Chương 184: Inter-Academy Festival I
The Inter-Academy Festival revealed just how vast and intricate our world truly was. Five continents, home to over ten billion people, each one like its own universe, filled with geniuses and prodigies who vied for dominance. Among them, only the few who reached the pinnacle became Radiant-rankers, their power standing as a testament to their exceptional skill and dedication.
Now, all those forces, from every corner of the world, were converging here, bringing together what many believed to be the most talented generation ever born. It wasn't just a stroke of fate—it seemed almost as if the year 2031 had gifted the world with an extraordinary abundance of talent.
From what I could observe, excluding the students of Mythos Academy, there were eight others who had reached a similar level of strength as the members of Class 2-A. In total, sixteen of us stood on the cusp of greatness, ready to push beyond the limits of what our predecessors had achieved.
Would all sixteen of us reach Radiant-rank in the future?
Probably not. Reaching Radiant-rank required more than just talent—it demanded unimaginable effort, the right opportunities, and perhaps a bit of luck. But even if some of us failed to ascend that high, they would at least reach the upper echelon of Immortal-rank. It was the minimum that our generation could expect from itself.
The competition ahead would reveal who among us truly had the potential to break through and claim a place at the top of the world. But more than that, it would give me the opportunity to gauge Jack's strength—how powerful he had become, even without relying on his second Gift, which was tainted by black mana.
The commencement ceremony for the Inter-Academy Festival was about to begin. Unlike the smaller, segmented gatherings for each year, this time all second, fourth, and sixth-year students were brought together for a single ceremony. It meant one thing: over 1,800 of the world's brightest young talents, the best from each continent, gathered in one place.
The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation, but as the crowd quieted down, all eyes turned toward the podium. Valerie von Lampez, the vice headmaster of Mythos Academy, stepped forward. Her presence commanded attention, but unlike most who sought to dominate the room, her power lay in her calm, collected demeanor. She wasn't here to inspire; she was here to lay out the reality.
She began, her voice amplified but measured. "You're not here to compete for glory. That will come, or it won't. You're not here to prove yourselves to others either. By now, you should know that true strength has little to do with public acclaim."
She paused, her eyes scanning the sea of faces, assessing us as much as we were assessing her.
"You've trained, fought, bled, and clawed your way to this point. You already know where you stand. This festival is not just a battle to showcase your talents but to understand the limits of your growth. If you want to rise beyond the ordinary, you'll need more than raw strength. You'll need purpose. You'll need to understand what drives you—because without that, no amount of skill will carry you far."
The crowd remained silent, absorbing her words. There was no cheerleading here, no empty praise. Just cold, hard truth.
"I've seen too many talents wither because they couldn't find what lay beyond their gifts. This festival will test you in ways that have little to do with combat. Think about that as you fight, and you may find yourself at the top."
With those final words hanging in the air, Valerie stepped back, leaving a heavy silence in her wake. It wasn't the kind of speech designed to spark excitement, but rather one meant to settle deep within us, to challenge us to think beyond the surface of competition. The crowd remained still, processing the gravity of her message.
Then Professor Nero took the stage, his demeanor much more practical, ready to explain the logistics of the festival. His voice carried clearly across the gathering, calm and focused.
"The first day of the festival," Nero began, "will be purely celebratory. Today is for you to enjoy, to meet your peers, and immerse yourself in the spirit of this event. There will be no competitions until tomorrow."
He allowed a brief murmur of excitement to pass through the crowd before continuing.
"From the second day onward, however, the real festival begins. The main event is a team-based competition designed to push your abilities to their limits. This will not be a simple tournament. You will be placed into what is essentially a simulated war—six hundred students battling for supremacy in a modified environment."
The tension in the crowd shifted as everyone became more alert. Nero explained further.
"You and your teams will be dropped into a large, modified island. Each academy will have a base to protect, with a flag at its center. The goal is to capture as many opponent flags as possible while defending your own. This is not a duel, nor a small skirmish. It is a full-scale operation, and you will need to work together to survive and succeed."
Nero paused for emphasis, scanning the crowd as the weight of the challenge sank in. "While this kind of event could be simulated through VR, the academies have chosen to conduct it in person. The experience—the pressure, the risk, and the realness of battle—is crucial to your growth. Rest assured, with the presence of the professors and the Immortal-rankers overseeing the event, the chance of anything going wrong is zero."
There was no room for doubt in his tone. The presence of such powerful figures ensured that nothing catastrophic would happen, but the students would still face real danger, real consequences.
He continued, "The island has been modified to challenge you physically and mentally. You'll need to use strategy, cooperation, and your abilities to navigate the terrain, outthink your opponents, and make the most of your environment. Each academy will have its own flag, and it will be up to you to protect it while capturing others."
The atmosphere grew heavier as Nero detailed the task ahead. This wasn't just a competition—it was a test of everything we had trained for, both individually and as teams.
"The island will be large enough to ensure that no team will have an easy time finding another's base. You will have to adapt to the environment and to the actions of the other teams if you wish to succeed."
The crowd remained hushed, everyone acutely aware of the scale of what was coming.
"Prepare yourselves well tonight," Nero concluded. "Tomorrow, the games begin."
With that, Nero stepped back, leaving the crowd buzzing with quiet anticipation. There were no further announcements. The next day would mark the real beginning of the festival—the competition that would test not just individual prowess but our ability to work as a team in the most challenging conditions possible.
This was the essence of the Inter-Academy Festival. The thrill, the competition, the silent yet unmistakable tension that filled the air. I could feel their gazes on my skin, sharp and focused. My eyes scanned the crowd, and it was clear I wasn't the only one who had noticed. My classmates shifted, sensing the same intensity.
The eyes of the students from the other academies were on us now, and unlike the recognition or respect from before, these looks were different—predatory. These were the eyes of hunters watching their prey.
Right. This was the situation Mythos Academy always found itself in. We weren't just another academy competing for prestige. We were the benchmark, the top target, the ones to beat. For the other academies, it wasn't enough to win; they needed to bring Mythos Academy down.
I couldn't help but smile.
This was going to be more fun than I had anticipated.
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