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Chapter 44: Lanchi's Debut Preparation
Chapter 44: Lanchi's Debut Preparation
In the bustling heart of the Academy of Ikelite stands a formidable structure, proud and imposing.
This is the center of the entire campus, surrounded by the quarters of the four major faculties.
While the campus boasts a variety of architectural styles, both classical and modern, each with its unique charm, they all pale in comparison to this central edifice.
It stands out not only for its immense size but also because it is utterly unlike anything else in the vicinity.
Amidst the Gothic and Renaissance-style buildings that exude historical grandeur, this structure resembles more of a military fortress.
Its walls are a deep blue, hard as iron, encircled by layers of powerful barrier spells that emanate a soft golden glow, forming visible barriers of magical protection.
The very presence of this place seems to exert an intangible oppressive force on those who pass by.
Only those with proper identification are allowed entry through the sole entrance, undergoing multiple security checks.
Members of the Royal Knights, clad in exquisite armor, patrol the perimeter of this barrier.
They are not the regular campus guards but elite knights dispatched by the Kingdom of Hutton, ensuring that any who dare intrude will not leave unscathed.
All of this is due to the fact that within this structure lies a void gate leading to the Shadow World.
To prevent cultists or miscreants from entering, all permanent void gates on the Southern Continent are guarded and controlled with the utmost vigilance by the Shadow World Management Association and the United Parliament of the Southern Continent.
There are five such large void gates in the Kingdom of Hutton, where Lanchi resides, and one of them is within the Academy of Ikelite.
One could even say that this academy was built around this very gate, attracting powerful researchers and scholars.
As the sun was about to set, the Academy of Ikelite was bathed in a molten gold hue, creating a serene and dreamlike scene.
Lanchi and Hyperion's silhouettes stretched long on the wide path as they made their way through the security checks of this building.
Finally, they stepped inside.
Before them lay a vast space, dominated by an enormous void gate.
Its appearance was mysterious and otherworldly, like a work of art crafted by a divine creator. The frame was composed of a meteor-like material, its surface smooth as a mirror, with edges flowing like liquid starlight. The colors shifted between deep violet and silvery white.
The entire gate shimmered with a deep purple radiance, like the most profound light in the night sky, flickering and shimmering, elusive and enigmatic. It seemed as if countless stars were gently rotating within a vortex.
"What should we name our team?" Hyperion asked, glancing at the final security checkpoint, the empty arena, and the registration desk ahead.
All they needed to do now was register their Challenger Licenses and have their Shadow World Recording Programs checked before proceeding through the void gate for their match.
If they intended to use a "team card" for a group challenge, they would also have to register a team name.
The "team card" was another type of tool magic card officially known as the Shadow World Coordination Program.
Lanchi thought for a moment, feeling that any name would suffice.
So, he decided to base it on the characteristics of their duo.
"How about the Civilized Role Models Squad?" Lanchi suggested.
Hyperion hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.
She felt the urge to retort, but ultimately let it go.
Let him have his fun...
The two then submitted their licenses and the two types of tool magic cards to the checkpoint counter, waiting for the staff to process their registration.
"Once you enter the void gate, the Shadow World will automatically match you with an appropriate existing Shadow World," the staff member in a military uniform explained as he processed their documents with a magical instrument, noticing that this was their first challenge. "During the matching process, do not exit the void gate unnecessarily, or you may be separated. Keep that in mind, alright?"
"Understood."
Both Lanchi and Hyperion nodded.
"Since there will be many other challengers entering through portals from various parts of the world at the same time, if your ranks are low, you usually won't have to wait long." The staff member kept his eyes on the crystal screen of the magical instrument as he explained common scenarios to the pair.
Even though Lanchi and Hyperion had some understanding of these matters, they listened attentively.
In the true Shadow World, the lower the rank of the challenger, the easier it is to successfully match, after all, lower-ranked Shadow Worlds appear more frequently and in larger numbers.
On the other hand, higher-ranked Shadow Worlds tend to appear less frequently, and even if challengers are willing to take on the challenge, sometimes there may not be a suitable Shadow World available.
As for the detection of a seventh-rank or higher calamity-level Shadow World, the Shadow World Management Association and the United Parliament of the Southern Continent would issue a warning to the nations, and multiple countries would begin negotiations to dispatch highly capable and suitable challengers or teams.
The higher the rank of the Shadow World, the more severe the disaster if the challenge fails.
If the aftermath of a failed second or third-rank Shadow World challenge is considered minor, then a failed challenge of a seventh-rank or higher Shadow World would result in a true large-scale calamity.
Therefore, all nations and forces treat high-rank Shadow Worlds with extreme caution.
This is also why high-rank Shadow World challengers hold such esteemed status.
Not only do they possess standing in their own kingdoms, but they also have a voice in the United Parliament of the Southern Continent!
There are two ways to ensure that a fixed group of challengers enter the same Shadow World.
One is that among those top-tier challengers, due to their small numbers, there are very few Shadow Worlds suitable for them, so as long as they enter at the same time, they will mostly be matched together.
The other more reliable method is to carry a "team card"—
[Shadow World Coordination Program]
[Category: Spell Card]
[Grade: White (Common)]
[Attribute: Link]
[Rank: 1]
[Passive Effect: Will be matched with companions carrying the same numbered Coordination Program into the same Shadow World.]
[Note: No. 891852279 Team Card]
This was the team card Lanchi and Hyperion had purchased at the entrance counter.
Issued jointly by the Shadow World Management Association and the Card Maker's Association of the Southern Continent, it was a team tool card crafted by processing and replicating natural team function cards originating from the Shadow World itself.
The larger the team, the more difficult it is to match into a Shadow World, the longer the waiting time, and the higher the difficulty compared to separate individual challenges.
However, if it's just a team of two, the side effects are minimal.
"Alright, when you come out, just let me read your [Shadow World Recording Programs] again, and you can get back your Challenger Licenses and leave."
The staff member returned their tool magic cards, and then the gate before them opened.
He waved his hand, signaling that they could proceed.
Lanchi and Hyperion took their tool magic cards and expressed their thanks before walking towards the Void Gate.
After walking a few hundred steps without saying much, they arrived before this Void Gate.
"Are you ready?"
Lanchi turned his head and smiled at Hyperion.
"Of course," she nodded.
Unlike the artificial Shadow World terminal gates, this genuine Void Gate was a bottomless black hole. Just by approaching it, one could feel an invisible pulling force, as if their souls were being drawn into this endless unknown world.
However, Lanchi did not hesitate and stepped forward, as if walking through water, and entered the gate.
Instantly, sound, sight, consciousness, and even time seemed to disappear in that moment.
All they could sense was the breath of the cosmos, the endless stars, and the fathomless void.
It felt as if two worlds were intertwining, relying on each other to take shape, and after everything was inverted and reversed, they finally arrived in a brand new world.
[The story of shadows and reality intertwining begins anew.]
(End of Chapter)
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