The announcer's voice echoed across the hall, silencing the crowd.
"The Affinity Trial is complete! Now, we move to the final test of the first Holy Arts Competition!"
The audience stirred with excitent. They had seen purity asured by the crystal, and affinity tested against the Imps.
What could possibly co next?
The judges stepped forward with their solemn expression. One of them raised his staff and spoke clearly.
"This last trial will test the true essence of Holy Arts. Not purity or destruction, but sanctification. Each student will be placed inside a sanctified circle. Within it, shadow wraiths will be summoned. They are weaker than the Imps, but they will swarm endlessly. The task is simple… You need to protect the circle and heal the effigies placed inside. The longer the light holds, the higher the score."
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
"Sanctification?"
"So it's about defense and healing?"
"This is different… this is real Holy Arts."
Vale certainly liked this test.
'Purity and power are important, but without protection and healing, Holy Arts are incomplete. They should do well in this test as well, but if it cos to Spirit Strands, it might be a problem.' Vale mused after noticing that his students weren't the ones with the highest Spirit Strands or energy.
Since this was a matter of being able to hold on for the longest ti, the amount of energy would surely matter…
In any case, the first student stepped nervously into the circle.
The judges raised their hands, and just like what was ntioned before, shadow wraiths appeared.
These wraiths also started shrieking as they rushed forward.
The student invoked Blessing Dew…
Soon, droplets of light fell onto the effigies. The glow was faint, and the wraiths pressed in quickly. Within seconds, the circle faltered, and the effigies dimd.
"Thirteen seconds…" The announcer reported after checking the ti.
Just like that, the test continued.
Another competitor tried Sacred Fla.
The circle flared brightly, burning several wraiths back, but the fla consud too much energy. Within monts, the glow weakened, and the effigies were left vulnerable.
In the end, the student only lasted for 16 seconds.
"Ahhh! This is too difficult!" The student complained.
He didn't have any Artifact with him that could improve his Spirit Energy reserve. Because of that, he failed to last for even 20 seconds, which was the number he was aiming to have…
But he wasn't alone. One by one, the students attempted the trial. Most of them managed to hold the circle for fifteen seconds, others were able to reach up to nineteen seconds, but none of them reached 20 seconds…
Soon, however, a representative from Aurora Holy Academy stepped into the circle filled with confidence…
He invoked Holy Barrier, forming a do of light around the effigies.
The shadow wraiths clawed and shrieked, but the barrier held firm.
The glow trembled after a while, yet it endured longer than most. The announcer's voice rang out.
"Twenty‑two seconds!"
The crowd cheered. It was the first ti soone had broken past the nineteen‑second mark.
However, the student was frowning…
He realized just now that after the 20-second mark, the intensity or the strength of the shadow wraiths beca abnormal!
"So that's how it is, huh… I thought I could reach fifty seconds if the intensity stayed the sa, but they really planned this well…" He mused.
However, the crowd was just happy to see the result.
"Finally, soone reached past twenty!"
"Aurora is really good!"
"They might take the lead in this trial!"
Next ca a student from Sunspire Holy Academy. She invoked Blessed Chant…
The circle pulsed in rhythm with her chant, pushing the wraiths back again and again.
Soon, the effigies glowed brightly with the spell.
Finally, after reaching the 20-second mark, the intensity beca stronger and soon, the circle dimd… but not before lasting twenty‑four seconds!
"Twenty‑four seconds!" the announcer declared.
The audience erupted in applause.
Then, a student from Larkinson Holy Academy stepped forward.
This ti, he invoked Sacred Fla, but it was controlled and not reckless. The fire burned steadily, keeping the wraiths at bay without consuming all his energy at once.
The circle glowed fiercely, holding for twenty‑five seconds before fading.
"Twenty‑five seconds!"
The crowd gasped.
"That's the highest so far!"
"Larkinson has taken the lead!"
"Sacred Fla really is powerful when mastered."
Soon, the announcer's voice carried across the hall once more.
"Now, Marshall Academy's turn!"
The crowd leaned forward eagerly. After Galatea's spear and Irene's radiance, and Skye's devastating strike in the Affinity Trial, everyone wanted to see how they would perform in this final test.
Galatea stepped forward first.
"I'm ready!" She shouted as she entered the circle.
Soon, her hands were clasped together before she invoked Radiant Ward.
A huge do of light ford around the effigies and it seed more like an Arcane Barrier of Mystic Arts.
However, the wraiths shrieked upon contact with the do!
They tried to ensure and clawed at the barrier, but it held firm.
This lasted for thirty seconds! The effigies remained untouched during the whole ti.
Of course, the crowd cheered loudly, impressed by her control.
It was the highest score so far!
"Hmm… She compensated with aggressiveness, huh…" Vale muttered as he noticed that Galatea had also released another field-type Spell that weakened the power of the shadow-wraiths instead of just strengthening her barrier.
Vale smiled. 'Galatea understands. Defense is not about flashy power, but about holding the line.'
Next ca Irene.
She raised her staff as she invoked Healing Hymn.
A soft chant filled the air, and the effigies glowed as their wounds nded under the radiant lody.
The wraiths clawed at the circle, but Irene's hymn was simply too effective…
It continued to push back the wraiths!
Thirty seconds passed. Then thirty-five...
Then, the circle finally dimd, and the test ended…
"Thirty-five seconds!" The announcer said.
The crowd erupted in cheers…
"Her healing is incredible!"
"She kept the circle alive longer than most!"
"Marshall Academy again!"
The judges couldn't help but praise her balance of healing and defense.
Yet, this wasn't even the strongest student according to their knowledge. There was still Skye!
At this point, as Vale was thinking of leaving the place since he already guessed what the result would be, he felt sothing off…
Soon, he felt a huge summoning circle within the city being activated!
It was a very familiar move.
"This is..."
Vale imdiately recalled the competition he had attended as a student. This was definitely the sa summoning event!
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