Simulated Training

Simulation training?

What's that?

Is it the simulated Magic Circuit that Karya mentioned before?

Didn't he say... that my Magic Power control was insufficient and I couldn't do it?

"Simulation training is a great thing," Karya's tone became cheerful again. "For a young girl like you, who has insufficient Magic Power control but amazing talent, simulation training can not only train your control over magic but also allow you to accumulate combat experience."

"It sounds pretty good," Lux blinked her eyes. "But I still don't know how to simulate it."

"Simulation training is a series of illusion magic," Karya didn't keep it a secret. "Specifically, it means... you will be influenced by illusions and face certain fixed scenarios, thereby training your spellcasting and combat."

"I know about illusions," Lux recalled the basic courses she had learned. "By definition, it's magic that interferes with senses and judgment through Magic Power flow—but I remember that illusions are difficult to affect displays. If I train spellcasting within an illusion, does that mean I'm using magic in reality too?"

"Theoretically, yes."

"Isn't that dangerous!" Lux couldn't help but raise her voice. "I can't fully control my own Magic Power yet, and Light Magic is so eye-catching..."

"But I'm here!" Karya chuckled, seemingly prepared. "Although I said your talent is good, compared to me, your Magic Power is really nothing to brag about—don't worry, I can absorb all the Magic Power you cast, and based on how you use your spells, I'll give you the correct feedback within the illusion!"

"What if I cast a spell whose outcome you don't know?" Lux still felt unreliable. "Won't the feedback in the illusion be wrong?"

"If the spell you cast exceeds my knowledge, then you won't need simulation training," Karya said helplessly. "Although spell models are infinitely varied and can be combined endlessly, the basic spell theory is still very solid. Once your spellcasting ability exceeds this scope, you will be qualified to cast spells freely."

"Then what if I judge that swinging the sword is more suitable for the situation?" Lux continued to ask. "If I choose to swing my sword under the influence of an illusion, won't I look like an idiot in reality, foolishly performing the synchronized action?"

"It seems your theoretical knowledge of illusions isn't solid enough, Lux," Karya scoffed upon hearing this. "The only true characteristic of illusions is [the caster receives real feedback and Magic Power flow from the recipient]. Whether the recipient's actions will match the reactions in the illusion is under the caster's control!"

"..."

Hearing this, Lux instantly stiffened—fortunately, Karya seemed to be in a good mood today and didn't dwell on the issue of illusions.

Lux also decisively changed the subject and began to inquire about the other characteristics of this training method.

Even Sona, who had been independently carving Magic Circuits on Nullstone, came over, listening with great interest to this new way of learning magic.

Half a day later, Karya finally finished explaining all the learning characteristics and precautions, and Lux and Sona were greatly shocked after understanding them.

"...It still feels a bit unreal," Lux said, though she understood Karya's meaning, she still felt something was off. "And what do you mean by 'certain fixed scenarios'?"

"Oh, those are some memories and fragments from my long life. Didn't you always say I didn't like talking about my own stories?" Karya explained carefully. "In these stories, you will see all of it..."

"It really sounds quite good," Lux nodded again. "Last question, why start this training now?"

"Because I didn't have any Magic Power to construct illusions for you before," Karya said with an air of hardship. "Teaching two young girls is not a simple matter, and to avoid affecting your development, I didn't absorb too much of your Magic Power, only a tiny bit."

Lux clearly didn't realize what Karya meant by "a tiny bit." After clarifying all her doubts, she finally happily agreed to undergo simulation training.

Sona also nodded at the same time.

Seeing that her friend had agreed, Lux immediately suggested, "We can actually train together."

However, unfortunately, to train together, Karya would need a Magic Power connection resonance circuit, which was too complex. At least, Lux and Sona couldn't master it in a short time.

At Lux's level, carving a simple Magic Power absorption and amplification circuit was already her limit.

In other words, the two could only train one at a time, taking turns—one training, the other on watch.

They couldn't play online "Soul of the Soul" (a co-op game); with the current Magic Circuit support, Lux and Sona could only play "Super Mario."

Soon, Sona and Lux, having packed their things, left Crown Guard Manor with the Magic Circuits they had painstakingly carved, each about a foot square.

"Where should we go to find Nullstone that has absorbed some Magic Power?" Lux asked, carrying her backpack and gripping her dress sword. "You said it's hard to tell by eye whether Nullstone has absorbed Magic Power."

"But I also said that Nullstone itself has strong conductivity," Karya seemed to be preparing something and his response was a rare half-beat slow. "So, the larger the piece of Nullstone, the more likely it is to have absorbed Magic Power—and since connection means linkage, the entire wall of the Demacian Imperial Capital can be considered a single piece of Nullstone."

"So, we just need to find a corner of the city wall where no one is, then connect the Magic Circuit to the city wall, and place you in the groove?" Lux confirmed the training method one last time. "Then, all I need to do is hold the sword hilt, right?"

"That's right, just like that," Karya said patiently. "When you're training, Sona will keep watch. When she's training, you'll keep an eye on the surroundings—it'll be fine."

Thus, Lux and Sona quickly found a deserted alley. The two entered the deepest part of the alley, and following Karya's instructions, they pressed the Nullstone-carved Magic Circuit tightly against the wall of the Demacian Imperial Capital.

Then, after fitting the dress sword into the groove at the terminal of the Magic Circuit, Lux finally reached out and grasped the hilt.

"Now," Karya's voice reappeared in Lux's ear. "Close your eyes, simulation training officially begins!"

As Karya instructed, Lux closed her eyes.

The next moment, she felt a sense of weightlessness.

No, it wasn't just weightlessness.

It was more like a loss of all senses.

With her eyes closed, Lux couldn't hear any sounds, her sense of touch seemed to have completely disappeared, she even lost her sense of time, and her consciousness fell into a state of stagnation.

When she finally regained her senses and opened her eyes as guided by Karya, Lux found herself seemingly in a desert.

Her feet were on firm sand, and before her lay vast sand dunes. Lux looked around, then bent down and picked up a handful of sand, finding the sensation incredibly real, as if she had truly arrived in a desert.

"This is a fragment from my memory," Karya said, appearing beside Lux as she curiously examined the unfamiliar long robe she was wearing. "Familiarize yourself with the environment, the trial is about to begin."

"Are you... Karya?" Lux turned her head, looking at the person who had appeared beside her at some unknown time. "Is it really you?"

"It's me." Karya shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "It's me from my memories--"

"Quick, let me see what you look like!" Lux dashed forward, attempting to pull down Karya's hood. "I haven't even seen your face yet!"

However, just as Lux was about to touch Karya, an invisible barrier stopped her—it seemed Karya didn't want Lux to remove his hood.

Undeterred, Lux crouched down, trying to see Karya's face from below. Yet, the orderly feathers on the hood cast a shadow, completely obscuring Karya's face. Even with Lux facing him directly, she still couldn't see his features.

"I told you, this is a fragment of my memory," Karya said, shaking his head helplessly. "In my memories, I don't have a face—so you won't be able to see me clearly through this trial."

"Tch." Disappointed, Lux stood up and kicked at the sand. "What's with the mystery? We're all allies, and you still won't show your face... It's not like I'd think you're ugly."

"No one in all of Shurima dares claim to be more handsome than I am," Karya chuckled, seeing right through Lux's provocation. "Alright, maintaining this simulation consumes a lot of energy. We can chat after the trial. For now, go beneath this dune and prepare for your training."

As he spoke, the sand dune beneath Lux's feet seemed to come alive, "flipping" her up and sending her tumbling down below.

"You didn't tell me what the training is!" Lux shouted as she got up. "And... you don't even have a weapon?"

"The training is to last ten minutes." The surrounding space began to distort, and Karya's voice grew indistinct. "As for a weapon... there's a sword here, grab it!"

As he spoke, a sword descended from the sky, plunging into the sand beside Lux's feet.

Lux bent down, picked up the longsword, and drew it—before she could even get a feel for its balance, the surrounding sand began to churn as if boiling.

The next moment, countless beetles, the size of wild dogs, burrowed out of the sand and charged at Lux with shrill cries.

Lux, who had never faced such a situation, opened her mouth and let out a scream of utter despair.

"Aaaahhh--"

Well, the usual rhythm.

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