Chapter 310

Chapter 310: First Round of Preliminary Matches

On the high tower of Northern Outlook Academy, the White Tower Restaurant.

The white tower standing on the mountainside was about ten stories tall, with the middle three floors serving as the dining area for students.

If one were to approach and stand at the base of the tower, they would only see grayish-white rough stones, a few patches of moss in the crevices, and water stains left by wind and sun exposure. However, once one moved further away, standing at the foot of the mountain or flying in the air, they would find the form of the White Tower elegant, harmoniously blending with the rocks and pine trees behind it, creating a unique beauty.

Today was a weekend, and some students chose to gather here for meals, but fortunately, it wasn’t crowded, and the number of people was relatively sparse. Most students of the High Tower Academy were deeply engrossed in studying various peculiar knowledge or honing their own skills, unlike those from the Fortress Academy who were more enthusiastic about socializing. Some might say that students from the High Tower Academy were all loners, which although somewhat absolute, was indeed quite prevalent.

Students from the Magic Sequence were better off; when encountering problems, they might still seek advice or cooperation. However, students from the Dragon Sequence mostly played independently, very carefree, not caring much about social interactions. Rather than relying on connections, they trusted in their own strength.

In summary, one group pursued spiritual independence and thought, while the other sought physical independence and power.

Warm sunlight shone through the windows, and these floors for dining had no walls. Apart from the stone pillars for support, the outer sides were open windows for ventilation. Two young ladies sat at a table covered with white cloth, waiting for their friends.

“Night Spirit, are you getting used to your new dorm? Now there’s no one like Bumansa and Lolan to take care of you,” Alena’s short brown hair appeared slightly golden under the sunlight.

“I know,” Night Spirit, not yet fifteen years old, kicked her legs restlessly and answered in a low voice. After moving to the new dorm, due to unfamiliar faces, no one had been calling her to wake up recently.

“Haha, do you want to apply to live together with a teacher?” Alena teased.

“No need, I can manage my life on my own,” Night Spirit said, still holding onto her small pride and unwilling to ask Alena for help.

“Tsk tsk, if Lolan said this to you, she would probably have hugged you by now,” Alena added.

“You’re not Lolan sister,” Night Spirit puffed out her cheeks, shook her two ponytails, and her milky-white hair swayed along with it.

They talked for a while longer, and gradually, Night Spirit felt much more relaxed.

“In the future, if you have any problems, you can come to me. It’s not far, just jump out of your dorm window and fly a few hundred meters.”

“I won’t go looking for a fool like Alena,” Night Spirit denied it verbally, but felt warmth in her heart.

After a while, Alena glanced at her watch and said softly, “Speaking of which, where is Letis? It’s almost noon, and we’ve been waiting for so long.”

“Maybe she has something to attend to. Letis isn’t someone who is usually late,” Night Spirit guessed.

—

Central School Building, Sagebrush Courtyard.

It was already noon, and most participants had completed their potion-making. Even though a Bronze-grade potion might seem challenging to the outside world, requiring a certified alchemist, students at Emanas could make them with a bit more effort, the main difference being the quality.

“Participant 247, 80 points, 78 points, 84 points, average 80.6, pass.”

A staff member announced the scores, and the student below excitedly waved his hand. Although the Hemostasis Healing Potion wasn’t difficult, an average score above 80 was considered excellent, screening out many participants in the first round. Those who passed were considered to have solid foundations and genuine dedication.

“Participant 210, 92 points, 90 points, 93 points, average 91.6, pass.”

Cheers erupted below after the staff member finished announcing.

“Indeed, Miss Osuma.”

“She managed to get over 90 points in just over a year of enrollment, which is impressive.”

Some students felt disappointed that Osuma didn’t score exceptionally high, but they still found it acceptable. After all, only eight participants had scored over 90 points so far, with most barely reaching the threshold.

“Senior Gene truly is a genius; the teacher rated him with an average of 95, currently ranking first.”

“Miss Osuma isn’t bad either; it seems she is the only second-year student to score over 90 points.”

As the teachers began scoring each potion, it was finally Lolan Hill’s group’s turn.

One of the teachers picked up the deep red potion, examined it, and then used extraordinary means to check it. His expression seemed hesitant.

“What’s wrong, Berg?” Another teacher on the podium asked casually while still grading another participant.

“This potion, I’m wondering how many points to give it. Forgive my lack of experience, I’ve never seen such a pure potion before.”

“Oh, let’s see.” The other two teachers became interested and turned their attention to the potion, taking turns examining it. The last teacher even opened the bottle, poured a little into his palm, and carefully felt it.

“The exact right potency, neither too strong nor perfectly utilizing the materials’ effects, I think it deserves full marks.”

“Full marks? How long has it been since we last saw that? Let’s be cautious, 99 points,” another teacher deliberated, considering that perfect scores were rare in tournament history, even though they themselves were experienced, they dared not casually write down such a score.

“Pity it’s just the preliminary round today, the masters aren’t here. They are all busy.”

“Let’s compromise, one writes 100, another 99, and the third can choose freely?”

“Alright.”

The audience below watched the teachers discuss for a while before writing down the scores, feeling curious. Finally, the staff member announced the results.

“Participant 54, 100 points, 99 points, 100 points, average 99.6, pass.”

“Wow!”

A commotion erupted below as everyone looked around to find the high-scoring participant. Unfortunately, few students had paid attention to Lolan Hill earlier, so no one knew she was participant 54.

“Lolan, it’s been weeks.”

Three girls sat in a corner of the courtyard, where there were stone tables and chairs.

“Long time no see, Bumansa, Lily.”

Lolan Hill took off her hood at this moment.

“I didn’t recognize you until Bumansa reminded me. I didn’t expect Lolan to participate in the competition,” Lily said, resting her hands on the table.

“A bit curious, why shouldn’t I participate in competitions?”

Lolan smiled slightly.

“To be honest, Lolan’s previous impression was like that. Though very powerful, she didn’t compete for anything, giving off a sense of tranquility unknown to others.”

Lily recalled the past. Lolan Hill usually wore white or plain dresses, giving such an impression. But now, wearing the school-issued red-black uniform, there was suddenly a kind of charm and aggressiveness, making her feel different. Could this be the influence of the academy on students? But why was she still so lacking?

Lily shook her head, no longer thinking about these confusing matters, and spoke again.

“Regardless of the results, let’s have dinner together tonight. We haven’t been together for a long time, our bond has grown distant.”

“Ha ha, good.”

(End of Chapter)