Neid was left in shock at the absurd result.
The device, which had only been able to maintain photon output at a mere 17 percent for just 10 minutes, was now screaming as if it might explode.
"Okay! Iruki, go ahead!"
Iruki, who had been staring blankly, quickly pressed a button on the remote control.
The light shot up through the optical fiber, spreading out into hundreds of strands that covered the entire school like a giant spider web.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
The midnight bells rang.
Maria, who had been studying in her dormitory, stretched when she heard the bells.
"It's already midnight. Time really flies."
Then, she remembered the presentation she had earlier in the day, freezing mid-stretch.
Soul Frequency. Midnight.
She shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away.
What am I thinking? Even if it's Senior Shirone… he's just a ghost.
The more she tried to forget, the more it bothered her. She couldn't shake the memory of the devil she had seen during the presentation.
"Oh, really? What is it? Why does it keep coming back to me?"
Shirone knew that once a keyword like this was planted in her mind, everything else would follow.
If the soul's frequency matches, you can see ghosts? Then... from today, maybe I…
Her thoughts spiraled out of control.
Trying to distract herself, Maria went to the window. And there, she saw someone seemingly walking through the air.
"..."
Her heart skipped a beat and then started racing uncontrollably.
"Uh… uh…"
What stopped outside Maria's window was a decaying corpse, its face half-rotted away.
As her chin trembled, the one-eyed corpse turned its head and opened its mouth wide, as if trying to say something.
"Gyaaaaaaah!"
The scream was so loud it felt like her eardrums were going to burst, but no one else could hear it.
Because the same scream echoed down the hallway, reaching every room.
The vase crashed into the wall and shattered into pieces.
Amy, the one who threw the vase, leaned against the opposite wall, panting heavily.
"What... what is going on?"
The moment the paper rang, a ghost really appeared.
Is this what Neid meant by resonance?
At first, Amy thought it was just a hallucination, but what reflected in the window was undeniably real.
"Geuuuuuuuu..."
Hearing the loud noise, Amy quickly turned around, opened the door, and ran out.
A large group of female students were rushing down the hallway, screaming in panic.
Amy was horrified. Dozens of ghosts were chasing after them, their jaws snapping.
"Amy! Help! I see ghosts! What do I do?"
It was then that Amy finally felt the weight of reality hit her as she looked at Seriel's pale, terrified face.
She had never believed in ghosts, but it was human nature to feel scared when faced with something terrifying, like going into a cemetery alone at night.
"Ugh..."
Amy also began running out of the building with the crowd that surged forward like a wave.
"Grrrrr..."
In the quiet training center at the foot of the mountain, a strange noise broke the silence.
Ethela came out of her meditation, straightened up, and turned around. A terrifying, transparent figure was walking toward her.
At first, the thought of a ghost crossed her mind, but she didn't feel any fear. As a seeker fighting against evil, she didn't feel any special emotion in the face of such a presence.
As the ghost approached, Ethela opened her eyes and leaned forward to examine it more closely.
The ghost tilted its head, looking at her curiously.
It was a moment that showed how well Iruki's equations predicted the movements of opponents.
The ghost growled again.
"Grrrrr!"
"Grrrrr?"
Ethela raised her hand and lightly pressed it against the soldier's nose with a look of curiosity.
But of course, her hand passed straight through and exited through the back of the soldier's head.
"Haa! Haa!"
In the frozen steam-filled room, Siana gasped for breath, her body covered in frost.
The moment she opened the bathroom door, what she saw outside the window was the pale face of a human.
Her first instinct was to think "pervert," but as she was thrown backward in shock, the steam froze around her.
After putting up the curtain, Siana paused and realized that she was on the seventh floor, and the face she saw was unlike any normal human's.
"..."
Looking through a gap in the steam, which now stretched like a rope, she saw a decayed, rotting face.
"What?"
The first thing that came to mind was the frequency of the soul.
Could what Neid had said be true? It couldn't be.
But she couldn't deny what was right in front of her.
"Ugh..."
As the demon opened its mouth, Siana instinctively froze the window.
She noticed movement beyond the frost and quickly regained her composure.
It wasn't that she had realized it was a hologram. It was her pride as a wizard that no one could easily neutralize her freezing magic.
"How dare you..."
Siana grabbed the bathrobe hanging in the bathroom, wrapped it around her body, and walked over to open the window.
As expected, the soldier didn't attack and instead made a strange expression.
She stepped outside and examined the area, finding a hemispherical device emitting a dim light.
Sighing, she went back into her room, took off her robe, and muttered, "Phew."
The remaining moisture on her skin froze with a pop, and sparkling ice crystals spread out in all directions. Soon, there wasn't a single drop of moisture left on her body.
"These are the real ones...!"
Cold determination appeared in Siana's eyes.
By midnight, Alpheas Magic School was thrown into chaos.
The dark windows began to open one by one, and students were rushing out through the doors in a panic.
It was the same everywhere.
The program, designed to predict human reactions, had used dozens of patterns to increase the likelihood of response, and the students—who had lost their senses—ran blindly, not even realizing they were being manipulated.
"Save the people!"
"It's a ghost! A ghost has appeared!"
The few who doubted the situation were overwhelmed by the crowd mentality, unable to speak up.
Even so, it was hard to predict every human reaction, but what Iruki wanted wasn't a detailed analysis of each person's response. Instead, he aimed to create a massive crowd flow that would lead everyone to the same place.
The holograms appeared to chase people around randomly, but from above, it became clear that they were guiding the crowd to a single location.
And finally, almost all of the students—about 400 in total—gathered in front of the darkened central building.
Trapped between the crowd and the buildings, the students realized they had nowhere to run.
The younger students cried, looking for their mothers, while the older students prepared to fight.
"Come on! Do something about this!"
"Come at me! Come on, you little shits!"
Grrrrr!
Everyone's face went pale as an army of corpses charged forward with raised swords.
Both the crying students and the older ones preparing to fight felt a chill in their hearts.
"Euuuuuuu...!"
At that moment, as his chin trembled, light suddenly erupted from the soldier's body, forming hundreds of lines that shot up into the sky.
"What... what is this?"
Is it perhaps some kind of divine power?
As the younger students prayed, applause echoed from the central building behind them.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
When all 400 students looked up at the rooftop at the same time, they saw Shirone and Iruki standing next to Neid.
"Thank you to everyone who attended the presentation."
"..."
The teachers arrived just as the students were still trying to understand what was happening.
It was a scene where all the faculty members in charge of the lower, upper, and graduating classes had gathered together.
Siana grinned and made her way through the crowd.
"You guys! Don't come down right now! What are you doing? You've ruined the school!"
Neid winked and said, "Ah, Ms. Siana. Good evening."
"Good night! Why don't you come down already? If I go up, I might just kill you, so get down now!"
"But it's a presentation after all. Let me finish, and then I'll go."
"A presentation? In the middle of the night?"
The students who had finally figured out the situation started murmuring.
"What? It was their doing? Then it's all fake!"
"I got tricked! Damn it!"
Although many students were still confused, the ones who had figured out what happened started pointing fingers at Shirone and his group.
"You swindlers! How dare you trick us with a ghost story? This isn't even a presentation!"
"You guys deserve zero points on your performance evaluations. This is a disaster!"
Despite the insults, Shirone and his group smiled calmly.
When the criticism didn't seem to stop, Neid raised his hand to quiet the crowd.
"The Society for Paranormal and Psychic Research has demonstrated the existence of ghosts through their presentations. And yet, you still refuse to believe in the soul?"
"Of course not! Do you really think you can impress people by making up a ghost that doesn't exist? You're bound to fail."
"That's right! This is just a bad prank! Anyone can pull off something like this! If I put my mind to it, I could do it too…"
The students in class four stopped talking, realizing they were being watched. The other students began to whisper among themselves.
"But how did they do it? Do you understand?"
"No, I don't get it either. It felt like a real ghost. And on top of that, they managed to fool the whole school."
This wasn't just a simple prank.
Even though creating hundreds of holograms was impressive, how they made them move was still a mystery.
"What on earth are those kids doing?"
As murmurs spread among the students, Siana closed her eyes, clearly troubled.
To be honest, she had no idea how they pulled it off.
'They can create holograms and make them move. But to cover the whole school, hundreds of points had to work perfectly, without a single mistake. And they had to gather 400 people in one place. No, that's impossible…'
Even if they were lucky, how did Shirone and the others transmit the information?
"Haha, looks like we got the upper hand this time."
When the teachers turned around, Alpheas was watching the rooftop, laughing with amusement.
Siana shook her head.
"Principal, this isn't something to take lightly. I don't know what those kids did, but installing equipment without permission on school property is…"
"Huh? Are you saying even you don't know, Ms. Siana?"
Alpheas wasn't concerned with the fact that they broke the rules. He was more fascinated by the technical skill of Shirone and his group.
If he hadn't specialized in light magic, he would never have guessed that information and communication technology was involved in their strategy.
'Even so…'
Was this really something students could pull off?
It must have been a huge gamble for Shirone and his group as well. He almost wanted to applaud them for their cleverness.
Siana admitted, "Yes. I'm embarrassed to say, but I don't really know. But I can't say I'm convinced just because I don't know the details."
"Haha, I misspoke. I didn't mean to imply anything bad."
"Then…?"
Alpheas turned toward the rooftop, cutting the conversation short.
"Let's wait and see. It looks like the presentation isn't over yet."
Students continued discussing how Shirone and his group managed their trick.
The area in front of the building had become a forum of debate, but the more they talked, the more confused everyone became.
Class four students, in particular, were frustrated. They'd been completely fooled by the trick, and their pride was wounded since they didn't understand how it was done.
"Huh! That's it! Whatever it was, it must have been some kind of joke. You showed us a ghost that didn't even exist and called it proof? I told you not to make me laugh!"
At someone's nervous voice, the class four students all agreed.
"That's right! This is unacceptable! This isn't paranormal research, it's just a show!"
Neid, who had been listening, stepped forward.
"Do you still not believe in the soul?"
"Of course not! A spirit? This is just some kind of illusion magic. It's not real."
"Then let me ask you this: If you really think so, why are you even here?"
"Of course…! Huh?"
A sudden silence fell over the room.
There was no one among the hundreds of students who could deny Neid's words.
If they didn't believe in the existence of the soul, then why had they run away?
The answer was simple: deep down, they all believed in the soul.
Neid continued, "What you're feeling right now is the essence of paranormal psychic science. Humans live their lives with questions and curiosity about the unknown. If there was no need to understand what hasn't been proven yet, then why does intelligence even exist? This is why the Paranormal Psychic Research Society should be based at Alpheas Magic School—the cradle of intelligence."
The students remained silent.
It wasn't important if a ghost had really appeared. What mattered was that everyone here believed that ghosts might exist.
And if that was the case, then someone needed to step forward to uncover the truth.
For the first time, the students took the presentation seriously.
The reason for learning what we know is to explore what we don't yet understand. After all, intelligence is the key to the unknown, and before it, psychic powers and magic are no different.
"This concludes the presentation by the Paranormal Psychic Research Society. I want to thank everyone who stayed late to observe," Siana said, bowing.
Shirone and his group bowed as well.
The room was quiet, and no one spoke.
The students were quietly organizing their thoughts. Once they reached a conclusion, they couldn't help but laugh, feeling a sense of relief and accomplishment.
"Ha! This is really a masterpiece! You guys did it! That was a presentation worthy of the Paranormal Science Research Society!"
"That's right! I've been interested in this for a long time! I hope we get to see more fun presentations in the future!"
The teachers were taken aback by the students' sudden change in attitude, but Shirone understood. He knew that, just like him, everyone had been pondering one unshakable question.
Where did we come from, and where are we going?
We often ignore these questions, consumed by the realities of daily life, but perhaps it's the most important question for humans.
Alpheas, the headmaster, nodded with a satisfied expression.
"You've managed to show the invisible without making it visible. I see, so there really is a method like this. Well done."
Sade spoke up.
"Headmaster, will the Paranormal Science Research Society continue?"
"Hm, that's not for me to decide. What do the teachers think? If anyone wants to object, now is the time."
No one stepped forward, and even Siana, who usually had a solution for everything, couldn't come up with a way to oppose it.
'I can't win this.'
The reason the study group should continue was because so many people had gathered here, all of them with their own reasons.
"This is it," Siana thought to herself. She set the conditions and had done a great job. Now, there was nothing left to do but accept the outcome.
"There are no objections."
Meanwhile, in a secluded area behind the central building, members of the Shady Research Society were gathered.
Even rotten teeth are good, huh? You're doing pretty well. The older grads left behind some cheeky ones, huh?Yeah, is this just a temporary break from the war? Since the Chosimyeonhoe will stay strong for now, our Ant Language Research Group decided not to step forward.Well, it's still Class Five. I'll be graduating soon, but I won't be here next year.Isn't that something to be proud of? If you fail this year, you might have to compete with those guys next year. Honestly, it might be better to just graduate this year.What? Are you saying I'm scared of those guys? You're the one saying that...Everyone, stop. We usually don't talk like this. If you want to stick together, just stick together. Of course, our Hide-and-Seek Research Group won't make a move.Alright, fine. But you'll be watching my every move. You'd even hide in the sewers, wouldn't you?
The leaders of the shadowy factions of the magic school reached an unspoken agreement and dispersed in different directions.
Siana watched them from a distance, blending into the crowd.
'Oh, those troublemakers.'
She had an idea even before confirming it, and now she was sick of seeing their faces. A group of bullies who had tormented her since she entered the advanced class, right up until graduation.
The reason they couldn't be dealt with was because they used their talents for bad purposes, hiding their actions like ghosts.
'How many of them are there in this school? It's all because they approve of that ridiculous study group.'
Siana didn't want to disband the Supernatural Psychic Science Research Society because of Neid or his group. It was because they held a symbolic position in the shadowy research society.
'There have been some truly amazing students who passed through...'
Anyway, she had failed to seize the opportunity again.
Frustrated by the thought of once again pushing students into an accident, Siana clicked her tongue and headed toward the building.
"We will now announce the results of the teachers' meeting."
The applause quieted.
"The Paranormal Science Research Society was about to be disbanded. There had been no official activities for a year and not enough members. However, after today's presentation, and after discussing it with Principal Alpheas and many teachers, we have decided that Neid's three-person group, the Supernatural Psychic Science Research Society, will continue for now. But…"
Siana was furious. No matter how many times she thought about it, she couldn't hold back the anger bubbling up, and she shouted.
"You three are suspended from class for a week! Suspended, you idiots!"
"Wahahahahaha!"
The group burst out laughing.
Their plan to prove the research group's worth had backfired. In the process, they were accused of installing unauthorized machinery in the school.
Shirone, Neid, and Iruki looked at each other, speechless.
"Uh, we..."
As they exchanged looks, their lips slowly curled up, and a joyful expression appeared in their eyes.
"We did it! We succeeded!"
Siana was left speechless as she watched them running around after being suspended, but they were genuine. They had given it their all, leaving no regrets behind.
"Hahaha! Hey, congratulations! Keep it up!"
"Where's your lab? I'll come visit sometime!"
Among those celebrating today's outcome were Mark and Seriel, two of Shirone's most loyal followers.
"Ahhh! As expected from Senior Shirone! I knew it wouldn't end like this! You're one step ahead of me! No, two steps ahead!"
"That's right. I never imagined the disbandment of the research group would be at stake during this presentation. Anyway, great job! Right, Amy?"
Amy, despite being expected to be the happiest, wore a grumpy expression.
"What's so great about being suspended from school? Why are you so proud of yourselves? Even if you study hard and reach the graduating class, it won't matter."
Seriel looked at Amy affectionately, knowing her true feelings.
He understood that Amy wanted to be in the graduating class with Shirone.
"But it's still cool. Of course, if you asked me to do it, I'd never go for it, but I'm sure everyone has thought about it at least once. Wanting to surprise the world."
Seriel glanced back at Shirone, who was smiling, unaffected by the disciplinary action, receiving cheers from his fellow students.
'It was worth it. Wasn't it, Shirone?'
Amy's eyes also showed a hint of longing.
Because if Shirone hadn't moved on to the graduating class, she felt like she'd have a place next to him now.
'That's a useless thought. I don't have time for this if I have to graduate. I'll never look up to you.'
Amy turned away coldly.
'So... I'm telling you to hurry up and follow me, idiot.'
It was 4 o'clock in the morning.
While students, teachers, and employees working overtime were all deep in sleep, only Shirone and his group lay on the grass in front of the central building, where the historic presentation had just taken place, staring at the stars.
"..."
The cheering and commotion had died down, but Shirone still felt like he was dreaming.
Neid spoke, his voice hoarse.
"We finally did it, guys."
"Yeah. But I feel a little sorry for Shirone. I get disciplined like it's nothing, but this is your first time."
Shirone chuckled. It didn't bother him.
"It was fun. It was so much fun."
"Yeah, it was amazing. Will I ever experience a day like today again? I still get goosebumps."
"Well, the three of us put our strengths together. That's enough. We've made new history at Alpheas Magic School."
Suddenly, Shirone sat up.
"Besides, it's not all bad. I gained a lot. My photon output increased tremendously through this presentation. I would never have gotten this far just from classes."
"Me too. I gained knowledge about optical fibers, and most importantly, I experienced the mass production process on my own. Honestly, it was a great learning experience. All thanks to you guys."
Iruki agreed.
"Same here. I learned so much applying the behavior patterns of all the students in real life. Of course, if Shirone hadn't used the Immortal Function, none of it would have mattered."
"What are you talking about? You were amazing. If it weren't for the level calculated by Servant Syndrome, the students never would have been tricked. Some teachers must've been fooled too."
"That part was tough for Neid. He had to install hundreds of machines without a single error. I think some teachers were fooled. The details were…"
They were talking excitedly when they suddenly realized something and went quiet.
A chilly wind blew past, and Neid, laying back down, spoke.
"Let's stop. What's the point of praising each other?"
"Yeah. We shouldn't get complacent. There's more work ahead."
Shirone gazed at the stars in the night sky.
"I want to go higher. I want to become one of those countless stars, the brightest one."
Iruki felt the same.
"I think I've done everything I could, though I complained a lot. It's time to rise. I mean, the graduating class."
"Right."
Neid jumped up.
"Let's set a goal today. Let's advance to a higher class as quickly as we can. And we'll all graduate together. There'll be more fun things to do once we enter society."
"Society…"
That's how you grow.
Shirone and Iruki, imagining the future, sat down with eager eyes.
"There's no more hiding. Let's move up."
"Haha, guess there's no more excuses. Then where should I try to break the seal too?"
Neid extended his hand.
"Okay, everyone, put your hands together. Let's never forget the promise we made today. We'll stick together until the end."
The three of them shouted "Fighting!" with all their might.
The night sky reflected in Shirone's eyes as he vowed to become the greatest wizard one day.
A star that shines especially brightly.
The North Star was watching over him.