I stepped forward rather nonchalantly. I can feel everyone had their eyes on me while I tried to focus. Firstly, I calmed myself down and started entering the 3rd Stage, drawing the formula within my visualization and afterwards white-blue magic circles revealed themselves around me. A total of 7 magic swords with seven attributes formed themselves.
"What?!"
"All the elements?!"
"But there's a seventh element at the center!"
"No way, there's only six elements, right?"
I honestly can already do this right from the start when I discovered the unattributed element but I simply saw that the unattributed conserved more energy and held more power as it's highly similar to a real sword. Right now, I just want to show off and amaze everyone.
The magic swords raised their blades and with a wave of my hand, the 7 projectiles hurtled towards the skies and plummeted at the practice target one by one. The first sword to have hit was fire, it incinerated and drilled through the target. The second was water, the sharpness of it's edge amputated the right arm while the left was done in by the wind element, the earth element held so much weight and size that it literally crushed the target like a nut, the last two which was the light and dark element overlapped and pierced the practice target together and was followed by an implosion of unstable magic power. The target was completely annihilated from the barrage of ruthless attacks and it's remnants scattered everywhere. I can say this took atleast 17.8% of my mana pool but it's worth it if it's to show off.
When I looked around me, I saw that everyone was left agape by my performance just as I expected. And I specially liked Leyla's bewildered expression while looking at the destruction I've caused. All this was done to show my progress to her.
"Seven Clavery, magic grade 94."
Leyla-san said while writing my rating in her handbook. I can vaguely hear the other students mostly girls(because most of us are girls) whispering stuff about my magic performance just now.
"She just did a 94... It's been 23 years since the school last had one who got a score that high."
"Seriously? Wow... what a talent. "
"I heard Ryan Bang's son will be attending this school year, there's no doubt he'll be outstanding too."
I honestly didn't expect I would get a score that high, I only had in mind that it would be 92 or less. But this grade is fine too.
"That was so cool, Seven! I didn't expect your magic was that powerful!"
I nodded as response and swiftly looked away to avoid her sparkling eyes.
All we did afterwards were to wait for everyone to finish their tests and it was time to move on to the next one.
▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️
The following test, I don't even need to mention all of them since you wouldn't get it. Let's just say they were all written exams regarding magic and I did pretty well myself because I've been tutored by Minerva's grandmother in the library. However, I can't say I did too well in the enchantment class since I've never even done an enchantment spell before. And I'm not very good at carving hieroglyphs either and it's completely indispensable when it comes to enchanting. On the other hand, almost all of the subjects so far only asked us simple questions like the name of herbs and the needed ingredients to brew a potion.
Now for our last test, wait. Why are we heading back to the battle arena? Aren't we taking the Combat Class— owh, so that subject is going to be held here.
When we were very close already to the rendezvous, Leyla began speaking through telepathy to everyone in our group.
"The next examination is for Combat Class. It tests your physical strength and refines your body. I know what you freshmen are thinking, you're magicians so you don't have to learn such things, but you should be knowledgeable in battle. How would you control your close combat magic? How will you evade attacks? How fast can you cast with your hands? They all depend on one thing, physical fitness and dexterity."
She makes sense, that's how the guild master was able to have a one on one confrontation with Garek before. He couldn't have survived if he couldn't evade those hefty attacks.
"In this exam, you will have a one on one battle with someone we pick."
Upon her words, everyone looked stunned. Noone must have expected we'll have to fight each other for the exam.
"Depending on how well you are in combat, the three teachers assigned as the judges will make your scores and put the last grade on your performance. Only those exceeding 85 and above total scores from all the examinations will get to pass the entrance exam."
"What?!"
Our group suddenly went pale. Most of our members only got 83 and below scores during the magic test. As for the written exams' scores they will be shown to us tomorrow. For some commoners this is such a hopeless waste of time.
Before we entered the arena, I heard a familiar name being mentioned from the wind magic's microphone by an old woman.
"Aria Vleutonelle, combat grade 90. Watson Finny, combat grade 85."
It turns out Aria and the others are inside.
"Examinees, follow me."
Leyla led us in. The condition of the battlegrounds from earlier and now held a shocking difference. When earlier this place was almost empty, this place is now packed with thousands of students watching from the red seats across the stands. Everyone there were cheering like an audience for a show.
"We're the last batch."
She mumbled while surveying the number of students above us. From here, I can see Aria talking with Arlet from a distance, ah, they kissed. I'm jealous, I want one too.
"Now that Team 2 is done, it's time for Team 1's turn."
At a distance, I could see that the speaker was a female teacher who had a rather slim physique. Her long violet hair was done in a curly pigtail and her robe was in purple which matches with her hair. At a fair distance from her mouth was the magic formula for the sound amplifier magic.
"The rules for this test are simple, your opponents will be chosen by random through a name jar. You are not allowed to severely injure your opponents much less kill. Those who break this rule will either be disqualified or have their grades deducted from all subjects by 3 to 20. The winner is decided when their opponent admits defeat or are thrown outside the stone disc at the center of the field. The winner will gain an extra 5 scores if they win."
I'm excited, all this time I've only fought monsters so this is the first time I'll have to fight a fellow human. That aside, I'll have to go somewhat easy on them considering my swords are pretty sharp.
The teacher poked her hand through a translucent jar and after that, she pulled out two pieces of yellow paper from it which she began unfolding. The green magic array near her lips wasn't showing any signs of dispersing and everyone was keeping quiet.
"Seven Clavery and Kein Arnold, step forward."
What? It's already my turn? There's like 300 of us and I had to be first?! Ugh, well I can't do anything about that so I'll just do it.
I stepped out of the group along with a fiery red haired boy. Looking at his hair, maybe he's a fire user? That's actually a funny thing if he really is.
"Get to your positions and introduce yourselves."
The first one to introduce himself was the boy named Kein who stood steadily in his spot with a dignified expression.
"Kein Arnold of the Arnold Household ruling the Eastern Aries Pieta District."
"Seven Clavery, an adventurer."
After my short introduction, the judge who was in the middle of us two spoke once again to start the match.
"Remember, this is only a test, you don't need to go to extreme lengths to win. Without further ado, let the match begin!"
We nodded and the judge disappeared from where he stood through teleportation magic.
What I saw next was... Nothing?
Everything suddenly turned black, which instantly led me to the conclusion that...
Kein is a Dark Magic user.
Dark Magic is the opposite of Light Magic which assists and buffs it's target. Dark Magic can befuddle or modify the foe's senses as well as inflict upon them various harmful or non-harmful debuffs.
Without delay after realizing this, I covered myself in a spiralling two layered barrier of unattributed magic swords that was spacious enough for a car to fit in.
"Is this spell the only one you know?"
Kein asked me calmly within this void of darkness. His voice resonated everywhere so I couldn't pinpoint where he was, my eye sight has been messed with and all I could see was endless blackness.
It's unfortunate but I didn't expect this kind of battle. I don't know any spells for dispersing Dark Magic so I can only bear with this.
Or perhaps not. If I don't move now, he'll try and figure out something to attack me from here. If he's planning to make my senses shitty, then this means he'll try to get close and point his palm right at my face which would instantly give him the win. So I'll make a move first.
"H-HEY! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!"
While inside my barrier, I made the first layer of magic swords eject and form a tornado formation to rapidly spiral around me as the centre, acting as a defensive reflector and slicer to everything near me. That way, he wouldn't have the chance to approach or else he'll be turned to mincemeat.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
I began walking forward, if I want to win, I think the only thing I have to do is circle the battlefield while making sure I don't fall off the disc.
Woah, the place suddenly got hot. I knew it, so this guy can use Fire Magic too.
Right now, the debuff of my senses being altered had disappeared. Dark Magic Debuffs can be cancelled when it's caster starts using another spell other than the spell for the debuff. So I could say this is very beneficial.
I can finally see, the only thing I can decipher from this however are my swords rotating in all directions. I was like the head of the typhoon where it is safe and it was hard to see what was outside. The only thing I can make out of is a fire magic spell being casted against me. If I'm not mistaken, that's the Tier 2 Spell, Fire Dragon's Breath. But regardless of what that is, it got swiped away by the rampaging gusts of the 50 magic swords that I conjured.
"C-Can you tone it down for a bit? Your magic is so powerful it feels like cheating..."
Kein said while sweating madly after just casting another fire spell, albeit weaker than the last.
"You're right, let's do that then."
True, if I continued like that it would be an easy win. That method of using the magic swords is simply too dangerous and defensive.
The swords began dispersing one by one into tiny particles of blue light which was mana until one sword was left.
I held that last sword on my left hand, that's how much I'm underestimating him.
"Why are you holding that sword like a swordsman? Aren't you a mage?"
"I can use a sword too."
"I see! So that's why your magic is made out of swords, that's so cool!"
"Wow, you understand how cool it is?!"
"Definitely! Please show me just how powerful it is!"
This is the first time someone complimented this spell, I've always liked this technique because it's cool but I didn't expect someone from this world would get it!
Kein began channeling mana to his hands and multitudes of spheres made out of fire floated from his left and right.
"To be honest, I already know I have no chance of winning. But before I lose I'd like to see how good you are with the sword. If you manage to survive this, I'll surrender, can we do that?"
"Sure. That will save me trouble."
Definitely! My mana reserves are already dropping below 20% from that many swords I conjured earlier to protect myself, but he mustn't know that! Thankfully I don't look tired because of my game's body so he hasn't found out.
"Well then, here I go!"
Kein bellowed and the multitudes of fire bullets shot towards me in great speeds. Seeing that this is too much for me, I amplified my physical capabilities with [Physical Enhancement] and infused more magic power into the [Magic Sword] I'm holding to increase it's blade length and width twice.
With a burst of speed that only my supersonic reactions can handle in this situation, I deflected the flurry of fire bullets with the blade's edge or fuller with inhumane speed.
Every slash done, the bullets were sliced in two and they returned back to mana energy which spreads in the atmosphere.
This defensive method lasted for at most only 10 seconds, but I became mentally tired and confused from all the bullets coming to me each second which I had to confront no matter what or I'll get hit.
"I give up!"
I heard my opponent Kein surrender with his other hand scratching his hair in slight disappointment of his loss. But despite that, he was smiling like it was unavoidable.
"The winner for this match is Seven Clavery. The two of you, please shake hands as respect for a proper duel."
Kein walked over to me and held out his right hand for me to shake, which I did for the sake of connections.
"That was a nice battle, Seven Clavery. Once again, I'm Kein Arnold and I look forward to be friends with you."
I nodded to him while noticing I was actually a few inches taller than him now that he actually came close. While I was 180cm, he seemed like he's around 160cm.
"Pleased to meet you too, I'm Seven Clavery. An adventurer from the Libra Kingdom."
"Owh, so you're from an allied kingdom. It's great to hear there's actually a foreigner in the school."
Although we're both from different countries, this continent I'm in only has one human language which everyone could speak in. But even if that's the case, I still can't speak to them without this translator earring. And I'm too lazy to learn their language!
"Y-Yeah, I think we should leave. There are other examinees too."
I immediately turned my back on him while hearing the judge spell out our grades, "Seven Clavery, combat grade 100. Kein Arnold 88." which left everyone stare in awe at me. I bet that my score was actually 95 but the extra points filled it out.
"Ah, you're right. Let's head back— wait, where are you going?"
I was heading towards Arlet and the other two who were waving at me to come over to them, now that all the exams are over, there's no need for me to stay in that group anymore. And it's not like I'm the only one visiting other groups now that we're done anyway.