The Lion's Dawn

The streets of Clover Kingdom bustled with life, merchants calling out their wares, citizens going about their daily business. The grand buildings of the noble district stood tall, but in a quieter alleyway, a confrontation was brewing.

Xerx Lugner, vice-captain of the Purple Orca squad, stood with a smirk, arms crossed, as he blocked the path of a man clad in a patched-up cloak and a twisted grin—Zora Ideale.

"You've been meddling where you don't belong," Xerx said lazily, his sharp eyes scanning Zora like a predator eyeing its prey. "And in the name of justice, I'll have to punish you for obstructing an official Magic Knight duty."

At his side, a younger subordinate of the Purple Orcas stepped forward, puffing out his chest. "You should be honored to be confronted by Vice-Captain Xerx Lugner!" the man declared. "He's one of the strongest in our squad! A true knight of justice who upholds the pride of the Magic Knights!"

Zora tilted his head, letting out a low chuckle. "Ohhh? A 'true knight of justice,' huh? Pfft. Yeah, right."

His laughter only grew louder, his voice dripping with mockery. "And let me guess—you Purple Orca folks see yourselves as paragons of virtue? What a joke." His eyes narrowed as he folded his arms. "If you were really about justice, maybe you'd clean up the garbage in your own ranks first."

Xerx's smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly composed himself. His subordinate, however, clenched his fists, stepping forward in anger. "You dare insult the Magic Knights? You lowlife—"

"Enough," Xerx interrupted, holding up a hand. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, an eerie smile returning to his face.

"You'll regret running your mouth."

Without warning, he lifted his grimoire, its pages flipping open as a powerful surge of mana filled the air.

"Cold Judgment."

A gust of freezing air exploded from Xerx's hand as jagged spikes of ice shot forward, aimed directly at Zora!

For a split second, nothing happened—

Then, a muffled BOOM echoed through the alleyway.

A cloud of smoke burst from beneath Zora's feet, and suddenly—he was gone.

Xerx's eyes darted around, but before he could react—

CRACK!

Xerx's face smashed into the pavement.

One second, he had been standing tall, confident in his strength—the next, he was sprawled out on the ground, his body aching from a sudden impact.

A single trap spell had activated beneath him, throwing him forward like a ragdoll.

From atop a nearby rooftop, Zora cackled.

"Wow. That was… pathetic."

Xerx groaned, pushing himself up, only to feel something beneath his hands. His eyes widened.

Another trap sigil.

BOOM!

He was sent flying once more, landing flat on his back.

Zora hopped down effortlessly, walking up to the humiliated vice-captain and staring down at him. "You talk big, but you went down just like the rest of the scumbags in your squad."

Xerx clenched his fists, his pride stinging worse than his wounds.

Zora smirked. "Justice, huh? If this is what the so-called justice of the Magic Knights looks like… I ain't impressed."

Turning away, he shoved his hands into his pockets. "This was boring. Maybe the Royal Knights Selection Exam will have someone with more bite. Later, loser."

With that, he walked off, leaving Xerx fuming in the dust.

The Royal Knights Selection Exam site was alive with energy. Magic Knights from all squads had gathered, their eyes scanning the competition, sizing each other up. Among them, the members of the Golden Dawn stood proudly in their pristine uniforms.

"They really are on another level," whispered one knight.

"I heard Yuno took down a dungeon by himself!"

"They have Klaus and Mimosa, too. This year's exam will be tough."

Asta, Yuno, and Leopold walked through the crowded hall, their eyes locking onto two familiar faces.

"Klaus! Mimosa!" Asta shouted, waving.

Klaus, ever the composed knight, adjusted his glasses and scoffed. "Still as loud as ever, Asta."

Mimosa, on the other hand, smiled warmly. "It's great to see you again! Have you been training hard?"

Asta grinned. "You bet! We trained in a crazy hot spring thanks to Mereoleona! It was the most intense thing ever!"

Yuno, standing beside him, smirked slightly. "Yeah you wouldn't call what we did 'relaxing in a hot spring.'"

Behind them, Escanor walked with quiet confidence, his sheer presence drawing attention. His golden hair shimmered under the sun, and his proud stance made him seem untouchable.

"Escanor, what about you?" Asta asked excitedly. "You gonna crush this exam too?"

Escanor chuckled, crossing his arms. "Hmph. I am Escanor. There is no doubt about my success."

The sheer confidence in his voice made Klaus raise an eyebrow, while Mimosa stared in awe.

Nearby, Finral Roulacase nervously adjusted his cloak. "Man, why am I even here…? I get the feeling I'll just embarrass myself."

Magna and Luck, standing off to the side, glanced at him.

"Who's this guy?" Magna muttered.

"Not sure, but he seems familiar," Luck said, tilting his head.

Asta, however, immediately recognized him. "Finral! You changed your hair!"

Magna blinked. "Wait, what? That's Finral?!"

Luck's eyes widened before he grinned. "Hah! No wonder I felt like I recognized him! Man, you look different. What happened, get a new look to impress the ladies?"

Finral sighed. "I-I just thought it was time for a change, alright?"

Escanor chuckled, patting Finral on the back. "Confidence is key, my friend. Stand proud!"

The group chuckled, the atmosphere lighthearted—until a certain presence caused the mood to shift.

Noelle Silva had been standing slightly apart, but her attention was now locked onto Solid Silva.

Her older brother stood with the Silver Eagles, his face twisted in its usual arrogance.

For a moment, old memories flooded Noelle's mind—the taunts, the mockery, the way he made her feel worthless.

But then, Mereoleona's voice echoed in her mind:

"Show them with your strength. Make them see just how much you've grown."

Noelle took a deep breath, her determination flaring.

This time… she would prove them all wrong.

Escanor, standing beside her, noticed her tension and smiled. "Hmph. Do not lower your head, Lady Noelle. The sun never bows to the storm."

Noelle blinked before smiling slightly. "You're right… I'll show them."

With the strongest mages of the Clover Kingdom gathered, the Royal Knights Selection Exam was about to begin.

And none of them planned to hold back.

The air buzzed with anticipation as Magic Knights from across the Clover Kingdom gathered in the exam grounds. The Royal Knights Selection Exam was about to begin, and the tension among the competitors was almost palpable.

Suddenly, a calm yet commanding voice rang through the arena.

"Thank you all for coming today," Julius Novachrono, the Wizard King, addressed the crowd with his usual warm smile. "You have all proven yourselves as exceptional Magic Knights, but today, we will determine those who stand at the peak of strength and skill to form the Royal Knights."

The Magic Knights nodded in understanding, excited about what was to come.

However, before Julius could continue, a high-pitched voice cut through the air.

"Ahem! As the King of the Clover Kingdom, I will be taking over this announcement!"

The crowd groaned as Augustus Kira Clover XIII stepped forward with an arrogant grin.

"This selection exam will be the key to restoring my popularity—I mean, proving who is truly worthy of serving the kingdom! And so, I have personally devised a most brilliant and grand test to determine the best among you!"

The Magic Knights barely reacted, many rolling their eyes.

Augustus cleared his throat dramatically. "The exam will be a crystal destruction battle tournament!"

Murmurs spread throughout the crowd as the king explained the rules.

"The objective is simple: teams of three will face off against each other in battle. Each team will have a crystal, and the goal is to destroy the enemy's crystal while protecting your own. Strategy, teamwork, and power will be tested in this competition!"

Augustus smirked, expecting admiration, but most of the knights just stared blankly.

Julius, smiling as always, took over. "What we will be looking for in this exam is not just individual strength, but tactical intelligence, teamwork, and adaptability. The Royal Knights must be strong, but they must also be able to work with others for the good of the kingdom."

With that, a magical display appeared in the air, revealing the teams.

Asta's eyes widened as he saw his name.

Asta

Mimosa Vermillion

Xerx Lugner

"Who's Xerx Lugner?" Asta scratched his head in confusion.

As if on cue, a new figure appeared, strolling into the arena with a smug grin.

"Sorry I'm late," the man said casually, waving a hand.

Julius merely smiled, unfazed. "You made it just in time."

Asta blinked in confusion at the man in front of him. He had messy hair, dark rings under his eyes, and a relaxed—almost mocking—demeanor.

Before Asta could ask anything, the man grinned.

"Name's Xerx Lugner. Looks like we're on the same team."

Mimosa, standing beside Asta, frowned slightly. Something about this man didn't sit right with her.

As Xerx reached out to shake Asta's hand, the young knight, always eager to make new friends, grabbed it without hesitation.

Suddenly—Asta yelped in shock!

"W-What the heck?!?!" He jumped back, a stinkbug now crawling over his hand.

Xerx—or rather, Zora Ideale—laughed at Asta's reaction.

Asta, still trying to flick the stinkbug away, stared at him in disbelief. "What kind of greeting is that?!"

Zora smirked. "I figured I should welcome my new teammates properly."

As Asta grumbled, Marx Francois, one of Julius' aides, suddenly raised his hand and fired an attack straight at Zora.

The rogue knight effortlessly dodged, flipping through the air and landing lightly on his feet.

The surrounding knights erupted in outrage.

"You dare disrespect the Wizard King?!"

"Who does he think he is?!"

Zora, completely unfazed, crossed his arms and smirked. "I don't respect the Wizard King, nor do I respect any of you so-called 'Magic Knights.'"

A tense silence followed. Many knights gritted their teeth in anger, but Julius simply observed him with curious amusement.

Asta, still confused, turned to him. "So wait, why did you even come here if you don't care about becoming a Royal Knight?"

Zora smirked. "To mock you all, of course."

Meanwhile, a few members of the Purple Orca squad murmured amongst themselves.

"Is that really Xerx Lugner…?"

"No one has seen him in a while… There were only rumors about him."

Escanor, standing nearby, observed Zora with mild interest. He placed his hands on his hips and chuckled.

"Hmph. A man who challenges authority with such arrogance… A bold choice. But whether that arrogance is deserved remains to be seen."

Zora glanced at Escanor, raising an eyebrow at his towering form. "And who's this?"

"The Lion of Pride," Asta chimed in with a grin. "Escanor's crazy strong!"

Zora smirked. "Hah. We'll see about that."

With the teams chosen, tensions rising, and new rivalries forming, the Royal Knights Selection Exam was finally about to begin!