[OP: ]
As soon as he took out the various energy stones and crystals, the attention of the teachers and the judges was drawn to him. However, the students that were around him were in a confused state right after he was enveloped in that protective barrier.
The teachers knew instantly by their confusion that this barrier was no normal protective wall but instead something much more unique, something that not only was strong but was also something with the illusion properties.
In fact, the headmaster knew instantly that this unique magic engineering artifact was made with the same principles that he himself made his spells with.
Something that was inspired from his spells, and made with the high knowledge that he possessed.
"Hmmm..."
He was smiling, and he was not the only one like that.
"That boy..."
Even their teacher Lady Cleo was surprised when he covered himself with that shield and took out those uncommon stones.
Using Aura, Mana or any other kind of energy in the cooking process wasn't unheard of however, it was so advanced techniques that the academy did not teach them until the students were in their third grade or had shown exceptional skill.
"What is he up to this time?"
The teachers were the only ones who could see him right now, not the students. And the teachers knew that it was for the better as inside that thin barrier, something shocking was unfolding...
"How is he doing that?"
"Isn't he just a swordsman? That kind of elemental control..."
"Oh, that's right. He's also a hexa elemental affinity holder. Is it because of that?"
"That still doesn't make any sense. Just look at him..."
The judges were confused right now since inside the barrier, Eon was using a unique technique with the condensed elemental Mana to temporarily summon elemental spirits.
He was using the other unique energy crystals and his own Aura to guide the spell process, casting the spell with not his mana but with an external source.
It was not a traditional western technique, but something that the masters of the east used frequently with the charms and enchantments.
Still, the kind of summoning spell that he was using was something too advanced to be used by a student. And, he was doing it in a cooking paper, so it was even more complicated for the rest of the judges.
However, the two headmasters were paying a close attention to all his actions.
They were looking at every single element of the spells that he was using, observing everything that was resulting from his actions, and checking for any kind of errors in anything he was doing- not that they had found anything yet, but they were looking for it still.
They believed in him since they had seen him out on the field doing the real thing that only he could, but this was their first time witnessing his cooking skills.
And, as a firm enjoyer of his cooking skills, they were looking forward to what he was up to with that kind of show off.
It was a technique similar to what the dark elf tribes of the far eastern world use to make some special dishes during their annual festivities.
They commonly used Spirit Mana in the process but since he wasn't proficient with handling the spirit Mana yet, he was using the condensed elemental beads along with his Aura and some Solnova to maintain the process.
He could have done it with Solnova like he usually does at their dorm or at home, but this was an academic setting.
Even if the others couldn't sense or perceive Solnova, it was still an energy that followed the logical flow.
If he used it recklessly, even the teachers and the judges would catch onto the strangeness of his abilities which would lead to complications.
He was still just the vice captain and an unknown adventurer with no certain identity. And above that, he was still just a student of the academy.
Many things could go wrong if people knew about a power as strange as Solnova and took advantage of it... he didn't want to put anyone around him in a dangerous position.
So, he cautiously used all his elemental and external energies with precision, leaving only the minor gaps for criticism.
He processed the ingredients that he had taken out from his storage space first, and then he moved onto the creation part.
"Starting with appetisers..."
Unlike the others who made everything side by side, since he was using some very complex ingredients and techniques, he had no choice but to make every single part of the dishes one by one.
For dessert, he would even have to make every portion one after the other. And, he knew it was a lot of work.
But, that was the reason he had to work faster... process everything faster than the others, make every single elements in the shortest possible time, and without wasting any time, use his ZONE in the cooking process.
"That's just crazy..."
"How can someone so young even think of something like that?"
"To be able to enter the zone... and for cooking at that..."
"The great academy of Hope never stops surprising me every time I'm here."
There are many judges who couldn't believe what they were seeing right now.
It was surprising, but more than that, it was absurd.
On the higher levels of any art form, having a deep concentration was a necessity. And entering the deep conscious state of ZONE was not a rare thing. However, cooking was a kind of art that had more pressure oriented elements to stopped the 'artists' from getting distracted.
It was quite a rare sight to see a chef entering the ZONE when cooking, but as some of the few people who had witnessed the cooking of the top chefs of this world, they knew how amazing of an experience it was to witness the top chefs cooking food in their signature styles.
It was nothing less than witnessing a sword dance, or a magic array creation by the elder mages or the archmages.
It was a thrilling experience...
And, when they looked at the young boy cooking for them in that enclosed space, they understood why he might have locked Himself inside that barrier.