From Overshadowed to Overpowered: Second Reincarnation of a Talentless Sage (落第賢者の学院無双 ～二度目の転生、Ｓランクチート魔術師冒険録～)

I am your exam proctor, Frantz Bauer.

We will now begin the first round of the examinations, a battle royale.

You'll fight until only five of you are left standing.

You may use magic, weapons, or any methods that you like.

Knock your rivals out of the field!

That's all!

We will now begin the examination!

Fifty of you, step into the ring!

For a B-Rank adventurer like me, there's no job like being an exam proctor.

I get paid just for watching a bunch of kids.

I do this every year and never see anybody impressive.

But let's see what this year's rookies are like.

Two of them got surrounded already, huh?

The standard move in a battle royale is to knock the weakest ones out first.

Figures this is how it would go.

What?

Wh-What's going on?

N-Nine have been disqualified!

That kid...

He strengthened his legs and kicked them out.

I see. He can use some degree of physical ability enhancement.

But this won't be that easy.

Another thing with battle royales is that everyone teams up to beat the strong ones.

Children of the wind, playing in the air.

Answer my call with your breath!

Level 3! Sylphy's Kiss!

Sixteen were knocked out!

Sixteen more entrants, please come up!

Hey, what's going on?

That's not a spell an exam student should be able to cast.

Why did she apply here?

Master, did I go too far?

No, it's just as I thought.

You do have talent, Anastasia.

But you really can't cast spells without an incantation?

What's he talking about?

That's great!

This kid doesn't even know the basics of magic?!

Master! Of course you need an incantation to cast a spell.

That's not true.

In fact, if you bother with incantations, you can't do things like this.

Level 4! Sylphy's Leap!

Four simultaneous Level 4 spells?

P-Parallel activations?!

No way!

This can't be happening!

Wow... you did all that with no incantation?

F-F-Five hundred eighty eight, 589!

Y-You pass the first test!

FROM OVER SHADOWED TO OVERPOWERED

m 0 0 l 268 0 268 88 0 88

Second Reincarnation of a Talentless Sage

I mastered the study of magic in my past life, so the questions are easy...

But there sure are a lot of them...

Okay, time's up!

Whew! It's over!

Master, how did your written exam go?

There sure were a lot of problems,

but I managed to finish them all.

You solved them all?

Huh? Of course.

You need to answer them all to pass, right?

Uh, that's not right, Master.

You're supposed to only answer the questions relating to your best field.

You are?

A s-score of 958?!

I've never heard of a score like that.

Yes, we couldn't believe it either.

That's never happened in the history of this academy!

Who is he? Did he cheat?

Examinee number 588.

His name is Eftal Orcott.

Strangely enough, he has the same name as the famous Lightning Emperor.

We have an incredible student among us.

The name of the Lightning Emperor, one of the legendary four emperors?

He has very bold parents...

For those like us, who follow the path of magic, that's almost blasphemy!

Surely he's cheating somehow?

Excuse me.

About that boy...

During the first exam...

What?

He did parallel activations on a level 4 spell?!

How?!

What did you say?!

Most people can't use a level 4 spell until graduate school!

And parallel activations?

I'm not sure a single member of our faculty could do that!

Given his skill,

his score on the second exam was probably earned fairly.

I-Is he truly the second coming of the Lightning Emperor?

Look at all these people...

Yeah.

Let's split up and find our names.

Okay!

Now, where's my number?

Um... 588... 588...

Master!

I made it into the special class!

Really?

Yes.

It's thanks to you, Master!

I'm s-s-sorry!

I was just so happy, I...

It's fine.

More importantly, congratulations on passing, Anastasia.

Now you'll be able to live the life of an ordinary student.

Yes. Thank you!

Now, I need to find my own number.

Huh?

What is it, Master?

It's not here.

My number's not on the list.

That doesn't make sense!

You can't possibly have failed the test!

Yeah, it doesn't make sense.

I was sure the test went well...

Did they run a magical aptitude test at some point,

and that's why I failed?

I can't accept this!

I'm going to complain!

Um, wait!

Please don't! You'll just make me more embarrassed!

Anastasia?

Huh? There's something over there.

It says...

"Special Elite Student"?

Amazing, Master!

They singled you out specifically!

Yeah, I can't believe it.

I'm glad I passed,

but what does it mean to be a "Special Elite Student Representative"?

What are they going to make me do?

Master, look at this!

"Special Elite Student Representative" is something really amazing, I guess!

Free tuition, free board, free food...

And a special cash stipend on top of that.

PR activities on behalf of the school,

and participation in events with other schools...

I see. Yeah, it's amazing.

But this feels more like being a school mascot than a student.

That's not what I'm after at all.

I wanted to use the school library

and other facilities without attracting attention,

and try to find some breakthrough regarding magical aptitude.

That was my ideal school life, but...

Now that I've been chosen as a student representative,

I don't think I get the option to say no...

Master?

M-Merlin?!

I'm sure of it!

She's grown up, but that's definitely her!

That's... Merlin!

But what's she doing here?

I may be young right now, but I still look like I did then.

Merlin knows me from my old life well enough she'd recognize me immediately!

I can't meet her here.

If people find out I'm Eftal reincarnated, things will get bad fast!

Anastasia!

Yes?

I want to check out more of the school.

Let's go look over there.

O-Okay!

This feeling...

Master!

No, there's no way he could be here.

Hey, you! Wait!

You there!

Who is that boy?

A-Are you...?