As Locke announced the official start of the competition, the dark sun in the sky shone on the entrance to the Despair Valley Laboratory. Guided by Grandet and the others, the nine Star-Ring Wizards who had passed Locke's seven tests stepped onto the stage for the finals. As Edgar passed Locke, he asked quietly, "Does this mean that before every future competition you organize, you'll publicly announce some new discovery?"
Edgar's question carried a hint of probing rivalry.
Locke nodded. "Good idea."
Edgar's lips curled. "I'll concede that you're ahead in this competition.
97
"I'm just curious what the final round actually is."
The nine Star-Ring Wizards who had passed Locke's tests included Witch Macedon, who had been the first to finish. Edgar and Rose Witch came next, with Edgar completing two problems on his own. Rameses was third, and Hassan, who had passed with Wallace's help, was fourth.
The remaining four were also Star-Ring Wizards from Rain-Marsh.
Because of the limited time, Breeders from other Wizard Lands could not make it over to compete even if they wanted to. Even those who happened to arrive before hearing about the competition would have found Locke's seven tests extremely difficult to pass.
The Swampfolk Club had already screened the local Star-Ring Wizard Breeders.
That four more wizards had still passed was unexpected. It was also thanks to the attention Locke had drawn with the Probus Truth Revelation Competition. These four shared certain traits: they were either top-ten Breeders who had no time for clubs but could not join a major project, or they came from obscure Wizard Academies, kept a low profile, and competed under several different names.
One of them had only recently immigrated to Rain-Marsh from a Common Wizard Land.
These nine contestants, together with Patrick, who had earned