Everyone was watching him. In the entire training ground, he was the only one still moving. They watched as he took step after step, bent down, picked up the Magic Wand, gripped it tightly, then assumed a casting stance, gritting his teeth, his gaze locked on Amos in the distance.

"Child, what are you trying to do?" Only then did Amos let out a slow breath, his face full of helplessness.

Hearing Amos's voice, Angel's eyes glistened with moisture. In a tone that was almost a plea, he quietly asked, "The exam isn't over yet, right? I still have Magic Power, so it's not over. I still have a chance..."

Everyone turned their gazes toward Amos.

"No, the exam is already over." Amos shook his head and said, "The Magic Power you have left is not enough to sustain the next round of an attack. I'm sorry, but you failed to break my shield, so you didn't pass the exam."

In an instant, Angel's eyes widened. His tear-filled gaze began to ripple, and tears uncontrollably fell, drop by drop. He screamed hoarsely, "You... you can't do this! I still have Magic Power! You didn't specify a time limit! I... I still have Magic Power! You should let me try again!"

In front of everyone, Angel wiped his tears, crying like a child. In truth, as an elf, he was just a child. A helpless child, even though his talent was evident to all. However, every great Mage has to endure a time of vulnerability.

At this moment, far from reaching the pinnacle of Magic, he could only helplessly roar at the Magic Master standing in front of him, the one who held his destiny in their hands.

That helplessness was evident to all, and everyone present could feel it.

"You won't succeed. I'm already on guard, and you won't get a second chance." Amos slowly shook his head.

"This is too much, isn't it? My God."

"If every entrance exam was like this, I guarantee the Magic Academy wouldn't have a single student."

"Looking at him... I feel like I don't even belong here."

As the magic apprentices whispered amongst themselves in agitation, Barnes stepped forward, heading straight for the two of them.

Step by step, she walked between the two and turned her head to Angel, saying, "It's okay. If he won't give you a chance, I will. You can reapply, and I'll arrange for another examiner."

Angel, who had been sobbing uncontrollably, froze for a moment, staring wide-eyed at Barnes.

Even Amos was taken aback and quickly exclaimed, "Wait! What are you doing?"

"I think I've made myself very clear, Magic Master," Barnes looked at Amos with a face full of disdain. "We all saw how exceptional this child is. For whatever reason, I will not allow you to chase him out of here. I work here not to crush any child's dreams, much less to witness some 'noble' Magic Master do something so disgraceful."

"'Disgraceful'? Good heavens! Did you just use that word to describe me?" Amos's beard practically curled up in rage. "I said he didn't pass the exam, but I never said I wouldn't admit him! I originally had two special admission spots, and I was planning to give him one of them!"

"Huh? What's going on?" The surrounding magic apprentices were dumbfounded, unable to make sense of it all.

Angel was even more confused, standing there blankly, completely unable to process it. He just stared at the two of them in a daze.

"Why would you rather use a special admission spot for him than let him pass the exam?" Barnes questioned.

"What do you want me to write in my report? 'Amos Mage meticulously set up an impossible-to-pass exam, only for it to be passed?' In any case, I will never admit that he defeated me. No way! But I can give him a spot—yes, that's how it'll be!" Amos huffed in anger.

Barnes rolled her eyes and said, "No, I don't think so. He passed the exam fair and square, not relying on some special admission. He cleared the most rigorous entrance exam in history. He of all people deserves to be admitted."

"There's no room for negotiation!"

"You have to agree! Otherwise, I'll file a complaint against you!"

"Even if I'm complained about, I will never admit that he defeated me!"

The two of them started arguing, while the onlooking magic apprentices burst into laughter.

"Alright, now it's simple. He's definitely getting in; it's just a matter of how."

"Thank goodness! That's how it should be!"

"If he wasn't admitted, I'd start to suspect Amos Mage had a personal grudge against him."

"Either way, as long as he gets in, that's all that matters! He's bound to be an extraordinary Magic Master one day! Hahaha!"

"You did it. I told you—you could do it." The devil whispered gently in his ear.

Watching the two of them argue over how he should be admitted, Angel stood there in stunned silence, crying unrestrainedly. His hair had already fallen out entirely, and for a while, he would remain bald. But what of it? He didn't care at all.

As long as he could enroll, nothing else mattered to him.

...

On the snowy mountain, the apprentice Beastman Mage Turuk asked Andrew, "Teacher, who was your teacher?"

"My teacher? I had no teacher." Thinking for a moment, Andrew added, "Well, perhaps I had many teachers, a whole crowd of them. I studied at the Magic Academy."

"The Magic Academy!" Turuk's eyes immediately widened. "Is it... a very powerful place?"

"I didn't think so."

"But it produced a great Mage like you, Teacher."

"Am I great?" Andrew paused, then shook his head. "Perhaps."

Turuk said excitedly, "I want to be as powerful as you, Teacher! If possible, I'd also like to study at the Magic Academy."

"Uh... To be honest, the only powerful Mage to come out of there is me. At least that's what I think. Those Magic Masters are just piling on years—it's like this, you know? Given enough time, anything can get done. That place is nothing special. As long as you have the right method, you can learn Magic anywhere; there's no need to head to the Magic Academy." Speaking, Andrew exhaled a misty breath and turned his face toward the south. After some thought, he added, "Actually, the Magic Academy does have some usefulness—just a little. You get to meet all sorts of people there, and then learn how to become a real Mage. Being a Mage isn't just about Magic; attitude is everything. Attitude determines all."

"Then will the Magic Academy ever produce a Mage as great as you, Teacher?"

After some thought, Andrew replied, "It probably will. At least one. My brother, Angel. He's a prodigy with exceptional talent for Magic. By now, he's probably been studying at the Magic Academy for twenty years. Unfortunately, I can't be by his side to help him take fewer wrong turns."

"That's such a shame. His Magic talent is so amazing, even you praise him, Teacher."

"Actually... it's not really a shame. Thinking about it, I've taken plenty of wrong turns myself, but not a single mile I've walked has been meaningless. If there's a seed of a Mage in your heart, it will one day take root, sprout, and grow into a towering tree. Because if you can't get it, you'll want it especially badly; because you can't accomplish it, you'll work especially hard..."

"Just like me?" Turuk asked.

Andrew helplessly nodded. "Yes, just like you. Come on, let's head down the mountain to take a look. If the map is accurate, there should be a Krimasha relic around here."

With that, he hoisted his heavy pack and began descending the mountain.

"Alright!" Turuk gripped his Magic Wand and quickly followed him.

The north wind whistled, and even Andrew's face seemed filled with a sense of weariness.

...

"I've already agreed to admit him. What more do you want!"

"Even if you don't admit him, someone else will! This is no longer about admission or not."

"Alright, the matter is settled—there's no need to argue anymore. Even he himself has already agreed, hasn't he?"

"That's because he doesn't understand yet! Reputation is extremely important for a Mage!"

Barnes and Amos were still arguing fiercely.

A crowd had already gathered around Angel, lifting him high into the air before he could even react, tossing him upward.

The wind blew softly, casting dappled light across the training grounds of the Magic Academy.

At this moment, all the magic apprentices were cheering for him. Angel cried, laughed, and couldn't contain himself.

Twenty years late, but he had finally set foot on the path he was meant to tread.

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