Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 519 The Apprentice's Dilemma
A brief silence fell over the classroom.

The apprentices looked at each other, clearly puzzled by this seemingly simple yet profound question.

Finally, the Danasu-mixed man named Sid raised his hand to speak:

"Teacher, is resonance the phenomenon of enhanced vibrations that occur when frequencies are the same?"

This is a typical textbook answer, consistent with the teaching style of the Vinard Colony.

“From a deconstructionist perspective, you’re right.”

Ron drew two waveforms on the blackboard:
"But I want to ask a deeper question—why would two independent entities choose to vibrate at the same frequency?"

He turned to the whole class:
Can anyone answer this question?

Garen frowned:
"Because they were subjected to the same external force?"

“That’s one perspective, but not a comprehensive one,” Ron continued, guiding the discussion.
"Lila, when you observe other people's emotions with your third eye, have you ever thought about why you can 'see' emotions?"

Lila pondered for a moment:

"Because emotions also have a certain frequency? And my eyes can perceive this frequency?"

"We're very close, but we're still missing the most crucial link."

Ron added a third waveform to the blackboard, which interfered with the first two waveforms:
“True resonance requires not only passive frequency matching, but also active ‘understanding’ and ‘response’.”

He walked up to Lila:
“When you sense the tension in West Germany, your third eye is not just ‘seeing’, but also ‘understanding’ why he is tense.”

"This understanding allows your mental frequency to naturally adjust to a state similar to his, thereby establishing an emotional connection."

"This is why you are affected by other people's emotions."

It's because you have too much empathy, not because you're too sensitive.

This explanation made Lila suddenly realize something:
"So, I need to learn to control the depth of this 'understanding'?"

“A precise understanding.” Ron nodded approvingly.
“Resonance is not an all-or-nothing switch, but a technique that allows you to adjust the intensity.”

"When you learn to actively choose the objects and depth of your resonance, talent is no longer a burden, but a true tool."

He turned to the entire class: "This principle applies to each and every one of you."

Ron heads to West Germany:

"Your energy transformation ability is essentially a kind of resonance—a resonance with different forms of energy."

"Currently, you can only process light and heat energy, not because you have limited capabilities, but simply because you only 'understand' these two forms of energy."

West Germany's emerald green skin glowed slightly, clearly deeply attracted to this idea:

"So, how do we expand this 'understanding'?"

"Through observation, experience, and feeling."

Ron took out several small crystals from his storage bag.

He brought this back from the "Night of Elements," intending to use it as a spellcasting medium, but unexpectedly it has now become a teaching tool.

"These are crystals of elements with different properties. Don't rush to transform them. First, try to 'listen' to their 'voice'."

He handed a blue crystal to West Germany:

"This is frost crystal. Close your eyes, don't think about how to use it, but feel what it wants to tell you."

West Germany carefully took the crystal and closed his eyes as instructed.

A few seconds later, his expression subtly changed:

"It's quiet, but not lifeless. It's more like it's waiting, waiting for spring to arrive?"

"Excellent perception."

Ron nodded in satisfaction:
"The essence of frost is not cooling, but 'pausing'—temporarily stopping the active molecular motion and waiting for the right opportunity to resume activity."

“Once you understand this concept of ‘pause,’ you will learn how to resonate with frost energy.”

Next, he turned to Garrison:

“Your situation is a bit more complicated. The metal arm is not only a tool, but also a mirror of your emotions.”

Garen instinctively looked at his metal right arm:

"Yes, it becomes sharp when I'm angry. It becomes vulnerable when I'm sad. I can't control this change."

"Because you've been trying to 'control' it."

Ron shook his head:

"But what's really needed isn't control, it's communication."

"Your metal arm is not an inanimate object; it has merged with your life energy. It senses your emotions because it cares about you."

This idea puzzled Garrone: "Concerned about me?"

“Of course.” Ron’s tone became more persuasive:
"It becomes sharp when angry to protect you; it becomes vulnerable when sad to share your pain. That is resonance!"

Garen stared at his metal arm.

"So, how do I communicate with it?"

Replace complaining with gratitude, and replace coercion with understanding.

Ron instructed:
"When it changes because of your emotions, don't rush to make it return to its original state."

First, thank it for caring about your emotions, then gently tell it your true needs.

The entire classroom fell into deep thought.

This teaching method is completely different from the technical instruction that apprentices had previously received.

“Mentor.” An apprentice who had not spoken before raised his hand:
“What you said makes a lot of sense, but in practical applications, wouldn’t this kind of ‘resonance’ method be too inefficient?”

"Alfred, right?"

Ron remembered the apprentice's name:

"Your concerns are valid. But I'd like to ask you this in return: which is more important, efficiency or effectiveness?"

Alfred is a hybrid with a small amount of dragon blood, capable of raising the temperature of certain parts of his body for short periods of time.
"Of course, the effect is more important."

"Then, let's do a comparative experiment."

Ron took two identical candles out of his storage bag:

“Alfred, please light the first candle in your usual way. Sid, please light the second candle using the ‘resonance’ method I just taught you.”

Without hesitation, Alfred placed his right index finger on the wax core and concentrated on heating his fingertip.

A few seconds later, the candle was lit, but the flame flickered and seemed unstable.

West Germany closed his eyes and first gently stroked the surface of the candle, seemingly feeling the texture and temperature of the wax.

Then he took a deep breath, and a gentle light emanated from his palms.

The lighting process took nearly twenty seconds, but once the candle was lit, the flame was exceptionally stable, even tinged with a faint golden glow.

"Now, blow out both candles at the same time, and then light them again."

Ron continued to provide guidance.

The two blew out the candles at the same time, and then tried to relight them.

Alfred quickly lit the candle, but this time the flame was more unstable than the first time.

While West Germany took the same amount of time, the flame they lit the second time was brighter and more stable.

"Do you see the difference?"

Ron explained to the whole class:
"Although forced manipulation is fast, it consumes your energy every time it is used, and its effectiveness diminishes over time."

"While the resonance-based approach may be slower initially, its effectiveness will increase and its energy consumption will decrease as understanding deepens."

“The resonant manipulation will not damage the target. You see, West Germany’s candle burns more evenly, while Alfred’s candle has slight charring marks on the edges.”

This experiment made all the apprentices fall into deep thought.

Ella watched all this quietly from the side, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes.

She hadn't expected Ron to be able to grasp the core issues of each apprentice so quickly and present his teaching philosophy in such a vivid way.

"That concludes our first lesson for today."

Ron was tidying up the teaching materials:

"When you get back, please try to have a 'dialogue' with your own abilities. Don't think about how to use them, but rather feel what they want to express."

"Tomorrow, we will learn deeper resonance techniques—how to maintain a stable state of resonance in different environments."

As the apprentices left the classroom, each of them wore a thoughtful expression.

This teaching method is a completely new experience for them, and they need time to digest and understand it.

"Your teaching methods are indeed very unique."

Ella walked over to Ron:

"I have never seen anyone win the students' approval so quickly."

"Because I see them as complete individuals, not as defective products that need fixing."

Ron summarized casually:
"Everyone's talent has its unique value; the key is to find the right way to bring it into play."

Ella nodded: "I hope the teacher can agree with your ideas."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he is more concerned with practicality and output efficiency."

The witch sighed softly as she finished speaking:

“If students’ abilities don’t improve quickly enough, they may question your teaching methods.”

………………

After class, Ron asked Ella for detailed files on each apprentice.

These files are very complete, not only recording bloodline composition and ability performance, but also including each apprentice's growth experience, psychological assessment, and even family history.

"These children all have rather...unique backgrounds, which may be why their talents are different from those of their peers."

Ella explained as she handed over the file.

Ron carefully reviewed Lila's file.

The father of this three-eyed mixed-race girl was among the first three-eyed immigrants to the Emerald Ring Star colony.

The mother is a scholar from the main world who specializes in the study of foreign cultures.

"This pairing... it feels like it was arranged on purpose. Could it be a match made up secretly by the colonial upper class?"

He analyzed the possibility of this bloodline fusion in his mind:
"The three-eyed race's multidimensional perception ability, combined with the rational thinking structure of humans, can indeed produce a unique talent for resonance."

Garrenne's file is even more somber.

His father was one of the leaders of the "Gold-Worshipping Warriors" who died in the Furnace Star Uprising, and the metal arm was transplanted from his father's body.

His mother was a refugee whom Vinard had bought. Because of her relatively good education, she worked in basic education in the colony. "No wonder his metal arm is so emotional."

Ron seemed to realize something:
"It is not only a product of biological modification, but also carries the will and memories of a soldier."

Over the next few days, he established a new teaching rhythm.

The mornings consist of theoretical lessons and group instruction, while the afternoons are dedicated to one-on-one individual training.

This arrangement allows each apprentice to receive targeted guidance, but it also reduces their time for independent training.

On the afternoon of the third day, it was Garren's turn for personal coaching.

The two arrived at the academy's practice room, which was covered with soft cushions to absorb impacts, and the walls were inlaid with crystal arrays to monitor magical fluctuations.

“Garren, I want you to conduct an experiment.”

Ron pointed to a blunt training sword placed in the center of the practice room:

"Touch the sword with your metal arm, but don't think about 'using' it; try to 'listen' to it."

Garen was somewhat puzzled, but he still followed the instructions and walked toward the training sword.

The moment his metal fingers touched the hilt of the sword, he shuddered slightly.

"I sensed something, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

He looked at Ron, puzzled:

"Like a very faint echo?"

“That’s right.” Ron nodded encouragingly.

"Metals have memory properties; every forging and every use leaves a trace in their molecular structure."

Your metal arm can read these 'memories,' something that even pure-blooded humans or pure-blooded stokers would find difficult to do.

"But mentor, how does this perception help in actual combat?"

Garrean's question is very real:
"I'm not an archaeologist, what's the point of knowing the history of weapons?"

Let me explain from another angle.

Ron took a standard-issue longsword from his storage bag:
"This sword was mass-produced in a factory and has never seen real combat."

Now, try to sense both swords simultaneously and tell me the difference.

Garen did as he was told, touching the practice sword with his left hand and the standard longsword with his right metal arm.

A few seconds later, his expression turned serious:
"Practice swords are very active, full of all sorts of chaotic information. New swords, on the other hand, are very quiet, and you can hardly feel anything."

That's the difference.

Ron began to explain the deeper meaning behind it:

"Practicing swordsmanship involved countless training sessions, absorbing the skills and experiences of different users."

If you can learn to interpret this information, it's equivalent to gaining the combat wisdom of your predecessors.

This explanation gave Garrenne a glimmer of hope.

But what Ron said next surprised him even more:
"In fact, the real value of this ability lies not in reading the weapon's memory, but in reading the memory of your own metal arm."

"My metal arm?"

“Of course.” Ron’s tone deepened:

"You should know very well who the previous owner of that arm was."

His fighting instincts, skill memory, and even his intuitive judgment of danger are all deeply imprinted on the molecular structure of the metal.

"If you can learn to resonate with these memories, it's like receiving guidance from an invisible mentor."

Garen stared at his metal right arm, even more confused.

"But... in that case, would I still be myself?"

This issue touches upon the core dilemma of identity.

“That’s exactly where you need to learn to balance,” Ron replied, in his characteristic style.

"Resonance is not about being replaced, but about being integrated."

You are still Garen, just with a richer source of experience.

Just like learning from the knowledge of predecessors, it won't make you lose your own ability to think.

In the following period, Ron guided Garen through deep meditation, attempting to establish a deeper connection with the "memory" within the metal arm.

The process was not smooth.

In his first few attempts, Garen could only feel a chaotic emotional rollercoaster—anger, pain, and resentment.
"These negative emotions are too intense."

He wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Every time I touch it, I feel like I'm going to be swallowed up."

"Because you are trying to resist them."

Ron corrected:
"Those emotions are not the enemy, but a reflection of the warrior's state of mind in his final moments. Try to understand them, rather than be afraid of them."

Personal mentoring Lila presents entirely different challenges.

The problem with this three-eyed mixed-race girl is not that she lacks ability, but that she is too powerful.

“Every time I use the third eye, I feel like I’m going to be overwhelmed by a flood of information.”

Lila painfully described her predicament:
"I can see so much. Everyone's emotions, the life state of every plant, even the historical echoes contained within buildings."

"This all-encompassing perception makes it impossible for me to concentrate on doing anything."

Ron carefully examined Lila's third eye on her forehead, and it was indeed more intricate than the organ of its pure-blooded three-eyed counterparts.

"Your third eye, in addition to inheriting the multidimensional perception of the Three-Eyed Clan, also possesses human information processing capabilities."

He analyzed:

"This combination allows you to perceive information from multiple levels at the same time, but it also causes information overload."

"So, is there any solution?"

"Yes, but you need to learn how to filter information and prioritize it."

Ron used magic to draw an array of runes on the floor of the practice room:
"This is my improved 'perceptual focusing array' that can help you train selective perception."

The rune array presents a distinct ring structure.

The inner ring represents the core focus, the middle ring represents secondary information, and the outer ring represents background noise.

“Stand in the center of the array, and then try to focus only on the information within the inner ring.”

Lila followed his instructions and entered the center of the array.

When she opened her third eye, the previously chaotic flow of information became orderly.

She could clearly sense Ron's emotional state, but the cluttered information from the surrounding environment was effectively filtered out.

"This feeling is just amazing!" she exclaimed excitedly.
"It's like finding a clear melody in the noise!"

“This is just the first step,” Ron continued, providing further guidance.
"The real goal is to enable you to achieve this focusing effect without relying on external assistance."

"This requires a lot of practice and a deep understanding of your own abilities and characteristics."

As the individual mentoring sessions progressed, the apprentices began to feel subtle but important changes.

Garrean's metal arm is no longer just an emotional burden.

Although he couldn't fully access the combat memories within, he could already sense the "advice" his arm gave him in different situations.

Lila's third eye also became more controllable.

Although she still needs the assistance of the rune array, she is now able to perform selective perception for short periods of time.

The other apprentices also made their own progress.

West Germany learned to establish initial resonance with more diverse forms of energy;

Alfred's temperature control became more precise, and the flame became more stable.

However, these advances are gradual and imperceptible.

From a more practical perspective, individual instruction consumes a significant amount of apprentices' self-training time.

Some apprentices began to have doubts.

“Ralph’s method is indeed interesting, but my spell casting speed doesn’t seem to have improved significantly.”

During recess, Alfred complained to his classmates:

"I used to be able to cast three fireballs in a row, and I can still only cast three now."

But according to the academy's standard progress, I should be able to barely release for the fourth time by now.

“I have the same problem,” another apprentice chimed in.

"Although I feel better physically and my magic flows more smoothly, my specific ability values ​​don't seem to have improved significantly."

This kind of doubt is spreading privately.

The apprentices were indeed deeply impressed by Ron's teaching philosophy, and the concept of "resonance" gave them a unique experience.

However, in an academic environment that emphasizes quantitative metrics, the lack of intuitive data to improve training methods inevitably raises doubts.

"Perhaps Ralph's approach is more suitable for long-term development?"

Lila tried to defend Rosie:
He once said that true growth requires time to mature.

"But the problem is, we don't have that much time."

Garrenne's words expressed everyone's concerns:
“Monthly ability tests and quarterly progress assessments. If our data does not meet the standards, we may be downgraded in training standards or even lose our eligibility to study at the academy.”

This pressure from reality put the apprentices in a state of conflict.

On the one hand, they did indeed perceive new possibilities in Ron's teaching;
On the other hand, the pressure of quantitative metrics forces them to consider training methods that are more effective.

Two weeks later, the academy held its quarterly practice match.

This is a traditional activity in the Vinard Colony, designed to test the apprentices' ability to translate theoretical knowledge into practical combat skills.

The rules of the game are quite simple:
Each apprentice can choose a weapon and temporarily enhance it with their most proficient rune, then practice in actual combat.

The determination of victory or defeat depends not only on the outcome of the battle, but also on the innovation and skill level of the rune application.

All the mixed-race students in the academy will participate; there are forty-three participants in Ron's class.

The competition was held in the college's amphitheater.

The audience was filled with students, mentors, and representatives of the colony's residents.

Vinard's ethereal projection appeared in the VIP section, his silver eyes scanning the entire venue.

"This is a crucial moment to assess the effectiveness of our teaching."

Ella whispered to Ron:
"The teachers will evaluate the effectiveness of different teaching methods based on the apprentices' performance."

(End of this chapter)