Victor rubbed his chin, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as he tried to recall something. "Ashthorn? I feel like I've heard that name before..." he muttered, thinking hard.
Lucien observed him for a moment before speaking indifferently, "Don't bother. There's nothing special about that name."
Elara, who overheard the conversation, looked at Lucien with a questioning expression. She began analyzing him more deeply.
"He's not a noble?" she thought. "But the way he speaks is too composed for a commoner."
Many students in this academy came from families without titles, but almost all of them displayed different attitudes from Lucien. Some were nervous, some were humble, and others tried to show off their abilities. But Lucien? His movements were relaxed, his gaze sharp yet unwary, and his words always sounded straightforward, without any attempt to impress anyone.
Victor, who had fallen silent after hearing Lucien's words, now raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by his indifference.
"Interesting," he murmured, his voice almost as if speaking to himself. "It's rare to find someone unwilling to talk about their origins, especially in a place like this."
Lucien merely shrugged, unwilling to respond further. Meanwhile, Elara grew more intrigued, wanting to uncover more about him.
Victor finally shifted his attention to the middle-aged man standing not far from them—Garrick Fendrel, their team's overseer. "Master Fendrel," he said with a respectful tone, "could you explain the exam rules in more detail? Is there a time limit or a minimum number of spirits we need to hunt?"
Garrick, who had seemed uninterested in their discussion so far, finally sighed and started speaking. "This exam will last for three days. Each team must collect at least five Lesser Spirits to pass. But if you want to rank high, you'll need to hunt more—and stronger ones."
He paused briefly, crossing his arms before adding in a more serious tone, "And remember, if anyone gets seriously injured or loses consciousness, their exam is immediately over. We'll evacuate you, but that means total failure. So don't act foolishly and think you can handle everything on your own."
Garrick's gaze swept over the three students in front of him, but he lingered slightly longer on Lucien, as if assessing something unspoken.
"Three days, huh?" Victor crossed his arms, his expression turning serious as he began analyzing possible strategies.
Elara immediately seized the opportunity to propose a plan. "In that case, we should strategize right away," she said firmly. "I suggest we head straight to the deeper part of the second floor. The stronger spirits are there, and if we can defeat them early, we'll dominate the rankings from the start."
Victor nodded slightly, but his expression showed hesitation. "And what if we encounter something we can't defeat?" he asked skeptically.
Elara smirked, her gaze full of confidence. "On the second floor? There's nothing there that I can't defeat."
Lucien, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "I'd rather not be reckless." His gaze remained calm as he looked at Elara. "There's a reason why Lesser Spirits in the deeper area are rarely hunted."
Elara immediately turned to him, her smug smile still intact. "Oh? Are you scared?"
Lucien stared back expressionlessly. "I'm not scared. I just don't want to act foolishly."
Elara's smile faded slightly, but she still maintained her confidence. "That's not foolishness, that's confidence."
Lucien sighed briefly. "I know you're strong enough to be that confident. But still, caution never hurts. We have three days, so we can start from the outskirts and gradually move inward."
Victor, who had been listening, finally spoke up. "I tend to agree with Lady Moonveil on this." He glanced at Elara with a slight smile. "After all, she's the granddaughter of the Moonveil Hermit, so I'm sure she has the ability to handle the situation there."
Lucien frowned. "Okay… whoever that is, I have no idea," he thought, unwilling to discuss it further.
"Looks like I'm in the minority here," he muttered under his breath.
It wasn't that he feared the dangers of the second floor, but diving straight into the deeper part felt like an inefficient strategy. Moreover, they weren't allowed to use mystical weapons yet, meaning they could only rely on pure combat skills and standard weapons. Still, Lucien didn't want to argue further. If things went south, he would find his own way to handle it.
Garrick snorted lightly, crossing his arms. "If you're done arguing, get ready. You leave in an hour."
Lucien took a deep breath, then glanced at his two teammates. Three days in the Abyssal Labyrinth with them… Just thinking about it already made him want to sigh.
—
The hour they had was used for final preparations. Though basic equipment had been provided by the Academy, mental preparation and strategy were just as important.
Each of them carried a bag containing survival gear necessary for the exam. Inside were a map of the labyrinth's second floor, emergency food supplies, and several other essential items.
Once everything was ready, all students were gathered inside a massive chamber on the edge of a steep cliff. This room led directly into the depths of the Abyssal Labyrinth, where the exam would take place.
They were separated into their respective groups, with the instructors standing at the front to lead them. The first step before entering the labyrinth was choosing a weapon.
Victor had no hesitation in his choice—a double-edged sword made of standard metal. His upright posture and the way he gripped the sword showed that he was well-versed in its use.
On the other hand, Elara selected a slimmer, lighter sword—one designed for speed and agility.
Meanwhile, Lucien didn't immediately pick a weapon. He stood still for a moment, carefully weighing his options.
The problem was, he hadn't just studied one fighting style. Aldric had forced him to learn various techniques, particularly those that relied on speed and dexterity.
His choices consisted of a pair of daggers, a light sword, a spear, and a short bow.
Lucien carefully considered each option. The spear had a longer reach but lacked flexibility in close combat. The short bow could be useful for ranged attacks, but in the narrow and unpredictable labyrinth, he didn't want to rely solely on long-range attacks. A short sword could work, but Elara had already chosen one, and there was no point in adding another melee fighter with the same weapon.
Daggers seemed to be the most reasonable choice—quick, efficient, and lethal in close-quarters combat. However, choosing daggers meant he would have to fight on the front lines, alongside his two teammates, who also played similar roles.
After further thought, he finally decided to take a short bow and a pair of daggers. There was no rule stating that a person could only choose one weapon.
Several other students also followed a similar strategy, selecting weapon combinations that suited their fighting styles.
"Are you an archer?" Elara glanced at Lucien's chosen weapons, her expression showing a mix of curiosity and doubt.
Lucien, without changing his calm expression, shook his head slightly. "No. I just know the basics."
Elara's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Just the basics?" Her tone rose slightly, signaling dissatisfaction. "What do you mean? Do you see this exam as an opportunity to experiment?"
Lucien merely shrugged, seemingly unbothered by Elara's irritation. "I'm just adapting to our team's composition," he said casually. "Besides, didn't you say that there's no spirit on the second floor you can't defeat? If I turn out to be useless, you can still handle everything on your own, right?"
Elara's eyes narrowed. She stared at Lucien sharply, as if trying to determine whether he was serious or just playing with words.
"Are you trying to sabotage me?" Her voice grew louder, drawing the attention of several other students who started glancing their way, intrigued by the brewing argument.
Meanwhile, Victor remained silent. He didn't intervene immediately, merely observing with sharp eyes, waiting for the right moment to speak.
Lucien sighed before finally saying, "I was just joking. Of course, I'll give my best effort in this exam."
Elara clenched her teeth. To her, Lucien's calm and indifferent attitude was utterly infuriating. There was an instinctive urge within her to punch his face.
Since childhood, Elara had been trained by her grandfather, a legendary hermit and one of the most respected Grandmasters in the Empire. She grew up with the belief that hard work and unwavering determination were the keys to achieving excellence. To her, everything had to be approached with seriousness and full effort.
Seeing Lucien—someone who seemed directionless, who appeared not to care about his surroundings—created an uncomfortable feeling within her. Somehow, she felt as though she was facing someone who contradicted her principles in life.
On the other hand, Lucien picked up on something from Elara's reaction. "So, she really is aiming for first place..." he mused internally. From her expression, it was clear that she wasn't just trying to pass this exam—she wanted to be the best.
Lucien had no doubts about the possibility. Among the hundreds of new students taking this exam, Elara was likely one of the few individuals with the potential to reach the top.
Garrick, who had been silently observing their interaction with a neutral expression, finally spoke. "Stop arguing. The labyrinth gate will open soon."
His words effectively defused the tension that was about to explode.
Victor finally spoke, "We will follow Miss Moonveil's strategy. No time will be wasted on the labyrinth's outskirts. We'll head straight to the deepest part."
Lucien simply nodded, accepting the decision without further protest.
Elara, though silent, clearly agreed with the plan.
—
Academy's Main Tower – Executive Chamber
At the top of one of the Academy's largest towers, where the Academy executives gathered to oversee the exam, Aldric climbed the spiral staircase leading to the main meeting chamber.
His steps were steady, and his expression remained calm as always.
Upon reaching the top floor, he stepped into a hexagonal room filled with the Academy's key figures. Five executives were present, including Vulcan Draegor and four other Master Blacksmiths.
Aldric swept his gaze around the room before finally speaking, "Am I late?"
Vulcan, standing with his arms crossed, turned and looked at him with sharp eyes. His thick mustache twitched slightly as he spoke. "No. The new students are just about to enter the labyrinth."
Aldric nodded slightly. "Good. I arrived just in time."
Since Aldric was not an official executive, he did not take a seat like the others. Instead, he stood behind Vulcan's chair, observing the situation from there.
At the center of the room, a multidimensional display projected various scenes from within the labyrinth. Each screen showed a different group of students, allowing the executives to monitor the exam in real time.
Vulcan glanced at Aldric before saying, "You haven't met the new students yet, have you?"
Aldric nodded. "Not yet."
Vulcan gave a small smirk. "Then this is a good chance to get to know them."
With a simple wave of his hand, Vulcan changed the display before them. The randomly shifting scenes narrowed down to eleven main screens—each highlighting a student marked as particularly talented.
Among them, Elara Moonveil and her team were displayed.
Aldric's eyes immediately caught sight of Lucien on the screen. His expression did not change much, but if one looked closely, there was a slight twitch at the corner of his lips, as if suppressing a reaction.
Then, something else drew his attention. On one of the screens, a student stood with an aura that seemed different from the others.
Aldric pointed at the screen. "Who is that boy?"
Vulcan followed his gesture and nodded. "Kael Draven." His voice carried a hint of pride. "One of the most talented students this year."
Aldric examined the screen more closely. There was something odd about the mana flow surrounding Kael Draven. "The mana around him... it's disrupted?" he murmured.
Vulcan chuckled. "You noticed, didn't you?"
He turned to Aldric, as if gauging his reaction, before continuing, "That phenomenon can only happen for two reasons. Either that boy possesses an extraordinarily high mana capacity… or he has an affinity for all four sigil types."
His tone emphasized just how rare such a possibility was.
Aldric did not respond immediately. He simply stroked his beard gently, his expression showing not surprise, but intrigue.
"Whichever it is..." he said quietly, "it's still an exceptional talent."
Vulcan smiled meaningfully.