Chapter 261 - Infinite Mage

"He's got the kind of face you'd want to punch. But give me a break today. That little lady has me aching all over. Whenever those at the top clash early on, it's always like this. My life's tangled up too," Fermi quipped. While he set up his defenses, Fermi observed Shirone's reaction. But Shirone remained silent. Seeing no reaction, Fermi turned back to Amy. "Haha! Anyway, Amy, what should we..." Just then, Shirone blocked Fermi again. This time, Fermi didn't remain passive. His eyes turned cold for a brief moment as he gazed down at Shirone with an overbearing air. Shirone let that gaze pass over him unfazed. Any words he might say would only hurt Amy, and he wished Fermi wouldn't approach her. "Lovers are a nice thing. Well then, you two have a good time," Fermi dismissed the situation and turned away without hesitation. Rejoining his companions, he draped his arm around them and shouted, seemingly loud enough for the world to hear. "Let's go! Let's drink, you miserable souls!" "Puhahaha! Yeah! Let's drink until we drop today!" Shirone glanced back at Amy. From the beginning, she seemed uninterested, turning her gaze to the distance. "Come on, Amy. I'll escort you," Shirone offered. "...Okay," she replied. As they headed toward the graduate dormitory, a heavy silence enveloped them. Amy, staring at the ground as she walked, eventually frowned and looked up at Shirone. "Hoo, this is driving me insane. Hey!" "Hm?" "Why do you look so down? You're making me feel weird too. If you have something to say, spit it out. What's bothering you?" "But I really don't have anything to say," Shirone replied. "That's exactly it. I only failed the graduation exam, that's all. I’m not the only one in the world who failed, and even if I were, it doesn’t mean my life is over. So why are you acting so gloomy?" Hearing Amy say that gave Shirone some courage. "Haha! That's true. Anyway, does this mean I get another chance?" "Hmph, you should consider yourself lucky. I won't make such a mistake again." "One mistake is just a stepping stone to improvement, two are a family disgrace?" "Of course. And make sure to tell your idiot friends too. Next year’s graduation class will be brutal. I'll crush them from the very start." To Shirone, Amy's words sounded like, "Sorry for disappointing you." But there was no need for her to worry. Nade and Iruki were confident that Amy would rebound. The two reverted to their usual selves, chatting about this and that until they reached the dorms. Although she failed the exam, the release of stress built up over a year felt liberating. "Ahh, I'm exhausted. I need to get in, wash up, and sleep." "Yes, just rest without thinking about anything today." "Okay. See you tomorrow. Thanks for seeing me off." With a weary expression, Amy bid farewell to Shirone and entered the dormitory. The corridor felt distinctly different from the morning, a chill in the air that wasn't there before. As soon as Amy closed the door to her room, she let out a sigh. No matter how tired she was, she had to wash off the sweat. Yet as she headed to the shower, she came to a stop. Transparent tears began to fall. "Sniff! Sob…" She was devastated. So devastated she felt she could die. Why was it her? A third of the students pass, and the ten she studied with were now magicians. So why was she the only one left behind? Her condition had been perfect, so why was she still in school? Why does she have to suffer through another year of this hell? Falling onto the bed, Amy clutched the blanket, unable to stop her face from contorting into a pained expression. "Uwaaah… Uwaaaaaaah!" Meanwhile, Shirone released his grip on the doorknob and leaned against the wall. It seemed he would not see her again today. "Uwaaah… Uwaaaaaaah…" Amy's sobbing was so intense it seemed to choke her. "......" But all Shirone could do was look up at the ceiling with deep eyes, staying there silently. *** Long past lights out, a lamp still glowed in Alpheas's private quarters. Olivia's angry voice escaped through the window. "Is this even sensible? How are you managing the students?" Olivia, overseeing the graduation exam at Alpheas Magic School for the first time, was in shock. She immediately began scrutinizing student records in the document room after the exam concluded. "It's about these kids here!" Olivia shouted, waving a set of profiles before tossing them onto the table where Alpheas sat. Papers clung together then spread apart, revealing several student names. They were Fermi's group. Alpheas glanced at the profiles briefly, then spoke as if disinterested. "Calm down. The exam is already over. It can't be undone, and there is no reason to." "Why isn’t there a reason? The participants colluded!" "Collusion is part of strategy. Situational judgment is a critical element in battle." Olivia scoffed. "Do you think I'm blind? Fermi barely showed half his ability in this test. He's more than ready to turn pro. A kid who could graduate from the Royal Magic School instantly hasn't passed in six years—does that make any sense?" "So what should we do? Just let Fermi graduate? Then what's the point of the graduation exam? If we go that route, it'll only provoke backlash from the other students," Olivia lamented. Frustrated, Olivia paced the room before sinking into a sofa. "I just can't understand. Why doesn't he graduate? What's the benefit of staying in school?" "I once asked him myself. He vaguely implied it was lucrative," Alpheas responded. Olivia sat up abruptly. "Isn't that a diploma broker scheme? If he's getting paid to graduate others, this isn't just a school issue—it's a crime against the state." "I investigated, but found nothing. Not a single coin exchanged hands," Alpheas replied calmly. Olivia cupped her chin in contemplation. Even without evidence of bribery, suspicions lingered. Perhaps something else was at play. "Is Fermi an exceptional case?" Olivia then asked. Alpheas nodded. "Possibly. Whatever way he's profiting, if it's related to personal needs or loopholes, we can't investigate further unless Fermi admits to it. But he's never shown his true motives in the seven graduation exams he's taken." "Then maybe we should start from there. Whether it's through receiving money or using magic in exchange for favors, the problem remains. Honestly, Samuel's performance wasn't great today, yet he passed. Amy should have taken that spot," Olivia sighed. "I had similar thoughts. But as long as there's no concrete proof, it's impossible to act. If we were to start an investigation and it turns out false, do you think any noble whose child was labeled a criminal would stand still?" replied Alpheas, shaking his head. Olivia leaned back and attempted to cool her heated head with her palms. "So what's your plan? Do you have any ideas?" she asked. "There is no plan. It's like every year—the graduation exam decides who becomes a magician. Regardless of any lobbying, that doesn't change." "But can we truly say skills are being accurately measured?" Olivia countered. "Do you think they're not?" Alpheas shot back, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" "If Fermi is helping someone for compensation, then that's illegal. But what if he aids someone just on a whim? Can you really call that unfair?" Alpheas proposed. Olivia could not respond. "The graduation candidates are ranked 1 to 30, but the gap isn't consistent every year. Some years, talents of equal levels clash, while other years, a lone extraordinary skill sweeps everything. Fermi's case isn't much different." "Still, deliberately failing is problematic. It goes against the essence of the graduation exam," Olivia contended. Alpheas shook his head. "Consider Shirone from Class Four. He'll probably join the graduating class next year. If he went pro now, how capable do you think he'd be?" Olivia pondered, tapping her lips with a finger. "Hmm, if we're only talking about combat skills, he might hold his own up to Tier 8. Below Tier 6, there isn't much to distinguish them." "That's easy for us to say from above. But from a student's perspective, even a Tier 10 magician feels like an insurmountable wall. And rightly so. But you'll always find students who surpass expectations. Having a few such exceptional students doesn't mean we can discuss fairness." "True, but..." "In terms of difficulty, next year's graduating class will be much tougher. The squad advancing to the graduating class next semester is arguably the strongest yet. Do you think they'll resent the competition for being fiercer than in other years?" "But those kids won't fail on purpose." "That's uncertain. It's not about purposely failing, but about the difficulty of establishing clear standards. With or without lobbying, the free competition remains unchanged." Olivia groaned, supporting her chin once more. There was no clear way to overthrow Fermi's authoritarian grip. What could possibly motivate a magician of pro-level caliber, who arouses suspicion of bending rules, to act this way? "So there's no way to help Amy in the end? It's such a shame." "Are you certain Amy would have passed for sure without the collusion?" Alpheas probed. "Based solely on talent, yes." "Kariel's favored students are renowned across the continent. They absorb all knowledge like a sponge, fitting the bill of a well-rounded genius. And indeed, she's truly beautiful." Olivia shot Alpheas a cold gaze, yet couldn't deny the truth in his words, and let out a resigned sigh. "Being too pretty is also a disadvantage," she admitted. "I've watched her since she was twelve. She'll overcome this," Alpheas reassured. Both turned their gaze out the window, where the school—after a long year of numerous events—lay peacefully asleep like a stage post-performance. Thus ended another year at the Magic School. --- A Momentary Crack (1) The Sixth Heaven, Jebel. In the angelic city Jebel, two significant mecha systems exist. One is Ingris housing the Akashic Records, the other is the Great World Front, the research lab of Archangel Kariel. The Great World Front, which had been decimated by Shirone's Photon Cannon, was now fully restored. The massive pillar-like central control system was the highest structure in the Great World Front. Next to the pillar radiating multicolored lights, a galaxy observatory diligently continued its operations. The Great World Front had returned to its former appearance. Heaven, however, was not the same. Since Shirone's departure, a wind of change swept across the First Heaven, Shamain. People no longer blindly accepted the singularity of past traditions, and some even became radicals. As unrest grew, the angels summoned all their might to break through the maze-like space-time continuum. At the forefront was Archangel Kariel. Amy, Tess, and Arin had fallen into the clutches of the fallen angel, Ikasa, as they attempted to activate the Elixir of Life with the Archangel of Creation's help. Among the angels, he was noted for his superior intellect, and he meticulously analyzed the meta gate Shirone left behind when he returned to their original world. At last, he uncovered the coordinates that led to the Land of Earth. However, to reach this destination, breaching the maze of space-time was imperative. "Knowing the coordinates means we have no choice but to break through. Yet, the task is peculiarly vague," he mused aloud. "Doesn't that render the task of recovering the coordinates meaningless?" A majestic voice asked, prompting Kariel to turn around. Recognizing the voice, he smiled. Another archangel, Uriel, clad in pristine white armor, hovered in the air. Angels generally towered over humans, but Uriel was exceptionally tall even among them, standing at three meters. Such was his stature that his chest armor nearly touched his chin. Kariel flapped his wings of light and ascended to the top of the central processing system. A massive screen was situated 40 meters high, teeming with shifting numbers. "That's not quite accurate. The Nephilim population in the Land of Earth is significant. Even after breaching the maze, we can set up a firewall. But with the coordinates in hand, we can simply bypass it," Kariel noted. "Breaking the maze of space-time? Wasn't that tactic rejected long ago?" Uriel queried. Only Anke Ra had the authority to overturn such a proposal from an archangel. Indeed, when the ultimate war was blocked by the maze, Anke Ra prohibited any investigation of the Land of Earth. Though the archangels didn't grasp the reasoning, they couldn't defy Anke Ra, who governed the Akashic Records. Kariel, however, refused to yield. The decisive turning point came with Shirone's arrival. His presence catalyzed a transformation among the citizens, a change that accelerated with time. "I don't intend to defy Ra's will. Consider it a precaution. The Land of Earth must be conquered one day. If we delay preparations until then, it might be too late," Kariel argued. "Then... you're not confident in this experiment either," Uriel surmised. Kariel raised a corner of his mouth. He had never lacked confidence, yet the maze always seemed to counter his attempts with uncanny precision. It felt like an invisible game of chess against a hidden opponent. But today, even he would have to concede. The maze of space-time would fracture, and though Anke Ra didn't desire it... fate had orchestrated this inevitability. Kariel glided past the galaxy observatory toward the western wall. A fierce wind accompanied Uriel's swift pursuit, catching up to him instantaneously. "Behold, today's masterpiece," Kariel announced. "..." Uriel could muster no response. Kariel's magnum opus was colossal, occupying a quarter of the Great World Front. A monumental rectangular wall, 40 meters wide and 70 meters high. Uriel, whose stature seconds ago resembled a mighty tree, suddenly seemed insignificant before this wall. "It's indeed vast," Uriel acknowledged, causing Kariel to beam proudly. "I pondered why we couldn't breach the maze of space-time. It's because the fabric of dimensions is inherently indestructible. But with this heavenly shroud, we can freeze and shatter even the unbreakable liquid. This is a direct strike against the maze," Kariel explained. "A direct strike, you say. So, this heavenly shroud serves as the maze of space-time?" Uriel ventured. Though far from precise, Uriel's simple deduction was essentially correct. No matter the nuance, Kariel had summoned Uriel not for his intellect but for his might. "If this heavenly shroud shatters, so will the maze. I wanted to incorporate amplification circuits, but without Ikhael's assistance, it’s unattainable," said Kariel. Uriel opted not to respond. Ikhael would not aid them. Her incarceration for an unpardonable sin, compounded by suspicions about her siding with humans following Shirone's actions, made that clear. Kariel tapped the heavenly shroud. "What do you think, shall we give it a go?" Uriel hesitated, considering whether to destroy it. Breaking the shroud would also rupture the maze, a defiance against Anke Ra's will. ‘No one can defy Ra's will. Not due to power, but because he encompasses all.’ Regardless of future outcomes, Ra would remain Ra. Kariel understood this and acted out of hope and destiny. Uriel chose to be earnest. His initial discomfort wasn't with Ra but with Ikhael. ‘Why... did Ikhael abandon us?’ Since ancient times, angels imparted divine will to the Land of Earth, sometimes bearing its destruction. Uriel, famed for such purges, possessed the might to overturn earth and split seas. Yet hearing that Ikhael might have allied with humans led Uriel to question his righteousness. Ikhael was always right. No, it wasn’t about right and wrong. Even if she erred, he still wanted to follow her lead. If that was his essence, he’d adhere to his convictions regardless of propriety. Perhaps Kariel existed with a similar resolve throughout his life.