Cleon and Ava managed to get the magic scroll and were automatically able to proceed to the second stage. However, they both had to wait for the other participants, because when the three scrolls were successfully taken they would merge. Several other participants were seen starting to succeed in getting the scroll too. However, many of them still failed because they received explosions from fireballs.
"They're in too much of a rush," Ava said as she walked.
"Same. "I'm like that too," Calvin muttered.
"As for you, I'm not surprised."
"The important thing is that we pass to the next stage," said Cleon, laughing loudly.
While they were walking, suddenly an attack came from behind. Luckily they both noticed the attack, Cleon and Ava jumped to the side to avoid it. Suddenly the two of them were surrounded by a group of other participants. This of course surprised them both. But Cleon quickly realized that something like this would happen.
There are no rules in the first phase of the exam, so it's only legal when you have to seize other participants' scrolls while still in the arena. Cleon and Ava prepared to welcome their attack. Their gazes were very sharp and looked bloodthirsty, physically they were not comparable. They were all adults quite close in age to Cleon.
Seeing conditions like that made the screams from the audience even louder. Some of them said that it was an act of cowards who dared to attack small children. However, Cleon and Ava still looked calm, they both just sighed because they had to fight and it was a waste of energy.
"The two of you are pretty amazing at being able to take that magic scroll without breaking a sweat. But it seems like it's just luck and this time your luck has run out. It's better to hand over the scrolls to both of you without any resistance."
"This"? Cleon asked while casually showing the scroll in front of them.
"You seem quite smart."
The man with a large body came forward and was about to grab the scroll held by Cleon. However, Cleon quickly withdrew his hand, then Cleon stuck out his tongue. This of course made the man angry, he immediately released his magic.
"Water Cannons!!"
The attack came from a very close distance to Cleon. Cleon immediately brushed off the attack easily, then gave the same counter attack.
"Water Cannons!!"
The water cannon attack from Cleon directly hit the big man's body and also several people behind him, sending them flying away. The sight of Cleon's attack caused everyone who was besieged to counterattack simultaneously.
"Duuarrrrgghhh!!"
The attacks from various magic aimed at Cleon and Ava simultaneously. A puff of smoke surrounded them unseen. All the spectators who were there screamed hysterically, two children were attacked by a group of adults. The puff of smoke slowly started to disappear, the silhouettes of Cleon and Ava slowly came into view. Cleon seemed to sigh, his hands stretched out in front of him. He cast a shield magic to protect the both of them.
"Why are you guys doing this?" Cleon asked while lowering his hand.
In the instant Cleon unleashed a counterattack, he pummeled the participants with lightning fast punches one by one. They were all blown far enough to the edge of the arena. Cleon let out a serious and sadistic expression, that of course made some of the other participants back down and didn't dare to attack them back.
The crowd cheering for Cleon sounded even louder. On the other hand, the two of them are now the center of attention, not only from the audience but also the participants in the arena. The Commanders also seemed quite interested in the two of them.
***
Explosion after explosion sounded without stopping, one by one the fireballs began to decrease. Many of them had already managed to get their hands on the magic scrolls. Moreover their magic scroll started to move and merged with the other scrolls and united the three people holding the scroll. Cleon and Ava's scrolls had also moved, who would have thought that Cleon and Ava's scrolls had merged. Now there is only one more person who will complete the two of them and become a team for the next stage.
It seemed that the two of them still had to wait for the third scroll that would complete their team. Cleon looked impatient to move on to the next stage, he stood up quite restlessly looking this way and that. While Ava paid more attention to the other participants, she observed the type of magic used by the other participants.
The fireball seemed to have run out, there was no more sound of explosions coming from the fireball, it was a sign that all the magic scrolls had been successfully retrieved. But what happened to Cleon before happened again. The one who already had the magic scroll was being surrounded by those who didn't get the scroll. It seemed that was indeed the only way since there were already magic scrolls left.
Ava looked at the person who was being surrounded, it seemed that the face of that person was not so foreign to Ava. He looked carefully and tried to remember who it was. Ava immediately grabbed Cleon's ear who was pacing incoherently.
"Ah! What is it?" Cleon asked slightly surprised.
"Look at that, the kid who's being surrounded. We have met him before," said Ava while showing it to Cleon.
"Wow! Yes, I remember. "He's the kid who defeated the thugs in the village before. I didn't expect him to take part in this exam," said Cleon with a quite surprised expression as he walked towards the crowd.
"Hoiii!" Cleon shouted while waving his hand at the child.
Hearing Cleon's scream, everyone who was surrounding the boy turned towards Cleon. Some of them were people who previously attacked Cleon, they didn't give up and did the same thing again. The boy also turned to Cleon who was running towards him.
Who would have thought that the magic scroll held by the child would respond to Cleon's scroll, Cleon immediately realized this and made him smile broadly. Without further ado, the two of them immediately dashed off to attack the participants who surrounded the boy. Without using magic, the two of them immediately beat up all the other participants who tried to snatch the magic scrolls.
"Yo!"
Cleon smiled broadly as the boy greeted Cleon after knocking out the other participants together. The two of them immediately clashed fists to greet introductions. From the side, Ava greeted the two of them, who looked immediately united. Ava became very confident in her new team that had just been formed.
At the same time, it seems that teams from other participants have also been formed. They all seemed excited about the second stage of the exam. Other participants who failed immediately left the arena with sluggish faces, many of them were battered and had also fainted. The screams from the audience were very loud, with this the first stage of the exam had finished.
Commander Gigas stood up, he again released an aura so huge that it silenced everyone in an instant. His face looked so stiff and serious, very different from the previous Orion Commander.
"There's no rest for you. Phase 2 of the exam is about to begin!" said Commander Gigas while extending his right hand forward.