Mage Lian leaned back, folding his arms. "There's nothing to worry about. The competition will only feature youths around your age."
He didn't elaborate further, but Michael understood what he meant.
Unless another monster like himself showed up, this competition was already his to win.
Michael hadn't explored much of the Land of Origin yet, but judging by Lian's age and status, young grand mages were likely rare—perhaps even nonexistent.
Mage Lian saw the flicker of understanding in Michael's eyes and gave a soft hum, pleased. Still, he continued, "That said… the format is a tournament. The kind where matchups aren't decided by luck or chaos. The strong won't fall to the weak due to unfortunate pairings. It's structured. Layered. Designed to test different aspects at each stage."
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
