Chapter 242: Such a First Place... I Don't Want It!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 242: Such a First Place... I Don't Want It!
Early morning.
The moment just before the sun rises is the darkest time of the day.
The tsunami unleashed by the Sea Clan had swallowed the land and forests, turning the entire surrounding region into a seascape. Only the patch of land protected by the Afuhemi World Tree remained standing firm above the waves.
With Enara’s death, there was no telling where she would respawn within the Ancient Battlefield, but the only things awaiting her and her teammates were another death or a self-initiated withdrawal from the competition.
Without the Sea Clan’s desperate resistance, the erosion of the Ancient Battlefield in the sea was even more terrifying than on land. This was especially true after the tsunami; the collision between the seawater’s encroachment and the Ancient Battlefield’s corruption meant that as the waves receded, the Ancient Battlefield sank deep into the seabed like a virus, eroding the Sea Clan’s very foundation.
At that moment, a massive slab of floating ice carrying a war fortress slammed into the shore. The coastline was a desolate wasteland, marking the point where the Ancient Battlefield’s erosion of the land had reached its limit.
With this, the Witch Academy and the Dwarf Academy proactively severed their contract.
The strength of the Phantoms of the Past reached its peak at this hour. Including the sea-beast-shaped Phantoms in the water, they were frantically gnawing at the island sheltered by the World Tree.
The weather over the sea had been completely assimilated by the Ancient Battlefield. Calamity-like thunderclouds raged over the water, and surging waves churned into never-ending walls of water that crashed against the shore.
The Elves likely never imagined that their predictions would deviate so drastically from the current reality.
They watched in horror as the shield held up by the World Tree grew dimmer bit by bit. Lightning flashed, illuminating the pitch-black night sky for a fleeting moment.
The World Tree began to wither; its branches drooped, and its leaves turned a sickly yellow, as if signaling that this place had truly fallen into the end of days.
And in truth, it had.
"Stop struggling. The exchange competition has reached this point; stalling for time is meaningless. Let this farce of a match end in this deserted night," I said, hovering on my broom as I looked down at the Elves gathered under the World Tree’s protection.
"That attitude of yours... someone really needs to teach you a lesson," one of the Elves retorted sharply.
"Xiao Han, wait a bit. There's no rush for these few moments," Tan Han stepped forward and said to me.
The shield currently protecting the Elves wasn't a standard shield like the ones on a Wizard Tower; it was a sanctuary formed by the World Tree in response to their prayers. Even though the World Tree was now fading, its protection remained steadfast and without a single flaw. However, such protection always had an end.
"Yang Yuehan! I think it's necessary to take this opportunity to clear some things up!"
Yao Beijuan stepped forward with grim determination. She knew this was her last chance. Before this, she had remained silent, hiding in the back, not daring to show her face.
She had thought that by soaring upward under those circumstances and entering the Afuhemi Academy, she and Yang Yuehan would belong to two different worlds from then on. But the world was full of such coincidences.
She could foresee that they would still belong to two different worlds in the future, and this might be their only point of intersection. But the other girl had already flown to great heights, while she had ultimately fallen back to her original state.
She didn't understand why it had turned out like this. They had both been so mediocre before. Now, they were both enrolled in prestigious schools. They were both at the same starting line on the path of transcendence. Why could the other girl achieve such things?
She had thought the final message she sent during the break would earn a reply, but it had become the last message in their private chat. Thinking back on it now, she felt like a self-righteous clown.
"I'm listening. Go ahead," I said, looking at Yao Beijuan calmly. My gaze was like that of a stranger. I wasn't worried that my look or my actions would hurt her, because that wasn't my concern.
Just as she hadn't considered my feelings when she sent me that message during the break.
"From now on, I won't cause you any more trouble. That's what you're hoping for, right?"
"Mhm. Thank you."
"Don't say thank you. I hate it most when you say thank you. You say it for everything..."
"Mhm. Okay."
I continued to nod. It had indeed been like that in the past. I would say thank you for everything, and if I did something wrong, I would always say I'm sorry or my apologies. It was a habit carried over from my previous life; perhaps even I didn't pay much attention to it.
"You... forget it. You're just a block of wood, a guy with zero emotional intelligence. No wonder your parents sold you to the Lesser Demon Academy."
"You know about that...?"
I was quite surprised by Yao Beijuan's words. She was clearly trying to steer the conversation in this direction, though the transition was a bit stiff.
"Yes, I know. I met your parents behind your back... It was after that meeting that I had the idea of breaking up. I don't want to say much about your mom and dad; you know better than I do what kind of people they are."
"Saying all this is meaningless. If there's nothing else to talk about, I think we can end it here."
"Don't you care?! They urged me to break up with you! They even tried to set up your younger brother with me! They made a deal with the Lesser Demon Academy a long time ago! All for that so-called Innate Spirit Vision or whatever it was—something I don't even understand..."
"Innate Spirit Vision?" Tan Han’s pupils suddenly constricted upon hearing that term, and the concepts associated with it immediately flooded her mind.
"Don't you know a bit too much?" I asked in a low voice. My parents definitely wouldn't have told Yao Beijuan these things during a secret meeting.
"I..." Yao Beijuan didn't know how to explain for a moment.
She really didn't want to recall the scene of facing them back then. She could only say that once they were no longer on the same level, she only wanted to escape it all as quickly as possible.
"If you don't want to say, you don't have to. I don't have the slightest interest in it."
Every word Yao Beijuan spoke was an attempt to drag me back to the days of the past—a past I also had no desire to remember.
And my patience had run out.
"Do you really not care about your past? You only need to ask your teachers; they can give you information even more detailed than what I'm telling you. Aren't you trying to say goodbye to the past? Then do you know that you might not even be your parents' biological—"
"Enough! I suggest you shut your mouth." I violently interrupted her. The fact that I had let her say so much was proof enough that I couldn't completely ignore the past.
But at the very least, I wasn't prepared for it yet. At the very least, the current me didn't have to face those painful truths.
After I had completely said goodbye to the past, I really was trying to maintain the concept of "parents," the beautiful image in my memory. It was just that every time I faced them in the past, I couldn't help but feel nauseous...
"You're shouting at me. I thought you only knew how to stay silent. But that's all I have to say. Go worry about it yourself! I said these things for my own sake. You know I'm the type who can't keep a secret. I've said everything I needed to say. From now on, we have no relation!"
Yao Beijuan almost screamed these words at me. It was as if she was... no, she was venting. It was just unclear whether she was truly severing the relationship in her heart or simply venting the grievances she had suffered during the exchange competition.
Perhaps it was both, but I didn't care.
At that moment, everything fell into an eerie silence in the darkness. It seemed the conversation between Yao Beijuan and me had also deeply shocked everyone listening.
They had never heard such a melodramatic story play out right before their eyes.
Just the keywords they had heard—not biological, Innate Spirit Vision, sold to the academy, meeting the parents, breaking up... their heads were spinning.
"Xiao Han..."
"It's fine. Just treat it as her talking nonsense." I forced a smile and looked at Tan Han, who was gazing at me with concern.
Perhaps I really didn't have a talent for lightening the mood. At this moment, I felt as though everything had become significantly heavier.
But it didn't matter. Time would wash everything away. I only needed to follow the steps to become a Transcendent Witch and obtain an eternal lifespan. When everything had settled, I would go to their graves and offer my condolences in memory of the parents I once had.
Even if people called it escapism, then let it be escapism. Many things are like a mire; once you are deep within, no matter what you do, you only sink deeper.
Time trickled by, and just as I had expected, it washed away the oppressive atmosphere of the night.
As the sun rose, the Afuhemi World Tree let out the sound of ancient wood cracking under the first rays of light. It had reached its limit.
Visible cracks appeared on the shield it held up. Under the persistent assault of the Phantoms of the Past, the World Tree finally showed its exhaustion.
"All Elves, get ready! This will be our final battle!"
"Show me the fighting spirit of the Elves!"
The Elves faced the morning sun, bidding their final farewell to the World Tree.
Even though they knew all of this was artificial, once they were born into this world in the form of Elves, they possessed the purest faith in the Mother Goddess.
On the other side:
"Xiao Han, are you okay? You didn't sleep at all during the latter half of the night..."
"I'm fine. It's time to put a period on this exchange competition." I stood up and spoke.
When two figures appeared in the Elves' line of sight, the morning's slaughter—which held no suspense—began.
When the ice spikes of the Ancient Remnant Ice pierced through the Elves' last layer of dignity, a sky full of snow descended upon the area. A terrifying chill, carrying a formidable aura, pierced through the chest of the Afuhemi Academy's leader.
Without the empowerment of the World Tree, they had lost the right to speak or fight on equal terms with Tan Han.
Arrows empowered by the power of nature and the Elven magic they took such pride in were broken one by one in the face of absolute power.
Perhaps from the moment the shield shattered, the Elves no longer held any determination to win.
Everything seemed to have settled at this moment, but for Tan Han and me, it was not yet time for the end...
Because the real battle was only just beginning.
"Yang Yuehan! Let us begin our battle!"
Tan Han was still in her Ancient Remnant Ice transformation. Her voice sounded somewhat deep, but her tone was resolute.
The Elves who hadn't been killed yet were also deeply confused. Why hadn't Tan Han killed them? Why did she charge toward Yang Yuehan with a roar instead?
But they would soon know why. It was because Tan Han had never truly considered them her opponents.
"Truly without hesitation..."
I wasn't surprised by Tan Han's decisiveness. I was only surprised by the speed at which she struck.
However, I had already prepared my countermeasures.
This strike, containing all of Tan Han's strength, was the culmination of everything she had learned from countless failures in the previous dreams.
"The moment I hesitate, I'll be dragged into your rhythm. This time, I will be the one... to dominate the flow of this battle!" There was no confusion in Tan Han's eyes, only determination.
Since the time she had fainted, Tan Han had been reflecting. She wasn't someone who only knew how to fight blindly.
That long-lasting battle had truly taught her a lot and made her realize many things.
She had always been suppressed by Xiao Han, forced to absorb the other's concepts and thoughts. She had to admit it had a huge impact on her.
But she also discovered that it wasn't the right path for her.
After understanding the gap in Spirit Vision between her and Xiao Han, she knew that this wasn't a path just anyone could walk.
If she took that path, it would be equivalent to personally denying all her previous efforts as wasted.
Whether it was Ji Niang or Lina, their unintentional words were all waking her up: on the path of transcendence, there is no need to walk someone else's path. The one that fits you best is the best.
She understood this principle, but truly putting it into practice as she was now was incredibly difficult.
But the current Tan Han had already made up her mind.
"I... Tan Han, will respond to your previous preaching. I will prove to you that my previous efforts... were not meaningless!"
What exactly were Tan Han's previous efforts?
They were acquiring numerous Mana Sources, possessing many spellbooks, and constantly trying, adapting, and mastering this transcendent power within the dreams.
Constantly learning combat techniques, understanding the usage of spellbooks, and combining them with her own understanding to defeat even stronger enemies!
And the strongest enemy before her was Xiao Han—the person who had beaten her into a coma in a single day.
This was the most powerful foe she had ever encountered.
The other girl had also taught her many things: learning during combat, understanding spellbooks, and using them flexibly!
She would integrate this combat philosophy into the system she was familiar with. She didn't have a Spirit Vision powerful enough to support her in DIY-modifying spellbooks, but she had a massive library of spells to provide her with countless combinations.
Combat is nothing more than winning or losing! It is a game of methods, even a matter of crushing or turning the tables. It has nothing to do with modifications and everything to do with the gambit.
Facing Tan Han now, I felt a method and a sensation completely different from those in the dreams.
It was as if Tan Han had transformed into a veteran expert of combat at this moment. Simple firepower suppression became like bubbles.
Tan Han, transformed into the Ancient Remnant Ice and coordinating with ice-element Evocation spells, actually began to suppress me in turn.
In Tan Han's hands, these spells turned into the most threatening blades, constantly forcing me toward death.
"Your understanding of these spellbooks is..."
I didn't finish my sentence, but the meaning was clear. Through her own understanding, Tan Han had reached the limit of "micro-modifying" the spellbooks. Her ice-element Evocation spells had even formed a unique combat system with the Ancient Remnant Ice spells.
"Yes, Xiao Han. Don't just focus on yourself. You aren't the only one making progress; I am too! And this is only the first step in proving myself to you!"
After explaining this, Tan Han's movements became even more violent. The aftershocks of the battle directly affected the entire area of the World Tree.
The World Tree withered, the shield vanished, and the Phantoms of the Past were constantly gnawing at the island on the sea.
But the spreading ice and low temperatures froze the sea surface, turning the Phantoms of the Past into ice sculptures.
"You don't need to prove anything to me..." I said with a complex expression. The fact that Tan Han could reach this point meant she had jumped out of her previous predicament.
She had stepped out of the interference of my philosophy and digested it into her own path.
Was this the source of her confidence in challenging me again?
"And the second step... I will prove to you that combat techniques are equally important! They are the art of battle, the path of constant learning within a fight. If you were to say those words to me again, I wouldn't be confused this time. In fact, I would firmly refute you—your path has no right to preach to me!"
Tan Han's words carried absolute confidence. It was the firm belief that she had already reached the same height as me that allowed her to say I had no right to preach to her.
"And now... the final step. I will use victory to prove that my path is not wrong!"
At this moment, both Tan Han's combat techniques and her belief in victory had reached their peak. This was everything she could use in this final, reckless moment of the exchange competition.
She didn't know if she would faint again after exhausting all her energy and strength in this fight, but she knew she wouldn't regret this battle one bit.
She wouldn't have her core ritual broken by a single Fireball spellbook like the first time, because her techniques could prevent that. She wouldn't be led by the nose and fall into the opponent's rhythm like the second time; this time, she was giving it her all, and she was the one dominating the battle from start to finish. Moreover, she had made full preparations specifically for this opponent. Xiao Han didn't have spells like Purification or Dispel, so she wouldn't be stingy with Weakening, Curses, or Debuffs.
She didn't know what Xiao Han would use to win. At the very least, she couldn't think of anything.
And I, currently being completely suppressed, thought the same. According to my philosophy, transcendent powers rarely met as equals; the collision of power always ended in a victory by crushing force.
According to my philosophy, I had already lost, because I was the one being crushed by power. Furthermore, I had no good way to dispel the negative status spells Tan Han was using on me; even Perception Enhancement and Five Senses Enhancement couldn't offset them.
Should I just admit defeat?
After all, everything happening now couldn't be changed. But I still had the urge to resist. However, the moment that urge arose, it touched upon something—it would break the concept of crushing force I had established for transcendence, power, and combat.
Admit I was wrong?
Then I would fall into confusion just as Tan Han had.
If I didn't admit my mistake, I could only accept that my defeat was already a foregone conclusion.
No... Tan Han's power hadn't actually crushed mine. Compared to our last battle, Tan Han's raw power hadn't grown to the point of crushing me.
Yet Tan Han was still creating a crushing situation against me... so there must be something I had overlooked.
Combat techniques...
This was the second step Tan Han was proving to me, and also the most critical step. A crushing advantage in technique is still a crushing advantage; it is also a part of one's strength. Perhaps I had defined it too narrowly from the start.
Power must always be manifested through specific means of expression and techniques of application. Isn't the use of a DIY-modified spellbook just a technique for using a spellbook?
It is no different from combat techniques.
"I should be the one saying thank you!" I said words that made even Tan Han pause. My attitude had also changed.
It was a confidence equal to Tan Han's, a calm acceptance of my own flaws and shortcomings. A crushing advantage in technique... just the sound of it was as interesting as a crushing advantage in transcendent power!
It was just a pity I couldn't demonstrate it in this battle.
When you recognize where you failed, isn't that a form of success in itself?
This also fit my search for the meaning of combat.
And now, having cleared away my confusion, as a reward, I would use all my strength in this battle and use any means necessary to teach Tan Han one more lesson!
And the content of this lesson was simple: you don't need to prove your efforts, your meaning, or your path to me.
"It's time to show you my progress."
With a wave of my hand, the blessing of the Ice Flame Spirit was bestowed upon me. With the Practical Learning Spell active and the Unity of Knowledge and Action initiated, I began to attempt Ice Element Resonance.
In that instant, the snow filling the sky resonated with me.
At this moment, the snow was no longer an obstacle; it was an extension of myself. Unlike Tan Han's innate ability to command ice and snow, this was a collision between two different methods of commanding transcendent elements.
"Try this! Focusing · Fireball Spell." I once again sacrificed the Fireball spellbook. The spellbook would be ruined after this strike, but it didn't matter now.
A series of counterattacks and the loss of control over the snow immediately broke Tan Han's rhythm. But what followed was a Fireball Spell concentrated into a single point.
And the target was her Ancient Remnant Ice transformation ritual.
Facing this sudden change, Tan Han hurriedly used her combat techniques to evade the strike.
The powerful armor-piercing effect of the Focusing technique was something even a Dwarf Holy Artifact couldn't block. Tan Han's ice-forged body had its arms shattered by the strike.
The collision of fire and ice erupted into a terrifying cloud of steam.
But before the steam could dissipate or Tan Han's body could recover, a massive black shadow appeared in the sky.
When the vapor cleared, Tan Han, who had prepared herself for any countermeasure, stood dazed for a moment upon seeing the attack.
It was a giant sword—the very one that had been plunged into the Wizard Tower. Now, it hung high above her.
I channeled the blessing of the Fire Flame Spirit and the Fireball Spell, igniting the tip of the sword.
"Tan Han, let me teach you one thing in this lesson: you don't need to prove anything to me! Just like the defeat you are about to face—it cannot negate your efforts!"
With my roar, the giant sword fell, impaling Tan Han's Ancient Remnant Ice form.
Everything turned into the aftershocks of battle.
The ignited sword tip couldn't destroy the core of Tan Han's transformation ritual, but it dealt her a devastating blow.
"Thank you, Tan Han. You taught me something very important."
"Also... this time, it's your turn to experience the feeling of a glorious defeat. You won this battle. You grasped something of a higher level than I did before I could."
After the strike, I landed steadily.
I checked the current rankings. Because of my previous slaughter, I was a few points ahead of Tan Han, holding first place.
But once Tan Han cleared out the remaining small fry, she would likely be higher than me.
Tan Han had taught me something more important than the reward for first place. Recognizing one's own deficiencies is more important than any reward. Rewards are nothing more than resources, Mana Sources, and spellbooks—none of those are important. Only the things I need are important. Simply piling up Mana Sources and spellbooks is meaningless. If I want those things... there will always be a way to get them.
I was no longer the ignorant freshman who had nothing.
I would treat this as compensation for heavily injuring Tan Han.
Thinking of this, I turned to look at her.
"I'm giving first place to you. Anyway, I'm leaving. This boring exchange competition has wasted too much of my time."
As I vanished abruptly, Tan Han, heavily injured, deactivated her transformation.
"Wait! Xiao Han, you... you! You self-righteous jerk! A first place like this... I don't want it..." Tan Han pounded the ground weakly, followed by a sense of exhaustion.
But Xiao Han's words were still echoing in her mind... No need to prove it to her... huh?