Magic School, Third Schoolyard.

　The three hundred most senior students, who had been hastily assembled, were divided into several groups by Ethan.
　After finishing the grouping, Ethan came to me, who was waiting at a distance.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Vice-Emperor.
"I'm fine. More importantly, that grouping was quicker.
"I've seen these kids since they were children. I know the total amount of magic and the maximum output, and they know as well as I do, and they know as well as I do.
I see, and so does it.

　When I was convinced, I approached the students and began to explain - an extra lesson.

　Series.
　How to combine people whose magic power is close to its peak and increase its power by the number of people by only one person to execute it.

　Parallel.
　A method of extending the duration of the spell by the number of people by combining people with similar amounts of magic power and leaving one person to execute it.

　I taught both theories to my students.
　Theoretically, the more people you have, the more powerful your magic is in series, and in parallel, the more you have, the longer your magic lasts.

　The students who heard the story looked skeptical.
　It's the first time they've heard of it, so that reaction is inevitable.

"More proof than debate. Okay, you two over there, step forward.

　I beckoned to two of the grouped students with about the same maximum magic power.

First, like in any other class, try to shoot the decoys there with a fireball.
"Yes.

　The two, both 18 years old and seniors, chanted their magic in a familiar manner and shot fireballs at the decoys they had set up at a distance.

　The real purpose of this school of magic is to be a bastion for the emperor's reemergence, and the students are considered soldiers when that happens.
　That's why I teach everyone in class to use the fireball, which is the easiest to control as a soldier and can be used reasonably well even if it's not your strongest attribute.

　A fireball launched smoothly destroys a decoy.
　It's as powerful as they always are, and they're both the same.

Yeah. Now hold hands. Now hold hands and shoot the fireball, both of you using the Mupapato method, with an eye on the 90% easy catch. Oh, just you on the right.
""...... yes"

　They hesitated a little, but did as they were instructed by me, just as before.
　Hand in hand, combine your magical output and shoot a single fireball.

　The fireball destroys the decoy.
　It was clearly twice as powerful as before, and the decoy disappeared without a trace. .

It really has doubled in power.
"For such a thing ......?　Seriously? ......

　Putting their amazement aside for the moment, he turned his body to the other group.

"Everyone here has roughly the same amount of magic power - or stamina,
"'Yes'
Then hold hands, and while you're at it: ...... you can simultaneously deploy your anti-magic and anti-magic walls.
I understand.

　I told our students to parallel.

　When the barriers were put up, on my signal, arrows flew toward those students.
　It was a fixed pedestal crossbow at a distance. The arrow is a squashed arrowhead, which is used to practice barriers by reducing the deadly force to a minimum.

　Operated by another supporting teacher, the arrows are fired one by one by the students' barriers, losing momentum as they fall to the ground.
　The arrows in the rain shelter, hundreds of them.

　Even though the prepared arrows had been shot out, the magical barrier was still in place.

No! ...... I've never had a barrier like this before.
"I have a lot of magic left. It's still going strong.

　Like the students in series, the students who put up the barriers in parallel were also marveling at the effect.

'Let's try some more!'
But the decoys are gone.
"And the arrows. Normally, there's more than enough.

"Everyone take a little break . In the meantime, we'll prepare for the next one.

　Ethan said to the students.
　The students said in unison, "Yes," or "Oh, well.

Wait.

　The students' tension was broken and I stopped them before they went into break mode.

"What can I do for you, Vice-Emperor?
I think we'd better keep going if you want to experience the benefits.
"But the decoys and arrows--
Let me do it for you. Guys, keep doing the same thing you just did.

　When he said that, Ethan paused for a moment and then nodded.
　Then he turned to his students.

"As you heard, we will remain in place until the Vice-Emperor finishes rehearsing the decoys and arrows.
You don't have to wait.
"Huh?
"Barrier group, let's go.

　I then shot fireballs at the students who were putting up parallel barriers.
　I lowered the output as much as I could, reducing the power of each one to the same level as the arrows I had just fired, and instead shot hundreds of them in succession, incessantly.

　The students who were about to quit the barrier panicked for a moment, but the barrier held up fine.


　The weak fireball hits the magic barrier--it keeps getting played.
　Unlike the arrows, my magic power can shoot this level of fireball all day and night and it won't run out of magic.
　So I kept firing.

　On the other hand.

"The tandem group.
"Yes, yes!
"What is it?
Think of me as a decoy and go ahead and shoot me.
"Well, if you do that, you'll have to go to ......
And I'm doing that one too: ......
Go ahead and shoot. Go ahead and shoot me.

　Just a little too hard, the students nodded hurriedly and shot a double fireball, matching the magic output in series.
　I prevented it with a magical barrier.

　To achieve the same effect as the decoy, to make them feel the power.
　I assessed the power of the students' fireballs and made sure they were just enough to cancel out and shatter the barrier with a single shot.
　As the barrier is shattered, you immediately put up a new barrier and have it shattered again.

　Simultaneously do a parallel barrier opponent with a weak fireball in your left hand and a strong fireball opponent with a barrier in your right hand.

Wow, wow. ......
"You're dealing with us all by yourself. ......?
"I've seen a lot of wizards in my day and I've never seen someone do all these things at once.
"I've been wondering for a while now: ...... Who is the Vice-Emperor, really?

"Hey, don't talk nonsense. Attackers and defenders need to be more focused.
""Yes, yes!

　Once I scolded them, they were indeed the most advanced students.
　Everyone was concentrating on practicing series and parallel practice with me.

　And after half a day, they had all learned the new way of doing things very well.