Chapter 1326: The Secret Word
Maybe the others wouldn’t remember the phrase that needed to be repeated back to them, after all, it was quite similar to the one that had been spoken before.
However, Liam remembered it perfectly because of the system. He had also been doing his best to say the words to anyone he came across, trying to complete the task.
Some people played it off, wondering if he was just saying something random. Others repeated the phrase back to him, curious about its meaning.
But for the first time, right in the middle of a match, the phrase had been echoed back to him.
I don’t understand what’s going on, Liam thought, his mind racing. First, how did he even stop my lightning spells? They had the added power of Qi making them stronger.
Even if the lightning magic wasn’t strong enough, the force should have thrown him back, but he blocked all of it. And somehow, he got right to my side.
Of course, I could just use my Qi and push him away, but I’m doing my best to limit myself as a regular person who only knows Lightning and Wind Magic.
But to top it all off, he said this!
Quickly trying to create some distance, Liam kicked off the ground, using his Qi in a way that kicked up a large amount of dirt, making it appear as though he was using Wind Magic. He then swung his wand several times, creating large, powerful lightning strikes in the unseen area.
Each swing was thunderous, and the students could feel the intensity of the strikes, even though they weren’t physically there in the arena. It felt, in many ways, even more powerful than anything they had seen Raze or Moze produce.
As the dust started to settle, they saw that Londo was standing perfectly fine. He raised his hand into the air.
“I forfeit from this match!” Londo called out.
“What? Forfeit?” Redrick said, incredulously. “But we didn’t even get to see much of him or the transfer student! That was shaping up to be an impressive match.”
“Well, what can we do?” Luka shrugged. “If one of the two doesn’t want to continue, we can’t force them.”
This unexpected outcome made it difficult for Wilton to assess whether the students were truly worthy of going to the Cultract Exchange.
Maybe, just maybe, what they had shown so far was enough for the others to not explain the match fully. The two students had apparently gotten high scores in their classes, so it should be fine.
“Alright, you two, head back up as we draw the next match!” Panla declared.
The students began talking amongst themselves, equally as confused as each other.
“I guess we won’t be seeing the answer to our question after all,” Piba said with a chuckle. “Although I still feel like, from what we saw, Londo would have won.”
“Although you say that,” Dame added thoughtfully, “a win is a win. We can’t just disregard it. Liam didn’t show everything he had either. I wonder why it ended so quickly.”
The only one who had an idea was Raze, who had heard exactly what Liam had said earlier.
Eventually, when they returned to their seats, Liam sat down, his face sulky and frustrated.
“What’s wrong? You won, shouldn’t you be happy?” Beatrix asked, tilting her head.
“You saw how I won?” Liam replied, the frustration clear in his voice. “I wasn’t even able to show what I could do. I wanted to prove everyone wrong. They kept talking about how great and strong this Londo guy was. I wanted to beat him and shove it in their faces.”
He shook his head, clearly disheartened.
“But how can anyone call that a win?”
Chiba started giggling, her voice teasing.
“On top of that, you didn’t even get a scratch on him. If anything, it looked like he gave up just to help you save face.”
“That’s it!” Liam said, suddenly jumping up from his seat. “Look, I usually make it a point not to hit girls unless they try to hit me, but you, little miss, are really asking for it.”
Chiba raised an eyebrow.
“Do you want me to head down to the teachers and bet my life that I can beat you in a fight?”
“Why wait for the selection?” Chiba asked with a playful smirk. “How about we go at it right now?”
While the two were arguing, the next fight was beginning, and there weren’t many students left. It was clear that they would eventually be selected.
When Liam finally quieted down and the others focused on the match, he moved to stand by his side.
“So, did he repeat the phrase back to you?” Raze whispered, leaning in.
“He did,” Liam replied quietly. “And right after, he forfeited. What is that phrase? I didn’t want to say anything, but you said the same thing at dinner when we first got here, and that policeman completely changed his attitude.”
Raze’s expression hardened slightly, a flicker of concern crossing his face.
He didn’t want to tell anyone just yet because this information wasn’t meant to get out. They also hadn’t seen the full extent of the hatred cast on anyone connected to the Dark Guild.
However, when the phrase was said by one person, the other was bound to do whatever they could to help. It wasn’t a phrase meant to be heavily abused.
I might have to make it up to Londo, Raze thought, his gaze thoughtful. I’ll see if he was the one who placed those enchanted gloves out somehow.
“Alright, for our next match-up,” Panla said, her voice bright and energetic. “We have Chiba!”
“Ha! Yes, let’s see you fall flat on your face!” Liam shouted, clearly back to his playful self.
“And Beatrix!”
****
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Chapter 1327: Beatrix In trouble? (Part 1)
Out of everyone from the group of transfer students, Beatrix was perhaps the quietest of them all, at least in terms of drawing attention.
Still, she wasn’t invisible, not by any means.
As she rose to her feet, several wolf whistles rang out from the boys in the crowd, followed by loud cheers echoing through the arena.
She had a dedicated following. There were those who were loyal to her, so loyal, in fact, that none of them dared utter a word when the Saintess herself stood up moments earlier.
However, despite her growing popularity, Beatrix hadn’t exactly made waves during her time at the academy.
Aside from being undeniably pretty, she hadn’t done much else to stand out. She hadn’t chosen a weapon that others couldn’t wield. She didn’t excel in any combat or theory lessons. Compared to the other transfer students, she was considered… well, the most normal.
“Alright, it’s time for the two of us to do our best,” Chiba said as she stood. Her eyes gleamed with determination. “But I’m telling you now, I don’t plan on losing.”
Beatrix said nothing. Instead, she simply offered a nervous glance toward the others before making her way to the stage.
As she walked, her head was filled with anxious thoughts.
Will I be okay going up against the second-highest-ranked student in the entire school? she worried. I’d only planned to show off some flashy earth techniques with the staff… I was expecting to face someone ranked a lot lower. Just my luck.
Her concern wasn’t only for herself, but for Dame as well. The two of them didn’t exactly possess the same kinds of cheats the others had.
Dame was a hybrid, but transformation magic didn’t exactly exist here. If he were to transform in front of everyone, they’d probably lock him up and run all sorts of tests on him.
And as for Beatrix…
She had her Light Faction skills. She had her cursed weapon, the one Raze had given her. And there was something else inside her as well… something she had yet to fully explore.
Reaching the center of the field, Beatrix took a deep breath.
There’s nothing I can do now but give it my all. I just have to follow what Raze told me, manipulate the terrain, and use it to showcase my magic as best I can.
She didn’t want to be the only one left behind, not when the others were aiming for the Central Academy.
She hadn’t come this far, leaving her old life behind, only to remain stuck here, doing nothing.
The lights faded down, signaling the start of the match.
Beatrix acted first.
She stomped her staff into the ground. Raze had designed it so that as long as she was holding the staff, she could pour her Qi into the orb at the top, and the staff would produce the same effect as the original artifact.
A massive pillar of earth erupted from the ground, shooting straight toward Chiba.
“An Earth Mage, huh? Or maybe that’s the power of an enchantment?” Chiba mused aloud as she watched the pillar approach. “I saw you use those Windy Windy Strikes or whatever they were called.”
Just as the pillar neared her, water burst forth beneath Chiba’s feet. In an instant, she was riding a towering wave, gracefully soaring above the earth structure.
At the crest of the wave, Chiba unleashed fireballs from her hands, sending them hurtling toward Beatrix.
Fortunately, Beatrix was prepared. With practiced precision, she raised thick slabs of earth around her as shields.
The fireballs struck, shattering the slabs, but the attacks weren’t strong enough to push through. Beatrix remained unharmed behind her barrier.
Shaping the terrain takes more Qi and time, Beatrix thought quickly. If I want to deal with her, I need to stick with something simpler. Pillars it is!
As soon as Chiba landed, a series of Earth Pillars shot up from the ground, aiming directly for her face.
But Chiba was ready. She lifted her hands just in time, summoning a torrent of powerful water that shattered the incoming earth.
“It’s no wonder she’s ranked second,” Raze commented from the sidelines. “To summon water with that level of strength…”
“Oh, there’s a lot more to Chiba than that,” Piba added knowingly.
Chiba smiled as she moved, effortlessly clearing every obstacle in her path. Every time Beatrix raised a wall or pillar, Chiba would lift her hand and summon water, washing it away with ease.
It was clear, ordinary terrain manipulation wasn’t going to cut it. Beatrix was starting to feel slightly at a loss.
I need to show off my abilities somehow… right? Then I guess it’s time to do something else. It should still be within the rules…
As Chiba closed in, she stretched out her hand. A stream of fire burst forth, racing toward Beatrix.
But Beatrix was already on the move. Manipulating the earth beneath her own feet, she shifted the terrain and glided sideways at incredible speed.
A collective gasp echoed through the student crowd.
“OH!” they shouted, amazed. They knew that moving the ground beneath one’s feet so smoothly required an immense amount of mana control.
Of course, Beatrix wasn’t thinking about that, she was far too focused on the fight.
She formed a solid wall of earth in front of her, then began pushing it forward, turning herself into a battering ram.
As she charged ahead, Chiba responded by unleashing streams of fire from both hands, aiming at the advancing wall.
The wall began to crumble under the intense heat, but Beatrix skillfully reformed it as she advanced, determined to break through.
Just as she prepared to strike, the wall shattered completely, sending her crashing forward through the debris.
When Beatrix scrambled to her feet and turned around, she was confused.
There was nothing there, only a puddle of water left on the ground.
“You got rid of my water clone,” Chiba’s voice called from behind. “Too bad that wasn’t me.”
A powerful surge of water slammed into Beatrix’s stomach, sending her flying across the field.
She hit the ground hard, once, twice, three times, before finally skidding to a stop.
A small trickle of blood escaped from her nose as she lay there, dazed.
****
*********
For updates for MWS and future works, please follow me on my social media below.
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When news of MVS, MWS, or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first, and you can reach out to me. If I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.
Chapter 1328: Beatrix In trouble? (Part 2)
Several students winced as they watched Beatrix’s body slam into the ground.
They could tell just how painful it must’ve been, those water attacks had been strong enough to tear through the thick slabs of earth she’d created. If that level of power could break stone, then it was a miracle Beatrix wasn’t already unconscious.
The only thing possibly softening the blow was the academy uniform she wore, enchanted for basic protection, but most people watching wouldn’t be surprised if Beatrix didn’t get back up again.
“I guess your friend wasn’t joking when she said she was confident about winning,” Liam said, concern flickering in his voice. “I just hope Beatrix is alright.”
“Chiba isn’t ranked second because of raw magical output,” Yolden explained calmly. “In fact, nearly all of us here are sitting at the same Star Level, 4-Star. So when it comes to rankings, it usually comes down to real combat skills and experience.”
She paused, her eyes drifting to the student seated above the rest.
“Well… there’s one person above her. But that’s for a different reason entirely.”
Yolden’s gaze held a rare hint of respect.
“If everyone had the exact same abilities and no personal advantage, I feel like Chiba would win every single time.”
Raze listened closely to what Yolden said, and he could partially see the truth in it.
During his private lessons, Chiba had always been the one to ask the most unconventional questions. She was the one constantly thinking of bizarre, creative ways to apply her magic.
Sometimes her ideas were so far-fetched they bordered on impossible, but unlike most mages, her mind was wide open. Her biggest weakness? She just couldn’t focus for long.
Had she been able to, she likely would’ve surpassed everyone else in magical ability by now.
Back on the battlefield, Beatrix pushed herself off the ground. Her body was holding up, but she needed to look like she’d taken serious damage.
That water magic… it actually hurt, she thought, grimacing. Even with my Pagna-enhanced body, it still got through. It just goes to show how powerful some of these mages really are.
If the highest rank among them is a 9-Star Mage… does that equate to a Divine Warrior?
She tried to calculate in her head.
A 4-Star Mage might be at the low end of a middle-stage warrior. It’s not a perfect match, but… I should treat this fight like I’m up against one.
She wiped the blood from her nose, and the stain stood out starkly against her sleeve. The sight of it sparked something strange, an unfamiliar energy welling up inside her.
Startled, she quickly clutched her hand tightly.
No. I’m not going to give in to that.
She took hold of her staff, grounding herself.
I don’t know if I’ve shown enough yet, but if there’s a chance I’ll lose this fight, then I shouldn’t hold back.
Pouring her Qi into the staff, the orb at the top lit up like a beacon.
All across the arena, slabs of earth rose at once, massive and unrelenting, flying straight toward Chiba from every direction.
Chiba didn’t waste time. With smooth, fluid motion, she moved as if surfing on water. She saw one of the slabs closing in and used her fire magic to blast a hole straight through the center, slipping right through.
But another wall was waiting underneath.
As it launched upward, she shot herself into the air using a concentrated burst of water magic.
Up above, an earth pillar came at her from the side.
Reacting fast, she summoned a ball of swirling water around her body, spinning so rapidly it shattered every piece of earth that came near.
The crowd was stunned.
They’d never seen an Earth Mage manipulate so much terrain at once, massive slabs and pillars rising and falling across the entire battlefield.
Yet just as impressive was how effortlessly Chiba kept up with it all.
Encased in her spinning water sphere, she continued her descent until she hit the ground. The sphere exploded outward upon impact, shattering more terrain.
Even then, it wasn’t over, Beatrix was still launching attacks.
More slabs surged toward Chiba without pause.
“This is seriously getting annoying!” Chiba growled.
In one hand, she summoned searing heat; in the other, cold water.
She brought her palms together, and a powerful burst of steam erupted, expanding quickly, engulfing the entire battlefield.
The dense fog blinded everyone in the crowd.
Beatrix couldn’t see. Without clear visuals, she couldn’t adjust the terrain beneath her properly.
When the mist finally began to clear, the students gasped.
Beatrix was suspended in the air, water wrapped tightly around her like a serpent.
With a sudden motion, the water serpent slammed her downward, smashing her body and face into the center of the stage.
The crowd flinched again.
They could practically feel the pain.
“It looks like this match is over,” Redrick commented from the stands. “We should call Diana over to treat her. Or perhaps… we’ll see the Saintess’s healing powers firsthand.”
“I’m not so sure,” Luka replied, his eyes narrowing. “This woman… she’s been holding something back. I felt it during the assessment. It’s faint, but it’s there.”
The teachers and students looked on in stunned silence.
Because Beatrix… was moving again.
Slowly but surely, she was lifting herself off the ground once more.
“STOP!” one of the boys shouted from the crowd. “You don’t have to keep going! You’ve already proven yourself!”
But Beatrix didn’t listen.
She raised her head, bruised and bloodied, and stared directly at Chiba.
Chiba looked surprised.
“Hey… we don’t have to fight like this,” she said softly. “We’re classmates. You’re new to all of this, right? That’s what it seems like, anyway.”
Still, Beatrix said nothing.
And then, something began to change.
Subtly, the ends of her hair started turning red.
Beatrix extended her hand, and the blood on her clothes and from her nose began to rise, floating in the air, swirling around her outstretched palm.
The blood gathered, pulsating with power, all of it pointed straight at Chiba.
The powers of the Bloody Woman! Raze thought, eyes wide.
****
*********
For updates for MWS and future works, please follow me on my social media below.
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When news of MVS, MWS, or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first, and you can reach out to me. If I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.
Chapter 1329: A Draw?
The teachers and students were watching intently now, every eye locked on the unfolding scene.
There was no doubt about it anymore, they could all see it clearly.
Beatrix was somehow controlling blood.
The blood that stained her clothes. The blood that dripped from her nose. And now, more blood was swirling into the air, drawn forth by sheer force of her energy, coiling and dancing around her hand.
Beatrix said that she and the Bloody Woman are now one, Raze thought, narrowing his eyes. But Beatrix’s own personality… her own power… must’ve triumphed in that battle. Still, it was foolish of me to think it had been completely erased. Of course, part of her had to change. It couldn’t have been as simple as gaining new powers and staying the same person. And now… she’s been pushed too far.
Both Liam and Safa shot Raze concerned glances, eyes full of questions.
Does this mean our cover is blown? The thought weighed heavy in all their minds. After all, what Beatrix was using now wasn’t magic, that was clear to everyone watching.
“I’ve never seen that before!” Chiba exclaimed, her voice sharp with surprise. “So you were hiding something after all. Well then, let’s see how you handle this!”
In both hands, Chiba gathered her water magic, preparing to create the ultimate defense.
At that moment, Beatrix pulled her arm back, blood swirling tighter around her fist. Clenching it hard, she thrust it forward with devastating force.
Blood fused with a powerful surge of Qi, spiraling through the air with terrifying speed, straight toward Chiba.
She barely had time to react. Her eyes widened as the wave of blood surged toward her,
, and then, in the next instant, a massive lightning strike descended from above.
It struck the ground in front of Chiba with a deafening roar, searing heat washing over her in an instant.
She felt a static shock ripple through her entire body, her breath catching in her throat. Fear flooded her senses.
When the blinding light faded, she blinked through the haze and saw,
“Raze? What are you doing here?” Chiba gasped.
Turning her head, she saw the destruction clearly now: a shallow crater nearly two meters deep. The floor had been obliterated.
And there, standing at its edge, was Raze, his arm outstretched, palm still glowing faintly from the lightning strike.
“Did… did he block the attack?” one student whispered in disbelief.
“I think he did. He must have.”
“But did you see the damage that thing did?” another said. “If that had hit Chiba, she would’ve been sent straight to another dimension!”
“Yeah… but then what about Raze? How was he able to block it?”
“And why didn’t the teachers intervene?” another student added. “Are they going to get Raze in trouble now for interfering?”
The teachers stood frozen, still processing what had just happened.
Truth be told, when they first saw Beatrix display this strange ability, they’d made a deliberate choice not to interfere.
They’d wanted to see what this unique power could do. With Chiba’s formidable defenses, surely she would be safe, right?
That was their reasoning.
But only Raze knew the truth.
He knew full well, if that attack had landed, Chiba wouldn’t have walked away from it. Not alive.
It was a powerful Qi-blood attack, an art he’d only ever seen the Bloody Woman herself use.
No shield, no defense Chiba had could have withstood it.
That was why he’d had no choice but to step in.
“The match is over.” Luke’s voice rang out firmly. “Raze, Beatrix, please come to the front. We need to speak with you. We’ll take a short break before starting the next matches.”
Students whispered excitedly among themselves, eager to hear what would happen next.
Inside the room where the teachers gathered, Wilton spoke first.
“Raze, why did you intervene?”
“I know Beatrix from outside the academy,” Raze explained calmly. “I also know the full extent of her power. I knew exactly what that attack would have done. I just didn’t expect her to reveal her unique affinity here in front of everyone… but the fight must’ve pushed her too far.”
“Unique affinity?” Redrick echoed, intrigued. “So that’s what it is… I’ve never heard of anyone with a blood affinity.”
Raze nodded.
“We’d planned to reveal it before the Magical Exchange,” he admitted. “But Beatrix wanted to prove herself on her own merits, not just rely on her unique trait.”
He looked them all in the eye.
“I apologize for intervening. But I couldn’t let Chiba get hurt.”
The teachers exchanged glances, then nodded.
“It was our mistake,” one of them admitted. “We were too eager, too curious about this new affinity, and failed to intervene in time. For that, Raze, we owe you. Both of you may return to your seats.”
Beatrix followed Raze out quietly, her heart still racing.
What would I have done if that girl had gotten hurt? she thought. What would I have done if they found out I used Qi?
She had no excuse, no explanation. But thankfully, Raze did.
As they walked, she could only manage a single word.
“I’m sorry,” Beatrix whispered. “I… I don’t know what came over me.”
“Don’t worry,” Raze replied with a small smile. “It happens. And if there’s anyone here who understands… it’s me.”
He glanced at her knowingly.
“After all, I was the last owner of the Bloody Woman. Besides, you did well. I have no doubt they’ll bring you along to the Magical Exchange. Just… be careful with those blood powers, especially if you’re not fully in control yet.”
When they rejoined the others, the atmosphere was electric.
Excited voices buzzed all around them.
Not one of them had even noticed when Raze had left his seat, let alone how fast he’d moved to intervene.
Now, the top students were full of questions about the mysterious blood affinity and what it could really do.
“I guess it’s a draw, then,” Chiba said with a playful grin. “Since the fight was stopped before we could finish.”
“Right,” Beatrix replied, smiling back.
And with that, the announcer’s voice echoed across the arena once more.
“Now calling forward, Dame and Piba.”
A ripple of anticipation ran through the crowd.
Everyone knew exactly what this next match meant.
It was time to witness the strength of the number one ranked student.
****
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