The departure ceremony for the Hundred-Academy Exchange Meeting drew ever closer, and the atmosphere at the Academy grew increasingly charged.
It was a complicated mood, excited yet tense, like taut strings humming in the breeze.
The excitement came from the students' anticipation. They hoped their representatives would excel at the meeting, opening the other academies' students' eyes to the true strength of the Glory Kael Magic Academy.
In the corridors, in the cafeteria, and beside the Training Ground, discussions about the Exchange Meeting could be heard everywhere.
Some speculated about which representative had the best chance of winning, others analyzed famous representatives from other academies, and some had already set up private betting pools, wagering on the ultimate winner of this year's Exchange Meeting.
Even students who normally avoided all the fuss would take an extra look at the representatives' names when passing the noticeboard, silently hoping they would bring honor to the Academy.
The tension came from the fact that, although the Glory Kael Magic Academy ranked among the five elite schools, four equally formidable academies would also be eyeing victory at this Exchange Meeting.
The human empire's Iron Oath Crucible Magic Academy, situated near territory controlled by the Demons, excelled at physical magic designed for lethal combat.
The Dragonfolk duchy's Ember-Eyed Tower Magic Academy specialized in word-spirit magic that awakened the power slumbering within ancient bloodlines.
The southern elves' Boughstring Sanctuary Magic Academy taught traditional elven magic and archery.
The orc federation's Trench Altar Magic Academy focused on shamanic magic, which could be cast directly through roars, war cries, totems, and the like.
These five magic academies had held their places at the very top for years, making them the most coveted destinations for anyone studying magic.
Of course, brilliant talents capable of competing with the elite schools'