Raya Lucaria Academy. The monthly challenge had finally begun.
Many Tarnished, carrying their funds and accompanied by their Maidens, waited outside the Academy gates.
Some had only challenged a few times, or were first-timers. Others had challenged over a dozen times long ago.
Why did they keep coming back after being defeated, and even pay for the privilege?
They had no choice.
Challenging BOSSes elsewhere meant a one-time, do-or-die battle.
If you lost, you actually died!!
But here?
If you lost, you could challenge again next time. During the challenges, Tarnished could also accumulate combat experience and even pay to learn magic.
By the time they defeated all the mages they needed to, they would have amassed significant experience fighting mages. Then, when facing Rennala, they wouldn't be easily defeated; they might even have a chance to win.
After all, everyone knew Rennala's current state.
Because of her situation, the Academy had devised this strategy, mobilizing their top combatants for these challenges.
No matter what, Rennala was still the Queen of Caria, a hero of the Carian Kingdom, and the Academy's highest leader.
Even if her authority had been stripped, she remained the symbol and face of Raya Lucaria Academy!
Kaito and Hirano, along with their Maidens, arrived a bit late.
Being late was intentional on Hirano's part, based on her experience.
There was no need to queue so early. Arriving early meant challenging earlier, but arriving later allowed you to watch from the spectator area outside the combat zone.
Considering it was Kaito's first time challenging the mages, and though confident in his strength, she wanted him to avoid injury and also gain insight by watching, helping him make better decisions.
This way, Kaito could win more easily.
She truly cared about him. She would have done this even before their relationship became so close, let alone now when they were very close indeed.
"Is it always this crowded?"
Seeing over three hundred people queuing, not including their Maidens, Kaito was slightly surprised.
He had expected maybe a hundred.
"This is actually fewer than usual. When I first came, there were over a thousand."
"Oh? And how many succeeded in the end?"
"...One? I think? It might have been a few. I can't remember clearly."
"Haha, that figures. Speaking of which, I haven't really looked into the rules. I only know the gist: win ten consecutive matches to challenge Rennala. But with so many people, and the mages getting tired, how does it work?"
"That's simple. Raya Lucaria has many mages, and they take turns, from weakest to strongest."
Hirano explained in detail.
A Tarnished needed to win consecutive matches against mages, ranked from weakest to strongest, to earn the right to challenge Rennala.
Since ancient times, it was said only fifteen individuals had achieved nine consecutive wins, but they all lost to the final opponent, and the same one.
The weakest were ordinary mages, clearly there to gain combat experience.
The second tier were slightly stronger mages.
Starting from the third tier were experienced mages who had studied at the Academy for at least a decade.
Mages could achieve longevity through magic, living much longer than ordinary people.
Magic was also incredibly difficult to learn; it wasn't something mastered in a few years. Some mages spent their entire lives researching magic within Raya Lucaria.
A decade was the minimum; decades, even centuries, were common.
Powerful mages could live for hundreds, even thousands of years.
At that level, they were undoubtedly the pinnacle of human strength. Even if not a match for demigods, they were virtually invincible beneath them.
In short, the mages were arranged from weakest to strongest. They each fought only once per challenge cycle, regardless of win or loss, then rested.
Once sufficiently rested, battle-hungry mages could reapply to fight again, even multiple times.
Each challenge cycle lasted several days; it wasn't over in a day.
It was mutually beneficial.
"It's starting. Let's get our number and head to the spectator area. With this many people, if we're lucky, we'll be up tomorrow; if not, maybe the day after."
"I see. Well, since we're here, watching is fine. Know yourself, know your enemy, and you'll never be defeated."
Besides, he didn't want to waste Hirano's kind gesture, did he?
After receiving their number from a mage at the gate, Kaito and his group entered Raya Lucaria Academy.
It was enormous, like a castle.
Hogwarts from the Harry Potter wasn't half, no, not even a quarter the size of this!
Not only Tarnished filled the spectator stands, but Academy mages also came, sitting opposite them.
Many mages were qualified to participate, but many were not.
Regardless, watching matches to gain insights was beneficial.
Soon, amidst the clamor, the first Tarnished stepped forward. A mage quickly took the opposing side.
This Tarnished was clearly experienced. He drew his blade and charged immediately, closing in on the mage.
But the mage wasn't foolish; he had experience too.
Casting a spell to enhance his speed, he kited the Tarnished.
One gave chase, the other dodged while chanting incantations.
This was typical of the first-tier mages. From the third tier onward, matches became more interesting; mages weren't so passive, casting faster or even engaging in close combat.
"He'll win."
After a few glances, Kaito lost interest.
But based on their performance, he could guess the outcome.
The first Tarnished won.
And quite easily, too.
Fights were to first blood. After wounding the mage a few times, the Tarnished didn't press the attack; continuing would turn minor wounds into severe ones, leaving the mage unable to continue.
The referee would step in, cast a healing spell, and the next match would begin after a short rest.
And so it went.
The first Tarnished ultimately lost to the seventh mage, falling in a blade-to-blade clash.
A mage who couldn't fight close-quarters wasn't a qualified mage!