Earth's Greatest Magus

Emery's heart skipped a beat as his eyes fell upon the young girl with silvery hair. There was something about her presence that stirred him deeply.

"Who is she?" he murmured to himself, swiftly checking the information provided for the instructors. His eyes widened in surprise as he read the name "Shura Ouroboros."

"Ouroboros...?" The name sent another jolt of surprise through him, compounded by the striking resemblance she bore to someone from his past. Her silvery hair, her looks—it all seemed too familiar.

Lost in his thoughts, Emery was startled as Dillion whispered words.

"Master, that's the girl who poisoned our acolytes yesterday,"

The revelation only served to deepen the mystery surrounding the girl. Emery's curiosity was piqued, and his determination to unravel her identity was growing stronger by the moment.

"I need to meet her," Emery resolved,. There was something about this girl, something that demanded his attention and warranted further investigation.

He swiftly asked his senior Heorgar, the Zodiac head of security, about it, but the magus gave him a rejection.

"I'm sorry, Emery, but you're not allowed to meet with any of the acolytes at this time," Magus Heorgar replied. Instead, the magus ushered Emery to quickly join the other instructors for the meeting, "I will join you shortly," he said. Heorgar hurried off, as he seemed preoccupied with other matters.

Before heading to the meeting, Nyx, offered a piece of advice "You might want to consider the insect siblings, The older brother, Blaine, is said to be very strong." She went on to mention the insect bloodline's standing in Utopia City, hinting at its significance.

Though Nyx's counsel held merit, Emery found his thoughts still consumed by the enigma of Shura Ouroboros. He made a mental note of Nyx's suggestion, but for now, he issued a request. "Gather information you can find on this acolyte named Shura Ouroboros,". At the same time, he also asked his reliable VIA to seek out information. One will help him go through the universal database, the other from street rumors'.

As Emery awaited information regarding the mysterious girl, he made a conscious effort to rein in his curiosity and focus on the impending meeting.

Emery stepped into the small yet opulent meeting room, his eyes sweeping over the elegant furnishings and the array of beverages arranged on the table at the center. Apart from himself, there were six other individuals present: the four instructors—Sirin, Toleno, Harambe, and Lucius—as well as Grand Magus Sinure, the overseer, and the esteemed figure of Grand Magus Kiyama, the Magus Alliance Minister and Council of Utopia City.

Grand Magus Sinure addressed the meeting, his words carried sincerity and expectation. All listened intently as he emphasized the importance of prioritizing the needs of the acolytes above their own and cautioned against any conflicts or disagreements among the instructors.

With the formalities concluded, the overseer proceeded to outline the process and etiquette for selecting the talents.

As the highest-ranking hall, Lucius would have the first choice, followed by Sirin, Toleno, Harambe, and finally Emery, who would make the last selection.

"Let's start"

True to expectations, Lucius wasted no time in declaring his dominance by selecting Rajh, the rank 7 mythical tiger, as his first choice. Despite the tiger's undecided status, Lucius's authority remained unchallenged, and Grand Magus Sinure confirmed the allocation, reminding that if the tiger youth decided to reject Lucius invitation, no other hall could claim Rajh without Lucius's approval.

"Hahaha, who would be foolish enough to reject the top hall invite?" Lucius quipped.

With Lucius's choice settled, all eyes turned to Grand Magus Sirin as it became her turn to make her selection. A sense of anticipation filled the room. Among the outstanding talents, apart from Rajh, were Elara with her deer bloodline, Rurik the Pyro Bison, and the enigmatic serpent Shura Ouroboros.

Given Elara's expressed desire to join Sirin's hall, it was expected that Sirin would select her. However, to everyone's surprise, Sirin appeared to hesitate. Her contemplative expression hinted at an inner conflict as she deliberated her decision.

Then, unexpectedly, Sirin spoke, her tone measured yet sincere. "Honestly, I feel a certain impression of this serpent girl," she began, her gaze shifting between each of the assembled instructors. "I am hoping you all would let me take these two girls, Elara and Shura… if you all agreed, I would not choose any other acolytes."

As Grand Magus Sirin made her unexpected request, Emery couldn't help but notice the subtle yet potent influence of her enchantment ability. Her words carried a captivating charm that seemed to penetrate the very air, casting a spell of persuasion over those present. However, despite Sirin's compelling demeanor, Emery, with his spirit reading ability, remained unaffected by her allure.

Among the instructors, only Instructor Harambe nodded in agreement with Sirin's proposal, perhaps swayed by her persuasive charm. The others, however, remained unmoved, their expressions betraying a mixture of skepticism and reluctance. Grand Magus Toleno, in particular, openly voiced his objection to Sirin's request, asserting his own claim over the serpent girl.

"I have had my eye on this girl for some time now and have already sent her an invitation," Toleno stated firmly, his tone resolute. "I hope Instructor Sirin will respect my claim and refrain from interfering."

Sirin's initial calmness faltered momentarily at Toleno's words, her elegant façade giving way to a frown of displeasure. With a hint of sarcasm, she retorted, "Oh, so you're saying she has willingly accepted your invitation? How flattering"

Toleno's expression darkened at Sirin's pointed remark. The tension in the room increased as the two esteemed grand magus engaged in a verbal sparring match. Emery watched the exchange with a sense of detachment, the meeting had just begun, but the argument had already started.

Witnessing the escalating conflict, Lucius Corvin interjects with a touch of mockery. His sudden laughter reverberated through the room, drawing all eyes to him as he addressed Grand Magus Sinure. "Forgive me, senior, but this process is utterly ineffective," Lucius declared, "Such a waste of time."

His brazen words sent ripples of alarm through the other instructors, eliciting immediate protests and demands for clarification.

"What exactly are you trying to insinuate, Lucius?"

Lucius's lips curled into a sneer as he delivered his response, his words laced with thinly veiled arrogance. "I just think... if the acolytes' needs are truly the priority, then my top-hall will undoubtedly be the best fit for them. I have sixteen empty slots, and I am planning to fill them all. So let me choose my sixteen, and the rest of you can share what remains."