The Magic of Alchemy

At the edge of the venue, several enormous Streaming Mirrors had already been suspended in the air. A group of staff in dark blue uniforms bustled about with the final preparations, the large letters "FMC" printed on their backs.

Wade swept his gaze around but did not spot anyone he knew. These were probably all members of FMC's American branch.

Dozens of little dark-blue birds took flight in unison. Their eyes shone like gemstones, and their chests glimmered faintly—as in the Magic School League, these birds were "cameras" responsible for capturing scenes from all around.

But this time, Wade was no longer at the center of the cameras. He could sit to one side and watch others compete for that highest honor.

Soon, one of FMC's staff raised his Wand high and fired a red spark into the sky. It burst high above, drawing everyone's attention, and the entire arena immediately fell silent.

Fontana stopped talking at once, a proper smile appearing on his face as he quickly squeezed out a reminder through his teeth. "Everyone, mind your image from now on. The broadcast is about to officially begin!"

Back during the Magic School League, Fontana had not thought much of these so-called live broadcasts.

But after one match after another, he had witnessed the terrifying influence of a global broadcast. Seeing how those who performed poorly before the cameras were mocked by the people around them, he suddenly became exceptionally concerned about it.

The others also sat upright in their chairs, hoping to present their best sides on the Streaming Mirrors.

High above, the pitch-black Streaming Mirrors suddenly flashed. The image first focused on the empty arena, then swept across the audience seats and judges' table before finally settling on a raised platform at the front of the arena.