The instructor's expression shifted the instant Kazuki's name was called.
It was subtle—barely perceptible—but unmistakable to anyone paying attention. A faint tightening around his eyes, a brief pause before his next breath.
That moment was enough.
A wave of murmurs spread through the gathered students, whispers overlapping as curiosity quickly turned into disbelief. Heads turned. Gazes lingered.
Kazuki felt it immediately.
Once again, he was the center of attention.
He exhaled quietly and stepped forward, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
This is exactly what you wanted, he thought bitterly, directing the blame squarely at Hikari. Throw me into the spotlight and see how things break.
Suppressing a snort, Kazuki took his assigned position before the reinforced dummy, posture steady and composed.
The elderly mage overseeing the test wasted no time.
"The spell you will be using is Mana Wave," he announced, voice echoing clearly across the training grounds.
"Three…"
"Two…"
"One…"
"Chant!"
"Mana Wave."
Mana surged forward as the students cast in unison.
[Mana Wave]
Mana Wave is an Elementless Spell that manipulates condensed pure mana to generate a wide, forceful wave capable of affecting a large area. The spell excels at crowd control, forcibly pushing back multiple targets and disrupting enemy formations.
Additionally, Mana Wave replaces the ambient mana within its area of effect with the caster's own mana, significantly hindering the ability of affected opponents to cast spells or regain mana control.
CRASH!
The impact from Kazuki's Mana Wave was overwhelming. The reinforced dummy groaned as the wave slammed into it, the force nearly uprooting it from its anchored position. Defensive enchantments flared violently, struggling to compensate.
The training grounds fell silent.
Students stared openly, stunned. Even a few instructors momentarily paused, eyes drawn to the aftermath.
Only the elderly mage remained unfazed.
"Record the response," he ordered without turning.
The middle-aged mage reacted instantly, accelerating the recovery process as the dummy was restored.
"The next spell," the instructor continued, "is Stone Barrage."
"Three…"
"Two…"
"One…"
"Chant!"
"Stone Barrage."
[Stone Barrage]
Stone Barrage is an Earth Affinity Spell that conjures and launches multiple stone projectiles in rapid succession. While each projectile carries moderate destructive force, the spell's strength lies in its relentless pressure.
By forcing continuous defense, Stone Barrage drains an opponent's mana reserves, restricts movement, and prevents effective counterattacks, making evasion extremely difficult.
SMASH!
Kazuki's Stone Barrage struck with devastating efficiency, obliterating the dummy outright. Fragments scattered before being halted midair by containment enchantments.
The middle-aged mage vanished and reappeared near the impact site, snapping his fingers to disperse residual mana before it could spread. He nodded briefly to the elderly mage.
The old mage returned the nod.
"The next spell," he said calmly, "is Tidal Wave."
A few students stiffened.
"Three…"
"Two…"
"One…"
"Chant!"
"Tidal Wave."
[Tidal Wave]
Tidal Wave is a Water Affinity Spell that summons an overwhelming mass of compressed water, forming a towering wave that crashes forward with immense force. The spell excels at large-scale suppression, capable of sweeping away enemies, breaking formations, and flooding the battlefield.
Beyond its raw power, Tidal Wave disrupts mana flow within its path, making it difficult for opponents to stabilize spellcasting while under its pressure.
BOOOOM!
The wave slammed into the dummy like a natural disaster. Water surged outward, crashing violently before dispersing harmlessly against the reinforced barriers. The dummy was driven deep into the ground, enchantments screaming as they struggled to maintain integrity.
Results were recorded.
The dummy was restored once more.
"The next spell," the elderly mage continued, "is Emberstone."
"Three…"
"Two…"
"One…"
"Chant!"
"Emberstone."
[Emberstone]
Emberstone is a Fire Affinity Spell that condenses molten fire and mana into superheated stone projectiles. Upon impact, the emberstones shatter violently, releasing bursts of intense heat and shrapnel-like fragments.
The spell combines sustained fire damage with physical impact, making it particularly effective against fortified targets and heavily armored opponents.
BA-BOOM!
Explosions rang out as the emberstones struck, reducing the dummy to scorched rubble. Heat rippled outward before being suppressed by the surrounding enchantments.
The middle-aged mage quickly restored the field once again.
The elderly mage's gaze sharpened.
"Takamura Kazuki," he said, "you will be the only one casting the next spell."
A stir passed through the crowd.
The four dummies were replaced with a single construct nearly three times their size, layered with dense reinforcement enchantments.
"The next spell is Gale Cutter."
"Three…"
"Two…"
"One…"
"Chant!"
"Gale Cutter."
[Gale Cutter]
Gale Cutter is a Wind Affinity Spell that generates violent, erratic wind currents, forming multiple razor-sharp blades of compressed air. These blades tear through targets with exceptional cutting power, shredding both physical defenses and magical constructs.
Due to its unstable wind patterns, Gale Cutter can also function as an anti-spell technique, destabilizing or neutralizing spells caught in its trajectory.
CRASH!
A mana barrier activated instantly around the massive dummy. Cracks spread rapidly across its surface before the barrier shattered entirely.
Moments later, the dummy itself was destroyed.
The middle-aged mage recorded the response using a higher-tier artifact.
When he finished, the elderly mage spoke once more.
"Takamura Kazuki," he declared, voice carrying across the grounds, "you will take the next examination alongside the nobles."
Gasp.
Shock rippled through the crowd.
The division between commoners and nobles during evaluations existed to preserve morale—but the results before them were undeniable.
"Alright," Kazuki replied simply, stepping back.
Moments later—
Buzz.
IDs vibrated across the grounds.
Kazuki checked his and frowned. His next exam was scheduled for the following morning.
He approached the elderly mage as the others dispersed.
"Why is my exam tomorrow?" he asked. "I don't believe all noble exams are scheduled then."
The old mage chuckled softly.
"You're right. Only the exceptional ones remain."
He smirked.
"Get some rest. You'll need it… probably."
Kazuki forced a polite smile, thanked him, and left.
Tomorrow would be the Physical Evaluation.
And depending on who stood opposite him—
Even three years of hellish training might not be enough.