The countless illusionary worlds collapsed almost simultaneously.
Like shattered mirrors, every battlefield dissolved into countless specks of silver light before disappearing into nothingness. One after another, the remaining candidates slowly opened their eyes and returned to the reception grounds. The expressions on their faces varied greatly. Some gasped for breath as though they had narrowly escaped death, while others instinctively reached for their weapons before realizing the battle had already ended. A few stood motionless with unfocused eyes, still struggling to distinguish reality from illusion.
The academy instructors moved efficiently among the crowd. Those who had lost consciousness were carried away immediately, while candidates whose minds had suffered severe backlash were escorted to a nearby healing formation. Nobody mocked the eliminated participants. After personally facing the White Tiger's illusion, every remaining candidate understood how cruel the first examination truly was.
Jayant quietly opened his eyes.
For a brief moment, he didn't move.
His gaze remained fixed upon the small white tiger resting on the examiner's shoulder, as though the illusion had not fully ended for him. The tears that had escaped during the dream were already gone, but the emotions they carried hadn't completely faded. A faint, almost imperceptible murderous intent still lingered around him. It wasn't directed at anyone present, nor did it erupt violently. It simply existed, silent and cold, like a blade that had yet to be returned to its sheath.
Snow felt it immediately.
The proud White Tiger, who had remained perfectly composed throughout the examination, instinctively lowered its head and shifted closer to its master. It didn't dare look directly into Jayant's eyes. Even after the illusion had ended, the memory of that terrifying intent still echoed within its instincts.
The white-haired examiner noticed the unusual behavior of his lifelong companion and frowned slightly. He glanced at Jayant, then back at Snow, but chose not to ask any questions. Whatever had happened inside that illusion was something even he couldn't explain.
Meanwhile, Meenakshi finally spotted Jayant standing quietly among the remaining candidates. Relief immediately crossed her face as she made her way toward him through the dispersing crowd. She had been eager to ask how he had performed, but as the distance between them gradually closed, her footsteps slowed without her realizing it.
A sudden chill spread through her entire body.
Her instincts, sharpened through years of training, quietly warned her to stop.
For one fleeting moment, the young man standing before her no longer felt familiar.
It wasn't because of his mana.
Nor was it because he was directing hostility toward her.
Rather, something invisible surrounded him—an indescribable pressure that made every instinct inside her whisper the same warning.
Danger.
The feeling disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared.
Jayant seemed to sense someone approaching. He slowly turned around, and the faint murderous intent lingering around him quietly dissolved into the air. The coldness vanished completely, leaving behind the same calm expression she had grown accustomed to during their journey.
A gentle smile appeared on his face.
"You passed," he said with quiet certainty, as though the outcome had never been in doubt. "How did the test go?"
Meenakshi blinked in surprise before letting out a small laugh.
"It was much harder than I expected," she admitted. "The tiger's aura was overwhelming at first, and its attacks didn't leave many openings. We fought for quite a while before it finally used illusion magic. Fortunately... I managed to resist it and ended the battle with my Water Dragon."
Jayant listened attentively before nodding with genuine satisfaction.
"Congratulations. That couldn't have been easy."
His sincere praise somehow made her smile a little wider.
She looked at him for several seconds before curiosity slowly surfaced in her eyes.
She wanted to ask.
What happened inside your illusion?
Why had even the White Tiger reacted so strangely?
Why had she been afraid of him only moments ago?
The questions gathered in her mind one after another.
Yet none of them reached her lips.
Instead, she quietly swallowed them back.
The truth was painfully simple.
Although they had travelled together for days, fought side by side, laughed over meals, and survived life-and-death situations together, she knew almost nothing about him. She didn't know where he had grown up, who had taught him, or what kind of past had shaped the strange young man standing before her.
More importantly...
For the first time since meeting him...
She wasn't certain she wanted to know.
Not yet.
Seeing that she had fallen silent, Jayant tilted his head in confusion.
"What happened?"
Meenakshi shook her head with a faint smile.
"Nothing. I was just thinking that you're much harder to understand than I imagined."
Jayant scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I've been told that before."
His completely honest answer made Meenakshi laugh despite herself, and the heavy atmosphere between them quietly disappeared.
Far above the clouds, inside the grand observation hall of Vidya Academy, silence continued to dominate the room.
The enormous crystal mirror still displayed the final moments of every illusion. Most of the teachers had already begun discussing the performances of this year's candidates, yet their eyes repeatedly drifted toward the screen that had shown Jayant's examination.
One elderly instructor finally broke the silence.
"The illusion didn't simply end," he said thoughtfully. "It collapsed."
Another slowly nodded.
"And the White Tiger clone disappeared before completing its task. I've never seen anything like it."
Several teachers instinctively turned toward the Dean, expecting an explanation from the strongest mage in the academy.
The elderly man remained seated exactly as before.
His weathered eyes rested upon the crystal mirror for several quiet moments before he slowly shifted his gaze toward the white-haired examiner below.
Without speaking a single word, he gave the slightest nod.
Continue.
That single gesture carried all the authority of the academy.
The teachers exchanged helpless smiles.
If even the Dean had chosen not to pursue the matter, there was no point discussing it further.
Back on the examination grounds, the white-haired examiner stepped forward once more. His gaze swept across the remaining candidates, and a faint smile appeared on his aged face.
"You have all successfully passed the first examination," he announced. "A strong mind is the foundation of every great mage. However, courage alone cannot earn a place within Vidya Academy."
As his staff lightly touched the ground, transparent walls of condensed mana suddenly rose from the earth. Within moments, every remaining candidate found themselves standing inside an individual crystal-like barrier. Although the walls were perfectly transparent, they radiated astonishing magical density.
"The second examination," the examiner continued calmly, "will evaluate your offensive capability."
He gently knocked on the nearest barrier with his staff. A deep metallic sound echoed throughout the grounds.
"These barriers are formed entirely from mana. Physical force alone cannot damage them. Only your own magic can destroy the barrier surrounding you."
The candidates immediately became serious.
"The rules are simple. Break your barrier and step outside. Your ranking for this round will depend upon how quickly you accomplish that task. However..."
The examiner paused briefly before his smile faded.
"If you fail to escape within one minute, your examination ends here."
Silence settled over the reception grounds once again.
Some candidates immediately began circulating mana through their bodies.
Others carefully observed the barrier before making a move.
Inside his own transparent prison, Jayant didn't gather mana.
Instead, he gently placed his palm against the crystal wall and quietly closed his eyes.
He wasn't trying to break it.
He was listening to it.
The instant the examiner's voice faded, the quiet reception grounds erupted into a dazzling display of magic.
Brilliant flames, roaring winds, crackling lightning, and countless other elemental spells burst forth almost simultaneously. The transparent barriers trembled beneath the relentless bombardment as hundreds of candidates unleashed their strongest attacks without hesitation.
For a brief moment, the entire examination grounds resembled a battlefield.
One after another, barriers shattered into fragments of mana before disappearing into the air.
The teachers standing nearby calmly recorded every result.
"Seven seconds."
A barrier exploded beneath a blinding flash of lightning.
Yashvardhan slowly lowered his hand as countless sparks danced around his fingertips. The barrier hadn't merely cracked—it had been completely destroyed by a single concentrated Thunder Spear.
The teachers nodded approvingly.
"Excellent destructive power."
"His casting speed is equally impressive."
"His control is better than I expected."
Yashvardhan simply adjusted his sleeves and stepped aside without showing the slightest excitement. Breaking the barrier seemed like nothing more than what he had expected of himself.
A few barriers away, another explosion illuminated the grounds.
Unlike the violent brilliance of lightning, crimson flames spiraled quietly toward a single point before condensing into an incredibly thin lance. The concentrated fire pierced straight through the center of the barrier.
For an instant, nothing happened.
Then dozens of tiny cracks spread across the entire surface before the barrier collapsed.
"Twelve seconds."
Several teachers exchanged satisfied smiles.
"Beautiful mana control."
"He didn't waste a single bit of power."
"Adhrit Varma... just as the reports described."
Adhrit calmly withdrew his hand, his expression remaining completely indifferent. The surrounding candidates couldn't help glancing toward him with admiration.
Not far away, the air itself suddenly grew heavier.
The barrier surrounding Agastya began vibrating violently as invisible pressure descended from every direction. Rather than attacking recklessly, he continuously compressed the mana forming the barrier.
The transparent wall slowly bent inward.
A deep cracking sound echoed through the examination grounds.
Moments later, the barrier finally shattered.
"Nineteen seconds."
One elderly instructor stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Interesting application."
"Most gravity mages attack living opponents."
"He attacked the barrier itself."
Another teacher smiled.
"His understanding of gravity exceeds his age."
Elsewhere, the temperature around one candidate dropped sharply.
Tiny crystals of frost spread silently across the transparent wall surrounding Vaidehi. Unlike the others, she showed no urgency. She calmly continued releasing cold mana into the same location until the frozen section gradually became brittle.
Only then did she lightly tap the surface with an Ice Spear.
The frozen barrier instantly fragmented into countless glittering pieces.
"Fifteen seconds."
"Excellent patience."
"Very efficient."
"She understands that overwhelming power isn't always necessary."
The teachers quickly recorded another high evaluation.
Meanwhile, Meenakshi stood quietly inside her own barrier.
Instead of immediately attacking, she carefully observed the crystal wall for several seconds before slowly raising one hand.
Water quietly gathered before her fingertips.
Some nearby candidates couldn't help wondering why she wasn't using a larger spell.
The tiny sphere of water gradually began spinning faster.
Then faster still.
Its size never changed.
Only its speed.
Within moments, the spinning water had compressed into an extremely thin drill no wider than a finger.
Without wasting another second, Meenakshi extended her hand.
The Water Drill struck exactly one point upon the barrier.
Unlike the explosive attacks surrounding her, almost no sound accompanied her spell.
The drill continued rotating relentlessly.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three...
Then—
A tiny crack appeared.
The crack rapidly expanded until the entire barrier finally collapsed.
"Twenty-four seconds."
Several teachers nodded with visible satisfaction.
"Excellent spell compression."
"Outstanding precision."
"Very little mana wasted."
"The girl clearly understands control."
The white-haired examiner silently added a mark beside her name before moving on.
Watching everything unfold, the teachers quietly discussed the performances.
"This year's students are certainly stronger."
"I agree."
"The difference between the outstanding candidates and the average ones is becoming obvious."
"Only a handful truly deserve to stand at the top."
As they spoke, one younger instructor suddenly frowned.
"...Wait."
He pointed toward a transparent barrier near the edge of the grounds.
"What is that boy doing?"
The surrounding teachers instinctively followed his gaze.
Inside the barrier, Jayant still hadn't attacked even once.
He stood quietly with one hand resting against the crystal wall, his eyes gently closed as though completely oblivious to the chaos surrounding him.
Several candidates had already finished.
Some had even been eliminated.
Yet he remained perfectly still.
One instructor folded his arms.
"Has he given up?"
Another slowly shook his head.
"No..."
"He's listening."
The words immediately caught everyone's attention.
The teachers looked more carefully.
Only then did they notice something unusual.
Jayant's fingertips moved ever so slightly across the barrier's surface.
Not randomly.
He was following something.
As though he could feel the flow of mana hidden inside the transparent wall itself.
Even the Dean's calm gaze quietly settled upon Jayant once more.
Nearly forty seconds had already passed.
By now, most of the outstanding candidates had successfully escaped their barriers, while many others continued launching spell after spell in hopes of breaking through before time expired.
Only one crystal prison remained strangely quiet.
Jayant finally opened his eyes.
There wasn't the slightest hint of urgency on his face.
While everyone else had been attacking from the very beginning, he hadn't released a single offensive spell.
Instead, he slowly began walking along the inner edge of the transparent barrier.
Every few steps, he would gently raise his hand and place two fingers against the crystal surface. Sometimes he touched the lower edge, sometimes the middle, and occasionally a point high above his own head. Each touch lasted only an instant before a tiny strand of wind mana quietly disappeared into the barrier.
The amount of mana was so insignificant that most candidates standing nearby failed to notice it entirely.
Even those who did only frowned in confusion.
"What is he doing?" one candidate muttered while continuing to bombard his own barrier with fireballs.
"I don't know," another replied between attacks. "It doesn't even look like he's trying to break it."
Far above the clouds, several teachers shared the same confusion.
One elderly instructor leaned closer to the enormous crystal mirror, his brows knitting together as he carefully observed Jayant's movements.
"He isn't attacking."
Another teacher slowly shook his head.
"No... he's doing something."
"But I can't tell what."
Even the white-haired examiner narrowed his eyes. Having personally created these barriers countless times over the years, he knew exactly how difficult they were to destroy. Yet the young man before him wasn't treating the barrier like an obstacle at all. Instead, he seemed to be studying it with the patience of a scholar examining an unfamiliar formation.
Jayant completed another slow circle around the barrier before stopping exactly where he had begun.
A faint smile gradually appeared at the corner of his lips.
He slowly lifted his right hand.
Then...
He snapped his fingers.
The crisp sound echoed softly within the silent barrier.
Nothing happened.
For the briefest moment, everyone believed the strange performance had ended in failure.
Then, almost imperceptibly, the countless strands of wind mana hidden throughout the barrier resonated at exactly the same instant.
The transparent walls shimmered once.
Not violently.
Not explosively.
The mana forming the barrier quietly lost its balance.
Like a carefully stacked tower whose foundation had suddenly vanished, the entire structure dissolved into countless particles of light. There were no cracks. No explosions. No thunderous sound.
The barrier simply disappeared...
...exactly the same way it had first appeared.
Silence spread across the examination grounds.
Several candidates who had just escaped their own barriers stared blankly toward Jayant.
Even those still trapped inside instinctively stopped attacking for a moment.
One teacher blinked several times before unconsciously asking, "Did... did he destroy it?"
The white-haired examiner slowly shook his head, his eyes never leaving Jayant.
"No."
His quiet answer immediately drew everyone's attention.
"He didn't destroy the barrier."
The examiner paused briefly before continuing.
"He understood it."
The surrounding teachers became silent.
"He located the mana circulation points that maintained the barrier's stability. Every trace of wind mana he left behind was placed with remarkable precision. When he snapped his fingers, those mana threads resonated simultaneously, disrupting the entire formation from within."
An elderly formation instructor, who had remained silent until now, suddenly let out a soft laugh.