Chapter 230: The Obsession with Destroying the Wizard Tower Shocks the Angel
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 230: The Obsession with Destroying the Wizard Tower Shocks the Angel
The battle was on the verge of erupting. Even with my blessings and transformation techniques, my opponent held an absolute advantage in raw power at this moment.
Simultaneously, this fight was finally curing me of my bad habit—being a caster who insisted on fighting in melee.
"Is this all you've got?"
"Of course. I just spent a lot of energy 'redecorating' your floating island. I didn't expect you guys from the Holy Angel Academy to be so fragile. What a waste of my mana."
In the brief lulls between our clashes, I was busy calculating how to deal with this headache.
My floating spells were already active around me, suppressing the "lackey" angels who were providing Archie with blessings. This guy, Archie, was clearly a figure on par with what Tan Han was to the Witch Academy.
A leading figure.
I wasn't sure if he was a Child of Destiny as well, but even without checking, he probably was.
After all, if the Holy Angel Academy was going to stick its nose into this exchange competition to carve out a share of the world's luck, they had to have brought their own Child of Destiny, right? Otherwise, why show up? Just to be background characters?
Furthermore, his Holy Light-infused angelic armor and that cross sword were terrifying. Regardless of the weapon's actual quality, the sheer power of the Holy Light within them was more formidable than any weapon I had ever encountered.
Every swing of his sword wrought horrific destruction. If he managed to land a hit on my shields, they shattered instantly.
It seemed that after this competition, I really needed to look into acquiring more powerful defensive spells. My current repertoire consisted of basic consumption spells; even with my micro-modifications, they were starting to feel inadequate.
Only the blessing of the Elemental Spirits was holding up, but that was a blessing, not a shield, and it drained a massive amount of mana. Only someone like me, with a mana source capacity in the thousands and a steady supply of recovery potions, would dare to play this way.
"Witch... take this seriously! Do you think this battle is a game?!" Archie let out a roar from the depths of his soul.
He was furious. His killing intent was so thick it nearly turned his eyes bloodshot. Every one of his attacks was intended to kill, yet his opponent showed little will to fight. Compared to him, she looked like she was just playing around.
Those flashy spell effects of hers weren't particularly powerful individually, but they kept his teammates pinned down and neutralized his own momentum.
He knew this was how a caster was supposed to fight, but her attitude made him feel like a mocked clown the longer the fight dragged on.
"I'm just wondering why our battle has stalled into a stalemate. You should understand that when Transcendent powers collide, a perfect stalemate is usually a fluke. Can you tell me why?"
"Because... you aren't trying to kill me!"
Archie couldn't fathom why she would say something so nonsensical. A stalemate? Wasn't that exactly why they needed to fight until a winner emerged?
Witches really were mentally unstable.
"A lack of seriousness? Like your killing intent? Like this desire to kill you?"
As my voice drifted over, Archie suddenly felt the look in my eyes change. The wand in my hand stopped its playful twirling and pointed straight at him.
A thin, searing line of heat shot out. Even with his elite combat instincts, he barely managed to bring his sword up to block.
But as an explosion rang out, he felt a massive force and a terrifying shockwave travel through the cross sword. A split second later, the sound of metal shattering echoed.
His weapon had been broken. How was that possible?
This was a cross sword blessed by Holy Light. For the blade to shatter meant that single strike had pierced through the Holy Light's protection.
If she had such a move, why wait until now to use it?
"Interesting indeed."
I was quite satisfied with the armor-piercing effect of this concentrated point-application of evocative magic. I had originally developed this technique to crack the "iron turtles" of the Dwarf Academy.
But right now, what I found "interesting" wasn't the power of the "point-focused" fireball or the fact that it broke his sword.
It was the sensation of attacking with the genuine intent to kill.
In my past life, I had read many novels where "killing intent" and "murderous aura" were described in cool, visceral ways, but I had never experienced it.
One's environment shapes one's mind. An orderly society does not promote violence and slaughter.
These things slowly form a subconscious layer of self-restraint.
They say education is a cycle, and it only ends when the bullet you fired hits you.
My head was filled with too many unrealistic fantasies and novels. That was why, when I first touched true Transcendent power, I had my own reflections and a way of thinking that felt out of place in this world.
I didn't just question why the Transcendent world needed mana sources and spellbooks, or why I couldn't just manifest fireballs with my bare hands. I questioned why, in a world where everyone held such power, people weren't constantly terrified of dying in such a dangerous environment.
When I cast aside those shackles and touched the concept of "killing," my mindset truly shifted.
I had lost count of how many people I'd killed since the exchange competition started, but I hadn't felt anything—at least, not like that sensation just now.
Because I knew this was a dream. Death wasn't real death.
Even during the confrontation matches, I knew resurrection spells existed. I wasn't truly killing; I wasn't putting someone into a state of finality.
Only by having reverence for death can one understand the weight of taking a life.
Just now, I had aimed my spell directly at Archie's heart.
That decisiveness was something I had never felt before. Every cell in my body had recoiled from the act because I knew exactly what it was: a breach of my cognitive baseline.
Once Archie blocked the strike with his blade, I quickly recovered.
Archie hadn't died, which gave me a reason to return to normalcy.
Archie stared at me warily. Against an enemy like this, he couldn't afford to let her out of his sight for even a second.
That look just now—the gaze one gives a dead man—had sent a chill down his spine. But looking at her now, it felt like a momentary hallucination.
Was it really a hallucination?
The sword in his hand was broken!
Archie shifted his gaze from the broken sword back to me. I was back to my casual behavior, rhythmically waving my wand. I didn't even follow up on the opening he was showing. Was this the confidence of a witch?
"Thank you for teaching me something new. It's a bit of an abstract concept, hard to control... and honestly, a path I don't particularly like."
I spoke to Archie, and a notification appeared before him.
"Now, for Round Two."
"This... this is!"
Archie looked at the prompt in disbelief. Seizing Master Control Permissions!
How did she know about this?
These hidden rules weren't explicitly stated; they were things you had to figure out yourself. How did she find out in such a short time?
"Power seizure, Archie. Surely you knew? The Holy Light Floating Island only carries your academy's Holy Light Source Spring. It never said the island itself belongs to the Holy Angel Academy. Does it have your academy's name written on it?"
"You!"
Archie gripped his broken sword tightly. Even though it was shattered, half a blade was still a weapon.
"Think carefully about the cost before you move. Can you beat me? The moment you strike, the power seizure becomes final. What do you think your odds are? And where do you think I'll fly this island once you're dead? Care to guess if I have a way to destroy your Holy Light Source Spring? Even if you guys have extra lives, would it matter?"
I smiled, toyed with my wand, and waited for him to make a choice.
"Archie, kill this witch!"
"Don't listen to her lies!"
"You can't trust a single word a witch says!"
The choice was now Archie's. The other angels, pinned down by my floating spells, were screaming, but their voices were becoming a blur to him.
"The first academy to be eliminated... Holy Angel Academy..."
I spoke again, seeing his hesitation, deliberately prodding him.
The phrase "first to be eliminated" acted like a jagged needle against his nerves.
Scenes flashed through his mind, overlapping with those words: his angel halo shattering, being hunted down by even the most mediocre academy students...
He could not accept that outcome!
If he fought, he had to bear that risk.
But if he didn't?
His teammates behind him would be picked off one by one, and he would be left isolated.
Against a witch as terrifying as Tan Han, did he really have a chance?
"Witch! What do you actually want?!"
Archie could no longer contain his thoughts and let out a desperate cry.
His first battle for the Holy Angel Academy was turning into a farce. A single tactical error had plunged him and everyone else into an abyss.
When did it start?
The first tea party? The second? Or now, the third?
This terrifying person...
"You're asking me? How should I know? I just wanted to crash this island into the Wizard Tower, but you wouldn't let me."
"Heh... haha..." Archie's laugh was hollow. It was absurd! Ridiculous!
It was a mockery!
She wanted to turn the Holy Angel Academy's final act into a blade to strike the Wizard Academy. She wasn't letting either of them off the hook.
Archie realized he had no room left to choose. The fact that she told him her plan so brazenly meant she was confident everything was still under her control.
It was either a fight to the death or the final curtain!
The Holy Angel Academy's finale had been moved up. At this point, resurrection counts didn't matter; there was only one chance. He couldn't afford to lose, whereas if she lost, she just lost a life.
If he lost, it was total ruin.
Archie felt that even if he won, he might not even be able to take one of her lives.
He had to choose: sink into oblivion or take one last desperate gamble. The gamble was insane.
But there was no other choice.
"For the glory of the Holy Angel Academy, this battle is the finale!"
"I invoke my supreme authority to claim the full blessing of the Holy Light Source Spring!"
As Archie made his move, I watched with curiosity.
But a moment later, I realized I had played around a bit too much.
The entire church began to shake. Not just the church—the entire floating island was undergoing a violent upheaval.
A massive crack split open from the base of the divine statue, as if something was trying to claw its way out.
"What the hell is that?"
My brow furrowed. I thought the floating island didn't have the same way of buffing angels that the World Tree did?
Just as I was about to voice my existential doubt, a massive orb of light burst through the floor of the church.
Under the strain of the movement and the previous erosion from the fire rain, the church finally collapsed.
"What is going on..."
After dodging falling debris and collapsing walls, I looked up at the sky. There, hovering like a literal sun, was a massive ball of light.
Wasn't that the Holy Light Source Spring that kept the island afloat?
Why was it out in the open?
I swallowed hard. Archie was now standing directly beneath that massive orb.
My bad feeling became reality. What hornet's nest had I kicked?
Did I push him too hard?
There was no need to use the Holy Light Source Spring to take me down with him, was there?
"Now, Witch, I will wager the Holy Angel Academy's very eligibility in this competition to face you in... Round Two!" Archie declared.
Under the blessing of the Holy Light, his broken sword had reformed into a blade of pure radiance. He hovered in the air, the tip of his sword pointing directly at me.
I really wanted to tell him that this wasn't the "Round Two" I had in mind.
This was cheating!
Where were the competition referees?
"From this moment on, I shall carry the Holy Light Source Spring. I bear the weight of the choices of every remaining angel..."
"This time, I win..."
But the cost was immense.
The floating island, deprived of its source, began to lose its luster as if it were wilting. Its massive bulk began to descend. The surrounding white jade pillars lost their power and plummeted, likely crushing some unlucky spectators below who had stayed too close to the action.
Before long, the island would smash into the ground, and every building upon it would be pulverized.
Archie was in even more danger. He had to constantly endure the crushing pressure of the Holy Light Source Spring's power.
Furthermore, the Holy Light Source Spring was rapidly dissipating. The floating island had been the vessel that kept it contained.
He hadn't saved the source; he had taken it. He had traded a fate where others might use it for a fate where it would slowly bleed out in his own hands until it vanished.
The moment he pulled it out, the countdown to the Holy Angel Academy's elimination had begun.
And Archie couldn't afford to die. If he died, the source he carried would be extinguished. Even if he could resurrect, it would be no different from being permanently dead.
But at least this solved his immediate crisis. He was no longer a puppet; he wasn't just watching helplessly as they were eliminated.
If someone asked Archie if he regretted this, he certainly did. But he couldn't see any other way to break the deadlock.
At least this way, the Holy Angel Academy could choose how it went out.
If the witch got scared and ran, he could at least buy more time for his academy.
"You win? I wouldn't be so sure..."
I looked at his "tragic hero" act, as if he were the only one suffering. That line, "This time, I win," actually killed my urge to run away.
If I left now without draining him a bit, wouldn't that be too easy for him?
It was a shame about the floating island, though!
I had planned to live here. First, it was the Blood Pool Castle, but the dwarves leveled it. Then I thought I'd stay on the Holy Angel Academy's floating island, and they leveled it themselves.
Did they really have to be that hard on themselves?
And without this thing, what was I supposed to use to smash the Wizard Tower?
"Wait..."
I squinted, noticing something off.
Archie was fully channeling the Holy Light Source Spring. His very form had grown larger due to the blessing. Most notably, the angel halo above his head was no longer just a small ring.
It was now wider than his wingspan. Blinding Holy Light surged within the halo, looking like a ring of roaring holy fire circling above him.
The phantom wings spreading behind him blotted out the sky, replacing the sun itself.
And because of that, I saw threads of luck condensing from above.
I instinctively checked my own luck; it hadn't decreased. That meant he had done something to gain luck!
Was it because he now represented the collective will of the entire Holy Angel Academy? Or was it the result of his final stand against my oppression?
Wait, was I "oppressing" him? Why did that thought feel so natural?
So, I really have become the villain...
Wait... if he's gaining luck and becoming a Child of Destiny, will it be like that time with Tan Han?
The power gap right now is a bit wide... this is looking dicey...
My expression was complicated, mostly filled with frustration toward the existence of these "Children of Destiny."
I had to think of something. I was genuinely a bit scared of him coming at me with full power like this.
The tables had turned again. He had nothing left to lose.
I have to admit, the leader of the Holy Angel Academy is a total lunatic. If I ever see him again, I'm taking the long way around.
Trouble really does follow Children of Destiny everywhere.
But there was no helping it. I'd already stuck my hand in this mess. I'd promised Teacher Ji Niang that I'd screw these guys over as hard as possible.
I just happened to overplay my hand.
Through my Spirit Vision, I could see the Holy Light Source Spring was leaking energy rapidly. It would probably be completely gone in less than a day.
If I didn't end things now, they'd all be forced to leave by this time tomorrow anyway.
But until then, every single person from the Holy Angel Academy was going to go absolutely berserk.
Nothing can stop a group of angels who know they're about to "die."
"Accept... the judgment of the Holy Light!"
"It's useless! Your little tricks won't work now! You will die under the Holy Light's decree!"
Archie's voice boomed. With the blessing of the source, his voice had a sanctified echo effect that made my eardrums ache.
Without the island, I was forced to weave through the air on my broom.
"Power that doesn't belong to you is always flawed. The more you use, the closer you get to total elimination!" I shouted back. I wasn't in a hurry to clash with him head-on; I even took a moment to chug a recovery potion to top off my status.
Hearing my words, he reined himself in slightly.
But the divine arts still came flying at me like they cost nothing.
Condensed holy spears, rains of arrows.
At this moment, he was no longer just an angel borrowing power. He didn't need tedious rituals or prayers to use divine arts, nor did he need external catalysts.
The source of the Holy Light, the origin of all divine arts, was in his hands to command.
He could only be this reckless in a dream. He'd never have such an opportunity in reality.
I could tell his movements were unrefined, but his methods for suppressing me were still effective.
"If this is all you've got, I can play with you all day. I'm a Beyonder Prospective Witch with a flying license. You're just going to run out of fuel and end up in the dirt. This attrition is pointless. Do you think Tan Han will come over once she sees the commotion here?"
"Your words are meaningless!" Archie's expression remained unmoved.
"They're very meaningful. Our goals are actually aligned. We both want the other side to stop. You look calm, but you're probably freaking out inside! Your Holy Light Source Spring is leaking. You'll be extinguished in a day, tops. And your childish behavior is only speeding up the process!" I didn't hesitate to poke at his biggest fear. I needed to earn the right to negotiate.
"So you know. What of it?"
"This is the Wizard Academy's territory. The Wizard Tower is visible from here. What if I told them about your situation..."
"They wouldn't believe a single word you say!" Archie said firmly.
"Want to bet? Is it even a possibility? I'll come clean to them and shift the disaster! I'll explain how you've gone mad! Do you think they won't be swayed? Add Tan Han to the mix, and how exactly do you plan to handle that alone?"
"Just like when Tan Han teamed up with you guys to destroy the Wizard Academy's ritual... are you sure you won't shatter just like that ritual did?"
"What do you want?" Archie finally stopped his useless attacks and glared at me.
"I have two suggestions. First, I team up with the Wizard Academy and my own Witch Academy to send the Holy Angel Academy packing in disgrace." I smiled and held up one finger.
"You know I'd never choose that. Stop wasting time, Yang Yuehan."
"Second..." I held up a second finger. "With my assistance, we destroy the Wizard Tower before the Holy Angel Academy's final curtain falls!"
"You! You're still so... obsessed. But how do I know you're not lying!"
Archie was struck by her bizarre obsession. That was the only word for it. It was as if she just wanted to see the world burn.
"A dying man fears a backstab? I've stated my needs. I want to topple that Wizard Tower. What better guarantee of honesty is there than perfectly aligned interests?"
"What a clever 'two birds with one stone' plot. The Witch Academy gets all the benefits, don't they?"
"The Witch Academy only takes what we deserve. Look at the situation—this is a fair partnership. Care to consider it?" I rubbed my hands together and grinned.
"Think about it. Even if I run away now, what can you do? In the time you have left, could you possibly achieve anything greater than toppling the Wizard Tower? Don't forget who put you in this position in the first place!"
"It was the Witch Academy!"
"It was the Wizard Academy!" I corrected him with a straight face.