Nero, Zen, and Mu were seated comfortably in the living room, enjoying their tea in silence.
Over the past month and a half, sipping tea had beco one of Nero's favorite monts of the day.
Calm, reflective, and filled with a certain quiet sophistication that he found oddly satisfying.
Mu set his teacup down gently, his gaze settling on Nero with an unreadable expression.
"Nero, let's put your theoretical knowledge to the test," he said smoothly.
"I have three questions for you."
Nero smirked. "Only three?"
"The fourth one has to be deserved." replied Mu.
Nero placed his teacup down, his expression showing interest rather than apprehension.
"Go ahead."
Mu nodded in approval before posing the first question.
"In Onmyōdō, what is the role of the Five Elents, and how does it differ from the Western concept of elental magic?"
Without missing a beat, Nero responded.
"The Five Elents: Wood, Fire, Earth, tal, and Water represent a dynamic cycle of interaction and transformation.
In Onmyōdō, they aren't fixed categories to be mastered individually, but interwoven forces to be balanced.
In contrast, Western magic treats elental spells as discrete, standalone tools.
You learn a fire spell, a water charm, an earth shield... each one isolated, predefined.
But here, it's not about the elent itself, but how it relates to the others, how it flows.
Wood feeds Fire, Fire creates Earth, Earth bears tal, tal enriches Water, and Water nourishes Wood.
Onmyōdō uses this cycle to enhance, disrupt, or harmonize magic.
Western magic casts with structure. Eastern magic casts through understanding.
"Correct." Mu gave a rare approving smile.
"Now, regarding Shikigami Arts, how does the bond between a practitioner and their Shikigami differ from a wizard and their summoned creature?"
"Shikigami aren't just summoned beings, they are extensions of the practitioner's will.
Unlike magical beasts or spirits that wizards might ta or bind, a Shikigami is created through spiritual craftsmanship and often carries a fragnt of the caster's own magic.
The bond is deeply personal and rooted in intent.
The stronger the connection, the more independent and capable the Shikigami becos.
A poorly forged bond, however, results in a fragile or rebellious construct, prone to failure in crucial monts."
Zen whistled. "Damn, Mu. He's even phrasing things like you now."
Mu ignored the comnt and asked his third question.
"Fūinjutsu: if you wanted to create a seal to contain spiritual energy without it dispersing over ti, what reinforcent thod would you use?"
Nero leaned forward.
"A layered inscription approach, combining cyclical containnt patterns with a stabilizing core.
The core serves as an anchor, absorbing excess energy and redistributing it through the seal's network.
If constructed properly, the seal self-regulates against external fluctuations, preventing premature breakdown."
Mu placed his teacup down. "Flawless answers."
Zen whistled. "Have people ever told you that you're a bookworm monster?"
Nero smirked. "Don't you know? Ravenclaws are famous for their motto: 'Wit beyond asure is man's greatest treasure.'"
Mu gave a quiet nod.
"A saying with weight, assuming the wit is applied wisely."
"Do I deserve a fourth question?"
"If you wish. Let's make it a bit more complex then."
Mu took a sip of his tea before speaking.
His calm, asured voice carried a hint of challenge.
"Elental Convergence is more than simply combining two elents," Mu said.
"It's about rging them into a unified, stable force. Tell , Nero, if you were to fuse water and fire, how would you prevent their opposing natures from canceling each other out?
And further, how would you stabilize a high-temperature steam spell to ensure it doesn't disperse before reaching its target?"
Nero smiled slightly, already piecing together the answer.
"The key lies in balance and structural reinforcent.
Fire and water oppose each other naturally, but Convergence isn't about forcing harmony, it's about creating conditions where their traits complent each other.
To prevent cancellation, I'd use a third elent as a diator.
Depending on the spell's intent, I'd choose either Wind or Earth as the stabilizing force."
He paused, then continued.
"If my goal were an offensive steam spell, I'd use Wind to compress and channel the vapor, maintaining pressure and direction.
By forming a sealed high-pressure zone, the steam would remain concentrated, usable as a cutting force or an explosive burst."
"Alternatively, if I wanted a stable, continuous stream of boiling water rather than just steam, I'd introduce Earth, perhaps by infusing it into the flow, thickening the water and allowing it to retain heat, much like a hot spring drawn from deep underground."
He lifted his cup of tea, swirling the liquid inside.
"Nature already shows us the balance: volcanic springs, geysers, even steam rising from a kettle.
Convergence draws from that rhythm. Force the elents together without understanding, and the result collapses or cancels itself out."
Mu's expression remained neutral, but there was the slightest glimr of approval in his eyes. Zen, on the other hand, whistled.
"Bookworm and a natural-born spellcrafter. What's next? You gonna write a book with Mu too?" asked Zen
"With that, I can confirm that within this month and a half, you have digested most of the theoretical knowledge we teach at Mahoutokoro for your chosen subjects. Very impressive."
"I love books, and they love back," replied Nero with a knowing smile.
"We'll see how you fare putting this knowledge into practice, though," Zen added.
"After all, tomorrow is the day you officially start your third year."
"Indeed," Nero agreed. "This sumr break passed in the blink of an eye. Even though I didn't make any progress regarding the Void Principle, each new piece of knowledge brings closer to finding sothing."
Mu and Zen exchanged approving smiles. "That's the spirit, kid," said Zen.
Just as the conversation seed to settle, Zen suddenly sat up straight, eyes widening.
"AH! Wait a damn minute!" he exclaid.
Mu raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"You didn't ask him a single question about Martial Spellcraft!" Zen accused.
Mu looked montarily embarrassed before recovering his usual calm deanor. "I... simply forgot."
Zen burst into laughter. "You're still hung up on that book we wrote, aren't you? Co on Mu, it's just a bit unconventional, that's all!"
Mu cleared his throat. "The specifics are unimportant.
Let's continue. Nero, in the context of Martial Spellcraft, what is the key to seamlessly integrating wandless magic into close-quarters combat?"
Nero's answer ca without hesitation.
"Three things: Flow, Intent, and Instinct.
Flow ensures that movents and magic are not separate actions, but one continuous sequence, minimizing openings and maximizing montum.
Intent defines the purpose behind each spell, whether it's to strike, defend, or enhance mobility, so that magic aligns naturally with the body's motion.
And Instinct is forged through experience, the point where conscious thought falls away, and spellcasting becos second nature."
Mu exhaled softly. "That is an ideal answer."
Zen grinned. "I take back what I said. You're not a bookworm monster, you're a bookworm demon!"
Before Nero could respond, a shikigami fluttered in through the open window and landed neatly in Mu's outstretched hand.
He glanced at the ssage inscribed on its surface. "They will be here in five minutes."
"This is how we exchange letters or ssages in Japan," Zen explained, noticing Nero's inquisitive look.
"I don't know why you guys keep on sending owls to each other in the UK.
Just leave the birds alone.
And we can even tell if sothing happened to the shikigami on the way, since they are magically linked to us."
Nero coughed awkwardly. "I suppose tradition plays a big part in it."
Mu suddenly turned to Nero. "Speaking of traditions, I believe the UK has a rather unique thod of transportation using chimneys and powder?"
"Yes," Nero nodded. "We use the Floo Network. It's a magical powder that allows wizards to travel from one chimney to another.
As long as the fireplace is connected to the network, you can step in and appear sowhere else."
Mu nodded thoughtfully. "An interesting thod. Useful, at least, if the person you want to visit has a chimney."
Zen grinned. "But we have sothing far better here. Co, it's about ti we show you how our transportation system works."
They stepped out into the garden, walking along the stone pathway until they reached a red Japanese traditional gate.
"A Torii," Nero murmured, recognizing the sacred structure.
"Indeed," Mu confird. "There is a connected system of Torii all over Japan.
We use them to travel from one place to another.
Most wizarding families have a Torii in their ho, even small ones.
If it's visible to the outside world, enchantnts hide it from Muggle eyes."
As Mu finished speaking, the Torii began to shimr, the air around it distorting like ripples on the surface of a pond.
A subtle hum resonated through the air as brilliant golden inscriptions glowed along the wooden pillars, forming intricate kanji patterns.
The energy coalesced at the center of the gate before flaring outward in a silent pulse.
Two figures erged from the gate, stepping gracefully onto the stone path.
The first was a tall girl with long black hair, her deanor reserved yet serene.
She carried herself with a quiet elegance, her sharp eyes taking in the surroundings with asured composure.
The second was a red-haired girl, a stark contrast to the first.
She exuded confidence, her fiery locks framing a mischievous, outspoken expression.
Nero's gaze flickered between the two, his instincts imdiately noticing sothing.
"...They have an air of similarity with you two."
Mu and Zen remained silent, rely watching his reaction.
Nero narrowed his eyes slightly, then turned to them.
"Are they your daughters?"
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50 Chapters ahead on Patreon (Suiijin): Chapter 156: Echoes of Despair and Flicker of Hope
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