The students stared without blinking. They had encountered succubi more in novels and myths than in professional literature, so they had high expectations, but the reality was far more gruesome than they had imagined.
The naked woman's body was bruised and bluish, with grotesque bat wings on her back.
Her eyes were slitted, her nose was completely flat, and her teeth were so misaligned that her lips protruded even when her mouth was closed. Her bluish lips, like a corpse's, added to the ugliness.
Student 2: "Th-that's a succubus?"
The male students made disgusted faces. No matter how beautiful her figure was, the other hideous features evoked revulsion.
Olivia examined the succubus's face. As the school inspector, she had received reports, but this was the first time she had seen them in person.
Seeing that the characteristics of the succubus she had slain in her youth were accurately represented, she nodded.
Olivia: "Hmm, this is acceptable. There was always some doubt since data on demons is scarce."
Olivia clapped to get the students' attention.
Olivia: "Now, everyone. This is probably your first time seeing a succubus. This is what they look like. The monsters implemented in Icheon are updated based on information from countless explorers and scholars. The demon version is my first time seeing it too. Now, let's see how well the charm ability is implemented."
When Sade switched to test mode, the succubus's appearance began to change.
The students stared in shock, their mouths agape. Especially the boys, who were drooling.
A succubus with black straight hair, pale skin, and a delicate face smiled at them. Of course, she was completely naked.
Sade: "Um, Principal. There are still young students here, so this kind of thing is a bit…."
But Olivia instead moved aside to give them a better view.
Olivia: "Well, what do you think? Can you call this beautiful?"
A thunderous cheer erupted from the male students.
Male Students: "Wooah! The best! Truly the best!"
Student 3: "If classes were like this, I could do them all day without getting bored."
Olivia smiled prettily.
Olivia: "If that's the case, then all of you are dead."
The room fell silent, as if cold water had been poured over everyone.
Olivia: "No matter how they look, their essence is that of demons. What are demons? They are the ugly mistakes of humans from a long time ago. When you encounter a demon, there's only one thing to consider: Can you kill it or not? The moment you make any other judgment, your head will be rolling on the ground."
At Olivia's nod, the succubus returned to its original grotesque form.
The students felt a chill run down their spines as they realized they had been momentarily entranced by such a monster.
Olivia: "There's a saying: What you see is what you believe. The succubus's appearance can shake your Spirit Zone. To face demons, you need at least a 6th-grade party. At that level, even a moment of carelessness can lead to annihilation. Whether the swordsman gets distracted or the healer rushes to tend to the wounded, the mage must remain unshaken. It's because we calmly observe the situation that our comrades can perform their duties to the fullest. That's why the mage is the top priority for survival in a party and must be the last to die."
The students listened intently. It was their first time hearing such raw, firsthand accounts of what happens on the front lines.
This was also part of Olivia's advocacy for practical, real-world education.
Olivia: "How is it? This is the efficiency of the Battle simulation. No matter how much you explain it in words, seeing it with your own eyes is a world of difference. Of course, fighting demons will be a story for the distant future. But the Icheon battle is one of the graduation exam subjects. If you make such a mistake in the Colosseum, you'll fail. Sending a mage like that to the front lines would only get your comrades killed."
Shirone also took this to heart. No matter what profession he pursued in the future, a mage must be able to protect himself and his comrades. After all, they are given tasks that ordinary people cannot handle. If a mage just sits at a desk shuffling papers, it would be far more efficient to hire a scholar.
Olivia: "Then let's get started properly. It's a bit much to use a succubus for the test, so this time, summon a Dragon Tooth Soldier."
Sade, who had been waiting for those words, immediately dispelled the succubus. After inputting the code for the Dragon Tooth Soldier, a steel-colored skeleton was projected into the Battle simulation.
The students erupted in cheers once again. The Dragon Tooth Soldier was a magical creature made from a dragon's fang. Its body was so hard that physical attacks had almost no effect, making it a monster so powerful that it was said to be better to run away unless you had a holy mage who could Turn Undead.
Olivia: "For the demonstration, let's have one of the teachers participate."
Sade: "I'll do it."
Sade stepped forward. Honestly, he didn't want to, but he couldn't send Siana or Ethela. He didn't want to see a woman getting beaten up by a Dragon Tooth Soldier.
Olivia: "Although it's virtual, the information it processes is based on a real Dragon Tooth Soldier, so it's practically the same as a real battle. Let's set the synchronization rate to 50%. Is that all right?"
Sade: "Haha! Of course. 50% is nothing."
Actually, it wasn't anything. Even for a certified 6th-grade mage, the Dragon Tooth Soldier was a formidable monster. Even if the impact were only half, he couldn't guarantee his mind could withstand it.
Olivia: "Then Teacher Sade will take the Dragon Tooth Soldier's attack."
The Dragon Tooth Soldier approached with heavy footsteps.
'This is terrifying. Damn it.'
Sade waited with a stiff expression. As the massive skeleton raised its relic-like sword, the students' eyes widened.
It was an overwhelming display of power.
Student 1: "Huh? Huh?"
The Dragon Tooth Soldier's arm came down at a terrifying speed.
As the virtual sword passed through Sade's body, the percentage gauge above his head dropped by 50%.
Sade struggled to maintain a calm expression.
Olivia: "As you can see, Teacher Sade's mental strength has been halved. This is because being cut by the sword would mean death. Since the synchronization rate is 50%, only half was deducted. If a mage receives a death judgment, the hologram will pass through them. This is called 'penetration.' Now, let's show you the defense judgment. Teacher Sade."
Sade, being a skilled teaching assistant, immediately cast a spell. Using Air Skin, a compressed layer of air enveloped his body, and the percentage gauge dropped by 1%.
Since mental strength was quantified, the gauge decreased not only when attacked but also when casting spells.
Olivia: "Now, let's take the Dragon Tooth Soldier's attack."
The Dragon Tooth Soldier raised its arm and swung its sword down. This time, it was different from the penetration judgment. The blade stopped as if it had struck Sade's head, and the percentage gauge dropped by 1.8%.
Olivia nodded with satisfaction.
Olivia: "As expected, you're amazing. With the 1% cost of Air Skin, you gained 48.2% defense. If this were a real battle, it means you could take a full-powered strike from a Dragon Tooth Soldier and still remain almost completely composed. Do you see how strong Teacher Sade is?"
All the students loudly answered, "Yes!" If a certified 6th-grade mage's mental strength dropped by 1.8% from such destructive power, a single graze would mean instant death for the advanced class students.
Sade puffed out his chest proudly. There was no need to reveal that he had expanded a massive sequence formula just before being hit.
Olivia: "When the hologram doesn't penetrate, it's called 'blocking.' Penetration and blocking. If these two judgments occur, mental strength is drained through anti-magic and mana control techniques."
Mana control was a technique that blocked specific neural circuits, making it impossible to concentrate.
The Spirit Zone is a phenomenon where the entire brain is activated, so blocking even a part of the cerebral network makes concentration impossible.
When one circuit is blocked, the brain immediately reroutes information through another path.
However, since the mana control device changes the blocking path 20 times per second, you can still think, but you can't enter the Spirit Zone.
Of course, if you surpass the 20-block-per-second speed and bypass irregular patterns, it's possible to enter the Spirit Zone.
But the official stance of the association is that this is impossible unless you're a 2nd-grade grand mage or higher.
It's an impressive technology, but the students had no interest in mana control.
Since it doesn't harm the mind and was originally developed for use on criminals, it's only natural that no one but those dreaming of becoming engineers would find it interesting.
However, the mention of anti-magic couldn't help but scare them.
Student 2: "Principal, anti-magic is a bit…"
Olivia: "Yes, I know what you're worried about. It's a spell that damages the mind. But as long as the synchronization rate is below 80%, there's no significant danger, so don't worry."
Olivia decisively wrapped up the topic and moved on.
Olivia: "Now, let's move on to the attack judgment. It's called 'pushing.' Teacher Sade."
This time, it was Sade's turn to attack the Dragon Tooth Soldier. But he had no choice but to brace himself.
Without holy magic, you needed either physical strength capable of shattering a dragon's fang or firepower strong enough to melt it.
It wasn't impossible if he went all out, but he didn't want to show off in front of the students.
Sade: "Uh, the Dragon Tooth Soldier…"
Olivia: "Ah, I see. I'll do it."
Sade stepped back, and Olivia took his place.
She raised her hand lightly and cast the holy magic spell Holy Cross.
As light burst from her palm, a large cross of light exploded in the Dragon Tooth Soldier's chest.
The stunned Dragon Tooth Soldier staggered back.
Olivia: "This is 'pushing.' Virtual information can't physically push your body, but holograms can do it easily. The death judgment of a monster also falls under pushing. Let me demonstrate."
Olivia slightly pursed her lips. A high-frequency sound leaked from her slightly parted lips.
When she cast Holy Cross, a cross four times larger than before obliterated the Dragon Tooth Soldier.
The sight of bones dancing in the air left the students wide-eyed.
The teachers were equally shocked.
As expected of the foremost authority in incantation magic, she effortlessly performed the advanced technique of single-syllable magic.
Siana watched her with mixed feelings. She had tried to hold out until Alpheas returned, but she couldn't stop the surge of admiration.
Siana: "That's amazing. The amplification must have been over 2,000 syllables."
Ethela: "It took about 0.82 seconds. It's like reading five pages of a novel in less than a second."
Ethela's vivid analogy sent shivers down their spines.
Even if they tried to imagine it, they couldn't grasp just how fast that was.
Siana: "The basics of incantation are to chew and spit. It's not just about pronunciation; the speed of thought is terrifying."
Ethela: "Yes, that's why S-class criminals are put in isolation cells to stop them from thinking altogether, instead of using mana control devices. Of course, the principal isn't a criminal."
The most surprising thing was that the gauge representing Olivia's mental strength didn't decrease at all after casting the spell.
It must have been a decrease of less than 0.1%. Obliterating a Dragon Tooth Soldier seemed as easy as breathing for her.
Olivia: "This concludes the basic explanation of the Battle simulation. We'll alternate between the Image Zone and Icheon for classes, so make sure to check the schedule. Class Seven will have a synchronization rate of 20%, increasing by 10% for each grade, with Class Five at 50%. For reference, the graduating class is currently training at 80%, and the graduation exam is at 100%. If you have any additional questions, ask them now."
A Class Four student raised their hand.
Class Four Student: "What happens if the gauge runs out?"
Olivia: "Good question. Look at Teacher Sade's gauge."
The students' eyes turned to Sade. His gauge was now fully replenished.
Olivia: "The mental strength gauge reflects a mage's mind in real time. It decreases when you're attacked or cast spells. Of course, it replenishes when you rest. If it reaches 0%, the two bracelets will light up, and the Icheon effect will disappear. Any other questions?"
Class Four Student: "Uh… is that really all?"
Olivia smiled slyly.
Olivia: "Yes, that's all. Through Icheon training, you'll significantly improve your tactical and strategic understanding. Most importantly, the core function of Icheon hasn't even been revealed yet, so there's no need to be nervous already."
The teachers' expressions darkened.
While they acknowledged the efficiency of Icheon, the reason it had been limited to the graduating class was because of issues like this.
Olivia: "No matter how strong a monster is, it's just artificially collected dead information. If there's a pattern, it means there's a way to counter it. The true strength of Icheon lies elsewhere. Information without patterns. The collision of living information."
The students began to murmur. Having understood the Icheon system, they could guess the meaning behind Olivia's words.
Olivia: "The crown jewel of Icheon is human combat."
The advanced class's integrated lessons were divided between the Image Zone and Icheon training. The students, who had quickly adapted to Olivia's policies, no longer felt resistance toward Icheon.
Student 3: "Hey, over there! Catch it!"
Student 4: "No, push it this way!"
The Class Seven students were hunting a Tycon.
A hairless, reddish-brown monstrous bird with a long beak and sharp claws. It wasn't very large, and with a synchronization rate of only 10%, it was a monster they could hunt without fear.
Dozens of students cast spells into the sky, creating a massive net of magic. The Tycon, caught in the barrage, was pummeled by various spells and crashed to the ground.
Student 5: "Got it! It was hit by my Ice Sword!"
Student 6: "No, you idiot! It was my Wind Cutter!"
Student 7: "Whatever, we won! We took down a monster!"
The standard tactic for hunting flying monsters was to set up a magic net along their path. The Class Seven students were learning firsthand how effective such tactics were in real combat.
Shirone could feel the students' changes.
Since Icheon training began, all the students had become more dedicated to magic practice. This was the effect of Olivia's advocacy for practical, real-world education.
When the juniors' practice ended and it was Class Five's turn, the level of monsters increased significantly.
From the Wulks they had encountered in the refugee village to the giant scorpion and the sound-magic-using Harpy, the monsters were running rampant.
The Troll, with its regenerative abilities, was the most troublesome. Although it had a weakness to magic, half-hearted attacks had no effect.
Boyle: "Come out, Merses."
Boyle summoned a Merses from the Arctic Ocean.
A creature from the echinoderm phylum, it was a spherical being about 50 centimeters in diameter with hard, spiky cilia. Although it had no intelligence, once it latched onto a target, it would cool the area to resemble its natural habitat, making it a monster summoners chose when they needed ice-based abilities.
Since it couldn't survive at room temperature for more than a minute, the Merses instinctively released cold energy after latching onto the Troll's back.
As the Troll began to freeze, its regenerative abilities weakened, and its movements slowed. The students seized the opportunity and unleashed a concentrated attack, obliterating the Troll.