"Anyway, I bet you didn’t check the rules like you did for the battle monster tournament, so let us fill you in before you do something stupid."
Najat interjected, chuckling at his grateful nod as he thought.
’Not like I had access to information in Kumari Kandam. Marina just said I’ll win with my eyes closed.’
Meanwhile, Najat raised a first finger and began.
"It’s a competition of spells, so punching or slicing your opponent would get you disqualified."
"Sad, but I don’t need my puppet’s strength."
He tucked his fingers around his chin, dismissing his plan to steamroll the competition sword in hand and already sorting his mana techniques to end the matches without killing his adversaries.
As he thought, Najat raised a second finger.
"Each academy registered up to ten fighters for a total of sixty-four this year. Unlike the last battle monster tournament, we had to undergo a selection phase and fight against other students to claim a spot alongside yours."
He smirked at the last part of her explanation as he gazed at them, one after another.
"I’m sure you had so much trouble qualifying."
As his playful jab echoed, Asha gritted her teeth and clicked her tongue.
"I almost lost to Shiro because you taught her to use spells without casting! She would stand here in my stead if she could fight in melee."
Najat nodded, adding, "We fought against all the other summoned you brought in a fierce competition, too."
She shook her head, remembering how she had almost lost. Then, her eyes sparkled as they landed on him, and awe washed over everyone as she continued.
"You’re just too strong compared to other apprentices and tend to underestimate them, but don’t forget that many have conquered the third trial by now. A party of six even gained fame by overtaking your rank one spot. They’re also recruiting in their guild and saving others left and right since you couldn’t last year."
Eyes widening at the revelation and a smile of disbelief stretching on his face, he raised a shaky thumb in respect.
"They beat me already? Wow! I’m curious to meet them."
However, Aurelius rolled his eyes and joined in the discussion.
"Forget about it. They’re too arrogant now that they are mages. They sent someone to recruit us last time since we’re ranked right below you, and I didn’t like what they said."
"Hahaha. I bet they think they’re stronger than me now."
In any other circumstances, he would have taken their actions as a direct challenge, but not now, not when the end of his long quest was around the corner.
Yet, Morgane’s voice echoed from afar, and her words struck him like heavy hammers.
"They said you fooled around for thirteen years. That’s how they overtook you in a single one. They also said they respect you for what you did on Earth, but that you lost your shine now that Luna isn’t Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!"
She bit her lips, knowing how wrong they were and how hard Adam struggled in the past with his condition as a ghost.
Despite the rising annoyance filling her voice, she continued before falling silent.
"They invited you to join their guild, the white tigers, as an alchemist and enchanter to Keep reading on NovelHub - where stories come alive!"
An icy silence engulfed the room as his brows twitched, his breath came out in ragged huffs, and his soul churned in anger.
Through gritted teeth, he shattered it with a guttural snarl.
"First, I’m not Prometheus but someone entirely different. Second, Prometheus was the only one who didn’t get his powers from Luna. He got them by surviving a nuclear blast close to a mana vortex. Anyone could have done it, really."
His eyes narrowed into slits as the terrifying memory of a regular man fighting a terror and the subsequent events replayed in his mind.
"Why didn’t they try back there?"
He clenched and unclenched his fists as purple electricity danced in his eyes and arced to his wooden limbs, forcing the others to back a step.
"Do they have competing members?"
Morgane offered him a solemn nod as he grinned at her.
"I’ll show them how wrong they are."
As his words heralded a harsh show of mastery, Aurelius scratched his head and spoke.
"Don’t take their words too seriously. They’re using you to promote their guild, but they are helping a lot of our brothers."
Even if he understood the tactic, was it right to belittle someone who had sacrificed everything to offer them a future, or was he too connected to Prometheus to have a different point of view?
’It doesn’t matter. They targeted me, too. Invite me as an alchemist and enchanter when I’m the best in both fields? Did they hit their heads?’
No matter where he went, people would crawl on their bellies and beg him for items. Even Marina traded forbidden knowledge without reserve to get an enchanted staff and clothes from him.
He gritted his teeth as a guard opened the door and sweated at the spectacle of crackling lightning and bright light surrounding his frame.
"T-The Launching ceremony will start now. P-Please, follow me."
With a terrified stutter, the man bowed ninety degrees in horror, the noise of his legs trembling in his greaves echoing in the corridor and alerting his colleagues fetching the other academy competitors.
Inhaling a sea of fresh oxygen to calm down, he dismissed his flaring mana, retrieved a shiny gold coin, and walked to the guard.
"I got a little carried by some news. Take it as an apology for the fright and don’t worry. We’re all friends."
He shoved it into the guard’s trembling hand and gestured for him to guide them with a gentle smile.
He noticed the approaching guards click their tongues in jealousy before returning to their duty with an inner laugh and winked at his friends.
They walked through the corridors, each step helping to restore his mood as he noticed the other academy’s students glaring daggers at each other.
A moment later, the warm morning sunlight shone its rays on his hat as they emerged in the arena’s center.
The packed crowd roared and cheered at their entrance while he observed the old King’s two guards standing in the center with a frown.
’Why are they looking at me?’