After three days of training together, Han Wu had gained a clear sense of his teammates’ strength.
ng Qi, an Interdiate Disciple, wielded two Skills: the Level 19 Golden Bell and the Level 12 Iron Shirt. He fit the role of a true tank, pouring everything into defense.
Golden Bell carried two effects, Durability and Sonorous Chi. Durability reinforced the bell’s strength, while Sonorous Chi released concussive shockwaves whenever he took a hit, disorienting enemies with Confusion.
Iron Shirt served as a sturdier and more versatile defense than Golden Bell. It provided Redirection and Reflection. Redirection softened the impact of attacks, and Reflection hurled the sa damage back at the attacker with equal force. Altogether, ng Qi was a powerful tank with certain damage output.
Leng Ning, also an Interdiate Disciple, specialized in ice magic, a rarity among mages. She commanded two Skills: Level 19 Icicle and Level 16 Blizzard.
Icicle ca with Rapid Fire, which reduced casting intervals, and Freeze, which boosted damage while slowing enemies on contact. Blizzard provided wider control, with Increased Radius expanding its area of effect and Frozen Solid offering a chance to trap foes in ice. Her Skills gave her not only devastating offensive power but also reliable crowd control.
Compared to the two, Han Wu appeared more unconventional. When he revealed his Skills, both teammates fell silent. His Fireball, a staple for aspiring fire mages, ca with Magnify, which enlarged its explosive radius, and Blood Fuel, which extended its burning duration. Yet his second Skill baffled them. Life Shield belonged more to a tank’s arsenal, and his version carried five attributes.
Leng Ning personally tested its resilience and confird that Life Shield could withstand both physical and magical attacks. Even ng Qi was jealous of Han Wu. With Fireball and Life Shield combined, Han Wu seed less like a typical fire mage and more like a strange hybrid, a chira of mage and tank.
Three days passed, and the competition finally started. Thirty-two teams entered the arena: twenty-four were made up entirely of seniors, while the remaining eight mixed a few seniors with juniors. No one placed their bets on Han Wu’s team, since it consisted entirely of juniors, but they paid the doubt no mind. The three of them carried full confidence that they would win.
The teacher serving as judge motioned for them to step onto the stage. By coincidence, their first opponents included the two seniors ng Qi had driven out of his original team. Those two had taken his money and ford a team with another student from their grade.
The one surnad Zhang stepped forward and said mockingly, “Young Master ng, who would have thought we’d et in the first round? Don’t worry. Since we already took your money, we’ll go easy on you.”
He was the one with the good Water potential, and his tone carried the implication that ng Qi had made a foolish choice by allying with two juniors instead of keeping his old lineup.
ng Qi only scoffed and dismissed him.
At the judge’s signal, the match comnced.
Zhang conjured a water ball the size of a human head to probe their strength. Leng Ning reacted faster and fired five icicles in a single breath. Two froze the water ball solid while the other three flew toward the opposing trio.
Zhang never imagined her speed would surpass his. An icicle clipped him, leaving him injured and lowering his combat effectiveness. The other two handled the attack more cleanly. The one with high Power potential smashed an icicle apart, while the one with Agility potential slipped clear of danger with ease.
Han Wu and ng Qi surged forward the instant the icicles flew, moving exactly as they had trained. ng Qi activated Golden Bell and Iron Shirt, then collided with the Power senior. The layered defenses amplified his strength, and he overpowered his opponent.
Han Wu targeted the Agility senior. Drawing on his combat experience, he quickly predicted the escape route and struck him out of the arena. Leng Ning seized the mont to attack the wounded Water senior, encasing him in ice with Blizzard.
What had been expected to be a one-sided battle, dominated by the seniors, ended in a stunning victory for Han Wu’s team. Their performance imdiately captured the attention of both teachers and students alike.
“Who are those three? Their teamwork and combat style are brilliant.”
“What just happened? Juniors beat seniors? I can’t believe it!”
“It’s Leng Ning! Her Blizzard is incredible. I wish she’d freeze too.”
“You fool, look at yourself. Leng Ning should freeze instead!”
The trio stood tall in the arena as hundreds of Assists poured down on them. Leng Ning claid the lion’s share, with 60% of the total. ng Qi followed with 30%, while Han Wu trailed with only 10%.
Han Wu frowned. He had delivered the cleanest performance of all, defeating his opponent with a single Life Shield without even resorting to his Fireball.
The students, however, only cared for spectacle. To them, the flashier a Skill looked, the stronger it seed. Han Wu’s precise calculation of his opponent’s landing spot and the effortless push that sent the man tumbling off the stage stirred no excitent. Only the teachers, who had witnessed what had transpired, recognized its true difficulty and cast their Assists in his favor.
The competition pressed on, match after match, until the day stretched into evening. By the end, the sixteen strongest teams had been chosen.
The following morning, Han Wu’s group was set to face a team composed of one junior and two seniors. To his surprise, he recognized the junior. It was Lu Dazhuang.
“Young Master ng, I’m sorry, but I can’t let you win this ti,” Lu Dazhuang said respectfully to ng Qi, who often relied on him for Assists.
“Dazhuang, this is a competition. Show your strongest moves,” ng Qi replied.
Lu Dazhuang nodded, then used Magnify. His body swelled until he resembled a rolling mass of flesh, like a human atball.
“Lu Dazhuang is sowhat eccentric. Once he grows in size, his strength and defense increase, but his mobility suffers,” ng Qi explained to his team.
Han Wu studied the massive fra before him. Hmm... He’s perfect target practice. I wonder how big the flas will be if I hit him with a Fireball. With that much fat, he should burn well enough.
Lu Dazhuang had more in store. He drew in a deep breath and pulled his head and limbs into his bloated body. Now, he truly looked like a atball. As one, he hurled himself across the arena, rolling to crush his opponents. His two teammates added to the threat. One commanded earth magic, while the other wielded a sword with formidable Water potential.
The earth mage reshaped the battlefield, carving out specialized paths that allowed Lu Dazhuang to roll unhindered while keeping him from tumbling off the stage. At the sa ti, the swordsman unleashed a barrage of water blades, which forced Han Wu’s team to dodge while the giant atball rampaged.
The combination proved difficult to counter, yet Han Wu’s combat experience gave him confidence. “Everyone, listen up. Here’s what we’re going to do...”
The trio slipped past Lu Dazhuang and the barrage of water blades while Han Wu laid out their strategy.
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