Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone-Chapter 409 - 307: The Grand Battle Begins, Top Ten Gold Rankings, Massive Rewards!
Compared to previous years, where the ten military academies had to select a host to compete in a physical venue, this year’s New Recruit Grand Competition innovatively used Simulation Battlefield technology.
A local network was formed among the ten military academies. The 100 participating cadets each created their own combat projections, which were deployed into a virtual arena jointly constructed by the ten academies. Through the most sophisticated Simulation Battlefield technology, these outstanding cadets no longer had to worry about accidental casualties from their engagements. After all, every cadet was an exceptional young talent cultivated by their respective academies at great expense. If they were to be lost in internal conflicts, it would be an all-too-careless waste.
Now, this problem was perfectly solved by the Simulation Battlefield technology. All cadets could unleash their full arsenal of tactics against the enemy without restraint. To ensure the competition’s fairness and authenticity, the Simulation Battlefield adopted the most advanced virtual reality technology, allowing each cadet’s combat projection to accurately reflect their actual abilities. The competition rules were also designed to closely mimic real combat environments, allowing cadets to experience a genuine battle atmosphere in complete safety.
Most crucially, this year’s New Recruit Grand Competition had undergone a revolutionary change in format and would be broadcast live to hundreds of thousands of cadets across the ten major military academies. This meant each participant’s performance would receive widespread attention, presenting them with both an opportunity and a challenge.
Everyone was eagerly anticipating this novel grand competition. The performance of each of the 100 participants would be vividly showcased under the watchful eyes of the masses. This inevitably created a degree of psychological pressure for everyone involved.
Of course, Fang Zhou was unconcerned. Whether it was a real battle or a Simulation Battlefield, with his strength as an Upper-rank Apprentice Undead Mage, he was confident. As long as he didn’t become the common target, set up to be ambushed and surrounded by the masses, he could definitely have the last laugh and lead Sea City Military Academy to victory.
After a few calibration tests, the New Recruit Grand Competition officially began.
Just before entering, Fang Zhou once more reviewed his splendid attribute panel, an immense confidence welling up within him.
All of this is the fruit of my relentless, day-and-night cultivation!
[Name] Fang Zhou
[Profession] Undead Mage
[Sub-profession] Apprentice Alchemist
[Tier] Apprentice · Upper
[Titles] Sea City Military Academy’s Number One Seed, Kobold Nemesis, Undead Chessmaster
[Attributes] Strength 6.4, Agility 6.4, Constitution 6.8, Spirit 8.3
[Status] Soul Split, World Will’s Attention
[Runes] Harvest Festival (Night Watcher I, Heart Steel II, Gallows I)
[Equipment] Apprentice Set (3 pieces, Refinement +1, Level 1 Gemstone *1), New Star Mage Set (4 pieces, Refinement +2, Level 2 Gemstone *2), Undead Magic Ball (Refinement +2, Level 2 Nether Stone *2)
[Marvels] Moon Orchid Fragrance (Blue), Sealed Bone Bell (Gray), Bone Shield Crystal Stone (Gray), Flower of Sighs (Gray), Regeneration Phylactery (Gray), Ripple Ring (Gray), Charging Scroll (White), Heroic Spirit Battle Banner (Blue), Berserk Mark (Purple), Miniature Space Storage Capsule (Green), Transcendent · Sea City Military Academy No.1 Seed Medal (Green), Celestial Curtain Magic Bottle (White), Mirror of the Heart (Gray), Black Gem Dragon Egg (Orange)
[Skills] Skeleton King Meditation Method (Instinct), Summon Skeleton (Instinct), Skeleton Flying Spear (Perfection), Skeleton Shield (Perfection), Skeleton Shackles (Perfection), Calm and Relaxed (Perfection), Domination Skeleton (Mastery), Resurrection of the Dead (Mastery), Skeleton Wings (Perfection), Brutal Aura (Perfection), Soul Realm (Mastery), Death Ripple (Perfection), Skeleton Blade (Mastery), Crowned with Death (Mastery), Iron Wall Aura (Mastery), Horror Aura (Mastery)
Under the command of Instructor Lu Hu, the ten participants from Sea City Military Academy, led by Fang Zhou, entered the specialized simulation pods one by one. As the pod doors closed, they connected to their virtual projections through advanced hardware and entered the dedicated arena for the New Recruit Grand Competition.
This simulated arena was designed in an Ancient Roman style, its grand and magnificent scale giving one a sensation of traveling through time and space.
As a screen of light descended, the arena was suddenly engulfed in darkness. An illusory black light screen veiled the arena, instantly making it seem as if night had fallen. This was the latest in light and shadow technology, which cast a screen to completely block out sunlight, making the covered area appear like night even in the middle of the day.
Immediately, countless fireworks bloomed in the sky, their brilliant and colorful lights illuminating the night. In that moment, the entire arena was enveloped in the dazzling spectacle. Multicolored fireworks interwove into various patterns in the air, as if telling one beautiful story after another.
"Wow, it’s so beautiful." Beside Fang Zhou, Bai Xiaochan excitedly used her personal terminal to capture the gorgeous moment, her voice filled with awe.
"It’s a pity. Why are fireworks controlled? We can’t even buy any," Meng Hongzhuang also lamented, her face flush with excitement as she gazed at the constantly bursting fireworks.
In this era, the Human United Government had implemented militarized management over nearly all resources. The Era of Myth had begun when the Demon Army’s invasion caused severe destruction to Blue Star. It took human society decades to gradually restore the planet’s environment, but by then, too many species had already gone extinct. To prevent such a disaster from happening again, human society had collectively passed strict resource protection laws.
Scenic props like fireworks, meant purely for enjoyment and relaxation, were naturally not available to the general public. Setting off fireworks required a special permit, and only on major holidays or for special events would the military allow a limited display.
Moreover, the spectacular fireworks before their eyes were actually visual effects created by holographic projection technology. This technology not only conserved resources and prevented environmental pollution but also offered people a more stunning visual experience.
The fireworks display officially opened the New Recruit Grand Competition.
After the delightful fireworks, a showcase of scenery from the Mythical World began. As the scenes shifted, the participating cadets felt as if they had been transported to another world. Even without wearing specialized equipment, the current projection technology made both the competitors and the observing cadets across the Longxia Federation feel as if they were truly in another world.
Plunged into a forest teeming with fragrant flowers and birdsong, the cadets could almost smell the sweet blossoms and rich earth, hear the rustle of leaves in the wind, and feel the cool breeze caress their cheeks.
Standing amidst a vast ocean, they could almost feel the fury of stormy gales, the torrential downpours, and the magnificent spectacle of colossal waves, making them realize their own insignificance.
Lost in a desert filled with ancient ruins, the cadets could almost feel the sting of hot sand scouring their skin and see the silhouettes of ancient structures standing defiantly against the wind-blown sands.
The observing cadets gasped in amazement one after another. The current projection technology allowed even those outside the arena to have an immersive experience. It was impossible to know how many people were captivated by the diverse landscapes at that moment. The displays of various races, magnificent scenes of war, and magical, epic battles made everyone feel as if they were a part of the conflict.
When the images faded, it took a long time for people to come to their senses, still immersed in the awe of the visual feast. Even the participating cadets within the arena—all prodigies in their own right, but recently awakened and still of shallow strength—had never witnessed such splendid scenery and were utterly entranced.
With the projection showcase of the Mythical World concluded, the New Recruit Grand Competition finally moved on to the main event.
The participating teams from the ten military academies, led by their respective instructors, stepped onto the central high platform of the arena. For Sea City Military Academy, the team leader was, of course, Instructor Lu Hu, a Golden Tier Berserker.
Then, ten golden leaderboards materialized from thin air, hovering above the heads of the ten teams. The cadets looked up and saw that the leaderboards listed the detailed information of each academy’s participating members.
