The next day, at the entrance exam arena.
Kira sat in the guest area with Konas, Guran, and Haiberion, trying his best to look like he belonged. He sat up straight, acting like this wasn't his first time here.
But his stiff posture made Konas think he was nervous. She chuckled, "No need to be so tense, Little Kira~ You don't have to do much today."
Kira turned to her, taking in her lovely face. Good thing Konas was pretty—because if some middle-aged lady called him "Little Kira," he'd probably die of fright.
"Huh?" He gave her a puzzled look. "I'm not tense!"
"If you're not tense, then… why's your thumb spinning in circles?"
That was just because he'd slept on it weird last night and needed to move it a bit.
"It's… a personal habit."
"Alright, my mistake then," Konas said, patting his shoulder. "So, what do you think about today's competition?"
She was sharp, knowing young guys like Kira had their pride. In moments like this, it was better to go along with him or change the subject.
Kira thought, Hey, what's with that look? You clearly don't believe me, and that topic shift was way too forced!
"I'll just watch from here…" he said casually, then tested the waters. "They'll probably cut about half the kids, right?"
There were three rounds. If 80% passed the first, and the final pass rate was 10% of all applicants, then dropping 50% in the second round would make a nice, even progression. It was like music to an OCD perfectionist's ears.
Kira's lips curled into a smug grin. What perfect math! It's gotta be like this. I'm too smart—I totally nailed it!
Konas squinted, smiling. "More than half. We're planning to eliminate over 70% in the second round, leaving 100 kids for the third."
Kira: "…"
Guran, curious, asked, "Didn't they say this batch of kids is especially talented? Why cut so many?"
Haiberion glanced at Konas, equally confused.
"Too many kids passed yesterday," Konas explained. "So we've upped the difficulty for the second round. But in return, the third round's pass rate will be higher—maybe the highest ever."
That's allowed? Kira stayed quiet, thinking, Ugh, women's minds are impossible to read, no matter their age! Wouldn't a simple, even pass rate be better? Jacking up the difficulty then loosening the final round—isn't that just messing with honest folks? Good thing it's not my problem. I'm just here to watch!
As the kids filed into the arena, it got crowded fast, reminding Kira of the recent guild competition. But back then, he was a competitor. Now, as a guest, the vibe was totally different. Sitting up here, he couldn't help but feel the urge to play coach and call the shots.
A summer breeze carried the kids' chatter to the guest area.
"Look, that old lady up there's the dean. Whether we get into the academy is up to her."
"Pfft—cough, cough, cough…"
Kira tried his hardest, even stopping his thumb-twirling and pinching his finger to hold back laughter. But he couldn't keep a straight face and had to disguise his snicker with a cough.
Sneaking a glance to his left, he saw Konas's face darken, her aura practically murderous. Her eyes locked onto the boy who'd spoken, glinting with cold fury.
Heh, a moment of silence for that kid.
Kira shifted his gaze past Konas to Guran and Haiberion. Guran was squinting, pretending to nap, as if saying, "I'm old, my ears are bad, didn't hear a thing." Haiberion, unfazed, sipped his milk, calm as ever.
Wow, these guys are pros! I'm still too green! Kira thought. No more bragging about being on par with the Ten Wizard Saints or the Spriggan Twelve!
Just then, another kid's voice floated over: "Man, that old lady dean is kinda pretty!"
Kira groaned inwardly. If you're calling her pretty, don't call her an old lady! What's wrong with this kid? Who raised him?
Another voice chimed in: "Who's that guy next to the old lady? He looks so young! How's he sitting up there? And he's kinda hot!"
Kira nodded to himself. Now that's more like it! That kid's got taste, high EQ, and potential. They're going places!
Wait, why did he suddenly feel eyes on him?
"Little Kira seems happy?" Konas's gentle voice came from beside him.
Murderous intent!
Kira turned stiffly to find her smiling at him, eyes narrowed, looking all sweet and friendly. But her black leather gloves—worn to contain her magic—were starting to fray from the sheer force of her restrained power.
"Nope, not at all!" he blurted.
In the nick of time, Kira tapped into his years-honed acting skills. "It's just… this exam reminds me of the guild competition not long ago. Demisor Magic Academy really lives up to its name as Fiore's top magic school. So much talent!"
"Compared to Little Kira, these kids still have a long way to go," Konas said softly, pointing at the boy who'd spoken earlier. "In every sense, they've got a lot to learn!"
Kira eyed her outstretched finger. The glove, meant to prevent magic leaks, was practically bursting from her barely-contained power. He nodded quickly. "You're so right!"
The second round's host was a Demisor teacher—average-looking, nowhere near as cool as Kira, but clear and concise when explaining the rules: four-person free-for-all, last one standing passes!
Kira shot Konas a surprised look. "This is your 'last-minute boost' to the second round?"
This low-effort setup counted as a boost? What was the original plan, a three-person free-for-all?
Konas didn't answer, probably still fuming. Kira wisely kept his mouth shut.
"Four-person free-for-all? Interesting," Guran said in his weathered voice, shocking Kira. "It's the simplest way to pick winners and test the kids' overall strength…"
Kira felt his intelligence insulted. Was this old man serious or sarcastic? A multi-person brawl was the most cliché test ever. Was there some hidden depth he was missing?
Haiberion added solemnly, "With more participants than expected, a free-for-all is a solid way to quickly filter out the best."
Is this world's IQ just that low, making me feel smug for no reason?
"But won't holding hundreds of matches take forever?" Kira asked.
"The arena's big enough for 20 or 30 matches at once," Konas replied. "Kids have low magic reserves, so each match takes about 10 minutes. We'll have results by midday."
"What if two highly talented kids end up in the same group?"
"No worries there. The proctors will judge—if both show enough potential, they can both advance!"
"And if a genius gets matched with someone way stronger and gets taken out before they can show their skills?"
Konas: "…"
Kira's barrage of questions stumped her. She hadn't considered that. She almost said, "That's just their bad luck," but caught herself, knowing it wouldn't suit her role as dean.
Finally, she bluffed, "Actually, those who fail the second round still have a shot in the third!"
Looks like I'm pulling an all-nighter to fix this… Konas thought.