Chapter 49: The Arrogant Challenge

"Dean Xiao, I have a question!" Light's voice rang out, cutting through the murmur of the gathered crowd. As he glanced toward the mass of challengers standing by the exit, he took advantage of the moment, his voice carrying the weight of his intentions.

Dean Xiao, a figure of calm authority, turned his gaze toward Light and replied without hesitation, "Speak!"

Light's eyes gleamed as he continued, his voice louder now, filled with a confidence that seemed to ripple through the air, "If our Undead school doesn't reach a hundred people, the resources will be given to another Elemental school. Isn't there a rule that if I defeat 200 students, then all of the resources that would be distributed to all of the other Elemental schools will be given to the Undead school?"

The question reverberated around the arena, drawing the attention of the thousands present.

Dean Xiao, still composed, raised his voice to answer, "Indeed. If you can withstand the attack of 200 people, then all of the resources that would be distributed to all of the other Elemental schools will be given to the Undead school."

A satisfied smile spread across Light's face as he turned to address the entire assembly of students. "Well, I just want to make a statement toward the students of all Elements."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the audience, before declaring boldly, "Your resources will belong to me."

There was a collective gasp as Light raised his head, shedding his usual innocent demeanor. His face twisted into one of pure arrogance, a mask that told of boundless self-assurance. "If you all let go this time, then I will take my words back. But, if you dare challenge me, then get ready to be crushed."

The atmosphere seemed to freeze in response to his declaration. For a moment, the whole arena was silent, the expressions of the 10,000 teachers and students frozen in disbelief.

What kind of talk was this? How could a student, barely known within the Pearl Institute, dare to make such a statement? Dean Xiao had mentioned before that, except for one person three years ago, no one had achieved such a feat in a decade. How dare you, a small little necromancer, dare to be so arrogant? What right do you have to dismiss the thousands of students, many of them prodigies, so casually?

Among the crowd were seasoned students, some of whom had spent years honing their skills on the Azure campus. These weren't just fresh-faced novices; they were Magicians who had been here for three or four years. And now, they found themselves staring at this new student, who had just provoked the entire school.

"You think you can get rid of 200 people by yourself?" The disbelief in the air was palpable.

Luo Song, standing nearby, couldn't hold back his frustration. "Damn, did you have to be that arrogant? Not even I dared to say those words!" His face was contorted in a mix of anger and bewilderment.

"It's necessary for trash to know its place, fatty," Light shot back, his voice cold and dismissive.

Originally, today was meant to be Luo Song's moment to shine. He had expected to be the center of attention, to bask in the admiration of the crowd. But now, this upstart necromancer was stealing his spotlight.

"Damn, I hate people like him, thinking they're untouchable," a new student, visibly angry, leapt from his seat and stormed toward the iron cage that marked the center of the arena.

"He really doesn't know his place," someone murmured from the crowd, their voice dripping with disdain. "Pearl Institute is filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. He has no idea what he's gotten himself into."

As Light stood in the middle of the arena, the sounds of the crowd's disdain filled the air, raining down on him like a storm. There were more than ten thousand people in the battle area, and no matter where he looked, a thousand pairs of eyes stared back at him with contempt. Their voices boomed around him like thunder, an unprecedented chorus of hostility.

"I'm the cure for all kinds of braggarts!" someone from the crowd shouted.

Light stood firm, undeterred. His lips curled into a smile as his hands began to move, channeling his magic. He whispered a spell under his breath, and within an instant, the air around him thickened with a dark, ominous presence.

It started as a basic Star Orbit, but what emerged from it carried a weight far beyond its simplicity. A strong presence of death and evil pervaded the air, as though a tomb had been ripped open, releasing the foul stench of decay.

A cloud of muddy air began swirling around Light, growing denser by the second, like the restless spirits of the dead dancing in the wind. Beneath him, the ground began to shift, opening up into a dark, gaping hole. It was as if a tunnel leading to the underworld had appeared in the center of the arena. From within its depths, eerie shrieks echoed out, the bone-chilling cries of tortured souls.

The presence of the undead was unmistakable.

The cloud of murky air expanded, creating a deathly aura that spread across the arena. Within its coverage, the undead would grow stronger, feeding off the malevolent energy. Unlike other summoned creatures, the undead could thrive in such an environment, growing more powerful as the aura intensified. Light's summoning magic was more terrifying than anything the students had ever seen before.

From the dark pit, the first figure began to emerge. The ox-headed zombie's hulking body crawled out of the abyss, its massive hands gripping rusty hatchets. The creature had the body of a monstrous warrior, with limbs that looked like they could tear a human in half. But its most disturbing feature was the tiny woman's head perched atop its shoulders. Her hair hung in a tangled mess over her face, but beneath it, the sinister expression of a malevolent spirit could be seen.

The students stared at the creature in horror, their bodies breaking out in goosebumps. It was impossible to imagine how many corpses had been fused together to create this abomination, this Hatchet Corpse General.

"Warrior Class!" someone screamed from the crowd, their voice trembling with fear. "It's a Warrior Class creature! We're done! It's over!"

The Hatchet Corpse General moved with terrifying speed, its enormous body charging across the arena. With a single swipe of its powerful paw, it slammed into Luo Song, sending him flying through the air like a ragdoll. Luo Song had Defensive Magic Equipment, but even that wasn't enough to save him from the creature's overwhelming strength. He flew over 20 meters before crashing into the ground, unable to get up.

After witnessing Light summon a Warrior Class Undead, the legs of the surrounding students began to tremble. Fear coursed through them. Many of them were only Basic Magicians, and even Intermediate Mages like Luo Song had been defeated in a single spell. How could they hope to challenge such a terrifying opponent?

Dean Xiao, watching from the sidelines, finally broke the silence. "It's a Warrior Class Undead. No one in Azure Campus can stand against it alone. Only if Intermediate Magicians team up will they have a chance against it. But, are we really going to give all the resources to him if he defeats 200 of them, or will no one dare challenge him?" he asked Zhong Zhenghua, the Dean of the Earth School, who stood beside him.

At first, no one had taken Light's words seriously. They had thought he was just a lunatic, spewing empty threats. But now, after witnessing his display of power, the atmosphere had changed. The students were tensing up, their fear palpable.

"Brother," a young man with a handsome face stood up from the crowd, "it's our turn now. Our resources will be taken away if we allow him to fool around any longer."

"Your thoughts are exactly the same as mine," a burly young man answered, rising from his seat as well. "I didn't want to fight, but it looks like we don't have a choice."

"This is actually quite interesting," another voice chimed in, this one belonging to an elegant young man toying with an expensive ring on his finger. "A pawn from nowhere comes to Shanghai and causes such a ruckus. Who would have thought someone from the capital would steal the spotlight from us?"

"He's Bai Cangfeng, from the Bai Family!" someone from the crowd whispered.

"Yes! Our hope has arrived! It's Bai Cangfeng!"

"The resources given to new students might not interest someone from a family like the Bai Family, but I doubt he can stand by while Pearl Institute's reputation is being trampled like this," someone else muttered.

But Light, standing tall in the center of the arena, was unimpressed. "Save the reputation of Pearl Institute?" he mocked. "If you're weak, then accept it. There's no reason to feel proud."

Bai Cangfeng and his friend, both Intermediate Magicians, made their way to the stage, prepared to challenge Light. As they arrived, Bai Cangfeng demanded that the older Intermediate Magicians intervene, otherwise this "small fish" would plunder all the resources.

Hearing his words, many of the older students hesitated. But after hearing Light's mockery, they finally relented, agreeing to help protect the reputation of Pearl Institute.

"Someone is up for the challenge!" the crowd murmured, as a figure stepped into the arena.

But it wasn't Bai Cangfeng or any of the other students. Instead, an extremely beautiful and curvaceous young woman entered the stage. What made her stand

out was her calm composure, completely unaffected by Light's arrogance.

Bai Cangfeng and his friend immediately recognized her. "Aster?" Bai Cangfeng muttered in disbelief.

Aster's calm and unwavering demeanor silenced the crowd. She didn't say a word, merely flicking her wrist as she prepared her magic.

Light's arrogant expression faltered for a split second as he recognized Aster's aura. This one was not to be trifled with.

The crowd went silent, waiting for the clash to begin.

What appeared within their vision, however, was an extremely beautiful and curvaceous young woman. What made her stand out the most was not just her courage to step up at this crucial moment, but her calm! Her presence exuded a quiet strength, as if no challenge could shake her resolve.

In no time, someone quickly recognized her and called out her name. "Mu Nujiao!"

"It's her?" Shan Shenhe blurted out in surprise as he looked towards the woman heading for the entrance, his eyes wide with astonishment.

On the other side, Bai Cangfeng was also stunned. His usual composure slipped as he gazed at Mu Nujiao, clearly caught off guard by her appearance.

As the lady entered the arena, Light took a closer look at her. His curiosity piqued as he studied her more carefully. He then realized that everything he had once heard about her was completely insufficient to describe her true beauty. **The girls in the larger cities are indeed better!**

Counting this girl, now there were six Intermediate Magicians standing before him. A smirk tugged at the corners of Light's mouth.

"So, you are Mu Nujiao?" asked Light, his tone filled with interest as he looked her over, intrigued by the rumors that preceded her.

The lady nodded, showing no other emotion but eagerness to fight. Her calm expression remained unshaken, and it was clear she had no intention of backing down.

"Why do you want your beautiful face and body to get utterly destroyed?" Light mocked, his voice dripping with arrogance as he attempted to unnerve her.

Anger quickly arose in Mu Nujiao's eyes. The flash of emotion was unmistakable as she stared back at him. "Stop trash talking," she snapped, her patience clearly running thin.

"You all are the last ones I have to crush," Light declared, his voice filled with determination. "As long as you are defeated, I will be able to obtain all of the resources." His eyes gleamed brightly with hope and ambition as he spoke.

"Stop wasting your time and saliva," Mu Nujiao interrupted, her tone sharp and unwavering. "Let us begin!" All she wanted was a fight—she had no time for idle chatter or taunts.