The morning sun shined over the Magistina Kingdom. Near a small house beside the forest, a teenage boy was doing push-ups with a large rock tied to his back.

  “Ninety nine.”

  He went down again and pushed himself up.

  “One hundred.”

  Saguro Sendou stood up and removed the rock from his back. Without much effort, he threw it deep into the forest. Then he walked toward the house.

  He grabbed the door handle.

  Instead of pushing it, he pulled.

  The entire door came off.

  An old man walked out and looked at him.

  “Saguro… how many times do I have to tell you?” the man sighed. “Push the door. Don’t pull it.”

  He took the door from Saguro and fixed it back in place.

  “This is the fifth door you’ve broken this week. I’m not made of money, you know.”

  Saguro rubbed the back of his head.

  “Sorry, Father. I promise I won’t break any more doors.”

  Toshio looked at him for a moment, then chuckled.

  “I don’t understand how you can say that so confidently every time.”

  He sighed again.

  “You really are special, Saguro. Though I still don’t understand how you can’t use a single spell.”

  Saguro covered his face dramatically.

  “Sorry for being a failure, Father.”

  Toshio laughed.

  “You’re not a failure. At least not to me or your mother.”

  He placed a hand on Saguro’s shoulder.

  “Hard work can beat natural talent. So keep working hard.”

  Inside the house, a woman was cooking using fire magic.

  “We’ll always support you,” Toshio added.

  Saguro raised his head.

  “Thank you, Father. I’ll do my best.”

  He clenched his fist.

  “Even without using a single spell, I will become the strongest sorcerer in history.”

  Toshio patted his shoulder.

  “Let’s start with you passing the sorcerer exam first, alright?”

  Saguro’s face turned red.

  The woman walked over.

  “Toshio, don’t crush the boy’s dream.”

  She lightly hit Toshio’s head.

  “Hey, Kiyoko! That hurts.”

  She ignored him and looked at Saguro.

  “You’ve been training since 5 AM. It’s already afternoon. Eat your breakfast.”

  Her voice sounded concerned.

  “Don’t you think you’re pushing yourself too hard?”

  Toshio nodded.

  “Yeah, son. You should hang out with your friends sometimes.”

  Saguro looked confused.

  “What do you mean by friends, Father?”

  Both parents froze.

  “You… don’t know what friends are?” Toshio asked.

  Saguro shook his head.

  Toshio sighed.

  “It’s when you meet someone and enjoy spending time with them.”

  Saguro tilted his head.

  “I enjoy spending time with you. So are we friends?”

  Toshio held his forehead.

  “That’s different. It’s when they’re not your parents.”

  Saguro nodded and pulled out a small notebook.

  “Friends… strangers you enjoy being around.”

  He wrote it down.

  “Thank you, Father.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Toshio replied.

  They sat down and ate breakfast.

  After finishing, Saguro stood up.

  “I’m going to buy pancakes.”

  He bent slightly and disappeared in an instant.

  Toshio looked at the empty space.

  “That boy has potential,” he muttered before going back to fix the door properly.

  Meanwhile, Saguro arrived at the kingdom’s market. There were many stores and sellers, but he ignored them all until he reached his favorite pancake stand.

  The line was so long.

  "Not again..." Saguro groaned.

  Then he waited in line.

  After a few minutes, it was his turn.

  “Regular pancakes with extra honey, please.”

  The seller placed the plate in front of him.

  Saguro reached for it.

  “Wait,” the man said. “Where’s the money?”

  Saguro handed him the coins.

  The man frowned.

  “This coin is bent. Bring another one or no pancakes.”

  Saguro took the coin back and casually pressed it between his fingers, straightening it.

  The seller stared in shock.

  Saguro handed it back calmly and took his pancakes.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “Help!”

  A scream cut through the market.

  An old woman had been pushed down. A robber ran with her purse.

  Saguro looked at the robber as he escapes, his eyes sharp and cold, he looked directly in the robber's eye.

  The robber froze for a moment then kept running.

  “I really escaped!” the robber laughed while running.

  He suddenly slammed into something solid.

  He fell backward.

  Saguro stood there, holding pancakes in one hand.

  “Watch where you are going,” Saguro said calmly.

  The robber’s eyes widened.

  “How did you get here so fast?”

  Saguro lifted him by the collar and walked back to the woman.

  “How shameful. Stealing from someone weaker than you,” she scolded, slapping the robber repeatedly.

  The crowd gathered and began handling the criminal themselves.

  The woman turned.

  “Thank you, young man—”

  Saguro was already gone.

  She smiled softly.

  Her son grabbed her hand "Let's go home, mom." He said then looked behind one last time before leaving.

  Soon, saguro arrived home.

  He grabbed the door.

  Pulled.

  The door came off again.

  Toshio stared at him in disbelief.

  “Not again!”

  Saguro felt a bit guilty but didn’t show it.

  He placed the pancakes on the table and finished them quickly.

  “Delicious.”

  Then he went to his room and slept peacefully.

  The next morning, he woke up early as usual.

  After finishing his push-ups, he started breaking trees with his bare hands to collect wood.

  As he punched another tree down, Toshio ran toward him holding a paper.

  “Son!”

  Saguro stopped.

  “They accepted you!” Toshio said excitedly. “The sorcerer academy approved your application.”

  He looked at the paper again.

  “The entrance exam is tomorrow.”

  Saguro nodded.

  “I won’t disappoint you, Father.”

  He turned and continued breaking trees.

  Tomorrow would change everything then he fastened the breaking pacing and then entered the house, he went to his room and laid on his bed sleeping peacefully.

  Morning arrived.

  Saguro was already dressed in a black shirt and loose white pants. His bag was completely empty.

  Toshio’s eyes watered slightly.

  “They grow up too fast…”

  Saguro stood at the door.

  This time, he pushed it.

  It did not break.

  “I will do my best.”

  He waved and began walking towards ebrimosa academy.

  The academy gates towered above him.

  Students gathered in groups, laughing and chatting.

  *Friends are people you enjoy spending time with.*

  Saguro pulled out his notebook.

  New goal added:

  Find friends.

  “Attention everyone!”

  A veteran sorcerer stepped forward.

  “Welcome to Ebrimosa Academy, the finest academy in the kingdom.”

  “Today’s test will determine who stays and who returns home.”

  “You may not attack other students. The test consists of two parts: Survival Test. Magic Output Test.”

  A tense silence filled the air.

  Saguro casually began doing standing push ups while waiting.

  Students stared.

  One boy approached nervously.

  “Um… excuse me.”

  Saguro immediately stood straight.

  “A…”

  Words failed him.

  The boy smiled.

  “Thank you for helping my mother at the market!”

  Saguro blinked.

  “Oh. No problem.”

  “My name is Takime Donzo. What is yours?”

  “I am Saguro Sendou.”

  Takime grinned brightly.

  “Nice to meet you! Do your best today!”

  The bell rang loudly.

  The Survival Test had begun.

  Saguro followed the other students toward the testing area.

  As soon as they entered, the gate behind them slammed shut.

  The same veteran sorcerer from earlier stood waiting.

  “Hello again. I did not introduce myself earlier. I am Commander Bartox. I will be supervising this test.”

  He scanned the students.

  “I assume all of you know the basic spells.”

  “Your task is simple. Survive against weak magical monsters. One kill equals five points.”

  “Anyone who scores less than fifty points fails.”

  Bartox turned around and walked away without another word.

  Some students started laughing confidently.

  Others looked nervous.

  Some were already preparing spells.

  Saguro stood still.

  He was not worried at all.

  Soon, the final gate slowly opened.

  The moment it fully lifted, every student rushed inside.

  Saguro walked in calmly, his empty bag hanging from his shoulder.

  The gate shut behind them.

  The test had begun.

  Magical monsters charged at the students from all directions.

  “Fire Ball!”

  A student launched a large fireball, instantly burning a monster to ashes.

  Saguro watched carefully.

  A monster suddenly rushed toward him.

  His expression changed.

  Sharper. Colder.

  He stepped forward and punched it directly in the face.

  Nothing happened.

  The monster did not even flinch.

  Saguro frowned.

  “My punches aren’t effective at all…”

  The monster swung its tail at him.

  Saguro grabbed the tail mid-air and spun, smashing the creature into another monster.

  Both crashed into the ground and stopped moving.

  Saguro blinked.

  “…So they can die from impact.”

  "After all they're made of magic."

  He exhaled and continued moving.

  Meanwhile, Takime had already defeated two monsters.

  Two more appeared in front of him.

  “Fire Splash!”

  Flames burst forward, covering the monsters and slowly burning them down.

  Takime wiped his forehead.

  “That’s four…”

  He looked around.

  “I wonder how Saguro’s doing.”

  In another part of the field, Saguro had already defeated five more monsters.

  He suddenly stopped.

  “…What’s that?”

  He knelt and pressed his hand to the ground.

  The earth was shaking.

  A deep rumbling sound echoed across the plaza.

  “I knew it wasn’t going to be that simple.”

  Saguro sprinted toward the source.

  At the center of the plaza, a massive magical monster formed from swirling energy and debris.

  It was far larger than the others.

  Students nearby froze.

  Takime rushed forward anyway.

  “Fire Ball!”

  The attack hit the monster directly.

  It did nothing.

  From above the plaza, Bartox shouted,

  “Defeating that monster gives you zero points!”

  A student yelled, “Then how are we supposed to survive that and hunt others at the same time?!”

  Bartox smirked.

  “What do you expect from the best academy in the kingdom?”

  The giant monster slammed its arm into the ground.

  The shockwave sent students flying.

  Three students were trapped under rubble.

  “Somebody help!”

  The monster lifted its leg, about to crush them.

  Suddenly, Saguro jumped high into the air.

  He clenched his fist.

  And punched the monster directly in the face.

  The impact forced the giant creature to stumble backward.

  Students gasped.

  Even above the plaza, bartox smirked in amusement.

  Saguro landed, quickly lifting the rubble and pulling the three students out.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Y-Yeah! Thank you!”

  “That attack was insane! What spell was that?”

  Saguro waved both hands quickly.

  “No, no. I just got lucky.”

  “Come on, you don’t need to be humble!”

  But Saguro had already turned away.

  He ran off to search for more monsters.

  “What a kind guy…” one student muttered.

  “Time’s over!”

  Bartox’s voice echoed across the field.

  All the remaining monsters suddenly crumbled into dust.

  Saguro stopped running.

  He slowly knelt on the ground.

  “…Seven monsters.”

  “Thirty-five points.”

  He stared at the sky.

  “Did I just… fail?”

  Students slowly began leaving the plaza. Saguro stood up and followed them silently.

  Through the crowd, Takime found him.

  “Hey man! You alright?”

  Saguro didn’t answer.

  Everyone gathered again, waiting for Commander Bartox.

  Bartox stepped forward, holding a paper.

  “This list contains the names of those who failed.”

  The tension rose instantly.

  Some students closed their eyes.

  Some held their breath.

  Bartox looked at the paper for a few seconds.

  Then suddenly threw it away.

  “Nobody failed the Survival Exam!”

  For a second, there was silence.

  Then the entire area exploded with noise.

  “I passed?!” “No way!” “I thought I was done!”

  Students went from anxious to celebrating in seconds.

  Saguro stood frozen.

  “I… passed?”

  Takime placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “So you were worried about failing?”

  Saguro nodded slightly.

  Takime laughed.

  “You didn’t know? There were bonus points for rescuing other students.”

  Saguro blinked.

  “But… the commander never said anything about that.”

  Takime pointed behind him.

  “There was a poster next to the gate explaining everything.”

  Saguro’s jaw slowly dropped.

  “I… never noticed it.”

  Takime grinned.

  “You rescued three students. That’s fifteen extra points. Thirty five plus fifteen equals fifty.”

  He laughed again.

  “You barely passed.”

  Saguro stayed silent for a moment.

  *Is this… a friend?*

  He looked at Takime seriously.

  “Are you my friend?”

  Takime was caught off guard.

  “What? Of course we’re friends. We became friends the moment we introduced ourselves.”

  Saguro’s eyes widened slightly.

  “…I see.”

  Students began moving toward the next testing area.

  Saguro and Takime followed.

  Commander Bartox was already there.

  Next to him stood a tall young woman with long hair and a confident smile.

  “Hello! I’m Nina Akizuna. I’ll be supervising the Magic Output Test.”

  She pointed at a broom lying on the ground.

  “First task. Use magic to make this broom fly into your hand.”

  The first student stepped forward.

  The broom instantly lifted and flew into his grip.

  One by one, students did it easily.

  Takime stepped forward.

  “Come.”

  The broom flew smoothly into his hand.

  Now it was Saguro’s turn.

  He stared at the broom.

  He tried focusing.

  Nothing happened.

  He tried again.

  Still nothing.

  For a split second, he lightly kicked the ground.

  The shockwave traveled beneath the surface, pushing air upward.

  The broom bounced slightly and flew into his hand.

  No one noticed.

  Nina clapped.

  “Good. Seems the first task was easy.”

  She pointed ahead.

  “Second task. Ride the broom and fly through that large red circle.”

  Again, students completed it easily.

  Takime flew cleanly through the circle.

  Saguro stepped forward.

  He threw the broom upward.

  Then jumped onto it mid-air and balanced himself perfectly.

  The movement was so smooth that it looked natural.

  He passed through the red circle.

  No one questioned it.

  Nina crossed her arms.

  “Damn. I might’ve underestimated you guys.”

  Bartox smirked.

  “Shame on you, Nina. My survival test was more exciting.”

  She shot him an annoyed look.

  The bell rang.

  The exam was over.

  “Alright, everyone. You may leave.”

  Students began cheering again.

  Saguro slowly knelt down.

  “I did it… I actually did it…”

  Takime approached him.

  “Congrats, man! You passed! See you on the first day!”

  He waved and left with the others.

  Saguro stayed there for a few seconds before standing up.

  Then he quietly walked home.

  He reached the house.

  This time, he pushed the door properly.

  “Mom. Dad. I passed.”

  Toshio and Kiyoko looked at him for a second.

  Then both of them smiled widely.

  “That’s our son!”

  Saguro stood there silently.

  But inside, something felt different.

  He passed.

  And he made a friend.