Full-Time Mage: Starting with Obtaining the White Tiger Pendant — Chapter 33

There were far too few leaders who didn't waste words... Or rather, those incompetent leaders could only maintain their authority through vague, equivocal rhetoric.

"It's here, it's here. The main event's starting—hit them hard!"

"Let me see what this year's fresh crop is like. Are there any beautiful and powerful mage wives?"

"Quit dreaming, dude upstairs. This isn't some ordinary university. Any one of those female mages could crush you with one hand."

Soon, the Summoning System group took the stage first. Most were boys, and even the one or two girls among them looked quite ordinary.

The comments immediately reflected the disappointment: "What a letdown. They don't look like anything special."

Someone quickly refuted them: "Bullshit. At the beginner level, any random Servant-level creature from the Summoning System can crush seven or eight mages. They may look unremarkable, but they can absolutely sweep their own system."

Backstage, Lu Jun took a deep breath. This stage was under the gaze of countless people, but he had weathered many storms and felt little fear. Besides, there was a hint of madness in his heart—he wanted to make a big splash.

So he stepped forward calmly and composedly, intending to go up alone.

Gu Han beside him asked in confusion, "Student Lu Jun, wait a moment. There are still three other teammates."

In the Beast Fighting Competition, students from each system were generally mixed into teams of four, with twenty-five teams in total. The ten Summoning System students were split among ten different groups; otherwise, there was simply no way to defeat the Summoning System.

But Lu Jun merely waved his hand. "No need. I'm an Intermediate Mage. I can do it alone. The others are optional."

The moment those words came out, the expressions of the hundred students present changed, anger flaring up. Every one of them was a prodigy, an elite drawn from all over the country, who had stood out among thousands of freshmen. Back home, they would all have been top scholars.

Naturally, they were unwilling to accept being looked down upon like this.

Still, they retained their rationality. They knew Lu Jun was a ruthless man, so they did not provoke him with words. They would wait and see first. If he was not as murderous and brutal as the rumors claimed, then in a fair competition, who would be afraid of whom?

Most likely, Lu Jun would not dare deliberately kill anyone within the academy.

Lu Jun remained expressionless. He had deliberately provoked everyone's hostility to lay the groundwork for what came next.

Besides, his strength was there for all to see. He had been gilded by the authorities, had the Azure Sky Demon Hunting Agency and Pearl Academy behind him, and wasn't even afraid of the Black Vatican. These were merely students—if he said he would sweep them, then he would sweep them! There was no need to be polite. Bold competition was all that mattered.

When Lu Jun stepped onto the stage alone, a wave of cheers first sounded throughout the venue. Then the noise gradually died down as the students voiced their confusion: "Strange, why is only one person coming up? Where are the other three?"

Even the livestream's veteran viewers were very familiar with the Beast Fighting Competition rules, and the screen filled with question marks: "?"

Then, it seemed that someone among the students recognized Lu Jun. They were instantly shocked and began whispering to those around them. Before long, the news spread among the freshmen, while the older students watching the show had also heard a little about it.

For a moment, the entire venue fell silent, everyone staring wide-eyed at Lu Jun.

The livestream viewers were baffled and posted comments: "What's going on? Why aren't the students saying anything? Who is this guy?"

"Um... I think I know. It has something to do with a big event that happened in Magic City two months ago."

"Damn you riddle-speakers, explain it properly."

Some of the audience were locals from Magic City and recognized Lu Jun. They gradually began explaining, and the livestream immediately grew a little livelier. Everyone sucked in a cold breath, their anticipation soaring to the limit.

They were getting tired of watching groups gang up on demons. A one-on-one fight against a demon had the feeling of a bloody battle inside an octagon cage.

That head of the Summoning System could not be bothered to learn about ordinary mages. Seeing Lu Jun take the field alone, he frowned and asked, "Just you?"

Lu Jun replied calmly, "I alone am enough."

"Arrogant." The Summoning System teacher's anger rose. Turning to the ten students, he said coldly, "If you lose, not only will your resources be taken away, but I'll train every last one of you brutally from now on!"

The Summoning System students swallowed and exchanged looks. It wasn't as though they had never surfed the internet before. Facing that ruthless man, Teacher, are you trying to get us killed?!

Putting aside anything else, the Black Vatican could easily handle a dozen Servant-level creatures.

Seeing this, Dean Xiao smiled and nodded. "Since Student Lu is confident, then let us begin."

Left with no choice, one male student from the Summoning System stepped forward and walked onto the Beast Fighting Arena with a bitter expression.

"Lu Jun!"

"He Ming."

The two exchanged names. Lu Jun had never heard that name before; He Ming probably had never interacted with Mo Fan.

Very soon, the thin and weak-looking He Ming began chanting. Using Dimensional Summon, he revealed his Summoned Beast.

Awooo, awooo! A massive demonic wolf appeared, standing three meters tall at the shoulder. It was unmistakably a Ghost Wolf Beast, the most mainstream summon of the Summoning System, and one of the stronger creatures among the Servant-level.

Any beginner-level Summoning System mage admitted to Pearl Academy was outstanding among their peers.

The demon's fierce killing aura spread outward, its bloody stench sweeping across the entire venue. Most of the students were seeing a demon for the first time and immediately did not dare breathe loudly. Those seated in the front rows were even trembling in both legs.

Knowledge from books was still just knowledge from books. How could it compare to real combat?

The livestream comments froze at once. The teachers backstage saw the traffic and viewer count plummet rapidly. Many people could not bear the fright and left the livestream, causing the numbers to drop sharply. Only twenty or thirty thousand veteran viewers remained.

The teachers shook their heads, long accustomed to it. Demons were not tigers in a zoo. With modern people's mental fortitude, they would probably be scared just watching a wild tiger hunt, let alone a demon.

On the field, Lu Jun watched the demonic wolf with great interest, unable to resist the itch in his hands. Though it was a different species, they were both part of the wolf race. Ever since leaving Bo City, he had not killed wolves in a long time.

The moment the Ghost Wolf Beast appeared, it lowered its body into a posture ready to fight and bite.

Yet its sharp instincts discovered that beneath the man's seemingly gentle and refined exterior lay a violent, bloodthirsty aura. It smelled the vengeful souls of its own kind, entwined around the man's body and lingering without dispersing.

Its beastly nature, which had been eager to move, suddenly could not make its limbs budge.

The Ghost Wolf Beast was terrified from the depths of its heart and did not dare launch an attack for a long time.

He Ming urged it again and again, yet his own Summoned Beast remained frozen in place. A few traces of embarrassment appeared on his face. In front of such a huge crowd, this was extremely humiliating.

Didn't they see that the head of the Summoning System already wore an unhappy expression? He wanted nothing more than to slap the opposing student's face hard, but what was He Ming doing? He could not help but curse, "Trash! As a Summoning System student, you can't even command your own Summoned Beast!"

The standoff on the field lasted over ten seconds. The viewers in the livestream gradually recovered and began flooding the chat with complaints.

"What the hell are you doing? Make a move already!"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! You're killing me here!"

"Boring! I want to see blood flow like a river!"

Lu Jun seemed to hear the audience's calls. He took control of his Star Track and cast the first spell. Dark green light flashed in his eyes as magic surged within his Curse Element Nebula. Primary Level Three [Fearful Haze: Nightmare] was activated.

Roar! The Ghost Wolf Beast seemed to behold a pair of sinister green eyes. Across the void, some kind of ominous curse appeared to spread over its body.

On the arena stage, the Ghost Wolf Beast let out a miserable cry, its powerful body rumbling to the ground. A complex dark green mark emerged on its forehead. The color was still faint and unclear, yet it continued to grow.

Even so, it suffered a mental shock. Its heart throbbed with pain, its muscles went limp and weak, and it collapsed, unable to rise. In a trance, it was dragged into a nightmare, transformed into a One-Eyed Magic Wolf, and attacked that man.

Yet time and again, it was cut down by a greatsword, dying in all manner of brutal ways.

He Ming was at a loss. Before he could react, the Fearful Haze strengthened by the Curse Mark traveled through the contract and arrived in his Spiritual World. He, too, fell into panic. Though it was not as severe as his Summoned Beast's condition, the damage was still considerable.

The Summoning Mage clutched his heart, his face deathly pale as he gasped for air.

The teachers were slightly startled. A few who saw through it sighed. "A Curse Element spell... and he's even refined some kind of Curse Substance."

The students present erupted into an uproar. "Holy crap, what's going on? Lu Jun just took one look, and both of them dropped? That was a Servant-level Demonic Beast!"

"Worthy of Lu Ren Tu, who openly went against the Black Vatican. He really is strong—anyone who dares to fight the Black Vatican head-on must have some skills."

The viewers in the livestream were equally shaken. They could not understand it at all until someone explained the obscure Curse Element magic, and only then did they realize what had happened.

"Just hearing the name makes it sound dangerous. Wouldn't ordinary people face certain death if they encountered it?"

"Don't be afraid. Anyone who can fight the Black Vatican has to be a good person."

"Damn, that's awesome. He just stands there, and the enemy falls over. Why does this kind of resemble the Sharingan from Naruto?"

"Get lost. Don't associate it with Japanese stuff—it was Kishimoto who copied it."

"One glance and you explode... chicken?"

The audience's discussions did not affect the Beast Fighting Competition.

Ruan Ya, the beautiful Healing System teacher, stepped onto the stage and examined He Ming's injuries. Other than needing time for his mental state to recover, he was fine. As for the Ghost Wolf Beast beside him, it had long since slipped back to its home on the Summoning Plane.

Lu Jun was not satisfied. This had only been a preliminary test of the Curse Element. He had not even activated [Curse Mark]'s harvesting ability before the Ghost Wolf Beast fell. After integrating the Curse Substance, the power of this element had increased tremendously.

Of course, his mental realm and the Mind Element's support were also part of the reason.

The remaining nine Summoning System students below the stage looked at one another with dejected expressions. He Ming was basically among the upper-middle ranks of their group, yet he had lost without even being able to touch the other party's clothes.

The gap was far too great!

Just as the Summoning System students were preparing to give up, Lu Jun's indifferent voice rang out from the stage. "That's it? Stop coming one at a time. You're wasting my time. Come at me together."

As soon as these words came out, even the most easygoing Summoning System students were enraged.

The entire venue erupted. Most were simply delighted by the misfortune, eager to watch the spectacle. No matter the victory or defeat, it would be quite a show.

The other ninety-nine challengers from the various systems backstage frowned. Dongfang Ming said unhappily, "I thought this guy would take down all ten and leave no show for us. Now that he's acting so arrogantly, just wait for him to fail."

Ding Yumian remained calm. Recalling the familiar fluctuation from before, she was unsure whether she had sensed it correctly. Strange... it was clearly Curse Element magic, so why did it carry the aura of Mind Magic?

The livestream, meanwhile, was filled with people enjoying the chaos, spamming, "Arrogant!" "Arrogant, arrogant, arrogant!"

Someone objected, "They're all classmates. Is there really any need to make things this hostile?"

"College students are young and hot-blooded. Sooner or later, they'll suffer for it."

"Idiot above, do you think everyone is as timid and pathetic as you, barely dragging out an existence? They're students. Chinese students should have this kind of spirited vigor."

"Lu Xun: May all Chinese youth strive upward, and need not listen to the words of those who have given up on themselves."

"Hahaha, I'm dying. Hostile relationships? Mages don't buy into that workplace nonsense about keeping everything peaceful."

Very soon, the nine Summoning System students stepped forward and entered the beast-fighting cage.

Roar, roar, roar! Awooo~, whimper...

Servant-level Demonic Beasts appeared one after another. Each stood three meters tall: Magic Wolves, Battle Blade Insects, and thick-skinned Ironclad Rhinoceroses. They lurked within the spacious beast-fighting cage, continuously emitting low growls.

A single demonic beast was terrifying enough. Now there were a total of nine. All the students held their breath, while those in the front rows broke out in cold sweat.

The livestream chat was much more honest. The mood immediately shifted, and the screen filled with messages: "I was wrong! Lu Ren Tu, run! Don't just stand there like an idiot."

"It's hard to imagine whether the soldiers guarding the borders have to face situations like this too. Our country has truly protected us well."

"I heard that a few weeks ago, Bo City was invaded by an entire horde and had to face tens of thousands of demonic beasts. I didn't feel much about it then, but seeing this now, it really wasn't easy for the people of Bo City."

"It's over. Time to give up!"

"Hmph, I said it already. A mere young man who doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth—just wait for him to fail."

"Huh? Weren't you the ID encouraging the students just now? Why did you defect so quickly?"

It could be said that the audience was never on the losing side.

Amid the chorus of pessimism, only two comments marked as VIP floated by, offering encouragement: "Go for it!"

At home, Lu Mei had nothing better to do. Lying on her pillow and swinging her legs, she watched the Beast Fighting Competition livestream. Seeing this scene brought a nostalgic look to her face. The first time they had hunted demons, they had faced a situation like this.

Although the nine Servant-level Demonic Beasts here had been well trained, with one even in the Advancement Period, she did not take them seriously at all. It was nothing to Lu Jun, so she simply sent a message of encouragement.

Meanwhile, Tang Yue in Hangzhou was also watching Pearl Academy's Beast Fighting Competition livestream. She casually posted a comment and smiled knowingly.

Amid all the commotion, Lu Jun's expression remained unchanged. Before the nine Summoning System students could urge their beasts to attack, he raised his hand and abruptly clenched his fist.

Bzzzz!

At some point, the beast cage had become covered in countless dark green threads. They crisscrossed through the air, forming a horrifying spiderweb that gradually emerged from transparency, enveloping nearly half the Beast Fighting Arena.

In an instant, the nine Servant-level Demonic Beasts and the nine Summoning System mages were all caught within it.

Their bodies suddenly stiffened, their limbs twisting unnaturally. Their eyes rolled white, and terror filled their faces. Even the Servant-level Demonic Beasts were bound in place, as if they were puppets on strings.

A dark green Curse Mark appeared on the forehead of every person and every Summoned Beast at the same time.

The students in the front rows of the audience were startled. Feeling the ominous aura and seeing the bound Summoning System students on the field, they swallowed hard.

Intermediate Curse Element, Level One Magic—Evil Spider Trap: Web Weaving.

It was a large-scale control skill. Though it lacked Zhao He's Level Three soul-draining ability, with the boost of Curse Substance: Curse Mark, its Level One power was far from weak.

Bzzzz!

Lu Jun remained calm. He truly was not very proficient with Intermediate Curse Element magic, but that did not matter. This element was never about seizing the initiative; it was about silently weaving a trap and waiting for the right moment.

From the moment the nine Summoning System students stepped onto the field, he had been steadily controlling his Curse Stars. Both this element and the Mind Element were extremely covert. Given more than ten seconds, even the most mediocre mage could weave a web.

By the time the other side tried to attack, it was already time to draw in the net.