Chapter 171: Visit to Aphhemia Academy
Unfortunately, it seems that this morning, only Aphhemia Academy arrived at our academy.
After all, they are “guests” who arrived early, so there’s no reason not to entertain them, right?
They probably want to experience the local customs of the Witch Academy for a few more days since they came so early.
Though I’m just a new student, I do have some understanding of the characteristics of the Witch Academy.
I wonder if any daring senior has dared to give them a Magic Source or something like that?
Since people can become witches, it stands to reason that students transformed into other races should be possible as well…
After all, with such strict gender restrictions, it doesn’t seem likely there would be equally strict restrictions on race.
In any case, I hope they can return safely; I still remember when we were exchanging ideas, Teacher Ji told me to definitely hold nothing back.
The opening ceremony in the morning did not have any delays due to the arrival of Aphhemia Academy.
At this stage, the top competitors have already selected the top fifty, and the morning’s competition was the 50 to 25 match.
Of course, in a huge arena where several matches can occur simultaneously, the morning competitors would definitely finish in just a round or two.
However, there’s still a ranking competition for the last fifty in the top one hundred, so the morning matches were still very fully scheduled.
Moreover, as the competition progresses, everyone gains a certain experience, and those who have made it through have stronger abilities, which means battles can last quite a while.
I sat in the preparation area, my gaze wandering around, because according to Hong Chanyi, her girlfriend might face me.
So contestant number 36 is likely in the winner’s group; the odds of us facing off are definitely high.
Soon, I found the class leader from class 36, Shi Huiyu, who was waiting in the prep area. Even sitting down, I could feel her tall figure and her indifferent expression seemed to hint that she was unaffected by the outside world, exuding a terrifying aura that warned others to keep their distance.
Perhaps sensing my intense gaze, she opened her eyes after a moment of closed contemplation and scanned her surroundings, locking eyes with me.
Upon seeing me, her gaze showed a slight awkwardness, and the previously aloof demeanor cracked for a moment before she quickly turned her head away.
So this is Hong Chanyi’s girlfriend?
She is indeed beautiful, deserving of the title “goddess” she mentioned, but given the vibrant atmosphere among the dozens of beauties at the Witch Academy, she may not stand out too much.
Hong Chanyi likely has her own unique filter for goddesses.
But seeing that she didn’t seem inclined to talk to me, I was hoping she might take the initiative so I could seize the opportunity to see if we could chat a bit.
However, at this moment, the new student competition had officially begun, and the massive contestant identities in the sky began to randomly match.
I was also quite curious—who would I be matched against this time?
Soon, the final “random” pairing was revealed, and I faced contestant number 20, Ruan Fu.
Number 20 should be close to my spectator seat, but I hadn’t been paying too much attention.
However, I quickly spotted her among the contestants; she was among the few with the worst complexion and was clearly Ruan Fu.
Just as expected, when I saw the number 20 badge hanging on her chest, she was staring at me with a look of disbelief, clearly taken aback by our matchup, even faster than I had located her.
But unfortunately, I did not participate in the first batch of matches. Even though the massive arena has many segments for contests, as part of the winner’s group competing to enter the next round, of course, the most central and prestigious venue had to be reserved for the battle.
So it’s highly likely I’ll have to wait for the next batch before I can compete.
“Hello, classmate Yang Yuelan?”
Soon, Ruan Fu approached me directly in the preparation area, which wasn’t too surprising; after all, we were opponents, and it was acceptable for us to exchange a few words before the competition starts.
“Hello, Ruan Fu. Is there something you need?” I greeted her with a smile, trying to maintain a gentle expression so as not to intimidate her.
“Well… it seems we’ll be opponents in the upcoming match. I’ve heard rumors about you, so I hope you can show some mercy during the competition.”
“I will.”
I nodded in reply, but the last girl who told me to take it easy ended up crying to me after the match.
I can only say I’ll do my best, but I definitely kept my words polite.
I had initially thought of trying out the Elemental Sprite’s protection, especially since it was a newly modified spell that I wanted to test out.
By the way, would a one-hit KO count as going easy? After all, I only used one move.
“But the last girl who asked me to take it easy came crying after the match. Sorry, I might not hold back too much; what exactly do you mean by ‘go easy’?”
“Ah?” Ruan Fu was taken aback by my question and momentarily paused, as she had never considered that. After a moment of thinking, it seemed a valid point, “Um, just don’t let me lose too embarrassingly, and if I can avoid serious injury, that would be better.”
“Is that so?” I nodded at Ruan Fu’s thoughts, beginning to form my idea.
Seeing me seriously considering her words, Ruan Fu felt a bit relieved; though it was a pity to reach this stage in the new student competition, she figured her strength to have gotten this far was quite good. Yet she also cared a lot about her classmates’ feelings; this morning, they had blessed her in class.
But now it seemed that blessing didn’t amount to much.
I had an understanding of her thoughts—that she didn’t want to lose too badly.
She hoped to show that she had tried her best but did not want to lose in a humiliating way… so only…
Using the Elemental Sprite’s protection must be the way!
Under absolute strength, force all her means to be exhausted, paired with her depleting Magic Source, until she has no choice but to admit defeat.
This seems like a decent development.
After all, “trying your best” shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of, right?
And she could even earn the title of the first person to drive me to use a hundred-point consumption spellbook!
Tan Han had failed to force me to use a spell with a hundred points of consumption! One can imagine how impressive this achievement would be.
Moreover, thus far, besides me, only Tan Han had displayed a spellbook with three-digit consumption; the others with two digits had basically reached this level.
After all, we’ve reached the 50-to-25 stage; how could there be anyone without a spellbook in the double digits?
Then, there must be something wrong with her advisor!
As the competition kicked off, the atmosphere on-site was fully ignited. However, amidst this fervor, a special group of guests arrived at a single-gender spectator box in the arena.
“Here is our new student competition area. It appears you’ve arrived at just the right time; the 50-to-25 matches are currently underway, and this is still the first batch. If you need anything, just let us know, as… you are our guests now~”
“Thank you for leading the way, Lina. I didn’t expect you to be the one to greet us; it truly catches us off guard.”
“Oh, not at all! It’s just to warmly welcome you and show our importance to your visit,” Lina waved her hand casually and said, “Well, I’ll take my leave now.”
“Being polite, Lina, you’re a busy person; we wouldn’t want to disrupt your good work.”
“Ha ha, thank you for your understanding,” Lina’s gaze swept across the assembled sprites, a playful smile displaying on her face.
With Lina’s exit, the atmosphere in the spectator box visibly relaxed.
As one of the teachers leading the group, the gold-haired sprite who had just talked to Lina turned to survey the many sprites.
These sprites are students from Aphhemia Academy, part of this new student exchange group; they, too, are part of this year’s new batch.
Even though the Elf Academy prides itself as one of the top three elite academies, they still felt a little nervous coming to the Witch Academy.
However, the Witch Academy is quite unique, especially regarding its educational approach.
Witch Transformation is a long process, which leaves new witches strong but weak, unlike their race, which undergoes the World Tree’s baptism and masters the forces of nature after being transformed into elves.
Yet, the developing witches are incapable of using mental power to call upon the unique power that belongs to witches—Magic—and can only rely on spellbooks for combat. Speaking of spellbooks, the elf felt a pang of envy.
Spellbooks are fortified optimally by the terrifying witch race for their strength system; even the technique of true editing is promoted by witches.
Those terrifying Truth Witches wandering in the Void are indeed more fearsome than the last. They are the most extreme witch advocates, and one has returned the concept of spellbooks to the witch world through Truth Contribution.
And the Primordial Witch is particularly “generous” in making such techniques public. However, because of this, all spellbooks have an undismissable capability—transforming magic.
In short, any extraordinary energy corresponds with a spell system; life cannot harness every extraordinary energy because there are some extraordinary energies that other life forms cannot control. The most typical example is the magic that only witches can master.
When a spellbook has the ability to transform magic, it means witches can wield all types of spells through magic, and not only spells.
Isn’t that terrifying?
For example, the exclusive elf magic, various protections driven by life force.
Now… witches can also use it. Isn’t that nauseating?
This is an infringement of the noble Elf race! An encroachment on powers belonging to elves!
However… even though the Aphhemia Life Forest Elves are an extraordinary race, they dare not provoke witches too much!
Even if they claim to be one of the top three elite academies in the main world, they do not dare cross the line.
The reason they don’t include the Witch Academy among the top three elite academies is naturally that the three academies were the first extraordinary races to settle in the main world.
The Witch Race only moved in later, and the Witch Academy broke in directly with terrifying strength, forcefully interfering in this world, becoming the only race to breach the blockade of those three extraordinary races, and eventually becoming the fourth extraordinary race in this world.
If one had to compare what the Witch Academy did, it’s not much different from what the Abyss Demon is currently doing.
Only witches succeeded, while the Abyss Demon has yet to become the fifth extraordinary race in this main world.
However, with the influx of the Witch Academy, this world hasn’t seen a fifth extraordinary race in a long time; it’s not that they don’t want to come in, but they can’t.
Currently, the Abyss Demon extraordinary race is merely the most persistent invader among those wishing to breach here.
“Alright, I’ve brought you over to give you a glimpse of the current strength of the Witch Academy. Sit down and spectate; although no outsiders will see here, the etiquette belonging to elves cannot be compromised. Yao Beijuan, stop fooling around!”
The named new student immediately gathered her frivolous laughter.
“Understood, Teacher Ariel.”
As soon as Teacher Ariel called out, the atmosphere turned serious.
The Aphhemia Life Forest Elves pride themselves on being noble elves, capable of becoming an extraordinary branch of the elf race; they can claim this, and their appearances are indeed stunning—by human standards, they are absolute beauties.
Their long golden hair is intermixed with strands of greenish-blue, a trademark of the Forest Elves, who cherish that touch of green-blue hair very much, which is also a reverse scale.
If someone were to intentionally cut that strand of hair during a match, it could provoke the wrath of the Forest Elves on the spot, and then the Forest Elves would not speak of elven nobility and restraint.
They would exact a cost on their opponent with the most merciless means, a behavior interpreted not as destructive to the elven image but rather as a righteous act to uphold elven dignity.
Of course, newly transformed into elves, their outrage toward such actions is merely instinctive, and before being immersed in elven culture, their consciousness regarding this was comparatively thin.
“Teacher Ariel, may I ask if the new student competition of the Witch Academy resembles a game of house?” At this moment, a male elf raised his hand to speak, clearly excited at watching the competition, but after seeing it, he only felt it was somewhat absurd.
He even felt a bit disdainful; as expected, an academy that fell short of the top tier had such a disparity in the quality of new students.
His remarks resonated with many elves present, causing some to laugh outright.
“Quiet! Regardless of what kind of strength our opponents display, we should respect them and not mock them; never underestimate your opponent.” Ariel admonished softly, although she quietly added in her heart not to underestimate Extraordinary Witches.
The lower limit of Extraordinary Witches is, after all, Extraordinary Witches; there are no beings beneath extraordinary among witches. Even the yet-to-become Extraordinary Witches are not witches.
Unlike them elves, when they are not extraordinary, they are elves; upon becoming extraordinary, they become Extraordinary Elves but are still elves.
Witches begin as Extraordinary Witches; they are practically lunatics.
If you carry an underestimating mindset from the very beginning, then encountering an Extraordinary Witch in the Void, you would definitely end up in a terrible way.
At this moment.
In the arena.
The second batch of matches began, and lucky me, I was in the central C-position of the match.
I don’t believe there was no behind-the-scenes manipulation; I glanced at Tan Han, who hadn’t gotten up yet, which indicated that she was in the next batch.
Redirecting my gaze, I walked straight onto the field.
“Both contestants, get ready,” the referee said, clearly tense. Given that this match involved me, the referee notably took it seriously, seemingly worried I might accidentally go too hard, as Resurrection Spells also consume considerable resources.
After confirming that the other side was ready, the referee announced the start of the match.
Ruan Fu was now taut, like a cheetah, and as soon as the referee announced, she immediately closed in on me.
She knew well of my abilities; the fire-elemental shaping spells are numerous, and keeping her distance would place her at an absolute disadvantage.
Close combat might even allow for mutual destruction?
Moreover, the spell she was strongest at was a ten-point consumption transformation spell into a Wind Blade Panther!
My first reaction upon seeing Ruan Fu was that transformation spells are now a standard for everyone, huh?
I simply cast a protection spell on myself and allowed her to close the distance, but every one of Ruan Fu’s attacks was quickly dodged by me, either hitting my localized protection shield or being struck by my wand in vital areas.
And the most serious part was the spells released by my wand; each wind blade, radiating scorching heat, left deep wounds on her.
She hadn’t realized how terrifying my close combat experience was; even facing a transformation spell, my attacks pressed her down hard, and it was clear that those wind blades had been intentionally held back—she’d previously seen one eliminate another contestant!
“The effects of that transformation spell seem less than ideal, don’t they?”
I smiled and remarked, as this was the close-combat spell technique developed from the Earth Vein Memory using the wand, coupled with the swift release of wind blades which were fabulously effective.
So this is the thrill of technique supremacy?
I seized the opportunity, executing a sweeping kick that struck Ruan Fu in the abdomen, breaking her balance.
Of course, even with my strength spell, I couldn’t kick her far; that was certainly because of the spell’s effect.
“Ugh! Cough, cough…”
In mid-air, Ruan Fu adjusted her body posture, yet she rolled on the ground before finally managing to stand up. She instinctively touched her abdomen, where a terrible bloody wound from the wind blade spell had formed.
The high temperature had seared the wound, preventing any bl**d from flowing; what a brutal approach.
Nevertheless, Ruan Fu couldn’t help but mentally curse, is this what “going easy” looks like?!
But from my perspective, it indeed seemed like I was being lenient; after all, I hadn’t disrupted her transformation spell, had I?
However, there was worse to come.
With a wave of my hand, as if flicking off ashes.
But my opponent certainly didn’t think so; following my last movement, the temperature in the arena suddenly soared!
Terrifying fire elements wildly gathered, crystallizing into a semi-transparent silhouette in the air.
With the Fire Elemental Sprite’s condensation, elven protection also descended upon me. At that moment, I was like a king crowned in flames, a sea of fire coalescing into my robe, and red flames forming a crown.
This was the true full-force state of the fire elemental sprite’s protection—a magnificent visual effect that dwarfed even Tan Han’s Flame Lord.
Of course, such a showy display consumed a considerable amount of magic, but… since so many people are watching this duel, I could certainly afford it. Moreover, even if it weren’t wasteful, this spell has high consumption, and I didn’t need to maintain it for long.
Ruan Fu was directly stunned; she had never seen combat like this!
She was in that state, preparing to end it with a bang?
What high standards!
Where is the “going easy” that was promised?!
……
At this moment, someone in the box of Aphhemia Academy was also astonished and said:
“Huh? That person… her name is Yang Yuelan?”
