<h4>Chapter 39 Diligence </h4>


    A crackling beam of terrifying energy shot out from the tip of Adam''s fingers. However, this energy beam did not shoot out in a straight line, but in an unpredictable crisscross manner.


    The energy beam zigzagged its way across the room and shot past the training dummy that Adam had been aiming at. Ultimately, the spell ended up missing the mark by arge distance andnded on the ceiling at the other end of the room.


    Adam, on the other hand, was swept off of his feet andnded a few meters away because of the spell''s recoil.


    He looked at his right hand in horror. It had already gone numb!


    Realizing what had just happened, the youth couldn''t help but gulp nervously. "I''m afraid if it wasn''t for my flesh being constantly nourished by mana, my hand would have been severely injured."


    He was slowly beginning to understand just why each minor stage of Rank 1 Mana Foundation was so crucial to a Magus. Without the proper foundation, a Magus would end up bing a victim of their own spell.


    Adam got to his feet and looked at the area on the ceiling where his spell hadnded. That part of the ceiling was glowing with purple light as the runes continued to absorb the energy.


    His back was drenched in cold sweat as he mumbled, "What if this spellnded on another person…"


    He believed that if this spellnded on a person, it was sure to leave a bloody hole in them!


    Of course, that''s only if it''s a normal person with no exposure to mana. But this realization still brought chills down his spine.


    "As expected of one of the most devastating attack-type spells amongst Rank 1 spells!" Adam marveled.


    He got into position and prepared to cast the spell one more time. "Again!"


    There were only a few days left until his duel with Lisa, and he had to make the most of every possible second to perfect his spells.


    Initially, he had epted the challenge because of his need for money. But now, things were different. He had already made a lot of money by selling potions and would continue to do so.


    Now, he just wanted to duke it out with a genius Magus who had an A-grade aptitude.


    Adam''s eyes shone with fighting spirit as hepleted the physical and modelponents. His lips curled up into a wide grin as he cast the spell one more time.


    BOOM!


    …


    Just as Adam was preparing for the uing duel, Lisa was also doing the same. She didn''t becent just because she had an advantage over Adam in terms of talent.


    Not only did Lisa have a great talent for spell-casting, but she was also an incredibly hardworking young girl. Perhaps her sheer diligence was the reason why she was able to excel as a Magus at such an early age.


    Inside another state-of-the-art training facility on campus, Lisa was currently battling a dozen training dummies made of wood and straw. As it turned out, apart from spell-casting, Lisa was also very proficient in hand-to-handbat.


    This was a given. After all, she dide in second ce in thebat assessment.


    The dozen training dummies slowly surrounded her, but Lisa remained unfazed. She allowed them topletely surround her. And right when the moment was right, her eyes shone with brilliance.


    She crouched down and ced her hand on the ground. A magic circle lit up under her palm, and the next moment she muttered calmly.


    "Shape Earth!"


    This was a rank 1 spell from the School of Alteration. The moment this spell was cast, the ground beneath Lisa rippled outwards, and wave after waves of mud spread out in all directions, causing the straw dummies to lose their bnce and fall over.


    Lisa rushed in one direction as she wielded her wooden staff. The straw dummies were magically created constructs and thus had some levels of sentience. They wanted to dodge Lisa''s attacks, but because of the rippling ground underneath them, they were unable to.


    And just like that, with a simple wave of her staff, Lisa was able to demolish the majority of the wooden dummies one after another. By the time the dummies got to their feet, she had already destroyed over half a dozen of them.


    Throughout the whole time, she remained calm andposed.


    Before the rest of the dummies made their move, Lisa dashed toward them once again and raised her staff. With great uracy, she hammered the staff down vertically.


    BAM!


    The wooden dummy''s body instantly exploded into splinters. Another dummy came forth and swung its fist at her face. Lisa calmly side-stepped and dodged the attack. Then, she swung her staff upward at lightning speed and destroyed the dummy''s upper body.


    Suddenly, her eyes narrowed and she retreated a few steps. Right as she had retreated, three dummies crashed at the spot she was earlier at.


    Having missed their attacks, thest three dummies rushed in her direction. One of the dummies pounced at her, intending to take her down and pin her to the ground.


    However, Lisa gracefully somersaulted in the air, dodging the takedown. While her body was positioned in the air right on top of the dummy, she extended her fair hand and tapped the dummy''s head with her finger.


    Her hand movements were so quick that she had alreadypleted the spell''s physicalponent before her finger touched the dummy''s head.


    Rank 1 Spell: Frostbite!


    A thinyer of frost formed on the dummy''s head and slowly made its way to the rest of its body. But Lisa didn''t wait. She immediately waved her staff in mid-air and shattered the dummy''s head.


    BAM!


    Before she had evennded on the ground, the dummy was already decapitated!


    Just as shended on the ground, the remaining two dummies had already attacked her with their fists.


    Seeing this, Lisa smirked.


    She ced her hand on the ground once again and a magic circle lit up with resplendent light.


    Rank 1 Spell: Shape Earth!


    However, this time, instead of waves rippling outward, two earthen spears shot out from the ground and instantly impaled the two dummies. This was yet another application of this rank 1 spell.


    Lisa got to her feet and swung her staff again, destroying thest two dummies with great ease. She exhaled a deep breath and nudged her ck-rimmed sses as she looked at the dozen dummies she had just destroyed in the span of a minute!


    Right at that moment, the sound of apuse could be heard from the direction of the training facility''s entrance.


    "Bravo! As expected of my dear Lisa."


    Listening to this voice, Lisa''s fists clenched tightly, and anger and hatred shed across her eyes.


    But when she turned around and looked in the direction of the voice, the animosity was instantly reced by a smile.


    A forced smile.