COTE: Expelliarmis… Wait, Why Isn’t It Working?! (MTL)

The magical Family 

It was a crisp autumn morning in the suburbs of the magical city of Sendai. Hideo Tanaka, a retired middle-aged man, opened the window, took a deep breath, and enjoyed the cool, fresh air.

Today was a great day to relax! Or at least, that's what he thought... before everything turned into a nightmare.

As soon as he stepped out into the yard, he was immediately hit by a horrifying stench coming from the laboratory behind the protagonist's family's house.

His eyes widened, his breath caught in his throat. If there was a killer scent competition, this would definitely win the gold medal!

"Oh my god, again!?" Hideo thought before a wave of dizziness and nausea hit him like a tsunami. In the next second, his body betrayed him.

His legs trembled, his body staggered a few steps, and then he fell to the ground. Foaming at the mouth, his entire body convulsed as if he were reenacting some kind of evil summoning ritual. If anyone had seen him, they would have thought he had just been struck by a terrible curse!

But in his last moment of consciousness before he passed out, Hideo unsteadily pulled out a magical communication device from his pocket, his fingers trembling as he dialed the emergency number. A voice rang out from the other end:

"Magical emergency service, please hold!"

"Save... me...!" Hideo groaned, then collapsed right after sending the signal.

Meanwhile, the protagonist's father - a magic researcher with a reputation of "whether genius or disaster" - was busy with his experiments extracting compounds from plants.

He was completely unaware that his neighbor was dying right outside. If he had known, he would have most likely recorded this phenomenon in his research notebook, then continued his experiments without the slightest bit of guilt.

Kazuki Kuzunoha, who was used to his father's destruction of the environment, only glanced at the scene, sighing helplessly.

He and his mother, both wearing a magical air-filtering mask, his mother saw him off as he walked out of the house with a calm expression.

"Again?" he muttered, pulling the mask's straps tighter to avoid being shocked by the smell.

Not long after, a shrill siren sounded. A magical ambulance hovered in the air, rushing over at lightning speed and landing right next to Hideo.

Two magicians in white uniforms jumped down, one waved his hand to create a magic circle to check for vital signs, the other took out a scroll of healing spells.

He adjusted his schoolbag, passed by Hideo's house and saw him being treated, the medical magicians hurriedly performing healing spells.

The magic doctors hurriedly chanted spells while the others carefully checked the patient's reaction. However, all of them frowned, trying to hold their breath because of the terrible stench spreading around. One of them muttered, "Please, someone invent a stronger anti-odor medical mask..."

Kazuki only glanced at the scene, sighing helplessly. He and his mother continued to go to school as usual, leaving the unfortunate neighbor still twitching slightly on the ground, waiting for a miracle of magical medicine.

Behind him, Hideo Tanaka was still lying there, muttering subconsciously, "I should really move... wait, am I still alive?"

"The patient is showing signs of losing consciousness, foaming at the mouth, possibly due to a super-level... poisoning!" a doctor shouted.

"Quick, use purification magic!" the other hurriedly chanted.

A green light enveloped Hideo, but instead of waking up immediately, he jerked as if he had been electrocuted, then fell back to the ground motionless.

"It must be a side effect... Let's just take him back to the hospital!" the doctor sighed, then quickly used magic to lift Hideo onto a magical stretcher and put him in the ambulance.

The ambulance roared, rushing straight towards the hospital, leaving a trail of sparkling light in the sky. The surrounding people looked on, shaking their heads and sighing. Some even whispered to each other:

"Poor Hideo, he'll probably be in the hospital for a whole week this time."

"Who was it last time? Mr. Kazu from the other end of the street, right?"

"Yeah, but that house hasn't been banned yet? Has the Magic Council given up?"

A few people grimaced, covering their noses with their hands because of the stench that still lingered in the air. "Oh my god, this smell will probably last a whole week!" one person lamented.

Although everyone felt a little sympathetic, no one seemed too surprised. To them, this had become an inevitable part of the neighborhood.

The Strange Magic Exam

Kazuki Kuzunoha had graduated from the First Class Mage School after a tumultuous exam, and today was an important day for him.

After years of studying, he faced the magic exam that would determine whether he could continue on the path of a mage at the final exam at the Second Class Mage School.

If he failed, he could be pushed down a different path, away from his dream of becoming a real mage and falling to the bottom of society.

Kazuki walked quickly on the stone-paved path leading to the school gate, his mage robe fluttering with each step.

He still wore the air-filtering magic mask, partly out of habit, partly because the smell of disaster from his father's experiments still lingered around the house.

"I must succeed today!" He told himself, clutching the magic book that he had read until the edges were frayed.

Around him, other students were also rushing towards the school. Some were chanting spells, others were studying theory to the point of almost colliding with each other.

A group of more superstitious students even knelt down in the middle of the yard, mumbling prayers to the ancient gods of magic, hoping that this exam wouldn't cause them to burst into flames or explode in the first minute.

Kazuki glanced at the scene, frowning slightly. "Is there still such a thing in this day and age? Could chanting a few sentences help them improve?"

He sighed, shook his head, and continued walking, thinking about how to avoid becoming a victim of his own magic.

Although everyone seemed tense, for me, the pressure was even heavier - because my magic had always been problematic. I had never made a mistake in activating magic, always exactly as the textbook said.

Every incantation, every hand gesture was perfect according to the book. But somehow, the end result was always a disaster.

The teachers who had taught me before tried to find the cause, but they could only stay silent, shaking their heads and looking at me as an anomaly in the magical world.

As he approached the school gate, Kazuki looked up at the sky. The towering magic towers, the magic circles floating in the air, the entire structure of the Second-Class Mage School had the splendor of an ancient imperial palace.

The magnificent domes were intricately carved, the golden pillars emitted a mysterious light, each glass window reflected magical colors that sparkled like precious gems.

Kazuki took a deep breath, feeling the tension spreading in his chest. This was the decisive moment. One more step, and he would step onto the real battlefield - the most severe magic exam of his life.

Kazuki walked through the main gates of the Second-Class Mage School, where hundreds of students had gathered to prepare for the most important exam of their lives.

He found a seat in the stands, watching the previous candidates as they performed their exams, under the strict supervision of the school board and teachers.

On the main stands, the examiners—high-ranking mages and experienced teachers—sat in long rows, each holding a thick file. Based on their assessment of each student's abilities and strengths, they would give a random practice test, ensuring that the challenge was tailored to each individual.

No one knew what they would face in advance, which only added to the tension in the air.

The atmosphere was filled with tension, not only because of the pressure to perform well, but also because of the magical accidents that kept happening.

Kazuki kept witnessing the unfortunate students fail miserably in their magic—one shot out a fireball with determination, only to see it turn around and burn his silky hair.

He screamed in panic, slapping his head repeatedly as if trying to put out the fire, not knowing that it would only make things worse.

A teacher quickly cast a fire-extinguishing spell, but somehow it completely burned off his hair, leaving him with a bald head as shiny as a pearl.

"NOOOOO! MY HAIR!" He screamed miserably, holding his head in both hands as if he had just lost the most precious thing in his life. Kazuki had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.

Another chanted the spell with confidence, his arms raised dramatically. But instead of freezing his target, he turned himself into a living ice statue on the spot.

His body froze from head to toe, only his panicked eyes blinking in despair. A cold air emanated from all around, freezing the ground below.

A teacher looked at the scene before him, shook his head and sighed: "Why is there always someone freezing themselves like this every year?!"

"It's so cold...! Can someone help me?!"

The medical team worked tirelessly, moving hurriedly as if they were racing against time. One sighed, waving his hand to create a teleportation circle, while another muttered: "Another one... How many more cases are there?!"

Another student stepped onto the stage with a face full of enthusiasm, confidently releasing a powerful lightning bolt... only for it to bounce back at him, causing him to fall to the ground, his hair standing on end as if he had just touched an electrical outlet.

Kazuki looked at the scene before him, trying to hold back his laughter but failing miserably.

"Well... at least I'm not that bad." He consoled himself, but he couldn't help but worry that he might be the next "victim".

He took a deep breath, trying not to think about the prospect of himself joining the "unlucky victims" of this exam.

A deep voice rang out from the front, cutting through all the murmurs in the stands:

"All students, pay attention! The next round of the exam will begin immediately. The students whose names are called must immediately step onto the stage!"

Kazuki felt his heart skip a beat. He gripped the hem of his robe, glancing at the list on the magic board floating in midair. Each name lit up, signaling the next person to take on the challenge.

Some of the candidates stood up shakily, some even mumbled prayers. Others were full of confidence, walking onto the stage with proud looks.

"Just stay calm… just stay calm…" Kazuki muttered, but sweat was already beading on his forehead.

The next name appeared on the board.

"Kazuki Kuzunoha!"

He took a deep breath. It was time.

Kazuki looked at the scene before him, trying to hold back his laughter but failing miserably.

"Well… at least I'm not at this level yet." He consoled himself, but he couldn't help but worry whether he would be the next "victim".

He took a deep breath, trying not to think about the prospect of himself joining the "unlucky victims" of this exam.

A deep voice rang out from the front, cutting through all the chatter in the stands:

"All students, pay attention! The next round of the exam will begin immediately. The students whose names are called must immediately head to the field!"

Kazuki felt his heart skip a beat. He clutched his robe, glancing at the list on the magic board floating in midair. Each name lit up, signaling the next person to take the challenge.

Some of the contestants stood up shakily, some even murmured prayers. Others were full of confidence, walking onto the field with proud looks.

"Just stay calm... just stay calm..." Kazuki muttered, but sweat was already beading on his forehead.

The next name appeared on the board.

"Kazuki Kuzunoha!"

He took a deep breath. It was time.

On the judging stand, a few teachers had already set their eyes on Kazuki Kuzunoha. An elderly magician with a silver beard stroked his chin, flipped through his file, and nodded:

"This kid is quite interesting. Although his overall performance isn't that outstanding, he has a special talent for transformation and general magic."

Another examiner raised his eyebrows, looking surprised: "Oh? Transformation? Not many students are good at this field. Isn't this an extremely difficult type of magic that requires a deep understanding of natural science and matter?"

"Exactly." The elderly teacher replied. "Don't underestimate transformation. This is a type of magic that can change matter and transform it at will. It requires the practitioner to have a solid foundation of knowledge in chemistry, physics, and atomic structure, and no one has ever been able to do it like that person before."

Another female judge chuckled: "So he inherited that person's brain—a real mad scientist. It's no wonder Kazuki has a natural talent in this field. It's just... the problem lies in the success rate."

Another teacher snorted: "Well, according to the practice report, Kazuki's success rate is only about 60%. That means out of 10 times, he will fail 4 times." He shrugged. "I don't know whether to call that talent or a curse."

The entire council was silent for a few seconds, before one judge chuckled: "At least he still has a chance to surprise. Let's see what he will do today."

Kazuki stepped down onto the arena, facing a large stone platform, where two strange objects were placed: a melon and a wooden target.

An examiner stood up, his stern voice echoing throughout the auditorium: "Kazuki Kuzunoha, your test is: Transform the melon and wooden target in front of you into a wooden cabinet."

Kazuki blinked. He had prepared himself for a practical test, perhaps summoning a magical creature or casting an offensive spell. But... transforming a melon into a cabinet?

He glanced at the two objects on the stone pedestal, then looked back up at the examiner. "Are you sure? Did you really do this?"

Another teacher crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows: "Is there a problem? Transformation is your forte, right? Or do you think this task is too difficult?"

Kazuki swallowed. It wasn't that it was too difficult, it was just... his success rate was not reliable at all. If he was lucky, he would create a proper wooden cabinet. But if not...

He took a deep breath, raised his hand, and pulled out a magic wand that he had bought at a flea market stall the night before.

The stall owner was a man with a sly smile and an untrustworthy moustache. He patted Kazuki on the shoulder, whispering: "Kid, this is a treasure! With this, you can pass the exam like a piece of cake!"

Kazuki, in a moment of desperation, had believed him. Now he wasn't sure if it was a smart decision or a terrible mistake.

Under the watchful eyes of all the judges and students, Kazuki chanted, poured magic power into the tip of his wand, and waved his hand confidently.

A bright light burst out.

When the light dissipated, the entire arena fell silent for three seconds.

The wooden tablet... had now become a black lump of coal, emitting thin wisps of smoke as if it had just emerged from a blast furnace. The surface was rough, with a few small sparks still flickering, looking no different from a piece of ore that had just been dug up from the ground.

Kazuki stiffened. He blinked, swallowed, and glanced at the judges.

One judge rested his chin on his hand, slowly writing down in his notebook: "High-level matter transmutation... but in a way that makes me want to bang my head on the table."

Immediately, several judges from the stands stood up, eyes wide, exchanging words in amazement, and then rushed down to the arena as if they were afraid of missing a new magical wonder.

One of them pulled out a crystal, chanted a spell, and pressed it against the surface of the coal. The crystal immediately glowed a deep red—a sign that this was a substance with an extremely high carbon density.

Another examiner bent down to examine the coal closely, his eyes shining with astonishment. "Wait, this isn't ordinary charcoal. This has the same texture as coal that has just been mined from a mine."

An examiner bent down, carefully flicked the surface, then looked up with disbelief: "Its texture is exactly like natural coal. This should have taken millions of years under tremendous pressure… But he only took a few seconds to do it."

"Wait!" One examiner bent down, his eyes rolling. "This isn't ordinary charcoal. This is coal! The kind that takes millions of years to form under tremendous pressure! HE JUST DID IT IN A FEW SECONDS?!"

Another teacher blinked, his voice filled with confusion: "Impossible... I've never seen anyone in the research community do this! This isn't just a simple transformation, it's a restructuring of matter at the atomic level!"

A younger judge, still looking shocked, muttered: "If he could control it... but unfortunately, he can't."

"I'm not even sure if this kid knows what the hell he just did!" Another judge shouted. "It should have turned into a cabinet! A CABINET! NOT A MINI COAL MINE!!!"

"Stop it, you blockhead!" An older judge shouted back. "You just did a miracle kid! Do you know that if put into practice, this could change the entire energy industry?!"

"The entire energy industry can't save his test!" Another person roared, raising his notebook in the air as if to throw it away. "This is still a transmutation test, not a fuel production experiment!"

A younger examiner, with a look of both shock and exhaustion, muttered, "If he could control it… but unfortunately, he can't."

The entire assembly fell silent. A serious teacher picked up a small piece, flicked it, and saw it shatter like a carbon crystal that had undergone extreme pressure.

Kazuki stood in the middle of the heatedly arguing examiners, sweat pouring down his face. One examiner was shouting and pointing at a lump of coal, while another was waving his notebook in the air as if to throw it straight at his colleague's face. An old man with a white beard tried to pull the two apart before they really came to blows.

Kazuki looked around, swallowing his saliva. Could he just slip away right now without anyone noticing...? He took a step back... then two...

"STOP THERE, KAZUKI!" One of the examiners suddenly turned around, pointing straight at him. "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING WHEN WE HAVEN'T AGREEED ON THIS STILL?!"

Kazuki stood there, watching the group of examiners surrounding the cinder block as if they were investigating a murder scene. He shrugged: "At least it didn't explode."

Kazuki glanced up at the audience, seeing a few students holding their stomachs and laughing. One of them patted the shoulder of the person next to him: "A trick to turn the cabinet into ashes, that's really cool!"

Kazuki felt his face burning. He lowered his head, trying to avoid the gazes of the students who were laughing out loud in the audience.

"Oh my god, he just created something black when he was supposed to create a cabinet!" One student held his stomach and laughed so hard that he almost fell off his chair.

"This is the first time I've seen someone perform a transformation like this!" Another slapped his thigh, tears streaming down his face from laughing so hard.

Kazuki clenched his wand tightly in his hand, feeling like he wanted to sink into the ground right now. He didn't realize that he had just done something great—he just felt like he had become the laughing stock of the entire arena.

One examiner tried to keep a straight face, but the corners of his lips twitched slightly: "Kazuki Kuzunoha, do you know what you just did?"

Kazuki sighed, his voice filled with frustration: "Um... turning a cabinet into a pile of coal."

"No!" Another examiner interrupted. "You just performed a restructuring of matter at the atomic level! Do you understand how difficult that is?"

Kazuki blinked. "Um... it must have been difficult, but I still failed, right?"

A moment of silence fell before the audience erupted in laughter again. However, the examiners did not laugh.

An elderly teacher coughed lightly, drawing the attention of the panel. "Although this test seems... not to have gone as expected, it cannot be denied that Kazuki has demonstrated a level of material transformation that far exceeds the norm."

Another examiner nodded, "Technically speaking, he completed the test in a... unique way. Although the result was not a cabinet, it was still a successful application of material transformation and restructuring."

A few examiners exchanged glances, then a representative announced, "Kazuki Kuzunoha, you are recognized as having passed the exam with the minimum score."

Kazuki looked up, not believing his ears. "Really?! You mean... I didn't fail?!"

"Yes, but you should be more careful about controlling your magic." The main examiner pushed up his glasses, glancing at the still-smoking lump of coal. "And don't let it be the next time we have to judge whether we should recognize you as an alchemist rather than a mage."

While Kazuki was still stunned, another examiner quietly wrote something down on a large leather notebook. A young wizard standing nearby chanted a spell, and Kazuki's information was quickly saved into the magical information system.

No one said it out loud, but they all knew: This kid had much greater potential than his clumsy appearance suggested.

In the official notebook, one examiner hastily wrote:

Kazuki Kuzunoha:

Knowledge and Theory: 10/10

Magic Control: 2/10

Magic Mastery: 4/10

Creative Application: 10/10 (Ability to Use General Magic)

Catastrophic Potential: 17/10

Potential Rating: N/A

Potential for material transformation far exceeds the standard. "Needs close monitoring. Could be a genius or a disaster for magic."

Another examiner glanced at this note, pursed his lips, pulled out a pen, and added below:

"Or both. And if he blows up a city, don't say I didn't warn you."