Pierce cleared his throat softly, breaking the thick silence. "Let us begin."

  Gwen took a deep breath, forcing the tension from her features. She nodded heavily. "Let's begin."

  As the words fell, the robes draping the girl's body dissolved silently, transforming into a simple bracelet around her wrist. This was clearly another high-grade magic item imbued with a Glamer enchantment.

  Bright moonlight poured in from the window, cascading over the girl's form.

  Stripped of her armor and pretense, she looked like a flawless statue carved from alabaster, glowing with a soft, ethereal luminescence against the darkness of the room.

  Pierce pursed his lips, feeling a sudden, slight dryness in his throat. He schooled his expression into professional detachment.

  "Where do you want it?" he asked, his voice steady.

  Gwen hesitated for a moment, biting her lip lightly before turning away. Her voice was barely a whisper. "On my back."

  Magic Tattoos required a significant surface area. The human body offered few canvases large enough to hold the complex runic structures without interference. If one wished to keep them concealed, the choices were even fewer.

  The chest, the back, and the thighs—these were the only viable options.

  Areas like the neck, hands, or head were too exposed for a hidden trump card.

  The girl stood with her back to him. Her hands fumbled slightly behind her, and with a soft rustling sound, her smooth, bare back was fully revealed to the moonlight.

  Moonlight, a beautiful girl, and pure white silence...

  It had to be said, the scene possessed a breathtaking, classical aesthetic.

  Pierce composed himself, clearing his mind of distracting thoughts. He focused entirely on the task at hand, his eyes seeing not skin, but a matrix for mana.

  Having gained experience with the Blink Sigil previously, Pierce's movements were fluid and practiced. The mana needle in his hand danced like a spirit, etching the intricate inscription in less than half an hour.

  A complex, glowing Blink Sigil now adorned Gwen's shoulder blade.

  Pierce breathed a sigh of relief. "Next is the Sanctuary Sigil."

  Gwen gritted her teeth, closed her eyes tightly, and remained still as a statue.

  Pierce paused for a brief moment to recalibrate his mental focus, then began inscribing the second tattoo.

  This one was more demanding. By the time the final rune was set, not only was Gwen covered in a fine sheen of fragrant sweat, but Pierce's forehead was also glistening with perspiration.

  "Alright. It is done."

  As soon as Pierce spoke, a grey shadow flashed over Gwen, and she was instantly draped in her long robe once more.

  "Thank you."

  Dropping these words in a hurried whisper, Gwen vanished from the spot, fleeing the awkward intimacy of the room as if pursued by demons.

  Pierce shook his head in amusement. After resting for a moment to recover his mental acuity, he began to inscribe Magic Tattoos on himself.

  More than an hour later.

  Pierce now bore two new Arcane Sigils: one on his back and one on his left leg.

  Thunderburst and Sanctuary.

  "With this, I possess three Magic Tattoos."

  The corners of Pierce's mouth raised slightly.

  The three tattoos corresponded to offense, defense, and mobility. Once his constitution improved further, adding reinforcement and crowd control tattoos would round out his arsenal perfectly.

  "Moreover, Magic Tattoos can be modified just like Elemental Runes."

  "Eye of Omniscience, modify Magic Tattoos."

  [Task Created. Beginning Magic Tattoo modification. Estimated time: 562 days.]

  Pierce raised an eyebrow. This duration was significantly longer than that for Elemental Runes.

  "562 days... Accelerating with full power would take eight to nine days. It seems I won't be able to finish before the competition."

  Pierce shook his head with some regret.

  After all, there was still the Instant Cast technique that needed analyzing.

  "Forget it. I will modify them after the competition."

  "I should focus on analyzing Instant Cast first, and use the remaining time to analyze another Metamagic technique."

  Pierce thought for a moment and issued a new command.

  "Eye of Omniscience, analyze the Multicasting technique."

  [Task Created. Beginning analysis of Multicasting technique. Estimated time: 227 days.]

  Multicasting, as the name implied, allowed one to cast multiple spells simultaneously or weave distinct spells into a composite attack.

  Like Instant Cast, Multicasting was hailed as one of the most difficult Metamagic techniques to master. In fact, it was often considered even harder than Instant Cast due to the extreme mental bifurcation required.

  This difficulty was reflected in the analysis time.

  "By the time Instant Cast and Multicasting are analyzed, it will be almost time for the competition."

  Pierce looked out the window, his eyes flickering with determination.

  As long as he won the competition, he would obtain enough Spirit Surrogates. Then, he could start condensing a Spirit Crystal and finally break through to become a Formal Wizard.

  "Now, I just have to wait for the competition to begin."

  Astral Calendar Year 14523, March 25th.

  The day of the duel between Aurora City and Crimson Lotus City.

  Outer City, North District, City Gate Entrance.

  When Pierce arrived at the designated gathering point, Cecily and Sutherland were already waiting.

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  Both of them wore tense expressions, their faces taut with nerves regarding the upcoming battle.

  It wasn't until they saw Pierce arrive that their expressions relaxed slightly, and they greeted him with forced smiles.

  Pierce looked around and asked, "Did they say where the competition will be held or how we will get there?"

  Sutherland smiled bitterly and shook his head.

  Cecily also looked helpless. "The higher-ups tell us nothing."

  When those High-Ranking Wizards conducted business, they rarely explained anything in detail to their subordinates. Except for notifying them to wait here at this specific time, no further instructions were given.

  Pierce shrugged. They had no choice but to wait.

  Fortunately, the Arch-Wizards didn't intend to make them wait too long. More than ten minutes later, the air in front of the trio suddenly twisted, and three familiar figures stepped out of the void.

  One was the Masked Wizard who had presided over the maze trial.

  Pierce recognized another immediately—it was Elric, the Wizard who had presided over The Spire Academy's freshman trial.

  The last figure was a female Wizard, appearing to be about thirty years old. She wasn't classically beautiful, but her face possessed an exceptional, mature charm. Her allure was palpable, enough to make young men with little experience flush just by looking at her.

  "Teacher!"

  Cecily's surprised voice rang out.

  The girl rushed forward, her face lighting up with genuine joy.

  "Why are you here, too?"

  Yuman petted Cecily's hair lovingly, her voice soft and melodious. "I was worried about you, so I took the initiative to ask the Council to be your guide."

  "What? What is there to be worried about?" Cecily retorted coquettishly, though her expression showed she was delighted by Yuman's presence.

  The two women, one mature and one young, whispered intimately, painting a pleasing picture.

  However, neither Elric nor the Masked Wizard paid any attention to the reunion. The Masked Wizard interrupted coldly, his voice deep and authoritative.

  "It is late. Time to depart."

  Without waiting for a response, he waved his hand.

  Instantly, a massive volume of water vapor surged from thin air, sweeping over the group and submerging the area in a dense fog.

  "Relax your bodies; do not resist."

  The Masked Wizard's indifferent voice echoed in their ears.

  Hearing this, Pierce and the others suppressed their instincts to defend themselves and relaxed their tense muscles, allowing the white mist to wrap around them.

  Supported by a gentle, buoyant force, everyone slowly floated upward.

  Then, the white mist began to gather and solidify under their feet and above their heads.

  In the blink of an eye, the mist formed an oval dome, encapsulating everyone inside. Underfoot was a solid floor of compressed mist that felt soft and resilient like clouds, while the surroundings and overhead were shrouded in thick, opaque fog, completely blocking the view outside.

  In the next second, a slight vibration hummed underfoot, and Pierce keenly felt a sensation of weightlessness.

  He understood immediately that this white mist dome was their transport.

  Beside him, Cecily was whispering to Yuman.

  "Teacher, where are we going?"

  "To the planar passage of the Plane of Turin. The competition venue is set nearby."

  "Isn't that only a hundred kilometers away? Why not use teleportation directly?"

  "Silly child," Yuman chided gently. "The area near a planar passage is a strict teleportation-forbidden zone. Countless Dimensional Anchors and Dimensional Exile wards have been layered there. Unless it is a Wizard who has mastered the Power of Rules, no one can cast teleportation spells in that vicinity."

  Cecily nodded in understanding.

  Just then, everyone felt a sudden heaviness return to their feet. Immediately after, the dome above and around them collapsed, dissolving into mist that quickly dissipated into the air, leaving only the carpet-like platform underfoot.

  Pierce and the other two were stunned. Looking around, they realized they were hovering above a vast forest, seeing nothing but an endless sea of towering ancient trees with lush canopies.

  "It seems the entrance to the new plane lies within this forest."

  Recalling Yuman's words, Pierce couldn't help but be amazed.

  It had only been four or five breaths, hadn't it? And they had already arrived at the destination?

  Even a rocket wasn't this fast.

  Pierce gained a new appreciation for the capabilities of Formal Wizards.

  Just then, Elric suddenly spoke.

  "They are here."

  The moment his voice fell, a piercing, ear-splitting cry resounded from the distance.

  A pitch-black shadow swept over from the horizon, crossing thousands of meters in the blink of an eye and stopping instantly in front of Pierce's group.

  It was a colossal avian beast.

  It resembled a black eagle but was countless times larger. Its wingspan exceeded thirty meters, and it was nearly ten meters long from beak to tail. Its feathers were black and glossy like obsidian armor, and a pair of massive talons flickered with a chilling light, displaying their lethal sharpness.

  Obviously, this was a high-tier magical creature.

  Pierce looked closely and quickly recognized its species.

  A Hag Eagle, a magical creature native to the Outer Planes.

  It was said that a juvenile had the strength of a Grand Knight, and an adult possessed at least the power of a Tier 2 Legendary Knight. Moreover, they had extraordinary endurance and extremely tenacious vitality. Many Wizards coveted the Hag Eagle as a mount.

  On the broad back of the Hag Eagle sat six individuals.

  Among them, two men and one woman wore white Wizard robes. The other three, who appeared much younger, were obviously the participants from Crimson Lotus City.

  Pierce's gaze swept over a youth of seventeen or eighteen.

  His features were plain—the type that would be lost in a crowd—but if one looked closely, they would find his eyes unusually deep, like abysses.

  This was a characteristic that only appeared when mental power reached a highly advanced level.

  Pierce instantly understood; this person likely practiced a top-tier High-Level Meditation Technique, similar to Yuna, and his mental power should have reached the apprentice limit of 120 points.

  If nothing unexpected happened, this person should be Gareth.

  To Gareth's right was a tall, thin youth with a gloomy temperament. A pair of narrow eyes flickered with a cold, reptilian light, making people involuntarily associate him with a venomous snake.

  This was clearly Xavier, the inheritor of the Rage Python bloodline.

  And the remaining burly, robust youth, who looked more like a warrior than a spellcaster, was most likely Ignis.

  While Pierce and his teammates were sizing up their opponents, the three across from them were scrutinizing them in return.

  "Elric, long time no see."

  On the eagle's back, the leading Wizard—a man with a weathered face—laughed loudly, appearing to be very familiar with Elric.

  However, Elric simply nodded slightly to him with a faint, distant expression.

  The weathered Wizard, Zorander, didn't seem to mind the cold reception. He turned his gaze to Pierce and the others, smiling. "Are these the Wizard Apprentices sent by your Aurora City? Judging by their mental fluctuations, they all seem decent enough."

  Cecily and Sutherland exchanged a glance, unsure for a moment whether this Wizard was being sarcastic or genuinely praising them.

  Hearing this, Yuman snorted lightly and said indifferently, "Cut the crap, Zorander. Where is the adjudicator sent by the Astral Coalition?"

  Zorander chuckled and shook his head. "I do not know the whereabouts of that Lord either."

  As soon as his voice fell, the expressions of the six Wizards present changed simultaneously, as if they had all received a silent transmission at the exact same moment.

  After a pause, a strange look appeared on Zorander's face, and he chuckled low. "A one-on-one elimination system? What a simplistic format."

  As soon as these words came out, the six Wizard Apprentices were stunned.

  Cecily couldn't help but ask in surprise, "One-on-one duel, the loser is eliminated... is the format really that simple?"

  Pierce was also surprised.

  He had speculated on so many complex scenarios—survival trials, resource gathering, point capture—but he hadn't expected something so concise.

  Didn't high-ranking Wizards usually disdain such brute-force methods?

  "Enough," the Masked Wizard cut in suddenly. "Since that Lord set the format, we can only comply."

  He turned to look at the three apprentices and said in a deep voice, "According to the rules, we must send someone first. Who will go?"

  Pierce, Cecily, and Sutherland looked at each other.

  After a few seconds of silence, Sutherland stepped forward, his face solemn. "I will go first."

  The Masked Wizard looked at him, nodded, and waved his sleeve.

  Buzz!

  With a low hum, the countless towering trees below were instantly annihilated silently, turning into dust that blew away on the wind, clearing a flat, circular arena with a radius of a thousand meters.

  "This is the duel arena." The Masked Wizard pointed below.

  Sutherland nodded to show he understood.

  Pierce walked up to him, patted his shoulder firmly, and whispered, "Be careful."

  Cecily also gave him an encouraging look.

  Sutherland took a deep breath, nodded heavily, then walked to the edge of the white mist platform and jumped down without hesitation.

  In mid-air, his descent slowed abruptly, and he landed on the cleared ground as lightly as a feather.

  At the same time, on the eagle's back, Gareth and his teammates withdrew their gazes from Sutherland. After a low discussion, their first candidate stood up.

  To the surprise of Pierce and Cecily, the first one to take the field was actually Gareth.

  They had originally assumed Crimson Lotus City would send Ignis or Xavier first to test the waters.

  Although not a set rule, saving the ace for last was standard tactical procedure.

  Sutherland was also surprised, but he quickly adjusted his mindset, staring guardedly at the slowly descending Gareth.

  The two stood a hundred meters apart. There were no bows, no introductions.

  Both knew well that the other party had studied their intelligence dossiers thoroughly. There was no need to waste breath.

  Moreover, they weren't here to make friends today. They were here to fight, to conquer, and perhaps, to kill.

  There was no restriction against killing the opponent in this competition!

  After a few seconds of tense confrontation, the eyes of Sutherland and Gareth turned cold simultaneously.

  They moved at the exact same instant.

  Accompanied by ear-piercing sonic booms, dazzling spell lights erupted.

  Behind the blinding light, two figures rushed out like cannonballs from the left and right, slamming fiercely toward each other.