Chapter 240: Extreme Provocation and Taunting
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 240: Extreme Provocation and Taunting
As a fireball detonated in the sky above the exchange competition grounds, the sound and light echoed through the heavens, acting as a final celebratory flare for the tournament's impending conclusion.
However, to the students of the other academies, this signal was like a bolt from the blue, sending an instinctive shiver down their spines like startled birds.
Among all the participants in the exchange competition, the most peculiar casters were, naturally, those from the Witch Academy.
The others had no idea what this blast represented. Was it a signal to assemble? An order for an all-out assault? Or perhaps the start of some unknown plan, waiting to harvest them all?
All they knew was that the sound had come from the direction of the Dwarf Academy’s massive war fortress.
It was undoubtedly a signal.
They waited for a long time, yet everything seemed to remain the same. The only change was the strength of the Phantoms of the Past, which had begun to spike exponentially during this period. This anomaly put immense pressure on the Beast Academy and the Elves.
One shouldn't expect the Dwarven war fortress to help the Elves clear out the Phantoms of the Past. Whenever the phantoms charged, the war fortress simply went into "turtle mode," refusing to budge an inch. Unable to crack the shell, the phantoms simply bypassed it and headed straight for the Elves.
With these free laborers doing the work, Minian and the others didn't even need to go out and trade insults with the opposition.
"Wait... isn't this getting a bit too loud? Aren't the Phantoms of the Past supposed to stop attacking us?"
The group inside the war fortress finally sensed something was wrong. After the first wave of phantoms charging out from the Central Ancient Battlefield at night had been dealt with, things had quieted down, but now the commotion was intensifying again.
No matter how they looked at it, this was problematic.
"This isn't good... Outside, those aren't Phantoms of the Past. We’ve been surrounded by those Elves." Aiko reported to the group after checking the situation through the observation port in the cockpit.
"Huh? Have they gone mad? Why? The Witch Academy hasn't even launched a proactive attack yet, and they’re coming for us first?"
"Maybe they just can't handle the pressure anymore..."
"The signal has already been sent. Sister Tan Han should be arriving soon. Why did they have to pick this exact moment?"
"We still have Sister Xiao Han..."
"But Sister Xiao Han went back to sleep, didn't she? It feels bad to wake her up again, and it's not like we're completely defenseless."
"But... there are quite a lot of them, aren't there?"
The group stood by the windows and looked out. It wasn't just Elves out there now; there were also guys from the Beast Academy. Were they planning a desperate last stand at the final hour?
"Regardless, let's go out and see what's happening. They can't just launch a direct assault like this."
Minian decided to open the hatch. But just as she was about to step out, an arrow whistled past, grazing her scalp. The intense power of nature accompanying the wind pressure terrified Minian so much she scrambled back inside.
"What the... what's wrong with those Elves? I barely poked my head out and an arrow almost took my hair off!"
"Shields, Minian! Don't let something like that scare you. It’ll be embarrassing if others see."
"I don't need you to remind me! I just didn't expect them to not even give me a chance to speak."
Just as Minian and the others were preparing to layer their shields and head out, I walked out of the rest cabin.
The noise earlier had been quite loud. Having already been woken up once, my shallow sleep was easily shattered by such a massive disturbance.
"Let me handle it. I'll go see what's happening outside."
"Si—Sister Xiao Han? You're awake."
"Awoo~ Yeah. That's quite a racket. I should be the one to handle this." I let out a yawn. "Think of it as stretching my legs."
I pushed open the hatch and casually layered a shield over myself. Being forced awake twice in one night was a major grievance, and I needed an outlet to vent my emotions.
The moment I stepped out, a barrage of attacks flew toward me. The energy shield I had casually cast was instantly pushed to its structural limit.
"Enough! All of you, stop!" My roar momentarily stunned many of them. The Elves, in particular, felt an instinctive flicker of terror upon seeing me.
"Who the hell do you think you are? You think I'll stop just because you told me to?" A hothead from the Beast Academy, who didn't seem to recognize me, relied on his powerful Beyonder physique to leap onto the war fortress and charge at me.
"I am someone whose strike you cannot block." Facing the charging brute, I made a casual swiping motion. A blade of wind, condensed with fierce wind elements, shot forward.
Even though he quickly tried to block with his armor, he couldn't withstand the force. His armor shattered instantly, and he was sent flying back, severely wounded.
I was actually a bit dissatisfied with the result. I had increased the power of that wind blade; could it still not achieve an instant kill?
If I had used the "Focusing" technique, I probably could have pierced through his body with ease.
"Yang Yuehan? Why are you here?"
Naturally, the Elves were the most nervous about my sudden appearance. They had personally experienced my strength, especially that Fire Rain spell...
As for the Beast Academy, they were composed of many different schools, and I hadn't interacted with them much. Most of their knowledge of me came from intelligence reports, rumors, and the various phenomena they had witnessed. However, some among them were very aware of my power.
Specifically, the group that had been there when I went to snatch the so-called Life Fruit.
"Why wouldn't I be here? What kind of question is that? It's the middle of the night—don't you people sleep?"
My words left many of them speechless. Given the current situation, who could possibly sleep?
The Elves felt as if they were in a dream. They had been testing the waters, thinking that Tan Han and Yang Yuehan weren't here, assuming they were off guiding the Phantoms of the Past to erode the map.
But now, they realized they had kicked a hornet's nest. They had originally planned to unite with the Beast Academy to drive away the Dwarves and the Witch Academy students.
After all, those groups had caused the Elves immense trouble.
Furthermore, the massive fire in the Beast Academy's forest had caused significant problems for them, leading them to form a united front quickly.
"Sleep? You can actually sleep peacefully! Your Witch Academy is controlling the Phantoms of the Past to erode every region, forcing everyone here! You're giving us no way out!"
"Yang Yuehan, I admit you're strong, but facing all of us, you won't be arrogant for long!"
"Arrogant, am I...?"
I looked into the distance. The area was brightly lit by fires; since it was night, they needed the flames for illumination, otherwise, they couldn't fight a group battle in the pitch black.
However, the most conspicuous thing was the ritual light pillar over the ocean. It was the only ritual active tonight, making it stand out. Based on my understanding of ritual pillars, their ritual had already reached the stage of completion and coronation.
"I don't know what gave you such confidence and courage. Though I hate to lecture, I can't help but tell you: you are already people who wield Beyonder power. Stop thinking with your old mindsets. For instance, right now, the only purpose your numbers serve is to provide more corpses for the coming slaughter."
Before I even finished my sentence, they felt a wave of my blatant, self-righteous conceit!
Yes, they admitted that numbers didn't always beat a powerful expert, but everyone here was a New Student. They were all people who had just mastered Beyonder power; in fact, every one of them was a top talent in their respective academies.
On what basis did she claim that a numerical advantage was beneath her notice?
"Not convinced? Then you're welcome to try."
When I said this and reached out my hand, the Elves immediately shifted into a defensive posture.
Among the crowd, I saw a few familiar Elven faces, but I had no desire to greet them.
"Look at you. What are you so afraid of?"
I turned my gaze toward the Elves. The Beast Academy students were also getting flustered by the Elves' cowardice before the fight had even begun, though some expressed disdain for such behavior.
"Did you think my opening move would be the Fire Rain Domain? That spell is the one I used to burn the World Tree. You should have all seen the flaming clouds that blanketed the sky back then."
As I described it, the realization dawned on them. Everyone had seen that massive phenomenon covering the Afuhemi World Tree.
If a spell of that magnitude was unleashed, they truly had reason to be terrified.
"I'm glad you're all staying your hands to listen to my story."
The crowd looked at the guy I had just heavily injured with a single blow. One could say that this "killing the chicken to warn the monkeys" tactic, combined with the Elves' natural display of retreat, had been quite effective. After all, the Beast Academy didn't want to be the Elves' scapegoats.
"The Fire Rain Domain spellbook is an Over-consumption Spellbook. It costs over a thousand mana to cast. My mana happens to have just broken the thousand mark, which means the price I have to pay to use it is immense. However, once it is cast, I'm sure everyone here will have an unforgettable experience."
"Do you feel like the Witch Academy's methods are too much of a cheat? Actually, I think so too. I can already imagine many of my fellow New Students harboring feelings of envy, jealousy, and hatred toward me."
When I said this, many people were stunned, including the witches from my own academy.
This was practically begging for aggro!
I was explicitly stating things that were usually left unsaid, bringing all the hidden tensions into the light!
"I'm not saying this to prove anything. After all, it's late, and most people are probably asleep; there shouldn't be many people watching the live stream. I just want to do one thing: make you recognize your own ignorance."
"Yang Yuehan! You're being far too conceited! Who do you think you're talking to!"
"I am the Beyonder Prospective Witch, Yang Yuehan," I answered directly, clearing his confusion.
"If this level of talk is already conceit to you, then how will you describe what I'm about to do next?"
As I spoke, objects resembling glowing orbs began to drop at my feet. Those were spellbooks.
"This first one is the Fire Rain Domain spellbook. This one is the Elemental Spirit's Blessing. This is the Shadow Legion Summoning spellbook I haven't used yet..."
I dropped the spellbooks on the ground one by one, right before their eyes.
"You... what is the meaning of this!"
They couldn't fathom my intent. Taking out spellbooks and throwing them on the ground was like digging one's own grave! It was self-mutilation!
"All of my offensive spellbooks that exceed basic consumption levels are here. This means that my only means of attack now are basic consumption spellbooks with single-digit costs and other spellbooks that cannot be used for offense."
At this point, the corners of my mouth curled up slightly. In their eyes, it looked like pure mockery.
"Once a spellbook is separated from its carrier for a certain period, it self-destructs. The Yang Yuehan you are facing now is the one closest to the average level of a New Student..."
"You! You're a lunatic! What are you trying to do!"
"Sister Xiao Han, don't be foolish now! What are you doing?"
"Sister Xiao Han, pick them up, quick!"
"This is a dream, it's not real. It doesn't matter." I stopped my companions' protests and looked at everyone with a smile.
"You still haven't attacked? Don't you understand what my current situation means? It means... I am confident I can deal with all of you before these spellbooks self-destruct."
I spoke those words calmly, as if stating a simple fact.
I knew I needed a battle like this to push myself. Since the start of the exchange competition, I hadn't encountered a single fight of real value to me.
Of course, that Holy Angel Archie was an exception, but at the time, the focus was on the competition itself—using his strength to attack the Wizard Academy. If I hadn't seized that opportunity, the competition wouldn't have developed into its current state.
I felt a bit of regret, but I didn't regret not having a direct confrontation with him.
After all, one must have self-awareness. I don't do stupid things.
To them, it looked like I had abandoned many spellbooks, but did discarding them really affect my strength that much?
In truth, not really. I wouldn't easily use the Fire Rain Domain anyway. I had used it twice so far in the competition—once as a time-saving experiment, and once for a similar reason—but the results had been underwhelming. I hadn't killed many people; it was mainly for deterrence and destruction.
The same went for the other spells. They were just the icing on the cake, things I used because they were convenient.
Besides, I hadn't thrown away my protection spells. I only threw away the offensive ones.
However, the deterrent and taunting effect was absolutely maximized, which fit my expectations perfectly.
I needed this battle to find new inspiration for my spells. Most importantly, I wanted to see if I could use techniques other than "Floating," "Resonance," and "Focusing"—such as the "Domain" concept I'd been thinking about.
Take the most basic Fireball spellbook, for example. Could I use it to achieve an effect similar to the Fire Rain Domain?
A Fireball Spell Domain...
Just the thought of it was invigorating!
And with my last sentence, the fury of everyone present was finally ignited!
Such a conceited brat—they would make her regret this!
But in the next moment, they realized that they might be the ones to suffer.
"This spellbook is a Fireball spellbook. Perhaps you'll find it strange why such a weird spellbook exists, or how a Fireball spellbook could have this kind of effect. If so, I can only say your understanding of magic is far too shallow."
Five Evocative magic effects appeared around me like floating cannons. The Elves, the Beast Academy students, and the others might not have understood what this meant or represented, but the senior sisters from the Witch Academy watching the live stream were surely curious.
They had used Fireball Spell for so many years—why didn't theirs follow them around and fire like this?
Were they using fake spellbooks?
"There are techniques to using spellbooks. When I first obtained a spellbook, it was just a Cleaning spell. That was when I first learned of the existence of spellbooks."
"Back then, I thought: 'How can a spellbook be such an inconvenient thing?' Now I realize it was just me not knowing how to play the game."
I strolled through their attacks with ease. Whether it was long-range or close-quarters, direct fire suppression could break most of their offensives. In fact, their numbers became a disadvantage.
No matter how many of them there were, their attacks couldn't merge to damage me; in the end, it all came down to each individual's specific strike against me.
Without the empowerment of the World Tree, the Elves' firepower could no longer suppress me. I had already activated my Practical Learning spell and the Unity of Knowledge and Action suggestion.
I was testing the feasibility of the Fireball Spell Domain technique.
Although I had a clear direction, my understanding of spellbooks didn't seem sufficient to support the completion of this hypothesis... This was an intuition born from constant failure.
And that intuition also told me that the missing piece of the puzzle was likely Rune Studies.
The so-called Real Editing technology, and the rune rituals of the spells themselves.
I had already tasted the infinite possibilities runes brought to spellbooks—like that wind blade earlier that contained hidden fire elements...
Unfortunately, I hadn't had time to put it into practice before the New Student Competition started, followed immediately by the Exchange Competition...
If all of this hadn't been so troublesome, I would still be immersed in analyzing the mysteries of spellbooks right now.
"Impossible! This is impossible! She's clearly like this, so why can she still crush us!"
"Because you still haven't faced your own ignorance. You're just brutes who only know how to squander Beyonder power; you don't understand what your power actually is."
I offered this sincere explanation to the guy who was already terrified of me.
Sometimes, people overlook the nature of the Beyonder power they wield. This was especially true for the Witch Academy.
Mana sources and spellbooks were fed to everyone like pre-packaged meals. Now I knew why—it was likely a form of further screening.
Those obsessed with pure power would be given the channels to immerse themselves in its superficial beauty. The clever ones would see through the deceptive surface to discover the mysteries within, thus embarking on a different path.
One had to stay at the Witch Academy for ten years, and even after graduation, one could remain. No matter when someone finally saw through the mystery, they would have an awakening. As long as they woke up, it wouldn't be too late.
This was my current understanding of the Witch Academy. Whether it was an over-interpretation or if I was still being kept in the dark didn't really matter. What mattered was what I was going to do.
The battle was still at a fever pitch when a figure rushed toward the scene, heading straight for the Dwarven war fortress.