Inside the Gaora VIP Hall...
"Everyone, I’ve received the list from the Empire’s designated senior scouts. Those who are interested may gather to discuss this matter of new Magna Prospects with me. However, please do continue to watch the matches if you fancy so. His Majesty will be the one to make the final call anyway, so there’s no pressure," a bespectacled middle-aged man announced, hoping to gather and document the opinions of those present to help guide the emperor toward a better decision.
A majority of the people naturally went over, eager to join the discussion.
Only a select few old men, long retired after respectable service to the empire, boldly declined and remained in their seats with wine cups in hand as they waited for the short break to end.
"So, Morris, how many youngsters made the list this time?" asked one of the high-profile guests to the middle-aged man.
"Six, Lord Anzin," Morris replied respectfully, adjusting his glasses as he shifted his focus to the list.
"Donner Rakurai made it this time, though there’s much to be desired in his attitude and general approach."
"Aihh... That kid’s raw talent is undeniable," said Lord Bernon with a sigh. "But you know, officially declaring him a Thunder Magna Prospect isn’t exactly wise. He might cause more problems than he solves on the battlefield..."
"I disagree, Lord Bernon," Madam Phoebe interjected. "While he’s reckless and unhinged, Donner is still young. He’ll mature with time. Besides, he already has a Former Magna as a master. Isn’t it just a title he’s missing? If he hasn’t shaped up by the age of twenty-five, the empire can always decide against appointing him as the next Thunder Magna, no?"
"Yes, Madam Phoebe, but the issue lies in the empire’s resources," Lord Bernon countered. "Declaring him a Magna Prospect means we’re obliged to allocate those limited resources by law. Why gamble them on someone so uncertain?"
"Because he’s incredibly talented, Lord Bernon..." she said, her voice firm.
The arguments continued within the hall, most grounded in logic, though a select few clearly spoke out of self-interest. Morris, ever sharp, easily saw through their motives and didn’t take their words to heart.
In the end, he was the one who would submit the report and held the power to make all the right calls.
Felix and Aurora were also brought up in the discussion.
However, many expressed their dissatisfaction after their recent lackluster performances.
The former had nearly lost to a dark horse, while the latter was smoked by a freshman from the Grand Magic Academy.
"Oh, right, speaking of freshmen from the academy..."
The short break allowing participants to prepare for their semifinal matches had come to an end.
Naturally, those who still had money, whether from claiming winnings or surviving earlier losses, had already placed new bets.
With only a few matches left, BetYourLife announced that this would be the final opportunity to place wagers.
Spectators now had to decide who they believed would make it to the finals and, ultimately, who would become the champion, all in a single betting ticket.
Due to the results of the quarterfinals, the odds had changed rather dramatically.
Felix Dargon was now the least favored to advance.
Donner, on the other hand, had become the new top contender, and his name appeared on most tickets as one of the two expected finalists.
Pierro followed as the next most favored.
He had defeated the younger Magna Prospect, Ennya Kasai, using only a single spell, and his next opponent, Felix, had already shown signs of weakness in his previous match.
This reshuffling allowed Hal to climb to third place in the betting odds, overtaking the previous top seed.
He could have landed in second place if not for the current matchups.
He had to go through Donner Rakurai first to reach the grand finals, which made his path the hardest of the remaining contenders.
The most common bets were on a Donner versus Pierro final, with Hal versus Pierro being the second most popular prediction.
Of course, there were still a few bold bettors who placed their bets on a Felix versus Hal grand final, hoping for a major upset from the first seed.
Everyone was already ready, nonetheless, including the competitors themselves.
Hal was supposed to face Donner first.
However, under the request of the sponsors, the Arcana Primis Cup organizers had to make something up and reverse the order.
Perhaps the strange request had something to do with the business side of things, something none of them could comprehend.
And so, Pierro and Felix went up first, locking eyes as they faced off at the center of the main stage.
There wasn’t much tension in the air, though.
The Magna Prospect remained as laid-back as ever, while Felix wore his usual lazy, aloof expression.
With both competitors equipping their weapons, the timer began counting down.
Pierro acted instantly, conjuring three puppets—two made of conjured ironwood, and the frontmost crafted from alloy.
He armed the puppets as well, giving the rear one a bow and equipping the two in front with a sword and shield each.
Mana strings extended from his Conjurer Gloves, attaching to the backs of the puppets.
All of this was done within a second and a half, showcasing exactly why Pierro had earned the title of Magna Prospect at such a young age.
There was simply no other conjurer his age with such mastery.
Even when compared to the most gifted conjurers in the empire’s history, Pierro surpassed most, if not all, of them.
His mana-bound artifact further cemented his strength, enhancing his puppets’ durability far beyond the limits of their base materials while also halving their mana cost.
Without question, Pierro was destined to become a terrifying force on the battlefield, commanding an ever-growing army of conjured warriors. This was why the empire spared no effort in immediately appointing him as one of the Magna Prospects.
Meanwhile, Felix made his own preparations.
He cast three slow-moving Void Eyes that vanished from sight shortly after materializing, along with a few Void Pockets for defense.
Only when both sides were ready did the battle truly begin.