Legacy of the Dark Sage

As expected, the short-fused Matias ground his teeth in anger and pointed derisively in Kyran's direction.

"Just you wait you sorry excuse of a human! I'll shave that smirk off your face, gouge your eyes and use it as feeds to the pigs!" Matias growled just when the announcer opened her mouth to start explaining the rules.

An awkward silence filled the hall from Matias's sudden outburst.

Kyran, on the other hand, simply raised his brows at his childish outburst.

The four-leaf clover earring the female announcer was wearing glinted, and after a few seconds, she cleared her throat and looked at Matias.

"Please refrain from speaking provocative words targeting other participants due to personal reasons. This is a competition where you are representing not only yourself but the Lumley Family. Consider this your first warning," the female announcer sternly told Matias, before looking in Kyran's direction.

"On behalf of the Courtenay Family, we apologize for letting such a thing happen and cause you any inconvenience. Rest assured, this will not happen again."

Matias saw the female announcer's attitude toward Kyran as giving him special treatment, making his mood worsen even more. But this time around, he managed to keep his tongue in check after the female announcer's reminder that he was representing the whole Lumley Family in this competition.

"No need for that," Kyran told the announcer and waved his hand dismissively. The last thing he wanted was the Courtenay Family currying favor. He already experienced such from one of their Twin Belle in his military school days and that did not end well.

To Kyran, the Courtenay Family currying favor was equivalent to lifting up their overinflated egos. The more they show favor towards you, the more they would expect you to surrender everything you 'are' and have to them.

The female announcer nodded her head, "Very well."

She returned her attention to the audience and continued, "Now then, allow me to explain the rules of the competition.

"The rules are simple and straightforward. Each team will have three participants will enchant the ready made items in front of them. The time limit of enchanting the items will be two hours. Afterwhich, one of their member will participate in a mock battle against the other team using the enchanted magic items. Before the start of the mock battle, the participants will be given thirty minutes to create their own Array, for example, a defensive or an offensive array. But do take note that the materials one can use will only be the ones provided. Personal materials will are prohibited. Finally, the mock battle will have a time limit of thirty minutes."

Kyran's brow furrowed after hearing the rules.

He did not mind the last one, especially in prohibiting personal materials when creating Arrays. He welcomed any rule that would allow him to save his own resources.

What did not sit well with him was the first part. Because it was different from the rules they were given on the first day.

To properly enchant items, the Array calculation should be included during the forging process not after. This was to ensure the materials used in the Array was compatible with the item. Enchanting ready-made items were not advisable because the Array calculation would likely contradict the item's composition and would end up becoming unstable. This would result in the item crumbling after exhausting the effects of the Array.

In the original rules Kyran and the others had read, they were supposed to be given items that had undergone the initial process of forging. By doing this, they would not need a lot of time in crafting the item from scratch and could focus on enchanting it by completing the final crucial phase of forging.

Still, it would take some time, thus, it was mentioned in the rules that the results would be announced the following day. What was important in the competition was that people had to see the participant's skills in enchanting the items and that the time limit would be three hours.

There was no mention of a mock battle.

Kyran glanced in Noir's direction and saw him talking to Vaness with a disapproving expression. Then he looked at the two Array Specialists from the Blacksmith Order, Owen, and Hamish, and also saw them with troubled expressions.

Finally, Kyran glanced at the Lumley participants and saw their expressions with unmasked amusement. It almost seemed as if they already knew the change and were not bothered by the change.

He looked at Matias who was still glaring at him but was now mixed with a malicious glint in his eyes.

'I see...' Kyran thought recalling Matias's outburst.

The way Matias had said it, Kyran initially thought the former was only saying it in anger. But come to think of it, Matias's 'just you wait' declaration almost sounded as if he knew he would have an opportunity to do the things he said he would do to Kyran; the shaving the smirk off his face and gouging his eyes.

'So this is what you meant.'

A playful smile tugged at the corner of Kyran's lips as he returned Matias's mischievous smile.

If Kyran was correct, the Lumley Family requested to include a mock battle in the Array Creation competition. Just like what Kyran did yesterday in Solo Competition.

"Are there any questions?" The female announcer asked while looking at the participants, then at the leaders of both sides.

Noir looked at the announcer and apparently wanted to object when he caught Kyran looking at him. The latter shook his head slightly, and the older man fell silent.

Kyran gestured toward Owen and Hamish, who caught on and looked at him as well.

He mouthed, "Let's talk first before you start working on your item."

The two nodded in acknowledgement.

The female announcer, seeing the exchange, looked at Kyran and asked, "Is there anything you want to say Disciple Tyr?"

Kyran looked at her and said, "There is no rule that prohibits us from talking to one another right?"

The announcer's earing glinted, to which Kyran noticed and sneered inwardly.

Seriously, the 'head committee' was such a busy body that she could not even let the female announcer answer by herself.

"Yes," the announcer replied.

"Thanks. That's all."

The announcer nodded her head and regarded the audience once more.

"We will now commence with the Array Creation competition," she announced.

A circular golden array lit up overhead. It was similar to the timer used in the Solo Competition. However, the timer this time around had a series of numbers written on it. It showed: 2:00:30.

Kyran guessed the 30 was the seconds, while the 2:00:00 was supposed to be the two-hour limit for the item creation.

As the timer started its countdown, the furnace on all six workstations burned and the work table rotated.

Clicking sounds were heard as the table shifted and opened up revealing the 'item' they were supposed to enchant from within.

The three items were as follows: A headgear, a plate, and a sword.

Both teams were given the same three items.

Kyran looked at the item before him with an indifferent expression. Apparently, he was to enchant the headgear. He looked at Owen and Hamish, who was also looking at their respective items with a complicated expression.

Owen got the plate, and Hamish got the sword.

'Owen is better at crafting accessories, while Hamish excels in defensive magic items,' Kyran thought with a wry smile. 'Talk about a mismatch of items.'

Without touching the headgear before him, Kyran made his way to Owen, who was closest to him.

When Hamish saw Kyran make his way to Owen, he followed suit.

This was the first time he and Owen would be working closely with Kyran, and to be honest, he was both excited and nervous. Obviously, he caught on that the change in the rules was a plot by the Lumley Family to get even with Kyran. And he was positive that Kyran would not run away and represent their team in the mock battle.

However, Kyran would be using the items he and Owen would enchant. That was Hamish's concern.

They could not possibly let Kyran use a half-assed enchanted item. Not to mention, the items assigned to them were different from the ones they were used to forging.

Well, if they were forging the item from scratch they could still make a passable magic item. But the items were ready-made ones that they were not familiar with.

"Disciple Tyr, I am sorry. I will do my best to enchant this item but... I am afraid, it will only hold for one or two attacks," Owen told Kyran as soon as he arrived within earshot.

Kyran looked at him with raised brows, and before he could reply, Hamish, who just arrived also chimed in and said, "Me too. I am not really good with weapons. At most, it can unleash two or three strikes before it crumbles."

Owen and Hamish exchanged glances and could not help but let out a dejected sigh.

Kyran had been helping the Blacksmith Order since the day he decided to appear in public. And during those times, he had shone brilliantly, like an inextinguishable flame.

If the two of them let Kyran use their half-assed creation, who knew what would happen?

Kyran could not help but give a slight smile.

"You two... who said anything about me doing the mock battle? And what, the hell is with those expressions? It's not as if the item in front of you is fixed," he told them.

As if the two had only realized this, their expression lit up at once, and said, "You mean we can exchange?"

But then they stopped short after recalling Kyran's first words:

'Who said anything about me doing the mock battle?'

Owen and Hamish's eyes widened comically as they gaped at Kyran and exclaimed at the same time, "What? You're not doing the mock battle?"

Kyran chuckled at their reaction.

"Any of us can do the mock battle. I don't have to go," he told them. Then teasingly added, "What? Are you two scared of those Lumley pisspants?"

The two gave a wry smile.

"Well, Disciple Tyr, after what happened yesterday? Besides, we are Master mages, yes, but so are they..." Owen's voice faltered slightly as he looked at the Lumley's side.

"Wait. Young Master Matias is not a Master mage, right?"