The Last Witchblood

Chapter 1: Rebirth & Dilemmas

"The first thing you should do is try your best to disguise yourselves as natives of that world during exploration!" a hoarse voice spoke calmly while delivering a lecture.

He scanned the class before adding, "Even if it means using Polymorph magic or even better, advanced transformation magic."

"Swish—"

The sound of chalk scraping against the blackboard echoed.

"Of course, I personally don't recommend you rely too heavily on Polymorph.

Because to truly integrate into the local society, you must fully understand the local culture and customs.

For this, I have specially summarized a few key points for your reference and study, for a f*e ofcourse."

On the podium, an elderly man in a Red Wizard Robe, illuminated by several ever-burning lamps, was sweating profusely as he wrote something with a piece of chalk.

In fact, he didn't originally need to light so many ever-burning lamps.

Because his bald head was already bright enough.

However, since this course, titled "Beginner's Guide to Imaginary Realm Survival," was funded by the Main Tower of the Academy, wasting a little more pholemon on lighting costs was nothing.

But it must be said... this so-called compulsory course was actually very boring and Mr. Cassian, who was responsible for teaching it, was also quite perfunctory.

He taught only extremely superficial knowledge and always tries to sell materials to the students.

However, to make the course f*e worthwhile, every Apprentice present listened very carefully.

Except for Malachi.

In the corner, a young man of about 17 years old was propping his chin, idly scribbling with the quill in his hand, his gaze distant.

He had beautiful medium length platinum blonde hair, fair skin, soft facial features, he had a pair of heterochromic light blue and green eyes were as captivating as diamonds.

Logically, a person of this age shouldn't have too many worries, but 'Kai' as his friends call him, was currently full of grief.

But this was understandable, after all, a day ago, he did not belong to this world.

Everything here was unfamiliar and familiar, memories from this body allowed him to escape the fate of being a completely clueless individual.

But the unknown often represents danger. The dog-eat-dog world of witches and wizards was not for the faint of heart.

Malachi Meolyn, that was his full name.

He came from a noble family in the Vetian Empire; his father was a well-known Count.

Perhaps if he hadn't awakened his mental energy, he wouldn't have come to this 'Essacasta Academy', he would have merely stayed in his family's territory as a rich young master, everything would have been much simpler, after all, they say Ignorance is bliss.

He wouldn't be stuck here trying to learn these strange and difficult-to-understand courses, nor would he have to deal with the dissected corpses of various races on the operating table every day, or deal with cutthroat politics amongst apprentices within the tower.

He would only need to sit back and enjoy a life of extravagance and indulgence, reveling in luxury until the end of his life... Or so he thought.

But regrettably, his father, Count Meolyn, had lofty pursuits and high ambitions. The moment he found out, Kai had talent for wizardry, he quickly shipped him to this Academy without caring for his opinion.

The count deeply understood the transcendent status Witches and Wizards held in this world, It rivalled the mages and sorcerers but he had no idea what it was like to be amongst cold blooded wizards...

Other non-magical combatants, no matter how powerful, had a ceiling far lower than those strange, 'crazy' Wizards or the Lofty Mages or the Twisted Sorcerers who hid in laboratories all day.

Therefore, to ensure a brighter future for the Meolyn Family, the old Count resolutely sent his son, Malachi, to the Black Stone Tower, one of the towers belonging to the academy.

However, they all quickly understood that becoming an official Wizard was not an easy task... avoiding the fate of ending up on an operating table was already a chore, after all, news of missing apprentices was rather 'normal' here.

====

Kai's aptitude for magic was not entirely good, and despite a large amount of gold coins being poured in, he had only just managed to advance to Second-Level Apprentice despite being a second-year student at the tower, and becoming an official Bronze Wizard had turned into seemingly a distant dream.

And in the study of various subjects, his grades were simply "average."

At the Black Stone tower, Apprentices are divided into four grades.

Apprentices of grade three and below study more than twenty subjects, large and small, such as Potionology, Anatomy, Runology, Wizardry Theory, Species Research, Spellmancy, and Extraordinary Bloodlines .e.t.c.

Similar to mental power and mastery of Wizardry, grades in various subjects are also very important criteria for evaluating an Apprentice's comprehensive strength.

If a Wizard Apprentice's average grade in subject assessments for two consecutive academic years is unsatisfactory, then that Wizard Apprentice will be deemed by their mentor as having "no cultivation value" and will automatically lose 'protection' from the Black Stone tower and sent 'away'.

For any Apprentice, such a consequence is unacceptable and would directly lead to different kinds of dead ends.

A quick death would be the best possible outcome.

Taking Malachi as an example, he has been at the Black Stone Tower for exactly two whole years and is now in his third year.

During this period, all the expenses he incurred, including tuition fees, course fees, material fees, and equipment rental fees, usually amounted to the Meolyn Family's entire income for one to two years.

With such a heavy burden, it would be fine if He could achieve something noteworthy.

But Malachi simply did not have the potential to become an official Wizard anytime soon...

In the past six months, the family had successively sent over twenty letters, their tone changing from the original gentle and subtle to the current direct and severe.

In fact, Kai had mentally prepared himself to be abandoned.

At this moment, Malachi glanced at the Wizard on the podium and the dozens of Apprentices around him, sighing softly.

"Beginner's Guide to Imaginary Realm Survival"...

Undoubtedly, such a course could be said to have nothing to do with him presently.

He was destined not to participate in this life with the way things were going.

If things continued as they were, his best outcome would be to 'commit suicide' before his mentor comes back of from his visit to the imaginary realm.

...

The lengthy class soon ended.

In the dark, narrow corridor, Malachi walked with his head down, pondering countermeasures.

Unlike the original body owner, he was not someone who habitually gave up on himself and allowed others to dictate his fate.

Perhaps the original "Young Master Kai" had already accepted reality and chosen to give up while waiting for death.

But the current Malachi would not do that.

He would not allow his precious "second life" to be wasted in vain just like the last.

So he decided to rely on himself first, striving to stay at the Black Stone Tower, if things really don't work out, he'll try find a way to escape or die trying before his mentor returned.

After all, only by staying here would he have hope of turning his situation around and surviving...

In silence, Kai, dressed in a black apprentice robe, unknowingly arrived at the basement level of the Wizard Tower where a teleportation array was built.

It's blue shimmering light hummed mystically, the platform covered in runic symbols made one's curiosity wander. But he wasn't in the mood to admire it right now, so he quickly approached the cloaked beastman in charge and paid 2 mana stones to get ported to the Academy Market at the very center of the Academy.

This was like a large trading center or town under the entire Academy.

Commissioned tasks, potions, magical artifacts, beast hides, rare ores, Wizardry models, meditation methods, and even exotic slaves and Wizard servants could all be found here.

The sellers of goods were usually Level Three Apprentices or some Level 1 Official Bronze wizards.

Of course, occasionally, some higher-level official Wizards could also be seen.

"Kai? What are you doing here?"

Just then, a familiar voice rang out as Malachi approached the familiar stall in a corner.

It was a 1 storey building made of gray stones, and in front, sat a young woman with flame like hair, wheat-colored skin, wearing a decorative black-gold ankle bell on her left ankle.

The woman's name was Ariya, and she came from a family of traveling merchants that were active in the Eastern desert. She had only settled in the Vetian Empire four years ago and met Malachi, at Count Meolyn's territory.

He and Ariya had known each other since then and entered the Academy together three years ago, becoming Apprentices of their respective towers.

But as three years passed, and Ariya had already become a Level Three Apprentice with signs of becoming an official bronze wizard, and with that alone, she received significant attention from her mentor.

In contrast, Malachi's mentor barely remembered even having such a student, perhaps he would, when in need of special experimental candidates.

He looked at his beautiful, somewhat exotic-looking friend, and said with a hint of worry in his voice:

"The family is reducing my funding, but I don't want to give up yet, so I plan to take on some commissioned tasks to earn next month's course fees myself."

"So what kind of task...I hope you are not planning to volunteer as a test subject"

Ariya was genuinely worried about her friend's mental health and situation, so her tone was tinged with a touch of regret and fear.

"If you're really short on money, I can lend you some. Ah, but let me say upfront, I can't lend you too much, because I'm currently trying to create a combat puppet before the next assessment, and my financial pressure is also significant..."

"Thank you, I'll hold that in mind if I run out of options. Also, rest assured, I don't plan on becoming anyone's test subject." He was touched by her offer so a smile spread across his face for the first time since he came to this world. It was rare to see someone who cared in the academy...

Ariya sighed, "your situation must be really tough, No wonder I just saw Selene; I thought I was seeing things..."

"What did you say?"

Hearing Ariya's words, his heart sank abruptly, so much so that he didn't hear the latter half of her sentence.

She was startled by Kai's reaction and couldn't help but shrink back a little.

Her expression became a little hesitant, her beautiful blue eyes blinked repeatedly, and she quickly explained, "Maybe I saw wrong, that person might just look a bit like her."

Although Ariya was constantly explaining, Kai's mood became increasingly somber.

Because this "Selene" was none other than his half-sister.

When he left the family, she was only thirteen, and now she is an adult of 16 years.

If Ariya didn't mistaken the person, then this could only mean one thing:

The family had already abandoned him...

Otherwise, they wouldn't have chosen a new person to send here.

At this moment, he had no time to notice Ariya's worried expression; he only felt incredibly agitated.

The family's rules were strict.

If his suspicions were true, his future life would be anything but easy, and it was only a matter of time before everything crumbled...

Kai felt like there was a lump in his throat, cold sweat trickled down his forehead as he racked his brain.

However, just as he was deep in thought, a clear call suddenly came from behind him.

"Brother?"

Hearing this voice, Malachi's body quivered slightly.

He turned around with a solemn face and soon saw a familiar figure.

It was a young girl wearing a black short robe, with a short dagger, a beautiful face, and the same platinum blonde hair tied up high, but with sky blue eyes.

Contrary to his imagination, the young girl at this moment showed no hostility; instead, her innocent, pretty face was full of curiosity...

Looking at her familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar face, his expression was complex.

Nonetheless, just as he was about to open his mouth to say something, he froze, his heterochromatic pupils dilated, staring straight ahead.

Because, at this moment, lines of mysterious text suddenly appeared before his eyes...

[Resonance Detected]

[System loading...]