An hour ter, everyone revened in the . After reproag the stragglers, Professor Bayley led the css out into the courtyard.

  “I trust you’ve all had a ce to rest,” he started, his eyes sing the group. “Now, we’ll be moving on to the practical aspect of the examination, which will be split into two ses: mana output and melee prowess.”

  As they assembled, the students’ attention was drawn to an impressive array of wooden oly arranged on a rack. Swords, shields, spears, maces, bows and arrows, and a variety of other options were avaible.

  Along the stone wall stood wooden targets and training dummies crafted from straw and fabric, while various other types of training equipment were scattered throughout the courtyard.

  “I’d like each of you to divide introups,” instructed Professor Bayley, punctuating his instru with sweepiures. “Group A will be for those seeking assessment in mana output. I'll provide a Magic Missile spellbook for those without attack skills to ensure no one has an unfair elemental advantage. Group B will sist of those aiming for assessment through melee attacks, and Group C will be a bination of both.”

  Among the adventurers, only Daisuke situated himself within Group C; he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to receive a free skill, and he was also curious about magic.

  “Pff.”

  A stifled chuckle escaped the crowd, which was swiftly followed by raucous ughter from the pyers. Some ughed to the point of tears, while others rolled on the ground. Osten, in particur, relished the moment. For once, Daisuke found himself on the receiving end of widespread mockery.

  “Look at this guy,” one pyer jeered. “Did he really create a hybrid build? Who the hell does that?”

  “Clearly this noob has never pyed an MMO in his entire life,” another chimed in. “Both his physical and magical attacks are going to be plete garbage.”

  “What a moron,” someone else added. “He’ll start feeling the burually.”

  “Heh. I thought he was cool, but he’s actually just a noob.”

  Daisuke remained focused on the horizon, his attention unwaverie the clear audibility of insults hurled his way. Iingly, it was his Beastfolk supporters who seemed mitated and offended.

  “Ahem,” Professor Bayley cleared his throat, instantly quieting the crowd. “Group A will go first,” he decred, juring the necessary skillbooks with a flick of his wand. They materialized from a magical bag attached to his hip, a feat made possible by space-time teology, which essentially created an alternative dimension for iory ste.

  Daisuke, alongside the other members of Group A, exteheir hands to retrieve the books as they desded gracefully with the aid of levitation magic. His fingers made tact with the smooth leather surface of the green hardcover book, aiced a magic circle engraved on the cover. As he flipped it open, the text inside shimmered with a radiant blue hue.

  DING!

  [Would you like to learn the spell ?Magic Missile? from the spellbook?]

  Yes.

  [The spell ?Magic Missile? has been successfully acquired.]

  [Magic Missile]

  Rank: Normal

  Cssification: Active Skill

  Lvl: 1

  Proficy: 0%

  A fual skill for novice mages, Magic Missile presses mana into e-shaped projectiles and hurls them at the target.

  Skill Effect:

  ?? Deals damage equivalent to 10% of your current mana to the target.

  Mana Cost: 10

  Skill Cooldown: 5 Seds

  Daisuke frowned calgly as he read the description of the newly acquired spell. My current MP is 142. 10% of 142 is 14… that’s not enough damage to even one-shot a level 1 mob. And the 14 damage isn’t even taking into at magic resistance, distance, and other variables that mitigates raw damage. But I guess it wouldn’t be called a basic spell if it was any strohan this.

  “As many of you already know,” Professor Bayley tinued, “casting spells usually requires the caster to remaiirely still while reg an intation. However, since Magic Missile is a basic spell, you need only to focus and t its name. Allow me to demonstrate.”

  The adventurers watched with i as the professor squared off against one of the circur targets set against the stone wall. With a robed arm extended, he grasped his wand firmly, inhaled deeply, and narrowed his eyes in focused tration.

  “Mas all around us—in the air, the trees, kes, mountains, and also within our bodies,” he expined in a measured tone, his voice carrying the weight of turies of wisdom.

  “Feel the flow of energy throughout your ?mana circutory system?. Let it gather i of your stomach. Then guide it upward, through your arm, and out through the tip of your fingers. In my case, I also o el it through my staff. Magic Missile!”

  Following his verbal t, a sequence of radiant orbs maed, h just in front of his wand. To facilitate the demonstration, the professor slowed dowricate procedure.

  Methodically, the orbs densed, elongating into a e formation while intensifying in magical power ay. With precision akin to sighting through a sniper rifle, the man took aim and unleashed the projectiles.

  PHUSHHH!

  The orbs systematically struck the wooden target, leaviru and scorch marks in its wake. The onlookers were astounded.

  Professor Bayley lowered his wand and turo Group A. “Now let’s begin the assessment.”

  One girl nervously stepped forward, a low-level wand akin to a tree branch clutched in one hand.

  “State your name.”

  “Eleanor Larkspur.”

  “Okay, Ms. Larkspur. Take a breath,” Professor Bayley instructed in a calm voice. “Visualize the mana c throughout your entire body. Intercept a portion of that power and will it to gather in your stomach. Like a sword, your wand is also aension of your body; direct that power up into your arms, through your fingers, and to the tip of your wand.”

  “Magic Missile!”

  Although they were smaller in parison, a series of small orbs materialized and shot from Eleanor’s wand toward the target. Sadly, they collided into the stone wall with a tiny explosion, missing their intended mark.

  “Excellent,” remarked Professor Bayley after jotting down her score. “For a spell you just learned, you mao execute it from start to finish. Unfortunately, you missed two vital pos—you didn’t use ?shape manipution? to give structure to your missiles, he cked speed arative power. And, stly, you didn’t aim.”

  Daisuke watched as Eleanor bowed before the person took ter stage. Each adventurer demonstrated different levels of talent, and there were even a few with explosive potential, but he wasn’t deterred.

  Soon enough, it was his turn to square off against the wooden adversary.

  “State your name,” requested the Professor.

  “Haxks.”

  Ign the cackles and jeers rising from the crowd, Daisuke extended an arm, clutched his wrist, and unfurled his fingers. A deep breath separated him from the world and all distras.

  He knew better than anyone else that surpassing a mage with his feeble mana t was nearly impossible, but there was nothing to lose. In fact, he had received a magic spell free of charge. Even if the damage sucked beyond prehensioill possessed a raype skill to use as a diversion when needed.

  Another deep breath had Daisuke dismissing all unnecessary thoughts; all that mattered was fog his power and replig what the Professor had demonstrated.

  He vividly envisioned his veins brang out like the intricate roots of a massive tree. Within those vessels coursed not just the life-sustaining mixture of nutrients and oxygen, but also the pulsating essenana.

  With sheer determination, he willed that mana to gather, gradually pooling in the depths of his abdomen before streaming into the palm of his hand. His mind sculpted the lumi spheres, molding them into the shape of a e.

  “Magic Missile!”

  Daisuke’s eyes snapped open with vi as he propelled the projectiles toward their intearget. Fet merely hitting the bullseye; his barrage tore through the air with such force that it not only obliterated the wooden target but also id waste to a substantial portion of the stone wall standing behind it.