As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon and darkness crept in, students who hadn’t been eliminated had to find their own ways to sleep.
After some time passed…
Blue lights surged up from various spots on the island. These were the beams transporting students who had declared their intention to quit the exam to the center of the island.
“Hm… It’s begun again. The hurdle of the first night…”
Cain shook his head as he watched more students arriving. Haines stroked his beard and spoke.
“Setting up camp isn’t easy, especially for mages who rarely have to do it.”
Most students from noble families weren’t familiar with camping – sleeping on hard, uncomfortable ground and enduring pitch-black darkness without even a single flicker of light until dawn broke was challenging even for non-nobles.
“Still, they should’ve prepared. Everyone heard from seniors that there’d be this kind of test…”
“This might sound old-manish…”
Haines let out a small sigh.
“It’s lack of mental fortitude. Those who lost in battle can still hope for future success. But those who give up purely out of fear… They’ll find it hard to achieve greatness.”
Cain nodded in agreement. Whether aiming to become an Archmage or Master, one must never choose to give up. Once broken, confidence is difficult to regain.
“Anyway… hasn’t that ominous feeling persisted?”
“Yes, and it’s growing stronger little by little.”
Like paper gradually soaking in water, the ‘Danger Sense’ kept sending warnings. Cain felt cold sweat trickling down as if something was slowly tightening its grip around his neck.
“Tch… Maybe I should’ve followed your advice…”
“No, Headmaster’s judgment wasn’t wrong.”
If the situation had been truly urgent, Cain would’ve insisted more strongly.
“In any case, all we can do now is wait for sunrise.”
“…That’s true.”
At that moment, someone materialized in front of them.
“Guh… Ghaaah…”
The man groaned after teleportation and collapsed right there. Recognizing his face, Haines exclaimed in surprise – it wasn’t a student but a professor.
Professor Slaine! What on earth happened…!”
Torn clothes as if attacked by beasts, visible wounds through the rips, and bloodied face. The fact that a professor got injured shocked Haines to his core.
“Aaah… D-Dangerous…”
“Just hold on. Let me cast a simple healing spell.”
Though inferior compared to clerical Divine Magic, it should at least stop the bleeding. While Haines started casting, Cain hurriedly poured potion onto the wounds.
Chiiik-
“Kghaaa…!”
When the potion touched the wound, ominous smoke rose. Seeing the wound refusing to heal properly, Cain bit his lips and muttered.
“Damn fiendish energy… Has a heretic come here?”
Wounds caused by fiendish energy don’t heal easily. Potion effects are halved, and normal healing magic barely works since the fiendish energy repels magical power. Haines let out a deep grunt upon witnessing this.
“Just drink this. You won’t die.”
Calmly examining Slaine’s injuries, Cain poured more potions. Fortunately, the bleeding stopped when overwhelming amount of potion was used. After Slaine’s breathing stabilized somewhat, Haines asked.
“What exactly happened?”
“Fiend beasts… Each individual was below mid-tier, but their numbers…”
Mid-tier fiend beasts wouldn’t have injured Slaine like this. Just how many were there?
Haines gripped his staff tightly with a stern expression.
“I shall release Transcendental Magic.”
“…Absolutely not!”
Cain grabbed his staff forcefully, causing Haines to glare.
“Do you want to kill the students?”
Maintaining [Transcendental Magic: Blue Turtle Shell] consumes immense mana even for an Archmage like Haines. It means becoming extremely vulnerable during maintenance. In this situation where every bit of mana matters against unknown enemies to save students…
However…
“Even if we restore our mana by releasing Transcendental Magic, it’ll be the same! Can’t you see they’re counting on that?!”
Releasing the magic allows external enemies to invade. Not releasing it takes too much time to rescue students. This hellish dilemma made Haines’s beard tremble.
Cain quietly removed his hand from the staff and said.
“Fortunately, the island’s protective magic is functioning normally, so I’ll go around myself. Please guard this place firmly, Headmaster.”
“That puts your life in danger.”
“I’m fine. These aren’t opponents worth worrying about unless it’s an Archbishop level.”
Even if it’s an Archbishop, one can always run away, Cain remarked while tapping his chest. Despite knowing it was mere bravado, Haines couldn’t stop him.
“…Be careful.”
“Don’t worry. Sun will rise in a few hours, just hang on a bit longer.”
With a light bow, Cain dashed into the forest swiftly. As his figure disappeared instantly, Haines looked up at the sky.
“Please… may divine protection be with us.”
In the dark night sky, countless stars twinkled.
***
“Phew…”
The cheerful crackling of bonfire. Snuggling closely in the warm embrace of my taxi, a smiling girl fell asleep. While guarding duty with such a heartwarming mood…
“…This situation has gotten troublesome.”
I sensed fiend beasts slowly approaching. Spreading my senses far and wide for Amy’s sake proved effective.
Fortunately, they haven’t noticed our presence yet. If they did, they’d be charging madly already.
“What to do…”
We need to make a quick decision before they get closer.
“Annoying, but I guess we should move… Hmm?”
Someone else is fighting fiend beasts nearby. A professor or student? Anyway, joining forces in such emergencies is the right choice.
“Wake up, Amy.”
“…?”
Amy, still drowsy, looked around and soon shook her head. Since explaining everything immediately was difficult, I forcibly pulled her out of the sleeping bag and lifted her onto the taxi.
Looking bewildered, Amy stared at me.
“Professor…?”
“Yeah. I’ll explain on the way. Let’s go!”
“Arf!”
Giving her side a light nudge, the taxi shot forward quickly. Feeling the strong wind, Amy gripped her staff tightly, now fully awake.
“What’s going on?”
“There’s a battle between fiend beasts and someone else.”
“Fiend beasts…”
“Seems like this exam might get canceled. Though details are unclear, there’ll probably be a retake later.”
Without saying anything, Amy tightly closed her lips. She must be disappointed, having fought fiend beasts herself to avoid quitting the exam only to have it forcibly canceled.
“Don’t be too disheartened. You’ll pass next time. And I’ll definitely negotiate with the Headmaster for some compensation.”
Amy quietly raised her head to look at me.
“Will Professor stay at Minerva for long?”
“Well, unless special orders come from above, I might stay indefinitely…”
I probably have to continue teaching until the heretic issue within the Empire is resolved. Don’t know how long it’ll take, but it won’t be short. Otherwise, I wouldn’t keep encountering fiendish energy everywhere I go.
“What is the Holy Country even doing…?”
“…Yes.”
“Hmm? What did you say?”
“If Professor stays, I wouldn’t mind attending one more year.”
“…Eh?”
Does this mean something? Isn’t graduation the most important thing…? Surprised, I asked back, but Amy turned her gaze forward again.
“Professor’s lectures are that excellent. You can be proud.”
“Eh? Uh, thank you…?”
Is this the right response? Still, I expressed gratitude. Was my class really that impressive? Felt pretty satisfying. Guess I do have teaching talent after all.
While I was self-congratulating, Amy quietly whispered.
“This mana… feels like Princess. And… Ariana and Senna seem to be there too.”
“Really?”
My senses are sharp, but not sharp enough to distinguish people this finely. Top students really are different, huh? I asked if there were others besides those three.
“They don’t show up on my detection magic.”
“Got it. Then…”
Quietly standing on the taxi’s roof, I focused aura on my legs and said.
“Bring Amy along quickly. If you’re late or stray, you know what happens.”
“Ku, ku”
“…Be careful.”
To Amy’s words, I smiled gently.
“Don’t worry. If I were gonna die in a place like this, I wouldn’t be teaching you guys.”
[Divine Power: Forced Creation]
“Fengyun Zouyi”
Leaping off the taxi’s roof, I dashed towards the direction of the sensed presence.
“…”
Watching Allen disappear instantly, Amy blinked her eyes.
“He ran… across the sky…?”
***
Under the dim light of moon and stars in the forest, a blue blade flashed.
“Shit…! Tiring me out!”
Ariana had to repeat several slashes to deal with a single wolf fiend beast while protecting the Holy Maiden and Princess behind her.
“You damn dogs! Enough already!”
Even a momentary distraction could lead to fiend beasts exploiting gaps. Thanks to Allen’s lessons, she managed to endure this unprecedented wheel attack despite being exhausted.
“That actually helps, huh…!”
“Kyaaang…!”
Dealing with another wolf fiend beast, Ariana quickly wiped her sweat. In that instant, another fiend beast lunged at the newly created gap.
“Crap!”
Reacting late, Ariana braced herself to sacrifice her side while focusing aura. Lux saved her in the nick of time.
[Light Magic: Radiant Spear of Glory]
“Shaaa…”
The snake fiend beast turned to dust upon hitting Lux’s magic. Ariana instinctively shouted.
“Thank you!”
“Idiot…! Watch your back!”
Turning hastily at Lux’s urgent voice, she saw a giant bear fiend beast swinging its paw.
‘A… I’m dead…’
[Divine Magic: Curtain of Dawn Opening]
At the thought of death, a faint glowing opaque barrier appeared before her.
“Clang!”
“Roar!”
The bear fiend beast’s attack couldn’t penetrate the barrier, which contained the Holy Maiden’s will, not ordinary Divine Magic.
“Not a finger on Ariana! Huhk…!”
Sena’s determined voice was rough with heavy breathing. Same went for the others.
“Huff…”
“Haaakk…”
They’ve been battling fiend beasts for over an hour straight. Had they not met each other midway, they’d have fallen to fiend beasts long ago. Managing to hold on somehow…
Their limits were approaching.
“…You two escape.”
Feeling her sword getting heavier, Ariana suggested. To which both replied firmly.
“No.”
“We’re not leaving.”
“Idiots! We’ll all die like this!”
The reason none of them gave up on the exam was because Ariana’s robe was torn. Without a robe, they couldn’t receive the island’s protection and couldn’t reach the safe zone. Lux and Sena stayed to protect Ariana alone.
“Better than abandoning a friend.”
“Agreed.”
“Ugh… Idiots…”
Because of her, her friends were put in danger. Biting her lips, Ariana tightened her grip on her sword. Blood dripped from her clenched hands.
There was only one way to break this situation – eliminate all enemies in sight.
“I’ll kill them all!”
Just as she gathered all her strength to strike down her sword…
“Vanguards should always remain calm, remember?”
A familiar voice stopped Ariana’s sword mid-swing. Someone was holding her sword.
“Eh, wha…?”
Seeing the unbelievable face, Ariana’s eyes wavered. Allen smiled gently while patting her bluish-black hair.
“Still, you’ve held on well so far. Good job, Ariana.”
That familiar smile melted Ariana’s tension, and tears welled up simultaneously.
“Idiot… You’re late… Huhuuu…”
“Yup yup, my bad. I’ll make it up to you later. Take a short rest.”
Comforting his disciple, Allen slowly turned around muttering.
“Thanks for waiting.”
Even though they were emitting streams of fiendish energy, the fiend beasts dared not move, suppressed by Allen’s killing intent-filled aura. The predators’ instincts kicked in at the appearance of an overwhelmingly superior predator.
“Your turn… I’ll send you off in one stroke.”
[Divine Power: Forced Creation]
Hun Yuan Zhan
The tyrannical energy formed by combining mana and aura settled in Allen’s hand. With a light swipe of his hand…
The energy surged violently following his fingertips.
“!!!”
All fiend beasts within the range traced by Allen’s hand were annihilated without even a chance to scream.
“…”
The three people behind Allen were speechless at the instant devastation of the forest.
“Everyone… safe…?”
Even Amy, arriving late via taxi, lost her words at the scene.
“Kiing…”
Only the taxi curled its tail, reminded of some terrifying past.
