Chapter 129.2: Part 2
* * *
"Let's begin the magic practical."
Robolt announced, his voice booming across the training grounds.
"As I mentioned before, today's exam will focus on your mastery of the Silence spell. We'll proceed in order, starting with the student in the front row."
He gestured towards a female student, who stood up nervously, her gaze darting around the room.
Robolt's expression was uncharacteristically serious, a far cry from his usual jovial demeanor.
This was, after all, an important exam.
The student took a deep breath and began to cast the Silence spell.
For a moment, everything seemed to fall silent.
However...
Robolt activated his mana, enhancing his senses.
Immediately, he could hear the faint sound of her breathing, the steady thump of her heart.
The Silence spell she had cast was nothing more than a flimsy illusion.
With a disappointed shake of his head, he scribbled a score on his clipboard.
Three out of ten.
"You may return to your seat," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Y-Yes, sir..."
The student shuffled back to her seat, her shoulders slumped in defeat.
The first student had set a low bar.
The second student approached with even greater trepidation.
He cast his Silence spell, but it too fell short of Robolt's expectations.
One by one, the students took their turn, but none of them managed to impress their instructor.
Finally, it was Luna's turn.
"Go ahead."
"R-Right."
Luna stumbled over her words, her nerves getting the better of her.
But she quickly composed herself, focusing on the task at hand.
She took a deep breath and began to weave her mana, her movements fluid and controlled.
A moment later, a wave of silence emanated from her outstretched hand.
Robolt's eyes widened in surprise.
It wasn't perfect, but it was a significant improvement from her performance during the midterm exams.
"Your mana control has improved significantly," he commented, a hint of pride in his voice.
"T-Thank you, sir..."
Luna stammered, blushing under his praise.
"You may return to your seat."
Luna had managed to cast a respectable Silence spell, earning herself a score of six out of ten.
Five was considered average.
Luna had surpassed expectations.
However, as the exam progressed, no one else managed to score higher than her.
Most of the students struggled to even meet Robolt's minimum requirements.
And it wasn't surprising.
'...That level of skill won't be of much use in a real battle.'
Robolt sighed inwardly, shaking his head in disappointment.
He was looking for students who could utilize the Silence spell effectively in combat.
The spells he had witnessed so far were simply not good enough.
Just as his frustration reached its peak...
"Oh?"
His eyes widened in surprise as a familiar figure approached.
It was Fron, the student who had secured the top spot in the midterm exams.
*Hum*
She activated her mana, and for a fleeting moment, she seemed to vanish from sight.
"......!"
Robolt's jaw dropped in astonishment.
She had cast both the Stealth and Silence spells simultaneously.
It was a flawless execution, worthy of extra credit.
Even though, of course, there was no such thing as extra credit in his class.
As he watched in amazement...
*Hum*
"......."
Fron took a step back, and Robolt could once again sense her presence.
The other students remained oblivious, their gazes scanning the empty space where she had been standing just moments ago.
But Robolt's enhanced senses allowed him to track her movements, even with the dual spells active.
It was still a perfect score.
A satisfied smile spread across his lips as he nodded in approval.
"You may return to your seat."
He jotted down a perfect ten next to Fron's name on his clipboard.
However...
None of the students who followed managed to achieve the same feat.
One by one, they took their turn, their spells falling short of Robolt's high standards.
And then, finally...
It was Adel's turn.
He approached the center of the training grounds, his expression calm and composed.
Robolt watched him expectantly, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
He had already witnessed Adel's impressive display of simultaneous spellcasting previously.
It was only natural that he would excel in this exam as well.
Nevertheless, he had to maintain his objectivity as an instructor.
*Hum*
As Adel activated his mana, casting both Stealth and Silence spells in perfect unison, Robolt focused his senses, ready to track his movements.
But...
He couldn't sense anything.
Not even a flicker of movement, a whisper of sound.
Robolt frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Was Adel deliberately remaining still to conceal his presence?
"Could you please move around a bit?"
― .......
Silence.
Adel remained undetected, his presence completely erased.
Was he defying his instructor's orders?
Robolt sighed inwardly.
It wasn't uncommon for strong students to test the boundaries, to challenge authority.
He would deal with Adel's insubordination later.
"You may dispel your magic now."
But still...
Nothing.
Adel remained invisible, undetectable.
"I understand you possess exceptional magical talent."
"However, the exam is over. Please dispel your magic and return to your seat."
He had to admit, that Adel's Invisibility spell was remarkable, even surpassing his own abilities.
But why was he still concealing himself?
As Robolt pondered the situation, a strange phenomenon occurred.
The students' eyes began to dart around the room, their gazes filled with confusion and a hint of fear.
What was going on?
Robolt followed their gazes, his own curiosity piqued.
"Um, sir..." a student spoke up, his voice trembling slightly.
"B-Behind you..."
He pointed a shaky finger towards Robolt's back.
Robolt turned slowly, his heart pounding in his chest.
"......!"
A gasp escaped his lips as his eyes fell upon the figure standing behind him.
It was Adel.
But something was different.
He was smiling, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
His eyes, usually narrowed to thin slits, were wide open, revealing two distinct colors.
One eye glowed with an eerie crimson light, while the other shimmered with an abyssal black.
As if telling him not to be surprised, he put his index finger to his lips.
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