Chapter 142: Magic Demonstration [Two-in-One]

Chapter 142: Magic Demonstration [Two-in-One]

"Good morning, Dean!"

"Good morning!"

In the early morning, at the front seating area of Felix Brilliance Square, the nobility of Keville exchanged warm greetings.

Many were surprised to find that this year's opening ceremony of Felix Magic Academy was exceptionally lively, with numerous long-unseen veteran mages making appearances.

"Mentor Darnell? Ah, it really is you!"

Duke Mallory, the Empire's second-largest mine owner, was astonished to discover that his Magic Mentor, Darnell, had also come. He hadn’t even known when Mentor Darnell had returned to Willis City.

"Little Mallory? Haha, should I address you as 'Your Grace' now?"

"Mentor, you flatter me. Before you, I will always be Little Mallory. Mananxi, let me introduce you—this is my Magic Mentor, Mentor Darnell! His magical prowess is second only to the Gods of Magic, and he’s likely not far from that realm himself!"

"You overpraise me. Becoming a Grand Archmage is no easy feat!"

"You’re too modest! By the way, why have you returned so suddenly?"

"Lucien told me Ajef would be giving a speech. Since I had nothing else to do, I thought I’d come and listen."

Darnell, already in his twilight years, spoke casually, but a glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes.

Duke Mallory paused at these words, then looked at his white-haired, aging mentor with a complicated expression.

His mentor had grown old.

The purple-robed mantle of power and status could not conceal his withering frame.

When Duke Mallory had still been a magic apprentice, Mentor Darnell had already worn the purple robes.

By the time Duke Mallory donned the red robes, Mentor Darnell remained in purple.

This wasn’t a testament to Duke Mallory’s extraordinary talent, nor was it proof of Darnell’s incompetence.

It simply showed how arduous the path to the Black-Robed Grand Archmage was!

Mentor Darnell specialized in Light Magic and was the most accomplished practitioner of it in the Empire.

Decades ago, after hitting a wall in his Light Magic studies, he gritted his teeth and began cultivating fire magic as well. Now, he was a dual-element Grand Archmage.

But what did it matter, even if he mastered all elements?

Without ascending to the rank of Grand Archmage, one remained an ant for life.

Would Duke Mallory ever wear the black robes in this lifetime?

Instinctively, he lowered his gaze to his right hand, where three magic rings adorned his fingers. On his thumb rested a Void Divine Ring.

Inside the ring’s inner band was inscribed an Internet Divine Technique.

Thinking of the benefits—especially the Source Essence—represented by this technique, Duke Mallory felt a surge of mixed emotions.

No one could guarantee they would ever wear the black robes.

But his chances were far higher than his mentor’s.

Because he had the precious resources brought by the Internet God!

As Duke Mallory wrestled with his thoughts, time slipped away, and the opening ceremony began.

Dean Dandell, a Black-Robed God of Magic, took the stage to officially announce the commencement of the ceremony.

"On behalf of Felix Magic Academy, I declare the opening ceremony officially begun! Now, please welcome Felix’s representative, the legendary mage Ajef, to the stage for his speech."

"Whoosh—"

The quiet seating area erupted instantly!

"Ajef!"

Countless magic apprentices roared in unison!

Amidst the fervent gazes of the crowd, Yu Sheng'an, clad in a White Robe, stepped onto the podium.

He exchanged a warm chest-patting greeting with Dandell, whispering a few words, their rapport evident for all to see.

As Dandell stepped back, the vast stage was left with only Yu Sheng'an standing alone.

If gazes could emit light, Yu Sheng'an at this moment would undoubtedly be blindingly radiant!

Yu Sheng'an walked to the front of the stage and swept his eyes across the surroundings:

The spacious, ring-shaped seating area was packed with mages, and even the very back rows were crammed with countless magic apprentices standing shoulder to shoulder.

Every single pair of eyes was fixed intently on him!

Some looked at the great and unfathomable god behind him—the Internet God.

Some admired his profound mastery of magic.

Some marveled at his wealth that rivaled nations.

Some revered his soaring fame.

And others saw in him the light of freedom and hope!

Under the gaze of thousands, a white line suddenly flashed into existence behind Yu Sheng'an.

The line gradually widened, unfurling to both sides—revealing none other than the earliest form of the internet, the Virtual Scroll.

On the scroll, bold text flickered into view:

[Are you ready? Let’s begin the self-introduction.]

This scene left the audience exchanging bewildered glances.

What kind of speech was this?

Amidst their confusion, the image on the Virtual Scroll shifted:

It showed the microgravity laboratory of the Magic Forest, where a group of magic apprentices trembled as they stared at Yu Sheng'an.

In the frame, only half of Yu Sheng'an’s face was visible, his expression twisted with intensity.

The image flashed away, leaving behind bold text:

[I am the merciless director of the research institute.]

Silence.

The entire auditorium fell dead quiet in an instant, countless jaws dropping in shock at Yu Sheng'an’s first statement.

On the stands, Eileen and even the research assistants from the Magic Forest were utterly dumbfounded.

Because the scene depicted was unmistakably one of them being reprimanded.

Before anyone could react, the image changed again.

Amidst the ruins of Sparda, demonic figures ran rampant, blood and severed limbs littering the ground, while Yu Sheng'an floated high above, his gaze cold and detached.

[I am the city-slaughtering butcher who kills without blinking!]

Then, a bustling production line appeared, workers drenched in sweat as they frantically attended to their tasks.

[I am the greedy, tyrannical boss of the Dragon Factory!]

Next, a weathered wanted poster on a foreign city wall, with Ajef’s profile picture prominently displayed.

[I am a fugitive worth five million gold coins!]

One flashing image and declaration after another left the audience at Felix utterly stunned.

Who had ever seen a PowerPoint-style self-introduction like this?

The sheer visual impact of these self-deprecating, self-mocking images left the entire venue in stunned silence, countless mouths agape.

Holy crap, the internet can be used like this?!

No wonder he’s a follower of the Internet God!

Freaking legendary!

Just as the crowd erupted in gasps, the tone of the images suddenly turned playful.

A street scene appeared, with Yu Sheng'an leisurely riding a bicycle amidst a bustling crowd.

[I am the legendary background extra.]

Then, inside the grand hall of Felix, a row of bronze statues was shown—among them, Yu Sheng'an’s likeness stood out.

Yet the scene was eerie and unsettling. While the statues of other legendary mages were shrouded in darkness, Yu Sheng'an’s alone glowed faintly, appearing unnervingly vivid from a certain angle.

["I am a Hall of Fame legendary mage—well, the only one still alive, and I’m a little scared."]

Amidst a dazzling display of light, Yu Sheng'an, clad in white training sword attire, rode a bicycle with a red-robed, black-haired woman perched behind him. No one knew who she was.

["I am a fashion trendsetter!"]

["I am a lover of offal noodles!"]

["I am the strongest farmer who can't farm!"]

One after another, images paired with text flashed before the audience, their jaws dropping wider with each reveal, until finally settling on the last seven words:

["I am a mage."]

Beneath these bold characters, Yu Sheng'an smiled, placed a hand over his chest, and bowed deeply to the stands.

Only then did the crowd realize—Ajef had just finished his self-introduction!

In an instant, thunderous applause erupted!

"Wow, that was so flashy!"

"Hahaha, I knew Lord Ajef would always be one of a kind!"

"So cool! I want to introduce myself like that too!"

"Legendary!"

In the stands, countless magic apprentices screamed in fervent excitement.

This was the kind of self-introduction that belonged to the youth!

Not those stale, tedious, lecturing openers filled with the condescension of so-called elders!

Once again, Yu Sheng'an had sparked a new fashion trend!

Of course, that was a story for later.

As Yu Sheng'an surveyed the roaring crowd, a flicker of regret crossed his face.

To preserve the last shred of dignity befitting the "Internet God," he couldn’t add more elements to the slides—otherwise, it would’ve been even more entertaining.

"Good morning, everyone. I am Ajef. A month ago, Dandell and Lucien suddenly approached me, asking me to come give a speech. Since my confirmation of the hypothesis that Thunder can convert to Light led to Light Magic falling out of favor, they wanted me to persuade the magic apprentices. I admit—this is my fault, so I’m here to take responsibility."

Yu Sheng'an began his speech. Though his words weren’t particularly humorous, the crowd erupted in laughter.

"So, is the theme of my speech today to promote Light Magic? No, no—quite the opposite. I believe Light Magic is the most useless magic, especially for those with average talent."

The moment these words left his mouth, countless magic apprentices in the audience exchanged bewildered glances.

Lucien was utterly dumbfounded.

My dear Lord Ajef, I invited you to speak well of Light Magic, not to trash it!

Many mages who specialized in Light Magic flushed with anger.

Even if you’re powerful, Ajef, you can’t just insult our Light Magic!

Just as the crowd erupted into an uproar, Yu Sheng'an continued, "Why do I think Light Magic is useless? The reason is simple—it’s too complex. Ordinary people can’t possibly master it. This is a domain only gods are qualified to touch."

The moment his voice faded, the previously chaotic audience fell dead silent.

The Light Magic mages exchanged glances, stunned by this sudden twist.

Snap!

Yu Sheng'an flicked his fingers, and a beam of white light suddenly descended from above, landing beside him.

Like a harpist plucking strings, he reached out and manipulated the light.

Under his touch, the light transformed into distinct rays of rainbow hues.

"As everyone knows, light is composed of seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. The application of Light Magic is built upon this foundation—united, it becomes a light burst; separated, it becomes illusion; twisted, it grants invisibility; concentrated, it burns."

Below, Grand Archmage Darnell nodded subtly upon hearing this. Although Ajef's summary of light was rough, it was largely accurate.

But then Yu Sheng'an's next words made his breath hitch.

"But is light truly limited to just seven colors? Are its abilities really so few?"

"I’ve always wondered—where does the destructive power of the third-level spell Focused Beam come from? Is it really just as simple as concentrating beams of light?"

Darnell could no longer remain seated. His breathing grew rapid as he stared at Yu Sheng'an.

The stands erupted in murmurs.

Countless mages exchanged uncertain glances.

Could it be that Ajef had made a groundbreaking discovery about Light Magic?

"I need an assistant. Who’s willing to come up?" Yu Sheng'an said.

"Me!"

"Pick me!"

Countless magic apprentices excitedly raised their hands.

"Lord Ajef, let me do it!"

Clairement also shouted eagerly, even standing up in her enthusiasm.

At her words, the magic apprentices immediately fell silent. After all, she was the Empire’s princess—some courtesy had to be shown.

Yu Sheng'an looked at Clairement and shook his head. "You’re a girl. It’s not suitable for you."

With that, he stretched out his hand, and a beam of white light suddenly shot toward a young man at the very back of the stands, who had been forced to stand due to the lack of seats.

In an instant, all eyes turned to him.

"Would you be willing to assist me in this magic demonstration?" Yu Sheng'an asked with a smile.

"O-of course! I—I’d be honored, Lord Ajef!" The young man stammered, overwhelmed with excitement.

"Excellent!"

As soon as the words left Yu Sheng'an’s mouth, the young man suddenly floated uncontrollably into the air.

To the audience, it looked as though he had been locked onto by a beam of light, drifting along its path toward Yu Sheng'an.

"It’s the Traction Beam!"

"Is this the divine technique of light tweezers?"

Gasps of astonishment filled the air.

Everyone recognized this ability—it was the signature Traction Beam used by airships.

"Look, this is one of light’s capabilities! Though currently, only divine techniques can achieve this, I firmly believe that as we continue to analyze light, magic will one day accomplish the same."

Yu Sheng'an declared loudly.

Darnell’s excitement froze, a flicker of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

Was Ajef’s magic demonstration just the light tweezer?

If so, then this trip would be a waste for him!

This offered him no help whatsoever.

Everyone knew this was the authority of the Internet God. While magic might eventually decipher it, would he even live to see that day?

In truth, he had been trying to analyze the divine technique of light tweezers himself, but progress had been minimal.

Just as everyone assumed Yu Sheng'an’s demonstration was over—

Yu Sheng'an slung a friendly arm around the young man’s shoulders and asked with a grin, "What’s your name?"

The young man was so nervous he didn’t know where to put his hands. "I—I’m Andre," he stammered.

"Great name. Are you willing to dedicate yourself to magic? Don’t worry—it won’t kill you, and neither your body nor your soul will lose any parts."

"Y-yes, of course!"

How could Andre refuse?

He didn’t even dare glance toward the stands.

The sheer weight of countless eyes on him made his back prickle with discomfort, his nerves frayed.

Especially the murderous glare from Clairement, the Empire’s princess in the front row.

"Excellent! Before we begin the magic demonstration, let's chat for a moment. Why were you standing in the back row?" Yu Sheng'an tilted his head and asked.

"I... I overslept!"

"Wow!" The crowd erupted in gasps.

Andre immediately felt a wave of shame wash over him!

Unbeknownst to him, in the eyes of the audience, his White Robe had gradually turned transparent, revealing the clothes beneath.

Clairement, who had been grinding her teeth in frustration over Andre stealing her chance to get close to Ajef, suddenly flushed crimson!

Now she finally understood why Lord Ajef had said, "You're a girl, it wouldn't be appropriate."

"Wow, I always thought I was famous enough that no one would dare oversleep on the day of my lecture. Haha... Thank you for showing me my shortcomings," Yu Sheng'an chuckled.

Andre's inner clothes grew even more transparent, exposing a patched-up garment.

"N-no! It wasn’t oversleeping! I... I’ve never slept in such a nice dorm before, I... I had insomnia, so... so..." Andre stammered, growing increasingly flustered.

Yu Sheng'an’s gaze flickered as he noticed the tattered clothes hidden beneath Andre’s robe, and some of his teasing demeanor faded.

He turned to the audience and said, "Listen to this. I heard that when Felix’s private dorms were converted to four-person rooms, many magic apprentices complained endlessly! But did you know? The very conditions you grumble about are paradise in someone else’s eyes!"

The stands fell silent.

Xi Ze instinctively clenched his fists.

Ajef’s words struck a chord deep within him.

"Have you ever considered specializing in Light Magic in the future?" Yu Sheng'an asked Andre.

"N-no!" Andre wiped sweat from his brow.

"Why not?"

"I... I don’t even know if I can graduate!" Andre admitted honestly.

"Wow!"

The crowd burst into murmurs again.

Andre burned with humiliation, feeling like his lack of ambition had disgraced magic itself.

He didn’t realize that his clothes—and even his skin—had suddenly turned transparent.

To the audience, he now appeared as a bloody figure, his muscles, heaving lungs, frantically beating heart, and writhing internal organs all laid bare.

"I believe you’ll graduate. In fact, I believe you’ll go even further. Do you trust my judgment?" Yu Sheng'an said.

Andre froze, instinctively meeting Yu Sheng'an’s gaze.

The sheer conviction in those eyes sent a shock through his entire body.

A surge of something—Courage—flooded from his limbs straight into his mind.

Gritting his teeth, he nodded solemnly. "I believe you!"

The venue fell silent.

No one jeered at him anymore.

Andre felt... recognized.

Now, in the eyes of the audience, he had transformed into a moving pink Skeleton.

"Good. That’s the spirit a magic apprentice should have!"

Yu Sheng'an nodded approvingly and lifted the arm that had been draped over Andre’s shoulder.

Instantly, the pink Skeleton that was Andre in the eyes of the crowd reverted to his normal self.

"Go on back now."

Yu Sheng'an patted Andre’s shoulder again, causing his body to flicker wildly—transparent one moment, skeletal the next, before finally stabilizing.

Andre took a deep breath and, under the weight of countless gazes, strode down the aisle toward the back row.

He felt that in this fleeting conversation, his soul and courage had been elevated!

"If even Lord Ajef thinks highly of me, then no one else has the right to deny me!"

"I will definitely graduate, and I will go far on the path of magic!"

Andre clenched his fists tightly, his entire body trembling with emotion.

Yet at this moment, it wasn’t just Andre who was trembling!

Darnell’s aged body shook uncontrollably.

The magic Yu Sheng’an had displayed so effortlessly surpassed his wildest imagination!

That wasn’t an illusion?

Nor was it light refraction!

It was an ability beyond comprehension!

At this moment, whether they were imperial nobles or magic apprentices, everyone was stunned.

Yu Sheng’an walked up to the seven colored beams of light and said, "In truth, beyond the seven colors of light, there are many other kinds—colorless light, light that cannot be seen with the naked eye!"

He snapped his fingers, and a virtual screen appeared before the beams.

Through the filtered depiction on the virtual screen, the crowd was shocked to discover that beyond the seven beams, there were even more beams of light.

"Whoa—"

"What is this—?"

Everyone was utterly shaken by the beams revealed through the virtual screen’s filtration.

"The ability I just demonstrated was from one of these beams—it possesses penetrating imaging capabilities! In fact, every beam here has its own unique ability!"

Yu Sheng’an snapped his fingers again.

All the beams of light vanished instantly.

"This is Light Magic! I advise you all—unless you have absolute perseverance, do not dabble in it lightly, because it will utterly captivate you!"

As Yu Sheng’an concluded, the entire hall erupted in excitement.

"My heavens! This is incredible!"

"Unbelievable! This discovery alone is worthy of the Hall of Fame!"

"Lord Ajef is already in the Hall of Fame, isn’t he?"

"Absolutely mind-blowing!"

"I’m switching my major to Light Magic!"

At this moment, Lucien on the viewing platform finally exhaled in relief.

But the shock that followed sent his entire body trembling, his heart pounding wildly!

Ajef truly lived up to being a follower of the Internet God—he was practically a treasure trove of magic!

If not for his sudden inspiration to have him speak a few good words on behalf of Light Magic, how could such a world-shaking magical discovery have been unveiled?

Now, he no longer had to worry about Light Magic being neglected.

In fact, far from worrying, he should be concerned about whether Light Magic might become too popular, overshadowing the development of other magical disciplines!

"Every branch of magic holds unimaginable potential—whether it’s Light Magic, Thunder Magic, or any other. There are no useless magics, only useless mages!"

"I hope you all follow your hearts and choose your major magic with care, free from external influences."

"Even more, I hope you break free from traditional magical frameworks, maintain a questioning spirit, and journey ever further on the path of magic!"

Yu Sheng’an’s speech came to an end.

"Whoosh—"

The applause in the hall thundered on without end!

Everyone on the viewing platform rose to their feet in unison, showering Ajef with the most fervent applause!

It was clear—a magic storm was about to sweep through the Keville Empire and even the entire Azarea Continent!

But before that, Yu Sheng’an had to answer some questions from the magic apprentices.

This was a traditional custom of Felix.

The first question from the magic apprentices instantly piqued widespread curiosity!

"Ajef, may I ask what realm your current magical attainments have reached?"