The man standing before them did so with calm confidence. He wasn't just any instructor, he was the mage responsible for setting up the little spell trap just outside the academy entrance.
From the mana radiating off his body, Raze could tell imdiately, this man was a Five-Star Mage.
A five-star rating was no small feat. For most of the world, reaching that level was a huge accomplishnt. In fact, to beco a professor at a magic academy, star level wasn't even a strict requirent. It was more about one's understanding of magic, depth of knowledge, creativity, and control.
And yet, this professor not only had the knowledge but also the raw magical power to back it up.
'When Safa destroyed the circle earlier,' Raze thought to himself, 'I got a good look at it. The professor must have prepared that magic circle specifically tid for our arrival. But… he couldn't guarantee that we'd be on ti. What if a student had shown up late? Or soone else wandered through that entrance?'
'If an unsuspecting student passed through alone and didn't have the skills to defend themselves, they could've been caught in the sa trap we were. That ans...'
Raze's thoughts were sharp and analytical.
'He must have programd the circle with precise conditions. To only activate if four individuals passed through within a certain window, one after the other. That level of restriction isn't easy to design. Then again, in a private, secure academy like this, four random students walking in together at once is rare.
'And if it had been a staff mber? Soone from this academy would likely recognize the spell and pass through safely without setting it off. That just shows how tightly run this academy is. They know what they're doing.'
Raze had once been a professor at the Central Mage Academy, widely considered the most elite school for mages. At tis, he'd viewed the other academies in a slightly condescending light, believing they weren't up to standard.
But after this first encounter, his opinion had already begun to shift.
"My na is Luka Heartstrong," the man finally introduced himself, his voice firm. "I'm one of three battle professors here at the academy. And today, I'll be overseeing your assessnt. For now, follow ."
The group exchanged uncertain glances. It was difficult to communicate openly with each other in this setting. None of them knew what the others were thinking, and no one was sure what to expect next. For the mont, they just followed the professor.
They walked across a grassy section of the academy grounds. As Professor Luka stepped onto the field, sothing strange happened. The grass beneath his feet shifted, revealing a circular patch of dirt. It followed him, like a spotlight moving with each step.
The others watched closely, unsure if it was the ground itself reacting, or sothing the professor was doing.
When they stepped onto the grass themselves, nothing happened.
'He's showing off,' Raze thought. 'But I can't really bla him. Teachers love showing off to new students. It's probably fun for them.'
Raze reflected more on the reality of the academy.
'Most students entering a place like this wouldn't even be at the Three-Star level. Sure, there are exceptions. And by the end of their training, so will reach Six-Star, maybe even Seven. But only one in a million ever reaches the Eighth Star. And as for the Ninth… even rarer.'
As they walked, their presence began to attract attention.
It was early in the school day, and classes had just started. Students sitting by the windows took notice of the group being led across the field.
"Is that Professor Luka out there?"
"Looks like he's giving so kind of tour."
"No way. Luka never gives tours. He's either teaching or doing evaluations."
"So maybe it is an assessnt?"
"In the middle of term? That's unusual. I could see one transfer student maybe, but five at once? That's definitely not normal."
Curiosity spread quickly across the campus as more students turned their heads to watch what was happening outside.
Eventually, Professor Luka ca to a stop in the center of the field. The grass receded even further until they stood in a wide, perfectly circular patch of dirt. Only the outer edges of the green remained.
"This may not be the Central Academy," Luka said, addressing them clearly now, "but the Wilton Magic Academy is still among the top in the nation. We take pride in the students we accept.
"So regardless of the high recomndation that brought you here, we do not accept anyone who fails to et our standards."
Beatrix and Liam exchanged nervous glances. Of all the newcors, they seed the most tense. Da, on the other hand, despite having no grasp of magic, stood calm and collected, as if nothing fazed him.
"All of you will go through a series of tests," Luka continued. "You are to complete them to the best of your ability, demonstrating the full extent of your magical capabilities. Use everything you've got."
"When the tests are complete," he added, "I will inform you of those who have passed… and those who have failed."
With a stomp of his foot, the earth beneath them rumbled. A golem rose from the ground, roughly the size of an average adult male, made entirely of dirt. It lacked any fine details, just a humanoid figure shaped from packed soil.
Then, ten ters behind the first, another golem appeared.
Then another.
And another, until it eventually stopped.
By the ti it was over, six golems stood in a straight line, spaced ten ters apart from one another, stretching sixty ters across the field.
"Step forward one at a ti," Luka commanded. "Declare your magic core type, and then use your abilities to destroy as many golems as you can."
*****
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