Chapter 170 - Challenge Accepted

Cheng Xiu used her sword to attack the NPCs. Perhaps it was because they were too into their own fights, or because the difficulty of the level was set for lower, her attack landed on the NPC that attacked her before in the shoulder, creating a large gash on her shoulder blade.

The green-robed woman backed away, raised her hand and opened her book. She muttered a spell from it.

A golden geometric circle appeared under the woman's feet and a golden shield erected around her, protecting her from the onslaught of the weapon.

The woman next to her also created a golden barrier around her.

Seeing this, Cheng Xiu felt into a complicated mood. She was not sure how she should take in the fact that the second NPC did the same thing as the first NPC even though Cheng Xiu's attacks were focused on the first one.

It was perhaps because the NPC really did fear that Cheng Xiu would come after her next, in which case she would not be wrong. Or the most likely reason…she was used to copying from the first NPC. Doing the same things as her despite the situation.

Cheng Xiu smiled there was an easy way to test that theory. "Hey Brother San Zhe!"

San Zhe looked towards her away from the NPC's golden shield defense. The fact that both of them did the same thing made him miserable. "What?"

Cheng Xiu was surprised by the harsh undertone in San Zhe's voice. Was he frustrated that she was not able to attack the NPC properly at the moment?

"Can I ask you somehting?"

"Sure."

"Do you have any kind of power or item that would attack someone even if there is a shield?"

"No."

Cheng Xiu blinked. "Oh. Then can you attack the NPC that used the spell on you with your trident?"

San Zhe was surprised by her words. "Why?"

"I want to check something."

"Okay."

Cheng Xiu watched him from afar as he raised his weapon and ran towards the NPCs that were glaring at Cheng Xiu.

As the man started to attack the shield, creating the sound of metal hitting metal, Cheng Xiu walked towards the Left NPC who was handling her sword copies.

She raised the Red Carp Sword in her hand and hit the shield with it. The shield shook.

Cheng Xiu smiled. "Ghost Flame."

The sword in her hand was coated with a layer of black flame.

Cheng Xiu attacked the shield.

The shield started to form cracks like it was made of metal at the parts that her weapon hit its surface.

Just as she had guessed, the shield was made of Qi and she was able to affect it with her Ghost Flame.

Cheng Xiu repeated the action again and again, creating more and more cracks.

The NPC visibly paled as her shield lost its golden luster.

The woman glared at Cheng Xiu.

The cracks started to spread to the ground that they stood on.

Cheng Xiu gave it a fleeting glance but still kept up her attack on the woman.

The cracks under her feet grew deeper and deeper.

On San Zhe's side, there wasn't as much of a progress as there was on Cheng Xiu's side. The NPC that he was given the opportunity to confront just stood there vigilantly, not even looking at San Zhe. Her eyes were trained on Cheng Xiu.

San Zhe wondered why that might be. Could it be that the NPC in front of him was so sure that he would not be able to do anything to her shield that she could concentrate on her companion's condition.

San Zhe felt a feeling of unwillingness raise in his heart. He might not be as great as Cheng Xiu was but he was still a threat to a Level 5 Dungeon! Especially against a sub-plot mini-boss!

His attacks against the shield became wilder, and more precise.

[Ding!]

San Zhe heard a voice in his head.

[Player San Zhe has activated the condition of 'Desperation'. Your god has heard your pleas. Poseidon has blessed you with an ability to create and manipulate ice and water for 5 minutes.]

San Zhe felt a plethora of information enter his mind. This was the greatest thing about the Other World, and what made it such a fasinating place. Even the technique information in the game seemed far more real than anything else he had come across in the other games.

San Zhe examined in the information in his mind as he kept up the random stabbing of the shield. When he finally examined the new skill that the system rewarded him with, San Zhe felt like he was cheated.

San Zhe blinked. Five minutes. Five minutes! Five minutes? Really? He could not believe how much of a stingy person this Greek god was. If he had known, he would have chosen the more traditional chinese Immortal Quests!

San Zhe shook his head in regret but decided that there was no need to focus on it too much. He had five minutes. He could do a lot of damage in that timeframe. He had to. If he did not, then he would never be able to live as a gamer.

He could defeat this Level five NPC! There was no way that he couldn't!

His attacks on the shield with his trident became even more aggressive.

"Poseidon's Blessing: Ice Form!" San Zhe shouted as he thrust the Trident in his hand forwards.

San Zhe watched as the trident in his hand changed in appearance. Its spokes became long and sharp ice shards, and they glowed with an inner light that he was not able to guess the origin of.

Was it the 'blessing' aspect of the skill that made the light in it so unique?

The trident created a large hold on the shield like it was hot metal that was going through a plastic sheet.

San Zhe obeserved for a moment at the NPC. He saw that she had a panicked look on her face but her eyes went to the NPC on her left instead of trying to attack the player who was damaging her shield.

San Zhe frowned. Why was she not reacting? Was she waiting for the other NPC to do somehting??

San Zhe looked towards Cheng Xiu's side and found himself being amazed.

The shield was completely cracking at the places nearer to Cheng Xiu. Debris was flying around her and the ground under her feet was also cracking.

San Zhe felt a long dead fighting spirit in his heart flare. He felt like he should compete against her to see who could cause more damage to the shield of an NPC.

Though Cheng Xiu had the edge at the moment, he was still the first one to create a hole in the shield.

He could do it.

Almost like she had heard his thoughts, Cheng Xiu looked at him and then at the damage he had done to the shield in front of him.

Cheng Xiu's eyes flashed.

She nodded towards him.

Though they had not talked aloud, San Zhe and Yaksha knew what she had said at that moment.

Challenge accepted.