About half an hour later, he had finished explaining all the key points.
The students spent the remaining hour making the cards themselves.
Since this was their first time making a Magic Spirit Card, things were bound to go wrong.
That was exactly why they had been given two sets of materials: so they could afford to make mistakes and learn from them.
Professor Kazel stepped down from the podium and began observing them closely.
In the corner by the window at the back of the classroom,
Dark had also started making a Spirit Card for a Magic Phantom Beast.
Professor Kazel's description of the Magic Phantom Beast had reminded him of Schrödinger's cat.
Poor cat. It had been dead for so many years, yet people kept asking whether it was alive or dead.
Thanks to his relatively extensive experience making Magitech Cards, Dark got started much faster than the others.
He quickly followed the instructions on the blackboard, sorting and processing all the materials: boiling some, slicing others, then arranging everything in little dishes on the table.
The key ingredient for making a Magic Phantom Beast was a long, transparent hair sealed inside a vacuum bag.
The label on the bag said it was a Magic Phantom Beast's hair. It had undergone special treatment before being sealed, slightly reducing its transparency so it was just barely visible to the naked eye.
There were only two hairs in the entire pack.
That showed just how precious a genuine Magic Phantom Beast's hair was.
The key Transmutation Array for making a Magic Spirit Card was the No. 1 Transmutation Circle!
The No. 1 Transmutation Circle was also known as the "Merlin Transmutation Circle." It had been created by the great mage Merlin, then refined by several generations until it reached its final form!
A high-ranking mage could even slap the No. 1 Transmutation Circle onto a statue and use an enormous amount of magic power to "bring it to life," turning it into a being much like a Golem!
It was a Transmutation Circle worthy of being called a miracle. It peered not only into the Gate of Truth but also into the deepest mysteries of life!
After Merlin, no one had ever managed to create another miracle like it.
Before officially beginning, Dark practiced drawing various Transmutation Arrays.
Only after he was certain he had them right did he move on to making the card.
By then, many of the students had already begun working.
They were boiling ingredients, slicing others, and adding things to their blank Magitech Cards all at once. They looked as if they wished they could cram everything into the cards in one go and have a Magic Phantom Beast leap out...
Professor Kazel walked past them without saying much.
Some people had to fail before they could understand the value of success.
Victor and Robert looked as if they were making curry.
Diana and Rose had already learned their lesson. They didn't bother questioning the steps and simply followed Dark's instructions.
They were progressing more slowly, but at least they weren't messing around.
Emma was arguably the most efficient person in the classroom. She had already begun adding the Transmutation Array to her blank Magitech Card.
As she worked, though, she occasionally glanced toward the corner at the back of the classroom, looking rather concerned.
Meanwhile, Dark in the corner had finally picked up the pace.
Dark Demon's First Magic Spirit Card
After all, this was a beginner card. Aside from the fact that the "Magic Phantom Beast" Magic Spirit Card had more steps, none of them was particularly difficult on its own.
The hardest part was drawing the No. 1 Transmutation Circle!
But they had been studying the No. 1 Transmutation Circle since the first lesson of Magic Theory. They had spent a full four weeks on it.
Even someone as clumsy as Diana could draw one fairly well by now.
What they lacked was practical experience!
That was the problem.
For most of the first-years, today was their first time putting theory into practice.
For some, it was even their first time using a Magic Pen to draw a Transmutation Array!
But Dark had no such worries.
Once he got into the groove, he drew the Transmutation Array quickly and steadily!
"First, coat the Magitech Card with Spirit Honey Nectar."
Spirit Honey Nectar was made by grinding Spirit Tree Root into powder, mixing it with Spirit Honey, and stirring until smooth.
The finished nectar was clear and light, with the faintest hint of sweetness.
Taken internally, it could nourish yin.
Applied externally, it could heal skin wounds.
Even without being used to make Magic Spirit Cards, Spirit Honey Nectar sold extremely well.
In certain circles of noble ladies, anyone without a bottle of Spirit Honey Nectar was looked down on!
"Once the Spirit Honey Nectar is spread evenly, the Magitech Card will have the foundation it needs to nurture a pseudo-life-form. Then add a drop of the Lobotomy Essence Water you just prepared and sprinkle on some Secret Illusion Powder..."
About fifteen minutes later,
a half-finished "Magic Phantom Beast" Magitech Card sat quietly on the table.
Only the final step remained.
Dark replaced the mercury flowing through the Magic Pen's channels with a golden Magic Potion, then began drawing the final No. 1 Transmutation Circle!
Just fifteen seconds!
The No. 1 Transmutation Circle was complete!
The instant the circuits connected, the entire Transmutation Circle erupted in a brilliant golden light!
Without hesitation, Dark picked up a strand of transparent Magic Phantom Beast hair with tweezers and placed it over the No. 1 Transmutation Circle!
The hair was gradually swallowed by the golden light.
The light released by the No. 1 Transmutation Circle grew brighter and brighter.
When the entire strand had been completely consumed, the golden light reached its blinding peak.
One by one, golden threads separated from the No. 1 Transmutation Circle and wound around the Magitech Card.
At last, they formed a golden cocoon!
At this point, the making of the Magic Phantom Beast Spirit Card was complete.
But had it worked?
No one could know until the golden cocoon broke open.
Right.
Just like Schrödinger's cat.
From the preparation of the materials to the end, the whole process had taken half an hour.
When Dark stopped to catch his breath, he suddenly realized that almost everyone in the classroom was looking his way!
He froze for a moment, then noticed that most of his classmates were staring at the golden cocoon, apparently waiting to see what would hatch from it.
Even Professor Kazel had somehow come to stand beside him.
What was going on?
Where were their own Magitech Cards?
All right, it looked like they had all failed.
"Professor," Dark called out.
Professor Kazel smiled warmly. "Excellent. You didn't make a single mistake from start to finish. You were born to make Magitech Cards."
[Pride+... Dark's expression shifted slightly, and he quickly replied modestly, "No, Professor. I'm just a little more experienced than my classmates."
Professor Kazel nodded slightly. "Dark, there's one last step."
Dark asked, "The last step?"
Professor Kazel replied, "Infuse it with magic power and convey your expectations to it."
"My expectations?"
Dark furrowed his brow. The professor had said earlier that a Magic Phantom Beast's form depended on the mage's innermost expectations.
But that sort of metaphysical explanation was nowhere near as clear as one plus one equals two.
So what exactly were expectations?
Though he was still puzzled, he reached out and grasped the golden cocoon, slowly infusing it with magic power.
"What exactly is a Magic Phantom Beast?"
"If a Magic Phantom Beast is made into a Magic Spirit, will it take the form the mage hopes for?"
"Species? Attributes? Attack and defense? Special move?"
His thoughts were still racing.
Suddenly, Dark felt a faint pulse. He quickly let go, and a crack appeared in the shell of the golden cocoon.
Starting from that crack, the entire golden cocoon gradually turned into light.
When the light faded, only the finished Magitech Card remained on the table.
Dark reached out with two fingers and carefully picked it up.
The blurry, transparent outline on the card face immediately began to change as soon as his gaze fell on it.
When the transformation ended, an unusually familiar little creature appeared before his eyes!
"Dimon, why not try summoning it?" Professor Kazel asked.
Dark shook his head. "No. I'll wait until I've looked up its information."
Professor Kazel nodded. "You can also go ahead and make a second 'Magic Phantom Beast.'"
When the students realized Dark had no intention of summoning the "Magic Phantom Beast," their curiosity went unsatisfied, and they began murmuring among themselves.
In the first row, Emma Metis wore an unmistakably bitter expression.
She had clearly made her card faster than Dark, only to make a fatal mistake at the very end because she had rushed, ruining everything!
Otherwise, she would have been the fastest!
"Dark, can I take a look at your 'Magic Phantom Beast'?" Diana asked quietly.
Rose's eyes were shining, too.
Dark smiled. This time, he didn't refuse. He simply showed them the "Magic Phantom Beast."
[Card Name: Magic Phantom Beast] [Type: Spirit Card] [Level:]
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