Chapter 78 — You Were Only Supposed to Imagine It, But You Actually Created It?

1

The evaluation began without delay.

Manus found himself taking the exam alongside the third-year students.

The sudden influx of people seemed to make the students somewhat tense.

However, as soon as the evaluation started, the tension was replaced by a palpable sense of determination.

This was a battle to defend or to conquer.

It wasn’t just a simple assessment; it was a fight for the honor of their families and themselves.

While the scene evoked old memories, it was also an event that could trigger PTSD.

Of course, being a game, it was an exam where everyone could achieve perfect scores due to the walkthrough.

Manus was one of them.

‘I used to memorize the questions by heart.’

“You have three hours from now. You must solve all the problems within that time.”

The professor who entered as the supervisor cast a spell.

It was a magic known as ‘Anti-Field’.

Not only did it suppress mana, but it also detected those who attempted to use it.

The purpose of this exam was to test pure knowledge, so any half-baked attempts at cheating would result in immediate disqualification.

Not that anyone could cheat in the first place.

The sound of turning pages, moving pens, and occasional sighs of contemplation filled the air.

‘It reminds me of the old days.’

The tense atmosphere and rustling sounds.

Now that the heavy pressure was gone and he could observe the scene, it brought back some memories.

Before they passed away, his parents were quite strict.

There were times when he had gone to great lengths to hide his test scores.

He soon realized it was futile, though.

Looking at the children’s faces, he realized this was a real exam hall.

‘There are many problems that can’t be solved by simple memorization. I suppose that’s what makes Mythos Academy what it is.’

The players weren’t required to solve problems that demanded high-level knowledge.

They had created questions by selecting a few passages from the text format that appeared during class time.

However, the actual question paper was densely packed with much more difficult problems.

‘If it weren’t for the passive skill, I would have been in real trouble.’

There were even questions that required deciphering magical formulas and inscribing them on the answer sheet.

It was truly a test of magical knowledge.

Manus wielded his pen without hesitation.

He remembered, word for word, the content he had learned—or rather, seen and heard—during class time.

Not stopping there, he wrote out solutions that included his own interpretations.

After frantically working through the exam, he reached the final question.

‘Hmm.’

[Create a magic formula for lightning, 3rd class or higher, with one status effect. ]

[5 points]

[It’s okay if you can’t create the magic formula. Show us your creativity.]

A new spell.

Just hearing about it would have been enough to make one flinch.

But the professors weren’t fools either.

As the saying goes about collective intelligence, when many minds come together, something is bound to stick.

If they could gather and sift through the imagination of hundreds or thousands of people, it would be possible to lay the foundation for a new spell.

The ideas of students, though still immature, certainly held potential for development.

The last question was designed to extract ideas from children whose imaginations were still rich.

‘Magic, huh-.’

Manus considered both imagination and efficiency.

The current lightning magic was mostly focused on attacks.

What exactly is lightning?

It can burn living beings with high heat and disrupt biological signaling systems.

There were many related terms like current, voltage, and so on… but he decided not to think too deeply about them.

It would be enough to think about the images and functions that come to mind when one thinks of ‘electricity’ to create the spell.

‘Paralysis. And something that can cover the chronic weakness of mages.’

He intended to create a trap-type spell.

A spell that could be activated by stepping on it or by the user’s will.

Temporary paralysis through electric shock.

High-heat explosion.

‘This should be about 3rd class in power. With a bit more refinement, it could even be lowered to 2nd class.’

Manus closed his eyes and concentrated on materializing the theory.

The method of creating a formula was simple.

Create line segments with the desired effects, then form a model without collisions.

Being 3rd class, it required connecting 128 line segments without mana collision.

Collision, collision, collision.

A sparking war broke out in Manus’s mind.

He connected the line segments in various ways, seeking the optimal possibility.

How many shapes could be made with 128 line segments?

‘Not this, not that either…’

Caesar’s talent eliminated the possibilities of failure.

Just as a tree grows straight and tall by shedding unnecessary branches, he discarded unnecessary formulas to move in the right direction.

How much time had passed?

‘-It’s done.’

He had completed it.

It was just theory, but he had done it.

All that remained was to actually demonstrate it using mana.

Manus looked around.

Many people had already left.

There were about 5 minutes left.

‘I didn’t realize so much time had passed…’

He had almost run over time.

He raised his hand lightly.

“What is it?”

“I need to step outside for a moment because of the last question.”

“The last question… the magic formula problem. You can just write it down, you know.”

“I’ve completed the spell.”

Manus delivered the shocking news in a calm manner.

When he had been deep in thought with his eyes closed, many had given him questioning looks.

Some had even said, “Even for a Caesar, third-year level must be too much.”

Their expectations were beautifully off the mark.

Those who remained, still struggling, raised their heads abruptly at his words.

“-What?”

“The Anti-Field is spread out, so a demonstration is impossible. There’s not enough time to transcribe it, so perhaps the professor could judge?”

“…Are you serious?”

Manus nodded slightly.

The professor waved his hand, dispelling the mana that had been spread throughout the classroom.

His curiosity about Manus’s claim outweighed his concern about the others potentially cheating.

It would be fine if the grades of the few remaining students skyrocketed.

After all, if they lacked a solid foundation, they would soon fall.

He spoke with an excited tone.

“Well then, show it here. I’ll judge it using my authority as a supervisor.”

“Alright…”

Crackle-.

Manus carefully combined the magic he had simulated in his mind.

Mana unfolded strand by strand, creating a geometric pattern.

The professor, recognizing the ingenuity within it.

His mouth slowly opened in astonishment at the impossible feat.

The completed spell spread across the classroom floor.

[You have acquired the skill: ???.]

[This is a unique spell.]

[Please name it.]

‘I didn’t know this existed.’

A message not implemented in the game system.

It was a message that threw a new stimulus at Manus.

Creating one’s own magic.

It wasn’t just about creating a single spell.

Under the skill [Cadenza], hundreds, thousands of new possibilities had been born.

Manus named it according to the rules of this world.

“I thought of calling it Phobea.”

“Phobea. It means trap. Very fitting.”

[Skill name: Fulge — Phobea]

[The new spell is being registered in the world.]

[Interfering with the world.]

[The world line is changing.]

[This spell will now begin to be researched all over the world.]

[Be careful. Your knowledge can affect the ending.]

‘Hmm…’

Honestly, it was surprising.

He thought it was a spell he had created without much thought, and that it was insignificant knowledge.

The blue magic circle pulsed vibrantly.

The gazes of those looking on with surprised eyes were bothersome.

Although it’s a game world, the flow is the same as reality.

It probably means that someone else’s small actions, not just his own, can change the flow of the world.

‘Is it telling me not to show off too much, or…’

A bit of worry raised its head.

Words like ‘if’, ‘perhaps’, and other negative terms flashed through his mind.

Separately from that, exclamations flowed from the professor’s mouth.

After examining Manus’s magic, it was a natural reaction.

From Manus’s perspective, there was nothing surprising about it.

It was only natural for someone to admire, be surprised, or praise him.

“Oh my-! What an astounding feat…!”

“Is this sufficient as an answer?”

“Indeed. This could be registered with the Magic Tower for immediate research.”

“Then, I’ll inscribe the magic circle as is.”

The professor prepared paper suitable for inscribing magic circles.

3rd class.

It was not at all a low level of magic.

Was it for the purpose of conceiving such magic that he had his eyes closed for so long?

The more one thought about it, the more marvelous it became.

His talent, his imagination, his knowledge.

All of these were astonishing the professor.

“It’s an honor to share this glorious moment with you, student.”

“The honor is mine.”

Crackle-.

The magic formula was inscribed.

The professor carefully tucked the paper into his breast pocket, as if it were a precious artifact.

He had a very important mission today.

To safely store and report this scroll with the formula inscribed on it.

To announce to the whole world this student’s creation, which might be the beginning of a great journey.

He saw Manus off with an overwhelmed expression.

“Good work.”

Manus bowed his head slightly and left the exam room.

As he opened the door and came out, Alano, who had finished the exam earlier, greeted him cheerfully.

She made her eyes into half-moons and asked curiously.

“You came out late? That was close.”

“I had some things to think about. How was the exam for you?”

“So-so, I think I did well. Let’s have a meal with Guillermo.”

The two of them walked side by side towards the cafeteria.

As if on cue, Guillermo, having finished his exam as well, was waiting for them at the end of the corridor.

They say that for Guardians, it’s really important to grasp historical knowledge and events intertwined between families.

Guillermo was indeed well-versed in history, figures, and the relationships between various families and countries.

He often played the role of advisor, always ready to suggest which side to take or what action to take when problems arose.

He approached the two straightforwardly upon spotting them.

“I trust everyone did well on the exam?”

“Of course. How about you?”

The corners of Guillermo’s mouth lifted slightly.

That was enough to indicate he had done well, without needing to ask further.

The third-year students glared at them, but the three paid no attention.

The mana elevator descended, carrying the three of them.

The outside, glimpsed briefly, was a sea of people, indicating that this evaluation was indeed drawing attention from across the entire continent.

The practical portion was worth 20 points.

This meant that the other two subjects combined were worth 80 points.

“From now on, be on your guard.”

“-Okay.”

“We’ll do our best.”

The three were steeling their resolve, unaware that they were actually being regarded as the most dangerous elements.

Their eyes shone as they headed towards the vast plaza after finishing their meal.

The eyes of their competitors watching the three were equally fierce.

This was Mythos Academy.

It was an educational arena designed solely to identify the strongest.

–TL Notes–
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