Chapter 25: You’re So Good at Acting Cool

For a mage, in addition to testing the amount of their magic power, their level of control was also an important factor.
Therefore, the second round of testing was precisely a test of control: casting the apprentice-level spell Magic Missile in ten consecutive shots at a ringed target, and then judging the score based on the average accuracy.

The first to take the stage was Roland.
The beautiful mage with glasses bowed to everyone, drawing fervent cheers from the men.
Her popularity in the Donghui Kingdom was quite high.

“Roland is currently the standard for the strongest of the new generation of mages,” Fiora muttered to herself in a corner.
“Using Roland as a reference, I have to watch carefully this time.”
“I can’t get an eye-catching score again.”

Roland raised her staff and began to chant, summoning a magic missile.
Then she waved her staff, and—whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
The magic missiles flew from all directions, hitting the 10-point section, leaving attack marks of various sizes near the central red dot.

At such a long distance, to achieve a 90% hit rate, with only one magic missile grazing the edge of the 10-point ring, she was clearly a genius among human mages.
The crowd began to cheer, and even the Grand Sage was moved, stroking his beard in satisfaction.

The others went up one by one to test their skills.
According to Fiora’s observation, only Roland had reached that level, and she also gained a clear idea of what constituted a mid-tier result.

“I get it! So that’s how it is… Then if I get a 7, that should be around a High level,” Fiora realized suddenly.
“No problem! Nothing will go wrong this time.”

When it was Fiora’s turn, she deliberately glanced over at Leon, her expression brimming with confidence, as if to say, Daijoubu, mo-e-da-i!

“Ahem, the test is starting, little sister… oh no, mysterious Miss Mage.”

After the incident earlier, the staff member no longer dared to underestimate her.
The field once again fell strangely silent, and everyone was watching her with subtle, curious gazes.

Ugh…! How do you use Magic Missile again?

Due to her bloodline, Fiora could grasp any ice-type spell with a single touch, but as for spells from other elements, she had never bothered to learn them.
Mellen had taught her before, but now—thanks to the tension—she had completely forgotten.

In her urgency, Fiora simply gave up on Magic Missile, thinking that since it was all about hitting a target anyway, she could just use something else.

“I am the bone of my ice.”

Due to her talent, Fiora didn’t need to chant for non-high-tier ice spells, but to put on a show, she muttered a few nonsensical lines for effect.
Dozens of ice swords instantly condensed behind her, hovering in mid-air.

Oops, I summoned too many!

Biting the bullet, she snapped her fingers, and the excess swords shattered with a clatter, leaving only ten magic-controlled ice blades.

“Can I use this to hit the target?” Fiora asked.

“…Huh?” The staff member, who had been frozen in place, nodded rapidly once he processed her words.
“Oh, oh, of course you can!”

“That’s good. I almost summoned too many by accident just now.”

Fiora, deciding not to elaborate further, turned her attention to the ringed target in the distance and aimed the ice swords.

At this distance, controlling the blades to hit dead center was extremely easy—but since she was trying to keep a low profile, she couldn’t be too flashy.
Just hitting the 7-point ring for all of them would be fine.

Aim a little, aim a little…

Fiora looked ahead.
Because of her slightly exaggerated actions earlier, everyone was staring at her like she was some strange creature.
The attention was almost unbearable, and her concentration faltered.

Forget it, forget it, I won’t aim.
As long as I set the direction, it’ll be fine.

She closed her eyes, turned around, raised her hand and wrist, and released the ice swords in a fancy display of marksmanship from various angles.

“Oh my god!!!”
The staff member shouted.

An unbelievable scene unfolded.
Despite flying from different directions, the ice blades traced beautiful arcs through the air and all struck the 7-point ring—hitting the exact same hole without the slightest deviation.

“H-How was it?” Fiora tilted her head, asking the staff member.

He turned to her mechanically, his face slick with sweat.

“Hey, say something! What’s the score?!”

“Uh… well, in all my years as a test administrator, this is the first time I’ve seen such a thing.”

Even Roland couldn’t have hit the exact same spot with 10 magic missiles with that level of precision—down to the centimeter.
No one had ever done it before!

“Did they all hit the 7-point ring?!” Fiora pressed.

“Y-Yes, they did!”

“Then I get 7 points, got it! The test result is, I’m at a medium level!”

“According to the rules… it is indeed 7 points, a medium level…” the staff member said helplessly.

Great! Mission accomplished!
Low-key, and I didn’t embarrass Leon.

Fiora flashed a victory sign at Leon and walked off the stage, thoroughly satisfied.

Seeing this, the staff member sucked in a cold breath and muttered,
“This person… is so good at acting cool.”

Leon, who had been watching from the side, was speechless.
Fiora had somehow managed to draw even more attention to herself, surpassing Roland as the center of focus.

While Leon was mulling over the situation, someone approached.

“Lord Sword Saint, long time no see.”
It was none other than the Grand Sage, his expression complicated.

“Lord Grand Sage?”

“Sigh… Lord Sword Saint, the person you brought is no apprentice little mage,” the Grand Sage said.
“Such a powerful mage, with such sublime fine control… this old man has never seen the like.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Hehe… there’s no need to play dumb with me. I may be old, but I’m not muddled.”

“Lord Grand Sage, the more you talk, the less I understand.”

Although Leon said this on the surface, inwardly he was surprised.
Could it be that he saw through it?

“This old man is not stupid, I get it! Low profile, low profile—experts always like to keep a low profile. That expert’s name is Fiora, right?”

Leon didn’t reply, and the Grand Sage continued.

“Sigh, to think I was so smug over being just a LV70 mage…”

“I feel like you might be misunderstanding something.”

“No, no, no! The silly one here is me! Lady Fiora clearly possesses such terrifying strength, yet she intentionally lowered her abilities so I could accept it.”

“I noticed it from the crystal pillar test just now. What magnanimity! This old man… is impressed!”

“…”

“Rest assured, Lord Sword Saint—Lady Fiora’s test result will be High-Rank Mage later. For our declining Mage’s Guild to be favored by someone like her is an honor. We will do our utmost to assist her, and in return, we hope Lady Fiora will lend us a helping hand…”

The Grand Sage’s sincerity was unmistakable.
Leon decided that since things were progressing smoothly, there was no need to refuse directly—so he tacitly agreed for the time being.

[Author’s Note:
Human level range: LV.1–LV.70
The Grand Sage: LV.70
Roland: LV.60
Fiora (humanoid): LV.80
Fiora (Dragon King form): LV.90
Leon: LV.90
Four years ago, Leon, Roland, Ellie, and the other members of the dragon-slaying team were all around level 50. Roland thought she had caught up to Leon’s level, but Leon never announced his current one.
As for how Leon went from level 50 to breaking the human limit and reaching level 90 in just four years—there is only one answer: because he is. ]