Earth's Greatest Magus

Emery greeted each returning team and acolyte as they arrived back at the Academy. Despite the smiles on their faces, it was clear that they were utterly exhausted.

They had been working tirelessly on missions every single day, pushing themselves to the brink by relying on multiple pills and potions, often ignoring their injuries and health just to reach their goals.

There was a quiet, unspoken sense of satisfaction that passed among the acolytes, a recognition of their hard-earned achievements. Emery, along with Klea and Ahaka, couldn't help but feel a deep sense of pride for what they had accomplished.

"Have a good rest; you've all earned it," Emery said, his voice filled with genuine care.

The advancement challenge was the next hurdle, but with two days of rest ahead, they had some time to recuperate. The challenge would also start with the lower halls, giving Hall 60, four days to prepare themselves. During the break, Emery took the time to make a final evaluation of who among the acolytes would be chosen for the five-member team challenge.

Dillion and Damo, both holding gold rankings, were clear choices. Ha Ron, who had proven himself the strongest among the first years, was also an obvious pick. The next decision was between Kat, Kingrig, and Blaine.

Kat was the most experienced of the three, and this would be her last tournament, making her selection as the fourth member a straightforward choice. However, when it came to choosing between Kingrig and Blaine, Emery found himself torn.

Blaine's powerful bloodline transformation made him a formidable contender, while Kingrig's Khao's power had its own advantages. Though Emery was inclined to favor Kingrig, especially considering plans involving his earth warrior future, he decided to ensure fairness and called both acolytes for a match to determine who would take the fifth spot.

To Emery's surprise, Blaine approached him before the match and declined the opportunity.

Blaine, visibly disheartened by his inability to advance in rank, expressed that he didn't feel worthy of a place among the top five. Despite his strengths, he believed he needed more time to grow and vowed to train harder to earn his place in the next tournament. Emery could see the determination in his eyes, but also the weight of self-doubt that held him back.

After a brief pause, Blaine hesitated before bringing up the subject of the bloodline serum. He expressed his desire and support for Emery to meet with their patriarch, hoping to discuss the matter further.

Blaine also shared some insights into the current situation of the Insectoid clan, revealing just enough to pique Emery's curiosity and deepen his anticipation of learning more about this mysterious race. Understanding Blaine's concerns and the importance of this meeting, Emery promised to visit the patriarch after the exams were over.

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The four days of preparation passed swiftly, and Hall 60 was called to the arena alongside nine other mid-halls for the highly anticipated advancement challenge. The atmosphere buzzed with tension as instructors and acolytes gathered, each group eager to prove their worth and secure a place among the higher halls.

As they assembled, Emery was approached by Eiline, the female instructor of Hall 50. Her expression was a mix of disdain and challenge as she stepped closer. Hall 50 was one of the four halls aligned with the Nephilim faction, and they had secured a strong third-place ranking in the recent exams.

"I don't know how you managed it," Eiline said, her voice laced with suspicion, "but you won't advance any further."

Emery, unfazed by her words, chose to blatantly ignore the female Grand Magus. His focus was on the real challenge ahead—the ten higher halls that stood between Hall 60 and advancement. Each of these halls had earned their place in the upper ranks, and they would not easily relinquish their position.

Among the ten higher halls, eight were led by Grand Magus instructors, a formidable lineup that underscored the difficulty of the task ahead.

Emery's gaze lingered on one particular figure—Grand Magus Toleno of the bat half-blood. Hall 37, which consistently hovered near the bottom of the higher halls, yet despite their rank, Toleno and his acolytes were known to be a formidable group. "Let the challenge begin!" announced Headmaster Goldstein, his voice resonating across the arena as he overlooked the proceedings from the VIP stage.

The atmosphere grew tense as the first round of selections began. According to the usual rules, the highest-ranking challenger, Hall 42, was given the privilege to choose their opponent first. Their instructor, a cautious grand magus, decided to play it safe by selecting Hall 38, a group without a Grand Magus instructor. Moreover, one of Hall 38's gold insignia acolytes had been severely injured in the previous rounds, further weakening their lineup.

The match proceeded as anticipated. The acolytes of Hall 42, well-prepared and confident, swiftly overpowered their opponents. The battle ended with Hall 38's acolytes and instructor defeated, securing Hall 42's advancement to the higher halls.

Next, it was Hall 46's turn. Following a similar strategy, their instructor also chose a hall without a Grand Magus, hoping for an easy victory. The decision seemed sound on paper, but the reality proved far more challenging.

Despite the lack of a Grand Magus, the acolytes of the selected hall fought with unexpected ferocity. The battle was intense, and to the shock of Hall 46's instructor, their team of five was unable to overcome their opponents. The defeat was swift and decisive, leaving Hall 46 reeling from the unexpected failure before their instructor even had a chance to enter the fray.

"Stupid!" hissed the Nephilim instructor Eiline as she watched the previous failure unfold.

Without hesitation, she made her choice, targeting a hall with the weakest acolyte team. Then when it was her turn, she used high-grade artifacts to overwhelm their Grand Magus instructor, securing a successful advancement for her hall.

As she walked past Emery, she shot him an arrogant look, her confidence radiating as she ascended to the higher hall.

The tension continued to build as four more halls made their selections. Each chose their opponents carefully, opting for what appeared to be the least formidable teams. Despite their calculated choices, only one managed to advance, highlighting the significant gap in power and experience between the higher halls and the mid-halls.

Finally, it was Emery's turn to choose.

Hall 30, led by a powerful Spirit Master Grand Magus; Hall 33, renowned for its intense military training and disciplined acolytes under the guidance of a veteran combat Grand Magus; or Hall 37, headed by the half-blood Toleno.

Which one should Emery choose?

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