Cycle of Destiny

Chapter 2 The Dilemma of Genius

Among the two key standards for measuring a magician—magic power and sensory perception—the direct consequence of lacking sensory perception is the complete inability to perceive and mobilize elemental energy in nature, thus fundamentally disqualifying one from learning magic.

But magic is different. Essentially, it's energy that can be drawn from the outside world; even if one is born with insufficient magic, it can be compensated for later. One could even argue that the improvement of magic depends more on acquired effort, but this effort itself is entirely based on sensitivity. Simply put, the stronger one's sensitivity, the more magic one can accumulate in each meditation session. This leads to a widely accepted phenomenon: although everyone acknowledges that magic and sensitivity are both cornerstones of magic, in talent tests, the result of sensitivity is decisive, while magic tests are more like a routine procedure. After all, people always prefer to tame a thoroughbred horse as a fighting partner rather than a camel.

Harry, it seems, was born a purebred steed. If all goes well, he will surely grow into a great magician, spreading the light of magic to the dark corners of the continent of Arcanos!

Of course, these are all just "ifs".

When Harry first enrolled, his arrival caused quite a stir within the academy. While there were talented students in the academy, none were as exceptional as him. Immediately, numerous wizards volunteered to become his mentors, each claiming a responsibility to guide this "lost sheep" onto the brightest path.

Among these so-called "best choices" are many talented intermediate mages, and even a considerable number of advanced mages. Several "old monsters," who are usually obsessed with exploring the mysteries of magic and never take on apprentices, have made an exception, righteously declaring that they "want to contribute their modest efforts to the noble cause of magic." There are even rumors that the headmaster himself is quite interested. After all, for a mage, besides pursuing the true essence of magic, only their own magical legacy is truly worth considering.

This incident was eventually reported to the Magical Deacons Committee—the highest decision-making body of the academy, composed of six deacons and the Dean, responsible for deciding all major matters within the academy. The committee ultimately ruled that Harry would not be assigned a personal tutor during his apprenticeship in magic; his final destination would be determined after he became a full-fledged wizard, based on his magical attributes, personal wishes, and the committee's deliberation.

At the magic academy, the decisions of the deacon committee were like the law. Therefore, Harry was finally somewhat relieved of some of the trouble. Admittedly, it would be exciting for a powerful wizard to offer to take you as a disciple, but when it happens several times a day, it doesn't feel so good. This resolution at least superficially curbed the proliferation of such situations; nevertheless, he still received quite a few offers in private.

It's fair to say that the magic academy welcomed Harry with immense enthusiasm. Although the word "genius" might seem a bit cliché, there's no doubt that Harry has become Orion's undisputed genius.

A magician once said: The most memorable time for a magician is not the day of their triumph, nor the moment they become a fully-fledged magician, but the apprenticeship years before that. In those early days, the novelty and excitement of magic fill every day with passion, amplifying even the simplest learning and the smallest progress. Although they cannot yet truly cast spells and lack understanding of many magical principles, in these ordinary daily routines, the magic apprentice drinks the nectar of paradise.

The wizard who said this was too naive and romantic, more like a poet than a wizard. It's safe to say that this poet-wizard's apprenticeship must have been relatively uneventful, and these words clearly don't apply to Harry at all—because for him, his time as a wizard apprentice was by no means a pleasant memory; he only tasted bitterness.

Harry's magical ability was no different from that of an ordinary person who had never studied magic. Except for a few exceptionally gifted individuals, most of the academy's introductory students were like this. Generally speaking, such a starting point only requires about half a year of meditation practice to accumulate enough magical ability to meet the standards of a first-level formal wizard, and then attempt to cast the most basic elemental spells such as wind pillars, water curtains, and fireballs.

The ranking system at the magic academy is very straightforward: your level of magic determines the level of magic you can consistently cast. The system is divided into nine levels, with each three levels forming a tier: levels one to three are beginner, levels four to six are intermediate, and levels seven to nine are advanced, also known as grand magicians. Those who transcend the nine levels, like Lord Odel, are revered as holy magicians, or archmages.

Therefore, before accumulating enough magic power, successfully casting spells, and advancing to become a full-fledged wizard, Harry must spend his time as a magic apprentice—or rather, experience the days of "drinking the nectar of heaven" as described by the poet-mage.

From a certain perspective, the romantic magician was right, because the life of a magic apprentice is indeed quite easy and almost stress-free.

The academy occupies the entire province, but in reality, the apprentices and teachers' main activities are confined to a small area bordering the Dark Forest. Each apprentice is assigned a private magic hut. During this time, the curriculum is fixed, mainly consisting of foundational subjects such as meditation, potion-making, magical knowledge, and linguistics. The purpose of meditation is to accumulate magical power; potion-making lays the foundation for future preparation and use of magical potions; magical knowledge is naturally essential; and it's worth mentioning that because the incantations are uttered in an ancient language, rather than the common language used by the people of the continent, language lessons—that is, learning the ancient language—are also indispensable.

The magic academy enrolls approximately one hundred magic apprentices from across the continent each year. The academy provides them with two years of accommodation and study opportunities; if they fail to successfully cast spells and become a formal first-level magician after two years, they must leave the academy. Conversely, once they become a formal magician, they can remain at the academy to further their magical studies.

The academy conducts an examination every six months. Typically, the most talented students—about twenty apprentices each year—successfully cast a spell on their first attempt. The vast majority take a year to a year and a half to pass. Only a very small number, about a dozen, barely pass on the final exam. Only a handful are forced to leave each year due to their inability to meet the standards. After all, the academy's admission requirements are quite high, and those who enter generally have the potential to become magicians—except for those who are extremely unserious.

Harry, basking in the glow of being a "genius," was naturally the object of everyone's high hopes, considered one of the first few to become a formal wizard. He was also eager to achieve the accomplishments promised to him by the gods.

After beginning his meditation training, Harry displayed the expected talent. Thanks to his extraordinary sensitivity, he absorbed significantly more magic energy during each meditation session than other magic apprentices. However, a fatal problem also arose—the magic energy he meditated dissipated like water in the desert within half a day!

If sensitivity is an innate gift of perception, then magic is the actual energy that can be accumulated later in life. When this energy cannot be stored up at all, the entire meaning of meditation ceases to exist.

At first, he thought his meditation method was wrong. But after repeated verification, he found that what he saw and felt in meditation was no different from what was said in the teaching. He tried practicing at different times and adjusting the duration of each session, but found that no matter how he changed it, the result was the same—the magic came quickly and went even faster.

When he heard the other apprentices enthusiastically sharing their progress, he was shocked to realize that for them, storing magic was as natural as breathing, and they didn't have the same problem as him.

Anxiety gripped him. He kept his doubts to himself, not daring to confide in anyone.

After the six-month assessment, this batch of magic apprentices had been differentiated. The most talented, insightful, and diligent among them successfully unleashed first-level magic and donned the badges symbolizing formal magicians.

Everyone was stunned when they discovered Harry's name wasn't on the list. Puzzled looks and whispers filled the academy. Numerous wizards and apprentices came to ask him why, but he simply smiled casually, explaining that he had spent more time studying other magical subjects and less time meditating. He added that he didn't place much importance on passing the six-month assessment, implying that he wasn't in a hurry to prove himself and had long-term plans.