Chapter 66: Grade B Skill Acquired! All of you, attack together!
Meanwhile, inside the dungeon.
Lu Li's battle-axe had just been pulled out from the body of a serpent-like monster.
The golden holy light on the axe blade flashed, and the bloodstains instantly evaporated completely.
[Ding! System daily quest completed!]
[Rewards are being calculated...]
[Congratulations on obtaining a random reward: Grade B skill — Light Feather Storm!]
Lu Li's footsteps paused, and then a bright light erupted in his eyes.
"Grade B skill?!"
Great joy surged in his heart.
You must know that Grade B skills are not dime-a-dozen.
The [Chain Lightning] he previously obtained from the Training Camp achievement quest was only Grade B as well.
Now he had somehow picked up another Grade B skill for free!
He anxiously focused his mind to perceive it.
[Light Feather Storm (Grade B, LV1): Uses the power of holy light to condense thousands of light feather blades, launching an indiscriminate storm slaughter on the fan-shaped area in front!]
[Damage to dark-type and undead-type units is additionally increased by 50%!]
[The light feathers come with a weak tracking effect, making them extremely difficult to dodge!]
[Note: The number and range of feather blades increase with the skill level.]
"An Area-of-Effect skill? And a light-attribute group attack?"
Lu Li's mouth couldn't help but curve upward.
He was just worrying that he didn't have enough group attack methods.
Now with this Light Feather Storm, coupled with Chain Lightning.
His clearing ability would reach yet another level!
"Products made by the system are truly fine products!"
Lu Li took a deep breath to calm his churning emotions.
Then he sprinted toward the direction of the shrinking circle in the center of the map.
...
The slaughter continued.
The safe zone shrank circle by circle, continuously cutting and compressing the huge primitive dungeon.
The edge of the crimson-gold poison circle was like the Grim Reaper's scythe.
All freshmen who failed to step into the safe zone within the specified time were teleported out and eliminated.
In this cruel elimination battle, Ye Tianhao's performance was undoubtedly the most dazzling one.
He held a crimson battle-saber, its blade burning with scorching red flames.
Wherever he passed, the monsters were all turned to charcoal.
"Too weak! Is there not a single one who can fight?"
Ye Tianhao laughed wildly, his battle-saber sweeping horizontally, and three crimson flame blade auras exploded out in a fan shape.
The three Level 14 magic wolves lunging straight at him didn't even have time to scream before they were swallowed by the raging flames and turned to ashes.
This overbearing and peerless combat style was clearly presented above the playground through holographic projection.
"Holy shit! Ye Tianhao is too fierce!"
"Is this the Flame Blade Swordsman of the Ye family? That blade aura is too terrifying!!"
"Hao-ge is awesome!"
"..."
In the spectator stands, cheers rose one after another.
Especially some students from the Imperial Capital local area were not stingy with their applause.
In sharp contrast to Ye Tianhao was Lu Li.
In front of the light screen belonging to Lu Li, there were many fewer gazes.
In the picture, Lu Li was still steadily advancing.
He shuttled through the dense forest without fancy moves or dazzling skills.
Occasionally, when a monster pounced over, he would slash out with an axe, a flash of golden light, and the monster fell to the ground.
Just like that, the two of them killed with different styles.
By the 50th minute, there were actually still 78 people left in the entire battle royale dungeon!
You must know that in the previous two groups, there were less than 10 people left by this time.
At this time on the map.
The white light dots representing the surviving freshmen gathered densely within the safe zone.
They were extremely close to each other, yet almost no conflicts occurred.
"Sure enough, they all listened to Ye Tianhao's words."
"These freshmen aren't fighting each other, they are just waiting to deal with Lu Li at the end!"
"Of course, that is the Imperial Capital's Ye family! Who dares not give face?"
"That's true, that is a behemoth..."
"..."
Quite a few students were filled with emotion.
Of course, they also expressed understanding of this.
Although they were all proud talents of Imperial Capital University.
But Imperial Capital University recruits one thousand people every year.
Over ten years, there can be one hundred thousand students.
And what about the Ye family? It has stood tall for hundreds of years without falling!
Facing such a behemoth, naturally, some people would want to gain the other party's friendship.
"This Ye Tianhao is quite smart, knowing how to leverage momentum."
On the high platform, Weapon Academy Dean Gu Changfeng couldn't help nodding slightly:
"Lu Li is the provincial top scholar, and Ye Tianhaogathered everyone else together."
"Even if he can't beat him by himself, he can unite everyone to fight together."
"Indeed."
War Academy Dean Wu Hao beside him had his eyes light up slightly:
"He's a good seedling to come to our War Academy!"
Unlike the students, they had all watched Lu Li's clearance video.
And naturally knew clearly that Lu Li was not some flashy pushover.
Although Ye Tianhao was arrogant, he was also using this to build up his own strength.
Once he couldn't win in a duel, what awaited Lu Li was probably a group beating.
"What a pity."
Weapon Academy Dean Gu Changfeng shook his head, his tone carrying a trace of regret:
"Lu Li's luck was a bit poor, being assigned to the group with the Ye family kid."
"Luck is also a part of strength."
Wu Hao laughed heartily, "Let's see how he breaks the game!"
Accompanied by the discussions, another five minutes passed.
"The last five minutes, the ultimate circle shrinkage has begun!"
"I wonder who will win in the end between Lu Li and Ye Tianhao."
"Nonsense, of course it's Ye Tianhao! Didn't you see the battle array behind him?"
"Exactly, dozens of people are following him, no matter how strong Lu Li is, he is only one person!"
"..."
When the final circle shrinkage began, everyone was looking forward to it.
Even Lin Qingyu and Shen Chuyou had slightly condensed expressions.
Lin Qingyu quietly gazed at the light screen belonging to Lu Li.
In those cold, clear black eyes, a trace of extremely faint worry flashed past.
She knew Lu Li's strength better than anyone else.
But the current situation was no longer a pure contest of strength.
Shen Chuyou similarly cast her gaze onto Lu Li's screen.
Her silver-gray eyes were calm and waveless, not knowing what she was thinking.
...
Inside the dungeon, Lu Li was sprinting.
His posture was as agile as a cheetah, and every step he stepped on the muddy ground was extremely steady.
His black combat uniform was stained with a lot of monsters' blood, which had dried into dark red patches.
Causing his entire body to emit a terrifyingly sharp aura.
Around his body, there were still paths of green fluorescent light surrounding him; that was the buff of Slow Heal.
Which allowed him to maintain his peak state.
"Hoo—"
Lu Li adjusted his breathing, his gaze sweeping across the map on his smart bracelet.
The ultimate circle shrinkage had begun.
The safe zone was shrinking toward the center at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"I haven't met Ye Tianhao all the way, it seems he should be in the last area."
Lu Li followed the shrinking circle and came to the final area.
This was a plain.
The view suddenly opened up, and the wild grass over twenty centimeters tall was blown by the wind, undulating like waves.
And in the center of this plain, a crowd of people stood densely.
Lu Li raised his eyes to look.
Ye Tianhao was indeed waiting here.
He stood with his arms crossed, his crimson battle-saber stuck beside him, a playful smile hanging on the corner of his mouth.
Behind him, there were dozens of people.
In addition, quite a few people who had just entered this area were continuously flocking over there!
"You're finally here! I thought you were dealt with by the monsters!"
Ye Tianhao laughed wildly, raising his saber toward Lu Liand said:
"Come on! Let me test your caliber!"
He pointed the tip of his saber, and the dozens of people behind him all looked uniformly at Lu Li.
Those gazes had pity, schadenfreude, and also cold detachment.
"Just you alone?"
Lu Li lifted his eyelids and glanced at those freshmen behind him:
"Why don't all of you attack together."
Chapter 67: Isn't This Courting Death?! Light Feather Storm!
As Lu Li finished speaking, the spectator stands outside the dungeon erupted first.
"Holy shit? What did he say? Come at him together?"
"Arrogant! Way too arrogant! Who does he think he is?!"
"A Paladin telling seventy or eighty people to come at him together?"
"This isn't confidence anymore; this is courting death!"
"..."
The spectator stands were thrown into an uproar.
The upperclassmen were somewhat composed.
However, the freshmen in the same class as Lu Li were all utterly shocked.
One person fighting a whole crowd?
Isn't this courting death?!
Yet soon, this shock turned into the excitement of watching a spectacle.
Up on the high platform, several deans also raised their eyebrows slightly.
"This Lu Li is quite interesting."
Dean Wu Hao of the War Academy chuckled, the interest in his eyes deepening.
"Hmph, in my eyes, he's just young and reckless, with no regard for his own life."
Dean Gu Changfeng, Dean of the Weapon Academy, shook his head.
Inside the dungeon,
The freshmen following behind Ye Tianhao were infuriated by his words.
It was true that they wanted to curry favor with the Ye Family.
Doing Ye Tianhao a favor in exchange for the Ye Family's goodwill
was a worthwhile deal for most people.
But that didn't mean they had no pride!
Who among those admitted to Imperial Capital Universitywasn't a prodigy of their province?
Who among them hadn't grown up treated like the center of attention?
Now, to be told publicly to 'come at him together' by a Paladin—a supposed slacker class—he was clearly looking down on them completely!
"Lu Li! You're way too arrogant!"
"Do you really think becoming the provincial top scorer gives you the right to look down on us?"
"Heh, just a mere Paladin, and you really think you're hot stuff!"
"..."
Furious glares swept toward Lu Li one after another.
Freshmen who had initially hesitated now had their fighting spirit ignited.
"Are you sure?"
Ye Tianhao narrowed his eyes, looking at Lu Li with a half-smile.
"Sure."
Gripping his single-bladed battleaxe, Lu Li looked back at him impassively:
"Isn't this the exact outcome you wanted?"
Ye Tianhao paused upon hearing this, and then the smile on his face slowly broadened, ultimately bursting into wild laughter:
"Haha, as expected of the provincial top scorer, you got it right! Too bad there's no prize!"
Though arrogant, he wasn't foolish.
For Lu Li to become the top scorer of Sichuan Province, he definitely had real skills.
Even though he had promised his aunt that he would teach Lu Li a lesson and remained extremely confident in his own strength,
he still didn't mind adding an extra layer of insurance!
And that insurance was the freshmen standing behind him!
Using the Ye Family's prestige to turn them to his use!
The only reason he hadn't made it explicit from the start was to prevent Lu Li from noticing.
Yet he hadn't expected his plan to be seen through by the other party all along.
With this in mind, he couldn't be bothered to pretend any longer.
Ye Tianhao turned to face the crowd behind him and declared loudly:
"Everyone! Eliminate Lu Li with me first!"
"When that's done, all of you will gain the eligibility to intern at my Miyang Guild!"
As the words left his mouth,
the freshmen's breathing grew heavy.
The Miyang Guild!
One of Yanlong Country's super-sized guilds, where member recruitment required at least Level 30 after the Second Class Change!
Furthermore, only the elite among elites were qualified to join.
Even graduating from top institutions like Imperial Capital University wouldn't guarantee admission!
Yet now, Ye Tianhao actually promised internship opportunities!
That was an opportunity countless people would break their heads fighting for!
"Holy crap! Ye Tianhao really intends to gang up on him!"
"1 against 78? How can anyone even play this!"
"He's just a mere Paladin, does he really warrant this much attention?"
"..."
The stands erupted into an uproar once more.
No one had expected Ye Tianhao to have never intended to fight Lu Li one-on-one from the very beginning.
"What a vicious plan! Lu Li is in trouble now."
Lin Qingyu's willowy brows furrowed slightly, a hint of solemnity surfacing in her cold eyes.
Shen Moli in the stands was equally worried, her small hands unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes.
The Miyang Guild was a massive guild; very few people could resist such temptation.
Sure enough, inside the dungeon, many were swayed.
"Alright! We'll listen to Brother Hao!"
"Right! We'll have to fight sooner or later anyway, might as well eliminate one first!"
"An arrogant guy like him deserves to be eliminated!"
"..."
As they spoke, freshman after freshman stepped forward behind Ye Tianhao.
In the blink of an eye, among the seventy-seven freshmen,
more than half drew their weapons and stood alongside Ye Tianhao.
Mages began chanting, the tips of their staves glowing with magic light in crimson, ice blue, violet-black, and various other colors.
Melee combatants drew blades and swords, battle aura of differing colors erupting from their bodies.
A few support classes even quietly cast buff spells on those around them.
Across the entire plain, energy fluctuations surged like boiling magma, tempestuous and fierce!
This made Ye Tianhao all the more smug.
He looked back toward Lu Li, the corner of his mouth curling into a mocking sneer:
"Out in the world, what counts is your background, and what wins is influence!"
"A little nobody like you wants to fight me?"
"Just wait to be eliminated!"
"Everyone, charge with me!"
As the words fell,
Ye Tianhao unsheathed his crimson warblade, scorching red flames bursting into life along the blade.
He was the first to rush forward, turning into a streak of crimson light and lunging straight for Lu Li!
"Kill—!"
The seventy-plus freshmen behind him erupted in unison!
Melee combatants roared as they launched their charge, their heavy footsteps shaking the ground.
Mages raised their staves and chanted, colorful magical lights instantly blending into a brilliant radiance.
Fireballs, ice spikes, wind blades, lightning serpents...
A barrage of multicolored spells poured forth like a torrential downpour, illuminating half the sky in dazzling hues!
That scene was magnificent to the extreme, yet perilous to the extreme.
Facing such a terrifying encirclement, Lu Li's expression remained unchanged.
He didn't even take a single step back.
"Courage Blessing!"
A low shout rang out.
He didn't use any other buffs.
This one alone was already enough!
Boom—!
Resplendent golden holy light erupted violently from within Lu Li, like a blazing sun descending onto the plain!
The wild grass beneath his feet was pressed flat by the shockwave.
With him at the center, the air within a radius of several meters was dyed gold!
Courage Blessing increased both Physique and Wisdom attributes.
Under the amplification of the S+ grade talent Child of Light, this boost became terrifyingly immense.
"Light Feather Storm!"
Lu Li uttered a low shout.
His left hand shot out abruptly, fingers splayed wide, aimed at the overwhelming torrent of incoming attacks.
In his palm, a speck of pure golden light flared to life.
In the next second,
countless feather-blades condensed from holy light
poured madly from his palm like floodwaters bursting through a gate!
Thousands! Tens of thousands! Countless golden light feathers!
They cut through the air with piercing screeches, surging forward in a fan-shaped tempest of slaughter!
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish—!!!
In that instant, the entire plain turned into a golden sea!
Wherever the light feathers passed, fireballs extinguished, ice spikes shattered, wind blades dissolved, and lightning spears disintegrated!
Those fiercely incoming spells
were instantly torn to shreds like paper before the holy light tempest!
And the melee combatants charging at the forefront bore the brunt of it all!
Before they could even react, they were swallowed up by the omnipresent golden feather-blades!
"Ah—!"
"No—!"
"What the hell is this?!"
Agonized screams and cries of alarm rose in succession.
Flash after flash of white light illuminated the Light Feather Storm—forced protection triggered by the dungeon's rules!
One, five, ten, thirty...
In mere seconds, the dozens of freshmen charging at the front were completely eliminated!
The Light Feather Storm raged for a full five seconds before slowly dissipating.
When the final golden light feather faded into the air, a deathly silence fell over the entire plain.
The once dense crowd was now reduced to a mere scattered dozen or so figures.
Their physiques were slightly tougher, sparing them from immediate elimination.
Yet they were battered with injuries, their faces pale, their eyes filled with shock and terror.
Meanwhile, Ye Tianhao knelt on one knee five or six meters away.
The crimson warblade in his hand was planted into the ground, its blade dim and lifeless.
His warrior set had been slashed with countless tears.
His face and arms were covered in fine cuts, drenched in blood like a man soaked in gore!
He raised his head in utter disbelief, looking toward the figure that still stood in place, golden light swirling around him.
"Y-You... You..."
His lips trembled and his throat was parched; for a moment, he couldn't even form a coherent sentence.
Lu Li slowly lowered his left hand.
Golden holy light flowed around him like a sacred mantle of armor.
He walked toward Ye Tianhao step by step, each stride seeming to tread upon everyone's hearts.
Lu Li came to a stop before Ye Tianhao, looking down at him with a flat voice:
"Background and influence? In the face of absolute power, what use are they?"
Chapter 68: He Actually Won? Just a Rabble!
"Damn it?! H-How can you be so strong?!"
At this moment, Ye Tianhao finally came to his senses from the agonizing pain, his face completely painted with incredulous shock.
Hailing from the Imperial Capital's Ye Family, he had been considered an outstanding talent among his peers ever since childhood.
Yet this Paladin before him, whom he had looked down on as a nobody—
had utterly routed him and the coalition army he took so much pride in with just a single skill!
Outside the dungeon, the spectator stands fell into dead silence.
The freshmen who had just been mocking Lu Li for "seeking death" and "overestimating himself"—
all widened their eyes and hung their mouths open, unable to make a single sound.
Is this guy even fucking human?
A Level 13 Paladin wiped out over sixty people with a single skill?
"Because you guys are just too weak!"
Facing Ye Tianhao's questioning, Lu Li grinned, flashing a wild and unbridled smile.
In the eyes of Ye Tianhao and the others, that smile was far more terrifying than a demon's!
As his voice fell, Lu Li raised his left hand once more.
In the center of his palm, dazzling golden lightning gathered frantically!
Crackle, crackle—!
The ear-grating crackle of electrical currents exploded abruptly.
An aura of utterly violent destruction instantly diffused throughout the area!
"Chain Lightning!"
Boom—!!!
A thick bolt of golden lightning shot out from Lu Li's palm, instantly plunging into the crowd!
Ye Tianhao, bearing the brunt of the assault, didn't even have time to react before being completely swallowed by the lightning!
"Ahhh—!"
Amidst his bloodcurdling shriek,
a burst of white light surged from his body within the lightning, as he was forcibly placed under the protection of the dungeon's rules!
Immediately after, the golden lightning burst violently,
splitting into dozens of electric serpents that ricocheted madly in every direction!
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish—!
"No—!"
"Run!"
"Ahhh—!"
Miserable shrieks and terrified cries melded into one chaotic din.
The remaining dozen-odd freshmen could not even put up a decent resistance
before being completely swallowed by the pervasive Chain Lightning!
White lights lit up one after another.
Figure after figure was forcibly protected amidst the electric glow.
In just three or four seconds, Lu Li was the only person left on the entire plain without white light on his body.
Almost at the exact same moment, a grand system prompt echoed across the dungeon:
[Dungeon Battle Royale has concluded! Surviving participants: 1.]
[Congratulations on clearing the dungeon!]
In the next second, Lu Li felt his vision blur as a warm white light enveloped his body.
By the time he regained his senses, he was once again standing in the middle of Playground No. 2.
At the same time, all the eliminated freshmen from inside the dungeon
were also teleported out simultaneously.
Hum—!
The radiance of the silver gate slowly receded.
The entire venue was completely silent.
Above the playground, the massive holographic light screen remained frozen on the final frame before Lu Licleared the dungeon.
At the very center of the playground, only Lu Li stood proud and tall.
He held his single-edged battleaxe, the golden holy light around him not yet fully dispersed.
It was as if he were clad in a sacred suit of armor, dazzling and radiant as light flowed across him.
Around him, seventy-eight eliminated freshmen lay sprawled messily across the ground.
Covered in wounds, some were unconscious, while others groaned in agony.
Every single one of them was in a wretched state, their garments and armor in tatters.
The wounds and scorched marks covering their bodies formed a gruesome contrast with the tall, godlike figure standing in the center.
"Group 3 Dungeon Melee has ended. Lu Li advances!"
artificial intelligence no. 7's crisp voice chimed in at the right moment, shattering the dead silence across the field.
Only then did the spectators in the stands wake up as if from a dream.
"H-He won?!"
"1 against 78, and he actually won?!"
"Two skills! He only used two skills to wipe out dozens of people?!"
"A Paladin? Bah! He's clearly a God of Magic wearing a Paladin's skin!"
"…"
A storm of shocked chatter erupted like a tsunami, sweeping across the entire spectator stands!
Just a moment ago, Lu Li had been besieged in the center by seventy-eight people, his situation looking precarious.
Everyone had assumed he would be overwhelmed and eliminated in the next second.
Yet nobody expected that Lu Li would pull off an immediate counter-wipe!
And it wasn't just turning the tables on one person, but an entire crowd!
This visual impact was simply too overwhelming!
Many upperclassmen subconsciously swallowed hard.
Asking themselves honestly, if they were in his shoes and faced the siege of seventy-eight top talents of their year,
they probably wouldn't have fared well either!
Let alone clearing the field in just two moves like Lu Li did!
Meanwhile, on the sidelines, the other freshmen who had yet to take the stage
all wore expressions of wary dread, the way they looked at Lu Li completely changed.
In particular, the few freshmen assigned to the later groups
quietly breathed sighs of relief, rejoicing that they hadn't been sorted into the same group as Lu Li.
"As expected of the rival I acknowledged; he really is extraordinary."
Lin Qingyu stood quietly amidst the crowd.
Watching the figure surging with holy light in the center of the playground, she couldn't help but nod slightly.
Shen Chuyou remained aloof as ever.
Her silver-gray eyes were as calm as water, revealing neither joy nor displeasure.
Even though Lu Li had fought 1 against 78 and achieved such a terrifying feat,
she merely cast an indifferent glance before looking away.
Her cold demeanor formed a stark contrast with her proud, fiery figure.
"See! I told you Junior Brother Lu Li is super strong!"
In the spectator stands, Shen Moli was already jumping up and down in excitement.
Her large eyes were brimming with pleasant surprise and shock, her full chest heaving violently from her excitement.
"So what if he's from the Support Academy? Can't he still win just the same!"
Several girls from the Elemental Academy who had previously mocked her
now flushed bright red, stammering and unable to utter a single word.
High upon the elevated platform,
the deans also wore varied expressions.
"Hahahahaha!"
Dean Wu Hao of the War Academy slammed the table violently.
Letting out a booming laugh, his eyes flashed with sharp brilliance:
"Good! Well done, Lu Li!
I want this Paladin! Nobody fight me for him!"
"Dean Wu, you spoke too soon."
Luo Qingshuang, Dean of the Elemental Academy, raised a delicate brow and retorted, unwilling to back down:
"Light Feather Storm, Chain Lightning—which of those isn't a divine AoE skill?
With his mastery of light magic, coming to my Elemental Academy is the rightful path!"
"Go on with you. You folks at the Elemental Academy are all squishy mages."
Dean Wu Hao waved his hand dismissively with an indisputable tone:
"With his melee prowess and that battleaxe, he belongs in our War Academy!"
"Alright, alright."
The Dean of the Support Academy, that gentle woman Song Wanqiu, chuckled behind her hand:
"This child is currently still registered under our Support Academy's name.
Aren't you all being a bit too hasty?"
The deans bickered back and forth, actually competing over him right in public.
Evidently, as deans, they saw much further than the ordinary students.
Although Lu Li had only used two skills,
they were certain that his strength was definitely within the top three!
...
Yet the focus of all this attention, Lu Li himself, appeared exceptionally calm.
He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, feeling the holy light within his body gradually subside.
The battle just now had looked perilous, but in truth, everything was well within his control.
Early on when entering the dungeon, he had already scanned most of the freshmen with Divine Appraisal Technique.
Those freshmen following behind Ye Tianhao were merely Level 13, their four core attributes generally hovering between 60 and 75.
The strongest among them, Ye Tianhao, had a Strength of merely 88 points, and his Wisdom was a meager 51.
And what about himself?
He hadn't even fully applied all his buffs, using only a single Light Feather Storm.
With just that one strike, those people had already fallen into complete disarray.
"Just a rabble."
Lu Li shook his head, put away his battleaxe, and turned to walk toward the freshmen's queue.
Wherever he passed, countless freshmen subconsciously took a step back, their faces filled with dread.
Chapter 69: Shen Chuyou Takes the Stage! Sweeping Through with Fireball!
Meanwhile, the injured freshmen...
...were hurriedly loaded onto stretchers by the medical team waiting nearby and rushed off for treatment.
Among them was the charred and blackened Ye Tianhao.
As he was carried away, his entire body was still trembling uncontrollably.
It was hard to tell whether he was convulsing from the electric shock or shivering with rage.
"The match continues!"
Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo's booming voice rang out.
"Next, freshmen of Group 4, please get ready!"
The moment his words landed, the atmosphere in the arena ignited once more.
Because this group had Shen Chuyou!
"Shen Chuyou! She's finally taking the stage!"
"The Shen Family's Elemental Body! An S-rank talent!"
"I wonder who's stronger, her or Lu Li?"
"Is that even a question? Shen Chuyou has a genuine S-rank talent!"
"Exactly! Lu Li is just a Paladin after all. If it were Shen Chuyou, she might have been able to take on 78 alone too!"
"…"
The crowd buzzed with lively chatter, their anticipation palpable.
Meanwhile, Shen Chuyou, the center of attention, remained cold as frost, devoid of any superfluous expression.
Her mage robes fluttered gently in the wind, outlining her astonishingly proud curves.
The extreme coldness and breathtaking allure formed a stark contrast on her.
It caused many nearby freshmen secretly stealing glances at her to unconsciously hold their breath.
"Shen Chuyou, the one with the highest overall attributes under my Divine Appraisal Technique."
Lu Li also fixed his gaze upon her.
For magic classes, Intelligence determined spell damage and maximum mana pool.
92 points of Intelligence, paired with the spell bonuses of the S-rank talent Elemental Body…
Shen Chuyou's burst damage would likely be terrifying beyond imagination.
"What's even more troublesome is that she also has the A-rank talent 'Elemental Affinity.'"
"Her casting speed and elemental control will both be massively boosted."
Lu Li calculated silently in his mind.
She was on a completely different level from Ye Tianhaowhom he had faced before.
Shen Chuyou was a prodigy who could truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Lin Qingyu, perhaps even surpassing her in certain aspects!
If he wanted to claim the title of Freshmen King in this freshman tournament,
she would likely be his greatest rival.
…
On the training grounds, the freshmen of Group 4 had already begun stepping into the teleportation area one after another.
Shen Chuyou stood among them, her robes white as snow, her expression detached and indifferent.
Buzz—!
The Silver Gates trembled with a roar as a hundred beams of white light soared into the sky.
Shen Chuyou's figure was instantly swallowed into the light.
And the gigantic light screen belonging to Group 4 slowly unrolled in turn.
Unlike the previous three groups, right from the opening of this match,
everyone, including Lu Li,
unanimously focused their attention on the exact same display.
Shen Chuyou.
Her moon-white figure appeared on a desolate wasteland in the northeastern corner of the dungeon.
Fierce winds swept grit and gravel across the barren ground.
Her long snow-white hair drifted gently in the wind like a ribbon of flowing liquid silver.
With an impassive expression, her silver-gray eyes calmly swept over her surroundings.
Ahead, three monster beasts resembling giant monitor lizards caught the scent of living prey.
Poking their heads out from behind the boulders, their crimson tongues flickered incessantly.
Hiss—!
The largest monitor lizard struck first.
Pushing off with its four limbs, it lunged toward Shen Chuyou with jaws wide open.
Shen Chuyou didn't even bat an eyelid.
She merely raised her right hand slightly.
At the tip of her slender, pale finger, a pinpoint of crimson flame ignited abruptly.
"Fireball."
Her cool, clear voice was devoid of any emotion.
A fist-sized Fireball shot out from her fingertip.
The Fireball looked utterly ordinary, almost miniature.
Yet the instant it left her fingertip—
Boom—!!!
An unspeakably terrifying explosion suddenly erupted!
After traveling barely half a meter, the fist-sized Fireball
violently expanded into an incandescent white Fireballover ten meters in diameter!
Like a plummeting meteorite carrying world-ending heat, it slammed violently into the cluster of monsters!
Bang—!!!!
A miniature mushroom cloud billowed into the sky, completely engulfing an area tens of meters across!
The lizards didn't even have time to shriek.
Under the horrifying heat, they vaporized instantly, leaving not even bones behind!
Once the flames subsided, nothing remained on the wasteland except a massive crater over twenty meters wide, its edges charred and glossy.
At the bottom of the crater, magma-like embers still flowed sluggishly, the scorching heat waves warping the surrounding air.
Hiss—!
In the spectator stands, countless people sucked in a breath of cold air.
"Is that fucking Fireball?!"
"I've seen Fireball before! But a fist-sized spark blowing up into a ten-meter Fireball? Are you kidding me?!"
"Did she pump dozens of skill levels into Fireball or something?!"
"Is this the power of the S-rank Elemental Body? This is ridiculous!"
"…"
Even the deans up on the high platform sat upright at this moment.
The eyes of Elemental Academy Luo Qingshuang flared with brilliant light as she slapped the table in admiration:
"Splendid! What a girl, Shen Chuyou!
This elemental control is practically second nature!"
"The power of that strike is likely already close to the full-strength blow of an ordinary Level 19 Elemental Mage."
War Academy Dean Wu Hao also dropped his playful attitude, his tone turning solemn.
Inside the dungeon, Shen Chuyou remained expressionless.
Without even sparing another glance at the crater, she strode directly toward the south.
"She's just leaving like that?"
"Isn't she going to verify the kills?"
"Verify what? Those monsters were reduced to ash!"
"…"
The audience stared dumbfounded.
And what followed plunged the entire training ground into an eerie silence.
Shen Chuyou headed south at an unhurried pace, as if taking a leisurely stroll.
All the monsters along her path—
whether Level 10 common beasts or Level 15 elites—could not escape her signature Fireball.
A single Fireball hurled forward, and whether three or five, seven or eight charged at her, every last one was instantly pulverized into ash.
As for herself, not once did she quicken her steps.
Her snow-white hair whipped in the thermal updrafts, her moon-white mage robes spotless.
She was like an elemental goddess walking the mortal world.
Aloof and mighty, sweeping through all before her with absolute, crushing dominance.
"Too strong! How is this even a match? It's a one-sided massacre!"
"She hasn't even used a second skill! Just one Fireball!"
"This is the Shen Family's Elemental Body! The terror of an S-rank talent!"
"When Lu Li fought 1 versus 78 earlier, I thought he was the biggest dark horse this year. But compared to Shen Chuyou, it seems... just so-so?"
"Indeed. In terms of visual impact, Shen Chuyou still takes the cake. That Fireball is just too violent!"
"…"
Among the freshmen, Lu Li's gaze also remained fixed on the light screen displaying Shen Chuyou.
"This Fireball is even more terrifying than my Light Feather Storm."
He silently compared their respective skill sets.
Light Feather Storm excelled in wide area of effect, dense feather blades, and homing capabilities.
Yet purely in terms of destructive power and instantaneous burst,
Shen Chuyou's plain and simple Fireball actually had the edge over him!
"As expected of an Elemental Mage, her spellcasting is overwhelmingly potent."
"Her only relative weakness is close combat."
Lu Li calculated rapidly in his mind.
Shen Chuyou's Strength was only 45 points, and her Constitution merely 51 points.
Once closed in on by a melee combatant, with her stats, it would be difficult for her to respond effectively.
Yet the real question was: with her firepower coverage and spell precision, who could ever get close to her in the first place?
Chapter 70: Free Challenge Match! Lin Qingyu's Challenge!
"I might not actually be able to beat her."
Lu Li took a deep breath, but rather than feeling fear, an even fiercer fighting spirit ignited within him.
"Still, we'll only know once we try!"
He grinned, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes.
This feeling of meeting a worthy rival made his blood boil with excitement.
Time ticked away, minute by minute.
The Battle Royale for Group 4 had completely turned into Shen Chuyou's solo show.
For the other freshmen, whether they chose to fight alone or band together,
it all seemed pale and powerless before Shen Chuyou's world-destroying Fireball.
By the fiftieth minute, only thirty-odd people remained in the dungeon.
Shen Chuyou unhurriedly walked into the final safe zone.
There, over thirty freshmen were already waiting in full battle array.
They had clearly reached an unspoken understanding to join forces against this invincible S-rank monster.
"Shen Chuyou! You're strong, but if all of us attack together, you might not walk away unscathed!"
The young man leading them raised his staff and yelled through gritted teeth.
"Yeah! Let's attack together! Even if we're eliminated, we'll drag her down with us!"
"Don't be afraid! No matter how strong her Fireball is, it has to have a limit!"
Over twenty freshmen simultaneously unleashed their full auras.
Magic lights and battle qi intertwined, bathing the entire safe zone in a kaleidoscope of colors.
"Charge—!"
Along with a roar of fury, more than twenty people attacked simultaneously!
Spells of all colors poured down like torrential rain, while melee combatants roared as they charged forward.
Yet Shen Chuyou merely raised her right hand slowly.
"Fireball."
Still those same words.
Only this time, the Fireball condensing at her fingertips was noticeably larger than any before.
Crimson firelight compressed frantically in her palm, and then...
Boom—!!!
A giant Fireball with a diameter exceeding thirty meters blasted outward!
Like a sun crashing onto the earth, it illuminated the entire safe zone into broad daylight!
The melee fighters rushing at the very front couldn't even let out a scream
before glowing white light enveloped them amid the extreme heat, forced into protection by the rules!
The spells unleashed by the mages behind melted like snow the moment they made contact with the Fireball!
"No—!"
"Ah—!"
Piercing shrieks rose one after another.
A massive mushroom cloud surged into the sky, and heatwaves swept outward in all directions like a hurricane!
Once everything calmed down, in the center of the entire safe zone,
only a moon-white figure remained standing quietly.
She lowered her right hand, her expression still aloof.
Around her, all thirty-plus freshmen had been eliminated!
Buzz—!
A grand notification chime echoed above the dungeon:
[Dungeon Battle Royale has ended! Remaining survivors: 1.]
[Congratulations on clearing the stage!]
From entering to clearing the dungeon, Shen Chuyou had only used a single skill!
When that moon-white figure exited the dungeon and reappeared on the grounds,
Playground No. 2 instantly erupted into deafening cheers!
"Shen Chuyou! Shen Chuyou! Shen Chuyou!"
"Too strong! So this is the Elemental Body!"
"Looks like the Freshman King title definitely belongs to her!"
"---"
Shen Chuyou's performance also made all the freshmen who still harbored lingering hopes fall into utter despair.
One Lu Li was already enough to drive people to despair, and now an even more monstrous Shen Chuyou had appeared!
Did this year's Freshman Grand Competition even leave room for ordinary people to survive?
...
After Group 4 finished, the competition continued.
Group 5, Group 6, Group 7...
Free-for-alls unfolded one group after another in succession.
Although no more contestants on the crushing level of Shen Chuyou or Lu Li appeared, every group fought with extreme intensity.
All kinds of prodigies showcased their talents.
Some possessed superb swordsmanship, some had masterful spellcasting, and others excelled in strategy and forming alliances.
The Freshman Grand Competition had started at nine in the morning, with each group's free-for-all lasting nearly an hour.
By the time Group 10's Battle Royale was finally over, it was already past seven in the evening.
The sky had completely darkened.
Around the grounds, floodlights lit up one after another, illuminating the entire venue like daylight.
The school had arranged staff to deliver both lunch and dinner, so no one had to go hungry.
"The first phase's Battle Royale has concluded!"
When the final group's dungeon Battle Royale came to an end,
Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo stood up, his booming voice resounding across the arena:
"Congratulations to the following 10 students for successfully advancing to the second phase of the competition!"
As his words fell, artificial intelligence no. 7 condensed into the form of an academy maiden in the center of the grounds.
With a wave of her delicate hand, a massive leaderboard materialized in midair.
First Place: Shen Chuyou
Second Place: Lu Li
Third Place: Lin Qingyu
Fourth Place: Chu Nan
Fifth Place: Bai Yuqing
Sixth Place: Zhao Tianlong
Seventh Place: Han Shuang
Eighth Place: Zhou Jin
Ninth Place: Xu Zimo
Tenth Place: Fang Yan
A total of ten freshmen were assigned default rankings based on their performance in the Battle Royale.
"As expected, Shen Chuyou is first, and Lu Li is second."
"Lu Li fighting 1 against 78 was shocking, but it still fell short when compared to Shen Chuyou."
"Yeah, her Fireball is simply absurd. Clearing the entire field with a single shot—who could withstand that?"
"Still, Lu Li is remarkably powerful as well; second place is well-deserved."
"Third place is Lin Qingyu? Rank two of Sichuan Province! Sichuan Province is truly formidable this year!"
"---"
Discussions broke out among the audience in the stands.
Lu Li was not surprised by these rankings.
Shen Chuyou's performance had indeed been more breathtaking than his.
"Next, we begin the Free Challenge Match phase!"
Vice Principal Zhou Zhenguo continued:
"Each of you will have three chances to challenge an opponent of your choice!"
"If the challenge succeeds, you will take that opponent's rank.
If the challenge fails, your original rank remains unchanged."
"Remember, each person only has three attempts; once they are spent, that's it!"
As soon as his voice faded, the atmosphere in the arena turned taut with tension!
At the same time, the dungeon gate at the center of the grounds vanished.
With deep rumbles,
four alloy arenas measuring 200 meters by 200 meters slowly rose from the ground!
The platforms were forged entirely of silver-gray alloy, with runes swirling across their surfaces as defensive formations activated.
"Here it comes! The second phase's Free Challenge Matches!"
"I wonder who will issue the first challenge, and to whom?"
"My bet is on Lu Li challenging Shen Chuyou! There's no way he's satisfied with second place!"
"Not necessarily. Shen Chuyou is terrifying; Lu Li might not dare challenge her."
"---"
The spectators craned their necks in eager anticipation to witness the crowning of this year's strongest freshman.
"The system quest reward depends on my Freshman Grand Competition ranking. If I'm going to compete, I'm taking first place!"
Lu Li's eyes flashed, and he was just about to challenge Shen Chuyou.
Yet in the next second, a cool, melodious female voice spoke up first:
"I challenge Lu Li."
It was Lin Qingyu!
The entire arena fell dead silent.
Immediately afterward, a massive uproar broke out!
"It's on! The first match is Lin Qingyu against Lu Li!"
"Sichuan Province's second rank is challenging first rank!"
"Looks like Lin Qingyu isn't willing to accept the College Entrance Examination results."
"Tsk tsk, this is going to be good!"
"---"
Waves of excited murmurs rippled across the stands.
Lin Qingyu stepped forward, her black combat attire hugging her tall, slender figure.
Her ink-black hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her cool, resolute dark eyes fixed straight upon Lu Li.
"Lin Qingyu is challenging me first? That works too; let's settle this."
Since an incoming challenge could not be declined,
Lu Li pulled back his forward step, turned around, and gave Lin Qingyu a nod.
One after the other, the two walked onto one of the alloy arenas.
"First Free Challenge Match: Lin Qingyu challenges Lu Li!"
The voice of artificial intelligence no. 7 rang out once again:
"Will both sides please prepare!"