Chapter 68: Out, Out, Out!

When Lokai walked in, some people still greeted him warmly. But the moment Anze stepped inside, even the most talkative apprentices lowered their heads and fell silent.

Had Saul and Keli been sitting up front, they probably wouldn’t have dared to whisper to each other either.

Everyone, including Lokai, had their full attention on Anze.

They watched as he strolled slowly up to the lectern. With Lokai attending to him, Anze sat steadily on the chair—just like a man on the brink of death.

“Since the other mentors are all occupied today, my mentor Anze will be conducting the tests for everyone,” Lokai cheerfully introduced to the group, not at all bothered by Anze’s look of boredom and impatience behind him.

“No need to be nervous. Just try your best and show what you can do,” Lokai continued to reassure the newcomers.

“That’s enough.” Mentor Anze cut him off in a low voice.

Lokai wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. He immediately shut his mouth and stepped aside respectfully, still wearing a faint smile.

Anze leaned against the armrest of his chair, eyes sweeping across the classroom without pausing on anyone in particular.

“Testing one by one is such a hassle.” He curled his lip. “If you don’t meet my standards, leave. Right now.”

The classroom grew even quieter.

Saul and Keli stopped talking, exchanging a silent glance.

A few especially nervous apprentices were breathing so loudly it seemed deafening.

“Those who still haven’t learned composite runes—out!”

Anze’s voice, pale and feeble like his appearance, was like a needle stabbing straight into everyone’s ears.

Saul tilted his head slightly—not because he was weak, but because he could sharply sense the mental force embedded in that voice.

It was firm and merciless.

A few seconds later, two trembling apprentices stood up, despair written on their faces, and walked out.

As soon as they stepped out, the classroom door slammed shut behind them, leaving everyone wondering what would become of them.

Before the newcomers could even catch their breath, Anze spoke again.

“Those who can only construct a single composite rune—out!”

This time, the pause was longer—about ten seconds—before two more stood up in panic.

They looked like they wanted to explain, but under Anze’s intimidating presence, not a word came out.

Another two left. Again, the door slammed shut.

The atmosphere in the room grew heavier. That ordinary classroom door now felt like the boundary between life and death—crossing it meant no return.

But Mentor Anze wasn’t done.

“Those who haven’t yet learned a Zero Tier spell—out!”

Even with the oppressive presence of a mentor, the room erupted in murmurs.

Some couldn’t believe their ears. They hoped Anze would take back what he said.

But Anze merely stared coldly at them.

Moments later, about half of the newcomers stood up.

They looked around in confusion, glancing skeptically at the ones who remained seated.

It was as if they were saying, “Didn’t you say it was too hard? Didn’t you say you didn’t know how to do it either?”

“Mentor, we…” one of the newcomers started, trying to appeal to Anze on behalf of the group.

But before Anze could so much as blink, Lokai smiled and tapped the apprentice with a finger.

The poor guy didn’t even realize something was wrong. He opened his mouth to keep talking—only for something to fall out.

Those nearby looked down.

It was half a tongue.

That did it. Everyone lowered their heads and quickly walked out, no longer daring to pause or protest.

Saul, who’d been watching it all, actually leaned back in his chair and relaxed.

“This is just intimidation,” he thought. “If the test were really this strict, Anze could’ve just said ‘only those who know a spell stay.’ He’s clearly trying to scare us into working harder, huh…”

But Anze still wasn’t finished.

“Anyone who only knows one Zero Tier spell—out!”

Silence.

No one moved.

Because in this entire room, barely anyone knew more than one Tier-0 spell.

That condition would eliminate almost everyone!

The pause dragged on. Finally, Lokai clapped his hands with a bright smile to get everyone’s attention.

“Come on now, let’s move quickly. The mentor’s time is very valuable.”

Only then did the apprentices stand up one by one, hesitating, reluctant, glancing back as they filed out.

They looked around, hoping no one passed the test either.

That way, Mentor Anze might relax the standard and they, the last batch eliminated, might have a shot at being let back in.

But to their dismay… there were still three people sitting in their seats.

Seriously—even that Saul guy was still there!?

Wasn’t he the one with terrible magic aptitude? Hadn’t the mentors already given up on him?

How was he still sitting there? How could he still be sitting there?

Their stares burned into him like nails, but all Saul did was switch which leg he had crossed.

Keli, sitting beside him, looked relatively calm but under the desk, her fists were clenched tight.

The third person who remained seated was the real shock for Saul.

Angela?

Saul glanced at her—she looked a little pale, but unlike Keli, didn’t seem especially nervous.

He rubbed his left hand and switched legs again.

The stunned newcomers filed out one by one.

Once the last person left, the door closed firmly behind them again.

“Only three left?” Mentor Anze sounded dissatisfied. “Newcomers these days… not a shred of urgency.”

He tapped his fingers lightly on the lectern and uttered a cold command:

“Lokai, mark the ones who left as disqualified. Deal with them.”

“What?” Lokai, who’d still been smiling, suddenly widened his eyes. He basically shouted the doubt everyone was feeling.

“Mentor, really? All of them disqualified? Come on, there were some mutual aid society members in there who’ve been working so hard. Can’t you give them one more chance?”

Anze snorted coldly. “Seems like your mutual aid group isn’t that useful after all. Better disband it before it causes trouble.”

But Lokai wasn’t intimidated by Anze’s attitude. He kept pleading on behalf of the students, his words smooth and sweet.

“Handle it however you want. Just stop bothering me.” Anze finally relented, clearly annoyed.

Hearing that, Saul and Keli exchanged a glance—both feeling uneasy.

If Lokai now got to decide who passed the test, then the influence of the mutual aid group would grow even stronger.

Could this whole thing have been a setup?

Could Anze and Lokai be putting on a two-man act?

Could it be that the real leader of the mutual aid group… is a mentor?

In a relatively small wizard tower, a true wizard secretly building a newcomer group—what could the motive be?

Fame? Wealth? Or… magical materials?

Lokai, cheerful after receiving Anze’s orders, left to go calm down the “little chicks” outside.

Meanwhile, Anze turned his gaze back to the three apprentices left in the room. His eyes landed on Angela, who was sitting alone in the corner.

“You. Come here. Show me the spells you know.”

Though Angela looked uneasy, she moved decisively and walked straight up to him without hesitation.

“Mentor Anze, I’m Angela. I know two Zero Tier spells.”

Her voice was so soft that Saul almost didn’t catch it.

Under Anze’s signal, Angela cast both spells.

They were both of the shadow element—types Saul hadn’t even seen before.

The spells didn’t seem to have much combat power. Saul wondered why Angela had chosen to learn these two first?

Anze tapped his fingers twice on the desk.

Saul noticed Angela’s hands, clasped behind her back, twitch sharply.

“Light Suppression and Wraith Detection… Not much for combat, but they’re easy to pick up. And just enough to meet my minimum standard. Hmm… Did someone in your family used to work at the tower?”

(End of Chapter)

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