Vane and Felder turned their heads, and a thin old face peeked out of the crack in the door, flickering in the light. "Who are you two little cubs? Don't go home and sleep so late!"

"That, uncle, that's right. Felder swallowed and took a step forward, "We just came from Gus Town today, and this is my friend, who just graduated from the Obojar Academy of Magic and Wizardry. He's about to apply to join the Wizards' Guild, so see if you can let us stay here for one night and take the test directly tomorrow. ”

"No, I can't. The door slammed shut.

"Hey, old man, do you know who you're rejecting? it's Vane, Obohar's genius magic apprentice, the future Grand Magician!" Felder shouted with some emotion.

"Squeak......" The door opened, and the old man took a lamp in his hand, glanced at Vane and said, "Come in, you two." ”

The darkness in the room seemed to be desperately devouring the light from the lamp in the old man's hand, and the flickering shadows changed shape back and forth. This magician's guild is too economical of magic energy stones, and it won't turn on any lights, Vane thought, and quickened his pace to catch up.

The three of them walked down the spiral staircase to the second floor, and the old man stopped, "This is the office area of the Obohar branch, and the room on the left side of the corridor is unused, so you can rest there." Before Vane and Felder could say thanks, the old man had already gone downstairs and disappeared into the darkness.

"Is the Wizards' Guild full of strange people? What a strange night. Felder muttered to himself.

In the dream, Vane passed the Wizards' Guild exam, became a junior magician, and found his uncle in the Floating City, where they teamed up to crush the conspiracy of the dark forces. The corners of the boy's mouth curled in his sleep.

"Hey, boy, wake up, do you really have this at home?" Vane slowly opened his eyes, and his vision became clear. The person who spoke seemed to be a little familiar, by the way, it was the same old man from last night. Only at this time, he was wearing a dark mage hat, a gray cloth robe hanging down to leather boots, and holding a staff taller than him, the body of which was against the floor, looking wise and knowledgeable. The old man was squinting and smiling at him.

"Senior, you're also a magician?" Vane couldn't connect the old man in front of him to the image of the old man last night.

"Why, don't I look like it? Haha, I'm the head of the Obojar branch of the Wizards' Guild, Rostri. Rostry's hearty laugh.

It really didn't look like it last night, I thought it was an old janitor. Of course, Vane didn't dare say that.

"Future Grand Mage, if I'm not mistaken, you're still an apprentice in magic. Downstairs, the assessment of junior magicians has begun to register for today, let me see how you perform. Minister Rostry's words made Vane feel a little hot on his face, and he glared at Felder a little complainingly.

"Your staff is pretty good, take care of it. But you won't need today's assessment. Rostri said, looking at the sapphire staff leaning against the wall.

Downstairs there were quite a few people in the hall, most of them teenagers dressed in the same way as Vane, with light shirts and dark waistcoats or short coats, and a wide cloak, which was the standard dress for young magicians. Robes and mage's hats? no, that would look a little better with white hair and a white beard.

These applicants all have a piece of paper in their hands, which is the application form for the assessment, and only those who become magic apprentices can apply for the assessment of junior magicians, and so on for the later level of assessment. Most of them sit or stand, and most of them are cramped and uneasy, because if they fail the assessment, they will not be able to apply again until half a year later. Of course, you can try your luck at branches in other cities, but in fact, this result may have already sealed the end of your path as a magician, and you will never be able to become a magician without magical talent, even if you work hard, you can only roast rabbit meat with fireballs.

Vane had already filled out the application form and stood in the hall with the crowd waiting. Felder was impatient to slip out, and the two made an appointment to meet at noon at the singing sheep.

"Eleven, it's your turn. The curly-haired young assistant on the second floor grabbed the handrail of the spiral staircase, poked his head out and shouted downstairs. A young girl arrived, a little nervously, and walked briskly upstairs with her head down. At the same time, a boy with a sad face came down the stairs, needless to say, a poor magic apprentice who had not passed the test.

I don't know how long the time passed, and someone upstairs shouted: "Thirty-seventh, it's your turn." Vane straightened his clothes, clenched his sapphire staff, and walked steadily towards the second floor.

"Boy, the first thirty-six guys didn't make it, I hope it didn't scare you. Minister Rostry, sitting in a high-backed chair, looked at Vane with interest. "Well, Bud, I'll leave it to you. ”

"Okay. Vane, this is a special staff for assessment, and the medicinal materials required have been prepared in this magic medicine box, all of which are purified and excellent materials. The curly-haired young assistant named Bard said, "It's easy, choose three primary spells to cast on this magic puppet, and ask for one each of light, dark, and nature. The passing criteria are that the spell is accurate, cast normally, and the effect meets the primary effect standard defined in the "Magic Assessment Standards", and there is no time limit. Okay, now you're ready to go. ”

Vane took a deep breath, picked up the wooden magic staff for the assessment, and quickly picked up a piece of sulfur and a small piece of mistletoe in the wooden box with his right hand, the spell sounded at the same time, the inscription on the magic staff emitted a flickering orange-red light, the tip of the short staff emitted a dazzling light, Vane grabbed the staff with both hands and pointed steadily at the magic golem, while chanting the last incantation. The whole process takes two or three seconds, and it is done in one go.

Vane imagined what it would be like for the fireball to bombard the magic golem. However, there was neither the expected sound nor the light of the fireball, and he didn't even cast the fireball spell! He looked at the scene in front of him in disbelief, and the whole person was stunned as he held his staff. Ever since he had completed his first week of classes at the Academy of Magic, there had been no more spell casting failures.

"I think there's something wrong with this assessment staff, and I'm asking to use my own!" Vane was pretty sure that the staff was a trick, because there could be no other reason, and he was very confident in himself.

"It is impossible to ask for it according to the Magic Assessment Standards, because it will undermine the fairness of the assessment. So to prove that this staff is okay, now it's up to me to demonstrate the fireball technique myself. Rostryy stood up and picked up the staff and did almost the same thing as Vane, except that this time the staff spewed out a hot fireball and slammed into the magic golem. Perfect hit.

Vane was dumbfounded, he couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. For a moment his heart began to sink rapidly, magic was like his friend, and now this friend played a big joke on him: he might not really have talent, and his previous achievements might just be due to his ridiculous efforts. Like the thirty-six previous assessees, it is difficult for him to become a magician in this life.