"Dear candidates, as of now, a total of 120 participants have passed the second test."
As the headmistress of Demisole Magic Academy, every move Konas made carried weight, and her opening statement was nothing short of shocking.
Out of over 400 examinees, 120 had passed. Clearly, this group included not only the winners of the four-person battles but also those with enough skill and talent who didn't manage to defeat their opponents.
"So many people made it," one candidate muttered. "Wonder how they'll filter us in the third test?"
"It's the final round, so it's gotta be tough, right?"
Amid the chatter of the students, Konas leaned closer to the microphone, her cool voice echoing across the exam hall. "To ensure fairness in the entrance exam, the third test will serve as both the third challenge for these 120 qualifiers and a revival round for the 300-plus who failed today!"
The announcement sent the previously calm exam hall into an uproar.
"A revival round?"
"So we still have a shot?"
Konas seemed pleased with the reaction and continued, "Tomorrow morning, right here, the 120 who passed the second test will each receive a magic stone randomly distributed by the academy's instructors. The stones come in two colors—black and white—each engraved with a unique number from 1 to 60. No two stones are alike."
Hearing this, Kira had a rough idea of what the third test would entail: a challenge centered around collecting these magic stones.
"The rules for the third test are as follows:
1. You must reach Demisole Academy, located in the valley west of Hams City, before sunset tomorrow. There's only one path into the valley—just keep going, and you'll arrive at the academy's registration point.
2. The 120 candidates who passed the second test must hold onto their assigned magic stone to pass. When the stones are distributed tomorrow, the instructors will record the type and number of each stone you receive.
3. Those who failed today must obtain one black magic stone and one white magic stone from the 120 qualifiers. The numbers on the stones don't matter.
4. No transportation tools or assistance from non-examinees are allowed, or you'll be disqualified. The accompanying instructors will determine if you've received outside help.
5. During the test, you cannot kill or severely injure other candidates or cause permanent harm. The instructors will monitor this as well.
6. Only the first 50 candidates to reach the academy while meeting these conditions will be admitted."
The rules sparked a wave of murmurs, with every candidate furrowing their brows, strategizing for tomorrow's challenge.
Konas sat down, smiling lightly. "So, what do you three think of the third test's rules?"
Kira, along with the other two, remained silent, mentally dissecting the rules' pros, cons, and potential loopholes. Compared to today's test, this third round demanded much more strategy, though it still had its limits.
For one, the sunset deadline created intense time pressure.
Waiting until tomorrow to distribute the stones deliberately delayed the 120 qualifiers' departure, while the non-qualifiers faced no such restriction. This clearly encouraged the latter to set out early and set up ambushes, raising the test's difficulty.
The non-qualifiers needed to collect both a black and a white stone, while the qualifiers only had to hold onto their own. At first glance, the qualifiers seemed to have the advantage, but the rule stated they must have their specific stone to pass. If it was stolen, recovering it would be a nightmare, putting them in a highly vulnerable position.
The ban on transportation was standard, but the rule against non-examinee help implied candidates could team up with each other. Qualifiers could ally with qualifiers, non-qualifiers with non-qualifiers, or even qualifiers with non-qualifiers, opening up countless unpredictable scenarios.
Finally, the 50-person limit was a blatant move to sow discord among the qualifiers.
Guran nodded approvingly, stroking his beard. "Very interesting rules!"
Hyberion chimed in, "Tomorrow's bound to be lively!"
Kira thought the rules were already challenging enough for the candidates. If he were designing the test, he'd have upped the ante—maybe requiring qualifiers to hold both black and white stones or non-qualifiers to collect double. By comparison, Konas was downright lenient.
"Headmistress Konas, are these magic stones easy to forge?" Kira asked.
"No need to worry!" she replied. "Each one is handcrafted by our instructors and imbued with a magical signature. Forged stones won't pass the academy's inspection."
"I see," Kira nodded. "You've really thought of everything, Headmistress!"
Flattered by his half-sincere praise, Konas seemed to take it at face value, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Oh, you're too kind…"
---
When Kira returned to the hotel, the three kids were already waiting for him.
They were slumped over the table, looking glum and dejected.
"Hey, you lot," Kira said, giving each of their heads a light tap. "Why so down?"
"Um, Big Bro Kira…" Ika began, sounding sullen.
"What's up?"
Ika looked at him, clearly upset. "If we pass the third test tomorrow, does that mean we won't see you again until we graduate?"
"I won't get to see Sister Cana either…" another added.
"Being away these past few days… I kinda miss everyone at the orphanage, and the director too…"
So that's what this was about. They were just eleven or twelve—homesickness was natural for kids their age.
"Thinking about that already? Bit early, don't you think?" Kira teased. "What if you get eliminated tomorrow?"
He didn't mention that, as one of the three invited guests representing Fiore's magic guilds, the academy had offered him a guaranteed admission slot.
He'd learned this during his chat with Konas and the others. Apparently, it was a tradition, though Makarov had always declined, insisting, "I can teach my own kids." Because of his stance, the academy avoided mentioning the guaranteed slots in their invitations to avoid offense.
While they trusted the guests wouldn't abuse the privilege to sneak in a "magicless dud," the candidates they brought still had to take the exam. Regardless of the results, they'd be admitted—unless they were utterly hopeless.
That's why Kira wasn't worried about whether the kids would get in. He could even joke about it.
Ika puffed up indignantly. "I'm definitely gonna pass!"
"Exactly!" Little Red Cap piped up, pumping herself up. "I promised the director and Sister Cana I'd get into the academy!"
"Don't worry, Teacher Kira," the third added. "No matter what challenges we face tomorrow, we'll push through!"
"Well, I'll be watching!" Kira grinned.
He ruffled their heads one by one. These three, and all the kids from the orphanage, had grown up under his watch. From basic life skills to magic techniques, they carried traces of his guidance.
At first, teaching them was just something to do out of boredom, a bit of kindness. Later, he thought about training them to be Fairy Tail's next generation, ensuring the guild's future in case he was ever sealed away on Tenrou Island. Now? Even he wasn't sure why he kept at it. Maybe, just maybe, he'd come to see them as family, like true guildmates.
He'd been with Fairy Tail for ten years, and it took a long time to see his guildmates as more than just characters from a story—sometimes, it still felt a bit unreal. But these kids, who'd never appeared in the manga, he'd treated as real from the start.
"You three are my students," he said with a grin. "Whether my 'Sage' reputation levels up depends on how you perform!"
Ika laughed confidently. "Oh, leave it to me, Big Bro Kira!"
Akas cut in dryly, "With that look on your face, I almost thought you were gonna say, 'Leave the destruction to me.'"
"Not bad, Little Red Cap!" Kira chuckled. "You're picking up the art of snark. I'm proud, kid!"
"Hehe… all thanks to you, Teacher Kira!"