novelraw Chapter 25 : Seven Schools Training
Chapter 25 : Seven Schools Training
The day of the training match.
The competing teams gathered at the jump entrance of the Western Wood Crater energy field.
After scanning the energy field's basic information at the entrance, the competition personnel were sequentially transported into the energy field with the assistance of the energy field management office.
Around the Western Wood Crater were rescue teams composed of the energy field management office and the border military inspection team.
Inside the sharp-pointed monitoring tower stood a ring-shaped light screen, displaying the miniature monitoring devices in the energy field, capable of capturing scenes from various locations and tracking students from each academy.
Chen Sui sat with Yan Mingyu on the long bench in front of Star Academy Seven's image.
Yan Mingyu looked at her, asking with gratified eyes: "How does the awakening period feel?"
Chen Sui raised her eyebrows: "Seems like I don't feel anything?"
She said uncertainly, making Yan Mingyu laugh: "Few awaiting awakeners are as relaxed as you, but that's right, don't have any pressure."
"When you took the entrance examination, Qiao Ji was very attentive," saying this, Yan Mingyu explained: "Qiao Ji, do you remember? She was the academic affairs duty teacher for your entrance examination. The night of your examination, when submitting the results, she was afraid that because the interstellar nomad channel had been without applicants for so long, the school leadership wouldn't pay attention. She insisted on waiting until the results came out before she would leave work."
Chen Sui was surprised, not knowing there was such a story behind it, "Then, I'm really grateful to her."
Yan Mingyu laughed cheerfully: "Haha, if you want to thank her, try to participate in next year's Star League Competition. She's been seconded to the Star League Competition rescue team. If you have the chance, you can tell her in person then."
Chen Sui nodded obediently, then answered a few more of Yan Mingyu's questions about her studies.
However, their conversation didn't last long; soon, the image on Star Academy Seven's light screen shifted.
Entering the interior of the Western Wood Crater from the jump entrance required passing through a narrow underground tunnel, leading to a group of enormous craters.
A series of huge crater holes like meteorites, surrounded by towering rock walls, with small ecosystems formed at the bottom of the craters - continuous forests and undulating hills.
At each intersection of the crater caves was a nearly vertical, steep mountain wall.
The most distinctive feature of the Western Wood Crater was its random collapses.
From gentle ground to towering mountain edges, even caves in the mountain walls might randomly collapse.
This collapsing terrain type added many difficulties to searching within the energy field.
After the school team entered the crater, Tong Wei released her energy body.
The Linglingcat floated obediently in front of her, its long tail circling her wrist, its amber-like eyes emitting a faint glow in the light-scarce crater. Golden light points circled around it, then slowly rotated around it.
This was the analyst's method of checking energy fluctuations, able to measure energy levels through spiritual threshold extension.
The most suitable placement for energy monitoring equipment must be at the location with the lowest energy concentration in the energy field, ensuring that energy detection signals spread from low to high throughout the field, rapidly monitoring fluctuation changes.
With Linglingcat leading the way, they quickly moved from the crater's edge to the inner ring area, encountering lower-level energy bodies along the way, all of which were resolved by the mechas.
Until, in an outer ring crater, while traversing a penetrating cave inside the crater, an anomaly suddenly occurred.
The mountain peak had a narrow passage penetrating from inside to outside, with nine-turn, twisting traverses. The cave's interior rock walls were covered with moist mucus. When the mecha's lighting illuminated them, a layer of purple mucus on the rock walls glistened brightly, looking particularly disgusting.
Chen Sui saw Zhou Chen make a vomiting expression, then raise his glazed eyes to look at the rock wall, holding back his nausea.
"What is this stuff, ugh------so disgusting, this smell......"
A thick rotting odor emanated from inside the rock wall, like the smell of long-dead animal carcasses decomposing, steamed out by hot air in scorching weather.
Xie Chunshi glanced at him, reminding the others: "Deceptive gas, remember to summon your spiritual bodies, use energy isolation."
Gu Qinxue frowned tightly, only her etiquette education preventing her from vomiting ungracefully.
She coldly summoned her spiritual body, Xuebai.
The long-eared rabbit didn't have her good temperament. Upon appearing, it rolled up the whites of its three eyes, dramatically making a 'yuck' gesture, its long ears frantically swaying in the air.
A layer of red light spread from it outward, enveloping itself and its mecha-wearing master.
The deceptive gas would release different smells, causing people to feel intense discomfort.
Chen Sui saw the school team all summon their spiritual bodies to move in sync.
Xie Chunshi still had just one mecha, leading the way alone, but with an additional, inconspicuous blue water film surrounding him.
With the help of spiritual bodies, the school team quickly escaped the influence of the harsh environment, moving rapidly toward the exit.
However, an accident suddenly occurred.
Tong Wei, who was detecting energy fluctuations, didn't even have time to inform the others of the energy concentration change before hearing a barely audible 'crack' from the rocks ahead.
Linglingcat's long tail suddenly tapped on the back of her hand, and Tong Wei immediately reacted. A 'be careful' was still in her throat, not yet uttered, when she saw the rock under the feet of Puluo, Gu Qinxue, and others ahead of her plummet downward in an instant.
Tong Wei urgently halted her steps, a few pebbles kicked from under her feet, rolling forward, following the ground as it collapsed with a rumble.
"Boom------"
"Holy sh------"
The rocks tumbled, the ground collapsed, a circular pit appeared.
Puluo and the other two, except for Xie Chunshi leading the way at the front, all fell.
The moment Gu Qinxue fell, she immediately drew out a long blade from her mecha, the sharp metal tip inserted into the rock wall below, trying to use the immense friction with the rock wall to counter the falling gravity.
But the rock wall's soil was exceptionally soft, easily penetrated, with no resistance felt at all, even making one wonder if this part of the ground would continue to collapse.
Seeing this, Zhou Chen, who was about to curse, also inserted his weapon into the wall, quickly discovering why Gu Qinxue had that cold expression.
"F*ck, what kind of shoddy construction is this?"
Their forms continued to fall rapidly, but suddenly a column of water poured down from above.
The water flow adhered to the rock wall, quickly enveloping the three mechas.
The water column rotated upward, throwing the mechas onto the flat ground, then spinning smaller and smaller until it merged into the air.
Zhou Chen turned to look at the ground, the pit continuing to sink, the mountain interior nearly hollowed out. He was about to complain when he noticed the ground shaking, with cracks of various sizes appearing on all sides of the tunnel, spreading rapidly from the pit below.
"The mountain is about to collapse," Xie Chunshi calmly stated, "Let's get out first."
Puluo was the first to rise, grabbing Tong Wei, then quickly following Xie Chunshi's leaping mecha silhouette.
Gu Qinxue wasn't far behind, her figure rapidly speeding along, a red light drawing a flame trail in the air.
"Wait for me!" Zhou Chen was a step slow, chasing after the people in front.
Debris was already falling from the rock walls, making heavy impact sounds as it collided with the mechas' metal. The entire mountain shook violently, like an earthquake, requiring careful footing when landing to avoid falling.
Because of spiritual body value enhancement, their original high speed increased several times, swiftly passing through the tunnel.
At the tunnel's end, cracks had completely shattered the rock, with the dim light of the crater shining through the gaps. Just as the mechas flashed out, the ground they had just stepped on rapidly plunged downward, hitting the ground with flying debris.
The mechas stopped at a central plain surrounded by mountain ranges, turning to see the entire mountain shaking, splitting open with an exaggerated crack in the middle, as if forcefully cleaved, like a melon cut in half, with something rising from underground.
The rocky mountainside completely shattered, instantly turning a high mountain into countless divided rock blocks.
"Alert."
Xie Chunshi uttered two words, drawing his energy gun, the four-sided gun hole pitch-black, a cold light flashing, illuminating his somewhat indifferent brows and eyes.
The mountain peak shook, and in the moment of fragmentation, it revealed the monster beneath.
A soft-bodied creature larger than the mountain rose from the stone pile.
Its skin shimmered with an oily light, most of its body upright, only a section of its tail supporting it on the ground. Its body appeared soft, twisting into various shapes, pushing away the rocks in front, with some earth-yellow spikes on its back, looking like an enlarged earthworm.
On its extremely round, huge head, no facial features were visible except for two small black circular dots. On top of its head were two antennae with numerous fleshy spikes.
Tong Wei recalled its image information from her mind:
"Earth slug, S-class energy body, earth attribute, low attack value."
Xie Chunshi nodded, listening to the surrounding sounds, imperceptibly furrowing his brow, "End the battle quickly."
He heard unusual energy fluctuations, which would undoubtedly be teams from other academies.
Zhou Chen's expression immediately became solemn, the irritation on his face quickly replaced by gravity. Behind him, Black Arrow Hawk spread its long wings, its black feathers like heavy, cold metal, its pitch-black eagle eyes coldly gazing forward, surrounded by intangible wind, the spiritual body displaying an enormous form.
Gu Qinxue stood on his right, raising her right hand, Xuebai jumping onto her palm. The red eye on the three-eyed rabbit's forehead was completely suffused with blood color, with a layer of fiery-red patterns extending around the eyes, its three eyes jointly shrouded by a flame totem.
The spiritual body and master established resonance in an instant.
The first to leave the original position was Gu Qinxue.
The cold mecha flashed out, the flames igniting on its body lighting the surrounding wind, leaving a trail of scorching heat.
The energy cannon was drawn out, its muzzle aimed at the slug's smooth head. When the gun fired, it carried a shell of flame energy, falling through the air like a fireball.
The flames quickly penetrated the top of the slug's head, blasting a huge crater, almost taking off half its head.
The energy-charged flames around burned the flesh, emitting the smell of charred carbon.
The slug, just awakened and attacked, was momentarily stunned, only coming to its senses when the flames scorched, suddenly slamming its head hard against the ground.
Yellow-brown energy clusters floated from the soil, adhering to the wound, quickly extinguishing the jumping flames, then the wound visibly healed.
"Defense 75, regeneration 3."
Tong Wei sensed the energy fluctuations, quickly providing information.
Just as she finished speaking, the slug in front suddenly thrashed its body heavily on the ground.
Then the mountains on the surrounding ground began to collapse one after another, the sound of mountain collapse like continuous, thunderous roars crashing on the ground.
The Fourth Ring Sixth Academy team, arriving a step behind, had just entered the rock-encircled plain, witnessing the mountain splitting scene. Surrounding rocks began to fall in a controlled manner toward the crowd.
Rock clusters began to float, then bombarded the ground and mechas indiscriminately.
Fourth Ring Sixth Academy had just arrived and was busy avoiding the falling meteorites.
Black Arrow Hawk circled in the sky, suddenly screeching as the rocks gathered and fell.
"Boom!"
A silver lightning bolt emitted from Black Arrow Hawk, the meandering snake-like lightning rapidly spreading, shattering the meteorites about to fall on the ground, also splitting the rocks in front of Gu Qinxue, allowing her to escape quickly.
Fourth Ring Sixth Academy Team Leader Cang Jing saw Gu Qinxue flash back, immediately standing together with the Star Academy Seven school team.
Black Arrow Hawk flew toward the slug against the howling wind, lightning striking at intervals, creating streaks of cracks on the ground.
The surrounding rocks blown out by the energy body were turned into harmless sand grains under the powerful lightning net.
"Your Zhu Jing Fu, how long have you been in here, to create such a big scene?"
Cang Jing wiped the sweat from his head, fist-bumped with Zhou Chen, and began chatting.
Zhou Chen was still busy with his mental strength connecting to Black Arrow Hawk approaching the slug, temporarily without much energy for conversation.
"Long story, after we finish, Little Zhou will tell you the story. Are you joining in?"
He nodded upward, indicating for Sixth Academy to join.
But Cang Jing instinctively turned his head, looking at the external mecha at the rear of the team.
Xie Chunshi's low-profile black mecha almost merged into the darkness, the air in the shadows carrying a certain dampness, instinctively making one alert.
"Commander Xie, how do we count the energy crystal?"
Star Academy Seven could certainly handle it themselves, but with energy bodies, it was a matter of finders keepers. They couldn't dominate by letting Sixth Academy just watch them take it, so it was better for both sides to join forces for a quick resolution.
"Whoever gets it keeps it."
Xie Chunshi replied indifferently.
Hearing this, Cang Jing immediately became interested.
That was an S-class energy crystal, though not impressive in the Star League Competition, it could still be auctioned, or at least be worthwhile for analyst training.
Cang Jing summoned his spiritual body, and as the flowing wind blew past, his figure disappeared from the spot, leaving only a teasing, challenging voice.
"Zhou Chen, let's see who gets the crystal first. Last time I lost, this time I want a comeback!"
Hearing this, Zhou Chen's competitive spirit rose, Black Arrow Hawk already circling above the slug, its shrill cry attracting its master's attention. He quickly drove his mecha, rapidly flashing close to the slug's position: "Then you're definitely going to lose!"
Gu Qinxue coldly glanced at them, her tone indifferent: "So childish."
But she also injected Xuebai's flame energy into the energy cannon, her figure leaping among the collapsing mountain ridges.
With the outputs charging, Puluo and the Sixth Academy infantry had no reason to stay put either.
The two infantry quickly approached the energy body. Due to their low agility attributes, they often caught glimpses of each other on the way, watching each other with some vigilance.
Puluo was experienced in drawing aggro. Little Jin's mushroom cap swayed, like an opened umbrella, attaching to the outside of the energy shield. Golden energy particles formed a honey-like golden-yellow warm light on the surface, with the scent of energy wafting over.
This caused the slug buried in the soil to extend its antennae, then raise its round head.
Food...
Puluo pressed the attack, quickly firing several energy projectiles around, enticing the slug to move along the trajectory of the energy projectiles.
Seeing this, the Sixth Academy infantry also drew out his energy device, unwilling to be outdone.
The Sixth Academy infantry's energy supply was at maximum, but this slug wasn't too bright, actually mistaking the energy from another direction as coming from Puluo. The scent of food grew stronger, making its movement speed more urgent.
As a result, he found he had made a useless effort, confusedly shaking his gun.
"What's the deal, do you even know who the big spender is?"
Wasn't his released energy much more than Puluo's?!
Puluo laughed heartily, raising his hand to thank the Sixth Academy warrior: "Thanks, brother!"
Seeing the monster drawn, Tong Wei quickly followed, releasing her spiritual threshold under Puluo's energy shield.
Linglingcat hung in the air, the tip of its long tail flashing with a point of light, phosphorescence spreading around it into a layer of light mist, slowly filling the space.
The analyst's spiritual threshold detection of energy fluctuations had always been the most accurate tool, and current energy monitoring instruments were mostly built based on spiritual threshold detection.
Tong Wei's spiritual threshold was larger than the Sixth Academy analyst's, locking onto a position before the slug arrived.
"Abdominal segment up 7, down 11, depth 4, deviation about 1 meter."
She was referring to the energy crystal's position.
The abdominal segment area was 7 meters from the top, 11 meters from the bottom, 4 meters into the flesh, with an energy fluctuation detection deviation of about 1 meter. When extracting the energy crystal, it was recommended to spread the wound by 1 meter.
Puluo nodded, quickly pushing Tong Wei away before the slug got close, then gripping his energy shield and turning swiftly on the spot, rapidly flashing his figure, making the slug following him move quickly too.
The energy body keenly sensed the threat, suddenly stopping, immediately turning its head, twisting and moving in another direction.
Puluo: "?"
"What's going on?"
Cang Jing, watching this scene, sighed: "This guy, he's really a coward."
As soon as it sensed something was off, it wanted to run away.
But unfortunately.
He raised his hand, the surrounding wind blades converging into a giant blade with a sheath, hovering in mid-air with howling winds.
"Don't let a duck that's already in hand escape."
Cang Jing aimed at the energy crystal's position, the giant blade suddenly rotating rapidly following his movement, accompanied by his exoskeleton creating a fierce wind pressure approaching.
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
"It's already late, do you need to go back to your room to rest?"
Outside the arena, Yan Mingyu asked. She could stay up herself without issue, but Chen Sui was in her awakening period, and adequate sleep was beneficial for spiritual threshold accumulation.
Chen Sui nodded, but showed no intention of leaving, responding: "I'll go to sleep right away!"