I Became the Genius Mage of the Martial Academy

Chapter 81 : Grade-Skipping Exam (1)

I headed to the examination hall, the promised place. As I passed through the main gate of the two-story examination hall, a training ground that was neither wide nor narrow unfolded.

‘It’s just before noon, so the time is just right.’

And when I saw the trio gathered at the promised place, I could sense it.

‘This won’t be easy.’

The atmosphere of the three had changed. They all looked as if they had gone through considerable training.

Especially Baek Hasin’s momentum was incredibly refined compared to before.

‘As expected of a protagonist.’

Not only had he crossed the wall during the vacation, but it seemed he had now reached a realm where this side could not face him with just swordsmanship.

‘I’ll have to pull out some information from here somehow.’

Even a trivial thing could be helpful in making a strategy later. Because I roughly remembered the content of the grade-skipping exam.

‘First, I’ll take the initiative of the conversation with a question…’

But surprisingly, the question came from the other side first.

“Why didn’t you come?”

Baek Cheong asked, showing a somewhat cool grin.

‘So this was the cause of my uneasiness.’

Although I had decided to visit before the vacation, I couldn’t because my schedule had become busy in many ways, and it had come back like this.

As soon as I had noticed this in the carriage, I had deliberately come right on time for the appointment to brush it off, but to think he had remembered it and was asking me point-blank.

‘He’s surprisingly petty.’

In the first place, I was planning to ditch him if I didn’t feel like it. How far was it to Shaanxi? There was no advantage in going back and forth to such a distant place.

‘And Baek Cheong is not the type to threaten or get serious about something like this.’

It was a scoundrel-like act that was possible because I knew his personality. Although a bit of a grudge would remain.

“I had a lot of urgent family matters. I’m sorry.”

“…What kind of matters?”

“Family matters.”

Baek Cheong’s smiling lips went down slightly. I also smiled brightly and faced him.

Since it was a family matter, what could he do?

While we were continuing the friendly atmosphere, a presence that seemed to have been deliberately made was heard from the top of the stairs.

When I lifted my head, three figures were coming out of the examination hall building.

“Huh?”

On the left was Namgung Dohyeok, the professor in charge of the junior students, and on the right was Wu Hwiryeong, the professor in charge of the intermediate students.

But an unexpected person was standing in the center of the three.

‘Mi Tae-eul?’

I couldn’t understand why that old master, who had given me the platinum plaque before the entrance exam, was here.

‘Come to think of it, depending on the plaque he gave me at that time, was there a chance that Mi Tae-eul would appear in the grade-skipping exam?’

Since I had only cleared it once, I couldn’t completely grasp such detailed matters.

“From now on, we will hold the intermediate student grade-skipping qualification exam.”

Mi Tae-eul spoke, looking down this way from the center.

Considering his seniority, it was natural. But the rest of the people, who didn’t know this, seemed a little bewildered.

Even Peng Geun-u was frowning slightly.

“Among the four applicants, only two will pass. And even then, if you are not qualified, your promotion will be canceled.”

That was why. A large hand shot up from among us.

“…What is it?”

Mi Tae-eul turned his gaze. The person in that place was Peng Geun-u.

“I cannot accept that there are only two. Why is our batch so strict?”

Namgung Dohyeok’s expression crumpled, and Wu Hwiryeong let out a hollow laugh, but only Mi Tae-eul calmly asked Peng Geun-u back.

“Why do you think so?”

Then Peng Geun-u took out a large sword from his back and imbued a sharp sword qi at the tip of the blade. It was a more refined and dense sword qi than what I had seen before.

“We are all peak masters. We can beat most of the intermediate students. But to think that half of us can’t go up to become intermediate students, isn’t that absurd?”

Although I was slightly pricked by Peng Geun-u’s evaluation. I was silent.

“That’s true. But is that the only reason you’re taking the grade-skipping exam? Just to become an intermediate student?”

“…Isn’t the exam we’re taking now the intermediate student promotion exam?”

“Haha, to be precise, it’s a grade-skipping exam.”

Mi Tae-eul burst out laughing and then his expression hardened.

“Do you really not know why we are holding the grade-skipping exam now?”

The reason for holding the grade-skipping exam after half of the semester had passed. Come to think of it, holding the grade-skipping exam now was very ambiguous.

Because the junior students could take the intermediate student exam right after the last semester ended anyway.

Even if you become an intermediate student half a year earlier, it means that you will have the qualification of an intermediate student next year, just like the other students.

Only in one case.

Except for the case of being promoted directly from an intermediate student to a senior student.

Mi Tae-eul said firmly.

“Those who are taking the grade-skipping exam now are only those who are aiming for the senior student qualification within half a year.”

Mi Tae-eul came down the stairs and flicked his fingertips. Then the tip of Peng Geun-u’s large sword, which was covered in sword qi, trembled.

“What?!”

In front of the flustered Peng Geun-u, Mi Tae-eul slowly flicked his fingertips. The large sword, which was still trembling as if being pulled by something.

“If you’re a person who won’t be able to reach the senior student level this year anyway, it would be better to look forward to next year with your peers.”

Before I knew it, Mi Tae-eul, who had come right up to the weapon, flicked the blade with the tip of his index fingernail, and the large sword soared above Peng Geun-u’s head.

The large sword rotated in the air and then fell into Mi Tae-eul’s palm as if it were being sucked in.

“Void-grasping substance?! The realm of Transformation?!”

While Peng Geun-u was making a surprised voice, Mi Tae-eul, who had received the sword, handed the sword back to him.

“If you want to take my class, you have to be at a level where you don’t get your weapon taken away.”

With those words, Mi Tae-eul looked at the rest of the junior students. Everyone was at a loss for words in front of the huge difference in skill.

Except for me.

“But I heard that the standard for senior students is the peak level.”

If there was a chance for the four of us to go up, I could have said one more word.

But Mi Tae-eul, as if he had read my intention, just let out a hollow laugh.

“Is every peak the same peak?”

“That’s not it, but I heard that there are many who are just at the beginning among the senior students.”

“That’s because they’re barely at that level. If that’s all the potential they have, is there any reason for us to hold an additional exam like this?”

In a way, it was a sound argument. The purpose of holding the grade-skipping exam was to select the best talents and allow them to be active in a higher realm.

There was no reason to go through such a troublesome procedure for just a mediocre senior student.

“I think I’ve answered enough, so I’ll announce the exam now.”

Mi Tae-eul groomed the tip of his index fingernail and continued.

“The professors in charge of the senior, intermediate, and junior students are gathered here. After taking the exam given by each of them, we will decide the number of people who will skip a grade according to the results.”

“Then I’ll go first. Because they might be the ones I’ll be in charge of this semester.”

The one who spoke was Wu Hwiryeong. She, the professor in charge of the intermediate students, threw the wooden plaques she had taken out from her bosom at once and said.

“My exam is simple. Choose one of the instructors who were in charge of the junior students and win a fight.”

“Are you saying we have to duel with an instructor?”

“Yes.”

She answered Baek Cheong’s expectant question.

‘I had roughly expected it, but a tricky exam has come up.’

If you’re an instructor at the Martial Academy, they are all people who have reached the peak level. Since each and every one of them was in the ranks of a master, it was difficult to face them.

“If you say you’ve come to prove your qualification as part of the grade-skipping exam, they’ll accept. Because I asked for their cooperation at the general meeting of the instructors today.”

Wu Hwiryeong narrowed her eyes as if she were having fun and added.

“What about the time limit?”

Just then, Baek Hasin asked. Although it was a difficult task, his voice was surprisingly calm.

“Hmm… get the signature of the instructor you defeated on the challenge plaque you were given by midnight today and come to the examination hall.”

Wu Hwiryeong said that and then stepped back behind Mi Tae-eul. Mi Tae-eul finally announced the exam content.

“The rest of the exam will be announced tomorrow for those who have passed. I wish you good luck. Now, the exam begins.”

As soon as his words ended, I immediately used the Spirit God Steps and left the training ground.

The remaining people also thought for a moment and then scattered to find the instructors belatedly.

And so, the empty training ground. In it, Wu Hwiryeong asked.

“Still, isn’t it a bit of a shame? With the skills of those kids, it would be fine to just send them all up to become intermediate students.”

In fact, if it were the people gathered here, they could have somehow competed with the lowest-ranking senior students. In the first place, as Zhuge Cheonwu had said, the minimum standard for senior students was the peak level.

It was also a method to put them up and let them grow in the midst of competition.

“In the past, there were also students who couldn’t grow steadily because they were too hasty. It’s not always good to go up quickly.”

At Namgung Dohyeok’s rebuttal that followed, Mi Tae-eul gently nodded his head.

“Both of you have a point.”

From the senior students onwards, since they were all at the level of a master, a fierce battle would unfold.

There was no reason to push the talents, who were not yet ripe, into a tiger’s den in advance.

Because it was harsh to throw them into a group of masters whose average age was at least five years older, even if you were to catch them small.

Even if you thought it was only about five, the difference between the boys who had just passed the age of fifteen and the young men who had already passed the age of twenty was stark.

“Then isn’t there also a way to not take the grade-skipping exam?”

At Namgung Dohyeok’s question, Mi Tae-eul gently shook his head.

“You can’t grow without pain. It’s necessary to stop for a moment, and to clash as if you’re about to break.”

“So you made them compete?”

At Wu Hwiryeong’s question, Mi Tae-eul said.

“The decision was made by Chief Professor Gu Jabeom. But if you read his intentions, that’s what it is. If you divide them in half, the one who fell will chase the one who went up. And the one who went up will work hard with the feeling of being chased.”

“Then couldn’t the one who is being chased make a mistake?”

“In the first place, if they are the type to get anxious to that extent, they will fail this exam.”

Mi Tae-eul’s eyes deepened. At the remark that contained the insight of the former academy head who had worked at the Martial Academy for decades, Wu Hwiryeong asked back.

“Then in a case like this, who usually wins?”

“The desperate one.”

Mi Tae-eul, who had stated firmly, looked beyond the training ground and added.

“To the point where they maintain their composure in the midst of throwing everything away.”

* * *

Unlike having run out of the training ground first, I was now hiding quietly on a tree with lush leaves.

‘In an exam like this, if you move rashly, you’ll be attacked in reverse.’

At a glance, it might seem advantageous to find a weak instructor and challenge them quickly, but if you think about it carefully, that’s a misconception.

If Wu Hwiryeong had already announced at the general meeting that the students who were participating in the grade-skipping exam would be challenging, then the instructors would know. That the students would be coming to find them.

Then how would the instructors, who already had a good grasp of the junior students’ skills, respond?

First, the new instructors who were not confident in their own skills would hide.

And the instructors who were confident in their skills would deliberately walk around conspicuously. In order to step on the arrogant students.

Because this exam was also an event that was connected to the pride of the instructors.

If you were unlucky, you could be provoked by a strong instructor, be forced into an unwanted challenge, and then be broken instead.

In the end, the key was to find a weak instructor and hunt them.

‘So the answer is to wait patiently in a good spot.’

In order to wait patiently in a good spot, it was essential to secure a good spot.

I recalled the guide and killed my presence in the leaves. And so, after waiting for about a shichen, I felt a presence in the distance.

“Ah, I’m in a hurry.”

And the one who was running with short steps was one of the instructors in charge of the junior students, whom I had often seen during the last semester.

He was an instructor who usually took on the menial tasks, such as carrying the scarecrows or controlling the number of people.

I hid my presence and gathered my mana to enhance my vision. Judging by the simple sword accessory, the neatness of his clothes, and the angle of his collar, he was definitely one of the new instructors who had come in this term.

After confirming that there was no one around, I immediately jumped down from the tree and blocked his path.

‘No matter how much you try to hide, you can’t hold in your pee.’

“Huh?”

The new instructor, who made a flustered voice for a moment at the sudden blocking of his path.

I held out the challenge plaque in front of his eyes.

“Let’s fight.”

There is no right to refuse. Because the official document had already come out from above. And it was even more so if the target was a new instructor.

“Wait a minute! First…”

“There are no ‘ifs’ in a real battle.”

“You son of a…”

Just as the new instructor, with a pale face, was about to spit out a curse, I drew my sword. Since I had shown the challenge plaque, there was no reason to hesitate.

I recalled one of the guide contents of the grade-skipping exam, looking at the new instructor who was drawing his sword with a tearful face.

‘Guide one, if you fight with an instructor in front of a latrine, they are weaker than usual.’

I immediately rushed at him.

(End of Chapter)