean I’ve mastered it?"
"No. It means you’ve successfully established a stable external mana structure."
She adjusted her glasses.
"You still need to improve its durability, coverage, and responsiveness. A strong opponent could overwhelm this formation with a sufficiently powerful attack."
"I understand."
"Nevertheless, this is a significant breakthrough."
Helen looked at him thoughtfully.
"Most students spend considerable time learning to circulate mana within their bodies. Maintaining a stable structure outside the body requires an entirely different level of control."
Kael examined his palm.
He could feel the difference.
Previously, the mana had behaved like something he needed to hold together through constant concentration. Now, it felt more like a flowing current that followed the structure he established.
It was a much more natural process.
"Can I use this to defend against magic attacks?"
"Eventually. However, your current formation is too small and fragile for that. You should first practice expanding it without compromising its stability."
Kael nodded.
That would be his next objective.
Helen gave him one final instruction.
"Do not rush into increasing its size. A small, reliable defensive technique is more useful than a large formation that collapses under pressure."
"Understood."
As Helen walked away, Kael looked at his hand once more. He had finally crossed the first major obstacle in his external mana training.
And unlike his earlier attempts, this time he had something reliable to build upon.