Glory Kail's final exams had always been known for their strict standards and demanding requirements.
Every new student was told this repeatedly from their very first day.
Although a tiny minority of students had entered the Academy through backdoor connections, even the children of royalty and nobility faced repeating a year if their grades fell short.
According to data from previous years, roughly one-fifth of the students were required to repeat their year after failing the final assessments.
That proportion was undoubtedly staggering.
But this was the brutal rule of Glory Kail, one of the five great schools-get stronger or get out.
At that moment, the atmosphere in the practical magic exam venue was so heavy it almost felt tangible.
The exam was held in the Academy's large central magic Training Ground. A circular platform about fifty meters in diameter floated in the middle, surrounded by three tiers of spectator stands filled with invigilating professors and students awaiting their turns.
A pale blue protective Barrier enveloped the platform, preventing the examinees' magic from reaching the stands.
And this year's assessment differed from those of previous years.
Previously, the exams had used stationary magic crystal targets, which examinees only needed to hit with magic of the designated element.
This year, however, the Academy was clearly getting serious, replacing every target with an aggressive Golem.
These Golems had been made by members of the Alchemy Department. Not only could they move independently, but they could also fight back to a certain extent, with their combat strength varying by type.
This meant that examinees had to demonstrate not only their proficiency in magic, but also their ability to adapt in actual combat.
Although the difficulty had doubled, it was indeed a suitable way to measure a person's progress over the past year.
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