The Irrefutable Reason

The reason it was irrefutable was probably because it was true.

After all, she had pierced hundreds of students with tentacle-like extensions and moved them all to the cliff.

No matter what one might say, being a direct disciple of a Third-Class Archmage carried that much destructive power.

'Hmph, but we have our own trump card too.'

When Shirone, the last in line, entered the Image Zone, the students cheered in unison.

"Shirone! Smash it to pieces again this time!"

They had already heard that Shirone had subdued Kanis after Abyss Nova had been dispelled. They hoped he would show his strength again and crush their confidence.

Standing in the center of the Image Zone, Shirone took a deep breath.

Iruki had scored 210 points, so even if he landed somewhere around that, there would be no problem in getting promoted. However, now that he had a firm goal, he wasn't planning on taking the test half-heartedly—not even against someone other than Kanis.

As soon as the device lit up, Shirone's Spirit Zone pulsated at an incredible speed.

Unlike Iruki's mechanical method, dividing a second evenly was difficult. But humans possessed an incredibly precise internal clock called rhythm.

As he accelerated in sync with the rhythm, a sound like a drumline explosion burst forth.

Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-pung!

The students gaped in astonishment.

Even though they were watching without blinking, they couldn't properly count due to the afterimages left by the Spirit Zone.

"How many times per second is that?"

The students waited for the ten seconds to pass, then looked at the scoreboard.

"120 points…"

Twelve pulses per second.

Could they even imagine a sphere with a diameter of 20 meters contracting twelve times per second?

All they could do was watch. No one knew what was actually happening inside.

The only proof of Shirone's surging mental energy was the chain of explosive bursts and the rapidly increasing numbers on the scoreboard.

Even Kanis and Arin were speechless this time.

Especially Arin, who looked completely dumbfounded.

If the pulsation reached that speed, mental overload was inevitable.

The key was how quickly he could extend from the smallest circle to the largest and how much mental shock he could endure when contracting.

In that sense, Shirone's demonstration had pushed both speed and endurance to their limits.

Ethella's eyes gleamed.

'Diamond Body.'

It was likely another trait that had developed when he fully unleashed his Immortal Function and returned.

'He's truly amazing. I can't even gauge his potential.'

Even Ethella was unsure of how far Shirone's abilities had reached.

'His already formidable endurance has surpassed its limits and become even more resilient. If he's truly reached the level of Vajrayana, then he should be able to control the Immortal Function at an advanced level as well.'

Shirone had originally leaned toward a four-directional defensive style.

Most instructors had assumed he would naturally become a defensive-type mage, but the Immortal Function had overturned everything.

Now, his greatest strength—endurance—had become a crucial element supporting his offensive power.

With the final ten seconds left, Shirone accelerated, sending out deafening shockwaves as he surpassed 340 points.

Five seconds, four seconds… The more time dwindled, the dizzier he became, yet his score continued to rise.

Beep!

The buzzer rang, and the students' eyes locked onto the scoreboard.

The only sound was Shirone's ragged breathing. Everyone was silent, unable to take their eyes off the numbers.

410 points.

On average, he had maintained 13.6 pulses per second for 30 seconds. In the last five-second sprint, he had exceeded 15 pulses per second.

"That's insane. What's with them lately? At this rate, are they really going to become seniors?"

"But promotion isn't easy. His theoretical grades are only mid-tier. Raising those scores in such a short time won't be easy."

Amidst the murmurs, Shirone turned to look at Kanis. It was an unspoken declaration.

"That kid is really something."

Arin marveled in pure admiration.

The mental fortitude of the Immortal Function, the endurance to control it, and even the unique magic that granted mass to light.

It was hard to explain him as anything other than a mage specially blessed by the heavens.

Kanis's fighting spirit flared.

"Hmph. Now that's what I call a rival."

Even he, who had attributed his previous defeat to a difference in attributes, realized after seeing this demonstration that it had all been an illusion.

At this moment, even in sheer power, he would be at a disadvantage.

Kanis turned around.

"Let's go, Arin. We've seen enough."

As Kanis and Arin walked away, the students felt a surge of satisfaction.

Shirone didn't represent all of Class Five, but it felt like they had won as a whole.

"Shirone, that was incredible! Just because they're an Archmage's disciples, does that mean they can look down on us?"

"Shirone, Iruki, and even Neid—are you guys really going to get promoted this time?"

"Well, we're just doing our best."

Shirone avoided giving a direct answer, but Neid, who had placed third, was more excited than ever.

"Hahaha! Of course! Get ready to show us some respect. Come on, practice calling me 'senior' now."

The students glared at him.

"Your arrogance is sky-high! I hope you fail!"

"If you become a senior, I'd rather drop out! I'll pray every night that you don't get promoted!"

"Hahaha! Try as much as you want!"

Neid straightened his back confidently and laughed heartily as others threw insults at him.

But in truth, it was only because he was friendly with everyone that they reacted this way.

Shirone and Iruki quietly slipped away.

'Ugh, so embarrassing.'

Thus, the practical exams for the semester had ended.

Over the next few days, the summer seemed to be on its way out, with chilly winds blowing in the mornings and evenings. But the midday heat persisted, and the students were too preoccupied with their final preparations to notice.

'Only one week left.'

Regular classes had ended the previous week, leaving only the final exams.

The exams were conducted sequentially, starting with Class Ten. Finally, on the sixth day, the students of Class Five headed to their testing rooms, their hearts pounding.

Shirone and his friends barely touched their breakfast and arrived early at the exam hall.

The test lasted precisely twelve hours, with only five-minute breaks in between.

By the standards of regular schools, it was practically grueling labor, but for students of the magic academy, maintaining focus was just as crucial as knowledge itself.

And now, everything would be decided.