The old miser gave me no cultivation days on the magical source. As compensation for the tip-off, he said he'd now announce my opponents' levels.
For another mage in my place, this would have been useful, but for me, who already senses the level of my opponents, it would be hard to come up with a more useless compensation.
In the queue, I counted four Mid-level mages, including Mo Fan. Besides him, the other three were from clans. It was obvious from their expensive clothes and the expressions on their faces, as if everyone owed them something.
Two of this trio had slightly chaotic magical auras, meaning they had broken through quite recently and hadn't yet connected their stars. Though even if they had connected them, I don't know what they were hoping for.
With the spell-casting speed I had shown, they wouldn't be able to dodge no matter how much they wanted to, without using artifacts. Apparently, the desire to become the universal hero who defeats me, saves the resources of all faculties, and gains glory had gone to their heads.
But things couldn't go on like this. By defeating only 160 people (if we subtract the 40 stuffed classmates), I wouldn't achieve the reputation I needed. I wanted my name to echo even in the Main Campus, or even beyond its borders. And that meant it was time to change strategy.
"Director Xiao!" Just from my address, his eyebrow twitched—I was closer than ever to my goal of giving him a nervous tic.
"Something else?" Apparently, he still hadn't recovered from my demand for compensation. No problem, I'd cheer him up right now, and all the negativity would melt away.
"Don't you think the fights are too boring?" I asked a leading question.
"Then maybe you'll send more than one person into the cage so you don't get bored?" he asked sarcastically.
"Come on, Director, I'm not going to reduce my chances of victory for nothing." I gave him a hint.
"What are you proposing?" The Director began to sense a catch.
"I propose using the tactic of throwing trash at me." I suggested.
"I don't quite understand." Director Xiao tensed up.
"Right there, trash in the stands." I pointed toward the seats where the upperclassmen sat and continued:
"They've been sitting on the university's neck for years, gobbling up resources that could have gone to me! I propose allowing upperclassmen into the battle, on the condition that their resources also go to me... ahem, that is, to the first-year Summoning faculty students." I finally voiced my proposal. And it was aimed not so much at Director Xiao as at those very upperclassmen.
"Insolent brat!"
"We'll tear you apart!"
"Destroy him!"
"Director, let us onto the arena—he has to answer for his insults!"
Shouts from the upperclassmen echoed throughout the hall. They were burning with righteous anger and wanted to clean my clock. Many of them, without even waiting for the Director's permission, went to join the arena queue. This was exactly what I had counted on.
It was worth noting that although the selection for the Main Campus had taken place before the summer break, taking away all Mid-level mages from the green campus, during those very summer vacations, out of this multi-thousand-strong crowd, judging by my senses, about a hundred had broken through. Such a battle would give me far more reputation.
Director Xiao really didn't want to agree. He knew about the strength of my body and that even without magic, I could defeat any student present in the hall. Even under pressure from a huge number of students, he wouldn't have accepted my proposal if I hadn't made some concessions.
"If you agree, I'll even give these weaklings a handicap and won't move from my spot. And you can send three people into the cage at once." I proposed a compromise.
But if Director Xiao knew part of my power and, after the concessions, really started thinking. The students, however, lacked such knowledge. The offended cries rose to a new level.
"You little bastard, you've pissed me off!"
"Pray the queue doesn't reach me, or you're dead!"
"Director, we don't need handicaps—we'll smear him across the arena anyway!"
The upperclassmen, angry as devils, if their ardor wasn't tempered, threatened to demolish the cage in the near future and pile on me with the whole crowd.
"Increase the number of students entering the cage to five, and we're good. Also, only Mid-level mages can enter." Director Xiao sighed heavily.
He understood that I most likely had more aces up my sleeve that I hadn't shown. But he couldn't stop the righteous anger of so many students either. He only hoped that increasing the number of my opponents to five would neutralize the advantage of my Heart of Three Apertures talent, which allowed me to attack three targets simultaneously.
It was precisely to remind the Director of my talent that I had made the proposal to face three students at once. Now, having partially altered my conditions, he felt like he was in control of the situation.
The students began to protest the Director's decision. They shouted that they shouldn't be underestimated and that they'd tear me apart like a Tuzik grelka. When Director Xiao finally got fed up with this circus, he simply partially released his aura.
Monstrous pressure crashed down on the shoulders of everyone present in the hall. First-years, upperclassmen, teachers trying to calm them. They all fell silent and stared at the Director in awe.
After all, in this world, power rules, and in this university, Director Xiao is the fattest toad you absolutely must not provoke.
"Stop this circus. My decision is not up for discussion. My advice to you: don't underestimate an opponent you know nothing about. I responsibly state that if student Mu Bai hadn't imposed restrictions on himself, I wouldn't have even considered accepting his proposal." He pinned them with his gaze.
"There is no one among the green campus students who could stand against him in a one-on-one fight. Now thoughtfully plan the order in the queue and the composition of your teams. Try to make them as balanced as possible. Remember, if you lose, all the green campus resources for this academic year will go to the first-year Summoning department. Your future is in your hands." He finally concluded his parting words.
After his speech, the Basic-level mages left the queue and returned to the spectator seats. The remaining Mid-level mages began to look at me seriously, without the veil of rage in their eyes.
They huddled together and started discussing battle strategies against me. Now they weren't going to charge head-on; they were sharing their abilities and selecting suitable, balanced teams for the upcoming confrontation.
Well played, Director Xiao, well played, you old fox. Even my cunning scheme to grab all the green campus resources, he managed to turn into a valuable lesson for young minds, instilling in them a sense of responsibility and camaraderie.
I won't even ask him for compensation this time for such juicy hints about my abilities—I sense he won't tolerate my impudence anymore, and I know my limits.