It was cruel, but it wasn't just her who exited using this way. As she ran, Chast.i.ty, the girl from earlier, went with her and told her that her mana was depleting, so she couldn't use magic either. 

"Nice job!" Chast.i.ty said with a thumbs up.

The two of them pa.s.sed Aqua using the same technique. With only Lumos to ward off the ghosts, they were able to run at a steady pace.

Faustina smiled at her as they both continued to run. From the distance, Aqua was still unleas.h.i.+ng strong water currents to the students. 

"We got lucky," Faustina exclaimed as she ran.

"The next monster would be Terra," said Chast.i.ty. "I specialize in Earth magic, so it would be most inconvenient to use earth to earth." 

It was true. The fundamental rule in using magic is to use opposite elements and use them to your advantage. Fire, Water, Earth, and Air have the same level of strength, but one could be better than the other depending on how it was used. 

"Execution," says Professor Miketsukami as he peered down to the two examinees—Anakin and Claire only at each other's tail. "Those two know how to use a spell to their advantage."

"However . . ."

Professor Mariam narrowed her gaze as Claire and Anakin fought in the midst of the race to get ahead of each other.

"That level of execution does not fit to Ianua I." Said Mariam. "Now then, what will you show us, Child?" She thought, glancing at Faustina who was running closer to Terra, the Earth monster.

"Wait!" Said Chast.i.ty, stopping Faustina to her tracks as both of them heaved. "We need to plan. Can we stray from the main road? Away from Terra?"

"A detour?" Faustina asked.

"I don't know if it's allowed, but large scales of Earth magic would be most inconvenient." Chast.i.ty said. "Besides, I haven't seen examinees challenging Terra. I don't even see the ground vibrate as it should."

"But then there are many people who went ahead of us . . ." Faustina murmured, and then her eyes widened. "Then you mean . . . they all failed?"

"Or they defeated Terra." Chast.i.ty exclaimed. "Professor Yusha said nothing about breaking the rules if we stray along the path. I think if we continue to run to the thoroughfare, we might run across Terra and fail because we're unprepared."

'She's right,' Faustina thought. 'We only got lucky—no, I only got lucky because there are many of the examinees who faced the monsters head-on with their magic whilst I saw an opening for an escape.'

"Let's go," said Chast.i.ty. "Lumos."

Faustina was able to use Lumos as well because it was only a small scale magic spell that propels light to the gem of the staff.

"We might encounter some ghosts, but the light will help us ward them off." Chast.i.ty said as both of them finally went to the graveyard itself.

The graveyard was shrouded with a thick fog, limiting perception. It was the perfect setting to lower visibility; the mist had spread across the main road of the racing grounds, but it was heavier and slicker in the graveyard itself.

The two of them ambled their way to the graveyard whilst advancing to Terra at the same time. 

"So the plan is to stealthily pa.s.s over Terra without him noticing us." Said Chast.i.ty. "We can avoid him if we use this route. I don't think anyone ever took a detour before—and we aren't given a warning by the moderator so it might be alright to continue."

The plan seemed plausible. They won't use magic above all else, and the chances of them being spotted were lower compared to before. Faustina wondered why she hasn't thought about taking this route.

'I wasn't confident enough on my own,' Faustina answered her own question bugging her mind. She glanced at Chast.i.ty, who was ahead of her.

"By the way, I'm sorry about earlier." Chast.i.ty said. "I really got desperate."

"N-no, it's okay," Faustina retorted. "I don't really mind."

Chast.i.ty glanced back to Faustina, and then gave her a smile. 

"Thank you."

Faustina was supposed to smile back, but then—

"Watch out!" 

Behind Chast.i.ty was a bearded man who wore a shawl that was covered with dead moss—the old man impended to attack Chast.i.ty by hurling himself towards them, but Faustina was able to drag Chast.i.ty away by pulling her to the side. 

The shock in Claire and Anakin were evident to the professors as the two of them stopped to hear Yusha's announcement. At that time, they had the same thoughts—there are now two more contenders in the first place!

Anakin gritted his teeth. If this is the case, then he shouldn't dwindle any longer! Using an explosion, he fired his way to the next obstacle—to Ventus, the last monster of the obstacle! Claire wasn't giving Anakin chances, either. Using her wind magic, she propelled forward faster. This wasn't about fighting and eliminating one's opponent anymore. It was about who's the first one to go to the finish line—before the Hermit is defeated!

Faustina and Chast.i.ty stood by the hermit, who looked nothing like a ghost. His flesh was semi-transparent, but he looked like he had a physical form. The hermit then ran towards them with his disproportionate, large hands. Faustina and Chast.i.ty were able to avert the hermit's attack by jumping away from his desired trajectory, leaving his handprints on the ground they used to be.

The hermit then swung his hand to Faustina, but Chast.i.ty managed to parry his attack with a barrier.

"Run!"

Faustina gritted her teeth. At this rate, Chast.i.ty will be the only one fighting until her mana depletes. Is there anything she could do aside from escaping?

"Lumos!" Faustina chanted, running to the hermit as she thumped her staff into his head. The hermit didn't look like he was scathed, but he was definitely irate. 

The hermit then swung his hand towards Faustina, but then—

"Alliges duplica terram!" chanted Chast.i.ty, making the ground below the hermit bind his two feet. "Spicis terram!"

The ground unleashed spikes; everything just happened in the blink of an eye. The pikes directly went from the hermit's back, divulging from behind, taking out the heart of the hermit as it hung to the spike's tip in front of its chest.

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