Asher looked at the various D+ Rank Monsters listed on the hologram that Elsa had shown him.
"I will choose a Mid C Rank Monster," Asher declared, looking at Elsa.
"C Rank?" Professor Dahlia spoke up.
"Is that a problem?" Asher inquired, turning his gaze to Professor Dahlia.
"Remember, although we consider the ranks of the monsters, if you fail to kill it, you won't score well on this test," Dahlia clarified.
It wouldn't matter if Asher chose a C Rank Monster if he couldn't defeat it.
"It's fine," Asher replied, returning his attention to Elsa.
"Sigh, do as you wish," Elsa retorted, adjusting the list and selecting the monsters designated for Second Year Students.
"You may enter now," Elsa directed as she adjusted the coordinates to the room where a Mid C Rank Monster was held.
"C Rank?"
"Is he really challenging a C Rank Monster?"
"But he did defeat Blake Cranston,"
"He was using a sword back then,"
"Yeah, do you think C Rank Monsters are a joke?"
All the students began whispering among themselves.
The purpose of this test was to gauge the student's progress as mages. However, every time Asher fought someone, he always used a sword.
"Even with a sword, this is a fight against a monster, not a spar," Elena remarked, peering at the screen.
A massive monster, chained to the wall with three large horns and claws at the ends of its hands, came into view.
Seeing the size of the Monster, they could gauge how powerful it was.
"He's overestimating himself when he isn't even a mage," Elena commented, visibly annoyed.
She felt her pride had been wounded when Asher chose the Mage Course over Sword Arts.
It was clear that many, including her, felt mocked but could still not outperform Asher in all the classes, fueling their frustration even more.
Asher noticed the unrest among the students as he stepped into the teleportation gate.
Within seconds, all their thoughts and attention were now focused on him.
Upon entering the teleportation gate, he saw a monster half the size of the Boss of a C Rank Dungeon, a Peak C Rank Boss Monster.
Unlike the last time he had to use his most potent ability, time dilation wasn't necessary now.
Asher stood with his hands at his sides, and it was obvious that he couldn't use his sword now.
"Let's try the magic I learned," Asher contemplated, visualizing all the spells he had formulated in his head.
He had requested this Monster because he wanted to test the spells he had learned from the Restricted Section of the Great Library.
The Monster was about to roar when it felt a terrifying sensation coming from Asher.
It was in the middle of charging toward Asher, but it stepped back instead.
The Monster's instinct didn't register this fear as emanating from Asher but rather from the entity near Asher.
[Rifir wishes to devour the Monster]
Asher noticed the notification pop up in front of him.
"Not now," Asher dismissed it.
And the Monster felt the sensation of fear disappear.
"Did the monster step back?" one of the students queried.
The professors, the staff, and the students were all confused by the Monster's reaction.
But in the next moment, the Monster let out a deafening roar.
"VARGHHHHH" The Monster slammed its fist on the ground, its eyes glowing blue.
It charged towards Asher, who remained motionless.
"What is he trying to do?" one of the staff members inquired.
They noticed that Asher wasn't chanting any spell.
Elsa and Dahlia noticed this too, but Arman was scrutinizing Asher closely.
As the Monster's arm extended to seize Asher, black chains materialized out of thin air, restraining its arm.
The Monster realized its hand was trapped and opened its jaws, revealing sharp teeth.
But in the next moment, more and more chains appeared, immobilizing the Monster completely.
"What is that spell?" Elsa asked Arman, who was equally perplexed how a single restricting spell confined a C Rank Monster.
"Could it be because he learned from Lady Helena?" Arman speculated.
Yet, their eyes were glued to Asher, who started approaching the beast.
"This should suffice," Asher noted, his mana beginning to flare.
Suddenly, the Monster started screaming as the chains burrowed into its body.
"Is he strangling the monster with a restricting spell?" one student remarked, looking shocked.
In a matter of seconds, the C Rank Monster was slain, its neck strangled and severed due to the tremendous pressure exerted by Asher's spell.
[Host has used Rank C Shadow Bind]
[Host has used Rank C Shadow Control]
[Host has gained 1500 EXP]
The Monster's blood splattered, some landing on Asher's face and clothes.
The staff around the room were stunned by the sight unfolding before them.
"Is that really a first-year student?" one of them questioned as they watched Asher exit through the teleportation gate.
"It's good enough," Asher observed, evaluating the damage his spells had caused after using the method that Lucas had utilized in his previous life.
He noted that the destruction he had inflicted was not on the level of what Lucas, a pure mage, could achieve.
Lucas's Bloodline Ability perfectly complemented his method, making replicating the exact result impossible for anyone other than him. But doing this much was already impressive because Asher didn't have the same Bloodline ability as Lucas.
Elena clenched her fist as she witnessed Asher's performance.
It was challenging to watch a non-mage outperform every single one of them.
"Could it be because of the Bloodline ability that all Grevilles have?" Eva wondered aloud.
"Perhaps," Elena responded.
"Professor Arman, could you replicate something like this?" Elsa queried Arman.
"No, I would have to use a higher-tier spell to emulate that result," Arman replied truthfully.
"He didn't chant, so it was a Silent Cast as well," Dahlia commented as she concluded grading Asher.
"Do you think he will disclose the spell he used?" Elsa inquired with a smile.
"Ah, probably not," Arman responded, suspecting that Asher was using a spell Helena had taught him.
They were unaware, however, that Asher was using different fundamentals in spell construction. He could only achieve this result because he still possessed the Mana Flow Skill, allowing such precise control over mana.
Elsa watched Asher emerge into the stadium, half his face smeared with monster blood.
The sight of his indifferent crimson-red eyes and blood-covered face made many students uneasy, but they applauded nonetheless.
Unlike Alyssa, whom they could openly mock without repercussions, Asher was an entirely different matter.
Seeing his talent, more people wished to curry favor rather than create enmity.
"Clean," Dahlia incanted a water-based spell, removing the Monster's blood from Asher's body.
"Do you mind sharing the spell you used?" Elsa requested, not hiding her intentions.
"You can find them in the Restricted Section," Asher responded.
"Hmm, are you already delving into those lengthy books?" Elsa asked.
"You can go back now," Elsa directed, and Asher returned to sit beside Amelia.
"Your performance was commendable," Amelia said to Asher, her gaze fixed forward.
She remained silent after that.
Although she felt a touch of discomfort, acting normally around Asher.
"Okay," Asher replied, focusing on the stadium's center.
"And this concludes the test, but we still have one more announcement for all of you," Elsa said, looking at all the students present.
"It's about the final and most important part of the Mid Term Examination," Elsa continued, capturing everyone's attention.
"For most, it will be Dungeon Exploration, but for two teams with Rankers among them, we have chosen a different test," Elsa revealed.
"While the other teams will also experience the changes we've implemented, these two teams will face a different test to increase the difficulty level. So, prepare accordingly," Elsa concluded without providing further information, leaving many in suspense.
"We can't really tell you more than this, so make sure you relay this information to your teammates and friends," Elsa said.
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