Kingdom of Stars, 9:30 PM, Jiale City National Athletic Center.
This open-air venue, personally established by a Legendary Mage, required no additional light sources. It was illuminated solely by gathering and emitting starlight, and the lighting effects could be adjusted just by changing the angle of the reflectors. At this moment, seating for 4600 was filled with students and faculty from Jiale City schools. When the level playing field was transformed by the Miracle of Earthworks into a shallow beach terrain, an uproar erupted overhead, and while students from Truth University clapped vigorously, students from other schools couldn’t help but curse.
"Thank you for the marvelous performance by the Death Frenzy Phantasmal Band!" Arsen’s clear, bright voice sailed over the stadium, quelling the students’ unrest, "Next up is the final part of the opening ceremony of this year’s college competition—the Meteor Disaster!"
"Please welcome the competitors!" said another female host, "Now entering, the first competitor, a first-year Sword Skill student from Sword Flower University, Two-winged Mage Sonia Sevi!"
As Sonia stepped out from the passage, starlight focused on her like beams, making her war dress shimmer brilliantly. Fireworks rose at the entrance, exploding into a pattern of swords and roses, and thousands applauded like thunder, welcoming the Village Girl to the hall of battle!
Eight large projection screens simultaneously displayed her front, side, and oblique views, but the afternoon spent by Lois and others on her stage makeup, amplified by the "Sun Position" Technique Spirit, rendered Sonia’s beauty flawlessly radiant from every angle. Even the dazzling starlight couldn’t obscure her brilliance. She proudly lifted her chin, thoroughly enjoying the spotlight.
As she stepped onto the shallow beach stage, Sonia glanced at the director’s booth, thinking that two months ago her greatest wish was just to sit there, introducing the new generation of stars of Jiale City.
Even she couldn’t have imagined that two months later, she would become one of those stars.
And now, what she needed to do was to prove she was the most dazzling among them!
"The second competitor is a senior from the Spinning Stick of Trajectory University, Two-winged Mage Correnzo Voren!"
"The third competitor, a senior from the Gun Technique of Frenzy University, Two-winged Mage Lydia Azdar!"
"The sixth competitor, a junior from the Water Magic Department of Truth University, Two-winged Mage Vilynn Stra!"
"The first round of the Meteor Disaster features six competitors, all Two-winged Mages!
As all six competitors took the stage, the most striking was Vilynn from Truth University. Not only was she one of the two lowerclassmen—compared to the others who were all seniors.
More importantly, she was a Water Mage!
And tonight’s Meteor Disaster venue was shaped into shallow beach terrain!
"There’s definitely some collusion!" Adelle exclaimed angrily from the audience, "Chop up the competition committee and feed them to the La La fat!"
"Truth University doesn’t need to cheat in college competitions," sighed Lois, "This is the true capability of Truth University."
Though the competition terrain was indeed random, Truth University housed students from the Prophetic Faction who didn’t need to interfere with the competition committee; they simply adjusted the competitor schedule to gain an advantage!
Other universities also wished to predict the competition terrain, but the problem was the lack of methodology in the Prophetic Faction. Students who fortuitously entered the faction were immediately recruited by Truth University since Jiale City only had the prophetic faction knowledge in Truth University. They might want to restrain themselves, but they couldn’t resist the benefits offered by Truth University!
Perhaps some might think that an annual competition needn’t be so competitive. However, for schools, the results of the college competition directly determine the educational funding for the next year, and for the students, it could be the most glorious moment of their lives, and everyone would give their all.
As an annual, nationally televised competition with such high ratings that even the Dedarose female lead dramas had to steer clear, the students’ performance in the league could directly impact their future careers. Members for the Starshoot Guard that protected the royal family, the noble’s Griffin Corps, the Barrier Corps that cleared the Abyss—all would be selected from among them... and nobles also favored injecting new blood through marriage alliances. For instance, each generation’s ’Starforging Duke’ Vosloda’s partner was always a powerful Sword Master but rarely a noble, often a commoner.
But as the opening fixture of the Meteor Disaster, Truth University really didn’t hold back. If the terrain had been the Desert, Abyss, City, or Gobi, ordinary mages could have gained a boost but not much. However, Shattered Lake terrain simply played to the strengths of the Water Magic Department and, with Vilynn from Truth University wielding Radiant Gold Level Miracles, she could easily dominate the competition!
"But this is the Meteor Disaster," Ingrid said, arms crossed, "With such a formidable representative from Truth University, perhaps she might even be the first to go down."
Lois and Adelle couldn’t help but nod, looking towards the six people on the field.
The high school competition was divided into three formats: Meteor Disaster, Star Cluster Disaster, and Star Palace Disaster. Simply put, the Star Palace Disaster is a team relay race consisting of five-member teams from each school, testing the capability of the school, which Sonia had previously participated in a friendly match.
The Star Cluster Disaster, on the other hand, is a trio team battle where three teams fight simultaneously, featuring the highest intensity of combat—participants are often teams that have ventured into the Abyss before, testing their team coordination.