With her power sealed and her terrifying aura suppressed, Hitomi felt confident enough to try civilization again. Instead of going back to the small village, she set her sights on something bigger—the capital city of Eldoria, home to the grandest Adventurer's Guild in the kingdom.

  "Alright, this time for sure, I'll become a proper isekai protagonist!" she declared, marching through the towering gates of the capital.

  The city bustled with life. Merchants hawked their wares, knights patrolled the streets, and adventurers—both seasoned and fresh-faced—gathered in taverns, swapping stories of monsters and treasures. Hitomi grinned. "Now THIS is more like it!"

  She arrived at the Adventurer's Guild, a massive stone building decorated with banners and battle trophies. Inside, the place was packed with warriors, mages, and rogues of all levels, forming parties, taking quests, and boasting about their latest exploits.

  Hitomi strolled up to the receptionist's desk, where a prim and proper elf woman greeted her. "Welcome to the Eldoria Adventurer's Guild. How may I assist you?"

  "I'd like to apply for an adventurer's license!"

  The receptionist raised an eyebrow and pulled out a checklist. "Alright, let's see... minimum level requirement is 10. What level are you?"

  "Uh... 1?" Hitomi said, suddenly realizing she had made a critical mistake.

  The receptionist sighed. "Alright, then there's the age requirement. Applicants must be at least 16 years old. Your age?"

  Hitomi blinked. "I just reincarnated, so technically... like... a few hours?"

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  The elf's expression didn't change, but Hitomi could feel the judgment radiating off her.

  "Lastly, applicants must demonstrate basic magic proficiency. Do you have any spells?"

  Hitomi grinned. "I have an infinite mana pool!"

  "...And can you actually cast magic?"

  "...No."

  There was a long silence before the receptionist neatly stacked her papers and gave Hitomi a polite yet firm smile. "I'm sorry, but you do not meet any of the necessary criteria. Please come back when you do."

  Hitomi groaned. "Not even a pity acceptance?!"

  "Not even a little."

  Defeated, Hitomi dragged herself out of the guild, sighing. "Okay, maybe the adventurer route isn't happening yet. But what else can I do...?"

  As if on cue, she overheard a conversation between two students walking by.

  "Did you hear? The Raphtaleon Academy of Magic is holding its entrance exam today! I heard they even accept commoners if they're talented enough!"

  Hitomi's eyes sparkled. "Magic academy, huh? If I can't be an adventurer, I'll just become an OP magic student instead!"

  **THE RAPHTALLEON MAGIC ACADEMY ENTRANCE EXAM**

  The academy loomed before her, an enormous castle-like structure brimming with arcane energy. The entrance was packed with hopeful students, all eager to prove themselves.

  A robed examiner stood at the front, addressing the applicants. "The entrance exam consists of three phases. The first phase is a power test. You will strike the damage dummy with your strongest attack, and the dummy will display your damage in numerical form. Those who score too low will be immediately disqualified."

  Hitomi nodded. "Simple enough."

  One by one, the students stepped up. First was a noble-looking young man with perfectly styled golden hair and an air of arrogance. He unsheathed a beautifully crafted sword and gave a confident smirk.

  "Observe, peasants! This is the might of House Von Weiss!" He raised his sword and slashed the dummy with a dramatic flourish.

  A number appeared above the dummy's head: 124.

  There was an awkward silence.

  The noble frowned. "A mere 124?! Surely there is a mistake!"

  The examiner coughed. "Ahem. That is... a respectable score. Next!"

  Hitomi watched, grinning. "Heh... this is gonna be fun."