Heir of Synthesis: The World Mage

With the food and drink, the atmosphere suddenly became lively, and those who sought to flatter the new Grand Elder wasted no time. Naturally, they were almost all the medium and weak clans.

Almost, because Orlaith stayed in her seat in silence, eating and drinking calmly beside her 4 young ones.

Priam felt satisfied internally. It would be very humiliating to see his Leader acting like the others. But fortunately, she was a dignified and proud woman, who would not lower herself to that. Maybe that was one of the reasons the Ylisse clan was so weak; they did not actively seek to submit themselves.

The minutes passed lightly.

Everyone ate and talked with each other at their tables. Even speaking in low voices, by using Ether, everyone could hear each other from anywhere in the hall.

While the older ones toasted continuously, the gazes of the young people from their clans moved between each other. They were clearly selecting their opponents for the imminent challenge.

The weaker young ones wore serious expressions, but maintained an imposing posture that showed not the slightest trace of weakness. Each of them possessed surprising innate talent and far surpassed the elite of their clans of the same age; so, even knowing they would lose, they would not run from the fight if they were challenged.

Ladomi showed great skill in controlling the event and talking with people. The wine had already been served three times, and the banquet’s atmosphere was extraordinary, with cheers, laughter, and endless conversations.

But with each passing minute, the exchange of looks between the young ones made the atmosphere become more and more hostile. At any moment, a spark could trigger an explosive reaction.

...

After almost an hour of partying, the leader of a medium clan stood up with his wine cup in hand and announced loudly what everyone wanted:

"The banquet so far is perfect. But even with the presence of so many distinguished guests, something still seems to be missing... it is not lively enough. To make the drink even better, why don’t we let some of our young ones exchange pointers? This might even liven things up and strengthen the relationship between them."

"Right! That suggestion is wonderful!"

"Wine tastes better while watching a fight. Let’s start right now!"

At that moment, Ladomi stood up, smiled, and nodded. "The suggestion is not bad. Then, who will start?"

"Since this idea was proposed by this old man, let’s start with my Omniscient Heart Sect... Gadcu, open the way!"

"Yes, Leader!"

The young woman who had been called appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old. She was a humanoid with pointed ears and striking golden eyes. She had a thin body with well-defined muscles, but lacked more obvious feminine attributes.

With a swift impulse, she leaped from her seat to the center of the hall.

She stopped, turned toward the people, and took a deep breath...

Then, a challenging smile colored her expression.

Gadcu cast a very disdainful look toward a very specific group of young people who were seated.

"Which one of you mediocre demon hybrids dares to fight me and give me pointers?"

Her words made many people there narrow their eyes.

This young woman came from a clan that despised mixing its Bloodline with demons. She and everyone else from her clan were pure humanoids.

The pure demon clans did not feel offended. In fact, they also did not like hybrids that much.

It was not uncommon for this kind of prejudice against hybrids to exist. But for the humanoid clans that had difficulty creating strong young people capable of entering sects of the Divine Plane, mixing with demons was a solid solution.

The children were always above average, and the humanoid and demonic Bloodlines lived in perfect harmony.

Priam saw Flaris’s gaze change, but she only snorted and did not dare do anything.

Gadcu stood there for a long while, but there was no response from the medium and weak clans full of hybrids.

The smile on her face had already turned into a sneer.

The people from the more powerful clans watched all of it with contempt. If the situation continued like this, there would not even be an "exchange of pointers," but instead, many clans would lose face in the worst possible way.

At that moment, the leader of one of the clans lost his patience and waved his hand:

"Finron, it’s your turn!"

"Yes!"

Finron did not hesitate at his leader’s command. With an agile movement, he leaped from the reserved area and landed heavily in front of Gadcu, the impact raising a light cloud of dust.

He was taller and physically stronger than the woman, with a strangely hairy body in a brown tone. He had a single horn above his head, making his hybrid demon Bloodline clear.

"Hehe... finally someone with courage," Gadcu laughed, the corner of her mouth curving into an icy mockery. "Or is it just stupidity?"

"Humph!"

Finron gave no room for provocation. The contempt in his opponent’s eyes acted like fuel for his fury. He roared, circulating his Ether frantically toward his right arm.

A red aura appeared around him. He was a Fighter Mage.

With an explosive movement, that half-demon threw a straight punch toward Gadcu’s face, the pressure of the strike generating a gust of wind that whipped through the air.

"Oh? Is it really only this level?"

Gadcu kept her ironic smile.

Without retreating a single centimeter, she raised her right hand. In an instant, a layer of purple energy wrapped around her palm, vibrating with a sinister intensity.

"It’s the Ancestral Art of her race," Orlaith murmured to the four seated at the table. "It’s called the Omniscient Mind Fist."

The purple energy in Gadcu’s palm boiled like water at its boiling point. She clenched her fist and advanced against Finron’s attack. It was a direct clash: two simple punches, without the use of complex movements, only raw power and refined energies.

*CRACK!*

At the moment of collision, a purple glow burst out between the two. The sound was not an explosion, but a dry, muffled crack. Finron’s fist gave way violently, bending at an unnatural angle.

An expression of pure agony distorted the young man’s face as the impact pushed him backward.

Gadcu, however, was not finished.

With a dark laugh, she shot her left fist forward with absurd speed. This time, the purple light did not just shine; it seemed dense, concentrated into a devastating Magic Art.

*BANG!*

The blow struck Finron directly in the abdomen. The color instantly drained from the young man’s face. He barely managed to let out a groan before being thrown like a rag doll.

His body spun several times through the air before violently colliding with the hard floor.

Blood rose to his throat, and he vomited a scarlet stream. Finron tried to support himself, but his hands only clutched his stomach in a futile attempt to contain the excruciating pain. He remained face down, his body trembling, unable to gather the strength to stand again.

The fight... had really ended in just a few seconds.

"Finron!"

Two young people from his clan quickly ran to help him.

All the other half-demon youths felt disturbed.

Finron and Gadcu had identical levels, both at the third level. Even if there was a large difference in power, Finron should have been able to resist for some time.

However, right in the first clash, he had been completely defeated.

Priam watched and felt everything with intrigue. That violet power was definitely mental power, one of the three energies of life. But it was being used in a strange and mystical way.

"Meh... as expected of a hybrid," Gadcu smiled. While looking at the half-demon youths, she said dryly, "Who’s next? Or besides being pathetic, are you cowards too?"

"An idiot who likes being the center of attention." A young man from the Sun of the Underworld Clan mocked.

"What happened to exchanging pointers? We came here to see something interesting, and even fight people at least on the same level. Choose someone your own size and stop acting all high and mighty," another person said with disdain.

Obviously, there were many who could defeat Gadcu easily. But she had chosen to provoke the hybrids, who were the weakest in that hall. As for the powerful ones, they would not humiliate themselves by entering the duel unless they were challenged first.

Silence.

Being defeated so mercilessly with only two blows made all the hybrid youths apprehensive; as for the clan leaders, they would not dare send their young people to be humiliated for free. Because of that, no one had the courage, hoping that this malicious young woman would simply leave the center.

"Hahaha... so, how are we going to deal with this?" At that moment, Gadcu changed her tone with a laugh. Clearly, she did not want to leave.

"Since no one wants to come... I’ll be bold and choose someone to challenge..."

Everyone swallowed hard. No one dared go directly to fight her, but if Gadcu directly challenged them and they refused, it would be a humiliation a thousand times worse. In other words, if she said their names, they would be forced to throw themselves into the abyss, even knowing the result.

But...

Her gaze fixed on a specific point in the hall.

"Even though she’s a half-demon... I think the well-built young lady over there is somewhat acceptable. I feel you’re quite powerful. Don’t worry, I won’t be too harsh. Please, exchange some pointers with me... if you have the courage."

Everyone was startled and fixed their eyes on the back of the hall. The person she had pointed at...

She did not even know her opponent’s name. But this was the Demoness who had taken over the male thoughts of many young men inside that place.

"!"

Flaris stood up, making her chair release a loud noise.