The Golem Mage

Alec and his group finally reached the center of the arena, only to realize that the dean wasn’t the only one waiting for them there, as Old Man Alderic stood calmly at his side.

The moment Alec and his companions saw him, a sharp glint passed through their eyes, especially Alec’s.

In an instant, he closed the distance, moving so swiftly that it looked as though he was slipping through space itself.

“Old Man Alderic...” Alec greeted with slightly raised brows, his expression carrying the unspoken question of why it seemed like the elder was planning to accompany them to the capital.

However before Alec could say more, Alderic cut him off.

“It’s just been a few days since I last saw you, yet you’ve already grown much stronger while still in the same realm. Small boy, you’re nothing short of a monster.” The old man’s voice carried both curiosity and admiration as he stroked his beard, as though peering into depths hidden from ordinary sight.

Lucas and Pale, hearing this, didn’t think Alderic was exaggerating.

After all, when Alec stepped out earlier, they had felt a brief oppressive aura spread from him, it had vanished almost instantly, but the sensation alone had convinced them he had made incredible progress, even if they couldn’t pinpoint where.

Now, hearing Alderic confirm it only cemented their suspicions.

“Ohhh, I see,” Alderic said with a sly smile.

“Alec boy, when do you plan to do business with me regarding Tier 6 spirit equipment sets?” His gaze slid toward Agnes and Knight, making his shameless intent clear.

Alec visibly cringed at his behaviour that was feeling extremely similar to that of his grandfather, and he was unable to hide his distaste.

“Never!” he shot back without hesitation.

“Don’t be like that, put the academy’s interests in your thoughts.” Alderic chuckled, undeterred, he had once considered dropping the matter after Alec’s earlier rejection when he asked him after Terran told him of the Gordons auction items, but seeing through the merged sets that Knight and Agnes now possessed, his determination only deepened.

As the leader of the logistics department of the War God Mage Academy, it was frustrating for him not to have access to a top-grade spirit equipment set for display. Now, seeing two Gordons Younger Generation wielding merged spirit equipment sets seemingly customized to their strengths, he was certain that with the right persistence and knocking on the right doors, he might soon obtain such a set himself.

What he didn’t know was the true process behind it all.

He, Terran, and most of the elders of the Academy who were aware of Alec’s priority status within the logistics department had long assumed the Gordons’ Clan housed top-ranking professional specialists such as an alchemist, a forger, a rune master, and an inscription master.

The mere idea that a mid-rank clan could boast four masters of such professions was more fantasy than reality, considering even many ancient clans struggled to produce two.

Yet the evidence was undeniable before them, as Alec had consistently produced extraordinary items, feats that should have been impossible. To the Academy, it was far more believable that the Gordons nurtured several masters who had reached extreme heights in their crafts than to imagine a mid-rank clan in a mid-rank city simply having enough fortune to purchase such treasures, especially since even some weaker high-ranking clans couldn’t afford them, let alone allow a junior to flaunt them so openly.

“So, will we be traveling to the capital through your space door again, Dean?” Agnes suddenly spoke, her voice deliberately cutting through the chatter between Alec and Old Man Alderic.

She had clearly noticed Alec was cornered and stepped in to shield him. Naturally, it wasn’t that Alec was unwilling to support the Academy, he simply had no interest in doing things that didn’t yield him any profit.

To craft even an ordinary Tier 6 set required an astronomical amount of beast bodies of the same race, abilities, or type to synchronize the equipment properly.

On top of that, he would need an additional large stockpile of beast carcasses to sacrifice in exchange for the system points that served as currency for the crafting process.

At the current stage, when the Academy had only just begun mandating students to submit beast corpses after a visit to the Second dimension, it was obvious they could never meet the cost he required to create a Tier 6 spirit equipment set yet.

Even for him, there was little profit to gain from such an endeavour, so he had no intention of humouring Old Man Alderic’s suggestions.

“Yes. But unlike last time, I doubt anyone will try to stop us from entering the stadium with a spatial lock,” the Dean said.

“As we’re not the only ones heading there today, geniuses from across all five kingdoms will be present, so let’s secure a good spot and make sure the War God Mage Academy’s name is put on the radar.” His attempt to rally the group fell flat, but they still followed when he activated his space door.

One by one, they passed through until only the Dean and Old Man Alderic remained, the purple portal which was suspended mid-air was etched with ancient runes, it eventually shimmered before vanishing with a soft swoosh after their departure.

—

The royal family’s guard mages were under immense strain, tasked with providing accommodations for the countless mages arriving to participate in the Origin Competition.

This time, the capital was overflowing, five times more crowded than it had been during the Northern Kingdom’s inter-academy tournament. Inns, rest houses, and every rentable space had long since been filled by visiting mages from the other four kingdoms, who had the wealth and power to make the long journey just to witness the grand event.

This was the kind of exposure the King of the Central Kingdom desired, which was why he had lobbied so hard for his kingdom to host the competition. Unfortunately, his plans fell through as the senior envoy refused to grant him the privilege since it wasn’t his kingdom right .

Though the capital was already overflowing with visitors, the true gathering point was at the four great gates leading to the royal palace.

There, the largest water screens had been erected to broadcast the entire event to the citizens.

At the moment, the screens displayed the arrival of groups teleporting into the royal stadium, and each time an academy from the Great Eight of the Northern Kingdom appeared, the capital erupted in cheers, as the people were showing unwavering support for their own kingdom’s academies.

The same happened when academies from the other kingdoms arrived, though the cheers were noticeably softer.

Outsiders might have indeed travelled far to support their champions, but they could never outshout the fervent citizens of the capital.

The locals took immense pride in their Great Eight Academy geniuses, women were screaming the loudest whenever the captains they admired appeared, while men roared with excitement for the mages they backed, eager to wi

n bragging rights for their next round of pub debates.