Chapter 148: The Might of Charm
A familiar system prompt sounded in Jia Na's mind, but looking at the content on the task panel, Jia Na's face couldn't help but stiffen.
"Ranked first in this assessment? This is only a blue-level task?"
But after only a moment's pause, Jia Na quickly closed the character panel and refocused her attention on Losia-Haige.
"One, disposable Witchcraft items and Witchcraft equipment exceeding the normal range of magic power are not allowed. If you want to store items, you can use the nameplates on your bodies as temporary spatial items."
"Two, the assessment time is forty-eight hours. If anyone applies to withdraw during this period, they can directly activate the nameplates on their bodies."
"Three, apprentices can attack each other, and there are no restrictions on the use of any Witchcraft. When facing Life danger, say the two keywords 'surrender', and the Secret Realm will automatically eject you."
"Four, the tongue of each Swamp Magic Frog counts as one credit; the nameplates dropped from other apprentices can count as ten credits."
"Five, for every hour spent in the Secret Realm, you can increase your credits by fifty."
"Besides these, other rules in the Secret Realm will be explored by yourselves. Also, if you don't want to die inside, remember to practice the password until it's familiar, don't fail to shout it out until you die."
After listening to Losia-Haige explain all the rules, the atmosphere on the scene became somewhat heavy.
After all, this was a trial assessment where people could genuinely lose their lives. Although one could exit the Secret Realm by shouting the password, that also meant being forever out of the running for the final assessment reward—
"If there are no other questions, jump down."
Hearing such a straightforward start, everyone couldn't help but be slightly stunned. However, Jia Na, who had already done her homework in advance, immediately flew and jumped into the silver vortex, followed closely by Vivian next to her.
Not just the two of them, the Black Bone Forest Apprentices, who had the home-field advantage, were also quick-witted, all turning into afterimages and rapidly leaping into the bottomless silver vortex—
"Whoosh—"
The rushing water flow, the silvery-white color filling the eyes, and the constant influx of putrid stench into the nostrils, after about ten seconds, Jia Na, who was the first to jump into the silver vortex, finally saw the scene inside the Secret Realm clearly.
"Is this the Swamp Secret Realm—"
Endless emerald green bushes and rugged trees of varying heights. Feeling the shallow or deep mud under her feet, in just an instant, as Jia Na's feet were about to sink into the swamp, emerald green butterfly wings quickly spread from Jia Na's back.
With a light touch of her toes, Jia Na, flapping her wings, easily escaped the Swallowing of the swamp and landed on a relatively thick tree.
"By my will, I command you, summon—Celestial Sparrow."
"By my will, I command you, summon—Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon."
As the contract magic circle appeared before Jia Na, the Celestial Sparrow and Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon, who had already received the mental command, immediately flew to Jia Na's side.
Accompanied by a flash of milky white light, a "Sacred Blessing" containing purifying power flew out from the white jade on the Celestial Sparrow's forehead and entered Jia Na's body.
Afterward, the Celestial Sparrow thoughtfully set up a Purification barrier, enveloping Jia Na and itself within it.
Meanwhile, the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon naturally didn't idle. It also cast a mirror illusion, transforming Jia Na's figure into a common tree found everywhere in the Swamp Secret Realm, completing the concealment of her whereabouts.
"Master, this place is filled with the stench of Curse and dark sun contamination. If we don't find a way to leave, Afu's Purification barrier probably won't last much longer."
"Curse and dark sun contamination?"
Hearing the Celestial Sparrow's words, and recalling the matter of sacrificing apprentices that happened in Black Bone Forest a few months ago,
Jia Na's heart immediately became vigilant.
"The dark sun contamination you mentioned, is it dark sun contamination?"
"No, it's more like an artificial dark sun contamination simulated with dark attribute magic power."
"What about the Curse?"
"It's also a Curse cast by humans, and they are all chronic Curses."
Hearing the Celestial Sparrow's explanation, Jia Na felt relieved instead.
Since this dark sun contamination was unrelated to the Dark Sun Church, it must have been done intentionally by Black Bone Forest.
As for the specific reason, Jia Na guessed it was a method Black Bone Forest used to increase the difficulty of the assessment.
"Silver Mirror, remember to maintain the mirror illusion throughout, don't let others discover us."
"Okay, Master (serious face)."
Flap—With a light flutter of her butterfly wings, since she didn't find a second apprentice teleported here in the vicinity, it meant that,
Jia Na's current situation was relatively safe.
According to Richard-Eva, the location where each apprentice was teleported to in the Secret Realm during the "Three-School Joint Examination" was completely random.
Therefore, to avoid being ambushed, Richard-Eva suggested Jia Na enter the Secret Realm first. Doing so would allow her to understand the surrounding environment in advance and also reduce the risk of the assessment. With the idea of keeping a low profile and developing in the early stages, Jia Na began to investigate the surrounding environment under the concealment of the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon's illusion.
After all, to get more credits, Jia Na also had to find the Growth area of the Swamp Magic Frogs to complete the hunt.
"Swamp Magic Frogs generally live in aquatic environments, so finding a swampy area is key—"
Bang—Just as Jia Na was carefully searching for a water area under the concealment of the mirror illusion, suddenly, a black shadow rapidly pounced towards Jia Na's direction.
"Swish—"
Light and shadow flickered. Just as the black shadow was about to pounce, the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon immediately activated 【Short-Range Teleportation】, moving Jia Na to a position five meters to the back right.
"You escaped quite fast."
As the black shadow was exposed, Jia Na finally saw the true appearance of the attacker.
"It's a Black Bone Forest Apprentice."
A height close to 1.9 meters, a bald head, a flat nose, inverted triangular eyes, plus the left half of his face almost covered by strange black totem tattoos. A male apprentice who could be described as thoroughly vicious was glaring fiercely at Jia Na's location.
Bang bang bang bang—Another iron fist carrying a smell of earth struck. Without any hesitation, an emerald green protective barrier immediately condensed before Jia Na.
His fist moved with his body. At the moment his fist hit the 【Flourishing Flower Guardian】 barrier, the seemingly fragile barrier showed no signs of breaking.
It was just that the opponent's strength was too great, causing Jia Na's body to retreat rapidly, like a kite with a broken string.
Such a hard shield.
Although he could see through the illusion, because the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon's illusion was too strong, the Black Wizard Apprentice couldn't fully see Jia Na's true face. However, his keen sense of smell reminded him that even though the opponent had taken a punch from him, she was still completely unharmed.
Thump—
Jia Na retreated about ten meters before hitting a thick tree, finally dissipating the terrifying force on the barrier.
Although her vital energy was somewhat turbulent, under the defense of the 【Flourishing Flower Guardian】, which had reached the upper limit of the "Three-level Wizard Apprentice" level, the opponent did not break Jia Na's defense.
"Silver Mirror, there is no need to maintain the illusion anymore."
Looking at the thick, dark black triangular scales covering the male apprentice's arm, which was as thick as Jia Na's waist, plus a pair of deep green vertical pupils like gemstones—and the bizarre ability that could completely see through the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon's illusion, from these points alone, Jia Na could roughly deduce that the opponent should be a Bloodline Side Wizard Apprentice with 【Barrier Breaking】 ability.
And this ability was completely the nemesis of creatures like the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon, who were skilled in illusion magic.
"Hmm? It's a female apprentice? This is interesting."
As the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon's continuously consuming illusion was removed, a slender figure wearing a wide Wizard hood
appeared clearly in the eyes of the Black Wizard Apprentice.
Seeing this, Watson, known as the "Butcher" in the Turin Mercenary Guild, showed no intention of cherishing any beauty. He immediately pushed the Bloodline power of the 【Barrier Breaking Blood Crocodile】 to the extreme, raised his massive fist covered in black scales, and launched another full-force strike towards the seemingly frail figure opposite him.
"My favorite people to kill are weak female apprentices like you—"
His fist shadow was like the wind. Looking at the opponent's approaching figure and the cruel, twisted smile on his face, Jia Na's eyes slightly moved. While continuing to condense the 【Flourishing Flower Guardian】, a slender, fair hand gently removed the wide Wizard hood from her head.
In an instant, her smooth black hair danced in the wind, and a delicate face, as if carved by a deity, appeared clearly in the eyes of the Butcher Watson.
"Mind, Charm—"