Inside the contestant’s waiting room.
Wang Yue took off her outer jacket, folded it neatly, and set it aside before picking up the brand-new black competition uniform to inspect it.
The style featured a hooded black robe made of sturdy fabric, though it still carried the faint, stiff scent of unwashed starch.
Just then, a snide voice drifted over from beside her.
“My, isn’t this the famous Number Fourteen, Wang Yue?”
Lilith never missed an opportunity to mock Wang Yue, and her talent for coining nicknames was second to none.
“And isn’t this the ‘Never-Leaving-School’ Lilith? Even the teachers were shocked you stayed,” Wang Yue retorted sharply.
“Why aren’t you wearing a bra?” Lilith asked, leaning over to stare at the band-aids over Wang Yue’s chest.
“I’m not used to it.”
“You really are a pervert.”
“Of all people, you have no right to say that.”
The other two in the room reacted differently. Medeili silently organized her belongings, occasionally stealing a glance at Wang Yue. Lulu’anna stood with her back to them, her ears twitching slightly; she was pretending to be uninterested, but she was clearly enjoying the bickering.
Shortly after, the door pushed open and a small figure appeared.
Teacher Vida walked in leisurely, her hands clasped behind her back. “Black Team, are you already thinking about your victory speeches?”
“You’re joking, Teacher. A lion gives its all even when hunting a rabbit. Besides, the gap between us and our opponents hasn’t reached the level of ‘lion and rabbit’ yet. We must give it our all,” Wang Yue replied.
“Tsk, Wang Yue, you’re as boring as ever.”
Vida scanned the four students with a smile and asked, “Are the rules clear to everyone?”
“Clear.”
“According to the regulations, I have to state them one more time. Listen up. There are five teams in total representing Classes One through Five. They will wear Red, Blue, Yellow, Purple, and Black uniforms respectively.
“As for personal items, you are only allowed to carry a Freshman Wand and Witch’s Ointment. There are no restrictions on clothing, and you may carry a backpack. Note that it must be a Freshman Wand; someone’s… oddly shaped wand won’t be allowed.
“Of course, the main reason is that the gap between different qualities of wands is far too obvious. We don’t want the competition to lose its fairness and turn into a battle of bank accounts. Similarly, ancient relics, processed relic items, and artificial relics are all prohibited. The use of Mystic Arts is strictly forbidden.
“There will be referees watching from the shadows during the match. Don’t think you can get away with anything; if a violation is discovered, the entire team will be disqualified.
“Each person will wear a ‘Loser’s Lockdown’ bracelet with a seven-fold shield. Once all layers are shattered, you are out. A referee will teleport the eliminated contestant out of the arena.
“Once the match begins, a transparent barrier made of mana will appear at the edges of the field. After a certain period, the barrier will shrink inward and stop, repeating this until the end. Eventually, the barrier will force you into a very tight circle to increase the chance of engagement—the ‘Final Circle.’
“If you are outside the barrier, you won’t be eliminated instantly. However, your shields will slowly decay. You must return to the safe zone before your shield shatters completely to avoid elimination.
“There are many strange mechanisms hidden within the terrain. Exploring these and obtaining powerful supplies will greatly enhance your team’s strength.”
After speaking, Teacher Vida took four metal rings from her teaching kit and had them put them on. The back of the rings was inscribed with an enhanced version of the ‘Loser’s Lockdown’ spell. It still provided seven layers of shielding, but the defensive power was increased; they wouldn’t break even if they took a Splitting Sword at point-blank range.
Compared to solo duels, the number of spells flying in a team battle was on a different scale. The margin for error was too low, so the students were essentially given a longer health bar. This mechanic had pros and cons: the benefit was more exciting combat, but the downside was that it made it harder for weaker teams to pull off an upset.
Wang Yue was more concerned about the ‘strange mechanisms’ Vida mentioned.
On the way here, she had noticed floating objects in the sky. Before the match started, she communicated with White Fish and discovered it was the Special Grade Relic, ‘Weather Forecast,’ which possessed the ability to control the climate.
If it only called for wind and rain, it wouldn’t reach ‘Special Grade’ status. ‘Weather Forecast’ could release all sorts of magical phenomena. For example, it could drop slippery slime that made it impossible to stand, create mirages through light refraction and total internal reflection, or rain down candy-flavored hail.
These belonged to the ‘Naughty’ weather setting. It had four modes: Normal, Naughty, Surprise, and Malicious, each corresponding to a different style of environmental hazard.
The Class Competition wasn’t just a FPS-style shootout with witchcraft; it included elements of mystery and survival. It seemed that external factors would carry significant weight in determining the winner.
As the start time approached, the four of them finished changing. The hooded black robes gave them a deep, gloomy aura. At a glance, they looked like a band of villains.
Lilith slipped out the door first, claiming the lead at the entrance. The other three followed at a leisurely pace, showing none of that childish urgency.
The entrance was a deep fissure in a massive rock formation—dark and cramped, like a crack leading into a secretive, forbidden world. Standing at the base of the Demon Arena and looking up felt different than seeing it from above. The craggy rocks loomed, the isolated peaks dominated the sky, and the sheer scale of the landscape swallowed the horizon like a colossal beast.
The four of them stood behind the line, waiting for the signal. As the seconds ticked by, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
Aboard the airship, everyone crowded toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, holding their breath as they stared at the arena entrances. Their expectant gazes searched for their respective classmates. The glass was enchanted with ‘Far-Sight Eye’; with a bit of focus, the distant image would jump right in front of one’s nose.
“Look! It’s Wang Yue and the others!” Dorothy shouted excitedly, pointing toward the west.
The students of Class Five looked in unison. At the western entrance, four black-clad figures stood solemnly.
“Whoo!” They erupted into a cheer.
About a kilometer away from the Black Team stood the Purple Team. Unlike the Black Team’s dispersed formation, the Purple Team consisted of three girls surrounding one smaller girl.
“Hmm-hmm-hmm~”
Mavis hummed a light tune, her small hands peeking out from her sleeves as she traced a graceful beat in the air. She looked exceptionally happy. Her lavender hair was messy and wild, and her ahoge curled playfully. Her dark eyes were exceptionally bright, and when she grinned, she revealed two cute little fangs.
At the southeast entrance stood the Red Team.
The daughter of the Lantern-Bearer, Loran Wright, was a graceful and melancholic girl. Her silky, pale-gold hair cascaded down her back. Her eyebrows were thin as golden twigs, and her amber eyes radiated a gentle light. The corners of her eyes tilted up slightly, lending her a captivating charm. Though she wore a fiery red uniform, her aura dyed the color into a sorrowful, blood-like shade.
At the northeast entrance was the Yellow Team.
Leona wore a confident smile, her teammates clustered closely around her. Her silver-white hair framed a round, cute face, and her soft, fair skin radiated youthful vitality. She stood tall with long legs, and her figure was already starting to develop. She rested a hand on her own shoulder and tapped her toe on the ground in a graceful posture.
Finally, at the northwest entrance was the Blue Team.
Modesty had her arms spread wide, intimately hugging her teammates. She had a soft, white face with delicate, attractive features. Her eyes were narrowed into long, alluring slits. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, revealing pale arms and slender fingers. Several of her fingertips were stained with bright red blood; her fingernails had been bitten down completely.
Her teammates, aside from having different facial features, had almost identical hair colors and styles—long, golden hair. Judging by the different colors at the roots, it appeared to be dyed.
Furthermore, they all wore red contact lenses. They looked… exactly like Lilith.
