>Chapter 38<

"… 58… 59… 1 minute exactly," Caedis said.

The boys were breathing heavily as they struggled to stand.

"As you can see, the affinity with the natural particles is very important. With magic having infinite possibilities, the basics are the very foundation to everything. The first basic is, as you can already see, magic control." He clapped his hands as he explained to the class. "Well then, let us get to work and see how well you do."

The students tried to feel the nature particles in the surroundings and controlled them to their wishes.

The result?

It took them about a minute and ten seconds to create a sword out of pure mature particles.

The result made the boys and Caedis fall into deep contemplation. Caedis already knew that this was the average time for a first year student to make a shape out of nature magic particles, but he just wanted to confirm it one more time. The group of human boys was here for only 11 days and yet, they already have better control than the locals, who have lived with magic particles surrounding them for their entire life.

Caedis replayed the one memory he got from the boys. It was the moment before they had appeared in this world. As he watched this scene, his eyes shone for a second before dimming to their original color.

On the other hand, the boys were even more confused than Caedis. It made sense, if you think about it. They haven't been in this world for very long and don't have all the necessary knowledge to create theories as to how they got here. So, they just gave up.

The class continued normally after that. They took small break and then tried to control the nature magic particles. This cycle repeated itself almost four times before class ended. Though, before the students could walk away, an announcement was waiting for the class as Caedis's voice resounded through the training grounds.

"The instructor for physical enhancement class is absent at the moment due to various reasons, which I won't explain." He said. "So, I am going to be the substitute instructor for this class. Meaning, we won't have to move from here."

The students just sighed and got back to their previous positions, as Caedis waited for them before speaking.

"Well then, can anyone tell me why we would like for you to learn close combat and train your bodies?"

The class fell silent at this question. They actually didn't know. It didn't make any sense. They have magic, so why would they need to learn how to throw a punch, when they can just send a giant fireball at their opponent?

"The answer is very simple. You just have to realize one thing." He made a dramatic pause. "You can just look a few minutes back, to what you were doing."

The students started to realize what he was pointing at.

"That's right. You don't know how to use magic."

Caedis didn't let the students get depressed because of just one sentence and said.

"But, that is not the only reason why we teach this exact class. Let me give you an example."

He took a stance with his left leg and bent his knee a little bit in front and his right leg sideways. He then put his left hand in front with his palm positioned vertically. He brought his right arm down to his side and clenched his hand, making a fist.

A ringing sound rang out as silence enveloped the place. The students observing Caedis's slow actions and Caedis breathing slowly with closed eyes.

All of a sudden, Caedis's eyes opened and in a swift motion, he punched the air with his right hand, his whole body moving forward very slowly and quick at the same time.

*Boom*

As the air twisted around his slow and fast moving fist, a loud sound was heard all over the training ground, its never-ending echoes resounding in the students' ears.

The whole place froze after that demonstration. The students watching Caedis were just standing, unmoving. Caedis, the man himself, just relaxed his body before standing up normally and he looked at the students, and now, the new member of their little gathering… the half-circular ravine that was a hundred meters long and ten meters in diameter.

The students' eyes almost popped out of their eye-sockets.

"As you can see, magic can also be used for body-strengthening. Though, it isn't exactly used to make ravines in the ground, as that has no constructive use whatsoever, except for making canals." Caedis broke the silence and explained. "What i did just now was basically strengthen my muscles with nature particles. But, I have to warn you, the use of this magic is very limited, unless you have a healing attribute or a lot of regeneration potions on you."

"Huh? Why is that, Instructor Caedis?" One of the students broke out of their trance and asked.

"You see, using magic particles on a weak body with no muscles whatsoever can tear it apart from the resulting force. So, let me ask you, can you destroy a mountain, if you yourself can't even withstand a punch of the same caliber?" Caedis spoke. "What we will be doing is basically hardening your shell. Now, the body enhancement doesn't increase your body strength, it only makes your body indestructible to your own attack. Beware though, this raining is very hard and more than half of all the students stopped coming to the body enhancement class after a first few classes. This is why the academy decided to not grade this class, meaning, it is not mandatory to attend, since most of the students' minds broke during their second class."

"Instructor Caedis, how exactly will we enhance our bodies if body strengthening is just inserting magic particles inside our body?" A student questioned.

A sadistic smile appeared on Caedis's face, when a deadly pressure descended upon all the students, making some of them fall to the ground, while some of them struggled to stand with their knees buckling underneath.

"This is how." Caedis finally replied as the pressure increased.