Strongest Among the Heavens
Chapter 342: Group Stage Match

Chapter 342: Group Stage Match

Today was the group stage. Each youth was expected to participate in two matches. Kazi spectated over a dozen matches. Five hours had gone by with a half hour break in between.

"Get your hot dogs! One for a silver coin!" a vendor yelled, carrying a box with him. "Get your hot dogs, people! It’s the final match of the day—treat yourself!"

Kazi had exchanged his points for some coins at the Alhambra Guardians Bank. But because he sat at the front, he couldn’t call for him. He glanced at Professor Uwe who was whispering to the woman beside him. Kazi assumed she must have been a Wizard or Sorcerer at a guild because she looked strong. Not crazy strong but strong.

’It’s not everyday you can get to eat a hot dog at a sporting event. Might as well.’

Kazi got up, jumped over to the normal stands, and went over to the vendor. After confirming it was halal (apparently, it was a vegan hot dog), he dropped a single silver coin and in return got a long hot dog with mustard and ketchup. Perfect. Just the way he liked it. When he leaped back, Professor Uwe eyed him.

"Did you want one?" Kazi asked, mouth open and ready to munch in.

"No. Ahem, no thank you."

"Suit yourself." With a shrug, he ate. He noticed that the solemn expressions of the Wizards and Sorcerers had shifted. They were looking at him. Well, not quite.

’This whole time, they’ve been stealing glances at me. What, am I just too good looking or what?’ Chuckling in his head, he relished the hot dog and waited for the final match to occur. The commentator was happy to announce it.

"Laaadies and gentlemen, it is the return of the noble prodigy. The one whose mind sits above the clouds! Princess Elara von Aschersleben, everybody!"

The blonde with blue and green eyes walked, her staff accompanying each step. Professor Uwe was already thrilled. Kazi had stuffed his face with the hot dog.

’Look at that. The ball of magic within that glass orb—the Aschersleben Orb—has shrunk.’ During her match against Theo, the orb was a mechanism that increased her magical prowess. The fact that it had shrunk meant that it probably wasn’t supposed to be used in succession. ’There’s likely a timer too. I noticed towards the end of her Great Spear of Þórr that her magical energy spiked; and if there’s a spike, then there’s a fall.’

So the power-up, judging by the previous battle, lasted up to two minutes and peaked in the last twenty seconds of that second minute.

Kazi chewed on the hot dog and listened to the arrival of her opponent.

"Marcuuus! Of! The! Sangooomaaa!"

The young boy from the South African guild appeared from the other side. His loose red blouse sparkled with tiny diamond beads. As if the princess’ total opposite, he carried with him lengths of bone. Yes, literal bone, like they were knives.

’Must be a thwasas—a novice—if he’s wearing red.’

Kazi had been to Senegal and much of South Africa. He was aware of the common practice of herbal medication in those regions. Due to the intense density in rural areas, there were ten times as many "traditional healers" than there were doctors. These traditional healers could also be called shaman. There were two types: diviners—referred to as isangoma—and herbalists—inyanga.

Crossing over to the White Abyss, these South Africans came together and made a name for themselves for their healing prowess. After all, their beliefs and skills transitioned seamlessly into the magical system of the White Abyss. Rituals, sacrifices, and a deep belief in magic and spirituality.

Marcus was undoubtedly an inyanga. An apprentice judging by his appearance and youth.

"Can Marcus, the lone hyena, stand up against the mighty princess!?" the commenter asked from the audience. Cheers erupted from the stadium. "Let us find out!"

The commentator gave a countdown. Already, ten feet of distance lay between the Inyanga and the princess.

"Three...two...one..."

Marcus’ hips dropped low. The bones in his left and right hands were held tightly.

"...begin!"

The referee gave a signal and Marcus planted his palms down. A white magic circle appeared, the bones melting into it. What emerged were a pack of black hyena with red spots. Revealing their fangs, flames erupted. One after another, the hyenas spawned until they totalled nearly twenty.

As for Princess Elara, the staff was pressed close to her lips and she echoed an incantation.

"Wolken der Ahnen, kommt zu mir herab,

Hüllt mich ein in eurer Macht, stark und tapfer.

Mit der Weisheit der Alten und der Stärke des Windes,

Erhebt euch nun, Wolken, und folgt meinem Befehl!"

’Old High German...’

The spectators behind Kazi did not understand, muttering amongst each other in confusion. It wasn’t the fact that a majority lacked the System that translated modern language. No, even to Germans, this made little sense.

To Kazi, it made perfect sense. Half of it was due to his own genius and archeology studies. The other half was due to the skill, Understanding Of The All-Father, which filled in the blanks. After all, the modern era only knew so much about ancient languages.

Wisps of vapor began to coalesce above the princess, forming into a dense, swirling cloud. Princess Elara’s voice grew louder, more commanding, as she invoked the power of her ancestors and the thunder god.

"Im Namen Thors, des Donnergottes, und meiner Ahnen,

Folgt meinem Willen, gehorcht meinem Ruf.

Mit der Kraft der Götter und der Tapferkeit meiner Vorfahren,

Erhebt euch nun, Wolken, und zeigt eure Macht!"

The sky darkened and the black clouds strengthened. Nature was being created and responding to her command, swirling in a fluid grace that belied its immense power. The crowd watched in awe as the cloud grew and expanded, its edges crackling with latent energy.

’The activation of Aschersleben Or is what typically allows her to summon that cloud. Currently, it’s on a cooldown, so to summon her cloud spell, she needs to make up for it with incantations.’

That was a common theme in battles between the young wizards. Skipping steps. Understanding when and how to use magic circles. Adapting and thinking fast on the spot.

The match truly began when Marcus’ twenty-some hyenas came together and blasted forth a torrent of fire toward Elara. She remained calm. Her staff touched the floor and a tiny cloud from the brewing black storm shot down to protect her. Yes, protect her. The cloud, lighter in colour than its parent, elongated and the flames hit the cloud. Steam rose in a hiss.

The grey cloud did not break, however.

Marcus, undeterred, pointed his finger forward. "Forward!"

The hyenas pounced, fangs flaming scarlet, growing larger when Marcus uttered, "Red Fangs!"

Their magical power had amped up yet Princess Elara remained unfazed. The left wing of her staff touched the floor and the grey cloud expanded rapidly, slamming into the hyenas and knocking them back as if they had hit a brick wall. Whatever fire made contact died out as the grey cloud absorbed the heat.

Princess Elara pointed her staff upward and the grey cloud followed her movements like an obedient pet. Going high up, Kazi suspected she was preparing to use the same barrage that she used against Theo.

Kazi was proven correct. The grey cloud merged with the black parent cloud. Bolts of lightning snapped at Marcus. His hyenas were already with him, flames bursting to protect him. Red Fangs fighting and jumping after each bolt. But as he did that, as he struggled and fought with all his might, Princess Elara was preparing her second attack.

"Great Spear of Þórr!"

The hyenas and their flames were mighty. Knowing the spear was coming, Marcus pooled all his mana into his hyenas. From his pockets, he pulled out several teeth and clapped them together. All twenty hyenas aligned with their fangs more ferocious than ever.

"Ultra Red Fangs!"

They attacked. The Great Spear struck.

Kazi saw this victory without needing Foresight. All twenty hyenas and Marcus were scorched black.

The commentator’s voice boomed again. "And the winner is Princess Elara von Aschersleben! With this victory, she advances to the quarter-finals!"

Professor Uwe was already up and applauding her. Everyone at the front-row seats did the same. Kazi stood up and joined the standing ovation.

"That was incredible!"

"The future for the House of Aschersleben is looking strong!"

"Princess Elara is gonna win the whole thing!"

So it appeared. Kazi had been observing every youth here and so far, Princess Elara was the strongest. Her technique and her adaptability as well as raw power, it was all top-notch. The quality of her mana was what stood out to Kazi in particular. To be able to learn higher classes of spells or being able to use Flow of Mana to a higher degree, quality was necessary. It was one of the few things that the System did not check for and thus the greatest advantage natural-borns of the White Abyss had. If they had access to monster meat and the best possible training, then thickening their mana was natural.

Princess Elara’s mana stood out as being on the same level as Kazi’s own.

"Congrats," Kazi said, leaning over to Professor Uwe.

"Thank you," the professor replied. "But the time for pride will come when she wins it."

Indeed, while Kazi had seen many unique examples of magic today, for the rest of the spectators, this was only the beginning.

"The group stages are now officially over!" the commentator announced. "Tomorrow will be the quarter-finals! Be there or be square!"

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