Chapter 344

Chapter 344: Binding Wood into Sword

In the flickering candlelight of the basement, the new members remained silent, watching the scene at the edge of the venue. Many of them harbored doubts and hesitations, not fully willing to join this club. However, when everyone around them was advancing and growing stronger, enduring their past inefficiency and weakness became a torment.

When the train of the era sped forward, even pausing to watch would lead to falling behind and becoming wrong.

They were well aware of the dangers within this mysterious club, but these people had come to Emanas carrying the expectations of many, unable to bear disappointing everyone. If they couldn’t win, then they could only join; this was the thought of many.

Lolan Hill in the arena was increasingly struggling to hold her ground, her mind rapidly contemplating ways to escape her predicament.

Time waits for no one. If Othuna and the main members above were to descend, she would be in even greater danger. Now, relying solely on herself, although she could defeat the surrounding students with the Blood Marrow Poison, it would instantly kill them, which was not what the young lady wished to see.

It seemed she could only change her approach.

With crimson twin swords held on either side of her body, Lolan Hill pushed off the ground, using it as a pivot to rapidly spin her body. The blood sword and her skirt traced a perfect circle in the air before the blood sword shattered, breaking into countless fragments that pierced towards the black-robed guards around her.

Such close-range attacks were impossible to dodge, compounded by the anti-magic and anti-armor effects inherent in her extraordinary class, causing the guards to suffer various injuries.

Unfortunately, Jena standing aside did not stop there. She didn’t even allow the injured companions to withdraw but instead took advantage of the moment when Lolan Hill had no weapon, continuing to command:

“Twelve Quick Thrusts!”

Immediately, the attacking students changed formation, all switching to long swords for thrusting. This allowed more people to stand closely together in a small space without hindering each other’s attack paths. Thrusting was harder to block than slashing, though the narrow attack area made it easier to evade.

But now, eight long swords stabbed simultaneously from all directions, with four more appearing from above. There was no room left for Lolan Hill to maneuver and dodge.

In Lolan Hill’s eyes, crimson flickered, and emerald light glimmered as a fiery lotus bloomed directly in the basement.

Blossom.

Bright light and heat waves surged like molten iron, directly engulfing the crowd’s vision and senses, spreading continuously. Amidst this blinding light, Lolan Hill finally found an opening, dodging most of the thrusting swords, only allowing three longswords to pierce her unimportant arm and wrist.

Although the flames were fierce, Lolan Hill’s Natural Sequence ability was more inclined towards wide-range attacks; single-target damage wasn’t her strong suit. Among those present, all Extraordinary Beings, apart from a few individuals in the center who were injured, the other students managed to hold their ground relatively easily.

However, in the following period, these people began to suffer. The already enclosed basement, after being scorched by the flames, saw a significant reduction in oxygen in the air. Some students started feeling unbearable suffocation.

Taking advantage of the chaotic scene, Lolan Hill placed her hands in front of her chest, forming a triangle, and rapidly chanted a spell. Under the enhancement and guidance of the incantation, the Mana in the air continuously transformed and converged. Tiny green sprouts emerged from the ground and quickly grew thicker, nearing the ceiling of the basement.

Seeing that Lolan Hill was about to use plants to break through the soil and bricks, escaping the scene, Jenna rushed forward with the remaining few, attempting to stop her.

Snow silver piled and layered long knives, incredibly sharp, sliced through the growing plants and then slashed at the young lady surrounded by green branches.

Seeing this, Lolan Hill did not waste words. She plucked a white flower blooming amidst the branches, holding it in her hand. Lush magic flowed into it, causing the flower to grow continuously. The stamen in the middle elongated and gradually hardened, with wooden fibers tightly arranged, forming a sword harder than steel. At the same time, the stem grew thicker, becoming a suitable grip. This was her first usage of the [Binding Wood into Sword] ability.

The flower sword clashed with the snow silver long knife in mid-air, producing a metallic sound, and several pale wooden filaments flew out.

Though Jenna had the advantage in weaponry, her strength fell far short of Lolan Hill’s. She was immediately swept back. Then came several more metallic clashes as the remaining members were easily repelled by the young lady.

With the formation broken and the young lady having plants as cover and for dodging, the remaining black-robed guards could no longer pose a threat.

White flowers blossomed on the growing vines, and sword-like flowers slowly revealed themselves.

Jenna, lying on the ground in pain, quickly pushed herself up, preparing to stand again and block that.

A young lady who fosters plants.

I apologize, my former friend.

Lolan Hill silently pondered within her heart, then the longsword shot out like a bolt of lightning, piercing through Zhenna’s shoulder and pinning her to the wall. The wooden fibers of the sword began to grow, spreading like vines throughout the walls, anchoring themselves as firmly as roots, rendering Zhenna immobile.

Not only her, but with the sound of swords slicing through the air, one black-clad guard after another was similarly pinned to the ground and walls by these unyielding vines, unable to move.

Thus, all the official members of the ‘Black Veil’ were subdued. Only the new recruits remained watching on the side. Although they were part of this club, due to coming from different academies, they were unfamiliar with each other, and there was no one organizing them. Seeing the formidable Lolan Hill, none dared to step forward to stop her.

The plant in the center of the field grew thicker and taller, extending upward. The young lady stood in the dim candlelight, facing the new recruits in the shadows.

“I understand everyone’s desire to become stronger, but that does not mean you should abandon yourself and become someone else’s shadow. When you are no longer your true self, strength loses its meaning.”

Lolan Hill could not directly change their minds, but at least she wanted to awaken some students, to stop indulging in this. This was not the path to happiness.

Some of the new recruits remained silent, while others began to murmur quietly. A few more radical individuals stepped forward, pointing at the young lady and shouting loudly.

“What’s wrong with being strong? Without power, how could you speak so boldly here? You would have been killed long ago in the ambush. How can you, the top students, understand the feelings of us students on the verge of expulsion!”

“Those dismissive looks from others, the disappointment of family, the thinly veiled contempt from friends—how can you accept such things! To give up and admit your weakness? No, never!”

“No matter what ideas they try to instill in me, as long as I am strong, it doesn’t matter if I abandon myself. I will do whatever it takes to become stronger, so I can protect what is mine.”

“But,” the young lady softly spoke, and the plants beside her slowly broke through the soil layer in the ceiling, allowing night breezes to enter, bringing fresh air.

“They will take everything away—the things you cherish most, emotions, friends, family, future, even life.”

“Even so, will you still continue to pursue it?”

(End of Chapter)