The start of the school term was set for Monday.
The students, carrying expectations and expressions that looked like they didn't know whether to laugh or cry, headed toward the Academy.
The Royal Magic Academy looked completely renewed. New-style buildings made of marble covered the grounds.
Several flags fluttered in the wind atop the brand-new castle.
The cobblestone path underfoot was still so familiar, just with far fewer traces of smoothness and age.
The fountain in the plaza in front of the Academy was dazzling beyond compare; everything seemed to be starting over from a new beginning.
Rachel looked at the rebuilt Academy, stroked his beard, and let out a cheerful laugh as he entered the dean's office with his cane.
Most of the Academy had already been rebuilt, but only one place had been preserved.
That was the deep crater blasted out by Viktor.
A circle of fencing had been built around it to prevent students from accidentally falling in.
Originally, a crater didn't need this level of protection, after all, who would be bored enough to approach such a big pit?
But unexpectedly, at this moment the area around the crater was packed with students, shoulder to shoulder, jammed so tightly that not even a drop of water could pass through, all gathered to stare at that massive crater.
This gigantic crater had a radius of at least half a kilometer, occupying an enormous area.
And the bottom of the crater was terrifying as well, around several dozen meters deep. If someone fell in, it wouldn't be any different from falling off a building.
The crater now was no longer just a mark left by a great battle.
It was now a memorial site of the Magic Academy.
A memorial of that demon battle.
A memorial of that earth-shaking, heaven-destroying mysterious experience.
A group of students squeezed into the very front. Looking at the giant crater before their eyes, they felt a bit proud.
They reminisced about the terrifying scene of that day while proudly telling the younger students, "Aiya aiya, you all didn't get to see it, Professor Viktor's magic that day was truly breathtaking."
"Yeah, I saw it too. That huge meteor, tsk tsk tsk."
"And we even helped Professor Viktor!"
"We joined forces and broke through the black barrier that covered the sky!"
The more they recalled the past, the prouder they felt.
As if merely having witnessed the scene of that battle allowed them to wear a medal of courage on their chests.
"It seems that this time, when school starts, Professor Viktor is going to become the Chief Professor of the Royal Magic Academy!"
A bespectacled student suddenly spoke up in the crowd, sharing the rumor he had heard.
Everyone around him immediately focused their attention on him.
"But I only heard it somewhere."
"Hearing it is fine, keep talking!"
Seeing the expectant eyes of his classmates, the boy pushed up his glasses and continued mysteriously, "It seems the dean plans to personally appoint Viktor as the Chief Professor."
"It's to reward the great contribution Professor Viktor made during the demon battle."
He kept talking, getting more worked up as he spoke, completely unaware that the classmates beside him were slowly leaving.
He suddenly felt confused, as if a shadow had fallen over him.
A cold, indifferent voice sounded behind him.
"What are you saying? Let me hear it too."
This voice… so familiar.
The student turned around, and was startled out of his wits.
"Pro… Professor Viktor!"
After shouting, he immediately rushed after the fleeing students and left in a hurry.
Viktor's strength had been acknowledged by many people, and naturally, he had also become even more frightening.
The students worshiped Viktor, but also feared him.
After the students left, Viktor looked at the crater in front of him, expressionless.
Vega, however, felt somewhat sentimental.
"Our Chief Professor really is impressive. Every student who sees you is scared."
Viktor ignored him.
The nomination for Chief Professor had been delivered yesterday.
This honor would be granted personally by the dean during Viktor's public lecture in a few days.
That's right, Rachel still hadn't forgotten Viktor's public class.
Viktor's public class happened to be close to the end of term. When he finished teaching, with Viktor's influence, it would surely attract even more new students to enroll.
The youngest third-tier mage had become the youngest fourth-tier mage, and had even defeated a demon.
He was even a councilor of the Mage Council, and currently the Imperial Princess's private tutor.
These titles were simply too heavy, so heavy that they felt unreal.
How could so many titles belong to one person? And each one was extraordinary.
And soon, he would have one more title, the Chief Professor of the Royal Magic Academy.
"Pro… professor!"
Henny came running over in small hurried steps, arriving at Viktor's side.
Viktor looked down at the panting Henny.
Today, she officially took her position as an honorary associate professor of the Academy.
But calling her an associate professor was only because her strength was lacking.
After all, she was still only a first-tier mage.
In reality, she had already replaced the former Devon Resser in his professor position.
"What is it."
Henny being this anxious must mean something had happened.
She caught her breath and said, "The Arcane Hall, students are fighting!"
———
The magic arena in the Arcane Hall was an open sparring area belonging to the Academy.
If students of the Royal Magic Academy had any disputes, they could privately spar on this arena.
Because both sides would agree on the terms of victory, and the magic arena would record everything to prevent students from cheating.
But from the perspective of players, this place was simply the PVP combat zone.
At this moment, the arena was filled with swinging vines. Standing motionless at the center was a golden-haired enchantress, and in front of her were more than a dozen students watching her with serious expressions.
More and more students were being drawn in. Everyone's faces were filled with admiration as they stared foolishly at the beautiful noble girl with golden hair.
"To face more than a dozen same-tier seniors alone without falling behind, so this is the strength of last year's freshman chief?"
"No wonder she's the duke's daughter. Lady Erica, go for it!"
The surrounding students blew whistles and shouted encouragement.
The entire Arcane Hall was thrown into chaos, the crowd below acting like a cheerleading squad.
Amid the hysteria, suddenly, "Explain to me what's going on right now."
A cold voice sounded behind a few students. All of them shrank their necks as a pressure beyond reason crashed down on them.
They slowly turned around, and froze.
'Holy sh*t? Professor Viktor?'
Standing before Viktor was that same bespectacled boy. He stammered as he explained, "Um… Professor Viktor, I just got here…"
"We didn't start anything…"
Viktor looked at him with cold indifference.
"Tell me everything."
A group of students crowded around Viktor, talking over one another as they explained everything.
Soon, he understood the cause of the dispute.
Those so-called senior students had been arrogant ever since they returned to the Academy, even intentionally bumping into last year's freshmen.
They bragged constantly, saying only the students who participated in the demon battle were brave and strong.
They claimed that those who faced the demon truly deserved a higher status than the lower-year students who hadn't helped at all.
So they came to the Arcane Hall and openly mocked everyone inside.
And as it happened, Erica was there too.
She disliked this kind of bullying through seniority, after all, she was also a freshman who enrolled last year.
"Ah! They're fighting!"
The students turned toward the sound, exclaiming as they watched the battle unfold.
The dozen arrogant students slowly recited a long string of chant incantations, constructing many simple magic arrays in the air.
Countless ice shards and small fireballs shot continuously toward Erica.
But Erica merely flicked her fingers lightly, without even constructing a magic array.
All the so-called "seniors'" magic was blocked one after another by the vines under Erica's control.
Erica flicked her hand again, and more than a dozen vines shot out, wrapped around their ankles, and lifted them into the air.
With another sweep of her hand, they were neatly thrown off the magic arena.
They were utterly humiliated, unable to get up.
Fortunately, no one was injured.
The students below were stunned.
'Jus… just like that?'
Defeating more than a dozen students alone this easily, was this the chief genius from last year?
After the Academy was blown up, they had taken a very long vacation.
Many students had even forgotten to study, clearly falling behind in magic.
But Erica had only grown stronger.
Some students, looking at the unbeatable Erica on the stage, couldn't help lowering their heads in deep shame.
Viktor watched her method of resolving the issue, and nodded.
Erica's actions suddenly gave him some inspiration.
After Erica finished everything, the students finally reacted and erupted into cheers.
But Erica didn't react at all. She simply reached a hand behind her head to straighten her hair and walked elegantly off the stage.
But just as she stepped down, she raised her head, and froze when she saw who stood before her.
"Professor!?"
Erica suddenly panicked.
Which meant… the professor had seen everything she just did?
'I didn't embarrass myself, did I!?'
Right now, Erica felt guilty, she didn't know if what she did was the right thing.
Viktor didn't spare her another glance. He snapped his fingers.
Magic arrays instantly formed in the air; a few gentle breezes lifted the dust-covered students back onto their feet.
After that, he looked at those students who didn't even dare lift their heads.
"It seems that something you all went through has given you some kind of… inflated idea?"
His tone was very calm, revealing no emotion, yet leaving them speechless.
Upon hearing Viktor's voice, the students present all fell silent without exception.
The pressure Viktor gave them was completely different from other professors.
Before Viktor, they could clearly feel an overwhelming sense of authority.
"Teacher."
This thought rose in their hearts.
Viktor narrowed his eyes. Under the gaze of everyone present, he slowly stepped onto the arena.
"Since the end of term is approaching, I think that, as Chief Professor, I have an obligation to give all of you a small test."
Hearing this, the students curiously raised their heads.
A test from the Chief Professor?
Before they could respond, suddenly, the magic density inside the Arcane Hall skyrocketed.
Instantly, chaotic magical energy filled the space around every person.
"Th… this magic power is so thick!"
Viktor stood on the arena, the pitch-black crow perched on his shoulder, his coat rippling in the chaotic sea, glowing with threads of mingled red and green.
A two-colored aura burst out of him, spiraling through the air.
His cold eyes stared down at everything, as if engraved with one word.
Invincible.
"You can go and notify all the students in the Academy. Everyone can participate."
Viktor put his hands in his pockets and spoke calmly, "I will give each of you three minutes."
"I won't attack first. All of you can challenge me, whether as a team or alone."
"As long as someone can make me move even one step on this spot."
The proud arrogance seemed to turn into sparks across the sky, burning into a brilliant canvas.
Under that fiery curtain, his cold voice echoed, "Just one step."
"For the final exam..."
"I will let all of you…"
"Pass."