Chapter 145: Experience the Crushing of a Fireball Spell from a First-Person Perspective
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 145: Experience the Crushing of a Fireball Spell from a First-Person Perspective
By the time Sister Bai and I left the testing ground, it was already evening.
I had originally intended to research spells, but the session had turned into pure combat training.
At the start, I tested the mechanics and limitations of my two new spells, as well as the spells embedded in my two bracers. Aside from a slight lingering discomfort from the sudden surge in physical attributes, everything felt fine.
Sister Bai spent the rest of the afternoon teaching me basic combat techniques. After all, I was severely lacking in practical experience.
More importantly, I lacked a deep understanding of my two newly acquired spells.
Because of that, I’d shamelessly messaged Teacher Ji Niang during a break, asking her to help me gather relevant data and research papers. Even if I couldn't finish any useful modifications before the Freshman Competition, it wasn't as if I was out of options.
My spells weren't specifically prepared for the competition, nor were they one-off tools. Researching spellbooks was my normal state of being; the competition was just an unexpected diversion.
After receiving Ji Niang’s reply, I found myself looking forward to visiting her tomorrow. To be honest, both the Spirit Cat Summoning Spell and the Illusion Clone felt awkward to use—they felt like fixed "combos" in a video game.
I didn't like the feeling of having to build my combat strategy around a spell; I preferred the spell to bend to my will and follow my lead.
Others might have to compromise because they lack the ability to do otherwise, but if I can do it, why should I settle for less?
After saying goodbye to Sister Bai, I hopped on my broom and headed back. I planned to live a more disciplined life over the next few days to conserve my energy for the competition.
Even if this event was an accident for me, I still wanted to give it a perfect beginning and end.
* * *
I returned to the dorm.
I saw my roommates early on, lazing around in the living room... wait, no, they weren't exactly being "salted fish."
The TV was on, but they were all busy writing something.
"Huh? What are you guys doing?" I asked, confused by their behavior. Were they... copying notes?
I hadn't seen them work this hard before. Then again, even if they seemed unreliable, it was a fact that they were all top students.
"Just 'borrowing' some notes! Oh, Sister Xiao Han!" Hong Chenyi practically bounced off the floor, letting her notebook fall unheeded.
"Stop. Why are you so excited?" I immediately reached out to stop the girl from glomming onto me.
"Eh? Sister Xiao Han, you don't know?"
"Know what? What could possibly happen at a time like this that involves me?"
The only thing I could think of was the recent ranking predictions. I’d just been tested today, but if it was about that, the information must have traveled at an insane speed.
"Sister Xiao Han, your power ranking shot up! It’s rising like a rocket..."
Before Hong Chenyi could finish, I pinched her mouth shut. So it was about that. As expected, Hong Chenyi got too worked up over everything.
"Oh, if it's about the rankings, don't bother. It's just a prediction. Why care so much?"
"No, I mean, Sister Xiao Han, you were so cool!" Hong Chenyi broke free from my hand and couldn't help but blurt it out. She then struck a chuunibyou-style pose: she tensed her right hand, thrust it forward as if grabbing something, slowly crushed it, and then pulled back.
I watched her like I was looking at a mentally challenged child. Why did that movement look so familiar?
"Crushing a Fireball Spell with your bare hands! Sister Xiao Han! You're a god!"
"Huh?"
Even if my brain was slow, I finally realized what was going on.
Wait, was the intelligence gathering that detailed, or was that person wearing a high-definition camera?
I looked at my other roommates. They had stopped what they were doing and stood up, though they looked a bit embarrassed compared to the "attention-seeker" that was Hong Chenyi.
"Sister Xiao Han, a video has been circulating on the Academy Network today. It pushed your predicted rank straight into the top ten."
Guan Qiuling explained softly. Beside her, Dongli Yiren remained silent, but her expression confirmed the story.
"A video? Where? Let me see."
The mention of a video made it click. There were no surveillance cameras where I had been. If there was a video, the other party must have recorded it intentionally.
"Right here, right here! I made sure to favorite it!" Hong Chenyi, being the closest, enthusiastically handed over her phone. "This is it! A first-person perspective! The pressure is off the charts! And the person who did the voiceover is a genius!"
"Hmm..." As the classic short-video background music started playing, I could already imagine it.
I took the phone. The footage was a first-person view from a slightly lower angle. At a glance, I could tell the camera had been mounted around chest height.
I tried to recall what the person had been wearing. Did that guy have a conspicuous camera on his chest?
I didn't remember seeing one.
Or was it a micro-camera?
My thoughts were soon interrupted by a familiar voice from the phone.
"Aren't you afraid of attracting the Weiji Squad by using spells here?"
Unsurprisingly, it was exactly what I had said. Watching myself from a first-person perspective felt incredibly strange. I hadn't realized I looked that cold and composed back then.
There was indeed a sense of pressure, especially when my hand reached out and the ritual for the spell began to form.
When my hand passed through the ritual unharmed and my fist crushed the fireball, the music reached its climax.
I felt a wave of cringe, but purely from a cinematic standpoint, the editor definitely deserved a bonus.
"I'm done. This is too embarrassing." I promptly turned off the phone and handed it back to Hong Chenyi.
Having something like this spread around was mortifying!
"What? Why would you be embarrassed, Sister Xiao Han? It was so hype! Crushing a fireball with your bare hands! Especially that final tear at the end, with the sparks flying everywhere... Sister Xiao Han, how did you do that?"
"A protection spell. It’s nothing special," I said with a wave of my hands, walking over to the sofa. "Wait, has this spread to our class too?"
"Of course! This kind of thing hits the class group first! You totally stomped the other class monitors!" Hong Chenyi sat down next to me, clearly not planning to let the subject drop.
"Fine, fine..." I rubbed my temples, unsure of how to react. I’d forgotten to check the class group. Then again, who would have thought news would travel so fast in just half a day?
Besides, I’d been busy testing my spells all afternoon and hadn't had time to check my phone. In a way, this was fine. I used to worry that people misunderstood my strength; now that I’d shown it—perhaps a bit too much—I had a different set of worries.
I just hoped they wouldn't put me on too high a pedestal. The higher you climb, the harder you fall. I never dared to underestimate others. With so many hidden talents among the freshmen, I didn't believe for a second that no one was stronger than me.
Among those I knew, wasn't Tan Han a mountain that was nearly impossible to scale?
I’d heard she had already mastered spellbooks that consumed over a hundred mana. It was hard to imagine the kind of power such a spell would possess.
But that was too far off for me. I just needed to mind my own business for now. I’d promised Sister Bai that I wouldn't have any further contact with Tan Han, and it was best if I stopped thinking about her altogether.
She was the "Academic God" I used to look up to. Even in this transcendent world, she was likely the same.
A person who knows how to learn will show their terrifying side in any field.
After chatting with Hong Chenyi and the others for a bit, I prepared to head upstairs. But looking at the time, why hadn't I seen Yu Yuetian?
"Hey, where's Yu Yuetian? I haven't seen her," I asked, leaning over the second-floor railing to look down at the living room.
"Yu Yuetian? No idea. I haven't seen her all day, actually. But I borrowed these notes from her. Her organization is so thorough; my hand is cramping from copying them," Hong Chenyi replied, looking up.
"Yu Yuetian is at the library. She told me before she left. She probably won't be back until late... Hey, why are you all looking at me? I just happened to run into her on her way out. She asked me to tell you guys. It's not like I wanted to be the messenger." Dongli Yiren, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up. It seemed she was the only one who knew, though she sounded a bit tsundere about it.
"Wait, Yu Yuetian went to the library to out-grind us?" Hong Chenyi looked incredulous, as if she’d been betrayed.
"Got it. Well, do whatever you want. I'm going to go rest up. See you tomorrow."
I left them to their antics downstairs. Now that I knew the situation, there was no need to dig deeper. I just hadn't expected Yu Yuetian to be such an overachiever. It looked like I couldn't afford to lose, either.
Even if she wasn't the class monitor, she was working this hard. I’d become too accustomed to a peaceful life and had almost forgotten that the Witch Academy was a top-tier transcendent institution! Its reputation might be a bit spotty, but anyone who could test in or be scouted was a genius.
I checked the time. It was actually still quite early. Going to bed now felt a bit... lazy.
I took a moment to reflect. Maybe I should start putting a bit more pressure on myself?
I couldn't let my current achievements go to my head.
After a quick shower, I returned to my bedroom and continued my self-reflection.
Ironically, the reflection kept me wide awake. In the end, I contacted Teacher Ji Niang and asked her to send over the research papers I’d requested. I might as well start looking over the foundational material now.
I ended up studying until late into the night, not even realizing when I finally drifted off.
When I woke up the next morning, I was exhausted. I really had brought this on myself.
But I had to admit—those high-level academic papers were excellent for putting someone to sleep.