In the courtyard exam venue, the light penetrating through the glass dome became increasingly dazzling.

Teresa shook her head, feeling something was off.

How could this young man say such a plan with such a sunny and cheerful face?

Of course, judging from his performance in the last round of exams, he was already no ordinary person.

"So don't worry, I, the law-abiding little pioneer, won't be acting with you," Lanqi said with a smile, looking at Huberrian.

He felt there should be more trust between teammates.

"Indeed," Huberrian agreed after a slight hesitation.

If this guy was really acting, she probably wouldn't have much chance left in this royal capital.

He might not be strong as a white mage, but as a legal pioneer...

She couldn't say for sure.

There wasn't much time for further conversation.

According to the exam procedure,

Lanqi and Huberrian were quickly led by Teresa to the Void Gate.

"You two should pay a bit more attention to examiner Felat Shavinson," Teresa said quietly on the side.

"Perhaps I shouldn't say this... but he's quite a strict fellow."

Personally, Teresa considered Huberrian and Lanqi to be two excellent students, so she didn't want them to be treated unfairly.

Although, she couldn't offer much substantial help.

"Thank you," Huberrian nodded, expressing gratitude to Teresa.

Just knowing who their examiner was, was already helpful for her.

"Alright, it's time to start the exam."

Accompanied by Teresa's gentle voice, the Void Gate opened before the two of them in front of the artificial Shadow World startup terminal.

Only this time, there was a countdown displayed on the Void Gate.

Clearly, the examinees needed to enter on time.

Lanqi didn't ask much and followed Huberrian into this Void Gate.

Although he didn't know who Felat was, it seemed Huberrian did, so he could just ask her later.

Inside the Void Gate.

It was still like last time, a pitch-black space where nothing could be seen clearly.

The surroundings became much quieter than the seven-story atrium, as if all sounds had been blocked out.

The next second, brilliant light shone, and he seemed to be in an alternate dimension space like a space-time tunnel.

Text prompts appeared before his eyes simultaneously.

[Shadow World: Infinite Phantom Canyon]

[Level: Second Order]

[Number of Challengers: 2]

[Welcome to Phantom Canyon, a Shadow World developed by the Magic Engineering Department for combat training purposes.]

[The current exam is set for Shadow World main quest failure, with challengers in a desperate situation.]

[You will face a Fourth Order Hunter played by the examiner on a random map. The examiner is prohibited from using magic cards but will use spells appropriate to their rank.]

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

[There is no life danger in the artificial Shadow World.]

[Upon failure in the Shadow World or death of examinees, you will be automatically ejected from the Shadow World.]

[Examinees can also choose to exit the Shadow World voluntarily and be judged as failed.]

[Note: Based on the evaluations of Examinee 001 Lanqi Wilford and Examinee 002 Huberrian Alansar in the previous assessment, the difficulty of this exam will be adaptively adjusted.]

[Note: The initial distance from the Hunter is reduced to 1/3.]

[Note: The Hunter's rank limit is adjusted to Fifth Order.]

[Mission Objective: Please work together to survive until the time limit expires.]

[Time Remaining: 29 minutes 59 seconds.]

[The map for this assessment is: Elven Great Plains.]

When the light fully brightened, they found themselves standing on a vast grassland, with sunlight illuminating every inch of land, warm and bright.

The sky in the distance was crystal clear, with a few white clouds floating leisurely with the breeze. The green grass on the plains danced in the wind, full of vitality, like a sea of jade.

"Just how high was your score?" Huberrian couldn't help but ask Lanqi when she saw the "1/3 initial distance" and "Fifth Order Hunter."

But when she finally saw that the randomly generated terrain was "plains,"

She finally couldn't hold it together anymore.

She even felt like laughing out of anger.

"I don't know, wasn't it said that this time it became a manual evaluation? It wasn't published. And is this 'plains' map really not just for show?"

Even Lanqi was stunned for a moment.

He couldn't tell for a moment whether someone had tampered with the randomness to set them up, or if their luck was really that bad, or if the person who designed this [Infinite Phantom Canyon] at the Magic Engineering Department was simply insane.

He had heard that the people in this school's Magic Engineering Department were not normal.

Now he got to see a bit of evidence.

Generally speaking,

These three negative effects would be acceptable if separated.

But when they're all combined, the nature changes.

It's worth noting that most incoming exam takers are only Second Order.

Like Lanqi, who just recently reached Second Order.

Third Order candidates like Huberrian are the minority.

However,

Whether they are Second or Third Order, they are no match for a Fifth Order enemy!

Being caught means the end of the exam.

In this vast plain terrain with shortened distances, they have no chance to maneuver.

"Hehe..."

Huberrian wanted to say something, but felt that saying anything would be meaningless.

These "face-saving" yet simultaneously "shameless" noble gentlemen, their every dignified move seemed particularly laughable.

Since the disappearance of Duke Alansar, she had been plunged into murderous intent, charged with fabricated crimes, unable to distinguish who wanted to help her and who wanted to harm her.

Finally, she investigated some clues about her father's disappearance and discovered a faint hope.

Yet because of this, she touched upon something deeper.

Even she could feel that soon, she would inexplicably die in the royal capital.

The only chance of survival now was if she could successfully enroll according to her father's final arrangements before his disappearance—

With the protection of Loren, the High Priest of the Goddess of Fate, no one would dare to act recklessly in the Sage Academy.

However,

Those sore losers.

Would never let her join Icerite Academy as she wished.

"You're not running?"

Huberrian turned her head slightly, looking up, and asked.

She noticed that Lanqi beside her also showed no signs of wanting to start a panicked escape.

"If you quit now, you might suffer less."

"I can't do that," Lanqi said helplessly.

"Why not?"

Huberrian showed a slightly mocking smile.

Unlike her, whose heart had already been twisted by anger and murderous intent, nearly at the end of her rope,

This young man seemed to have no compelling reason to pass the exam.

Lanqi shrugged and replied:

"If I don't pass the exam, I'll be scolded by my old man when I get home."

"..."

Huberrian thought Lanqi was joking.

But upon careful observation,

She found that Lanqi had been like this from the beginning.

Although he occasionally showed emotions of surprise or confusion,

His deeper inner self had never produced any ripples.

It was as if this person's heart rate was always in a state of having afternoon tea.