The three stepped through the classroom doors to face whatever awaited them in the first phase of the exam.
But they were taken aback as they saw over 100 students filled in the hall—all staring at them.
Miki: "Why are there so many of them? Could it be… they're all applicants?
Aturia: "Well it's nothing to be surprised about since it is an international exam.
An oppressive aura of tension and bloodlust hung over the room as most of the applicants fixed the trio with death stares while they calmly walked to their seats.
Sieg "They all look immensely strong."
They sat down and Team M stepped in the room and walked over to them.
Zeek: "Are you three going to take this bothersome exam too?"
Mochito: "Hey guys long time no see." He said gleefully stuffing his face with a bag of chips.
Luna suddenly jumped on Miki, wrapping her arms around her from behind.
Luna: "I've been waiting for you! Ever since I heard you'd be joining the Rank 2 Exam!" she exclaimed, gently patting Miki's head.
Miki: "Ah!"
She nearly stumbled before quickly turning around.
Miki: "Luna... I'm really happy to see you." She said with a warm smile.
Luna: "Of course! Did you think I'd let you come all this way without seeing you?" she said with a cheerful smile. "I'd miss you too much. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"
Team A walked in and walked over to everyone.
Finral: "Well, well... it seems everyone's finally here. Has it really been ten months since we became Rank 3 Magic Knights? And I see there are plenty of beautiful women here too."
He flashed Aturia a charming smile.
Finral: "Don't worry, Aturia. You'll always have a special place in my heart.
Aturia ignored him.
Finral clutched his chest dramatically, crying on the inside.
Boa Yu: "Still as cold and distant as ever, I see... Uh Aturia.
David Alaba: "Hey, what's up, guys?
He murmured the greeting without taking his eyes off the comic he was reading.
Zeek: "So i guess that means all nine of us were recommended by our captain's to take this exam... What a drag."
Finral: "My team has trained hard. Team A won't lose to any of you!"
Sieg: "Shut up, pervert! You can't even beat that dweeb Aturia, let alone me!"
Aturia: "You're getting a little too confident, doofus." She crossed her arms. "And for the record, I'm obviously stronger than you."
Sieg: "Who asked you?!"
Aturia: "Nobody. I'm telling you anyway."
Luna sighed.
Luna: "Honestly... this is embarrassing. They're arguing over absolutely nothing."
Sieg and Aturia continued bickering, completely oblivious to the other candidates watching them.
Their argument showed no signs of stopping until a voice suddenly cut through the commotion.
Alastor: "Hey—you guys should be a little quieter. You guys are the rookie nine fresh out of the academy, right? This exam isn't going to be a field trip, you know."
Luna: "Who do you think you are—acting all haughty?
Alastor "My name is Alastor. And you should look around—everybody here in this hall is tensed about this exam. So I thought I'd warn you guys to keep quiet… before you get your asses kicked."
Miki: "Alastor, right? You look older than the rest of us. Is this your first time participating in this exam?"
Alastor "No—it's my fourth time. This exam is only held once a year—so it's now my fifthyear.
Boa Yu: "Then that means you know a lot more about this exam. But why haven't you passed? Is the Rank 2 exam really that tough?
Alastor: "As your senior, allow me to share a little information with you."
With a faint smile, he pulled a deck of cards from his pocket.
Mochito "what are you doing with those cards? Is it a game? He says while munching on his burger.
Alastor: "They're basically cards that have information coded into them through the use of Magic Energy."
Aturia "In that case do you have cards having detailed information about the strongest contestant here?"
Alastor drew a card from the deck and channeled magic energy into it. Instantly, an image of Fuuga appeared on its surface, along with detailed information about him.
Sieg: Oh, I remember this guy."
Aturia: "You know him."
Sieg: "Me and Miki met him earlier a few days ago."
Alastor "Well then let's see, Fuuga from the Earth kingdom he's also a rank 3 rookie same as you guys.
Mission experience: He's completed 7 C-rank and 4 B-rank missions, that's crazy.
Boa Yu: "I guess it can't be helped. Almost everyone here has more experience than we do."
Suddenly, Sieg let out a loud battle cry, his voice echoing throughout the hall.
Sieg: "HEY, LISTEN UP, EVERYONE! I'M SIEG PENDRAGON! I WON'T LOSE TO ANY OF YOU CLOWNS, GOT IT?! THIS IS GONNA BE SO MUCH FUN!"
Zeek immediately covered his mouth.
Zeek: "Stop being so reckless, Sieg! There's no point in provoking everyone!"
Finral: "That idiot never gets discouraged, does he?! Unbelievable!"
David: "You've managed to make enemies in record time."
Sieg: "But everything I said was true! Believe it or not!"
Team Fuuga looked at them from the back of their seats
Kirito "Hey isn't it that hyperactive kid we met earlier?"
Alice continued sucking on her lollipop, barely sparing Sieg a glance.
Alice: "All bark, no bite."
Fuuga glanced at them in silence
Across the room, Team T, another specialized Rank 3 team from Camelot, also turned their attention toward Sieg and his companions from their seats.
Kawaki Senji: "He's quite powerful... and full of spirit."
Levi lazily opened one eye from his nap.
Levi: "Don't forget he's hot-headed and annoying."
Kawaki: "Maybe you should've beaten some manners into him during your duel, Levi."
Levi let out a quiet chuckle before settling back into his nap.
Meanwhile, Kawaki's gaze drifted toward his younger sister, Miki, sitting across the hall.
Noticing him looking her way, Miki turned around and gave him a small wave, accompanied by a faint smile.
Kawaki spat on the ground, his expression twisting into disgust, before turning his gaze away.
Miki's smile slowly faded.
She lowered her hand, her gaze dropping to the floor as she quietly turned away.
The class door suddenly slammed open as a loud voice echoed.
A bald, middle-aged man stepped into the room. A long black coat hung over his uniform and an eye patch covered his left eye.
Captain Wayne: "Silence, you filthy maggots! And take your seats!
Mochito: "Hey it's our captain guys."
Zeek: "Oh no don't tell me he's going to be out proctor.
Luna: Luna: "I was hoping I'd finally get a break from his strictness..."
My name is Captain Wayne and I'm the proctor for the first test of the Rank 2 Honorary Magic Knights Exam. And I do hope we don't have any problems.
Finral: "Wait, is that you three, Captain? Damn... You guys really had it rough, huh?"
Luna, Zeek, and Mochito: "You wouldn't even believe it!"
Candidate 1: "So they said the location for the exam was at Arkham Asylum. Where is that?"
Captain Wayne: "Oh yeah don't worry it would be faster if i take you all there."
Captain Wayne stretched his hand forward as a tiny sphere of liquid materialized in the air.
Suddenly, it expanded, spreading around the students and swallowing them all into a massive sphere. Moments later, the liquid hardened, transforming into solid metal and trapping everyone inside.
The students panicked from inside as they tried to break out with their magic but it didn't even create a dent.
Sieg: "What the hell just happened?'
Zeek: "Oh no need to panic, this is just our captain magic ability Mercury Magic.
Mochito: Mercury magic allows him to generate and manipulate liquid metal freely." He said before opening his eleventh bag of chips.
Luna: "Although i don't know why he trapped us or where he's taking us?"
After a few minutes had passed suddenly the metal began to transform into a liquid state as it dispersed.
The hundred rank 3 applicants saw themselves no longer in the classroom but in a new environment facing a giant fenced forest stretching out before them.
As they looked around in bewilderment, they spotted Captain Wayne soaring above them, standing atop a gigantic bird made entirely of Mercury.
Aturia: "So that's how he got us here so quickly"
Captain Wayne: "We're here, the location of your exam, Welcome to Arkham Asylum."