When Ivor escalated the intensity of the battle, a look of deep regret and anxiety appeared on Zephyros's face.
"Oh, Ivor... Here we go again," he muttered to himself.
"I hope he doesn't forget that the person he's facing is just a 15-year-old boy."
When the field was surrounded by massive earthen pillars, Kael's view was completely blocked. Ivor, using earth magic to wrap his hand—which resembled a massive boulder—swing a devastating punch toward Kael, who was hidden behind the pillars. As the pillars shattered under the impact of the punch, Kael tried to protect himself by wrapping himself in a barrier of fire amidst the rising debris.
When the dust and smoke cleared, Kael could not see Ivor in front of him. At that moment, his mana sense detected a presence right at his feet. Before he could even react to Ivor, who had appeared beside him, Ivor's fist struck Kael in the chest and sent him flying toward the stone column behind him. As the column shattered into pieces, Ivor reappeared at his feet before Kael could even hit the ground.
"How can he move this fast? I need to stay calm..."
As Ivor's second punch came down, Kael tried to block it with his wooden sword; but against Ivor's strength, the wooden sword shattered into pieces. Kael was violently thrown to the ground.
"What's wrong, kid? Did you run out of steam already? Or are we just getting warmed up?"
Wiping the blood from his mouth, Kael forced himself to his feet. He realized his sword strikes wouldn't penetrate this man's stone armor. He spread his hands to the sides and formed five fire projectiles around him, imbued with his concentrated mana. When Ivor saw the small fireballs, he burst into laughter.
"Ha ha! Kid, are you really going to attack me with these—"
Before Ivor could finish his sentence, one of the projectiles whizzed past him with a deafening explosion, blasting a massive hole in the wall behind him. Ivor froze. His eyes widened in shock, and his ears were ringing.
"I underestimated the kid," Ivor thought, growing serious.
"These projectiles aren't just fireballs... they pierce through like bullets. I'd better be careful."
Kael fired the remaining bullets in a volley toward Ivor. Ivor erected four thick earthen pillars in front of him to block the three incoming bullets. The moment the bullets struck, those massive pillars crumbled to dust.
"Huh, that was a close call," Ivor muttered.
But he'd forgotten one thing: those three bullets were just a distraction. The fourth bullet was hovering in the air, waiting to catch Ivor off guard. By the time Ivor realized the trick, it was too late. Before he could block it with his hand, the bullet exploded right in his chest and sent him flying several meters away.
When Ivor staggered to his feet, he saw a blinding, crimson light before him, glowing as brightly as the sun. Kael had exploited Ivor's moment of recovery to channel all his power into a single bullet. This was the most destructive version of the Fire Bullet spell.
The moment Kael released the bullet, the resulting shockwave sent him flying backward while hurtling toward Ivor at full speed.
The guild hall shook violently. The adventurers inside panicked and gathered around Violet.
"Hey, Violet! What's going on? The building's literally about to collapse on us!"
"Is everything okay? Is there an invasion?"
Violet wiped the dusty counter with a sheepish smile,
"Ah, don't worry. Mr. Ivor is just testing a new adventurer."
The adventurers looked at each other. "Ivor never leaves his room... What kind of monster is this guy fighting?"
The battlefield was shrouded in smoke. Zephyros saw a bright, metallic silhouette through the dust cloud. Ivor had covered his entire body with a layer of metal as hard as steel.
"Ha ha! Son, it's been a long time since I used my special-class spell," Ivor said as he removed his armor.
"You turned out to be quite a tough nut to crack."
Zephyros called out mockingly from the sidelines:
"Hey Ivor, are all your limbs still in place?
"Get lost! I'm the guild master—there's no way a little kid could actually hurt me!"
Kael lay exhausted on his back on the ground. Ivor walked over and extended his hand.
"Your evaluation is over, Kael. Let's head to my office."
In the office, Ivor pulled a silver-colored card from under the desk and slammed it down on the table.
"Kael Krowel! Here's your card—take it."
Kael was surprised to see the 'D' rank on the card.
"Mr. Ivor, I thought newcomers to the guild start at the 'F' rank. Is there a mistake?"
"Ha ha! I made an exception for you, son. 'F' ranks usually handle herb gathering and menial tasks. With your talents, I should have placed you directly in the 'C' class, but the others in the guild wouldn't have "
"The reaction wouldn't be good. Even a 'D' rank will annoy a lot of people, but at least they can't object."
Ivor continued in a serious tone:
"Don't forget the rules; with this card, you can enter and exit all four kingdoms for free. Participation in mobilization is mandatory in the event of an attack. You must complete at least two missions a month; otherwise, your card will be revoked. You cannot take on missions above your own rank alone, but you can join a party led by a high-ranking member. Bring the creatures you hunt here, and you'll receive fair compensation. You can also stay at discounted rates in the inns affiliated with the guild and enjoy their meals."
Kael realized just how advantageous the guild's terms were. In fact, the guild's founding purpose was to support the kingdom's defense alongside the knights; since adventurers hunted creatures outside the kingdom, the knights could prioritize the kingdom's needs.
"Thank you, Mr. Ivor. I'll keep your words in mind."
When they stepped outside, Kael turned to Zephyros.
"Ivor said you're a guild member too. Why didn't you mention it?"
"I used to hunt creatures with a party, but then I became an official mage. Ivor might have forgotten to tell you—the two-quest-per-month limit applies only up to A-rank; adventurers of A-rank and above can take quests whenever they want, or not at all."
"Wait a minute, so you...?"
When Zephyros showed Kael his 'S'-rank card, which shone like a black diamond, Kael's mouth dropped open.
"Rank S?!"
"Well, we didn't become Royal Mages for nothing, did we?" Zephyros said proudly.When Kael returned to the academy, he found Rota in a fluster.
"Kael! Where have you been? I was looking for you!"
"You were looking for me? Why?"
"Students from the Northern Kingdom are arriving tomorrow! Six-person groups have already been formed."
"I didn't know. Are we in the same group?"
Rota sighed, "Pfff, no, you're in the same group as Lyra and Revia. Lyra's been smirking all day. As for me, I ended up in the same group as Thalendir! Can you believe it? That arrogant jerk..."
"I feel bad for you, Rota."
At the same moment, Revia's eyes lit up when she saw Kael's name on the list.
"Kael, huh... What a great chance to see his abilities up close. Let's see just how powerful the only other 4-ringed mage in the school is."
The next morning, a large crowd gathered at the entrance to Mist Valley. A representative teacher had been assigned to each class. Leading Class A was Representative Teacher Ms. Brian.Lyra whispered to Kael: "Shh, Kael... We're in the same group as Revia, but she hasn't said a word since she arrived. Have you talked to her at all?"
"No, I haven't either."
When Revia noticed the two whispering, she walked over to them with heavy steps. Her gaze seemed to pierce Kael's very soul. "You'd better not get in my way," she said in an icy voice.Lyra furrowed her brows.
"We're all mages! Why are you being so arrogant when we should be united against the knights?"
Just as things were about to escalate, Kael stepped between them and separated them.
"Alright, that's enough. Like Lyra said, there's no need to fight each other. We need to unite and hunt as many creatures as possible."
The girls turned their backs on each other and fell silent with a "Hmph!" Kael thought to himself,
"I hope these two get along," he prayed.
Shortly after, three knights from the Northern Kingdom joined the group. In the team consisting of two boys and a girl, the boy who seemed to be the leader stepped forward.
"Hello, I'm Gil. These are my friends, Ros and Soren."
Kael replied politely, "Hello, nice to meet you."The knight named Soren, with a haughty attitude,
"We'll hunt the creatures for you; just provide proper support from the rear."
When Lyra and Revia simultaneously turned their deadly glares toward Soren, the boy trembled.
"I-it's fine if you don't... um..."
Gil silenced Soren. "Please don't take it personally. I heard the reward is a powerful artifact called the 'Devil's Eye.' So let's work together."
When all the students had gathered, Principal Felan floated in the air using magic and broadcast his voice throughout the area as if speaking through a megaphone:
"Wizards and Knights! Listen to me carefully! The purpose of this joint training is to ensure both sides can work in coordination. Any group that gets into an argument will be immediately disqualified. If we see you injuring each other—other than by creatures—not only will your exam be canceled, but you'll be expelled from school! The Knight-Wizard exam has begun. Good luck to everyone!"