The instructor's expression changed as he called Kazuki's name, and murmurs spread through the crowd of students. Kazuki, noticing this, couldn't help but curse Hikari in his heart again.
'This is exactly what he must've wanted,' he snorted inwardly as he made his way to his position.
"The spell you'll be using is Mana Wave.
3... 2... 1... Chant!" the mage's voice resounded clearly.
""Mana Wave"" the students chanted simultaneously, their mana moving in unison to form the spell.
[Mana Wave]
(Mana Wave is an Elementless Spell that manipulates pure mana to generate a powerful and dense wave, capable of targeting a large area. This wave forcefully pushes back multiple enemies at once, disrupting their formation. Additionally, it replaces the ambient mana within the affected area with the caster's own mana, making it significantly harder for those struck by the wave to cast their own spells effectively.)
*Crash!*
A resounding crash echoed, specifically from Kazuki's spell, as the sheer force of his Mana Wave almost uprooted the dummy from its place. The entire training ground went silent, with surprised looks on the faces of the other students and even the two instructors.
The old mage, however, remained unfazed, ignoring the murmurs of surprise. Without looking back, he commanded, "Record the response." The middle-aged mage quickly moved and did as instructed, also speeding up the recovery process.
"The next spell is Stone Barrage.
3... 2... 1... Chant!"
""Stone Barrage""
[Stone Barrage]
(Stone Barrage is an Earth Affinity Spell that conjures multiple stone projectiles. While each projectile's destructive capability is limited, the spell unleashes a continuous assault to drain the enemy's mana by forcing them to defend. It disrupts movement and prevents counterattacks, leaving no room for evasion or retaliation.)
*Smash!*
A loud explosion rang out as Kazuki's spell hit the dummy, obliterating it. Before the damage could spread further, the middle-aged mage vanished and reappeared near the dummies. With a snap of his fingers, every trace of the spell dissipated.
The middle-aged mage gave a brief nod to the old mage, who returned it and then turned to Kazuki.
"Takamura Kazuki, you'll be the only one casting the next spell."
The middle-aged mage replaced the four dummies with one that was nearly three times the size of the previous ones.
"The next spell is Gale Cutter.
3... 2... 1... Chant!"
"Gale Cutter"
[Gale Cutter]
(Gale Cutter is a Wind Affinity Spell that conjures fierce, erratic winds, creating multiple razor-sharp blades of air. These blades slice through everything in their path, cutting down enemies and obstacles with precision. Due to the unpredictable nature of the wind currents, the spell can also be used as an anti-spell, effectively neutralizing or disrupting other spells in its trajectory.)
*Crash!*
The moment the spell reached the large dummy, a mana barrier formed around it. Within seconds, cracks began spreading across the barrier's surface. Before long, the barrier shattered, and the dummy was completely destroyed.
The middle-aged mage recorded the response, this time using a different artifact. Once finished, the old mage spoke again.
"Takamura Kazuki, you'll be taking the next exam with the Nobles."
*Gasp*
Surprised voices erupted from the crowd. The division between commoners and nobles during exams wasn't due to the superiority complexes but rather because most commoners couldn't compete with even the weakest nobles. The Academy didn't want the morale of Commoners to lower and for them to lose hope. But now, seeing the results in front of them, no one could argue.
"Alright," Kazuki replied, stepping back to watch the other students. There were a few who caught his eye, not because they were exceptionally talented, but because they were better than the average students. However, he knew they wouldn't stand a chance against the truly powerful nobles.
*Buzz*
Everyone's IDs buzzed again, notifying them of their next exam. Unlike the others, who were scheduled to take their tests soon, Kazuki's exam was set for the following morning. Confused, he glanced at the old mage, who was still watching him.
Seeing his chance, Kazuki approached the instructor as the majority of the students had already left.
"Why is my exam tomorrow? I don't think the Academy is conducting all the noble exams tomorrow," Kazuki questioned directly.
The old mage chuckled, "You're right. The normal nobles will be finishing their exams by today."
"Normal nobles...?" Kazuki muttered, curious.
The instructor smirked slightly. "I guess he didn't reveal it to you, huh? Maybe he thought it would be more interesting this way." He muttered to himself before turning to Kazuki,
"You don't have to worry too much. Just get sufficient rest, and you'll be fine... probably."
'Probably? Are they planning to sacrifice me or something?!' Kazuki wanted to retort but held himself back, instead forcing a strained smile. "Thank you, Professor," he replied before leaving.
The old mage smiled after Kazuki left. 'He definitely has his confidence.'
The final exam, a physical evaluation, involved sparring with assigned opponents, and students would be judged on how they performed in these matches. And Kazuki, who just read this, didn't bother watching the other matches. He needed to prepare for his own sparring session tomorrow.
Depending on his opponent, he could lose miserably if he didn't take it seriously—and if that happened, Hikari would never leave him alone if he tarnished his name after all that training.