Chapter 262: The First First-Class Mage Exam
The central arena outside the Magic Association tower was solemn as never before.
The vast grounds, usually used for sparring and exchanges, were now enveloped by a barrier spell. Even the air was permeated with a trace of oppressive mana.
The strength of this barrier was not particularly high; it was established merely to prevent others from accidentally wandering into the area.
The surrounding spectator stands were empty. Only two figures stood side-by-side in the sky above: Serie and Rhodes.
On the ground below, nineteen mages stood scattered about.
Their expressions varied, but all emanated impressive mana fluctuations as they constantly looked up to size up the legendary existence hovering above them.
Of course, Rhodes's figure also attracted some curiosity, but most mages simply regarded him as something like Serie's apprentice. Only a few with keen perception sensed the terrifying aura of mana radiating from him.
This man is strong.
That was their unanimous feeling.
The mages in the center of the plaza were elites who had survived the screening process and passed the Second-Class Mage exam. They were gathered here now solely to challenge for the supreme qualification of a First-Class Mage.
If it were merely a certificate of rank, it wouldn't have attracted so many people. Those capable of passing Serie's Second-Class exam were all somewhat famous mages in their own right; naturally, they wouldn't care much for a mere title.
What they cared about was the reward for passing.
Among the crowd, one could even spot mages belonging to the Saint Katiya Magic Academy.
Clearly, the benefit of having the Saint Serie grant any spell they desired was simply too attractive.
Outside the venue, ministers from the Kingdom of Ersten were waiting.
Once the exam concluded, regardless of whether these mages passed or failed, the ministers would step forward to recruit them, seeing if they could persuade them to serve the kingdom.
Using this method, they had already found quite a few mages willing to join Ersten. Of course, part of the credit belonged to Rhodes.
He was consciously helping the Kingdom of Ersten build its own mage corps.
Serie's gaze swept over the participants below. Her voice, amplified by magic, transmitted clearly into everyone's ears:
"The rules for the First-Class Mage exam are simple."
"You will be teleported to a specific battlefield. The last two remaining within the battlefield will pass the exam."
"During this time, there are no restrictions on methods. Life and death are also not restricted."
She paused, then threw out the reward capable of driving any mage into a frenzy. "Those who pass may make one request of me. Any magic will do. Even Forbidden Spells from the Mythical Era—as long as I possess it, I can teach it."
As soon as these words were spoken, the breathing of the mages below instantly grew heavy.
Magic from the Mythical Era!
This was the ultimate knowledge every mage craved!
Although older magic wasn't necessarily stronger, they could use it as a basis for research!
Especially the legendary strongest offensive magic of the Mythical Era, "Divine Strike." If they could research it and recreate a spell of equal power, that achievement alone would be enough to immortalize their name for a hundred generations.
Standing beside Serie, Rhodes also scanned the crowd. In his hand was a list of all mages who had passed the Second-Class exam.
He was currently cross-referencing the names on the list with the mages below.
But it seemed one person was missing.
There were twenty who passed the Second-Class exam, but only nineteen had arrived.
Carlo?
Rhodes paused slightly at a name on the list. He felt he had heard this name somewhere before, but he didn't have much of an impression.
Had this mage not come because he knew his strength was insufficient, or was he too immersed in research to pull himself away?
Rhodes didn't dwell on it. Participation in the First-Class Mage exam wasn't mandatory; it was entirely voluntary. So, he turned his gaze back to the field.
Serie said no more. She raised her hand, and the Holy Right Sword, Athos, appeared in her grip.
Majestic magical brilliance erupted instantly, enveloping all the examinees, as well as herself and Rhodes.
Space distorted violently as the teleportation circle activated.
In the next moment, everyone found themselves in a vast forest.
Simultaneously, an incomparably massive golden barrier, like an inverted giant bowl, shrouded the entire forest and the sky above it.
Complex ancient runes flowed across the barrier walls. It was clearly the exclusive barrier of Athos, known as the world's strongest defensive magic.
"The battlefield is limited by this barrier. Do not dream of breaking it; you will only waste your mana in vain." Serie's voice rang out again. "Furthermore, the barrier will shrink over time."
"It will contract once every hour until only a central area of one hundred meters remains. Those who refuse to move will be forcibly expelled by the barrier's power and deemed to have failed the exam."
The cruelty of the rules sent a chill through the hearts of all examinees.
This was practically a naked battlefield. The Saint's test was simple: let these mages slaughter each other inside the barrier until the last two standing were deemed worthy.
This tested not only strength but also mana capacity and the ability to seize opportunities.
"Begin."
As soon as Serie's voice fell, the nineteen mages were seemingly grabbed by invisible giant hands and thrown randomly to various corners of the barrier, instantly vanishing into the dense sea of trees.
Serie and Rhodes remained hovering high in the sky.
Before them, several surveillance screens constructed of magic appeared out of thin air, clearly displaying the battles occurring or about to occur in every corner of the forest below.
"Who do you think will win?" Serie asked indifferently, her gaze sweeping over the screens with interest.
Rhodes smiled. "Hard to say. The variables in a free-for-all are too great. However, there are a few mages who are quite interesting."
His gaze focused mainly on two screens.
In one screen, a tall, thin male mage with greying hair was under attack.
Several scorching fireballs were flying at him from different directions.
However, he cast no offensive magic to counterattack, nor did he attempt to dodge completely. He simply stood calmly in place, casting magic rapidly.
Hum!
Layer upon layer of shields instantly unfolded around him!
Colorful defensive spells wrapped him tightly, like a giant tortoise shell.
The opponent's attacks bombarded these shields, exploding in blinding flashes of fire, yet failed to shake them in the slightest.
The mage remained expressionless. He even took advantage of the gap between attacks to add two more layers of shields to himself.
"Extreme Defense Style," Rhodes commented. "Abandoning all offensive means and pouring all mana and energy into defense. A very extreme path, but in a chaotic battle like this, he might survive for quite a long time."
"Moreover, he mixed in some defensive spells I haven't seen before. They seem specifically designed to counter elemental offensive magic. This person has clearly researched defensive magic thoroughly."
Serie made no comment, turning her gaze to another screen.
The scene on this screen was completely different.
A female mage wearing red robes was moving through the forest at high speed.
She made absolutely no defense. Mana boiled around her; clearly, she had entered a state of mana liberation from the very start.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Wherever she went, regardless of who the opponent was or whether they were fighting or fleeing, she simply raised her hand and unleashed area-of-effect explosive fireballs or countless bolts of lightning.
It was an unreserved saturation bombardment, frantically venting mana as if her reserves were inexhaustible.
And factually, it wasn't far off. At least in Serie's eyes, among these mages, the only one whose mana capacity could compare to hers was that defense-only mage.
"The other extreme. Extreme Offense Style." Rhodes watched, the corner of his eye twitching slightly. "Completely abandoning defense to pursue ultimate destructive power..."
"This girl really isn't afraid of death." While he said this, his finger twitched slightly. An extremely obscure magical shield silently attached itself to the red-robed mage.
Although Serie spoke coldly, he didn't want anyone to actually die during an exam, especially a promising seedling with such distinct characteristics.
Serie clearly noticed his little action. She glanced at him and said flatly, "The threat of death is the best motivation for a mage to become stronger."
Though she said this, she didn't intervene to stop him.
"After all, it is an exam, not a true life-or-death battle. No need to actually lose lives." Rhodes shrugged. "Besides, look. She seems to have a very special magic."
Serie's gaze returned to the screen.
While frantically pouring out mana, the red-robed mage was shuttle-running through the forest at incredible speed.
Attacks from other mages often couldn't even touch the hem of her clothes. This was the biggest reliance that allowed her to dare abandon all defense.
"A special technique that burns mana to temporarily boost speed and evasion drastically." A hint of appreciation flashed in Serie's eyes. "Although the mana consumption is high, it complements her fighting style well."
"If she could control her attack frequency and focus more on efficiency rather than simple venting, she would be stronger and have a better chance of standing until the end."
"Ultimately, she is too impatient. This is not purely a test of strength."
Rhodes nodded in agreement. "In contrast, this defense-specialist mage is much more composed."
"His mana capacity is astonishing. Look, while maintaining high-intensity multi-layered composite defensive spells almost the entire time, his mana fluctuations remain steady."
"This kind of mana foundation is top-tier among humans. It almost touches the ceiling of their limits. A pity he is still lacking just a little bit."
Rhodes subconsciously compared him to Flamme, but Flamme was a monster outside standard specifications and couldn't be counted within the realm of normal human geniuses.
The observation continued.
The battles in the forest grew increasingly intense.
The first contraction of the barrier had begun. The golden walls slowly pushed inward, forcing all surviving mages to move toward the central area.
Encounters became more frequent.
Mages were constantly eliminated due to mana exhaustion or severe injuries.
Although the red-robed mage's offensive was fierce, she encountered danger several times. Her robes were scorched black in patches, looking quite bedraggled.
Meanwhile, the defense-focused mage, no matter what attack he faced, was never breached. Relying solely on his terrifying mana and defense, he exhausted wave after wave of attackers into retreat.
"It seems this guy has a better chance of winning," Rhodes said, stroking his chin. "How about it, Serie? Want to make a bet?"
Serie raised an eyebrow at him. "Bet on what?"
"Let's bet on that defense specialist down there." Rhodes pointed at the figure wrapped in layers of shields on the screen. "If he eventually passes the exam, what type of magic will he ask from you?"
Serie sneered. "He may not necessarily pass. I am more optimistic about that mage with top-tier offense and speed—of course, if she can be a little smarter."
Despite saying that, she accepted the bet. "What are the stakes?"
"A kiss. It seems you haven't kissed me on your own initiative yet. That accident before doesn't count."
Rhodes smiled. He was referring to the time Serie got drunk, which marked the beginning of their relationship becoming open.
Serie paused. They had kissed quite a few times recently, but it seemed none of them had been initiated by her.
She felt her body inexplicably start to heat up again, and her face tingled.
It is just an ordinary kiss. Why does my mind fall into chaos every time?
Is Rhodes secretly using some kind of mental magic?
Serie forced her expression to remain cool and replied, "Fine."
"I think he will choose a spell capable of weakening enemy magic on a large scale, or one that further reinforces his own defense to the extreme. That best fits his combat style and needs."
Serie remembered seeing a spell with similar effects in the past. If this guy really lucked out and passed, and made such a request, she could just give him that spell.
Rhodes shook his head, revealing a meaningful smile. "I guess he will ask you for the magical rune formula of the barrier itself—the one cast by the Holy Sword Athos."
Serie was stunned, then shook her head. "Impossible!"
"Athos's barrier magic originates from the power of the Holy Sword itself. Its magical runes are fundamentally incomprehensible to ordinary people."
"Even if he got it, he couldn't possibly cast it, let alone recreate a barrier of this level. It would be useless for him to ask for it."
"Perhaps," Rhodes was noncommittal. "But I just have this feeling. Wait and see."
As time passed, the barrier shrank again and again, and the number of survivors on the battlefield dwindled.
The red-robed mage eventually exhausted her mana. Unable to dodge in time, she was injured by the combined efforts of multiple opponents. Although Rhodes's defensive spell saved her life, she was incapacitated and eliminated.
Finally, when the barrier shrank to a clearing only a hundred meters in diameter at the center, only four people remained.
Besides the defense mage, there were three other mages of considerable strength.
A final chaotic battle erupted.
The three mages seemed to reach a temporary alliance and simultaneously launched a fierce attack on the defense mage.
For a time, high-ranking spells rained down like a storm on the thick tortoise shell.
However, the opponent's defensive magic seemed truly indestructible; he forcibly withstood every single attack.
Furthermore, his mana capacity was terrifying. Under such high-intensity bombardment, although his shield lights flickered violently, they showed no sign of collapse.
On the contrary, the mana of the three attackers was depleting rapidly.
In the end, rather than grinding themselves to death against the guy who only knew how to turtle behind defensive magic, the three mages chose to fight each other.
The fragile alliance shattered instantly.
One ran out of mana first and was injured and eliminated by another.
The remaining attacker then successfully eliminated the third person, becoming one of the two standing at the end.
The exam was over.
The golden barrier slowly dissipated. The forest returned to its original appearance, leaving only the scars of magical combat on the ground.
The two surviving mages, including the defense mage, were teleported back to the Magic Association tower.
Both were exhausted. The defense mage, in particular, was extremely pale. Clearly, eating all those attacks head-on had consumed a massive amount of his energy.
Serie and Rhodes descended from the sky, landing in front of them.
"Congratulations. You passed the exam," Serie's voice remained cool. "Now, state the magic you desire."
The other mage was incredibly excited. Trembling, he named an ancient offensive spell that had been lost from his family's inheritance for centuries.
Serie nodded and taught him the spell.
When it was the defense specialist's turn, he took a deep breath, stepped forward, and spoke to Serie with utmost solemnity:
"Respected Lady Serie, what I desire is the complete magical rune construction formula for the barrier you just cast over the battlefield."
Serie: "..."
A trace of astonishment flashed through her golden eyes. She subconsciously glanced sideways at Rhodes.
Rhodes wore his usual smile and winked at her.
Serie withdrew her gaze and looked back at the mage making the strange request. Her tone carried a hint of probing. "Do you know what that is? That is a miracle that can only be displayed relying on the power of a Holy Sword."
"The complexity of its formula far exceeds your imagination. Even if I give it to you, you will not be able to understand it. Are you sure you want to waste this precious opportunity to ask for such a thing?"
The mage's gaze was incomparably firm. "I am sure, Lady Serie! Whether I understand it is a matter for later. I yearn to know its composition. Even if I spend my entire life unable to cast it, just catching a glimpse of its mysteries is enough for me!"
Serie looked at him silently for a moment, then suddenly nodded slightly. "Fine."
She raised her hand, and countless complex magical runes were displayed by her.
After teaching all the runes to the mage, Serie watched his incredibly excited reaction, fell silent again for a moment, then turned to Rhodes. Her tone was somewhat complicated. "How... did you guess?"
Rhodes smiled, walked up, and naturally put his arm around her. "Intuition. People who specialize in defensive magic like this definitely crave the world's strongest defense. Even if they can't learn it, they must possess it. It is a peculiarly human obsession."
He patted Serie on the head and laughed. "Alright, great Saint. I won the bet. I look forward to your initiative."
Serie only then remembered the content of the bet. Her expression instantly became somewhat subtle and unnatural.
She looked at the mage still immersed in the ecstasy of knowledge, then at the cunning man beside her. For the first time, she had the feeling that... perhaps making that bet wasn't such a good idea.
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