TBATE - Knowledge is power (being rewritten)

Part 29

Arthur Leywin POV

"Did you guys finish your homework?" I said whilst I straightened my hair, I sat on top of the podium to get a better view of the class.

Looking around the stage from the centre, I noticed my pupils frantically looking at each other, hoping that one of them had the answers to the questions I had asked them the day before.

"It appears that I have no choice but to answer the inquiry," Feyrith sighed before rising.

"Because it is associated with how much effort and time that magician has spent condensing and refining mana from their surroundings into their core, the mana core is an ideal means to easily and correctly gauge the level of the mage's power." He sat down after finishing with a swish of his hair.

"No." I jumped off the platform and walked over to Feyrith, who was stunned.

"It's a convenient way to estimate the mage's strength, but it's not accurate. What would you think of an ordinary combatant who stood two metres tall and weighed nearly three hundred pounds of muscle?" I shifted my focus to the princess, who sat beside the humiliated elf.

After analysing the simple question, she answered, "I can expect the combatant to have substantial strength."

"Correct! All we know is that the oaf is ridiculously strong. Is there anything else to say about his combat abilities from this? Yes, he's powerful, but there are other aspects to consider, such as agility, technique, mental fortitude, experience, and so on, in order to be a great combatant. The stage of a mage's mana core affects how much 'muscle' they have, but it explains very little else. It's still vital to refine your mana core to higher stages, but if that's the only factor you use to determine your opponent's level, you're setting yourself up for failure." I paused for a moment as I noticed several kids beginning to scribble notes.

After she finished putting down her notes, a pretentious student with glasses raised her hand. "I have a question!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, Miss Myrtle?" I thought it was interesting how well her name fit her personality.

"What do we do if detecting the opponent's mana core isn't a reliable technique of determining his or her level?" she inquired, her face indicating that she was putting me to the test.

"You simply don't. Assume that your opponent is more powerful than you. Gauging someone's mana core stage should only be utilised to pique your interest, not for anything else. What if, even though sensing the mana core level could precisely evaluate your opponent's fighting strength, your opponent's fighting strength is lower than yours? Will you go easy on them? Or perhaps y ou're going to pick on him because you know you're going to win? What do you do if his combat prowess exceeds yours? F lee? If both of you are actively feeling each other's mana core, it's unlikely that you'll be able to escape." I took a breath and paused for a moment.

"Being overconfident because you discovered your mana core is higher than your opponent's can lead to carelessness, and being afraid if your opponent's mana core is higher than yours can lead to despair. Life isn't so simple that you can tell whether or not you can beat someone just by looking at their mana core. Fighters have been known to defeat ignorant mages because they become sloppy as a result of their arrogance. Assume that your opponent is stronger than you and give it your all. If your opponent is weaker than you, you should end the fight quickly to spare him the embarrassment. If your opponent is more powerful, you'll be able to conquer the mental barrier you've been fighting for your entire life."

I returned to the podium, where Sylvie had taken a nap, and resumed my speech.

"Now it's time to move on to the next assignment. Have any of you figured out what I did with the two water spells last class?" Leaning against the podium, I inquired.