A person who strives to be on the top greatly differs from a person who just needs to stay as he is. This level of mindset would separate the compet.i.tors from one another.

"Now that I've said the guidelines—head to the finish line, which should be at the end of the obstacle race, OR defeat the Hermit—and the spot of number one is yours."

"U-um, so . . . as long as we get to finish the race . . . we'll still pa.s.s?"

"Of course! As long as you can go on without depleting your mana to a certain level, you can still keep going." The professor said. 

"Professor, only the number one can get into Ianua I?"

"Yes!" Moderator Yusha said. "Of course, there's only one golden ticket to the most elite cla.s.s in Magierstadt. An elite couldn't be second best." 

Faustina clenched her fist. That was right. An elite couldn't be on second best. But did she have to be the best, too? Was she empowered to strive for number one? 

Faustina stared at her wounded hands. She unleashed so much power and her exhaustion was proof that it did a significant amount of damage to her mana. Faustina glanced back to the professors. 

Each of them is examining the students-to-be; determining whether or not they have the potential. Faustina tightened her grip around her staff. 

This isn't a matter of thinking about going to Ianua I or what. It was a matter of doing her best. All the time she had invested to—and the people who believed in her—she couldn't simply cast those efforts for naught. 

She had to give her all.

The great hall began to dissolve into crystalline fragments fading into nothing. Faustina and the other examinees stood to their feet, vigilant. Suddenly they were in sheer darkness. Mumbles drifted around the air—and then silence as the light began to s.h.i.+ne at the distance; soon the examinees were able to grasp where they were.

A dark tunnel.

Faustina and the other examinees positioned their staves and feet to attack.

**

"Laevo!" Exclaimed Claire, propelling her body forward; a wind current suddenly spurred inside the tunnel, turning all the students to protect themselves from the dust it sent. 

"Wah—she's got out!"

"That's unfair!"

"Isn't that cheating?!"

The examinees began to run to the end of the light. 

{Of course, that isn't cheating. We told you all. The students' magical abilities are tested as well as their critical thinking!"

Faustina was able to finally breathe when the other examinees were able to come out of the tunnel. A number of students began to use similar wind spells to go forward, but Claire was already ahead of them all.

"d.a.m.n it," Anakin said and then the hilt of his staff began to glow with fire. He then sat on its wood and then with the fire as the boost, he was able to skyrocket forward with tremendous speed.

"Wow! Did he use his staff as a Broom? That's just—"

"No fair! We're behind! Too behind!"

Faustina and the other students began to use similar tricks, but in the distance, some failed. 

Anakin . . . just how much did he practice doing levitation in his staff? 

Each of the students began to use their magic to advance forward. Fire, water, wind, earth . . . distinct elements being used as a boost. One by one, each of the examinees was going forward—until there were only about ten students left behind running.

The whole place indeed looked like a cemetery. It had a sinister scheme, but the graveyard was just on each side. Straight ahead was a path dedicated to racing. Aside from the haunting decor, there weren't any ghosts in sight. But Faustina could hear the breeze of the wind whispering like that of a dead's last murmurs. The skies were grey and dim like there is an impending rain. As Faustina ran, the place began to live more to its name.

"d.a.m.n it, I was supposed to save my mana . . . !"

"At this rate . . . aargh! Leavo!"

"Aqua boost!"

"Celeri terra!"

Each of the students was now going forward . . . until Faustina was the only one behind!

Faustina panted as she ran. Her physical abilities weren't what one can call top-notch. She was running her speed dwindling at every possible second. She wasn't that trained. She was taught the basics. Her frail body was evident even to the teachers viewing her.

"Heh. At this rate, she'll fail just on the second test."

"Isn't she the girl who summoned a whirlpool that can only be evoked by a substantial amount mana?"

"Right. I'm surprised that she hasn't failed when she did that spell. It just means her mana is above average."

"But her physical abilities are lacking, as well as her decision-making. Don't you think it is odd, considering she was able to summon that powerful spell?"

"Then a natural-born talent?"

"Faustina Feuerlon? We need to keep a closer eye to her." A professor harrumphed.

Meanwhile . . .

Claire and Anakin were just on each other's tail, constantly using spells to get into number one. Claire who was using wind spells were sending the fire into Anakin's spells to go wilder and stronger. It served as a disadvantage for Claire and an advantage to Anakin, however . . .

"You can't get closer, because you're not strong enough!" Claire uttered to Anakin, who was trying to catch up to her. 

"Ignis boost!" 

"Ventus boost!"

The professors examined each of the students being projected into the magical screens. The professor most feared by all, even the graduates for being the terror teacher—the Instructor of Dark Arts, Professor Mariam Gustavus—narrowed her eyes at the two leading examinees moving forward at a rapid pace. 

"At this rate, those two." She said in a stoic, intimidating voice as her eyes gleamed. "Will get eaten."

A cacophonous roar bestowing heaps of lava and fire to its surroundings came to raid the vicinity. Its stomps were even sending the noise of a blaring fire, its howls like a volcano erupting. Its luminous, red eyes peered down to the two students who came to a halt. 

"If they only think about winning without resolve," Professor Mariam said. "Then they are a befitting food for Ignis!"