Earth's Greatest Magus

Chapter 2345  Challenge

Emery had prepared himself to face Hall 6's instructor, Grand Magus Lewis. The young Nephilim, while in the two-cosmos realm, was someone Emery felt ready for. He had studied Lewis for weeks, knowing the fight would be tough, but not impossible. Emery's goal was clear: ensure victory after all the hard work his acolytes had put in.

But as Emery stood in the arena, something unexpected happened. Instead of Lewis, an older figure emerged from the Nephilim side, parting the crowd as he approached. His presence immediately filled the space with a powerful, suffocating aura. It was unmistakable—this man was a three-cosmos grand magus.

The audience gasped, murmurs spreading like wildfire across the arena. Shock and confusion rippled through the crowd.

"They've swapped their instructor!"

"To think the Nephilim would go to such lengths for a mere Magus instructor."

"This is what happens when you go up against the Nephilim!"

Narrowing his eyes, Emery quickly assessed the situation. The realization hit him—just like the Navaroo faction had done in a previous tournament, the Nephilim were making a last-minute switch. Instead of facing the expected opponent, he now found himself confronting someone far more formidable.

There was no need for VIA to identify the approaching figure. Emery immediately recognized the imposing presence of the Nephilim Grand Overseer. It was the same elder he had encountered 15 years ago during his dealings with Kronos. Despite the surprise, Emery harbored a level of respect for this man, one of the few Nephilim he genuinely admired.

With a respectful tone, Emery addressed him. "Grand Overseer, why are you here? will I be fighting you today?"

The elderly expression remained calm as he replied, his voice steady but commanding, "I am here to make things right." He then turned his gaze toward Headmaster Goldstein, who stood overseeing the match. "Instructor Lewis was always a temporary replacement to fill the gap left by Isthar. Therefore, I request a change for this challenge."

His words caused a ripple of murmurs through the crowd. Some were confused, others nodding in approval. It was clear that they had planned this to humiliate Emery in front of the tens of thousands gathered here, making it clear that any defiance against their power would not go unpunished.

Emery turned toward Headmaster Goldstein, awaiting his decision. Unsurprisingly, the headmaster swiftly approved the Nephilim's request without hesitation. The ease with which such manipulation occurred only deepened Emery's irritation with the Academy's flawed structure. It was clear that favoritism and politics often held sway over fairness here.

However, Emery had anticipated this exact scenario. He remained calm, waiting for his carefully prepared countermeasure to unfold. As if on cue, another powerful figure stepped onto the stage, this time from Emery's side. The newcomer was also a three-cosmos realm grand magus, but his appearance was striking in more ways than one. Despite his age, his body was imposing, muscular, and emanated strength not usually found in the elderly. But what truly caught everyone's attention were the two antennas protruding from his forehead—a distinctive mark of his insectoid lineage. A few moments of silence passed before recognition spread through the audience. This was none other than Balthazar, the Scorpion Lord, one of the strongest grand figures among the insectoid bloodline. His mere presence caused a palpable tension to ripple through the arena.

Balthazar's appearance was no coincidence. He had arrived in response to a personal request Emery had made to Queen Phyllis, the insectoid queen, seeking her support for her offspring—Blaine and Bellana—and the wider insectoid community. His presence was a statement, turning what had initially seemed like an underhanded move by the Nephilim into a true contest of equals.

The atmosphere in the arena shifted as the crowd whispered in awe. As the imposing insectoid elder took his place on the stage, Emery turned to Headmaster Goldstein and spoke up confidently

"I request permission for another to take my place,"

The request caught the headmaster off guard, and murmurs broke out among the other academy staff. A ripple of confusion spread, but Emery had anticipated this reaction. Fortunately, he wasn't without allies on the panel.

Grand Magus Aurora, sitting among the panel, let out a soft chuckle before speaking up in support of Emery's request. Her intervention swayed the ongoing discussions, and the atmosphere slowly shifted toward allowing Emery's request.

The Nephilim Grand Overseer, who had maintained a composed expression throughout, now cracked a small smile "You came prepared indeed," he said, his voice filled with a subtle respect for Emery's foresight.

Emery met his gaze without hesitation. "I mean no disrespect, Grand Overseer, But a fight between myself and someone of your stature wouldn't be appropriate."

The elderly Nephilim raised a brow, clearly entertained by Emery's confidence. His lips curled into an amused smile before he turned toward Headmaster Goldstein, addressing him directly.

"I believe there's been a misunderstanding," he said with a hint of playfulness in his voice. "It is not I who will be representing the Nephilim Hall in this fight."

Soon after, the Grand Overseer called out a name, and a figure stepped forward, drawing the attention of the audience. This newcomer was a young-looking grand magus, exuding an air of formality in his crisp attire adorned with symbols of the papal church. Despite his seemingly unassuming presence, a warning flashed across Emery's mind from VIA, alerting him to the significance of this figure. The young-looking grand magus was Adam, the youngest of the Nephilim's twelve apostles, a title that carried weight and prestige. Grand Overseer Lewis turned to Emery, his gaze sharp and challenging. "What do you think?" he inquired, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I'm sure he will be a more appropriate match for you."

Emery shifted his attention to the grand magus standing before him. Despite Adam's lower rank compared to Lewis, there was a strength in his demeanor that couldn't be overlooked. Recognizing that refusing this challenge would only further complicate matters, Emery decided to accept the challenge.