Chapter 206: Just Here for the Spectacle
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 206: Just Here for the Spectacle
Upon hearing those words, the teacher froze in his tracks.
"Are you going to report me to the Dean? Or do you want me to do something for you in exchange for your silence?"
"Hmm... wouldn't you like to know~"
With that, Xie Bai walked straight past him without another word.
She left the teacher and the others standing there, their minds in a state of utter confusion.
*
Once they were outside, the two little ones crowded around Xie Bai and asked:
"Sister Xiaobai, why didn't you expose him right then and there?"
"He clearly didn't look like a good person."
Faced with their questions, Xie Bai came to a halt.
"I don't care much for the trivial affairs of Dome Academy. Besides, I’m quite curious to see how long it takes for that Dean to realize what's happening. Judging by their reactions just now, they might have actually fallen for it."
As she spoke, she turned her gaze toward Julius.
"What do you think?"
Julius took a moment to reflect on her question.
"I’m not sure. But if the Cult Leader were here, he would likely use this to manipulate that teacher and plant a pawn within Dome Academy."
Hearing Julius's answer, Xie Bai folded her arms.
"Well, looking at it that way, I’m actually quite kind, aren't I?"
"That... I suppose so."
Julius nodded.
Though he felt that Xie Bai was making things even more chaotic—hardly better than the Cult Leader—he decided to keep that thought to himself after a brief hesitation.
For some reason, he felt he could see a trace of the Cult Leader in Xie Bai.
At the very least, this mindset of being "purely here for the spectacle" was strikingly similar to the Cult Leader's.
"Oh, right," Xie Bai said suddenly.
"Julius, when the competition starts, are you going to solo the Physical Ranking, or will you take on the Magic Ranking as well?"
Julius thought it over carefully.
"Either is fine."
*
The next day.
On Dome Academy’s largest floating platform, people from all over the Alliance had gathered.
Xavier sat at the central podium, lost in thought.
"You're telling me that six thousand five hundred participants from other academies are currently undergoing treatment because they tried to force their way through the first floor of the High Tower?"
The assistant beside Xavier responded, "That is correct. We’ve identified the specific cause. Because Kairos and his group cleared the tower so quickly, it triggered the tower's balancing mechanism, causing the difficulty to spike."
"The teacher responsible for monitoring the floor failed to report the anomaly in time and has already been dismissed and placed under investigation."
Xavier looked at the assistant, bewildered.
"Even so, couldn't those participants tell something was wrong? Why did every single one of them have to pick a fight with the first floor?"
The assistant adjusted his glasses and replied.
"Supposedly, there was a student from the Fate Faction who used Fate Cards to resolve the battle with ease. This dealt a heavy blow to the participants who have always looked down on the Fate Faction."
After hearing the explanation, Xavier buried his face in his hand.
The Fate Faction...
Hah.
The only members of the Fate Faction were Kairos, Nimo, and a few specially recruited freshmen.
With Kairos and Nimo still challenging the upper floors, it wasn't hard to guess who that "Fate student" showing off on the first floor actually was.
It really wasn't a mystery at all.
Though Xavier didn't want to dwell on the matter, the news that "Dome Academy’s Fate Faction uses Fate Cards in combat" had already spread like wildfire.
Countless people were now clamoring to join the Fate Faction to learn these combat techniques, and the momentum was unstoppable.
Thinking of this, Xavier turned to his assistant again.
"Doesn't Ivy have another student? Something like... Nai... Nairy?"
The assistant nodded. "Yes, Dean. You docked ten Academic Credits from her back then. She is currently in the Shadow World completing missions to pay off her debt."
"Sigh... that name is quite similar to Nephili's. By the way, how are her combat skills? Can she use Fate Cards?"
"That student's combat ability is indeed excellent; traversing the Shadow World doesn't affect her at all. She also knows a bit about using Fate Cards."
"Good. Notify Ivy immediately. Tell her to instruct Nairy on how to fight using Fate Cards, and announce to the public that she was the student who intervened on the first floor."
"Understood, Dean. Also, since those participants are still recovering, the competition needs to be delayed. Regarding the spectators currently waiting..."
Xavier thought for a moment. "I'll handle the announcement."
He stood up from the podium and addressed the audience below.
"Everyone, due to certain unforeseen accidents, we have decided to postpone the start of the competition. The specific time is yet to be determined."
His voice echoed across the stands. Before Xavier could explain further, the crowd erupted into an uproar.
"What 'unforeseen accidents'? I bet they did it on purpose!"
"My students went to participate in some High Tower trial yesterday, and they still haven't regained their mobility!"
"They call themselves the strongest academy, but in the end, they use these kinds of tactics to suppress other competitors!"
"I thought Dome Academy had grand ambitions within the Alliance, but now they aren't even trying to hide it!"
Just as the crowd’s indignation reached its peak, a calm voice cut through the noise, drowning out the entire field.
"Silence."
Instantly, everyone present fell quiet.
Xavier looked toward the source of the voice.
A young-looking man with long blue hair sat in the center of the stands, looking around with a face full of disdain.
"Gailoster?"
Xavier stared in disbelief.
In the Western Continent—and indeed, the entire world—whenever magic was mentioned, this man’s name was unavoidable.
Five hundred years ago, after reaching the summit of the High Tower, he left Dome Academy to begin his legendary life.
Four hundred years ago, he single-handedly translated all ancient magical records, further refining the magic system and shortening magic incantation times by at least half.
Three hundred years ago, he personally drove the Demon Race, who were invading the Eastern Alliance, back to the furthest reaches of the Western Continent.
Two hundred years ago, faced with a Magic Tide that threatened to engulf the world, Gailoster said nothing; he simply deciphered its nature and spent three years completely eradicating it.
Since then, no one had seen a trace of this mage.
With him suddenly appearing here, Xavier couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation.
Before the Dean could speak, Gailoster addressed the crowd.
"You all have so many opinions. Are you questioning Dome Academy, or are you slandering my alma mater?"
Faced with Gailoster’s interrogation, not a single person dared to respond.
Gailoster shook his head.
"If that is the case, why do you assume Dome Academy would intentionally suppress you? Is it not simply that your people are too weak?"
Upon hearing this, Xavier immediately cast aside his wariness of Gailoster.
So, this incredibly arrogant, legendary mage still held some affection for his old academy?
What Xavier didn't know was that Gailoster wasn't defending Dome Academy out of "old affection."
From his perspective...
A white-haired figure, wearing a Dome Academy badge, was sitting in the participants' section...
Watching him.