Chapter 6: A Clash of Aspirations: The Dragonkin’s Might and the Half-Angel’s Grace

As each person ascended the stage to deliver their speech, some appeared visibly nervous, while others exuded immense confidence. Yet, it was clear that all of them were captivated by the allure of the 5,000 credit reward. Even knowing their chances were slim, the thought of ‘what if?’ still lingered.

With the conclusion of one student’s address, the next candidate rose to their feet.

I observed the person who had just stood up from my seat in the front row. He was a familiar sight to me—the towering, two-meter-tall Dragonkin I had encountered earlier.

As he rose, his imposing aura caused those seated along the aisle to subtly shift away. His thick tail swayed excitedly behind him, thumping against the edges of desks, yet no one dared utter a word of complaint.

“My apologies,” he stated, a perfunctory remark devoid of any genuine regret. “Our Dragonkin tails can be quite inconvenient at times like these.”

It was as if he implied that his tail striking the desks was somehow their fault.

Stepping onto the podium, he finally introduced himself.

“My name is Long Shi, of the Earthstone Dragon tribe. Our tribe possesses formidable physical bodies, comparable to bedrock, and an exceptional affinity for sand and stone elements.”

“I myself have already achieved Warrior-grade combat power. To become class monitor, one must possess the strength to overwhelm all others. Only the strongest is qualified to lead this class to greatness, and I am the strongest person in this class.”

“If anyone doubts this, I welcome the opportunity to test your abilities. I urge you all to consider carefully when casting your votes, lest you make a mistake.”

Even from the first row, I could distinctly feel his oppressive aura. While it paled in comparison to Teacher Qieluo’s, it still significantly impacted me.

I harbored a deep reluctance for this strength-obsessed brute to become class monitor; who knew what outrageous acts he might commit if given the position?

His final remark was an overt threat. It wouldn’t surprise me if he sought to intimidate those who voted against him, should he lose the election.

‘This is truly vexing,’ I mused.

‘Why does such a person wield such immense power? Are we truly starting from the same point?’

Regarding his “Warrior-grade” combat power, I hadn’t heard of such a classification. However, the contract explicitly stated that without achieving transcendence, all else was futile, and a formal witch was considered transcendent. It was inconceivable that he could rival a formal witch.

This implied that “Warrior-grade” was likely an internal racial classification, a rank below transcendence. Yet, this didn’t mean he was weak; on the contrary, he might very well be the strongest in our class.

‘This is precisely the trouble,’ I thought with a sigh. ‘What if he turns into a school bully?’

“A very spirited speech, well said,” Qieluo remarked from the side, a rare compliment from her. “The right to speak is always built upon strength; I hope you all remember that.”

Her words visibly bolstered Long Shi’s confidence. If even the class teacher spoke in his favor, who would dare contend with him?

After Long Shi’s speech concluded, subsequent speakers were remarkably subdued. Beyond their self-introductions, some even explicitly stated their withdrawal from the class monitor election.

Then, a young woman with an equally strong presence stood up. To my perception, she didn’t exhibit many distinct racial features, yet a sacred aura emanated from her. It felt as though an invisible force sought to purify my very soul.

I found myself unable to harbor any ‘improper’ thoughts towards her; attempting to do so even brought a strange sense of guilt.

“Greetings, everyone,” she began. “My name is Saint Istam Air. You may simply call me Air. I possess angelic bloodline, a member of the Half-Angel race.”

The moment she spoke, a collective gasp swept through the room.

My only curiosity, however, was about the existence of an Angel race, and why she lacked a halo above her head.

The others’ attention, naturally, diverged from mine. They were acutely aware of the formidable Angel race. This young woman might merely be a fortunate individual with a trace of angelic bloodline; otherwise, if she possessed a potent angelic heritage, she would already be transcendent. Why, then, would she need to become a witch?

The Angel race, after all, was a transcendent race! Like witches, they were naturally transcendent beings, their status comparable to that of witches. Witches were also a transcendent race, and their descendants were likewise transcendent witches. However, the students here were currently only *qualified* to become witches.

The Witch Academy served as an institution for the Witch race to assimilate other races, converting them into witches. It was well-known that the more powerful a being, and the higher their life essence, the more difficult it was for them to produce offspring. Thus, witches chose to invite other races to join their own. Once one became a witch, the transformation was irreversible.

On the podium, the Half-Angel continued her address.

“I possess an affinity for Holy Light elemental attributes, along with some inherited divine arts and combat techniques from the Angel race. Therefore, my personal combat capabilities are quite remarkable.”

“Furthermore, I hold the bloodline potential for an Angelic Halo and Angelic Wings. Once I achieve the status of a transcendent witch, I can become an Angel Witch, a branch within the witch lineage, inheriting all the angelic bloodline I possess…”

From below, I listened intently as she detailed her accomplishments. Though I didn’t fully grasp everything, I sensed she possessed an extensive understanding of witches. She even helped me comprehend the concept of ‘bloodline witches’—witches transformed from other races who could retain their original racial characteristics, yet were fundamentally witches. Or so I surmised, as she was giving a speech, not explaining things directly to me.

‘It seems I need to visit the library to learn these common facts,’ I thought. ‘Hopefully, borrowing books won’t be too expensive.’

“I nominate myself for class monitor,” she declared. “If I am chosen, I am willing to dedicate my time to mediate conflicts among our classmates. I believe you all understand that we come from vastly different races, civilizations, and backgrounds, leading to inevitable disagreements in our daily lives. However, I believe these are all…”

Listening to her captivating speech, I found my emotions drawn in by her words. Her sacred charisma elevated her presentation to an entirely new level. If anyone remained unimpressed, it could only be Long Shi, as a clash of ideologies would not be swayed by such subtle charm.

“Finally, I thank you all for listening to my speech.” With a customary bow, she concluded and returned to her seat.

A thunderous applause erupted throughout the classroom. I, too, joined in, clapping in agreement, for her words had indeed been compelling.

‘Without a doubt, she must be the class monitor, right?’ I wondered. ‘An Angel, I hope she’s not one of those “dark on the inside” types.’

The few students who spoke afterward were, frankly, unremarkable. It was as if Air’s brilliance had eclipsed everything else. Even Kereiya seemed nervous on stage, her speech stumbling at times. Perhaps this was the true disparity.

Despite having roughly the same amount of time to master the witch language, some could use it fluently, while Kereiya, unfortunately, fell into the latter category. Her pauses in the witch language, despite her confident demeanor, revealed numerous imperfections.

“Hmph,” Kereiya muttered softly as she rejoined me. “I knew I shouldn’t have gotten involved in the class monitor election. It feels like I just humiliated myself.”

“I genuinely thought I had an advantage, considering our Elf race also possesses the potential for transcendence.”

“It can’t be helped,” I replied, offering her a measure of comfort. “But not being class monitor has its advantages; at least you won’t have to spend too much time managing the class. With Long Shi around, no matter who gets elected, they’ll face an insurmountable obstacle—unless he’s the one chosen.”

It was then that I realized Kereiya was indeed an elf. Her full name, Kereiya Akaria, meant that ‘Akaria’ represented her World Tree. It was likely that elves from different World Trees would share a similar suffix in their names.