William then proceeded to use tree magic, which awed the examinees.
Ryoma also looked up at the giant tree. This was not just a grand display of power, but also an extremely subtle control of magic. Moreover, this magic was not fully unleashed, it merely conjured magic brooms before dissipating.
"So... so powerful..."
Asta looked up, witnessing this astonishing scene.
Yuno also had a solemn expression. Though confident, he still felt William's immense power.
Ryoma looked at William on the high platform, his mind racing.
In the Clover Kingdom, a Magic Knight's rank is primarily measured by their achievements, or the number of "stars." But this system reflects contribution more than pure combat power.
In contrast, Ryoma preferred the "Magic Stage" system used by the Heart Kingdom and Spade Kingdom.
That system divides the strength of Mages, from weakest to strongest, 9 to 0, a total of ten levels.
Under this system, there is also a special Arcane Stage, representing Mages who have mastered extremely unique magic.
According to Ryoma's estimation, the nine Magic Knight Squad Captains present should all have reached stage 1.
And William, the man hailed as the closest to the Wizard King, had probably reached the peak of stage 1, possibly even touching the threshold of stage 0.
Furthermore...
Ryoma knew very well that another soul resided within this man's body.
That was Patolli, the leader of the terrifying organization "Eye of the Midnight Sun," who hated the Clover Kingdom and was bent on its destruction.
Moreover, these two souls could communicate and actively switch, making William an extremely dangerous and unstable ticking time bomb.
As Ryoma pondered, William's gentle voice resounded, echoing throughout the arena.
"And now, the Magic Knight Squad entrance exam officially begins."
"Next, you will undergo several assessments."
"Then, we, the nine Magic Knight Squad Captains, will review and each select the talents we desire."
He paused, then continued, "Being chosen by a Magic Knight Squad Captain means joining the squad."
"If multiple Captains choose you simultaneously, the choice will be yours. Conversely, if no Captain chooses you, you will not be eligible to join a Magic Knight Squad."
William's words made many people's hearts tighten. After all, the final decision rested with the Captains. They had to hope the Captains would notice them.
"For the first test, I want you to fly on these brooms."
No sooner had he spoken than the Magic Knight of the Golden Dawn behind William gracefully mounted his broom and was carried steadily into the air, demonstrating for everyone.
"Then, the test begins!"
With a command, the examinees began to try.
Some appeared adept, easily mounting their brooms and flying up.
Others seemed flustered. Either their brooms wouldn't obey, or they would fly up for a short while only to plummet, drawing laughter from the surroundings.
After all, magic brooms were not cheap, and most examinees present had little to no experience with them.
Such a test could instantly reveal a Mage's talent.
Ryoma looked at the broom before him. He didn't even straddle it. With a light tap of a single foot, the broom seemed to gain sentience, steadily supporting his body and slowly ascending.
The entire process was fluid, with not a single trace of mana leaking, demonstrating his far-beyond-ordinary control.
He didn't rush to show off like others, merely flying at a moderate height, leisurely observing the performance of others.
Just then, a figure shot past him like a cannonball, soaring straight into the sky.
It was Yuno.
He wasn't riding the broom like the others, but stood steadily on the broom's wooden handle with his arms crossed, looking composed. His figure cut elegant arcs through the air.
"So... so amazing!"
"Is he a genius chosen by the four-leaf grimoire?"
Yuno's performance attracted everyone's attention, even the Captains on the high platform cast their gaze upon him.
Undoubtedly, Yuno's performance was the most dazzling of all.
However, where there is light, there must be darkness.
While the vast majority of examinees were already flying unsteadily, one person still stood alone in the center of the arena.
Asta.
He clutched the broom tightly with both hands, his face flushed, using all his strength to try and make the broom move even a little.
However, the broom, made of pure magic, was no different from an ordinary piece of wood in his hands, it remained motionless.
This performance also attracted the attention of the Captains on the platform, as in their eyes, even the least talented could at least float slightly.
They probably couldn't imagine that Asta's body actually contained not a single trace of mana.
A magic tool that required mana to operate was undoubtedly useless to Asta.
Around him, the examinees who had already flown up cast curious glances, mixed with undisguised ridicule and disdain.
"This is too funny."
"Alright, one eliminated so quickly."
"By the way, why is that guy even here?"
Sekke, riding his broom, circled above Asta, looking down at him with a falsely concerned smile.
"Hey, this is really simple, just try to relax a bit." He said this, but inwardly, he was overjoyed.
It was just as he expected. This guy who hung around with the four-leaf clover boy was a complete pushover.
Ryoma looked at Asta, who was still working hard below, and couldn't help but find it amusing.
Asta should have clearly known that he had no mana in his body, yet he was still trying to fly with the magic broom.
He didn't know how to describe Asta, but he wasn't at all worried that Asta would be eliminated.
After all, no matter how poorly he performed, there was always Yami, the captain who liked to recruit oddballs, who would be interested in Asta.
At this moment, in the arena, Yuno's figure floated gracefully in the air. He rode his broom with such ease, as if he were on flat ground.
He noticed Ryoma, who was leisurely lounging below, lying on his broom, his body slightly tilted, yet maintaining perfect stability.
This precision in controlling mana intensified Yuno's fighting spirit.
He spun around, drawing a sharp arc in the air, and zipped past Ryoma at high speed, stirring up a gust of wind.
There was a hint of provocation in his eyes, as if saying: 'Perhaps I'm not as good as you in combat right now, but when it comes to controlling techniques, I won't lose.'
However, facing Yuno's almost showy challenge, Ryoma merely glanced up at him.
A faint smile appeared on his lips. He neither responded nor showed any intention of competing.
This disregard, instead, made Yuno feel like he had thrown a full-force punch into cotton, leaving him a bit helpless, but also further igniting his determination to catch up.