Silence.
The entire arena suddenly fell eerily quiet.
"How… how could this happen?"
Asta couldn't help but take a step forward, muttering in disbelief.
Even Yuno's usually calm face showed rare astonishment, his eyes filled with confusion.
Qianmu's—no, Yuuki's—scores throughout the exam had been among the top, and in the final duels, he had achieved victory with overwhelming ease.
With results like that, how could no captain choose him?
Around them, the other examinees exchanged glances, their faces full of surprise. Everyone had expected Yuuki to be selected—at least one or two captains should've raised their hands.
Yet the result defied all expectations.
However…
No one seemed to truly care why Yuuki hadn't been chosen. Instead, they looked on with thinly veiled glee.
The fewer people accepted, the greater their own chances became. There were only so many slots in the Magic Knights, after all.
Down below the stage—
Yuuki stood frozen in place, as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him in midsummer. A chill ran from his scalp to his toes.
Shock, disbelief, indignation—his mind was a storm of tangled emotions.
Just moments ago, he had been thinking about which squad he'd join. And now? Not a single captain had chosen him.
It was the cruelest kind of irony.
He had thought it would be easy—effortless, even—to enter a Magic Knights squad. But reality had proven far harsher than he imagined.
The crushing sense of contrast twisted painfully in his chest. Even with his usually composed temperament, Yuuki couldn't suppress the rising bitterness.
Then suddenly, he remembered Sister Lily's worried expression as she spoke to him before he left.
"Yuuki, your Replication Magic is a very special kind of magic…"
"Everyone at the church shares their spells with you because they see you as family. But out there… recklessly copying others' magic might earn you hostility."
Lifting his head, Yuuki met the indifferent gazes of the nine captains on the viewing platform.
With their experience, it was impossible they didn't see the potential in his magic.
If he joined a squad, just a bit of training could make him compatible with anyone—his replication ability was the ultimate support magic.
He was a walking trump card.
He didn't need to spend time researching new spells, could adapt instantly, and had limitless potential for growth.
There was no way the captains didn't understand that.
And yet… none of them chose him.
He thought he'd understood Sister Lily's warning back then.
Now he realized—he hadn't understood at all.
A wry smile tugged at Yuuki's lips as he turned and began walking back toward the crowd.
"How arrogant," he murmured.
It wasn't clear whether he was mocking the captains' pride… or his own naïveté.
From his seat, Yami glanced at Yuuki's retreating figure, a faint expression of regret flickering across his face.
At the center of the captains' stand, William Vangeance watched through his golden mask. His eyes glimmered faintly, unreadable—perhaps amused, perhaps entirely emotionless.
As Yuuki approached, Yuno and Asta both rushed to meet him.
"Yuuki, are you alright?" Yuno asked, worry clouding his usually calm tone.
"You're so strong, Yuuki! How could none of them pick you?!" Asta shouted, his frustration bubbling over as if he had been the one rejected.
Seeing the concern on both their faces, Yuuki smiled faintly. He reached out and clapped each of them on the shoulder.
"Relax. I'm fine. Whether we're chosen or not isn't something we can control."
"Besides, you two were both accepted—that's something to be proud of. Everyone at the church will be happy for you."
He smiled as he spoke.
"Yuuki…" Asta opened his mouth to comfort him, but couldn't find the right words.
"I'm really fine," Yuuki said, chuckling softly. "I told you before—I was never interested in becoming Wizard King. Sure, it stings a little to be turned down, but it's not the end of the world."
Yuno took a deep breath. "Yuuki, I'll become Wizard King for sure."
"And I'm not gonna lose to you, Yuno!" Asta declared immediately.
Yuuki grinned. "Then I'll be watching to see which of you makes it first."
The three of them exchanged glances—then burst into laughter together.
The announcer's voice continued to echo across the arena, calling out more names.
One by one, candidates stepped forward—most returned empty-handed.
Only a handful were chosen by the nine captains.
By the time evening approached, the Magic Knights entrance exams were finally over.
Outside the arena—
Yuno and Asta stood on either side of Yuuki, both still looking unusually downcast. Strangely enough, they seemed more affected than he was.
"What's with those faces?" Yuuki teased. "Come on—you two are Magic Knights now! Don't let Hage Village down."
He punched each of them lightly on the arm.
Compared to the disappointment he'd felt moments ago, Yuuki's mood had completely recovered.
His frustration had only come from the contrast—seeing Asta and Yuno both accepted while he wasn't. But now that he'd cooled off, he realized there was no reason to dwell on it.
After all, he'd never wanted to join a squad to chase the title of Wizard King.
His goal had always been to grow stronger—to protect himself, and to use his knowledge of the story to plan ahead.
So what if he hadn't joined a squad? It didn't mean losing his advantage.
It only meant his path would be more complicated… and perhaps, a bit more dangerous.
Most importantly—his magic wasn't just replication.
It could also devour other grimoires.
If he joined a Magic Knight squad, he'd constantly be surrounded by skilled mages and powerful captains. Any strange change in his grimoire could easily be discovered—especially by that man, the Wizard King himself.
And the last thing Yuuki wanted was to attract his attention.
Devouring grimoires to gain power—no matter how one framed it, that wasn't a secret that could be revealed to anyone.
Thinking about it, not joining a Magic Knight squad might actually be safer.
"Yuuki, what will you do next?" Yuno asked after a moment's silence.
"My next move?" Yuuki blinked, momentarily at a loss. His original plans would all need to be redrawn.
After a short pause, he scratched his head and smiled. "I guess I'll stay in the capital for now. There are a lot of opportunities here—and going back to the village with my tail between my legs would be a bit embarrassing."
"Really? That's great!" Asta's eyes lit up. "Then we'll get to see each other all the time!"
(End of Chapter)
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