The next morning, Kyle navigated the labyrinth of corridors in Sanctum Magna, his steps echoing against the ancient stone as he made his way to the Void Studies classroom. The chamber was dimly lit, with walls adorned by arcane symbols that seemed to shift when not directly observed.
Professor Iskra stood at the front, her presence commanding as always. Sitting in front of her were two seniors Kyle recognized from previous encounters: Cynric, with his ever-present analytical gaze, and Vera, whose calm demeanour belied a formidable intellect.
"Today," Professor Iskra began, "we delve into the phenomenon of deadzones."
She gestured, and a holographic map of the continent materialized, highlighting several areas in ominous red.
"Deadzones," she continued, "are regions where magic behaves unpredictably or fails entirely. They are not merely voids of mana but are often saturated with chaotic energies that disrupt spellcasting and can have deleterious effects on living beings."
The second part was new to Kyle, as shown by his look of surprise.
"Questions, Kyle?" Professor Iskra asked, catching his reaction.
"Yeah. When you say 'saturated with chaotic energies,' could you explain that? I feel like everyone else knows what that means but me," he said.
She turned to the two seniors, a silent gesture they immediately understood.
"The chaotic energies are something we still don't fully understand," Vera began. "From historical science and research, many believe it's related to dark matter—the substance that makes up most of the universe."
"Before mana appeared on Earth, dark matter couldn't be observed," Cynric continued. "Even after, it remains unobservable. But some theorize its interaction with mana created a form of exotic matter, capable of triggering accelerated evolution in weaker species as a survival mechanism."
So that boar was in a state of boosted evolution? That would make sense. It completely betrayed natural instinct and went for a kill back then.
Professor Iskra turned to the trio. "Discuss among yourselves: what might be the underlying causes of deadzones, and how could they be mitigated or even utilized?"
Kyle blinked. "Didn't they just answer the first part?"
"I should clarify," she said with a slight smile. "Come up with other plausible theories—expand your thinking."
Intrigued now, Kyle moved to sit near the seniors.
"I'm no expert in magic theory—I just started," he said. "But can we use current research as a baseline? Proven data?"
"Of course," Vera replied. "It's been confirmed that mana tends to pool in certain regions depending on Earth's orbital position. Kind of like how liquid collects on one side of a bottle when tilted."
That makes sense, but wouldn't that mean half the world becomes a deadzone at some point? Kyle wondered.
"What exactly defines the appearance of a deadzone?" he asked aloud, drawing the professor's interest.
"A low mana count in the atmosphere to the point where it's negligible," Cynric answered. "Not even enough to sustain and nourish wildlife."
"Then," Kyle said slowly, "assuming everything functions perfectly, wouldn't half the Earth become a deadzone at certain times of the year?"
"That's a fair assumption," Cynric replied, "but mana behaves like a fluid particle. It flows and reshapes, so maybe the distribution is more complex."
Kyle leaned forward. "What if… mana wasn't the only thing that appeared? What if it's just the only energy form we can observe? Think about it: the Big Bang theory suggests dark matter made no interaction with regular particles. It shaped voids in space where matter doesn't exist."
"What if deadzones are the result of some unobservable particle—like dark matter—that pushes mana away or prevents it from forming naturally?" he continued, his voice gaining momentum. "Mana might just be the visible side of a deeper, invisible structure."
Vera and Cynric looked stunned.
"That would support the idea of mana saturation," Cynric said slowly. "If mana is concentrated too heavily in one region, the interference caused could resemble a signal jam. A magical 'deadlock,' almost, stopping anyone from properly using mana."
"But some deadzones aren't permanent," Vera pointed out. "Wouldn't a dark matter equivalent create permanent mana voids?"
Kyle hesitated. "Maybe this 'dark mana' doesn't outright destroy mana—but traps it, repels it. If mana is abundant, the interference might be weak. But when mana levels are low, this hidden energy could dominate the area, suppressing magic."
Professor Iskra finally stepped in. "Excellent insights. Kyle, your mention of particle parallels is particularly astute. Excessive mana may indeed create a self-sustaining disruption. Understanding these anomalies is critical—not just for avoidance, but for harnessing their properties."
She clapped her hands once. "Our next session will be a free period. Practice your mana control and adaptability. We'll continue this discussion next week. Don't forget the progress you made today."
As the students packed up, Professor Iskra exited the room.
"You're quite smart when it comes to deadzones. I'm impressed," Vera said as she looked at Kyle.
Cynric gave a quiet hum of agreement.
"Well, I grew up in one. Studied them a lot before the semester started," Kyle replied with a chuckle.
"Regardless, that was pretty cool. Want to have lunch with us?" Vera asked.
"Hm, I was going to meet with—"
"Don't worry. Mirai and the little one can join us," she said with a wink. "Seniors and juniors are encouraged to get along, after all. Let's go.