Earth's Greatest Magus

[One hour till the final round starts, all participants are invited to gather in the Great Assembly Hall]

The final round marked a significant shift in the proceedings. Emery guided the entire group to the Great Assembly Hall, a majestic venue that exuded an air of grandeur. As they entered, they were met with the sight of a fully packed arena, its triple layers of seating arrangements teeming with at least a hundred thousand spectators who had gathered to witness the culmination of the two-day event.

As the last needle of the clock struck the appointed time, signaling the commencement of the final round, a palpable sense of anticipation swept through the air. The opening ceremony erupted with a dazzling display of colorful fireworks that illuminated the sky above. The spectacle was breathtaking, reminiscent of the grandeur of the old Magus academy.

With the stage set, a beautifull host took to the platform, her charismatic presence electrifying the already charged atmosphere. Following her signal, Dillion and the 300 participating acolytes took center stage, their presence eliciting an enthusiastic response from the audience, whose cheers grew even louder and more exuberant.

Amidst the fervor of the crowd, the anticipation reached its peak as Headmaster Goldstein, accompanied by a retinue of esteemed grand magus instructors from the top halls, made their grand entrance, taking their seats in the VIP balcony overlooking the arena.

With all eyes on him, the headmaster rose to address the assembled acolytes and spectators. His opening speech was one of encouragement and support for the acolytes who would soon engage in the ultimate test of their skills.

"Let the best acolytes emerge victorious," he declared, his words echoing through the hall, met with a resounding cheer from the audience that reverberated throughout the air.

With the stage set, the 300 acolytes quickly dispersed, each preparing to face their opponents in the upcoming duels. The floor in the central area transformed into 10 medium-sized arenas, while a virtual screen displayed the names of the competitors, signaling the start of the intense battles to come.

The truth of the matter was that many of the top 100 acolytes found themselves stirred by the prospect of facing the 200 challengers. These challengers, comprised mostly of first-years who had remained undefeated throughout the preceding rounds, posed a formidable challenge to their more experienced counterparts.

Dillion, ranked 96 among the top 100, anticipated facing off against one of the strongest first years in the competition. However, to his surprise, the system matched him against a familiar opponent from the previous year's rankings — Frizz Astra, ranked 90.

Frizz Astra, a sword-wielding acolyte hailing from a high-tech planet affiliated with the Imperium Knights, stood before him. He was a formidable rank 9 high-stage acolyte, adorned with multiple machinery parts that enhanced his overall battle prowess beyond the ordinary.

As Dillion locked eyes with his opponent, he couldn't help but feel a surge of apprehension. Frizz wore a confident smile as he brandished his double mechanized broadsword, exuding an air of superiority.

"Lucky!" Frizz taunted, his words dripping with contempt. He was well aware of Dillion's humble origins and the circumstances that had led to his ranking in the top 100. Many, including Frizz himself, doubted Dillion's worthiness of his rank, especially given his lower realm background.

"Now go back to the hole you came from!" Frizz sneered, his tone laced with disdain as he prepared to engage in battle with his seemingly inferior opponent.

As Frizz's mechanical parts crackled with energy, he launched himself forward with astonishing speed, poised to strike at Dillion. However, to his bewilderment, he found himself stumbling and falling to the ground in quick succession.

"What?!" Frizz exclaimed, his confusion mounting with each failed attempt to advance. It wasn't until the third stumble that realization dawned on him with chilling clarity. "Gravity spell! You!"

Frizz's expression turned pale as he comprehended the source of his sudden impediment. Determined to overcome the spell's effects, he summoned forth his full strength, activating a combined power of technology and spirit known as the [Astra Codex]. With this newfound resolve, he attempted to block the gravity spell and retaliate with his dual broadswords.

However, Dillion's movements were swifter than anticipated, and with a simple yet powerful downward swing, his massive sword, infused with the force of gravity, descended upon Frizz with unstoppable force.

BAMMM!

In a single devastating blow, Dillion's sword shattered Frizz's defenses, sending his broken broadswords hurtling toward him. Incapacitated by the force of the impact, Frizz lay sprawled on the ground, defeated in a single decisive stroke.

"Dillion wins!"

Dillion's seemingly straightforward attack may not have immediately captured the attention of the spectators, but the discerning eyes of the instructors and seasoned experts present recognized and were duly impressed by the sheer power behind his swing. In response, cheers erupted from the members of Hall 120, celebrating Dillion's hard-earned victory.

With an average of 10 minutes between matches, Dillion found himself facing his second opponent after three hours of anticipation. This time, the system pitted him against Filipi, a first-year acolyte who had already made waves by defeating a rank 80 opponent in his initial match.

Filipi, a youthful-looking acolyte, possessed formidable sonic abilities that enabled him to break free from gravitational pressure. Hailing from the sound path, he had been recruited by Grand Magus Neytiri from Hall 5. As the duel commenced, the arena crackled with energy, witnessing a clash between Dillion's explosive attacks and Filipi's rapid long-range assaults.

The battle raged on, each combatant displaying remarkable skill and determination. Despite Filipi's valiant efforts, after 15 intense minutes, he found himself unable to overcome Dillion's relentless onslaught. With his spirit pool depleted, the young acolyte conceded defeat.

"Dillion wins!"

Once again, jubilant cheers erupted from Emery and the members of Hall 120, recognizing Dillion's remarkable achievement.

Securing two victories in succession significantly bolstered Dillion's chances of maintaining his position in the top 100 rankings. With two more duels scheduled for the following day, a successful performance could even propel him to greater heights in his ranking within the academy.

####

Later that day, a gathering of Magus instructors convened to dissect the day's examinations.

"Is the news about him true? Did he really defeat a two cosmos grand magus?" one instructor queried, his curiosity evident.

"It's true, but highly exaggerated," another instructor responded, his tone tinged with skepticism. "There were three other grand magus accompanying him; conveniently, one of them was a human grand magus who perished, and the remaining two were half-bloods..."

"I see," the first instructor mused, digesting the information.

"Even if it's exaggerated, his reputation continues to ascend. Are we prepared to accept a lower realm instructor ascending higher than us?"

"NO!"

"Also... That acolyte, Dillion... He possesses undeniable strength. With such talent, he could potentially ascend to the middle halls, or even beyond."

Concern etched upon their faces, the instructors deliberated their next course of action.

"Fear not, I have a plan to address this Dillion."