Chapter 134 - 009: Competitive Tournament Begins

Chapter 134: 009: Competitive Tournament Begins

The Academy Magic Competition arrived as scheduled, with the Tower mandating that every apprentice, regardless of whether they were competing, must attend the opening match and final. On this day, the crowd was packed, banners flying high.

In an arena resembling the ancient Roman Duel Arena, Lynch sat together with Subaru and the others in the stands, each clutching a bag of Forest-flavored beans, cheering for the apprentices they knew.

“Lanice, go for it!”

“Leon, go for it!”

Many apprentices Lynch and his group knew—or more accurately, most apprentices—participated in this competition, whether from the Outer Ring or the Inner Ring.

After all, the rewards offered by the Tower this time were exceptionally generous.

Magic Stones, Witchcraft tools—these routine rewards were nothing to talk about. The key incentive was that apprentices who managed to place in the competition had the opportunity to receive a Netta access document, becoming a Netta Apprentice. For any apprentice in the Tower, this was an irresistible offer.

Even Outer Ring apprentices, who typically had little chance of securing a place within the Tower, could earn Inner Ring Apprentice status through exceptional performance in the competition. For those who had recently failed their Inner Ring assessments, this was undoubtedly a rare second chance.

“Hurrah! Go, Jessica, Kane, take them down!” Lynch enthusiastically blew a whistle and waved a colorful flag while shouting toward the arena below.

A couple of days ago, Graham brought him great news: Wizard Murphy, Alfred’s mentor, had posted a ten-year leave of absence with the Tower, citing a journey of self-improvement. Then, Murphy took Alfred and left the Tower.

The oppressive shadow on Lynch’s heart had finally, completely, been lifted. He was genuinely delighted from the depths of his soul.

Ten years—so much room to maneuver. With careful planning, ten years later, no matter whether Avery’s speculation proved correct or whether Alfred survived to return, it likely wouldn’t pose a threat to Lynch.

Seeing him so brimming with excitement, Subaru and Carl, sitting nearby, mistakenly thought that Lynch was deeply invested in the competition. They suddenly felt a little guilty.

Subaru said, “Sorry, Lynch, our tutoring sessions caused you to miss the chance to prepare for the competition.”

In their eyes, Lynch hadn’t signed up for the competition because tutoring them left him no time to prepare. Otherwise, given the rumored strength he possessed, he would surely have shone brightly in the contest—perhaps even securing a place within the Tower.

“Huh?”

Distracted by watching the matches, Lynch responded without turning his head, “What nonsense are you talking about? I never planned on competing, okay?”

Subaru sighed heavily. “No need to comfort us.”

After a pause, he said solemnly, “In any case, we will remember this favor for life!”

Lynch: “…….”

Fine, if you insist on thinking that way… whatever makes you happy…

The competition commenced soon after.

Though Lynch couldn’t fathom the Tower’s motives for hosting the competition, he had to admit—this Magic Competition was rather entertaining.

Apprentices on the stage swung their Magic Wands, casting spells with reckless abandon, unleashing bombardments of magic—Bloodline, Body Refinement, elements, alchemy, curses—all sorts of bizarre magical techniques danced across the stage in dazzling fashion.

The atmosphere at the venue was electrifying—cheers, shouts, screams, gamblers placing bets, flag-waving fans—the battles raged furiously on stage, while the fervent fans nearly clashed off stage.

It truly gave Lynch the sense of watching the World Cup back on Earth… No, this was far more exhilarating than the World Cup.

Younger apprentices cheered exuberantly for their favored contestants when they performed well and felt dejected when they didn’t. Whether on the stage or off, everyone was deeply immersed.

In short,

It was undeniably fun.

…

Lynch Mansion, laboratory.

On the long experiment table lay the corpse of the Black Wizard Barton, sprawled out in its entirety.

His chest cavity had been opened, exposing various internal organs. Blood, mixed with unknown liquids, was seeping out.

In front of the experiment table, Lynch, dressed in protective gear and wearing a beaked mask, was busy at work.

The materials ordered from goblin Bic had arrived one after another, and Lynch had moved Barton’s restoration project toward completion.

At the moment, he was installing a heart for Barton.

The heart, as the core of a living organism, played a critical role in the energy exchange and operation of various organs. After all, energy from all organs typically converged here.

Barton’s previous heart had been taken from a Centaur—a Magic Creature planted by Forest Inhabitants, classified as High-level Apprentice-level.

Among all High-level Apprentice-level Magic Life forms, the Centaur’s heart was famed for its durability, capable of sustaining days and nights of continuous high-speed galloping without breaking down.

Unfortunately, the heart had been crushed along with Barton during a previous battle. Lynch had tried repairing it but failed miserably, leaving him no choice but to replace it.

What should he replace it with?

Lynch decided against sticking to a Centaur’s heart. Though durable, it was ultimately High-level Apprentice-level and somewhat weaker relative to Barton’s other organs.

The heart determined the load capacity of other organs. Only a superior heart could match the higher-level organs and avoid exploding under stress during full-power exertion.

What about a Wizard-level heart?

Lynch certainly desired one, but harvesting a complete heart from a First-tier Life form was no simple feat—it wasn’t akin to acquiring a few cells or some skin tissue. Once he inquired about the cost, he abandoned the idea altogether.

In the end, he opted to follow Frankenstein’s approach, substituting quantity for quality.

Where Frankenstein had installed three hearts, Lynch went ahead and equipped Barton with four—three from Giant Trolls and one from a Deep Sea Walrus.

Thick-skinned and resilient Giant Trolls were renowned for their formidable Life Force. A single Troll heart rivaled that of the Centaur; three combined surpassed it by a wide margin. Plus, with the highly compatible walrus heart for balance, the full load capacity of the hearts could be utilized.

While still no match for an Official Wizard-level heart, the setup was close enough, easily managing Barton’s organ system.

“A complete restoration of such a monster—isn’t this exciting!” Lynch’s eyes sparkled.

Barton’s body had already undergone multiple high-tier integrations and modifications. Lynch vividly recalled his strength during their encounter in the Forest of the Dead, effortlessly annihilating a force commanded by a High-level Apprentice.

This time, post-restoration, Lynch had invested even more precious resources into him, ensuring Barton’s overall strength would only grow.

Soon, the heart installation was complete.

After testing its vitality and confirming there were no issues, Lynch concluded the day’s restoration tasks.

He removed his mask and protective gear, then turned to the adjoining study room. Per his daily schedule, it was now time for study.

From his Space Ring, he retrieved a black notebook.

“Morris’s Bloodline Refining Manual”

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