Chapter 109
Chapter 109
“Forbidden · Wind Dragon’s Descent!”
On the arena, Submit and Perish raised his staff and pointed it at Gaibang Laoda, his expression haughty and his confidence absolute.
Ding!
[System: Barrier Breaker · Submit and Perish has used [Forbidden · Wind Dragon’s Descent], dealing damage equal to 1,400% of his Attack to all enemy units within a 200-by-200-meter area. This skill has an extremely high chance to inflict Tear, Launch, Knockback, and other effects. Movement Speed +100% and Casting Speed +50% for 3 minutes!]
“Roar!!”
As he activated the skill, wind-element energy rapidly gathered in midair, whipping up a raging tornado. A moment later, it took the shape of a dragon, spread its wings, and plunged from the sky.
Astral Blessing!
Wrathful Star Sword Qi!
Before Submit and Perish’s Forbidden Spell could fully take shape, Gaibang Laoda decisively closed the distance and slashed out a wave of sword qi, trying to disrupt his rhythm.
Boom!
Yet before the spectators’ eyes, the sword qi struck a lightning barrier just as it reached Submit and Perish. The barrier resembled the phantom of a coiled lightning dragon, shielding its caster from harm.
At the same time, the wind dragon swooped down. Violent winds thrashed across an enormous area, leaving the enemy nowhere to escape.
-83,665!
The tyrannical damage number appeared, and Gaibang Laoda’s body disintegrated in midair.
“Holy shit! He opened with a Forbidden Spell?!”
“Didn’t the event rules ban skills with cooldowns longer than ten minutes? Does Wind Dragon’s Descent really have a cooldown under ten minutes?”
“No wonder this monster has never dropped out of the Eastern Region’s top three on the Level Rankings!”
…
Cries of amazement rose from below the arena.
A Forbidden Spell!
Something like that should still have been far beyond current players!
“What should I name it…?”
Elsewhere, Zhou Ming showed little interest in the battle. He glanced at the Forbidden Spell’s power on the system panel, then immediately looked away.
A true Forbidden Spell should have been far more powerful than that!
It dealt only 1,400% damage, and its additional effects were mediocre. Even Dawnbringer, which he could use every twenty seconds, had been many times stronger.
More importantly, a Forbidden Spell required time to cast. His self-created skill activated instantly, more than enough to ensure his opponent would never get the chance to finish a Forbidden Spell in this lifetime.
Zhou Ming studied the unnamed skill in his list and focused once more on its description.
Description: One sword rises, and the cosmos is stilled. One sword falls, and heaven and earth are split.
“Cosmosbinder?”
Zhou Ming considered it. “Or should I just call it Heaven and Earth Splitter?”
Either name sounded exceedingly arrogant.
Still, he was confident the skill would one day live up to its name. At present, his own strength simply remained too lacking to display its true power.
Suddenly, inspiration flashed through his mind, and he decided to shorten the name to two words.
Ding!
[System: Would you like to name this skill [Heavenrend]?]
“Yes!”
After careful consideration, Zhou Ming confirmed his choice.
It was a small hope for the future!
He hoped that one day, Heavenrend would truly split the heavens with a single sword!
Ding!
[System: Skill successfully named!]
Just then, Submit and Perish approached him and taunted, “Well? Feeling the pressure now?”
He, too, could kill an enemy without losing a single point of HP!
“I already told you.”
Zhou Ming’s tone was indifferent. “During Pinnacle Showdown, I will personally test what each of you can do. There is no need to rush over and flaunt your strength. You’ll only make a fool of yourself.”
“…”
Submit and Perish felt as though his punch had landed on cotton. He returned to his seat in frustration.
“And you!” Zhou Ming turned toward Gaibang Laoda.
“Me?”
Gaibang Laoda pointed at himself, utterly confused. “What did I do?”
In truth, he knew what had happened to Zhouyou Shijie in reality.
It was no exaggeration to say that an untouchable humanoid monster had appeared on Earth. But the man was currently being hunted by multiple nations in reality and condemned by the gods inside the game. His situation could not have been more dangerous.
Gaibang Laoda did not want to invite trouble at a time like this.
“Submit and Perish shouldn’t have beaten you that easily,” Zhou Ming advised him. “Why didn’t you use your Talent, Harmony?”
“Without anyone lending Harmony their strength…”
Gaibang Laoda began to argue, only to stop halfway through. Sudden realization spread across his face.
“You simply made an assumption that Harmony couldn’t reach beyond the arena during a match,” Zhou Ming said calmly. “But the ability comes from your Talent, not from the spectators outside. Understand?”
“I understand!”
Gaibang Laoda nodded, visibly invigorated. “I’ll try it in the next match. Worst-case scenario, I’ll throw money at the audience and beg them to support me!”
“Now that’s the attitude a tournament contestant should have!”
Zhou Ming said nothing more.
Watching him, Gaibang Laoda’s expression became complicated.
There was no doubt that if he had not warned Zhou Ming in advance about the trouble awaiting him in reality, Zhou Ming probably would not have offered such valuable advice.
Afterward, the thirty-two remaining contestants took their turns fighting on the arena.
When Group F arrived, it was time for Rule by Inaction, the second-ranked player on the Level Rankings, to take the stage.
Group F:
[Shadow Lord · Rule by Inaction] (Eternal Guard)
VS
[Gale Archer · Stop Bothering Me] (Gale Sword Saint)
…
Unlike the arrogant and conceited Submit and Perish, Rule by Inaction had earned Zhou Ming’s full respect. He watched the battle seriously.
A player’s level could not represent their true combat power, but the two were still positively correlated.
Rule by Inaction had remained quiet and inconspicuous, yet firmly held second place. That alone proved his strength was anything but ordinary.
His opponent on the arena was the Gale Sword Saint, Stop Bothering Me.
“Expert, please teach me!”
Stop Bothering Me cupped his fists, looking as though he faced his greatest enemy.
“I’m no expert. You’re too kind, brother. Please!”
Rule by Inaction returned the salute.
3!
2!
1!
[System: The match has begun!]
The instant the countdown ended, Stop Bothering Me raised the exquisite green-and-red longbow in his hands and drew three arrows from the quiver on his back in one motion.
Gale Triple Shot!
“Whizz, whizz, whizz!”
The arrows tore through the air toward vital points. At the same time, Stop Bothering Me retreated instead of advancing, widening the distance between them.
Archers possessed high Attack but low Defense. Their greatest fear was allowing an enemy into melee range. Since the other man’s class was called Eternal Guard, it was naturally a melee class.
Boom!
Seeing the arrows approach, Rule by Inaction summoned a pitch-black shield into his hand. Five shadows appeared behind him.
Ding!
[System: Shadow Lord · Rule by Inaction has used [Eternal Guard]. All Attributes +30%, maximum HP +50%, Damage Reduction +20%, and 3 phantoms are summoned. Each phantom possesses the user’s Attributes and can use skills!]
Clang, clang, clang!
-264!
-297!
-335!
The three arrows struck the shield and dealt negligible damage.
In the next instant, Rule by Inaction and his three phantoms charged simultaneously, closing in from multiple directions and sealing every escape route.
“Holy shit!”
Stop Bothering Me’s expression changed drastically.
Three phantoms with the user’s exact Attributes, all of them capable of using skills. How was that any different from facing four Rule by Inactions at once?!
Unlike other shield-bearing classes, Rule by Inaction moved exceptionally fast. He was only slightly slower than Stop Bothering Me, an archer. With his advantage in numbers, he quickly forced his opponent into a corner.
Stop Bothering Me charged toward one of the phantoms, intending to break through by force.
Ding!
[System: Shadow Lord · Rule by Inaction has used [Shield Wall], causing both the user and each phantom to summon an additional 10 phantoms possessing 50% of the user’s Attributes!]
“Hah!”
Even more phantoms appeared behind the existing four. Including Rule by Inaction himself, their total number reached forty-four, and they all charged Stop Bothering Me.
-8,236!
-8,524!
-2,365!
…
Every phantom, along with the original, wielded a pitch-black spear. They surrounded Stop Bothering Me so completely that not even water could pass through. He exhausted every method at his disposal and struggled a few times before the forest of spears stabbed him to death.
Ding!
[System: Congratulations! Shadow Lord · Rule by Inaction is victorious. Points Earned: 96!]
After winning, Rule by Inaction quietly returned to the contestants’ section.
The spectator stands erupted in thunderous amazement.
…