01x06 - Midterms

[bunniefuu]

They're huge! What are those birds?

No way...

Is that the dungeon?

Those bird monsters are gryphons.

Their nest is filled with gold
that they've stolen from people.

Due to their viciousness toward humans,
they're considered pests.

That sounds bad.

This is going to make for a good hunt.

Your task for the exam will be to bring
gold back from the dungeon by sundown.

The time it takes you to bring it back
will determine your grade.

You want us to go in there?!

Are you out of your mind?

I'm aware of the dangers.

Have you all put on the Bracelets
of Hermes that you were given?

Those bracelets are imbued
with teleportation spells.

You can escape from
the dungeon at any time.

Doing so will disqualify you,

but it may activate automatically
if your life is in danger.

Gryphons are far more formidable than the
golem you fought in the entrance exam.

But magic has a way of shining
brighter the greater the ordeal.

Create a path for yourself
with your own strength!

This sounds fun.

I'm up first!

I was still talking.

Let's go, Chiron.

Are you scared?

Wh-Wha?

Th-This'll be a piece of cake.

What a pain. I'll pass.

Get it together, stupid.

What's with this exam? This is so scary.

No, I have to stop chickening out.

I have to complete it faster than
anyone and impress Professor Claude!

sh**t!

My wand!

Scorpion Magic...

Red Stinger: Poison Injection!

Are you helping me?

Huh? Were you here the whole time?

You didn't even notice me?!

I just drove it off
because it was in my way.

Also, if you're getting stuck already,
you might as well forfeit.

What?!

So your coven has started, too,
Professor Claude.

Vice Principal.

Yes, everyone's gotten started.

That's fantastic.

Some students in other covens
forfeited from the start.

It's been ten minutes
since the exam began.


before they got to the nest.

The rest seem to have made it inside.

We'll see how many pass.

The question is whether or not they
discover the true meaning of this dungeon.

FIRST CHALLENGE: HATCHLING FEEDING GROUNDS

How the hell are you
supposed to get past this?!

It's obvious.

The same way you get through any problem.

Leo Magic: Gorilla Princess!

MY, WHAT POWER

I have no interest in tormenting chicks.

Stay put and get some sleep.

Now, everyone, you're
welcome to praise me!

Huh? Guys?

The people from Pandora's
Box really are scary.

This girl's amazing.

She had no trouble making it
through the first challenge.

Claude Coven's students
are in the lead so far.

I thought they'd be hopeless with
all the problem students they have.

Impressive.

Right?

In the lead is either Regulus of Claude
Coven or Persephone of Pegasus Coven.

Aquarius is worth keeping an eye on,

but who knows if their
dark horse will catch up?

It'll be interesting to see how they
make it through the three challenges.

If they make a good showing here,

they can overcome their
reputation as "Pandora's Box."

Come on, everyone!

Hang on...

Where's Spica?

Still outside.

What the hell are they doing?!
They're in last place!

Absolutely unbelievable.

This is such a loss.

All because you're taking your sweet time!

What?!

The bridge collapsed because that
poisoned gryphon crashed into it!

Shut up and climb!

Don't tell me what to do!

I need to catch up quick.

I've never been in a dungeon before!

The floor's so soft!

The mushrooms are glowing!

Wow!

Is it magic?

How are they glowing?

- They look so tasty!

- Stop frolicking like a moron.

You don't have a speck of urgency, do you?

What's her problem, anyway?

I'm a better student than Spica!

Does she have feelings
for Professor Claude?

Maybe that's why she's so hostile to me.
Because I'm with him all the time.

You aren't getting ahead of me!

Not in the exam, and not
with Professor Claude!

Huh? The professor?

A gryphon hatchling!

Looks like these are the
hatchlings' feeding grounds.

Does that mean we're the food?!

All this squealing from every direction...

I'm going ahead of you.

You're free to stand here trembling.

What?

I can fight too, you know.

How?

Gryphon feathers are so thick that
not even poison magic gets through.

All your magic can do is grow weeds.
What's it good for here?

Don't underestimate me!

I've been training the past three months!

Virgo Magic: Anima Transform!

Birdcage of the Trees!

Huh.

Yes! It worked!

My technique works in exams!

Was it part of your plan
to trap me in here?

Sorry.

My control isn't quite perfect yet.

Unbelievable.

Could you not hold me back?

You suck.

I suck? I apologized already!
Are you still mad?

I'm not mad.

I'm just disappointed.

What is this place?

The walls are made of
rocks instead of straw.

Perhaps they use different
construction magic

depending on what the rooms are meant for.

Fascinating.

Such an expansive colony...

It's almost like a sociable weaver's nest.

A social...?

It's a species of bird that spends
decades building massive nests in flocks.

Their size also makes them homes for
other animals, which they coexist with.

There might be some other
creatures here, too.

Wow, you know a lot of stuff.

Well, I do read a lot of books.

sh**t.

I don't have time to be giving lectures.

I heard a voice from over there!

We finally caught up
with the rest of them!

- SECOND CHALLENGE: MONSTER COLONY

- The second challenge: a monster colony.

There really are other creatures
besides the gryphons!

How do we deal with so many of them?

Everyone else is stuck now, too.

Not a problem.

Wait, what are you doing?

The monsters are avoiding her.

No matter the species, creatures know
instinctively to avoid poisonous things.

Especially if it's one that's cowardly
enough to cohabit with another species.

She's pretty snotty,
but she's kinda badass, too.

Even if she knows she won't be attacked,
how can she be so calm?

She came back!

Go ahead and defeat those things.

What things?

Bug monsters?

What's wrong? Do you not like bugs?

You have an adorable side, don't you?

What? I'm not afraid of them.

They just don't react to my poison.

You don't need to act tough.

Relax. I'll protect you.

I told you, I'm not afraid!

Poison Rain!

See? Easy.

M-My clothes!

Seriously, watch it!

Sorry...

No kidding.

We got poison on us, too.

I'm a Scorpio, too, but I could
never use such a dangerous spell.

Hey, she's in Pandora's Box.

No wonder.

Let's keep our distance.

H-Hey, don't let it get to you.

It's actually kind of a big deal that you
took down all those bugs in one shot.

Shut up.

Don't try to get friendly with me.

You understand my abilities now.

If you value your life,

you should stay away from me.

Good grief. What are they doing?

I thought they were finally getting along.

They need to get moving,
or they're both going to fail.

This is a problem.

I made it all the way here first...

But I don't think I can get through this.

The students choose one
of the many entrances,

work their way through three challenges,
and arrive at the goal: the gold room.

- FINAL CHALLENGE: GRYPHONS' SLEEPING AREA

- Come on...

- Am I supposed to get
through this huge flock?

- This is brutal.

But Ewe and I made it here together.

Let's do this, Ewe!

Ah, it's nice and warm in its mouth.

I'm tired. Gonna take a nap.

Goodnight.

Bracelet of Hermes activated.

Ewe Aries is disqualified.

That moron!

Are you okay? You aren't hurt, are you?

Nothing got on your clothes?

Yeah.

It's too dangerous ahead.

I'll go grab the gold real quick.

Wait here.

No, I'll...

Here, put on some armor!

And your canteen and insect
repellent and snacks...

And if anything happens to me,
get someone to help you, okay?

Don't go anywhere dangerous by yourself.

Shut it! You're not my mom!

This is an exam!

I'm getting through it on my own!

Don't try to help me!

But...

Watch me.

Watch my ultra magic super—

Chiron is disqualified.

Chiron!

I'm right behind you!

Tarf is disqualified.

Claude Coven's all kinds of messed up.

Come on, everyone. Buck up.

You don't even know how difficult
the final challenge is yet!

There are too many!

Scorpion Magic...

Octuple Scorpion!

Be careful.

These poison tentacles detect and
ensnare anything in their proximity.

Gah, what is that freaky magic? Yeesh.

I think it'll get us if we get too close.

You're right.

If you two don't want to become its prey,
you'd best stand there terrified.

She heard us?!

This magic protects me from every angle.

The downside is that it
consumes a lot of magic power.

But that's not an issue.

There are so many gryphons here.
That must mean the gold is nearby.

The gryphons are pulling back.

I made it past the pack!

I'll take first place.

Without anyone's help.

It's shining!

The gold must be in there!

Wh-What is this thing?

Two heads and four wings...

And it's bigger than the others!

Is it a mutant gryphon?

But...

I have Octuple Scorpion!

You'll be letting me through!

M-Magic?!

It broke through my Octuple Scorpion.

I don't have any more ways to protect
myself from the electric shocks.

Can I really defeat it on my own?

No...

I have to do it, even if I'm on my own.

Or I'm going to get someone hurt again.

It hurts! It hurts!

- She has poison in her arm!

- It'll happen again.

- Somebody, call a doctor!

I'm sorry. It's because I touched her.

Get away, you freak!

I don't want to hurt anyone anymore.

And I don't want to get hurt.

Which is why...

I'm going to defeat it
without anyone's help!

I don't have much magic left.

I'll hit it with my most powerful magic!

Scorpion Magic: Emperor Scorpion!

Even with my most powerful magic...

I lost.

Damn it.

Anima!

This magic...

Finally... There you are.

Why are you...

Why did you help me?

I told you to stay away from me.

Leave me alone!

What a pain.

You're so stubborn.

Can't you at least say "thank you"?

I never asked for your help.

I'm going to get through this by myself.

You say that, but you looked kinda
happy when you were with me.

I bet, deep down, you want some friends.

Wh-What?!

Wh-Wh-What makes you think that?!

Now isn't the time to bicker.

Put that all aside and help me.

Help you? Do you intend
to fight alongside me?

There's no way I can beat
that thing by myself.

Have you forgotten what just happened?

I might get you hurt again.

I'm trying to avoid that!

I don't want anyone to look
at me like that ever again.

I'm not afraid of you.

Also, that gryphon isn't coming after us.

Is it giving us space?

I think your magic is the reason.

Anima?

Yes.

Wood doesn't conduct electricity.

Plant magic might be
the gryphons' weakness.

I see!

You really do know your stuff.

I wonder if there's a good
way to make use of that.

There might be.

Lend me your ear.

All right, let's get started!

First, get as close to it as you can.

Over here, birdie!

...and draw its attention.

It'll use its lightning
attack against you again.

She made it sound easy,
but this is really scary!

Use your Anima to fend it off.

Anima!

While it's distracted, I'll throw my
poison magic at it at close range!

Red Stinger: Poison Injection!

Yay!

Our plan worked!

Now we just need to run around until
the poison starts taking effect.

Thank you so much!

You're amazing!

D-Did it just smile?

Why?!

I'm too low on magic.

I couldn't produce enough
poison to take it down.

Our plan failed.

Are you okay?

How could a gust of wind
be so powerful? Man...

Let's find a spot to hide.

The exam's about to end,
and we're in a huge pinch!

You seem okay about it, though.

I'm built a lot tougher than I look.

That's not what I meant.

Now's the time to test the thing
Professor Claude taught us!

- EPISODE 7
CROSS MAGIC

- Next episode: "Cross Magic."