Chapter 48: The Other Categories

Next up three boxes of chalks rose up out of the floor, these were obviously those needed for magic arrays. Rein rejoined the group, apparently, he also followed the magic array class, just not with Villin and Kayley.

This time it was professor Stem that walked forward. Villin and Kayley didn't know him but Rein did as he greeted him.

"The Magic Array test is simple, make a fully functional Magic Array. You have one try, if you mess up anywhere you may not restart."

Even though he said the exam was a simple one, it certainly wasn't. Making a Magic Array was extremely, extremely difficult. Every rune had to be in exactly the right place, you couldn't mess up in even the slightest bit.

Villin thought for a bit on what Magic Array to make. Thus far he had only been successful in a single one. During the magic Array class, he managed to make the 'Preservement' Magic Array. He had attempted the 'Simplified Teleportation Array' twice before but it wasn't easy, he messed up at the final bit both times.

The 'Simplified Teleportation Array' Is able to teleport small objects within a hundred meters between two such arrays. The problem was that if he wanted to try and take the test with this magic array he would have to create it twice to show its effect. He had some confidence he would be able to create the magic array but creating it twice would increase the risk by quite a bit. Nonetheless, he decided to go for it. If he succeeded he'd probably get great rewards and if he failed then so be it.

Of the three, Kayley was the only one that decided to go for the 'Preservement' Magic Array. After half an hour she managed to complete it successfully, showing off a magic array that was a little over one meter in diameter.

Kayley spent another ten minutes on making some small improvements here and there before allowing professor Stem to grade her.

The professor walked up to the Magic Array before injecting some magic power into it, causing it to start glowing. Then he cast a basic spell to make a tiny cut in the Magic Array before activating it again. He made a total of seven cuts in the magic array before it refused to activate.

"Well-made 'Preservement Array'. Has an approximate lifespan of five years if maintained correctly, able to take some punishment. I'll give you sixty points for that."

Kayley frowned but didn't say anything else, professor Crumb also nodded at the assessment making her wonder why it was rated so lowly.

Villin and Rein still had a bunch of work to do. Ninety minutes later Villin, finally finished his magic arrays. The two 'Simplified Teleportations Array's' were about ten meters away from each other and the inner portion was about half a meter in diameter.

Professor Stem walked up and asked him to activate it this time around. Villin decided to start with something truly small and put a small coin in the first array, he activated it hoping the arrays wouldn't fail him, and then the coin disappeared from his eyes, when he looked at the other Array he saw the coin laying there, the Array worked!

"Alright now put something in you believe will test it to its limits."

Villin obliged and took off his shoes, putting them into the Magic Array, he believed if these went through properly, he would be able to get a great score, he activated it and the shoes disappeared, when he looked at the other Magic Array though, his head drooped down a little. The shoes had arrived but one of them was half in the stone.

Villin could audibly hear the sigh of the professor as he walked over to the second Magic Array. After looking for a few seconds he pointed at a part of the Magic Array and explained where he had made a mistake.

"Sixty-five points for Villin," he stated before going back to his seat to wait for the final boy. He only had to wait for a few minutes as Rein was also about to finish.

Villin wasn't quite sure what Magic Array it was. It was very small, the empty inner circle was only ten centimeters in diameter while the outer bit was about the same with the runes being written in very very small writing.

Finally, the final contestant had finished. Apparently, he had made a trap, the Magic Array was already loaded with magic power and it would be activated when the inner circle got touched.

The professor inspected it for a bit before conjuring a small rock over it, letting it fall onto the trap. A full five seconds passed before a purple flame came out of the magic array, burning up the rock and the magic array with it.

Rein sighed sadly, even though the trap worked the timing was completely off, nobody would be hurt by a trap that took five seconds to activate.

"What a sad result. If the trap worked properly you would've gotten ninety points sadly I have to deduct twenty due to what I consider to be a catastrophic failure. Seventy points for Rein."

Rein nodded and was angry at himself more than anything else, he agreed with the teacher that such a delay in activation time was a catastrophic failure, unlike Villin's Array that only failed when it got pushed to its very limits.

"So, that marks two of you in the sixty points range, and one of you at seventy points, well done."

Lady Valentine nodded before turning to the final teacher, professor Crystal, who taught Villin and Kayley pill-making.

"Make me some pills within ten minutes."

Crystal said simply as cauldrons appeared before Villin and Kayley as well as a number of materials.

The pill-making part was extremely simple. Villin and Kayley both decided to go with basic healing pills and wanted to try and get more marks by making as many pills as possible. Quality may be important but so was quantity.

At this point, Kayley was skilled enough to try and make three pills at a time, Villin, on the other hand, could only do two. They worked very fast failing every now and then and after ten minutes they both had a small hill of pills before them. Villin had managed to refine eight pills having failed once. Kayley, on the other hand, had twenty-one pills, having failed twice.

"Villin gets fifty-five points, Kayley gets sixty-five."

Villin was surprised by the relatively low score Kayley got but then again it might be that the teacher valued quality more, it was also possible there were very strict requirements to get a certain number of points.

"Alright, congratulations, I do believe this is the first time someone has competed, and passed, all four categories in the advanced tournament ever since its founding thirty years ago." As she said this she looked at both Villin as well as Kayley.

"Now as for the rewards, please head through the door behind us." lady Valentine said before she watched the trio leave. 'What a curious bunch.'