As the flames danced and the dragons took form in the coliseum, the crowd fell into stunned silence. Mirai, the vice-principal, shot an angry and bewildered look in the direction of the principal, who responded with a helpless shrug and whispered, "I have no idea what's going on either."

In Azuria, most people who knew of Mia considered her a martial artist. Her earlier display had hinted at her advanced stage of cultivation, something rarely seen in someone as young as her. This led even those sensitive to magic to assume she was primarily a martial artist. But as the girl began to weave a spell that no one could decipher, those assumptions crumbled.

Spectators erupted into a frenzy of cheers, shouting Mia's name and electrifying the atmosphere. The principal and the other teachers tried to intervene, to make Mia stop, but she seemed oblivious to their efforts, entirely consumed by her spellcasting.

Since no one in authority could understand the nature of her spell, trying to interfere was out of the question. As the spell reached its climax, Mia launched it. The principal, along with every available professor who could help, joined the one serving as a target, desperately attempting to withstand the assault of the nine flaming dragons.

Half of the teachers almost collapsed, like Mia would, before the spell was over, and the other half were on the brink of exhaustion. Only the principal remained in an acceptable state. If not for his protective barrier, someone might have died, and they all knew it.

The principal hurried toward Mia, his anger and scolding words ready, but as he approached her, she collapsed to the ground, and panic gripped his heart. He attempted to pick her up and check on her but was beaten to it by Mia's father, a towering figure who had dashed across the stage the moment Mia began to fall. Marry and Lin soon joined the scene.

Huang picked Mia up and held her in his arms. The principal, still panicked, started to talk with Huang.

“Is she alright?” The principal asked.

“She doesn't appear to be hurt anywhere.” Huang answered after a quick examination of Mia.

Marry also checked Mia and as soon as she finished, her worries seemed to wash away. “She is just asleep from using all her mana. This happened before so there are no problems.” She said.

“Unless you need her to be awake.” Lin added.

“That's good. And no, there is no need for you to wake up the girl. Once you finish this test you are free to go home.” The principal explained as his worries also vanished for the moment. The family quickly took up the man's words and decided to return home with Mia in tow. The only reason they were here was Mia so there was no need to stay if she wasn't here.

After the family took their leave, the tests continued for a few more hours, but nothing came close to the spectacle of Mia's spell. More than one student spell backfired as they attempted to do something similar to her.

Later that night, at the onset of darkness, the entire administration and teaching staff of the academy convened to grade and discuss the students. While most assessments were straightforward, today's events weighed heavily on their minds. Specifically, the new students.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The first was Klaws, a 12-year-old human boy from a poor family. Despite their limited resources, he had managed to pass the entrance test with remarkable physical abilities. Teachers who had interacted with him believed he could potentially focus exclusively on body cultivation and not become stuck at rank 10. He also possessed a unique magical mutation that enabled him to transform his nails into sharp claws.

The second was Cassandra, a 13-year-old dwarven girl from the southern continent. Her family was heavily indebted and working in dangerous mines to repay it. One day, she had run away, using her keen business sense to make money in any way she could. She was even willing to pay for protection. Her decision to enter the academy was driven by the potential future status it could grant her, allowing her to make even more money. Her attitude was that any problem could be solved with money and so far her life showed that she was right.

The third student was Moon, a 13-year-old elf boy from the western country of Cambina. Though reasonably strong in both magic and physical combat, he had a habit of trying to establish dominance whenever there was no one clearly out of his league present.

Lastly, there was Mia. She had been accepted into the academy as a favor to Jin. Initially, many had low expectations of her, but then they learned how Jin had discovered her. Subsequent incidents, such as her escapades around the city and her invasion of the coliseum cages and castle, had drawn considerable attention to her. The professor who had graded her test was baffled. Mia was not only exceptionally smart but also exhibited a remarkable understanding of various subjects, except for geography and history. Her ideas on war and government were inspiring to say the least.

Other professors, perplexed by her answers, had questioned if she had cheated. However, the vice-principal had explained that if Mia had somehow cheated, it would be their responsibility, and they would be held accountable. This had curbed further inquiries.

The discussions turned to her demonstrations. Her physical prowess far exceeded what was expected for her age. The professor who had taken her kick noted that Mia had received no formal training, everything she did was either self-taught or instinctual. If she hadn't displayed her magical abilities, she might have been lauded as a martial arts prodigy for years to come.

The mention of Mia's nine-dragon spell left all the professors, especially those specializing in magic, frozen and a little depressed. No one had been able to analyze how the spell functioned. When they delved deeper into her past to see if anyone had taught her magic, they were surprised. Even her own family had refrained from teaching her anything, as they believed that explaining magic to her might hinder her natural growth.

Debates raged on what to do with Mia. Some advocated for barring her from any magical studies, while others saw her as a potential test subject. Arguments about how she had nearly killed professors were countered with warnings that if she wasn't trained, innocent people might suffer the same fate someday.

The situation seemed to be reaching an impasse when the principal proposed a solution. One that illustrated one of the things he knows how to do best. Drop his problems in the lap of others.

“Why not bring back the Special Class? Besides the new students we have some more problematic or unique ones from the last few years. By putting them together we can more freely deal with them since they would not be tied down by the normal curriculum.”

Oddly enough, the entire staff agreed. While the principal usually preferred to avoid work, he was an exceptional teacher when it came to magic. He enjoyed teaching more than dealing with administrative duties, and he wasn't the best choice to lead the academy. The vice-principal had often picked up the slack.

With the issue resolved, everyone finished their work and prepared for the official start of classes.

Mia woke up a little after nightfall, still groggy due to her depleted mana. However, hearing her family singing her praises filled her with happiness.

Mia's spell had earned her both fans and enemies. Soon, she would meet both groups, and nobody could predict how things would unfold.