After seeing the lineup for the first match, Zhao Yueru and Cao Chenghua both stepped into the arena.
Zhao Yueru was an Elementalist and Cao Chenghua was a Berserker. Between them there was virtually no difference in levels or equipment. In terms of combat technique, Cao Chenghua held the edge, but Zhao Yueru had the advantage of class. The final outcome was entirely up in the air — yet Spirit Serpent and the others wore mocking smiles, as though victory were already a foregone conclusion.
This left Bai Qingxue, watching from the sidelines, somewhat puzzled.
She knew exactly where Cao Chenghua stood. He was a step above Zhao Yueru, but only by a slim margin — enough to offset the class disadvantage at best. Winning would be anything but easy.
So why were Spirit Serpent and the others so confident?
"Yueru, be careful — Cao Chenghua is acting strange today. Whatever you do, don't let him get close," Bai Qingxue whispered through a private message.
"Got it. Don't worry. I took on a high-level quest specifically for this match and earned a powerful skill. Cao Chenghua is going to regret stepping into that ring," Zhao Yueru replied with a relaxed smile.
Though she appeared at ease, inside she was on maximum alert.
Even though she was only fighting in the first match, it was a critical one. If she won, the overall odds of winning the entire contest would swing well above fifty percent.
"Brother Yefeng, is that Cao Chenghua really that strong?" Ziyan Liuyun asked, watching the supremely confident Cao Chenghua on the field.
"He's no slouch, but he doesn't have a hundred-percent chance of beating Zhao Yueru. Mentality and other factors during combat can always tip the scales," Shi Feng shook his head.
As the guild leader of Snake of the Body, and with the guild operating primarily in the Star Moon Kingdom, Cao Chenghua had been someone Shi Feng had gathered plenty of intelligence on in his previous life. He knew exactly how strong the man really was.
While Shi Feng and Ziyan Liuyun were quietly discussing matters, the duel in the arena began.
Cao Chenghua opened with a Blazing Charge and came crashing down with a devastating overhead strike, holding nothing back. He unleashed everything at once, like a wild beast baring its fangs and claws.
Zhao Yueru naturally refused to let Cao Chenghua close the distance. She chanted an incantation, sweeping her staff with one hand while rapidly inscribing divine runes with the other. When Cao Chenghua charged to within twenty yards, an Ice Seal Ball blocked his path. Being hit by the Ice Seal Ball wouldn't be so bad in terms of damage — the real problem was the massive reduction in movement speed.
After all, a Berserker's mobility was nothing to speak of.
So the basic tactic for an Elementalist fighting a Berserker was kiting.
Cao Chenghua reacted quickly, pivoting hard and circling around to the right. But a volley of Frost Arrows immediately flew toward him. Cao Chenghua scoffed, swinging the dark-gold greatsword Iron Slasher to shatter every incoming arrow before charging forward again.
However, Zhao Yueru seemed to have been ready for this all along. She swept her staff and unleashed Ice Dragon Break on Cao Chenghua — a massive dragon-shaped bolt of ice that lunged toward him. She immediately followed up with an Ice Wall, sealing off his surroundings.
"Break!" Cao Chenghua gripped his greatsword with both hands and slashed fiercely at the ice dragon, executing a Horizontal Cut.
But the moment the ice dragon shattered, a layer of frost settled over Cao Chenghua's body, drastically slowing his movement. Three Ice Lances materialized right after. Cao Chenghua tried to deflect them with his sword, but the freeze effect had already crippled his speed. He managed to block only one lance, while the other two struck him directly.
-215. -221. Two damage numbers popped up above Cao Chenghua's head.
At level 24, Cao Chenghua had 3,320 HP. Those two hits barely chipped off a tenth of his health.
Cao Chenghua frowned slightly, unable to understand — the ice dragon had already been shattered, so how was the freeze effect still triggering?