The reason Yama dwelled on these thoughts was simple no matter how many resources an academy or clan poured into a mage,
Without the natural affinity and experience gained from tough combat situations, the mage would ultimately lack true proficiency and would never become anything better than a greenhorn.
Alec’s progress, however, showed no signs of someone who had been artificially boosted with resources. Instead, he emitted a sense of raw determination, as if he had climbed his way up from the very bottom.
This notion irked Yama, especially considering he himself, despite being bestowed with the best resources his clan had to offer and has also been in combat situations, struggling to defeat Alec, who had been rejected by the Blaze Clan and had to work his way to this level.
He knew all this cause he had investigated Alec and actually most already did after he too his team to the top eight.