Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol. 1- Novus Magus

[Revised/Edited] Episode 78: The Art of Tool-Synthesis

"The Art of making is a lovely sensation far more beautiful than that of destroying."

*Nyima*

"Alright, everyone. pay attention here," Mrs. Akiyama yelled at the class. "Your first project will be to make wearable pieces that will amplify your magic. I will show you an example." She summoned a tablecloth with sand, coal, prana crystals of low quality, and leather.

"This first step can only be done by an earth, crystal, or psychic mage," she continued. She lifted the coal and the crystals and mixed them together rapidly until only a blue-tinted piece of coal remained. "Next, you pour the sand over it while it's over the flame." She levitated the coal into a furnace and poured sand over the stuff through an opening on top of the furnace. "This process will take a couple of hours, but the end result is this." She manifested a blue spherical jewel. "This kind of jewel can be mounted on a scepter or into a necklace."

"Amazing," Iah said. "Wait, we will only be in class for about another hour and a half, how will we finish the project?"

"Good question, this process will require one of you to take a small furnace and heat it up while in your next class or at home. You can also speed up the process."

A screeching noise came from the furnace with her example. She didn't speak for the next five minutes. She walked over to the furnace and lifted out a blue jewel with her magic. "A water mage please."

I got up and chanted Aqua. The water evaporated as it cooled down the jewel. Once it was cooled down, she placed it on her desk.

"This new jewel isn't as high grade as the pre-made one, but it's still a good jewel. If you seek a higher quality jewel, you can constantly pour sand into it for two days."

"Two days?" Lei said, looking up from his notebook.

"It is grueling work, but the jewels that are produced are amazing," Yuuta said. "It's easier to do with two people."

"You can also take breaks and put the jewel inside a batch of sand and ether crystals. Doing so will give it slightly different properties. The pre-made one for example boosts the raw power of one's magic. The one I made just now boosts speed. One made using the third method will boost the power of defensive magic."

"So even though they have the same ingredients, the amount of work put into them results in something completely different?" Lei said as he took notes in his now infamous notebook.

"Yeah. Oh, but don't think that you have to make one of these, you and your partner are free to make whatever item you choose from the various materials spread throughout our class. Think carefully on what you want to make and begin work on it quickly." With those words, we all rushed off to work.

***

Yuuta and I glanced around the stone, sand, and metal crowded room. I found some water and light ether crystals while Yuuta picked out something from one of the metal boxes in the center of the room.

"What did you find?" I asked.

"I got some silver. Water is associated with silver so it'll help you."

"What do you mean help me?"

Yuuta began mixing the crystals with some coal. After some time of not speaking, he chuckled. "I want you to have this after we're graded."

I smiled but quickly tried to hide it.

Yuuta glanced up and returned the smile. "You know, you look pretty cute when smiling."

My face turned red. "Why should I be the one who keeps it?" I asked.

"You volunteered to help Mother with her demo," he said nonchalantly. He chuckled as he looked straight into my eyes. It was then that I noticed how beautiful his light caramel eyes were. "Don't tell me you were thinking there was some other reason?"