Earth's Greatest Magus

It was the day of the Magus games for the lower halls. One thousand selected acolytes, from Hall 71 to Hall 120, gathered in the Virtual Hall. This was their moment to prove themselves, earn glory for their halls, and advance their standing within the Magus Academy.

Klea, standing in for Emery, was summoned to a separate chamber designated for the instructors. Here, she joined the ranks of 70 other instructors: the 50 lower hall instructors and several other middle hall instructors who had come to witness the games.

Her arrival was met with a mix of awe and scrutiny. As the only half-moon magus present, her presence attracts attention. Moreover, she was representing Emery, the most controversial figure among the lower hall instructors. Emery's display of strength at their last instructor's gathering had left an indelible mark, marking Hall 120 as a formidable contender.

Klea moved with a confident grace, her eyes scanning the crowd and she soon recognized Instructor Aspes of Hall 68. His demeanor shifted, and his face soured the moment he noticed her, a stark contrast to Klea's friendly smile.

"I guess he is still angry... What a sore loser," she mused silently, recalling the last encounter where Emery had bested him.

Not knowing anyone else, Klea considered using her charm to gather information, but before she could put her plan into action, an old but tough-looking magus approached her. After he politely introduced himself, Klea quickly connected the dots. The man was Magus Harambe, the instructor of Hall 62, a half-blood veteran warrior known as the Mighty Kong.

"It's unfortunate that Instructor Emery is not here. I hope he will be ready for the instructor battle," Harambe said with a respectful nod.

"Yes, Senior, I hope the same," Klea replied, maintaining her composed demeanor.

The half-blood instructor was friendly enough to introduce Klea to some other 'friendly' instructors, easing her integration into the group. As she mingled, Klea gained a better understanding of the dynamics at play and the various alliances and rivalries among the halls.

Finally, the moment arrived. The announcement echoed through the chamber :

[Magus Games has begun]

All 1000 acolytes were sent into five identical virtual servers. Each server hosted 10 teams of 20 acolytes, competing in various objectives to gather points. After a grueling 12-hour duration, the 10 teams with the highest accumulated points would be selected to advance to the next challenge, where they would compete with the middle halls for the coveted advancement slots.

Multiple virtual screens appeared in one corner of the hall, allowing instructors to monitor the progress of the acolytes.

Klea watched intently as the acolytes spawned in the central area of an island, where a formidable fortress was besieged by hordes of orcs and goblins. It was a chaotic warzone, a true test of their skills and teamwork.

As the game commenced, the acolytes quickly organized themselves, each team strategizing on how best to defend the fortress and repel the invaders.

One hour into the game, similar scenes unfolded across all five servers. Ten teams, worked hand in hand to successfully stop the incoming threat, forcing thousands of orcs to retreat into the forest and mountains. However, the true nature of the games began to reveal itself as the acolytes quickly realized that merely killing orcs and goblins was not the sole source of points.

[Destroy goblin camps: 5000 points]

[Destroy orc outpost: 20,000 points]

[Collect 500 medicinal herbs: 10,000 points]

[Repair and Reinforced fortress: 5000 points]

[Rescue captured allied soldiers: 100 points]

[Kill ???? 100,000 points]

Understanding that these objectives were limited in number, the halls swiftly transitioned from cooperative defense to intense competition. They started hoarding information and even disseminating false information to gain an advantage. The initial camaraderie dissolved into a frantic scramble as teams rushed to complete these valuable objectives.

"Look, Hall 85 and 78 are working together! They will dominate that server," said one of the instructors, pointing to the virtual screens.

The game's details were kept secret to maintain the competitive edge, making cooperation uncommon. However, some acolytes, proficient in diplomacy, managed to form alliances. With two high-ranking teams working together, they swiftly broke through the orc defensive lines and charged toward an outpost, gaining substantial points.

Not only did the higher-ranked teams possess sheer numbers, but they also boasted a combination of experienced acolytes. Among their ranks were several bronze insignia holders, and even the rare silver insignia acolytes forming a formidable force that made the game's difficulty level seem trivial.

On the other hand, the lower-ranked teams, such as those from Halls 100 to 120, struggled to make a significant impact. These teams were primarily comprised of new and rejected acolytes, lacking the experience and skill necessary to compete effectively. Their attempts to destroy even a simple goblin camp were met with considerable difficulty.

However, Hall 120 presented a unique situation.

The group's composition was diverse, a mix of seasoned veterans and inexperienced newcomers. While they boasted one silver insignia acolyte—Damo, and two bronze Kat, and Blaine—, they also had six junior first-year acolytes who would typically not have been selected for such events in other halls. This blend of skill levels resulted in an overall strength that hovered slightly above average compared to their counterparts, a fact reflected in their accumulated points.

Three hours into the games, Klea watched the screens with a frown.

[Hall 120: 32,210 points]

[Team rank: 31st place]

They were gaining fewer points than expected and needed twice their current points just to reach the 10th rank. The situation looked dire.

This discrepancy in their performance led Magus Aspes, accompanied by his cohorts, to approach Klea with a smug expression.

"Hahaha, I wonder which is worse, us overestimating you or you overestimating yourself," he taunted, his voice dripping with condescension.

Such disrespectful treatment annoyed Magus Harambe, his eyes narrowing with anger, but Klea didn't need the veteran magus to defend her. She met Aspes' gaze with a calm, confident smile and said, "I guess some people were born with bigger mouths than brains."

"What?! How dare a mere assistant speak to me like that!" he spat, his voice rising with outrage.

Klea remained unflustered, "I didn't speak wrong… I am confident our team will reach the top ten rank."

Aspes' expression shifted from anger to amusement, a mocking chuckle escaping his lips. "Are you blind? Can't you see how bad your students are?! What a stupid fool!"

The surrounding instructors watched with a mix of interest and discomfort, sensing the rising tension. Klea, however, maintained her poise, her challenging smile unwavering.

"How much do you dare to bet?"