While the crowd's enthusiasm was heating up, Principal Xiao wasted no time and got straight to the point: "Today is the time for you to showcase your abilities. Let's welcome the seven main stars of the day—new students from the Summoning Department!"
Initially, many freshmen may have wanted to keep a low profile during the Beast Battling Tournament, thinking they should lay low since it was their first day at university. But after hearing Principal Xiao's speech, those thoughts were gone. Everyone was ready for action.
These students had already outperformed all local competition during their high school magic exams. Why would they hold back now?
Resources weren't going to be handed out to those who stayed quiet. This university thrived on fierce competition. Whether for personal gain or just a few moments of glory, everyone was buzzing with excitement.
Amidst the cheers, Mo Fan and his fellow students stepped forward onto the main stage.
"Many of you might be wondering—why should the Summoning Department freshmen get all the attention?" Principal Xiao's voice boomed. "Well, don't worry. If you can defeat them, you'll be the true stars of today!"
The crowd erupted in excitement, especially the new students, eager to jump into the ring and prove themselves.
"Which one of you will go first?" Principal Xiao asked, smiling at the seven students from the Summoning Department.
"I'll go! These guys think they can use our summoned beasts to boost their own fame. I'll make sure they leave this arena face down!" Hai Dafu said confidently, stepping forward without hesitation.
"Alright, it's all yours."
Hai Dafu strode to the center of the arena, where a long line of students eagerly awaited their turn to challenge. He glanced at the students at the front of the line, who were bickering over who should go first.
Without missing a beat, Hai Dafu arrogantly suggested they all come at him together.
His summoned beast, the White Armored Battle Scorpion, was a mid-level servant beast. With its strength, Hai Dafu managed to defeat about fifteen challengers single-handedly.
After him, the other summoning students took their turns.
Next up was Wang Liting, who summoned a Bone Corpse Demon, a fierce flying servant beast. He easily took down a group of students, then arrogantly taunted, "Who's next?!"
Many students from other departments ground their teeth in frustration at his cocky attitude. But nobody was eager to challenge the Bone Corpse Demon after seeing its power.
Then came Fatty Luo Song from the Earth Element Department. Hearing about the Summoning Department's resource allocation, Luo Song became interested.
He wasn't here just for resources; Luo Song came to Pearl University to make a name for himself. With the chance now in front of him, he wasn't going to pass it up.
Luo Song strode into the arena alone. When Mo Fan saw him enter, he was a bit surprised.
Back during the magic exams, when Mo Fan's Wolf Beast passed the test, he didn't encounter this fool. But now, here he was, eager for the spotlight.
Clearly, Luo Song was the kind of person who loved to show off. After all, why else would he choose Pearl University when he could have gone to the Imperial Capital's Magic University?
It was obvious—he didn't want to be just another genius in a sea of them. He wanted to stand out.
Too bad he underestimated one thing: Pearl University wasn't lacking in talent either.
As the Bone Corpse Demon hovered over the arrogant Luo Song, Wang Liting stared him down, grinning, "Hey, fatty. You know what my Bone Corpse Demon loves most? Someone like you, nice and plump!"
"And do you know what happens when a block of ice falls from thirty meters? How many pieces do you think your Summon will shatters into?" Luo Song asked casually, seemingly amused.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Wang Liting frowned, confused. He commanded his Bone Corpse Demon to attack.
"You'd better pray your Bone Corpse Demon has strong bones. Otherwise, you'll have a lot of work cleaning up its remains." Luo Song said in a haughty tone.
With that, Luo Song closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the entire arena was filled with an overwhelming chill.
Suddenly, frost appeared on the ground, first as scattered flakes, then quickly spreading into a solid sheet of ice around Luo Song.
"Ice Chains!"
Luo Song's star pattern completed, and beneath his now frozen feet, a brilliant icy-white star pattern glowed. Immense power surged from Luo Song, spreading outward from his position.
With a shout, the frozen ground shattered! From the cracks, thick chains of ice shot upward.
In an instant, Wang Liting and his Bone Corpse Demon were struck down. If the Bone-Eating Demon hadn't been so sturdy, Wang Liting would have been left with nothing but a pile of bones.
Who would have thought that this seemingly unremarkable fat guy was actually a mid-tier mage? And not just any mid-tier mage—he could cast mid-tier spells with ease!
The entire arena was left in shock. Most students were still just beginners; very few had progressed to the mid-tier.
The battle was over in no time, but the crowd's astonished murmurs didn't die down.
They had all witnessed the overwhelming power of mid-tier magic. The Bone Corpse Demon, feared by many, was taken down like trash.
"You all should come at me together." Luo Song said, pointing to the remaining summoning students, exuding an air of superiority.
The other students stepped up, but like the others, they were quickly defeated.
Now, only Mo Fan remained.
"There's only one summoner left? I never expected to see a mid-tier mage at this Beast Battling Tournament." someone in the crowd muttered.
"Yeah, the last summoner doesn't stand a chance against Luo Song."
"We were hoping to show off a bit too, but this guy stole all the thunder."
After taking down five summoners, Luo Song's gaze locked onto Mo Fan, the last one standing. He had overheard the crowd, but he wasn't here for the Summoning Department's resources.
He was here for fame.
Looking at Mo Fan, he sneered, "What, you still want to play the hero, country bumpkin?"
Luo Song had called out for them to fight together earlier, but Mo Fan didn't join in. Clearly, this guy just wanted his own moment in the spotlight.
But showing off required strength, and not everyone had Luo Song's power. In his mind, no one could rival him, especially among the new students—even some older students couldn't match his mid-tier prowess.
(End of Chapter)