The Legendary Mage (Alavin) novel Chapter 76

"Why don’t you participate? With your strength, you could easily be listed in the top five."

"My mentor has his reasons, and he has consulted with the Commander," she said. Her mentor had hoped to bring her to The Clash of Eight Orders to win glory for Cobalt Strike, but Lord Viperbane's proposal had disrupted the plans. It wasn't that Hamund feared them, but rather, he was concerned that Lord Viperbane might resort to foul play during the gathering.

An open enemy is easy to guard against, but a hidden one is hard to predict.

Cobalt Strike had placed too many hopes on Celesse to risk her future for the sake of The Clash of Eight Orders.

Celesse suddenly asked, "Do you want to participate?"

"Me? The Protégés who participate in The Clash of Eight Orders are generally at least Novice Mage Stage IX, and there will also be some Advanced Mages. I still have a long way to go."

"There are three more months; you still have a chance."

"Three months, from Novice Mage Stage VI to Novice Mage Stage IX?" Alavin shook his head, not out of lack of confidence, but because advancements in the later stages of being a Novice Mage were incredibly difficult. He managed to progress from Novice Mage Stage III to Stage VI in three months, but he doubted he could reach Stage IX in the same amount of time.

“Every guild sends ten Apprentices to participate in The Clash of Eight Orders, and each Apprentice must be under the age of eighteen. Besides me, four Golden Apprentices have been chosen, and six slots for Elite Protégés are still undecided—though thirty candidates have been listed."

"You're not suggesting me, are you?" Alavin looked towards Celesse.

Celesse chuckled lightly, "You guessed it. My recommendation, along with your recent victory over Galos, has made many of the Elders take you seriously. They've decided to observe you for a while and tentatively placed you as the thirty-first candidate."

"You're not joking?"