“The fifth match already, huh.”
Many in the audience felt this inter-academy competition had been a series of surprising twists. Who would’ve expected Edess Academy, seemingly overmatched at first, to hold its ground so well?
Above the battlefield, autonomous drones hovered in circular motion, their spotlights scanning the bridge and the river below. The ice pillar stage in the middle of the broken bridge was now covered with traces of battle—melted dents, sword-slashed grooves, and shallow craters from explosive impacts.
“Who’s going next?”
Spectators whispered among themselves while the competitors on both sides had already made their decisions.
“Eh? Me?” gasped the selected girl in surprise.
“Yeah, because Suìqin’s abilities match this round’s theme. You’ll be able to perform your best.”
Evony and Thilan stood together, looking at the petite senior in front of them.
Compared to the average height of Thilan and Evony, Suìqin stood barely over 150 cm. She had fluffy pale yellow hair, and the dark blue academy uniform made her look extra adorable. Most noticeable were the green vine bracelets wrapped around her wrists, adorned with fresh leaves—almost as if they were still alive.
“Well, okay then. But just so we’re clear—if I lose, don’t blame me, okay? You’re the ones sending me out.”
Suìqin tiptoed and tapped the ground lightly, her hands clasped in front of her chest as she spoke softly.
Seeing both Thilan and Evony nod again, she seemed to relax a little.
“Hmph, you two really leave me no choice. Since you insist… I suppose I’ll make a reluctant appearance.”
With that, she leapt from the bridge, flipping midair and landing gracefully on the spotlighted stage. As her toes touched the icy ground, she bounced forward once more and landed again—light and agile, like a fawn in the forest.
“So it’s just a little kid, huh.”
Across the stage, the Hive Dominion Academy representative stepped forward.
She had long, wine-red wavy hair, long legs beneath her brown-toned uniform, and held a petite conductor’s baton. Metal ornaments on her outfit clinked crisply with each movement.
“Whoa, such a tall big sis,” Suìqin muttered, needing to tilt her head up to meet the girl’s eyes. Her posture had a slightly provocative flair.
“Hmph!”
The girl stomped her heel on the ice, kicking up shards, then pointed her baton at Suìqin. With a flourish, she twirled it and drew it to her side.
Buzz—Buzz—Buzz—
Dozens of bees with yellow bodies and black markings rose from beneath the icy stage behind her, hovering in a neat formation. Each one was about the size of a clenched fist—oversized and clearly magical, each around Sequence 3.
“A breeder? That’s rare.”
Seeing Hive Dominion’s fighter summon a swarm of bees, the audience broke into murmurs.
“Breeder pathways can field trained magical creatures in battle, but there are strict limits on number and sequence level, and they have to be nurtured and evolved by the breeder themselves.”
“Sure, it looks impressive, but managing this kind of class takes a lot of time and effort. Breeders usually fall behind in personal strength compared to others of the same Sequence. The higher they go, the harder it gets.”
“Sequence 5 is a real bottleneck. Most breeders never make it beyond that—only a rare few do.”
“Let’s see how the two sides handle this…”
“Edess Academy, Suìqin — Nature Sequence 5: Dream of the Tree Nymph.”
“Hive Dominion Academy, Cassana — Primordial Sequence 5: Keen-Eyed Hivekeeper.”
As the host made the announcement, drums began to beat from the top of the bridge, followed by Princoco’s lighthearted vocals. Her rhythm gradually rose, granting Cassana and the Hive Dominion swarm a magical boost.
“It’s starting, little cutie,” Cassana playfully flicked a finger toward Suìqin as if sending a star her way. Then she brought down her baton—and over 60 bees swarmed forward, streaking toward Suìqin.
Bee Subspecies
Class: Primordial Sequence 3 – Combat Bee (Superior Dark-Silver Grade)
Status: Healthy (Mature Stage)
Traits:
Hive Resonance (Excellent): Gains magical enhancements when operating in swarms, slightly boosting all abilities.
Coordinated Unity (Standard): Automatically synchronizes movement with fellow bees via pheromones; avoids interference.
Abilities:
Venomous Sting (Excellent): Deadliest weapon is the stinger at the tail.
Agony Venom (Standard): Enhances the victim’s pain response, amplifying their suffering.
Anti-Magic (Incomplete): Can partially pierce magical barriers, but requires swarm synergy for full effect.
Skills: Venom Sting Lv.3, Flight Lv.2, Anti-Magic Lv.1, Bee Dance Lv.3
Overall, the bees weren’t individually strong—otherwise, regulations wouldn’t allow so many. About 60 large bees swarmed as one, their buzzing echoing across the field. Under Cassana’s precise baton gestures, they weaved through the air in tight formations, shifting and regrouping fluidly.
“Looks like a handful…”
Suìqin looked up at the sky filled with bees. She gently touched the vine bracelet on her wrist, and greenery began to grow. Two hollowed-out emerald-green longswords took form in her hands.
As Princoco’s performance reached its climax, the bees gained a reddish glow—a visible enhancement. Their presence felt heavier, more threatening.
“Let’s begin—Hive Secret Art: Dance of Carnage!”
Cassana slashed her baton down, aiming straight at Suìqin.
All the bees that had been hovering high above suddenly dove.
Their claws and stingers glinted with red light, swarming toward the petite girl like a sky full of falling embers. Though each bee was only Sequence 3 early-stage, the musical and summoner support pushed them briefly near Sequence 4 strength. Sixty-plus empowered bees converging on a lone opponent was a crushing force.
“No wonder they saved her for the end instead of Xiakui. Cassana really is the better fit for this match format.”
Some spectators discussed quietly. Most, however, simply held their breath—watching the small girl on stage, waiting to see how she would respond.
“Ugh, this is so mean…”
Suìqin’s voice was almost teary. Light green magical energy flared from her body as she spun rapidly, the twin swords in her hands tracing afterimages—cutting down the charging bees one by one.
Though Suìqin’s speed was sufficient, her hollow vine-wrought twin blades couldn’t truly damage the bees. At best, she could shatter the reddish shimmer coating them, and after a brief rest on the ground, they’d simply take off again.
She couldn’t have both high speed and high damage—right now, her energy was entirely focused on dodging and swatting away the bees. If she diverted more magic to enhance her attack power, she’d be exchanging injuries for injuries and would soon be defeated.
“Hurry up, guys! If you don’t buff me soon, I really won’t last much longer!”
Suìqin shouted as she darted and spun across the stage, knocking away bees with her twin swords, all while speaking in a nonstop, slightly panicked voice.
They had promised: if she could hold on for just one minute, support would come.
Finally, after a minute had passed, Princoco’s song faded from its climax, and seizing the moment, Thilan and Evony exchanged a glance—then signaled their team to begin the next phase of their performance.
A long, airy flute sounded from atop the bridge, followed by the chime of bells, ethereal chanting, and rhythmic hand drums—like wandering through a forest bathed in light, listening to fairies sing and dance.
Indeed, this song was inspired by the scene Thilan had witnessed during her first entrance exam at Swallow Garden Academy: the legendary “Radiant Beast of Midsummer,” Brigette, dancing and singing with her companions in the forest.
Though Edess Academy had no delicate elf girls fitting that image, Suìqin—short, lively, and of the Nature Sequence—matched the essence of the scene beautifully.
Hand drums beat softly, bells jingled lightly, voices stepped into dappled sunlit woods. Bare toes touched leaf-tips and dewdrops, everything in harmony and beauty.
As Princoco’s song weakened after repeated use, the duet by Thilan and Evony grew in strength. With their musical support, Suìqin felt her body becoming lighter and more agile; the pressure of dodging attacks faded. She even had spare attention to observe the approaching bees as she danced and twirled—giggling gleefully.
Like a green woodland spirit stepping into the forest, the verdant mark on Suìqin’s brow grew brighter. The spiritual light around her shone brilliantly with nimble energy.
Finally, when her feet touched the ground again, the green light burst outward and formed two azure fawns, which began dancing beside her. When bees neared, the spirit deer blocked them—unbothered by stings or venom thanks to their energy-formed bodies.
With her pressure further reduced, Suìqin stopped fleeing. Just a few steps or swings of her sword were enough to avoid or deflect the glowing bees.
“My turn now~”
Stopping in place, Suìqin lifted one hand and dropped the other behind her back, a dance-like starting pose. Her face tilted up slightly, her eyes glowing with the same vibrant green as her body.
“Tree among trees, elf among elves, graceful spirit walking in the woods—who could that be?”
“That’s right, it’s me! The fairy in the trees, the dream-shadow of the forest~”
A Tree Nymph, as told in fairy tales—half deer, half girl, wandering through forests in enchanting beauty. Any who see her, whether man or beast, are captivated.
Nature Sequence 5 – Dream of the Tree Nymph. Suìqin’s pathway closely resembled such mythical creatures.
As the lively green in her eyes crystallized into a sigil, waves of radiance rippled outward from her feet across the stage.
Buzz—buzz—buzz—
The bees that had chased her relentlessly began to slow, seemingly disoriented. They collided with each other, staggered in midair, and the enchanted glow coating them flickered.
Then, under wave after wave of radiance, the bees’ red shimmer faded completely, reverting to their normal form. Some even began to glow faint green—especially along their stingers and claws.
“Now, let’s dance together~”
Wielding her vine-woven short swords, Suìqin began to dance again. This time, the bees no longer attacked her—they joined her, spinning and whirling beside her like companions in a forest ballet.
“…What…”
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the audience.
The battle wasn’t over yet, though. Cassana tried multiple times to regain control of the bee swarm, but the more Suìqin danced, the more affectionate the bees became. They stopped responding to Cassana’s commands.
“Would big sis like to join us too?”
As Cassana slowly sank to her knees in defeat, a bright voice rang before her.
She looked up—into a pair of gemlike emerald eyes, gleaming with otherworldly light. Within them, she saw a dreamlike, secluded paradise. So beautiful. So unreal.
“Ah…”
Cassana stood up in a daze, stepped forward, and gently took Suìqin’s extended hand. The two azure deer circled them as Suìqin led her to the center of the stage—and they began to dance together.
“…It’s over, huh.”
A few soft sighs sounded from the audience.
The moment Cassana fell into Suìqin’s rhythm, it was already over. The Tree Nymph’s enchantment was too strong—she would only sink deeper, unable to escape.
“Fifth match: Edess Academy, Suìqin wins.”
The host’s voice rang out, perfectly timed, and with that, the second phase of the duel came to a close.
Suìqin’s silvery laughter echoed from the stage as she finally let go. Cassana slowly returned to her senses. Suìqin lifted her skirt and bowed with a sweet smile.
“Thanks for the match, big sis~”
The broadcast screen froze on this scene. Then a finger swiped it—zooming in—and the image transformed into a sepia-toned parchment-style snapshot.
“This one’s perfect.”
In the clubroom, Suìqin held her personal device, showing the still frame to Iyepher, who sat before a computer.
“Can you print this out for me? I want to keep it.”
“Sure. But let me finish editing the earlier match stills first.”
Iyepher, a gentle elf girl, replied. Several stylized illustrations were laid out across her desk, each rendered in that parchment-style monochrome—capturing scenes from the night’s bridge battles.
The duel had caused a stir afterward—not just because Edess Academy finally demonstrated surprising growth in musical combat, but also because of the appearance of a brand-new songstress.
Long black hair, dark dress, dark uniform—only those blue eyes shone piercingly in the night, unforgettable.
Her emergence was like a stone dropped into still water—rippling through the entire Four-Leaf Crystal Star Region. Since this mysterious new songstress had no prior works or known identity, she hadn’t yet earned an official title. For now, the public simply called her:
“The Pitch-Black Songstress.”
“By the way, where’s Thilan? Still sleeping?”
No one in the club had seen the black-haired girl that day, prompting the question.
“There are so many people asking about her now. Maybe she’s just a little shy and scared of attention, haha.”
“But seriously, her performance that night—absolutely stunning. I never imagined Thilan had that kind of talent.”
“Let’s watch the recording again. I could watch it a hundred times and never get tired of it.”
The projector turned on again in the clubroom, and everyone’s hearts and minds drifted back…
To that unforgettable night.