148: Chapter 148 Lin Fan Makes a Move
After the referee's inspection, he announced:
Even with the protection of a magic tool, the Water-element Mage remained unconscious, though fortunately, there were no serious injuries.
With that, Xishan Magic Academy emerged victorious.
The entire stadium erupted in cheers.
The Xishan students jumped excitedly, shouting the Wind-element Mage's name at the top of their lungs.
After all, their academy had ranked twenty-second in the previous competition.
Meanwhile, Gongzheng was ranked fourteenth; the gap between them was substantial.
The Wind-element Mage walked off the field with pride and returned to his seat;
The Water-element Mage was carried off by the referee and handed over to his teacher.
The next pair of academies was immediately called onto the field.
Arcane Magic Academy VS Storm Magic Academy!
As the sky gradually darkened toward evening, many academies had completed their matches.
Finally, it was Longwei Magic Academy's turn.
As the tenth match ended, Lin Fan had already stood up.
Without waiting for Teacher Xu Linjiao's guidance, he walked straight down from the stands.
Before he left, the Vice Principal called out to him, wishing him luck.
The Longwei students followed suit, offering their encouragement one after another.
Lin Fan ignored them entirely, hands in his pockets, walking down at a leisurely pace.
Qiao Liya, Luo Zhongheng, Liu Yingjun, and Feng Zheng watched his departing figure with varied expressions.
“Do you guys think he can win?”
Qiao Liya's tone was filled with worry.
“Hard to say. He was indeed invincible during the academy's internal matches, but the opponents here are different,”
Luo Zhongheng analyzed rationally.
“Exactly. The opponent is Heishan Magic Academy; they will definitely send out their strongest student for the individual matches. All the academies that went before did the same,”
Liu Yingjun added.
“Lin Fan is the first First-Order Mage in the individual matches. Can his Space Element really allow him to defeat a Tier 2 Mage across a rank gap?”
Qiao Liya turned to Luo Zhongheng, asking if he had the confidence to defeat Lin Fan, who possessed the Space Element.
After all, now that Su Linlin was gone,
He was the only Tier 2 Mage left in the academy.
Luo Zhongheng thought for a moment and replied:
“I don't know much about the Space Element, but Telekinesis Control should have a range limit. If I maintain a long-distance attack, I might be able to win.”
“But like I said, I don't understand the Space Element well, so I'm not sure. However, his opponent this time is from Heishan; even if I were a Tier 2 Mage, a win wouldn't be guaranteed.”
After hearing Luo Zhongheng's words, everyone felt they made sense.
No matter how strong the Space Element was, Tier 1 Spells were ultimately limited.
If Lin Fan's opponent knew to maintain distance and use long-range attacks, wouldn't he fall into a passive position?
At this thought, most people began to worry, clasping their hands and silently praying for Lin Fan's victory.
If he lost, the academy would be completely out of the running.
Even if Luo Zhongheng and the others won the next group match, it wouldn't matter—not to mention that their chances in that match were already slim to begin with.
Yang Yong glanced at the panicked students.
Looking toward Lin Fan, who had already stepped onto the field, a disdainful sneer appeared on his face.
“That kid is bound to lose; he’s good for nothing.”
He let out a cold snort.
The surrounding teachers and the Vice Principal glanced at him briefly without speaking, each harboring their own thoughts.
The Vice Principal's gaze fell upon the black-haired youth on the field, carrying a hint of expectation.
Inside the arena, Lin Fan's opponent stood across from him...
A burly male student whose black uniform was stretched tight over muscles that looked ready to burst at any moment.
The two were ten meters apart.
The referee stood to the side, looking at the two with a strange expression.
A Tier 2 Mage against a First-Order Mage?
What is wrong with this academy?
Up until now,
all individual match contestants had been Tier 2; Lin Fan was the first Tier 1.
The audience also began to gossip:
“Does this academy not have any other Tier 2 Mages?”
“The opponent is a full rank higher; what’s the point of sending him up there?”
Relying on his exceptional hearing,
Lin Fan heard these words clearly, yet his expression remained calm. He even gave a faint smile, his hands still tucked in his pockets.
He tilted his head toward the stands, his gaze accurately locking onto his parents and sister.
They were sitting together with the members of the adventurer team.
Yao Dong, Aunt Mi Xue, Fang Lu, and the others were all present.
Noticing his gaze,
the group immediately made gestures of encouragement.
His father gave a proud thumbs-up, while his mother and sister were shouting loudly.
Their voices should have been drowned out by the clamor of the stadium, yet Lin Fan heard them clearly.
“Don't get hurt! If you can't win, just forfeit!”
his mother shouted.
Clearly, she had also heard the surrounding discussions and felt her son had no chance against a higher-ranked opponent.
Meanwhile, his sister shouted:
“Go for it, Big Brother! I know you will definitely win!”
Lin Fan's smile deepened as he turned his gaze to the other side...
The seating area for Void Magic Academy.
His eyes collided with a pair of brown eyes that were filled with shock.
It was Su Linlin.
The moment she made eye contact with Lin Fan, she sucked in a cold breath.
Seeing the provocative expression on his face,
her face twisted, nearly exploding with rage.
“Su Linlin, do you know him?”
A student beside her noticed her abnormality and spoke calmly,
glancing at Lin Fan in the arena at the same time.
“He's from my former academy.”
Su Linlin averted her gaze.
“It seems you two have a history. A pity he's bound to lose this match; you won't get a chance to settle it,”
the boy said. Su Linlin did not respond.
The boy said no more and looked back at the arena.
He was one of the two Summoners on the Void Magic Academy representative team.
“Interesting. A First-Order Mage who can make Su Linlin this angry just by showing up is definitely not simple,”
he thought to himself.
In the arena, the referee announced the start of the match.
Lin Fan and his opponent continued to stare at each other without saying a word.
The entire stadium fell silent, waiting for the next development.
The tall boy from Heishan looked down at Lin Fan from his height.
His gaze was sharp, falling on Lin Fan's hands which were still in his pockets.
“Just surrender. I have no interest in bullying someone weaker than me,”
he said arrogantly.
Lin Fan didn't answer, merely looking at him quietly.
This attitude completely infuriated the other party.
The burly boy suddenly erupted with the pressure of a Tier 2 Mage, fierce winds sweeping out in all directions.
Even so, Lin Fan's expression remained unchanged.
The boy felt that this weak First-Order Mage was looking down on him.
“Fine, don't blame me for being ruthless!”
The boy roared and immediately summoned stars.
Purple stars emerged one after another around him.
It was the thunder element!
The audience broke into an uproar.
The hearts of the people from Longwei Magic Academy leaped into their throats.
They looked at Lin Fan, whose hands were still in his pockets.
Why isn't he moving yet?!
Just as the Lightning Mage gathered all his stars and was about to connect them to construct a Star Array,
Lin Fan leisurely pulled a hand out of his left pocket, his palm facing the opponent.
Silver-white stars emerged around his body.
In less than a second, they constructed a Star Array, the casting speed shocking the entire stadium.
Even the teachers and students from Longwei were stunned.
The Lightning Mage's pupils constricted as he finally understood why Lin Fan's cloak was silver-white...
He was a Space Element mage!
But it was too late to react now.
Lin Fan raised his hand in a grasping motion and said softly:
“Telekinesis Control.”
In an instant,
the Lightning Mage felt a massive force wrap around his body, tightening fiercely as if it were going to crush him.
Immediately after, his entire body was lifted off the ground.
His breathing became heavy, and sharp pains radiated from his bones, though it was still within tolerable limits.