Chapter 138: Combat Practice with Simulated Spells
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 138: Combat Practice with Simulated Spells
Up in the sky, I watched the ground approach and quickly lowered my altitude once I reached my destination.
Of course, the place below wasn't my dormitory.
While I’m definitely the type who heads back to the dorm whenever I have nothing to do, Teacher Ji Niang had told me to return early. At this hour, the dorms would likely be empty anyway.
Besides, Class 14 had a scheduled lesson today—specifically, a practical combat skills training course.
I hadn't attended this course before, but Hong Chenyi had. She’d told me all about it; it was essentially simulated combat training.
Specifically, we were to use special alchemy wands with "Simulated Spells" solidified within them for practical drills.
Simulated spells don't cause actual damage, but their special effects are quite intimidating. They almost perfectly mimic the casting process of a normal spell, and I’ve heard getting hit by one still stings quite a bit.
The course was primarily designed to train combat awareness and instincts for magical duels. It also allowed students to experience the joy of casting without needing a spellbook.
According to Hong Chenyi, the spells inside those special wands were incredibly varied—Fireball Spell, Wind Blade, Earth Wall, Water Escape, and more. It sounded fascinating, certainly much more interesting than those dry, tedious theory classes.
Hong Chenyi had been trying to drag me along to try it out. Honestly, I wanted to give it a go myself. After all, the Freshman Competition was right around the corner. How could I expect to do well without any practice?
So, I took this opportunity to give it a shot.
While I felt my reaction time and adaptability were decent, the witchification efficiency granted by my fifty-six Mana Sources was truly terrifying. Aside from promoting physical development to a certain extent, the improvements to my mental power and constitution were very apparent.
However, I did have a weakness. For instance, my mental power had a "pan-affinity," which provided no specific boost to spellcasting. To be honest, at this point, I didn't really care much for the supposed benefits of elemental affinity.
Even if an opponent’s elemental affinity made their spells significantly more powerful, didn't I have my modified spells?
I relied on technical skill.
After landing, I stowed my broom and picked up the black cat that had been perched on my shoulder.
The summoning spell hadn't expired yet. Perhaps because I hadn't pushed it into any intense combat, the continuous mana consumption of the Spirit Cat in this state was quite low. I had to admit, holding a well-behaved little kitten in my arms felt wonderful!
I’m sure anyone who saw me would be green with envy.
Who would have thought this was a spell that only cost ten mana?
Upon entering the massive Combat Training Hall, the vast, open interior allowed me to quickly spot some familiar faces.
I didn't know many people in the academy yet—mostly just my classmates, whose names I could more or less remember. I didn't really know anyone from the other classes.
"Hey, am I seeing things? Is that the Class Monitor?"
"Huh? Where? No way."
"Yeah, the Monitor wouldn't show up here at this time."
"No, wait, that really looks like the Monitor!"
"Don't tell me... it actually is her!"
Finally, someone recognized me—the one who hadn't attended class with them in quite a while.
I usually interacted with them in the group chat, so we rarely met in person.
"Hi, everyone. Long time no see." I walked over, trying my best to sound enthusiastic. "Is this class always this relaxed?"
"Monitor! I can't believe you actually came to class!"
"What a cute kitty! Where did you snatch that from, Monitor?"
"Oh, the teacher just let us do free practice. It's not that intense."
Immediately upon my arrival, a crowd of girls swarmed me with questions. Of course, the Spirit Cat in my arms was even more of an attention-grabber than I was.
After a brief exchange where I explained why I was there, more people gathered, including Hong Chenyi.
"Sister Xiao Han, what are you doing here?"
"I came to try out some practical combat. It’s about time I did some last-minute cramming," I said with a helpless shake of my head.
"Exactly! Come try it with me! I kept saying you should come to these practical classes to practice. The teacher in charge is really easygoing, too." Hearing my words, Hong Chenyi eagerly grabbed my hand and prepared to lead me toward our class's section.
I didn't refuse and followed her. After meeting the teacher and explaining the situation, I was handed a special wand.
I received a short wand, which was quite different from my own. The internal structure indeed resembled a solidified spell.
"Hehe~ Sister Xiao Han~ Let's duel! You might not have any experience, but I won't go easy on you!" Hong Chenyi said impatiently.
The commotion drew quite a bit of attention. After all, the usually elusive Class Monitor had suddenly appeared and was about to engage in a simulated duel. Naturally, everyone wanted to watch.
Furthermore, the various combat power ranking predictions circulating around the academy recently hadn't even listed the Class 14 Monitor. This had naturally made the girls of Class 14 quite indignant.
However, when they remembered that their Monitor had no practical combat experience and had never displayed any overwhelming strength, many of them felt a bit apprehensive.
In the crowd, there was one person who was particularly invested: Tu Xingyue. She was the one who had originally objected to me being the Class Monitor, only to end up as the Vice Monitor, fulfilling the duties of managing the class in my absence.
Back then, she had been terrified by Teacher Ji Niang’s warning that people could die in the competition. But now, she was studying hard, training on her own, and practicing combat techniques—all to prove that she was second to none!
At the same time, she was working to overcome her fear of death.
Tu Xingyue took this fight very seriously. She felt that if my performance was unsatisfactory, she would immediately go to the counselor and demand I be replaced as Class Monitor. If the counselor refused, she wouldn't mind stepping up and crushing me herself.
At the very least... Tu Xingyue wanted everyone to know that if Class 14 lost badly, it wasn't because everyone was a weakling, but because the Class 14 Monitor was a weakling.
All of this was predicated on me losing miserably. If I turned out to be a genius, she... she wouldn't mind biding her time. The feeling of being mocked by the whole class was truly unbearable.
She had worked hard to change her image in the class recently, and she didn't want her own reckless behavior to land her in a predicament again.
"Hehe~ Sister Xiao Han, are you ready?" Hong Chenyi asked repeatedly, her excitement palpable.
"Mhm... let me get used to how this wand works first." I flicked the wand, testing it a few times to familiarize myself with the internal spells. However, the spells inside were quite mediocre. To someone like me, who was used to modified spellbooks, this method of casting felt far too rigid. Still, it wasn't unusable.
"Alright, let's begin."
As soon as I spoke, Hong Chenyi waved her wand with a flamboyant flourish.
"Eat my Fireball Spell!" As she waved the wand, a Fireball Spell ritual formation appeared before her, and a bright sphere of fire manifested.
It shot toward me, though its speed left much to be desired. I simply took a few quick steps to the side and dodged it easily; even the aftershock of the Fireball Spell's explosion didn't reach me.
"Uh, my aim isn't great... but... Wind Blade! Double Casting! Hehe! Fell for it, didn't you!" Seeing her first Fireball Spell miss, Hong Chenyi spoke with a look of feigned helplessness, but her tone shifted instantly. Her so-called "Double Casting"—a hidden second spell, a Wind Blade—immediately swept toward me.
"Isn't Hong Chenyi being a bit too sneaky? Using Double Casting? Isn't that just a wand bug? We can't actually learn real Double Casting techniques yet."
"Exactly! Hong Chenyi is a cheater!"
"How embarrassing~"
Hong Chenyi's actions immediately drew a wave of disdain from the spectating classmates.
However, I didn't panic. The attack speed of the Wind Blade was much faster than the Fireball Spell.
But before it could hit me, it was blocked mid-air by an energy shield.
"Huh? Eh? What happened? Where's my Wind Blade? Where did my big Wind Blade go!" Hong Chenyi had been basking in the joy of her successful sneak attack, but in an instant, her attack had vanished, leaving her looking quite awkward.
"Wait! That shield just now—the wand doesn't have that spell! Sister Xiao Han, you're cheating!"
"Don't think I didn't hear that. You were cheating just now too, using a bug, right?" I wasn't embarrassed by her accusation at all. If it was a method I could use, then naturally, I would use it. In the Freshman Competition, we wouldn't be using these simulated spells anyway. It wasn't good to rely too heavily on these fake things.
I was only using this wand to experience the feel of an actual magical duel.
Besides, the internal structure of this special wand was very similar to a spellbook, though fundamentally different. There was no point in me modifying the internal structure because the thing wasn't a real spell to begin with—it was a simulation.
"Here comes a Fireball Spell~" After a brief casting bar, a fireball appeared before me.
As someone well-versed in the way of the Fireball Spell, I could tell this one was very mediocre. Once I released it, I would even lose my controlling link to it.
But I wasn't being picky right now. What I needed was experience in handling a formal duel. I didn't need to show off some crushing combat power just to give the class a confidence boost.
If you put yourself on too high a pedestal from the start, the burden you carry becomes far too heavy.
Moreover, before the competition, I didn't know if information on the various Class Monitors would be collected, so there was no need to show my hand right away.
After several rounds of trading shots with Hong Chenyi, I didn't want to continue this boring, turn-based battle any longer.
After all, spells weren't limited to Evocation; there were many others, like summoning spells, transformation spells, and even illusions.
In the final confrontation, I would be facing the Monitors of every class. They had likely obtained spells through various channels, and they certainly wouldn't be limited to things like Fireball Spell.
I also tried sparring with other classmates. They were very concerned about my combat strength, as I would be the one representing all of Class 14 in the competition.
Their concern was only natural.
While I was resting off to the side, a figure walked up to me, blocking my view.
"Mhm... Tu Xingyue? Is something the matter?" I put down my water bottle and asked curiously.
"You certainly are leisurely. If this is the extent of your practical combat skills, I might as well be the one going up," Tu Xingyue said, looking quite dissatisfied with my reaction—especially my current relaxed posture.
"Are you worried about me? I appreciate the concern. However, the class competition definitely won't be child's play like this. The duel won't be just firing simulated spells at each other, and spells aren't limited to the few Evocation spells you're trying out now."
"Are... are you lecturing me?"
"Hmm? Not at all." I looked up at Tu Xingyue. Where did she get the idea I was lecturing her? I was just trying to say that this kind of practical training wasn't very useful to me.
My specialty lay in using modified spells to handle various unexpected combat situations, not being restricted by the rigid frameworks of these training tools.
"The competition will depend on one's own methods. I know you're dissatisfied with me, so would you like to have a match? A real match, not one with simulated spells."
"You! You know perfectly well I don't know any spells and have very little mana. You're just bullying me! Don't think I don't know how much Teacher Ji Niang favors you! She must have given you plenty of spells and Mana Sources. How could I possibly beat you!" Tu Xingyue was clearly provoked by my suggestion, and the imbalance in her heart suddenly erupted.
"Since you know all that, then you should be at ease. I will do my absolute best." After hearing her out, I comforted her softly. I understood the grievance she felt, and I didn't mind her defiance. After all, if she were the Monitor, she might have enjoyed the same treatment—receiving spellbooks and Mana Sources. It was an opportunity to soar.
To have that opportunity taken away by a predetermined choice... it would be strange if she didn't feel bad.
In fact, I admired girls like Tu Xingyue. She was hardworking and dedicated; I even heard about her efforts from Hong Chenyi. It was just that my appearance made her hard work seem like a joke.
Furthermore, Tu Xingyue wasn't the unreasonable type. She genuinely cared about the class. If I were to antagonize someone like her and create conflict, that would be my fault.
It was just that our interests were currently at odds, so I needed to be more magnanimous.
"In any case, thank you for leading everyone and helping them improve while I was away. I can't change the teacher's decision, but I believe we can all progress together in the future."
"Hmph! Easy for you to say. I only did what a Vice Monitor should do. But listen well! If your performance then proves you're unworthy of being the Monitor, I won't miss the chance to take you down! I swear it!"
"Alright, alright~ But thank you for your understanding." With a lingering smile, I watched her walk away.