Earth's Greatest Magus

After the stirring ceremony, Emery returned to Hall 120, brimming with determination to begin his role in nurturing the acolytes alongside Klea and Ashaka. As he stepped back into the familiar surroundings of the hall, his mind buzzed with plans and aspirations.

Emery's goals remained clear in his mind. The Myriad Spring of Life, the coveted resource that held the promise of immense benefits for him. Moreover, he had made a promise to the acolytes, to lead them to the highest ranks of the academy halls.

His sights were set on, at the very least, achieving a position in the high hall. However, if circumstances allowed, he aimed even higher — to secure a place among the prestigious top ten halls of the academy.

However, he understood the path ahead would not be easy. The rules governing hall advancement were clear: to challenge higher halls, he needed to prove his prowess in the coming academy games involving 20-person teams, followed by 5 vs. 5 duels, and ultimately, an instructor battle.

Reflecting on his observations of the instructors during the ceremony, Emery believed he could battle his way into the top 30 or even the top 20 halls with his current ability.

However, the prospect of facing the elite of the academy, the top 10 halls, gave him pause. Emery recognized the need for thorough preparation before he could confidently vie for a place among the highest echelons of the academy's hierarchy.

Amidst his considerations about strength and strategy, Emery's primary focus remained on the welfare and progress of the acolytes under his care. With five months until the commencement of their first games and the opportunity for their initial advancement to the middle halls, time was of the essence.

Standing alongside Klea and Ashaka, Emery surveyed the group of 21 acolytes assembled in the courtyard of Hall 120. Among them, he noted a diverse mix of backgrounds and experience levels.

There were Dillion, Damo, Kat, and six others, all third-year acolytes, their seasoned presence evident in their demeanor. There were no second-year acolytes among the group, leaving the bulk of the cohort comprised of first-year acolytes.

Among the first-years were four earth acolytes: Kingrig, Ha Ron, Titus, and Armenius, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. The insectoid siblings Blain and Bellana added an intriguing dynamic to the group.

Hardy, representing the Kaleos faction, stood apart with his distinct demeanor and heritage, while four other lower realm acolytes rounded out the cohort, each bringing their own aspirations and challenges to the table.

In a last-minute addition, a newcomer joined the group—a first-year Mythical half-blood. Initially mistaken for the silver-haired girl Shura, this newcomer turned out to be a young man with a chubby build and pink-hued skin, hailing from the Boar bloodline.

"Hello, everyone! I'm Ullong, and I'm happy to be part of this hall," the newcomer announced with an enthusiastic grin, directing his gaze towards Emery with a hint of mischief. Emery couldn't help but sense the insincerity behind Ullong's words, knowing full well that the young acolyte was likely fabricating his admiration for Emery just to make a good impression.

Earlier that morning, Urix informed him that Ullong, who had initially been assigned to Lucius Corvin Hall 7, had been suddenly kicked out in the last hours. Rumor suggested that he was replaced by another acolyte who joined on the final day. With the other half-blood halls already at capacity, Ullong found himself with no choice but to enter Hall 120.

Emery couldn't suppress a sigh at the revelation, but he remained grateful for the additional acolyte in his hall, particularly one with a mythical bloodline. Despite Ullong's questionable appearance, lack of motivation, and dubious character, Emery thought the young boar possessed hidden strengths or abilities that could prove valuable to their hall.

Or so he thought...

"All right, it's now official. Welcome, all, to Hall 120!"

Emery began with a heartfelt speech outlining his goals for the upcoming year. He expressed his ambition to advance to the middle hall by midyear and ultimately to the high hall by the year's end. While some in the group expressed doubts, many welcomed Emery's enthusiasm. However, he made it clear that his personal goals were secondary to their growth as individuals.

"My priority is to unlock your fullest potential."

Turning to Klea to explain the training module, Emery was surprised to find her momentarily distant. It took her a moment to collect herself before she delved into the details of their planned training module, which they had meticulously crafted.

Each instructor would hold a one-day session per week. Ashaka would dedicate a day to teaching meditation and hand-to-

hand combat techniques. Klea would focus on spellcasting and imparting general Magus knowledge. Finally, Emery would devote a day to instructing combat techniques, emphasizing his unique Dao steps and swordsmanship.

Emery outlined their plan for special personalized coaching for a select few, assigning specific acolytes to each instructor. Emery's choice opted for Dillion, recognizing the potential within the young man and harboring several ideas for his improvement. Klea opted for Damo, aiming to refine his spellcasting abilities, while Ashaka selected Kat, hoping to assist her in mastering martial arts and, importantly, controlling her temper.

These three were their strongest and main candidates to prepare for the 5 vs. 5 duels, hence Emery needed to undertake serious training with them.

As jealousy simmered among some acolytes, Emery assured them that he would select two more acolytes the following month and possibly more in the future, depending on their monthly evaluations. This arrangement would provide the acolytes with greater freedom to pursue individual studies while allowing Emery to dedicate more time to his own training and Earth faction matters, with only two or three days per week committed to academy duties.

With the acolytes gathered before him, Emery had another important decision to make.

Just that morning, he had received a special package from the academy: 2,100,000 spirit stones and 210,000 contribution points. These were quarterly benefits allocated to their hall, meant to be shared among the acolytes.

Emery needed to find a fair system for distributing these resources, although ultimately, the instructors held full authority over their allocation. In fact, Emery might have selected to keep them all for himself.

Having a plan in mind, Emery stepped forward into the yard and addressed the eager acolytes.

"Let's start with a game. If any of you can lay a finger on me, all of you will each receive 10,000 contribution points."

The announcement quickly sparked excitement among the acolytes, and with a confident smile, Emery declared, "Let's begin."