Chapter 13 Preliminary Test

Thanks to the vast grounds of the academy, every guest was able to find comfortable spots to stay during the tournaments. Many sects would conjure massive buildings that suit their needs, and tapestry with colorful insignia adorn each building. The common folks were given beautiful wooden apartments built by nature magic. The wooden apartments were built into the living trees of the dark forest themselves, providing shelter and protection to the common folks. The nobles built majestic palaces above the sky of the academy, right next to the republic's black whale that has gone into hibernation.

The students of Greylight Academy were given orders to stay inside the tower for the duration of these tournaments, to not create too much friction with other forces or fall prey to people who may wish to steal student research. Hundreds of students are leaning on the blue tower’s balcony, looking down at the crowds of people below.

After the earlier incident and the common folks have made their way into the academy grounds, Jace’s group made their way up to the balcony as well.

“Hey, we can stay together. What do you say, Beth? Kim?” Yulin excitedly asks the two girls. Since coming to this academy, she has either been tirelessly training or managing the Battle Mage Troop, she never had the chance to make many friends. Especially girlfriends of similar age. Yulin’s eyes were too intense for Kim and Beth to handle.

“Ok, senior” Kim went back to her reserved self.

“......” Beth nodded. The three girls went somewhere together.

“I am not staying with you,” Cade said with a worried face.

“Idiot. I will be at the gym. Look my roommate came to pick me up” Jace pointed at something above the cloud, a black ball was dropping from the sky at incredible speed.

“I don't think you will be able to stay there,” Cade said laughingly

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Gym

Ruin sat on top of his head while scratching at him as if he was displeased with something. Fortunately, his new physique has not been damaged yet.

As they approached the building, Jace could see lines of people forming out of the gym. People must have come here to practice before the tournament. Jace noticed a group of people in front of the gym door, caressing and admiring it. Long ears, pale silver jewelry, and plates adorn their bodies, their hair so white that it looks to be glowing. Elves, human mutated cousins, are one of the races that have already surpassed their humanity. Their extreme sensitivity to mana is an inherent gift that every elf was born with. In the northern countries, the land where elves originated, there is a saying “Newborn elves are already full-fledged Mage”, such is their talents.

A beautiful elf turns around as if sensing the heat of the mana from behind. Jace could not tell if this elf was male or female. The elf smiled at Ruin and walked over, the other elves followed closely behind.

“Lord dragon and his companion, I could not believe my ears when I heard that a god walks among us, mere mortals. I am Leahadia, we elves do not have a last name. Please excuse us young human” The beautiful elf bowed so low that Jace was flustered. It seems that they worship dragons as gods.

“Sorry, I am not familiar with your culture. I am Jace. This is Ruin, he is the Practical combat magic teacher.” Jace tries to be as polite as he can, but his education is limited. He bows in the same manner as the elf

“You are a polite young human, Jace. What a pleasure it must be to serve a god. Look at the luster of his scales, how beautiful” The elf’s eyes lit up in a golden hue for a fraction of a second, but Jace saw it. They were taking pictures of Ruin with the mana net.

“Do you worship dragons? You keep calling him a god” Jace couldn't hold back his curiosity.

“Of course! Dragons produce mana into the world! Dragons breathe the energy that gave birth to our race. What is that if not a god?” Leahadia has tears in their eyes.

Jace has never thought about that before. From that perspective, dragons are indeed the gods of elves and dwarfs. Human researchers have theorized that mana came from dragons, but it seems that the other two races fully believe this as fact. Perhaps they know something that humans do not? Jace’s curiosity was piqued

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“Ahem! Excuse me, everyone! Hey! Listen up! The preliminary test will start now! Only people who pass can compete in the tournament! All you have to do is eliminate two other competitors. Simple isn't it? Don't get eliminated! Byyyyyyyye,” Miss Harlet’s massive face was projected in the sky. This was the first time anyone had heard about a preliminary test. Jace couldn't help but think that Miss Harlet made up this test on the spot because she thought it would be fun.

Transparent badges appear on every student regardless of their intent to compete and on every combat-capable guest’s chest. A big zero is written on each one.

“I guess this number goes up the more people we beat, and two is the minimum requirement for advancement,” Jace said to the elves.

“Are you not going to fight us? We could tell just by the fact that a god is your companion that we most likely wouldn't be able to fight you. You could pass the test right now.” Leahadia said, a curious smile on their face

“You won't fight me anyway because of Ruin, right? I don't hit people that don't fight back” Jace said indignantly, as if the mere implication was an insult to him. The elves have an eerie smile on their faces. Before they could say anything else, Jace ran towards the school building. He did not have time to waste.

“Magnificent indeed, the Planet’s Chosen” Leahadia looks after the back of the running Jace.

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In front of the Blue Tower

When Jace arrived, there were already many eliminations, students from many schools had their limbs torn off, burned bodies on the ground, and crushed limbs. Many of the guests came from famous sects and powerful forces, and they rolled around with an entourage, disorganized students had no chance. Fortunately, there were no deaths yet, people who were badly injured were teleported somewhere, most likely, Greeneyes was waiting at the other end.

Jace found his friends almost immediately. Yulin was leading a force large enough to defend against the guest’s forces. He saw Cade at the back of the group, healing and supporting the student army. Kim cast some type of dome magic that allowed the army to avoid being surrounded by many forces at once, pushing back anyone that got close, but her mana was fading quickly. Beth appears next to him and climbs on his back.

“You are late. Some of these guests came here with the intent to crush us first. They do not want to give student Mage a chance to cast any spells. This test has turned from a brawl into an army game very quickly” Beth hugged him behind his back. “The magic schools are at a disadvantage. None of us have a suitable frontline for an army battle. We had no choice but to combine our forces. Our army consists of Rune Masters, Battle Mages, and elemental Mages. Our mana shields are being pressed by Blossom Swords sect, Warriors, and Paladins’s combined forces”

“Beth. Are you hurt?” Jace noticed her voice was strained. Her hands dangling over his shoulders are bleeding, blood coming out of her nails. Mana overload. A lot has happened while he was talking to those elves. Jace rushes towards Yulin.

“Jace! Where have you been?”Along the way, many students called his name.

“Jace! We need support at the front!” Battle mage's troops yell at him, but he ignores them. He needed to talk to Yulin first.

“Senior Yulin, order everyone to follow me,” Jace told Yulin as soon as he saw her. Yulin was a little flustered. There are a lot of things that she must do as commander. “Senior! Trust me!” Jace looked at her. Ruin, still on top of his head, chirps happily.

“Ok,” Yulin nodded.

—--------------------------

“The mages have stopped bombarding us. They might be running out of mana soon. Even the mana in the air must be thinning out.” Louis said to the Warrior and Paladin leaders. The three forces had already allied before the announcement even ended. They all knew that in a brawl, the mage schools had an advantage.

“Those mage students use a young girl to tempt your students to kill each other, wishing to diminish your chance in the competition even before it began. We must bring them to heel now, or they will be more emboldened” Louis’s poisonous tongue was able to forge this alliance.

“Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention Sir Flowing Sword.” A hulking warrior with horns all over his black armor was grateful to Louis. He loved his brothers and wished to avenge their deaths.

“The mage school will soon be crushed. We must turn our attention to the forces that could threaten us.” A handsome lady paladin with scars across both of her eyes said.

“Sometimes I wonder if being blind has opened up some godly sight for you Lady Mardala.” Louis’s best quality is his smooth tongue. “Indeed, the good lady is correct. The Aura Masters and the martial sects are the real problem. I propose that w-”

“Sir! The front line has fallen!” A Blossom Swordsman rushes up to Louis in a panic.

“What!” Louis was confused. He had checked the battleline not five minutes ago and they were still pressing the mage school’s mana shield. The three leaders rush to the top of the trees, wishing to see the frontline a few distance away.

They saw clouds of smoke exploding from the ground in a straight line. It passed through the defensive line set up by almost a hundred warriors and paladins, the defensive line was blown away completely. When the smoke cleared, the earth melted in a straight line where the defensive line had been just moments before. The mana trees in the area completely turned to ash. Most of the warriors and paladins were blown away with severe burns, but the defenders standing at the core of the explosions were not so lucky. The entire side of their bodies close to the center of that trench disappeared completely. All of them were quickly teleported away.

Louis looked at his army, annihilated by something unknown. He did not even see what did that. Some secret spell of the mage academy? Is Aura Master joining the competition? Archmage ascending to his power? Louis has no idea. However, even from this far away, he could feel the heat from that spell. It was so hot that the leaves around him wither and singe.

“It's coming!” Lady Mardala yelled. The other two leaders turned to where she was looking. Clouds of smoke can be seen heading towards them. All three people raised their defensive skills.

A group of paladins and warriors saw the attempted assault on their leaders and jumped in the way of the smoke cloud, raising their defensive power to the max. Instead of getting blown to pieces like before, the cloud of smoke simply rushed into the defense line and broke through it. A few defenders were knocked away.

The three leaders saw the identity of the cloud now. It was not a spell like what they had seen before. It was a young mage with a beautiful girl on his back charging through their army like a bowling ball. Behind him, the mage army flew in the sky, casting offensive spells at anyone still standing until they were teleported away. Battle Mages launching elemental magics from every martial punch and kicks, cleaning up the broken defensive line. Rune students hidden inside the group projected shields to protect the army.

Jace put the unconscious Beth against a tree and asked Ruin to protect her.

“Hey asshole, I owe you a beating”