On the Starshine Academy plaza, Ize began to deeply reflect on his six-year-long “survivalist” lifestyle.
He realized that blindly playing the part of a mediocre person could sometimes attract unwanted probing eyes.
Perhaps it was time to adjust his strategy.
‘Perhaps… I can appropriately reveal “a little bit,” yet keep it “not too absurd.”‘
Ize rubbed his chin, falling into deep thought.
This would satisfy Teacher Claire’s bit of vanity for showing off, shut everyone’s mouths, and maintain a relatively safe persona without being overly noticed.
Clearly, the “Chip-Away Style” he had realized earlier was a good choice.
Of course, the demonstration had to be controlled.
A shocking scene like throwing out 100 **[Fire Wall]** spells at once was absolutely out of the question.
Ize quickly set a standard.
Releasing four Tier 2 spells stably at once would reflect the uniqueness of his “Rapid Casting” talent while perfectly matching the persona of a Tier 2 mage with “low mana capacity.”
“Teacher Claire, what do you think of my talent…?” Ize asked with a hint of expectation and a touch of uncertainty in his voice.
Shock flashed in Claire’s eyes, but it was soon replaced by a complex, almost regretful emotion.
“It’s impressive, Ize. In terms of casting speed alone, I can’t do that…” She paused, her voice growing a bit deeper. “But… it isn’t suitable for you.”
Ize showed just the right amount of confusion.
Claire sighed and explained patiently. “If this talent were possessed by a high-ranking mage with vast mana, its value would be immeasurable.”
After all, the higher the rank of the magic, the longer the incantation and casting time.
“Imagine casting multiple high-ranking spells in an instant. It would be enough to change the tide of battle. But for you, it’s too lackluster.”
She looked at Ize with a helpless gaze. “You’re only a Tier 2 mage. Your total mana and elemental affinity are your fatal flaws. Even if you can make low-tier magic look fancy and stack its power to approach or even slightly exceed the norm, once your mana is exhausted… sigh, it’s all just a fleeting dream in the end.”
Her words carried deep regret.
Superb magic control paired with such a heaven-defying casting talent, yet it belonged to someone with an elemental affinity of only 5%.
Fate truly enjoyed playing tricks on people.
“Don’t lose heart.”
Claire gathered her emotions to offer comfort. “Working hard to cultivate and accumulate mana is never wrong. This ability itself is very powerful. If your mana capacity can increase in the future, there will still be plenty of room for you to use it.”
“I understand, Teacher Claire! I’ll work hard!” Ize nodded vigorously, an encouraged expression appearing on his face at the appropriate time.
“Go back and rest first,” Claire said, waving her hand. “As for Luke, he’ll likely be staying in the Realm of Law for a while longer. I just don’t know if that kid can keep things stable, seeing as it’s his first time leading a team alone.”
“He should be fine.” Ize was quite confident about this.
Although Luke usually seemed hot-blooded, impulsive, and a bit unreliable, he had been trained by Ize for many years. He could still hold his own at critical moments.
Moreover, before they set out, Ize had not only given him the newly crafted **[Desert Eagle]** but also those **[Fire Element Augmentation Gloves]** that could boost fire magic.
Luke’s true combat power was no longer inferior to an ordinary Tier 4 mage, which was enough to handle most sudden situations.
Hearing this, a playful smile appeared on Claire’s face. “You certainly have a lot of faith in that kid.”
She changed the subject, her tone carrying a hint of curiosity.
“Speaking of which, that boy is excessively respectful toward you—he’s practically become your lackey. You did well there; you’ve certainly made me proud. How did you do it?”
She knew Luke fairly well. She knew he was a talented kid with a streak of arrogance in his bones. Making him so wholeheartedly convinced was no easy task.
Ize didn’t skip a beat as he spoke total nonsense with a straight face. “Maybe… it’s because I’m quite handsome and my personality is exceptionally charismatic, so I inadvertently won him over.”
He certainly wouldn’t say that Luke had been beaten into submission.
Claire was amused by his rare “thick-skinned” behavior and let out a chuckle, shaking her head. “I never noticed you were such a glib talker before.”
She looked at Ize, her gaze softening slightly, as a trace of guilt for her past negligence flashed through her heart again.
Although this trip to the Realm of Law could be described as “in and out in a second,” and no substantial opportunities were gained, he had successfully established a persona of ‘I have a little talent, but not much, and it’s useless anyway,’ and…