Earth's Greatest Magus

Emery's performance during the challenge had not only defied expectations but also left everyone in awe. His power and prowess far exceeded that of any other magus under 30 years of age, a fact that was not lost on the expedition commander.

Once the test was concluded, the scarred man, Neo, approached Emery with a serious and appraising gaze. "I am Neo," he stated, "welcome to the team. I expect great things from you."

Emery responded with the same friendly courtesy, genuinely impressed with Neo's skill and strength.

Noticing the positive interaction, Jinkan stepped in and added, "Great, now that everyone is here, we can finally begin training properly."

Over the course of the next day and the one that followed, while Emery's friends were putting forth their best efforts to secure a place in the main team, Emery was undergoing intensive training with the special team, preparing for the upcoming expedition.

In the celestial ruins, the Avalonian construct and the drones turned out to be among the least problematic obstacles. Inside the ruins lay an array of deadly traps and intricate defense systems that could spell doom for any magus who triggered them. Furthermore, as the magus ventured deeper into the ruins, they would encounter even more potent adversaries.

One of the most feared opponents was the Order of the Avalon, a guardian of the Celestial Ruins. These constructs were created to near perfection in terms of humanoid design, standing at an imposing three meters in height. Forged from tier-5 Avalonian steel, they possessed the power of a Halfmoon magus. The Order was divided into six types: Knights, Archers, Spearmen, Warriors, Wizards, and Priestesses.

As Emery and his fellow trainees soon discovered, their training room had its limitations. While they could only create 80% projections accuracy of the constructs, they were still faced with an arduous challenge. These powerful adversaries were incredibly difficult to defeat, especially when they attacked in groups. The journey into the celestial ruins was bound to be filled with peril, with each layer harboring its own unique dangers and mysteries.

Emery's training with his new team, consisting of Neo, Eeshoo, Mahinder, and Jinkan, was intense and comprehensive. They focused on developing strategies and techniques to effectively deal with each type of construct and adversary they might encounter in the celestial ruins. Emery and Mahinder took on the roles of the powerful frontline, utilizing explosive close-range attacks and defense. Eeshoo assumed the backline position, relying on ranged attacks and spells. Jinkan played a crucial support role with her mastery of multiple elements and various artifacts. Neo, positioned in the middle of the team, served as the leader, guiding the group with his tactical expertise.

In addition to battle training, the team delved into the intricacies of the celestial ruins by studying the vast database maintained by the Nephilim faction. This database included documented information from hundreds of previous expeditions into the ruins. Although the ruins were akin to an ever-changing puzzle, the Nephilim's extensive knowledge and resources enabled them to identify recurring patterns and develop strategies to navigate them.

As the third day of training came to an end, the results of Emery's friends' performance in their respective element teams were announced. The first to fifth-place participants would make up Team A, while the other 5 would form Team B. 

Fire Team

Leader: Kael

Thrax - Fourth place

Feiling - Tenth place

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Plant Team

Leader: Talio Greenbloom

Mera - Fourth place

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Ice Team

Leader: Claris Ainsworth

Ashaka - Eighth place

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Earth Team

Leader: Darian

Abrafo - Fifth place

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Water Team

Leader: Evi Wavesong

Klea - Fourth place

YunXiao - Ninth place

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Wind Team

Leader: Aziz

Chumo - Seventh place

Dyoo - Eighth place

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Lightning Team

Leader: Olvos Stormbringer

Zetto - Third place

Fjolnir - Ninth place

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Metal Team

Leader: Jai Strider

Julian - Sixth place

The results were in, and not everyone from Emery's group had made it into Team A. Only Klea and Thrax had secured a spot, with Julian, Chumo, Ashaka, and Fjolnir not quite making the cut. The competition had been fierce, with Team A mostly composed of half-moon magus, making it an impressive feat that the others weren't at the very bottom of the rankings.

The strategy was clear: Team A would serve as the main force, focusing on exploring the deeper layers of the Celestial Ruins, while Team B would provide support and take care of resources on the initial three layers. They would cooperate, especially during times of danger when they would have to merge together to face the challenges that lay ahead.

The Earth team, aware of their situation, gathered back into the provided residence to discuss their next steps and how they could make the most of this arrangement.

Klea's voice was the first to break the silence that had settled over the Earth team. She directed her gaze at Emery, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and concern as she spoke, "If you guys prefer, we don't have to join the Nephilim team. We can return to our initial plan – the seven of us exploring the ruins together."

The truth was that the Earth team owed nothing to the Nephilim; if anything, it was the Nephilim who depended on them. They had observed the might of the Avalonian drones, and the thought of their friends being scattered in far-flung corners of the ruins, beyond each other's reach, filled Klea with worry. The benefits of the ruins and the rewards promised by the Nephilim seemed insufficient to justify risking their lives – lives that represented a precious few Earth magus.

Klea's sentiments were laced with the trauma of the past eight years. The vivid memories of their separation, the relentless danger they had endured, and the looming threat of their friends' safety had left a profound impact on her. Now that they were finally reunited, she couldn't muster enthusiasm for the prospect of facing similar dangers once again.

"There are still 12 years until our duel with the Kronos, I am sure we can find other means to get stronger," Klea said

She believed that they could become more formidable without the need to embark on a risky expedition. The idea of embarking on their own journey, free from the constraints of the Nephilim's expedition, started to hold appeal. 

Thrax however, with his unwavering warrior's spirit, stepped forward to voice his perspective. "This is the way of the magus," he declared, his tone resolute. "The only way to grow stronger is to dive into more dangerous battles, if we started to compromise and take safer battles, we will never improve"

Fjolnir, chimed in with a sense of pride in his junior. "Thrax is right," he affirmed, supporting the sentiment. It was clear that they believed in the path of challenge and adversity as a means of attaining greater strength.

"Speaking as a true warrior, impressive," Julian's response carried an undertone of irony. While his words seemed to align with Thrax's impassioned stance, those who knew Julian well understood that he was subtly poking fun at such unwavering zeal.

Julian's perspective was grounded in a pragmatic and strategic mindset. "I think we should focus on the objectives at hand," he continued, laying out his practical approach. 

In Julian's view, their primary focus should be on the mission's success and their collective advancement. This approach prioritized safety, unity, and efficiency, rather than recklessly chasing greater power. 

With the duel against the Kronos as their primary goal, Julian believed that their efforts should be concentrated on helping each member amass enough benefits to advance beyond the Crescent Moon Realm. Instead of risking their lives in the treacherous deeper layers for higher law comprehension, he suggested channeling their power towards gathering an abundance of lower-level Crystal Shards, which were more immediately beneficial.

The Romans believed that if Emery chose to remain on the first few layers of the celestial ruins, they could establish their dominance over those levels. By doing so, they could outperform and outpace other low-level magus who might venture there.

Julian's idea, though presented without the fiery passion of Thrax's arguments, carried a strong aura of practicality and wisdom. Chumo and Ashaka offered their opinions, hoping to find a compromise that would best serve the group's collective interests. But ultimately, the final decision rested with one individual.

Julian turned to Emery, "Emery, what do you think?" The group looked to Emery, aware that his perspective would carry significant weight in this important decision.