I got into school for nothing - 131
I got into school for nothing (131)
Lesson 27. Mock Constellation War - 1
Tuesday afternoon of the 9th week, Professor Zenon's lecture, 'Babylon and Constellations', was taking place in Room 3, West Corridor, 8th Floor of the Academy Main Building.
At the sight of the students, unable to settle down and buzzing with anticipation, Ban Yuwon, though flustered, settled into his usual seat with his friends. Just then, Professor Zenon emerged from the lecture preparation room, a faint smile gracing his face, and surveyed the students.
“It seems everyone is anticipating this,” Professor Zenon began. “Indeed, it can't be delayed any longer... That's right. Starting today, we will commence the Mock Constellation War.”
“Finally!”
“Delightful!”
It was a little awkward to watch the students, mostly fourth and fifth-years, all jumping with joy.
Even more so for the students from the Special Class, whose inherent trait was to look down on others.
“In previous lectures, I have sufficiently explained the Babylonian civilization and the Constellations. Now, it's time to internalize that through practical application. So, before we delve into the Mock Constellation War, let's activate the Orb――.”
Professor Zenon placed his hand on the massive black orb—the Orb—that had been conspicuously situated in the center of the lecture hall throughout the entire class.
At that moment, Ban Yuwon felt a strange pressure fill the lecture hall.
No, this is—Zenon's power.
It was Zenon's power of 'Annihilation'!
“Good. You should indeed be wary.”
Zenon spoke as if reading Ban Yuwon's agitation.
“But right now, my power is being channeled through this Orb and is used solely to block the interference of Constellations, so you may rest assured.”
That was also true.
Students who had already attended his lecture more than once sat calmly in their seats, while others were buzzing, each trying to find their contracted Constellation.
And that was true for Ban Yuwon as well—he could normally sever his connection with Constellations at will, but now he felt that it was already cut.
Indeed, to call it a Mock Constellation War and, right from the start, create a space that blocks Constellations...
It seems the prefix 'Mock' isn't there without cause.
“Then, before we delve into the main lecture, a word of warning. Everything seen, heard, and experienced in this lecture must be kept strictly confidential. Everyone, come forward, place your hand on the Orb, and swear an oath. Students who have attended the lecture before should also come forward.”
Place one's hand on an Orb swirling with a vortex that seemed capable of sucking one into an abyss if touched incorrectly?
Ban Yuwon was likely not the only one who felt an instinctive repulsion.
However, Zenon continued in a firm tone.
“If you are unwilling, you may leave this room right now. I will not stop you. Nor will there be any disadvantage to your academic grades. However, you will never be able to attend my lectures again.”
“Yuwon...”
“It'll be fine.”
“Yeah, it's fine.”
Ban Yuwon blinked and turned at the sudden voice from behind him, to find Mira, the black-haired fairy girl, standing there as if it were the most natural thing.
In addition, a fleeting glimpse of Ketra beyond her was somewhat bothersome.
He wore a truly pitiful expression, but Mira seemed completely unaware of his presence, let alone conscious of him.
Perhaps the measures taken by the Student Council President had been effective.
No, but now wasn't the time to worry about Ketra; the problem was Mira, whose face was right in front of him.
“What? Why are you here?”
“I also made a contract with a Constellation, you know. So I've officially started attending lectures this week. I suppose you could say I caught the last train.”
“So it's possible to join even at this point...”
But considering the astonishing achievements Mira had recently shown in the Tower, it was entirely plausible.
Why hadn't he thought of that?
If she had intended to surprise Ban Yuwon, she had succeeded.
Mira giggled and whispered into his ear.
“Surprised, weren't you? ...Are you happy?”
“Shhh, it's lecture time.”
“Ahem, right. More importantly, about that.”
Rucell's gentle voice interjected, halting Mira's approach.
Mira, pushed back by Rucell's logical remark, cleared her throat, then extended a slender finger, pointed at the Orb, and spoke.
“The Chancellor and Professor Zenon were the main creators of this, but I heard Professor Campanella also helped with its production. There are safety measures in place, so don't worry.”
“If that's the case...”
Truthfully, even if it were somewhat dangerous, he had no intention of turning back and leaving.
They exchanged glances, nodded, then rose from their chairs and headed for the center of the lecture hall.
“Is everyone ready?”
Zenon made a final check with the students.
It might not matter, but the sight of the students surrounding the massive Orb and reaching out their hands looked like nothing short of a cult ritual, no matter how one tried to interpret it.
“Then, extend one hand to the Orb. Has everyone touched the Orb? Do you swear not to disclose any experiences from this place to the outside? Good, then from this moment on—the Mock Constellation War begins.”
At that moment, the world inverted.
Boundary, Severance, Protection, Reversal, Expansion, Creation——.
Various concepts, each imbued with immense profundity, seized and transformed the space, ultimately creating a subspace isolated not only from the Academy but also from this world.
“Did you notice, Ban Yuwon?”
Before Ban Yuwon knew it, Zenon was standing before his eyes.
He was already strong, but within this 'Boundary', he had transformed into an utterly absolute being.
And the same was true for Ban Yuwon.
“It's become a structure similar to the Tower. Here, even if you die, you don't truly die, right?”
“That's correct. I'll give you 5 bonus points.”
It was indeed a structure difficult for anyone but Ban Yuwon to grasp instantly.
But the moment the Boundary was born, countless concepts arose and dominated the space, and the mana originating from the Orb expanded the space while endlessly splitting it, creating many 'rooms'.
Once he realized that he had been separated from the other students and his companions and trapped in one of those rooms, it was impossible not to notice what this was modeled after.
If Ban Yuwon were to name this place now, he would call it 'Tower of Babel VR (Virtual Reality)'.
Though it would be more accurate to consider it AR (Augmented Reality) rather than VR, such a finicky distinction wasn't necessary.
“For countless ages, we have strived to create a structure in imitation of the Tower, and the space created by this Orb is the fruit of that endeavor.”
Zenon extended both arms, creating a sword in one hand and a staff in the other.
“Though it is an infinitely limited space, within it, we can manipulate phenomena. If one were to become the Tower Lord, they could create things like this, or even more incredible things, within the Tower itself. This space was created with the purpose of exploring the Tower's possibilities and limitations.”
“It's a simulation. A simulation to understand and conquer the Tower more deeply.”
“Precisely. Unlike students from other dimensions, your comprehension is exceptionally quick. I'll give you another 5 bonus points.”
He wondered if this man was giving out too many points.
Then again, considering the unfair penalty points he received at the beginning of the semester, he thought it might be fine to accept this much.
“But there was a problem. Would you like to guess what it was?”
“Perhaps—the consumption of resources would be too severe.”
“That's correct. I said we could manipulate phenomena, but that is only possible within the limits of our mana. In fact, I am currently creating a weapon with a solid form like this, but...”
Zenon held out the weapon in his hand for Ban Yuwon to see.
He nodded, then gazed at the weapon in Zenon's hand.
What constituted it was a temporary concept.
Its form was only maintained by the Orb's Authority and Zenon's mana; if Zenon's mana supply was severed, or if it left the space beyond the Orb's influence, it would simply collapse.
‘But the resources acquired in the Tower are maintained even outside the Tower. In crucial aspects, it's different from the Tower.’
Of course, if it could easily imitate the Tower, it would quickly become a second Tower itself.
“Ban Yuwon.”
Zenon gazed with peculiar eyes at Ban Yuwon, who was nodding in apparent understanding.
“Can you, by any chance, create something like this sword?”
“Am I to make a sword?”
“That's right.”
Even though Ban Yuwon wielded the power of concepts, he had never conjured a physical form.
For instance, Ban Yuwon had recently acquired a large quantity of the concept of 'carapace' in battle, but he hadn't been able to create an actual existing carapace or shell with it alone.
But that was strange.
He possessed the complete concepts that constitute a physical entity, so how could he possibly fail to manifest them as matter?
‘Perhaps it's because I haven't grasped all the concepts that form a physical object. Just because something appears to be a hard shell doesn't mean it's composed solely of carapace; there must be [something else] besides that.’
But astonishingly, this space automatically supplements the 'something else' that Ban Yuwon doesn't know.
It reinforces and materializes infinitely clumsy and incomplete human imagination and knowledge in exchange for consuming its mana.
That was the operational structure of this space.
‘It truly is different from the Tower—’ Ban Yuwon, having gained this fundamental realization, sneered inwardly, yet was convinced that this space would be of great help in cultivating his Authority.
Perhaps, for him, this aspect was far more valuable than the Mock Constellation War, which was the stated purpose of this space.
‘Well then, shall I give it a try...?’
Ban Yuwon extended one hand, drawing an imaginary sword in the air, then released his mana to fill its contents.
‘What are the elements that constitute a sword? Rather than simply creating the concept of 'sword', let's create and combine its constituent detailed concepts first.’
If a sword is easily divided, it becomes a blade and a hilt.
The blade is made of metal and is sharp.
The hilt is made of wood and is sturdy.
Furthermore, by creating and adjusting the concept of length, all these finally combined into a single sword.
‘There must be a ton of parts I've missed, surely—.’
However, the moment he completed his visualization and imagined the perfect form of a sword, particles forming this space adhered to the concepts he emitted and began to emit a dazzling light.
Ban Yuwon's eyes widened as he watched the complementary action of concepts occurring in that process.
This was precisely what he needed to learn to further develop his Authority.
Of course, he wouldn't be able to master it perfectly just by seeing it once or twice, but watching the haphazardly gathered concepts organize themselves into neat forms made his brain tingle already.
“...What, what is this?”
Due to his concentration on the phenomenon unfolding in his hand, Ban Yuwon didn't notice Zenon watching him with a dumbfounded expression.
“Ban Yuwon, student...?”
Zenon had truly never imagined Ban Yuwon would actually create a sword.
He had merely intended to give him a bit of advice on how to handle power in this space, and warn him not to overdo it, when he said that...
“Oh, it seems to have turned out quite plausible.”
In Ban Yuwon's hand, before he knew it, was a thick longsword that looked exactly like the Executioner's Longsword, a weapon that fell into the bastard sword category.
It was imbued with potent offensive mana; its blade was sharp, and its smoothly connected hilt was sturdy.
A sword, and a definite magic sword at that.
Ban Yuwon picked it up and swung it through the air a few times, then, with a satisfied expression, held the sword out to Zenon.
“Check it out.”
“...No, there's no need to check.”
Although it took longer to make, Zenon could see through that the sword Ban Yuwon had just created was of higher quality than the one he himself had made.
With a few more repetitions, the time consumed would decrease, and the quality would rise.
There was nothing he could teach him.
“Adaptation training won't be necessary, it seems. This is an outcome I couldn't have imagined in the slightest. Even a student with exceptional artifact crafting abilities, creating a sword in this space is an entirely different matter, but...”
Zenon, who had been wearing a bitter smile, as if embarrassed, erased the sword and staff in his hands, then declared.
“I will give you 10 bonus points. As adaptation training is required for the students newly entering the subspace today, practical lessons will not be conducted separately. During this time, Ban Yuwon, you may study independently.”
“Though I said independent study, I don't mean creating swords like this,” Zenon added.
“What we create is the power of Constellations. In this space, our goal is to develop and internalize Authorities similar to those wielded by Constellations.”
Hence, the Mock Constellation War.
The incredible feat of students directly becoming Constellations and competing is possible here.
“Hmm, h-hmm...? Indeed, if one can realize what they imagine, nothing would be impossible, but is there any special purpose behind it?”
Zenon nodded firmly.
“Simply by imagining and internalizing Authorities, you can gain the initial steps for higher-dimensional mana utilization. Since it requires tremendous concentration and mana control, it serves as excellent training in itself.”
“Huh.”
“But above all, the greatest merit is that through training within this space, you will be able to handle the power of Constellations more easily outside. You can think of it as a process of expanding the limits of your body and mind.”
“There's nothing but good things, then...”
“Hmph, indeed. Remember, merely being able to enter this space is a tremendous stroke of fortune.”
With those final words, Zenon vanished from his spot.
Perhaps he had gone to see the other students.
Ban Yuwon pondered quietly, then simply sat down in his place.
Well, imagining the power of Constellations was good, but since the Authority he wielded was already similar to that of a Constellation, was there really a need to imagine new powers?
‘In that case, I should create a way to wield my Authority more easily and powerfully within this space.’
Unlike imaginations that vanish upon leaving, his Authority would actually grow, even if only slightly, during this process!
Thinking that, his heart pounded.
Indeed, he finally understood why his seniors had been so eager to attend Zenon's lectures.
‘Then, as a first step—’
First, should he analyze the concepts that form this space, using his own unique language?
Ban Yuwon extended his hand.
He dared to begin deciphering the space filled with golden character strings.
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