Earth's Greatest Magus

The benefits package allocated to hall instructors varied depending on the rank of the hall and the number of acolytes under their tutelage. These funds were intended to be distributed among the acolytes to support their training and development.

For lower halls like Hall 120, the allocation consisted of 100,000 spirit stones and 10,000 contribution points per acolyte every three months. In contrast, middle halls received double that amount: 200,000 spirit stones and 20,000 contribution points per acolyte. Higher halls enjoyed even greater benefits, with 500,000 spirit stones and 50,000 contribution points per acolyte. At the top halls, the benefits were remarkably generous, with 1,000,000 spirit stones and 100,000 contribution points per acolyte.

This meant that Lucius Corvin, with his full complement of 50 acolytes, would receive a staggering sum of 50,000,000 spirit stones and 5,000,000 contribution points every three months, reflecting the substantial resources available to the top-ranking halls.

While spirit stones held less significance for most magus, particularly grand magus, contribution points were highly valued currency among acolytes. These points could be exchanged for access to exclusive academy spells, items, or access to special facilities within the academy, such as coveted time in using the origin stone room.

To illustrate their importance for hall 120 acolytes, 10,000 contribution points could translate to an additional 20 hours of access to the origin stone room, supplementing their weekly quota of four hours. Therefore, when Emery announced the reward of 10,000 contribution points, it sparked excitement among all the acolytes.

"Let's begin," Emery declared, his demeanor calm as he walked confidently into the midst of the 21 acolytes, ready to face their challenge.

They hesitated at first, unsure of how to approach Emery's challenge. Kat was the first to gather her courage, charging forward with determination. Her finger nearly grazed Emery's shoulder, but she missed by a hair's breadth. Turning to the others, she urged them on with a determined cry.

"What are you all waiting for!!"

Seeing Kat's bold move, Kingrig followed suit, leaping forward with agility. Despite his speed, he too fell short. Ha Ron and the two centurions prepared to intercept, but their attempts were futile, only managing to brush against Emery's hair as he deftly dodged their touch.

Encouraged by their peers, the other acolytes joined in the fray, but with more participants, the chaos only intensified. A flurry of movement ensued as acolytes crashed into each other in their attempts to achieve their objectives.

Emery didn't aim to make it impossible for them. He relied solely on his Dao steps, fluidly maneuvering around the yard. With precise movements, sometimes he would lightly touch and nudge the acolytes, causing them to lose balance and stumble to the ground.

Dillion leaped into action with unwavering determination, channeling all his energy into a swift dash like a comet. Despite his efforts, he narrowly missed Emery's elusive form. However, Dillion's smile hinted at a coordinated effort with Damo, the young monk springing forth to intercept. Yet, before Damo could make contact, Emery lightly tapped his foot on the ground and effortlessly leaped into the air, evading their grasp once more.

"No!!! just a little more!!" Kat shouted hysterically.

In the midst of this aerial dance, Hardy's voice pierced the air, "This is our chance! Get him when he falls!" His words ignited a renewed sense of determination among the acolytes. Aware that spells were off-limits, they waited eagerly for Emery's inevitable descent.

The acolytes circle the area and lunge towards him, their spirits high. But with a deft movement, Emery evaded their grasp, using the head of one acolyte as a foothold to somersault away, leaving confusion in his wake as some of the acolytes collided once again.

Hardy's voice once again rang out, "Spread out! Each take one area!"

This was a good strategy, and upon hearing it, Dillion took charge, and the group swiftly rallied behind him. By concentrating their efforts within designated zones, they minimized the risk of colliding with one another and maximized their chances of intercepting Emery. Unfortunatly, despite their concerted efforts, Emery's nimbleness and evasive maneuvers eluded their grasp at every turn.

As the chaos of the attempts continued, the atmosphere around the training yard buzzed with a mix of enthusiasm and frustration. Amidst the fervent efforts of the acolytes, Hardy, the young noble from the Kaleos faction remained aloof, observing the spectacle with a detached air. After a brief moment, he leisurely strolled out of the yard towards the sidelines, where Ullong, the newest addition to the group, sat nonchalantly munching on a snack.

"Why did you stop trying?" Ullong inquired nonchalantly

"Nah... no way we can make it... it's impossible... unless master decides to let us... unfortunately, this is our first day and he bends on making a point..."

After sharing his perspective, Hardy turned his attention to the boar half-blood, and asked "What about you? Why aren't you trying?"

In a informal manner, the boar half-blood shrugged. "Not me... I'm too fat... Besides, this... this is a very tasty snack!!" he said between each crunchy bites.

"..."

"Give me some..."

"No.!"

The two showed no further interest in participating in the challenge.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the yard, two other acolytes remained abstained from the activity. The two insectoid siblings. Blaine, standing with a firm resolve, watched the activities with a determined expression while gently restraining his sister, who enthusiastically sought to join in.

"Brother, let me join..." Bellana urged, her voice tinged with frustration.

"No," he replied firmly.

As predicted, the 17 acolytes gave their best efforts during the challenge, but despite their determination, not a single one managed to touch Emery throughout the entire 30 minutes. Emery couldn't help but admire their persistence and resilience. On the other hand, a sense of disappointment washed over him as he observed the remaining four acolytes who made no attempt to participate. Strangely enough, all four hailed from higher realms, a fact that didn't escape Emery's notice.

With a resigned sigh, Emery concluded the challenge, deciding to withhold the points for the time being. "We can try again next month," he announced, his tone carrying a hint of encouragement despite the outcome.

Following the conclusion of the challenge, Ashaka and Klea stepped forward to offer insights and feedback on the proceedings, providing valuable pointers to the acolytes based on their observations. Meanwhile, Emery exited the training yard and made his way into the hall, where he busied himself preparing the first batch of apothecary for the acolytes.