Chapter 164: Absolute First Place
The outstanding performance of the Thorn Flower Fairy and Flame Guardian in the team battle made the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon, who was guarding by Jia Na's side, eager to try as well.
"You have more important things to do."
Watching the continuously decreasing number of people in the team battle, Jia Na, who had re-hidden herself within the mirror illusion, quickly flapped the butterfly wings on her back and flew towards a nearby bush.
"Plant Vision—"
Chanting a spell, under the dual exploration of Plant Vision and Mental Perception, Jia Na quickly found the Black Wizard Apprentice hiding in the bush.
It was still the three-move combo of Spore Parasitism + Vine Entanglement + Soul Lash. For the Black Wizard Apprentices who were already hiding because of the Curse and injuries from the melee, Jia Na didn't expend much effort at all. Under the cover of the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon, she completed the collection of nameplates without anyone noticing. "Master, that foul smell is coming again."
Moving like a swimming dragon, shifting and changing shape. Just as Jia Na's figure was moving like a ghost within the bushes, the Celestial Sparrow's voice suddenly sounded in her mind.
"Compared to the previous times?"
"It's weaker."
The foul smell that the Celestial Sparrow mentioned was naturally the Curse contamination within the secret realm.
Calculating the remaining time in the secret realm, Jia Na deduced that this was likely the final round of the Curse for this assessment.
"Finally, it's the final circle—"
Whoosh! Accompanied by a gust of wind carrying the smell of earth, large patches of light purple mist quickly spread around.
Just as the Celestial Sparrow said, the "Curse contamination" that had just reached the core area was far less potent than in the outer circle. If a normal apprentice had disease rot fruit, they could still hold on for another thirty minutes without a problem.
However, for those apprentices who no longer had disease rot fruit and whose physical condition was on the verge of collapse, the final wave of "Curse contamination" was like the last straw that broke the camel's back. Amidst wails of agony, they all chose to withdraw from the secret realm.
"Good opportunity!"
Under the support of the Celestial Sparrow's Purification barrier, Jia Na's condition was completely unaffected. Seeing the nameplates falling one after another, Jia Na immediately used her level 29 Wizard's Hand to quickly snatch the nameplates.
"Silver Mirror, there!"
A sharp Soul Shriek sounded from Jia Na's mouth. The whip condensed, and combined with the Hundred-Eyed Mirror Demon's Short-Range Teleportation, Jia Na, in her full state, almost forcefully snatched the nameplates with a devastating momentum.
"Senior, I'll take this nameplate."
Under Jia Na's precise control, the emerald green Wizard's Hand quickly split into several slender small hands, each only the size of a normal palm.
Like emerald green butterflies flitting through the bushes, in just the blink of an eye, the nameplate that had fallen in front of Hugh-Stone the previous second was firmly caught by a small Wizard's Hand the next second.
"It's okay, feel free."
Looking at Jia Na, who had a smile on her face, and Vivian and Maluo-Haige, who were standing by Jia Na's side, subtly in a protective stance, Hugh-Stone, who was smiling bitterly, realized without knowing it that within the secret realm where only a few people remained, he had become the lone one—
"Jia Na, take these."
As the power of the Curse grew stronger, the number of people within the secret realm had also sharply decreased to around ten.
Moreover, most of the remaining people were apprentices who had reserves of disease rot fruit and had reached the peak of the Second-level Wizard Apprentice stage.
Just like Vivian and Maluo-Haige, it was purely because of Jia Na's intentional help that they were able to persevere until now.
"What do you mean by this?"
Looking at the approximately one hundred and fifty Swamp Magic Frog tongues that Vivian handed over, Jia Na's brows couldn't help but furrow slightly.
"Of course, it's the literal meaning—don't worry, even if I take these things, I won't be able to get into the top ten.
Instead of wasting them on me, it's better to give them to you."
"Vivian, is this the first day you've known me—"
"I don't care, you have to listen to me this time!"
As soon as she finished speaking, without even giving Jia Na time to react, Vivian, whose attitude was unusually resolute this time, directly stuffed the items into Jia Na's wizard robe and quickly activated the nameplate.
"You must get first place for me—"
The abruptly stopped sound still echoed in Jia Na's ears. Looking at the soft Swamp Magic Frog tongues inside the wizard robe,
and the nameplate that Vivian had dropped on the ground, Jia Na's downcast eyes showed no emotion.
"So foolish—"
"Do you think I can't get first place without these things of yours—"
Since Jia Na and Vivian met in the secret realm, their interactions and communication had actually not been much.
Only when Jia Na was purifying the Curse for Vivian for free did they exchange a few hurried words. Other than that, Jia Na's attention was entirely focused on the matter of "collecting nameplates," with no time to spare for anything else.
It was precisely because of Jia Na's attitude that Vivian began to think about how she could help Jia Na without being noticed by the other party.
However, after much deliberation, Vivian realized that with her current strength, trying to help secretly was simply unrealistic.
Fortunately, she didn't care about anything else and just did it openly.
After all, from Vivian's perspective, the reason Jia Na cared so much about the ranking of the Three-School Joint Examination,
was simply for the generous rewards after the assessment and the academy's subsequent resources.
And as the eldest daughter of the Rose Family, what Vivian lacked the least was resources.
"Miss Jia Na, I feel very honored to be your teammate this time."
Seeing Vivian leave, Maluo-Haige, who was by her side, also bowed elegantly. He didn't say much else, but under Jia Na's gaze, he slowly activated his nameplate and similarly left the secret realm, timing his departure.
"Actually, there was no need—"
Looking at the nameplates that Maluo-Haige had dropped on the ground, Jia Na, who had accepted their kindness in her heart, used her Wizard's Hand to solemnly put away the two nameplates on the ground.
"It seems that Miss Jia Na's Charm is much higher than I imagined."
Looking at the increasingly dense poisonous fog and miasma around them, Hugh-Stone, whose face was a little green, sincerely sighed.
"Actually, my strength is also quite good—Senior, would you like to try?"
"Haha, let's forget it—"
With a laugh, looking at Jia Na's playful expression with a hidden meaning, Hugh-Stone, who understood, immediately raised his shield and looked at the few Black Bone Forest Apprentices who were still struggling not far away.
"Consider yourselves unlucky—"
"Crackle—"
The vortex reversed, the tide surged.
After about ten seconds, accompanied by a strong silver light, after a long period of forty-eight hours, Jia Na finally returned to the mercury space again.
"It seems that the first place in this assessment has already appeared—"