When mana was supposed to flow from the Jaguar Mark, it did so with precision. The same was true when it had to flow from the Serpent and Tiger Marks. It activated exactly the right mechanisms and allowed the magical tool to switch rapidly between its three different phases.

Moreover, the movements were smooth, and it looked completely renewed. There wasn’t a trace of excess mana.

The professor watched this in shock. His mind reeled, and he remained silent, watching the magical tool’s movements intently.

’How is it possible that there’s no mana residue at all?’ The professor trembled.

Mana residue is almost the norm in most tools, as there’s always a leak somewhere that simply can’t be repaired, or simply by striking, the magic tool uses more mana than necessary and that residue is created.

Every movement of a magical tool is powered by mana, so it’s all too easy for waste to accumulate when so many movements are happening at the same time.

But there isn’t any here!

There isn’t a single trace of leftover mana. Everything was used efficiently, giving it a much longer lifespan by its own consumption standards.

While everyone was in shock at what they were seeing, Clara also finished repairing the tool she was assigned, which was a support tool.

’This one does have residue...’ the professor thought. However, it was very well repaired.

It functioned perfectly, which meant it was complete. In fact, that was the norm when repairing a magical tool.

If there’s no mana residue, it looks more like a brand-new tool than a repaired one. That’s why Lucius’s achievement was so impressive.

He left that tool, literally, as good as new.

Completely new!

"It’s ready," Lucius said when he saw that Clara had finished as well, and it was his words that snapped the teacher and the rest of the students out of their stupor.

They immediately stood up and rushed over to examine the tools. The teacher inspected Lucius’s tool fifteen times and Clara’s another ten times.

He looked at Lucius’s tool another 15 times before furrowing his brow and staring at him.

"H-how...?" He couldn’t even finish his sentence, for he didn’t know what to ask.

He took a deep breath, thought it all through carefully, and finally shook his head. "I’ve lost," he admitted.

Lucius smiled. "I hope you keep your promise, professor."

"I will. But I’d like to understand how you repaired it. That tool had already been discarded by the kingdom’s greatest toolmakers. Repairing it is..."

"I just used old-fashioned methods, that’s all. Modern repair techniques—which all the new toolmakers rely on—couldn’t fix that level of damage and rust. Because this tool is actually over 400 years old, even if it doesn’t look it," Lucius replied.

’Ancient techniques?’ The professor looked at the young student who had spoken up earlier. That boy knew his stuff.

But where had Lucius learned them?

’I once heard that his father was a renowned researcher. Could that be where it comes from?’ he thought. ’It seems I’ll have to look into this boy and his background a little more.’

"By the way, professor. I have a genuine interest in the creation of tools. Especially ancient ones. I’ve been researching this for many years. Do you know anything about where I might find old tools?" he asked.

The professor frowned and thought for several seconds.

"There are lots of old tools on Antigua Street. They sell all kinds of century-old items there, and there are always old collectors on the hunt. However, the oldest tools in the city are found in this department, though they’re in the upper floors. I can help you move up a class, but the best tools are still in the capital..."

"Antigua Street is the street where most old millionaires go. I’d heard that everything there is sold at exorbitant prices, but that occasionally you can find things at very good prices in the form of fossils." Lucius set out to go to that place.

"I’ll move up a class on my own, but for that, I think I’m going to need your help, professor, and also the students’."

"Our help?" The students were the first to react.

Lucius nodded.

The professor reacted more slowly and looked at him strangely. His mind quickly grasped what Lucius intended to do.

"You... want to help them all move up a grade, so they can perform worthy feats? You intend to compete with the greats of the Capital," he said, recalling Thorne and the strongest Asturias of this new generation—Lucius’s older brother.

Lucius was surprised that the professor was so perceptive that he could observe that in such a short time and with so little information.

"It seems I don’t need to say anything else. Professor Jake has hit the nail on the head. I intend to participate in the upcoming Department Tournament. It’s in three months, right?" Lucius asked.

Jake frowned even more. "That’s going to be really tough. The Department Tournament, especially the Tool Creation one, is one of the hardest because the only way to move up is by facing the classes above you. If you want to move up to Rank E, you’ll have to face them. If you want to move up to Rank D, you’ll have to face E first and then D... And in every test..."

"Yes." Lucius interrupted him. "I know that in every test, the whole class has to participate and come up with something new and innovative. Don’t worry, I have a plan for that." He looked at the students, who were completely in shock.

"I believe you all have potential. I can see that some of you have a lot of theoretical knowledge about magical tools, and despite the mockery from the other classes, you still wanted to come here to learn how to create them. That shows you have strong mental resilience, so I’d like you all to work together to try to move up a grade."

"I can personally teach you everything I know. What you’ve seen for yourselves... is no small feat," Lucius said with a slight smile, pointing toward the tool he had just repaired. "I’m more than ready for that."

The students suddenly swallowed hard. Some frowned.

They all stared at each other.

Move up a class, together, in the Department Tournament?

There are only three months between that tournament and now. Could they really pull it off, even with the help of a genius capable of repairing a tool like that?

It shouldn’t be possible.

Even thinking about it seemed impossible. Who on earth could have imagined that in three months, a class would go from Rank F to Rank E?

It’s absolutely impossible.

But wasn’t it impossible for him to repair those tools? Although one of those present held out hope, the rest truly didn’t have the slightest hope that he could repair them.

He had managed to hunt a Three-Step Jaguar with just two Rank F individuals.

Moreover, he was Lucius Asturias, a man whose surname didn’t define who he was, for he was powerful in his own right.

The World’s New Rising Star!

He had earned a title that, in the current generation, no one but him holds.

Couldn’t he overturn that impossibility?

’Just as expected of the dream of a person chosen as a Rising Star by the System.’ Some swallowed hard upon realizing this.

Trying to level up an entire class was a daunting task. I wasn’t the first person to come up with the idea.

Before me, there were other geniuses who had tried to level up their entire class. Some managed to get their class to level up just once, but most failed spectacularly.

You can level up if you set your mind to it and are talented enough, but wanting the whole class to level up is just greed.

It’s trying to get more than ten people to understand something so profound—not just parroting it like "parrots," but as genuinely intelligent and capable beings.

Even though Jake didn’t understand why this guy had such an exaggerated dream, he nodded in agreement.

"If you feel that confident and have your reasons well-founded, then I’ll help you. Anyway, I lost the bet, so I can’t say anything."

Lucius nodded.

Jake spoke again. "However, I must warn you that it will be difficult. During tournament season, all classes are fighting tooth and nail to try to level up. So we’ll be facing the best versions of people who are far more talented than we are."

"Let’s not kid ourselves—you were placed in Class F because you’re the least talented students in the academy. If you’ve spent so many years with your magical abilities and still can’t advance, it means you lack talent in many areas."

"Therefore, trying to advance out of Class F will be harder than climbing the Great Tepuy of Kalgarth," he declared.

One of the students smiled and, lowering his head, whispered, "Professor, climbing the Great Tepuy of Kalgarth is impossible."

Jake managed to hear him and smiled. "Exactly. I don’t think it’s possible for you guys to level up. But I’ll help you."

Lucius walked over to Jake and patted him on the shoulder. "All you have to do is fulfill your role as a teacher, teach them plenty of theory, and give us some leeway. Clara and I will take care of teaching each of them personally; we’ll start as early as next week." After saying that, Lucius and Clara left the room.