Chapter 241: The Last Pure Land and the Fall of the Academies
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 241: The Last Pure Land and the Fall of the Academies
"It's Sister Tan Han!"
"Sister Tan Han! Quick, come here! Go talk some sense into Sister Xiao Han!"
"What happened?" Tan Han asked as she rushed over. The battle here was fierce, but her arrival didn't cause much of a panic.
"Sister Xiao Han pulled out so many spellbooks, but she’s taking them all on using nothing but basic spellbooks!"
"Al—although, looking at it now, it seems Sister Xiao Han is holding her own against them..."
"What?" Tan Han was stunned by this revelation, but she quickly realized what was happening.
For a moment, she didn't know what to do. Should she step in and stop the fight? Or something else?
Tan Han could understand Xiao Han's behavior to an extent, but even to her, it felt far too reckless.
But at that moment, a strange phenomenon suddenly occurred at the Afuhemi World Tree.
"What is that?"
Tan Han’s expression turned solemn, though she already had a suspicion. "There's a high probability that the Afuhemi Forest Elves triggered a hidden rule. Don't forget, they held a ritual once before as well."
"This... then we have to get Sister Xiao Han back here quickly, or she'll definitely be in danger!"
* * *
High atop the Afuhemi World Tree, Mona and several other elves stood upon the massive branches.
The phenomenon currently manifesting from the World Tree was the reward for the ritual they had completed earlier: the ability to offer a single prayer to the Afuhemi World Tree—their Mother Goddess.
And the Mother Goddess would respond to the request of the Afuhemi Forest Elves.
The Afuhemi World Tree would now protect a portion of the forest territory and the elves within it, shielding them from external invaders.
This prayer couldn't force the World Tree to launch a powerful attack to kill enemies; it was strictly a protective request.
The true killing blow... would be delivered by the Sea Clan.
By now, the Sea Clan's ritual had been quietly completed; after all, a significant amount of time had passed.
Using the Sea's Wonder Crown, the Sea Clan would unleash a catastrophic tsunami to submerge the last remaining safe land. The seawater would erode the earth, extinguish the forest fires, drown the Beast Academy, and crush their enemies...
And the Afuhemi World Tree would protect this single patch of land from the encroachment.
The elves had already felt the malice of the witches. Wasn't the constant shrinking of the map designed to force everyone remaining into one spot?
When that time came, the entire Exchange Competition map would be eroded by the Ancient Battlefield, and they, the Afuhemi Forest Elves, would be the ones laughing last.
So what if those witches could fly?
Between the calamities within the Ancient Battlefield and the Phantoms of the Past, they would eventually be hunted down.
Perhaps surviving until the end wouldn't accomplish much on its own, but the opposition would suffer constant deaths. Death meant a drop in points. Unless the other side admitted defeat—but based on their understanding of witches, would those arrogant women ever willingly surrender just to preserve their score?
Furthermore, even the Sea Clan would eventually be eroded by the Ancient Battlefield. Only the place sheltered by the Afuhemi World Tree would become the final pure land.
At this stage, the Afuhemi Academy was no longer prioritizing points. The Witch Academy was already prepared to upend the entire competition at this moment; if the elves continued to endure in silence, they would truly die of frustration.
Since the witches had once used the Sea Clan to wipe out the Fallen Land, the elves could replicate that exact same tactic now.
They had gathered the contestants from the Beast Academy and other fragmented academies.
By pointing the spearhead at the dwarves allied with the Witch Academy and that massive threat, the War Fortress, they could easily herd everyone together.
They would use the Sea Clan as a borrowed blade to do the killing, and then use the witches' Ancient Battlefield to erode the sea, discarding the Sea Clan like a used tool once their purpose was served.
Though the plan was solid, it was still somewhat crude. The elves wouldn't gain any points during this period, but they were willing to sacrifice their entire point potential to the natural disaster.
The witches wanted the points here? Fine. They would rather throw them all into the sea than let the witches have them. This "if I can't have it, no one can" approach was undeniably spiteful.
Of course, the elves didn't think there was anything wrong with it. At the very least, it paled in comparison to what the witches had done.
* * *
"It seems something outside the plan has occurred."
Under the weight of such a massive disturbance, everyone’s attention was drawn to the movements of the Afuhemi World Tree. I, too, felt a bit listless.
Coupled with the constant failed attempts at my experiments, even using the fight to vent my emotions hadn't worked well. I was even starting to feel a bit sleepy.
The anger I had previously stirred up in these guys had, at this moment, turned into a bewildered uncertainty toward the unknown.
"What did you elves do?!"
It wasn't just the Beast Academy; contestants from other academies began questioning the group of elves directly. With something like this happening at such a critical juncture, the elves definitely knew something.
At the same time, they were looking for a way out. By escalating the conflict, they hoped to force the witch to stop and take the situation seriously.
The result was exactly as they expected. I stopped. The moment I realized that "Domain" was a level I couldn't yet reach, I knew the battle I had set up was a futile effort. While it was a pity, recognizing the reason for my failure was equally valuable.
"Sister Xiao Han, you were acting like a total maniac just now!"
"Hurry up and pick up your spellbooks! What if they get damaged?"
"It's fine. Spellbooks are much tougher than you think," I said, shaking my head. I picked up the books and tucked them back into my body.
"Xiao Han, the anomaly at the Afuhemi World Tree..." Tan Han walked over and asked.
"We'll see. I'm not omnipotent, you know," I said with a shrug.
I looked back toward the World Tree. It looked as though it had propped up a massive protective canopy, covering a vast area.
It was obvious they had triggered a hidden rule after a successful ritual. But was the hidden rule just propping up a shield?
That seemed a bit too boring.
"True. Plans can't keep up with changes. I originally thought we'd have the final showdown tomorrow morning, but now we might as well go see what kind of nonsense the elves are up to."
"Wait... Sister Tan Han, Sister Xiao Han, the ritual light pillar from the Sea Clan is gone..."
With Shi Huiyu's reminder, Tan Han and I instantly realized a certain possibility.
"Are the elves planning to take us all down with them?"
"Not necessarily. Didn't they put up a protective shield? Their targets are likely the remaining contestants—and us."
"We can fly. They shouldn't forget that."
"But the War Fortress can't. Even a behemoth like that will struggle against a tsunami, right? And that structure is clearly not waterproof."
"Looks like we're in big trouble. Go notify the dwarves."
As we sprang into action, the sea began to churn with towering waves.
Enara stood atop the crest of a wave, her fish tail shimmering under the blessing of the seawater.
She had reclaimed the Sea's Wonder Crown, and this time, she was the one wielding its power. She would personally flip the final chessboard.
However, she couldn't help but marvel at the Afuhemi Forest Elves' methods—they were actually willing to let the tsunami submerge them as well.
But when the Afuhemi World Tree raised its barrier, she understood their trump card.
It didn't matter. After this tsunami, the only remaining safe land on the map would become part of the sea. Although the sea would also be eroded by the Ancient Battlefield, they still had time. Probably...
Besides, the Sea Clan Academy had two points and was ranked second. Even so, it wasn't a loss, was it?
In the end, this Exchange Competition would just be a battle between the Sea Clan and those lingering elves.
At least, that was what the Sea Clan believed.
As for those damned witches, so what if they could fly? She would control the seawater to swat them down into the ocean. At this moment, she was the crowned Sea Queen!
She was a rightful existence. She didn't believe the tsunami she controlled personally would lack power. If a single witch could control a tsunami to cross mountains and submerge an area as large as the Fallen Land, how hard could it be for her to submerge a single forest?
Their Sea Clan was blessed and protected by the water. After obtaining such authority, she would only exert that power to an even greater extent.
* * *
"There's nowhere left to run, is there? The Ancient Battlefield is behind us, and a tsunami is in front. No matter which way we retreat, it's a dead end."
"I have to admit, when those elves get ruthless, they really know how to be bastards. The Beast Academy must be cursing their ancestors right now."
"It's not just the Beast Academy. People from other academies finally made it out of the Ancient Battlefield thinking they were safe, only to walk into an even bigger threat."
"Then what about the dwarves? Even if we can fly, there are far more dwarves than witches."
"As much as I hate it, we have no choice but to give up now..." Aiko's voice came through. Though her words were decisive, the frustration in her tone was palpable.
"There's no time to hesitate! I can already see the black shadows on the horizon!" someone scouting from above shouted down to us.
"The Sea Clan moved fast. They probably saw the Sea Clan starting the tsunami and that's why they were so quick to open the barrier."
"Does this count as being played by the elves?"
At this point, no one had expected this outcome. After all, this development benefited no one at this stage. The only ones who gained anything were the Sea Clan, who seized the land and killed so many contestants.
But they would only draw the fire to themselves faster. Once the sea touched the Ancient Battlefield, the erosion of the ocean would become even more unrestrained, spreading as quickly as ink dropped into water.
So what if the elves stayed out of it? Living until the end wouldn't increase their ranking.
One could say this outcome was the result of the choices made by various academies when faced with resistance—a result where no one could gain an advantage.
The closer it got to the end, the more everyone lost their minds and stopped holding back. It seemed they had all learned the wrong lessons from the Witch Academy.
The ones feeling the most aggrieved were likely the Beast Academy. It felt like they had been bystanders the entire time. While other academies were showing off all sorts of tricks, the Beast Academy couldn't fly and had no other special means. Their strength was the most mediocre; they were essentially there just to provide points for the competition.
"Brace for the first impact! The tsunami is here!"
With that loud cry, the Witch Academy and the dwarves moved. As for the others, they had already begun looking for ways to save themselves.
Of course, some ran straight toward the Ancient Battlefield. After all, you'd die instantly under a tsunami, but you might survive a bit longer in a dust storm.
And we were about to witness the first collision between the erosion of the Ancient Battlefield and the erosion of the seawater.
"Xiao Han, what are you doing?" Tan Han asked urgently when she saw me use the blessing of the Water Elemental Spirit and head straight toward the tsunami.
"Going to try a new method."
"Is that so... then I..."
I simply gave a brief reply and sped off into the distance, not hearing what else Tan Han had to say. Even if I had, I wouldn't have reacted.
Even though I had the protection of the water element, it didn't mean everything was safe just because I was in the water. The most terrifying part of a tsunami was the internal turbulence. The inside of a violent tsunami was anything but calm; being swept up meant being battered by all sorts of debris. You'd lose control of your body, and the mortality rate was extremely high.
The "method" I spoke of was, naturally, "Resonance." I had tried this technique before. While I couldn't oppose a fully formed tsunami, I never intended to fight it from the start. I was there to learn, to practice.
Since we were already in the middle of this disaster, if I didn't learn something, it would be a massive waste.
The surging tsunami swept over the height of the tallest trees, finally swallowing them in the most violent fashion. The forest fires that were still raging in the distance finally showed their fear.
The seawater, carrying trees and charcoal, continued toward the horizon, trailing plumes of thick smoke.
How similar was this scene to the Fallen Land back then?
Enara finally felt the sensation the Sea Clan was supposed to have. This was the grandeur the Sea Clan should have displayed in the Exchange Competition.
But for some reason, Enara couldn't feel happy at all.
Perhaps it was because the Sea Clan had been stifled and suppressed by others from the very beginning?
Or perhaps the power of the tsunami hadn't met her expectations. She didn't understand why.
Looking at the others being swept away by the waves—those people would respawn randomly after dying, but they would likely end up in the Ancient Battlefield or the submerged sea.
Death awaited them regardless.
The best option was to voluntarily withdraw from the competition.
Even so, Enara spotted an anomaly in one place.
"Is that... ice?"
Tan Han hadn't hesitated. She directly transformed into the Ancient Remnant Ice, using her mastery over cold to condense solid ice to withstand the tsunami and protect the War Fortress.
Even an over-consumption spellbook seemed slightly small in the face of such a natural disaster, but Tan Han, through her own strength, protected the massive War Fortress behind her.
As the seawater surged, the ice grew thicker. After weathering the first wave of impact, the subsequent difficulties were reduced by more than half.
"That Tan Han has quite a few tricks up her sleeve, actually protecting those dwarves," Enara grumbled as she looked at the distant ice shield. But at that moment, the Sea's Wonder Crown on her head began to loosen—a sign that everything was about to end. She could feel the power she held gradually losing connection with her. It was a feeling she was truly loath to part with.
"Reminiscing about that power? It's very dangerous to immerse yourself in strength that doesn't belong to you."
"You... Yang Yuehan?"
Enara looked at the figure emerging from the seawater. A spirit manifested from the water element provided her protection, lifting her as she surfaced.
"Mm. How does it feel to flip the table?"
"You still have the leisure to chat with me?" Enara asked with a frown.
"Why wouldn't I? A tsunami isn't a danger to us. Tan Han and the others can fly. Even if she wants to protect those dwarves, her methods are more than enough, aren't they?" My gaze drifted toward the massive shield of ice in the distance. Tan Han was even more "merciful" than I had imagined.
She could have completely ignored those dwarves; the contract wouldn't have said a thing. It was a pity she did it anyway, but I naturally had no objection.
"What? Did you come here to brag that our methods are meaningless to you? I admit I can't beat you. This is the end of the Exchange Competition anyway. If you're going to kill me, just do it!"
The Sea's Wonder Crown shattered completely, and a bead fell into her hand. She knew there was no point in running.
Admitting one's own downfall was a difficult thing, but Enara had accepted it. She had exhausted all her means, and more importantly, through her contact with the witch before her, the idea that she was an enemy she could never defeat had taken root.
She no longer had the courage to cast a spell against me, especially now when she was all alone.
"Your Sea Clan's part in this Exchange Competition is pretty much over. I should also thank you for putting the final period on this match. Although we lost quite a few points, it saved us a great deal of effort."
"Afuhemi Academy and those elves aren't all dead yet. Don't celebrate too early," Enara reminded me as she saw I was about to strike.
"A barrier that can withstand a tsunami and seawater erosion must have a limited duration. After your Sea Clan leaves, we have plenty of time to wait. Once we've dealt with those elves, there's still a duel waiting between Tan Han and me."
"You're going to have an internal conflict... No, you never took this Exchange Competition seriously from the start, did you..." She finally reached this conclusion, one that even she found absurd.
"From the beginning, I truly didn't care about this competition. The Exchange Competition you all find so hot-blooded, I only find to be a waste of my time. You can tell from my actions, can't you? I did so many things just to vent my dissatisfaction with this match. Aside from Tan Han, my rival, the only person in this match worth remembering was probably that guy Archie. It's a pity Archie is gone, so naturally, only Tan Han is left."
"You never looked at anyone else..."
"To put it arrogantly: indeed."
After pouring out the words in my heart, I sent her on her way. Some things are better said than kept in; I felt refreshed after speaking.
The main reason was likely the so-called "Script." Unfortunately, such things cannot be spoken of. I could only vent my stifled emotions alone. In the eyes of others, I probably really did look like a madwoman.
And the duel I promised Tan Han was also because I wanted to break the so-called Script. I wanted to see if the so-called protagonist of the Script... would also fail under the gaze of so many people.
Now, let's go see those elves. After dealing with them, we will have a final showdown to determine the winner upon that last pure land.