1318 Victory

1-0.

Tyranny took the lead in their home game.　　

This shouldn't have been anything surprising, but the one who lost was Wind Howl's current core player, Tang Hao, while the one who won had been Wind Howl's former core player, Ling Jingyan. The circumstances behind the outcome completely changed the flavor of it.

The cheers from the Tyranny fans in the stadium weren't too crazy, though. After all, the importance of this confrontation revolved around Wind Howl's past and present. The Tyranny fans weren't able to understand it. As for Wind Howl's fans? There were a few places where the away team fans sat, and right now, Wind Howl's fans looked very dispirited. The first individual round had just finished, and some of them had already gotten up and left.

Lin Jingyan returned to his seat, and his teammates congratulated him on his win. In many people's eyes, beating Tang Hao should be a joyous event.

However, Lin Jingyan didn't seem that excited. He was a gentle and polite player. He simply smiled as he sat down.

As for Wind Howl's side?

He didn't even look at them.

Even though he harbored some nostalgia for his character Demon Subduer and Wind Howl, the past was the past. He was in his declining years, but as long as there was still a path forward, there would always be a future.

His future was here… Lin Jingyan clutched Dark Thunder's account card in his hands.

Meanwhile, in another stadium, another individual round was about to be completed.

Blue Rain vs Tiny Herb.

Lu Hanwen vs Gao Yingjie.

The two most eye-catching players of the new generation, one directly being thrown into the main roster, climbing his way through the cruel competition, while the other was carefully protected, adapting to the environment step by step.

Two different methods, but both for the purpose of training the two into outstanding pro players. Right now, the two were no longer inexperienced greenhorns. The two symbols of the new generation were fighting 1 on 1 for their respective teams.

Formless Phantom Blade!

Lu Hanwen's Flowing Clouds let loose a high-level skill. Flowing Clouds was a rarely seen Greatsword Blade Master. Although his attack speed was slow, the area of effect range was greater. His Silver weapon, Flame Shadow, drew a clear arc in the air in an attempt to knock down the airborne Kind Tree.

"There's nowhere to run!" Lu Hanwen excitedly typed into the public chat. This youth seemed to have endless energy. Everyone could always feel the passion flowing through him.

In comparison, Gao Yingjie wasn't as flashy as him, but having been sheltered by the team, he had a more thorough understanding of his team's expectations for him. His thirst for victory was no less than Lu Hanwen's, and his playing on stage always appeared meticulous.

Despite being caught by Flowing Cloud's Formless Phantom Blade, Gao Yingjie wasn't flustered. Attacks from Greatsword Blade Masters were more powerful, but that was at the sacrifice of speed. Speed was the weakness of Greatsword users, and an area that could be exploited!

Disperse Powder!

Kind Tree threw a handful of Disperse Powder. It dispelled debuffs, but more importantly, it also reduced the target's attack speed. Although it was a low-level skill and its debuff effect wasn't too strong, for an already slow Flowing Clouds, it only exacerbated the wound.　

Hit!

Under the effects of Disperse Powder, Flowing Cloud's offensive instantly turned sluggish. Still, in order to land the Disperse Powder, Gao Yingjie had been prepared for Kind Tree to take a hit. But at that moment...　

Immortal Guides the Way!

Lu Hanwen cancelled Formless Phantom Blade and switched to Immortal Guides the Way.

Also a hit!

The powerful blow-away effect instantly sent Kind Tree flying. Flowing Cloud didn't give chase. Disperse Powder was difficult to handle for a Greatsword Blade Master. He had wanted to buy himself more distance, so he quickly put the effects of the skill to use.

This low-level skill with a blow-away effect had a very long ending lag, up to 10 seconds.

10 seconds!

Immortal Guides the Way didn't send the target flying far enough to take 10 seconds to return. Gao Yingjie wasn't willing to waste these 10 seconds. After being blown away, Kind Tree quick recovered as he landed, but he didn't get up after rolling. He swept up his broom and started flying through the air.

10 seconds?　　

It wouldn't even take 2 seconds for him to get back!

Frost Powder!

Another magic powder sprinkled down. This skill wasn't a direct attack though, instead it imbued his weapon with an ice element.

Morning Dew!

This was the name of the Silver broom in Kind Tree's hands. After applying Frost Powder, the broom glowed with a blue light. Fine ice crystals rained down everywhere it passed.

Attack!

Witches had strong close combat abilities.　　

Even though they mainly relied on normal attacks, through the application of magic powders and their ability to jump six times in the air with the mastery of their brooms, the "normal" attacks from Witches weren't normal in the slightest.

"You're not going to win like this!" A message from Lu Hanwen popped up in the chat.

Earthquake Sword!

Flowing Cloud's greatsword flung out a Spellblade skill. Closely following it was a flash of sword light, another Sword Draw.

A vertical Earthquake Sword and a horizontal Sword Draw, in addition to Flowing Cloud's abnormal attack range, crisscrossed into a gigantic cross as it soared towards Kind Tree. The attack came out of nowhere, and the intertwining skills complemented each other perfectly.

But...

"Attack speed…" Yu Wenzhou sighed from off stage.　

Slow… this flaw was deeply etched into Yu Wenzhou's heart. And Flowing Cloud's beautiful attack had a few openings because of his slow attack speed.

There might be openings, but could the other side seize them?

Some openings required strong perception and high skill to grasp. For example, Yu Wenzhou noticed the current openings formed by Flowing Cloud's two skills, but if he were in Kind Heart's position, he would have a very difficult time taking advantage of them.

Would Gao Yingjie be able to do it?　

No problem.

On Tiny Herb's side, Wang Jiexi quietly made this prediction when he saw this attack.

Gao Yingjie should be able to see and grasp these openings.

However, should be able to and actually doing it were two very different things.

Gao Yingjie didn't disappoint Wang Jiexi though.

Bearing the weight of Tiny Herb's future, Gao Yingjie seized the opportunity. Kind Heart swayed gently in the air, dodging the two intersecting skills.

Whoosh!

Morning Dew swung down, hitting Flowing Cloud.　

Magic powders could not be stacked, but Ice Powder's effect reduced the speed of the target and had a chance to freeze. Both effects deadly for Flowing Cloud.

Victory had been decided...

The audience could already tell.　　

Afterwards, there were sighs, and there were cheers.　　

The feelings stemming from victory always came from the two extremes.

The outcome of the battle between the two new generation stars had been decided. With Gao Yingjie's victory, Tiny Herb took the lead in their away game. On another stage, the two seniors of the old generation were still fighting it out.

Bang!

A deafening sound. 　　

The collision between weapons carried the momentum and visual effects from skills. The two characters bounced back and fell to the ground.

"How fierce! You're putting your life on the line. Aren't you afraid of breaking your hands?" Lord Grim stood back up with blood dripping from his mouth. A message leaped out into the public chat.　　

"Your record's going to end here." Another Summer of Sleep pointed his sword at Lord Grim. Sun Zheping replied ruthlessly.

"Stop talking big. Last round, Old Lin said the exact same thing. And do you know what the outcome was?" Ye Xiu said.　

"Old Lin? Didn't you guys fight Blue Rain last round?"　　

"Last last last round," Ye Xiu said.

Wild Blood Strike!

Sun Zheping ended the talk there. Another Summer of Sleep forced his way over. A bloody shadow formed around his sword and then flew towards Lord Grim.

Lord Grim immediately dodged it. The blood shadow hacked into the ground. The shattered earth suddenly shot towards Lord Grim.

Whirlwind Strike!

Another Summer of Sleep's sword released a whirlwind. The broken stones caught up in it smashed towards Lord Grim.　

This was Happy's home game and Ye Xiu's chosen map, so it was naturally a very simple one. But who would have thought that his opponent's frenzy of attacks would pressure Ye Xiu to the point of helplessness. The unspecialized blitz that no one in the Alliance could block wasn't being allowed to show up.

Retreat!

Another retreat!

Under these fierce attacks, Lord Grim continued to retreat up until he was no longer able to. Another Summer of Sleep's greatsword finally smashed into him. But in this instant, Lord Grim's body suddenly dispersed like petals. Another Summer of Sleep had only hit a fake illusion.

Shadow Clone Technique?

No, this wasn't it.

It was Shadow Steps!

Four Lord Grims surrounded Another Summer of Sleep. Which one was the real one? At this point, it didn't seem to matter. What was most important was that Lord Grim could finally start attacking.

In the end, victory went to Ye Xiu.　

The moment he took his hands off the mouse, he let out a long sigh of relief. This match had been too close for comfort. He had nearly lost. It was really hard to imagine how an opponent with a hand injury as serious as Sun Zheping fought more and more without regard for anything else. Had the second half of the season ignited his spirit?

But it was truly a pity. Every round, he could only fight a single time in the individual competition. Sometimes, he even needed to rest one round. The amount of competition he got every time probably wasn't enough to satisfy him at all.

Yeah...

Not enough at all!　

Sun Zheping stared at the fallen Another Summer of Sleep, who was looking up into the sky. His character probably wasn't willing either!

If only… if only I could play a few more minutes every time...