Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

The next day, although the internet was abuzz with discussions about the Winter Festival competition, Tilan herself didn't feel too involved with it. She slept in that morning and didn't rub her eyes and get out of bed until about 9:30.

After finishing the breakfast prepared by two maids, Tilan sat under a big tree in the courtyard. It was a warm summer in the South First District, with sunshine filtering through the leaves, making them appear exceptionally transparent, like pieces of emerald.

"Want more, you guys?"

At Tilan's feet, five little Light Cotton Birds with light grey fluff were chirping, occasionally flapping their tiny wings and scurrying on the grass, pecking around and curiously surveying their surroundings.

The girl crouched down, showing the grains of rice in her palm for the little creatures to peck at, while her other hand gently touched their fluffy down.

Compared to other birds, Light Cotton Birds have exceptionally dense down that provides excellent warmth. Their native species also thrives in relatively cold areas.

However, Light Cotton Birds are, after all, a modified Transcendent species with strong adaptability, now comfortably residing in the warm southern region.

After feeding the little ones, Tilan sat for a while under the tree, occasionally flipping through a sketchbook in her lap, recently gifted to her by Deloris. Some of the pictures in it were from the strange and beautiful planets within the Federation, including a world beneath a cavern filled with crystals, an endless red ocean, towering ring mountains, and small dwellings in forested lands, among others.

The Federation is vast, and not every region is covered with technological creations; many places also maintain their natural charm.

The gentle summer breeze was very comfortable. The South First District is close to the ocean, and even at its hottest, it doesn't exceed 32°C. The pleasant climate was one of the reasons it was later chosen as the capital.

After browsing through the sketches for a while, the girl continued to rest under the tree, and during this time, several of the little birds cuddled up beside her, tucking their heads under their wings to sleep.

In this way, it wasn't until past three in the afternoon that Tilan leisurely woke up and then took the little ones back into the cool house.

After responding to today's schedule through her personal terminal, she went to the backyard to practice and familiarize herself with several sets of swordsmanship and techniques using a wooden sword. Afterwards, she took a bath, changed into the combat attire she would wear for tonight's match, and then took a Hover Car to head to the gathering spot on campus, ready to depart.

At 5 o'clock, the Edith Academy's convoy set out, heading towards the venue of the competition.

At 6 o'clock, the audience gradually took their seats at the competition venue.

At 7 o'clock, the individual matches for tonight began.

Fireworks exploded into the sky and the announcer's resounding voice once again filled the venue, followed by the calling of names that everyone was eagerly awaiting.

"Please welcome our most dazzling and anticipated contestants to enter the arena!"

For a moment, the lights swirled as the eight gates within the venue opened up, and from each gate emerged a student.

The lights dimmed inside the venue and eight golden beams followed the students, step by step onto the stage. They positioned themselves in eight different directions, each on their own small platform, which in turn were each a different color.

Unlike the previous elimination rounds, this time the eight would engage in multiple battles, advancing to the final match based on their accumulated points.
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"The draw is complete. For the first match, Klentchin of Crystal Lattice Academy versus, Wokard of Saint Ingo Academy."

Once the referee announced it, the sole Crystal Lattice Academy contestant who made it to the top eight ascended the stage. He was wearing a long coat with a white base and blue trim, his hands tucked into the pockets, and on his nose a single-lens glasses for analysis. These glasses were connected to a personal AI assistant, which could help with calculations and positioning.

On the other side, a blond student from Saint Ingo Academy took to the stage. He had shoulder-length blond hair neatly tied at the back. His ears indicated an Elf Bloodline, but his distinctly chiseled face gave off a cold, indifferent temperament, starkly different from the usual elegance and grace of the Elves.

Neither competitor was much for small talk. Upon entering the arena, they stood silently, and even after the referee declared the start of the match, neither made a move, choosing to stand their ground instead.

After half a minute of this standoff, both seemed to reach some decision. Klentchin took out a silver short knife from his pocket, which danced dangerously and flickered between his fingers, while Wokard pulled out a pair of precious gloves and began putting them on without concern for a possible sudden attack from his opponent.

Then Klentchin made a move. The silver knife he was flipping suddenly stopped, and he gripped it firmly in his hand.

The knife blade glowed with a white aura, and he moved it through the air, leaving behind a series of white marks that looked like cracks in transparent crystal, with faint lights shining through them.

"A rather obscure secret technique, using specialized tools to briefly open spatial rifts and then employ those rifts to complete specific arrays, achieving unique effects," some knowledgeable members of the audience murmured, recognizing the origin of such spells.

Wokard, now with gloves on, sprang into action. Dual swords materialized in his hands, and he dashed toward Klentchin in an instant. Meanwhile, from discreet crevices in every corner of the dueling arena, fine laser beams lanced out, striking Wokard or blocking his path.

The lasers seared black marks across Wokard's body, but with the defensive power of Sequence 5, they weren't enough to be fatal.

Despite being hit, Wokard didn't stop; his crossed swords made a sweep at Klentchin's position, and close combat ensued.

Klentchin was clearly not adept at melee fighting, but his mastery of Spatial Magic Arts allowed his form to twist and shift, always milliseconds away from the incoming attacks, sidestepping by mere centimeters, thus avoiding vital areas and suffering only minor injuries instead.

After holding out for more than ten seconds, Klentchin completed the array he had been etching with his silver knife and, in a flash, appeared high in the sky, creating distance between him and Wokard.

Infusing magic power into his silver knife, like a Light Saber, the blade extended into a long and straight sword.

He spun the sword in midair before thrusting it into a spatial rift at his side. One after another, blades erupted around Wokard, reminiscent of a magician impaled in a box.

Wokard's swords spun, highlighted by faint blue, blood-like patterns that made their edges exceptionally sharp and gave them special magic-disrupting properties. They shredded the piercing blades, but Wokard was still stabbed thrice, his complexion turning pale.

After evading this deadly maneuver, Wokard moved quickly, transforming into a streak of lightning on the ground, refusing to give Klentchin a chance to target him. Soon, his wounds began to close, the natural healing abilities of the Natural Sequence were not weak, and had it been a battle of attrition, he would not have been at a disadvantage.

Seeing this, Klentchin retracted the energy-draining blade and took out three tiny Magic Cube Crystals from the inside collar of his coat, tossing them into the air.

These crystals rose into the night sky, expanded, and transformed into three focusing prisms that converged the Aijieka Particles from the night breeze. They funneled magic power and shot it downward. A vast, complex array rapidly spread across the ground, engulfing the whole dueling area. Wokard, running and dodging within it, found his efforts increasingly hindered; not only his speed was affected, but his magic power recovery became more and more difficult as invisible restraints slowly descended upon him.

This array was like a giant hand slowly rising and closing, clasping Wokard, who was leaping and dodging on top, in its tightening grip.

In the end, a slowed Wokard was penetrated by several blades from the spatial rifts, signaling his defeat.

"Crystal Lattice Academy wins!"

The first match of the night's grand competition came to a close.