Chapter 238: No Matter What, It’s the Witches’ Fault
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 238: No Matter What, It’s the Witches’ Fault
"What is that?"
In the sea, a new territory had appeared out of thin air: the Fallen Land. Although this wasn't a feat accomplished by the Sea Clan themselves, it was technically achieved through their means.
Even the Sea Clan hadn't expected the witches from the Witch Academy to be so insane. To help them complete the ritual and obtain the Sea's Wonder Crown, those witches had actually submerged the entire Fallen Land!
It was pure madness. However, regardless of whose hands had done the work, the land of the Fallen Land was now considered part of the Sea Clan's domain by default.
Aside from the Sea Clan, no one believed any other academy held an advantage in the ocean.
Under these circumstances, the Sea Clan naturally couldn't just stay in the water acting like useless fish. The sea was their base of operations, and at this stage, they believed nothing could threaten them there. Thus, they logically began to move onto land.
Furthermore... they made contact with the Elves and the Beast Academy once again. Their initial contact was, naturally, to "demand justice" for the death of Yvette.
At this moment, the Elves and the Beast Academy were busy dealing with massive fires. They were truly overwhelmed. In particular, the Elves' own World Tree had been snapped and set ablaze. The cost of extinguishing a burning World Tree was far higher than stopping a simple forest fire, but the Afuhemi Forest Elves had no choice.
Only after this initial contact did the relationship between the Sea Clan and the Elves begin to move past their misunderstandings. However, actual cooperation remained difficult.
Meanwhile, fishmen near the waters of the Fallen Land discovered an anomaly in the sea and immediately prepared to report back.
Filthy seawater was spreading from the Fallen Land like sludge, emitting a stench that was unspeakable to the Sea Clan. When they entered that part of the ocean, even the blessings the Great Sea provided to the Sea Clan failed to take effect.
Upon entering these waters, their movements became sluggish, as if every current was repelling them.
What’s more, this corrupted sea was spreading at a rate visible to the naked eye!
If left unchecked, it was only a matter of time before the entire ocean was "polluted" at this speed. The source of it all was the Fallen Land, and this news needed to be delivered immediately.
The report reached the Sea Clan Academy quickly. However, Enara, the team leader, had already left the sea. The temporary leader felt a massive headache coming on after receiving the news, but regardless, she had to go and confirm it personally.
* * *
Meanwhile, after meeting up with the dwarves, we began our formal joint advance.
Against students from other academies, we were practically unstoppable. However, we soon encountered a major problem: while the War Fortress saved a massive amount of mana and allowed everyone to traverse the Ancient Battlefield, such a gargantuan presence also attracted a swarm of Phantoms of the Past.
When these things gathered in large numbers, the effect was terrifying. Combined with the fact that the War Fortress had previously been damaged by the witches, the excessive strain finally caused it to break down.
"Dammit, is the power system dead again? I told you we shouldn't have used the 'boiling water' method!"
"If we don't boil water, what do we use? Your brain instead?"
"I said from the start we should have used treads instead of this complicated walking structure!"
"Stop arguing! You start bickering the moment something goes wrong—do you want the Witch Academy girls to laugh at us?" Aiko stepped forward, her shout immediately silencing the male dwarf students.
"I'm going to perform maintenance. I need two people to come with me."
"Aiko, is there a problem?" Minian walked in to ask. With her lively personality, she got along well with the dwarves.
"Yeah, just a quick check-up. It'll be fine."
"You're going outside for repairs? There are Phantoms of the Past and terrifying sandstorms out there. I'll go with you," Minian offered.
"Alright, thanks for the help." Aiko didn't refuse. Now wasn't the time to be stubborn. When help was needed, one shouldn't be soft-hearted; after all, the Dwarf Academy and the Witch Academy were now grasshoppers on the same string.
Even the dwarves were shocked by the witches' so-called Map Clearing Plan, but since they were part of it, they naturally had to do their part!
"I'll go call a few more people..."
"I'll come along too," I said, poking my head through the door.
Although the War Fortress moved steadily, it was still a bit too slow for my liking. Our speed of advancement had actually fallen behind the speed of the encroaching erosion.
Of course, this was like a row of dominoes; when we tried to use these methods to our advantage, the threat would eventually try to swallow us as well.
"Sister Xiao Han! With Sister Xiao Han there, it'll be much safer!" Minian exclaimed excitedly when she saw me enter.
"I'm supposed to be combat support anyway. If I don't do any work for too long, people might start talking," I said as I pushed open the outer door of the War Fortress, only to be immediately blasted by a face full of dust and sand.
"Sister Xiao Han is so amazing, no one would say that about you."
I didn't respond to Minian. The situation outside was a bit tricky. If I wanted these dwarves to have a safe space for their repairs, I had to at least ensure the sand and dust didn't interfere with them.
With a flick of my hand, I constructed a massive energy shield.
"Sandstorm, stop... Well, magic really is incredible. If I'd known, I would have applied to the Witch Academy too." Aiko was the first to crawl out, carrying her precious tools as she prepared for the repairs. "Um... your name is Yang Yuehan, right? I heard them calling you Sister Xiao Han. Can I call you that too?"
"No problem."
"Great. Anyway, thanks for the help~"
Aiko didn't waste any more words. She knew there were more important things to do and no time for idle chatter.
I turned my gaze toward the Phantoms of the Past in the distance. They had been suppressed by the War Fortress's firepower, but now that the fortress had stopped, that firepower was looking a bit insufficient.
Furthermore, after forming the alliance, we had gained a general understanding of their inventory. They were essentially consuming the stockpiles from the original Forging Ancient City Ruins, and those weren't infinite.
This was where I needed to step in and clear the way.
I suddenly remembered the one-way omnidirectional protective shield from the Wizard Tower. If I had that, I wouldn't even need to step outside the barrier.
But even without it, I didn't actually need to go out. I just needed my spell effects to be out there.
For instance, the Floating Spell. This was where the advantage of having a diverse repertoire of techniques really showed.
"Xiao Han."
"Hmm?"
I turned around and saw that the person following me out wasn't Minian, but Tan Han, with Minian trailing behind her.
"Is something wrong?"
"This big guy is stuck now, and Aiko can't guarantee how long the repairs will take. We can't afford to waste this kind of time."
"You want to take some people ahead to continue the Map Clearing Plan?" I asked, following her train of thought.
"Yes, I have that intention. I just came to ask for your opinion."
"What opinion could I have? Naturally, we should do whatever works best," I said with a shrug, wondering why Tan Han had specifically come to tell me this.
"If I take them to continue the clearing... you saw how it was before. The resistance from other academies is quite strong. So, if I go, the points..."
"Will exceed mine? Then let them. Do you think I care that much about that?"
I turned my head away, no longer entertaining the question. This was a serious matter of trade-offs and interests. If she continued to hesitate and waffle, I would have to change my attitude.
"Thank you. However, I'll maintain a certain balance. I'll take the ones whose scores aren't very high. If all goes well, at the final moment, I want to have another match with you. I wasn't satisfied after that last time."
"As you wish."
I could only say I was satisfied with Tan Han's response. As expected, Tan Han knew how to handle people.
However, the "last time" she referred to was the time she fainted in the dream, but that prolonged battle hadn't been disclosed to the public. So, hearing Tan Han say this, everyone else assumed she was referring to that first match of the exchange competition.
For most people, that match had been a disappointment, but Tan Han bringing it up now satisfied the lingering regrets of the audience and the senior sisters watching. It also represented Tan Han's absolute confidence in this exchange competition!
If Tan Han didn't have that kind of absolute confidence by this point, it would be strange.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the Afuhemi World Tree.
After learning the truth behind the recent events, their goals had collectively shifted toward the witches. Now that they had a common enemy, their interests aligned. Whether it was Yvette's death or anything else, the misunderstandings hindering their cooperation needed to be resolved.
"What did you say? The witches are making another big move?"
Upon receiving the intelligence, Mona—the leader of the Afuhemi Academy—immediately felt a sense of unease.
According to information provided by contestants who had respawned elsewhere and encountered them in the forest, the Witch Academy was making a massive play.
The Witch Academy had officially joined forces with the Dwarf Academy. They were piloting a massive mobile fortress out of the Ancient Battlefield, dragging a huge swarm of Phantoms of the Past behind them as they began an indiscriminate purge.
Furthermore, everywhere that giant mobile fortress passed was being transformed into an extension of the Ancient Battlefield. This was a deliberate result of the witches' guidance, intended to shrink the available space for the exchange competition.
Although the Elf didn't believe the witches had the means to control the erosion of the Ancient Battlefield, she quickly thought of the hidden rules of the rituals. If the Sea Clan had the power to launch tsunamis against the land, what about the witches?
But she quickly dismissed the thought. Not necessarily. If the Witch Academy had such a method, they wouldn't have waited until now. Based on her impression of those lunatics from the Witch Academy, they would have started right from the beginning.
Perhaps they had discovered other hidden rules, but this intelligence was still questionable. One thing was certain, though: the Witch Academy was up to something big.
Speculation alone would yield no results. She had to further her cooperation with the Sea Clan. The forest fire was already at their doorstep; they couldn't just sit and wait for death.
No matter the method—rain, water spells—they just needed to bring the fire down. Even if it meant "cutting off a limb to save the body" by using a tsunami to flood that part of the forest, it wasn't out of the question if things got desperate. It was just that doing so would truly damage their living environment.
However, if it meant sacrificing the Beast Academy's portion of the forest, it wasn't exactly unacceptable. After all, the relationship between the Elves and the Beast Academy wasn't rock-solid. If given the chance, the Beast Academy would sell out the Elves without hesitation.
Just as the Elves were about to continue their deep discussion with the Sea Clan representative, Enara, a distant phenomenon suddenly caught their attention. Even the cataclysmic sights of the Central Ancient Battlefield couldn't mask the shroud of smoke and ash blotting out the sky.
"It's volcanic ash. That should be the Dragon Blood Nest area. I heard it's full of living volcanoes," Enara said.
"Yes. Living volcanoes don't erupt for no reason, especially on such a massive scale. I suspect that's also the witches' doing," Mona said in a low voice.
"Those witches... they've turned a perfectly good exchange competition into this."
"The students from the Holy Angel Academy have all been eliminated. I heard the Wizard Academy's tower was destroyed. I think there is indeed a strong need for us to cooperate. Otherwise, when the Witch Academy comes bearing the momentum of the entire world, none of us will be able to play against them alone."
"Your intelligence is quite sharp."
"It's just words pried out of the mouths of those guys who respawned."
* * *
At this moment, at the Dragon Blood Nest.
To clear out the resistance from other academy contestants in this area, Tan Han had led a group of witches to directly trigger the cluster of living volcanoes.
This was already a volcanic region. Under external pressure, an eruption was already imminent.
Under Tan Han's deliberate guidance, the flowing lava was no longer the main point. The sense of dread brought by the sky-filling volcanic ash would be a far more intimidating threat than even the massive War Fortress.
In the real world, the ash from a volcanic eruption could bury a town. At this moment, the volcanoes erupting on the exchange competition map could personally bury the Dragon Blood Nest and the entire volcanic region.
The scorching lava and all the gold and silver treasures would be buried here together.
The decorative gold coins and treasures that the Dragon Blood Nest had fought so hard for became a joke in an instant, covered by a thick layer of volcanic ash.
Once the obstacles here were gone, the Phantoms of the Past from the Ancient Battlefield would show no mercy.
"Time to go. We're moving to the next area," Tan Han said, maintaining a shield as she spoke to the others.
* * *
Time ticked by. The giant machine in the Ancient Battlefield still wasn't fixed, which was within my expectations. I also felt that Tan Han's decision to leave so decisively earlier was the right choice.
It was getting late. The sun was sinking in the west, and the second day of the exchange competition was nearly over.
Although I had been maintaining the shield and clearing Phantoms of the Past, my consumption wasn't actually that high. Moreover, there were others here helping me and providing recovery potions—though they had their own little motives, like the talkative Minian.
They would ask me for tips on using spellbooks. Even though they had been through many battles, it didn't mean they had fully mastered their spellbooks.
They didn't have my terrifying Spirit Vision, so they could only grope their way forward slowly. While I couldn't teach them how to modify spellbooks, there were still many other techniques: rapid casting, multi-casting, how to use them to minimize the interval between uses, when to release a spell to reach peak power, and so on.
Things that others had to figure out through repeated trial and error, spending massive amounts of time and energy, I could see the fundamental core of through Spirit Vision.
The guidance I provided was actually very similar to that of the combat instructors at the Witch Academy. Transcendent Witch teachers also used their foundations as Transcendent-level beings to help students master their spellbooks quickly.
Today was another day where I hadn't eaten much. I just drank some water and ate some scavenged compressed rations to fill my stomach. I was starting to miss yesterday's Cat Rice.
I wondered how Yu Mengrui and those other little cat-girls were doing in the forest. I hoped the fire wouldn't reach them.
Better to think about other things. I didn't know if Tan Han would come back. The environment inside the Ancient Battlefield ensured that visibility would never be high, and we couldn't get information about the outside world.
"Aiko? You're up? Is it fixed?" I turned around and saw Aiko climbing up, asking in surprise.
"Almost. Since we didn't have replacement parts, we hand-crafted one on the spot. It took quite a while. I'm not much for manual labor, so once those guys finish up, it should be about done." Aiko wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked at the sun, which was about to set.
"Sorry for dragging this out so long. It's almost night, and the environment will be even worse then..."
"It's fine. It was a rare rest."
"Uh... fighting Phantoms of the Past non-stop counts as a rest?" Aiko asked.
"Simply and repetitively consuming mana—compared to my previous experiences, this counts as a rest. Get inside; it's still dangerous out here."
"Yeah, I won't be polite then. When those guys come up, everyone come inside together."
I watched the final rays of the sunset. Today was probably over, right?
Sleeping inside this big guy at night was better than sleeping in the wild. By this point, there shouldn't be any accidents like the Blood Pool Castle or the Floating Sky Island.
* * *
Meanwhile, Enara, who was discussing further cooperation plans with the Elves, couldn't sit still. While she was in the middle of a perfectly good conversation, a fishman suddenly came running in.
Since the news of the Elves and Sea Clan forming an alliance had already spread, no one had stopped the fishman on his way here.
However, he brought news that left both Enara and the Elves utterly stunned.
The waters around the Fallen Land had been hit by a mysterious pollution. The temporary leader had taken a team to investigate and discovered a large number of undead-like beings on the seabed. They suspected that another hidden rule of the Fallen Land had been triggered, causing the sea to be eroded.
Furthermore, the scope of the impact was still expanding with no sign of stopping.
"Dammit, I knew those witches wouldn't be kind enough to help us for nothing... I didn't expect them to be waiting for us here!"
"Pollution in the Fallen Land's waters?"
The Elves were also shocked. If the Sea Clan was currently unable to save themselves, or even just tied down by trivial matters, what would happen to their cooperation?
And this was also the Witch Academy's doing? Had those damned witches even calculated this far ahead?