The Golem Mage Chapter 1081: Domination Match 1.

Chapter 1081: The Domination Clash 1.

“War God!!!”

“Bloodline!!!”

The shouts of the two academies thundered throughout the arena. The fervor was so intense that neutral spectators felt compelled to eventually choose a side.

For fans from the Northern Kingdom, this rematch was a long-anticipated event they had craved for an eternity.

“Advance to the center and press your palms against the Creation Stone,” the arbiter commanded.

In the arena’s heart rested a jagged monolith shimmering with icy aquamarine light, anchored deep into the foundation. The surrounding floor also emanated a soft, though significantly duller, cerulean hue.

Regardless, the mages from the War God Mage Academy and Bloodline Academy approached undeterred. The stone was immense, tall enough to obscure the two teams from one another as they occupied opposite flanks.

Though the substance seemed translucent, the view through it remained distorted and hazy, rendering detail impossible to discern.

As each participant touched the Creation Stone, their eyes drifted shut instantly. They became deathly still, casting the appearance of individuals caught in a deep slumber.

Simultaneously, the presiding judge drifted into the heavens. Shortly after, a transparent barrier enveloped the group, mirroring the protective shield usually reserved for shielding the audience.

Yet, this field was not for the spectators; it was tailored for the ten mages fused to the Creation Stone. Many in the crowd questioned if ‘stone’ was even an adequate term for something of such magnitude; to them, it resembled a miniature mountain grafted into the battlefield.

The barrier formed a dome-shaped containment shield over all ten contestants. Once the seal tightened, thick fog swirled within, until the spectators could no longer perceive the events unfolding around the stone.

Just as confusion stirred within the crowd, colossal water screens manifested in the air, obstructing their view of the stage.

These screens were synchronized from various perspectives to form a massive display, as if the audience were viewing the match on a gargantuan, television-style projection.

Then, the displays flickered to life, and a collective gasp rippled through the gathering of mages.

While the crowd reacted to the imagery, the participants responsible for the scene had already been whisked away to a different realm.

Alec scanned his surroundings and couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship behind the environment. Their temporary astral forms had been deployed onto what seemed to be a desolate battlefield.

The terrain was distinctly circular, hemmed in by reinforced barriers along the fringes. From his vantage, Alec spotted five brilliant white pillars of light piercing the sky.

He recognized them immediately as the rune circles embedded throughout the arena.

Before the official commencement, he hovered briefly to study the field. He determined that each rune circle spanned roughly ten meters, with ancient symbols intricately carved into the floor, pulsating with the ambient mana.

The primary rune sat upon an elevated stone dais at the very center, making it the most coveted objective for any team seeking supremacy.

The remaining four runes occupied the northern, southern, eastern, and western quadrants.

The spacing forced teams to divide their forces to seize multiple objectives. The southern and eastern runes were nearest to Alec's team, with the eastern point appearing slightly closer.

The terrain favored tactical movement, littered with shattered stone pillars, boulders, and ridges that provided both cover and sightline obstructions.

Trenches and depressions crisscrossed the arena, allowing fighters to navigate sections of the field while remaining partially hidden.

Hovering above the scene was a massive array displaying the active score, the countdown timer, and the status of each rune. For now, all stayed white, signaling they remained unclaimed.

With thirty seconds until the start, Alec descended to rejoin his team. They were busy testing their limbs, clearly adjusting to their spectral bodies.

“Gather round. We lack time,” Alec instructed, crouching to press his hand into the dirt.

Instantly, the earth rippled. Within seconds, the terrain he had surveyed manifested as a miniature, detailed model upon the ground.

Every feature—the runes, the ridges, and the pillars—emerged within his schematic.

“Observe this closely and burn it into your minds,” Alec ordered, gesturing at the map. “This is our battlefield. The opposition is likely plotting their move as we speak.”

“Did anyone manage to scout beyond our landing zone?” Alec asked, looking up, knowing the others had been distracted by their astral forms.

“Negative,” Knight replied.

“Understood,” Alec said calmly. “Then we initiate by capturing the first two runes before converging on the center.”

He pointed at the model, assigning duties.

“Brandon and Endrick, secure the southern rune.”

“Lucas and Pale, prioritize the eastern rune immediately.”

“As for me,” Alec added, “I shall bypass these and strike directly for the central objective.”

He favored them with a subtle smirk.

“I suspect the Bloodline Academy will defer on the center to claim their closest points. By the time they catch on, I will have already seized the advantage and claimed the center for us.”

“Remember: once you secure your objectives, abandon them and reinforce me at once. Is that clear?” Alec looked at each of them in turn.

They nodded in acknowledgment. At that instant, a cold, mechanical voice echoed across the field.

[ Battle Begins Now ].