Chapter 10: Apprentice Duel
“You there, and you—step forward.”
Upon hearing her name called, Janna promptly stood up and walked onto the dueling platform.
Following closely behind was a female half-elf with dusky skin, slightly pointed ears, a silver crescent-shaped earring on her right ear, and strikingly sharp features. She too stepped onto the platform.
...
“The first to volunteer was Miss Janna? Unbelievable...”
“What’s so surprising? I heard she successfully contracted her first summoned creature months ago.”
“But her opponent is Bell Moonshadow, an apprentice shadow witch from the Moonshadow family! She’s no ordinary apprentice... Besides, Miss Janna’s first summoned creature is a Celestial Finch, which isn’t exactly known for combat prowess.”
“Sigh... I hope the shadow witch across from her shows some mercy and doesn’t injure Miss Janna... Otherwise, I’d be heartbroken.”
“You’d be heartbroken? I’d be devastated...”
...
Seeing Janna calmly step onto the dueling platform, the two male apprentices seated behind her couldn’t help but show concern on their faces.
Especially upon seeing Bell Moonshadow standing on the opposite side of Janna, their expressions grew even more troubled.
...
“The first group’s duel will last twenty minutes, with the battlefield randomly generated.”
Once the two stood in place, Grace stepped to the edge of the platform and gently pointed forward with her index finger.
A transparent barrier then enveloped the entire dueling platform.
“You may begin.”
At Grace’s command, the scene instantly transformed.
One moment it was a broad wooden platform resembling a lecture stage; the next, it became a rocky terrain shrouded in dust.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Bell Moonshadow, an apprentice shadow witch. I heard many were worried about you when we stepped onto the platform.”
The changing surroundings seemed to have no effect on Bell. Her gaze, unabashed and full of unshakable confidence, was fixed on her opponent.
“Hello, I’m Janna Roland, a summoning witch.”
Unlike Janna’s widespread reputation, Bell Moonshadow, also a witch, was less discussed among the apprentices.
However, as a direct descendant of the Moonshadow family, Bell Moonshadow possessed remarkable talent and strength, making her someone not to be underestimated.
Moreover, Bell’s cold and distant demeanor kept her peers at bay.
“Let’s hope you don’t get hurt during our match; otherwise, things could get complicated.”
“Thanks for your concern.”
Unlike Bell Moonshadow’s faintly smiling expression, Janna’s eyes revealed no discernible emotion.
“By my will, I command you—Summon, Celestial Finch.”
“Shadow Stealth!”
Both witches cast their spells almost simultaneously.
As Bell transformed into a shadow and lunged toward Janna, a crisp chirp rang out, and a milky-white barrier suddenly formed around Janna.
“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!”
Bell swiftly emerged from the shadows, her hands enveloped in dense shadow energy like sharp blades, delivering a rapid series of attacks on the barrier.
The protective barrier rippled slightly under the assault but remained unbroken.
“Vine Bind!”
Seeing Bell emerge from the shadows, Janna immediately scattered a handful of seeds.
After chanting the spell, over a dozen vibrant green vines sprouted rapidly from the crevices in the rocks, swiftly entangling Bell’s legs.
“Bang!”
Just as Bell was ensnared by the vines, she suddenly exploded into a splash of black liquid.
The vines drenched in the black liquid sizzled and corroded, easily disrupting Janna’s offensive.
“An illusion!”
Though unsure of the exact spell used, Janna understood that these tactics aimed to deplete her magic and stall for time until the Celestial Finch could no longer maintain the barrier.
“Flash!”
Raising her right hand, Janna quickly cast the flash spell.
A brilliant light erupted, instantly dispelling the surrounding shadows.
“Vine Bind!”
Her eyes constantly monitoring the shifting shadows, Janna scattered more seeds.
They transformed into numerous vines that clustered around her, ready to strike.
“Hmm?”
As Janna searched for Bell Moonshadow, a dense fog suddenly enveloped the area. Sensing the dark elemental particles within the mist, Janna furrowed her brow.
“A fog spell... I didn’t expect her to be a dual-element apprentice.”
Like Janna, Bell Moonshadow also possessed dual talents.
In addition to her B-level shadow affinity, she had a C-level fog affinity.
“Sizzle... Sizzle...”
Light and darkness clashed repeatedly on the barrier formed by the Celestial Finch.
Hearing the continuous corrosive sounds of dark energy, Janna knew that in a prolonged battle, she would not be Bell Moonshadow’s match.
“Aph, reduce the barrier.”
Sensing the Celestial Finch’s growing fatigue, Janna issued a mental command.
The Celestial Finch began to shrink the barrier’s range, using its purifying power to dispel the shadow energy clinging to it.
“Flash!”
The thick gray fog rendered visibility nearly impossible.
Except for the area within the protective barrier, the entire dueling platform was shrouded in Bell Moonshadow’s dense fog.
Seeing this, Janna concentrated all her magic into her hands, continuously casting the flash spell, immersing herself in blinding white light.
Meanwhile, hidden within the fog’s shadows, Bell Moonshadow fixed her gaze on the radiant circular barrier.
Though puzzled, as an apprentice accustomed to lurking in darkness, she sought only the perfect moment for a decisive strike.
“The gray fog has enveloped everything. No matter how powerful your flash spell is, it can’t penetrate the fog. It’s all in vain.”
Feeling the barrier’s magic weakening, Bell Moonshadow narrowed her eyes, waiting for the opportune moment.
As the protective barrier teetered on the brink of collapse, she, like a venomous snake hidden in the shadows, instantly condensed shadow energy.
Her hands, transformed into shadowy daggers, struck mercilessly at the barrier’s weakest point.
“Not good!”
The barrier shattered, and the light dissipated.
Seeing the empty space within the barrier, Bell Moonshadow’s confident expression faltered.
“Bang! Bang!”
The sound of something slicing through the air rang out as four thorn-covered vines pierced through the dense fog, tightly binding Bell Moonshadow, who was still mid-air in her attack stance.
Realizing the danger, Bell Moonshadow immediately struggled to break free.
However, the more she resisted, the more a paralyzing dizziness overwhelmed her, slowing her movements.
“The thorns... they’re poisonous...”