As the competition progressed, the names of participants were called one by one. Each time a name was called, a magus dressed in opulent robes would step forward, signaling their likely affiliation with a prestigious family or faction.
With a tone devoid of high expectations, the female grand magus instructed, "You can begin now."
The first magus placed two fingers on his forehead, a traditional gesture before commencing the use of spirit reading to manipulate one of the bells. The first bell levitated, vibrated, and resounded with a clear ring in mere moments.
TANG!!
The second bell followed suit, but when he attempted to manipulate the third, it wavered and only ascended slightly before he lost control, causing all three bells to drop.
"Two bells, a failed attempt," declared the female grand magus briefly, and she moved on to the next magus. This pattern continued as five magus participants undertook the test, and none succeeded.
Emery observed this series of unsuccessful attempts until the first Nephilim contestant was summoned. This Crescent Moon magus from the Nephilim faction initiated his attempt using the renowned Nephilim divine spell, [Angelic Descent], and remarkably, he manifested three wings—a level of spirit reading mastery that was probably comparable to Armand.
To Emery's surprise, the Nephilim magus successfully elevated three bells, but his fourth attempt resulted in failure, earning him the same "failed" assessment from the grand magus.
Intrigued by the concept of the leveling system for spirit magus, Nyx began to explain the different levels to Emery in more detail.
"Level one is typically conferred when a magus reaches the magus stage," Nyx started, her eyes gleaming with knowledge. "Level two is usually granted to magus with exceptional talent in spirit reading. Level three is considered rare even among magus, but it's a given for those who attain the status of Halfmoon magus. And when a magus can lift and ring four bells, while still in the crescent moon realm or lower, they are recognized as a spirit magus."
As the testing continued, another hour passed, during which a total of 300 participants were assessed. However, only 16 of them were able to successfully lift and ring four bells, with three of these skilled individuals hailing from the Nephilim faction. This achievement granted them the right to proceed to the next round of the competition.
The outcome of this round sparked murmurs and whispers throughout the crowd, questioning the standards set by the Alabaster faction for spirit masters.
"All right, now it's time for the halfmoon magus," the female grand magus announced, signaling the arrival of 200 plus new participants for the test.
When a magus reached the halfmoon stage, it was expected that their soul force would significantly reinforce their mental strength. For this batch, the minimum requirement to be considered a spirit magus title was the ability to lift and ring six bells.
Yet again, the crowd bore witness to multiple rejections as only one in ten participants managed to meet this demanding standard.
When Arcana's name was called, his youthful appearance alone was enough to stir whispers and skepticism among the crowd. Many doubted that Arcana could meet the challenging standard set for the halfmoon magus.
As he started to channel his spirit energy, It became evident that he was struggling, especially when he reached the fifth bell. However, something remarkable happened when the third eye on his forehead opened, signaling the activation of his divine spell, [Eye of Mistra]. With this newfound power, he swiftly rang the fifth and sixth bells, and even a seventh bell began to float in the air but fell before it could ring. Still, it manages to leave the audience in awe.
"Arcana passed!" the female grand magus declared, her voice filled with approval.
Arcana's feat was no small achievement; he had demonstrated the power to influence the mind of a full moon magus. Despite his impressive performance, Arcana returned to Emery with a hint of disappointment on his face. He turned to Nyx and humorously remarked, "I could have rung that seventh one if only I had a beauty like you supporting me. I would have definitely succeeded."
Nyx remained silent, offering no response to his jest.
Several more names were called, and in the end, three halfmoon magus proved their worth by successfully ringing seven bells, establishing themselves as true spirit magus talents.
Finally, the moment arrived for Emery to be called. "Emery Ambrose," the announcement rang out, marking his turn in the competition.
Emery's name sent ripples of hushed conversations through the crowd, particularly among the Nephilim who had heard tales of his exploits.
"Is that him?"
"No... it can't be... I heard he died."
Amidst the rumors and hushed conversations, Emery remained composed and resolute as he approached the row of ten bells. His presence alone piqued the curiosity of many, and all eyes were on him, especially the few who had heard stories of his past exploits. However, most of the onlookers were skeptical about his chances of success.
Standing before the bells, Emery carefully assessed the task at hand. "Let's see how many I can manage," he thought, mentally preparing himself for the challenge.
With unwavering focus, he began channeling his spirit energy into the bells. One by one, they began to rise, and Emery's concentration allowed him to ring the first five bells in perfect synchrony. As they reverberated in harmony, he smoothly progressed to the sixth bell, securing his place in the next round of the competition.
But Emery wasn't content with just passing this initial test. Instead, he aimed to push his limits to the extreme. He initiated his fey transformation, tapping into the latent power within him and allowing his spirit energy to surge like a tidal wave.
"He's a Halfblood!!"
Amid the hushed whispers about his mixed bloodline heritage, Emery continued his astounding performance. The seventh bell chimed, and without missing a beat, he harnessed the might of his innate bloodline, [Emperor Focus]. The eighth bell began its ascent, and Emery unleashed the full force of his bloodline power.
TANG!!!!
Before the stunned spectators could fully comprehend what was happening, the ninth bell followed suit and rang.
TANG!!!!
All nine bells floated majestically in the air, ringing in perfect harmony.
The collective sound of nine bells echoing through the competition grounds left the audience in a state of awe and amazement, from the female grand magus to even Duke Alabaster himself. To see a mere half-moon magus ring nine of the bells was something they rarely ever saw even after hosting the event for a millennia.
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