Chapter 124: Practical

"This is your Core Tracker."

He held it up so everyone could see. The device looked simple at first, but when Mr. Kingsley buckled it around his wrist, a holographic display immediately projected above it.

The students collectively leaned forward.

The display showed a glowing representation of Mr. Kingsley’s spiritual energy pathways. His core appeared as a bright, stable blue, with several lines extending through the holographic image to represent his spiritual pathways.

"Your Core Tracker will allow you to monitor the condition of your spiritual energy throughout the exercise," Mr. Kingsley explained. "Pure spiritual energy will appear blue. Once contamination occurs, the affected energy will turn black."

Mr. Davin nodded.

"That means you will not have to guess whether you have failed to protect your core. The tracker will show you exactly what is happening."

Mr. Kingsley stepped toward the sealed chamber.

"Watch closely."

The classroom became quiet.

"One by one, each of you will eventually have to come here, insert your hands through these sealed, insulated rubber ports, and carry out a simulated physical guiding session on the Sentinel node inside the chamber. This is how the process should be executed."

He positioned himself beside the chamber, where two sealed rubber ports were built into the reinforced glass.

"Pay attention to every step."

Mr. Kingsley closed his eyes.

The holographic display on his Core Tracker immediately changed.

A bright blue line appeared in the center of the display, representing his protected spiritual core.

Then another layer slowly formed around it.

A thin ring of energy spread outward until it reached the surface of his skin.

"This is the first step," Mr. Davin explained, pointing toward the holographic display. "Before you touch the target, you must manifest the sacrificial layer of spiritual energy over your hands."

The thin outer ring became more visible on the display.

"This is your sacrificial glove."

Ethan watched carefully.

Mr. Kingsley opened his eyes and moved toward the chamber.

With absolute precision, he inserted both hands through the sealed rubber ports.

The moment his hands entered the chamber, the synthetic miasma reacted.

The dark purple gas suddenly rushed toward his hands as though it had been pulled by an invisible force.

It latched onto the outer layer of spiritual energy covering his skin.

The holographic display immediately changed.

The outer ring of energy began turning black.

Several students gasped quietly.

Mr. Kingsley remained completely calm.

"Step two is the exposure."

He firmly touched the simulated Sentinel node inside the purple fog.

The mechanical node pulsed beneath his hands.

The miasma continued gathering around the sacrificial layer, coating it in black contamination.

Mr. Kingsley kept his contact steady.

"Ten seconds."

The timer appeared above the chamber.

Nine.

Eight.

The outer ring on the Core Tracker was now completely black.

Seven.

Six.

Ethan’s eyes remained fixed on the inner blue core.

Five.

The black contamination was clearly visible around it, but not a single trace had crossed into the blue inner layer.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

The timer reached zero.

Mr. Kingsley immediately withdrew his hands into the safe zone of the sealed ports.

"Step three."

He raised his wrist.

With a sharp, practiced flick, he triggered the psychic flare.

A tiny crackle of spiritual static sparked across his skin.

Pop!

The contaminated outer layer instantly ignited.

The black-stained energy disappeared in a flash, burned away before it could reach his core.

The outer ring vanished completely from the holographic display.

Only the bright blue inner core remained.

Perfectly stable.

Perfectly pure.

Mr. Kingsley stepped away from the chamber and calmly adjusted his cuffs as the holographic display reset.

The entire demonstration had taken only a few moments, but the classroom remained unusually quiet.

Mr. Davin turned toward the tiers of seats and crossed his arms.

A challenging smile appeared on his face.

"Now that you have seen the proper mechanics," he announced, "who thinks they can also do this?"

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then several hands slowly began rising.

A few students looked confident enough to volunteer immediately, while others seemed eager to prove that they had understood the lesson.

Mr. Davin selected the first student.

The student walked toward the chamber with an expression that was considerably more confident than Ethan thought he should have been.

He buckled on the Core Tracker and approached the rubber ports.

"Remember the sacrificial layer," Mr. Davin reminded him.

The student nodded.

He closed his eyes and tried to form the outer layer around his hands.

For a few seconds, the tracker displayed his blue core clearly.

Then the student opened his eyes and inserted his hands into the chamber.

The synthetic miasma immediately reacted.

It rushed toward his hands.

The student panicked.

His outer energy layer was too thin.

The black contamination spread across it almost instantly, and before he could properly execute the Burn-Off, a thin black streak appeared dangerously close to his inner blue core.

Mr. Davin immediately stopped the exercise.

"Pull back."

The student quickly withdrew his hands.

The Core Tracker displayed the contaminated layer before the system automatically neutralized the remaining synthetic miasma.

The student stared at the device, looking embarrassed.

Mr. Davin sighed.

"You rushed the formation of your sacrificial layer. You were so focused on getting to the guiding stage that you neglected the most important part."

The student nodded and stepped aside.

Another student tried.

This time, the sacrificial layer was too thick, and although the contamination stayed outside, the student struggled to burn it off properly. The outer energy flickered repeatedly before finally disappearing.

Another failed to maintain the layer while touching the simulated Sentinel node.

Another performed the Burn-Off too early.

With every attempt, the class slowly realized that what had looked simple during Mr. Kingsley’s demonstration was far more difficult when they were the ones actually doing it.

Jake leaned toward Ethan.

"Be careful when you try it," he whispered. "It looks easy when they do it, but it isn’t. Make sure you control the outer layer properly before you touch the node."

Ethan nodded.

"I will."

Eventually, it was his turn.

Ethan walked toward the chamber and picked up a Core Tracker.

He secured it around his wrist and looked at the reinforced glass cylinder.

The synthetic miasma swirled inside.

He remembered everything Mr. Davin had explained.

Sacrificial layer.

Protect the core.

Physical contact.

Ten seconds.

Burn-Off.

Ethan closed his eyes and concentrated.

He carefully drew out his spiritual energy, trying to create the thin secondary layer around his hands.

For a moment, everything appeared to be going according to plan.

Then Ethan stepped forward and inserted his hands through the sealed ports.

The synthetic miasma reacted immediately.

It rushed toward his hands.

The outer layer began absorbing the contamination.

Ethan tried to maintain it.

But the layer fluctuated.

His concentration slipped for only a moment, yet that was enough.

The black contamination spread far faster than he expected, and his Core Tracker immediately displayed the unstable outer layer.

Ethan attempted to reinforce it.

The energy surged.

Then collapsed.

Mr. Davin immediately stopped him.

"Pull your hands out."

Ethan withdrew them from the chamber.

He looked down at the Core Tracker, then back at the chamber.

He had failed.

Mr. Davin sighed while Mr. Kingsley glanced at the other students.

"As you can see, understanding the theory does not mean you can immediately perform the technique correctly."

Mr. Davin shook his head slightly.

"This is not a technique you will master in a single demonstration. It requires control, precision, timing, and repeated practice."

The students listened quietly.

"You will each take one glass container of the synthetic miasma and one Core Tracker with you. Those are the materials required for your practical practice."

Mr. Kingsley began distributing the materials.

"You will practice on your own and familiarize yourselves with the process. During the next guiding lecture, you will demonstrate your progress and show us your results."

Mr. Davin looked around the classroom.

"Do not expect perfection immediately. The purpose of this practical is to learn how to control the sacrificial layer and execute the Burn-Off safely."

With that, the practical session came to an end.

Students began getting out of their seats and moving toward the front to collect their individual glass containers and Core Trackers.

Ethan waited his turn before collecting his own.

He carefully took both items and placed them away safely before heading out with Jake and Lara.

At the entrance, Jake gave him a small wave.

"Goodbye, Ethan. Good luck with the project."

"Yeah, good luck," Lara added. "You’re definitely going to need the practice."

Ethan smiled.

"Thanks. Good luck to both of you too."

They exchanged their goodbyes before going their separate ways.

As Ethan walked away, he pulled out his phone and sent Rin a message.

I’m done with class.

He had barely put his phone away when it vibrated.

Ethan checked the screen.

Rin had already replied.

Dude, I’m already waiting for you at the front of your door!!!