Isekai Adventure in the Dimensional Cube

Reiger's party each had a private room in the cabin.

Among them, Yuri's room was located at the deepest part of the cabin and it was the largest room by far, big enough to house five people.

After agreeing to teach Reiger magic, Yuri had brought Reiger back to this room and they sat down at the round table in the center of the room.

Then, in front of Reiger, Yuri prepared something.

It was an odd-looking device, resembling a large compass or a bit like a compass.

The center of the compass was embedded with a palm-sized Treasure Bead, filled with water, while the surrounding area was equally divided into four parts, each marked with seven graduations.

"What is this?"

Looking at the compass, Reiger asked Yuri with curiosity.

Yuri, however, did not answer Reiger's question but assumed a reflective pose.

"The time since you entered Splira Academy is precisely two years now, isn't it?"

Yuri asked such an irrelevant question out of the blue.

"Yes," Reiger, though feeling puzzled, honestly responded to Yuri's question, "It's exactly two years this year, and I have three more years until graduation."

Splira Academy, one of the continent's premier institutions, implements a five-year student system.

Individuals with the talent to become excellent magicians are eligible to take Splira Academy's entrance assessment at the age of fifteen, and upon passing, they are admitted to the academy.

Once admitted, students may spend up to five years in the academy until they reach the age of twenty. If they fail the graduation assessment, their enrollment will be canceled, and they may not claim to be graduates of Splira Academy.

The protagonist entered the academy when he was fifteen and was now seventeen, completing exactly two years.

As a girl of Reiger's age, Yuri, however, graduated early, having spent only one year at Splira Academy.

Yet, during that one year, Yuri completed all her coursework, making her knowledge actually much higher than any student in Splira Academy.

Knowing about Reiger's academic situation, Yuri nodded in understanding.

"In that case, you haven't started studying specialized magic knowledge yet."

Yuri stated.

"Specialized magic knowledge?"

Reiger didn't quite understand.

"That means, you're still not familiar with the field of 'magic.' Splira Academy is a five-year magic school, where the first two years fundamentally cover basic teaching and some elementary magic. It's only in the third year that professional magic knowledge is popularized, allowing you to determine your position and understand your magical aptitude," Yuri explained.

"In this world, the amount of magic is immense, nearly countless."

"There are elemental magic types that can unleash flames, thunder, and freeze everything into ice."

"There are mind-based magics that can alter perception, control consciousness, and manipulate all living beings."

"Besides that, there are explosive, prescient, summoning, enhancing systems of magic, and many more, countless in number."

"However, fundamentally, all magic in the world can actually be classified into four major systems."

Yuri pointed to the compass in front of her.

The bead of the compass in the center was surrounded by four evenly segmented areas, each with a line of small text.

The four lines of text read as follows —

— 'Transformation System.'

— 'Manipulation System.'

— 'Interference System.'

— 'Construction System.'

"These are the four major magic systems. All magics of the world are classified under these," Yuri's voice faintly echoed.

"Transformation System: Generally pertains to all magic that instantaneously forms when magic power is applied with one or more attributes like the elemental magic, which directly attributes 'fire,' 'water,' 'thunder,' 'wind,' and other properties to the magic power, forming and releasing it immediately with definitive effects. Such magics that transform magic power into properties and then release them are categorized under the Transformation System."

"Manipulation System: Generally refers to all magic that can control or dominate external objects or concepts. For example, summoning magic can summon entities like magical beasts and puppets and control them to engage in combat. All these kinds of magic fall under the Manipulation System including controlling the earth, plants, and such."

"Interference System: Generally refers to all magic that can affect oneself or others. The previously mentioned mental magics fall under this category, able to interfere with others' minds, perceptions, spirits, and memories. Enhancing magics also belong to this category, which pertain to self-interference, whether it is enhancing physical bodies or spirits, and even recovery or healing magics are part of the Interference System."

"Construction System: Generally pertains to all magic that can form material substances. Alchemy Magic belongs to this category, whether it's transmuting gold or other materials. As long as it involves using magic to refine or create something, such magic falls under the Construction System. Magic weapons, magical tools, Magic Potions, and other magical items are primarily crafted by magicians proficient in the Construction System."

This is the basic system that encompasses all magic in the world within the four major magic systems.

So, here comes the question.

"When magicians are learning magic, can they fully follow their own interests and learn whatever type of magic they wish?"

The answer is no.

"This is just like how each person's physique has subtle differences, and everyone excels in different areas. Regardless of who it is, there will be a tendency to lean towards one or several systems, where they can do more than others and more easily make achievements in that area."

This is what's called magical aptitude.

"For magicians to study magic in areas where they are more likely to achieve, which means focusing on systems where they have higher magical aptitude, is indeed the wisest approach."

Yuri talked incessantly to Reiger, tapping the compass in front of her.

"This is the magical artifact used to test personal magical aptitude."

According to Yuri, everyone has aptitude in each magic system, it's just a matter of it being high or low.

Consolidating each person's overall magical aptitude into a value of '100,' this value is distributed among the four major magic systems. The system where the value is higher, that person has higher magical aptitude in that system.

The highest magical aptitude is '70,' and the lowest is '10.' Even those with the most extreme aptitudes—possessing the highest in one of the four magic systems—will still have at least '10' aptitude in the other three, meaning the maximum aptitude one can have in a system is only '70.'

"The higher the aptitude, the easier it is to learn the magic of that system."

"Whether it's manipulating Magic Power, constructing rituals, stabilizing structures, or transforming efficiency, the higher the aptitude, the easier it is."

"Thus, many high-difficulty magics have requirements for aptitude. If the aptitude is not up to standard, then no matter what, that kind of magic cannot be used."

Yuri pursed her lips and told Reiger so.

"Take Tactical Level Magic, for instance. Regardless of the type, the magician must have at least '50' aptitude within the respective system; otherwise, they cannot perform it."

The magician who had set up the Tactical Barrier Magic previously at the Franzer family estate proved that he had '50' magical aptitude in the Barrier System, as otherwise, he could not have constructed a barrier of that scale and level.

Therefore, without high aptitude, even becoming a Tactical Level Magician is unachievable.

"Strategic-level magicians have even stricter requirements for aptitude, needing '70,' the highest level of aptitude in a system. Otherwise, no matter how vast their Magic Power, they cannot perform Strategic-level Magic."

Yuri explained so to Reiger.

"Magical Power and aptitude—only when both meet the necessary requirements, can a magician have the possibility to perform the corresponding magic."

As she spoke, Yuri placed her hand on the Treasure Bead of the compass.

"Clang!"

The Treasure Bead instantly shone brilliantly, causing the water inside to flow out.

The water flowed into the four areas around the Treasure Bead, gradually filling up those domains.

However, the water flowing into the "Control System" area was the most, quickly reaching the seventh mark and filling up the area, while the water in the other three areas was the least, each only reaching the first mark, which was significantly less than the former.

"This is my magical aptitude."

"In the Control System, I have the highest aptitude of '70,' so the water can fill up the whole area marked with seven marks."

"Whereas in the Transformation, Interference, and Construction Systems, I have the lowest aptitude of '10' each, so the water can only fill up an area marked with one mark."

Yuri, while speaking, withdrew her hand, and the water inside the compass immediately flowed back rapidly, soon flowing back into the Treasure Bead and filling the emptied bead.

The glow from the Treasure Bead dimmed at this point.

"This is the method of testing magical aptitude. At Sprouler Academy, this knowledge is also not popularized until the third year. By the third year, you all will test your magical aptitude at the academy and begin specialized magical studies."

Yuri smiled at Reiger and said so.

"If you want to learn magic from me, you need to first test your own magical aptitude. It would be best if it matches my system."

Yuri is a Strategic-level Magician specializing in Control System Magic.

Thus, if Reiger also has a higher aptitude in the Control System, learning magic from Yuri would definitely result in rapid progress.

Even if Reiger only has the lowest magical aptitude of '10' in the Control System, he can still learn Control System magic, but the low aptitude significantly increases the difficulty of learning, and some high-difficulty magics become impossible to master.

"Of course, that's what I consider common knowledge."

Speaking of which, Yuri spoke with deep meaning,

"If the 'adventure' you talk about has a way to break through this common knowledge and allows you to learn my magic, then naturally that's a different matter."

Hearing this, Reiger fell silent.