For a black mage, there was one figure who inspired true terror.
His name was Maxef.
Who was that, you ask? That was the name of our team member who had secretly slipped away to summon black mages.
"How is it that none of them are summoned the same way..."
At first, the black mage emerged slowly from below.
Some came out hand-first. Others popped out head-first.
I was trying to capture them alive for our purpose.
But when I made eye contact with a black mage whose head had just popped out, I instinctively cut it off.
It was truly a horrific incident.
To think you could commit such an act without hesitation, Maxef, you terrifying fellow.
"......"
This Maxef looked up at me with an expression that suggested he wanted to say something.
But as soon as our eyes met, he immediately bowed his head.
Watching him continue to draw the magic circle gave me goosebumps.
How frightening that he could keep creating such things.
Now I understood why the magic circles at the magic tower during summer vacation were so expensive.
If mistakes like this could happen, it makes sense to use the tower despite the cost.
As Maxef, who had taught me the importance of using official products, completed a new magic circle, I asked a question that suddenly occurred to me.
"By the way, exactly how many are you summoning?"
He had already summoned five black mages.
One had already departed from this world, and while black mages were indeed... readily available, continuing to summon so many seemed a bit strange.
"I-I'm not really sure. At least ten or so..."
The terror of black mages, Maxef, answered hesitantly, unbecoming of his fearsome reputation.
Or perhaps, considering he was a loner, this was his true nature?
"Ten?"
Given the recent frequency of black mage appearances, it was a plausible number.
But it seemed excessive for an ordinary black mage gathering.
Didn't he say "at least"?
"......"
I could roughly estimate what was happening.
What kind of people are black mages, anyway?
They're the type who abandon everything to pursue the path of dark magic for the sake of gaining power more quickly.
And that's not all.
They're people who choose the path of dark magic knowing that from the moment they learn it, they lose all human rights in every nation and face certain execution if caught.
Despite such disadvantages, they still choose the path of a black mage—truly determined individuals.
In other words, they're the type who would sacrifice even fellow black mages if necessary.
Knowing this about each other, they typically operate individually.
When such people gather, it's less about cooperation and more about forming temporary alliances for a common goal.
And if a dozen or so have formed a temporary alliance... it means there's a substantial reward.
Thinking about what in Rias could have such value, only a demon with a name similar to "Melon" came to mind.
"This is a good opportunity."
I repeatedly pressed the communication orb in my pocket that Uncle Aeryun had given me.
There couldn't be a more fitting stage for our Acid!
* * *
#1 Romance Fantasy Male Lead Alliance (Defeat Adam)
Group projects.
A name that gave transmigrators PTSD just by hearing it.
Surprisingly, though, most practical exams naturally became group projects by the second or third year at the academy.
Sword and magic.
Sometimes they bickered like WWE wrestlers.
Sometimes they fought with the intensity of a real UFC match where one might die.
They were fields with clear strengths and weaknesses.
That's why in dungeon exploration or monster subjugation classes, where one could lose their life in the worst case, complementing each other's weaknesses was fundamental.
Of course, forming teams of five to over ten people, like in the Rias territory class, was uncommon even among second and third-year students.
Therefore, professors had prepared one safety measure.
-This will be both a team competition and an individual evaluation within teams.
Students couldn't help but feel conflicted about this.
The team ranking was the priority.
But at the same time, they learned that individual rankings within the team would also be evaluated.
The scoring system was quite complex.
The top student in the first-place team would undoubtedly be ranked first.
But the tenth-place student in the first-place team might rank below the top student in the third or fourth-place team, depending on scores.
Unless you were the dragon's body, it was clearly better to be the snake's head than the dragon's tail.
And that was exactly what the professors intended.
If too many top students joined one team, it would defeat the purpose of allowing free team formation.
But if students still wanted to try it, they were welcome to do so.
Most students formed teams while being mindful of each other.
They sought members who could help maintain their own ranking while also contributing to the team.
Some quickly recruited top students to form a team where they could be the core.
Others tried to form teams with relatively less skilled students to prioritize individual performance.
But ironically, the first team to be completed consisted entirely of top-tier students.
Ellen Leon, top student in the Swordsmanship Department.
Asran, third-ranked in the Swordsmanship Department.
Arwen Dale, top student in the Magic Department.
Gerard Rias, third-ranked in the Magic Department.
And finally, Acid Eleras, a high-ranking student in the Magic Department and Imperial Prince.
In short, all the romance fantasy male lead candidates had formed one team.
Both professors and students were shocked.
The professors were surprised that the top and third-ranked students from each department had united around the Imperial Prince.
The students were horrified that a disaster guaranteeing exam failure was roaming the test site.
How on earth was such a combination possible?
Some thought they had formed a team for a death match to bring each other down.
Others claimed it was all due to Prince Acid's abilities.
But the inside story was quite petty:
"Defeat Adam!"
"Defeat Adam!"
It was merely the desperate struggle of romance fantasy male leads who felt threatened.
"I thought the atmosphere between those two seemed unusual lately..."
Of course, there was a reason for this.
"I never imagined such a thing would happen..."
Ellen gritted his teeth with an expression that seemed to say, "I trusted you as much as I trusted my friend..."
"Is it really true?"
Arwen, the first love of the Fire Wrapper and the Prince of Dale who had never imagined this fact, sighed deeply and muttered.
"Hah."
The man who had gathered everyone here.
A man with imperial bloodlines who, though unlikely, had a chance to become emperor—Acid made no attempt to hide his frustration as he shared what he had heard with his friends and rivals.
"I got this information from Violet in exchange for an artifact."
"Violet's information...!"
The person closest to the woman they all loved!
Information from a childhood friend who had been with her since long ago, unknown even to them, had to be true!
"Then..."
Gerard, who had been silently standing by, closed his dull eyes tightly.
His mask had been shattered long ago.
"So the one-year extension of their relationship... is true..."
Everyone bowed their heads at his lament.
Though each was individually suited to become a star that would illuminate the continent with their position, skill, and talent.
They were also young adults who had just come of age, clueless about their late-blooming puberty and first love.
That's why they naturally formed a team to defeat Adam, who they assumed would be on Daisy's team.
"What? Adam isn't on my team."
"......"
"......"
But even they hadn't anticipated Adam's true fan.
"What should we do now?"
"W-we should stick to the plan anyway!"
Though their noble cause of punishing the lovey-dovey couple during the exam had disappeared.
Their grudge went deeper than that.
So they proceeded with the exam as quickly as possible while searching for Adam's teammates.
And when their efforts finally bore fruit.
"Y-Your Highness?"
"Why would you come to such a humble place..."
"Because I'm taking the exam?"
"Ah!"
Among the students who shrank back in surprise.
Their actual target, Adam, was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is Adam Smith?"
"Our team leader? A student got lost, so he went to find them himself..."
"......"
"......"
Acid and the others exchanged glances.
They had formed this team for a petty revenge.
Yet their target had become the leader of students who couldn't form teams and was now searching for a lost teammate.
'This...'
'Aren't we being too trashy...?'
Of course, they had reasons for forming this team.
There was a possibility that Adam might be carrying Daisy's famous holy sword.
For Ellen and Asran, who had been thoroughly defeated by Adam wielding that magic sword.
They believed they couldn't win against Adam with the magic sword unless they formed such a powerful team.
Of course, even that excuse fell apart once they confirmed Adam no longer had the magic sword!
"I-I see."
That's why Acid and the other romance fantasy male leads had no choice but to retreat with sour expressions.
"W-what do we do now?"
"For now, finding Adam Smith..."
"And if we find him?"
"Should we... compliment him?"
"Didn't we gather to fight?"
Despite having people they liked, their incompetence hadn't gone anywhere.
The romance fantasy male lead alliance was still fumbling even against their love rival.
It was then that:
"Your Highness, we found him."
Everyone's gaze turned to Acid at the appearance of Aeryun, who had been sent to find Adam.
"......"
Yes, he had ordered the search.
But why at this timing?
Despite Acid's complicated expression, Aeryun just tilted his head in confusion.
"...Let's go."
Indeed, leaders must sometimes bear all blame and move forward.
He had formed this party.
He had ordered the search for Adam Smith.
Whatever happened, he needed to meet Adam Smith first.
With that thought, Acid led his group to follow Aeryun. However:
'What should I do once we meet? Should we fight using the exam as an excuse? But he's alone with the lost student, right? If we have Ellen duel him one-on-one... while we watch? Would that be fair? No, I never intended to be fair in the first place.'
Despite pondering throughout the walk:
"...?"
Upon arrival, he realized his worries had been completely unnecessary.
Because:
"Y-you must be Acid!"
"Kugh, you, Acid!"
"How dare you lure us into such a trap!"
"We curse you!"
Black mages with parts of their bodies dangling through distorted spaces in magic circles were there to greet him.