Diligence

A crackling beam of terrifying energy shot out from the tip of Adam's fingers. However, this energy beam did not shoot out in a straight line, but in an unpredictable crisscross manner.

The energy beam zigzagged its way across the room and shot past the training dummy that Adam had been aiming at. Ultimately, the spell ended up missing the mark by a large distance and landed on the ceiling at the other end of the room.

Adam, on the other hand, was swept off of his feet and landed a few meters away because of the spell's recoil.

He looked at his right hand in horror. It had already gone numb!

Realizing what had just happened, the youth couldn't help but gulp nervously. "I'm afraid if it wasn't for my flesh being constantly nourished by mana, my hand would have been severely injured."

He was slowly beginning to understand just why each minor stage of Rank 1 Mana Foundation was so crucial to a Magus. Without the proper foundation, a Magus would end up becoming a victim of their own spell.

Adam got to his feet and looked at the area on the ceiling where his spell had landed. That part of the ceiling was glowing with purple light as the runes continued to absorb the energy.

His back was drenched in cold sweat as he mumbled, "What if this spell landed on another person…"

He believed that if this spell landed on a person, it was sure to leave a bloody hole in them!

Of course, that's only if it's a normal person with no exposure to mana. But this realization still brought chills down his spine.

"As expected of one of the most devastating attack-type spells amongst Rank 1 spells!" Adam marveled.

He got into position and prepared to cast the spell one more time. "Again!"

There were only a few days left until his duel with Lisa, and he had to make the most of every possible second to perfect his spells.

Initially, he had accepted the challenge because of his need for money. But now, things were different. He had already made a lot of money by selling potions and would continue to do so.

Now, he just wanted to duke it out with a genius Magus who had an A-grade aptitude.

Adam's eyes shone with fighting spirit as he completed the physical and model components. His lips curled up into a wide grin as he cast the spell one more time.

BOOM!

…

Just as Adam was preparing for the upcoming duel, Lisa was also doing the same. She didn't become complacent just because she had an advantage over Adam in terms of talent.

Not only did Lisa have a great talent for spell-casting, but she was also an incredibly hardworking young girl. Perhaps her sheer diligence was the reason why she was able to excel as a Magus at such an early age.

Inside another state-of-the-art training facility on campus, Lisa was currently battling a dozen training dummies made of wood and straw. As it turned out, apart from spell-casting, Lisa was also very proficient in hand-to-hand combat.

This was a given. After all, she did come in second place in the combat assessment.

The dozen training dummies slowly surrounded her, but Lisa remained unfazed. She allowed them to completely surround her. And right when the moment was right, her eyes shone with brilliance.

She crouched down and placed her hand on the ground. A magic circle lit up under her palm, and the next moment she muttered calmly.

"Shape Earth!"

This was a rank 1 spell from the School of Alteration. The moment this spell was cast, the ground beneath Lisa rippled outwards, and wave after waves of mud spread out in all directions, causing the straw dummies to lose their balance and fall over.

Lisa rushed in one direction as she wielded her wooden staff. The straw dummies were magically created constructs and thus had some levels of sentience. They wanted to dodge Lisa's attacks, but because of the rippling ground underneath them, they were unable to.

And just like that, with a simple wave of her staff, Lisa was able to demolish the majority of the wooden dummies one after another. By the time the dummies got to their feet, she had already destroyed over half a dozen of them.

Throughout the whole time, she remained calm and composed.

Before the rest of the dummies made their move, Lisa dashed toward them once again and raised her staff. With great accuracy, she hammered the staff down vertically.

BAM!

The wooden dummy's body instantly exploded into splinters. Another dummy came forth and swung its fist at her face. Lisa calmly side-stepped and dodged the attack. Then, she swung her staff upward at lightning speed and destroyed the dummy's upper body.

Suddenly, her eyes narrowed and she retreated a few steps. Right as she had retreated, three dummies crashed at the spot she was earlier at.

Having missed their attacks, the last three dummies rushed in her direction. One of the dummies pounced at her, intending to take her down and pin her to the ground.

However, Lisa gracefully somersaulted in the air, dodging the takedown. While her body was positioned in the air right on top of the dummy, she extended her fair hand and tapped the dummy's head with her finger.

Her hand movements were so quick that she had already completed the spell's physical component before her finger touched the dummy's head.

Rank 1 Spell: Frostbite!

A thin layer of frost formed on the dummy's head and slowly made its way to the rest of its body. But Lisa didn't wait. She immediately waved her staff in mid-air and shattered the dummy's head.

BAM!

Before she had even landed on the ground, the dummy was already decapitated!

Just as she landed on the ground, the remaining two dummies had already attacked her with their fists.

Seeing this, Lisa smirked.

She placed her hand on the ground once again and a magic circle lit up with resplendent light.

Rank 1 Spell: Shape Earth!

However, this time, instead of waves rippling outward, two earthen spears shot out from the ground and instantly impaled the two dummies. This was yet another application of this rank 1 spell.

Lisa got to her feet and swung her staff again, destroying the last two dummies with great ease. She exhaled a deep breath and nudged her black-rimmed glasses as she looked at the dozen dummies she had just destroyed in the span of a minute!

Right at that moment, the sound of applause could be heard from the direction of the training facility's entrance.

"Bravo! As expected of my dear Lisa."

Listening to this voice, Lisa's fists clenched tightly, and anger and hatred flashed across her eyes.

But when she turned around and looked in the direction of the voice, the animosity was instantly replaced by a smile.

A forced smile.