Chapter 693 - Crack the Array
Chapter 693: Crack the Array
As soon as Taranna announced the rules of the trial, Michelle led a stranger to meet Grand Master Finoia immediately. This made Taranna a little awkward especially in front of so many outsiders.
“Who is he? Michelle, you are getting more and more bold. Putting aside your absence at the banquet yesterday, you actually brought a strange human here today!” It was Michelle’s sister, Philly. As she was preparing for the trial in the palace, she was not in the Green House previously, so she did not know Chen Rui’s ‘identity’.
Facing her sister’s public questioning, Michelle pouted sulkily, “I brought Richard to meet teacher on my mother’s order!”
“Royal Majesty’s order?” Taranna frowned and looked at Chen Rui, “It’s just that the magic circle of the trial has been activated now. This magic circle full of various traps and dangers was set up by teacher. Even I can’t stop it. If you want to see teacher, you must wait until the end of the day when the trial is finished.”
Michelle looked at Chen Rui. Chen Rui didn’t want to make things difficult for the little girl. He shrugged, “It turns out that there is a magic circle, then I’ll wait until the end of the day since I’m not in a hurry.”
At this moment, a cold voice among the trial students said, “Ariel, didn’t you say that this guy with the bird on his head is very powerful? Turns out he is a coward.”
The red-haired girl, Ariel, spread her hands, “Unfortunately, I can’t predict a person’s guts. Maybe I previously sensed his bird, not him.”
The students burst into laughter, and Michelle exclaimed angrily, “Richard is not a coward! You bad guys are not good people!”
“Michelle! How can you be so rude to my friends!” Philly frowned and said, “Don’t forget that you are the princess of the elf tribe. You should learn something instead of fooling around with that lowly half-elf or some guys from unknown origins regardless of your status!”
It might be right to say this from Philly’s point of view, but it was also meant to show off an elder sister’s authority in front of the students deliberately with this reprimanding tone that didn’t save her sister’s face.
Michelle’s face flushed, “You’re not allowed to say that about Blanche! She is my friend! Richard too! Apologize now!”
Chen Rui looked at the little elf princess who was about to cry for him and Blanche, and there was a touch of warmth in his heart. He stopped the quarrel between the sisters, “Well, I will go to see Grand Master Finoia now. I will go alone. If I see sir grand master before you, I only have 1 request – All of you, including Princess Philly, must apologize to my friend, Michelle.”
Chen Rui referred to Philly as the ‘princess’ and used ‘friend’ when referring to Michelle. The meticulous little elf girl’s eyes lit up when she heard it.
As soon as these words were spoken, there was a commotion among the students. These students were all outstanding in Starlight College. Many of them were even the nobles of the empire. This ordinary-looking guy actually said that he wants to defeat everyone. Such a shameless brag.
“What a bold claim!” Quinn sneered, “What if you lose?”
“I’ll satisfy any of your requirements.” Chen Rui turned to look at Landbis, “Ms. Landbis, what do you think?”
Landbis frowned and exchanged opinions quickly with the 2 teachers, then she nodded, “Okay, if you lose, we won’t ask too much. You just need to apologize to our students and answer my questions truthfully.”
“Deal.” Chen Rui smiled lightly like he didn’t pay attention to these arrogant kids at all.
This attitude angered everyone and they clamored. Chen Rui didn’t care as he watched these students enter the mist-shrouded Purple Forest. On the other hand, Michelle was a little anxious, “Why don’t you go in yet?”
“No hurry, the magic circle at the entrance is very interesting. People who enter late can take advantage of it.”
Michelle was taken aback, and she asked Taranna, “Master, is that true?”
Taranna showed a surprised expression and took a close look at this human. “This advantage is not so easy to take.”
In fact, this was not an ‘advantage’. The entrance was a triangular inscription array mimicking the water element. Those who went in first would trigger the magic circle while those who went in later could figure out the magic based on the previous fluctuations and crack it.
It should be noted that it was ‘crack’ rather than ‘pass through’. Although the triangular inscription array was not too complicated, the magic circle was fixed but the people were flexible. There was some mystery in the triangular inscription array that Grand Master Finoia personally set up. If it was the first time to enter, even Taranna was not confident to crack it, let alone this human who seemed ordinary.
Chen Rui shrugged and did not speak. After a while, he walked forward.
“Richard! The trial’s magic circle is very dangerous…”
Chen Rui turned his head, but Michelle’s next sentence was not a reminder such as “be careful”, but, “It’s better to put your bird…”
Before she finished speaking, someone who was sweating on his forehead had disappeared.
Taranna didn’t notice the misleading meaning in the words of junior sister. What he noticed was the time Chen Rui entered the magic circle was actually the best time to get into the fluctuations. He couldn’t help being wondered.
Chen Rui didn’t want to show off. 1 of the reasons was to fight for Michelle. Another reason was to see and learn from the magic circle of Grand Master Finoia. Magic circle was a separate subject, but it was closely related to alchemy. Chen Rui’s current magic circle attainments were already quite high. He was also proficient in the Dragon Inscription and ancient runes. With the assistance of [Deep Analysis], he had almost reached quasi-grand master level.
Of course, Chen Rui’s biggest goal was to use this trip to the Jade Forest Sea to reach the threshold of the grand master in terms of mechanics.
The triangular inscription array began to emit strange waves, then it gradually calmed down. Taranna smiled knowingly, but not long after, the fluctuations appeared again repeatedly. The elf master frowned.
The students of the Starlight College who entered the magic circle were fighting fiercely with the ‘enemies’ mimicking the water element power. They only felt that the enemies were alternating between strong and weak. When they were exhausted to deal with it, those enemies suddenly turned into water patterns that disappeared without a trace and a way out appeared ahead. Many students cheered as they thought that their own efforts had defeated the enemies.
The sound originally blocked by the magic circle reached the entrance, and Taranna’s facial expression suddenly changed. That human actually cracked the triangular inscription array! Finoia is a mechanics grand master, but he also does considerable research on the magic circle and has reached the realm of quasi-grand master. In such a short period of time, how can this human…
Landbis noticed the change in Taranna’s expression while listening to the faint cheers in the distance. The beautiful female assistant showed a pondering expression, not knowing what she was thinking.
In Purple Heart Treehouse, a tall, thin, handsome male elf was sitting leisurely at the table. There was a strange chess board on the table. The elf held a chess piece in his left hand and a small wine cup in his right hand. The wine was amber and exuded a faint fragrance.
There was a big bearded hobbit with white beard and hair on the opposite side of the elf. His hair was messy, but his beard was carefully woven into small braids. The hobbit’s height was only a little more than half the height of the elf, but the wine cup in his hand was 3 times bigger than the el’s. He was pouring wine into it.
“Bernd, your excessive drinking has ruined my orchid fragrance wine.” The male elf looked at the wine dripping from the hobbit cup with distress.
Bernd’s eyes widened, “Wine is delicious when drunk like this. Your way of drinking is more sissy than the female hobbit! Okay, hurry up and play chess!”
“What’s the hurry?” The elf man who was scolded as a sissy was not angry. He savored a sip slowly, “Playing chess is like drinking wine; you have to taste it slowly to enjoy the taste. A vulgar guy like you… including all the forest hobbits will not understand.”
“Hmph! Hurry up, or I will consider that you have lost!” The old hobbit gulped a mouthful of wine unabashedly. Just as he was about to speak, he saw a map on the opposite wall glowing and buzzing. He immediately shouted, “Hey! Your so-called magic circle is cracked!”
“Oh?” The elf picked up a piece of pastry unhurriedly and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly, “Today is the advanced bachelor’s trial of the Starlight College. It seems that the quality of the students who participated in the trial this time is pretty good. At least 1 of them is proficient in magic circle. I remember that the little guy, Socrates, has a lot of experience in the research of the triangular inscription arrays. It should be his favorite apprentice who is able to crack it so quickly. Unfortunately, this is just an appetizer. There are more big meals in the back..”
Socrates was the deputy dean of the Starlight College, and the famous top magic circle master of humans. He was highly respected and well-known. However, in the mouth of this elf, he had become a ‘little guy’.
The 2 of them were playing chess while drinking wine. Suddenly, there was a buzzing sound on the map again. The elf’s brow moved slightly and the old hobbit grinned, “It’s the second one. It seems that Socrates has got a remarkable apprentice.”
The elf nodded, “It’s really surprising. No matter how far he can go this time, we should meet this young man with considerable potential.”
As time passed by, it was the fourth time the buzz sounded.
At this time, the elf and the old hobbit had no intention of playing chess, and they all looked at the magic map. Finally, the fifth area flashed. The old hobbit, Bernd, scratched his head, “Smart guy, he passed the Dragon Thunder Kill Array in 35 minutes. It was only 10 minutes slower than my speed at the time. Fortunately, he just passed through and did not crack it. Otherwise, I don’t know where to put my old face…”
Before he finished speaking, the buzzer sounded, and the old hobbit jumped up from the stool as if he was electrocuted, “It’s cracked? Impossible! Finoia, isn’t the Dragon Thunder Killing Array even combined with the inscription of the giant dragon family? Did you modify something?”
The elf looked at the map solemnly, “I can answer you affirmatively that there is no modification.”
The hobbit frowned desperately, “Socrates’ apprentice has such a strong ability?”
“No, even Socrates himself doesn’t have this kind of ability…” The elf took a deep breath, “Old friend, let’s calm down and drink wine first. I believe it won’t be long before we can see this mysterious guest who is at least a magic circle quasi-grand master.”
TL: Hmmm, thought Finoia is a female elf🤦♂️, sorry if I addressed him as female previously. So, now what, students of Starlight College?