VBNWDW - Chapter 65

Chapter 65

The wind from the plains stirred waves of emerald green, and the long river, like a silver ribbon, flowed as it always had, carrying clear water to every city-state.

Seven days had passed since the first class. Now, everyone stood on a lawn the size of two training fields, gazing at two figures standing opposite each other in the distance.

This was Teacher Cadmon's instruction time. After every lecture on theory, he would have the students draw lots to pair up for duels, cultivating their practical combat skills.

"Begin!"

The moment Teacher Cadmon's voice fell, the sound of chanting rose from the lawn, and the elements in the space began to stir.

The other students stood behind him, their expressions a mix of worry and excitement, whispering amongst themselves: "It's been so many days, but this is the first time we've seen these two matched up. I wonder who will win."

Another, their eyes fixed on the duel, chimed in: "It should be the one from the Maple Family. Didn't Teacher Cadmon say that at the low-level mage stage, the explosive and scorching fire element has the advantage? He hasn't lost a single duel these past two days."

A girl on the other side added, "But the one from the Naist Family hasn't lost either. Besides, the staff in his hand is made from a sixth-tier magic core…"

Her eyes suddenly widened. "Look! His speed at mobilizing the elements is clearly faster. It must be amplified by the staff!"

The price for her outburst was a sharp, warning glare from Teacher Cadmon, who turned his head toward them.

Everyone immediately fell silent. They were, after all, children of great families who had learned to read expressions from a young age. No matter how arrogant they might be on a normal day, they wouldn't dare act presumptuously before a Great Mage, especially one who was also an elder of the Temple of Light.

They knew full well that if they offended him, their families would not only refuse to help them but would even punish them severely.

Seeing them finally quiet down, Metis couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. The constant chattering in her ears was rather annoying.

She raised her eyes to look at the duel again. Her pale, grayish-blue eyes were calm, showing no ripples, but her mind was silently pondering the events of the past few days.

Compared to the hypocritical patriarchs of the noble families, these young people were less adept at hiding their feelings. Which families were on good terms and which were at odds had all been exposed over the last few days.

Take the two dueling now, for example. They were clearly on bad terms, trading verbal barbs whenever the opportunity arose.

This was a new development. After all, the Maple Family was slightly weaker than the Naist Family, always ranking in the middle tier of the Council families and traditionally serving as a vassal to the Naists.

But now, with a Magister as their teacher backing them, they no longer feared the other family and were even showing signs of wanting to usurp their position. How could the Naist Family, accustomed to being the leader, possibly agree? Thus, the conflict between the two families had steadily deepened.

"God of Wind above! Let swift gales stir sand and dust, forming a wall, becoming a shield!"

As the words fell, an invisible, colorless element surged forth, forming an incredibly sturdy wall of wind before the youth holding the transparent gemstone.

Opposite him, flames materialized from thin air, merging into a sea of fire and a wave of heat that crashed directly into the wind wall.

With a deafening explosion, the fragile turf was scorched. The wind swept the flames upward, where they flickered out and vanished into the air.

The other duelist quickly shouted, "Let the fire dance fiercely, a cage of flames, to imprison the defiant one before me!"

Streaks of fire erupted from the ground, attempting to encircle the member of the Naist Family.

A trace of panic appeared on his face, but he still gripped his staff tightly, struck it against the ground, and uttered a spell. A cross-shaped blade of wind tore open the fiery prison.

Dirt, dust, and withered grass were kicked up, shrouding the center of the lawn in a layer of gray dust. It was difficult to see the situation inside, and one could only judge by the wind and fire elements in the space.

The student who had just been warned couldn't help but exclaim, "As expected of the most talented Gifted of our generation. Even though they're only junior mages, they already have the presence of intermediate mages."

The person next to them nodded distractedly, their eyes still glued to the scene. Who would win in the end?

Another loud bang echoed as scorching flames were blown out of the dust cloud, dissipating completely by the time they reached Teacher Cadmon.

After another moment, a series of explosions rang out, followed by an abrupt silence. Everyone held their breath, thinking to themselves, It's over!

Teacher Cadmon waved his hand, and a gentle light swept away the messy dust.

The two of them were slumped in the pitted ground, their faces pale, their strength completely drained by magic. They didn't even have the energy to stand.

"It's actually a draw…" someone said with a hint of disappointment.

Clearly, everyone present was dissatisfied with this result, especially the two duelists, who glared at each other indignantly.

The only one unconcerned was Cadmon. He waved his hand again and cast a minor healing spell. Light fell upon the two like gauze, and the side effects of their exertion vanished instantly.

Then, the two walked over with their heads lowered and stood before Cadmon.

As usual, after the test was over, Cadmon would coldly point out their strengths and weaknesses—an important part of his instruction.

"Nestor!"

The brown-haired, green-eyed youth immediately took a step forward.

"Why were you a step slow in your preparations? Are you that confident?! Do you think your life is worthless, or that the enemy will spare you? On a battlefield, you would have died countless times already!"

He then turned to the other and snapped, "Orion! Do you think you're better than Nestor? Did you think that with the dust cloud in the way, I couldn't see you subconsciously raise your staff to block the flames?!"

"Your staff is your closest partner, yet your first reaction wasn't to cast a spell, but to raise your partner to shield yourself! Foolish!"

The surroundings were silent, save for the increasingly angry scolding. The two youths opposite him kept their heads bowed, not daring to say a word.

Only after he had finished scolding them did Cadmon change his tone and begin to praise them.

"Orion was very rational at the start. He didn't choose to clash head-on with a fire mage, instead summoning a wind wall to protect himself first…"

"Nestor's reactions were quick, and he knew how to switch spells rapidly."

After finishing, Cadmon continued, as if to himself, "This draw was more valuable than any of your previous duels against others. When your opponent is of equal strength, it's easier to recognize your own problems and continue to improve…"

The two across from him exchanged a glance, both snorting coldly, neither willing to concede to the other.

Just then, a voice suddenly spoke up from behind: "I think Nestor should have won."

Everyone immediately turned to look.

The woman in the white robe had her golden hair tied back in a high ponytail, adding a touch of heroic spirit to her appearance. Her pale, grayish-blue eyes were neither servile nor overbearing.

The speaker was none other than Metis. Everyone showed surprise. Although she had been the one to propose establishing the royal guard, she hadn't taken any initiative these past few days. It was as if she were only here to learn; she hadn't tried to win anyone over and rarely even spoke, focusing solely on studying magic. Why had she suddenly spoken up now?

Seeing it was Her Majesty the Queen, Teacher Cadmon suppressed his anger and asked, "Your Majesty, why do you say that?"

Under everyone's gaze, Metis remained composed, her tone unhurried. "Since this is a magical duel, it should rely entirely on one's own strength."

"Orion relied on a staff with a sixth-tier magic core to speed up his connection with the elements, which is the only reason he managed a draw with Nestor. Therefore, I believe Nestor should be declared the winner."

Nestor, standing to the side, couldn't help but lift his head, a proud look on his face. Although he didn't think much of this queen, he had to admit she had spoken his mind.

What kind of skill is it to rely on a staff!

If he also had a staff with a sixth-tier magic core, that guy Orion would be on the ground begging for mercy.

Orion, on the other hand, wore a resentful expression and glared viciously at Metis. He had always been proud and arrogant; how could he tolerate someone saying, in front of a group of heirs from noble families, that he had cheated and was actually inferior to another?

Cadmon first stared intently at Metis, as if judging something.

Her Majesty the Queen looked back at him without a hint of retreat, as if she believed from the bottom of her heart that she was right—that using external objects was inherently unfair.

In the end, it was Cadmon who looked away first. His tone was calm as he said, "Your Majesty, would you argue about fairness with an enemy on the battlefield?"

Metis paused, stumbling over her words. "O-of course not, but this is a classroom test."

"Is a classroom test any different?" Cadmon pressed. "I said in the very first class that whenever you stand on opposite sides of a duel, you are no longer friends or classmates. You must do everything in your power to defeat your opponent. Does Your Majesty remember my words?"

"There are many Gifted on the Chryse Continent, but very few survive. That's because they are all as naive as Your Majesty, insisting on so-called fairness. And so, they died."

He sneered and warned, "Your Majesty finds this unfair, but have you ever considered, as you stand here receiving an education that ordinary Gifted could only dream of, being personally instructed by a Great Mage, that this itself is the greatest unfairness of all?"

Metis opened her mouth but could not find any words to refute him. She could only remain silent.

Nestor's face was full of defiance, but he could only swallow his words, his gaze toward Orion growing even more dissatisfied.

Unfair?

He and Orion were never on equal footing to begin with. If he had received the same resources the Naist Family had invested in Orion, he would have become an intermediate mage long ago, unlike that waste Orion, who still needed to rely on a staff just to manage a draw against him.

Cadmon said no more. These naive children, protected by their families, would only awaken when they truly faced a desperate situation.

Fairness?

What is more important than one's life?

He reined in his emotions and called out, "Second duel! Ivo, Mo Wen, step forward!"

"I will emphasize this one more time: you must do everything in your power to defeat your opponent!"

"Yes, sir!"

The slender, pale girl and the person who often stood behind Metis shouted in unison.

The elements stirred once more, and everyone's attention was drawn to the new duel.

Metis took a step back, concealing herself in a dim, shaded spot. Her downcast eyes hid her emotions. Even if someone were to look at her intentionally, they would only think she was in a bad mood after being scolded by the teacher.

Her gaze swept over Orion and Nestor again, leaving no trace.

Although he had been vindicated by the teacher, Orion's brow was still tightly furrowed, his face full of displeasure.

Nestor, however, had a slight lift to his brows. He hadn't taken the teacher's words to heart at all and wore the expression of a true victor.

One should not underestimate Metis's words. Regardless of whether Her Majesty the Queen currently held real power, she still possessed the title of queen—a title that had been firmly fixed at the apex of the pyramid for thousands of years.

Just as the various families still had to bow to her despite having usurped the throne's power, the authority of the monarchy still influenced them.

Although Nestor looked down on the queen, he was still affected by her words, like a soldier who had been commended for his service.

While she was lost in thought, the situation on the field had already changed.

It was common knowledge that there were two paths for the Gifted. One was to focus solely on the study of magic. The other was to become a knight, studying magic while also training one's body, practicing horsemanship and archery. Such Gifted were often more powerful in the early stages, capable of both ranged and close-quarters combat.

However, in the later stages, because their focus was divided, these individuals usually progressed slower than others. Thus, very few of them ever reached the highest echelons.

In the Roy Kingdom, aside from the Temple of Light, only Mo Wen's family still insisted on following this path.

At this moment, however, Mo Wen did not draw her sword and charge. Instead, like everyone else, she wore a white robe and held a staff, chanting a spell like an ordinary mage.

The girl opposite her was draped in a wide magic robe, her pale face wearing an unchanging expression of indifference. Countless vines surged around her, lifting her into the air, her long hair flying in the wind.

In the blink of an eye, golden blades rained down on her.

Metis had just frowned when she heard a voice by her ear: "This is so boring, Metis."

The queen's shoulder dipped. She turned her head and saw the very black dragon she had repeatedly warned not to come over.

It perched on Metis's shoulder without a hint of guilt, its bony, spurred wings fluttering twice.

"Do you usually just stand here and watch these kids fight?" the black dragon continued, its upturned head brushing against the pearl earring dangling from her earlobe.

The little black dragon suddenly took an interest, raising a paw to bat the pearl back and forth.

The people around them were still watching the duel. Metis used their contract link to ask in her mind, "Why did you come here?"

"I missed you," the black dragon said, ignorant of human subtlety, speaking whatever was on its mind. It added, "You're not keeping me company, and I'm so bored."

Metis's fingers twitched. She wanted to stroke a certain dragon's head, but with others around, she had to restrain herself. She said, "After this duel is over, I'll take you out for a walk."

There was a dedicated gemstone market in Anthelia, which she thought the black dragon would like.

The black dragon gave a muffled assent. Just as Metis breathed a sigh of relief, she heard it exclaim in surprise, "Oh, so this is what you wanted to see!"

Its tone was no longer bored and disdainful; there was even a hint of excitement.

Metis subconsciously lifted her eyes and looked over. The duel was already over. Amidst a field of broken vines, Mo Wen, whose features were heroic yet gentle, was carrying her opponent in her arms.

Metis was bewildered, not understanding what had happened in such a short time.

But the black dragon suddenly grew excited and said immediately, "Metis, do you like this? I can princess-carry you too, and fly into the sky…"

Metis blinked. The next second, she felt the little black dragon stand up, plant a big smooch on her cheek, and say proudly, "And I can kiss you like that, too."

Her gilded eyes blinked. Metis was helpless against it and could only turn her head to give it a resigned look. She was already used to the black dragon's sudden pounces.

The little black dragon wagged its tail, becoming well-behaved after taking advantage of her.

Meanwhile, Mo Wen had walked over and said in a low voice, "Teacher, she fainted."

So that's what happened…

Metis didn't dwell on it, her attention once again drawn to the little black dragon beside her.

The red sun gradually set, and a cool breeze blew away the oppressive heat.

Get instant access to all the chapters now.

Previous Table of Contents Next