Chapter 199: The Academy Exchange Competition Officially Begins
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 199: The Academy Exchange Competition Officially Begins
"Is it here? Tan Han certainly knows how to pick a place."
Upon arriving at the coordinates Tan Han had sent me, I couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
If I’d known, I wouldn't have eaten so many desserts earlier. I’d figured that since I skipped breakfast, I should fill up then and just skip lunch, but now I was really letting Tan Han off the hook. She was a wealthy lady, the kind of person who never lacked for credits.
Once inside, I spoke briefly with the staff, and they recognized me immediately. After all, Tan Han had made the reservation, and her guests were the Freshman Top 10—the hottest topic on campus lately.
Even the senior sisters working here were well aware of who we were.
Guided to the reserved dining area, I found that Tan Han had already arrived. As the host, it made sense for her to be first. More importantly, there was a girl with golden, naturally curly hair sitting beside her, and the two were deep in conversation.
I suppose that’s how girls usually interact. Every time I open my mouth, I somehow turn the topic into something dead serious, and the mood just dies.
"Xiao Han is here. Have a seat," Tan Han said, standing up as soon as she saw me.
"Xiao Han, let me introduce you. This is Minian Joseph, the class monitor of Class 2. Minian, this is—"
"Oh, I know. No need to trouble yourself with introductions, Lady Tan Han," Minian interrupted, playfully pulling on Tan Han’s arm. "This is Yang Yuehan. Her reputation is no less than yours. How could I not know her?"
"Hello," I said to Minian. Before coming here, I’d taken a brief look at the list of the Top 10 to familiarize myself with the names. I hadn't expected Minian and Tan Han to be so close.
"Hello! It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please look after me during the exchange competition~"
"Likewise."
After sitting down modestly, I didn't say much else. Since we were essentially strangers, my natural instinct was to remain silent.
However, Minian frequently pulled me into the conversation while she talked with Tan Han. It seemed she genuinely wanted to get to know me.
She was right about one thing: in a social setting like this, it was good to communicate even with strangers. This was exactly the kind of occasion meant for turning strangers into friends.
Her logic moved me, but I struggled to keep up with their topics. Her train of thought jumped around quite quickly, though fortunately, she didn't seem to mind my slow responses.
Time ticked by, and as the appointed hour approached, the rest of the group arrived one by one. Since Tan Han was the one spearheading this gathering, most people were happy to show up. Some even arrived in formal wear; if I didn't know better, I’d have thought they were here for a ballroom dance.
"Since everyone is here, let’s get straight to the point. I gathered you all today because of the upcoming Academy Exchange Competition." Seeing the group was complete, Tan Han raised her glass. There were no tedious formalities or social pleasantries; she went straight to the heart of the matter.
"This exchange competition involves a total of thirty-four academies, including our own Witch Academy. You could say the scale of this competition far exceeds anything in the past."
"Originally, I wanted to use this dinner as a chance to discuss tactical arrangements. However, because the rules this time are complex and there are too many uncontrollable factors, I won't emphasize specific tactics. I simply thought that since we are all contestants, we should get to know one another to avoid the awkwardness of not recognizing our own teammates once we enter the dream."
Tan Han maintained her lead, explaining the situation to the group. Naturally, everyone listened intently. Even though they were the elites of this freshman class, arrogance had no place here. No one was a fool.
Once Tan Han finished her opening remarks, we finally started on the spread of food before us.
I helped myself to some meat. It was all delicious. Even though I’d eaten plenty of sweets earlier, it felt as if those desserts were stored in a completely different stomach.
As everyone ate, Tan Han didn't stay idle. The focus of this dinner was never the food, but the competition. Everything was for the sake of the exchange—whether it was getting to know each other or understanding the importance of the event.
Tan Han activated her portable Ley Line system. After a brief moment, the officially released competition map was projected in 3D over the center of the table, ensuring everyone could see it clearly.
I was slightly surprised. It seemed Tan Han had managed to get her hands on one of these systems herself. I had to admit, the system was incredibly convenient, though it couldn't be brought into the dream.
The projection quickly caught everyone's attention. Not everyone was familiar with the Ley Line operating system; even though every classroom podium was equipped with one, people didn't immediately make the connection.
"This is the map released by the academy. I called you all here on short notice, so if anyone hasn't had time to check the rules and information, feel free to speak up. We can discuss it now to avoid any basic cognitive errors."
Following Tan Han’s lead, the others dropped their reservations and began to talk. Everyone took this seriously and had looked into the basic info, but seeing the details combined with a 3D map made everything much easier to grasp.
The most important aspects of this competition were performing rituals and eliminating enemies. Some academies also had to worry about defending their home base, but the Witch Academy clearly didn't need to do that.
However, the Witch Academy’s birth point was in the Central Ancient Battlefield. It was a place fraught with danger, where even the environment itself was hostile.
Even if there were no specific tactics, starting without any plan would result in a disorganized mess. Therefore, the students of the Witch Academy needed a clear objective and a general plan from the start, which they could then adapt as needed.
"The ruins of the Dwarven Forging Ancient City sit right on the edge of the ancient battlefield. Even if no one sabotages it, the monsters spawning in the battlefield will eventually overrun the city."
"We all spawn in the ancient battlefield, but there’s one detail that hasn't been clearly labeled: will we be together, or scattered across the area? Let’s assume the worst-case scenario—that we are scattered. At the start, we should immediately seize ritual rights and head toward the Forging Ancient City to perform the ritual. This will draw everyone's eyes, and it will also serve as the assembly point for the Witch Academy."
"With our backs to the Forging Ancient City and being on the edge of the battlefield, the danger level is relatively low. The dwarves won't give up this golden period of development just to stop us, but we must still be careful; dwarves have notoriously bad tempers. By gathering here, the risk of being surrounded is lower, unless another academy travels a vast distance to reach us. Even then, a rushed attack wouldn't have a high chance of success. When the time comes, we’ll decide based on the situation—whether to follow the flow and help conquer the city, or ally with the dwarves inside. The worst-case scenario is that we have to flee, but the success of the first ritual isn't that critical."
"By the way, do all of you have your flight licenses? Can you ride a flying broom? In this dream exchange competition, you can bring certain alchemy items or weapons. They will manifest as items within the dream, but they must be registered in advance."
As soon as Tan Han asked this, the table went silent. They were all freshmen; some didn't even know where to go to take the flight license exam.
"I have mine," Minian said from the side. As a top student who ran in the same circles as Tan Han, she had likely put in the time to learn, probably with a nudge from Tan Han.
"It’s fine. Since the flight takes place within a dream, a license isn't strictly necessary. After all, a flight license is just a classification for an alchemy item; it won't disrupt the order of reality within the dream. A flying broom is an alchemy item with great mobility. You should all try to practice with one. If you really can't master it before the competition starts, we’ll find another way. There are plenty of other alchemy items that increase mobility. This map is large, and since we don't have a base to defend, mobility is key."
"I see. I’ve been practicing for a few days and have picked up some tricks, I just don't have the license yet. Where do we get the flying brooms?"
"Just borrow one from a teacher and register it," Tan Han answered.
"Then let’s talk about the hidden rules. I heard they were added to make things more interesting. I suspect they might be related to the rituals. Completing a ritual might trigger a hidden rule," someone suggested.
"Hidden rules are unreliable. Better to stay grounded than to count on those."
Slowly, the dinner concluded amidst the non-stop discussion.
At the end, Tan Han created a group chat for the Freshman Top 10, allowing them to stay in touch. Even though the competition was about to start, this was a valuable network that would benefit everyone in the long run.
Not long after the group was created, I received a flurry of friend requests from the members. After accepting them all, my entire friend list was filled with the group members.
It seemed that even though I hadn't offered any constructive advice during the dinner, my combat value alone was enough to make them want to be my friend.
However, it wasn't long before I received a private message.
The sender was Su Xingyue. If I remembered correctly, she was the class monitor of Class 44. After a brief greeting, the conversation took a sharp turn.
Su Xingyue: Um... so, I’ll just call you Xiao Han too.
Yang Yuehan: Sure, no problem. That’s what most people I know call me.
Su: So... I’ve seen some rumors lately saying you were a special recruit with a College Entrance Exam score of 586. Is that true?
Han: Why do you ask?
Su: Oh, it’s nothing, just curious. I saw someone claiming your score was too low, but you were specially recruited by the Witch Academy because of your Innate Spirit Vision.
Han: Who’s spreading that?
Su: I’m not sure. I went back to check the post, but it seems to be gone. Honestly, I looked up Innate Spirit Vision, and the records say those people are all mentally unstable lunatics. There’s no way the Witch Academy would recruit someone for that. If they’re going to make up rumors, they should at least make them believable.
Su: Don’t let it get to you. I was just asking... and I wanted to warn you. Someone might be targeting you, trying to mess with your head.
Han: Okay. I don’t mind.
After replying, I exited the chat. I truly didn't mind, because everything they said was true.
But this was a serious problem. How did my score leak? Did the academy leak it? That seemed impossible. And my status as an Innate Spirit Vision user had been dug up too. Even if no one believed it now, this definitely wasn't a random rumor. Who would believe such a "coincidence" was just a lucky guess?
Trying to mess with my head right before the competition?
Of course, I didn't blame Su Xingyue. I blamed the person who spread the rumor—or rather, the truth. At least Su Xingyue had the decency to ask me directly. Since she couldn't find the post anymore, it seemed the academy was already taking action.
The matter likely wouldn't escalate further.
I stopped thinking about it. It was pointless anyway. Problems were bound to explode eventually; maybe it was better that it happened now.
I’d just hide in the dream for a few days. By the time the competition was over, the topics surrounding me would probably have faded.
Indeed, the exchange competition could last for several days, depending on how the battles played out.
The contestants would spend those days entirely within the dream. The dream devices used for this competition were specially made, equipped with life-support systems and nutrient solutions to maintain the body’s condition.
One could even sleep within the dream. Rumor had it that the quality of sleep in the dream was excellent, so there was no need to worry about fainting like Tan Han had.
That was Tan Han’s own fault for overworking herself. If she’d done that in reality, she would have fainted just the same—actually, in reality, the cost of resurrection was high, so she’d probably have been rushed straight to the infirmary.
On the way back, I drank the potions Teacher Ji Niang had given me. When I returned to the dorm, my roommates, who had nothing better to do, were also following the news about the exchange competition.
As soon as I walked in, Hong Chenyi greeted me with an enthusiastic cheer. Though she’d been like this for the past few days, her mind had mostly been on Shi Huiyu.
Now that Shi Huiyu was also representing the Witch Academy as one of the Top 10, Hong Chenyi had been singing her praises non-stop.
What caught my attention, however, was that Yu Yuetian was also in the dorm.
"Yu Yuetian, feels like I haven't seen you in ages. What have you been up to lately?" I asked curiously.
"Oh, I was spending time at my club, but it seems I can't keep up anymore. Unfortunately, our club was forcibly disbanded. It was involved in some scandal about illegal gatherings and blocking the teachers and exchange students from the Holy Angel Academy. It turned into a huge mess, and the president couldn't take the pressure."
"Huh? That sounds intense. You were there and didn't take any pictures for us to enjoy?" Hong Chenyi hadn't expected such drama to go down while the academy was so busy. She was instantly intrigued.
"It’s not something worth remembering with photos. And even if the club hadn't disbanded, I was planning to quit. Those people are no longer pure ascetics; they aren't my kind of people. I won't associate with them anymore," Yu Yuetian said.
"I told you that club was sketchy. They didn't even give out perks for joining. No mana sources, no spellbooks—if they don't even give out symbolic items, it’s bound to end like this."
"Well... that wasn't really the core of the problem..."
"Stop, stop, stop! No more of your grand philosophies. Hey, Xiao Yu, let me borrow your notes to copy. There haven't been any classes lately, and I’m so bored I’m about to grow mushrooms."
As time passed, the academy officially announced that the exchange competition between the thirty-four transcendent academies would formally open tomorrow.
The opening ceremony would officially announce which academies were participating, and the venue would be the largest open-air arena.
The teachers and students of the Witch Academy had used magic to quickly set up the scene; or rather, they had been busy with this for the past few days.
Even now, tickets to the arena were impossible to find. They were even more sought-after than the tickets for the Freshman Competition. Even though the contestants would ultimately be fighting in a dream, so many people wanted to be there in person, even if it just meant watching them enter the dream device pods in the center of the arena.
Furthermore, the arena offered the academy's largest and most comprehensive hosting and "God's eye" perspectives. The atmosphere there was something a live stream at home simply couldn't match.
The day passed with everyone in a state of high excitement, and the next morning arrived quietly.
Time flowed on, and the arena was now packed to the brim. Many people who couldn't get in supported from the outside, some even starting their own live streams right outside the gates.
Inside, the boisterous atmosphere tugged at everyone's emotions.
When a figure finally stepped onto the main stage, the atmosphere reached a new peak.
"Students~ Teachers, and teachers and students from all the academies who have traveled from afar, good morning! On behalf of the Witch Academy, and on behalf of myself, I welcome you all!"
The one speaking from the stage was one of the Witch Academy's deans. Her tone was cheerful and approachable, yet she held the authority to speak for the entire academy. Since the exchange was being hosted here, the Witch Academy took it very seriously; even a dean as busy as her had taken the stage to speak.
Lina, who had hosted the Freshman Competition, could only sit in the audience this time.
"I won't waste your time with nonsense. I hereby declare that the Freshman Exchange between thirty-four transcendent academies, held here at the Witch Academy, has officially begun!"
There were no tedious introductions or fluff. After a simple greeting, the dean declared the start of the exchange, instantly driving the crowd's excitement to a crescendo.
Naturally, Lina took over the proceedings next. She couldn't escape her fate as the host and began the next phase of the event.
With so many academies visiting, a formal introduction was necessary.
After all, these academies had their pride. They had come all this way; it would be rude not to formally announce their arrival.
Even though they had arrived days ago and had already been experiencing the Witch Academy, they still needed this formal stage to showcase their academy's spirit and unique characteristics.
Each academy had brought more than just their ten contestants; they had brought entire teams to represent their school's culture.
"First, let us welcome the first academy to the stage: Afuhemi Academy."
As Lina’s voice rang out, the main entrance of the arena opened. As the first transcendent academy to appear, the elves of Afuhemi Academy had clearly come prepared.
Before they even appeared, transcendent energy brimming with natural life force paved the way. Branches stretched out, showcasing the beauty of nature, and greenery sprouted to form a lush, emerald welcome carpet. This wondrous sight immediately captured everyone's attention. Spectators sitting close by saw leaves and flowers drifting on the wind and instinctively reached out to catch them, only for their hands to pass right through.
It was merely a visually stunning spell effect.
Amidst this grand spectacle, the warm and cheerful figures of the Afuhemi Forest Elves emerged from the tunnel. The arena erupted in cheers; after all, beautiful elf ladies were a sight you didn't often see at the Witch Academy.