2026-09-03 05:37:49
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
43
Liam looked down at the empty rune plate.He had thirty minutes.There were no restrictions on what they could create. No required effect. No minimum power.Liam rested the tip of the rune pen against the plate but didn't draw immediately.What should I make?A combat rune would be the obvious choice. Something that could release fire, strengthen the body, or create a defensive barrier.But thousands of students were probably thinking the same thing.Liam glanced at the mana crystal beside the plate.The crystal contained a limited amount of mana, so whatever he created had to work within that limitation.He finally made his decision.He would create something simple.A mana conversion rune.Its purpose was straightforward. It would take the raw mana from the crystal, regulate its flow, and release it at a stable rate.It wasn't powerful or flashy.But if he could make it stable and efficient, it would prove that the rune worked.Liam began drawing.He carefully added the central circ
42
Liam headed toward the Magical Engineering area with Alex beside him.Unlike the other competition grounds, which were already filled with noise and excitement, the engineering area was located inside one of Blackthorn Academy's large halls.Even from outside, Liam could hear the sound of conversations coming from within.When he stepped inside, he was slightly surprised by how many people had gathered. Students filled most of the hall, while teachers stood scattered around the edges. Humans were everywhere, but the other five races were well represented too.It made sense.Magical Engineering was one of those fields that attracted almost everyone.It wasn't simply about fighting or having a powerful cultivation level. It was about taking an idea and turning it into something real.A student could have weak physical abilities and still create something capable of changing the battlefield.Weapons, defensive equipment, transportation devices, magical tools, automated formations.The po
41
Liam stared at him, unsure of what to say.Then he looked toward Lucas.Lucas gave him a small nod.“He broke through last night.”Lily was sitting nearby, calmly drinking from a glass.“Congratulations,” Liam said.Karl’s grin widened.“Thank you.”There was something particularly annoying about the way he said it.Liam sighed.So that was it.Everyone in Room 1313 had now broken through to Silver.Lucas.Lily.Karl.Liam looked down at his hands.He had spent the past three weeks pushing himself harder than ever, and somehow, everyone else had still moved ahead of him.Even Karl.That one hurt.“Don’t look so depressed,” Karl said.“I’m not depressed.”“You look depressed.”“I’m thinking.”“About how I’m stronger than you now?”Liam slowly looked up.Lily covered a small smile with her hand, while even Lucas looked amused.“Forget it,” Liam muttered.Despite Liam’s frustration, there was one major advantage to having three Silver-ranked members in the room.Their weekly room challen
40
The questions started before Liam had even left his seat.Elena was the first to turn toward him.“What exactly did you do?”Liam blinked.“Do?”“Yes, do.” Elena leaned closer. “Lily walked straight past everyone in the arena, came directly to you, and thanked you in front of thousands of people. What did you do?”“I watched the fight.”Alex gave him a blank stare.“That’s it?”“That’s it.”Adrian folded his arms.“Think about it, Liam. She didn't thank you before the fight. She thanked you immediately after everything was over.”Liam adjusted his glasses.“I don't know what you want me to say.”Elena narrowed her eyes.“You seriously have no idea?”“None.”The three of them stared at him.Liam stared back.After several seconds, Alex sighed.“Fine. Either you're telling the truth, or you're hiding something.”“I’m telling the truth.”Nobody looked convinced.But in the end, they couldn't figure it out.There was simply no obvious connection between Liam and what had happened during t
39
Lily’s crimson aura continued to surge.The pressure surrounding her body grew heavier with every passing second. Her silver hair lifted in the violent flow of mana, while the veins along her arms glowed faintly beneath her skin as the blood energy within her raced through her body.The arena had gone almost completely silent.Even Seraphina had stopped attacking.She stood beneath the enormous Blood Moon, her sword lowered slightly, her deep crimson eyes fixed on Lily.She could feel it.Lily was clearly breaking through to Silver.Suddenly, Lily’s mana surged again.BOOM!A wave of crimson energy exploded from her body.The stone beneath her feet cracked, and several people in the audience instinctively leaned back as the force swept through the arena.Liam’s eyes narrowed behind his glasses.His Insight activated automatically."[Rapid Mana Growth Detected.]""[Mana circulation accelerating.]""[Core output increasing.]""[Warning.]""[Target is approaching a breakthrough threshold
38
The countless blood weapons moved at once.In that moment, there was no sound except the sharp whistle of thousands of blades cutting through the air.Then they came.Lily threw both hands forward."Blood Fortress!"A massive wall of crimson blood erupted in front of her.It rose several meters high, thickening rapidly as more blood gathered into it.The first wave of weapons crashed into the barrier.BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!The entire arena shook, but the Blood Fortress held.For less than a second.Cracks spread across its surface.Lily's expression changed.Another wave struck.CRACK!The fortress immediately shattered.A sword pierced through the broken barrier, heading straight for Lily.Lily twisted her body just in time, and the blade passed beside her cheek.Another spear came from behind, and she ducked, barely dodging it.But then three blood threads shot toward her legs.Lily jumped over them, but before she could land, five more weapons came from different directions.She spun i
You may also like
The Overpowered Grass Magician
Shame_less00747.6K viewsLegend Of The Immortal
KidOO17.9K viewsAn Important Villain
P. Artim29.2K viewsHero In The Cultivator World
Shin Novel 83.0K viewsMagic Was Dead Until I Returned
Logan231 viewsI Entered Magic Academy With F-Rank Stats
Rianoir489 viewsThe Bones of the Ancient God
Rik_Da377 viewsMy Five Beast Wives Want Me Dead in the Apocalypse
Kashish21 views