Chapter 180 — Praise Is Still Due

1

Nia recalled what had happened two weeks ago.

Yes, there had definitely been a bold atmosphere.

Even without Manus, they had to continue climbing the tower.

And they had done well—quite well, in fact.

They had made an impressive push, reaching the 20th floor with relentless momentum.

That day, everything had clicked into place. The team’s condition had been excellent, and their coordination was perfect.

But soon, they encountered a serious problem.

“Three Sentinels? Is that even possible?”

“…Are you sure?”

“Yeah, that’s why we decided to wait for you. We almost died.”

Melanie, Guillermo, and Trace barely managed to break down a door and escape.

They had come dangerously close to being wiped out.

It wasn’t the first time they had failed to clear a floor, but this time, they had truly hit a wall.

Nia explained it plainly.

“So, we decided to rest for two weeks and recover.”

“That’s not quite what Guillermo said.”

“Well, you know how he is—he’s never been great with words.”

That’s true.

Manus sighed.

Given the situation, it wasn’t something he couldn’t understand.

The team had probably already reflected on things without his intervention.

Still, thinking about how shaken the others must have been, he couldn’t help but sigh again.

Seeing his expression, Nia could guess what he was thinking.

He really has that ‘dad’ look sometimes.

Or maybe more like a big brother?

She chuckled and said with a grin.

“The kids are actually working harder than you think. When you see them later, make sure to encourage them.”

“I will. Thank you for your hard work, Senior.”

“It’s no big deal…”

Nia scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Guillermo, that idiot—did he really explain it like that?

Manus felt a flicker of irritation toward Guillermo.

In the end, the team hadn’t disappointed him.

Now, it was time to come up with a new solution.

If they couldn’t handle the enemies before them, there was only one cause.

They simply hadn’t trained enough yet.

“We’ll need to spend some time training at the lower levels of the tower.”

“That means…”

“Repetition, until they’ve mastered it.”

Nia’s face paled.

2

The midterm exam papers were handed out.

Since each student took different subjects, the exams were distributed accordingly.

Even the questions were slightly different for each student.

Some might say it wasn’t fair, but this was to prevent cheating.

Magic made many things possible, and there were countless ways students could cheat using potions or other tricks.

To maintain fairness without compromising the difficulty, each student had to answer unique questions.

The midterms were much more important than the monthly assessments.

Hmm… this is easy.

Too easy, actually.

Manus propped his chin on his hand and quickly began writing down his answers.

He spent more time writing than thinking.

Since magic couldn’t be used, he couldn’t even write faster.

Elemental Studies, Spirit Magic, Combat Magic, Alchemy, History and Culture, Introduction to Monsters, and Applied Magic.

These were the courses Manus was taking, and he had packed his schedule to the brim.

The sheer amount of exam papers piled in front of him was proof of how many subjects he was studying.

Writing all of this is a chore.

But if that was what it took to stay at the top of the class, this was nothing.

Manus carefully and thoroughly wrote down everything he knew.

By the time he finished, he had plenty of time left.

Many students were still busy writing, their heads down, fully focused.

“Here you go.”

“Well done. You may leave.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Manus nodded respectfully and left the exam hall.

The proctor glanced at Manus’ exam papers and skimmed through them.

The answers were written in elegant, neat handwriting.

Not a single mistake—everything was flawless.

Hmm… maybe I’ll take a quick look at what he wrote.

What started as a casual glance soon absorbed the proctor completely.

The sound of turning pages echoed through the hall as the proctor, without realizing it, became engrossed in Manus’ answers.

Meanwhile, the other students, noticing the proctor’s intense focus, didn’t dare interrupt.

They quietly placed their exam papers on the desk and left.

“Uh, excuse me, Proctor?”

“Huh? Oh… yes, good work.”

“I’m the last one.”

“…What?”

The proctor looked around, confused.

The exam hall was empty.

He found himself sitting alone in the now silent room.

Reading Manus’ answers had completely consumed him, and before he knew it, time had flown by.

It wasn’t just that he had read the answers—he had analyzed them, drawn his own interpretations, and even found himself agreeing with many of the points.

Manus’ answers were more than just a student’s responses; they were almost of thesis-level quality.

“I’ll be leaving now. Thank you for your time.”

“Y-yes. Take care.”

It was a miracle that nothing had gone wrong.

The proctor had been placed there to watch for any possible cheating.

There were countless ways students could cheat without using magic, so vigilance was crucial.

But he had been so engrossed in Manus’ answers that he had neglected his duties entirely.

Fortunately, no incidents seemed to have occurred.

He sighed in relief, shaking his head in disbelief.

But still… he’s incredible.

Manus’ answers weren’t just impressive—they were extraordinary.

The professors would no doubt be floored by them once again.

Carefully, the proctor gathered the exam papers.

Losing them would be like losing valuable documents in the world of magic.

Should I sneak another peek?

He still couldn’t quite shake the urge.

What kind of arguments had Manus laid out?

The proctor’s hands and eyes instinctively moved back toward Manus’ name.

3

With the written exams finished, all the students headed to the central field.

This was where the practical exams would take place, and where distinguished guests would observe the students in action.

Mythos Academy was not just a place to cultivate talent; it was a symbol of the nation’s future standing on the world stage.

While it didn’t seem that way at first glance, this was a gathering place for individuals from various nations.

Naturally, politics came into play, and students were often compared to one another based on their abilities.

Today, a particularly special guest had arrived.

[Before the exams begin, the students will pay their respects to the honored guests.]

The dignitaries who had come all the way to the academy were treated with great respect.

It was through their support that the academy operated, and through their contributions that the students could receive their education.

All the students gathered and bowed their heads in unison.

Manus was no exception.

This reminds me of my school days.

School events filled with speeches and physical drills.

It brought back some nostalgic memories for Manus.

After the simple ceremony ended, Manus lifted his head.

From afar, he could feel someone’s gaze on him.

Along with that came an overwhelming sense of presence.

He instinctively knew who it was.

The person who, under the guise of an exam, had harmed both him and those around him.

If I get a chance to meet him, I have to ask.

What was the Emperor’s true motive?

Why did he keep interfering with their lives?

What had happened to Aden? What about the survival evaluation?

And the many other events?

[Intervention has begun.]

Manus fixed his gaze on the Emperor.

Even from a great distance, he could make out the man’s features.

The real Emperor, not the game’s illustration.

Manus made up his mind.

This exam, he would make sure to grab the Emperor’s attention.

And to do that, he would have to stand out.

As if he had noticed Manus’ intense blue eyes, the Emperor’s lips curled into a smile.

[The practical exam will now begin.]

The exam had started.

Each group would fight monsters assigned to them and engage in mock battles against skilled opponents.

These “skilled opponents” could be external guests or even the academy’s professors.

The guests were also here to assess just how much the academy’s students had grown.

Given that this was a midterm, the difficulty was set to the highest level.

The theme of this midterm was golems.

First-year students would face ogre-like golems, and second-years would deal with the more vicious and brutal iron golems.

And for the third— and fourth-years?

[Third— and fourth-year students will be facing one of the highest-tier golems: the Crystal Golem. Prepare accordingly.]

“Crystal Golems… they’re those things covered in magic crystals, right?”

“Can’t believe it. Imagine how much it must have cost to make one.”

“The alchemy professors must have worked themselves to the bone for this.”

Crystal Golems.

They were magical constructs often used in sieges or large-scale monster hunts.

These golems were employed as either time-buying distractions or solid defensive barriers when dealing with monsters too powerful for humans to handle.

Each golem was linked to a mage, allowing for precise control and coordinated movement.

Even the Caesar family owned a golem, though they hadn’t brought it to the desert for obvious reasons.

But as useful as they were, golems were notorious for being incredibly inefficient in terms of cost.

“Hey, Manus, this is going to be tough, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, Crystal Golems have super high magic resistance.”

“Don’t worry.”

Manus’ teammates had approached, offering words of encouragement.

The Crystal Golems had formidable defense and were highly resistant to magic, making them the nemesis of most mages.

But Manus simply smiled, as if to say there was no need to worry.

Golems.

He had faced plenty of similar constructs in the tower.

That’s why he had learned Whispers of the Spirits.

“My magic’s a little different.”

“Ooh, sounds confident.”

“I’m still a bit worried, though. Crystal Golems aren’t easy to deal with.”

Aiden spoke up.

Manus responded as they walked toward the field.

“You’ll see soon enough.”

“…Well, okay.”

Aiden shrugged and followed along.

They were in Group D, and their turn wasn’t far off.

As they walked, Nia came running up, breathless.

“A Crystal Golem! Are you kidding me?!”

“What’s the problem?”

“How are we supposed to destroy that?!”

“…We’ll figure it out as we go.”

Even Manus didn’t have an immediate solution.

Either they would have to use incredibly powerful magic to break through its resistance or strike directly at its core.

Nia’s face twisted in concern.

Even the great Manus didn’t have a clear answer!

“Still, can’t you give me some kind of advice?”

“You’ll have to make the most of your abilities, Senior.”

“My… abilities?”

Manus pointed to Nia’s eyes.

The unique privilege she alone possessed.

The gift of the Abrel family’s lineage.

That would reveal the answer.

“My eyes…?”

“Yes. The answer lies within them.”

“Hah… okay. I guess I’ll just have to try. Thanks for the advice, though.”

Manus smiled faintly and nodded.

The others, too, would have to find their own solutions.

Now, it was finally time to see how much they had grown.

After two months of training, it was time for an objective evaluation.

–TL Notes–
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