NOVGO.NET Chapter 278 : Chapter 278
Chapter 278
Many revival items worked by capturing a person’s soul before it dissipated after death, replicating their body, and reinserting the soul to revive them.
But the Nightmare Beast world’s powerful magnetic field could extract a deceased person’s resentment from their soul, turning them into a Nightmare Beast. A soul stripped of resentment was incomplete, rendering revival items useless.
The revival items I had suffered from this flaw. Destiny’s organization had some without this issue, but they were rare and single-use, best saved. So, rather than relying on revival items, I preferred not getting into trouble here.
“Teacher, do you have an item to teleport me back to the academy directly?” I quietly asked Lei Ze’en at the back of the line as we headed to the Nightmare Beast world.
Hearing this, Lei Ze’en raised an eyebrow. Meng Huai had specifically warned him about me, urging him to keep a close eye on me and gather the entire S-Class if I vanished suddenly.
With such a warning, my request seemed intriguing. Lei Ze’en asked bluntly: “Did you foresee something with your ability?”
I thought for a moment and didn’t hide it: “This exam won’t be peaceful.”
Lei Ze’en wasn’t surprised. Taking so many novice ability users to the Nightmare Beast world—peace would be a miracle. For this final exam, Endless Ability Academy had mobilized fully, with various items and him assisting. Students’ safety should be assured.
But my demeanor suggested the danger would affect us, or I wouldn’t seek a safety guarantee.
“Can you see what the danger is? Or who’s behind it?” Lei Ze’en frowned, pressing further.
I shook my head. I was just deducing from manga tropes. Everyone’s Destiny Compasses were normal, offering no clues. But I was certain this exam wouldn’t go smoothly—Zhou Renjie’s flag guaranteed it.
Lei Ze’en sighed: “Alright, I understand. Here.”
He pulled a round paper from his satchel, adorned with an array, small and almost cute.
As I took it, he explained: “This is my homemade teleportation item. Tear it to return to the academy instantly. But if there’s a seal nearby, it might fail.”
That’s why he had to come along. Items could be countered, but as a [Teleportation] ability user, few things could stop him. His presence was safer than any item.
“Do I need to make one for the rest of the class?” Lei Ze’en asked hesitantly. The paper he gave me was a one-off creation. Making more for S-Class would take significant time and mental energy.
“No need,” I stopped him firmly.
Joking aside! If everyone in S-Class had one, it’d be useless. The author would surely nerf it. Only when rare would it work.
Though I might not need it, I wanted it as a precaution. For a safety net to work, it had to be effective. If everyone had it, it’d lose its edge.
Facing Lei Ze’en’s puzzled look, I coughed guiltily: “It’d be useless for them.”
My words were selfish but logical. Jiang Tianming and the others would get caught up regardless of having it.
I said only that, refusing to explain why it wouldn’t help others. Lei Ze’en, unsure why I was secretive, sensed I wasn’t lying and didn’t press.
He looked worriedly at the slow-moving line to the Nightmare Beast world, sighing silently and instructing Class Monitor Mu Tieren: “I’m going to report to the principal. Don’t wander after entering. Stick with the group. I’ll find you soon.”
Mu Tieren nodded seriously: “Got it, Teacher. I’ll keep everyone in line.”
As the only non-troublemaker in S-Class, his promise was more convincing. Lei Ze’en patted his shoulder, satisfied, and left.
As he left, Qi Huang curiously approached: “What’d you say to the teacher?”
She’d seen me talking to Lei Ze’en at the line’s end, prompting his sudden decision to see the principal. It had to be significant.
“Said this exam won’t be calm,” I replied lazily. “Ready for a Nightmare Beast world deathmatch, friends?”
It’d either be Black Flash stirring trouble or Nightmare Beasts themselves. Either way, the protagonists would be targeted, so calling it a deathmatch was fair.
My words drew everyone’s attention. A deathmatch sounded dangerous. But when they pressed, I refused to elaborate.
Only Feng Lan stayed silent, glancing at me before using his ability to prophesy. Moments later, he opened his eyes, his face grim.
Notably, using [Prophecy] for vague outcomes was now easier. No need for meditation—just mental energy, and a premonition would arise. But detailed visions remained complex.
Seeing his expression, Jiang Tianming frowned: “Is it bad?”
“Very bad,” Feng Lan nodded, feeling intense danger.
Zhao Xiaoyu tensed: “Then let’s tell the teacher to stop the exam. If it’s so dangerous, what if something happens?”
She was mainly worried for herself, not wanting to die in an exam.
Jiang Tianming shook his head rationally, not for adventure: “Let’s wait for Teacher Lei’s response. Knowing Su Bei’s prophecy, he’ll likely urge the academy to cancel.”
I didn’t stop their attempt but knew the academy wouldn’t halt the exam—otherwise, what would the author draw?
Soon, Lei Ze’en returned, his expression lighter than before. Seeing everyone’s gaze, knowing they’d heard my prophecy, he smiled reassuringly: “No worries. The academy hired the world’s top defense ability user. Stay in the exam area, and you’ll be safe.”
Jiang Tianming and others were confused, but those familiar with the ability world, like me, guessed who he meant.
Ai Baozhu’s eyes widened: “Teacher, you mean Lady Yuliya?”
“That’s her,” Lei Ze’en nodded, smiling. “The academy spared no expense. Feel safe now?”
“Totally!” Ai Baozhu clutched her chest, excited. “Can I meet Lady Yuliya? A signature would be amazing!”
As a defense ability user, Ai Baozhu idolized the world’s top defender, a total fangirl.
Not just her—Zhou Renjie, also defensive, was thrilled. Si Zhaohua, Qi Huang, and Feng Lan, less excited, were still surprised.
Lei Ze’en understood her excitement but shrugged helplessly: “I don’t know. I just learned she was hired.”
“Who’s Lady Yuliya?” Zhao Xiaoyu asked, searching the ability user website.
Ai Baozhu proudly introduced: “A defense ability user with [Death Graveyard]. It’s appeared historically, used as a special attack ability. Only Yuliya pioneered its defensive use. Within her graveyard’s range, anyone dying can revive indefinitely with mental energy. It’s the strongest defense ability!”
Indeed, that’s why Yuliya was the top defender. Her ability’s development was ingenious. [Death Graveyard] seemed like an attack ability, like Jiang Tianming’s [Death Summon].
But Yuliya defied convention, turning it defensive, maximizing its potential. As long as her mental energy lasted, anyone dying in her range could revive.
Her [Death Graveyard] covered a city-sized area, and she was a high-level mental energy user.
Her most famous feat was protecting an entire city during a Nightmare Beast invasion, keeping everyone alive until help arrived.
I knew her well because Destiny’s database had classified info: her ability could revive herself, but destroying her dedicated graveyard before revival would kill her permanently.
Since it involved revival, I’d paid attention.
Knowing Endless Ability Academy hired Yuliya, Feng Lan didn’t relax—his frown deepened: “If she’s here, why do I still sense danger?”
His question stunned everyone. With such a powerful defender, how could he foresee danger?
Lei Ze’en suddenly asked: “Is the danger for everyone in the Nightmare Beast world or just you?”
“It’s likely just me,” Feng Lan gave a third answer. “I didn’t prophesy others’ fates, but I saw a dangerous scene.”
“Can you use [Prophecy] fully now?” Lei Ze’en asked, familiar with his ability.
Feng Lan shook his head, refusing: “No, it involves me.”
Pausing, he moved forward with the line, then explained: “If I want to change my future, I can’t prophesy too deeply.”
Prophecy could trap the user, especially with [Prophecy] as his ability. Predicting his own fate required caution, or he’d fall into destiny’s vortex.
By not using [Prophecy] further, he could skip the exam and likely avoid the danger. But deeper prophecy might bring danger even if he skipped, fulfilling the prediction.
Lei Ze’en, a seasoned teacher, understood, nodding: “I see.”
He got Feng Lan’s reasoning—not inability, but safety. He wouldn’t force him, asking considerately: “Want to request leave? If it’s just one or two, the academy won’t refuse.”
He knew why the academy insisted on the Nightmare Beast world exam and hired Yuliya. Feng Lan’s ability wouldn’t help their goal, so his absence was fine.
“…Yes,” Feng Lan hesitated, then nodded, opting out. He had to prioritize himself and his family. A qualified prophet wouldn’t risk danger knowingly—Feng Family’s first lesson.
Lei Ze’en wasn’t surprised, leaving to process his leave. He pondered Feng Lan’s words about sensing personal danger.
This suggested two possibilities: only Feng Lan faced danger, or others did too. The second had sub-possibilities: either Yuliya couldn’t handle the danger, or students left her defense range.
With another team, Lei Ze’en wouldn’t think this. But leading this S-Class, known troublemakers, he, Meng Huai’s close friend, knew their nature too well.
Upon returning, he sternly warned the group entering the Nightmare Beast world: “Stay within [Death Graveyard]’s range during the exam. If you must leave, tell a teacher. Understood?”
Everyone nodded obediently, putting on a good show.
Entering the Nightmare Beast world, none were first-timers, so there was no shock. Prepared, they weren’t fazed, though their moods soured. But they were already tense, so it didn’t matter much.
They teleported to a stronghold Endless Ability Academy built in the Nightmare Beast world. Establishing a safe zone here was tough—only major powers like the academy or government could manage.
On the safe zone’s clearing, they lined up as before. Director Li, with a microphone, announced: “We’ll now distribute exam requirements and tasks. After receiving your rule sheet, go to the corresponding color area, line up, and follow your lead teacher to the exam.”
Teachers distributed rule sheets by name using abilities. I grabbed the red sheet floating before me, detailing the special track’s rules.
Walking to the red area, I read. The special track’s task was simple: kill 100 Nightmare Beasts of any strength and collect their blood.
Nightmare Beast blood was mostly useless—toxic, inedible, needed only by specific ability users. Others discarded it as waste.
“Collect Nightmare Beast blood?” Most in the red area had read the rules, discussing them.
With me were Ling You and Ai Baozhu, both confused. Ai Baozhu exclaimed: “Isn’t this targeting me?”
As a defense ability user, collecting blood was hard enough, let alone killing 100 Nightmare Beasts.
In the real world, killing 100 low-level Nightmare Beasts was easy. Despite her defense ability, she was an S-Class student, her physical skills enough to handle low-level beasts.
But in the Nightmare Beast world, beasts were much stronger. Killing many low-level ones would attract mid or high-level ones, making 100 a tough task for her.
Seeing her distress, I reread the rules, then looked up: “The rules don’t ban teamwork.”
Her eyes widened, as did Ling You’s. Her light purple eyes met my amused deep purple ones, silently asking, “We can do that?”
Ai Baozhu, less reserved, lit up after a moment’s shock: “You’re right! The academy didn’t ban teamwork!”
Normally, final exams were individual, and helping was cheating. But since the rules didn’t prohibit teamwork, they could interpret it as allowed.
If the academy criticized them later, it was their oversight. At worst, they’d retake the exam, not lose scores.
With help, Ai Baozhu wasn’t worried. Ling You or I could easily kill Nightmare Beasts, letting her coast.
“But how do we collect the blood?” Ling You asked calmly, regaining composure.
They’d learned to drain Nightmare Beast blood, as it was toxic and needed removal to eat the meat in the wild. The academy taught Different Space survival, so even fastidious Ai Baozhu could drain blood with gloves.
But draining one or two versus 100 was vastly different. The latter was daunting to even think about.
Ai Baozhu crossed her arms, eyes full of disdain: “I’m not draining 100 Nightmare Beasts one by one. If there’s no better way, I’d rather skip this exam.”
Though the Ai family valued grades, they weren’t rigid. They prioritized results over blind academic success. This exam’s odd task, stepping on her cleanliness obsession, would likely be seen as absurd by her parents. Skipping might earn a brief scolding, nothing more.
But despite her words, she looked anxious. In this country, exams were paramount. If she could pass with good scores, no one wanted to skip.
“Think about containers first,” I said, lacking a good solution. I could drain blood cleanly with a Gear slicing major arteries, but 100 beasts? That’d take ages!
On containers, we fell into thought. The rules required proof of killing and draining 100 Nightmare Beasts.
Proving kills was easy, but proving drainage meant bringing the blood. A container for 100 beasts’ blood would be huge, and none of us carried such things. The rules demanded physical evidence, so teammates or lie-detection abilities couldn’t substitute, leaving us stalled.
“If we could compress the blood,” Ai Baozhu sighed, thinking wildly, “we’d pack it into a small block and let the academy test it.”
Her idea was feasible. Though we lacked such abilities, someone here might have them.
But her words sparked another thought. I realized the exam’s purpose. Endless Ability Academy was going all out to eliminate meteorite fragments.