The Genius Evolution Store

Chapter 193: Elemental Manipulation

"We are going to learn about the basics of elemental manipulation. As the name implies, elemental manipulation is the way to control your element.

"However, we’re not going to talk about how to control your element from point A to point B. Instead, I’m going to talk about something a little advanced.

"How are you going to control the element from point A to point B?" The teacher asked.

One student raised his hand. "You just have to discharge it."

Another student raised her hand. "You need to have a controlled discharge so that it stops at point B."

"Correct!" The teacher pointed to the female student. He raised his finger and summoned a green ball at his fingertip. "To release your energy from one point to another, you need to discharge it."

The teacher started moving the ball from his right hand toward his left hand.

While discharging the ball at fast speed, the teacher said, "Without controlling that discharge, the moment it reaches point B, your element will disperse. However, I’m sure that all of you can discharge it in this way. In that case, how do you control the speed?"

"By controlling the amount of power used to discharge it!" Another student answered.

"Well?" The teacher raised his eyebrows, waiting for the answer. However, all students thought the same thing. "How about you, exchange students?"

The teacher looked at Auric and Eric.

"Controlling the power and speed of the discharge," answered Eric in a slightly unsure tone.

Auric gave an answer different from anyone else. "There are four ways to control the speed. The first is the power, not only the amount of power channeled from inside our body to the outside but also the power contained within the ability itself.

"The second is the speed. You can circulate the energy within your body first, allowing it to build up momentum before discharging it.

"The third is the type of flow. Could you release it in a spiral? A straight line? Each type of flow will have a different impact. Causing the ability to spin can even help with penetrating the air resistance.

"Last but not least, the energy circulation within the ability itself. If the energy within the ability expands outward, it will naturally split the air in front of it, causing the ability to experience less air resistance."

"What’s your name?" The teacher was quite surprised by Auric’s answer. In fact, other students didn’t know that there were so many ways of controlling the speed.

"Auric."

"Very good, Auric. Have you created your own battle technique?"

"I have." Auric nodded.

"Understandable. These four ways of control are what you need to know to determine the kind of manifestation you want to have. And he is correct. However, that is a topic for another time. What I want to talk about this time is the programming within your control.

"For example, what if I try to move this ball in a zigzag?" The teacher tossed the ball forward, and the ball started to move in a zigzag.

This wasn’t the end. It created a loop and even had a free fall.

Auric had been so focused on the discharge that he realized he might not have learned enough to know what he was looking for.

The students were surprised because this was the first time they had seen a single ability that could move so freely as though it never ended.

Auric, on the other hand, realized what was going on. When the ball was moving, he could see a single thin line of energy that connected the ball to the teacher’s fingertip.

"How do you make your ability have such freedom? There are three methods to do it. The first is the program. By programming your energy flow, you can achieve a desired effect. For example, if you let the energy circulate so that the left side is filled with more energy, you will be able to curve your ability to the left.

"The second way is to do the same thing but through multiple stages. For example, you create four flows within your ball, which will be released in succession. Using this method, I can make the ball fly in a zigzag or other flying paths.

"Last but not least, full control. By attaching your own energy to the ability, you can change the flow from within your energy in real time. However, there is one thing that you need to know. Controlling it this way is extremely hard, and it has one flaw."

The ball suddenly flew toward Auric, forcing him to catch it. The teacher asked, "What do you think is the flaw, Student Auric?"

"The strand of energy itself. Once it’s cut, you won’t be able to control it anymore." Auric formed a wind barrier and cut off the line of energy connected to the ball. As a result, the teacher lost control of the ball, and the energy within the ball became unstable and burst.

The burst was contained by Auric’s barrier.

The teacher smiled. "Exactly. In that case, let’s head to the field, shall we? Your assignment is to control your element. Everyone’s element is different, so I can’t tell you how much energy you need and the type of flow you require to achieve a certain motion. There might be a guide somewhere, but you need to rely on yourself. So, we’re going to try it ourselves."

The lesson shifted so quickly. In fact, unlike Grand Magica College, it looked like they preferred practical lessons here.

The students were required to think for themselves and execute their ideas. This way, once they succeeded, they would remember it and feel good about themselves, which would create momentum in their learning process.

They reached the field in just five minutes. There were multiple practice dummies in the distance.

The teacher raised two fingers. "First, I need you to form a ball with your own energy and let it move in a path other than a straight line. Once you’re able to do it, you can try to hit the dummies over there. That will be your assignment for today’s lesson."

"Hahaha! I’m going to win this time, Auric." Tommi pointed at Auric. "Let’s see who will be the fastest and can create the most complex path before hitting those dummies, shall we?!"

"You need to defeat me first." Eric harrumphed. "Number three."

"What did you say? When did I even lose to you?!"

"Today." Eric smiled.

Tommi’s eyebrows twitched. "Fine by me. I am going to bring down your ego first."

Auric scratched the back of his head when these two suddenly got fired up on their own.

Before the others could come to Auric, a girl suddenly approached him and tugged his arm.

Auric was confused, but as he turned around, he saw a familiar face. "Ruka?"

"Hello. It has been a while since that mission." Ruka waved her hand with a smile.

"It’s been a while. How are you?" Auric nodded.

"I’m doing great. I’ve always wanted to apologize for my mistakes back then. Unfortunately, Senior Ellia is not here."

"It’s fine. Everyone makes mistakes." Auric waved his hand.

Ruka chuckled. "There is actually something that I want to ask. When you control your element, will the speed change the way it flows as well?"

"Why don’t you ask the teacher?"

"He..." Ruka glanced at the teacher and whispered, "You may not know it, but he’s the type of person who just tells the students to learn through trial and error."

"Well, he’s not exactly wrong..." Auric paused for a moment. "That depends on the element, actually. For example, your plant element has the robustness to withstand a small impact. By using that to your advantage, you can pour more power into it. The speed, the amount of energy, and other things will affect your control. As for the trajectory, you can probably do some basic math."

"I see. What is the true purpose of this lesson? Is it just to learn the control?" Ruka looked down, pondering. "I feel like I should adjust the way my ball moves according to how I usually use my battle techniques."

"I don’t speculate about what the teacher wants. However, we do have a clue. All this time, we have been using the battle technique the way it is written. Have you ever thought why the battle techniques are created the way they are?"

"Ah!" Ruka realized that they had indeed been reliant on the battle techniques. At the same time, the battle techniques were the clue.

She had been using battle techniques all this time, so her control was there. She just never asked why it moved that way.

Ruka recalled one battle technique and tried to follow the way it was intended, but by using a small ball.

To her surprise, the ball moved like a snake. This was similar to how the plant expanded.

"I did it!" Ruka smiled.

As expected from a student of the best university, with just a single clue, she could actually do it.

The others saw Ruka succeeding so easily after talking to Auric and immediately rushed toward Auric.

"Can I also receive your guidance?"

"Handsome, please teach me!"

Some others were clicking their tongues, glaring coldly at Auric.

Tommi and Eric had also seen Ruka’s success only to get even more fired up.

"Take this!" Tommi formed a fireball and sent it forward. The fire bounced diagonally to the left and then diagonally to the right and continued repeating the movement until it hit the practice dummy in the distance.

Eric formed a blood ball and did the same thing. However, the trajectory was different. It was creating a spiral that returned to the center before it hit the dummy.

Both of them harrumphed as though they had shown themselves to be capable, but no one even bothered to see them.

"At this rate, I definitely want to kick him in the nuts," Tommi whispered.

"That’s what I thought two years ago. Right now, I’m already prepared to make him a eunuch." Eric clicked his tongue. It wasn’t that Eric wasn’t good-looking. Auric was just so popular that even in high school, not many paid attention to him.

However, this was the moment Auric’s time in this university took an unexpected turn.

The teacher suddenly approached Auric. "Student Auric."

"Yes?"

The students suddenly stepped away for a moment, wondering what the teacher was trying to say.

"Have you learned about forming your own power? For example, changing the shape of that ball into something else?"

"It is actually one of the first few lessons that my teacher had taught me." Auric raised his finger. The ball made of the wind element formed first, but it soon transformed into a fish. The detail was still incomparable to Maya’s work, but the fish had the eyes, separate body segments, the fins, and some scales.

"Then, can you shoot that?" The teacher asked while pointing at the dummy. "Since you make a fish, make it fly like a fish."

Auric nodded. He was already at the level of full control. He attached his energy to the fish.

The fish looked as if it were swimming in the air. When it arrived at the dummy, it first swam around it as though it were curious about the object before ’kissing’ it. As a result, the wind burst.

The control wasn’t perfect. The movement of the fish was still awkward, but the teacher could see that the level of Auric’s control had far surpassed the freshmen.

While it was true that this was one of the first few lessons from Maya, the reason he was so skillful was his job.

Treating patients required skillful control. Auric didn’t just fully focus on treating them. He also tried to maximize his control so that the treatment would be faster and safer.

That was why Auric’s control was already equal to that of a silver-grade evolution master, if not a gold-grade evolution master.

The teacher was quite shocked that Auric had reached this level. He immediately said, "Come with me. All of you may continue. I will be back in one hour!"

The teacher grabbed him and dragged him back into the building.

The students were speechless. Even Auric didn’t know what was going on.

The teacher brought him to his office and said, "Your talent at controlling energy far surpasses anyone I’ve seen so far. Would you consider working on this project with me?"

The teacher showed a research paper.

It was titled "Fusion and Division."