(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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Magic Knight Selection Exam...
The dueling arena grew tense as Asta and Sekke Bronzazza took their positions.
The bright sun cast long shadows on the marble stage, and the atmosphere crackled—
Not with mana, but with anticipation.
"____"
"____"
"____"
From the sidelines,
Many of the examinees sneered with disdain.
"Hah, what a joke. One's got no magic, and the other's just a clown who thinks too highly of himself."
Their judgmental gazes were directed squarely at Asta for his complete lack of mana—
And at Sekke for his reputation. Sekke's act of kindness toward Asta hadn't fooled anyone.
They knew he was an opportunist,
Choosing what he thought was the weakest target to make himself look strong.
"____"
Sekke's fake smile slowly melted away.
In its place was a cruel grin, his voice now oozing condescension.
Grin~
"Tch… What a loser,"
He scoffed.
"You really think someone like you—magicless trash—can become the Wizard King? What a joke!"
Asta stood firm, fists clenched at his sides, the tatty old grimoire hovering beside him.
His eyes didn't waver.
"____"
He didn't react to the crowd's snickering or Sekke's venom.
Inside, he was calm—
But focused.
Above, from a floating platform, the referee—
A Magic Knight clad in white and silver—
Raised his hand and announced in a clear, booming voice.
"This is a one-on-one duel. No lethal magic allowed. You may begin… NOW!"
Sekke instantly activated his spell, slamming his palm on his grimoire.
"Bronze Magic: Bronze Creation Magic – Sekke Shooter!!!"
With a loud bang, a strange, motor-like bronze contraption formed around Sekke's lower body, resembling a magical unicycle crossed with armor.
He zoomed forward with a burst of smoke and mock laughter.
Hahaha~
"Try to keep up, worm!"
He laughed.
In the spectator booth, many of the captains frowned in disappointment.
Dorothy sighed.
Sigh~
"Oh, great… him again."
Sol rolled her eyes.
Ben leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing—
Not at Sekke, but at Asta.
Charlotte whispered,
"He underestimating him…"
Ben only smirked.
"Yes… but not the way they think."
Back in the arena,
Sekke rushed toward Asta with over-the-top confidence, aiming to knock him out with one flashy strike.
But then—
WHOOSH.
The air shifted. A faint red glow flickered.
Asta's grimoire opened wide—
And in a split second, a massive black sword emerged, impossibly large, covered in anti-magic runes that pulsed with raw power.
The audience gasped.
"____"
Sekke froze.
"W-What the hell is that?!"
Without a word,
Asta gripped the hilt of the Demon-Slayer Sword, and with a cry, he lunged forward—
AHHHHHHHH!
Closing the gap between them with a speed that shouldn't be possible for someone without mana.
The crowd held their breath.
Sekke's eyes widened in terror.
"Wait, wait, I was just—!!!"
BOOM.
A single swing.
Sekke's bronze machine shattered into pieces like cardboard.
The impact sent him flying across the stage, slamming into the barrier spell that protected the audience.
Gasps swept across the arena as Sekke's broken bronze armor clattered across the dueling stage,
The boy himself groaning in a heap against the magical barrier.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Silence.
Asta stood alone at the center of the ring, his chest heaving, the massive sword resting on his shoulder.
Then—
"W-WINNER: ASTA!"
The arena erupted in stunned murmurs.
Some clapped.
Most stared, wide-eyed.
The silence was deafening—
Until it wasn't.
"HAAHAHAHA!! THAT BRAT'S INSANE!"
Yami Sukehiro's booming laughter echoed through the viewing platform as he finally arrived—
Leaning lazily on the railing, cigarette in mouth, utterly delighted.
"No magic, no problem. He just smashed that flashy moron like a ragdoll!"
Even Fuegoleon Vermillion, usually composed, sat forward with wide eyes.
"That wasn't mana… That was pure muscle,"
He said, a mix of shock and reluctant admiration in his voice.
"Unbelievable. He's… different."
Some captains murmured their agreement.
A few still looked skeptical.
Nozel Silva leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, brow furrowed with a mixture of disdain and contemplation.
"Tch. Brute strength alone won't win wars. He's nothing without mana."
Fuegoleon nodded slightly, thoughtful.
Nod~
"Still… you have to admit. That kind of resolve is rare."
From the side,
Charlotte glanced at Ben, her expression unreadable.
But when she looked down at Asta—
Who now stood proudly, breathing heavily with the massive Demon-Slayer Sword still resting on his shoulder—
There was a subtle softness in her eyes.
Sol grinned and elbowed Charlotte playfully.
"Told you, Captain. That kid's a beast. Remember how he cracked the boulder back in the orphanage? Because he had a bet with a kid."
She laughed, pointing at Asta.
"That swing brought it all back."
Charlotte sighed, her eyes landed on Ben her cheeks faintly pink.
"Hmph. He's reckless. But... determined."
Ben, seated in the middle, simply smiled to himself.
"They'll understand soon. Asta may have no magic—but what he does have can't be measured by a mana gauge."
Yami, still grinning, glanced toward Ben.
Grin~
"He's the one you were talkin' about, huh? The crazy brat with no magic but guts of steel?"
Ben nodded.
Nod~
"He's not alone. The other one will shine too."
Charlotte leaned in again, curious.
"So you already told Yami everything?"
Ben chuckled.
Chuckle~
"Of course. He'll need to know if he's going to recruit him."
From down in the arena,
Asta raised his sword and gave a shout, full of raw, undiluted joy.
"I'M GONNA BECOME THE WIZARD KING!!!"
The audience was stunned.
Some laughed.
Some scoffed.
But a few… a few began to believe.
The crowd, still buzzing from Asta's explosive win, hushed once more as the next match was announced.
"Next duel: Yuno of Hage Village versus Salim Hapshass of House Hapshass."
Salim, with his sharp robes and aristocratic swagger, stepped onto the dueling stage with a smirk that could curdle milk.
He cracked his neck and scoffed.
"A peasant dares to step onto the same platform as a noble of my stature?"
Yuno, calm and cool as the breeze that always surrounded him, said nothing.
"____"
His grimoire hovered at his side, glowing faintly.
Salim sneered, drawing out his grimoire.
"Let me show you your place."
"BEGIN!"
The referee called out.
Salim didn't waste time.
A spell burst from his grimoire—
A barrage of wind blades, fast and furious.
But Yuno?
He raised a single hand.
A breeze swirled, light at first… then sharpened into a razor-thin cyclone that shattered the incoming magic like it was nothing more than mist.
"____"
Before Salim could cast again,
Yuno vanished from sight—
Reappearing in the blink of an eye behind him.
BOOM!
A controlled gust, like the snap of a divine whip,
Blasted Salim across the stage and knocked him out cold in a single strike.
Gasps filled the arena.
Some nobles stood in shock.
Even a few captains rose to their feet.
Gueldre Poizot blinked.
"Such precision… such speed…"
Fuegoleon, a rare smile tugging at his lips, murmured,
"The control… the finesse… That boy is a prodigy."
Dorothy, lounging with a dreamy look, added,
"Mmm~ Such an elegant wind…"
William Vangeance, however, remained still.
Yet, in the depths of his gaze, a knowing glint sparked—
Recognition.
He had felt that kind of magic before.
Not just strong, but chosen.
Ben, watching silently from beside Charlotte, smiled softly.
"____"
Charlotte leaned in.
"He's grown."
Ben nodded.
Nod~
"Yuno always knew where he was headed. It was only a matter of when."
Yami, crossing his arms and looking down with a serious expression this time, muttered,
"Tch. So that's the other brat…"
Sol whistled from beside Charlotte.
"Forget nobles—he fights like he owns the sky."
Back in the arena,
Yuno silently picked up his grimoire and turned, walking off the stage without a word.
His cape billowed slightly from the wind, his posture straight, his eyes never leaving the horizon.
The crowd watched in stunned silence.
After some time...
With the final duel concluded and the last contestants clearing the stage—
Some victorious, many defeated—
The atmosphere shifted in the arena.
The tension that had once fueled the matches now hung heavier, like the pause before judgment.
A quiet hum buzzed across the audience.
Then—
CLACK. CLACK. CLACK.
Nozel Silva, the captain of the Silver Eagles, stepped forward with regal poise, his silver mane catching the light.
His cold gaze swept over the remaining examinees below.
He raised a hand and the murmurs ceased instantly.
"Listen closely,"
Nozel said, his voice firm and sharp as steel.
"The duels are over. Now comes your true test—the judgment of the captains."
He paused for effect, letting the gravity of his words sink in.
"Each of us—captains of the Magic Knight squads—will raise our hand if we see potential in you. That is our way of showing we wish to recruit you."
The contestants straightened their backs, all eyes locked on the stage above where the captains sat.
"Should no one raise a hand,"
Nozel continued coldly,
"then you will not be selected this year. You are free to try again next time—if you survive until then."
A nervous gulp rippled through several of the participants.
"If more than one captain raises a hand,"
Nozel added,
"then you are permitted to choose the squad you wish to join."
He turned without another word and returned to his seat.
The silence was absolute.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Then—
"Let the selection begin."
A magical chime echoed across the arena as the scrolls with examinee numbers and names floated above the dueling ground.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N)Thanks for reading the chapter!
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