Earth's Greatest Magus

The next place Emery ventured to was the grand dome at the temple's center, a massive structure reminiscent of an arena, with thousands of seats encircling the area.

At the heart of the dome stood an enormous pillar that soared into the ceiling, its surface adorned with intricate sculptures and ancient runes. Even from a distance, Emery could feel the powerful aura radiating from the pillar, a testament to the divine energy concentrated within it.

Unlike the serene, quiet atmosphere of the temple, the dome buzzed with life. Thousands of magus and dozens of grand magus gathered, most bearing the emblems of the Nephilim families, their eyes fixed on the center of the arena.

The air was thick with anticipation as the crowd watched the priestesses, who stood before the pillar, chanting rhythmically. Their soft voices resonated with a hum of power that reverberated through the structure.

Emery's senses heightened as VIA provided more details about the event taking place.

This was the renowned "Trial of Faith," an exclusive ceremony held by the Seraph race every decade. The trial was designed to test the divinity levels of participating magus. Tens of thousands of applicants would vie for the opportunity, but only a select few hundred were chosen for the six-month-long trial. It was a sacred and grueling test, meant to measure the strength of their faith and their connection to divine power. These hundreds of participants—Nephilim nobles and peerless talents alike—would enter a secret realm prepared by the three supreme Principalities, where they would face a series of divine challenges. Each trial was designed to test not only their strength and ability but also their connection to the divine power that the Nephilim revered. Completing these challenges would bring immense benefits: increased power, deeper divine understanding, and, for the most exceptional participants, special titles bestowed by the Nephilim, marking them as champions of the faith.

As Emery took in the sight, he noticed the three main families—Azazel, Amarhikss, and Aztebas—dominating three sides of the dome. Each family had sent a dozen of their most promising magus to participate in the trial, their presence adding an air of nobility and competitiveness to the event.

The information Emery gathered from the surrounding spectators revealed that most of the trial's results had already been determined, with over 90% of participants having exited the realm in the last few days. Only the strongest or most fortunate remained.

Using his heightened divine sense, Emery began to scan the crowd. His attention was drawn to a familiar figure: Grand Magus Sarafina, a prominent elder of the Amarhiks family and Jinkan's master. However, despite his search, Jinkan herself was nowhere to be seen, likely still inside the secret realm, battling through the final stages of the Trial of Faith.

The next familiar figure Emery recognized in the crowd was Zephyr, the renowned genius spirit master from the Aztebas family. Zephyr had famously taken first place at the prestigious Alabaster Spirit Master competition, making him a figure of admiration within the Nephilim faction. However, despite his accolades, it seemed the Trial of Faith had not gone in his favor.

According to the whispers around him, Zephyr had been ejected from the secret realm the day before. In this trial, the longer a participant remained inside, the higher their favor with the supreme beings, making it clear that Zephyr's formidable spirit-reading abilities had not earned him the favor he might have hoped for.

Emery was also taken aback when he spotted another familiar face in the audience—Athena of the Kronos faction. The sight of her immediately sparked curiosity in Emery's mind. He wondered if any of the other figures like Kronos or Zeus might be present, but his musings were interrupted when something stirred near the giant pillar at the center of the dome.

"Look, someone's coming out!" Annara pointed toward the pillar as it began to glow brightly, runes along its surface flickering to life. The portal opened, and a magus was forcefully thrown out of the secret realm, landing roughly in the center of the arena.

The expelled participant was one of the young nobles from the Azazel family. His disheveled appearance and the frustration etched on his face made it clear that he had not succeeded in the trial. His disappointment was mirrored by the Azazel grand magus who approached him, consoling the young noble as they prepared to leave the arena.

In stark contrast, Emery noticed several subtle smiles and whispers of satisfaction among the other families, particularly the Amarhikss and Aztebas. For them, the fall of a prominent Azazel noble was nothing short of a small victory.

The dynamic within the dome was palpable. The tension between the families was ever-present, and each participant's fate seemed to carry the weight of their entire lineage. As the magus left the arena in shame, the crowd waited eagerly for the next figure to emerge from the pillar, each wondering who would remain favored in the eyes of the supreme beings.

Suddenly the divine bell chimed, its resonating echoes filled the vast dome and spread throughout the temple grounds, signaling a significant shift within the trial.

Emery's eyes were drawn once again to the pillar, where subtle shifts in its energy indicated the trial had advanced to its next stage. The air grew tense as those gathered around, especially the Nephilim families, waited with bated breath for what came next.

Annara, ever attentive with her familiars listening to the surrounding whispers, leaned closer to Emery and murmured, "They say only 24 participants remain."

Reaching this point in the trial was no small feat—those who had advanced were now guaranteed the title of "Noble Chosen by Heaven", a coveted honor among Nephilim nobility. This prestigious designation would elevate not only the participants but also their entire families, cementing their influence and status within the faction. Satisfied with the spectacle and ready to leave, Emery turned to go, but before he could take a step, the pillar reacted once more. Emerging from the ethereal light was a figure he recognized immediately—Jinkan.

She stepped out with grace and quiet, composed strength, the trial having tested her but not broken her resolve. Her appearance was met with immediate celebration from the Amarhiks group, particularly Grand Magus Sarafina, who smiled broadly as she rushed forward to greet her pupil. The rest of the Amarhiks family members followed, their joy palpable as they gathered around Jinkan, their victory assured with her successful return.

Seeing the enthusiastic reception, Emery seized the opportunity. Jinkan, was one of the few Nephilim he had connections with, he was tempted to offer his congratulations and perhaps glean some of the political climate surrounding the Nephilim and, more specifically, the Astiel family. If anyone could shed light on what was happening behind the scenes, it would be her.

Emery was poised to follow Jinkan, but instead of immediately leaving with the Amarhiks group, she opted to take a rest in a secluded corner of the temple grounds. The group remained there for hours, seemingly planning to observe the final result of the trial. During that time, a few more participants exited the secret realm, each greeted with varying degrees of enthusiasm depending on their success.

Finding a perfect time when the female grand magus left, Emery moved through the lingering crowd, weaving his way toward Jinkan, but was quickly stopped by her guards. Without missing a beat, he spoke, his tone calm and respectful.

"I am a friend of the Duchess. I've come to congratulate her on her success."

It took a few mental messages for Jinkan to recognize him. When her gaze finally settled on Emery and Annara, her eyes widened in surprise.

"You... both of you...." she began, her voice trailing off, before realizing the need for discretion. Jinkan quickly masked her surprise, playing along with Emery's secret identity. With a subtle nod to the guards, she gestured for them to let Emery and Annara through.

Emery could see the pride and exhilaration still radiating from Jinkan. Her six months of intense trials and the two years of preparation leading up to it had evidently paid off. She was still riding the high of her accomplishments, and her body language spoke volumes.

Her aura had grown stronger, and Emery could sense that she had reached the peak of the full moon magus realm.

The intense challenges had not only strengthened her but also earned her the prestigious title of 'Noble Chosen by Heaven.' This title, highly coveted among Nephilim nobles, significantly elevated her standing, placing her closer to her ultimate goal—the Nephilim throne.

She let out a scoff, her eyes flashing with amusement. "You remember Linhao, right? My foolish stepbrother didn't even get selected for the trial!"

As Jinkan reveled in her triumph, Emery realized she was still unaware of the recent developments back on Earth.

Seizing the moment, he leaned in and whispered the unsettling news. Jinkan, someone who had closely followed Earth's situation, especially during the negotiation of the Kronos duel agreement, immediately showed a shift in her demeanor. Her face twisted into a mix of frustration and concern as she processed the information. The news clearly unsettled her.

"Are you certain it's Astiel,...the Sky God?" she asked, her voice barely containing her disbelief. For Jinkan, the thought of such a powerful figure—one on the verge of becoming the tenth supreme magus of the Nephilim—engaging in what she deemed petty affairs seemed far-fetched.

"He wouldn't risk tarnishing his reputation over a lower-realm planet," she murmured, her brow furrowed as if trying to piece together a puzzle that didn't fit.

Her confusion lingered for a moment before she considered another possibility. "No, this isn't about giving Kronos an edge in the duel… something bigger is happening here, but we shouldn't discuss it in this place."

Emery, sensing the gravity of her words, nodded and casually suggested, "I'm ready to leave whenever you are."

To his surprise, Jinkan gave him a puzzled look. "Wait… don't you want to stay and wait for your friend's trial result?"

Caught off guard, Emery's heartbeat quickened. "My friend?...What do you mean?"

Jinkan's next revelation hit him like a blow.

"You didn't know?!! I thought that's why you were here!" she added, "Your friend, Julian… he's one of the last 20 still in the trial."

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