🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 35
‘If this were real, everything would’ve been over by now.’
Even if it was just a mock exam, the idea of handing his life over to monsters was far from pleasant. There were seniors who had failed to analyze enemy power properly and either died to a monster’s attack or came close to it.
According to them, there was no pain, but it still felt absolutely disgusting. Well, even if it wasn’t real, watching your own body get torn apart alive would be shocking enough.
Nathan, who had only belatedly noticed the Kelastine, also tried to put up a barrier—but his mana had long since run dry.
He was barely managing to hold a defensive line against the Kerakum. There was no way he could stop the Kelastine as well.
The Kelastine, swooping in close, shattered Nathan’s still-incomplete barrier in one blow and darted straight for Adrian.
Adrian glared into the Kelastine’s eerie eyes as if to pierce them.
Just before Adrian and the Kelastine collided, a mana projectile flew at high speed, staining the monster’s transparent pupils a light green as it passed through.
The glowing green trajectory it left behind was vividly reflected in Adrian’s eyes.
The Kelastine’s pupils shrank sharply. A screech like the sky itself being torn apart followed—its death cry.
The body that had been diving toward Nathan and Adrian lurched sharply to the left.
It slammed into the cliffside and crashed down with a thunderous noise, throwing up sand and clouds of dust.
The Kerakum horde that had been targeting Nathan and Adrian immediately rushed at the Kelastine’s corpse.
‘What just happened?’
Still dazed, Adrian looked up at the sky for a moment before spinning around and sprinting away. This was no time to stop and think.
Now that the steam had cleared completely, more Kelastines were beginning to descend, having spotted prey.
They had to run to where the monsters’ vision wouldn’t reach. Nathan also turned and bolted toward a dense grove of aspens.
The desert where Jaelyn’s group had clashed with the Kerakum was now turning into a battlefield between the Kelastines and the Kerakum.
Kelastines, territorial by nature, would never leave the Kerakum unchallenged.
In the distance, one Kelastine snatched up a Kerakum and soared into the sky.
At the same time, Nathan and Adrian were able to conceal themselves in the forest shade.
Reuniting, they made their way toward the arena’s exit. Jaelyn and Nathan were so drained of mana they couldn’t even twitch a finger.
But there was nothing left to obstruct them. Leaving behind the desert that had seemed endless, Jaelyn’s team finally emerged from the arena’s exit.
The mock exam was over at last.
A few days after the midterm results were announced, videos of the monster mock exam were uploaded to the community board, stirring heated debate.
[Accounting / Cecil] Did everyone see the mock exam video? It was insane >-<
[Diplomacy / OverHillOverRiver] For real, for real. Lord Lionel went full legend again. He tore up Pelodian Academy once more!!!
[Magic Design / SweetCottonCandy] Our Lionel is soooo cool ♥♥
[Pharmacy / Chendragora] “Our”? What are you even saying? Lionel isn’t yours. Get a grip.
[Magic Design / SweetCottonCandy] Nuh-uh, Lionel is my man ♥♥♥
[Pharmacy / Chendragora] Crazy;; Please, wake up. Go get some fresh air.
[Political Science / CircleSquiggle] I saw the video too, but… am I crazy? Adrian looked kind of cool. A bit cocky, sure, but not bad, right?
[Public Admin / Don’tWantToStudy] Lol no. Your eyes are busted;;; Get glasses.
[Pharmacy / Chendragora] His looks are fine. It’s just that everything falls apart the moment he opens his mouth.
[Magic Design / CuteFluffyPuppy] Huh?? What’s cool about Lionel? Didn’t you see how awesome Stefan was this time?? Huh?? Huh?? The way he smashed through everything—I nearly lost my mind from how cool he was~!!!
[Public Admin / Don’tWantToStudy] Who even is that;; total nobody;;;;
[Swordsmanship / StrongestSwordsman] It’s you, isn’t it? hahahahahahaha
[Magic Design / CuteFluffyPuppy] Wha—! It’s not me!!! He was really cool, that’s all!!!
[Public Admin / Don’tWantToStudy] Yeah, sure. Same department, magic design… case closed.
[Literature / Luka] Cool my ass. All he did was throw money around lol.
[Magic / Illien] I think he burned through 7,000–8,000 gold this exam.
[Swordsmanship / Flandel’sBlade] ㅇ0ㅇ What the—?! 7,000–8,000?!!? He’s that rich?? Even most nobles couldn’t drop that much on a single exam. Insane. He just showered the air with gold~~
[Pharmacy / Chendragora] That’s him, the Panteago Trading Company heir.
[History / HistoryRepeats] Man, if I could throw around magic stones like that, I’d be top rank in the mock exam too, haha. Being broke hurts. If I had money, I’d be in Magic Design as well, haha.
[Public Admin / Don’tWantToStudy] Exactly lololololol
[Sociology / LiveEasy] But wasn’t Adrian & Nathan’s team the most thrilling? They almost got wiped, then pulled off a comeback. My heart nearly stopped.
[Theology / Camilia] I thought they’d lost their minds going the Black Peak Cliff route. Totally suicidal ^^
[Magic / Illien] But it was exhilarating. When they took down the Kelastine in one shot, I got chills all over.
[Law / PrincessFinger] Wait, the one who blasted the Kelastine was a magic design major, right? Is that even possible? I’m general studies, so someone explain!!
[Magic Design / SweetCottonCandy] I’m magic design, and honestly, it was weird. I’ve never even heard of formula work like that. Maybe they tampered with the hologram?
[Magic Design / Tarantel] What? How do you even tamper with a hologram? That’s nonsense. Are you a freshman?;;
[Magic Design / SweetCottonCandy] Hmm then explain how he took down a Kelastine in one shot? He’s not even a Winona avatar! How could he pull that off? hahaha
[Swordsmanship / Kwooooh] True, the entire arena is a hologram. It’s possible it was rigged.
[Magic Design / Tarantel] What crap are you spouting… Winona made the system. You think you can just hack that? lol laughable.
[Swordsmanship / SwordRulesTheWorld] And why not??? Huh??
[Magic / WhooshWhoosh] WARNING Oh no, swordsmanship majors flaunting ignorance again!!! Careful, don’t let the stupidity spread!!! WARNING
[Pharmacy / Chendragora] What does swordsmanship’s stupidity have to do with this?? Even I think it’s fishy. A mere design major blasting a Kelastine in one shot? Not even Lionel could do that;;
[Swordsmanship / SilverBlade] Hey, the suspicion started with magic design, not swordsmanship. Don’t shift blame.
[Magic / Blue] Honestly, it’s not impossible. His formula application is top-tier. He doesn’t even need to be here. The Imperial Magic Design Bureau should be begging to recruit him.
[Swordsmanship / Flandel’sBlade] ㅇ0ㅇ Whoa?? He’s that good? Then why have I never heard of him?
[Swordsmanship / Flandel’sBlade] C’mon, if he was that amazing, he’d already be scouted. Why would he still be here lol.
[Art / Tiana’sFlower] The professors aren’t blind. If it were rigged, they’d punish him.
[Swordsmanship / Theodore] Haha, what are you talking about? The professors are clueless. They only investigate when students complain.
[Magic / WhooshWhoosh] Exactly. Remember when someone bribed broke students to manipulate scores? People only found out because we talked about it here. Otherwise, the faculty would’ve let it slide. He even scored high. Definitely worth investigating.
[Swordsmanship / LionFromHell] Even without that design kid, Nathan and Adrian alone could’ve placed high. Nathan’s power is obvious, and Adrian’s reckless, but strong. He’s a magic swordsman. People laugh because he always loses to Lionel, but most can’t even take him on.
[Swordsmanship / BladeVsAura] What are you on about;;; No one’s questioning their skills. Think about their route. Three people through the Black Peak Cliff? With all those Kelastines and Kerakum combined, that should’ve been a wipeout.
[Magic Design / CuteFluffyPuppy] Huh? Wait, why is the mood like this all of a sudden? That team didn’t cheat!!
[Swordsmanship / BladeVsAura] No way, they totally did!! Otherwise it doesn’t add up!!! Are you all blind???ㅗㅗㅗㅗ
[Magic Design / Tarantel] Lol salty much?
[Swordsmanship / BladeVsAura] Are you crazy? Why would I be salty? Just look at it objectively. Something’s off. Needs investigating. 100% rigged.
[Magic Design / CuteFluffyPuppy] What are you saying?? No way!! Our Jaelyn would never do something so awful!!! You jerk!!!
[Pharmacy / Chendragora] Jaelyn? So that’s her name. Might need to keep an eye on her…
[Magic Design / CuteFluffyPuppy] Do you have proof?? Where’s your proof of cheating??? Don’t accuse innocent people!!
[Swordsmanship / BladeVsAura] Proof? lol you don’t need proof when it’s obvious~~ Why should I prove the obvious? Unbelievable.
[Theology / AngelWithoutWings] Carefully… wouldn’t hurt to check though. It is suspicious. Doesn’t add up.
[Swordsmanship / StrongestSwordsman] 2222
[Magic / WhooshWhoosh] 3333333333
[Magic Design / SweetCottonCandy] 444 Truee. Just investigate and drop it if it’s nothing. The way you’re getting so defensive makes it seem more suspicious~
