The sound of trumpets echoed through the colosseum as Kenji leaned against the stone pillar, watching the grand entrance unfold before him. The noise was almost deafening in the enclosed space, reverberating off the ancient walls and stirring excitement among the hundreds of gathered examinees.
Leading the procession was a figure that immediately commanded attention—a short man in his mid-twenties wearing an elaborate gold and red cloak that seemed to shimmer in the afternoon light. What made him truly distinctive was the ornate golden mask covering his face, decorated with intricate feather patterns that caught and reflected the sun. This had to be William Vangeance, captain of the Golden Dawn.
Following him came a woman who seemed to be floating more than walking, her purple hair swaying gently as she moved with her eyes peacefully closed. She wore a soft pink cloak and matching witch's hat that gave her an almost dreamlike appearance. Dorothy Unsworth, captain of the Coral Peacocks.
Kenji found himself staring at her and couldn't help but think, "Why do I suddenly want to eat cotton candy?"
The next captain to emerge caused quite a stir among the audience, particularly the female examinees. Many of the girls in the stands began squealing with excitement, while the tanned girl Kenji had noticed earlier looked on with obvious reverence. The source of this reaction was a tall woman in her twenties with flowing golden hair, dressed in an elegant blue uniform with a crisp white undershirt. Charlotte Roselei, captain of the Blue Rose knights, carried herself with the poise of nobility and the confidence of someone accustomed to admiration.
Behind her walked a man who looked like he'd escaped from an asylum—tall, lanky, with wild eyes and an unsettling grin. His green cloak billowed dramatically as he moved, and there was something in his posture that suggested barely contained violence. Jack the Ripper, captain of the Green Praying Mantis squad.
Walking behind Jack with an air of complete indifference was a large man with disheveled black hair hanging loose around his shoulders. A katana hung casually at his waist, and his entire appearance suggested he'd just rolled out of bed and couldn't be bothered to care. This had to be Yami Sukehiro, captain of the Black Bulls. Whatever he was saying to Jack seemed to be thoroughly irritating the green-cloaked captain, whose eye was beginning to twitch noticeably.
The next figure was clearly a substitute—a tall man with a distinctive scar running across his forehead, long auburn hair, and a matching beard. His bearing was military, professional, but there was something in his stance that suggested he was filling in for someone else. Randall Luftair, vice-captain of the Crimson Lion Kings.
Kenji frowned slightly. "Wonder where the captain is."
Following him was a large man wearing all purple, and a white puffed up jacket, with blonde hair and a black eye mask. The captain of the Purple Orcas, Max Gueldre Poizot.
The final member of the group trailed behind the others with an air of royal elegance that made everyone else look underdressed by comparison. Everything about him was silver—his immaculate uniform, his perfectly styled hair that was braided and fell gracefully down his forehead, even the way he carried himself spoke of nobility and refinement. Nozel Silva, captain of the Silver Eagles.
The sight of that elaborate hairstyle was too much for Kenji. He tried to contain himself, really he did, pressing his lips together and looking away. But the mental image of this serious, royal figure carefully braiding his own hair each morning was just too ridiculous.
He lost the battle spectacularly.
"Who the hell actually does their hair like that?" Kenji burst out laughing, his voice carrying clearly across the suddenly quiet arena. "Does he braid it himself? HAHAHA!"
The effect was immediate and mortifying. Every head within fifty feet turned to stare at him as if he'd just declared war on the kingdom itself. The laughter died in his throat as he realized just how loud his reaction had been.
A crushing pressure descended on the entire pit like a physical weight. The magical aura was so intense that some of the weaker examinees actually stumbled, their faces going pale as they struggled to breathe under the overwhelming force of Nozel's displeasure.
Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the pressure vanished—not because Nozel had relented, but because it was completely overwhelmed by a booming laugh that seemed to shake the very foundations of the colosseum.
"HAHAHAHA!" Yami Sukehiro was leaning over, slapping his knee as he laughed with genuine delight. "I want that kid on my squad! Dibs! HAHAHA!"
Kenji couldn't help but grin sheepishly as the thought crossed his mind: "Well shit, guess I'm not joining the Silver Eagles... totally worth it though."
An awkward silence fell over the arena. Several examinees were now glaring at Kenji with undisguised murder in their eyes, clearly blaming him for nearly getting them all crushed by magical pressure. He pointedly ignored them, finding their outrage more amusing than concerning.
The tension finally broke when the captains took their designated seats on the elevated platforms surrounding the arena. The music faded, and conversations resumed in hushed tones.
"Where's the captain of the Crimson Lions?" someone whispered nearby.
"Must be on the border fighting the Diamond Kingdom," another voice replied.
"Those bastards dared to attack us again. Who do they think they are?"
"What about the Grey Deer squad? Where are they?"
"The captain stepped down. They don't have one right now—must be skipping recruitment until they find a replacement."
The chatter died abruptly as William Vangeance stepped forward to the edge of his platform. His voice, enhanced by magic, carried clearly to every corner of the massive space.
"Attention, examinees. Thank you for waiting. I will be administering this year's entrance examination."
He opened a thick, yellow grimoire that seemed to glow with inner light. "Tree Magic: Magic Tree Descent."
A green radiance encompassed the entire stadium, and Kenji felt his hair whip around his face as powerful winds began to blow. Dark clouds gathered overhead with unnatural speed, and then something truly spectacular happened.
A massive tree began descending from what seemed like the heavens themselves, its trunk easily as wide as a building. As it descended, countless branches broke away from the main body, each one flying toward individual examinees like guided missiles. The branches twisted and reshaped themselves as they moved, transforming into functional brooms before gently coming to rest within reach of each candidate.
Kenji watched the display with genuine appreciation. "I guess the exam will be the same as in the anime. Whatever." But internally, he was impressed. "That's some crazy control over his mana. He must be in the higher limits of Grand Magic Knight reserves. The guy's extremely strong."
He grabbed his assigned broom just as William's voice rang out again.
"Well, you have waited long enough. The time has come—let the entrance exam begin!"
The captain paused dramatically before continuing. "In just a few moments, we will begin the first of what will be a series of tests. The captains before you will act as your judges, and at the end, they will select the candidates they would like to join their squads. If chosen, you are in. If more than one squad chooses you, you will decide which squad you would like to join. However, if you are not chosen, that means you have been deemed unqualified to join the Magic Knights."
He let that sobering reality sink in before proceeding. "Now, for your first test. You will use the brooms you have been given to fly."
The reaction was immediate and panicked.
"Fly?!"
"What? But I've never done that!"
"Oh no..."
Kenji looked around at the nervous faces surrounding him with pure exasperation. How the hell are these people nervous about just this? I learned to fly when I was like six years old.
William cut through the mounting chatter with authority. "A mage who has control of his or her magical power should be able to do this instinctively. It is our most basic way to get from one place to another. If you can't even fly on a broom, then you are not worth our time." His voice carried a note of finality. "Well, enough talk. Now begin."
Chaos erupted in the pit as hundreds of examinees began frantically pouring mana into their brooms. Some managed to achieve wobbly, uncertain flight, rising a few feet off the ground before struggling to maintain altitude. Others couldn't get off the ground at all, their brooms barely twitching despite their desperate efforts.
But scattered throughout the crowd, maybe ten people stood out—candidates who took to the air with natural grace and control, making smooth circles and demonstrating real skill.
Kenji observed the spectacle for a few seconds, noting the varying levels of competence with professional interest. Then he pushed himself off the pillar, walked forward a few steps, and grinned.
"Well, might as well make an impression."
Snap.
The sound reverberated through the colosseum like a thunderclap, and reality shifted around Kenji in ways that defied description. His simple broom began to transform, expanding and reshaping itself into something that definitely hadn't existed moments before. The wooden handle elongated and flattened, taking on the appearance of acarpett with intricate white and gold patterns etched along its surface.
He stepped onto his transformed crpet with casual confidence, and it rose smoothly into the air. But instead of simply flying in circles like the other successful candidates, Kenji began to surf through the air itself, carving impossible turns and loops as if riding invisible waves. The crpet left a faint trail of shimmering light as he moved, and his relaxed posture while lying down, as i he were taking a nap—one hand in his pocket, the other adjusting his glasses looking off into the sky—made it look effortless.
The effect on the crowd was electric. Conversations stopped mid-sentence, brooms wobbled as their riders lost concentration, and even some of the captains leaned forward in their seats to get a better look.
"What the hell is that?"
"How is he making it look so easy?"
"That's not normal flying!"
Jack the Ripper's grin widened to something genuinely unsettling. Anyone who could make such a spectacular display while looking completely bored was someone worth watching.
Even Dorothy cracked open one eye to observe the performance, a slight smile playing at her lips.
But it was Yami's reaction that really mattered. The Black Bulls captain was leaning forward now, his previous laughter replaced by genuine interest. This was the same kid who'd made fun of Nozel's hair, and now he was showing off magical control that put most of the other examinees to shame.
"Interesting," Yami muttered, taking a drag from a cigarette that had appeared in his hand. "Very interesting."
Kenji, completely aware that every eye in the colosseum was on him, decided to add one final flourish. He executed a perfect barrel roll while maintaining his casual posture, then brought his carpet to a gentle stop about ten feet off the ground, hovering there as if gravity was merely a suggestion.
Looking around at the stunned faces below him, he couldn't help but smirk.
This was exactly the kind of impression he'd hoped to make.