Chapter 23 Strongest Sage, Giving up Hitting the Target with Magic

 

"Next, Ruli Abendroht!"

"Yes!"

The practical test for magic seems to be about hitting a target.
We have to hit five targets 30 meter away in any order.

From the explanation given before the test, you're given 10 chances to shoot at them all, and the less you use the chances to hit them and the higher the damage you give to the targets, the higher your score will be.
It's an orthodox method to test the basic of long-range attacks. Something similar to this existed in my past life.

However, the targets are quite big. Enough that it's harder to miss them instead.
As long as the output suffices, you'd quickly learn how to hit non-moving targets like these. I wonder if the presents age puts more importance to the mean rather than the end.
By the way, my turn is after Ruli yet again.

"Hit the targets with Fire Arrows."

"Yes!　 ...Fire mana that dwells in my body, become a straight arrow and pierce the enemy before me!"

Following the instructor's order, Ruli chanted and then a fire arrow hit one of the targets.
I think her power and efficiency are a bit better than Biffgel's. Well, I suppose it'd be difficult to put a lead over someone else when both use chant magic that automatically controls your mana.

Ruli repeated the chant afterward, hit the five targets and then she declared that she was done.
The rules states that you can shoot the targets up to 10 times, but it seems she's going to stop here.
None of the target was destroyed, but it seemed Ruli was satisfied with the result as she went out of the exam ground with a satisfied look on her face.

"Next, Mathias Hildesheimr!"

One of the two examiners called my name.

"Yes!"

"Hit the targets with Fire Arrows."

I've been thinking about it since Ruli's test, why should it has to be fire arrow I wonder.
I'm quite sure they didn't state anything about the type of magic you have to use during the explanation of the exam.

"Is using other magic than Fire Arrow not allowed?"

"That is not the case, however, it's the easiest magic to control, therefore--"

The examiner saw my crest halfway through and then his face changed to that of a pitying look.

"....Please don't lose hope. You might still be able to pass if your other tests went well."

For some reason, he's already assuming my failure.
I'm planning to clear this test though.

"I just have to destroy the targets right?"

"That's right.... Can you reach it?"

"I can't."

The Fourth Crest does have a short range for magic.
Let alone 30 meter, it can barely reach even 1/3 of that.

The other crest would have no problem hitting a target 30 meter away, you can say that this test has the worst compatibility with the Fourth Crest.
However, that doesn't mean that I can't pass this test.
There's no need to hit the targets with the magic just because they're targets.

"Then--"

"I can destroy the target even if I can't reach it.... By the way sensei, you'd better get away a bit. I will control the direction but it won't be perfect."

I began to construct a magic while saying that.
A powerful and complex magic incomparable to magic like 【Mana Strike】 and other lesser magic I had used up until now in the current world.

"Eh?"

"I think you'd be safe if you step another five meter back."

It's not a magic that can be used in an actual combat since it takes too much time to construct.
Being able to talk like this during the preparation means it'd been over if this were a battle.
In addition, one shoot of this magic will exhaust most of the mana the current me has.
However, it's more than enough to pass this exam.

I completed the magic construction right when the examiner went outside the range while looking dubious.

"Then, I'm going.... Hmph!"

A gigantic magic circle appeared in front of me when I activated the magic I had constructed.
The magic circle began to rotate right after, and explosive flames started to gush out of it.
An explosive blast that possesses enormous amount of heat devastates the surroundings, dyeing my view red.

It's obviously overkill just to destroy those poor targets.
However, this is fine. The main part of this magic won't reach the targets after all. The maximum range of this magic is 10 meters.
I'm going to destroy the targets using the shockwave of the magic.

Now then. And the result is---

"....Huh? Did I overdo it...?"

I didn't know what the targets were made of so I constructed the magic with the assumption that they were of mithril alloy just in case, but I might have raised the power a bit too much.
The ground where the targets were placed have completely disappeared, you can't even tell where the targets were originally located.

The schoolyard where the exam is held is even worse off.
One part of the ground has evaporated into a vitrified crater.
It's still at the level where it can be quickly repaired with magic, but this looks a bit bad.

"....Huh? How strange. What's happening here....?"

I turned at the examiner to ask for the result, but he rubbed his eyes, hit his own head and did some doubtful gestures while muttering weirdly.
I made sure that the shockwave was mainly directed at the targets and barely reached the examiner though.... Did I make a mistake somewhere?

"Err, are you alright?"

I approach the instructor while preparing to use healing magic.
And I investigate his condition by looking at the mana reaction in his body.... I don't see anything odd.

"It doesn't seem that I'm alright. I'm seeing a hallucination. I'm seeing a hallucination where a Disqualified Crest blew away all the targets and created a crater in the schoolyard. And he wasn't chanting. Or is it my eyes. My eyesight must have gone bad."

"Sensei, it's not a hallucination."

"Reis-sensei, I heard a huge sound just now, what just--what the hell's this!"

The other examiners who came after hearing the sound didn't put the situation under control, it raised more confusion instead.
It took another hour for the uproar to settle down and for the result of my exam to be decided.

By the way, I didn't get punished or anything.
『Do Not Destroy the Schoolyard』 was fortunately not written in the exam rule.

I felt bad to leave the schoolyard as is so I quickly mended it with my remaining mana.
I had a feeling that the examiners who saw that had an astounded look on their faces, but I'm not going to mind it.
I had run out of mana, I would be helpless if I said something unnecessary and had to redo the exam.

































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