The Golem Mage Chapter 1096: Eve Of The Final 2.

As soon as the cloak's hood dropped back, the full Silent Night team locked eyes on Liam Tudor.

Shock rippled over their features, for when they first sensed the intruder, they instantly figured it was from the War God Mage Academy—likely a elite instructor plotting to take down Takeda and hand their rivals a stronger shot at winning.

That's why, despite Liam's claim of rooting for their victory, the elder instructor had brushed it off completely, yet now with the hood revealed, bewilderment overtook their doubts.

Liam wasn't any instructor. Actually, they all recognized him precisely as a scion of the Northern Kingdom’s royal family.

What baffled them was the motive. Why would a Northern Royal Clan member desire their triumph? It brought him zero advantage. Worse, the sole sensible boon for the Northern Kingdom lay in the War God Mage Academy's success.

“I know it looks suspicious, but the king sent me here and I’m sure that as agents of the shadows, you would have already noticed that the king and the War God Mage Academy aren’t exactly on good terms,” Liam explained.

“If it were any other Northern Kingdom academy in the finals, we would have thrown our complete backing behind it. But this academy severed all links with the royal clan, and that's precisely why we must stop them from winning.”

“Because if they succeed, it'll ignite rebellion in the mid- and low-tier academies and groups under our control, as they'll start clamoring for resource reallocation. After all, if a place without yearly royal aid can grow this mighty, what's the justification for those we've poured massive funds into?”

Liam swiftly added after dropping his hood, hands still lifted high—even higher now since the ninja assassin's blade lingered at his throat, grip unrelenting, “The king said such an outcome would be bad for the kingdom, and we believe the next thing they would demand is for the crown to give them equal opportunities as well.”

Liam's words plunged the Silent Night instructor into contemplation, hand stroking his chin, while the team held their silence, awaiting his verdict.

“Isn't it too late for your king to play catch-up this far into the tournament?” the instructor questioned.

A faint smile tugged at Liam's lips as he shook his head.

“You have no clue how desperately the king has schemed to eliminate them since the event kicked off, but that squad acts like indestructible roaches, dodging every rule change or format shift to claw their way to victory.”

“Hmm,” the instructor hummed, enlightenment striking as altered match rules suddenly clicked, particularly the latest one that had crippled Alec’s golems' strength.

“Even so, I doubt my team requires your aid to crush them,” the instructor declared finally.

Liam shook his head once more.

“You’re already underestimating them. That’s the gravest error possible.” Liam urged, his haste shaping the outburst, though it deeply offended the Silent Night mages.

They advanced one after another, fury simmering in their glares, even vice-captain Shin unleashing his wire hooks, signaling that another slip of the tongue would bring harsh consequences.

“On the contrary, you’re the one underestimating us. We’ve said it: no aid needed to beat them. If that's all, the exit's there. Or else... you won't enjoy the fallout.”

A voice sliced the thick air from behind, prompting the Silent Night mages to part instinctively, opening a way until Liam's eyes fixed on Takeda, lounging calmly with arms draped over his chair, legs propped on the table ahead, utterly detached from the drama.

Their reverent stares told Liam his task was doomed; no words could sway them now.

He backed away gradually as the ninja assassin withdrew the blade from his neck at last, permitting his exit, though he first tugged the hood over his features before spinning around and departing.

_ _

Over at the War God Mage Academy quarters in the meantime, a contrasting drama played out. Old Man Alderic wouldn't allow Alec a moment's rest or undisturbed cultivation.

Alderic relentlessly badgered Alec, pushing him to talk to his clan about supplying the academy with mental pills. He even promised help with their reconstruction and volunteered to dispatch mages for the coming Blood Moon War, since the recent fight had drained the city's defenses.

Yet despite all his proposals, Alec's response stayed firm—no.

Though Alderic presented it as real aid, Alec saw right through the ploy. To him, it was just the old fox's scheme to slip more spies deep into his household.

Alec already knew their operatives were active in the city, but with Alderic getting little value from them, he now aimed to seize this chance to burrow even further into the Gordons Clan.

After countless turn-downs, Alec finally gave him one sliver of hope: he might sell mental pills to him down the line. Only then did Alderic back off, preferring that vague possibility over a flat-out rejection.