"What is magic?"

"..."

Mr. Lewis rolled up his sleeves as his gaze swept across the room. "Is there nobody who can tell me what magic is?"

Silence filled the room. I glanced around, noting the puzzled expressions on my classmates' faces. Everyone appeared lost. Not because the question was difficult, but because it seemed too simple.

Is it a trick question, perhaps?

"Magic is the act of utilizing mana to produce a reaction," Violet replied.

Mr. Lewis smiled approvingly. "Okay, then... Can you tell me what mana is?"

"Mana is a form of energy that mages can absorb, store, and manipulate," she answered. "It exists all around us, functioning similarly to how potential energy operates in the physical world."

"Very good, Ms. Violet! Can you tell me where mana comes from?"

Violet hesitated for a moment before lowering her head. "I... I don't know..."

"That's alright. You're not the only one. It's one of the biggest mysteries in our world. Even though many theories exist, nobody knows for sure where it comes from."

Mr. Lewis turned to the board and drew a large circle.

"Can anyone tell me why humans develop rings around their hearts when they absorb a substantial amount of mana?"

The room remained silent. No one seemed to have an answer.

"Has anyone heard of the Mana Resonance Theory?" Mr. Lewis asked.

Once again, the room was silent.

"That's okay. I didn't expect any of you to know about it," Mr. Lewis said, before clearing his throat.

"The Mana Resonance Theory is rather simple. It simply suggests that when mana is absorbed and refined within the body, it seeks a stable structure to prevent chaotic dispersal. In other words, the heart... The heart's rhythmic beating creates a natural resonance that organizes mana particles into rings. These rings help stabilize the mana within the body, allowing it to be stored and accessed when needed."

I couldn't help but notice the looks of awe and curiosity on my classmates' faces. It was a little surprising that none of them had come across this theory before. I had always assumed it was common knowledge among mages.

As I scanned the room, I shot a glance at Nicole. She was furiously scribbling notes into her notebook. By the looks of it, she seemed determined to write down the entire lecture.

"Uh, Mr. Lewis... There's one thing I don't understand. Why do mana particles form around the heart instead of other body parts?" Elijah asked.

I was a little surprised by Elijah's question. It seemed thoughtful. For some reason, I hadn't expected him to be paying attention.

"When humans absorb mana into their bodies, the particles interact with their bioelectric field, particularly around the heart. As many of you already know, the heart is a central organ that pumps blood and sustains life. For this reason, the heart becomes a natural focal point for mana convergence... Does that answer your question?"

Elijah nodded.

"Good," Mr. Lewis said, turning back to the rest of the class. "Now that we've talked about why mana builds around the heart, let's take a quick step back."

"Everyone knows there are two types of mages. Augmenting type mages and elemental type mages. Or more commonly known as Augmenters and Sorcerers... Augmenters are mages whose mana holds no affinity, while Sorcerers are mages who possess mana that holds one or more elemental affinities... Can anyone tell me why mana develops differently in some people, even though everyone absorbs the same mana?"

Haruna raised her hand.

"Yes, Ms. Haruna?"

"Even though I don't know the specifics, I believe it has something to do with DNA," Haruna replied.

"Yes! That's indeed part of the answer," Mr. Lewis confirmed as he raised two fingers in the air.

"There are two reasons why some mages develop affinities while others don't. The first, as Haruna mentioned, is genetic predisposition. Just as some physical traits are inherited from your parents, a mage can resonate with a particular element as long as it's encoded in their DNA. This genetic predisposition influences which type of affinity their mana will develop into. The second reason has to do with the environment you were raised in. It plays a crucial role... There have been many studies that show how mages that grew near large bodies of water are more likely to develop a natural affinity for water, while those in volcanic regions might resonate more with flame-type mana. To put it simply, prolonged exposure to a certain element can attune an individual's bioenergetic signature to that element."

I was impressed with Mr. Lewis. He appeared to have a knack for breaking down complicated concepts and explaining them in a way that made sense.

Mr. Lewis crossed his arms and walked around the room for a few seconds, seemingly deep in thought. Something was up.

"Just out of curiosity, can anyone tell me which kind of mage is stronger? An Augmenter or a Sorcerer?" he suddenly asked.

Immediately, the class erupted into a heated discussion.

"Augmenters are obviously much stronger than Sorcerers... Let's not forget, Augmenters are naturally more suited for combat," Robert declared.

"In what world is that true?!" Nicole exclaimed. I was a little surprised it'd taken her this long to join the conversation.

"What... what are you talking about?"

"Statistically speaking, Sorcerers have always been stronger than Augmenters. Keep in mind that we're the only ones who can win battles from afar."

"Ahem... Winning battles in such a manner is disgusting. If anything, it proves that most Sorcerers are cowards with no honor," said a boy with curly short hair. His name was Roy.

"A win is still a win," Nicole snapped. "Besides... You're just feeling insecure because you're an Augmenter... A pretty lousy one by the looks of it."

Oh, wow! She really isn't holding back...

Before Roy could utter a response, Robert jumped back into the discussion.

"Your reasoning is flawed, Nicole... I don't know what world you live in, but in the real world, not all fights are fought from a distance... When it comes down to it, everyone knows an Augmenter could easily defeat a Sorcerer in a close-range battle."

"Pfft... As if... That's only true for weak and inexperienced Sorcerers. A trained Sorcerer could easily go head-to-head with an Augmenter."

"Oh... You wanna bet?"

"How much?"

The discussion was heating up. What was supposed to be a cordial exchange of opinions was quickly turning into a full-blown argument. If this continued, something bad was bound to occur.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Mr. Lewis suddenly shouted.

The class immediately quieted down, but the tension still simmered in the air. I leaned back in my chair, feeling a strange sense of wonder. It was fascinating to see how passionate most of my classmates were about this issue. Some more than others.

"It's obvious many of you have already made up your minds on this topic. However, the truth is, the question I asked has no correct answer." 

Our teacher let out a sigh. 

"Saying that one kind of mage is stronger than the other is incorrect. Comparing one to the other is illogical. It's like trying to compare a shark to a lion. Neither is better than the other, but they're both vital to their respective ecosystem."

I was in total agreement. Saying that one type of mage was stronger than the other was premature and shortsighted. Regardless of their class, they both carried their fair share of advantages and disadvantages.

"The greatest advantage Sorcerers have is their ability to cast spells from afar," Mr. Lewis continued. "Conversely, the greatest advantage Augmenters possess is their superior efficiency in mana refinement. This allows them to cultivate more quickly... These advantages are distinct and should not be compared."

A dry hush fell over the room. I glanced around, noting the varied reactions of those around me. Some looked intrigued. Others seemed particularly contemplative. It was hard to gauge whether the class was in agreement or disagreement.

"A few minutes ago, I handed out copies of the Mana Codex. Since everyone here is at least a 1st Circle Mage, you should have all seen this chart before. Nevertheless, I'll explain what the Codex is... In simple terms, the Codex is a chart that shows how the more circles a mage possesses, the stronger they are..."

Mr. Lewis took a short pause to allow the class to digest what he had just said.

"About nine, eight years ago, scientists developed a device called the Frame Index. This device was able to read and convert the amount of mana mages possessed into numerical values. Thanks to the device, scientists were able to mathematically prove that with each additional circle, a mage's mana capacity amplifies exponentially... Thus, in theory, a 1st Circle Mage is vastly weaker than a 2nd Circle Mage."

I wasn't sure if I agreed with that theory. While the amount of mana a mage possessed definitely influenced their strength, it didn't guarantee victory in a battle.

"Truth be told, I don't necessarily agree with this theory," Mr. Lewis said. "At least not completely... If we look at this from another angle, just because a 2nd Circle Mage has more mana than a 1st Circle Mage, it doesn't mean they have better control over it. This is why you all must take your time cultivating... In fact, speeding up the cultivation process is very risky. It can destabilize the circles you've built, leading to mana poisoning, mana overload, and many other dangerous consequences."

"Speaking of cultivation... Can anyone tell me what the stages of cultivation are?" 

Violet's hand shot up immediately.

"You've answered enough questions today, Ms.Violet. I'd like to hear from someone else. Preferably someone who hasn't spoken yet."

A prickling sensation crawled up my neck as his gaze swept the room. I wasn't sure whether to avoid eye contact or meet his eyes. After the disaster that was my introduction yesterday, the last thing I wanted was to speak in front of the class again. Hopefully, he'd pick someone else.

"Mr. James, care to tell us what the three stages of cultivation are?"

Crap...

"Oh, yeah... Um... The three stages are absorption, refinement, and storage."

"And which stage is the most important?"

"Um... Aren't all three stages just as essential?"

As far as I knew, all three stages worked in conjunction with each other. Each step had to be followed carefully to yield a successful result.

"You're not entirely wrong. All three stages are indeed crucial. However, the most important stage is the second. Mana refinement. It holds the highest risk. Without proper refinement, the mana in your body won't be purified, which will make it unstable."

Haruna raised her hand. "Uh, Mr. Lewis... I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"A few minutes ago, you mentioned that Augmenters have an easier time refining mana compared to Sorcerers. Can you explain why?"

"Augmenters have an easier time cultivating because when they absorb mana, they only need to refine it once. Sorcerers, on the other hand, must refine their mana twice. Initially, when a Sorcerer refines their mana, it'll fuse with their elemental affinity. After the fusion occurs, they'll need to refine their mana once more before they can store it... Does that answer your question?"

"Yes, it does."

"I have a question too, but it's a bit off-topic," Nicole said.

Mr. Lewis gestured for her to continue.

"The Mana Codex you handed out correlates a numerical value to every mage category, except one. The highest value listed is that of an 8th Circle Mage... Why isn't there a value for a 9th Circle Mage?"

"Well, from my understanding, scientists have been reluctant to assign a value because of the lack of research... You see, every number you see on that chart is an average derived from a culmination of hundreds of studies. Unfortunately, since there are so few 9th Circle Mages in the world, it's been extremely difficult to conduct a reliable study."

Mr. Lewis let out a chuckle.

"This is where things start to get complicated... In the very few recorded instances where scientists have used the Frame Index on 9th Circle Mages, the device has failed to produce accurate readings. My best guess is that they possess such vast amounts of mana that it's virtually impossible to calculate their strength."

A somber air settled over the room. Judging by the looks on everyone's faces, it was clear they viewed 9th Circle Mages as mythical beings. Given how few of them there were, that made perfect sense.

"Hmm... It looks like our time is almost up. Are there any final questions?"

Mr. Lewis glanced at the clock on the wall, its hands inching closer to the end of the period.

"Oh, I have a question!" Ryan suddenly exclaimed. He'd been strangely quiet today.

"Ask away."

A large grin spread across his face. "Um... Could you tell us where you rank as a mage, Mr. Lewis?"

A ripple of curiosity swept through the room. Most of the class leaned forward, eager to hear his response. Even Nicole was looking up from her notebook.

For a moment, Mr. Lewis appeared taken aback by the question, but then smiled.

"For those who are wondering, I am a 5th Circle Mage."

"Oh? For some reason, I thought you'd be stronger," said Ryan. He seemed a little disappointed.

Mr. Lewis scratched the back of his head and chuckled softly. "When I was your age, I thought so too... I thought I'd be way stronger than I am. Unfortunately, life as a mage isn't easy... With each circle you gain, it becomes progressively harder to increase the number. It's why most mages don't ever go past the fourth circle."

"How long have you been a 5th Circle Mage, Mr. Lewis?" asked one of the girls.

"Hmm... Let me think... I've been a 5th Circle Mage for just over a decade," he revealed.

"Wow... That's a long time."

"Yes, it is!" He smiled. "Now, can anyone guess whether I'm a Sorcerer or an Augmenter?"

In an instant, a dozen hands shot into the air. Mr. Lewis smiled, clearly amused by our eagerness.

"You know what? Let's do it this way. Those who think I'm a Sorcerer, raise your hands."

I was about to raise my hand, but I hesitated when I saw most of the class lowering theirs. Only Thomas and Arthur kept their hands up.

"Just two, I see... Now, those who think I'm an Augmenter, please raise your hands," he instructed.

Following suit, I raised my hand along with the rest of the class. It was easy to see why most people would think Mr. Lewis was an Augmenter. Despite the suit he wore, his muscular frame was hard to ignore.

"How interesting... I'm a little surprised so many of you think I'm an Augmenter."

"So... Are we right?" asked Ryan.

Mr. Lewis smiled and shook his head. "Unfortunately, you're all wrong... I'm a Sorcerer."

Gasps and whispers erupted across the room. Everyone but Thomas and Arthur appeared astonished by this revelation. Just then, the school bell rang, signaling the end of the period.

"Ah... It seems our time is up. That's too bad..."

With a quick nod, Mr. Lewis bid us farewell before stepping out of the classroom. The chatter resumed almost immediately. Everyone seemed eager to talk about the shocking turn of events.