Seven Years!

Now that things have come to this, what else can Jiang Bai say?

Looking at the blonde little girl in front of him with her hands behind her back and an expression that said, "I'm so cute, don't scold me," Jiang Bai felt his already throbbing temples throb even more violently.

What else could he do?

Of course, I'd choose to forgive her.

We can't really physically beat up the first chairman, can we?

Jiang Bai sighed heavily, finally accepting the reality of this farcical situation.

However, just as he gave up resisting, Mavis discovered a new blind spot.

She circled Jiang Bai once, tilting her little head, her bright green eyes filled with great confusion.

"Huh?! That's not right!" she exclaimed, pointing at Jiang Bai in surprise as if she had discovered something new.

"Jiang Bai, why weren't you frozen in time?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Bai rolled his eyes and replied irritably, "How should I know? Wasn't this the magic you cast, First Generation?"

The tone was exactly like, "The food you cooked is the problem, so why are you asking me why I, the one eating it, haven't been poisoned?"

"Hmm..."

Mavis choked for a moment, and her little face immediately puffed up like a steamed bun.

She hovered in mid-air, resting her chin on her finger, and began to seriously consider the question.

"The Fairy Sphere is Super Magic that freezes the time of guild members based on the power of bonds, thus achieving absolute defense."

Logically speaking, anyone recognized as "family" should be frozen in time.

Jiang Bai's bond with everyone is undeniable.

Then why...?

After much thought, Mavis could only come to one conclusion.

Jiang Bai, like the black dragon Acnologia, is an unreasonable "monster" who exists outside the norms of this world.

Conventional magical laws simply do not apply to them.

With that thought in mind, she stopped worrying about it.

While listening to Mavis's self-analysis, Jiang Bai was also busy.

He raised his hand, and an invisible Psychokinesis emanated from it, carefully and gently laying the guild members, who were still in various attack postures, flattening them one by one so that they could spend the long seven years in a more comfortable position.

Having done all this, he looked at Mavis again, clinging to his last glimmer of hope, and asked, "First Generation, can this magic... be dispelled midway?"

"No way," Mavis shook her head, her answer firm and decisive.

"'Fairy Sphere' is an absolute spell; once activated, it cannot be dispelled from the inside or outside unless seven years have passed."

"Ugh, this is driving me crazy." Jiang Bai scratched his head in frustration.

"When it comes to things like time, I'm completely clueless—I'm almost completely ignorant."

Since it can't be resolved, there's no point in staying here.

"Fine, since that's how it is, I'll head out then." Jiang Bai dusted himself off, stood up, and prepared to tear open a spatial barrier and leave.

"Those old guys in the guild outside, if they knew we were all 'dead,' they'd probably cry their eyes out. I need to hurry back and let them know we're safe."

However, just as he was about to make a move, a petite golden figure flew over in a flash and grabbed his leg tightly.

"Absolutely not!"

Mavis looked up, and for the first time, her adorable doll-like face revealed an expression that was extremely serious, unlike anything she had ever seen before.

"Why?" Jiang Bai asked, completely bewildered.

"Because of the special nature of the 'Fairy Sphere' spell!" Mavis explained quickly in an unquestionable tone.

"Although I cast the spell, the immense magical power used to construct this absolute defensive barrier is supported by the combined magical power of each and every one of you who are encased within it!"

"In other words, the 'Fairy Sphere' included your magic power, Jiang Bai!"

"If you forcibly leave now, the portion of magic power you are required to contribute to maintain the stability of the barrier will be forcibly drawn from other people by the system!"

At this point, Mavis stared intently at Jiang Bai, her tone extremely heavy.

"Because Jiang Bai, your magic power is simply... simply too immense! So immense that it defies all reason!"

"No one else could possibly sustain the amount of magic you're consuming! In the end, to keep the magic functioning, it will start draining their... life force!"

"The final result is that, except for you, everyone protected by the 'Fairy Sphere' will die here because their life force will be drained!"

"..."

Jiang Bai was utterly speechless.

So now I can't leave, and if I stay, I'll have to stay for seven years?

He looked at Mavis, who was clinging to his lap with an expression that said, "That's how serious things are." He remained silent for a long time before finally squeezing out a sentence through gritted teeth.

"You invented this magic that kills your own people the moment it's activated, and it even has a chain reaction of guilt..."

"He really is a fucking genius."

His comment was 100% pure and unadulterated.

But Mavis didn't recognize it at all.

She thought Jiang Bai was praising her ingenious idea, and immediately resumed her smug expression.

She even praised Jiang Bai, saying, "To be able to use Space Magic to such a superb degree, Jiang Bai, you're really amazing!"

"..."

This is hopeless, this conversation is completely unsustainable.

Jiang Bai abandoned his plan to communicate with the first president on an emotional intelligence level.

He seemed to have all his strength drained away, and he plopped back down on the ground, lying in a "spread-eagle" position. Staring at the golden, eggshell-like barrier dome, he let out a desperate wail.

"Am I really going to stay on this godforsaken island for seven whole years?"

"I'll be so bored!!"

"Mmm~"

Mavis floated to his face, patted his cheek with her tiny hand, and comforted him with a smile.

"Don't say that. In these seven years, haven't you had me, your adorable first president, by your side?"

"Don't let my current appearance fool you, I've been all alone on this island for over a hundred years."

Upon hearing these words, Jiang Bai's wailing abruptly ceased.

He slowly turned his head and looked at the little girl with flowing blonde hair and a bright smile in front of him.

More than a hundred years...

One person...

On this island...

Jiang Bai suddenly realized that he was being far too dramatic.

Compared to the person in front of me, my little complaint is like a billionaire lamenting that his steak was a bit overcooked at lunchtime.

This person is truly a ruthless individual who can endure hardship and loneliness.

Well, what's done is done, there's no point in complaining anymore.

At least there's one piece of good news.

Jiang Bai discovered that while inside this "Fairy Sphere," he felt no hunger whatsoever, and his bodily functions seemed to have been frozen in time.

However, magic can be restored here; it's truly amazing.

Since that's the case...

"Then... let's begin our secluded cultivation."

And so, in the days that followed, a peculiar scene unfolded on Tenrou Island.

Jiang Bai, the man standing at the pinnacle of the world's combat power, actually turned around and began to consult Mavis, the "ghost" who only possessed theoretical knowledge, about the principles and knowledge of various magics.

It must be admitted that Mavis truly deserves her title as the "Fairy Tactician".

Her mind, like an endless library, stores a vast amount of Ancient Magic knowledge that has long been lost and unique theories of magical construction.

Jiang Bai, on the other hand, possesses the magic and mental power to turn these theories into reality.

One is the most powerful mind, the other is the supreme strength.

Their conversation sparked an unimaginable brilliance.

Under Mavis's guidance, Jiang Bai began to systematically organize and improve his magic system, and even developed some new and strange magic by drawing inferences from other magic systems.

Of course, during breaks from cultivation, the long hours always need some entertainment to balance things out.

To prevent himself and Mavis from going crazy with boredom, Jiang Bai also taught this "ancient person" who had lived for over a hundred years some modern forms of entertainment.

For example... Gomoku (Five in a Row).

"General! I've won again, First Generation!"

Jiang Bai looked at his five black pieces already connected on the chessboard and lazily yawned.

"No... impossible!" Mavis stared at the chessboard, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"My 'Pegasus Three Steps' tactic should have been flawless! How... how did you manage to break it?!"

"What 'Pegasus Three Steps'? It's just jumping around and placing three pieces..." Jiang Bai was speechless.

"Could you learn how to block my moves first?"

This great "Fairy Tactician" always comes up with some bizarre tactics that sound impressive but are actually useless when facing pure intellectual games like Gomoku and Chess, only to be easily crushed by Jiang Bai in the simplest and most straightforward way.

Seven years passed slowly in this wonderful daily routine of self-cultivation, playing chess, and bickering.

Jiang Bai's magic is becoming increasingly unfathomable.

Mavis's chess skills have finally evolved from "tactical genius" to... "barely able to play a back-and-forth game with Jiang Bai".