The Golem Mage Chapter 1098: Origin Tournament Final 2.

As soon as the judge disappeared from overhead, a light shield instantly enveloped them all.

Alec looked up, detecting an odd, veil-resembling energy coming down from the heavens; even after concentrating on it briefly, he failed to make out its makeup or source.

He nearly triggered his energy eyes for a closer look when gasps rose from his teammates all at once, prompting him to glance their way, where the reason hit him right away.

The landscape had transformed entirely.

The firm black marble arena they'd occupied seconds before had vanished. Instead, a lush grassy expanse unfurled before them. The blades stood tall but precisely trimmed—not tall enough to brush their knees, seemingly crafted on purpose to avoid hindering motion or battle.

Alec marveled inwardly at the Creation Stone's might, reshaping the surroundings so swiftly without him noticing the shift at all.

Nevertheless, he sensed his true form still fixed in position, while the world around had altered due to the light dome, now merged with the Creation Stone's power, sealing them inside.

This feeling disturbed him deeply; what puzzled him most was the flawless crafting of an astral body, leaving no hint of how it occurred.

Alec pondered the scene as the Silent Night mages wasted no time on such thoughts—their sole aim was to find and destroy their foes.

“Alec!” Arthur shouted sharply. Alec whipped around, spotting two foes already advancing from the sides just in time.

Something bizarre occurred next.

Fang, charging in from the left, abruptly turned to smoke, his shape scattering as it floated skyward; meanwhile, Sojin, approaching from the right, plunged down, his figure merging into the shadows like it was devoured.

“Deal with them. I’ll regroup with you later,” Alec instructed Brandon and Arthur calmly, already striding ahead.

His goal stood obvious ahead: Takeda waited there, guarded by Shin and Kenta, as though anticipating his exact approach.

Spotting Alec's advance, Shin and Kenta moved to block him, but prior to clash, two streaks flashed by Alec.

To the left raced Lucas, lightning crackling over his frame as he blasted forward at top velocity; no showy flair, and upon hitting Kenta's range, he slashed his greatsword in a smooth side sweep.

Kenta countered at once, lifting his arms in a tight block, tonfas crossed ahead as his initial barrier.

Bang!

Yet the clash hurled him back; feet scraping the earth to brace the blow, but insufficiently—the force shoved him back multiple paces.

Balance restored, Kenta grasped Lucas's real plan: not victory over him, merely clearing him from Alec's route.

At once, Kenta scanned for Shin, recalling their joint effort to halt Alec... yet upon finding him, he saw Shin displaced too, stance wobbly with balance askew.

The instant after, Shin whirled his hand's wire hook, the cord whipping through the breeze.

A piercing thang! echoed over and over as the hook jerked and snapped in flight, steadying his form anew.

“Arrrgh! You think that’ll halt me? Just with your mana threads?”

“Better summon that puppet of yours!” Shin retorted fiercely, dropping into position, hands mastering his tool—most wire wound on his left arm, right hand clutching the center to direct its deadly whirl.

Now the battlefield divided into distinct clashes.

Meanwhile, Alec pressed on undisturbed, finally entering melee distance with Takeda.

Still, Takeda stayed motionless, hands clasped behind, floating just off the dirt, gazing at Alec with serene, near-scornful eyes.

“Won’t you draw your blade? I’d hate the reputation of striking an unprepared man... or worse, unarmed,” Alec remarked smilingly, left palm on his weapon's pommel at his waist's left.

But Alec's taunt left Takeda's face unmoved.

“Not sure if you’re merely foolish... or bold enough to speak so,” he answered icily.

“Your golem-summoning power is known, yet currently, just one hits Tier 7.”

“Is that your source of daring against me... or do you intend using that lovely woman’s puppet too?”

The instant Alec heard “beautiful lady,” veins bulged at his temple. A flash of fury coursed through him momentarily, yet he clamped it down, permitting Takeda to go on.

“If that’s what you’re relying on, then I must apologize... because there’s no way you can defeat me. A few days ago, perhaps there might have been a minuscule chance for you—but now...”

With the word “now” spoken, Takeda unleashed his aura, arms flung wide, as an overwhelming pressure crashed onto Alec. Suspended in mid-air, hands extended toward Alec, he resembled a godlike figure looming over a lowly subject.

That sheer force warped the air nearby. Gale winds churned wildly, spontaneous flames leaped to life, water droplets gathered into misty flows, the ground shuddered below—and shadows deepened unnaturally, even under the open sky.

“Woah!!!”

Stunned silence enveloped the northern stands.

Observers with keener senses quickly grasped that it wasn’t as straightforward as it appeared. They knew each of Takeda’s breakthroughs had been extraordinarily arduous, and since he’d hit Low Tier 7 realm, it meant every single one of his main bodies had advanced to Low Tier 7 as well.

That wasn’t even the scariest aspect—the burning question remained: if he merged multiple bodies, what insane power would he unleash?

As the northern side froze in speechless awe, the eastern stands burst into deafening roars of approval.

Takeda’s five elemental bodies fully materialized before Alec, each one blazing with immense might, each embodying a primal force of nature by itself.