Chapter 498: I’m Sorry… Sister Tan Han…
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 498: I’m Sorry… Sister Tan Han…
“Look at you, all flustered now that I’ve exposed you. What’s the matter? Still think you’re in the right? Forget it. It’s too late for any of that now, and I’m done wasting my breath.” Ian didn’t say another word. Having savored the look on Lucianne’s face and satisfied his twisted amusement, he knew exactly what he had to do.
Talking too much would only give the enemy an opening, and that would be disastrous.
Besides… at this moment, the demons at the foot of the mountain had already clawed their way up to the mountainside. If he didn’t act now, they would all run out of time.
As for their safety after he made his move… Ian had never cared about that. He had understood the truth of this situation long ago.
The place they were in was the same as what their seniors had experienced in previous years: the False World Space Great Witchcraft. This was a terrifying method used by the Wizard Academy to isolate reality from falsehood—even spanning the boundary between life and death!
In truth, one only needed to think about it for a moment to realize the truth. So many people had died in this Joint Exam; was that really possible?
How many resources would it consume to bring them all back one by one with Resurrection Spells?
Therefore, they didn’t fear dying here. Or rather, it was impossible for them to truly die here!
“Feel it… the power of the Primagnetic Storm Great Witchcraft!” Ian roared without restraint, as if venting the sheer magnitude of this power. It was also a mock mercy, explaining the name of the spell to his victims; to know the power that killed them was an honor he was bestowing upon them!
Instantly, a primagnetic storm erupted over the volcano of Bobapus Main Island. The resulting Primagnetic Force Field seized control of countless fine metallic sands, swirling them around the core of the storm. The primagnetic core, flickering with terrifying electrical arcs, gathered a horrifying amount of energy, looking as though it would explode at any second!
The sheer scale of the power left even Ian in a precarious position. The various Wizard Apprentices controlling the witchcraft nodes were also struggling to hold on, desperately maintaining the disposable, temporary Wizard Tools used to channel the spell so they wouldn't disintegrate under the overload.
“Damn it…” Lucianne was forced to double over, her body weighed down by the crushing pressure of the force field.
Swarms of lethal metallic grit lashed out at them frantically. The witches used every means at their disposal to resist the horrific onslaught.
Lucianne scanned her own spellbooks. A witchcraft of this magnitude was something she wouldn't have even been able to encounter in the past.
But now, she was witnessing it firsthand.
She felt that even a spellbook with a consumption as high as a hundred points wouldn't be able to contend with this level of power. For a moment, the thought of temporary retreat crossed her mind.
To persist when one knows it is impossible is merely foolishness…
Xiao Han’s words were right. It was just that she was unwilling to let it end like this…
“Retreat for now and avoid the—wait!”
Just as Lucianne was about to call for a withdrawal, her gaze swept toward the demons below. A massive tide of demons had already surrounded more than half of the Bobapus Volcano; the remaining portion was shrouded in thick volcanic ash.
The sheer number of demons was enough to make one’s skin crawl. It was a nightmare for anyone with even a hint of trypophobia.
However, Lucianne didn't feel they were at a dead end. Though the situation looked grim, she saw two other groups appearing in the distance.
Despite the distance, a single glance was enough to understand their intent. Tan Han and the others had arrived to reinforce them!
Lucianne no longer hesitated. Her gaze turned resolute, her target fixed on the Wizards atop the mountain peak!
“Retreat my foot… counterattack!” Lucianne changed her tune instantly. Without further delay, she activated the most powerful spellbook in her possession.
“Eh? But, Lucianne…”
Some were still confused, but seeing Lucianne charge back so decisively, another figure surged upward alongside her.
“That’s… it’s Tan Han! The reinforcements are here! Let’s go!”
The crowd was overjoyed. However, many possessed enough self-awareness to know their strength might not be enough to help directly in the fray. Instead of getting in the way, they focused on their own safety, providing long-range fire support from a distance.
“Tan Han, even if you’re here, you’re still not enough!” Ian quickly recognized the figure charging toward him, trailing a terrifying spell.
Tan Han was a celebrity; how could he not know her?
However, he had heard from the people at the Witch Academy that Tan Han had seemingly lost her mind—she had actually given her spellbooks away.
And she had given them to Yang Yuehan. He remembered Yang Yuehan as well—the one who had shone brilliantly during the Dream Exchange Competition, a person with terrifying methods, erratic thinking, and a penchant for doing things that weren't exactly human.
Originally, the Primagnetic Storm Great Witchcraft he controlled was intended for that person. But… who would have thought that person had already become a Teaching Assistant at the Witch Academy instead of a student!
He had been shocked when he heard the news, but he had to admit the result left him both relieved and a bit disappointed.
One thing, however, was clear to Ian: without their most brilliant star, the rest of the Witch Academy… was nothing to fear!
Even Tan Han was nothing special!
“It’s useless! Useless! Every single one of you from the Witch Academy is trash, and that includes you, Tan Han!” Ian manipulated the primagnetic field. Countless grains of sand formed his sturdiest shield and his most lethal spear. With a wave of his hand, he could crush everyone.
As time passed and the primagnetic storm reached its absolute limit, that would be the moment he would fully trigger the volcano!
After his earlier mockery, Ian no longer considered Lucianne a threat. Now, facing Tan Han directly—an opponent he had always hoped to match in power—he found himself completely overwhelming her.
“Tan Han, have you become a cripple? Give it your all! Is this it? Where are your tricks? Where’s your Transformation Magic? Oh! I almost forgot… you gave those spellbooks away! Hahaha… Tan Han, without those spellbooks, you’re absolutely nothing!”
“Is that so?” Tan Han didn't seem to care much. She didn't regret giving those spellbooks away.
She had let them all go specifically so that when someone told her she was nothing without them, she wouldn't doubt herself.
Was that really the truth?
A spellbook was merely a tool. Tan Han had to admit that a powerful spellbook was the most direct way to increase combat power, but combat power was not the same as true capability, and it certainly wasn't the same as personal strength.
Tan Han was proving her own strength in various ways. The spellbooks were nothing more than a smokescreen. If she hadn't been whisked away by the Witch Academy, if she had followed the path to the Holy Angel Academy and become a Holy Angel, how would she have grown stronger without the shortcut of spellbooks?
She would have tempered her character bit by bit, polished her cognition bit by bit, accumulated knowledge bit by bit, and practiced the Transcendent bit by bit!
At this moment, Tan Han realized clearly that it wasn't that she didn't need those spellbooks; rather, she needed enough "power" and "qualification" to completely dominate them.
What she needed to overcome was the hurdle in her heart and the hurdle of her own abilities, even if those hurdles presented no physical obstacle to the spellbooks themselves.
Thus, even facing a Wizard wielding such a powerful witchcraft, Tan Han felt no fear. She recognized clearly that her opponent lacked the qualification to dominate this spell. Even though he currently held power far beyond his upper limit, he also possessed weaknesses he himself couldn't perceive.
Because his limit was right there. He wasn't necessarily stronger than her. He had been the first to reveal his terrifying power to everyone, but in doing so, he had also recklessly handed over his weaknesses.
Tan Han’s gaze flickered for a moment… When Xiao Han faced her back when she had transformed into the Ancient Remnant Ice, had she felt this way too?
It turned out she had been that arrogant and oblivious back then, just like this Wizard was now.
However, Tan Han knew she couldn't match the composure Xiao Han had shown, and the opponent’s strike didn't leave her much time to react.
Furthermore… the most crucial point was that their goals were currently aligned: both wanted to ignite the volcano. The Wizard Academy had simply moved a step ahead to set up what they intended to do. In truth, Tan Han had been a bit worried about whether her own methods could trigger the eruption; having such a ready-made helper actually made her feel quite happy.
At this moment, it was hard to say who was using whom. Ian Garland thought he had beaten the Witch Academy to the punch, while the Witch Academy didn't think that was a bad thing at all.
It was as if the Wizard Academy had thrown a taunt at the Witch Academy, and instead of getting angry, the Witch Academy had smiled and replied, "Well played."
Only Lucianne seemed to be genuinely furious; after all, her suppressed emotions needed an outlet.
For a time, her fierce attacks actually tied up a significant portion of Ian’s energy.
Then, another group arrived—Ninglan Qiuyue, who was only a step behind Tan Han.
This was the first time Ninglan Qiuyue had seen such a scene—a chaotic free-for-all that looked like a dance party on a volcano. The Wizard’s methods were dizzying.
Nevertheless, she led her group forward to assist. Their mere presence was enough to further divide Ian’s attention. Facing pressure from three sides, even Ian began to feel the strain. The power he wielded was gradually slipping from his control.
“You people! Just die!” Ian stopped holding back the power of the Primagnetic Storm Great Witchcraft. His aura, bolstered by the other Wizards, climbed to its peak. The fully formed primagnetic storm core flickered with terrifying arcs of electricity, gathering a soul-shaking amount of power.
Ian hovered in the air, his mental power surging through the witchcraft as he attempted to drive the core of the storm.
He was confident that this single strike could destroy the entire Bobapus Volcano!
He would punch through the continental plates to the magma below, and the erupting lava would harvest everyone’s lives equally!
“Watch out! He’s attacking!”
Tan Han shouted a warning, primarily to keep Lucianne from getting too carried away. Anyone with eyes could see the opponent was about to unleash his ultimate move.
Seeing this, Tan Han felt a sense of calm as she led the others in a retreat. It would be fine if the Joint Exam ended like this…
She had been far too exhausted these past few days.
“Primagnetic Storm… Great Witchcraft! Rise!” Ian roared hysterically. No one would survive this strike!
His entire being merged into the Primagnetic Storm Great Witchcraft. Terrifying primagnetic force surged through his body, transformed into power he could command through the Wizard Tools. The Wizard Apprentices hidden at the various witchcraft nodes were also suffering; the temporary Wizard Tools were already cracking under the extreme overload.
Many were silently cursing Ian Garland. Why did he have to talk so much? He had put unnecessary pressure on them, but they had to hold the line.
“This power… it’s beautiful…”
Ian Garland trembled with excitement as he felt the power within him. Even though he knew he could only command it for a brief moment, that was enough.
“It is your honor to die by this power! Hahaha!”
Ian Garland laughed wildly and, without hesitation, drove the primagnetic storm from the sky down into the volcanic crater.
In that instant, it was as if the world lost all color. The primagnetic storm erupted violently, countless electrical arcs blooming from the mountain peak. The protruding summit disintegrated under the horrific force. The volcanic crater, which had stood for untold years, suffered a structural collapse, sending countless boulders and soil flying outward.
The brilliant primagnetic storm radiated a terrifying light, peeking through the cracks in the crumbling mountain.
The fissures widened, forming massive chunks of the mountain that collapsed outward.
A wave of primagnetic storm, carrying a terrifying majesty, swept out from the shattered volcanic dome. The horrific pressure threatened to destroy everything in its path. The volcanic ash that hadn't yet dispersed… even the clouds in the sky made way for it.
The charred, carbonized tree trunks on the ground, and… the surging tide of demons were destroyed in the most spectacular fashion.
Endless chunks of flesh rolled down the mountainside, piling up into a sea at the base. But after this wave, countless pieces of flesh turned into egg sacs, hatching once more into Lesser Demons and demons…
Ian, his body merged with the primagnetic storm, continued downward with a frenzied expression. His remaining thoughts were focused solely on completing his task.
Until… a strangely eerie vibration collided violently with the Primagnetic Storm Great Witchcraft. A restriction blooming from within the shattered mountain completely isolated the witchcraft.
The face of Ian Garland, eroded by power, lost its earlier composure and absolute confidence.
He couldn't believe it. Why was there another… restriction here?
This restriction completely blocked his plan to breach the plates beneath the volcano. He could even see the magma boiling beneath the restriction, as if cheering him on.
But against such a restriction, his strike had only succeeded in fully triggering its defensive mechanism and leaving negligible cracks on its various nodes…
To completely shatter this restriction, he would need at least one more attack on the level of the Primagnetic Storm Great Witchcraft, and it would have to be a focused strike without any other dissipation. Only then might it be possible to break through.
But where would he get that kind of strength now?
“I refuse to accept this! Argh!”
As Ian Garland screamed in frustration, the witches who had already retreated maintained their protection spells and shields to resist the aftershocks of the witchcraft. They were relieved that the spell hadn't been aimed at them; otherwise… the group looked at the demons below, which had been mowed down like wheat, their flesh staining half the mountainside red.
At this moment, Ian’s aura began to plummet. He knew he could do nothing more. He reined in the residual power of the witchcraft, refusing to waste it further. He didn't want his efforts to become a stepping stone for others; if he couldn't break it, then no one else would!
He felt like a clown, performing a futile task. He even hallucinated the sound of laughter from the witches of the Witch Academy, pointing at him… just as he had pointed at them and mocked them moments ago…
Now, he was the punchline. Every bit of mockery he had dished out had come back to haunt him.
“No… it shouldn't be like this! Die! All of you, die! Lucianne! Tan Han! You all die! Everyone who laughed at me… everyone must die!”
With the last remaining power of the Primagnetic Storm Great Witchcraft, knowing he couldn't achieve his goal, he stopped his futile efforts… and now, that remaining power became his true weapon for murder!
The final overload of the Primagnetic Storm Great Witchcraft suddenly shattered a Wizard Tool at one of the nodes. The backlash of the witchcraft hit him instantly, making him stumble, but even that wasn't enough to stop him.
Faced with this sudden turn of events, everyone was stunned. Some were shocked by the revealed restriction, while others were surprised by Ian’s abandonment of his goal and his sudden change of target.
Meanwhile, Xiao You had been struggling internally the entire time. She didn't care about any of this; if Ian failed, he failed… She gripped the mana canister tightly… She only wanted to ask herself… should she act or not…
“Still hesitating? If you don't act now, it really will be too late.”
Suddenly, a phantom appeared. The voice, which only she could hear, made her body stiffen…
Though the tone carried a hint of playfulness, it sent a chill down her spine.
“Do as I say. I’ll teach you… how to use the Ancient Remnant Ice!”
“What…” Xiao You wanted to say something more, but she saw a figure erupt with a terrifying primagnetic force once again, trailing a series of sparks as he charged toward Tan Han.
“Tan Han! This was all within your expectations, wasn't it! Acting like you’re just watching a play… I’ll kill you!”
The more Ian thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Perhaps Tan Han had been treating him like a clown from the very beginning… perhaps even his arrival had been predicted by her.
This feeling of being manipulated was truly too much!!
But Tan Han was completely bewildered. She had no idea why the opponent had suddenly turned his spear toward her.
Facing Ian, who was bolstered by the primagnetic field, Tan Han discovered to her horror that she couldn't dodge!
She had been locked on by the primagnetic field… and he was too fast. She didn't even have time to raise her strongest protection spell, and the shields she had used to block the aftershocks were nowhere near enough to stop a primagnetic storm burst capable of destroying a volcano!
At that critical moment, a terrifying cold wave erupted. An ancient aura condensed into a long staff of ice, thrusting out from beside Tan Han to face Ian Garland and his primagnetic storm.
Accompanying this terrifying aura was a clear voice, tinged with a hint of guilt, echoing behind Tan Han.
“I’m sorry… Sister Tan Han…”