NOVEL NEXT Chapter 74: Morals
All too soon, lunch break was over.
"Hope we meet again soon." Damien Bloodbane said to Athena and smiled in goodbye.
"Of course we will, big brother! Much sooner than you think." Athena smiled back at him radiantly. "And goodbye to you, Miss Jiang."
"Hmmm." Jiang Xiao Yu nodded at Athena calmly.
The first years gathered at the training field precisely on time.
No one wanted to risk being late again.
Not after the morning simulation of drone-induced suffering.
"If they were that tough during training," one student whispered, "just how crazy would they be if they had to punish us?"
"Do you think they'd drop us in lava?"
"Lava would be merciful."
The field buzzed with nerves and whispering as the students formed lines under the blazing sun.
Then, Professor Kong Hu stepped forward, arms behind his back, his presence silencing the entire field instantly.
"The Devil is here." Several first years thought with dread in their hearts.
"We have guests," Professor Kong Hu said simply.
The students stiffened.
From behind him, a portal shimmered open with a soft hum of foreign mana—sleek, refined, and dangerously stable.
Seven figures stepped through.
The field went dead silent for a moment, then came the gasps.
They moved like veterans, calm, collected and loose.
Their uniforms were a sleek black-and-silver, bearing the golden eagle crest of Harvard National University—HNU, the pride of American magical education.
Each of them radiated strength.
Their mana signatures were all stable at an extremely high level.
"Holy crap," someone whispered. "They're all B-rank."
The first years instinctively stood straighter. A few tried to adjust their uniforms like that would help somehow.
The first of the seven was tall, dark-skinned, and built like a soldier carved from obsidian. His expression was unreadable, and his slow, measured walk made it feel like he didn't need to rush. You'd come to him.
"Blake Johnson." He said in introduction.
"Okay, that one definitely crushes mana stones with his bare hands," someone muttered.
Behind him walked a silver-haired girl whose every step was too smooth—almost unnatural. Her eyes scanned the field like a hawk, and she didn't blink the entire time she walked.
"Vanessa Smith."
"Is it just me, or do her footsteps not make any sound?"
"She's like… terrifyingly graceful. Like if an assassin took ballet."
Next was a literal wall of muscle, easily over two meters tall, carrying a tower shield on his back that looked like it had been repurposed from a bunker door. He had a blank, peaceful look on his face… which only made it worse.
"He looks like he could take a bus to the face and apologize to the bus."
"Why is his neck wider than my thighs?"
"Jason Park." He said in a deep voice.
Then came a pair of twins girls—both dark-skinned and identical in every way, from the spark of lightning and wind crackling at their fingertips to the exact rhythm of their stride. They didn't look left or right, just forward. Perfect sync.
"They move like they're one person with two bodies."
"Zara."
"Zoe"
Fifth in line was a guy with messy brown hair, half-lidded eyes, and an energy bar dangling from his mouth. He looked bored. He yawned mid-step. His mana, however, pulsed like a ticking time bomb under his skin.
"Do not be fooled. That is the face of a man who will erase your memories because you interrupted his nap."
"Why is the sleepy one scarier than the tank?"
"Felix Crane." He said in otherworldly voice.
And finally—
Golden hair tied in a high ponytail, eyes bright, stride light but self-assured. Her uniform looked like it had been styled for a fashion shoot, and the sun seemed to bounce off her just a little too perfectly.
"Helloo! My name is Athena!! Don't mind us when we beat your asses! Hee hee!" Athena then gave Damien Bloodbane a wink from across the field.
The first year boys responded with a roar of pleasant surprise.
"She winked at me! Hua hua hua! I knew it! My lucky charm hello kitty underpants worked!"
"Dumbass! She obviously winked at me! And what the hell? You're wearing hello kitty underpants?!"
"Oh my god. She's a fairy!"
Damien Bloodbane gave her a look that could only be translated as: And you didn't tell me. Don't call me brother ever again!
Jiang Xiao Yu, standing nearby, said nothing. But her eyes followed Athena with just a little more focus than usual.
Professor Kong Hu's voice cut through the buzz like a blade.
"HNU has sent a delegation of seven elite students to Pearl for joint training this week. They are here to observe, to spar, and to test your limits. Treat them as you would your classmates."
Several students gulped.
"Some of you will be selected for sparring matches this afternoon. Names will be posted shortly."
Immediately, panic swept the lines.
"I'm not emotionally ready to get disassembled by someone with glowing arms!"
"Do you think if I fake a leg injury I can get out of this?"
"I'm suddenly allergic to Americans. It's a medical condition."
"Damn it! I forgot to process my transfer to the Culinary Division!"
Meanwhile, Damien Bloodbane remained calm. He glanced toward the HNU team once more, his eyes briefly locking with Athena's.
She gave him a subtle two-finger salute and mouthed, Watch your ass, brother!
He shook his head, almost smiling.
This week just got a lot more interesting.
The sun beat down on the training field as tension buzzed like static in the air.
Professor Kong Hu unrolled a scroll and tapped it once. A massive projection of shimmering text formed in the sky, hovering above the field.
JOINT TRAINING ACTIVITY 01: GROUP BRAWL
Objective: Seven-person team brawl. Last team standing wins.
Rules: Mana allowed. No lethal spells. Field boundaries enforced. Anyone leaving the zone is disqualified.
Start Time: 10 minutes. Group yourselves. Now.
For two seconds, no one moved.
Then…
Chaos.
Students exploded into motion, yelling, grabbing, running, and frantically trying to form the most survivable combination of seven.
"I need a tank! I NEED A TANK!"
"You're a fire mage, I'm a water mage, we'll just cancel each other out!"
"Zhao Rui, you're already taken?! TRAITOR!"
"Who has healing?! Who here has morals and healing?"