I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 246

Chapter 99: The Focus of the Trial

Of course, the Rangers were only responsible for delivering messages and had no authority to inspect the secret realm.

With two-thirds of their manpower lost, the final inspection naturally progressed slowly.

The elf descendant in charge of arranging the secret realm couldn’t muster much enthusiasm; it was all a bit half-hearted. After all, this was the third check already, and it shouldn’t have any problems left.

Unless, someone was intentionally causing issues.

In a corner of the secret realm, this elf descendant couldn’t help but reveal a strange smile, a dark green light flickering in her eyes.

It was troublesome trying to act under the noses of the mages and academy teachers—after all, the three factions were supposed to keep an eye on each other.

She casually scattered a seed, and the grass beneath it withered instantly. This bizarre power, like a plague, deeply buried itself underground.

“Hey, what are you doing…?”

As luck would have it, a lazy young man tried to sneak away early only to stumble upon this scene.

Unfortunately for him, before he could finish his sentence, a small wand pointed at the back of his neck, and his eyes glazed over.

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Time flowed, and the day of the Trial of Blue finally arrived.

Tourists from various nations of Veszyra gathered at the arena in the center of Academy City, with representatives from all factions coming to witness the display of young extraordinary beings.

Of course, the arena was just a seating area; the students had gathered outside the secret realm, and a magical screen floating in the air would project the entire process of the trial.

The annual trial was a rare event for Academy City. It’s not every day that even the locals get to see extraordinary beings in action, let alone those tourists who usually couldn’t even catch a glimpse of them. Now, getting to see the talents of Veszyra firsthand was bound to raise everyone’s excitement.

The representatives from the various factions were there to scout for talent and assess the potential of future heirs.

Duke Raymond of the Lionheart Kingdom, a priest from the Holy Light Church’s White Harbor branch, the chief of the Verdant Council, and the dean of the Magic Academy were among the many distinguished figures mingling and chatting, which made the nobles and teachers below feel quite awed.

Meanwhile, on the plains outside the secret realm, the young participants were well aware that they would be showcasing their skills in front of countless spectators and important figures, competing for honor and even determining their fates. Some felt exhilarated, while others were trembling with anxiety, vomiting from nerves even before the trial began.

Among the crowd, the black-haired boy remained remarkably composed.

After experiencing the various banquets and ceremonies of the kingdom, and dealing with the cult attack, this small scene was hardly enough to stir his inner turmoil.

Roy’s only concern was Nia. Though she had a social anxiety issue, this trial would ultimately determine her fate, so a little nerves were to be expected.

But Roy quickly realized he was overthinking things.

Nia’s eyes sparkled with excitement, her enthusiasm beaming as if she were a child eager for an outing.

She turned around, beaming brighter than the sun above her: “Finally, this day has come! It’s time to show Mom just how amazing we are!”

Roy couldn’t help but tease, “You really are optimistic.”

“Well, I’ve got you with me,” Nia replied with a grin, sounding like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Once all the participants for the trial were gathered, the black-haired teacher, Sado, stepped forward to explain the rules of the trial.

For every trial, the participants would wear magic crystal stones to shield against damage.

These magic crystal stones would match the bloodlines of the extraordinary beings and absorb damage, teleporting the participant out of the secret realm if they received a fatal injury.

If a participant chose to concede, they could crush their magic crystal stone to automatically be transported out.

Extraordinary beings were precious no matter where they went, especially since the academy needed to ensure their safety as much as possible.

The specific rules for the Trial of Blue involved measuring the scoring standard.

“This time, the secret realm is located in the Misty Forest. You need to traverse through it, roughly for two days, and reach the center of the forest to find the marking gem we’ve set!”

“There are only four marking gems, and for this trial, the order in which you obtain the gems will determine your scores. After we determine the top four, the order of reaching the finish line will further break any ties!”

If Roy aimed to surpass Roland and Ain, he at least needed to place in the top four.

Fortunately, the rules were not complicated, and this trial was particularly favorable for Nia.

Nia excelled in speed, so whether it was traveling or snatching gems, she should handle it with ease. Roy thought to himself, feeling a bit more confident.

“I declare, the trial begins now!”

With Sado’s command, the students surged into the teleportation array like well-trained soldiers.

After a burst of intense light, they felt their bodies lighten, and in the next moment, their surroundings shifted.

A flawless blue sky, clouds swirling, and all around was a vast grassland, with a forest shrouded in mist visible in the distance.

However, no one had time to admire the scenery at that moment.

“Take them down!”

Someone shouted, and the moment they entered the secret realm, the more than a thousand extraordinary beings participating in the trial launched the fiercest attacks against each other.

Nothing beats eliminating your competition for the best chance at victory.

The vast grassy field was completely unobstructed, easily making for the best arena.

In this terrain, the overwhelming numbers were fully utilized, with faction members cooperating to quickly wipe out the scattered individual fighters. No matter how powerful those lone wolves were, it was nearly impossible to fend off the coordinated assaults of a group of extraordinary beings.

In an instant, the screen filled with swirling magic, clashing swords, roaring magical beasts, creating a dazzling and grand storm. Even in past trials, such fierce combat right from the start was rare, and the audience was thoroughly entertained.

“If Roland had found himself in such a predicament back then, I dare say he wouldn’t have had such an easy win,” Booker said, stroking his beard, shaking his head as he glanced at the elven beauty beside him.

The old man had indeed pinned his hopes of convincing Janthea on Roy, but he hadn’t expected such spirited motion from his side.

Janthea didn’t respond, focusing intently on the screen showing the young men and women’s figures.

The chief of the council, filled with hope, seemed as if she had returned to her own student days. In truth, though she had spoken about the two youths needing to prove themselves, she must have already had her answer in her heart.

Seeing this, Booker couldn’t help but chuckle, deciding not to say more.

But the question remained, could Roy and Nia surpass those two from back then? Even the wise and ancient Sage found themselves curious.

In the chaotic battle, Roy and Nia ignored the surrounding attacks; the former braved the flying arrows and swords, shooting out like a shooting star, while the latter ducked and dodged with agility, narrowly avoiding danger.

For scattered fighters, conserving stamina and avoiding direct confrontation with large groups was the best strategy.

Unfortunately, everyone understood this reasoning, yet most of the scattered fighters barely even charged out before their magic crystal stones were shattered in the melee, getting eliminated right from the start.

In this scenario, the sight of the black-haired boy and green-haired girl pairing up and easily weaving through the enemy ranks was particularly striking.

Moreover, one was a sworn knight of the Lionheart Kingdom and the other a nightingale of the Verdant Council, each renowned figures, which elicited cheers from the people of both nations.

Yet, alongside the cheers, many couldn’t help but speculate about the nature of their relationship.