Chapter Five: Gathering of Powers

Chapter Five: Gathering of Forces

Time flew by, and the Academy Tournament was fast approaching.

By now, Shuster had recovered eighty percent, his magic restored to the level of an early seventh-tier mage, and his physical prowess rivaled that of a fifth-tier warrior. When Jason witnessed Shuster’s seventh-tier magic, he was so startled he thought Shuster’s magic might be unstable and risk self-destruction. Later, upon hearing Shuster had previously reached advanced seventh-tier, Jason crumpled in disbelief, sighing repeatedly about his own lack of talent.

Today was three days before the tournament, and representatives from all factions were converging. The four great academies began to assemble, among them the participating academies: the Northern Phoenix Dance Academy, the Western Light Knight Academy, and the Light Cleric Academy.

“Attention, everyone! Gather before the plaza and await the arrival of the other academies!” A youthful yet commanding voice resounded across the school. On the bell tower, Seras hovered several centimeters above the ground, her expression serious, with Elphie standing sternly behind her.

“Headmistress, aren’t you going to head over first?” Elwen asked, her face equally solemn.

“Of course not. I am the headmistress—naturally, I must uphold my dignity,” Seras replied, puffing out her chest.

“Headmistress, if you ask me, your dignity is directly proportional to your chest size!” Elwen retorted mercilessly, delivering a verbal blow.

“Ugh, how could you say that! I’m still an adorable little girl, you know—I’ll grow eventually!” Seras squatted down, drawing circles on the ground and trying to act cute.

“The headmistress is one hundred fifty-four years old. She used magic at fifty-four to look like this, and her chest hasn’t grown a bit in a hundred years,” Elwen dealt another blow without mercy.

Seras burst into tears.

Switching scenes, we return to Shuster.

Accompanied by Sakuya, Shuster stood in the front row of the plaza, bored as he waited for the so-called representatives from the other academies.

“This is so boring, Sakuya!” Shuster complained, conjuring a chair with his magic and sitting down.

“Master, you could spend story points to unlock items!” Sakuya suggested after a moment’s thought.

“Oh right, I forgot! Let me take a look!” Shuster sprang up.

“System, what can I unlock now?”

“Ding. The available catalogue includes: Entertainment items, Weapons and Equipment, Daily goods. There is one S-ranked storyline, four A-ranked, and one B-ranked.”

“I’m unlocking everything! Ugh, Sakuya, I’m back to square one!” Shuster gritted his teeth after unlocking them all, then flung himself into Sakuya’s arms, acting spoiled.

“Ah? Master, we’re in public…” Sakuya blushed. Though she’d imagined her master might act spoiled in her arms someday, the reality was rather embarrassing.

“Ah?” Shuster looked up and realized many people were watching.

“Sakuya, close your eyes!” Shuster instantly became serious.

“Yes, Master.” Sakuya complied quickly.

“Time to rely on you again!” Shuster pulled out the Pandora Neuro-Conduction Reset Device. “All done!” He sighed, having wiped everyone’s memory.

“Master, next time you want to act spoiled, please choose somewhere private,” Sakuya whispered shyly.

“Mm? Ah?” Shuster blushed as well.

“I’ll check the unlocked items. Remind me if the other side arrives!” Shuster swiftly changed the subject.

“System, show me what I can redeem.”

A list appeared in his mind.

“Let’s see… Entertainment!”

“Wow, there’s everything! Let me see: iPhone Five, PSP, NES… This one’s nice—an auto-updating web novel reader, collecting all Earth web novels! Updates automatically! I want this!” Shuster redeemed it without hesitation.

“Let’s take a look. What’s the top recommendation? ‘My God-making System’—what’s so great about this book? Hmm… Author is listed as a future superstar, potential value one million! I’ll save it for later. Next is ‘The Book of Girl’s Invitations’—I’ve read this, where did it update before my transmigration? The author is quite shameless, protagonist is the second coming of ‘Sincerity Brother’. ‘Infinite Summoning Notes’—I’ve read this, just the dream of an unscrupulous uncle, not worth reading. Let’s look at new books… ‘End of War’, another potential masterpiece, potential five hundred thousand! So many great works, I can’t keep up! Forget it, I’ll look at something else.”

Shuster decisively set aside the web novel reader and continued browsing the catalogue.

“I’ll redeem a large-screen PSP—since I’m bored, might as well pass the time!” He quickly exchanged for one.

“What! System, you’re too shameless! You even need to redeem games!” Shuster was stunned by the ‘Games require unlocking’ message on the PSP.

“System, show me the game list!”

A list appeared:

‘Monster Hunter’ complete collection, three hundred soul crystals! The Wind Demon Wolves weep—our lives aren’t even worth a game from this shameless system.

‘Prototype’ complete collection, five hundred soul crystals! Monsters below fourth-tier are crying.

‘Dragon Valley’, online game, one thousand soul crystals! Frost Goblins lament—not even worth this game.

‘The Ninth Continent’, online game, one thousand five hundred soul crystals! Wild Boar King’s expression must be awkward now.

…

“These are so expensive! Ow! Sakuya, why’d you throw a knife at me?” The pseudo-girl, whose soul crystal count even the author lost track of, pulled out the knife from his head, blood streaming, and complained.

“Master, your dignity fell!” Sakuya, as the system guide, knew exactly how many soul crystals Shuster had, so stabbed him out of annoyance.

“Everyone, stop staring at me—I’ll get embarrassed!” Shuster calmly removed the knife, wiped the blood with a handkerchief, and addressed the dumbfounded crowd.

“Is he a monster?” “He got stabbed in the head and it’s nothing!” The crowd whispered among themselves.

“Did I do something amazing?” Shuster asked Sakuya, puzzled. A month ago, he’d gotten used to being stabbed daily—Kathleen and the others were shocked at first, but time made them indifferent. Is it really possible to be indifferent to this?

Ignoring the unsettled crowd, Shuster redeemed all the games and began to play happily.

Let’s overlook the protagonist’s lost dignity and continue.

Twenty kilometers from White Emperor Academy, several massive airships sped toward their destination.

“Gates, I heard the tournament’s prize is an interdimensional crystal!” said a blond ponytailed girl to the handsome blond boy beside her.

“Yes, Lilith, I’ve heard. This time it’s supposedly a crystal with precise coordinates. I can’t wait!” Gates replied.

“Your family’s information network is impressive!” Lilith remarked, annoyed that he knew more than she did.

On another ship…

“Jack, Fran, you must win the championship at any cost!” The Pope of Light addressed two blond knights.

“Yes, Your Holiness! We promise to complete the mission!” The two youths replied in unison.

“This interdimensional crystal will be mine!” The pope seethed inwardly.

The scene shifts back to Shuster, who had just finished ‘Monster Hunter’.

“So dull, don’t you agree, Sakuya?” Shuster set aside the PSP and turned to Sakuya.

“Master, I don’t see how you’re bored,” Sakuya replied, exasperated—Shuster had spent two hours beating ‘Monster Hunter’ and still complained.

“Right, Sakuya, what did you redeem with soul crystals?” Shuster had given Sakuya permission to use soul crystals at will.

“I exchanged for a space ring of one hundred cubic meters and a high-level maid manual,” Sakuya replied.

“Let me see… I suggest you redeem a set of alchemy books, it’ll help with your work,” Shuster advised. Though both had learned magic materialization, large objects required significant magic to sustain.

“All right, Master, but I recommend you redeem this,” Sakuya said. An item description appeared in Shuster’s mind: Silencer for Paradise Spark, costs one hundred thousand soul crystals, never wears out, eliminates muzzle flash and sound, system-made, guaranteed quality!

“I’d be a fool not to get this!” Shuster roared inwardly.

“Wait, it looks just like an ordinary silencer!” Shuster remarked after redeeming it.

“Whatever, let’s try it!” He installed the silencer in public, conjured seven flying discs, and threw them into the sky…

Seven discs shattered silently in the air.

Note: This chapter may not be my best. It’s a transitional one, and I’d like to recommend my own and my friends’ books.