Time passed fast and they entering the exam day. First exam is written exam, nothing so special about it since the second exam which is capability exam is the hardest.

There are more than 2000 people entering the exam but only 200 that will be accepted in the academy.

"There is so many people." Noel spoke in enthusiasm. They are now inside the front yard of the academy. It's a wide yard and many buildings around. They are heading to first hall for the exam.

The exam will have four shifts. Today and tomorrow, two shifts for a day. Luckily Noel and Clara got the first shift.

"Well, look who's coming." A familiar taunting voice coming at them. Noel frowned and had sour expression, he cursed his luck to meet Glein in this moment.

Glein stood in front of them with smile, he staring at Noel then looking at Clara.

"Look at you! You got the black fire already? Aren't you greedy? First, Felicia and now Clara? Well, you're amazing N-O-E-L."

"What do you want Glein? Are you just coming to greet for this?"

"Oh? Look at you, such scary face." Glein laughed after looking Noel's angry face.

"You! Watch your tongue!" Clara spoke, she got angry for Noel.

"Hm? So, what? You're going to burn me?" Glein spoke in taunting manner.

"Just to make things clear. I'm not even afraid of you. Black fire or whatever it is, it's just something i can take down." He said to Clara while laughing

Clara slightly surprised that Glein didn't afraid of her and wondering what kind of power he had. Glein looks to Noel and says, "Noel, the king, your father and Falecia with her father will come to this city. Felicia is worried to death about you."

He then clicked his tongue and turned his body, "If you're cheating from Falecia, you'll be dead like a dog." He walks away and waving his hand.

"Who is he?" Clara asked.

"Glein, he is son of duke in my kingdom."

"What kind of power does he has?"

"Gravity, he controls gravity within his range. If he said, he didn't afraid then it might be true. He is very strong strong back then."

"But you're become strong too."

Noel shook his head and says, "Glein isn't just talk. He is also not ordinary, he is hard worker too, i doubt that he is just lazing around instead of working hard too. If i become stronger, the he will too."

Noel clearly knows about Glein. The first person he went into an enemy in instant. The man who looking down upon him no matter what and he is true of himself.

'But Glein...'

But he also knows that Glein is limiting himself. A known and yet nobody expecting him, he is like light but also a big shadow beneath people.

'Father said do not look down upon Glein. Because his family can upturn the kingdom. But, it's nothing i can do about it. I don't want being look down upon him. I want to stand against him.'

The exam begins and the time limit is two hours. For people who didn't study well, it might be hard, for people who study well it might easy. Some questions can only be answered by logic; some questions purposely didn't have the answer.

"Phew, that's quite hard." Noel stretching his body after the exam. He is working his brain to the limit when answering the questions.

"How about you Clara?"

"It was easy." Clara looks rather indifferent as if the exam is nothing at all.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, it's not that hard compared to scholar exam."

"Wait, did you participate in scholar exam?"

"I didn't, but i know at least."

There are people who didn't pursue power in physical or magic. Rather they choose to broaden their knowledge and become a scholar. The scholars also struggling by fighting with words and their knowledge. The scholars might be able to work in official administration, in any case, they are very required for each kingdom, organization or guild.

"Anyway, shall we get something to eat?" Clara offered.

"Sure."

Both of them went to certain cafe in a plaza and sits on the outside of the cafe while watching a show.

"The festival sure light up the people."

"Yeah."

The show is puppet show. Many children gathering to watch and some adults accompanying them.

The curtain of the show opened and begin.

"Long long ago, in desperation. Three heroes were summoned to this world. They who hold the almighty powers asked to save the world.

Three puppets coming out from below, a woman and two men.

"First hero, Tanya. Beautiful hero whom holds her sword straight and facing the countless enemies. She possessed demi-god ability and no one can match her."

"Second hero, Reifu. A man of mystery. The master of magic and elements. Dozens of magics he could cast and countless enemies he could wipe out."

"Third hero, Wayne. A man of righteous, he holds his justice as he swings down his halberd. Possessed terrifying physical and magic abilities. He overcome anything coming at him."

"Reifu is a mysterious man?" Noel asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Hero Reifu is a hero that rarely meet and talk with people. He often secluded himself in his laboratory and adventuring the world alone. Even his relationship with the other heroes are not quite good except with Tanya." Clara explained.

"Why is that?"

"Hero Reifu claimed that Hero Wayne's idealism is too naive in this world. He said that his idealism can't be created in this world in instant and mustn’t be forced."

"What's the idealism?"

"Free slavery, unification of world, no discrimination."

Noel didn't comment on that. For him, he also wished for that too but the idealism is hard to achieve or maybe close a utopia.

"What about his relationship with Tanya?"

"Their relationship was quite harmonious. Hero Tanya said to be a mature woman in emotional. She thinks what is the best and not following her emotion unlike Hero Wayne."

Noel nodded and looking at the show. Three heroes are pictured fighting against countless soldiers of dark king. From the history book, the war is so devastating but in the show, of course it wasn't told about how devastating the war is.

After slaying down the dark king, dark army are being pushed back to dark world and peace returned to the world. The heroes went separated ways but keep continuing to help the world.

"The continuation, Hero Tanya researching how to return to her own world, Hero Reifu spent his time with Rivast the dragon, Hero Wayne is trying to spread out his idealism. Eventually, disaster was brought by Hero Wayne and Hero Reifu comes to stop him along with Hero Tanya. At that time... the three heroes died." Clara spoke in regret.

"Died? How did that happen?" Noel didn't read about the heroes’ history since he didn't really interest about them.

"Hero Tanya died to protect the people, Hero Reifu died because of betrayal, Hero Wayne killed by Hero Reifu.”

Noel didn’t believe it. The heroes died sounds very tragic. But he is curious why Reifu died by betrayal. But when asked that, Clara shook her head.

The second exam, capability exam. Two halls are being used and now the examinees are waiting for the exam to begin.

"Before the exam begin, we would like to tell you the explanation."

"You will be thrown into dream state. Time differs in there and all you need to do is to defeat others!"

"First, you will throw with your current equipment. Second, defeated in the dream state resulted you will wake up. Third, defeating someone result 100 points, if you manage to enroll in the academy, the points will give an advantage to buy necessary. The exam will keep continue until few of you remain or once we interfere."

"The test! Begin!"

At once, they entering the dream state. Noel arrived inside a forest. He looking around him and noticed that he is alone, he remembered that next to him is Clara but now he is alone.

'This is dream state but our power still limited just like in the real life.'

Noel creating a small fire on his palm and looking at his surroundings.

'Defeating someone will get me 100 points. This forest is a good one.'

The fire getting bigger and spread out like jumping rabbits to the trees. Noel controlling the fire and increase the forest burning process. Noel turned himself into a fire bird and flew inside the burning forest. He didn't manage to get his clothes didn't get burned so he just have to cover his body with fire.

'Fire is myself, fire is my senses!'

Whenever the fire made contact with others, Noel could felt their presences and heading towards his first target.

"How did a fire-"

His target shocked by the fast fire burning the forest. Noel appears in front of him and kicked him with then devour him with fire.

"Good." Noel felt relieve that he manages to take down the first one. Amongst the people who made contact with his fire, few able to block the fire and someone manage to take down few trees around him and didn't let the fire coming at him.

Noel know this person, the one he wants to stand up against, Glein. He gritted his teeth and rushing towards Glein in his fire bird form.

Glein stood on the barren round land with diameter 60 meters. He noticed something wasn't right with the burning forest and someone coming at him.

"Well, who did expect for you to come at me?" Glein spoke with smile as Noel appeared in front of him.

"Glein."

"Noel, you did the burning. Good job, but i think that's too pitiful."

"Glein, i'll challenge you!"

"Hm?" Glein had indifferent expression as if he didn't pay any attention towards Noel.

"Challenge? Do you think you dare?"

"I am!"

"Kneel."

In instant Noel's body became heavy and kneeling on the ground. Noel expected that he will get pressured but didn't expect that the pressure is stronger than he thought.

Noel covered by fire and flew towards Glein, his fire bird form released from the gravity. But Glein had indifferent face still. He raised his palm towards Noel and says, "Grav blast."

Noel blown away and turned back into human form.

"Wow, i just think about it. Your clothes, are you very poor that you made your clothes with fire."

"Ughh..."

"Seems like despite you can change your form into fire, your core is still human affected by weight. My hypothesis is correct. Now, i shall start disciplining you."

"No way!"

Noel flew towards the sky and his fire is brighter than before. He stopped under the bright of the sun and descemding towards Glein at fast speed. Fire spread out from him and cloaking the sky away from Glein.

"You never learn, did you? This is what you call gravity."

"Guh?!" Noel got stopped in the midair unable to move but he didn't hesitate to shot fireballs towards Glein.

Glein used his gravity on his own and being pulled away by the gravity to somewhere else then he flew to the sky.

Noel free himself again from the gravity and flew towards Glein. But this time the fire birds spread out into ten and coming at Glein with different directions.

"And this is what they call... Total submission."

Noel whom in the real fire bird got pressed to the ground and other birds disappeared right away.

"Damn..."

Noel tried to struggle but the pressure is stronger thab before.

'Am i unable to stand even against him?'

'No! I can't be defeated like this! I must win! I have to!"

Green fire burst out from him and changed the color of fire on his body. Glein frowned and watching Noel slowly stood despite being pressured with the gravity.

"Amazing." He muttered.

"I can't let you disqualified in this exam." He pulls away the gravity from Noel and flew higher.

"Noel! Seems like you got an amazing power! That power has changed my mind, don't lose or or i will crush you."

"What? Wait!"

In instant, Glein flew away at fast speed. Noel is confused for why Glein let him go. Frustration, regret, but also gladness coming to him. He is frustrated ans regretted that he couldn't defeat Glen but also glad that he is still standing. Glein extinguish the fire on his body and took out set change of clothes.

To save up his mana, he will not use the transform and fight with sword for now.

On other hand, Clara is watching the forest burning from top of a cliff and smiling.

"That Noel..."

The only person she knows to be able to use fire magic is Noel. Unless, there is other people that able to use fire magic so powerful.

"Haaa... but nobody tried to come at me." She is kind of sad that he didn't encounter other examinees. She is not skilled in ambush attack and each time the others saw her, they ran away.

"Hm?"

Clara focusing her eyes on her left side. Thunders storming around and spreading like fire.

"Amazing but scary. I'd never see someone able to use thunder so massively."

She walks away and start searching for her target. Who knows if she able to find them or not.