“I don’t think it needs to be said, but killing something like that by yourself is nothing short of absurdity” Floria commented seeing the dragon’s emptied out corpse.

“Yeah. One thing I know for certain, that sure as hell won’t stop you from learning from me” I said with a confident smile turning to look at her. She scowled mildly at the response.

“Whatever. You’re done with collecting the items are you not? And are you not tired at all?” She asked. It’s a logical thing to assume and I am in fact slightly tired because I spent my energy fighting that thing, but it’s negligible, and I’m nothing fighting anything after this anyway.

“A bit, but we’re about to do next shouldn’t be too tiring, not for me anyway, so it doesn’t matter” I answered, she simply reacted disinterestedly waiting for me to start the training.

“Okay… Well the first thing that must be established first is… how much do you know about magic and spell?” I start the lesson with an important question. If she already knows the fundamentals but can’t do it we can skip out a lot of lecturing. Hopefully that is the case, please be that convenient.

“I got lectured a lot on that… Something about concentration and chanting, longer the chant and better the spell usually, not that anyone has the time to chant even a verse. Of course I have to be familiar with how to interact with mana in the first place, which I don't, usually need a mentor or something for this, which is you in this case” She answered, thank goodness she knows a good deal of the basics already.

“You got the fundamentals there. Of course it’ll be hard to use mana the first few times around, it’s like growing an extra limb that is foreign to you, even if there is more potential with it around, you most likely can’t move it immediately, sometimes you need someone to guide you, and I’ll show you the ropes” I responded with a sound of relief. Essentially one must learn everything from scratch like a newborn baby gaining its five senses and learning to move, while nothing can really be done with the former the latter certainly can.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, just tell me how the hell am I supposed to do it already” She replied not caring for my relief in the slightest, am I supposed to be happy she didn’t notice or am I supposed to be sad that she doesn’t seem to care? Well that aside I should hurry this along.

“Okay then, let me get a bit closer” I said walking over to her, my clothes cleaning itself with no odor to it. She looks slightly cautious still but thankfully not trying to run away. I grabbed her arm and let out some mana pulsing through her.

“Ugh!” She groaned like someone waking up to a sudden brightness. It’s generally not a good idea to not force mana into someone’s body without it being a special case like the mana potion, but sometimes doing so can be beneficial.

“Now try concentrating and chanting something simple” I said backing away and giving her some space. Even if I alleviate some effort from the process she still must put in the effort to let mana course through her body and expel it, creating an image in her mind and chant out the spell, spells usually can be done without chants but I believe it should be done when first learning magic, as a baby step.

She raised her arm to aim her spell, while it is not needed it does help with the image and direction of the spell… Wait is she targeting me!?

“[Shock]!” She chanted.

*Spark*

A small spark of electricity traveled towards me...It wasn’t very effective.

“Well you sure managed something, honestly speaking you could put in more power, but I get it that you just tried out magic for the first time” I said so a bit passive-aggressively, I’m not sure what she’s trying to prove by targeting me, doesn’t seem particularly malicious on her part, maybe she just thought I’ll be fine? Still a bit rude even so.

…

“So… you will keep trying right?” I asked plainly. She doesn’t answer, simply continues concentrating.

 

#####

 

“[Shock]!” She chanted once again, I think this is like the tenth time.

*Spark*

No damage, I guess she was gauging her power output against me, like if it will do any damage or something.

“Maybe you could stop repeating a spell? Try something more intricate” I instructed, she should be familiar enough with mana to use something past the basic. It’s better for one to learn for themselves past that.

…

“[Gust]!” She chanted.

*Blow*

A small wind, that’s it. Still it’s a new element she can use at least, I know humans can use every element but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

“Good, please try out other elements as well” I sincerely instructed. I simply stand there waiting for her to continue.

…

“What is it?” I asked, seeing her unwilling to continue.

“Can’t you show some spells yourself? So I can get some ideas?” She requested. Ah right, examples help out a lot when learning does it not? While seeing doesn’t allow people to perform it, it does give them some ideas or assumptions.

“Very well…” I replied mindless as my mind wanders onto which spell to use… probably lighting or wing since that’s the two she can use right now.

“[Torna-! No that’s too severe… [Thermo-! No that’ll just blast the whole place… [Air Bullets]!” I finally decided to use a spell, apparently forgetting more milder spells after being so used to using higher tier spells so many times.

*Shot* *Shot* *Shot*

Three heavily condensed and chaotic bullets of wind are aimed at the trees nearby.

*Pierce* *Crack* *Crash*

The trees unfortunate enough to be nearby were torn down not like a wood that makes its log do so. The trees are torn like paper, no it’s like they’re made of haystack, unlike paper that is properly connected together into a neat rectangle and able to retain its body and not unwrapping from the material that made it, it’s like haystack in that the little part of its body went flying and the foundation that hold its shape is slowly unwrapping and breaking down into nothing.

Floria’s face is that of equal fear, aspiration, and wonder. One thing for certain is that she doesn’t seem to be able to comprehend the performance I have made.

“That doesn’t help at all” She muttered disappointingly at herself.

“If that doesn’t satisfy you I can simply use different spells, it barely costs anything anyway” I said disinterestedly if also being honest with my intention, I can just use a different spell if she thought that was too hard to observe and understand.

“Your call” Floria replied to me way more disinterestedly. Doesn’t look like she’s feeling too motivated after being unable to observe my spell, there is definitely a feeling that she’s setting perhaps too high of a standard for herself. How about a simple and favorite spell of mine?

*Shine* *Sizz* *Chill*

I concentrated mana into two parts, one of chilly ice near absolute zero and another of raging yet contained flames probably hotter than even to magma.

“W-What are you…” Floria looked understandably terrified and speechless at the spectacle I have presented. It’s my favorite spell for multiple reasons, one of them is due to the inherent contradictory nature of such a spell. Fire and ice, one state full of energy and one robbed of it. It can as easily cancel itself out or destroy everything in the process by trying to maintain its state and trying to deny the law of the world.

*Swirl*

Winds whirl about as I concentrate more and more mana. The two balls swirl around each other into a sign of the two opposite.

“[Frizz Cracker]!” I shouted out as I sent the combining ball of fire and ice into the air, in an instant.

*Shine*

What should’ve been an unspectacular show of two states canceling each other out turns into a bright shine of light, as if the aftermath creates a shiny glass reflecting the light that is present.

…

Floria is speechless at the sight. Does that inspire her to better herself even more? Or does it intimidate her from trying something that seems so destructive.

“W-What was that?” She seems speechless if she is still trying to not look scared or emotional. 

“You’ll know if you keep trying, now that’s two spells I have shown you, I expect good results from you, and perhaps tomorrow or a day after I can show you some more neat magic, what about it?” I said deflecting back at her. 

“Yes” She replied with a single word, a bit of hope, a bit of intimidation towards herself.

“You can do it, that much I am sure of” I said, encouraging her to keep going.

*Roar*

“Hm?” I let out a sound of confusion, was that light show attracting something here?

“Dragons!” Instead of continuing to practice Floria immediately picked up her sabers to face the dragons heading our way. If these are like that one before it shouldn’t be an issue, still what a terrible situation, dragons might not have a natural habitat, but they’re still extremely territorial, the fact that they went out of their way to attack us imply something doesn’t it? That was just a light show, if they’re truly the mighty dragons of myth then they shouldn’t be intimidated enough to attack us for a light show.

“Keep practicing, I’ll kill them all” I said disregarding her attempts to ward them off. Her face is stupefied but also equally able to understand that with my level of power it shouldn’t be too troublesome for me.

*Fly*

I immediately flew to meet them, seven in total. Three dragons and four wyverns.

*Swing* *Evade*

One dragon tried to claw at me, even if it’s massive its speed certainly doesn’t compensate.

*Bite* *Evade*

Another tried to lunge its mouth at me in an attempt to eat me whole, I simply flew away.

“Swing *Evade*

Another tried to swing its tail awkwardly at me, of course that also doesn’t work, too easy to dodge. Now I need to go on an offensive before they could completely surround me, even if I’m superior to them numbers are still an important factor. Actually surrounding me is impossible even, I should actually.

*Zoom* *Crash*

As I teleported away all of them hit each other due to their beastial instinct, unable to coordinate with those who are not truly their allies. I immediately draw my bow in their confusion. I summoned an arrow while still in the air, concentrating mana into the tip of my arrow, filling it with heat and air, trying to create a small pocket there that will explode on impact.

*Draw* *Shot*

I released my powerful arrow, by the time they realized I was far out of their reach.

*Boom*

An explosion can be heard, a massive one capable of destroying a house completely.

*Roar*

These counterfeit beasts still roar out in defiance and pain even as their body loses their functions and dies out, only the dragons survive, their body stays strong against an attack no human or animals of modern day could hope to achieve.

*Glide* *Slice*

Not letting them even have a second to recover, I went in and decapitated one of them, letting their head fly off elsewhere.

**Release** **Clank** **Pierce** **Roar**

Two blades of chains, I released them like a cannon round, their blades pierced the body of both dragons and through their skin. I quickly retracted them back to normal seeing the two dragons still alive.

“[Wind Cannons]!” I chanted letting the winds finish them off.

*Pierce* *Torn*

Two rounds of intense winds tore the body of the giants apart, flesh scraped off their body by the wind and flew out in different directions like a firework made of flesh.

*Crash*

Their body along with the rest fall and collapse onto the ground below lacking even a shred of dignity, if they have any in the first place.

*Land*

I landed down and collected everything, I can dismantle them all later. 

“Huh? You’re still staring?” I asked, sounding stupefied, seeing Floria still looking at me, even blushing…? Is she embarrassed? Must’ve been, considering I was making her look like a fool by dealing with the problem just fine on my own for quite some time now, more than a few points I made making her look like an idiot.

*Tap*

I walked over to her and tapped her on her shoulder to get her out of her trace, then put my arm over her shoulders, since we’re about the same height it thankfully doesn’t look awkward.

“Listen, I know such a power makes you afraid of it, but really, why bother fearing it?... Or rather get over yourself already and practice for real, I’ll supervise okay?” I said letting go of her and giving us some distance, with me sitting at a nearby downed tree.

I smiled reassuring her everything will be fine. Letting her do as she pleases and then go back as the sun begins to set.

 

#####

 

“[Thunder]!” She shouted out a simple spell reaching her right hand out.

*Spark*

The retribution of the sky above descended down weakly, leaving a small barely noticeable spot of burning.

“If you’re insecure that you couldn’t make a proper image or fully extend your mana, perhaps trying more than one word spell would be better right now. Try creating a sentence that calls forth the power you need, kinda like with what I did before” I suggested. She grumbles at my advice but doesn’t object.

“[Power of the sky above, strike down the earth with your spark]!” She chanted. Mana flowed through her body more smoothly and the sky darkened slightly as the mana affected the world.

*Spark* *Sizz*

The retribution from on high is much stronger this time around, creating a noticeable burned patch in the ground. Sure it’s only comparable to normal lighting one might spot during a thunderstorm, but considering how harmful it can be to a regular human I’d say it’s a significant improvement.

“Keep doing that until you’re sure you can try out without chanting” I said so with a straight face.

“Wait… without chanting?” She made a double take at what I said.

“I know what I said. It’s not completely necessary after all” I clarified without saying any further…

…

“[Rock Smack]” I chanted disinterestedly.

*Smack*

A small rock falls onto her head.

“Ow!” She cried out in pain. It’s not dangerous but definitely hurts.

“I’m not kidding around, just keep trying and trying, baby steps with chanting, then as far as you go try without it” I clarified the second time.

“Y-Yeah, I heard ya” She replied rubbing the top of her head.

“Keep going and going until the sun starts setting okay? I’ll make sure you’re in top shape” I said, encouraging her to keep going still.

 

#####

 

“[Wind Spear]!” She chanted at one of the many trees nearby.

*Pierce*

The powerful and concentrated wind and tore a hole in it, not too different from what I have done hours before.

*Crash*

Essentially bisected the tree falls down, one of many that has been taken down by the many spells she has chanted.

“Been doing great so far” I commented with the clear friendliness of someone with transparent sincerity and a smile on my face.

*Pat*

I walked over to her and gave her a shoulder pat, seeing her body looking tired and sweating.

*Swirl* *Chill*

Nice and cold winds enveloped us as I saw the sun begin setting.

“Thanks, that helped a lot” She replied to my kind act.

“No problem, let’s call it a day for now okay?” I said casually, which she simply nodded in reply.

*Zoom*

Her face immediately looked like those of a deer in a headlight, hilarious to look at but definitely not the most dignified of expression.

“Just a teleportation spell, get over it” I said disinterestedly as I dragged her along to near the entrance.

 

#####

 

The receptionist’s face is that of clear disbelief, she wasn’t doubting me before but even then, pretty clear she’s not expecting me to come out unscathed and full of items. It was a pain to move around the stuff without looking suspicious, and it became quite the gossip immediately. I really shouldn’t try anything like this ever again.

“So? Can you please give us the reward already?” I asked, feeling impatient.

“Well… it’s based on the client’s decision unfortunately, however we can officially record your mission as successful now if you wanted” She explained, I guess that make sense considering the client’s vague term, wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for whoever this is to do so with such a condition to have the better part of the deal. None of my problems at any rate.

“Might as well do that right now, isn’t that right Floria?” I said asking the woman behind me.

“Yeah, might as well get that over and done with” She replied not caring about the reward as much as well.

“You heard her and I, let’s get this over and done with” I said to the receptionist in front of me who heard both of us loud and clear, now that people are being speechless at the sight.

 

#####

 

“Let’s split up, I have things to deal with as an outsider after all” I said to her as we rendezvoused in her room. Her face grimaced a little but nothing outside of that.

“Very well, so when do we meet up again?” She asked, trying not to sound intrusive.

“Sometimes in the afternoon just like today, maybe two after midday perhaps… yeah that sounds like a good time” I suggested to her.

“Very well” She said, laying down on her bed and throwing her overcoat away clumsily.

“See you later” I said to the tired warrior. 

“Same here” She replied with a warm tone. I leave the room and ready to go back to the academy.

 

#####

 

As I walked to the entrance there were some guards about.

“Halt!” One of them shouted seeing me, I simply showed him the paper and walked away uninterrupted.

I continue to walk about in the hallway with the intention of getting back to the room assigned to me.

...Very few people are walking about at this time, there are some light sources lifting up as the sun keeps setting down and dusk soon will overtake the dawn.

…Finally I reached my room and went inside.

*Open*

I opened the darkened room slightly lit up by the lantern at the ceiling…

The first day and interesting things certainly happened quick, everything established early and with a set date to boot, certainly no crisis, but still ominous to some extent… Better be careful.