Reincarnated as the Only Male in an All-Girls Magic Academy!
Chapter 77: Constellation Convergence Trial!

Chapter 77: Constellation Convergence Trial!

The morning sun spilled through the arena’s open roof like liquid gold. It painted everything in warm amber light—the polished stone seats, the nervous faces, the massive stage below.

Ren settled into his seat. The cold wood sent a shiver up his spine. On his left, Lia bounced her leg in a rapid rhythm. On his right, Mirabella checked her nails for the third time.

The arena hummed with the energy of a few thousand prospectives. Their whispers merged into a sound like ocean waves—rising, falling, never quite silent.

"Any idea what today’s trial will be?" Lia’s voice cracked slightly. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the seat’s edge.

Ren shook his head. The movement sent his silver hair falling across his eyes. "No clue."

CRACK!

The sound split the air like thunder. Every head snapped toward the center stage.

The old witch stood there, her gnarled wooden staff still vibrating from the impact. The sound echoed off the dome, bouncing back and forth until it died in the suddenly thick silence.

She looked exactly as she had yesterday. Her pointed hat defied all laws of physics, staying perfectly straight despite its two-foot height.

Her purple robes seemed to drink in the morning light, creating shadows where none should exist.

"Congratulations to all who survived yesterday’s trial." Her voice needed no amplification. It slithered into every ear, dry as autumn leaves. "You’ve proven you can handle pressure. But weaving sometimes isn’t just about individual strength."

She raised her staff. The crystal orb at its tip began to glow with an inner fire.

"Today, you face the Constellation Convergence Trial."

The air itself shimmered like a heat mirage. Then the ten arenas below began to change.

Stone floors cracked and split. Green shoots pushed through, growing at impossible speed. Within seconds, a full mini forest bloomed in one arena—ancient oaks with trunks thick as houses, their leaves rustling in a wind that touched nothing else.

Another arena groaned as the earth heaved upward. Mini mountains erupted from flat ground, their peaks scraping fifty feet high. Snow materialized on the summits, sparkling in the artificial sunlight.

A third arena filled with water. Not slowly, but in a rushing torrent that appeared from nowhere. The liquid settled into a pristine mini lake, its surface mirror-smooth except for the occasional ripple from unseen creatures below.

It appeared as if the space on the arena had been shrunk using some sort of enchantment, and its terrain had been transformed into something else as well.

"Listen carefully. I will explain only once." The witch’s smile revealed shiny white teeth pearls.

Stars burst into existence above each arena. Not projections or illusions, these stars pulsed with real magic. They danced through the air, leaving trails of silver light that hung for seconds before fading.

"These are Star Fragments. Your goal is simple." She paused, letting anticipation build. "Collect them. Defend them. Use them to power your team’s Celestial Beacon."

Pillars of pure light erupted in each arena’s corner. They shot upward, piercing the dome and disappearing into infinity. The beacons hummed with potential, their surfaces crawling with runic patterns that shifted like living things.

"First team to charge their beacon to one hundred points wins. Only one team per arena advances."

Ren’s mind clicked into overdrive. Ten arenas. Five teams each. Fifty teams total, but only ten would move forward. A twenty percent survival rate.

The witch waved her staff. The stars above rearranged themselves into a demonstration. Tiny figured appeared—students made of starlight, acting out the trial.

"Fragments are worth different points." A small star glowed white. "Common ones give you one point." It shifted to blue. "Uncommon, two points." Then green. "Rare, three points." Purple. "Epic, four points." Finally, a star burst into golden radiance. "Legendary fragments are worth five points."

She flicked her wrist. The demonstration showed a student grabbing a fragment. A timer appeared above their head, counting down.

"But here’s the catch." Her cackle sounded like breaking glass. "Fragments dissolve after five minutes. You can’t hoard them."

Lia’s sharp intake of breath whistled between her teeth. "That’s tough."

"And stealing is allowed." The witch’s grin widened impossibly. "Beat another student in magical combat, take their fragments. Simple."

The crowd erupted with murmurs. Today’s trial was turning out to be way more complicated than yesterday’s trial!

"Each team has ten members with specific roles and benefits granted through the talisman they would be given." The star-figures changed colors, organizing into groups.

"Two Seekers." The figures’ eyes glowed bright blue. "They see fragments through obstacles and identify rarity from afar. Their vision pierces illusion and deception."

"Two Runners." These figures blurred with speed. "Their talisman grants them enhanced velocity and agility. They can carry three fragments while others carry only one."

"Two Guardians." Massive shields materialized around these figures. "Their defensive magic amplifies near your beacon. They create barriers that can withstand tremendous force."

"Two Disruptors." These figures flickered, their forms becoming uncertain. "Masters of confusion and illusion. They can temporarily corrupt enemy fragments, making them unusable for thirty seconds."

"One Weaver." Golden threads spread from this figure to its teammates. "Creates magical tethers between teammates for instant fragment passing. Essential for chain deliveries across long distances."

"And one Oracle." This figure’s third eye opened on its forehead. "Sees where valuable fragments will spawn thirty seconds before they appear. Can remotely check enemy beacon levels from anywhere in the arena."

Mirabella whistled, the sound low and appreciative. "That’s actually brilliant design. Every piece fits perfectly."

Ren agreed silently. The role distribution forced cooperation. No team could win through individual excellence alone.

"Additional rules." The witch’s staff struck the ground again, quieter this time. "Every ten minutes, a Constellation Event occurs. Star patterns will appear in the sky. Complete the group spell they represent for bonus rewards."

The demonstration showed all ten team members channeling magic together. A constellation formed above them, then showered them with fragments.

"Enemy teams can dim your beacon." A dark pulse shot from one figure to an enemy beacon. The pillar’s light flickered and died. "This stops point accumulation for two minutes. But it requires three team members channeling together for ten seconds."

"And hidden somewhere in each team is one Star-Touched student." A random figure suddenly glowed with inner light. "They can carry double fragments but won’t know their identity until the trial’s halfway point."

The demonstration ended. But the witch wasn’t done.

"The environment itself opposes you." She gestured broadly.

Ghostly beings materialized in the star display—constellation spirits with bodies of shifting starlight. They touched a student figure, which promptly transformed into a rabbit.

"Spirits roam freely. Their touch brings temporary transformation. The effect lasts one minute."

Swirling vortexes appeared next. A figure entered one and moved as if through thick honey.

"Gravity wells slow movement to quarter speed. But fragments inside cannot be stolen—only retrieved by the one who placed them."

Streams of aurora light painted themselves across the demonstration. A figure stepped into one and vanished.

"Aurora streams grant perfect invisibility. But weaves cannot be cast while within them. Choose wisely."

She lowered her staff. The demonstrations faded. "Teams will be announced momentarily. Prepare yourselves."