I held a staff taller than myself, swinging it in a wide arc to deliver a heavy blow to his back. The motion was clean and precise, and naturally, I hadn’t forgotten to imbue the staff with the [Thousand Jun] enchantment.
“Clang—!”
Dust billowed from the ground, and shattered stones flew in all directions. Hehe, another successful sneak attack.
It was clear this strike was far more potent than the last. After all, a book was merely a one-handed weapon; it couldn’t compare to the power of this massive staff, a fact evident from the debris scattered across the ground.
As the dust settled, the opponent was nowhere to be seen on the ground. Uh… it seemed that single blow had instantly eliminated them.
The stands fell into a stunned silence once more.
This time, the shock was immeasurably greater than before. Last time, it was a God of Magic, tricked by a rather underhanded feigned death.
But this time, the opponent was a God of War, fully prepared and fighting with all their might. Yet, the outcome was even more disastrous than the last.
Moreover, there weren’t many Gods of War capable of instantly slaying another with a single strike.
A chorus of gulps echoed through the stands. Everyone had initially thought this Illusion God, with their undeniably cute appearance, would fight gently, perhaps like the Goddess of Life herself.
However, this fighting style…
Having dispatched one opponent, I didn’t pause. Instead, I began unleashing a new round of enchantments. In a chaotic brawl like this, with my limited combat experience, I knew I’d only be fodder otherwise.
Rings of light materialized around Xilinka: increased strength, accelerated recovery, enhanced speed, boosted resistance.
These glowing auras piled onto Xilinka as if they cost nothing, which, in truth, they didn’t. Divine power was something I certainly wasn’t short on.
Xilinka’s offensive grew smoother and more relentless, making her increasingly difficult for the opponents to handle. It was at this precise moment that Lavishly Karafar’s divine spell reached its completion.
Given that victory was practically assured, refraining from any unnecessary actions would have been the wisest course. Any superfluous movement could potentially lead to unforeseen consequences.
Lavishly Karafar slowly ascended into the air. Her fingertips gently pointed towards the center of the battlefield, and rings of airwaves began to ripple outwards around her.
A vast area on the ground became covered in crimson spell formations, radiating a deep red glow. They were incredibly intricate, utterly defying comprehension.
The sheer visual spectacle of that effect was peerless, stirring an intense envy within me. My own skill effects, with their bright pink glow, were frankly laughable.
While undeniably cute, they weren’t exactly what I needed.
Curiously, I watched the rings of spell formations beneath my feet. Ahead, Xilinka unleashed a powerful cleave, cutting through several divine beings before her. With a mighty leap, she sprang far away.
The instant she landed, she saw me and seemed to shout something. But I couldn’t hear her, because…
[Annihilation]
“Boom—!”
A deafening blast, powerful enough to shatter stone pillars, ripped through the air. My vision turned crimson, and I felt myself being flung an incredible distance.
When I finally opened my eyes, I saw Lavishly Karafar and the others looking at me with profound concern. I realized I had already left the arena, and I gazed at them, bewildered.
“We won,” Xilinka stated calmly. “Lavishly Karafar achieved a ‘pentakill’ with her [Annihilation] spell, securing our victory in the match.”
‘A pentakill? How could there be a pentakill? I clearly took down one opponent, so how were there still five?’
Wait a moment, my fragmented memories were returning. It seemed I had just been ambushed by an incredibly powerful divine spell that had chilled me to the bone.
I looked at Lavishly Karafar, who apologetically stuck out her tongue. “Well, I mainly didn’t realize you wouldn’t dodge, so I just cast it directly…”
I paused, dumbfounded. ‘Ah, right. This wasn’t a game; there was no such thing as friendly fire immunity. So, it was perfectly normal for Lavishly Karafar’s ultimate spell to instantly eliminate me.’
Recalling that moment, however, filled me with a lingering dread, and my legs felt a bit weak. It was truly terrifying, to be instantly wiped out without a single chance to resist…
Still, Lavishly Karafar’s skill had quite a long preparation time and a significant delay after activation. I reckoned it would undoubtedly be a devastating weapon in a large-scale war, but in a small skirmish like this, it could probably only bully naive newbies like me.
What concerned me most, however, was why this team’s fighting style was so peculiar. Xilinka fighting five opponents alone, Mifeier sleeping, and Lavishly Karafar charging her ultimate spell – it all seemed utterly bizarre.
Xilinka immediately explained, “Mifeier’s condition is due to a curse.”
“A curse?” I echoed, perplexed. ‘Did such things truly exist? And even if they did, could they affect divine beings?’
Xilinka clarified, “Her mother, the God of Sloth, is an incredibly powerful deity. However, due to the nature of the power she wields, she often finds herself perpetually exhausted.
“Mifeier inherited almost all of her mother’s abilities, but unfortunately, the power her mother presides over is not benign. Mifeier inevitably suffered a backlash.
“Her choices were either to suppress it, which proved unstable, or to lose her powers entirely and become a mortal. Should she become mortal, her lifespan would undoubtedly be limited, and having lost her divinity, she wouldn’t be able to receive any divine nourishment.
“Thus, Her Highness, the God of Sloth, chose suppression. Fortunately, the suppression succeeded, and Mifeier escaped that fate.
“However, because she is still immature, whenever her mind is overly strained, she is overwhelmed by the power of sloth and falls into a deep slumber.”
‘Uh… honestly, this was quite troublesome. I didn’t know what the power of sloth entailed, but it clearly wasn’t something easily managed, making their unique fighting style perfectly understandable.’
‘Hmm… it seemed I needed to devise a way to keep Mifeier calm before battles. That should resolve the issue, shouldn’t it?’
I pushed myself up and stood, my legs still a little wobbly. I swayed a few times before Xilinka and Lavishly Karafar steadied me.
“Let’s go, let’s head out.” This seemed to be some sort of arena lounge, and I much preferred exploring a more expansive area than being cooped up here, which felt suffocating.
Stepping out of the lounge, I immediately spotted a young man with golden, tousled hair standing outside. A familiar tightness settled in my chest.
While I no longer actively disliked him, encountering a “peer” who embodied the very image I secretly aspired to still irked me. ‘Could being this handsome feed you? I absolutely wouldn’t be jealous. What was there to be jealous of?’
‘He just made people like him a little more, had a better demeanor, and attracted girls more easily. The more I thought about it, the more I gritted my teeth.’
I considered trying to skirt around him, but the moment I exited, he noticed me. He quickly walked over, asking, “Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine. This is just an arena; no one truly dies here, so don’t worry,” I explained. After all, he was showing concern, and responding properly was basic courtesy.
He nodded. “That’s good.”
Then he caught sight of Lavishly Karafar. When she saw him looking her way, the usually domineering woman actually flinched back a little, a hint of guilt in her eyes.
“Sigh—” Ryan Micheus let out a sigh. ‘After all, it wasn’t as if she did it on purpose, and since the victim hadn’t said anything, it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to comment.’
****
Meanwhile, in the Academy’s grand meeting hall, the Principal sat at the head of the long table. Opposite him sat a silver-haired young woman, Aklys, while countless academy officials occupied the seats along both sides of the table.
Aklys leaned back in her chair, stating calmly, “Actually, my purpose for coming here is quite simple. For this exchange, I want Ye Menghan to go.”
There were three principals in total, and the one presiding over this meeting was a spirited, middle-aged man with short, capable hair. Listening to Aklys’s words, he asked, somewhat puzzled, “Isn’t she your chosen candidate? Aren’t you worried about something happening if she goes to a place like that?”
Aklys curled her lips into a slight smile. “Have I ever done anything meaningless? You don’t need to know, but I can tell you one thing: this is something she’ll have to face sooner or later. There’s no harm in a little early exposure.”
With that, she turned and departed, her exit as swift as her arrival.
The Principal watched Aklys’s retreating figure, sighing. “That one is truly unfathomable.”
He then retrieved his terminal, pondering for a moment from his chair. ‘Hmm… then I’ll let Leixar handle this matter. Isn’t this kind of thing what that fellow is best at?’
“Leixar?”
– What is it? I’m very busy right now; speak quickly if you have something important.
Leixar’s tone was unfriendly; she genuinely seemed to have something critical to attend to.
– It’s about this exchange.
The Principal stated directly.
– Exchange? Are you going senile? What does that have to do with me? If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.
Her tone was laced with strong displeasure.
– This time, I want your student, Ye Menghan, to go.
The Principal continued.
– Oh?
A voice of interest emerged from the other end of the terminal.
– Ye Menghan?
– Yes, that’s right. Moe God Ye Menghan.
The Principal affirmed.
– Alright then, tell me, what do you need me to do?
Leixar’s impatience had vanished, replaced by a keen interest.
– I want you to designate her companions and serve as her accompanying mentor.
The Principal said simply, without beating around the bush.
– No problem, but can you tell me why it has to be that little lass, Ye Menghan?
Although she knew Ye Menghan was no simple girl, she wondered why *she* was chosen for this exchange, as she recalled the participants had already been decided.
– It’s the Seventh Divine Lord’s directive; I’m not entirely sure myself.
The middle-aged Principal held nothing back, seeing no need to conceal anything from Leixar.
– Hmm…
Leixar pondered, ‘Aklys, is it…’
– Alright, I’ll handle it. You won’t need to provide any further assistance after this.
Her implication was clear: she didn’t want him interfering with her plans.
– Understood.
The Principal readily agreed, without any hesitation. After all, there was no need to interfere. While Leixar’s methods were sometimes peculiar and inscrutable, her ultimate results were always favorable.
After receiving the Principal’s affirmative reply, Leixar promptly hung up the terminal. She mused for a moment, formulating a solution to the matter at hand, and realized she could also take the opportunity to investigate the young girl named Qianyue.
Hmph hmph, her mood brightened considerably, sweeping away her earlier vexation. She tossed the card in her hand, stood up, and stretched, preparing to ‘abduct’—no, to ‘persuade’ that little rascal, Ye Menghan.