It had already been established that the earth element was different from the elements he had learned so far.
They each still had the same underlying principles, but their process of manipulation was different.
Atticus had identified that the new earthen spikes Terran had shot towards him were actually crystals. They were made from earth molecules but arranged and structured in a different way.
To manipulate any earth, Atticus would first have to identify how they were structured before he could form a connection with the collective group of molecules.
From the first time he had controlled Terran's spikes, Atticus had been able to figure out all of this.
He didn't have to close his eyes, nor was a single second wasted.
The crystal spikes crossed the distance, each of their forms coming to an abrupt stop in front of him. Their numbers were substantial, and more spikes kept being added to their ranks.
A moment passed, and a staggering number of crystal spikes were suspended in the air all around Atticus.
The instructors and onlookers felt their whole bodies go numb. Not only could he control the earth, but now another form of earth too?
That was only their perspective. Terran didn't show any visible reaction, but those who knew him well knew that he was very excited. His aura was still as heavy as it could get, but it was a bit more peaceful.
Instead of shooting the spikes back at Terran immediately, Atticus had chosen to try and replicate them first.
A single ball of sand floated upwards, and Atticus immediately got to work. The process took a few seconds, mostly because it was Atticus's first time doing it, but fortunately, he was able to do it.
Sand wasn't the rawest form of the earth molecules. Atticus could imagine that the reason they were using it as the basis of everything was because of their structure; they were a combination of loosely packed molecules.
In essence, this made them incredibly easy to utilize in forming another form of earth. The process was simple: Atticus broke down the earth molecules that made up the sand and created another form of earth from them.
A multitude of crystal spikes formed behind him, and each of them, along with the earlier ones, shot towards Terran with supersonic speeds.
Atticus had just created another miracle, and the onlookers were so baffled that they each chose to create chairs out of the earth and sit down. Truly, they really needed the support.
The instructor couldn't help but feel scared, for himself and the others watching. If Atticus pulled any more surprises, they might each have a heart attack and die.
The spikes whizzed through the air but turned to dust as soon as they neared Terran.
"Hm," Terran nodded his head in approval, his aura changing once more.
Terran suddenly raised his right leg before putting it down almost immediately. His foot touching the ground was shockingly gentle considering the size of his feet and weight, but the reaction spoke the real truth.
It moved like a wave.
Atticus, who had been scrutinizing everything about Terran, saw invisible ripples spread across the ground like drops of water hitting a lake.
Then, the ground shook, its intensity increasing by each passing second.
It was akin to a seismic tremor, comparable to a class 7 earth quake.
The entirety of the cave shook, and Atticus and the crowd found themselves losing their balance.
Atticus's mind worked fast and calmly despite the situation.
'So that's how it is,'
He had used the earth element to create earthquakes before, but he was now learning the underlying principles that governed it.
It wasn't exactly hard; it was quite straightforward. Terran had simply created a chain reaction through the earth.
He sent ripples of waves that resonated across the earth, influencing each collective molecule and causing them to vibrate.
Figuring this out, his next move instantly became clear. Atticus focused and connected with the molecules, sending a wave of instruction through the earth.
His reach, unfortunately, wasn't as extensive as Terran's, but it was far from being insignificant.
The earth molecules within a 30-meter radius from Atticus calmed down, their trembling halting. This immediately caused the shaking ground around Atticus to come to a stop.
Terran, who saw this, stopped his action and nodded his head in approval. He was having a great time.
He immediately moved to the next lesson, the weight of the world increasing.
Atticus's legs buckled, his body staggering forward as he struggled to regain his balance.
An incredible weight had just descended over his entire body, more intense than he had felt before.
Atticus's gaze found Terran, who was looking at him calmly. He could immediately see a slight glint of expectation in his eyes.
'So it wasn't just passive; he's actively doing this,'
Atticus had initially thought upon first meeting Terran that it was his presence that felt heavy. But now he was just figuring out that Terran was intentionally doing it.
'For him to achieve this… in the air?' Atticus deduced.
He felt it was the most likely conclusion.
He had never thought the earth molecules could be in the air, and so he had never tried to sense them.
But immediately Atticus focused on their sensation, he realized how Terran was doing everything.
In simple words, the man had simply broken down the earth molecules of the sand and then spread them in the air, making them react with mana and influencing the surroundings, making the air become heavier.
Truly, figuring out what he was doing and replicating it were completely two different things. Atticus knew this well, and so did the onlookers. However, Atticus had always been built differently.
Everything was over once he figured it out. Another wave of instructions left his figure, and then, the reacting molecules around him reverted back to normal, the heaviness in the air disappearing.
"This is crazy,"
The instructor muttered in utter disbelief.