Millennium Witch

The three waited there for a while. About ten minutes later, a somewhat contemptuous voice rang out from above not far away: "Heh, you actually dare to come, you poor wretch."

Rosalyn looked up and saw a boy of middle school age standing on a floating skateboard, looking down at the crowd with a contemptuous expression.

Behind him followed two thin, boyish followers, and a floating mechanical construct. The mechanical construct only had an upper body, with runic rings shimmering on its cross-section, seemingly some kind of intelligent bodyguard.

"Who's afraid of who? Don't forget, my 'Rune Literature' grades are even higher than yours," Hans said with a sneer.

Rune literature, something that ordinary people can only access after entering the legendary university level, is the beginning of the path to becoming a mage.

However, the situation is completely different for Black Tower Middle School. Starting from the second grade, these middle school students, most of whom are children of company employees, have the opportunity to participate. They only need to purchase a discounted "Active Rune Set" to register.

So, this is true for Hans, and it will be true for Mary when she reaches the second year. The active rune sets are extremely expensive; even the cheapest ones cost 5 gold. One injection increases magic power by 10 points, but the effect diminishes over time.

“Rune theory is rune theory, and real combat is real combat… You poor bastard, you know absolutely nothing about my fists.” Standing on the skateboard, he slid down the garbage mountain and landed lightly.

His gaze swept over Hans and Mary, finally settling on the unfamiliar blonde girl. He asked coldly, "Who are you? Which school do you go to? Did this poor bastard hire you to put on a show?"

Rosalyn's demeanor was unlike anything he had ever seen in anyone from the Blackwater District. Her every move, every posture, exuded a natural elegance that made him somewhat suspicious.

“My name is Rosalyn, and I’m Hans’s friend.” Rosalyn nodded slightly. “I won’t interfere in this matter, but on the condition that the conflict between you two doesn’t go too far.”

"You stinking woman, what a big mouth you have! Who do you think you are, to think you have the right to interfere in the boss's affairs!"

"We'll have the boss teach this kid a lesson in a bit, and show him what's what!"

The two lackeys behind Briel immediately started shouting.

Briel smiled at the shouts of his two henchmen, seemingly enjoying having someone to talk to.

He didn't say anything more, but turned to Hans: "What are the rules for a one-on-one duel here?"

"What rules are there in a fight?" Hans said dismissively. "You can't use any tools other than the magic terminal, that's all."

"Let's add another bet: the loser has to crawl and bark like a dog in the school courtyard in public, otherwise it's not fun. You're not scared, are you?"

"You think I'm afraid?"

So, after the bet was made, the other onlookers dispersed, and in the clearing between the garbage mountains, Hans and Briel were about to face a tense battle of mages.

Rosalyn was also nervous and concerned, but besides worrying about Hans, the main reason was that this was the first time she had seen a mage other than her teacher make a move. It could give her, a novice mage who had been training as a mage for two years, a good reference point, allowing her to quickly grasp her level among her peers.

Chapter 24: Battle of Mages

"Boss, crush him!"

"Let the poor bastards of the Blackwater District know what's what!"

They retreated to the garbage mountain to watch the battle, and the two little followers took on the role of cheerleaders.

In the open space the size of a basketball court, as both of them flashed with a momentary emerald light, the next second, to Rosalind's astonishment, the two boys, who were already novice-level mages, immediately started fighting, kicking each other in the stomach and hitting each other in the forehead, looking completely unrelated to the word "magic".

Rosalyn was stunned. This was not the battle of mages she had expected at all; it was no different from a fight between ordinary kids!

The only possible difference is that during the battle, runic rings would occasionally appear on the skin of both sides, which means that both of them should have used some kind of physical enhancement magic, either to improve their physical attributes, or to increase their endurance or recovery.

How am I supposed to learn from this...? But they are all elite students at Black Tower High School. Is this the actual level of their peers? I was taught by a teacher, and that teacher is a reclusive master, so it's normal for me to be better than them...

Thinking about this, Rosalyn suddenly realized a very important point that she had previously overlooked: in this world, the practice of paying for knowledge is quite thorough. Any magical spell must be purchased through legitimate means; otherwise, if reported, one could face the risk of imprisonment.

As a result, neither Hans nor Briel, as novice mages, would have many spells available to them.

But she is different. Her teacher is unfathomable. Even in her dreams, he is a top expert who would give her many super techniques with "S" grade performance for free. So, isn't it only natural that she is powerful?

It wasn't that she was exceptionally talented; rather, it was because the techniques her teacher gave her were incredibly powerful! Even if it weren't her, anyone who received these techniques would become much stronger!

Thinking of this, Rosalyn suppressed her pride and continued to observe. The battle was about to end—Hans had somehow learned some grappling techniques and was tightly locking Briel's neck, his arm veins bulging, looking like he was giving it his all.

"Well done, brother!"

Mary swung her fist forcefully.

But at that moment, the entire garbage mountain suddenly trembled violently. A pillar of fire rose two hundred meters away, turning half the sky orange-red, and metal fragments blown by the shockwave rained down around them.

"What's going on?" Hans asked, not letting go.

Briel also became alert and said to his two henchmen, "Go and see what's going on!"

A minute later, two henchmen on skateboards returned, their faces filled with terror. "Boss, it's the gangs! There's a gang fight here! Let's get out of here!"

"The mafia?!" Upon hearing this, Hans immediately released his grip, allowing Briel to escape. Briel didn't do anything more, catching his breath before saying, "This doesn't count... Let's get going!"

"Not yet, aren't you about to lose?" Mary's focus was still on the fight, and she felt that Briel was just trying to take the opportunity to back out by crawling and barking like a dog.

Ignoring Mary's taunts, Briel stepped onto the hoverboard and prepared to go ahead with his sidekick and bodyguard puppet.

However, the next second, accompanied by a strange sound, a scorching fireball landed directly in front of Briel and the other two, causing them to collide with each other before they could brake in time.

Rosalyn and the others looked up and saw a shirtless gangster grinning at the teenagers below through the smoke and dust. He held a runic firearm; although its level was unknown, no one doubted that he could kill the children present with a single shot.

"We were just going to raid the Gutter Gang, but we got an unexpected bonus, hahaha," the gangster laughed. He was unremarkable in appearance, but his clothing was unusual; beneath his coat was a layer of black bone, like a demon's armor.

Rosalind stared at his armor for a moment. Based on the knowledge she had gained over this period, it was likely a prosthetic body from either the Lintui Bio-engineering or the Lingman Corporation. These were essentially magical creatures that could coexist with their hosts, surviving on the nutrients and magic provided by the hosts, while providing the hosts with survival in various ways, such as external armor or enhanced strength.

"We...we were just passing by! You can fight all you want, don't drag us into it!"

Because he was a local, Hans was much calmer. "My father is Dr. Hoffmann from Acid Street! He treated your patients!"

"Acid Street? That's Skull Brotherhood territory! What does it have to do with our Vicious Dogs Gang!" The gangster spat.

"...So it wasn't you guys after all." Hans was a little embarrassed.

"Iron Man, what are you doing? The Gutter Gang has all run away! Aren't you coming to help?" Soon, another gangster appeared here.

Unlike the "iron skin" he mentioned, this gangster's right hand was covered with a thin layer of green, plant-like skin. Within the emerald green, white light flowed, outlining countless intricate rune rings that flickered like breathing lights, making it look very much like some kind of plant-based prosthetic body.

"What's the Gutter Gang? Ruville, look at these kids. They have flying boards and bodyguard puppets. They're obviously from wealthy families. Aren't they much more important than the Gutter Gang?" Ironhide said with a grin. "Have their parents send money over. We can make at least a million each! We'll be rich!"

"Oh! It really is!" With that, Ironhide and Ruville, the two gangsters, immediately started calling for reinforcements in the channel, preparing for the kidnapping.

Hans, Marie, and Briel looked extremely flustered. Getting caught up in a gang fight was something they had never expected, and resistance was absolutely impossible.

“My father is the operations manager of Black Tower Pharmaceuticals. You, you can’t do this to me…” As more and more gangsters approached, Briel shouted, his face pale.

but……

"Damn it, Black Tower Pharmaceuticals? I hate corporate dogs more than anything in my life, especially pharmaceutical company dogs!"

Hearing Briel's words, Ironhide's smile became even more ferocious. He said viciously, "Do you know how much it cost me to call Black Tower's medical services? I just consulted them online about a stomachache, it only took three minutes, and they charged me eight thousand yuan!"

He then raised his gun, pointed the rune-enhanced weapon at Briel, who was nearly fainting from fright, and said, "You still dare to use the Black Tower to scare me? I'll kill you right now!"

"Ah—" Briel screamed instinctively, as if she could already see herself being melted through by the fire magic bullet.

But just then, a sudden gust of wind arose in the junkyard! This wind came out of nowhere, but it carried metal fragments and formed a barrier that not only blocked the view but also knocked many ordinary gang members over.

Then, taking advantage of the opportunity, Rosalyn grabbed Hans and Marie, uttered the word "Go" to the stunned Briel and the other two, and then picked up Briel's hoverboard, ready to take the two away.

The gangsters, having regained their senses, were naturally unwilling, but as soon as the strong wind subsided, they were intercepted by the bodyguard puppets. At the same time, two crimson rune rings appeared in the void, spewing flames at the gangsters.

—As a youthful version of Flame Dance, its power is vastly different from that of Yvette's own casting, but for Rosalind, the main purpose at this moment is to cover the retreat, and even if it is just used to block the line of sight, the effect is sufficient.

At the same time, Rosalyn did not give up on maintaining the Wind Control spell. She transferred the strong wind to the floating skateboard, forcibly accelerating it. In just an instant, she sped up at a speed that even the spell bullets fired by the rune gun could not catch up with. Together with the three bewildered but still desperately fleeing Briel behind her, she turned into a streak of blue light and rushed to the back of another garbage mountain, disappearing without a trace.

Chapter 25 Past Events of Civilization

"I was so scared! I almost died!"

"Holy crap, we actually have a real 'mage' here!"

Passing through the dark, damp, and massive drainage pipes, they arrived at a secluded shoreline on the other side of the Scrap Iron Avenue. The boys and girls, who had survived the ordeal, breathed a sigh of relief here, and then turned their shocked and complicated gazes to Rosalind, who was walking at the front.

They were all elite students at Black Tower High School, so they naturally knew how incredible this level of spellcasting was. Even third-year students would never have been able to escape with them in that situation.

"Can we keep this a secret?" Rosalyn winked at them and gestured for them to be quiet.

Hans, Marie, and Briel all nodded hastily. They had been frightened enough today, and their only thought at that moment was to get back to their safe house immediately.

"Damn those vicious dogs! They ruined my puppet! When I get home, I'm going to tell my parents. I'll make them pay..." Briel muttered bitterly to herself.

"What's next?" a young follower asked timidly, glancing nervously at the dimly lit coastline.

"Let's move forward. We're still too close here. Let's avoid this area for a while," Hans said.

This path, discovered during Rosalind's trio's recent exploration, leads to an old seaside village. It's a place rarely visited by gangsters or tourists, inhabited only by a few scattered elderly people awaiting the end of their lives.

To escape the pressure from the gang, the six ventured deeper into the area and soon came across a wooden house by the sea. An elderly man with gray hair was fishing not far away, and when he saw them, he smiled and nodded.

"Grandpa Watt!" Rosalind waved, her gesture and cry startling several seagulls.

As they got closer, the old man named Watt squinted and smiled, "Oh, you've brought a new friend. Catching fish here again today? Or are you craving some 'crispy silkworm pupae'?"

“No, no, no…no need.” Rosalyn quickly declined. The “crispy pupa” that the old man Watt mentioned was actually a local, plump white worm, as thick as two fingers. After being roasted, it would shrink and become a crispy, salty food.

Aside from the elderly on Scrap Iron Avenue, very few young people in Blackwater would eat this terrifying-looking food; they don't even have the courage to try it.

“Crispy pupa? Poor... Old man, are you an indigenous person?” Briel asked in surprise.

Two hundred years ago, there was an island kingdom called the Kingdom of Ish, inhabited by local natives. Their most distinctive feature was that their skin was darker than that of mainlanders. They also developed local foods such as "crispy pupae" and had unique culture and beliefs.

However, with the colonization of the "Greater Eden Empire," the indigenous people were massacred, with only one in ten surviving. Many historical and cultural sites that once existed disappeared in this process, turning into dust crushed under the wheels of history.

Of course, in the course of the development of civilization, the Great Eden Empire was overthrown, and now there is the United States of New Eden, which is at least on the surface a democratic country.

Watt smiled and nodded, unperturbed by Briel's impolite address: "Here, and around Scrap Iron Avenue, the descendants of the kingdom should all be here. Some have also moved to Grey Harbor, and Luya City behind Mount Ish, though I'm not too familiar with that."

Just then, one of Briel's henchmen suddenly pointed in a direction and said, "What's that?"

The group looked over and discovered that it was located at the bottom of a cliff, with a place that looked like the entrance to a building.

“That’s the ‘Tide Church’,” Watt said.

"The Tide Church?" Rosalind, Hans, and Mary looked surprised. They had been here two or three times, but this was the first time they had ever seen one.

"The place where we used to worship the gods was hidden during high tide and could only be accessed during low tide. Now it's a ruin, and apart from archaeology enthusiasts, almost no one comes here," Watt chuckled.

"What god?" Mary asked. Most of the residents of Ish Island don't have any religious beliefs, but in the Origin Civilization, there are quite a few well-known religious forces, such as the "Temple of Mind" in Silver Mirror Continent and the "Church of the Tree God" in Emerald Continent.

"He was called 'the God of Twilight.' In modern mythology, he would be considered a demon god, but the islanders at the time believed him to be the embodiment of death and rebirth, so they worshipped him since the tribal era, a history that spans several thousand years," Watt said. "However, I don't know the specifics; I've only seen it in documentaries. That was a long time ago."

As he spoke, a trace of reminiscence appeared in the old man's eyes, as if he could see countless years ago, people coming and going in the Tide Church, orderly attending mass. At that time, the "magical revolution" led by magical technology had not yet begun, Ish Island had not yet been invaded, and the ancestors lived on this island in peace and tranquility for generations, like a paradise on earth.

……

Rosalyn and the others stayed with old man Watt until evening. They were almost discovered by the gang, but thanks to Watt's deliberate misdirection, the gang did not find the boys and girls hiding in the woods and left quickly.

In the evening, after arriving home with Hans and Marie, Rosalyn returned to room 1809 and recounted the day's events in detail to her teacher. Finally, she asked expectantly, "...How was my performance today, teacher?"

“Arrogant, reckless, and disregarding the consequences,” Yvette said bluntly. “Also, let me know immediately next time. Even if this is a dream, if something unexpected happens, I can’t guarantee you’ll be safe in reality.”

“But! But I think I did it perfectly, teacher.” Rosalyn was unconvinced. She really didn’t believe that anyone else could have done better under those circumstances.

“But if you notify me, I can use you as a springboard to hack into the chips inside their bodies through network ports, to do all sorts of interference, or to operate nearby vehicles to ram them... Wouldn’t that be safer than you just dodging bullets on a skateboard?” Yvette retorted, her tone more stern than usual.

Rosalyn fell silent, opening her mouth but unable to refute—undoubtedly, the teacher was right, and she knew the teacher had such abilities, but at the time she only felt that the moment to show off had arrived, and she was completely unaware of the risks and foolishness lurking behind it.

What made her feel even more embarrassed and ashamed was that, on the way back, she had been expecting her teacher's reaction, fantasizing that she would be surprised and shocked by her student's growth, but she never expected that it was all just her wishful thinking.

After a long while, she finally recovered and stammered, "I'm sorry, teacher... I was wrong..."

Yvette hummed in agreement and said nothing more. As someone with a cool and aloof persona, she had already said enough, which she believed was enough to give the 12-year-old girl a gentle reminder not to rush into her rebellious phase.

……

After dinner, thinking about what Rosalyn had told her about the Tide Church, Yvette turned on the holographic screen again and began to collect information.

Unable to find information about the Silent War, she shifted her focus, speculating that the apocalypse might not necessarily be the work of the original civilization, and that in a world with magic, gods might exist.

What if God is in a bad mood and insists on bringing about the end of the world?

After searching through a range of studies on mainstream religions and mythologies, Yvette suddenly made a discovery.

It was a free research paper that explained that deities like the "God of Twilight" existed in various cultures of the Origin Star.

For example, the world-destroying demon god "Twilight Lord" in mainstream mythology, and the "Source of Destruction," "God of the End," and "Elegy of Doomsday" translated from some foreign mythologies, are all similar settings.

And what is very similar is that these demons, by their own power, destroyed God's heavenly kingdom "Garden of Eden" in their respective mythologies, forcing the newly born humans to hide in the cruel earthly world to make a living.

Of course, the description isn't entirely like that, but the plot is largely the same.

The reason for such a high degree of similarity in these processes is that experts in history and mythology agree that these legends are all highly related to the ancient civilization period 30,000 years ago.

The Origin Civilization knew very little about that prehistoric civilization from 30,000 years ago, and could only find clues from a few fossils, believing that it was a period when magical elements were highly abundant, with huge dragons roaming the sky and terrifying monsters walking on the earth.

At that time, humans could become powerful sorcerers simply through meditation, using their personal abilities to protect their tribes and establish tribes or even kingdoms.