Chapter 7: The Combat Exams Begin
With the magic evaluation concluded—and her disastrous performance still fresh in everyone's minds—the combat placement exams commenced.
The dueling grounds were located in an open-air coliseum, where students fought directly against instructors in a series of structured tests. The goal wasn't to win—because none of them would.
It was to impress.
The Five Notable Exams1. Lucien von Hohenfeld – The Golden Prodigy
The first student called was Lucien von Hohenfeld. The moment his name was spoken, the crowd grew silent in anticipation.
Lucien strode to the center of the field, crimson eyes glinting with amusement, golden hair catching the sunlight. He carried himself with effortless confidence as he faced his assigned instructor—Sir Aldric Faust, the grizzled veteran of the battlefield.
"You may begin."
Lucien drew his sword—a beautifully crafted rapier—and—
FWOOOM.
A burst of fire erupted along the blade.
In a blink, he lunged forward, striking at Sir Aldric with blistering speed. Each movement was fluid, seamless, as if born to wield both sword and flame in harmony.
The duel became a showcase of precision and pressure—Lucien layered his swordplay with magic, feinting attacks with flame bursts before transitioning into real strikes.
Sir Aldric was impressed.
But not overwhelmed.
With a sharp parry, Aldric dispersed one of Lucien's flame attacks with his own Sword Aura, forcing the young noble backward. Even then, Lucien didn't falter. His footwork was too polished. His instincts too honed.
It took a full five minutes before Aldric finally disarmed him.
A performance far beyond what was expected from a first-year.
2. Seraphina von Aurelius – The Celestial Princess
Next was Seraphina von Aurelius.
The moment she stepped onto the field, a hush fell over the crowd. Royalty. Untouchable.
Her opponent? Lady Isabeau de Montclair.
Seraphina didn't draw a blade. She raised one hand—light gathered at her fingertips, golden and radiant, before morphing into blades of pure energy orbiting her like a halo.
Her control was flawless.
With a gesture, the Light Blades launched forward. They moved as if alive.
Lady Isabeau responded with a conjured shield of raw mana, dispersing the blades before they could land. But Seraphina wasn't done—she flicked her wrist, and the swords curved midair, redirecting from multiple angles.
A true test of magical control and multi-tasking.
Lady Isabeau finally retaliated with a concentrated burst of force, shattering the constructs in a single blow. Seraphina staggered but didn't break.
She bowed after her defeat—regal, composed.
The students were entranced.
3. Magnus Reinhardt – The Unshakable Shield
The third name called was Magnus Reinhardt.
He didn't carry himself like a noble. He walked like a fighter—uniform slightly unkempt, expression unreadable.
His opponent was Sir Aldric, again.
Magnus wielded a greatsword nearly as tall as himself. The moment the match began, he slammed the blade into the ground—spikes of earth erupted, aiming to restrict movement.
Sir Aldric dodged.
Magnus followed up with raw force—his strikes sent shockwaves through the ground. No elegance. No finesse.
Just relentless pressure.
He drove Aldric back more than once, even knocked him slightly off balance—a feat no one else had managed.
It took a perfectly timed counter to finally disarm him.
When the match ended, the murmurs were clear—he was a monster in his own right.
4. Alistair von Aurelius – The Silent Storm
When Alistair stepped forward, the crowd was still buzzing from Magnus' match.
Unlike his twin, Alistair was cold. Detached.
His opponent? Grandmaster Wolfram von Eisenwald himself.
Because Alistair wasn't expected to be good.
He was expected to be the best.
He summoned Wind magic, his blade an extension of the air itself.
Where Lucien burned and Magnus crushed—
Alistair cut.
His strikes were surgical. His steps almost silent. He barely touched the ground as he moved, launching razor-sharp wind slashes that forced even Wolfram to parry.
Then—
He vanished.
Not literally. His speed blurred the line between visibility and absence. One moment here, the next—gone.
The duel lasted almost ten minutes. The longest by far.
Even he couldn't beat Wolfram.
But the tension afterward made one thing clear.
He had forced effort from a Grandmaster.
5. Hannelore Eisendreich – The Ice Queen
The last of the major students was Hannelore Eisendreich, daughter of a marquis.
Where Seraphina was regal, Hannelore was glacial. Beautiful. Pale. Emotionless.
Her magic was Water—but so refined, it functioned as Ice.
Her opponent? Sir Aldric.
The moment the match started, she froze the battlefield.
A complete terrain shift in a single breath.
Aldric barely adjusted before jagged ice spears came from every direction. Hannelore's control was unnerving—she shaped the battlefield like a surgeon, conjuring lethal formations without pause.
But—
Aldric shattered all of them.
The match was over in under two minutes.
Hannelore stepped down, her expression unreadable, as if the loss meant nothing.
Jessica's Turn – The Last Duel
By the time Jessica's name was called, she was already half-asleep from waiting.
The audience was still riding the high of five impressive duels.
That high dipped. Rapidly.
Jessica Moran stepped forward with the enthusiasm of a corpse.
People snickered.
The sword in her hand felt like a tumor—too heavy, too slow. She hated it.
Her opponent?
Sir Aldric. Of course.
She sighed.
This was going to be annoying.