Earth's Greatest Magus
chapter-2267

The final stage of the advanced class took a different turn.

Unlike earlier rounds, only the top 5 halls among the higher halls were given the opportunity to challenge, but even then, 7 out of the 10 highest-ranked halls were deemed untouchable.

These top ranks were reserved for the most prestigious and powerful entities within the Magus Academy. The first three halls were the very guardians of the academy itself, each led by legendary figures at the peak of their power—three cosmos grand magus who were revered throughout the universe.

Rank 4 was held by Neytiri, the daughter of the supreme being who owned the planet, giving her a certain privilege.

The next three ranks belonged to powerful fifth-grade factions; Hall 5 was under the control of the Arcanum. Hall 6 by the Nephilim, and Rank 7 by the Arkaland.

These halls stood as the ultimate challenge, their positions secured by the overwhelming power of their leaders and acolytes, making them nearly impossible to challenge.

Just like every other year, only three halls were targeted for challenges.

Hall 8 was held by the Albatross, the number one spirit-reading sect in the Alpha Quadrant. Hall 9 was the domain of the Half-bloods and Hall 10 belonged to the Navaroo faction, one of the strongest grade 4 factions in the Alpha Quadrant.

The Proxima faction of Hall 18, bolstered by their vast influence and extensive network, had accumulated the most points during the group exams, earning them the first challenge. Their choice of target was Hall 10, the Navaroo, their millennium-long rivals within the quadrant.

The duel was a high-stakes battle between knights, each side known for their strict discipline and martial traditions. The Proxima acolytes fought fiercely, managing to secure a victory in the team battle. However, their triumph was short-lived as the Navaroo faction revealed their trump card—a hidden assistant instructor, an elder of three cosmos, who stepped in to defend their position. Despite Proxima's best efforts, their instructors were overpowered by this unexpected challenge.

The result of the battle led to immediate tension and controversy. Proxima, feeling cheated by the unexpected appearance of the elder, lodged a formal complaint. The dispute escalated quickly, and Grand Magus Aurora had to intervene personally to resolve the matter.

Headmaster Goldstein stepped forward, his voice commanding attention as he called for the next challenge.

The anticipation in the arena was palpable, especially when he announced that the faction with the second-highest points was none other than Hall 21 of the Mammon faction. This came as a surprise to many, as the hall had long been considered an underdog.

Mammon faction, a century-old grade two faction, had been placed among the lowest halls of the academy just three years ago. Yet, they had managed to defy expectations.

Despite starting with acolytes of meager talents, they had gradually transformed them into formidable fighters, steadily climbing the ranks. Their rise was nothing short of extraordinary, and now they stood poised to challenge one of the top halls.

Though Mammon only had one acolyte with a golden insignia, they made up for it with numbers. Over 30 of their acolytes held silver insignias, a testament to their collective strength and teamwork, which had earned them a high score during the team exams.

Lucius, watching from the sidelines, fully expected Mammon to challenge his Hall. But to his surprise, Mammon chose to challenge Hall 8, the Albatross faction.

The decision to challenge Hall 8 stirred the arena, with murmurs and whispers spreading among the audience. Many thought the Mammon faction was making a foolish mistake, underestimating the prowess of the Albatross. But as the team battle began, those murmurs quickly turned to stunned silence.

To everyone's shock, the Mammon acolytes demonstrated an extraordinary resistance to spirit attacks, rendering the Albatross acolytes' formidable skills nearly useless. One by one, the Albatross fighters fell, unable to unleash their full potential against Mammon's unexpected defenses.

Coliin Alabaster, the Soul Blade Prince and a celebrated spirit master trained under Duke Alabaster was the last line of defense, the final hope for Albatross to maintain their standing. Facing him was Grand Magus Bael, the head instructor and leader of the Mammon faction.

But as the duel unfolded, Emery watched in stunned silence. Despite Coliin's reputation and skill, as a level 5 Pagoda Spirit Master, he was unable to withstand the sheer, overwhelming force of Bael's attacks. The crowd gasped as the Soul Blade Prince struggled, ultimately succumbing to Bael's monstrous power.

"What technique is that?" Emery muttered to himself

As the battle concluded, Emery's curiosity about Grand Magus Bael deepened. VIA, sifted through available data, unearthing the hidden details of Bael's origins. It was revealed that Bael wasn't just a powerful combatant—he was also an apothecary master, someone who had delved into the study of rare and exotic creatures. His true power, and that of his faction, came from a dark and mysterious source: parasitic creatures that granted them unnatural abilities.

Emery felt a wave of unease wash over him as he processed this information. There was something unsettling about Bael and the Mammon faction's methods. The thought of a power derived from parasitic creatures left him with mixed emotions—a combination of awe, curiosity, and a deep sense of caution.

Despite the discomfort it caused, there was no denying the effectiveness of Bael's tactics. The Mammon faction had succeeded in their challenge, securing a spot among the top 10 halls.

Headmaster Goldstein's voice echoed through the arena as he called for the next challenger. All eyes turned to Hall 11, a faction many anticipated would make a bold move to secure a place among the top ten. But as the instructor stepped forward, an unexpected decision rippled through the crowd—Hall 11 was forfeiting their challenge.

A wave of confusion and murmurs swept through the spectators.

Why would a hall with such promise pass up this opportunity? The question hung in the air, unanswered, as the focus shifted to the next hall in line.

Lucius, along with the half-blood acolytes of Hall 9, exchanged tense glances as the spotlight moved to Hall 15. There was a palpable change in their demeanor, a mix of apprehension and resolve. The crowd, sensing the shift in energy, began to murmur, their whispers rising like a growing storm.

The Aryan faction, represented by Hall 15, was not just another grade 4 faction—they were the leaders of an organization known as the Church of Purity. Their doctrine was chillingly clear: the purity of human blood was the ultimate supremacy. This belief had long fueled their actions, and now, it seemed, they were ready to bring their ideology to the forefront of the academy's battleground.