Everyone in the arena stared in shock at the young man who had instantly defeated his opponent.
Asta slowly raised his demon-slayer sword and rested it on his shoulder. He looked around, facing the shocked, doubtful, or disdainful gazes, his expression unchanged.
He said, "I didn't come here to 'try my best.'"
His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached every corner of the arena.
"I came here to…"
He took a deep breath, using all his strength to shout out the deepest desire in his heart.
"Become the Wizard King, even if it kills me!"
This sentence, like a heavy bomb, exploded among the crowd.
After a brief silence, there was an overwhelming uproar and laughter.
"Huh? Did I hear that right?"
"Is he an idiot?"
"A kid from a backwater village dares to say such big words."
"What a fool who can't see reality! He's brought his daydreams here."
The taunts rose and fell. In their eyes, this was the funniest joke of the year.
Ridiculous!
Too ridiculous!
Almost everyone had already condemned Asta. They were certain that no Magic Knight Squad would choose such an oddity.
On the high platform, Ryoma looked at the figure below who still stood tall amidst the ridicule, a meaningful smile present on his lips.
Then, battle after battle continued, including duels between so-called nobles.
Ryoma heard many people outside the arena praising the power of those nobles. Yet, in his eyes, these battles were no different from children playing house. He couldn't help but lament how severe the polarization in this world truly was.
Soon, another impending duel captured everyone's attention.
A noble scion actively approached Yuno, his face full of arrogance and greed.
Ryoma looked at the noble who was asking for trouble, feeling somewhat speechless.
These nobles were so accustomed to being high and mighty that their brains had degenerated. They actually thought that someone who had obtained a legendary grimoire like the four-leaf clover would be inferior to a noble.
The noble raised his grimoire high, and violent lightning quickly gathered, forming a massive thunderball flickering with destructive aura, aimed at Yuno.
Facing this astonishingly powerful attack, Yuno simply raised his hand calmly.
The next second, an extremely condensed azure storm appeared out of thin air, instantly shattering the thunderball.
Another easy instant kill!
Everyone's gaze involuntarily shifted from Yuno to Ryoma, who also came from a remote area.
These two young men from Hage were both monsters, one more so than the other.
Just then, another self-important noble scion slowly walked up to Ryoma.
His attire was nearly identical to that of the lightning mage from before, and his expression was equally arrogant. He scrutinized Ryoma from head to toe, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt.
He seemed to want to avenge the noble from earlier, hoping to restore the nobility's face through Ryoma.
"Are you Ryoma?"
He spoke in a condescending tone, "Although you're just a commoner from a remote village, like that four-leaf clover guy, your performance is quite good."
Upon hearing this, Ryoma merely glanced at him indifferently, not even bothering to reply. This dismissive attitude completely enraged the noble.
His face instantly darkened, and his voice became sharp and cutting. "Why do the Magic Knight Squads hold entrance exams every year? To recruit commoners like you?"
Without waiting for Ryoma to answer, he continued on his own, his voice filled with superiority, "That's because battles always involve sacrifices. And we, the noble ones, naturally cannot easily die on the battlefield."
"The only value of your lowly existence is to become our shields, our servants. To pave the path of our noble glory with your humble lives."
"You should feel honored for this."
These harsh remarks made the surrounding commoner candidates show angry expressions, but they dared not speak out.
However, Ryoma's reaction, as the insulted party, was beyond everyone's expectations. He didn't explode in rage, nor did he retort.
In fact, a faint curve even appeared at the corner of his lips, and his gaze was like he was looking at… a pathetic wretch.
"What kind of look is that?!"
The noble's emotions were completely ignited by Ryoma's gaze, he felt an unprecedented humiliation.
"You damn commoner! I'll let you know that there's an unbridgeable chasm between nobles and commoners!"
"Match, start!"
The referee's voice had just fallen when the noble candidate eagerly opened his grimoire, and surging mana gushed out madly.
"Let me show you my magnificent rock magic!"
"Rock Creation Magic: Golem…"
His voice abruptly stopped.
Just as he was channeling his mana, preparing to cast his proud spell, an extreme chill erupted from Ryoma's body without any warning.
There was no overwhelming ice and snow created, nor was there a storm sweeping the entire arena. Just a fleeting, extremely fast, and extremely restrained wave of frigid mana.
Crack—
A faint crunch that was almost inaudible sounded.
Time, as if on cue, paused at this moment.
Everyone in the arena widened their eyes, mouths agape enough to fit an egg.
They saw the noble candidate, along with the mana that had just begun to condense and shimmer around him, completely frozen into a crystal-clear ice sculpture. The expression on his face still held the ferocity and triumph of casting a spell.
The ice sculpture was lifelike. Even the light flowing within his mana was perfectly preserved within the ice crystal, eerie and beautiful.
The entire process took less than a second.
Ryoma didn't even raise a hand. He just stood there quietly, as if the terrifying mana that had instantly erupted and could freeze everything had nothing to do with him.
Silence.
Immediately following was an uproar more intense and more terrifying than any before.
"What… happened just now?"
"Fro… frozen?"
"Even his mana… frozen?!"
"This… what level of mana control is this?!"
Countless candidates looked at the ice sculpture, feeling a chill run from the soles of their feet straight to the top of their heads, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
Many candidates secretly rejoiced, grateful that they hadn't been so foolish as to challenge this monster.
In the stands above the arena.
Nozel Silva, captain of Silver Eagle, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, his sharp gaze fixed on Ryoma.
Beside him, Fuegoleon, captain of Crimson Lion, grinned, his smile full of fighting spirit.
"Not bad."
"That instantaneous burst of power and control is very good."
William rested his chin on his hand, his eyes behind the mask filled with deep interest.
"Heh heh, what an interesting child."
At this moment, the name Ryoma truly entered the sight of all the Magic Knight Squad captains.
With the conclusion of the final duel, this Magic Knight Squads entrance exam finally came to an end.
William once again stood in the center of the high platform, his voice echoing throughout the arena.
"With that, the Magic Knight Squads entrance exam is now over."
"Now, candidates whose numbers are called, please come forward."
As his words fell, the atmosphere in the arena became even more tense.
Candidates gathered in twos and threes, discussing animatedly, their faces filled with nervousness and anticipation.
Many candidates' gazes, intentionally or unintentionally, drifted towards the two most dazzling figures in the arena.
The four-leaf clover genius—Yuno!
The extremely powerful monster—Ryoma!