Chapter 500: End of the Joint Exam
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 500: End of the Joint Exam
The real world.
The Abyssal Demons who had descended upon the Bobapus Archipelago hadn't even had time to celebrate their arrival in the Main World before they realized a glaring problem: the Abyssal cannon fodder they had brought with them was gone.
Immediately following that realization was the suffocating effect of the Great Weakening Spell and its various derivatives. It suppressed the powerful Rank of the Abyssal Lord and his Transcendent demons across the board. They felt their strength plummet; the terrifying power that once allowed them to destroy entire small worlds with a wave of a hand was now so diminished that they would struggle to level a single city in the Main World.
This sudden loss of power triggered an immediate sense of crisis. If anyone harbored ill intent toward them now, they would be unable to escape death.
Reality proved to be exactly as grim as they feared. They had thought their Abyssal portal into the Main World was well-hidden, but at that very moment, they were already locked on by several powerful mental signatures.
Among the group waiting to "greet" them, they saw the very beings they least wanted to encounter... Witches.
"Quite sensible of you. We'll consider those demon fodder as your admission fee for entering the Main World."
* * *
In truth, the Bobapus Archipelago was not the "official" main channel for Abyssal Lords to enter. After all, entering through the main channel left them no opportunity to skim anything off the top.
Secretly established channels like the one at the Bobapus Archipelago existed all over the Main World. It wasn't that the Abyssal Demons thought the Main World's Transcendents couldn't find them; it was simply that if even one went unnoticed, it was a profit for the Abyss.
Clearly, this little scheme had failed, but the Abyssal Demons didn't consider it a loss. The low-level little demons of the Abyss were like the most resilient weeds—cut down one batch, and another would soon grow.
The process of welcoming the Abyssal Demons into the Main World went perfectly smoothly—at least from the perspective of the Main World's Transcendent academies. As for the Abyssal Demons... if one were to call it "smooth," they would first have to ignore the few Abyssal Lords who had been slaughtered on sight.
Such was the nature of Abyssal Demons. Even if they feared death, they could not stop courting it. They constantly pushed boundaries, and only pain could teach them where to stop. This was the only way to communicate with the Abyss.
However, all of this was a minor matter to the Witch Academy. Their primary focus remained on the Joint Exam.
This was one of the rare occasions where the Witch Academy participated in a Joint Exam with other schools, to the point that an entire year's worth of students had been deployed. This alone proved how much importance the Witch Academy placed on the event.
As time passed, although the number of eliminated Witch students grew, any keen observer could see that the Witch Academy's true main force had not yet been knocked out.
Most notably, the three most watched Children of Destiny were performing brilliantly.
By this stage of the Joint Exam, while the sudden intervention of the Abyssal Demons had made things a bit chaotic, it had also served to remedy the awkward situation where the monsters within the Bobapus Archipelago had been completely wiped out.
"By the way, who set up the restriction on the Bobapus Archipelago?"
"It's been hundreds of years, hasn't it? They wanted to redevelop the area back then, but with a living volcano right there, wasn't it normal to slap a restriction on it?" the Transcendent Wizards from the Wizard Academy said dismissively.
"Don't say that. The style looks a lot like your Wizard Academy's handiwork. There are even traces of refined Wizard Tools. You sure your academy didn't cause this blunder?"
"That's none of the Witch Academy's business!" Having been mocked, the Wizard Academy's representatives felt their pride stinging. It was indeed a massive joke that someone's methods from centuries ago had ended up sabotaging the current students of the Wizard Academy.
Naturally, the conversation between the Transcendent Mentors eventually turned to the final scenes of the Joint Exam. One could say that the final period was the true climax of the entire event.
They could obviously see the anomalies in this exam. The most "rule-breaking" student was undoubtedly the one named Yang Yuehan.
If they remembered correctly, she had been a participant in the last Dream Exchange Competition. Although her appearance had changed completely, they could still recognize that troublemaking personality.
Specifically, they were baffled by her research into Ley Lines. No matter how much they racked their brains, they couldn't understand what methods she was using. It couldn't possibly be Ley Line Magic, could it?
Wasn't that an innate talent only possessed by Ley Line Life forms?
Furthermore, they had heard an even more ridiculous rumor: this student had severed her Ley Line Shackles before even ascending to Transcendent rank. Theoretically, this should have completely cut off any possibility of her researching the Main World's Ley Lines. Yet, the images she provided confirmed they were reconstructed from Ley Line Data. Moreover, the Witch Academy had proven that the mapping techniques used for those images were worlds apart from the mainstream techniques mastered by the academy.
Normally, the Witch Academy would simply ignore such levels of questioning.
The fact that they were willing to clarify this point only proved that the Witch Academy truly hadn't interfered...
Of course, those most curious about this matter were the Transcendent Witches of the academy.
They had heard Xiao Han's name before and knew she had dabbled in the study of [Transcendent Knowledge]. They even knew about the unique Dream Magic she had created. However, they never expected that Xiao Han had even researched Ley Line energy.
But then they recalled how, back in Ninglan New City, Xiao Han had located her own Ley Line Shackles and attempted to sever them. Even if she had only succeeded with the Dean's help, it didn't diminish her own efforts.
It was perfectly reasonable for her to try and understand Ley Line information. Everything was normal—the only abnormal thing was that she had actually produced results...
Without a massive system to serve as an architectural framework, trying to manipulate Ley Line energy was a pipe dream.
It was like wanting to play a game; at the very least, you needed a phone or a computer. Or a console at the bare minimum. The application of Ley Line Data was like the game software, while the systematic and physical material foundations—like the phones and computers—were what allowed the software to run.
However, mere discussion yielded no conclusions. Currently, more people were debating whether the Witch Academy had cheated. As the three Children of Destiny of the Witch Academy, if they hadn't cheated, how could they have found those resource points so quickly? How could they have maintained such a grasp on the entire field's dynamics?
Throughout the Joint Exam, it was as if they were playing with a map hack.
Could they really have done all that just with a temporary group chat on their Academy Phones? The observers didn't believe such a method could support that level of information warfare. The sheer data processing alone would have made them pull their hair out. To the observers, the phone group chat looked more like a cover—a way to hide their true source of information. Even though this seemed blatantly obvious to them, no one had called it out during the exam...
Especially at the end, when they had almost shamelessly instructed Xiao You to use a simple Transformation Spell to dismantle the restriction suppressing the subterranean magma pressure between the continental plates. The technique used for the dismantling was particularly telling; while laypeople just saw the spectacle, experts saw the skill. It was as precise as a surgical operation, dismantling the restriction piece by piece... And you're telling me a student who hasn't even been in school for a year could do that? Did she spend the last six months doing nothing but studying this specific restriction and how to take it apart?
That was just lying through one's teeth...
* * *
At that moment.
I was holding onto a few girls who had screamed to withdraw at the final moment, granting their wish.
The clear sky remained a deep blue. As they looked toward the distant Main Island in a daze, there was no sign of a volcanic eruption. Looking at their surroundings, their little heads slowly realized that they were safe.
They felt as if they had been granted a grand pardon and wept with joy. Their previous ordeal had nearly driven them mad. Even if they realized now that it had all been an illusion, the experiences they went through during the Joint Exam were very real.
After setting them down, I scanned the area. On this real-world subsidiary island of the Witch Academy, the teleportation channels were steadily sending back the eliminated students. However, many didn't leave immediately, choosing instead to enjoy a bit of seaside beauty on the island.
After all, not everyone had seen a real ocean. Even just playing in the water by the shore was wonderful when there were no sudden monsters, no surprise attacks from other academies, and no one from the Wizard Academy trying to poison them...
After greeting the mentors stationed here, it wasn't long before a figure was forcibly eliminated from the Void world.
Seeing that figure, a smile touched the corner of my mouth, but I didn't go over.
Since she didn't know about the "False World" setting, Xiao You probably still thought she was dead, right?
I watched quietly as she fell to the ground, her expression one of peaceful resignation to death. When the expected end didn't come, the impact of the fall instead made her nose throb with pain.
Finally, she slowly opened her eyes. Looking at everything before her, it was like waking from a great dream...
There was no volcanic eruption, no stoic sacrifice... there was nothing but the hard ground, a somewhat familiar island, her classmates, and her teachers.
Seeing her reaction, I shook my head and vanished from the spot. The Joint Exam was over, but some things were far from finished.
I planned to find Sister Bai. By now, her business should be wrapping up, shouldn't it?
I was already imagining a relaxing time on the beach with Sister Bai~ I'd have her rub sunscreen on me!
All over!
Mmm... it was also time to book a nice guesthouse. The academy was paying for it anyway. I wondered if that "Easter egg"—the free vacation on the Bobapus Archipelago for the examinees—was still available now that the exam had reached this point.
Probably... not, since they had all been eliminated early.
Though I hate to say it, I didn't really want to run into too many acquaintances while I was trying to relax.
Like... Tan Han. I felt like she must have a lot of questions for me. Just thinking about her made me feel a bit helpless. Fortunately, once they went back, it would be the holidays. It was time to give them some space to cool down.
However... based on the information from my Knowledge Shadow and my understanding of Tan Han, she had thought things through even more clearly than I expected.
The Tan Han Fan Club was likely in for a total purge. As for what Tan Han believed she owed me, that was merely her own perspective.
Had I ever cared from the beginning?
Those spellbooks only appealed to my desire for a collection; I didn't truly need them.
Or rather... wasn't this unilateral sense of debt Tan Han felt toward me just another way for Luck to maintain the connection between us?
It really is impossible to sever, isn't it?
But my mindset has leveled out now. Since I am in the Main World, I will inevitably be affected by Luck. It's unavoidable, so I might as well use it.
I have already used the three current Children of Destiny to test the effects of my Knowledge Shadow spell. This has been a huge help to my research progress on the Knowledge Seed.
At the final moment, when Xiao You saved Tan Han, the link taught by the Knowledge Shadow had faintly transcended linguistic understanding. This gave me a spark of inspiration for my Tree of Great Knowledge and the consciousness communication spellbook the Dean had given me.
I have to admit, the driving force of Luck is truly terrifying. But for now, I still lack the means to fully utilize that power.
At that moment, a large crowd suddenly emerged on the island where the Witch Academy was located. These were the examinees who had been unable to escape death during the final volcanic eruption.
Even Tan Han was among them.
Tan Han stood up. Although she had long known things would develop this way, the sensation of "dying" at that final moment had been incredibly vivid.
After recovering, Tan Han instinctively looked around, searching for something, but she couldn't find it.
Instead, her gaze eventually settled on a single figure.
Xiao You.
A girl... whom she didn't quite know how to face, even though she had figured everything out.
The moment Tan Han appeared, Xiao You noticed her immediately. Both logic and emotion urged her forward. It was a thought born of her heart and instinct... she owed her...
Finally, with a heavy thud, Xiao You fell to her knees and prostrated herself before Tan Han. She didn't know how else to beg for Tan Han's forgiveness in the most humble way possible—or if forgiveness was even possible... but she needed this act of contrition to allow herself to continue living in the Witch Academy.
She could foresee what kind of situation she would face in the future. But... having "died" once, she suddenly realized how much she actually feared death.
It turned out that death was not a release. Staying alive was the last shred of mercy granted by her humanity and instinct, and it was the final chance she was giving herself.
"Xiao You... can you tell me... why you did it?"
In that moment, everyone around them fell silent. Tan Han's voice suddenly drifted over; it was devoid of obvious emotion, yet every word was clear and rang true.
The girls who were members of the Tan Han Fan Club stepped forward upon seeing this, as if instinctively wanting to plead for mercy... but in the end, not a single word was spoken. They realized they had no right to plead. In fact... they were also among those who should be apologizing... and repenting.
Because their selfishness and greed had betrayed Tan Han's expectations—and her trust.