UL: Volume 6 Chapter 5

This chapter was brought to you by AnmesicCat, and Yeenie.

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The Start, and the End of the Match

Location: Atlantis
Time: 2:01 PM

A strong wind blew by the stage.

Similar to what had happened in the resting room earlier, the surrounding temperature suddenly dropped, and fog started to form on the ground. Looking at it, it's just as if the stage had become really dreamy looking.

Surrounding the large stage, the smaller arenas in the air, started rotating.

"The first match officially starts. First up on stage, Atlantis Academy's second representative team versus Barbulis representative team. I'm the current announcer, Lindy, and I will be presiding over this opening game."

Following the fresh and vibrant voice, a silver thing quickly flew out from nearby the judges stand, and then it stopped in the air right above the stage. A girl's face was immediately reflected on the surrounding screens. Looked rather young, probably the same age as Geng and the others. She has blonde hair, blue eyes, and wore a coat with our school's emblem on it, with the long hems floating in the sky.

But what really caught everyone's eyes was the pair of wings she has. A pair of silver steel wings. Underneath the sunlight, tiny dots of lights were refracted, and although they looked strangely beautiful, they were also very suitable. To be honest, you're actually a forest fairy, right?

"First, let me introduce the team members of the representatives of Barbulis Academy from the Snow Country.

Team leader, Tenli, a snow fairy, and as for the other three players, they are backup members who also came from the Snow Country. Their integrated abilities and achievements could be clearly seen during the preliminaries.

Even though only one Purple Robe and three no-robes were promoted to become one of the ten groups who entered the finals, their abilities are not to be underestimated."

Using a singing-like voice, Lindy made a swift introduction, and the surrounding screens also started to display the portrait and simple personal information of the players that were being introduced, "And the next one is Atlantis Academy's second representative team.It is well-known that the team leader this time is the Purple Robe Yakushiji Gasai."

Gasai? The captain isn't Senior?

Because I wasn't paying much attention during the opening ceremony, I always thought the person who was going to come out was senior. Thus, I focused my attention more on the other teams, this really caused me to be greatly surprised.

"This round, the two teams of Atlantis Academy are the people's favorites. The two players from the second representative team are well-known. Ah... Prince Icy Flame will also be participating in this large sports competition.

Although going out of topic, Prince Icy Flame is currently said to be very promising. So promising that there were people from all different walks of life coming to subsidize him, but due to his personality being too cold, the girls were frightened off in the dozens.

So I would like to recommend my fellow girls who worship Prince Icy Flame to please train your personal power to not die due to being frozen. In addition, Lindy suggests it'd be better if you look for Sir Gasai, at least you'll be politely rejected instead of being killed off to show his rejection."

Nn, I totally agree with those words.

But... the big sister above, you're supposed to be the referee, right?

What's up with suddenly becoming a love adviser to the members!?

You'd better worry about being unknowingly killed by senior as soon as you leave the stage.

I realized one other thing. I'm very sure that the announcer wasn't speaking in Mandarin, but the weird thing was, I was actually able to understand what she said.

This school really is very supernatural, for the large-scale events they provide automatic translations. And the more surprising thing was, I wasn't even the slightest bit taken aback. I've already gotten accustomed to these abnormalities.

"The opening match officially begins, and it will take place in the first arena also known as the Flame Stage." Lindy stretched out one hand, among the small arenas floating above the stage, a small round platform suddenly rose, and then it expanded to about five times its original size, covering more than half of the large field.

The surrounding started to get heated up.

With a boom, golden flames were ignited at the base of the large field, the flames in the air issued a loud sound, splitting into two, and a fire dragon appeared in the middle of the gap flying up into the sky. Then, similar to fireworks, it exploded, and the whole sky was filled with fireworks falling, so spectacular up to the highest point.

Just when the entire stage was echoing with surprised and startled voices, wind appeared at both sides of the stage, and both players from each team were standing there.

Barbulis' Tenli and Felicia.

Atlantis' senior and Gasai, who was wearing a mask.

"The sports competition begins."

* * *

So hot.

I had a feeling of being in a sauna.

But within a second, the temperature immediately dropped.

Really is a sauna... firstly hot and then cold. It would definitely be able to allow your skin to stretch to the maximum point.

In the stage, all the flames suddenly went out, and was getting frozen. The stage's floor was completely filled with white frost, and the audience seat was also filled with white chilly mist.

"This is too amazing! As soon as the competition started, player Tenli from Barbulis unleashed the snow fairy's freezing ability, causing the entire flaming arena to become a field of ice and snow, which is advantageous for her team... Ah, dear audience please prepare warming spells, because it's starting to snow."

After I heard Lindy's words, I looked up, and sure enough, bits and bits of tiny snow were falling down from the sky.

Damn! I didn't even bring my jacket!

Snowflakes were floating, floating, and floating as they scattered all around. I started regretting eating the class rep's sundae, this coldness added with the sundae's coldness.

"F—, it turned into ice."

Hearing the sound of someone complaining, I turned around, noticing the homeroom teacher's sundae was completely covered with a layer of frost. The one I had in my hand wasn't any better. I'll just leave it here and don't eat it. If I continue eating, I would be chilled inside and out, abusing myself.

"Eh, on the stage, Prince Icy Flame seemed to have said something to player Gasai... player Icy Flame actually wants to leave the stage?" Lindy's voice was very surprised, similarly the audience were also surprised to the extreme.

Senior actually left the stage?

Isn't this a group competition?

Gasai waved at the judges stand, seemed to have said something, and then the people at the judges stand nodded their heads.

"According to the General Assembly's report, Lindy just received a request put forward by the players of Atlantis Academy. Because player Icy Flame thinks that the competition of people of different levels would be unfair, he took the initiative to request for a substitution, to be substituted by the backup player in the same team." Lindy announced the news, and it caused the entire stage to turn into an uproar, "The assembly has already approved of this, then it would be up to player Ziray Rogeria to take his place."

I heard some people criticizing senior for being too arrogant.

But because I've known senior for a period of time, I think that senior really thought there is a gap in strength, that's why he left the stage.

The five-coloured rooster head came onto the stage, and on the other side, the faces of both the girls from Barbulis became really ugly.

To be honest, changing player on the spot would make one feel terrible. If I was the person involved, I probably wouldn't feel that great either.

Senior went back to the resting area that was floating at a high altitude, crossed his arms as he watched the competition.

I felt really cold. I want to go back to pick-up a jacket on an impulse.

Suddenly, movements could be seen on the stage. The fine snow that was slowly drifting down slowly turned into a blizzard. Not too long after that, the stage was covered with thick layers of snow, where one could make snowmen and start a snowball fight.

I understand, the people from Barbulis actually specializes in producing snowwomen, right!?

As the blizzard started becoming heavier, Gasai also started to move. However, he only took out a black crystal and placed it on his palm, "Spells for the prayers of the sky, naturally born to be born naturally, powerless joining together to become powerful, curse of countering spell."

I was wondering why I could suddenly hear Gasai's voice, so it was actually the screen on the stage that was broadcasting everything. Such a thoughtful design.

Then, I noticed that when they used spells on the stage, many people who were seated at the audience corner were paying full attention while holding their breaths, and there're even some who appeared to be taking notes. Looks like the huge sports competition is actually a very good live learning class, right?

The black crystal exploded into powders in Gasai's palm, and the powders were blown away by the blizzard. Suddenly, there seems to be something interfering with the blizzard, and the whole thing completely stopped. The black crystal powder were drifting around the air, emitting strange black points of light.

"The artifact that protects the people of snow, respond towards me, Tenli, and show off your nobility and pride." Noticing the black crystal powder was suppressing the blizzard's power, Tenli turned around and suddenly held out both her hands. A pair of huge axes appeared in her hands, completely frozen with bizarre patterns and totems.

Is that also an illusionary weapon?

I turned around to ask Olivia, but she was seriously concentrating on the match, so I was too embarrassed to ask her. In fact, I still had someone called a 'homeroom teacher' whom I could ask, but I really didn't want to ask him.

"That is the snow country's fairy weapon."

I suddenly heard a voice beside me. I hastily turned around to take a look, but he was a stranger, something I didn't recognize.

A youth, about the same age as senior. He's wearing another school's uniform. He looked like he's wearing clothing of someone who offers sacrificial prayers. I seemed to have seen similar clothing from one of the other competing teams? However, I couldn't remember which.

More importantly, isn't this place supposed to be our school students' seat!?

But I suddenly realized that the seating arrangement were now all messed up, and everyone was sitting wherever they liked. Anyway, it's not like something would happen to you if you sat at the wrong place, it was only me who was stupidly sat at the same spot.

Ah, it's not like I'm the only one, behind me there's a baldy digging at his iced sundae.

"Hello, I'm Ran from Seven Hills Academy." The youth held out a friendly hand towards me.

That's right, his clothing was very much like the players of Seven Hills Academy, which is similar to someone offering sacrificial prayers. White base clothing with beautiful totems, and also several decorations.

I don't know why, but I felt that he gave off a very familiar feeling. It felt like I've met him somewhere before, "Hello, I'm Chu Ming Yang from Atlantis Academy." I held onto his hand and shook it. Other than giving me a very familiar feeling, there was also a kind of casual sense of relaxed feeling.

I know!

He is someone from the healing department, right!?

"Excuse me, just now you mentioned the fairy weapons..." I looked at the stage, and the huge axes on Tenli's hands became extremely dexterous. It was as if she was handling two small items, brandishing them naturally and smoothly. As though they were weightless. On the other side, a similar series of a western sword appeared on Felicia's hand. At the same time, both of them charged up against Gasai and the five-coloured rooster head.

This is rather dangerous, because the five-coloured rooster head's claws weren't that long. So to go against Felicia, he had to always keep himself a certain distance away.

"As the name suggests, it's a weapon the fairies created." Ran is a really good guy, as answered my question right away, as if he already knew I didn't know these things, "To put it in simple terms, Illusionary Weapons are live weapons, which contain spiritual bodies. Before one is able to freely use it, one has to form a contract to synchronize with the spiritual body. Other than the weapons are made by fairies, beast clans, sky clans, or what not, the rest don't have a spiritual body, but after a very long period of time, they will be produced inside the weapon. For example, it's similar to the ninety-nine gods*."

[T/N: It is what the Japanese call "Tsukumogami."]

Ah, I understood it. Basically, one is a ghost, and the other becomes a ghost after being used a long time; it should be this kind of meaning.

"Just now before Tenli summoned her weapon, she chanted a song incantation, it's very obvious that her weapon should be of the fairy clan's heritage, and it already has a spiritual body. Song incantations are similar to rites which allows the weapon to unleash its highest point."

The second Ran finished his explanation, Felicia charged at the five-coloured rooster head, who seemed to be having a hard time, and was sent flying backwards.

Forcefully turning his body in mid-air and doing a backflip, the five-coloured rooster head used one hand to support himself and then he stood up. Not giving him much time to take a breather, Felicia immediately brandished her sword in her hand, and then she aimed her sword towards the place where the five-coloured rooster head was going to land. A silver-white light pierced the air, directly stabbing at the five-coloured rooster head's head.

With a "cling clang" sound, Felicia's sword missed its mark.

Out of the blue, the black crystal powder agglomerated together as though it was a shield guarding in the five-coloured rooster head. The sword was completely covered by the crystal powder, and then it fell onto the floor. The strange thing was, after the crystal powder enveloped the sword, it started to corrode. In just a few seconds, the entire sword was dissolved, not leaving anything behind.

"Dear audience, please take a look. At the very beginning, player Gasai used an advanced counter incantation spell-based skill, freely manipulating the black crystal, which has the power to absorb substances. It has obliterated player Felicia's fairy sword."

Lindy's voice echoed throughout the entire space, and several people started to busily make notes. This made me feel that not bringing my notebook was a mistake.

"Black crystal manipulation technique originated from within the fairy clan three thousand years ago, and it has been passed down from generation to generation, and to various other clans. Thus, right now, there're actually seventy-nine types of method of using it. According to the General Assembly who provided the comparisons here, player Gasai is actually using an advanced black crystal counter incantation manipulation. One can see that he is very strong."

I found that Lindy is very befitting of being an announcer. No matter what moves the others make on stage, she is able to provide a very detailed account of their actions and the skills they use.

At the same time Gasai moved the black crystals towards the five-coloured rooster head's, Tenli noticed Gasai's distraction, and so she seized this opportunity. She direct smashed her dual axes on the ground, and the entire flooring of the stage was frozen once again.

Gasai, who didn't have the time to dodge, had both his legs frozen, and similarly, the five-coloured rooster head, who wasn't too far away, also had his movements sealed.

"Snowfall." Tenli threw the dual axes up high, and both the axes suddenly broke into pieces, turning into numerous big ice needles in mid-air. With a loud bang, millions of needles menacingly flew down towards the ground.

All the audiences had their eyes were wide opened, and held their breaths. They were all being very attentive, not daring to utter a single sound.

"Surging black flow within time and space, reverse the time of rebirth." Gasai cool-headedly snapped his fingers, and the crystal powder suddenly gathered together. It automatically re-condensate back into its crystal form and flew up high. While everyone was staring at it, it burst open and fluctuations appeared on the stage. Even all the way from the audience seat, one could vaguely feel the vibration.

The needles that have yet to hit their targets were being shaken off by the huge explosion, and it fell outside the stage. It then broke into powders and disappeared. The surrounding was filled with a strong wind, and all the ice powders and white mist were scattered all over the place.

After the ice dust exploded, the white mist slowly receded, and the frost on the stage disappeared again. Again, people from both sides had lost their weapons.

"Now it's time for melee combat."

The five-coloured rooster head, who had obviously been waiting for this for a long time, smiled as he said arrogantly.

I saw the five-coloured rooster head's right hand turning into a beast claw.

"The artifact that protects the people of snow, respond towards me, Tenli, show off your nobility and pride." Tenli once again chanted the song incantation, and the huge axes that exploded into pieces reappeared in her hands.

"What damn artifact! It's useless!" The five-coloured rooster head's beast claw tightened into a fist and smashed towards the huge axe's blade. An enigmatic crisp sound could be heard, and spider-silk-like cracks appeared on the surface of the huge axe's blade.

Taking the advantage of the momentum of the punch, the five-coloured rooster head flipped back one round before landing on the ground.

"F—!"

He shook his beast claw, forgetting the fact that sounds were being projected throughout the entire area, and cursed. A few reddish marks that looked like small bruises appeared on his beast claw.

Needless to say, I also felt painful for him. If you want to know how it feels like, using your fist to hit the floor will do. But I still don't really want to use my own flesh to hit the floor, as though trying to find faults with my own body and also the floor.

"Snow Country's fairy weapons are made from ice formed millions and millions of years ago. Its hardness is incomparable. You think you can just destroy it like that?" Tenli stroked the cracks on the huge axe, and the surface of the axe's blade was instantly restored back to its original smoothness.

I also think that if it was to break too easily, it would be really boring.

"If one hit wouldn't work, then I'll hit until it breaks." His beast claw issued "clack, clack, clack" sounds which sounded like bones fracturing. The five-coloured rooster head revealed a sinister, ruthless, and strange smile, and his rooster claw slowly became dark, to almost black.

Felicia once again picked up her sword and stood in front of Tenli, like a protective action.

This kind of scene, no matter how I looked at it, it felt like some kind of bored juvenile delinquent intimidating some unfortunate passer-by.

"Ziray, wait a minute." Gasai stood beside the five-coloured rooster head, and lowered his voice. I didn't know what was said, but the five-coloured rooster head nodded and suddenly put away his beast claw.

I believe everyone was the same as me, and didn't know what had been said. However, the sound wasn't broadcasted loudly.

Then, Gasai took two steps forward.

"The cursed creature who serves under me, come forth." He faced his palms upward, and then I saw a familiar old friend.

A golden eye black snake suddenly came out from his palm, and then on the back of his hand, it started growing, two times bigger, three times bigger, up until it was several times bigger, becoming the kind of large demon snake which causes disasters inside a river.

At the same time, Tenli and Felicia's expression changed.

That domesticated black snake could actually turn into that. I suddenly wanted to know how senior Gasai changed the arrangements of the incantation. It really looked like some kind of portable murder weapon.

"Little Ting, you can go for a short exercise."

"Alright."

Tenli and Felicia were stunned.

I remembered senior saying that the snake was a high-grade curse, and was difficult even for him to deal with it. I never would have thought that in a short period of time, senior Gasai had already used it as a tea serving child, and as a weapon. Sure enough, someone, who is able to become senior's partner, is definitely not someone normal.

The black snake slowly circled in the air, and then it became a huge black shadow, circling while floating, turned over and became a huge golden eye, one-legged black crow.

The crow issued an extremely hostile sound.

Brandishing their weapons, Tenli and Felicia were completely focused and serious. They did not dare to neglect the crow-snake in the sky.

"The competition is suspended!" Lindy, who was high up in the sky suddenly uttered out this sentence. The golden eyed crow that was about to fly down, stopped its action, and in just the blink of an eye, it turned back into a small snake wrapping around Gasai's hand.

"The General Assembly declared the termination of this competition. The presidents of Barbulis Academy's sent a message. Barbulis Academy is taking the initiative to declare their defeat."

As soon as Lindy spoke, the entire audience seat turned into a chaotic uproar.

Tenli and Felicia put away their weapons, feeling surprised as they looked at the Judges' seat, because they never expected this kind of thing to happen.

Since the event took such a sudden turn, everyone waited for Lindy's explanation.

"According to Barbulis Academy's explanation, player Gasai used an advanced magic sealing curse, and this kind of powerful cursed incantation is not something their school can manage, so they voluntarily admit defeat."

As soon as everyone heard 'magic sealing curse,' the voices in the area seemed to have increased. I was only able to hear some of the whispers, and they were wondering why Gasai learned that kind of evil curse.

Actually it was not Gasai who learnt it, but a gift from someone else.

Tenli and Felicia seemed to have admitted their defeat, and didn't make any kind of protest. They just bowed towards the judges' seat, obeying their school principal's decisions.

I guess this can be considered a good thing for them, because I'd seen senior help Yido get rid of that curse in the past, and it was extremely troublesome. I think if Tenli and Felicia get hit by it, the injury would be very severe. After considering the safety of their life, their principal made this kind of decision.

In any case, just because the lost the first competition, it doesn't mean that they have lost completely. There's still the second and third competitions, where they would have the chance to fight back.

"The outcome of the first competition has been determined. Atlantis Academy has won the first victory." Lindy held her right hand up high, and the competition bracket appeared on the screen in the sky. Senior's team advanced to the next match, "Nn... player Tenli seems to have something she wanted to say."

Tenli, who was on the stage, beckoned towards the announcer, and then her voice was amplified, "We admit we lost this round." She said, and then her sights turned towards our school's player resting area, "But we want to know the meaning of Prince Icy Flame suddenly leaving the stage, please do give us an explanation."

Oh, oh, it's aimed at Senior.

Senior, who was in the resting area, gave a cold laugh, and then he jumped down onto the arena. "Just like what I said earlier, it was because the difference in strength is too huge. I thought if I don't go on the stage to fight, it would be the best for both of our team." His reply once again caused an uproar in the audience. Same as what happened earlier, I heard many people criticizing him for being arrogant; Black Robes aren't necessary that powerful and the like.

"Please allow us to witness Prince Icy Flame's so-called difference in strength." Tenli seemed to be quite unsatisfied with the reply, and requested once again, "If possible, could the the General Assembly would allow us to make an exception for this?"

The people in the judges seat exchanged confidential whispers for a moment, and then Lindy represented them and said, "The General Assembly's side thinks that if player Icy Flame is willing, he can show player Tenli a satisfactory answer on stage."

I guess everyone just mainly wanted to watch a good show.

Since senior said these kind of words without actually doing anything, it's really difficult to satisfy them.

"Alright then." Senior lifted his hand to tuck his hair behind, "I'll let you witness the so-called difference in strength. Use the snow fairy's spell that you're most proud of."

As soon as he spoke, the stage was once again covered with frost, the surrounding temperature decreased, even the audience seat was covered with a thin layer of frost, causing me to sneeze violently.

"This is our snow fairy's snowfall, with blizzards occurring within the maximum range of five kilometers." Tenli looked at senior curving up a cold smile.

"A five kilometer range of blizzard?"

Senior closed his eyes for two seconds, and then he opened his eyes, "Compared to what I had estimated... the range is so much smaller."

"What did you say!"

At the same time, Tenli seemed to have been angered. I heard a kind of enigmatic sound, and then from under senior's feet, golden firelight appeared. Violent golden flames engulfed the entire frost on the stage, and the sudden high temperature caused all the frost and snow to melt away.

I saw the space with high temperature distorting.

In the next second, the golden flames suddenly disappeared, and then the temperature immediately lowered.

It wasn't just the snow white frost, but the layers and layers of transparent ice, which followed after the flames. It immediately condensated all around, and following the gradual decrease of temperature, ice walls much more thicker compared to the frost, appeared in the entire arena, and continued to extend outwards.

I saw the surrounding people trembling, and I immediately had a "I'm dying here" kind of feeling.

On the stage, a thick layer of ice appeared below everyone's feet, and on top of the ice were golden flames burning, forming a strangely bewitching kind of beautiful scene.

TenLi was thoroughly astounded.

"My ability of both ice and fire, its maximum range is a hundred kilometers." Senior snapped his fingers, and the ice and fire that once filled the entire stage completely disappeared. The place returned to how it was originally. He looked at Tenli, and the latter's face was completely ashen, "So, how much do you think our difference in strength is?"

The people, who were originally saying that senior was being arrogant, stopped completely.

"I completely lost."

Tenli suddenly laughed out loud, a very hearty laughter, "Atlantis Academy really has a lot of experts. We accept our lost." She held out a hand of friendship towards senior, and senior shook it. "Very honored to be able to have a match with you. I hope that we'll have more exchanges in the future."

"Same here." Senior also very politely answered.

Applause similar to mines exploding resounded in the surrounding area.

The first opening match, ended in this fashion.