“I can’t win, I just can’t win at all…”
In the afternoon, at the Royal Magic Academy in Snowveil City, Suna was losing her composure.
With some time still left before the new semester began, she had spent every waking moment trying to clear the Challenge Crystal, only to fail every single time.
The mage inside the Challenge Crystal was simply too strong.
It wasn’t about her stats or level, but her understanding of combat.
Every time they fought, Suna felt like the mage could anticipate whatever she was planning, only to defeat her using a perfectly reasonable method.
What was even more absurd was that Suna discovered the mage forgot her memories every time the challenge reset.
This meant that for the mage, every single battle was a test of raw reaction time.
Yet, Suna still couldn’t win.
“If all future battles are this intense, then maybe Deya City is more my speed… Sigh, let’s try one more time.”
Having rested a bit, Suna decided to give it another go while she still had the energy.
She had come up with a brilliant strategy this time, and maybe, just maybe, she could finally clear it.
She gripped the Challenge Crystal in both hands and focused her mind. Her consciousness entered the space within the crystal once more, where she saw that familiar face:
[Lin, my name is Lin! Single character name, top-tier ID, come at me!]
“Flame Wave!”
Without hesitation, while Lin was still posing for her introduction, Suna plunged her Fire Pattern Staff into the ground.
Both her hands and the staff glowed with scorching heat. After a two-second charging delay, the staff erupted with a wide-range, fan-shaped Heavenly Flame Wave!
[Hey! That’s not fair! You lack martial virtue!]
Lin hurriedly propped up her magic staff and leaped onto the top of it, showing off her incredible balance while avoiding the flames on the ground.
However, she forgot one crucial detail: Suna’s Flame Wave carried the Heavenly Fire property. Soon, the flames began to cling to Lin’s staff and creep upward.
[Ignoring the rules is one thing, but using Heavenly Fire in a Second Rank battle? How much of a sore loser are you? I’m going to report you on the forums later!]
Lin pointed a finger at the ground toward Suna, then kicked her multi-purpose staff away and started rolling on the floor to minimize the damage from the Flame Wave.
It wasn’t until Suna had only one-third of her Power left that the Flame Wave finally stopped.
“Haa…”
Exhausting two-thirds of her Power was more than most people could handle, and Suna was feeling the strain.
But it was worth it, as Lin was now in a near-death state, her weapon was destroyed, and she was afflicted with the Heavenly Fire debuff.
The Heavenly Fire debuff continuously drained all states, including the Health Bar and the Blue Bar, and all associated attributes. In a Second Rank battle, it was impossibly overpowered.
Now, it was Lin who was anxious. Being only Second Rank, she had no way to extinguish the Heavenly Fire and had to end the battle before her Health Bar was burned away.
[Fine, fine, if you want to win that badly, take it. I concede…]
Covered in Heavenly Fire, Lin helplessly raised both hands to surrender in front of Suna.
But the very next second, she suddenly waved her hands, and two Paralysis Daggers flew straight at Suna.
[A righteous sneak attack!]
“It won’t work!” Suna shouted, raising her magic staff to conjure a Flame Barrier around herself.
She had been successfully ambushed by this move twice before, and she wouldn’t let it happen again!
The momentum of the two Paralysis Daggers was intercepted by the flames, and they clattered to the ground with a clink, clink.
After these days of high-intensity combat, Suna’s control over her own magic and flames had improved significantly.
[Prediction?!]
Lin was shocked. Who on earth was this person? To be able to prepare magic in advance to block her instant-cast daggers—could she be some hidden expert on the leaderboard?
[No, that’s not it!]
Lin quickly dismissed the idea that Suna was an expert, because what kind of expert would use a wide-range, high-cost skill like Flame Wave that required charging in a duel?
This person was clearly a novice, which made her background obvious…
[You’ve challenged me more than once, haven’t you?] Lin asked with curious, sinister smile.
Suna didn’t answer. Her goal now was just to stall for time; in a few minutes, the Heavenly Fire would burn Lin to death.
But the most important thing was… she couldn’t understand the Ancient Text.
[Silent to look like a pro? Or are you just trying to stall for time until the Heavenly Fire kills me? No way, you won’t fight me head-on? Is the pressure I’m putting on you really that high?]
Lin continued to tilt her head and ask. Suna still didn’t respond, maintaining a serious expression, though it was clear the pressure was indeed high.
[Fine, since you know me so well… A second righteous sneak attack!]
As the chat box above her head changed twice, Lin repeated her trick, waving her hands once more!
As a PVP veteran, dealing with novices who kept retrying meant having different tactics for first-timers versus repeat attempts.
“Again? I told you, it won’t work!” Suna consumed more Power to keep the flames guarding her body.
Then, she realized she had been tricked.
This time, Lin didn’t throw anything; it was just a feint. She replied with a smug expression:
[But did I actually attack?]
“You?!”
Suna was stunned. It was a fake-out?!
[Ha, a weakness!]
Taking advantage of Suna’s shock, Lin repeated the move for a third time, waving her hands again.
Suna, terrified, once again burned through her remaining Power to shield herself with flames.
Even though she couldn’t understand the text, she could read the body language.
Then, she realized she had been duped again. The flames circling her body hit nothing. Suna now only had one-fifth of her Power left.
“Another feint?! No…”
[Good opportunity, now!]
Lin tried the move for a fourth time, waving her hands yet again. But there was no way Suna would believe her now.
She only had enough Power left for maybe two more Flame Barriers; there was no room for error, so she had to be careful.
“Fool me once, shame on you, don’t think you can play me—ugh!”
With a thud, Suna suddenly felt something penetrate her chest. The initial sensation was freezing cold, and soon, her limbs began to stiffen.
It really was “fool me thrice.” On the third feint, Lin had actually thrown a third Paralysis Dagger, which successfully struck Suna.
Unless Suna had a way to remove the paralysis, the outcome was decided.
[Maybe I’ve told you already, but I’ll say it again.]
The victorious Lin rushed to the frozen Suna and began to teabag.
[As a mage, it is perfectly reasonable to carry some hidden weapons! Wouldn’t you agree?]
“You… damn it…”
Suna gritted her teeth in weakness and frustration. She was so close, just a hair’s breadth away! She could have won if she had just kept her distance, but instead…
As her consciousness faded from the Challenge Crystal, the last thing Suna saw before closing her eyes was Lin, who was continuously teabagging, and the constantly changing Ancient Text appearing above her head.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.