Medium

The winter chill was gradually fading as the year drew to a close. The results of this year's Monte Province unified examination tugged at the heartstrings of many students.

The inspection team from the Provincial Department of Education arrived at the academy early in the morning to investigate Lizer for cheating on the final exam. The news instantly caused an uproar throughout the entire academy.

This once obscure nobody had unexpectedly become the focal point of the whole academy.

Everyone had heard about Lizer's unprecedented perfect score of 300, and the Provincial Department of Education suspected him of foul play.

It sounded somewhat reasonable—how could anyone score 300 on such difficult exam questions without cheating?

Everyone was discussing what kind of cheating methods Lizer could have possibly used to achieve a score of 300 on such a hard test.

If they had such a method, they certainly wouldn't have gone for 300. They would have aimed for 260 or 270, keeping a low profile while sneaking into the top hundred of the provincial rankings.

Wouldn't it be sweet to secure a guaranteed admission spot in the Provincial Higher Academy?

Who knows what Lizer was thinking, actually daring to score 300!!

Too greedy!

He was just too greedy!

His cheating method was so brilliant that even the invigilators hadn't noticed.

What a pity that his greed ultimately caught the attention of the Provincial Department of Education.

Almost everyone overwhelmingly believed that Lizer had relied on cheating to get his 300 points.

Because in their minds, no one could score 300!

No one!

Only a few students like Jackson, who had recently interacted with Lizer, knew that Lizer was not that kind of person. Perhaps he really did have the ability to score 300!

This was an unimaginable feat in the entire educational history of Monte Province.

If it could truly be proven that Lizer hadn't cheated, the news of his perfect score would likely spread across the entire principality. This was unprecedented!

Harboring these complex emotions, Jackson and the others quietly awaited the development of the situation...

In the academy's office, when Modi and the others from the Provincial Department of Education shamelessly declared that scores obtained by borrowing someone else's path were invalid.

Lizer laughed. He looked with utter disdain at these so-called leaders from the Provincial Department of Education who were calling a deer a horse and disregarding the facts.

He mocked:

"Is this the Department of Education that manages the education of the entire province?

So it turns out you're just a bunch of despicable, shameless, and lowly villains. Disgusting!?

Aside from framing and planting evidence, don't you have any more brilliant methods?

Why is it that a student like me, with no background, taking first place has gotten in your way, or what?"

Seeing the teachers and students gathered far outside the door, not daring to approach, pretending to pass by but actually eavesdropping on the situation, he deliberately questioned in an even louder voice:

"Could it be that you've already rigged the first place for someone else.

So now you must find some excuse to frame me, the perfect-scoring first place, and cancel my score!

Just so you can take back the intended reward and give it to someone else?"

In reality, Lizer had basically guessed the truth. Did these bureaucrats really care that much about whether he cheated?

Perhaps they did?

But the various behaviors of this so-called Vice Director Modi after arriving at the academy all showed that they were determined to invalidate Lizer's score at all costs.

Whether by framing him for cheating or declaring his results invalid.

However, how could the results he obtained fair and square be framed by them out of thin air!?

Absolutely not!

Lizer thought for a moment and loudly declared once again:

"But I want to tell you, I, Lizer, did not cheat!

I relied on my own talent and effort, and I will absolutely not accept your false accusations.

If you dare to frame me, even if I have to take this to the Ministry of Education in the capital, I will not compromise!

Never!"

The onlookers didn't know the truth.

But Lizer's words were burning and pledged with absolute certainty, and the majority of the crowd were students.

A student so proudly and arrogantly questioning the officials of the Provincial Department of Education—what a face-saving and thrilling thing for them to witness.

"Never compromise!"

"Shady deals!"

"Take it to the capital, take it to the Ministry of Education!"

......

Regardless of the truth, under the instigation of more and more students, the atmosphere underwent an earth-shattering reversal.

More and more people were influenced by those around them and began to shout.

Hearing the faint shouts from outside, Modi felt a massive pressure, and his face grew increasingly pale.

He forcefully and sternly shouted back:

"How could a Lower Academy student like you, a mere Junior Wizard Apprentice, possibly defeat an elite Dark Iron Golem with the strength of an Intermediate Apprentice!?

I watched the magical recording of your practical combat exam. The magical artifact you used is an absolute top-tier artifact among Rank Zero Intermediate items!

You're just a little apprentice who became a Junior Wizard Apprentice barely a month ago.

How could such a precious Rank Zero Intermediate magical artifact possibly be yours!?"

The surrounding students were in an uproar upon hearing this...

Many students who didn't know Lizer finally realized that this classmate, whose name they were hearing for the first time, was actually a Junior Wizard Apprentice.

Right here in the Lower Academy of their remote little town!

A Junior Apprentice!

A Rank Zero Intermediate magical artifact!

Defeating an Intermediate Apprentice-level elite golem!

Modi's words conveyed too much information, each piece making these students hold their breath, as if they were listening to a myth, feeling like they were in a dream.

If this were a Lower Academy in a big city, where the children of the powerful and wealthy had endless resources, everyone would find the things Modi said quite normal.

But for this to happen in the Gray Mist Mountain Town Lower Academy...

The students' first reaction was:

So our academy actually has such an awesome student!

Seeing the voices gradually fade, Modi thought his evidence had made everyone recognize reality.

However, Lizer laughed heartily twice, drawing everyone's attention back to him:

"What a joke!

It's just a Rank Zero Intermediate magical artifact. Why can't it be my own!?"

Hearing this, Modi reacted as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world:

"Do you think I haven't investigated you?

Just two months ago, your family was nothing but poor blacksmiths. You made a bit of fortune relying on some luck and tricks, and luckily became a Junior Wizard Apprentice.

On what grounds could you possibly possess a Rank Zero Intermediate magical artifact?"

Lizer glanced at him sideways, shaking his head wordlessly:

"Some people are truly ignorant!

I'll let you see for yourselves whether this magical artifact is mine or not!?

Principal, please help me prepare some minerals and materials. I want to forge this magical artifact once again right in front of everyone!

I will prove that this item is mine, and I did not cheat!"

Upon hearing this, Modi's eyes widened as he stared at Lizer. He couldn't believe that Lizer, a mere Junior Apprentice, had actually forged this Rank Zero Intermediate magical artifact himself.

He muttered blankly:

"Impossible... has the world gone mad?"

The principal, who had been silent on the side, watched the situation develop to this point, having been in a state of bewilderment the whole time.

Now he knew that although he couldn't stop the inspection from the Department of Education's team, he should give student Lizer a chance.

It was also giving a chance to the Gray Mist Mountain Town Academy that he led.

In the academy's laboratory, instructors and students had already prepared the materials Lizer needed, as requested by the principal.

Then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lizer replicated the forging of the revolver Wind's Kiss and five types of magical bullets.

The academy's laboratory was tightly surrounded by layer upon layer of people, and everyone stared at Lizer as if he were a monster...