At the sound of a melodious horn, a group of neatly dressed students marched into the golden trial arena with the Yogmo Academy flag draped across their shoulders.

The trial arena was located on a hill northwest of the academy.

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At the moment, the ring-shaped spectator stands within the arena were filled to the brim with teachers and students.

As the red flag of Yogmo Academy fluttered proudly in the sky, the phalanxes of the various schools proceeded to enter the arena one after another.

From the north, south, east, and west gates of the arena emerged the Spell School, the Melee School, the Summoning School, and the Forging School.

A blue flag proudly proclaiming the glory of the Spell School was waved by a beautiful senior who was in the lead.

Marching on behind her was the freshman phalanx of the Spell School.

As for Fike, he walked reluctantly beside the beautiful senior.

The reason for that was simple - he had been dressed as the mascot of the Spell School.

Today's weather was blazing hot, and his mask made it suffocatingly stuffy.

"If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have gone to Teacher Maggie's office..."

Fike muttered.

It turned out that just last night, after Fike and Tegpus had parted, he had suddenly received a message from Teacher Maggie, asking him to find her at her office.

Fike had obediently done so.

Upon his arrival, Maggie had been straightforward.

"Fike, because you've repeatedly violated class rules and found various reasons to skip Dean Chambers' lessons, the Spell School had originally intended on deducting half your credits as punishment. But..."

Teacher Maggie smiled.

Judging from it, Fike already had a bad premonition.

"We will invite you to head the phalanx tomorrow as the mascot of our Spell School!"

Before Maggie could even finish, Fike had interrupted.

"Teacher, can I not?"

"Of course not!"

Maggie refused with an enthusiastic smile.

The idea of appointing Fike as the mascot had come from both Cisco and Chambers.

Cisco had suggested it purely because he thought putting Fike in the front could bring good luck to the entire Long-range Magic Department.

Although Chambers had similar intentions, in truth, he had actually mixed in a little bit of his own designs.

In Chambers' eyes, Fike and Tegpus had banded together to play him for a fool too many times.

Chambers wanted his student to feel his power, and regain his dignity as the Dean of the department once again.

"Fike, you should now understand a teacher's authority, right?"

Chambers, who was sitting on the Spell School's rostrum, whispered deviously.

Maggie, who was currently also seated on the Spell School's rostrum, smiled wickedly as well.

"Looks like our mage Class 2 is going to be popular today!"

From the west gate of the trial arena arrived the Melee Academy.

A totem that symbolized their strength stood high, held up by a tall and sturdy senior. Behind him was the freshmen team of the Melee School.

Then, emerging from the north and south gates respectively as well were the Summoning and Forging Schools.

The emblem that represented the Summoning School and the banner that signified the Forging School were also hoisted high by the leading seniors of the respective schools.

Soon, the four teams of freshmen affiliated with Yogmo Academy had arrived at the center of the arena, facing a tall drum tower standing in the middle.

On it were the principal of Yogmo Academy and the four heads of the respective schools.

Two experienced hosts transmitted their voices loud and clear with magic power.

"Welcome, teachers and students, to this assembly of the freshmen trial!

"Preserving the traditions of years past, the top three teams of this year's tournament will go on to receive extremely generous rewards.

"The top ten ranking competitors in the trial will also be compensated handsomely!

"Now, let's not waste any more words. We'll immediately commence the Yogmo Academy's internal freshmen trial!"

As soon as the host had barely finished his words, four solid-looking and vast mini-arenas rose up in the four corners of the main trial arena.

Their four colors matched the ones of the four different schools.

"Next, let us invite our panel of judges!"

From the spectator stands, a few figures leapt off, landing gracefully in the center of their respective school's arenas.

"And now, marking the first day of the freshmen trials, let the internal battles within schools begin!"

These so-called internal battles were conducted through spars between students of different faculties within the various schools. Using a point system, the top 10 of each faculty would then be selected.

These top ten students would go on to represent their respective faculty in following battles, and following a series of elimination rounds, the top three of the school would finally be selected.

The referee standing in the blue arena called out.

"Students whose names I read out, please step forward."

"..."

Two students from the Spell School went on ahead, representing the long-range and close-combat magic faculties respectively.

They headed to opposing corners, and soon after, a gong sounded.

The first battle had begun.

The student representing the Long-range Magic Department called down a lightning strike, accurately pin-poining the position of the Close-combat Magic Department competitor in front of him.

Meanwhile, the student from the Close-combat Magic Department summoned a raging ball of fire that emerged and stayed on his palm.

After a few rounds of similar exchanges, the Long-range Magic Department student was defeated.

"The first round... wins! One point."

Standing below the ring, Fike passively watched the simple matches, a dull and boring feeling welling up in his heart.

He truly felt that these kinds of abilities and movements the other competitors were demonstrating were simply child's play.

After a long and tedious wait, the referee finally called out his name.

"Long-range Magic and Healing Magic, Fike! Against Close-combat Magic, Trudy!"

Fike hopped onto the stage, and a youth with brightly colored hair stood in front of him.

So this was Trudy.

"This battle is going to be an interesting one. Trudy is the strongest freshman in the Close-combat Magic Department!"

"Wow, Big Brother Fike is here too? This is going to be a battle between two strong experts... Amazing!"

The audience below the stage cheered on for their classmates.

On the stage, Trudy was the first to speak up.

"I heard that you defeated senior Blue from the Melee School when you first entered the academy?"

Fike simply nodded, and didn't say a word.

"Although everyone knows that he can't be called weak, that doesn't mean that you yourself are strong. Today, I will prove who the number one mage freshman really is!"

At the sound of the gong, Trudy was the first to make his move.

He had materialized a short aquamarine blade, embedded with the gem of a mage's staff.

It seemed that this was Trudy's weapon of choice.

He threw the short blade abruptly at his opponent.

The moment it flew out of his hands, numerous streams of high-pressure water currents followed in its wake as it sliced through the air directly at Fike.

Fike wasn't surprised. He easily stepped aside, dodging the seemingly fierce attack.

A devilish smile appeared on Trudy's face.

"You've been fooled, Proud One!"