Chapter 58: Academy (Part1)
"So, then what? Does that change anything?"
"...Just a little, I'll just have to report this to my superiors and you'll probably get a more extensive program."
"What do you mean more extensive program?"
"Listen, Luis, you have 10 elements to train. Just because you have ten elements doesn't necessarily mean you'll be powerful...Think of it like this, in a high school there's a person who's well rounded in both studies and sports.
However because they lack the time and commitment to one thing, then they'll never be the best at them. There will always be someone who puts in the effort on either one and is the best at it. The well-rounded person would just be a Jack of all trade but master of none.
Same concept with the elements you have. You may have ten elements but all that gives you is versatility, not power. Of course, having that many elements would explain the huge amount of magical power you have."
So she's saying that having more elements correlates to how much magical power I have? What about all that training then?
"But doesn't magical power grow as you use it?"
"Yes, but the starting point for each individual is different. It all depends on both the number of elements you possess within your body and your gender."
"...What do you mean by gender?"
"Boys are more prone to having a greater amount of magical power than girls. However, even if that's the case that doesn't mean they are stronger. In fact, girls are more often stronger than boys"
But they have more magical power, right? So how is that-
"You may be wondering why? Two reasons, the first is that even if you have all that magical power. It still doesn't mean you can use it all. The amount of power that you have and the amount of output than you may have is not equivalent to one another.
Just having a lot of magical power doesn't mean you're able to use large quantities at a time. It would be the equivalent of connecting a car battery to a lightbulb, no matter how much power the battery may have it doesn't mean that the lightbulb will manifest it all.
The second reason would have to be that girls have better control over elements. Data from the past few decades have shown that girls are better at refined control of their own elements. In a battle, the goal is to defeat your opponent, not outlast them. Therefore girls, who have better control over their elements, usually win battles against boys who have comparatively rough element manipulation."
So just having the magic capacity advantage doesn't necessarily mean winning then?...I'm sure it does play some factors though.
"Then what about when you fully train your output?"
"...By the time 'you' may have fully trained it, you could probably cause almost as much destruction as al nuclear bomb."
...That's a discomforting thought. It also sounds like a threat since there's a good chance I'll be killed if I'm deemed too dangerous no?... Better use those five moves... But in order to be able to carry out whatever I carry out when I get more information, I have to be strong enough!
This place should have some training facilities and things I don't know about the magic here. Guess I better ask.
"We are done here, aren't we? Am I gonna guess where everything is or will you show me around?"
"So you want me to show you around?" She says with a mischievous smile.
"I'm a good guesser," I say as I stand up and get ready to leave
"Wait, can't you take a joke? I'll have a fellow student take you around the facilities." She turns to her desk where the microphone is and speaks into it. "Vanessa Carter to the Main office, Vanessa Carter to the main office."
Vanessa Carter? I guess that would be one of my classmates right? Well, it doesn't matter, I'll be out of here anyway so I don't have to get friendly with them.
"Is that someone in my grade?" I say as I sit down again.
"Yes, in fact, she's your number 3 in the whole school."
Number 3? In fighting power does she mean?
"That ranking thing?"
"Yes, here at the school we have a ranking system where students fight each other in order to ignite competition. The closer your Rank is to one, the more rewards you can buy and the greater the privileges."
The greater the privileges?... I see so they encourage "competition" by giving privileges to people with better rank, what a class-based high school.
I got two questions about this. But I'd rather just find out, I don't really want to ask this principal too much. I could also ask her using my mind element but so far when I use it the transmissions are somewhat cut and I only hear bits and pieces. I can see why it's the element that I have the lowest amount of compatibility with.
"I'm bored, I'll take a nap until that girl arrives."
"If you're bored you could just ask me questions."
"No, I am good."
I start laying down and start reaching behind my back to put my hoodie on, oh wait, I don't have one. I got used to it after all that time.
"Looks like someone is searching for a nonexistent object."
"...You said something about rewards right, can I buy a black hoodie?"
"Most certainly, actually, I almost forgot." She reaches into her desk and takes out a cellphone.
A cellphone? Ah...
"Rule number 9?"
"Yes, gotta have this phone on you. This cellphone will be your credit card, challenge issuer, and way of communication around here."
"So you're telling me that you almost forgot to give me something that important?"
"...I... guess so," She says as she hands me the cellphone."
I try touching the button but nothing happens.
"You have to insert your magic signature into it. Once it's done it will only open with your magic signature and no one else's."
This a pretty handy tool to have, I click the button while pouring some mana into it. The cellphone turns on. I see, on the phone, there are six apps. "Challenge issuer," "Point user," "Contacts," "Rankings," "New and old rules," and "Campus map." This is a really specifically made phone, only six apps?
"Looks like this will be somewhat useful." I sense someone coming down the hallway, that's that Veronica girl, right? Well, I won't point it out. I realized that my sensing range is comparatively bigger than most so I don't want anyone knowing. Well, the only exception to that may be Lily.
She's running here, why is she going that fast? Is it because the principal herself is calling her?
"Extra functions can be downloaded you'll just need permission from one of the teachers or me. It looks like our guest is her."
So that's how far the principal's sensing range is? It's about one-fourth of mine give or take, or it might be that she wasn't focusing on it like I was since we entered premises.
"Is she now?"
The girl stops in front of the door, calms her breathing down, takes one big breath and knocks on the door. She does realize that she can be sensed right outside the door right?
"That's the school's number three huh?"
"Well, she's a bit a clumsy but she's strong. Come in!"
I can tell that much just by examining her aura. She's a couple of times stronger than me, honestly, I don't want to fight her if I can help it. Let's leave those thoughts aside.
The door opens to show a girl with green eyes and blonde hair coming in. She's about 165 cm and has a slightly flat chest. She has white skin and a beautiful face. This the second green-eyed person I've seen.
"Yes, Principal Robinson, was there something you need?"
"Yes, I wanted you to show him around," she says as she points to me
"It's bad manners to point at people Principal." (Luis)
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Grasshopper_sensei
Grasshopper_sensei After agonizing over how it should proceed, this is the conclusion I arrived at guys. Introducing this volume's elements is hard man, I can't do this that well :(. Especially since it's not up to my alley it is harder than when I Introduced everything the last volume, well, that's all there is to it.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone