Magus Supremacy

"Next applicant, Ray Dumbbell?" Gunther announced as he stared at the sheet in utter confusion, his eyes blinking rapidly as he stared at the last name.

Ray stepped forward with a sheepish smile on his face, striding confidently toward the doll that had been chosen for him.

Gunther looked him up and down for a few seconds, then shook his head slowly.

Wonder what kind of family would choose to give themselves a name like that. It's clear he isn't a noble but a peasant, Gunther thought with a sigh, turning his gaze back to the sheet in his hands.

"It says here that Ray is a stage 2 warrior on the cusp of being a stage 3," Gunther announced, then stared at Ray. "Choice of weapon?"

"A pair of gauntlets," Ray replied.

Gunther stared at him a bit longer, a mix of bewilderment and surprise on his face.

Gauntlets? Do people still use that type of weapon nowadays? That means he's a close-quarter fighter, Gunther mused. He walked toward a large crate set aside and pulled out a pair of gauntlets, which he casually tossed in Ray's direction.

Catching them instantly, Ray began putting them on without hesitation.

"Mada…" Rivock called out softly as he stared at Ray with narrowed eyes. "Isn't that the guy who was with the peasant you had a fight with earlier?"

"I think so. Why?" Mada asked, but his question was met with the usual sly grin forming on Rivock's lips.

"Nothing," Rivock said with a playful hum. "He just looks… I don't know, delicious and handsome."

He licked his lips as his eyes lingered on Ray. "Right? Noelle?" he asked, turning toward the ice-cold female standing with them.

"As long as he is a peasant, I don't care about his looks," Noelle replied coldly with a scoff, keeping her frosty gaze locked on the assessment taking place.

A minute later, Ray was done strapping on his gauntlets. He now stood directly in front of the training doll, tightening his stance as Gunther moved behind the mechanism and activated it for combat.

"You may begin your assessment," Gunther announced, swinging his hand down in signal.

As soon as the signal was given, Ray wasted no time. He dashed forward like a blur, heading straight for the wooden doll.

A punch was launched, aiming for the doll's midsection, but it swiftly sidestepped and raised its shield just in time, absorbing the blow with ease. The force of the punch caused a slight vibration on the shield's surface, but the doll retaliated immediately, swinging its sword in a vertical slash aimed directly at Ray.

"Too slow," Ray muttered under his breath.

He leapt back in one smooth motion, evading the incoming slash with ease. Without missing a beat, he kicked off the ground with a burst of speed and sprinted forward again, his body low and focused. Just as he neared the doll, he leapt high into the air, twisting his body mid-jump as he prepared to strike with a devastating axe kick from above.

The kick would have landed with brutal force, possibly knocking the doll off balance—if not for the fact that the doll reacted just in time. It raised its wooden shield high above its head, bracing itself.

Ray's foot came crashing down with a loud boom, slamming into the shield and causing it to tremble violently from the sheer impact of the strike.

In retaliation, the doll swung its sword from below, aiming to take Ray's leg away. But already anticipating this, he quickly leapt off the shield, flipping several times mid-air before landing back down with ease.

ZOOM!

The doll quickly blitzed towards Ray, slashing its sword from the side. Ray avoided it with a sharp sidestep, but the doll immediately changed its angle and attempted to bash him with its shield.

Ray didn't flinch. He crossed his arms in an X shape right in front of him, allowing the shield to smash directly into his gauntlets. The impact caused him to skid slightly across the ground, but he grinned with excitement.

"Is that all a supposed Stage 3 doll can produce? Tsk! I've taken stronger hits from Yami a few times and I'm still standing. You should hit harder!" Ray roared, forcefully pushing the doll back. It tumbled and staggered, momentarily losing its footing—and that was all Ray needed.

"Let me show you what a strong hit looks and feels like!" Ray growled, launching himself off the ground with explosive strength. Ki swirled around his limbs as he hurled a punch forward, slamming into the doll's shield with a resounding bang. The sheer force sent the doll staggering backwards again.

"Wait, is it me or is Ray's punch getting stronger and faster?" Grey whispered toward Finral, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Did I ask you to speak with me? And for your question—yes, it does look like that," Finral replied, watching as Ray pushed off the ground again and began bombarding the doll with a relentless flurry of punches.

A punch to the side met the doll's sword, while a powerful kick from Ray slammed into the shield, cracking it under the relentless assault.

Leo, watching from above with a careful eye, was visibly impressed by the growing strength and technique being displayed.

"That young one is quite powerful for a Stage 2 warrior. He is impressive," Leo remarked, stroking his chin in thought.

"Yeah… and quite the looker too," Sage added with a light chuckle, her eyes still trained on the fight.

'This Ray guy... he's definitely getting stronger and faster. His form did say he was on the cusp of Stage 3, so that factor must be aiding him now,' Gunther thought as he observed the battle unfold.

"Shit!" Ray muttered under his breath as the doll suddenly sidestepped, completely dodging his kick. It swiftly got behind him and smashed its shield into his face, shattering it on impact and sending Ray tumbling and bouncing across the ground. A small trail of blood dripped from his nose as he struggled to get up.

But before he could fully regain his footing, the doll lunged forward again. In the blink of an eye, it swung its sword toward him. Ray quickly spun on a single hand, twirling his body with acrobatic finesse, and slammed a solid kick into the doll's chest—striking the red dot dead center.

The doll powered down instantly, its body freezing in place.

"Great! Ray Dumbbell has passed this assessment," Gunther announced with a satisfied nod.