As the massive tentacle loomed over them, Kouji didn't back down. He leapt onto the slimy limb, sprinting up its length before launching himself at the sea demon's eye with brutal force.
Following his lead, Yuki finally moved. He tapped into his Snow Magic, unleashing a colossal snowstorm that blinded the beast and froze the spray of the ocean mid-air.
In the chaos, the sea demon swung a vicious blow at Naki. Just before it could crush him, Naki ignited his Telekinetic Magic, bracing his feet and shoving the massive tentacle back into the monster's own face with a roar.
All around them, the deck was a warzone. Other candidates began to rally, hurling their magic in a desperate barrage to beat the demon back, even as the screams of those who weren't fast enough echoed across the sinking ship.
A man stepped out from the captain's cabin, the wooden deck creaking under his boots. He raised a gleaming hook into the air, his eyes glowing with power. With a roar, he unleashed his Water Magic, summoning the weight of the ocean to slam the sea demon down. Again and again, he hammered the beast with crushing waves until the monster finally sank into the abyss, defeated.
It was the Captain. From the crowd of candidates, a chorus of shocked voices erupted: "IT'S WORCHESTER!"
Kouji blinked, wiping salt water from his face. He nudged a guy standing nearby. "Who's Worchester?"
The guy looked at Kouji like he had two heads. "Worchester is a Magic Chevalier!"
"What the hell is a Magic Chevalier?" Kouji asked.
"A Magic Chevalier is an elite warrior assigned by the United Gems," the guy hissed. "The United Gems is a treaty between the Pearl Kingdom, Green Aventurine, and the Topaz Kingdom. They report to the Kings!"
Kouji tilted his head, unimpressed. "So... like magic club members?"
"No!" the guy replied frantically. "Magic Club Captains are the highest rank below the All-Star and the Kings themselves. The Clubs go in groups, but Magic Chevaliers are different—they're solo hunters. They do the work the high-ranks don't have time for!"
Kouji looked back at the Captain, who was calmly cleaning his hook. "Below the All-Star and the King, huh?" A wild grin spread across his face as he looked toward the horizon. "I'm gonna be at the top of that list."
Worchester stood before the remaining candidates, his presence alone commanding silence. "Listen up! I am one of your Magic Awakening Examiners for this year."
A wave of shock hit the deck. "So that sea demon... it was all part of the test?!" someone screamed.
Worchester shrugged, looking entirely too relaxed. "Well, no. That wasn't supposed to happen. But it kind of worked out, innit?"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT WORKED OUT?!" another candidate roared, gesturing to the blood-stained deck. "SO MANY PEOPLE DIED!"
Worchester scoffed, his eyes turning cold. "It's not like you lot aren't going to die in the other trials anyway. This was just a filter. It was a matter of who had the balls and the strength to fight back. The ones who couldn't stand their ground are already fish food."
The crowd went silent. Worchester's gaze shifted, locking onto Kouji. He walked up to the boy, towering over him. "You were the first to land a hit on that monster. Good job, boy. But there's one problem... I don't sense a single drop of Flow in you."
Kouji didn't blink. "THATS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY FLOW!"
The crowd gasped. Even Worchester looked stunned for a second. "You don't have any Flow? Then why the hell are you taking the Magic Awakening Exam, sonny boy? Are you stupid?"
Before Kouji could open his mouth, Yuki and Naki shouted in perfect unison: "YES!"
"I entered the exam because my dream is to be the ALL-STAR!" Kouji shouted, his voice echoing off the masts.
The candidates burst into laughter, but Worchester just stared. "Are you crazy, kid? Well... good luck with that."
Kouji's eyes glittered with pure hype. "THANK YOU, SIR!"
Worchester moved on to Yuki. "You were the second to damage that beast. Why are you here, Ice-boy?"
"To become the All-Star," Yuki said, his voice bored but steady.
"Similar dreams, innit?" Worchester noted.
"WE ARE RIVALS!" Kouji and Yuki shouted at the same time, sparking an invisible fire between them.
Worchester gave a dry chuckle. "Cool. Good luck to both of you then." Finally, he stopped in front of Naki. "And you... the third one to strike. What's your play?"
Naki stood tall, though his hands were shaking. "I WANT TO BECOME A GREAT WARRIOR OF THE EIGHT NATIONS!"
Worchester's eyebrows shot up. "The Eight Nations? So even the Black Continent?"
"YES!" Naki replied fiercely. "I believe the Black Continent is actually a beautiful paradise, and I'm going to prove it!"
Worchester looked at the three of them—Kouji, Yuki, and Naki . "The three of you have some extreme ambitions. I hope you make it. That goes for the rest of you lot, too."
"So... do we pass the first trial?!" a girl from the back asked tentatively.
Worchester turned toward the horizon as the ship finally entered the shadow of the giant statues. "Yes. You pass. The ones who couldn't handle the pressure are already gone. Welcome to the Pearl Kingdom."