Professor Falun snapped his fingers in front of the students from M1, M2, and M3 classes who were watching. It was a translucent shape, a hologram created using illusion magic. The hologram depicted a massive cross-section, a form as complex as a maze. Like rivers flowing into the sea, it repeatedly merged and split, entangled in a chaotic manner. However, it was structured to converge at one point as it progressed forward.
"You won't have to worry about getting lost. No matter which path you take, it is designed to eventually lead you to the destination. The purpose of the test is simple."
A blue light appeared at a point on the map.
Dozens of paths merged and finally met at one point.
"The destination, the final gateway. But merely reaching it would be no different from a meaningless race."
Snap!
At Professor Falun's signal, another shape appeared beside him. It was a statue about two meters tall, slightly larger than Professor Falun. However, its joints were disjointed, making it look more like a puppet used in puppet shows than a sculpture.
"It's a golem."
At these words, the students exclaimed in amazement.
Half in admiration, half in exasperation.
This was because a golem was a product of magical engineering, a combination of alchemy and magic. There weren't many alchemists who could create golems, and most of them were affiliated with empires or kingdoms. Even the children of noble families rarely had the chance to encounter such a creation.
If the students' pure admiration was for the golem, the reason for their exasperation was simple.
"What? A golem in a performance evaluation?"
"Is it a real golem?"
"What is this...?"
A golem is an anti-mage weapon. Its movements are slow, making it easy prey for knights, but its defensive capabilities and durability are not to be underestimated. It can close the distance and slaughter mages, ignoring magical damage. Though its combat style is simple and brutal, it is a terrifying threat to mages.
The students' exasperation was perhaps understandable.
However, Professor Falun, unlike the students, remained unperturbed and calmly continued.
"It's just a slow and clumsy combat construct. But considering your level, even this will be challenging. It's only natural, as it was designed to deal with mediocre mages. So..."
Professor Falun trailed off.
The golem's shape changed at that moment.
Swish...
Ripples appeared on the forehead, chest, and abdomen of the holographic golem, and round crystal orbs floated to the surface.
"The core is exposed. The core's durability has also been lowered to match your level. Once you destroy the golem's defensive field, it will be easy to handle."
If a mage who had ever faced a golem before were here, they would have scoffed at this point.
'Is that a golem?'
The true terror of a golem lies in its defensive capabilities, which consist of its protective field and the durability of its body.
However, the students' reactions did not improve.
"Even so..."
"Maybe in an open field, but this is a confined space. We'll be caught before we can destroy the protective field."
The students sighed.
At the same time, they looked at Professor Falun with a hint of hope.
Perhaps he had another consideration, like exposing the core.
But Professor Falun's face remained expressionless.
'Tsk.'
He was not pleased.
'Mages, these mages.'
Mages should be cold and calculating.
Moreover, who were the students of Jenion Academy? Though they were far from being proper mages, their objective level was not low.
Even now, mages of their caliber were working as mercenaries, hunters, and explorers, gaining experience on battlefields and in dungeons.
'Is it ultimately a matter of environment?'
Polar came to mind.
To Professor Falun, the students and Polar were on the same level, but that day, Polar had pushed himself to his limits and survived.
He had received considerable help, but still.
However, if one of these mage students had been in Polar's place, what would have happened?
The answer was obvious, no need to think about it.
Meanwhile.
'Hmm.'
Professor Falun noticed a few students who showed a decent reaction.
First,
'Dalia, perhaps.'
Her tense expression was clear, but her eyes were not dead. In other words, she had the will to break through the situation no matter what.
And the next one...
Damian.
Professor Falun's thoughts were cut short when he saw Damian.
'...He doesn't seem to have any thoughts.'
Looking at the holographic golem, Damian's reaction was more like a spectator than a participant in the test.
But it wasn't entirely incomprehensible.
No, perhaps it was natural.
Blando's greatest talent.
When considering the history of a noble family, this talent was considered the best. It was beyond the standards of ordinary people.
In terms of magic, his thinking was entirely different from that of an average person. When an average person saw something, he would understand and accept dozens or hundreds of things.
The golem's defensive capabilities and durability were not particularly impressive in the face of his innate magical thinking and talent.
There were also a few other promising looks among the students.
Apart from Dalia and Damian, there were about two or three in each class.
Having identified these, Professor Falun looked at the students again.
"Quiet."
The murmurs instantly subsided.
As the room became silent, Falun continued his explanation.
"The golem is a kind of gatekeeper. There are obstacles at each checkpoint, and you must defeat the golem to proceed. However, there is a way."
As he finished speaking, a new hologram appeared.
It was a bracelet.
"This is the test bracelet. It has a protective field similar to your own. The moment this field is broken, the test is considered a failure. Assistant professor."
At Professor Falun's call, the assistant professor manipulated the hologram. The gem on the bracelet, which had been glowing green, soon lost its color.
It turned a dark, ashen gray.
"As you can see, the bracelet of a disqualified student loses its light. And this is the key to open the door without defeating the golem."
In other words,
"Defeat the golem and open the door."
Or...
"Eliminate your competitors and move forward."
There was a moment of silence after he finished speaking.
But it was only a moment.
"...What should we do?"
"Even so, wouldn't it be better to cooperate? If we work together, we might be able to handle a golem."
"How can we trust the others? They could open the door by backstabbing us."
"Since the bracelet of a disqualified student is the key, we could pretend to cooperate and wait for someone to be disqualified. We can get the bracelet even if the golem disqualifies them."
The rules left much to think about.
Although the bracelet of a disqualified student was the key, there was no condition that only the person who disqualified them could use it.
They could pretend to cooperate, backstab, and take the bracelet, or even if they cooperated, once someone was disqualified, they could use the bracelet to open the door.
Professor Falun quietly observed the scene.
'At this rate, the test will take all day.'
The Trial of the Gate performance evaluation can last from 2 hours to 12 hours.
Of course, 2 hours and 12 hours were extreme cases.
When all the students actively engaged, or when they all approached the test passively.
Judging by the situation, it wouldn't take 12 hours, but it was expected to take at least five or six hours.
For Professor Falun, who had returned to the study of the Ten Elements after a year, this was an invaluable loss of time.
"You seem to be in a dilemma. Let me help you."
The students' attention was drawn to him.
What kind of help would he offer?
Their eyes were full of curiosity, and soon Professor Falun spoke.
"Show me an impressive performance. I will give personal rewards to those who impress me. I promise, it will be a reward you won't regret."
"..."
"By the way, there is no set number. It could be one person, five, or even more."
The students were silent.
A reward you won't regret.
It was vague. Whether it was regrettable or not depended on the recipient.
Clever students wouldn't be moved by such a reward. However, the same words could have different meanings depending on who said them.
If it was said by Professor Falun, the mage who defeated the fire demon Kalahen, it was an intriguing offer.
'Now it's getting interesting.'
Seeing the change in the students' eyes, Professor Falun was satisfied.
With such determination, they might not finish in 2 hours, but they could complete the performance evaluation by mid-morning. Or, they might even aim for 2 hours.
If one more condition was added.
Thinking of this, Professor Falun added,
"By the way, an impressive performance is not limited to the result of the performance evaluation. For example... causing many disqualifications can also be considered impressive."
It was a statement that poured oil on the already burning fire.
On the other hand...
'...Damn, this is bad.'
The faces of Professor Falun's assistant professors turned dark.
The Trial of the Gate performance evaluation gives full marks when the final gateway is reached, but when evaluating disqualifications, the focus is on how far they progressed.
In other words, defeating the golem or causing disqualifications are secondary factors.
For example, a student who progresses 100 meters would receive a higher score than one who disqualifies all the other students.
Considering Professor Falun's statement and the scoring system...
'The average score in the magic department might hit a record low.'
'The other professors will tear me apart. Especially with the ongoing tension with the martial arts department...'
Of course, the magic department professors wouldn't harass Professor Falun.
But what would happen to those caught in the middle?
'Sigh...'
'...Damn it.'
It was a complicated future.
* * *
After Professor Falun's explanation, an assistant professor came up to explain the detailed rules.
How the evaluation of disqualifications would proceed, what aspects would earn additional points, and the main criteria for evaluation.
But the students' ears were no longer listening to such details.