Chương 91: Freehand

"I never thought your progress would be this fast, Zeliel. You've already learned Tier 3 spells... It's a shame I wasn't at the Guild that day. I would have loved to see it with my own eyes."

"No worries. You'll get to see it this time." Zeliel smiled.

"Huh? What do you mean by that...?" Bev looked confused.

"Because today, I'm taking the Junior Mage advancement exam," Zeliel said. Bev's foot, which had just been about to step forward, froze in place. Her eyes slowly widened. Marven's reaction was exactly the same. When Zeliel had found him earlier and told him he wanted to take the Junior Mage exam, the old mage had stared in disbelief. The monocle perched over his left eye had nearly slipped off. Marven adjusted his monocle, then stared at Zeliel for several seconds. Yes... This was the feeling.

Marven knew very clearly that Zeliel hadn't come here with the mindset of simply giving it a try. Because he could sense it. The mana within Zeliel was far stronger than it had been half a month ago. Marven had always known Zeliel was exceptional. But he never expected him to be this exceptional. Just over a month... From a magic apprentice to a Junior Mage? How could there be a mage whose progress was this absurdly fast? Marven's thoughts were anything but calm.

Back when he was young, he had started meditating diligently from childhood and had countless resources supporting his growth. Even so, he hadn't become a Junior Mage until he was twenty-one.

"Just... how did you do it?"

"Hmm..." Zeliel scratched his head.

"I don't really know how to explain it. If I had to describe it... I guess things just happened naturally?"

"Things happened naturally, huh?" Marven couldn't help but laugh.

"Should I say you're showing off, or that you're simply too arrogant?" He waved his hand with a smile.

"Come on. Let those magic apprentices open their eyes and see what a true genius looks like." The news spread like wildfire. Within moments, the entire Blackstone Town Mage Guild was buzzing. Many mages who were meditating or studying in the library were drawn over by the commotion. A sixteen-year-old who might become a Junior Mage? That was absolutely something worth witnessing. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The Training Grounds.

The viewing platform was packed far beyond normal. And more mages continued to arrive one after another. Zeliel swept his gaze across the crowd and was genuinely surprised. So many people came... But he didn't feel nervous. On the contrary. Under the countless gazes watching him, a surge of confidence and pride rose within his heart. He slightly lifted his chin. A gentle breeze swept through the arena, lifting his black hair.

The sunlight reflected against his fair features, making his already handsome appearance seem even more striking. In an inconspicuous corner of the viewing platform, even Mentor Manlin had arrived. She leaned against a pillar, quietly watching the spirited young man standing in the arena. Manlin wore a wide-brimmed sun hat, the shadow of the brim covering most of her face. Only the corners of her lips were visible, carrying a gentle smile.

"Zeliel, are you ready?" Marven asked. Zeliel slowly nodded.

"Then..." Marven gestured and stepped aside.

"Begin." Zeliel took a deep breath and adjusted his state of mind. A moment later, one spell after another burst forth. Fireball. Wind Blade. Light Spell. Water Orb. Gravity Burst. Ice Lance. Gale Step. Pebble Burst. Frostbite. Cloud & Fog. Ten completely different Tier 2 spells. Yet in Zeliel's hands, they appeared effortless. Almost like art. Different colors and forms of magic bloomed from his fingertips, dazzling everyone watching. His casting was calm and graceful.

The charging and release of every spell connected flawlessly, with each spell completed in under two seconds. What shocked everyone even more was that after consecutively casting ten Tier 2 spells, Zeliel's expression barely changed. There was no sign of exhaustion. Not even the slightest trace of mana depletion. He didn't need Source Crystals to recover his mana at all. He was completely different from Riely's performance back then.

"Flawless..." Marven murmured in admiration. This was the true appearance of a Junior Mage. After the Source Seed underwent transformation, both casting speed and mana capacity would experience a qualitative leap. The standards set by the advancement exam were not something they needed to struggle desperately to achieve. For a true Junior Mage, it was nothing more than a natural demonstration of strength. Gasps and whispers erupted across the viewing platform.

Many people engraved the image of the black-haired, black-eyed youth into their memories. The examination continued. The next requirement was casting a Tier 3 spell within five seconds. Zeliel raised his hand lightly. A massive stone wall erupted from the ground. Stone Wall. He had released it with complete ease. Then Zeliel began charging another spell. Brilliant blue light gathered in his palm. A crystalline arcane projectile slowly took shape.

When Marven had previously instructed Zeliel, several mages on the viewing platform had also witnessed the process. They immediately noticed how much Zeliel had improved this time. In just over four seconds, an Arcane Missile containing terrifying mana had already fully formed.

"BOOM!!!" The explosion shook the entire training ground. Before the violent arcane energy, the sturdy stone wall was blasted apart, leaving only fragments behind. The examination was successful. Marven had never once doubted that Zeliel would fail. After the Arcane Missile dissipated, he walked over to Zeliel.

"Congratulations, Zeliel." A look of appreciation and pride filled Marven's face.

"You are now officially a Junior Mage." The arena fell silent for a brief moment. Then— Thunderous applause and cheers erupted.

"A sixteen-year-old Junior Mage... My god."

"I actually witnessed Blackstone Town's next Caine Roderick!"

"I've never heard of him before... What's his name? Zeliel? Is he some noble heir? How many resources must have been spent to raise him..."

"You're wrong." Bev's clear voice interrupted them. A proud smile appeared on her face, as if she herself had achieved something remarkable.

"Zeliel isn't a noble." Those words left the discussing mages stunned. A commoner mage... Could actually achieve something like this? Bev didn't explain further. She simply looked toward the arena, admiration shining in her eyes. She was genuinely happy for Zeliel. On the other side of the viewing platform, Lante was also among the crowd. His face was flushed with excitement. While applauding, he proudly bragged to the mages beside him.

"I've gone on missions with Zeliel before! He's seriously amazing!"... Taking in all the cheers and applause from the viewing platform, Zeliel felt something strange stirring inside him. He suddenly remembered his first visit to the Mage Guild. Back then, he had stood in this very same training ground and watched two Junior Mages clash. At that time, he had only just become a magic apprentice. When he saw Flame Breath and Arcane Missile, he could only marvel at their strength.