The New Witch Arrives (Part 1)

“Can you hear me! Senior Tei Lai! Chen Zeyu, she…”

Evetti’s cries rippled, faint yet persistent, washing over Chen Zeyu’s consciousness in waves.

Chen Zeyu felt as though she was adrift in an endless void of darkness, with only her senses of hearing and sight still functioning.

‘Evetti is likely carrying me. Where are we going?’

Chen Zeyu struggled to sort through her thoughts. Her memory felt confined, unable to recall anything beyond Evetti and the Dawn’s Prayer for the moment.

A rustling sound.

It was like a broom sweeping across a concrete path. Something was approaching from the darkness, drawing ever closer!

Chen Zeyu couldn’t tell if the presence was headed for her. She wanted to open her mouth to warn Evetti, but a terrifying fatigue enveloped her entire body, leaving no strength for even a whisper.

“Yes, my location is Jinghu High School! We’re almost at the entrance now.”

Evetti’s voice indicated she was completely unaware of what Chen Zeyu perceived.

Chen Zeyu desperately wanted to awaken, but the moment a thought of resistance formed, the fatigue surged back like quicksand, pulling her deeper into a swamp.

Each struggle only caused her to sink further.

[Why do you flee from me, child?]

The entity in the darkness spoke without warning, its voice identical to what Chen Zeyu had heard in the game that day.

‘It’s her again. Why won’t she leave me alone?’

Chen Zeyu couldn’t fathom it. She had already left the game device, and Evetti had even thoroughly checked her body. Why could this entity still find her, like an unshakeable phantom?

[The gift I gave you, why do you refuse to use it?]

The woman sounded perplexed, and Chen Zeyu paused, recalling the white flower and the white flame that had ignited with a touch.

‘That flame consumed me directly! How could I dare use it? Not to mention, I don’t even know how!’

The woman seemed to read Chen Zeyu’s thoughts, for she immediately extended a hand.

[You do not yet know how. I understand. I will use this last trace of my power to teach you.]

The woman’s index finger touched Chen Zeyu’s brow. The fingertip glowed and warmed, and the white light transformed into a liquid, dripping down and illuminating a patch of the vast darkness.

Through the fleeting light, Chen Zeyu finally glimpsed the woman’s true face, hidden beneath her hood.

Her left eye was pitch-black, her right a searing crimson. Her skin was ghastly pale, crisscrossed with dark lines, as if afflicted by a curse. Yet, despite this, a faint smile graced her red lips.

‘Who is she? Why does she call me child? We are strangers.’

Chen Zeyu couldn’t voice her questions, nor did she have time. A small, four-petaled white flower symbol slowly emerged on her brow.

[This will suffice. The child beside you will have to endure some hardship for a while.]

The woman’s tone held a hint of apology. Chen Zeyu felt her forehead burn as if seared by a fire poker, and a torrent of heat expanded from her brow, reaching every corner of her body!

The overwhelming heat banished the fatigue, and the excessive warmth activated her bodily functions.

Excitement! Uncontrollable impulse! Burn! Burn everything completely!

Only a few flickering words remained in Chen Zeyu’s mind. Her eyes, too, turned completely crimson, the blood-red condensing into solid pupils. Their agate-like texture seemed to contain flames capable of reducing all to ash!

At Jinghu High School’s flag-raising square, Evetti continued to support Chen Zeyu as they walked. She had already contacted the senior witches, informing them of Chen Zeyu’s current condition. The seniors promised to arrive immediately and instructed Evetti to quickly set up a concealment barrier.

“Just bear with it a little longer. You’ll be fine soon,” Evetti encouraged Chen Zeyu, simultaneously pulling out her wand and waving it through the air.

The wand instantly overflowed with dark purple magic, which branched into dozens of streams, forming a semicircular barrier with a radius of at least fifty meters, centered on Evetti.

The barrier had a glassy texture, reflecting diluted dark purple light, and maintained only the bare minimum of illumination within its confines.

“Phew, finished.” Evetti gently lowered Chen Zeyu to the ground. Chen Zeyu lay flat on the square’s flagstones, her brows tightly furrowed, her legs slightly drawn in, and her school uniform deeply wrinkled.

“Your face doesn’t seem as red as before. Are you feeling better?” Evetti touched Chen Zeyu’s face, finding it, as expected, still quite hot.

A snap.

“Who’s there!” Evetti looked around warily. There was no one else within the barrier, only some fallen branches that had been there for a while.

However, without external interference, why would a branch make such a sound out of nowhere?

Another snap!

Right before Evetti’s eyes, red flames of an unknown origin suddenly shot forth from the branches!

‘?’ Evetti couldn’t comprehend how such spontaneous combustion could occur.

Snap! Snap!

The surrounding branches and dead leaves followed suit, all bursting into flames. The flickering fire danced, like devotees welcoming the arrival of a fire god!

‘What is happening? Who is doing this?’

As Evetti pondered this, she suddenly felt a surge of heat behind her, filled with the most familiar sensation to a witch: a vast, tidal wave of magic!

‘Chen Zeyu is still there!’

Evetti whirled around! The scene before her was overturning her understanding!

Chen Zeyu stood engulfed in white flames, her clothes long since reduced to ashes spiraling upwards. Her expression was starkly cold, a complete contrast to the inferno around her!

The surging, colossal magic originated from her. It was true; a witch awakening had occurred in a human.

Evetti dared not act rashly. This was a human school, and if Chen Zeyu’s existence were exposed, the news would spread throughout the world.

“Chen Zeyu… how do you feel right now?” Evetti remained still, her voice soft as she called out.

Chen Zeyu did not speak. She simply raised her head, allowing her crimson eyes to fixate on the sky, which was obscured by the barrier.

“You…” Evetti suddenly had a terrible premonition.

Whoosh!

Chen Zeyu’s silver hair suddenly moved with a will of its own, unleashing a ball of white fire! The white fire swiftly rocketed towards the top of the barrier!

Boom!

The flash of the explosion instantly engulfed nearly half of the barrier. The blinding light momentarily rendered Evetti sightless. She stumbled, pulling out her wand, and cast spells upon herself.

“Control Fire! Control Light!”

The magic took effect quickly, and Evetti’s vision returned. She saw the barrier, now riddled with terrifying cracks, seemingly unable to withstand a second blow!

‘I must stop Chen Zeyu!’

“Hey! Look at me! Chen Zeyu!” Evetti aimed her wand at Chen Zeyu, whose gaze naturally turned towards her.

“This silence isn’t like you. You were right, you really have become a witch now.” Evetti tried to rouse Chen Zeyu’s consciousness, but Chen Zeyu remained unresponsive, her silver hair conjuring another ball of white fire.

‘Indeed, a witch caught in a cognitive distortion becomes incredibly dangerous. I need to draw all her attacks to myself.’

Evetti secretly wiped a bead of sweat. She clearly felt the magical concentration in the air rising exponentially, reaching the standard of a Great Witch.

“I will make you wake up, Chen Zeyou! This is my promise to take responsibility for you!” Evetti swung her wand. Even though her legs were trembling slightly, she refused to give up.