Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

The pain inside her was still so clear, reminding Tilan of a year and a half ago, in the dark alleyways beneath Payin City, where she first confronted death. The sensation of life teetering on the brink of extinction stimulated her nerves, making her forget everything, all the restraints of reality, just to survive.

Her eyes half-closed, she used her still-intact left hand to slowly pull out the rapier. The sensation of the blade friction against her flesh was uncomfortable, and her body's sensitivity was so acute. Although this heightened perception was an advantage in sensing and gathering information, it amplified her pain just the same.

Gripping the rose thorn sword Sevia La had condensed, the girl used her Talent to freeze the Magic Power within it and gradually transform it.

In her line of sight, Sevia La likewise retracted a rapier, then a faint red mist rose around her, seeming to restore some of her status.

The fight must go on, the girl thought, her left hand holding the sword horizontally in front of her, trying to adapt to the somewhat unfamiliar feeling.

It must be said, although the Fairy Incarnation had massive side effects, its terrifying lethality was something she also had no good way to cope with. Either she had to utilize her Talent to resist and then heal to recover, wearing down the opponent mutually, or she had to fully unleash all her Talents. Under the Songstress's augmented Magic Power talents, she would then use the Talent Ability of Voice of Time Strings to slow and briefly halt the flow of time around her. Only then could she completely counter the slaughters of the eleven-fold strikes in that instant.

However, by doing so, everything she had done up to that point would be for naught. Even Edith Academy wouldn't be able to keep her safe, and she estimated that the Federal Central Council would immediately send people to protect her and then send her to live in the Central Star Domain.

She would have a life of luxury and wealth, but her freedom would be gone. Wherever she went, she would be guarded by layers of people, forever out of touch with the life of ordinary people.

The Talent she had shown so far was valued by the Federation, but not to the point of excessive protection and restriction.

She could no longer move forward, the girl sighed inwardly. The Sword Edge in her hand turned, clashing and colliding with the incoming Sevia La, sparking a few sparks of Mars and fragments of Magic Power.

Please forgive my willfulness, forgive me for not wanting to step into that cutthroat world of fame and gain yet. Perhaps one day I will also be submerged in it, become a part of it, but at least, not now.

The slender Rose Thorn Sword flipped, turning into a deep blue hue during the battle with Sevia La. Held in Tilan's hand, it emitted wisps of white smoke and cold air.

After the two crossed and separated again, Sevia La's hair was soaked with sweat, her vision gradually blurring, barely able to stand steady.

She had reached her limit.

Slowly, she propped herself up with her sword, kneeling on the ground, the soreness and trembling in her legs no longer able to support her standing.

The audience fell quiet at this moment, and Tilan too watched the exhausted girl, recalling that Sevia La was little over 18, an age at which an ordinary girl would probably be enjoying her school life.

But judging by the various Abilities Sevia La had shown, she must have spent a lot of time and effort on learning and training without resting.

Yes, the defiant fighting spirit coming from not far was so hot, it hardly seemed to have any possibility of stopping.

Tilan raised her rapier again, a pale frosty light condensing. She took slow steps towards Sevia La, ready to end this painful duel.

Seemingly sensing the footsteps, Sevia La raised her head again, and through her blurred and moist eyes, she saw the approaching figure of Dailan. She tried to stand, but coughed out a mouthful of blood, her body collapsed like a broken doll, nearly unable to hold up, about to fall to the ground.

With her Sword Edge raised, Tilan aimed for Sevia La's shoulder to freeze, ready to conclude the match. But the moment the blade touched Sevia La's body, faint golden Light Sand arose from her.

This faint golden Light Sand scattered the falling sword blade, and then condensed into tiny golden butterflies in mid-air. As if in an instant, countless golden butterflies emerged from Sevia La, dispersing the girl beside them, flipping her over, while these golden butterflies swept over the entire arena, wrapping around Sevia La at the center as she slowly ascended, encased in a golden cocoon.

What is this...

Astonishment rose in the hearts of the audience, one unexpected and astounding event after another that night had almost numbed them, but this seemed particularly different, puzzling and intriguing.

"This is the 'Golden Lands' faction's special blessing 'Butterfly Dream,'" said a knowledgeable scholar pushing his glasses up, comparing the scanned phenomenon with records in the database. "It's said that the Spellcaster leaves a blessing mark on the recipient; once they suffer a life-threatening injury, it will automatically activate."

"And what happens after it's activated?" an eager audience member asked.

"After activation, of course, injuries heal, and one might even gain strength beyond their normal state for a short period," the scholar continued to explain.

"Isn't that rather overpowered? Isn't that cheating?" someone couldn't help asking.

"From the perspective of fairness and integrity of the competition, it is indeed unethical, not fair. But technically, the rules haven't completely ruled it out. For instance, Lelisa Academy, with Seraphiel using Angel Possession to briefly increase strength, Swarm's Reign Academy summoning swarms for combat, Crystal Lattice Academy using various homemade tools and so on, these are the various styles of the Academies. If we strictly forbid them, it would actually be counterproductive to the original intention of fostering competitive spirit."