Mike remained silent for a long time, processing all the new information he had received. The questions about what had happened to his brother only grew louder in his mind, but Mike knew that the only way to uncover the truth was to join the royal academy and become an elite. And for that, he needed to pass the final test.

  "Sir, what is the final test to be admitted into the royal academy?" Mike asked the large man, hoping to gather information and prepare for the challenge ahead.

  "Final test? Aren't you jumping the gun a little?" The large man responded with another question and a mysterious smile. The moment Mike saw that smile, he felt a bad premonition.

  "What do you mean?"

  "Haha, don't worry about that. You should focus on your next test." The man replied, once again avoiding a direct answer. However, as the man laughed and spoke of Mike's "next test" rather than the "final test," Mike quickly realized he had more than one trial to complete before entering the royal academy.

  "And what is my next test?" Mike asked cautiously, suspicion creeping into his voice.

  "Getting to the nation’s capital." The man replied quickly and straightforwardly, leaving Mike stunned by his directness. But as Mike mulled over the man’s words, a significant doubt emerged in his mind.

  "What do you mean, 'getting to the nation’s capital'? Where are we going, then?" Mike asked, confused. He was in a magical car flying through the air at high speed, but if his next test was to reach the capital, it made no sense for the magical car to take him there. Unfortunately, the large man before him didn’t seem too interested in clearing up all his doubts.

  "Hahaha, it’s been a pleasure meeting you, kid! You can call me Rock. I hope we meet again!" The large man laughed heartily, ignoring Mike’s question. He extended his hand toward the boy, waiting for a handshake. Mike reflexively shook the man’s hand, but Rock’s words only left him even more bewildered.

  "It’s time." Before Mike could say anything else, the ugly purple-haired woman spoke coldly, drawing his attention. As soon as

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  Mike looked at her, he felt Rock release his hand. A moment later, he felt the comfortable seat he was sitting on vanish. Mike quickly looked down, confused by the sudden lack of sensation beneath him. But when his eyes registered what was, or more precisely, what wasn’t, beneath him, panic gripped his heart.

  "Help me—Ahhhhh!" Mike tried to extend his hand toward Rock and cry for help, but all he could do was see the man’s smile before gravity took hold of his body. All Mike could do was scream in terror as he plummeted through the air.

  As soon as Mike fell, the hole in the magical car quickly sealed itself, and the comfortable seat reappeared as though nothing had happened.

  "Why did you answer so many of that kid’s questions? He’s just a nobody with no surname, he’s probably going to die before he reaches the capital." The ugly purple-haired woman said, looking at Rock as the magical car returned to its previous state.

  "Huh? And why shouldn’t I answer? Even if he doesn’t have a surname, he’s still a potential academy student. Professor, you haven’t forgotten about that surname-less guy from three years ago, have you? I’m sure if you had the chance to receive him when he joined the academy, you would’ve answered any question he asked..." Rock replied with a smile, though his gaze was serious.

  "Hmph! That kid only has a mana core purity of seventy-seven percent. Don’t compare trash like him to a genius like that guy!" The purple-haired woman snapped irritably.

  "Alright, alright, I apologize..." Rock quickly backed down, not wanting to cause an unnecessary argument. However, as he gazed out the window and thought about young Mike, who was likely in free fall at that moment, a mysterious smile appeared on his face.

  ---

  "Aahhhhhhhhhhh!"

  Meanwhile, Mike was screaming desperately as he plummeted rapidly. He was so high up that he could barely see the ground, but this problem was quickly solved as he got closer and closer with each passing second.

  At that moment, panic overtook Mike’s mind. He flailed his arms like wings in an attempt to fly but failed miserably. He tried to learn wind magic on the spot to control his descent, but again, he failed. Desperate, he even attempted to summon a giant beast, making hand signs and biting his finger to use his blood for the ritual, but once more, he failed. After all his alternatives ended in failure, Mike gave up and closed his eyes, resigning himself to his fate.

  "Damn liability form..." Mike muttered in regret. Even though he had known something was off about the liability form he signed, he hadn’t expected to be thrown out of a magical car mid-air just hours later. But unfortunately, there was nothing else he could do now.