A little over a week had passed since Harper and Lake finalized their deal. Harper’s lessons continued without interruption after, concluding just three days later.
By then, Lake had already sent her the corresponding files and diagrams, allowing her to dive into her research on what they’d collectively dubbed "magi-tools" after some deliberation.
He had also shared the details of his plan with Kate, delegating the task of overseeing the collaboration to her. As to be expected, her reaction wasn’t that great, suddenly being asked to cooperate with one of the continents biggest conglomerate on Mana Technology all of a sudden. Nevertheless, she quickly accepted the fact as it wasn’t the first time Lake had pulled something , and got to work.
Outside of that, classes proceeded as usual, though one noticeable change stood out. The rapid improvement among the students.
Learning the truth behind Lake’s extraordinary abilities had spurred them into action. Determined to counteract him and drag him down from his high throne, many students had pooled together in an effort to overthrow him.
This sudden surge of enthusiasm led to innovations and techniques that even caught Lake off guard.
At first, their strategies revolved around halting his spellcasting. They theorized based on conventional tropes from fiction and media—ideas like spells requiring verbal incantations, hand signs, or specific gestures. These theories were quickly put to the test during mock battles, where they attempted to restrict him in various ways.
They’d swarm him in groups, trying to immobilize his arms, cover his mouth, or disrupt his movements—willing to take a beating just for the chance to stop him.
Unfortunately for them, these efforts were in vain. Lake’s mastery of spellcasting had far surpassed such rudimentary constraints. At his current level, all he needed was a single thought to cast a spell so that theory was quickly shut down.
However, the students didn’t see this failure as a setback. On the contrary, it fueled their determination. Abandoning traditional methods, they shifted their focus to preventing the process of casting instead.
This shift was significant. From the snippets of information Lake had shared during Harper’s first lecture, a few students had grasped a key principle of his spellcasting: conversion—the process of transforming mana into magical phenomena.
During the lecture, he had explained the basic theory behind it, even demonstrating a few common alchemic formulas used in the conversion process. He showed how mana could transition from one state to another through these principles, offering a rare glimpse into his abilities.
After seeing their rapid progress, he once used his Observer of Fate ability to peek at their research. What he found had left him momentarily stunned. These brats fueled by pride and spite, had exhibited early traces of anti-magic theories in their research.
Though it was still in its infancy and wasn’t likely to show results without decades of additional research, the sheer fact that they had already begun showing result within just one week of research was nothing short of a miracle.
Seeing their rapid progress, Lake didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. On one hand, their ability to innovate and strategize was improving at an impressive rate. On the other, their motivation to train and grow came solely from their desire to defeat him.
Ultimately, he chose to let them be. Their sudden growth spurt was beneficial—not just for them but for him as well. Besides, even if they managed to crack the research on anti-magic and somehow restricted his abilities, it was only a fraction of his arsenal.
Whether it was magical or physical, they were still a long ways away from being a match for him.
The Mana Gathering Formation Lake had set up behind the academy had been tirelessly condensing the surrounding mana for nearly a month. In that time, the mana’s density and purity had steadily increased, transforming the small clearing into a sanctuary for martial artists.
Students dotted the field, seated in various poses as they circulated mana through their bodies. Ever since Lake opened the formation for public use, it had become a hub of activity.
Currently, over fifty students were scattered across the field. Some gathered in groups, while others claimed small areas for personal use.
Yet, despite the number of people, they all avoided the center of the field, where a lone figure sat on a stone in a lotus position.
Eyes closed, the figure appeared to be in deep meditation. No one dared to approach, as if afraid to disturb him.
With a measured breath, the figure opened his eyes at the sound of a notification ringing in his mind.
[The System Update has been completed.]
[New System Features: Primary and Secondary Roles Setting, Roleplay Mission, World Map update.]
[Ding! The system has noticed that the host has accumulated a large amount of RP while the system was inactive. Beginning the sorting process... sorting process complete!]
[Does the host wish to see the notification logs or a simplified summary?]
Seeing the familiar system window, Lake couldn’t help but subconsciously smile.
"Show me the summary."
With a thought, a few notifications appeared before him, showcasing his significant achievements in the last fifteen days.
[Detected that host has absorbed many fates in the last fifteen days. The host has also indirectly affected the fates of many lives, earning a large amount of RP.]
[The host has also interacted with another remnant of corruption, temporary purifying it. The system suggest that the host destroy the source to prevent further incidents.]
[Ding! New quest generated.]
[Quest name - Remnant of Corruption (2)]
[Quest Description - Destroy the corrupted core dug out of the three headed hydra.]
[Reward - 10,000 RP points]
Seeing the line of notification before him, Lake frowned.
"The core was indeed a piece of corruption..." Lake fell in to thought but soon turned his attention back to the system.
"What about the new system features?" Lake asked, paying attention to the two new features.
[Responding to host, there are two new features with this update. The Primary and Secondary Role Setting has been unlocked, and Roleplay Missions.]
[The Primary and Secondary Role Setting allows the host to designate roles as either primary or secondary. Primary roles function as the current roles do, while secondary roles retain access to their skills and abilities but no longer influence the host’s personality or thought processes.]
"Hm?" Lake raised an eyebrow. He had a theory about why the system added this feature, but he still asked to confirm. "Why was it necessary to separate roles ?"
[Responding to host: The system was designed to safeguard the host’s core existence. Initially, the host lacked emotions and a core personality, allowing seamless role adaptation without affecting the host’s mental state. However, through integration, the host’s core personality has undergone permanent alteration, resulting in the creation of a new sense of self. To prevent mental fracturing caused by role overload or conflicts, the system has implemented the Primary and Secondary Role Setting to preserve the host’s original personality.]
Hearing the system’s explanation, Lake confirmed his suspicions.
Before the system, his mind had been like a blank slate. While he could think and reason, he was incapable of feeling or desiring. Without a moral compass or principles, he could embody his roles without regard for their values or ideologies.
Now, however, Lake could sense the change. His thoughts and principles had been permanently altered after integrating the mage role. Though subtle, he found himself holding a set of principles related to magic—principles he would never have considered before. These principles, and even the emotions tied to them, felt undeniably his own.
In the future, if he were to get a role that clashed against these principles, not even he was sure what would happen.
"Can I freely change primary and secondary roles after setting them?"
[Yes, the host can freely assign roles as primary or secondary at any time.]
Satisfied with the answer, Lake smiled.
"And what about Roleplay Missions?" he asked, shifting his attention to the second new feature.