I Entered Magic Academy With F-Rank Stats

Chapter 5 - Weapon Selection

“Don’t push!”

Ryan Volde had barely opened his eyes when someone slammed into his shoulder from behind.

He stumbled into a broken wooden desk while dozens of other candidates crowded together inside what looked like an abandoned lecture room.

No one had time to make sense of their surroundings before Blackthorn’s voice sounded simultaneously inside their heads.

[Blackthorn Entrance Examination has begun.]

[Mandatory Mission: Reach the Sanctuary Zone within 60 minutes.]

[The examination grounds are currently occupied by Blight Goblins. Leave the main building and reach the Sanctuary Zone to complete the mission.]

[Optional Mission I: Kill at least 5 Blight Goblins.]

[Optional Mission II: Kill the Goblin Warlord.]

[Mandatory Mission Reward: 10 Academy Credits and 100 Merit Marks.]

[Optional Mission I Reward: Additional 10 Academy Credits and 200 Merit Marks.]

[Optional Mission II Reward: Additional 20 Academy Credits and 500 Merit Marks.]

[Failure during the entrance examination will not reduce your remaining natural lifespan.]

[Each candidate will receive one randomly selected beginner weapon.]

Ryan hadn’t even finished reading when light appeared in front of every candidate.

Different weapons dropped into their hands.

Short swords.

Bows.

Light axes.

Daggers.

Wands.

And several other weapons Ryan didn’t even recognize.

What appeared in his own hand was a gray wooden wand about the length of his forearm.

[Novice Wand]

[Arcane Attack Rank: F]

[Innate Ability: Arcane Bolt.]

[Using Arcane Bolt consumes mental energy.]

[Basic Wand Mastery Lv.1: 0/100.]

“At least it’s better than a chicken,” Ryan muttered.

Nearby, several candidates who had received swords immediately started swinging them around.

Ryan did something else.

He walked over to a shattered window and raised his wand toward the open sky.

He had no idea how magic was supposed to work.

But the moment he thought about Arcane Bolt, something warm flowed from his head, down through his arm.

Ryan pointed the wand outside.

“Arcane Bolt.”

A fist-sized ball of white light shot forward with a sharp hiss.

Its path curved slightly before it burst in midair roughly forty meters away from the building.

[Basic Wand Mastery Lv.1: 2/100.]

Ryan stared at the notification longer than he had watched the explosion.

Two points.

Behind him, a candidate who had just swung an axe suddenly shouted, “My Mastery went up by one!”

“Same here!” someone else replied. “Looks like using the weapon gives experience.”

Ryan immediately understood what was happening.

'Universal Prodigy.'

His learning efficiency had been increased by one hundred percent.

If another candidate gained one point of experience from a successful attempt, Ryan gained two.

He raised the wand again.

“Arcane Bolt.”

A second sphere of light shot through the window.

[Basic Wand Mastery Lv.1: 4/100.]

A small smile appeared on Ryan’s face.

It didn’t last long.

His vision suddenly blurred.

A heavy ache spread through his head, as though he had been forced to concentrate through an entire night without rest.

Ryan quickly braced himself against the wall.

Only two shots.

And he was already close to being drained.

'Intelligence two. So Gareth actually had a point.'

Around the room, candidates had begun trading weapons after realizing the equipment had been assigned randomly.

Several people with bows complained that they had never touched one before.

Those who received greatswords were already trying to find something lighter.

Ryan was considering doing the same when a woman spoke beside him.

“Trade with me.”

Evelyn Ashcroft stood there holding a short dagger.

Ryan glanced at the weapon, then at his wand.

“You want the wand?”

“I need an Arcane weapon.”

“That works out nicely. I just learned that using this thing twice almost makes me pass out.”

Evelyn adjusted her glasses.

“That’s exactly why I chose you.”

Ryan paused.

“That sounded a little insulting.”

“Out of the fifteen candidates who received wands, you’re the only one who looks exhausted after two attacks. Arcane ability consumption is most likely directly related to Intelligence.”

Ryan immediately remembered the number two sitting beside Intelligence in his profile.

Evelyn’s observation was probably right.

Without arguing any further, they exchanged weapons.

[Novice Dagger]

[Physical Attack Rank: F-.]

[Basic Dagger Mastery Lv.1: 0/100.]

Evelyn took the wand and immediately left the room.

Ryan followed a short while later until he reached the building’s main entrance.

Only then did he get a clear look at the examination grounds.