The Genius Mage Was Reincarnated Into A Swordsman Family

Nicholas continued to stare at Klaus with his mouth agape, the revelation of Klaus passing the Aequalis Array in under five minutes sounding absurd to him. Even with his ability to regress time and countless lifetimes of accumulated knowledge, Nicholas couldn’t fathom achieving such a result himself. He glanced at Roman Lionhart and pondered:

’Even him, considered the strongest swordsman on the continent, can’t achieve such a result. Just how? Just how did he accomplish such a feat? What kind of monster is he?’

Sensing her son’s agitated state, Erina increased her grip on his shoulder and spoke with a soft, motherly tone, "You also performed extremely well. What you achieved is definitely in the top 5 in the entire continent, so don’t feel bad about placing second, you hear me?" She shook Nicholas by the shoulders for emphasis.

Nicholas sighed heavily and responded to Erina, "I’m not feeling bad, Mom. I’m just curious about how he managed to get such a result."

"Well, you aren’t the only one," Erina replied. The sentiment echoed among the spectators of the trainees’ test, including Roman himself.

Rick cleared his throat and signaled for Nicholas to go sit in the section reserved for the vassals’ families. Nicholas followed the order, still stealing glances at Klaus from time to time, even though the partition wall obscured his view.

***

Two hours after Klaus cleared the Aequalis Array and just fifty-one minutes after Nicholas, a new silhouette emerged from the dissipating fog. As the audience noticed yet another trainee making their way from the other side, they stood in anticipation, mirroring the earlier excitement for Klaus and Nicholas. The black-haired figure that emerged looked visibly exhausted, drenched in sweat. Unlike Nicholas, who appeared slightly fatigued, Alex, the third to finish the test, resembled someone who had just emerged from a swim, panting heavily.

"Ranking third for the first test, with the incredible time of two hours, I present you Trainee 16, Alex Lionhart!" Rick announced, his voice noticeably more cheerful than when he declared Klaus and Nicholas. The reason was simple – his ego remained unscathed this time, finally witnessing a trainee completing the Aequalis Array in a time just shy of his personal record.

As with Klaus and Nicholas, Roman was the first to applaud, setting off a cascade of applause throughout the arena. However, this time, the clapping from the Direct and collateral line sections resonated louder than the previous two instances.

"Here is another monster!"

"What do they feed kids these days?"

"Those three kids will undoubtedly bring pride to the Rikxia Empire."

Amidst the commoners’ casual chatter and applause, voices emerged.

"As expected of a child groomed by the direct line!"

"It’s just unfortunate that those two finished before him."

"Yeah, but two hours is still very impressive!"

"Indeed."

The collateral line members engaged in hushed conversations as they clapped for Alex. Raoul Lionhart, Alex’s father, displayed clear displeasure that his son had secured the third position, especially since the one who ranked second belonged to a vassal family.

Upon hearing his ranking, Alex, despite his pitiful state, quickened his pace and headed straight to Rick, eager to inquire about who had outperformed him. Standing before Rick, before he could articulate his question, Rick preemptively provided the results as if anticipating Alex’s curiosity.

"Klaus Lionhart ranked first with the impressive time of four minutes and fifty-nine seconds. Nicholas Davoss ranked second with a rather commendable time of one hour and nine minutes."

Unlike Nicholas, who showed visible surprise upon learning about Klaus’s time, Alex maintained an inscrutable expression, not fully comprehending the actual challenges of the Aequalis Array. However, he couldn’t conceal his displeasure upon discovering that Klaus had secured the first position by a substantial margin, despite both of them being Apostles.

’S**t, I have to train harder. I can’t let the gap between him and me widen further. I just hope that the second test will involve swordsmanship or at least a direct fight among the trainees. That way, I’ll be able to truly showcase my strength and humble that little b*stard,’ Alex thought, taking deep breaths to stabilize his breathing. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Rick, observing the trainee’s inner turmoil, instructed Alex to proceed to the section reserved for the direct line members.

***

As the three-hour mark approached, the anticipation for additional trainees emerging from the dissipating fog had waned. Rick, preparing to signal the scholar mage to cease the array, was caught off guard as two silhouettes materialized almost simultaneously, breaking the collective expectation.

The first to emerge was a female trainee with long, vibrant red hair, her exhaustion evident as she leaned on her training sword for support. Each step seemed a struggle, and beads of sweat clung to her fatigued face. It was Sarah Margot, a portrayal of physical and mental exertion. Following closely behind her was Kurt, a trainee of demi-human origin with tanned skin, fox-like ears, and a short tail swaying at the end of his back.

Sarah’s movements were labored, her breaths heavy and audible. Every inch of her seemed to scream at the ordeal she had just endured. Kurt, though not as visibly drained as Sarah, bore signs of fatigue. His fox-like ears drooped slightly, and his tanned complexion held a flush from the exertion.

Rick, recognizing their efforts, decided to forego the recording of their times and announced their rankings with a sense of acknowledgment in his voice. "Ranked in the fourth place, I present you Trainee 23, Sarah Margot, and ranking in the fifth place, I present you Trainee 234, Kurt."

In response, Roman, grasping the toll the Aequalis Array had taken on the trainees, led a more subdued applause. The audience followed suit, their clapping resonating as a testament to the arduous journey these two had just completed.

Rick, perceiving the collective exhaustion, then signaled the scholar mages to halt the array. Once again, the enchanting chants of the mages filled the air, and the fog, the mystical barrier that had concealed the trainees, began to dissipate. As the mist cleared, the audience was confronted with the sight of the remaining trainees.

Most of them were huddled in fear, resembling curled balls on the ground, their training swords lying next to them. Yet, amidst the sea of those who succumbed to the illusionary challenges, a resilient group—barely ninety of them—stood tall, gripping their swords as if refusing to surrender to the ethereal foes that lingered in their minds even after the deactivation of the Array.

Rick’s lips curled into a knowing smile as he observed the determination displayed by the remaining trainees. With a voice that carried to every corner of the arena, he announced, "All the trainees who dropped their swords are disqualified, and those still holding their swords are qualified to pass the second test!" The declaration, echoing with finality, marked the distinction between those who had succumbed to the illusion and those who had weathered its challenges.