Carl stood there for a moment longer, his mouth working soundlessly as he tried to come up with a cutting retort.

When nothing came, he spun on his heel with such force that he nearly tripped over his own feet.

"This isn't over!" he shouted over his shoulder as he stormed away, pushing through the crowd of students who quickly parted to let him through.

Lucas watched him go with an amused shake of his head.

At least this will make the duel portion more interesting.

Before he could dwell on the encounter further, a booming voice cut through the chatter of the assembled students.

"ALRIGHT, YOU MAGGOTS! LISTEN UP!"

The voice belonged to Professor Hendricks, the Combat Instructor, who had just stepped onto the raised platform at the front of the Indoor Training Grounds.

The room fell silent almost instantly. Nobody wanted to get on Hendricks' bad side.

"Good," Hendricks grunted, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd. "Now that I have your attention, let me explain how this combat examination is going to work. The exam will be divided into three parts."

He raised one thick finger. "Part One: Battle Royale. All of you will enter the arena simultaneously. Points will be distributed based on how long you last and how many students you knock out."

"There are about a hundred students here, the first ten students that get knocked out get one point and the last ten knocked out get ten points. You get two points per student you knock out. Anyone who gets under three points this round doesn't need to consider the next rounds."

"Use whatever spells and techniques you want but killing blows are prohibited. Injuries however are expected. The training ground's barrier will protect anyone who takes critical damage by automatically disqualifying them."

He said we can use any spells we have in our arsenal. It seems that although the academy themselves doesn't teach spells to students until after the midterm exams, they don't have a problem if you learn them somewhere else.

That's useful to know.

Hendricks raised a second finger. "Part Two: Duels. The students who pass the battle royale will be paired up for one-on-one combat. This is where we assess your individual technique, strategy, and growth. The matchups have already been determined."

That's where Carl plans to ambush me although after that embarrassing display, I wonder if he's even capable of making it through the battle royale.

"Part Three: Survival Exercise," Hendricks continued, raising a third finger. "You will all be transported to the Arvsen Forest and will need to survive for two full days."

"The forest is home to magical beasts, hostile environments, and various other hazards. You'll need to demonstrate your ability to hunt, gather resources, and defend yourselves. Those who fail to survive the full duration or who trigger their emergency recall talismans will fail this portion."

A murmur ran through the crowd. The Arvsen Forest was notorious. It was a genuine danger zone stretching from the north in Qi'en down into the bottom of Noclies where Lerastad was located.

It touched the edge of the academy's territory, and was filled with creatures that could easily kill an unprepared student.

"I don't want to hear any complaining," Hendricks said sharply, cutting off the murmurs. "You're training to be mages and warriors, not tea-sipping aristocrats. If you can't handle a few days in the forest, you have no business being here."

He paused, letting his words sink in, then clapped his massive hands together with a sound like a thunderclap.

"Now then! Everyone, move to your starting positions around the arena. You have two minutes to prepare yourselves before the barrier activates and the Battle Royale begins!"

The crowd erupted into motion as students rushed to find advantageous positions around the massive arena floor.

Lucas quickly assessed the space.

It was enormous, easily the size of three football fields, with various obstacles scattered throughout: stone pillars, raised platforms, and even a few artificial terrain features like ditches and small hills.

He made his way to a relatively open area near the western edge, away from the largest clusters of students. Being caught in the middle of multiple fights at once would be suicide.

As he walked, he caught sight of Lydia taking a position near the northern side, her hand already resting on the hilt of her sword.

Celeste was further away, near the eastern edge. Carl Wayland was positioned almost directly across from Lucas, glaring at him with undisguised hatred.

This is going to be interesting, Lucas thought as he settled into a ready stance.

Hendricks' voice boomed across the arena one final time: "SIXTY SECONDS!"

Lucas took a deep breath and felt the now familiar feeling of his mana circulating through his body. He had prepared for this. He could do this.

"THIRTY SECONDS!"

All around him, students were casting preliminary buffs, drawing weapons, and eyeing their nearest competitors.

"TEN SECONDS!"

Here we go.

"FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!"

A massive magical barrier shimmered into existence around the arena, its surface rippling with protective enchantments.

"BEGIN!"

The Battle Royale had started.

Chaos erupted instantly.

The moment Professor Hendricks' voice faded, the arena exploded into action.

Spells flew through the air like a deadly light show: fireballs, ice shards, wind blades, and bolts of crackling lightning crossed paths in every direction.

The sound was deafening: explosions, shouting, the clash of metal on metal, and the hum of magical barriers activating to protect critically injured students.

Lucas quickly scanned the battlefield, looking for immediate threats while also keeping track of the strongest players.

Near the center of the arena, Damion moved so quickly and so fluidly, it seemed almost effortless.

His sword flashed in the magical lighting as he parried an incoming spell with a perfectly timed slash then pivoted to deliver a pommel strike to an opponent's solar plexus.

The student crumpled to the ground and was gasping for air, so the barrier around him flashed before whisking him away to safety.

"Too slow!" Damion said.

He moved and was quickly in a fight with another opponent and it seemed he was actually smiling. He made it seem like this was all just a fun training exercise rather than a high-stakes examination.

Well, of course he's enjoying himself. Protagonists in this genre always enjoy a good fight.

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