School Again IV

"Even though I said that, the first lesson is predetermined," Alfred began, his voice firm. "Everyone has to show the magic they used during the entrance examination. So, Littenheim, we'll start with you."

"I'm first? Okay, let's do this," Julius, the bulkiest guy in the class, said with a determined grin.

Shin, excited to see what Class S could do, couldn't help but smile in anticipation.

One by one, each student demonstrated their strongest magic. Finally, it was Shin's turn.

"I'll use Blue Flame Bullet," Shin thought to himself as he prepared his spell. He aimed at the dummy and fired, the projectile hitting with explosive force.

"Such destructive power!" Tony exclaimed, clearly impressed as he looked at the reactions of the others.

"So this is the grandson of the Hero," Rin murmured, her voice a mix of admiration and curiosity.

"Now, it's your turn, Kate," Alfred said, nodding to her.

"If Shin-kun can do that, I expect nothing less from her," Rin said, watching Kate with keen interest.

Kate took a breath, her mind already working through the strategy. "The transformation element is what I used in the exam, so I'd better use that again."

She extended her pointer and middle fingers, visualizing the arc of mana she needed. "First, swing my arm so that an arc of mana will be fired, then transform it into fire."

With a swift movement, Kate swung her fingers, and an arc of mana shot toward the dummy. Mid-flight, she transformed the mana into fire, slicing through the dummy with a searing edge. The fire continued, cutting through the wall behind it before finally fizzling out.

"Woah... even with holding back, I can still do this kind of damage?" Kate thought to herself, surprised by the force of her own attack.

"What was that magic?" Rin asked, her voice filled with awe.

A murmur of amazement rippled through her classmates as they looked at Kate, clearly stunned by her display of power.

"I just thought of something good for a name!" Rin said excitedly, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"Oh? Let's hear it then!" Yuri said, eager to know.

"Ultimate Research Magic Society for our club name!" Rin declared, her face breaking into a wide smile.

"Since it's Wolford-kun, he can teach us some ultimate magic. With his attack magic, he can obliterate anything, and his defense is absolute!" Thor added, his voice filled with admiration.

"It certainly sounds ultimate," Maria mused. "Seems like joining that club will put a lot of pressure on me..." she lamented, nervously brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Sounds amazing!" Alice cheered, her enthusiasm contagious.

"So, the entire class will join? Even Julius?" Yuri asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That's right, since it's Shin-dono's club," Julius replied with a proud smile.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Alice exclaimed, her excitement practically radiating off of her.

Shin, feeling a little overwhelmed, scratched the back of his head and blushed. "There is no ultimateness to it," he muttered embarrassedly.

The next day, Kate was up early again, with the entire room to herself. She idly played with the magical screen in front of her, lost in thought.

"Once I get back to the Martial World, I'd better find Yang Kai and copy his techniques," Kate thought to herself.

"I also discovered that the elements can be explored further, but it will take a long time. I've been researching Fire for quite a while now, and it's only at 0.8%. To increase it, I have to use fire in different ways... but..."

She continued to ponder, "The Creation Element... I don't remember using any skill that actually creates something. Then there's also the Light Element, which is the highest at 3%..."

Just as Kate was deep in thought, the entire room suddenly turned black.

"Hmm? Where am I?" Kate murmured, confused.

Before she could react, a multicolored dust materialized in front of her, forming the shape of a person.

"Looks like you're enjoying your vacation," the being said, its voice playful.

"It's you again," Kate replied, recognizing the mysterious figure.

"Indeed, it's me," the being said with a mischievous tone.

"Where have you been?" Kate asked, her tone light but curious.

"It's been so long since you last spoke to me. I missed you. I almost forgot why I wanted to get stronger because you don't visit me anymore." Kate said in playfull tone

The Mysterious Being laughed, her voice teasing. "Oh, don't be like that. I'm always alive and well," the mysterious being replied, brushing off the sentiment. "But this time, it's actually different."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "What's this visit for?"

"I heard what you did in the Trinity Seven Universe. You killed Arata," the being said, its tone turning serious.

Kate's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't speak.

"I know that you're aware of the universes you've visited," the being continued, its voice now tinged with intrigue. "Do you know why that is?"

"You have knowledge of everything, and I made it that way so you would have an advantage," the mysterious being said, its voice carrying a weight of understanding.

"But the Trinity Seven you entered is the original."

"Original?" Kate frowned, confusion crossing her face. "There are so many differences in that universe compared to the one I know."

The being's form flickered slightly. "One of my enemies, whom I gravely injured, managed to escape and hide in one of the universes Leaf. I've been searching for him for quite a while now, until you killed him."

Kate raised an eyebrow, processing this. "But he died so easily for someone who could escape from you."

"You have a point," the being admitted, its tone thoughtful. "But by the time he was in that state, with his damaged Soul Corridor, he couldn't do anything. He was just a normal mage at that point. As a Soul Cultivator, the damage to his Soul Corridor caused by the Universe Leaf travel made him weak."

Kate nodded slowly, piecing the puzzle together. "I see... So, why are you here?"

The being's tone shifted, more serious now. "With my current circumstances, I can't expend any more resources on searching for him. And we also can't ignore the fact that our enemy was in our backyard. We were worried, but you killed him. So, I'm here to thank you."

Kate waved it off with a casual smile. "It's all good. I didn't do anything that hard. Don't worry about it."

The mysterious being paused for a moment, then extended a hand to Kate. "Don't worry. The Ancestral Order has come to a decision to reward you."

As it spoke, the being handed Kate five pairs of cards, their surfaces glimmering faintly with power.

Kate looked down at the cards in her hands, a mix of curiosity and caution in her eyes. "I don't like it when someone has power without earning it, but this time is an exception. Goodbye, and enjoy your vacation."

With those final words, the being slowly turned to dust, dissipating into the air.

Kate suddenly found herself back in the classroom, letting out a huge sigh. "Facing her, even with my current power... still makes me pray for my life," Kate thought to herself, her gaze lingering on the pair of cards floating in front of her.

"Activate one pair," Kate muttered, and the pair of cards levitated in front of her. A word appeared above them: "BUFFS."

Kate read aloud, "Double Damage and Enhance Item Effects." She paused for a moment, considering her options. "Double Damage sounds like the obvious choice, but Enhance Item Effects... that sounds incredible..."

She hesitated, her thoughts racing. "But... I feel like I'll regret it if I don't pick Double Damage. It's the clearer choice."

With that, Kate made up her mind. She reached out, and the Enhance Item Effects card disintegrated into light, while the Double Damage buff glowed brightly and entered Kate's forehead.

"Activate the next pair," Kate said, determination in her voice. As soon as the words left her mouth, the two cards levitated in front of her, and the title appeared at the top: "Items throughout the Universe Traveled."

Kate read aloud, "The first card is the Fire Seed, and the second one is the Annihilation Thunder Bead." She furrowed her brow, evaluating the cards. "This one's an easy choice. The Fire Seed is from the Against the Gods Universe. It gives complete control and immunity to fire, while the Annihilation Thunder Bead is an Emperor Rank artifact. The Fire Seed is better in every way."

Without hesitation, Kate chose the Fire Seed. The Annihilation Thunder Bead burst into flames, disintegrating into nothingness as the Fire Seed entered Kate's body. But the moment it did, she felt an intense pain in her meridians. Her whole body tensed, and she immediately stood up, staggering as the pain coursed through her.

"Aghh!" Kate shouted, unable to contain the agony.

In a flash of instinct, she opened a Gate of Babylon, and Dingir, the Noble Phantasm, appeared at her side. Without thinking, Kate grabbed it and used Chrono Calculation to teleport straight to her house.

She landed outside her house, but the pain didn't subside. "Why does it hurt so much?!" Kate thought to herself, struggling to keep her composure.

Meanwhile, Merlin and Melinda, hearing the commotion, rushed outside. When they saw Kate lying on the ground, writhing in pain, they both shouted in unison, "KATE!"

Merlin, rushing to Kate's side, immediately began casting Healing Magic. "G-GET AWAY!" Kate shouted, her voice filled with desperation. The magic sent Merlin and Melinda flying back, as Kate fought to stand. Every ounce of her energy began to leak out uncontrollably.

"Wha—What's going on?" Melinda asked, her voice shaking with fear.

As Kate's mana poured out at full throttle, Merlin and Melinda hastily cast a Cubic Magic Barrier, encasing Kate to contain the surging energy. Kate screamed, her voice full of suffering. The two of them could do nothing but watch as the energy continued to leak.

It wasn't long before Shin arrived, his eyes wide with panic. "GRANDMA! GRANDPA! WHAT'S GOING ON?!" he shouted, rushing to them.

"We don't know! Kate just appeared here, already on the ground, suffering," Melinda replied, her voice tinged with fear.

The cubic barrier began to crack under the pressure of Kate's leaking energy. "This won't do!" Shin exclaimed, his face a mask of determination.

Without hesitation, Shin cast another set of barriers, layering them one on top of the other, reinforcing the protection around Kate. "Grandpa, you need to rest. Leave this to me," he instructed, as Merlin reluctantly canceled his own magic barrier to let Shin take over.

As soon as Kate's uncontrolled energy hit Shin's newly created barriers, the first layer cracked, unable to withstand the raw power.

"Arghhh! What is going on?!" Kate thought to herself, her mind reeling as her body continued to burn with pain. She shouted again, her voice filled with agony.

Meanwhile, Melinda, in a panic, quickly activated a magical tool. With a flash of light, she set up an additional barrier to protect the entire mansion and surrounding land, causing it to disappear from sight, concealing their location.

After some time, Kate suddenly stopped, losing consciousness while still standing. As her mana drained completely, she unconsciously activated the Isolation of One's Heart technique, transforming back into her Qin Xinci appearance. Her pearl-white skin began to turn ashen, accompanied by the transformation of her hair into a pale grey color. Her school uniform, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of absorbed mana, ignited in flames, burning away to reveal her black and ash-grey battle dress, adorned with silver designs.

As her skin darkened to the grey of ash, Kate's eyes shifted, her irises turning white with a crimson pupil at the center.

"I-I... Is that Kate?" Shin asked, his voice filled with disbelief. Merlin and Melinda stood frozen, equally stunned by the sudden transformation.

Minutes passed, and still, Kate did not move. Shin's face grew more serious, concern creeping in. "Is she alright?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

"Is she curious?" Melinda asked softly, though the uncertainty in her tone mirrored the fear growing inside her.

"Kate!" Merlin called out, his voice cracking as he stepped forward. He reached out but stopped short as he noticed her eyes still open but unseeing, glazed over.

Shin, his face full of concern, took a cautious step forward. "Looks like she's unconscious, but her eyes are still open."

"Be careful," Melinda warned, her voice tight with apprehension.

"I will, Grandma," Shin reassured her, determination hardening his features as he approached Kate carefully. He knelt in front of her and placed his hand on her shoulder, checking for any signs of awareness.

"Grandma, Grandpa, she's unconscious!" Shin exclaimed, his voice urgent as he carefully lifted Kate into his arms in a bridal carry.

Without another word, he began to carry her back to their home, his steps quick and sure. He gently placed her down in her room, laying her to rest as they watched over her, hoping for her recovery.

In the middle of the night, Kate's eyes fluttered open, her body still aching. "Augh, my whole body hurts..." she thought, grimacing as she shifted slightly. "Why did it hurt like that? Yun Che didn't react like this when he got the Fire Seed..."

Despite her discomfort, Kate raised her hand, and a small burst of flame flickered to life at her fingertips. A faint smile crept onto her face. "But at least I finally have the Fire Seed."

The flames danced in her palm before she extinguished them. "Nice!" she thought with satisfaction, but her mood soured as she realized something. "Ugh... My mana is completely drained. Looks like I'll need to rely on a different energy source for the time being."

A magical screen materialized in front of her, listing her elemental affinities:

Elements

Transformation Element

Creation Element: 1.3%

Light Element: 3%

Fire Element

"Oh? Since I gained complete control over fire, it's already at 100%," Kate mused, her smile returning briefly. "Right. I need to apologize to everyone tomorrow for what happened," she resolved, already imagining their concerned faces.

But her gaze fell back on the magical screen, her thoughts shifting. "Before that... There are still three more pairs of cards to activate."

With a faint flicker of excitement, she reached for the next pair.

"But there is also the Darkness Seed that I haven't refined yet. This is bad. I better refine that in a faraway place so that I won't cause any problems for everyone," Kate said, sighing. "I also have one set of cards I haven't used yet," she added, thinking about her skills and inventory. "For now, let's apologize before doing anything," Kate muttered as she tried to go back to sleep.

Two days later, Kate opened her eyes. "I feel like I'm okay now," Kate thought to herself as she slowly got up and headed for the shower.

After some time, Kate walked down the stairs and noticed everyone in a serious discussion with the King in the living room. Not wanting to interrupt, she headed straight to the kitchen to have lunch.

At noon, she asked the maid, "Are they finally done?"

"Yes, Mistress Kate, the King just left," the maid replied.

"Thanks," Kate said with a nod as she made her way toward the living room.

"Seriously, what should we do with you?!" Melinda's sharp voice cut through the air as she shouted at Shin.

s Kate walked toward the sofa and sat on it, she asked, "What happened to get Grandma this angry?" Her tone carried a mix of curiosity and concern.

"It's good that you're okay now, Kate," Merlin said with a warm smile. "Shin killed a demon," he added.

"Thanks, Grandpa. But a demon? How could a demon infiltrate the capital?" Kate asked, confused.

"No, it was a human demon," Melinda clarified, her voice heavy with frustration.

"What?" Kate said, her surprise evident.

"I see… so we're in the time of that chapter, huh…" Kate thought to herself, piecing together the situation as her mind wandered.

"Will you be coming back to school?" Shin asked cautiously.

"Yeah, tomorrow I'll go back to school," Kate replied with a small nod.

"I see. I'm glad you're okay. But… what happened to you?" Shin asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"It's nothing. I just didn't expect it to be like that, so…" Kate said, her voice trailing off.

"That doesn't explain anything," Shin replied, clearly unsatisfied with her vague response.

Before Kate could reply, a woman in a lab coat suddenly appeared beside her, kneeling down. "Milady, the research is done, and we're ready to start the production," the woman, Dr. Mei, said firmly.

The sudden appearance startled everyone. Merlin, Melinda, and Shin immediately moved into defensive stances, ready to attack if needed.

"Don't worry; she's my follower," Kate explained quickly, raising her hand to calm them.

"I apologize, Milady, for my sudden appearance," Dr. Mei said respectfully, lowering her head.

"It's okay. So, what should we do next?" Kate asked, shifting the conversation.

"Nevermind You can go. I'll talk to you later," Kate said with a dismissive wave. Dr. Mei nodded and vanished as quickly as she had appeared.

The room fell silent for a moment, the tension easing only slightly. "Follower, huh?" Shin muttered, still visibly on edge.

"So, you already have followers?" Merlin asked, his tone serious as he scrutinized Kate.

"Yes, Grandfather. I've had them even before I came here," Kate replied calmly. "She's Dr. Mei, a researcher from a far, far more advanced civilization."

"There's also Chu Yue Chan and her daughter," Kate added, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Only two?" Melinda asked, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Yes, but Chu Yue Chan alone could bring this entire world to chaos," Kate said confidently.

Shin, however, was brimming with curiosity. "A researcher from an advanced civilization? What is that completed thing she mentioned, ready for production?!" he asked excitedly.

"It's a warship," Kate answered bluntly.

"A warship?!" Shin exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement.

"A warship? What's that?" Melinda asked, her tone laced with concern.

"It's a large metal boat meant for war," Shin said enthusiastically, trying to explain.

"No," Kate interjected, shaking her head. "It's a massive flying artifact designed for space travel, equipped with advanced weaponry made for universal warfare."

Melinda's expression darkened with worry. "What are you planning, Kate?" she asked cautiously.

"No, Grandma, you misunderstand me," Kate said quickly, her hands raised in reassurance. "That's not meant for this place, so don't worry. It's for something… far beyond here."

Melinda sighed, though the concern didn't entirely leave her face. "You'd better not be hiding anything dangerous from us," she muttered.

Kate gave a small nod. "I promise, it's nothing that will endanger this world."