booknovelhub
Chapter 61: DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
Chapter 61: DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE!
DON'T UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!! YOU'VE READ THIS BEFORE! DON'T READ!!
DON'T READ!!
The moment Dan's voice boomed through the coliseum, signaling the beginning of the Electives Battle, everyone was hyped and eager for the competition.
The coliseum that would host the events was a grand, circular arena with towering glass walls and a roof that stretched high above them.
The transparent walls created a sense of openness as if they were under the sky itself, as it allowed natural sunlight that gave the surroundings a warm glow.
The seating was a circular arrangement, extended far up into the stands, though today, only the Elective teachers occupied most of the seats.
However, the real sense of awe came from the VIP area far above. It was cloaked in shadows, and though the figure seated there was barely discernible, Kyle could feel the immense presence radiating down.
Dan's voice rang out again, pulling Kyle back to the present.
"Listen up! Y'all are 300 here, but only 128 will be allowed to participate in the group stage.
Here's how it's going to work: There will be 32 groups, each group with 4 contestants, one from each elective.
You'll face off against every other member in your group, meaning six matches per group.
The top two contestants of a group will automatically advance to the knockout stages."
Kyle processed the information quickly. Six matches. Three opponents. Two spots to advance.
Dan continued, "For some of you, though, we'll need to trim the numbers down before the group stage begins.
Not all of the electives have the exact 32 students needed. So, let's talk about how that'll work."
"The Rune Makers, you're 30 students in total, so none of you will need to compete for a spot. Consider yourselves very fortunate, as you're all moving directly into the group stage."
A low ripple of cheers came out from the Rune makers as they were happy with their luck.
"Alchemy, Forge Mastering and Beast Taming students," Dan continued. "There are 80, 70 and 120 of you respectively. We would thin you down to 32, one after the other."
"But first... We'll begin with the Alchemy students. So, your first task is to brew a tier-1 healing potion within an allotted time of an hour. The top 32 will advance."
The Alchemists exchanged tense looks.
Dan directed them to a long counter on the stage that had all that was required for them to begin.
They all took their places behind the assortments of herbs and cauldrons on the counter, waiting for a signal to begin.
After Dan confirmed they were all set, he raised his hands, prompting them to begin.
"Your time starts now!" Dan announced, setting a timer for 1 hour.
The clanging of metal, the bubbling of liquids, and the sharp smell of brewing ingredients immediately filled the air as the Alchemy students got to work.
Kyle could not understand most of what they were doing, but he could feel their dedication and passion as they worked.
The students worked as quickly as possible, so as not to get beaten by the time constraint.
Their hands moved with practiced precision as they measured out powders and stirred their mixtures.
Many still fumbled slightly, as their eyes occasionally darted nervously between their competitors and their cauldrons.
"5 minutes more!"
The students began working faster immediately when they heard the announcement.
It worked out for some, while others only ended up spoiling their work even more.
As Kyle observed the chaos unfold, he couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Desperation's a sure way to ruin a good brew."
His eyes picked out Riya among the Alchemy students. As expected, she was among the rare students who were done already.
She calmly arranged and cleaned her corner, as she used her excess time to prepare for her evaluation.
5 minutes quickly passed for the contestants before Dan's voice brought them out of their rush.
"Time's up! Step back from your work."
They all obeyed instructions and took a step back from their work, many halting some processes that would deem it complete.
It was necessary to do this as it would be stupid to be disqualified in such a manner after coming so far.
After the students stepped back, Dan waved to someone off-stage. A tall woman with short, jet-black hair and piercing green eyes walked forward.
Her long, flowing robes of deep violet shimmered slightly under the lights, marking her as the Alchemy Instructor.
She had an air of authority, with a stern expression softened only by her careful and calculating gaze.
"You should be familiar with your Instructor, Instructor Valeria," Dan introduced. "She will be judging your work."
Valeria moved slowly down the row of potions, her eyes examining each cauldron and her hands talking notes.
She stopped at the first cauldron, swirling the mixture gently before bringing a small vial of it up to her nose. A brief sniff, and she moved on with a neutral nod.
The potions varied in appearance, ranging from vibrant red hues to murky, almost brownish mixtures that indicated mistakes in the brewing process.
Most were slightly viscous, though a few stood out for being either too thick or far too watery.
She paused at a cauldron where the potion was a pale, diluted red. Valeria raised an eyebrow, lifting the vial and swirling it under her nose.
Her expression barely changed, but the slight downturn of her lips spoke volumes. Without a word, she moved to the next.
When Valeria reached Riya's station, she raised the vial to inspect the shimmering, perfectly crimson liquid.
It was clear, consistent, and reflected the candlelight with a deep, vibrant glow. She gave a single nod of approval, her lips pressing into the slightest hint of a smile—something rare for Valeria.
"Impressive work," Valeria murmured, loud enough for only Riya to hear. She continued down the line, giving a final sweep of the room before stepping back toward Dan.
After a moment of conferring with Valeria, Dan called out, "The results are in. Congratulations to the 32 of you who will move forward. Your hard work has paid off."
"As a reward, the potion you have brewed belongs to you."
The students nodded their heads at his statement, they couldn't celebrate yet as they didn't know if they had earned the so-called reward.
Dan continued, as he stared at a list of names on his hand, getting ready to announce the names.
"If you hear your name, it means you were disqualified. Better luck next time."
Every Alchemy student gulped and held their breath as the names were called out. Hoping not to hear theirs.
Eventually, he was done with the name-calling, allowing the eye-shut students to open their eyes.
A collective sigh of relief washed over the successful students, some exchanging grins and high-fives.
Riya, true to her nature, simply smiled with quiet confidence, already preparing for the next stage.
The rest of the students who had their names called, however, bore the weight of their failure.
Their shoulders were slumped, and some clenched their fists in frustration.
A few tried to hide their disappointment behind polite smiles, while others couldn't mask their sadness as they gazed at their spoiled concoctions.
Dan's voice echoed across the room one last time. "Forge Mastering students, you're up next."