The same scene unfolded at the second checkpoint.

  Boom——!

  A sound like a sonic boom echoed through the valley.

  The equally slow-to-react teachers rushed to check, only to find that all the attack magic in the valley had somehow been disrupted and had stopped working bizarrely.

  It wasn’t until a few seconds later that it resumed normal operation.

  “......Pinch me. I think I just saw all the magic circles in this checkpoint stop working at once.”

  “You’re not seeing things—I saw it too......”

  “Hiss! Why’d you pinch me?! I told you to pinch him, not me!”

  “Ah, sorry—I’m a bit dizzy. Wrong person......”

  At the third checkpoint:

  Thanks to the environment, the teachers here noticed Hulim’s arrival immediately.

  “What’s going on? Why is someone here so soon?!”

  While the teachers were still stunned,

  Hulim’s next move left them utterly flabbergasted.

  She casually summoned dozens of light orbs, suspended them in the air, and launched them all at once.

  Boom! Boom! Boom......

  The dozens of light orbs struck every floating island almost simultaneously.

  Then all the floating islands flipped over at the same time.

  Whoosh——!

  In the next moment, a figure darted across all the floating islands, reached the opposite mountain peak, and vanished without a trace.

  “Huh??? What...... just happened?”

  Even though the teachers had witnessed it this time, their minds still couldn’t comprehend what they’d seen.

  Is this how you pass this checkpoint?

  After that, Hulim cleared all subsequent checkpoints at nearly the same speed.

  These checkpoints that stopped everyone else and required immense effort to pass took Hulim almost no longer than walking down a regular road......

  At the finish line, after finally confirming that Hulim had truly cleared every checkpoint, the teachers collectively gasped.

  They couldn’t understand it!

  Is this the world of a true prodigy?

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Talk of top ten or top five in history—those records couldn’t even hold a candle to her, not even close!

  If there was any problem......

  it was that future students seeing this record at the top of the list would probably suspect that a digit was missing from it.

  ...

  As time passed,

  more and more students successfully reached the finish line.

  The Gauntlet Run gradually entered its final stage.

  Although most of the later students had arrived by forming temporary teams, many still encountered accidents along the way and failed to reach the finish line within the time limit.

  Whoosh——!

  A magic flare shot into the sky, bursting into a sustained glow.

  The Gauntlet Run was officially declared over.

  “I announce that this year’s Gauntlet Run is now concluded!”

  “All students prepare to return to the academy. Those who have not reached the finish line have failed this exam.”

  Seeing the magic flare light up in the sky, the students still struggling on the path had no choice but to give up.

  Though they had failed this exam, there was still hope for them to graduate successfully.

  As long as they achieved good results in other assessments, they could pull up their final overall score......

  “I feel like the academy’s Gauntlet Run exam is a bit too harsh this year,”

  On the way back, Miko couldn’t help but say as she watched many dejected students.

  Hearing this, Alicia replied: “It’s not just this year. Manacos’ graduation assessments have been getting harsher every year in recent times, and the number of people who fail to get their diplomas increases annually.”

  “Huh? Why is the academy doing this?”

  “Because Manacos needs mages who can truly handle all kinds of difficulties,”

  Hulim answered Miko’s question.

  “The world is becoming more and more dangerous. Earlier, a clerk from the Adventurers’ Guild told me that the number of guard commissions at the guild increases almost every month—guard missions have even become the most common type of task now.”

  “No way—Is the situation that severe?”

  “It is. In the current climate, ordinary people traveling without a guard are in great danger.”

  “And Manacos’ goal is to train qualified mages. A qualified mage is naturally someone who doesn’t need to be guarded, but rather guards others.”

  “Given the current environment, even newly graduated students from the academy might not be able to travel alone. So the academy’s requirements for us are naturally getting higher and higher.”

  “You should have seen that from this Gauntlet Run.”

  “It tested almost every combat-related ability a person has. To be honest, even many veteran adventurers might not pass an assessment of this level.”

  “Huh, really? Is this year’s difficulty that high?!”

  Miko was somewhat surprised, but then curiosity about something else tugged at her, and she couldn’t help but say:

  “Do you think Hulim’s judgment is a bit too sharp?”

  “You didn’t even watch the others clear the checkpoints, yet you can make such a judgment?”

  “......Just pretend I guessed,”

  Hulim said.

  “G-Guessed?”

  Miko was stunned for a moment, but quickly realized something.

  “Really, Hulim—you’re just brushing me off......”

  “Alright, alright—let’s stop talking about the Gauntlet Run,”

  Hulim quickly changed the subject.

  “Instead of dwelling on the finished Gauntlet Run, we should focus on what’s ahead.”

  “In a few days, it’ll be the final team competition, right?”

  “That’s right,” Alicia nodded. “I remember the assessment will take place in the Monster Great Forest.”

  The Monster Great Forest......

  Hulim thought.

  Even the nearest Monster Great Forest is quite a distance from Langard.

  It seems likely they’ll have to set up camp there.

  “Miko, Alicia.”

  “Be careful. If I’m not mistaken, this year’s team competition will be far more difficult and dangerous than previous years......”

  ...

  ...

  Manacos Magic Academy.

  Dean’s Office.

  The white-haired Holstin looked at the man dressed entirely in black before him and spoke slowly:

  “Teacher Grisa, would you lead the team for this year’s team competition?”

  “If it is a request from Dean Holstin,”

  Grisa replied indifferently,

  “I have no objection.”

  “Very well—then I’ll leave it to you~,”

  Holstin smiled faintly.

  His gaze then drifted to the ground at Grisa’s feet.

  There, a shadow as dark and impenetrable as thick ink lingered.

  “With the two of you, the students’ safety should be assured......”

  ...

  One night.

  The Monster Great Forest closest to Langard.

  A large group of suspicious figures cloaked in black robes arrived here.

  ...