Reader Mage 166-She’s A Tree Mage

rlin t up with Park Yuri in the White Room. Normally it was hard to get a reservation to use the space during school period as classes were ongoing, and professors could want to make use of it at any point in ti. But Park Yuri was held to a different standard than most of the children in Prestige Academy. She was able to make reservations however she pleased, considering she was the daughter of one of the greatest S-Class Mages to ever exist, and that was only made easier by the fact that the inter-academy tournant was currently ongoing.

Nora would have scread her dislike for nepotism if she knew of this, but rlin was different. One had the right to use the power in their ans. Park Yuri was using hers.

On the other hand…

“I wasn’t expecting to et you here,” rlin started, inclining his head as he stared at Lee Jaehyun who was seated to the front of the elevating seats in the room. “Did you make a reservation as well?”

Lee Jaehyun shook his head. “Not necessarily.” He glanced at Park Yuri and then back at rlin. “I’ve known for a while now that you and Park Yuri have been training together. Which is why I’m here.”

rlin chuckled. “Well, I guess.”

Lee Jaehyun nodded. “I was hoping I could steal a bit of your ti in that regard too.”

rlin blinked. The president’s grandson, an S-Class Mage who can cast gravitational spells, wants his help with training? rlin didn’t even need to think about it twice. Of course he was going to accept. Not only was he fascinated by gravity and this was the perfect chance to get to learn about the practical intricacy of the spells, it would be glorious to train with an S-Class Mage. He had not forgotten about the headmaster’s quest, and there were only a few months to go until the end of the year.

However, it was not his place to decide.

Park Yuri had paid a hefty sum to buy his ti. It would be disrespectful to just hand part of that to Lee Jaehyun for free.

He glanced at the girl.

Park Yuri’s green eyes were distant even though she was looking straight at him. It took a second, but then she understood why he was looking at her.

“I don’t mind,” she said with a shrug. “But since I paid sothing, he’ll have to pay too. I don’t want to look like an idiot.”

rlin nodded. That was valid. He turned back to Lee Jaehyun who smiled.

“Of course, I’m willing to pay. Na your price.”

rlin had no desire for money. However, he was not also sure what exactly he needed at this very mont.

With Park Yuri he had requested a bow and arrows because he needed sothing that could take the place of magic when he began venturing into dungeons. He knew that punching harder with the help of mana would not always be fruitful in a battle, and so a piercing weapon that would give him range was his best bet in that regard.

But with Lee Jaehyun, his mind was blank.

In that case…

“Owe one,” he said.

Lee Jaehyun nodded. “No problem.”

rlin cleared his throat with a smile. “All right then, how do we set this up? Is there a capped ti for the reservation?” he asked Park Yuri.

“I didn’t specify,” she replied simply.

rlin nodded. He glanced at his smartwatch. It was currently past ten in the morning.

“Sunday’s the competition, so I advise that we use tomorrow to rest up for it. There’s no point going to fight if we’re exhausted. But we’re also not going to half-ass our training. In other words, we should train until we drop dead today.”

“I’m not particularly interested in dropping dead,” Park Yuri said.

Lee Jaehyun’s brows furrowed. rlin decided to step in.

“She’s joking,” he said, and Lee Jaehyun’s expression loosened in realization.

The lad didn’t need to think he was weird. rlin had been the sa too when he’d first heard her make a joke. It had sothing to do with how she said them with a straight face.

“Anyways,” rlin continued. “I think we should train until it’s evening. We’ll split the sessions into four. and Yuri, then and Jaehyun, then the both of you, and finally a three-way match. That way we all get to test each other’s strength. What do you say?”

Jaehyun didn’t mull it over for even half a second. “I like it.”

rlin turned to Yuri who only regarded him with a nod.

“Great,” he said. “Then let’s do this.”

“I’d like to test out a new spell today,” Yuri said, bringing rlin’s attention towards her. “It’s sothing I made for my opponent in the tournant.”

rlin’s brows narrowed. “A special spell?”

“I guess.”

“ too,” said Jaehyun. “I have sothing I want to test out.”

rlin smiled. He was surprised. They were all on the sa page. He too wanted to create and test out a versatile skill that would enable him to co out victorious in his fight. And now that he had the chance of fighting Marcus Reed, he was pumped even more.

On that note…

“Have you guys selected your opponents?” he asked.

“I did a bit of research, yes, and I have sent a matching request to one,” said Park Yuri.

“Who?” Jaehyun asked, curious.

“A B-Class Mage by the na: Naomi Chen,” she replied. “She’s a Tree Mage. I believe I stand a chance, considering my Hex.”

A Tree Mage would have sounded extrely fascinating to rlin, if only he hadn’t also watched the video of Crown Academy’s path to success in the opening stages of the tournant. They were a crew of individuals who had extrely frightening and interesting powers.

Lee Jaehyun inclined his head. “I don’t know, Yuri. Do you think the girl will match with you?”

Yuri folded her arms. “I don’t know, but that doesn’t matter. She’s my best path to victory among all of them. I know how that sounds, but this isn’t the ti to be selecting opponents based on pride. We have to win.”

“I wasn’t planning on criticizing you,” Jaehyun said.

“I think she will,” rlin chid in; Yuri and Jaehyun looked at him. “I think Naomi will match with her.”

“You sound so sure. Why?” Yuri asked.

“Most people think trees are inherently weak to fire, which they kind of are, but that is dependent on extre conditions like in the presence of low moisture. Many trees are also naturally resistant to fire. Like Redwood for example, they have high moisture and thick bark. It’ll be very hard to burn a tree like this down. I’m sure Naomi knows this, so she’ll match with you; it’ll be like a sneak attack. You go in thinking you’ll absolutely crush her, but then you’ll be shocked when you’re unable to burn down her trees.”

Park Yuri raised a brow. “How do you know so much about trees?”

rlin cleared his throat, suddenly bashful. “I spent the whole of yesterday in the infirmary. I was bored, so I studied the Hex of each Crown Academy student to a considerable degree in case I was paired with any one.”

Lee Jaehyun chuckled. “Geez.”

“I know. I know.” rlin scratched the back of his head. He then snapped his fingers. “Ah. One more thing. You know how I said burning trees requires certain conditions to be t? Well, generating them does too. Or I think they should.

“What do you an?” Jaehyun asked.

“Trees can’t just grow anywhere, you know? They need sunlight, a certain type of soil, carbon-dioxide, and water. If even one of these isn’t present, it’ll be a failure.”

“Yes,” said Yuri. “She was with a large pouch and a bottle of water during the first stage. I think she’s well aware of that.”

“So we have two options here,” rlin continued. “End the fight quickly so that she’s unable to create trees that will resist your fire; this can be done by just overwhelming her, or sucking out all the moisture in the atmosphere or drying her water. If you get what I an.”

“That sounds impractical,” Jaehyun noted. “If this Naomi girl matches with Yuri, then I’m sure she’ll be expecting that to happen. Besides, they also have a Fire Mage in their team. She’ll also train in preparation.”

“I agree,” said Yuri. “What’s the second option?”

rlin nodded. “That depends. What’s the new spell you wanted to test out?”

“Fire Wave,” Yuri replied. rlin waited, but she said nothing more.

“The chanics?” he asked.

“It’s a bit complicated to explain on the spot, but it simply requires that I compress oxygen into a dense oxygen pocket, fuel it with my mana and ignite it. This will launch a shockwave of heat and extre kinetic energy. It’s kind of a last ditch spell.”

rlin winced. That spell was dangerous. And yet, the one he had in mind was far more dangerous.

“You’ve already created this spell, right?”

“Obviously.”

“Good. Because I want you to create another.”

Yuri’s forehead creased. “What are you talking about?”

“I think to defeat Naomi, you’ll need sothing a bit stronger; sothing crazier.”

Jaehyun cleared his throat. “Uhm, rlin. A shockwave is nothing to scoff at. Are you asking her to destroy the whole school during the tournant?”

“No,” said rlin. “That’s why she’ll be creating two new spells and rging them in one.”

“Hey,” Yuri called. “You want to create two spells in less than a day? Are you out of your mind?”

rlin smiled. “Nope. I know you can do it.”

Yuri frowned.

“What are these spells?” Jaehyun asked.

“The first one is a containnt field,” rlin explained. “This will keep the spell from spreading outwards and affecting the audience. You’ll use your shockwave spell to practice this containnt field, at least to get the basics down flat, and then you’ll modify the field to fit your second spell.”

“Which is?” Yuri asked.

rlin felt a lump in his throat as he opened his mouth to spit out the spell in mind.

“Solar flare.”