The sound reminded one of a swarm of bees.
Inside the arena, the atmosphere was bustling. The elliptical stands were almost entirely filled with students who had rushed over upon hearing the news, their voices humming in a constant drone of discussion.
In the center of the ring, a burly, red-haired youth wearing heavy plate armor stood proudly, holding a two-handed greatsword.
He was the Third-year Chief of the Warrior Department, Horn. Behind him stood seven or eight high-year students who possessed equally strong auras, including warriors, mages, and even a ranger carrying a longbow.
It was common knowledge that although Mystra Magic Academy had “Magic” in its name, it was actually an all-profession academy. Its nine departments were known for producing many talents.
Ophelia Violet held Camilla’s hand as she led Lillian and Emma through the crowd, which automatically parted for them, and walked to the edge of the ring.
Her appearance caused the scene to fall silent for a moment before an even louder wave of noise erupted.
“She’s here, she’s here!”
“That’s the new president? She looks so beautiful…”
“I heard she made that freak Lyudmila cry during the entrance test. Is that true?”
“Senior Horn is the Third-year Chief with plenty of combat experience. He’s even participated in bandit suppression at the border…”
Ophelia let go of Camilla’s hand and lightly patted her shoulder, gesturing for her to stay below the stage.
Then, she pushed off the ground, lightly leaping onto the two-meter-high ring. She stood ten paces away from Horn, her blonde ponytail swaying slightly with her movements. Her ice-blue eyes were as calm as a still lake.
“You are Horn?”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire arena.
“I am!”
Horn’s voice was as loud as a bell. He thrust his greatsword into the ground and stared intensely at Ophelia.
“Ophelia Violet, I question your qualifications to serve as the Student Council President! You have only been enrolled for a few months and lack seniority. How can you command the respect of the masses? How can you shoulder such a heavy responsibility? Today, I shall use the sword in my hand to seek guidance from you! If you lose, you will automatically resign from the position of president. What do you say?”
His words drew shouts of agreement from the group of high-year students behind him. Many people below the stage also nodded, clearly dissatisfied with Ophelia being personally appointed as president by the headmaster.
Ophelia listened quietly. Her gaze swept over Horn and then over the group behind him. The corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, carrying a trace of untraceable mockery.
“Questioning me? Fine. All of you, come at once.” She spoke, her voice still calm, yet now tinged with a bit of chilling sharpness.
The entire arena instantly fell into an uproar.
“What? What did she say?”
“Come at once? There are nine people on Senior Horn’s side! And they are all high-year elites!”
“Isn’t she being too arrogant?”
Horn’s face flushed red instantly, then he laughed out of pure rage.
“Good! You certainly have some nerve! Since you’re looking for death, don’t blame us for using our numbers against you!”
His companions behind him also revealed looks of annoyance or excitement. They gripped their weapons and began to circulate their magic.
“Isn’t this being a bit too overconfident? I know Ophelia is strong, but those guys aren’t weak either.”
In the stands, Lillian’s brow furrowed slightly while Emma nervously grabbed Camilla’s sleeve.
Camilla could feel their unease. Horn’s aura was very strong, at least at the peak of Level 5. The companions behind him were generally between Level 4 and Level 5. With nine people joined together, coupled with potential coordination, their combat power was definitely not to be underestimated.
‘Although Sister is strong, she just went through a major battle and has only recently recovered from her injuries…’
However, Camilla felt a strange sense of certainty. In the original game, there was indeed a plot point involving a “prestige battle,” though it happened later and the opponents weren’t this strong.
But who was her sister? She was the noble protagonist of the game! She was a monster capable of breaking the mental state of a transmigrator who literally held a strategy guide!
Since her sister said so, she must have her reasons.
Camilla lightly patted Emma’s hand and whispered.
“Don’t worry. Just watch.”
On the ring, Ophelia acted as if she didn’t see the nine people across from her poised to strike. She lowered her eyes slightly, her left hand seemingly brushing casually against the simple Silver Necklace on her chest.
‘Lend me some power, you waste.’
‘…Heh, little girl, is that how you ask for help?’ A thought suddenly echoed in the depths of Ophelia’s mind.
‘Cut the crap. Are you giving it or not? I can win without you anyway; it will just take a bit more effort at most,’ Ophelia replied impatiently. Ever since she woke up from her last coma, this pendant of hers had been saying strange things. If it weren’t an item left to her by her biological parents, she probably would have thrown it away long ago.
‘Tsk tsk, is it really worth it just to show off in front of your precious little sister?’
‘My business is none of your concern. Give it, or not?’
The consciousness was silent for a moment, appearing somewhat helpless.
‘I’ll give it, of course I’ll give it. However, let me remind you… that nauseating abyss aura on your sister is getting thicker and thicker. Are you sure that what you are trying so hard to protect is still your “sister”?’
Ophelia’s fingers brushing against the necklace paused slightly. A very complex undercurrent flashed deep within her ice-blue eyes, but it was replaced by an even deeper frost in an instant.
‘Whether she is a succubus or my sister, I will be the judge. Give me the power.’
‘…Fine, as you wish.’
An indescribable pale-green energy quietly surged from the necklace. The air temperature around her began to drop sharply, to the point where the spectators near the edge of the ring couldn’t help but shiver.
Horn and the others also sensed the anomaly, but the die was cast.
“Go!”
Horn roared. His two-handed greatsword ignited with crimson Battle Qi as he initiated the charge. His steps were heavy yet rapid, like a war chariot! The warriors behind him followed closely to his left and right, the mages began to chant, and the ranger’s bowstring vibrated as arrows shot toward Ophelia like venomous snakes.
Facing the encirclement, Ophelia finally moved.
She didn’t even draw her sword.
She simply raised her right hand, pressed her index and middle fingers together, and made a light downward slicing motion toward the charging Horn and his team.
“Thousand-Mile Ice Freeze!”
*Crack crack crack —*
Starting from her fingertips, a terrifying cold wave surged forward like a tangible white tidal wave! Everywhere it passed, the sturdy obsidian floor of the ring instantly froze with a layer of ice half a meter thick. The ice spread frantically at an astonishing speed.
The two warriors charging at the very front were frozen into ice sculptures, armor and all, while still in their charging postures.
Horn’s reaction was extremely fast. He slammed his greatsword into the ground, and his crimson Battle Qi erupted, forming a ring of fire in an attempt to block the cold wave. Ice and fire collided violently with a loud hissing sound, and a large amount of white mist steamed upward.
Horn groaned, his feet plowing two deep grooves into the ice as he forcefully withstood the first wave of the cold current. However, the ring of fire behind him rapidly dimmed and shrank.
The fireballs and wind blades hastily released by the mages crashed into the cold wave like mud sinking into the sea, failing to even raise a splash. The ranger’s arrows were covered in white frost the moment they entered the range of the cold wave, shattering into pieces.
Ophelia did not lower her fingers. She turned her wrist slightly and pushed forward.
The power of the cold wave suddenly doubled! It was no longer a flat spread; instead, it became like a living beast of ice, opening its hideous maw to devour the remaining seven people!
“Not good! Scatter!”
Horn’s eyes nearly split from the strain as he roared hoarsely.
But it was too late. The pale, cold light swept past, and nine ice sculptures in various poses appeared on the ring.
Horn maintained his stance of swinging his sword to block, with shock and disbelief frozen on his face. Behind him, his companions — some chanting, some trying to dodge, some defending — were all frozen still within the thick layer of ice.
The entire ring, including the nine challengers, was completely frozen over. The crystalline ice surface reflected a piercing light under the sun.
In the stands, thousands of students opened their mouths wide, unable to make a single sound. All the previous doubts, mockery, and excitement were frozen on their faces, turned into complete shock and bewilderment.
Huh? A one-shot kill?
Lillian’s pale-gold eyes widened slightly, and Emma covered her mouth. Although Camilla had expected this, seeing a power that far exceeded the game’s performance still caused her heart to skip a beat.
‘So, if you had this kind of skill, why didn’t you use it earlier?’
Camilla couldn’t help but touch her lower abdomen. The silver pattern hidden under her clothes was glowing, and her expression was somehow a bit resentful.
On the ring, Ophelia slowly lowered her hand. her face seemed a shade paler than before, but her gaze remained as cold as ice. She looked at Horn, who was staring with wide eyes through the ice, and spoke flatly.
“Is that it?”