"Report came from one of the rescue personnel who lands nearest to the infested island, the island... t-there is a magic barrier surrounding the island!!"

"Field staff reports are gone; the map is still showing their live locations, but the video and message feed were completely cut off... it seems that the barrier is interfering with complex inside-to-outside communications as well..."

Another two reports, the screen showing the student’s status now completely gone, the screen showing nothing but pixelated noises causing everyone in the room the clench their fist even more, all of them still shaking in their boots, but now no longer from the terrifying pressure that their Vice Headmaster is exuding, but rather from the extreme wrath of feeling like someone is absolutely just toying with them as if they’re nothing at all.

Right now, it is no longer just their pride as educators, but even their pride as mages is being questioned by being caught off guard by these turns of events time and time again, some sharper ones among them realizing one thing.

Those years of being one of, if not the strongest institution in the world made their sense dull, turned their awareness and vigilance against malicious forces far weaker than they ever were before.

"V-Vice Headmaster, where are you going?"

While all else continues to grit their teeth, wanting nothing more than to tear apart whoever it is that causes such a series of unfortunate events to happen, Runia began walking away from the place, forcing everyone to direct attention towards her while their minds began to wonder what it is that she is trying to do right now.

"The Heavenblade Great Clan is several kilometers away from the exam site; their experts would reach the island faster than our personnel can, and if there’s really a barrier surrounding the island, then their Unique Magic is the most suitable way to break through that..."

"B-but Vice Headmaster, relying on external forces is something that the academy shouldn’t—" shocked by the decision the lady made up, one professor voiced what most want to remind her of as well, only for his words to be completely cut off as Runia herself asked a question that silences all doubting thoughts and removes all questioning gaze on her.

"Professor Peridot, is the pride of the academy more important than the lives of the students currently in peril?"

With no one responding to her question, she continued walking away, leaving everyone else to just look at her figure as they were left alone, helpless, unable to do anything or think of anything to do at all.

Moments later, Runia arrived at her own office, a projected screen appearing right in front of her as she anxiously waited for someone to pick up her call from the other side.

"Hm? Ah, dear Runia~~ it’s been a while, tell your mother that we need to meet again sometimes since there are a lot of— hm... what is it, dear Runia?"

A melodious, doting voice answered from the other side of the call as a mature, gorgeous face was revealed for the Vice Headmaster to see, an appearance that is all too familiar to her not only because this very person is her mother’s sole sworn friend, but also because this is the spitting image of someone she knows.

If Novus were to be the one in Runia’s place right now, there is one thing that he can think of that he can use to describe this lady.

A mature version of Medea. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

The face, the voice, the way she carries herself- it is as if a version of Medea from the future traveled back in time and appeared to answer the distressed call from one of the academy’s Vice Headmasters.

"Auntie Mira, I need some help..."

As soon as she began talking about the consecutive messed-up things happening during this exam, the lady on the other side began looking more and more serious, eventually revealing a sense of urgency in her calm, relaxed demeanor as she ended her words.

"You did well calling for help, dear Runia; rest easy, we will treat this as a matter of the highest priority, especially when my dear little Medea is involved with it."

The lady on the other side of the call assured, the confidence in her voice apparent as if the problem currently tying Runia down is nothing too much of a trouble to her, that confidence allowing this Vice Headmaster to heave a light sigh of relief as she expressed her repeated gratitude to this aunt of hers.

"I’m truly sorry about this, Auntie Mira."

"Don’t be, dear Runia, well, if you really are sorry, treat it as a lesson so that such an event won’t catch you off guard ever again; that is more than enough... you’re trying your best after all~~"

With that, both of them ended the call, the two immediately springing into action as both tried to find more ways to respond to such an emergency as soon as they could.

While all of this happens outside the infested island, the students trapped within the exam site began being contacted by more and more field staff who are gradually taking over leadership, as even they themselves realize that it is no longer the time nor the situation to continue facilitating the exams.

"Come here, students, there are fewer beasts this way..." beckoning a group of students moving with him, one field staff said as she pointed toward a certain place, her voice, both calm and assuring, making the students nod at her as they followed her lead.

"Uhm... Ma’am Venica, where exactly are we supposed to go now? The entire island seems to be surrounded by those sentient beasts."

One of the third-year students asked as he follows the field staff closely, showing his mastery over water elemental magic as he shoots jet streams of water towards weaker beasts approaching their vicinity.

"We’re here." the field staff said all of a sudden as she stopped on her tracks, causing the students to follow suit as the third-year student who was previously leading them asked once more.

"What are we doing here, Ma’am Veni—"

But before he could even finish speaking, he was silenced by an extreme murderous intent targeting him from the distance, forcing him to raise his focus as mana gathered around his being, then towards his stave, prepared to use his magic as soon as the threat came.

All hairs on his body stood on their very end as he felt the danger coming even closer than before.

So, so, closer, like the danger is standing right in front of him.

"Fufufu~~~ pity it’s one of the more common ones but still, five Unique Magic users~ quite the harvest~~" standing in front of him with an excited, even aroused smile on her face, the field staff mutters to herself before she plunged a needle on the student’s neck, forcing his body to drop flat on the grounds as consciousness slips away from his being.

The remaining students didn’t even get the opportunity to react to what happened as the field staff threw four thin needles, hitting them directly on the neck as well, their eyes rolling upward as all of them fell flat on the ground.