Chapter 127: Stealing the Spotlight [Humbly Requesting Votes]

Under Dio's indifferent gaze, Han Shuo nodded blankly without saying much. He cast a glance at Fanny and then headed toward the magical barrier in the plaza.

When he reached Dean Emma, she looked at Han Shuo kindly and asked gently, "Your name is Brian, right?"

Han Shuo was momentarily taken aback, looking at Dean Emma with some confusion before replying, "That's right. How did you know?"

"Heh, of course I know you. Your journey through the Dark Forest has made a great contribution to the Necromancer faction. Well, go in and compete earnestly—you’re a fine young man," Emma said with a warm smile.

From Emma’s gaze, Han Shuo sensed there was a deeper meaning behind her words, though he couldn’t quite grasp what it was. He didn’t press further; instead, he nodded politely to the dean and proceeded into the plaza.

After Emma lifted the magical barrier, Han Shuo, along with the group from the Dark faction and the five from the Light faction, entered the plaza one by one. Once inside, Han Shuo immediately noticed the stark contrast from the outside. Observing the plaza from outside, although the lighting seemed dim, the details within were still fairly visible.

But once he stepped inside, the plaza appeared much darker, enveloped in a faint mist. Various trees, artificial hills, and ravines created a battlefield full of obstacles.

Within this magical barrier, Han Shuo dared not summon his elemental demon; after all, many onlookers from various magical factions were outside, including Dean Emma, a Grand Spatial Mage. With such formidable figures watching and the barrier itself, he wouldn’t risk exposing his elemental demon.

Yet even without summoning it, Han Shuo’s developed mental domain rendered him unaffected by the mist and gloom. His hearing and vision far surpassed those of any student present.

Using his keen eyesight, Han Shuo saw the five Light faction members, led by Kilon, seemingly arranging something. In contrast, the four Dark faction members appeared dejected, as if they were reluctantly stepping onto the battlefield.

It was understandable—they had lost Fred and, from Dio’s words, knew he had already given up on this duel. Sending them to fight was merely a formality.

Knowing they were bound to lose, they naturally didn’t want to embarrass themselves on stage, but they couldn’t disobey Dio’s orders. Their low morale was evident. Since entering the arena, the four Dark faction members hadn’t discussed any combat strategies with Han Shuo, seemingly intent on just going through the motions as Dio had suggested.

Han Shuo stood on their side, observing their expressions quietly. He said nothing, instead beginning to chant a series of magical incantations, summoning several small skeletons and zombie warriors.

As Han Shuo chanted, the summoned creatures appeared faster than usual. Six skeletal warriors and three zombie warriors materialized almost instantly in the plaza, lined up closely without any pause—a speed that astounded onlookers.

“Oh, this guy’s summoning speed is surprisingly fast. In just a blink, so many summoned creatures appeared,” murmured the crowd of students and teachers, all aware that the speed of chanting magic must harmonize perfectly with the speed of mental energy concentration. A short interval between spells meant a rapid mental focus, so Han Shuo’s swift summoning of dark creatures drew many astonished gazes.

Even Dean Emma’s eyes brightened with interest as she watched Han Shuo, curious about his intentions.

“Hmph, Light magic is the bane of dark creatures. Instead of wasting mental energy summoning these creatures, he’d be better off using more necromantic spells,” sneered one Dark faction teacher, clearly addressing Fanny nearby. Fanny’s face flushed with anger; she snorted quietly but said nothing.

Han Shuo, pleased inwardly, had previously felt considerable mental strain summoning this many dark creatures. But this time, he barely noticed any depletion, indicating the fruit’s effect had also enhanced his mental power.

Feeling encouraged, Han Shuo chanted more necromantic spells, adding several more skeletal and zombie warriors, along with a few ghouls, to the ranks.

As he summoned these dark creatures, Han Shuo quietly moved away from the Dark faction students, approaching the far left corner of the plaza. This area was concealed by artificial hills and trees, surrounded by mist, rendering his actions invisible to both Light and Dark faction students.

Once summoned, the dark creatures swiftly began setting traps under Han Shuo’s command.

One by one, they laid ropes, deepening a ravine into a pitfall. Skeletal warriors worked quickly with bone knives, ghouls transported earth to build a barricade blocking entry, and zombie warriors used wooden sticks to compact the soft soil, reinforcing the wall.

Under Han Shuo’s mental control, these three types of dark creatures cooperated methodically, setting traps brazenly in full view of the watching students and teachers outside the barrier, like a cold, calculating hunter preparing the field.

Initially, the crowd watched with amusement, but as the dark creatures worked rapidly and efficiently, their expressions turned serious.

“As long as a necromancer’s mental power is strong enough, they can summon endless dark creatures. Tasks requiring heavy labor can be accomplished only by necromancers leveraging these creatures. This advantage is unmatched by any other faction.”

Dean Emma smiled slightly, casting a glance at Dio from the Dark faction. “This young man cleverly utilizes the necromancer’s strength in summoning dark creatures. This duel might actually be interesting.”

Dio sneered coldly, “These traps are useless unless he can lure someone into them. I doubt this necromancer can manage that. The moment he faces the Light faction students, one wave of attacks will take him down, and all these traps will be for nothing.”

Thinking this over, Dio felt a twinge of regret. If he had instructed the other four to cooperate with Han Shuo earlier, perhaps they could have drawn the Light faction into the traps and caused some surprises.

But the duel had already begun; no amount of regret could change that.

Meanwhile, Fanny’s sharp eyes never left Han Shuo in the plaza, not even noticing the surrounding sneers and taunts.

They say a man focused on a task is at his most captivating. At that moment, Han Shuo’s calm expression and unhurried actions, paired with a faint, confident smile, held a strange, compelling allure for Fanny. Everything he did was for her, and that gave him an inexplicable charm.

Inside the plaza, the magical barrier muffled all external noise and sights. Once inside, Han Shuo could no longer see anything beyond the barrier.

The dark creatures busily continued their work, while Han Shuo began moving silently through the shadows of trees and artificial hills, like a phantom, steadily approaching the center where the Light and Dark factions faced off.

His movements were subtle and unhurried, without any overt display of agility. Yet his visual perception and spatial awareness had reached a near-supernatural level. Normally, the shadowed areas between trees and hills had patches of light that others could spot when crossing. Other students would glance around nervously, but Han Shuo moved precisely in the split second when their eyes averted or they blinked—an almost impossible feat of stealth.

Thus, Han Shuo reached the central artificial hill between the factions without a single soul detecting him. The teachers and students watching from outside found it strange that Han Shuo was drawing near yet went unnoticed.

Only Dean Emma and a few Grand Mage-level figures noticed this anomaly. Emma’s eyes brightened, but she said nothing. Two mages—one from Wind and one from Water factions—exchanged shocked glances and immediately focused their mental energy on Han Shuo.

Dio’s expression darkened further; he hadn’t expected Han Shuo to possess such extraordinary perception. Glancing back at Fanny, he wondered if Han Shuo’s remarkable abilities were somehow taught by her.

Han Shuo paused motionless in a shadow behind an artificial hill. The Light faction students dispersed, cautiously advancing toward the Dark faction while using trees and hills to conceal themselves. It seemed they remained wary despite Fred’s withdrawal.

In contrast, the four Dark faction students approached lazily, their faces sullen and muttering complaints, clearly discouraged. Facing the Light faction’s assault, they likely wouldn’t last past the first wave.

Suddenly, a Light faction student approached Han Shuo’s hiding spot, eyeing the hill where he concealed himself. Careful to watch the Dark faction’s expected approach, the student cautiously neared, letting down his guard upon seeing no abnormalities.

Standing motionless in the shadow, Han Shuo blended seamlessly into the darkness like a demon. At the critical moment, he sprang out, one hand clamping over the Light student’s mouth, the other grabbing his body, dragging him into the shadows.

As the student’s face registered shock, Han Shuo struck the back of his head with a punch, and the student collapsed unconscious. Han Shuo quickly switched clothes with him, then boldly stepped out from the shadow, blending in as he moved toward the center.

The five Light faction students stood about ten paces apart, able to see each other but, due to the mist and dim light, could only identify allies by their clothing, not by facial features. Thick winter clothing made their forms bulky, so Han Shuo’s appearance aroused no suspicion.

Outside, however, teachers and students watched every move unfold. The plaza buzzed with excitement. The necromancer faction had suddenly become the center of attention. Cheers from Lisa and others rang loudly, even amid the plaza’s noise.

“Unbelievable! He actually took someone down like that!”

“How could the five Light students be watching so closely and not notice him approaching? Impossible!”

“He’s become one of them now. Looks like the Light faction’s in big trouble. Haha, a teammate turned into a ticking bomb without anyone knowing—this is fascinating!”

The crowd’s incredulous whispers rose in waves, the reality before them impossible to deny.

“Fanny, your student is quite something!” Dio’s usual cold expression softened as he glanced at Fanny, who maintained her composure but whose eyebrows twitched with barely restrained excitement.

Fanny cast a disdainful glance at Dio and said sarcastically, “Oh please, he’s just there to fill numbers. You’re flattering him too much, Teacher Dio.”

Dio was momentarily speechless and grew tense, his gaze scanning the plaza for what would come next.

At that moment, Fanny’s heart brimmed with joy. For years, her faction’s weakness had made her the target of ridicule. Now, with Han Shuo’s rise, others looked at her with awe and disbelief. Even those who mocked Dio offered no retort, which filled her with a surge of satisfaction.

Everyone has vanity, especially Fanny, who had endured constant discouragement. This sudden reversal felt a hundred times more exhilarating. Looking at Han Shuo now, she found him increasingly appealing, a sweet smile unconsciously curling her lips.

Unaware of the commotion outside, Han Shuo took measured steps forward, joining the four other Light faction students as they approached the center.

From another direction, the four Dark faction students appeared, spacing themselves appropriately. Their steps halted abruptly as the Light faction students neared.

Two Sleep Spells and two Dark Hands were simultaneously chanted by the four Dark faction members. The Sleep Spells drifted in a circular pattern toward Han Shuo and the opposing Light students. Two enormous dark hands materialized in the dim sky, reaching toward the two Light students in the center.

Kilon, the Light faction captain, watched coldly and unmoved. None of the Dark faction’s attacks targeted him—perhaps they knew their moves were ineffective against him.

Han Shuo was hit by one Sleep Spell, but he tilted his body and swiftly dodged with a few steps, evading the attack with practiced ease.

Next to him, a Light student remained calm despite a dark hand appearing above. A sudden light sword strike cut at the dark hand.

At that moment, two bone spears appeared out of nowhere, piercing the light sword with crackling sounds before dissolving into white light. Simultaneously, a Soul Pain spell emerged along with the dark hand near the Light student.

The sudden shift disrupted the student’s focus; before he could react, the Soul Pain spell hit him, and the dark hand seized his body abruptly.

“Delon, what’s wrong?” Kilon called out in alarm, rushing over.

Delon, beside Han Shuo, immediately understood. Though Han Shuo’s chant was low, their proximity allowed him to hear. Anxious, Delon tried to warn Kilon, but the dark hand tightened its grip, making his breathing labored. With a forceful tug from a Dark faction student, Delon fainted.

Apart from Delon, the other Light faction students easily repelled the Dark faction’s attacks. Kilon, unharmed, quickly approached Delon to assess his condition.

Between Han Shuo and Kilon lay the unconscious Delon. As Kilon moved forward, Han Shuo also neared, seeming to check on Delon.

Just as Kilon crouched to examine Delon, three bone spears suddenly appeared, followed by two bone arrows and another Soul Pain spell.

Startled, Kilon rose and caught sight of Han Shuo’s face for the first time. He shouted, “No!”

He quickly finished chanting a spell, releasing a semicircular wave of Light magic from his chest that destroyed the bone spears, arrows, and Soul Pain spell instantly.

However, more bone arrows flew out immediately after, forcing Kilon to dodge hastily. One grazed his rear, causing him to shout in pain.

“That guy Billy is the one impersonating a Necromancer—too devious. Take him down first!” Kilon bellowed, rubbing his wounded backside.

The two other Light students who had dodged the Dark faction’s attacks paused briefly before joining Kilon in charging at Han Shuo.

Meanwhile, the four Dark faction students exchanged glances. One growled, “Damn it, it’s five of us against three of them. What’s there to fear? Let’s take them all down together.”

Thus, Han Shuo ran forward, pursued by the three Light students. Behind them, the four Dark faction members chased the Light trio, creating a strange pursuit.

Outside, the crowd erupted in noise. If Han Shuo’s earlier stealth knockout seemed lucky, his recent feat—the rapid spellcasting that injured Kilon—proved his formidable strength.

Moreover, having witnessed Han Shuo’s trap setup, everyone instantly realized his cunning intent when he dashed toward the traps.

“Oh no, how did this happen!” Fulenda, a Light faction mage who had been confidently smiling, groaned in frustration. This turn of events was completely unexpected.

“Fanny, your student is amazing! I never thought the Necromancer faction had such talent—truly incredible!” Teachers who had often mocked Fanny suddenly changed their tone, expressing admiration.

This was Fanny’s proudest moment in years within the Necromancer faction. Han Shuo’s actions earned her universal respect. She smiled modestly and said calmly, “It’s nothing. Our faction has many talents; we just keep a low profile. Now you see how shallow your previous judgments were.”

Those nearby were stunned. Han Shuo’s sudden rise had also elevated Fanny’s presence and confidence.

Inside the plaza, the duel pressed on.