Age of Wizards: I Can Analyze All Things-Chapter 40: Floating Battleship

「The next morning.」

Pei Ze arrived early at High Tower Academy.

The gathering point for the trial was the academy’s central plaza.

The massive plaza was already overflowing, packed with countless Wizard Apprentices in their robes.

As far as the eye could see, there was a sea of heads.

"Pei Ze, over here."

Hearing the call, Pei Ze looked over and saw Guan Ling waving at him from a short distance away. Beside her stood Shao Hong, Yuan Wanjun, and the others.

Other than him, all sixteen members of the Star Spirit Society had arrived.

Aside from Shao Hong, who had already advanced to Second-level Wizard Apprentice and was certain to pass the trial barring any surprises, the others all wore nervous and apprehensive expressions.

After all, this trial would eliminate a full one thousand people!

And the entire first year only had just over six thousand Wizard Apprentices.

With an elimination rate of nearly one-sixth, they couldn’t help but be nervous.

"I really don’t understand why the academy has to set such a rule!" Guan Ling complained. "Eliminating a thousand apprentices in one go is just too harsh!"

Yuan Wanjun shook his head and said, "Otherwise, why do you think fewer than a thousand students graduate from the academy each year?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"The more senior the apprentices, the more resources they require for their training. The academy’s resources are limited, so they can only reduce the numbers through these trials."

"Besides, just getting eliminated is considered getting off easy. People die in these trials every year. I heard that last year, a full two hundred-plus people died!"

At these words, a few of the girls couldn’t help but turn pale.

Seeing their reactions, Shao Hong quickly reassured them, "There’s no need to worry so much. As long as we’re careful, passing the trial shouldn’t be a problem with our strength."

As arguably the top new society this year, the Star Spirit Society’s overall strength was actually quite impressive.

Not to mention Pei Ze and Shao Hong, the trio of Yuan Wanjun, Guan Ling, and Jiang Weifang had all constructed their fifth Will Rune, and the rest had built their fourth.

Suffice it to say, as long as their luck wasn’t too bad, passing the trial should be no problem.

As he spoke, Shao Hong discreetly glanced at Pei Ze.

He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but after not seeing him for over ten days, Pei Ze felt even more inscrutable.

Standing next to Pei Ze, he actually felt a faint sense of pressure.

’I wonder how many Will Runes Pei Ze has constructed by now?’

Shao Hong wanted to ask Pei Ze, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words.

Even for members of the same society, it was improper to rashly inquire about another’s strength.

Just as he was hesitating, a sudden commotion erupted.

The group turned to look and saw a number of young men and women walking in from the plaza’s entrance, instantly drawing the attention of most of the crowd.

The young man and woman leading the group were especially conspicuous.

The young man had strikingly short, snow-white hair. His features were so handsome they bordered on feminine, and his skin was delicate and smooth, without a single blemish.

If not for his prominent Adam’s apple, Pei Ze would have mistaken him for a dashing young woman.

And for some reason, he felt that this young man looked vaguely familiar.

After studying the young man for a moment, Pei Ze shifted his gaze to the other girl.

She was an exceptionally beautiful girl, her thick black hair falling all the way to her waist. A smile graced her lovely face, the corners of her delicate mouth turned slightly upward. She looked both sweet and cute, yet there also seemed to be a hint of slyness in her expression.

"That’s Yin Guang and Gu Lin!" Yuan Wanjun whispered.

Yin Guang!

It suddenly clicked for Pei Ze. He finally knew why the young man had looked familiar.

His facial features bore a clear resemblance to Yin Xue’s, and his hair was the same snow-white.

Coupled with the fact that they shared the surname Yin... ’Could they be related?’

"I heard Yin Guang has already constructed his twelfth Will Rune."

"So has Pei Shaoqi."

"Sigh, it’s infuriating making comparisons. I haven’t even constructed my fourth Will Rune, yet those three are about to advance to Third-level Wizard Apprentice. I really don’t know how they do it."

"It’s the gap in talent. Don’t compare yourself to geniuses; you’re just torturing yourself!"

"If you ask me, first place in this trial is bound to be Gu Lin. She constructed her twelfth rune even before Pei Shaoqi and Yin Guang."

Listening to the discussions around them, the members of the Star Spirit Society looked at Gu Lin and Yin Guang with eyes full of envy.

Shao Hong wore a complicated expression.

If he could, he would also love to be the center of attention like Gu Lin and Yin Guang.

However, that was just wishful thinking.

The gap between him and those two wasn’t merely one of talent and aptitude, but also the vast disparity in their family backgrounds.

The Gu and Yin Families both ranked among the top five Wizard Clans in all of Chenxi City. The depth of their foundations was something his own family’s background could not hope to match.

In front of those two, his status as a second-generation wizard made him little different from an ordinary person.

Just then, another group entered the plaza.

At its head was none other than Pei Shaoqi, whom the crowd had just been discussing.

As his gaze fell on Pei Shaoqi, Pei Ze’s eyes narrowed slightly.

As if sensing his gaze, Pei Shaoqi suddenly turned to look at him.

After meeting Pei Ze’s gaze, a contemptuous smile appeared on his face. He immediately turned his head away, an expression that showed he held Pei Ze in complete disregard.

On the other hand, Qi Meng, who was beside him, shot Pei Ze a fierce glare.

Pei Ze paid him no mind, simply offering a small smile as he withdrew his gaze.

’Now is not the time to confront the Pei Family.’

’But sooner or later, I will make the Pei Family pay the price.’

As time passed, the crowd in the plaza continued to grow.

At nine o’clock sharp, a peculiar ripple of energy suddenly enveloped the entire plaza.

In that instant, all the Wizard Apprentices sensed something in unison, and as one, they raised their heads to the sky.

As if an invisible curtain had been pulled aside, a magnificent and impossibly vast battleship slowly appeared before their eyes.

Its massive hull, forged entirely from refined gold, hovered steadily high in the sky like a space fortress. Its sheer magnificence was enough to inspire an involuntary sense of worship in all who saw it.

The battleship featured a multi-turret design. Hundreds of gunports opened along its sides, with rows of Magic Crossbow Cannons protruding from them. One could faintly make out the dense Enchanting Runes covering the cannons’ barrels.

Sunlight shone down from high above, but the massive ship blocked it, casting a shadow that completely enveloped the plaza.

It was as if the battleship had replaced the sky itself.

Before such a behemoth, humans seemed as insignificant as ants.

Pei Ze’s expression was dazed.

’A Floating Battleship like this is every bit as impressive as the aircraft carriers from my past life!’

Most of the apprentices were seeing such a magnificent Floating Battleship for the first time, and their faces showed expressions of utter shock.

Before the Floating Battleship, a symbol of the Wizard World’s most advanced technology, the power of a Wizard Apprentice seemed utterly insignificant.

"Time’s up! Everyone, board the ship!"

A majestic, booming voice suddenly rang out from above, echoing in their ears.

In the next instant, the apprentices felt their vision blur. By the time they recovered their senses, they were stunned to find they were already on the Floating Battleship.