If this were Earth, people would likely assume that this stadium was filled with members of a strange cult.
Almost all the participants here looked like they were chanting incantations and making bizarre movements, as if trying to summon demons.
In reality, though, they were practicing spellcasting and going over athletic moves, preparing themselves for attacking and dodging in the upcoming duel.
Some participants chose to sit with soulless expressions, staring off into space. It seemed they had already given up.
The fourth exam was about to begin, and it was going to be a one-on-one duel format.
So, how would the opponents be matched?
The academy would claim that the matchups were determined randomly. However, in truth, they used a straightforward algorithm: each participant would be matched against another participant whose score differed by no more than 10 points.
This method could certainly be considered fair, but it didn't account for the bonus points awarded through the bonus coins. As a result, Oz's current score was 60.
—Hmm, right now, my score could be anywhere between 50 and 70. With a score like that, there's a good chance my opponent will be a noble.
Oz reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of small, colorful fireworks that looked strikingly similar to jellybeans.
If Sam were to see them, he might mistake them for real jellybeans and eat them. And then there was a good chance his stomach would explode, as these were actually fireworks.
Oz decided it was best not to give these 'jellybeans' to Sam.
He planned to use these fireworks during the fourth exam to deceive the examiners.
Given that the number of participants was nearing 10,000, there would be around 5,000 matches in total.
It was impossible for the examiners to watch each match individually, so they would rely on phantoms to record the matches.
These phantoms were only capable of counting the variety of magic spells used by the participants.
To the phantoms, these fireworks would appear to be legitimate magic, and the surveillance birds wouldn't react to them because they weren't actual spells.
*Ding* *Dong* *Ding* *Dong* *Ding* *Dong*
"No!"
"Ah, cursed bells!"
A few participants were visibly distressed, frantically covering their ears as if trying to block out the sound.
[How was your break? Did you get enough rest? I bet you didn't, did you? Well, after the fourth exam, you can rest all you want—whether at home, in the hospital, or in a coffin if you wish to rest forever.]
The combination of the ringing bells and Professor Goldilock's cheerful voice was usually more than enough to leave the participants with lasting psychological trauma.
But this time, it had an even greater impact because she delivered the message with an irritated expression on her face.
Of course, the cause of her frustration was none other than our protagonist, Oz.
—Ah, I want to resting on your lap!
For what felt like the hundredth time, the headmaster snapped her fingers.
In an instant, each participant found themselves standing on a platform within a 20m x 20m arena.
A solid stone wall stood in the center of each arena, serving as a barrier that separated the participants from their opponents.
If someone had used a flying spell to view the scene from above, they would see 5,000 arenas neatly arranged, filling the massive basement with a sufficient distance between each one.
Each arena was equipped with four phantoms positioned on all sides to monitor the matches. Additionally, there were two perches for the surveillance birds on the left and right sides of the field.
*Screeeech*
The owl on Oz's shoulder took flight and landed on one of the perches. However, an opponent's surveillance bird was already occupying that spot.
*Chrip*
*Screeeech*
*Chrip* *Chrip* *Chrip*
Oz gave a thumbs-up to his owl as it brazenly bullied the opponent's surveillance bird.
A smug expression spread across the owl's face as it ruffled its feathers proudly.
The bird that had been bullied quickly retreated to the opposite side of the arena, making pitiful chirping sounds as if it were on the verge of tears.
[Welcome to the fourth exam. It wouldn't be a proper magic academy without duels. But remember, if you engage in combat outside of an official duel, I will expel you from the academy immediately.]
As long as Professor Goldilock had been headmaster, every single fight that occurred outside of an official duel had resulted in the immediate expulsion of the involved students.
This strict rule applied to everyone, regardless of whether they were commoners or nobles.
[The wall in front of you will be lowered soon. But don't start the duel right away—wait for my signal.]
The stone wall slowly descended, its echoing rumble adding to the tension.
Oz didn't need to wait for it to fully drop; through the gaps, he could already see his opponent.
Black hair, a solid build, and a strikingly handsome face—it was David.
—Damn it, why did I have to be paired against the protagonist?
In fictional stories, the academy entrance exam often serves as the protagonist's grand stage to flaunt their extraordinary abilities.
It's almost a certainty that anyone who faces them at this point will be utterly crushed.
"Ugh, examiner? Could I request a different opponent, please?"
With a face completely devoid of emotion, Oz inquired of one of the phantoms overseeing the match. Naturally, the phantom responded with an equally expressionless face.
"Hello! Hello! Examiner?"
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is David Copperfield. Let's have a fair and honorable duel!"
Oz slowly turned his head towards David, who, with a dazzling smile, seemed more than eager to introduce himself formally.
"My name is Oliver Twist. We'll definitely keep it fair."
—Yeah, right. There's no way I'm going to play fair.
[The duration of this duel is 10 minutes. If you win, you earn 10 points. If it's a draw, you get 5 points. If you lose—well, you just lose. No points for you, so why bother asking?]
—Of course. If I can somehow convince David to settle for a draw, we'll both walk away with 5 points.
"David, what do you say if… "
"We'll have a serious duel. I doubt you'd be satisfied with a mere draw, right?"
—No! To be honest, I'd be more than happy with a draw!
This kid seemed to have nothing but battle on his mind.
At that moment, Oz resolved to avoid people like David in the future, knowing they were the type who brought chaos and misfortune wherever they went.
[You can win the duel by knocking your opponent out of the arena, rendering them unconscious, or forcing them to surrender.]
*Dun* *Dun* *Dun*
The sound of drums thundered through the arena, reverberating off the walls and sending waves of anticipation through the participants.
Those who were already excited became even more so, while those who had given up sank further into despair.
*Heh*
David's face twisted into a confident grin, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of the upcoming battle.
"Oi, examiners! Time Out! Time Out! Look! Look at his face! I want to change opponents!"
In a desperate to save himself, Oz frantically waved his hands, trying to catch the attention of the examiners.
—No choice then!
"Vagabundus!"
Quietly, Oz cast Vagabundus in David's direction.
The invisible spell shot towards him like an arrow, and for a brief moment, Oz thought he had succeeded. But just as quickly, the spell rebounded, deflecting off an unseen barrier surrounding David.
It seemed David had cast a mental defense spell before the fourth exam even began.
According to the academy's rules, there was no restriction on using buffs before the duel started, and it looked like David had taken full advantage of that loophole.
—Cih! As expected from a protagonist.
Oz clicked his tongue in frustration, annoyed that his spell had been nullified so effortlessly.
[The fourth exam will begin in... Three, Two, One, Start!]
Panicking, Oz reached into his pocket to grab the jellybeans he had prepared, only to fumble them in his haste.
The colorful, explosive candies tumbled out of his grasp, scattering across the arena floor.
"Wait a second! I dropped something!"
Quickly, Oz bent down, frantically trying to gather the fallen jellybeans before the duel began.
"Incendia Orbis!"
Before Oz could even recover the first jellybean, David had already cast a spell.
A swirling orb of fire materialized in his hand, spinning rapidly and radiating intense heat as it flew towards Oz.
*BOOM!*
The fireball erupted just outside the arena, with an explosion as powerful as a grenade.
"Oi, was that magic or sorcery?!"
Oz was stunned to see a spell like Incendia Orbis generate such a massive explosion, his heart pounding in his chest.
—How much starlight did he use for that!?
"Tempestas Fulmen!"
*WHOOSH*
*CRACK*
This time, a crackling sphere of lightning shot past Oz's face, missing him by only 10 centimeters. The air sizzled with electricity, leaving his hair standing on end.
If Oz didn't possess a body with reflexes far surpassing that of an ordinary human, dodging in time would have been impossible.
Once again, Oz's body moved instinctively, narrowly avoiding the lethal strike from David.
"Ventus Telum!"
*SWIRL*
*BOOM*
For the third time, Oz managed to dodge David's assault. The wind bullet spiraled dangerously close, tearing through the air where Oz had just been standing.
"You're pretty nimble."
David's voice carried a genuine note of surprise as he observed Oz's agility, impressed by how Oz moved with the precision of an acrobat, every step carefully calculated.
"But you can't win just by dodging."
*WHOOSH*
*CRACK*
*BOOM*
*SWIRL*
*BOOM*
A relentless barrage of spells followed, each one more intense than the last, as David pressed his attack.
He showed no mercy, determined not to give Oz a single moment to counterattack.
The arena was filled with the deafening sounds of magic clashing and exploding all around.
"Oi! Slow down!"
Oz was now beyond just moving like an acrobat, his movements resembled those of a circus performer.
He was diving, rolling, and leaping, desperately trying to avoid the increasingly devastating blasts.
"Take this!"
In a desperate attempt to gain some upperhand, Oz hurled several jellybeans towards David.
Upon contact, the jellybeans exploded into dazzling bursts of light and ear-splitting booms, as if tiny cannons had fired off in rapid succession.
*BANG*
*CRACKLE*
The fireworks created a spectacular display, blinding flashes of color and thick clouds of smoke enveloping the area.
While the explosions themselves weren't lethal, they disoriented David, obscuring his vision and making it hard for him to aim accurately.
—Oliver's starlight are almost gone. I need to finish this duel quickly.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Oz moved stealthily through the smoke, hoping to catch David off guard. But before he could execute his plan, a powerful gust of wind erupted from David.
"Ventus Spherea!"
The fierce wind blast nearly blew Oz out of the arena, and he had to twist his body in mid-air to avoid being thrown out of bounds.
The force was so intense that it tore through the thick smoke, instantly clearing the arena.
With the smoke dispersed, Oz's surprise attack was foiled, and he was left exposed.
—Looks like I have no choice except to use that method.
Oz took a deep breath, steeling himself as he crouched low and then sprinted straight toward David with every ounce of strength he could muster.
"Incendia Orbis!"
David fired another sphere of fire directly at Oz. This time, instead of dodging, Oz braced himself and crossed his arms in front of him, taking the full force of the attack head-on.
*BOOM*
Flames surged around him, but the protective robe provided by the academy managed to absorb most of the impact.
*HAAAA*
A battle cry tore from Oz's throat as he emerged from the blaze, charging through the flames with an unstoppable force.
"I surrender!"
But instead of launching a final attack, Oz shouted out the unexpected words, his voice cracking with desperation.
Oz's declaration caught David off guard, who had been preparing for a final clash.
"…?"
David stood there in stunned silence, utterly bewildered by Oz's sudden surrender.
"Hot! Hot! Hot! Ouch, I'm burning!"
Oz frantically patted down his clothes, where a few embers had slipped inside.
Though the robe was fireproof, the clothes he wore underneath were not, and he could feel the fabric scorching his skin.
Quickly, Oz yanked off his robe, revealing several burnt patches on his shirt. He sighed in relief, inspecting the damage.
"Whew, good thing I'm wearing a cheap shirt."
[The winner of Arena 1721 is 'David Copperfield'—congratulations!]
The four phantom announced the result in their typical monotone, robotic voices, which echoed across the now-silent arena.
"Hey, why did you do that? You could've kept going."
David asked, still baffled by Oz's decision to give up.
"Why? I was planning to push you out of the arena to win, but those flames were just too hot. So, I decided to forfeit."
Oz replied nonchalantly, as he continued to inspect his clothes, not showing any sign of regret.
"Hahaha!"
David suddenly burst into laughter, finding the whole situation amusing.
"You're funny! Call me David! Let's be friends, Oliver!"
A big, friendly smile spread across David's face, his previous intensity replaced with genuine warmth.
"Eew, no thanks. I don't want to."
"Huh?"
David's smile faltered at Oz's blunt refusal.
—If I become friends with the protagonist, I'll just end up attracting a ton of enemies thanks to his habit of challenging everyone he meets. No thanks!