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Chapter 353  The Frivolous Four - The Spark (Part Two)

"How exactly do you suggest we do that?" Lacey challenged, causing Revian to shrink back.

"Come on, now," the boy eked out. "There are no bad ideas in a brainstorm..."

"Don't mind her," Kevan interjected while patting Revian's shoulder. "She's just too taken by the Socratic method."

The twin mumbled something under her breath and released a cold snort.

"There needs to be a way to standardise the process, so that no matter who performs the experiment, they will get the same result," Kevan reminded. "Think of ways to standardise the experiment, and I believe the answer we are looking for will present itself."

The group thought about the idea in silence until something popped into Revian's mind. "Mana exhaustion!"

The exclamation was loud and attracted the attention of others in the library - a loud shush echoed from the other side causing the group's heads to shrink into their necks in embarrassment.

The twins gave Revian an annoyed glare while Kevan scooted closer and asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Mana exhaustion is something everyone experiences when they run out of mana. We can use that as a baseline for standardisation, right?"

"That's dangerous!" Casey interjected. "Senior Sister Jean warned us about the dangers of mana exhaustion. Besides, what can we even do with that as a baseline?"

"I don't know..." Revian mumbled. "Everyone has a different mana capacity in their cores. We don't know if mana consumption is constant across a group of people casting the same spell. There are a lot of variables here. But, at the end of the day, mana exhaustion ties all of us together, does it not? Everyone suffers from it when they have drained their cores completely, which means that it is a valid condition to establish a baseline."

Kevan tapped the table with his fingers while thinking about Revian's hypothesis. "It could work, but it is dangerous."

"We can have someone on standby. Besides, I have an idea," Revian said while biting his lips and furrowing his brows in thought. "We won't have to remain in a state of exhaustion for long. We just need to hit complete exhaustion for a fraction of a second before replenishing it with a known quantity of mana and tracking its consumption."

"But that's not reliable. The mana core is naturally replenished by ambient mana. It's not going to give us a valid result," Kevan refuted.

"Not if we do this at a mana sink!" Lacey chimed in. "The nature of a mana sink is that it pulls all the ambient mana away, creating a naturally scarce area. It doesn't affect beings above the Mana Condensation realm, but for us, it will definitely stop our cores from replenishing naturally!"

"Wait a minute! Isn't there supposedly a mana sink near the Sect?" Casey volleyed.

"Yeah! I heard Senior Sister Shuri found it," Lacey affirmed. "But it's all a bit hush-hush. Something important is happening there, I think."

"We could put in a request to use the area," Revian suggested. "I mean, the Sect hasn't stopped us from exploring our interests, right? Besides, this study has far-reaching consequences."

"Well," Kevan drew their attention with a firm declaration. "Since we have an inkling of what needs to be done, why don't we start writing out the design? It will definitely come to use when we apply for permission to access the mana sink."

Revian and the rest agreed with that deduction and got down to work. Tasks were quickly delegated, with the twins conducting background research and running the due diligence on safety procedures, while Revian and Kevan started to plot out the experimental procedure (i.e. the independent, dependent, and control variables as well as an outline of the steps that will be taken).

____

"This isn't something I can approve of," Markus declared while sliding the proposal back towards the group of four. After spending three days polishing the experiment and working out its details, Revian and the rest decided that it was time to bring it up with the figures of authorities in the Sect. Of course, the easiest and most accessible of them was Senior Brother Markus. "This is too dangerous, even with all the safety measures in place."

""But, Senior Brother!"" The twins harmonized coincidentally. They exchanged a look before Casey stepped forward, "Please consider the implications of this study. With a robust way to measure and quantify mana, it will augment every subsequent study or experiment that comes forward in the future."

"Be that as it may, I cannot overlook the risks you will be taking, even if you have extensively listed out the safety procedures you wish to enforce in place," Markus continued while turning the document to the very first page. "I've read the whole thing, and I think you have something good going on here. However, safety is my number one priority. If you want me to give you a go-ahead, you need to come with something less... risky."

Silence reigned in the room, interrupted only by the thoughtful hammering of Markus' fingers against his desk. Revian looked up and noticed that Markus was evaluating them all with a piercing gaze. After a minute passed, the silence was broken by Senior Brother Markus, "Okay. I will let you go through with this experiment on a condition."

Four pairs of eager eyes honed in on Markus, causing the boy to shift backwards uncomfortably in response. "Alright, alright! Let's not get your hopes up, because things could still not go our way..."

Markus' face contorted as he considered something internally before he gestured for the group to get up and follow him. Seeing as this was their last option, they walked behind him with the proposal in hand. The group travelled from Markus' classroom all the way to the recreation hall, where they realized just who their target was.

"What brings you to these necks of the woods?" Senior Sister Marie said jokingly while relaxing her back into her chair.

"I thought you'd know already," Senior Brother Markus responded with a smug smile.

Marie let out an exhausted sigh and said, "This kitty's been declawed." Then, with a shrug, she added, "So tell me, what can I help you with?"

Markus reached behind him and took the proposal from Revian's hands, and handed it to Marie.

"What's this?" She asked while flipping through the pages. "Oh? It seems the Socratic method on compounding and simple interest bore some fruit, huh?"

She read through the whole document and then said, "Looks promising! What's the problem?"

"Don't play ignorant, Big Sis," Markus groaned. "You know exactly what the problem is."

"Fine," Marie conceded. "Unfortunately, I cannot help you out."

"What? Why?" Markus exclaimed, his emotion supported by the group of four behind him.

"My hands are tied, figuratively, but you literally too in some sense," Marie explained. "I've been restricted from using future sight in any shape or form. The last time you made me use it got me in a heck of a lot of trouble with Master."

"But why, though?" Markus groaned.

Marie shrugged nonchalantly and nudged her head sideways, "Ask him."

The group all simultaneously turned their heads and noticed another individual in the room - an elderly man laying on the bench and taking a nap.

"M-Mage Nara!" Markus exclaimed worriedly. "I didn't see you there. Sorry for not greeting you sooner."

"M-Mage Nara!" Markus exclaimed worriedly. "I didn't see you there. Sorry for not greeting you sooner."

The old man waved a hand and said, "If I wanted my presence known, I would have made it known."

A few seconds passed in silence before Markus' shoulders drooped, and he said, "I'll get going then." He turned to the group of four and said, "Sorry, guys."

"Hold on!" Marie stopped them midway before they could wallow in disappointment. "You do realise that I am not the only seer in this Sect, right?"

A confused expression flashed past Markus' face before it was replaced with one that screamed, 'I hope you don't mean what I think you mean!'

On queue, the Mage Nara sat up from rest and gave his Disciple an unamused gaze. "And why would I help them out?"

Marie ignored her Master and looked at the others, "Convince him to help you."

Kevan mustered up the courage and let out a cough to clear his head, "So umm-"

"Save your breath," the elderly mage interrupted before the boy could speak his mind. He scrutinised the group thoroughly with a piercing gaze that caused them to shiver uncontrollably. "Aren't you kids the same four who were playing that dumb sack game?"

The twins swallowed a mouthful of saliva and nodded embarrassedly.

"Well, it seems that my words got through to you," Mage Nara commended. Another minute of excruciating silence passed before the mage clicked his tongue and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, a golden glow illuminated his pupils for a second before dissipating.

He nodded thoughtfully and said, "As long as you three adhere to your safety procedures TO THE LETTER, your experiment won't fail."

Markus bowed immediately, shooting the frozen four a meaningful glance causing them to follow as well, "Thank you for the production, Mage Nara!"

The elderly mage waved his hand dismissively before lowering himself back into a light nap on the bench.

The group, including Markus, left the recreation hall silently. As soon as they left its premises, Revian and his friends descended into a loud cheer.

"Settle down," Markus interjected. "You heard what Mage Nara said. I will approve of this proposal as long as all the safety procedures are followed thoroughly."

He then revealed a satisfied smile before adding, "Good work on the proposal. Congratulations on getting it passed. And good luck!"

"I'm expecting good things from you lot," he said before leaving the way they came.

"So," Revian spoke up. "That went well."

"Anyone up for a game of Hover-Sack?" Casey proposed, which was met with all-round approval.

"Of course!" Kevan exclaimed excitedly. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!"