Chapter 151: An Unexpected Opponent
“How could this happen?”
I still found it hard to believe, but at that moment I could even hear the mocking laughter around me.
They showed me with their relieved expressions that this was not a lie.
At this moment, many people present also cried out in a chaotic manner.
Those who recognized her naturally knew that the new student numbered 14, Yang Yuelan, was the “Godly Hand” that had just gained fame online in the academy, and her ability to explode a Fireball Spell had certainly opened many people’s eyes.
It had also caused many trend-following seniors to wrap their hands in bandages.
A new student like this had matched up against the predicted number one in the new student rankings, what an explosive opening match!
Wasn’t a strong duel exactly what the audience loved to see?
At this moment, in a certain spot in the audience, Bai Yu also stood up with the excited crowd. However, unlike the excited expressions around her, Bai Yu’s expression was very serious!
How could she not know Tan Han’s name?
As the core character of the script, if she got involved, she would definitely be pulled into the script!
She hadn’t expected everything to happen so abruptly; didn’t this mean that her previous efforts had been in vain?
At this moment, she felt powerless, but her greater worry was still for Xiao Han’s safety.
Her opponent, Tan Han, was someone who had a spellbook with a consumption cost in the four digits; although she only had a three-digit Magic Source, the spells she controlled with three-digit consumption were still terrifying.
What could Xiao Han, who only had a single-digit consumption spellbook, use to counter?
Even if she knew that Xiao Han had a Protection Spell, it would… simply not be enough to defend against this!
The difference in energy consumption levels was right there; how could they turn the tide?
But at this moment, Bai Yu could only be anxious, and even had to pray…
This was the match, and she could not interfere; besides, there were so many Extraordinary Witch teachers here who wouldn’t allow her to cause any disruption.
In this situation, if one wanted to escape the script… the only possibility was to defeat Tan Han, breaking the script’s event node and creating a loophole…
But was that possible?
It wasn’t that Bai Yu lacked confidence in Xiao Han; she simply did not believe in fleeting miracles. Even miracles were things that belonged within the script.
While Bai Yu was anxiously awaiting developments, not far away, two others were also extremely anxious.
“What’s going on? Xiao Tan and Xiao Han have clashed?”
“It must be a conspiracy! This is targeted!”
“Come on, who would be so bored as to specifically target Xiao Han?”
These two were naturally Ying Shiqian and Tang Yihan from the bakery. They had originally come to cheer for Xiao Han, but now found themselves in this situation.
“So what do we do now? Who do we support?”
“Of course we support Xiao Han, you idiot! Xiao Tan has the Store Manager’s support.”
“Oh right, by the way, where is the Store Manager?”
“How would I know?”
This intense discussion naturally reignited excitement in the audience, and it was clear that most people were itching to see the battle.
Many were loudly shouting Tan Han’s name; after all, as contestant number 1, she was the first to take the stage.
With the seating numbers allocated, the next step was the thrilling battle!
Although both opponents were new students, the fight wouldn’t necessarily be very graceful, but in such a large-scale event, it was still very eye-catching.
Even if it was a case of weak birds pecking at each other, the atmosphere could still stir excitement.
Meanwhile, several teachers in the teacher’s stand were also quietly discussing among themselves. Their conversation even shielded the students from hearing, as some matters could not be disclosed to them.
“I have some impression of this Yang Yuelan; she is from the class that Xi Lan teaches, right?”
“Seems like it; she’s been quite popular online recently in the academy.”
“Can you really catch a Fireball with bare hands? Hey, I wonder if you new students could do that?”
“Why are you asking me? I definitely can’t do it. I don’t know where Xi Lan got her spellbook.”
“You’re quite uninformed, aren’t you?”
“Yang Yuelan was recruited by Xi Lan, an Innate Spirit Vision User.”
“Huh? Is that so? She’s just like everyone else, isn’t she? Is she really an Innate Spirit Vision User? But what does that have to do with the previous topic?”
“Hehe, wasn’t Xi Lan forming a research group? The group is just Xi Lan and that new student; recently, Xi Lan’s group has been continuously producing various experimental data and papers, which have been recorded at the library with advanced permissions.”
“Huh? There’s such a thing?”
“That’s why I say you’re uninformed. You’re not interested in these matters, just filled with brute force, right?”
“Those results can only be perceived with high-level spirit vision, so there’s no mistaking it; each of you has already become an Extraordinary Witch, and even making a spellbook is such a struggle. Yet she can modify a spellbook right after entering school; look at the difference and know your place~”
“Whatever, you know a lot.”
“By the way, isn’t it exciting that the new student competition started off like this? Could someone be manipulating things behind the scenes?”
“Go ask Lina; she should know.”
“I wouldn’t do such manipulations; don’t slander me.” At this moment, the mentioned Lina also walked over to join in on the chat.
“Hey? Sister Lina, why are you here?”
“I naturally came over after my business was done. So what were you chatting about? Just to be clear, I really didn’t manipulate anything; it was mere luck.” Lina casually found an empty seat to sit down without caring whose spot it was.
“Luck? I think it’s fortune, isn’t it influenced by the script?”
At this point, whenever the witches mentioned the script, curious looks appeared on their faces. The matter of the script was an open secret among extraordinary-level witches, and of course, it was the same for other extraordinary academies.
At this moment in the arena.
The enormous Earth Vein Operating System projected the names and photos of the contestants in every delineated arena, with a background as hot as fire that clashed together with the contestants’ full-body images, indicating that the intense battle between these two was about to begin.
Before this battle started, the contestants had a moment to prepare and adjust their mindset.
The arena’s vast space had been divided into more than twenty combat areas.
Even so, each area was still very large, and there were even temporary solidified Protection Spells around the venue to ensure that neighboring arenas and audience areas would not interfere with each other.
“Xiao Han… Yang Yuelan, let’s go; our battle is about to begin.” At this moment, Tan Han looked at me still in a daze and spoke to me.
“Mm.” I adjusted my Witch Hat and followed her to the central arena, number one.
I didn’t know how the arenas were sorted, but number one was surprisingly in the middle?
Complaints aside, business couldn’t be delayed. The defined arena had a certain height difference from the ground, but this stone challenge platform was a type of spell effect; otherwise, building a stone structure would be too much of a hassle, and it would be difficult to repair if damaged.
I stepped onto this competition platform with one stride.
Tan Han also jumped up, standing opposite me.
At this moment, Tan Han was not wearing the four-piece witch set issued upon enrollment, nor did she have an ordinary wand in her hand.
The wand she held looked quite exquisite; like mine, it was a short wand that appeared very delicate in her hand.
“I didn’t expect our next conversation to be in such a setting. After our last separation, I have a lot I want to know, aren’t you going to tell me?”
“This occasion… might not be very appropriate, right?” I glanced around, including the referee assigned to our arena.
This referee was an Extraordinary Witch, and that terrifying suppression of life-level gaps made me instinctively hesitant to use Spirit Vision to probe her.
However, our conversation here could not be heard by the audience sitting far away.
The enormous light screen above was faithfully displaying our every move, but there was no sound.
If there were sounds, it would be quite noisy, particularly with so many arenas running simultaneously; if all sounds were played out, it would be a chaotic mix.
This really depended on the skills of the commentators during the live broadcast.
“It really is inappropriate, then… how about we make a bet? The outcome of this duel will determine the stakes; if I win, you will tell me everything, of course, offstage.”
“And if I win?” I asked.
“You can make any request. If you win, it would prove a lot of things, but the prerequisite is that you have to win.” Tan Han’s tone was filled with confidence, but she did not mock the possibility I proposed; after all, this was her wager at first and, in principle, should be fair.
But deep down, she felt assured of winning.
The monopoly on spellbooks in the Extraordinary Academy is severe; some low-level spellbooks circulate a lot, but high-level spellbooks cannot simply be bought with money.
Starting from spellbooks with three-digit consumption, their value grows exponentially; such spells are ones that even many seniors do not possess.
It is extremely difficult for ordinary students to acquire them, which is why the academy produces such spellbooks to give out as prizes.
For example, in this new student competition, the top ten students get spellbooks as rewards, as well as Magic Sources, etc., and this spellbook also reaches the consumption of three digits.
Of course, the spellbook is just one of the main prizes; the primary rewards are the products accumulated after the Earth Vein’s unusual tapping, with those ranked higher receiving more valuable rewards.
It’s worth noting that the spellbooks most seniors use generally only have consumption costs of a few or dozens of points of magic power.
The power she currently possesses means that even standing still and performing simple spells gives her an undefeated advantage, but she certainly wouldn’t be that arrogant.
She would give her all in every battle.
She wouldn’t make such a low-level mistake.
“Mm…”
I wasn’t concerned about Tan Han’s words; no matter how many promises were made, winning was what mattered.
I didn’t know if I would win, but I would give it my all.
“Are both of you ready?”
The teacher serving as the referee also asked. At this moment, she was controlling the Earth Vein Operating System; besides being a referee, she was also the producer for this arena, adjusting automatic camera angles and so on. Such multi-tasking wasn’t considered difficult for an Extraordinary Witch.
“We are ready.”
I held my magic wand, keeping my mental power activated to ensure that I would be ready to fight the moment the match started.
The effects of the Four-Piece Witch Set, the armlet effects, amplification of the Protection Spell, and preparations against possible surprise attacks, etc.
Tan Han also voiced her readiness in unison with me.
Everything was set.
The teacher referee’s demeanor shifted to one of seriousness; this was the first match in the new student competition, and being a center-stage arena, no accidents were allowed to happen.
“Then… let the match begin!”
