The Easton Magic Academy.
A historic and prestigious school that has produced
numerous pillars of the magic realm.
Of course, its entrance examination is notoriously difficult.
Not even 3% of the applicants will be admitted.
Only those with superior magical powers will be able to open the gates of Easton.
Only those with superior magical powers...
Let's see, among this year's applicants are...
CLAUDE LUCCI
A scion of established nobility, and then the undersecretary's son from the Bureau of Magic.
All the bigwigs of society, so to speak.
Maintenance of wands and reviewing of grimoires.
They're devoting themselves to the exam.
It's only proper to have ambitious candidates for a school as prestigious as ours.
HMPH CLANG CLANG HMPH
WHAT
What the...
THE
Huh? What's going on?
We're starting an entrance exam for a magic school now.
Why is someone pumping iron?
No, calm down. Maybe I'm imagining things.
This is a magic school. Slackers like that would never be here.
He's doing the invisible chair while reading a fitness book!
BAM
Does he even want to pass this exam? At least read some books about magic!
Consumption of protein within 45 minutes of training is the most basic of fundamentals.
And he's talking to himself!
And who are those guys behind him? They're anything but inconspicuous!
Are you sure this will work?
WHISPER WHISPER
Mash can't use magic.
You don't trust me and my plans?
I made his scar indistinguishable from a real one.
I'm sure we'll get a kick outta this.
Oh, well.
Slackers like that will fail the exam anyway.
NOM NOM
I wonder what the exam is like.
I have to pass it, no matter what it turns out to be.
Greetings!
Welcome to Easton Magic Academy.
I am overseeing today's entrance examination. My name is Claude Lucci.
The pleasure's all mine.
C-Claude Lucci!
This year's seventh best up-and-coming mage!
He's said to have mastered countless advanced spells despite his youth!
How exhilarating.
Praise and worship me even more!
It must've been hot coming out of the fire like that.
I'm definitely going to flunk him!
Now, let's start our first exam.
Take your seats.
Seats?
There are no seats!
What?
- Desks just appeared! - Amazing!
- Wh-Whoa! - I've never seen magic like this!
No wonder they have high hopes for this professor!
You could've just taken us to a room that was already set up.
I'll kill him.
No matter.
The acceptance rate of this exam is three percent.
There's no way slackers like him will pass.
You have 30 minutes!
Now, begin!
The test paper...
The questions are squirming around?
That's right, I have enchanted the test papers with my magic.
Thus, to pass this exam you need to dispel the magic and properly line up the questions.
He'll never pull this off.
Why'd I think this would work the other day?
WRIGGLE WRIGGLE
Could you kindly stop moving?
WRIGGLE WRIGGLE
Kindly... stop moving.
What?
I finished.
That guy from earlier...
I'm sure it's just some random scribbles...
It's aligned so perfectly.
He's making that boulder float so easily!
Whoa! He's running on water!
From that point on, Mash...
somehow found ways to pass the tests.
How can a slacker like that still be here?
That tasteless brat who makes a mockery of me...
NOM NOM
Then I guess I must...
This is the next test!
Hey, the ground again is...
In the next test, you will solve this maze.
Of course, this is no ordinary maze.
There are various traps set within.
You have 30 minutes!
Reach the goal by the time limit, and you pass!
Now, begin!
So I have to get to the goal area?
Sounds pretty easy.
Excuse me!
Can I tag along with you?
LEMON IRVINE
Why?
Huh? Um...
I think it'd be more efficient if we worked together.
Makes sense.
Th-Thank you very much!
I wonder what kind of traps will be waiting for us?
TP TP TP
CLINK
FACEPLANT
It hurts!
IMPS HAVE APPEARED!
GATHER GATHER
This maze has imps!
Please save me!
HANDLIKE-SOMETHINGS HAVE APPEARED!
Th-This ground is trying to grab us!
Don't leave me behind!
Please wait.
Please don't leave me behind!
What was that about efficiency?
We have to hurry.
Levios Cuffus!
What are these?
I'm sorry I deceived you this whole time.
There's a certain reason I have to keep you away from the goal.
What reason?
I-I don't want to tell you, that's why it's a certain reason!
So I've been deceived?
That's useless. Human strength can't break...
I'm sorry...
but I have my own certain reason, too.
Later.
STARE...
Th-This is bad! I have to chase and stop him.
Four legs in the morning.
Two legs in the afternoon, and three legs at night.
What is this creature?
This is totally one of the dangerous ones.
It's only a test. I'll use my magic and...
Answer my riddle.
Oh no. My knees gave out.
Bad, really bad. This is a riddle?
What's the answer?
Four legs in the morning, two at noon, three at night...
Oh, this sucks. I'm panicking and I can't think straight!
Time's up. Thou shalt be punished.
Help...
That's not right.
This truly is punishment for selfishly deceiving others.
I'm so terrible.
I'm sorry, Mushroom Head.
Such a creature...
can't possibly exist.
Wh-Why did you bother to come back and save me?
Well...
If your reason was similar to mine, I'd kinda feel sorry for you.
But it looks like we won't make it in time from here.
How do you think I came here in an instant?
Time is almost up.
Multiple traps and the guardian of the labyrinth...
And the student I recruited to stop him.
Since I put in this much effort, I'm sure he...
Hey, what's with that loud noise?
Sounds like something is breaking!
Th-There's no way.
These walls are one meter thick and are impervious to all magic.
The walls!
H-He trudged straight outta there!
Quite a curious young man.
Is that allowed? Can he really do that?
There's no way he can!
That's cheating!
Gimme a break!
Go home! Go home! Go home!
SLUMP
I want to go home.
That's absurd. It's no longer a labyrinth!
Indeed.
You're supposed to get lost in a maze before exiting!
Good point.
What is a maze for you?
Philosophy.
Go home! Go home! Go home!
P-Please stop! It wasn't his fault!
Stop it!
If you say anything, you'll regret it!
I can still reconsider that promise for now.
- I was... - Hey!
I was intentionally getting in his way so he wouldn't reach the goal.
Professor Lucci asked me to.
He told me he would pass me if I got in his way.
My family is poor, and I desperately wanted to be accepted for their sake.
But he still saved me, and then said to me,
BLUSH
"Please marry me"!
No, I didn't say that.
I mean...
If you're injured, I can piggyback you.
Huh? Wait, that means...
I'm a burden, you know?
(EMOTIONAL) BURDEN
I don't really mind burdens at all.
(PHYSICAL) BURDEN
AWWWW
Don't be so bashful.
FLUSTER FLUSTER
I know how you really feel.
It was really great. Yeah.
No, I totally didn't say that.
That's right. What about it?
I'm the examiner.
What's bad about trying to fail students I don't like?
A cheeky brat and a pauper girl.
I reached out thinking even scum can be useful, but you bit the hand that fed you.
Is your stupidity inherited from your parents?
No wonder you have a miserable life.
I'm failing you both.
If you want to complain, then challenge the decision.
Challenge me, a Magus Cum Laude Professor!
Of course, that's only if you dare!
That's going too far, Professor.
What?
Wow. He broke that wand.
That's just the type of kid he is, huh?
I kinda feel sorry for him.
Shut up! Why would I even—
Silence!
Headmaster Wahlberg.
We will now begin the final interviews.
From this point on, I will take charge of the examination.
Headmaster, why are you here?
Lucci.
See me in my office after this.
A-As you wish.
Now, let's start with our first applicant.
We will now begin the final interview for Mash Burnedead.
Thank you for having me.
First, let's hear why you chose our academy.
To live in peace with my family.
That's not an answer.
What does that mean?
It's fine.
Next question.
Is it true that you saved a girl in the maze test, although you didn't have time to?
I guess so.
What made you do so, even by risking to fail the test?
I kinda felt like I would regret it.
You seem to be the type who acts before thinking.
You never considered that the sphinx might be stronger,
or that you may not be able to break the walls?
Well, even if I considered, it still had to be done.
Extremely amusing.
But you can only say that because you don't understand the ways of the world yet.
Many creatures that are stronger than you exist in this world.
If you were to face something that overwhelmingly outpowers you,
would you still be able to take the same course of action?
Even if you were...
facing me?
What immense magical power.
And this spell!
What is this?
This is an ancient spell that transfers the soul of the target's most cherished one into a doll.
SLUMP
Gramps?
What's wrong? Gramps! Hey!
Of course, that's not all.
If I were to stab a knife into the soulful doll...
that being would never return.
Didn't I already tell you?
I am immensely more powerful than you.
You can't do anything in your current state.
And in a situation like this, what would you...
You can't keep something this huge out forever.
This is an endurance contest, right?
Power can be used to harm or to help.
It all depends on the wielder of that power.
That is the reason why I put emphasis...
on protecting the weak, and regulating the strong.
Noblesse Oblige. One's capacity as a powerful being.
And according to my observations, you are a human who possesses that capacity.
My apologies.
I was literally testing you.
I had no intention of that nature.
Don't worry about it.
What is it?
What you asked earlier, Headmaster.
The answer to the question "If I had to face the Headmaster..."
If it comes to that, I'd knock the stuffing out of you...
with my fist.
What insolence!
Are you insane?
Welcome to Easton Magic Academy.
Are you okay, old man?
Be gentle with me.
And so, a lot of things happened.
But Mash Burnedead passed the entrance exam for Easton Magic Academy.
Today, we will be learning one of the most basic of spells, the lock-opening spell.
You must imagine opening the lock as you infuse it with magic energy.
Opti Ars.
Now, let's actually try it.
Professor. I opened it.
Why you little, that's not... That's not it at all, damn it!
This is a magic school, you know?
A place where you learn magic!
Well, I...
I'm not good with magic and the like.
Why are you even here?
Looks like I have a hard path ahead.
Why are you sounding like it's not your business?
What kind of nerves do you have?
What's with this year's transfers?
There's someone who's clearly bad news!
God is dead.
Where the hell did that come from? Seriously creepy!
I definitely don't want to be around him.
Where are you looking at now?
Listen! Listen to what others have to say!
Since this is a boarding school...
I really don't want to be roommates with people like that.
Let's see, my room...
Huh, wait...
The door...
I'm Finn Ames. Nice to be rooming with you.
FINN AMES
I'm Mash Burnedead.
I don't really know a lot, so I might cause trouble, but it's nice to room with you.
Huh? He's surprisingly normal?
And this is Kevin.
This one's Mike.
This guy names his muscles! Freaky! And when did he change clothes?
Down here are Tom and Kim. Over here are Yamada, Koji, and Satomi.
W-Well, you can ask me anything you don't know.
The dorm pairs up transfers and continuing students together as roommates.
It's customary to help each other out.
I see.
Be nice for now.
Nice, and distant.
This is for a peaceful school life.
Can I ask you one thing?
Sure.
How do you get to be the academy's "Divine Visionary"?
Oh, a Divine Visionary?
You have to collect gold coins.
Tests, coursework, extracurriculars, school life. We're evaluated on everything.
Based on the evaluations, you're given coins of gold, silver, or bronze.
Regardless of coins earned,
if you can't keep your grades up each semester, you'll be expelled.
I had a vague feeling, but this is really brutal.
Looks like he'll be expelled real quick.
So that's why we're all desperate.
Including me, of course.
Best of luck to you, too.
Finn made sure not to say, "Let's do our best together."
You're a great guy.
And Mash was very simple.
You want a cream puff?
Huh? Where did you pull those out of?
I'll take one, though.
Will Mash with no magical powers really be able to become the Divine Visionary?
NOM NOM
NEXT EPISODE MASH BURNEDEAD AND THE BALEFUL BULLY