My Muscle System in the Mage World

Countless people greeted him, and Noah responded with just a moderate smile as he made his way towards the main stage, where everyone's eyes had already gathered.

William and Amelia moved to the side, patiently waiting for Noah.

As Noah ascended the stage, a hush fell over the crowd, all attention fixated on him.

The smile on Noah's face gradually faded into a grim expression.

"My dear Elders, Instructors, and fellow students, I have unfortunate news to share with you all."

Silence enveloped the venue, the atmosphere growing even more sombre for some inexplicable reason.

"I apologise, new students," Noah's gaze shifted to where the new arrivals were seated, their expressions now tense with anticipation, "that this news must be delivered during your welcoming ceremony. However, it is of utmost importance, and I hope you can forgive me for its timing."

"Despite the discomfort caused by the leader's contributions to the village, it is for the betterment of our community. These sacrifices pave the way for our village to prosper and perhaps even attain recognition one day," spoke up one individual from the crowd.

Instantly, a chorus of loud exclamations erupted from others in the crowd, all praising Noah fervently, even if some did so reluctantly. Some followed the herd mentality, while others hesitated to offend the most powerful person in the village.

Noah let out a sigh that seemed to emanate from the depths of his heart, his expression shifting to one of sadness and grimness.

The new students fell silent as they listened attentively, demonstrating an awareness of their surroundings. Even those who didn't notice their peers' silence followed suit, quieting down.

Noah glanced at them with a nod of satisfaction, though inwardly, he frowned. "This batch of new students has suddenly taken a turn for the worse. Barely ten of them possess middle-grade talents, and they struggle to take more than forty steps in any one of them."

"Our village's fortune may have been drained because of William already," Noah said, a deep frown creasing his brow as regret filled his heart. However, in the face of the terrifying might of a Tier Four Wizard, he felt powerless.

"The grim reality is that the eight elders, including the Fourth Fraction Leader, have fallen at the hands of the enemy village," Noah announced, letting his words sink in among the crowd.

Instantly, bursts of exclamations erupted, tinged with a hint of fear.

"The Eight Elder was once hailed as heroes of our village. He single-handedly saved us from the Beast Tide when our leader was preoccupied with a Tier Three Beast. And now, he has been cruelly killed by the other village?"

"Who could have possibly killed him? Even under the Tier Two Realm, there wasn't a soul who could match him, especially if he unleashed those terrifying rays again."

"True, but I've heard that using those rays meant sacrificing his own lifespan—a forbidden spell indeed."

"He truly was a hero, an unsung hero, sacrificing his own life for the sake of our village."

"But those other village bastards dared to kill such a person?"

"No, we cannot let this go unpunished! We must seek revenge!"

A voice suddenly rang out, cutting through the tension, and the entire crowd seemed to be consumed by a fiery rage.

"We must seek revenge!" the shout echoed, igniting a fervent response from the entire assembly of young people. Even the older generation, though a step behind, joined in with the collective outcry.

Noah nodded in agreement, a smile playing on his lips.

"Whether it was William who killed the elder or if there's someone else behind it, right now our village needs a spark, and revenge is the perfect fuel for it—especially since we've just lost Adriana," Noah thought aloud, a small frown flickering across his face.

Adriana, the red-haired woman, was semi-associated with a landlord family, and Noah had already found himself entangled in a conflict with the Steele family over William.

Noah had now offended two landlord families, and if one counted, there were around ten bloodline families in total.

Each family operated like a herd of sheep; if one was threatened, the rest would swiftly rally to their defence. This was why Noah had to tread carefully around them, despite his considerable power and influence even as the strongest man in the village.

They also had their internal struggles, but they were minor scuffles compared to the unity they displayed when threatened. As long as even one of the ten landlord families felt endangered, the entire collective would band together.

With Noah having already made enemies with two of the landlords, he had inadvertently offended the other eight as well, rendering their already tenuous relationship null and void.

"Everything will be fine as long as I secure my lifespan," Noah muttered to himself, his thoughts drifting to the generous allotment of lifespans to the elders and the lavish rewards bestowed upon those insignificant pests.

"If we hadn't distributed lifespans more generously to the elders and those commoners rewarding them with other things instead, perhaps there would have been more lifespans for me to extend my own."

These musings left a bitter taste in his mouth, but Noah quickly suppressed them as he turned his attention back to the crowd, which was brimming with fighting spirit and a thirst for vengeance.

"Although the village has lost an elder, it is now time for the younger generation to step up and assume leadership roles," Noah declared, breaking the silence that had fallen over the crowd. "With every passing from the older generation, it is the duty of the younger generation to fill their shoes.

While we are mortals with limited lifespans, we must remember that our North Village must endure for generations to come. After careful consideration, the elders and I have decided to promote members of the younger generation to take on the roles of the elders."

As Noah spoke, everyone's ears perked up, and the atmosphere crackled with anticipation. Every individual present was now fully attentive, their curiosity piqued.

"Will it be William, or perhaps Jack, or even Henry?" murmured through the crowd, speculation running rampant as they awaited Noah's announcement.

"I wonder who it could be?" Anne thought curiously as she watched in anticipation, trying to present herself in the best light possible. After all, the new elder would likely be young….

However, Noah's announcement caught everyone off guard, causing their eyes to widen in disbelief.

"Aur has been selected as the elder," Noah's voice resounded, each word landing heavily and stirring a storm in the hearts of the people.

A strange silence enveloped the surroundings, leaving most people shell-shocked with widened eyes. They were unable to muster any words for a long time.