Low-Fantasy Occultist Isekai

Nick took a deep breath and nodded as he positioned himself directly across from Marthas.

"Alright," he said. "Let's see how strong that shield is."

Marthas inclined his head slightly. "Whenever you're ready."

Nick decided to begin with [Wind Blast], one of his simpler spells. He didn't reach for his wand, wanting to undersell his first attack. With a snap of his fingers, he shaped the mana and released it as a concentrated gust that shot forward like a battering ram.

The blast collided with the shield—and stopped dead.

Not only did it fail to ripple or break, but the energy seemed to be entirely absorbed. The air settled back into stillness without so much as a breeze reaching the edges of the room.

Nick frowned, stepping closer as he inspected the floor and walls. There wasn't even a scratch. "Huh," he muttered, more to himself than to Marthas.

The Prelate chuckled softly. "Impressive spell. Controlled, efficient. But you're holding back, aren't you?"

Nick arched a brow at him. "Maybe."

Marthas chuckled. "Use your wand."

Nick hesitated for a moment before sighing and pulling the instrument from his belt. "Fine. Let's see if this does it."

With his wand as a focus, he prepared to cast [Windburst], which was currently his most potent offensive spell. He altered its structure slightly, adjusting the pressure zone so that instead of a wide-area effect, the force funneled directly at Marthas.

The air screamed as the compressed wind tore through the room, forming a visible vortex that slammed against the shield.

This time, the shield rippled, and the floor beneath Marthas groaned from the force of the impact.

And yet, the barrier held firm.

The vortex dissipated, and Nick could see faint scratches where the wind had scoured the ground—but nothing more.

Marthas lowered the shield with a satisfied expression. "Better. Much better. You're clearly put in a lot of work, though you have room to grow."

Nick crossed his arms, trying not to show how much the comment grated. "Your shield absorbed everything. That's… efficient."

Martha chuckled. "Indeed. This is the result of decades of effort to broaden my understanding. I believe that my experiences in the temple were crucial to my strength, but I doubt you're here to listen to another sermon."

"That's right," Nick said unapologetically. "So what's next?"

Marthas stepped back, took a piece of chalk from the desk, and walked to the blackboard. "You understand the principles of kinetic magic. I want you to try casting a [Force Shield] of your own. It shouldn't be too difficult now that you've seen how it works, but I'll write down the basic spell form to help you."

Nick nodded, committing the pentagram to memory. He swung his wand, channeling his mana into a circular barrier. The energy coalesced, forming a faintly shimmering shield before him. It wasn't as steady as Marthas'—small ripples and distortions marred the surface—but it held. It was a remarkable achievement, given what his usual attempts at new magic were like, but he had the advantage of long experience with similar principles. This was just another way to apply them.

Marthas examined the shield critically. "Not bad for a first attempt. Now, let's test it."

Before Nick could respond, Marthas raised a hand and cast a weak [Push]. The force struck the shield directly, and though it wobbled dangerously, it held firm. Nick felt the impact resonate through his mana, a strange but not unpleasant sensation. I'm getting good at filtering sensory feedback.

"Your shield absorbed most of the force," Marthas said. "But it's unstable. You're focusing too much on feeding it power and not enough on balancing it over its surface. Try again, and this time, prioritize stability over power. You'll get there in time."

Nick adjusted his stance, dismissing the barrier and recasting it with the advice in mind. He spread the mana more evenly across the surface, reinforcing the edges to prevent collapse. The new shield was thinner but smoother, and its surface was free of ripples.

When the [Push] struck it, it hardly trembled. "Again," Nick called, adjusting the spell as the Prelate obligingly continued to strike it until it finally resisted without a single waver.

Marthas nodded approvingly. "Better. Much better."

As if to give his words more weight, a ding resounded in Nick's mind, and the System informed him that he had learned a new spell.