Chapter 60: The Power of a War Magus

As the training session drew to a close, Cheol Su's encounter with Lady Quan Yu and his subsequent interaction with his Cyprus system had cast a curious shadow over the events of the day. For Yuer Mo, the day's revelations had only served to deepen the mystery surrounding her enigmatic classmate, and her curiosity was piqued. As the class filed out of the training hall, Cheol Su lingering behind to nurse his bruised ego, Lady Quan Yu turned her attention to Yuer Mo. "Ms. Mo," she said, her voice cool and even. "It is your turn to demonstrate your powers."

Yuer Mo nodded, her face a mask of serenity, though her eyes held a glint of anticipation. "Of course, Lady Quan Yu," she replied, her voice as calm as an icy pond. "I am honored to showcase my abilities." In her demonstration, Yuer Mo's prowess as a War Magus was on full display. The elegance with which she weaved the frost dragon into being spoke of her innate control over the elements. But it was the way she imbued the dragon with such fierce cunning and tactical finesse, manipulating its movements and attacks with seamless precision, that truly set her apart.

The dragon's every strike was a calculated attack, its icy breath and razor-sharp claws strategically targeting weak points and vulnerabilities in its perceived opponents. As the dragon's dance of destruction came to an end, Yuer Mo remained composed, her stance relaxed but poised. The dragon shrank back into a shimmering orb of ice, which she caught in one hand and held out for Lady Quan Yu to examine.

"Most impressive," Lady Quan Yu said, taking the icy sphere in her own hand. The cold radiating from it seemed to leave no impression upon her. "A keen sense of battle strategy, coupled with a mastery of the element."

"With students of your caliber," Lady Quan Yu replied, returning the sphere to Yuer Mo, "the future of the college is assured."

As the training session drew to a close, Yuer Mo's arrival at the Advanced Arcane Academy had made an indelible impression. Whether friend or foe, the evolvers would soon come to learn that the ice maiden was not to be underestimated.

Meanwhile, Cheol Su nursed his wounded pride. He knew he could not match Yuer Mo's tactical prowess. As the class filed out of the training hall, their conversations buzzing with the events of the day, Lady Quan Yu's voice rang out once more, commanding their attention. "The events of today, while entertaining, have served a purpose beyond showcasing your talents. They have brought to light a grave issue that must be addressed."

Her gaze swept over the evolvers, settling on Cheol Su and Yuer Mo in particular. "Control. Both of you displayed tremendous power, yet lacked the discipline to control that power. Today's lesson will focus on that very topic." With that, Lady Quan Yu directed the class to a series of practice fields behind the training hall. The fields were empty, save for a series of wooden targets placed at varying distances.

"Today, you will practice channeling your elemental magic into a steady stream of energy. The targets will help you focus. You will begin at a distance of 20 feet. Should you manage to hit your mark, you may move forward. Should you miss, you will move back." One by one, the evolvers stepped up to the firing line, taking their places before the targets. Elsa stepped up first, her features set in a determined mask as she aimed a stream of frost at her target. The ice hit the mark, leaving behind a glittering blue stain.

Kai followed suit, unleashing a torrent of flames that left nothing but a smoking crater in the wood.

Wu Long was next, transmuting the wood into a molten puddle with a mere wave of his hand. And so, the pattern continued, each evolver showcasing their mastery of their element. For the most part, they hit their marks, earning them the right to move forward to the next set of targets.

When it came time for Cheol Su to demonstrate his skills, however, his power began to spiral out of control. The fire, ice, lightning, and wind elements he had once commanded with relative ease now seemed to have minds of their own, twisting and writhing in his grasp.

Yuer Mo, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but feel a glimmer of amusement at his predicament. As Cheol Su's control faltered, the elements around him began to collide and react in unpredictable ways. Fire blazed too hot, ice froze too hard, lightning sparked too wildly, and wind howled too fiercely. Each element surged in turn, threatening to tear free of his grasp.

Lady Quan Yu stepped forward, her expression disapproving. "Cheol Su," she said, the word sharp and cutting. "Your training here at the academy will be rigorous, but your lack of discipline will only impede your progress. You must learn to master the elements, not the other way around. With a curt nod, Lady Quan Yu turned to face the remaining targets. "Very well," she said. "I shall provide an example."

With the utmost precision, she unleashed a torrent of energy, each element summoned in turn. The fire came first, scorching the target with flames so hot they turned the wood to ash. Then the ice, freezing the next target solid, the wood turning blue and brittle. The lightning and wind followed, each striking the next two targets with a deadly accuracy. The evolvers watched, awestruck, as Lady Quan Yu's elemental mastery played out before them. She controlled the flow of energy with a surgeon's precision, neither too much nor too little, each element acting in perfect harmony.

She turned back to the evolvers, her expression stern but not unkind. "It is not enough to unleash your power. You must learn to control its flow. Each element has its strengths and its weaknesses, and if you do not understand them, you will never achieve the level of mastery you seek."

And so, the lesson continued into the afternoon, the evolvers taking turns firing at the targets and adjusting their energy output with Lady Quan Yu's guidance.

By the end of the day, some made progress, learning to control their magic with greater precision. Others, like Cheol Su, struggled to find the delicate balance of power that would keep their magic from running amok.

Yuer Mo, however, faced the targets with a controlled and calculating grace, her elemental mastery as icy and controlled as her demeanor.