Miss Witch Doesn't Want to Become a Songstress-Chapter 187

The battle had ended. Paramedics stepped down from the ambulances parked on either side of the bridge, carefully carrying injured students into the vehicles. The ambulances then lifted off, heading toward the pre-designated hospitals.

Although the injuries looked severe, with the advanced medical technology of today, recovery was not difficult. Even the most seriously injured students would fully recover within a week, barely affecting their studies. It was precisely because of these medical advancements that academies could engage in such high-intensity battles.

The remaining students, those uninjured or only suffering minor scrapes, supported each other as they walked down from the bridge. Their clothes were disheveled and tattered, yet the smiles on their faces could not be suppressed.

"We won."

"Yeah, we won! Hahaha, we won!" As they spoke, laughter erupted among them.

"I won’t be able to sleep tonight."

"Me neither."

"How about we go for some barbecue?"

"Let’s go! Let’s go!" Excited voices echoed in the night.

And so, the remaining members who could still move unanimously decided to celebrate their hard-earned victory with a barbecue.

...

Atop a skyscraper, Tilin picked up her ringing personal terminal. Upon answering, she was met with the sounds of cheers and laughter, followed by an invitation to join them for barbecue.

"You all go ahead. I’ll join you later."

After hanging up, she set down the terminal and looked upward.

Under the bright moonlight, six students wearing circular goggles hovered silently in the air. Their goggles, emitting a soft green glow, did not enhance their vision as much as they obscured it. They wore uniforms with transparent sleeves, and over their black skirts, they had jellyfish-like translucent overlays. These overlays were undulated like waves, gently rotating and generating a unique floating force that allowed them to remain effortlessly suspended in midair.

On their wrists and the sides of their goggles, tiny indicator lights flickered, occasionally releasing faint ripples that scanned everything below.

It was clear that during the battle, they had been recording and analyzing the combat habits, movements, and techniques of both sides. The data was then fed into an AI system for further analysis. These figures, experts in AI and electronic warfare, were students of Crystal Grid Academy.

Unlike other academies, nearly all students at Crystal Grid Academy specialized in the Spirit Particle Sequence—a system of abilities centered around controlling electronics and machinery. Originating from the Mechanical Council of the Twilight Era, it was once humanity’s only known sequence. Now, in the interstellar age, it had seen a resurgence, gradually overtaking the Magic Sequence in prominence.

While scanning and analyzing, the six noticed a girl standing on the skyscraper’s rooftop, gazing up at them.

"Who is she?"

A crisp voice transmitted through their earpieces. Two members quickly accessed the Southern District Resident Database, beginning a search.

"Thilan, first-year student at Edess Academy."

"A first-year? A rank 4 Decay Sequence? That’s quite rare."

"She seems to have noticed us. What should we do?" another member asked.

"So what if she saw us? Our data collection is complete for today anyway. It’s time to leave."

"Understood."

The tall girl leading the group blew a playful kiss toward the black-haired girl below, then drifted away with her companions.

"Crystal Grid Academy..." Thilan murmured, watching them disappear into the night.

Although they had won today, things would not be so easy next time. The other academies were not unprepared. Now that their strength had been exposed, their opponents would undoubtedly find ways to counter them.

She needed to intensify their training.

Thilan made a mental note to introduce additional training programs for the Hat and Dagger club and to spread the teachings of White Orchid Swordsmanship.

She couldn’t always personally oversee the club’s training, but the five apprentices she had trained could take over, passing down the techniques while she occasionally stepped in to correct and guide them.

But it still wasn’t enough.

If her academy’s mission for her was to challenge Saint Ingo, the current strength of their students was far from sufficient. Struggling against Thunder Edge Academy, ranked fifth, was already difficult enough. Let alone facing the higher-ranked Crystal Grid Academy or Hive Dominion Academy.

The Hat and Dagger club, as a close-combat swordsmanship group, had limited numbers and strength. She needed to cultivate new factions...

Now that she was gradually taking on responsibilities within the Student Council, she was beginning to develop a sense of ownership—paying close attention to the academy’s overall situation and dynamics.

...

Three days later, most of the injured students had fully recovered. The remaining few could now move around. To commemorate their victory, the Hat and Dagger club decided to take a group photo. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"Why not wait until everyone has fully recovered before taking the picture?" some girls asked in confusion.

"You don’t get it," a club member explained.

"Smiling with scars and bandages on—that’s what makes it truly memorable."

Because of this, many students kept their bandages and plasters on for the photo. Some left their arms bare, only draping jackets over their shoulders. Though their bodies bore scars and white wrappings, the atmosphere exuded the exhilarating energy of a hard-fought battle.

"Front row, squat down first. Those in the middle, sit properly. Tall ones, stand in the back!"

The student in charge of photography gave loud instructions as everyone gradually took their positions.

At the very center of the back row stood Woolay, tall and broad-shouldered, hands on his hips. Beside him were other towering members of the club. The rest of the students sat on chairs in the middle row or knelt in the front.

But the most eye-catching presence was the black-haired girl seated in the very center.

Among the many strong and broad-shouldered club members, her slender frame stood out. She was also the only one not wearing the club uniform—her black and navy dress accentuated her graceful figure as she sat elegantly at the heart of the group.

Though she wasn’t a club member, no one objected to her being at the center of the photo. It felt undeniably natural.

"Alright, everyone, focus. Three, two, one... perfect!"

With a soft click, a unique photograph was slowly printed.

Though it wasn’t a graduation photo, for many of the fourth-year students, this picture would hold far greater significance than any graduation portrait.

The ordinary moments of youth might fade within three years, but the times of sweat, passion, and triumph would be etched into their memories forever.

"We totally wiped the floor with them!"

Years later, many of them would likely boast about this moment to their juniors.

"Did that really happen? Tell me again—how exactly did you defeat the legendary geniuses of Thunder Edge Academy?"

"Hahaha! Of course, I can tell you. It all started on that distant afternoon, when Student Council member Colt brought a beautiful and brilliant black-haired girl to our training hall..."