novelraw Chapter 222: The Illusion of Limits
Chapter 222: The Illusion of Limits
[Arena.]
The whole audience were silent, staring at the massive holographic screen in absolute disbelief. The collective breath of millions seemed to hitch as the image of the vanished Blood Moon lingered in their minds.
"That was a spirit summon?" The old man muttered in shock, his trembling hands gripping the edge of his seat. In the established lore of Galaxy Fall, a Spirit Summon was a manifestation of pure energy and soul-force, usually bound by the rigid level constraints of the caster. To summon an entity capable of casually swatting aside a primordial beast defied every known law of the world.
"I don’t still understand something, if a Spirit summon is this strong, how strong Is the Summoner?" A lady asked a very important question, voicing the mathematical impossibility echoing in everyone’s minds.
"That’s a good question... That summon is a Lv500, but the Summoner is only Lv300 plus, there is only one explanation to this, she is already a Lv500 and hid her level." A man exclaimed in disbelief.
Everyone turned to the man with a slight frown. Mirabella was from Earth, an outsider to the Empires, and they all knew that fact. It hasn’t been six months she arrived at Galaxy Fall; then how did she become a Lv500 fighter? The experience points required to cross the Lv400 threshold alone usually took decades of grinding through high-tier dungeons.
"No matter her level, it makes no difference..." The young man beside Regina said with a smile, causing her to turn towards him with a frown.
"Mirabella is strong, that’s indeed true, then why did she withdraw her summon? She can simply use her to wipe out the sword empire’s students."
"What are you implying?" Regina asked with a slight frown, her protective instincts over Mirabella flaring up.
"You saw it. The three Masters interfered... A mage won’t be able to hold such a powerful summon for a long time, which means her spirit energy pool is dried up." He smiled at her, practically laying out a stat sheet in his mind: "She won’t be able to summon the spirit summon again to fight... Or even use a powerful skill." He added.
To maintain a Lv500 entity in the material plane cost thousands of spirit energy per second. By his logic, Mirabella had bankrupted her reserves just to make a show of force.
"Just shut up and watch, you don’t know Mirabella." Regina snapped, turning her head back to the screen, her words stunning the young man. She knew better than to apply standard logic to a girl who consistently shattered the world’s ceiling.
’What did I say wrong? Everything I said is just the natural way, then why is she angry?’ He thought in confusion.
___
[Sword Empire Royal’s Room.]
The emperor and his children stared at the frozen Nadia, who was staring at the screen in pure disbelief. As a Master Teacher, her appraisal skills were passively active, reading the residual energy signatures transmitted through the Arena’s feed.
’This? That lady isn’t a spirit summon!! I can’t detect her energy from here, but I just know it!!’ She clenched her fists, her manicured nails biting into her palms. A true spirit summon possessed a distinct soul-tether, a lifeline connecting it back to the caster’s core. Luigi had possessed no such tether; her energy was entirely autonomous, heavy, and ancient.
’I know Mirabella isn’t hiding her strength or anything, she is only Lv330! I am sure of that!! That lady isn’t a summon!’ She gritted her teeth, her face filled with rage at the blatant circumvention of reality.
’Even my pet was knocked away with a single wave of her hand! Who really is that lady?!! How can Mirabella have such a helper! No... If Jessica continues her plan, she will surely end up dead.’ She exhaled. Even knowing the truth—that the Dragon Empire had somehow smuggled an apocalyptic, sentient entity into the exam under the guise of a familiar—she couldn’t say anything...
...With one single word, Hayatobi and the whole audience will turn on her. They would demand an investigation, which would inevitably expose her own manipulation of the rules by gifting Jessica the Black Scale Wyvern. It was a cold war of cheating, and Mirabella had just dropped a nuclear weapon. She wasn’t ready for that headache.
She closed her eyes, navigating her interface, and sent an encrypted, high-priority message to Jessica.
"Hmm... Dad, who is Adira?" The Prince suddenly asked, his innocent question causing Nadia to snap her eyes open.
She turned around towards the Prince: "Yes! Who was that Adira?!" She yelled, her frustration boiling over. The sudden introduction of a second invisible entity was maddening.
"Please calm down, Aunty... Adira said she is one of Mirabella’s spirit summons." Carolina explained in a calm tone, a small, knowing smile playing on her elegant face.
Nadia turned to the Princess, a slight frown on her face: ’Why is this girl smiling? Don’t tell me she...’ Nadia exhaled, realizing the tide was shifting rapidly, and the Sword Empire’s prized vanguard was hopelessly outmatched.
"After the first round, all sword empire’s academy students must not go against Mirabella in the remaining rounds... We should focus on the competition." She announced, laying down an absolute decree. The three royals nodded their heads in understanding; survival had just taken priority over pride.
___
[Dragon Empire Royal’s Room.]
Hayatobi sat back down in his lavish chair, the tension bleeding out of his shoulders, and nodded his head lightly. He didn’t care about the logistics of spirit energy pools or spirit tethers. He only cared about results.
’Mirabella is just full of surprises... Forget it, at least we are winning.’ He thought, allowing himself a rare, genuine smile.
_____
[Southern Region - Some Moments ago.]
Mirabella stared at the translucent blue system screen floating before her for some seconds, reviewing the massive influx of competition points and the passive experience ticking upward. She nodded her head: ’Good progress.’
She waved her hand, dismissing the digital interface into a shower of light particles, closing the screen.
DING!
Mirabella paused, staring at the sleek, metallic Galaxy bracelet on her wrist as a notification icon blinked urgently. "This is the second time I have received a message through my Galaxy bracelet." She muttered, and tapped the only button on it.
’I wonder why Lord Hayatobi sent me a telepathic message.’
The Master Teacher’s voice flooded her mind, frantic and laced with static: ’Mirabella, what are you doing?!! Why is someone attacking Jessica and her team? She kept on yelling that you’re her Master! Think of a way out, fast!! You should know receiving external help is against the rule!! Handle this issue.’
"....?!"
Mirabella was stunned. In the entirety of the Southern Region, there was only one being arrogant, overpowered, and devoted enough to boldly pull a stunt like that. Cupcake and Adira were safely tucked away in her spiritual domain, so...
’Adira.’ She called inward, realizing her newly acquired angel was currently unsupervised.
BOOM!!!
A catastrophic shockwave rattled the very foundations of the map. Mirabella turned her head to the north, her enhanced vision catching the terrifying distortion of reality as a huge red moon appeared in the daytime sky, bleeding killing intent across the horizon.
’Are you kidding me?! Adira! Listen up!!’ She commanded through their mental link, her mind racing to formulate a cover story that would satisfy the tournament’s strict oversight.
’I am here, Master.’ Adira said, appearing before Mirabella.