1:30 PM. Inside the training ground.The remaining students of the magic department had arrived early, standing ready. Each clutched their weapon, quietly contemplating how they might ‘survive’ at the hands of the formidable witch. They had all heard tales of the morning’s horrific outcome. Utter annihilation… Now that it was finally their turn, their aspirations were modest. ‘Breach the witch’s shield, and last until class ends!’ Of course, that was an impossible feat. From friends who had endured psychological counseling, they gleaned a sliver of hope: if they performed exceptionally, the formidable witch might show mercy. Their task, then, was to figure out how to satisfy him. ‘But what, exactly, would qualify as ‘satisfactory’?’ Everyone racked their brains, yet no viable solution emerged.Just then, a voice, calm yet tinged with a subtle excitement, echoed through the quiet training ground, interrupting everyone’s thoughts.
“Everyone, I have an idea. I wonder if any of you would be interested.”
“Tell us,” the others urged, turning towards the sound. They were at a loss anyway, so listening wouldn’t hurt. This was precisely what Fire Wushuang had hoped for. A faint smile played on her lips; their interest was all she needed. She then proceeded to lay out her battle plan. With the exception of concealing the fact that the magic vine seed originated from an S-rank dungeon, the entire plan was unveiled. She wasn’t concerned about others imitating her, for her own power was the true core of this strategy. Besides…
If she was seeking allies, she naturally had to demonstrate her sincerity. A monster sustained by the magic of just the four of them would, at most, reach B-rank strength. But if they could drag everyone else in the class into this! A flicker of excitement sparked in Fire Wushuang’s eyes. With everyone’s combined magic, they could guarantee at least a B-rank monster. And if they pushed themselves even harder, conjuring an A-rank monster wasn’t out of the question.
“How can you be certain you can control this ‘monster’ you speak of?” someone voiced their concern. After all, Fire Wushuang was no different from them; her ability had awakened less than a year ago. ‘Did she truly possess such capability?’
“A demonstration, you mean?” Fire Wushuang’s dark pupils deepened, reflecting the speaker within their depths.
“Of course! An uncontrollable weapon ultimately harms its wielder! We’re not here to throw our lives away.”
The others, hearing this, nodded in agreement. For these prodigies, wielding power not inherent to themselves left them feeling utterly uncertain. Not only was this power unknown, but there was also the risk of it spiraling out of control. Taking such a gamble for a mere test hardly seemed worth it.
Fire Wushuang, having anticipated their apprehension, confidently patted her chest and began to explain her ability.
“My ability allows me to create monsters, and I can integrate myself into their bodies to control them, rather than letting them act purely on instinct.”
“Regardless of whether the monster’s final rank surpasses my own, it will remain firmly within my grasp.”
This was the source of Fire Wushuang’s confidence. Absolute control: every monster born from her hands possessed an undeniable obedience.
“Perhaps some of you still have reservations. I’ll give you a brief demonstration.”
With that, a black whip materialized in Fire Wushuang’s hand. At its tip, a distinct black heart stood out. As her power was not yet sufficient, her officer’s ceremonial attire could only manifest this single component. However, this weapon was the crucial element of her ability. It held the miraculous power to create monsters!
Fire Wushuang channeled the magic within her towards the whip in her hand, and a faint aura emanated from the black heart-shaped tip. After scanning the ground, her gaze sharpened, fixing on a wizard hat—belonging to some unknown little darling—and with a gentle flick, she swung the whip. The magic whip sliced through the air with a ‘snap,’ striking the hat. The hat wasn’t sent flying, as everyone had expected. Instead, black magic flowed from the whip into the wizard hat.
“Mew?”
To their astonishment, a pair of crimson eyes sprouted from the hat, and a swirling mass of black mist within its inner lining rapidly expanded, then solidified into a complete body. A distorted crack shimmered faintly at the brim, revealing a hint of blush from within. ‘It’s a mouth!’ Everyone gasped in surprise. That very sound had just emanated from this creature! ‘A lifeless hat, awakened and transformed into a monster!?’ Unbelievable power.
Just as the crowd, astonished, sought to delve deeper into this phenomenon, the hat monster suddenly deflated, rapidly shrinking. Its body, its hat-face. In but a moment, as if drained by some mysterious force, it withered into a flat piece of paper that drifted to the ground.
“The monster’s duration depends on how much power I expend, so there’s absolutely no need to worry about it losing control.”
This…! The students exchanged glances, their expressions wavering. If this truly were the case…
“Alright! I’m in!” The male student who had initially raised the question was the first to raise his hand in agreement. He couldn’t conceive of any way to endure under Teacher Aya’s prowess, so he might as well go along with Fire Wushuang’s plan. With someone taking the lead, the remaining hesitant individuals quickly followed suit. Their agreement, however, drowned out the pained cries of a certain little darling clutching their precious hat. That wizard hat had been purchased at a convention from his favorite teacher! It even bore that teacher’s autograph, and now it was completely gone!!!
“Leafy! I have a feeling about this time!”
“Please, don’t speak,” Ye Liu said, rolling her eyes as she pushed Lin Ling off her. ‘To jinx us before battle—is she trying to make us lose even faster? I was already uneasy when Wushuang finalized the plan, and now Ling Ling has gone and jinxed us. Victory… it feels so distant now…’ Ye Liu sighed silently.
“Fire Wushuang, how do we cooperate with you?”
“No rush.” Fire Wushuang cast her gaze downwards, checking the time, then fell into thought.
1:56 PM. With over ten minutes remaining until class, awakening the vine at this precise moment would demand an excessively vast amount of energy. ‘Just a little longer…’ Under everyone’s heightened tension, time swiftly passed until the class bell rang.
“Wushuang…” Lin Ling, fraught with nerves, instinctively clenched her fists.
“Mm!” A rare trace of anxiety etched itself between Fire Wushuang’s brows. Her gaze was fixed intently on the training ground’s double doors, which could swing open at any moment. ‘I can’t wait any longer. The magic vine absorbs magic, and it takes time to develop from a seed, to sprout, and fully mature. If Teacher Aya discovers us, we’ll lose our advantage!’
“Pour all the magic from your bodies directly into this seed!” Fire Wushuang chose not to gather the magic into herself before transferring it to the seed. Each individual’s magic possessed distinct attributes, carrying unique energetic signatures, much like DNA. While the combined magic of one or two people might unleash a more potent force… ‘…currently, there were over a dozen magic students present. Absorbing everyone’s magic into her own body would be tantamount to courting death.’ The magic vine seed originated from an S-rank dungeon, and even as a mere seed, in terms of raw power, no one here could compare to it!
“Understood!” Without holding back, everyone channeled all the magic within their bodies into the magic vine seed.
Oh dear.