In the world of mages where critical thinking and magic theory were often considered more important than elemental affinity, orcs, known for their lesser intelligence, were often prejudiced against as being unfit to become top tier mages.
Hence, Buhara's choice to pursue his career in mage specialization initially drew a lot of skepticism from classmates as a towering orc with brawny limbs that seemed more apt for the clashing of swords than the weaving of spells, irked many.
During the first week of classes, his presence in the mage classes was met with whispered doubts and open ridicule. However, the past six months had not only silenced his detractors but had also cemented his place as one of the most formidable talents in the university.
The two subjects that Buhara had chosen for his specialization were 'Mage Combat' and 'Spellcraft' which were both highly theoretical subjects needing intense self-study and constant practice to improve.
Buhara's journey in the Mage Combat class was nothing short of meteoric.
Known for its rigorous demands on both mental acuity and magical dexterity, the class tested the limits of its students, with many facing mental breakdowns after a month or two of witnessing zero growth.
In such a demanding class, Buhara, with his affinity for quadra-element casting, showcased a prodigious ability to blend fire, water, earth, and air, while his classmates struggled to dual cast even two elements.
Born with a natural understanding of mana that was unrelated to textbooks and theory, Buhara followed his instincts to guide him on casting spells and chose such difficult spells to master that were usually not chosen by university students who feared failing to learn them and their poor performance affecting their university evaluation.
Buhara however, not fearing such failures, chose to master spells like [ Elemental Tempest ] which involved summoning a massive cyclone infused with all four elements.
This spell, categorized as a Level 5 difficulty within the university—the highest in academic mage combat class—could dismantle magical barriers, disrupt enemy formations, and cause elemental chaos amongst adversaries.
While it was not a spell he created himself, it was a spell that was notorious to master and could channel ambient elemental energies into a concentrated burst of raw magical force.
Designed for large-scale battles, this spell could theoretically lay waste to entire battalions, altering the outcome of conflicts with its sheer power and versatility and it was this exact spell that he used during midterms to blast a colony of bat type monsters and reduce them to ashes, securing thousands of kills at once.
As the sixth month of his magical education concluded, Buhara had not only disproven every stereotype about his supposed unsuitability for magecraft but had also risen as a beacon of innovation and strength.
His prowess as a quadra-element caster left many in awe, and his humble yet unyielding spirit earned him the respect of both peers and professors alike.
No longer seen as merely a physically imposing orc out of his depth, Buhara was now revered as a Shaman Orc, a respected mage who was more than deserving of being a party member of the Champion Of Gemini.
Upon the guidance of the university professor's, Buhara also learnt hand to hand combat, training with the combat mages at times as although his chosen subjects were related to destructive and large scale magic, he also learnt enough hand to hand combat magic that could help him utilize his natural strength to his advantage.
In dire situations where he could not cast mana slapping, AOE magic and was forced to fight a foe in close range, it was this magic that could potentially save his life and hence upon the insistence of the professor's, Buhara also learnt it simultaneously with other courses, developing into one of the most promising talents of the university.
After 6 months, now as the two champions and Erin, Buhara walked together in the campus grounds, everyone watched them as a power team that was a cut above the rest and feared what they could achieve in the team exercises now that Rocky was back once again.
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/// A/N - Bonus chapter for hitting the PS target good job everyone! ///