“From 1 to 20 teams, we will give you 10 minutes of consolation time, so enter as soon as you are ready. Please note that the time is measured even if you do not enter the labyrinth after 10 minutes have passed.”
A labyrinth is literally a ‘house that makes you wander’.
It has one entrance, but it is virtually impossible for the cadets to completely attack the labyrinth in a short period of time because it diverges into several paths when entering the interior.
Of course, Professor Kyle was well aware of that, so he made a total of 20 routes and used the method of putting one team in each passage.
“What, what magic should I use?”
“Light magic! I’ll have to keep everything for the duration of the exploration.”
“You fool, it’s not like you can use magic infinitely. What if I run out of magic while using lighting magic?! I need to find a twig to use as a perch!”
The confused cadets held heated discussions by team, but most of them were meaningless. The situation inside the labyrinth had to be entered.
“Professor, you insist on taking this test every year in the first year midterm. Is there a reason?”
Professor Kyle, who was observing each of the cadets with interest, answered the assistant’s question.
“Because it’s only when you’re thrown into adversity you’ve never experienced before that you can clearly see the magician’s talent.”
“… … ?”
“In this situation, it should be said that my mind goes blank, but my judgment is lower than usual and my movements become sluggish.”
“Ah, yes, it is.”
“But unlike others, there are those who stand out even in the midst of adversity.”
The first quality required of a mage is composure (沈着). How to remain cool in any situation.
“This is nothing more than a basic assessment of that quality… … Wizards who only study theories at their desks will never become first-class.”
Until now, it would be right to say that there was no such sense of urgency and tension in the education method of the Magic League. Maybe that’s why the development of magic was stagnant.
“… … .”
Meanwhile, Kyle’s gaze turned to Christa Warden and Logan, who are called the golden generation.
‘It is my duty now to make it possible for those children to expand their thinking from an early age.’
A handsome boy with black hair and red eyes, standing next to Logan, opened his mouth.
“What shall we do, Logan?”
“Once you enter the labyrinth, won’t it be over if you defeat all of them one by one?”
“Son, it’s nice that your way of thinking is so simple. Still, it’s good to plan things like this properly.”
This is a really fun evaluation method. If you enter the labyrinth, you will have to use magic efficiently.
Lighting, defense, attack… … If you don’t figure out your limits and devise a strategy, you’ll most likely be frustrated.
I was squatting on the floor and organizing my thoughts with a branch, when Christa approached and snorted.
“Distribution of workshop and room magic to lighting magic, heung… … Can you really take the top spot in such an ordinary way?”
Then Logan, who was next to him, got angry.
“The magic that can be used in the labyrinth is there, so how many different ways are you pretending to do it differently?”
“It would be quicker to see for yourself. If you’re curious, take a good look. Lane, you said earlier that you were aiming for senior graduation, right?”
“… … ?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve never given up the top spot to anyone. It will be the same today. I will definitely teach you this time. The difference between your skills and mine.”
When Christa toughly brushed her hair and stepped toward the entrance to the labyrinth, a man with a timid impression who appeared to be a member of the team followed suit.
“Team 2, let’s start the test!”
When Christa shouted confidently, Professor Kyle nodded, and the assistant manipulated the magic tool on his wrist.
ㆍTeam 2 – Aisle No. 2.
ㆍTime – 00:00.
ㆍTarget – 32nd.
It is a game to obliterate the targets that exist in the assigned passage faster and more accurately than the competitors. Christa spread her palms.
“Arise, soldiers!”
The magic square built on top of it is a double-layered rectangle, and the runes inscribed are four (使) and bell (縱). Engrave the traits of ‘follow (使: follow orders)’ and ‘縱 (縱: long release)’ in earth attribute magic.
Ssssss… … Chow!
As soon as the magic square broke in the palm of your hand, sand soldiers clad in earth-colored armor rose majestically from the soil.
“Wow, what’s the casting speed?!”
“How many summons are there?”
“There are over ten!”
Whoa… … Kyle’s eyes lit up.
Warden’s lineage limit created by the 2nd Sage, Riot Warden. It’s a 2-star magic, not to mention the casting speed, but to be able to control 12 at the same time at that age.
The assistant from the side opened his mouth.
“As expected, Professor Caroline’s pupil? Admiration comes naturally.”
In front of Kyle and his assistant, a window showing the overall progress of the labyrinth was open. Kyle’s main specialty was 3-star detection magic and clairvoyance.
“Anyone can increase the number. The key is how completely you control them individually.”
But it was also perfect.
When another team member, Rumlow, found a target with lighting and detection magic, the sand soldiers rushed to the location and destroyed the sorcerer’s enemies.
The skill was so overwhelming that the students even forgot to formulate their own tactics and focused on the spear Kyle launched.
“Crazy, to move twelve summoned beasts so freely… … ?”
“It seems that all of the summoned beasts are really alive… … ?”
“The Warden’s summoning art wasn’t inorganic… … ?”
Briefly, summoning techniques are divided into summoning organic matter and summoning inorganic matter.
Organic matter summoning is a method of summoning by making a contract with a living spirit object, and inorganic matter summoning is a method of creating and controlling non-living beings like the Warden’s sand soldiers.
Of course, it is the latter that demands the extreme of mana control ability from the caster.
“The amount of mana required to maintain all of them is no joke… … Are you really hitting?”
When Lane whistled involuntarily, Logan gave a puzzled look.
“Isn’t that obvious? Christa Jere is the most promising magic genius in our generation right now.”
“Was that enough?”
“No one knows. Even the elders of our school have warned us to be careful of Christa.”
“So what about me?”
“… … .”
“… … ?”
“Are Confucius and I enemies? Aren’t you a fellow who loves muscles?”
Ugh, is this guy rolling his head?
When Lane giggled, Logan chuckled too. It was only a short chat like that, but the situation was already coming to an end.
“Remaining number 3.”
“Remaining number 2.”
“Remaining number 1… … Team 2 situation is over. It took 4 minutes and 13 seconds.”
And when the teaching assistant said in a voice of surprise, the students held their breath and exchanged glances.
“Crazy, so fast!”
“The other teams haven’t even discussed it yet… … .”
“I already finished the test… … ?”
Such overwhelming test results came as quite a surprise not only to the other students, but also to Logan, the late exponent of the Eight Great Schools.
‘To handle twelve summons so freely… … I now understand why the elders were so wary.’
And Hubert, the reason why that snobbish but smart guy never beat Christa in an exam.
‘Is there a reason you’ve been mentioned as the next Magical Lord since you were 15… … !’
The other teams haven’t even come up with a strategy on how to attack the labyrinth yet, but Christa Warden is already coming out of the cave with brisk steps.
“This is the second time your team has passed this test in under five minutes since I started teaching.”
At Professor Kyle’s praise, this result smiles as if it were natural.
“’With overwhelming force’. That’s our family tradition. That much is natural.”
Professor Kyle also smiled. In the eastern part of the Warden family, 80% of the land is mountainous.
‘Members of eastern families such as Wardens and Pantons who grew up in such a high mountain area always have such vast physical strength and magic as their strengths.’
However, Christa Warden, even compared to other Wardens, the standard itself is completely different. Are you a genius and a hard worker at the same time?
‘but… … He is not talented enough to change the horizon of thinking. till now.’
What came out of Deputy Professor Kyle’s mouth as he drew a fountain pen on the evaluation table, swallowing a regretful breath, was praise.
“Christa Warden, Rumlow Besley. I don’t know if I need to say passed. Wouldn’t it be safe to say that Team 2 will probably take the S grade?”
Christa Warden lifted the hem of her skirt slightly in a gesture of aristocratic arrogance, and had an aristocratic courtesy.
“Heh, that’s too much praise!”
However, that gaze was directed at Lane Ludwig, not Kyle… … That provocative gaze spoke.
‘This is me.’
‘This is me, Christa Warden.’
‘The top graduate position is not handed over to anyone.’
The corners of Lane’s mouth, which had been expressionlessly accepting the soundless clamor and the stare with a fighting spirit without hostility, finally went up.
“A test might be more fun than you think?”
* * *
Eastern part of the Holy Human Empire.
The Elector Count of the East, the Madose who assist the princely family of Tisria are the Warden family.
“Although our family has the shortest history among the Madose families, it is the only family with a sage as its founder, except for Page.”
It was originally the pride of blood relatives to produce a wise man, but at some point it began to change like shackles.
“Did you hear? I heard that the head of the Warden family finally got the rank of Limites (2 stars) this time.”
“Is Madose right? Only Dunjae appears, but I don’t know if I should hand over the seat to another family now.”
“Kill kill, where did the sage’s genes go?”
The family’s rise was faster than any family in the empire, but its decline was also faster than any family. Christa Warden was born in such circumstances.
My father is a magician who barely attained the rank of Limites (2 stars) at the age of 42, and the two older sisters above me are dull-witted people who have barely attained the rank of Bandoran (1 star).
I felt pity for my family, who received all kinds of contempt from the world.
Every time I went out in public, my tantrum was raised whenever I saw my family being implied to be ignored.
“Why are mom and dad ignored by people?”
“… … .”
“Because I’m not a competent wizard? Then, when a good wizard comes out of the family, will that kind of thing stop?”
“Christa… … .”
“Then I will be the pinnacle of magic. I’ll be a great wizard So that the day will come when mom and dad don’t have to be ignored.”
So, I will correct the lost honor of my parents and the prestige of my family with my own hands.
So don’t lose to anyone. I become the best in every environment. At school, at university, and at the Wizarding World.
The girl was only six years old when she set that goal.