Chapter 216: Cooperation with the Sea Tribe
“I’m in a bad mood right now. If I ask you something and you can’t answer, I don’t mind experiencing how sashimi is made before you d*e.”
I pressed the Merman’s head against the reef and spoke with a cold tone.
Of course, one can say anything when threatening someone, but among the storage bags I have collected, there are indeed knives that can be used as weapons.
I casually pulled out a kn*fe and drove it straight into the stone; although the blade eventually dulled, the threat was clear.
“Witch… big sister! Sister! Please ask me! How can I answer if you don’t ask me!” At this moment, the Merman shouted his grievances with his last bit of strength.
He simply sensed the unusual waves in the sea and was called to see what happened. After all, he was nearby, and the Sea Tribe’s ceremony that was recently planned was disrupted by a witch. That person from the Royal Sea Tribe Academy was furious, and he could only comply.
The people in the Sea Tribe Academy are all short-tempered individuals; how could she not listen?
“Where are the people from the Royal Sea Tribe Academy? I’m asking about the students who can hold the Sea King Ceremony.”
“The Royal Sea Tribe Academy? Students? In that direction, I… I am…”
“In that direction… Do you Sea Tribe have any plans for a ceremony right now?”
“This… How would I know? I have no idea about such decisions!”
“Not surprising for a small fry to know nothing about this.”
I let go of him, cleanly sending this Merman away. Even if the other party was worthless, they still had value in terms of score for kills.
Then I flew in the direction he pointed. Once I had a rough idea of the direction, finding the rest would be easy. At worst, I could repeat my earlier actions there. Perhaps I could test how far I could resonate and push my limits.
Until I saw the head of a Merman emerging from the sea, I realized I had arrived at my destination.
“Witch! What are you doing here again?”
“Oh?” At that moment, seeing a familiar face made me exceptionally excited. Although this was the one whose Sea King Ceremony I had disrupted, after all, they were a member of the Royal Sea Tribe Academy.
“Came out for some fresh air. What… No?”
“Hehe? Fresh air? While the Witch Academy’s witch tea party is going well, you come out for fresh air? Do you think I would believe that? What, did you come over to see our failure? Indeed, witches are all bad-tempered.”
“Oh, no, no, no, I think you misunderstood. The previous situation was purely for the benefit of our respective academies. I was just postponing everyone’s progress. But I’m very grateful that you can still calmly listen to me.”
“Calmly! Which eye of yours saw calmness? Are you blind?”
“Just making a joke to lighten the mood. Now that our Witch Academy’s ceremony is about to be completed, let me share some intel with you. After a ceremony, an academy must wait before holding the next one. So theoretically, there’s no conflict between us.”
Facing my change in attitude, the Sea Tribe was at a loss. Although she really wanted to retaliate directly, they had already tried that before and it didn’t affect this annoying witch.
It wasn’t just the convenience of the other party being able to fly; it was also an overwhelming strength. She finally understood what her teacher meant by being careful around the Witch Academy before this exchange competition.
However, the specific rules regarding the interval between ceremonies were indeed valuable intel, though not much, after all, they hadn’t even completed a successful ceremony. Knowing this was of no use.
Even if they succeeded, the next ceremony would be a long way off, and they had to admit they didn’t have the ability to hold ceremonies in succession.
If this witch comes around often, it might be challenging for even the first ceremony to succeed.
“What exactly do you want to express?”
“Actually, do you believe me when I say I want to help you complete the ceremony?”
“Do you think I would believe such tricks?”
“Ah, indeed, even I don’t believe it myself, but that doesn’t prevent us from chatting? After all, communication is the shortcut to resolving misunderstandings. I believe I should be able to represent the Witch Academy and communicate with you.”
“What do you want to say?”
“Let’s talk about… the hidden rules triggered after the ceremony completion?” I smiled as I looked at her expression. The moment I mentioned the post-ceremony triggers, her expression visibly shifted awkwardly.
“Triggered hidden rules?”
“Don’t play dumb. Isn’t it underhanded, Sea Tribe? Our information was acquired through practice; it seems you were already aware of this beforehand?” I casually perched on my flying broomstick and asked with my legs crossed, originally just testing, didn’t expect her to really know?
Although I can’t be certain now, a little bluff might yield surprises.
Moreover, now there’s something to discuss.
“Stop talking nonsense! The rules of the exchange competition are formulated by all academies together! How could there possibly be a leak! Also, thank you for informing me that the hidden rules will trigger after the ceremony! I think we no longer need to continue this conversation!”
“Of course, it is necessary! After all, to have nothing to talk about means we can only resort to blows.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“How can this be considered a threat?” I leapt off the broomstick, landing a foot above the sea surface, naturally supported by the modified energy shield. I had previously used it as a stepping stone, so using it here was also fine; at least it showed my willingness to engage in “equal” dialogue.
The flying broomstick, which had lost its magical support, fell, and I caught it.
“I think we need a formal meeting to discuss, just like your meeting with the elves back then. Only back then you were forming an alliance, and now it’s just a transaction.”
I stepped closer to her, which indeed surprised them. Being able to walk on the sea was an extraordinary feat.
“Transaction? What sort of transaction do you want?”
“I help you complete the ceremony, and you use the hidden rules triggered by the ceremony for me, regardless of what they trigger, at least in a way I find acceptable.”
“Hehe, why should we give you the ceremony we worked hard to hold? What do you think you are? Getting all the benefits?”
“How could that be? It’s mutually beneficial. You get the academy scores, right? Think about it, the second academy to score! Such an advantage, if used well, can surpass the three top academies! Isn’t this temptation great? And you only need to provide the so-called unknown hidden rules; perhaps resources or some beneficial opportunities, but those might be too distant for you.” I meticulously analyzed these pros and cons for her, and even I felt a bit tempted.
“Would you be that kind-hearted?”
“Can’t really say I’m kind-hearted; it’s simply mutually beneficial. After this tea party, our academy’s score will reach two points, and even if we help you gain a little score, your academy will need at least two more points to surpass our Witch Academy. We’re confident that you won’t be able to get those two points.”
“You!”
“Don’t be mad, I’m stating facts, and I’m also outlining the sincerity and confidence of our Witch Academy.”
At that moment, the Sea Tribe Merman was nearly driven to rage by my tone. The way I spoke from above made her want to tear the other party apart! Slaughter them!
But she couldn’t. For some reason, things had reached this situation. It seemed like her earlier weakness allowed everything to proceed to this point according to the other party’s wishes.
“Very well, it seems you’re quite calm. This is a great quality for a leading academy representative. How do you feel about this transaction? Shall we… have a pleasant cooperation?”
I leaned toward her and extended my hand. If everything went smoothly and there was no need for battle, then it would be a win-win situation.
After all, this was merely a gamble based on luck, and I would gain no loss regardless of the outcome.
Just like how I prepared to set the World Tree ablaze, there’s no downside for me. Thus, the value exists.
“Unpleasant! Our academy’s teachers said before coming that a witch’s words cannot be trusted even a bit…”
“Alright…”
I slapped my forehead at her outstretched hand, feeling like I’d heard that phrase many times before. The Witch Academy has such a bad reputation? It was even worth a warning from their academy’s teacher?
Could it be that it’s related to the grievances of the Extraordinary Witches…?
“But the only thing that can be trusted about witches is the Witch Contract. I don’t trust a single word outside of what’s in the contract!”
“Oh~ don’t breathe so heavily when you talk~ you startled me into almost acting~ But what you said about the Witch Contract… This… is a bit difficult…”
“You witches need special sheepskin to draft a contract, and those sheepskins are common materials. I doubt a busy person like you hasn’t searched for those materials, right?”
“Is there? Don’t rush me, I’m looking.”
I gestured for her not to rush. I was indeed busy; riding a broom meant I hadn’t had the chance to find resources hidden in some corner. But I had plenty of stolen storage equipment, and I had people gather plenty.
I started pulling storage bags out of another storage bag. Just the number of storage equipment piled up was staggering, and the sight of this robbery made the Sea Tribe members present jump.
“Aha~ Found it! This stack should be enough, and there’s ample room for trial and error.”
After searching for a while, I finally found it. It didn’t seem like such a common material…
“Now let’s start drafting the content together.” I laid out the sheepskin and picked up the pen that had come with it to start writing.
I first wrote down my demands and showed it to her. After all, this was a contract that both parties needed to abide by; no one wanted to be at a disadvantage.
After a series of “friendly” exchanges, the distant witch tea party had already concluded. Taking this as an opportunity, the final contract was finally drafted.
“So, here’s to a pleasant cooperation.” I cheerfully signed my name and handed over the contract that I didn’t know how many drafts it had gone through.
“Ah~ I forgot, I’m really sorry. We’ve already had such in-depth exchanges, and yet I don’t know your name. How rude of me.”
“Remember it! Witch, my name is Enara.”
“Enara, huh… nice name.” I watched as the sheepskin ignited in her hands, proving the contract’s validity.
“Hehe, then there’s no time like the present; let’s begin.” I looked at Enara and then at the other Mermen, stating in the contract that until the ceremony was completed, I was not allowed to make a move against the Sea Tribe students unless the Sea Tribe acted first. Otherwise, I couldn’t retaliate.
Although these are not equal terms, it’s necessary to view it from an overall perspective. After all, the contract could only be signed with both parties agreeing; I also needed to make some concessions. If unwilling to compromise, what difference is it from coercion?
However, Enara was not the only leader in the Sea Tribe Academy, so I still had room to retaliate without violating the contract, in case of misunderstandings from other Mermen. Of course, if there were misunderstandings, Enara would also need to provide explanations and comfort.
We quickly arrived at the place I scheduled. The Sea Tribe’s Sea King Ceremony wasn’t as picky about locations as the Witch Academy’s tea party. Since it wasn’t clear if the hidden rules after the ceremony were akin to the special privileges obtained after the witch tea party or directly acquiring combat abilities, the location needed my selection until the Sea King Ceremony was completed.
If Enara crowned the Sea King, she would directly dominate the tides and control the ocean, causing tsunamis; at least the distance wouldn’t hinder my plans.
“By the way, do you really not know what the hidden rules of your ceremony are afterwards?”
“Of course, we Sea Tribe adhere to the rules and won’t know what we shouldn’t know beforehand, just like your Witch Academy’s ceremony. Did you know in advance?”
“Haha, that’s true, but I still have quite a bit of research on the rules of the exchange competition. Since we’re on the topic, why don’t we chat about it?”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“Nothing much; we all know the exchange competition cannot last forever. The past specters of the central ancient battlefield will grow stronger and stronger, eventually engulfing the entire map into the ancient battlefield. At that time, all contestants will be unable to escape. This is something we saw beforehand. But it also mentioned sea erosion; Enara, do you have any insights on sea erosion?”
“What insight could I have? I don’t know.”
“Don’t be so straightforward, now we are in a friendly cooperative relationship. Let’s put it this way: is the sea erosion caused by rising sea levels or tsunami impact?”
“I… I guess it’s tsunamis.”
“I guess so too.”
I smiled as I looked towards the ceremoniously glowing ritual in the distance. Suddenly, I realized I had something to do.
“So, I’ll leave the ritual in your hands to manage. I’ll go stir up the other academies’ ceremonies to buy you time.”
“Naturally, we’ve signed a contract; the penalty is disqualification. I don’t want to be disqualified because of this.”
“True.”
I smiled and nodded. I was quite confident about the contract. Though it could only specifically target Enara, if disqualification from the competition violated one of the contracts, that would be a poor trade for anyone. There was indeed a considerable operational space in this matter, as neither of us wanted to hold any incriminating leverage over the other regarding disqualification. If forced into a one-for-one swap, I would be the first to refuse.
Right now, the Witch Academy had just finished a ceremony, while the Sea Tribe was the first to start preparations for their ceremony. The various academies were quite overwhelmed, with the Witch Academy pressing down on all academies. Ranking of the academies was stalling, and personal rankings could not compare. Many smaller academies had already begun to show signs of giving in.
At that moment, the ceremony glowing in the distance was from the World Tree Elves, and upon relating it to the location, I was quite surprised.
I remembered the elves should be in disarray due to the raging fire. How could they quickly prepare for a ceremony?
Or did they also know about the hidden rules after the ceremony, preparing to take a gamble?
However, regardless, I was set on putting some pressure from the witches on them. Maybe I could even create another large fire on the other side, trapping them in a pincer movement.
At that time, they should be sweating bullets, right?
Currently, under the pressure of the approaching forest fire, the elves and the Beast Academy gradually accepted their inability to extinguish the flames. Even with help from the Elemental Spirit Academy, it was like a drop in the bucket. After all, the fire spreads, but the water does not.
Moreover, the ranger negotiating with the Sea Tribe had not responded, so they needed to save themselves.
For instance, borrowing the power of the World Tree to hold on to their last hope. After all, the status of the World Tree is as crucial as the Wizard Tower of the Wizard Academy, replenishing natural force, obtaining resources and protection, etc. The “Mother God’s Song Ceremony” refers to the World Tree. If the World Tree were truly burned down, then Aphhemia Academy would essentially be saying goodbye to their rank.
In a situation where nothing could be done, they could still conduct a ceremony!
Since the Aphhemia Academy’s ceremony is bound to a fixed existence, the preparation for the ceremony is relatively simple. In the beginning, Aphhemia Academy took a conservative approach, for even though they were all elves, it didn’t mean they were all on the same page.
For example, the Dark Fallen Elves and Elemental Spirit Academies were not subordinate to Aphhemia Academy but were only constrained by its power. However, if push came to shove, they could still make trouble for them. Not to mention, the Beast Academy was right beside them, which was a mixed bag.
Just conducting a ceremony would surely lead to being attacked by the Beast Academy, even if it was just a possibility. So, the elves needed to maintain a better relationship with the Beast Academy.
But being conservative to this point had left them behind the Witch Academy, so they had to take aggressive action to have a chance of turning the situation around.
They might even tie the Aphhemia Academy’s Mother God’s Song Ceremony to the forest fire, “proving” that Aphhemia Academy can extinguish the forest fire relying on the World Tree, hoping to deceive some support from the Beast Academy.
Even if the Beast Academy eventually realized they had been tricked, at least Aphhemia Academy would have obtained some scores. Given the current situation, if the Witch Academy continued acting that way, Aphhemia Academy could at least maintain second place, which would still be quite good.
