Winter of the Cold Rose (13)
The duel exam at Dandelion Academy was a time-honored tradition, dating back to the very year the academy was founded.
While the exam itself was exactly what the name suggested—a series of simple duels between students—its impact was anything but simple.
This was because the academy opened its gates to outsiders for the duration of the exam period.
While some visited merely for entertainment or out of curiosity, this was the prestigious Dandelion Academy.
Countless organizations from all over the continent gathered here, searching for new talent to recruit.
Some students sought to showcase the fruits of their relentless training by securing victory, while others used the platform to demonstrate newly developed magic or potions, regardless of whether they won or lost.
It was a stage for them to flaunt their accumulated skills to their peers and external organizations alike—a true gateway to success.
Naturally, the duel exam involved the entire student body and spanned a lengthy period of about a week.
Although not every single student participated, the sheer volume of contestants made it seem physically impossible to host all the duels, supervise them individually, and accommodate the massive crowds of spectators.
In the past, the academy had struggled to resolve this issue. They had resorted to holding simplified preliminary matches first, and then selecting only the top-ranking students to perform in front of the public.
This system caused numerous problems. Many students couldn't show their true potential in the rushed, simplified format, and due to the overwhelming numbers, some students from commoner backgrounds or minor noble families in remote regions were excluded from the exam entirely.
However, all of these issues were resolved once the current Magic Tower Master, Shangri Kshatri, developed Subspace Creation Magic.
This spell temporarily created a structured, independent space and opened portals to travel back and forth.
Shangri's invention was a revolutionary breakthrough in the magical world, finding utility in various fields, and the academy was no exception.
Yet, it was not without its drawbacks. The spell consumed an astronomical amount of mana and required a complex preparation process, meaning it could not be cast frequently.
Consequently, even within the academy, it was classified as a high-tier spell permitted only on special occasions like the duel exam.
To explain the duel exam in more detail, both participating students would have a recall spell inscribed on their bodies. If they reached a near-death state, the spell would forcibly teleport them to the recovery room.
This precaution was taken to prevent any students from losing their lives during the matches.
The outcome of a duel was decided when one side surrendered, when the recall spell was triggered, or when a participant was disqualified.
Grounds for disqualification included most forms of cheating, such as using unregistered and uninspected equipment, blackmail, or match-fixing.
Barring exceptional circumstances, each duel was held only once, with no rematches allowed.
Every match was monitored and broadcasted in real time via observation magic inscribed at the center of the subspace, and the footage was recorded simultaneously.
These recordings were later used as educational material for students or as evidence if anyone contested the exam results or rulings.
The final grades of the semester would be determined by tallying the results of these duels.
A trumpet blast signaling the start of the duel exam echoed loudly across the academy and its surrounding areas.
Instantly, projection screens materialized in the air throughout the campus and the nearby commercial districts, broadcasting the live duels to the eager spectators.
"Oh, oh, what's this?! What incredible grip strength!"
"A clean hit from Woo Yi-seok!"
"That's the technique known as the Guillotine's Chalk!"
Thanks to the broadcasts, the academy and the surrounding streets were packed to the brim with spectators and merchants capitalizing on the crowd. The air was filled with gasps, cheers, and the booming voices of the commentators.
"The hand chop! The hand chop, I say! The hand chop cannot lose!"
The excitement and heat of the crowd were so intense that some spectators even tried to locate the portals leading to the subspaces, attempting to break into the middle of the duels.
"Did he lose it? No, he gained it! The unique trait of being one-armed!"
"Hey, student, the duel is over. Just stay still."
"I can still fight! Let me go!"
"Good grief, we need to reattach your severed arm quickly. Why are you squirming so much?"
"Re-attach!"
Consequently, the infirmaries and treatment centers were also packed with people suffering from injuries sustained during the duels or minor scuffles that broke out among the spectators.
Of course, because the academy's security and policing were tighter and stricter during the exam period than on any other day, no major accidents occurred.
Especially this year, given the terror incident during the entrance ceremony and the subsequent dungeon outbreak, the security measures had been reinforced to an almost excessive degree.
Amidst all this, a significant number of people shared the same question.
"By the way, when is his duel starting...?"
"A duel? There are plenty of duels going on right now. You can watch them on the screens in the plaza."
"Ugh, I'm not talking about those nobodies. Do you really not know? Today is the day we get to see the duel of the one and only Marc Visus!"
"Ah, that rising star everyone's talking about?"
"Exactly! The very Marc Visus who personally executed the leader of the terror group and resolved the dungeon outbreak all by himself!"
"Come to think of it, for someone so famous, the observation magic hasn't shown him even once..."
"I know, right? I traveled for eight hours just to see him fight."
"I heard Marc Visus was actually challenged by someone for his first match. Who was it again? I think his name was Ro... Ro...?"
"Rofel something...? Apparently, he's from some minor noble family in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to show for it."
"Well, if his opponent is such a loser, wouldn't the duel be boring and not worth watching anyway? It'll just be a one-sided beatdown. In a way, it's a match you don't even need to see."
"True. Still, it's a bit of a shame we won't get to see that arrogant punk get put in his place."
"If you're that disappointed, you can just look up the recorded footage later. Right?"
Even though it was the match of the great Marc Visus, his opponent was simply too insignificant and pathetic.
The outcome was as clear as day, but it was still disappointing not to witness his first public match with their own eyes.
"...Just as you asked, I have tampered with that subspace beforehand. All of your requests have been implemented."
"I apologize for the trouble, Master, especially when you must be so busy... Thank you very much."
At this moment, Marc Visus was receiving more attention and focus than anyone else, but this particular duel was an exception.
This was because Marc had used his connections with the academy's principal, Rium Kitokal, and his master, Regulus Serion, to tamper with the subspace where his duel with Rofel Teufel would take place.
They had severed the communication of the observation magic, preventing it from connecting to the academy or any other viewing screens, thus blocking exposure to unwanted eyes.
Finally, they did not forget to destroy the recording circuits within the observation magic circle.
Unless one was an archmage of extraordinary caliber, restoring those records would be impossible.
All of this was preparation to thoroughly and mercilessly crush Rofel Teufel without any constraints.
Marc had taken these measures because if it were revealed that he had inflicted excessive harm on someone for personal reasons, it might come back to haunt him in the future.
Of course, Marc had hesitated slightly, as he also craved the attention of the high society and the admiring gazes of the massive crowd.
However, his priority right now was to teach a lesson to the man who had stolen the woman he desired and wounded his pride, forcing him to realize his place.
He could bask in the adoration of the common crowd as much as he wanted during his subsequent winning streak.
"...Very well. If that is your opponent, there is no need for me to attend or watch. Finish it quickly and decisively. Do not bring shame upon the Serion swordsmanship you wield."
In truth, Regulus Serion also found Marc's behavior somewhat distasteful.
He approved of Marc's strength, talent, and skill, but the boy's narrow-mindedness left much to be desired.
However, since he needed Marc to show his daughter, Seraphina Serion, the harsh reality, he was willing to accommodate this small favor.
And above all, the man standing before him might one day carry the future of his family.
What did character matter in the face of overwhelming strength?
"Yes, you do not need to worry, Master. I will secure an overwhelming victory and win your daughter's heart back as well."
Leaving his master behind, Marc walked toward the portal leading to his designated subspace, a sinister, malicious smile playing on his lips.
Completely unaware of what was about to unfold.