“Fastest way to get stronger…?” Ier repeated my words in a soft mumble.

I didn’t see a sign of the man who had confidently killed the Blue Twin-Headed Ogre just a few weeks back. The status check, and the subsequent loss had affected Ier.

Those two things definitely weren’t enough. He had probably been troubled since way before he had seen the status.

The other students seemed to have overheard my words and slowly turned to me.

“Professor,” Elara said. “Fastest way to get stronger? Is it some kind of trick from the army?”

“I heard there are some potions that make you stronger. Like drugs?”

“Would that be allowed in the fight?”

These guys sure reached far. Well, I wasn’t going to suggest doping.

“Those potions and drugs don’t work on everyone, you kids,” I said, shaking my head. Honestly, if that did work, the military wouldn’t hesitate in doping their soldiers. They had to be tailored specifically for a person and used a lot of resources.

No matter what you did, nature was one that took what it gave. Even dopes had to be valuable to show any result.

“Aside from those, there are three ways to increase your strength that work universally.”

I held up three fingers in front of them.

“One, use an item. No matter how weak you are, if there is a compatible item you will immediately see a surge in strength.”

Unfortunately, the problem with items was even more pronounced than the one with doping. Getting your hands on an item like that was difficult, and using it was even tougher. At least, unlike doping, Items would work for anyone.

“Two, you sacrifice something. It is not a method that is recommended for anyone in the world, especially not for you kids.”

Sacrifices were largely seen as taboos. Though many people were forced to the extremes during the war, including myself, everyone had still learned to avoid sacrifices like the plague.

Nature would test you itself if it were to give you something. Just like the hero would fight a demon; the soldier, its army; and the merchant, bandits; the one who stood to gain would fight the trials of the world.

Sacrifice, then, was vain.

It was a bitter topic.

I waved it away from the students.

“And lastly, the third method.”

A smirk took over my lips as I gazed at them.

The students looked at me with anticipation, especially Ier.

“It is to develop control.”

“Control…?” Ier repeated my words. “With the spells?”

“Not spells, but everything. Every single time you use your mana, it should be in perfect control.”

Nature gave the equal of what it took. The way to get stronger, then, was to give more.

One could say they would like to sacrifice their bad habits, maybe someone would try to use the sacrifice to their advantage, but one could not trick nature.

Something one did not value was not something one could ‘give up,’ it merely became something one disposed of.

What if, instead of seeking more, one learned to use what they had better?

That was the third way to grow stronger.

“Have immense control over your mana, that is the fastest way to get stronger. No matter what you do, make sure there isn’t even a drop of waste.”

“It sounds good,” Elara said. “But is it possible? I mean, yes, while you can learn to control your spells better, isn’t the advantage minimal?”

“For you kids with a stat higher than you currently use, it is natural to focus on getting tapping into the reserves you hold. You keep exhausting your mana and then you’ll be able to use more of it, that’s how the traditional way to train works.”

Elara and Ier both nodded.

“But for Student Ier, those tiny improvements will be making a big change.”

Unlike them, his stat was pretty low. That did not mean it wouldn’t grow. As he trained and his level increased, there was always room for the stat value to increase, but until then he had to make the most of what he had.

After all, no one started at level 10.

“Control…” Ier mulled over my words. Affected by the status or not, he showed that he was always willing to learn.

I was worried that he might be down, but it seemed these four kids who took the lead in the classroom—the original members of the Black Rose Club Hunters—weren’t going to give me much trouble when it came to teaching them.

“How about I teach you for a week?” I said to Ier. The others could handle themselves on their own, but this one had potential.

And if he could shake things up a little, that would be enough to tell them all that status wasn’t necessary.

“Professor, are you sure you’d be able to do that?”

Surprisingly enough, the one who intervened this time was Yuliana.

“You look weak.”

“I thought knowing demonic language was your only skill.”

Hah! I knew it. My convincing skills only didn’t work on old men. These kids all had similar thoughts to me.

Yes, yes, I was weak. Very weak. How fun.

“I can teach pretty well,” I said. “Student Ier, what’s it going to be?”

Ier looked at me.

I looked back at him.

***

At the back of the academy’s northern ends stood a mountain range. A tall, rugged, beautiful range that worked as both a trekking spot and a bulwark for any possible problems.

Though it was a small mountain range of three peaks and a few ridges, the place was a testament to the city’s, and also the academy’s size.

The mountain was useful for the people of the city and was traditionally open to anyone in Glorenstein. The academy barriers stopped around the base of the mountain, but students too were allowed to wander in as long as they didn’t go too far.

Of course, with a professor, that became different. I could take students anywhere.

So I brought my student to the precipice of the tallest summit.

In the place where people rarely reached, a loud scream echoed.

“PROFESSOR!!”

He had to be loud, it was hard to hear.

“WHAT?” I answered back in a scream.

“WEREN’T YOU TEACHING ME CONTROL?”

“YEAH?”

“THEN WHY AM I HANGING UPSIDE DOWN FROM A MOUNTAIIIN!??”