Free Web NovelLoren wasn't going to venture out to sea just for the Angler. The Angler's abilities were useful, but not so important that Loren had to go there immediately.
The Abyssal creatures had far stronger abilities than the Angler, and Loren hadn't rushed to deal with them either.
The main reason Loren wanted to go to sea was that the Merfolk had discovered something unusual. The seas had indeed become increasingly unstable recently.
On one hand, there was Casper becoming a pirate. Casper becoming a pirate was no different from Marshal Sengoku becoming one.
His transformation had shocked the entire sea. A group of pirates initially refused to believe it, until a certain large pirate crew was completely wiped out after encountering Casper.
That was the power of a Ninth-tier mage. Even at sea, where Abundant Magic was at a disadvantage, he could still crush these pirates effortlessly.
Unless several of the strongest pirates joined forces, they couldn't threaten Casper. That was the difference between regular forces and pirates.
If someone could make it in the Church, who would choose to become a pirate?
On the other hand, the pirates had been getting restless lately. Even the Sea God had begun to stir, with its followers becoming increasingly frenzied, even launching attacks on land.
Loren wanted to investigate the Sea God's situation while he was at it, and maybe get the Sea God to drop some gold coins.
There was no need to kill the Sea God. It could somewhat balance the Church's power, and besides, there wasn't just one Sea God. No one knew how many evil gods were fighting for that title.
Paqina didn't refuse either. She agreed to go out to sea with Loren, shyly turning her face away.
In their eyes, the concept of this event was completely different.
Loren felt like Luffy, dragging someone along on an adventure. But Paqina felt that Loren was inviting his girlfriend on a family trip...
At noon, everyone returned home. To prepare for the afternoon exam, Seraphina had prepared an especially hearty lunch. She herself didn't eat much, but Anna ate to her heart's content.
"Good luck on the afternoon exam."
Seraphina encouraged Paqina. Even though Paqina had previously pointed out that something was off about her, Seraphina didn't hold any grudge. She still gently encouraged Paqina.
Maybe Paqina didn't need to take the exam very seriously given her strength, but having someone say that still moved her deeply.
The exam wasn't difficult for her, but she couldn't help feeling nervous and anxious.
Anna reacted quickly. Not long after Seraphina finished speaking, she also began encouraging Paqina, having noticed her anxiety.
Seeing them both do this, Luna also started to encourage her:
"We'll do our best together..."
Luna wasn't afraid of the exam. For her, it was just a formality. By now, Casper had probably already prepared their diplomas.
"I suddenly find this scene so heartwarming..."
At the dining table, Loren let out a sudden sigh.
When a child was about to take an exam, parents always spoiled them more, fulfilling every request as much as possible... That's what Loren had heard.
Loren was an orphan, completely alone from beginning to end. Due to his personality, before his transmigration, Loren had never had anyone he could call family.
Now, Loren had finally witnessed such a scene with his own eyes. Family members were cheering on a family member about to take an exam.
Even though Loren didn't take the exam seriously at all, that didn't stop him from feeling moved.
But the most moved wasn't Loren; it was Paqina herself.
Student life was a distant memory for Loren, but Paqina was right in the middle of it.
Before, she had envied others for having family encouragement. Now she had it too.
"Thank you all..."
Thousands of words from Paqina turned into a single thank you. It was these ordinary scenes that were the most touching.
"..."
Loren took out a handkerchief and wiped Paqina's tears. He wasn't very fond of such emotional scenes.
Lunchtime ended. After a short rest, Paqina returned to the academy to continue her exams.
Unlike before, this time Paqina was extremely confident.
The exam officially began only after Loren was in place.
The practical portion was divided into two parts. First, the examiner designated specific spells, and then the students were allowed to showcase their abilities, releasing the strongest magic they had mastered.
The exam proceeded smoothly. The best performer so far was Yvonne. During the final free demonstration, she poured all her effort into releasing a Fifth-tier spell.
Afterward, Yvonne was drenched in sweat and her face had turned pale. But her hard work wasn't in vain. She had shocked the examiners. She was already stronger than many of them.
As a student, being able to release a Third-tier spell was already impressive. Some of the weaker Scarecrows were only at the level of Mid-tier mages.
"You're very impressive."
Loren didn't hold back his praise. He even gave Yvonne a bottle of Magical Potion to restore her stamina, moving her to the verge of tears.
After Yvonne, the next one was Paqina. If this were some ancient web novel, this would be the part where someone belittled Paqina while praising Yvonne. But everyone here was normal, and very few would do something so self-defeating and harmful to others.
Everyone in this academy was elite. Offending others brought no benefits. As long as it was possible to get along, the students wouldn't create enmity.
After stepping onto the demonstration platform, Paqina glanced at Loren. He looked back at her with an encouraging gaze. By now, Paqina was completely calm.
She flawlessly executed every spell the examiner required, and finally reached the free demonstration segment.
Paqina took a deep breath. Gathering magic, chanting, praying-all in one smooth motion. A Sixth-tier Spell, Giant Wood Strangulation, was successfully released. The wooden target dummy was instantly reduced to fragments.
Following Loren's instructions, Paqina deliberately added the step of praying to the Orthodox Gods. Even so, her spellcasting speed was still incredibly fast.
In that instant, the entire audience was stunned. An eighteen-year-old easily releasing a Sixth-tier Spell. Even Casper back in his day couldn't have achieved this.
The shock didn't last long. Soon, they accepted it. The same thought suddenly emerged in everyone's minds:
"As expected of Master Mentor."
In response, Loren simply clapped lightly. He had no interest in showing off or slapping faces.
Before Paqina's demonstration, they had already prepared to give her full marks no matter what. But clearly, that was no longer necessary. Even without Loren, they wouldn't dare give her less than perfect. This was an achievement that would shake the world.
"The exam's over. Let's go home."
"Alright."
Paqina took hold of Loren's outstretched hand and silently walked toward home, as if what she had just done was something trivial.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the Merfolk had made a new discovery. She found a Merfolk being attacked by pirates. Around her neck was a pendant.
That pendant was an inverted cross with an eye on it.
