Is It Weird for a Guy to Apply to a Witch School?-Chapter 532 -

Chapter 532: Shop Manager Xia Li's [Transcendent Knowledge]

A long time had passed.

“I’m truly sorry for delaying Big Sis Natalie for so long. Then, we’ll be heading back now.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. That was a great clash of ideas. Don’t worry. Once I complete the Book in the Casket you envisioned, I’ll notify you immediately. Although the exact completion time is uncertain, I will try my best to hand it over to you before this holiday ends!”

“Then thank you, Big Sis Natalie.”

“It’s nothing, it’s nothing. Keep in touch afterward. I’ll notify you as soon as there are any problems or significant progress.”

“Mmm!”

After bidding farewell to Natalie, the customization of my book was more or less settled.

The Book in the Casket as originally designed by Natalie was in the shape of a book, encased by a specialized box designed to hold it.

The original intention was for the outer casing to protect the book body.

And the focus of this Book in the Casket was only designed on the book itself.

Just as Rola Lucerne had said, the two biggest selling points of this book were "Spell Resonance" and "Sealing Spell."

Spell Resonance was one of its core functions as a Magical Artifact to augment spellcasting, and based on this core, many other augmentation effects could be derived.

As for the Sealing Spell, it was described as Storage Equipment… which was pretty close.

According to what Teacher Natalie called "Collecting," it was actually using the inner pages of the book as a sealing medium.

Its original purpose was to seal powerful Spells or physical entities.

But with her research into the Sealing Spell, she managed to play new tricks with this ability.

Using the Sealing Spell as the core Spell, it could seal multiple Spell effects.

What did this represent?

From the perspective of Spell sealing, it could seal a single Spell attack that far exceeded the caster's own strength limit.

As long as a powerhouse cooperated with the Sealing Spell, then by releasing the seal during a confrontation, the enemy would face the powerful attack of that Spell.

Unfortunately, this gameplay was one-time use, and the sealing process would also involve some depletion, but there was no limit to the number of inner pages that could be sealed!

So, without connections and a network, this kind of weapon really wouldn’t be effective.

But what did this have to do with me, who had already begun to mingle in the circle of Transcendent Witches?

Therefore, the Book in the Casket as a weapon, in some ways, was somewhat similar to an alchemical item with a Solidified Spell.

Although spellcasting was more flexible, it was also more troublesome.

However, this ability also led to a less troublesome method, which was sealing Elemental Energy.

Relying on the Sealing Spell to harness the Elements could cause an absolute outpouring of energy, which was also a terrifying method.

In short, it was the kind of weapon that had many uses as long as one's mind was creative.

This sealing process was what Natalie called Collecting.

The multi-functional integration of the Book in the Casket was built upon a massive foundation, making it an existence with an extremely high upper limit and an extremely low lower limit.

And from the perspective of physical sealing, which was the collection of weapons, the collected weapons could choose to have their actual physical bodies released from the seal, which was equivalent to an alternative form of "Storage."

This was also the part criticized by Rola Lucerne.

What was the difference between this and carrying so many weapons with Storage Equipment?

The reason why Natalie confidently refuted this was naturally that her application of the Sealing Spell Collection Technique had already exceeded the framework of the Sealing Spell itself.

After a weapon was collected, the user could also choose to have a copy of the collected weapon appear instead of the actual physical body.

Although the weapon copies also had many drawbacks, such as lower strength than the original and the inability to perfectly replicate special effects, and so on.

But at least the original body would not be damaged, and it could even lead to the ideal situation of multiple copies of the weapon appearing for coordinated firepower coverage.

For some weapons whose special effects could not be perfectly replicated by the copy, they could be returned to her for targeted collection, allowing the copy to possess special effects nearly identical to the original, though it was a bit more troublesome, but it was worth it since it wasn't a one-time thing.

In addition, the copy weapons could also be augmented with Super Consumption weapon augmentation spells.

Reinforcement spells that would normally damage the weapon itself could be used, which could allow for extreme damage to be unleashed in a short time without damaging the original body.

It could be said to have both advantages and disadvantages.

With some of my suggestions that followed, parts of the Book in the Casket's design would likely undergo major revisions.

However, based on my short time interacting with Natalie, she would probably try her best to keep all the original designs due to philosophical differences.

And my requirements were very simple, just two: when the book was drawn from the Casket, I could reason with the opponent; when the book was put into the Casket, I could reason with the enemy physically.

Therefore, the parts that needed major revision were the book cover and the Casket.

The overall design form needed to be convenient for grasping and swinging.

The design of the outer Casket was transformed from the original concept of protecting the book to one that could inflict massive physical damage on the enemy while still protecting the book.

The Spell augmentation of the book also underwent an update.

After all, this design was from a long time ago, and even Natalie herself thought some ideas were relatively naive, so even if I didn't mention it, she would update it.

Of course, the reason why she was so proactive in further perfecting it was… to fleece Academy Head Mei Linde.

Looking at the material consumption required for the overall design of this book, even before it was completely finalized… she already felt a surge of embarrassment about fleecing the Academy Head, but who told that Mei Linde to say she would give Little Han the best?

She was merely following orders!

Besides, she wasn't using her own things; she was just using these materials to create a weapon.

However, even if the final product wasn't her own, she still acquired the properties and characteristics of the materials, collected data on the materials, expanded her horizons, gained an opportunity to practice, and watching the new finished product showcase its brilliance in her own hands brought an unparalleled sense of accomplishment.

For this, she was willing to dedicate all her energy, just to complete a work that was previously unfinished and unacknowledged.

Even with her current vision as an Alchemist Master, she could see how flawed the previous design was, but she didn't care at all.

Some things had a value that far exceeded their inherent worth, just like this Book in the Casket.

Because what she was manufacturing was not just a simple weapon, but her former innocent fantasy.

And after leaving Natalie’s Alchemy room, I also felt much more relaxed.

Thinking back now, some decisions seemed impulsive.

I felt I could have done better, but so what?

How did the cost of doing better compare with the final return?

Perhaps only a perfectionist would not bother with such gains and losses.

“Little Han, you’re really planning to use a book to smash people?”

Big Sis Bai said to me with a light laugh at this moment.

“That’s right. Isn’t it interesting to let the enemy experience how much knowledge weighs and how much it hurts? I wonder what kind of surprise Natalie will give me then.”

I rubbed my hands and said with some anticipation.

“Little Han, you’re just like a child looking forward to a new toy now.”

“This is called maintaining your original intention, alright?”

Of course, the most important thing was that I truly mastered a kind of "Power of Knowledge" now.

The manifestation of that energy truly suited a book-shaped weapon.

“Good, good, good Maintaining your original intention.”

…

The Bakery Club.

“Don’t you think you members of the Wan Shi Wu Club are too greedy?”

Xia Li looked at the several people in front of her, her face extremely unpleasant.

“We don’t think so, Xia Li. Those words shouldn't come from your mouth. You know better than us how you obtained that Crown of Absolute Zero. It’s an old tradition of your Bakery Club, isn’t it?”

The several people standing opposite Xia Li were naturally members of the Wan Shi Wu Club that Xia Li referred to.

Their purpose for coming this time was naturally the item she just mentioned, that crown.

This was a negotiation, but so far, this negotiation was not harmonious, because Xia Li’s face changed as soon as the Wan Shi Wu Club mentioned the crown earlier.

As a result, this exchange lasted for at least half an hour without any progress, even affecting the business of the Bakery Club, although there were not many customers visiting during the holidays anyway.

“I also snatched it through my own strength. That is an honor the Academy must acknowledge. What right do you have to ask for it?”

Xia Li gave no ground, her tone very strong, even bringing up the Academy.

She naturally had her own confidence, otherwise, how could her Bakery Club guard a piece of [Transcendent Knowledge]?

Or… strictly speaking, it was a fragment of [Transcendent Knowledge], but its value was far beyond what a Spellbook could compare with.

“Xia Li, I know your selfish intentions. That crown can’t fully utilize its potential in your hands, so you want to entrust it to someone worthy of it. Now, the overall situation of the world is about to rise, and even the Academy is no longer concealing the Struggle for Destiny…”

“Can you not talk about this useless nonsense?”

“I know the person you have in mind. Tan Han, right? How about fair competition?”

“Is this fair? And when did I say I was going to give it to Tan Han?”

Xia Li gritted her teeth and asked.

She hated people making decisions for her!

“If not Tan Han, who would you give it to? Little Han, the Child of Destiny who gave up her Destiny? I admit her genius, but so what?”

“You have no right to talk about Little Han like that. Little Han is already a Teaching Assistant!”

“Again, so what? No matter how powerful she is, she is still someone who is unqualified. The Struggle for Destiny is about the mandate of heaven, not the supremacy of power.”

“So, this matter can't be resolved peacefully today, right?”

Xia Li narrowed her eyes, ready to make a move at any time.

Ying Shiqian and Tang Yihan on the side were protecting the first-year girls who were working part-time here, but they were also prepared for a conflict.

Conflicts were common in Witch Academy.

Sometimes, when a matter was irreconcilable, the Disciplinary Squad might not even be able to intervene, and the only resolution would be to persuade the conflicting parties to the Open-air Arena for a compliant conflict.

“No, I think we can still sit down and talk. You were the ones who took a confrontational stance from the beginning, which made us feel helpless. We are here to cooperate, not to plunder. Besides, you don't want to fight, do you? Even if you don't think for yourselves, you should think for those first-year girls behind you.”

“Shameless!”

“That is your ingrained impression of our Wan Shi Wu Club. I don't bother to explain. We came here with sincerity. I think we are only one negotiation table away from reaching cooperation.”

Since the conversation had reached this point, Xia Li also softened a bit.

This was the result of her internal self-conflict, but she was still unwilling.

“Julianna… she was your former mentor, right?”

Seeing a hint of hesitation flash in Xia Li's eyes, she added another bargaining chip.

“Hmph, you know quite a bit.”

“She is leaving.”

The five short words spoken by the girl from the Wan Shi Wu Club immediately made Xia Li’s pupils contract!

“Impossible!”

“Nothing is impossible. It’s just a normal reassignment. It seems you haven’t contacted your mentor for a long time? What a pity.”

“She has no reason to leave voluntarily!”

“Is that so? Then let me tell you something… According to sewer rumors, our world is about to undergo a change, just like the doomsday theory being promoted externally. There are shadows of the Transcendent Academies in it. I’ve said enough. Believe it or not, it’s up to you.”

The other party did not continue speaking, giving Xia Li space to think and calm down.

Without the protection of her former mentor, this would become a vulnerability for her ownership of [Transcendent Knowledge].

Even though she had acquired it "legitimately" back then, she was now guilty of "possessing a treasure."

The other party was banking on this!

“No… we still have Little Han…”

“Please don’t make me laugh. Little Han, whom you keep talking about, what care have you given her? Did you give her a part-time job that paid a few dozen yuan an hour, or a Cleaning Spell Spellbook? I heard she came to your Bakery Club not long ago, but she wasn’t even willing to notify you and meet you… Please, tell me again, who else do you have?”

The other party sneered, recounting the facts one by one, without reservation.

The final rhetorical question pierced her heart like a checkmate.

The intelligence network of the Wan Shi Wu Club was very well-informed in Witch Academy.

And this completely became the last straw that broke Xia Li’s spirit.

She truly wanted to refute that Little Han was just like that… she just hated trouble and disliked troubling others… but she knew she had no right to say that…

She hadn’t even received the reward she had promised Little Han after the exchange competition…

All signs and the self-inflicted mental dramatization seemed to be delivering the most violent blow to her.

The psychology named 'debt of gratitude' gradually drowned her reason.

“I think we can sit down and have a good talk. We are all members of the Witch Academy, good sisters living together. Besides, this isn't the first time we've dealt with each other.”

She said with a smile, but she was inwardly ecstatic.

The opponent bringing up Little Han herself was an excellent assist.

It was worth the effort she had made earlier to subtly hint at Little Han; the other party actually fell for the trap.

“This is not a suitable place to talk…”

Ying Shiqian and Tang Yihan looked at the dejected Xia Li, wanting to offer comfort, but she waved her hand to stop them.

She was the president of the Bakery Club, the absolute decision-maker.

They had no right to say anything.

Moreover, the culprit of everything, that [Transcendent Knowledge], had nothing to do with them. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

How could they offer comfort?

Seeing Xia Li like this, the members of the Wan Shi Wu Club also showed a slight smile.

Didn't things progress?

So, they followed Xia Li.

Next was the battle of words.

In the end, only Ying Shiqian and Tang Yihan, and the first-year girls who were unaware of the situation, were left in front of the Bakery Club.

However, even these two were not very clear about the specifics of the matter, only knowing the general situation.

They looked at each other, seeing the other's helplessness, and eventually could only sigh, preparing to first comfort the frightened first-year girls on the side.

After all, it was their first time experiencing the "bullying" between seniors at Witch Academy.

And the TV hanging on the wall of the Bakery Club was playing external news.

Transcendent terrorists had hijacked multiple students returning to school from Transcendent Academies, acting maliciously.

Many Transcendent Academies claimed this was a declaration of war against the Academy…

The world was getting more chaotic.

But at this moment, the Bakery Club was not in the mood to learn about these things.