Today is the day of the exam. Me, Secre, and Lumiere came to the capital a bit early to look around. Right now, I'm eating breakfast in a small restaurant with Lumiere and Secre in front of me. Secre is teasing Lumiere about how obsessed he is with magic.
"You know, sometimes I think he would propose to you. With how many spells you showed him, I would have thought he would fall in love with you," Secre says, turning toward me. I have been showing them all kinds of magic, even some that they could replicate. Not long ago, I showed a spell to Secre; it was sealing the momentum of a move, completely stopping fast movements, spells, or people attacking her.
"Sorry, dude, I'm interested only in women," I say, looking at Lumiere, who does not listen, as he is focused on his grimoire. I showed him spells, and he also learned some, like the one where he transformed his entire body into light, inspired by Kizaru. But he could not find a way to react faster. I mean, when you move at the speed of light, it's hard to perceive anything. But there are methods. My favorite is predicting with another spell to see the future so I can guide myself. One method he could use is to feel all the light around him and surf on the rays, so he could feel everything around him at light speed. But he doesn't know that. He wants to figure it out himself, saying he prefers discovering all the flaws and finding the solutions without help.
"You know, it's disrespectful not to respond and to read at the table," Secre says, like a mother scolding her child.
"Sorry," he says, putting away his grimoire and eating his breakfast.
"So, are you ready for the exam? I mean, all of us are far out of the league of the examinees, but let's have a bit of fun."
"I wonder what kind of magic the new generation has," Lumiere says, all about magic.
"Nothing really new. Some are more interesting than others, but if you want the truth, I think people around here are not creative enough with their magic. Most people just throw some elemental construct or even just throw the element out like that."
"What else do you want them to do? The way magic is used around here is purely useful. Almost nobody finds a need to innovate, so people stagnate," Secre says with her logical way of thinking. I mean, I remember some characters who did interesting things with their magic.
"So, it's time. We should get going."
Finishing breakfast, I call for a waiter and pay.
[The Arena]
"Show me your grimoire and I'll give you your number." Taking out my grimoire from my belt, I show it to him. The grimoire is covered by an illusion spell, because if I were to show it… my multicolored grimoire would be really weird. And even without that, the clover is not really a clover; it's more like a flower with many petals. I verified if there was a demon or anything like that, but no. It's due to the many grimoires it is made of. When I got them, I willed them to become one, and now it's a really thick book with countless spells and even more black pages. That must mean I can learn many more spells even after five hundred years.
"Your number is 239." Then Secre gets 240, and Lumiere 241. We took time to get here because I did not want to come before Asta. If Yami thinks one is enough, then Asta wouldn't be able to join. But I think we could all join. I mean, for them, we are generational talents.
Walking inside the arena, I see many of Secre's birds.
"So how do you feel seeing all of your family?" I tease her a bit, pointing at the flock of birds around Asta.
"I missed them a bit. They really are loyal and great friends. Even if at first they look dumb, when you get to know them, they are a really intelligent species," she says, looking around.
"For real?" I look at her, dumbfounded.
"No."
"Aahhh." Asta is getting his head crushed by Yami just as the other captains make their entrance, and Vangeance makes his speech before giving everyone a broom with his magic. I never used one for anything other than cleaning, so let's see how it works. Putting it on the ground, I jump, and it comes under my feet.
"Wow, this feels like snowboarding, but without resistance, and I can basically go in any direction." I say that because I use a spell inspired by the ninjas in Naruto; all of them can stick to walls.
"Hey, can I go around for a bit? I want to see how fast I can go." Asking the captain, Vangeance nods, and I take off.
"Hey, wait for me," Lumiere joins me.
"Let's race," I say.
While we were having fun, Secre was watching us from the arena with a small smile, and Asta was shouting, trying to fly.
When we came back, it was the strength test. We just had to destroy a wall. I decided to use earth magic for the exam, and I destroyed it by using a spell inspired by Rudeus, where I make an earth drill into a bullet. Secre sealed the air around the wall and slowly compressed it until there was nothing left. Finally, Lumiere, who shocked the most, used a simple laser.
Then it was the control test, where we had to destroy a moving target.
We did the same as before.
The creation test.
I made different animals with varying sizes and shapes, even giving them a bit of color using different kinds of minerals. Lumiere made a light horse, and Secre sealed the air into the shape of an eagle, which most people can't see.
"Not bad," Yami looks at Secre.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Rill asks.
"You can't see it, but she made an eagle. I don't really know how, but she sealed a portion of the air, and around it there is none, but I can feel it," Yami explains.
"Wow, what kind of magic does she have?" Charlotte asks, and one of the receptionists comes.
"She uses sealing magic."
The evolution magic.
I just kept the animals I already made and transformed them into different shapes, from a horse to a unicorn, then a seahorse, and many more. Lumiere transformed his horse into a tree and grew it taller than the arena, and Secre changed the shape of her eagle into a griffin.
Finally, it was time for the fights. I look around, searching for an opponent, but it seems I scared everyone, same for Lumiere.
"So, want to try your luck against me?" I say, looking at Lumiere. Since nobody wanted to fight either of us, while we were searching, Secre seemed to have found her opponent: a fat noble who looked at her disrespectfully since the start of the exam. When I saw it, I just told her no, since she can take care of it herself.
Walking into the center, the fat noble starts to use his magic, but Secre seals his grimoire shut, then seals his feet together, making him fall down. He tries to crawl, but Secre seals his hands. When he tries to give up, his mouth is sealed. Then she walks toward him.
"If I ever see you again, I will not be as kind as today." Before sealing his nostrils. She is scary as fuck, but this spectacle seems to please Charlotte, Yami, and Jack.
"So, do you want to go now, or can we watch some fights before?" I turn to Lumiere.
"Let's go now," he says, looking determined.
Walking toward the center, he takes out his grimoire, and I do the same.
"Ready, fight." Just as the referee finishes, he throws a laser straight at my face, but I knew he would do that, and a wall was already in front of me. I throw it straight at him, but he starts to fly. Both of us look at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move, and I start throwing many earth bullets inspired by Rudeus. Many bullets fly toward him like a minigun, but he dodges them in the air. He keeps his distance in the air; since I'm limiting myself to earth magic, he must think that up there is the safest place. But under me, I make a giant dragon, and we take off, chasing him around. He continues to dodge the bullets I put on automatic on the ground while we get closer.
"These two are real monsters. Between them, the four-leaf and the girl who put the guy to the ground, this year is packed with talents," Rill says excited.
"Yeah, but there is one I'm curious about. The kid without an ounce of magic. I can feel that physically he is strong, but that's practically all. But he has a grimoire, so he might be able to show something in the fights," Yami says.
When we get close to him, he makes a laser that destroys the magic but creates dust. I use it to my advantage, hiding my magic completely, grab his leg, and throw him toward the ground. Then I use the dust to make a solid platform under my feet and jump to reach him faster.
"His magic control is great. To control the dust and use it to his advantage… for a second, I thought he was dead. I could not feel his mana at all," Vangeance says, looking at us.
When I get close enough, he uses the spell I taught him and becomes light. I go through him and hit the ground while he goes back into the sky.
"Not bad at all, really. But if you do that, let me show you how I do it." I become sand, and all around the arena, rocks, sand, dust, and dirt transform into a giant version of me. Right now, I look like Sandman, but with more earth and less sand. He looks around as I throw many punches toward him, but he uses lasers to stop them. Then he throws a laser toward my face, but earlier I used the heat from his laser on sand to make glass, and now I make my face glass and throw his laser back, hitting him in the face and crashing him into the ground. Before he can move, I reform my body and point an earth spear at his throat.
"Not bad, even pretty good, but I win." Looking down at him, he smiles back.
"I give up."
"These two are really strong. If they get stronger, they could surpass all of us," Vangeance says.
"No, they already have. Both of them were holding back so much. The one with earth magic especially—I could feel it. He didn't break a sweat; he was playing. And the other one too. Both of them didn't use their more destructive or lethal spells," Yami says, looking at us with great interest.
Walking back to the side of the arena, there is not a single sound. Everyone is too shocked to speak as we join Secre.
"Good job, you two. This was a great fight," she says with a smile.
"You two are super strong! How did you do that, where you both became elements? Me too, I want to do that! Wait, but what would I become, some kind of sword?" Asta spawns next to us, shouting, stars in his eyes.
"Oh, that's really simple. If you can become one with your mana, you could do it," Lumiere drops the secret like it has no value for him.
"Oh, but I don't have any mana," he says sadly, pointing at himself.
"Fuah, hey Asta, want to fight?" I don't know his real name, but I'll name him Fuah.
"Oh hey, Fuah, you really want to fight?" Asta says, looking at him like he's doing him a favor.
"Of course, my friend."
Secre seems to want to say something, but I shake my head, and she backs down. Then everything goes on like in the anime, and now it's my turn to be chosen in a squad, and every captain raises their hand.
"I choose the Black Bulls." This shocks everyone.
"May I ask why?" Vangeance looks at me, shocked.
"Simple, really. I just want to have fun, and hanging around nobles is not exactly my thing."
"Ah, take that, masked weirdo," Yami says, pointing at Vangeance and mocking him.
"Number 240, come forward."
Secre walks, and Charlotte, Jack, Rill, Dorothy, the guy from the Purple Orca, and Yami raise their hands.
"I choose the Black Bulls," shocking people even more.
"Why?" This time it's Charlotte.
"Because I want to," Secre says, looking unconcerned about the shocked people around us.
"Aha, I'm on a roll today. Continue, there is a last one I want," Yami says, having the time of his life.
"241, come forward."
And like me and Yuno, everyone raises their hand.
"I choose the Black Bulls."
"Ah, losers, three for three tonight. I'm gonna go gambling. Today is my lucky day," he says happily, pointing at the rest of the captains and mocking them.
Waiting outside the arena, we are joined by Finral, Gordon, and Yami.
"Where is the runt?" he asks, looking around.
"He had to go to the toilets." Yami grabs my head, not liking my answer.
"Oh really? If he's not here in ten seconds, I squeeze your head." This is fun. He picks me up like a child and tries to squeeze my head, but this body was made to be as strong as it can. In my earlier years, I made a new body for myself, and since then I have been upgrading it. Right now, he is trying a skull as strong as adamantium, like Wolverine.
"Hey, wait for me!" Asta shouts, running toward us, and he is picked up by Yami.
"You are late. Where were you?"
"I was in the toilet, sir. I ate a serpent, and my stomach did not like that!" he shouts.
"Oh really? Finral, open a portal to the base now."
"Yes, sir."
"And you, why do you not have any reaction while I'm holding your head?" he looks at me.
"Oh, it's simple. I have a solid skull," I say, looking at him innocently.
"Do you look down on me? Do you think I can't crush it right now?"
"Uhm, Yami, could we go now? I can't hold the portal forever."
"Surpass your limits!" before he throws us inside.