Stars Kingdom, 9:30 PM, Galaxia National Sports Arena.
This open-air stadium, built by a legendary spellcaster, requires no additional light sources. By rely gathering and reflecting the starlight, it can make the entire arena as bright as dayti, with the spotlight effect achieved by adjusting the mirrors. At this ti, 4,600 seats were filled with students and faculty from the colleges of Galaxia. As the smooth arena floor was transford into a shallow ground by the Miracle of Earth and Wood, an uproar erupted from the crowd. Apart from the students of Truth College who clapped vigorously, the rest of the students couldn’t help but curse.
“Big thanks to the Death Chant Phantom Band for their amazing performance!” Arsenault’s clear and bright voice cruised over the stadium, quelling the students’ commotion. “Next, we have the final segnt of the College League opening ceremony—the teor Trial!”
“Please welco the contestants!” another female host announced. “First up is a freshman from Swordflower College’s Swords Sect, two-wings spellcaster, Sonya Therave!”
As Sonya erged from the tunnel, a pillar of starlight focused on her, making her combat attire glitter brightly. Fireworks erupted at the entrance, forming patterns of swords and roses, and the thunderous applause from thousands of people welcod the village girl into the combat arena!
Eight massive holographic screens simultaneously displayed her front, side, and angled views. But thanks to the stage makeup that Lois and others had spent an afternoon perfecting, along with the ‘Fixed Day’ spirit’s enhancent, Sonya’s beauty was flawless from any angle. No amount of starlight could overshadow her radiance. She proudly raised her chin, basking in the attention.
As she stepped onto the shallow ground stage, Sonya glanced at the comntary booth, thinking that her greatest luxury two months ago was rely to be seated there, introducing the new generation of Stars in Galaxia.
Even she hadn’t imagined that two months later, she would beco one of the Stars herself.
And next, she needed to prove that she was the brightest star!
“The second contestant is a senior from Trajectory College’s Nunchaku Sect, two-wings spellcaster, Colonzo Warren!”
“The third contestant is a senior from Fantasy College’s Gunmanship Sect, two-wings spellcaster, Lydia Azdar!”
…
“The sixth contestant is a junior from Truth College’s water departnt, two-wings spellcaster Vereen Stella!”
“All six contestants for the first round of the teor Trial are two-wings spellcasters!”
When all six contestants took the stage, the most eye-catching was undoubtedly Vereen from Truth College. Not only was she one of the only two underclassn on the stage—compared to the other seniors, she indeed was.
More importantly, she was a water spellcaster!
And tonight’s teor Trial ground was a shallow terrain!
“Insider dealings, definitely insider dealings!” Adelle cursed angrily in the audience, “Chop the League committee into bits and feed them to Lala Fatty!”
“Truth College doesn’t need to cheat in the College League,” sighed Lois. “This is just Truth College’s heritage.”
The match terrain indeed was entirely random, but students from Truth College who studied in the Prophecy Sect didn’t need to interfere with the League committee. They just adjusted the sequence of participants directly to gain the geographic advantage!
Other colleges also wanted to predict the match terrain, but the problem is, the Prophecy Sect has no set learning thod. The lucky few who get in are imdiately poached by Truth College. After all, Galaxia’s only source of Prophecy Sect knowledge is Truth College, and even those with restraint would be swayed by Truth College’s benefits!
So might think, is it really necessary to go all out for a league held annually? However, for schools, the College League’s results directly determine next year’s education funding. For students, this might very well be the most glorious mont of their lives, and everyone would give their all!
As a nationally broadcast, annually held competition show with ratings so high that even Delarose’s lead drama gives way, student performance in the league directly impacts their future. The Royal Family’s Starburst Guard, the House of Nobles’ Griffin Squad, and the Barrier legion sweeping the Abyss all pick mbers from these competitors. Moreover, nobles enjoy injecting new blood through marriages. For instance, each generation of the Stargazer Duke, Duke of Vlozrada, has a partner who is a powerful swordsperson, mostly from a common background rather than noble birth.
However, for this inaugural round of the teor Trial, Truth College isn’t going easy on anyone. If the terrain were the gobi, abyss, city, or desert, ordinary spellcasters might get so boosts, but not much. The shallow terrain is practically ho turf for water spellcasters. Moreover, since Vereen hails from Truth College, she undoubtedly has so Radiant Golden-level Miracles up her sleeve, giving her a crushing advantage over the other spellcasters!
“Still, this is the teor Trial,” Engulite said, folding her arms. “Truth College’s representative is so dominant; she might be the first one to go down.”
Lois and Adelle couldn’t help but nod in agreent, their eyes fixed on the six contestants in the arena.
The College League is divided into three formats: the teor Trial, the Stars Trial, and the Celestial Palace Trial. Simply put, the Celestial Palace Trial is a round-robin format where schools are represented by five-mber teams, similar to the format Sonya previously participated in during the Friendly Match, showcasing the schools’ overall heritage.
The Stars Trial, on the other hand, features three-person team battles, with three teams fighting simultaneously. This format has the highest intensity, usually involving students who have experienced Abyss Adventures, testing team coordination.
The teor Trial is a six-person free-for-all competition. Only the last one standing is considered the winner! As the competition progresses, the number of participants in the teor Trial remains at six. Sotis, of the six in the teor Trial, only two have continued winning, while the other four are returning to fight for resurrection opportunities, asuring each contestant’s individual prowess!
So might wonder why a single-player competition involves six combatants. There are many reasons. For example, at the low-level spellcaster stage, Sect-based weaknesses are very pronounced; a fire spellcaster facing a water spellcaster has almost no chance, a physical spellcaster counters most lee spellcasters, and gun spellcasters are a T0 profession. However, turning a one-on-one duel into a lee reduces the impact of Sect-based weaknesses, introduces many variables, and more comprehensively tests a spellcaster’s combat abilities.
Another minor reason: a multi-person lee is simply more entertaining to watch than a one-on-one duel.
After all, these contestants aren’t Sanctuary spellcasters. Although students go out of their way to add as many special effects as possible for the sake of showing off, to the untrained eye, student competitions still don’t match the dramatics of TV drama. To enhance viewership, the teor Trial has experinted with scales ranging from three to a hundred participants, finally settling on six. This number strikes a balance, full of dramatic conflict without overwhelming viewers.
The primary drawback of the six-person format is that the advantage of being the strongest is significantly reduced. After all, the other competitors aren’t foolish; in a zero-sum ga, they will naturally team up to eliminate the strongest first.
Thus, the winner of the teor Trial is either soone with a formidable combination of strategy, combat power, and networking skills, or…
A genius who absolutely dominates all other participants!
“In the past ten years of opening teor Trials, the winners have invariably been students from Truth College,” Vereen said with a smile, donning her translucent azure combat attire. “The senior brothers and sisters have worked hard.”
“Is that so? That’s just great.” Lydia drew her dual guns. “I hadn’t decided on my goal for this year’s League yet, but now I know. My aim is to end Truth College’s winning streak today.”
Colonzo twirled his nunchaku, the silver-tipped ends bursting into flas, indicating so hidden chanisms in his weapon. “Having a bit of respect for your seniors won’t harm you, junior sister.”
“Oh dear, don’t tell
I’m that unpleasant? Why does everyone want to take
out first? Could it be…” Vereen tilted her head and giggled as she shook out a short rod from her sleeve. It spun once, extending at both ends, and within an eye blink, transford into a long staff.
Thud!
When the long staff struck the muddy ground, the accumulated water on the entire shallow stage surged madly towards Vereen, transforming into water dragons that coiled around her staff. They protected Vereen while asserting dominance over the stage. At this mont, Vereen appeared like a Witch of the water, while the others seed like re ignorant challengers!
Leaving everything else aside, solely based on style and flair, the others were already utterly defeated!
“…Are you jealous of Vereen’s beauty?” Vereen griped her long staff close to her back, accentuating her slender and graceful figure, and with a lazy tone, flaunted her confidence that dismissed everyone else.
“Warlord spellcaster…” The others murmured softly, abandoning any hope of luck. They stared at Vereen with intense caution and determination.
A Warlord spellcaster is not a term referring to a specific Spellcasting Sect but rather a spellcaster who uses lee weapons in conjunction with Nature Spellcasting.
While lee-focused spellcasting sects can also develop Nature Miracles, like a Sword Sect spellcaster wielding a Fla Sword, these miracles are integrated—aning that there can only be flas if there’s a sword. A Sword Sect spellcaster can’t breathe fire, even if they wanted to fake it by slashing with their fingers.
However, Warlord spellcasters are different. They usually train in a nature-based spellcasting discipline and a lee weapon skill, both independently of each other. For instance, Vereen uses both a long staff and water dragons, but she can still conjure water even without her staff. Her water spells and her long staff technique are not interdependent.
In battle, however, her water miracles and staff strikes complent each other. While you’re trying to counter her water miracle, you get pounded by her long staff. Focusing on defending against her staff will get you blasted by water dragons!
Fighting a Warlord spellcaster is like battling two opponents at once!
This is actually a clever battle system. Nature Spellcasting Sects focus on precise spellcasting and not dynamic reactions, while lee weapon fighting emphasizes dynamic combat and not focused casting. It’s possible to use both simultaneously, but it requires an extrely high level of skill.
Spellcasting Sects have evolved to the point where miracles from just one sect can cover nearly all possibilities. Even the Sword Sect has Self-Healing Miracles. Spellcasters usually only supplent their main sect with spells from other sects for additional functions like mobility, reconnaissance, healing, or finishing moves. They wouldn’t mix completely unrelated Sects just for their battle system. Therefore, those who do double-train in vastly different Sects are often battle-crazed enthusiasts, hence the term Warlord.
Vereen may look delicate and pretty, specializing in the water departnt, but deep down, she’s undoubtedly an adrenaline junkie who enjoys fighting. She’s probably cracked the skulls of countless Blade Fish Dragons with her long staff!
“Sonya, junior sister, may I call you that?” Vereen suddenly said, “Since we’re both young and pretty, let
give you so advice—when they gang up on , you’d better find a way to take at least one of them out.”
Lydia quickly glanced at Sonya, then sneered at Vereen, “What’s this? A top student from Truth College resorting to sowing discord and forming cliques? Forget it. I’ll admit you’re the strongest right now, so you have to be the first to go!”
“I don’t talk to ugly people,” Vereen laughed. “Sonya, junior sister, you’re just a first-year student who recently advanced to two-wings. In their eyes, you’re the weakest. Suppose—just suppose—they do eliminate . They would imdiately turn on you so you don’t get to reap any benefits.”
“In fact, they might even target you before eliminating . Because in the teor Trial rules, only participants who have defeated others get a chance in the Revival Match. Even for insurance, they have no reason to let you, the newest and freshest junior sister, off the hook.”
“Look at you, using a Wooden Sword instead of a real one,” Vereen continued. “I don’t know if you’re deliberately showing weakness or if the Wooden Sword has so significance, but showing weakness in the arena will only make you a target for others.”
Sonya raised an eyebrow, “Thanks for the advice.”
“Therave, junior sister, don’t fall for it!” Lydia said. “She wants us to internalize our disputes, giving her a chance to pick us off one by one. Right now, Vereen is the strongest. If we don’t kick her out straight away, we’re bound to lose!”
“Don’t worry.” Sonya gripped the handle of her Wooden Sword. “I’ll take down the strongest first.”
Despite the bold words, the spellcasters were clearly distancing themselves from one another. Verbal promises ant nothing here. One of the main attractions of the teor Trial is the deceit among participants. In a zero-sum ga, forming a genuine alliance among the six contestants is impossible.
That’s why Vereen wasn’t worried about being ganged up on. With just a slight nudge, any so-called alliance would crumble like sand. She was confident—in terms of combat ability, tactics, eloquence, and situational awareness, she was the strongest among the six. This teor Trial’s victory would be hers to claim, effortlessly.
“The contestants are growing impatient after a bout of verbal sparring. Who will beco the teor and who will be reduced to ashes? Let’s find out!” Arsenault’s voice bood enthusiastically. “Countdown begins at five! Five, four…”
“Three.” Vereen gripped her long staff, nine water dragons forming behind her.
“Two.” Lydia subtly retreated, her gun aid at everyone.
“One.” The hilt of Sonya’s Wooden Sword glowed with an ancient brilliance.
“Begin!”
Boom!
Blood Moon!
A surge of a blood-red moon!
As a crimson crescent shimred across the water’s surface, everyone was montarily stunned. It wasn’t until a muffled thud sounded from outside the ring that they snapped back to reality.
Vereen had been knocked off the stage, crashing into the outer wall, gripping the broken pieces of her long staff in both hands. A ghastly wound seed to split her from upper left to lower right. Thankfully, the “Death-Prevention” miracle had been invoked on the contestants, protecting all vital organs. But the terror in her tear-filled eyes made it clear just how deeply the attack had scarred her ntally.
“…What miracle was that?” Colonzo asked.
“Blood Moon Riptide,” Sonya replied, shaking off the water droplets from her Wooden Sword. “This miracle requires a large amount of water. I actually thought this shallow water terrain was designed to give , a first-year student, an advantage.”
“It’s not in the Star Miracles Directory. Sothing you created?” Lydia inquired.
“Yes, inspired by others’ experiences.” The Red-Haired Sword Princess said, “So, since I’ve defeated the strongest…”
“Next, it’s your turn, you four weaklings.”
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