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Chapter 265: Counter-Attack!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

White Wine and the other four champions in the party hung back and watched Dark Dragon at work, while Snowblind recovered from being Stunned. Exhausted by everything that had happened, they had all become sullen and quiet.

With the appearance of a Level 31 Pet, a red-tagged Tier 4 Aquamancer whose skill was on par with champions, Dark Dragon’s intervention, and Snowblind’s defeat... and then witnessing Qin Ruo’s Aquamorph technique, followed by Dark Dragon’s high-speed pursuit, which was successfully being dragged out at the moment... the assembled champions no longer dared to underestimate this previously unknown Tier 4 red tag named Qin Ruo.

Standing amongst the ranks of the elites in Honor & Glory, they were fully aware that a magic technique which could emulate a Bandit’s Stealth skill represented the highest achievement in Elementalist ability.

It was several times more terrifying when you considered his partnership with such a mighty Pet!

If not for the presence of the Tier 5 supreme champion known as Dark Dragon, they would all have preferred to simply turn a blind eye, allowing Qin Ruo to go on his way. But now...

... All they could do was glumly follow behind, waiting for Dark Dragon to slay this Tier 4 Aquamancer of unlimited potential!

Besides White Wine, the thoughts of the others were in complete disarray.

With the capabilities that Qin Ruo had demonstrated, there was no doubt that he’d be sought after by countless Clans, nor would it come as any surprise if he was straight-away granted a position as Field Commander.

The problem was, now that he had offended Dark Dragon, and had made himself into an enemy of the Netherspirit’s Claw... there was nothing anyone could do.

He’d gotten ahead of himself. He didn’t know when to quit.

None of them had as much to read from their expressions as Snowblind himself! From the rage that he had displayed toward Qin Ruo in the beginning, the lust for vengeance, which had then transformed into shock and horror—his current feelings ran across the entire range of emotion.

On the one hand, he hoped that Dark Dragon could decisively finish Qin Ruo once and for all, averting his shame. On the other hand, he was terrified at the thought of Qin Ruo, with all his skill and power, coming after him for payback.

Although he was a member of the Netherspirit’s Claw, this had been the first time he had ever faced someone of Qin Ruo’s power. Imagining a player of that level out to get him, it chilled him to the bone.

If he’d had any idea of the extent of Qin Ruo’s abilities, he’d never in a million years have sought out any quarrel with him.

Hope, anxiety, concern, and regret... all kinds of expressions played across his face.

White Wine watched him with cold amusement.

‘Now you see it, you fool!’

***

“Eh?”

From the moment Qin Ruo had started speeding up, Dark Dragon had constantly been using his wind-based Elemental Perception to keep track of his movements and position. When he saw the Aquamancer pulling out another potion from his backpack, its contents multi-colored and iridescent, he gave another little start.

‘Well, look at you!’

It seemed that blighted Scarlet Bauhinia truly valued this person. Even amongst the Leagues, attribute-boosting potions like that were incredibly precious. To have gifted so many to a mere Level 41 nobody, it was like spoiling a beloved pet.

“Hmph!” Dark Dragon harrumphed, and then performed a subtle bit of magic.

A Windrampart instantly formed in front of Qin Ruo!

He was not going to play with Qin Ruo any longer. He had even used two attribute-boosters in a row—that was about thirty-thousand gold, down the drain—strip off some of his equipment, and he would probably be in tears.

Never had he imagined that Qin Ruo would have developed such a fine sense of Elemental Perception—and of course, as an Elementalist himself, he had a deep understanding of this ability—and had been waiting for Dark Dragon to make his move. The instant he sensed magical activity in front of him, Qin Ruo acted in response.

The unique advantage of the Windrampart was that, as a form of wind magic, it was perfectly transparent and invisible.

All along, Qin Ruo had always been of the opinion that the Windrampart, out of the entire Rampart series of spells across the seven elements, was the most peculiar and unfathomable of them all, and was the best for sowing confusion.

Through countless imagined simulations, he’d put himself in the shoes of an Aeromancer, and had concluded that if he could combine a wind-based Elemental Perception with the Windrampart spell, he should be able to toy around with a champion-level warrior until he didn’t know whether he was coming or going.

It was too bad that such magic was not his to command—meanwhile, right at this very moment, he was being attacked with a Windrampart and exactly that kind of Elemental Perception.

Quietly, Qin Ruo conjured an Aquarampart beside the Windrampart, in order to prevent Dark Dragon from moving it in that direction, and then moved himself aside. His movements were quick and precise.

Dark Dragon narrowed his eyes. There was real talent here—he hadn’t been relying solely on his invisibility technique the whole time.

“But if that’s all you’ve got to show, it’s curtains for you.”

With an act of will, Dark Dragon shaped the smooth Frostrampart into a dozen invisible arrows, suspended in mid-air.

Oh, crap! Qin Ruo cursed in horror. He had to act fast!

“Freeze!”

The Aquarampart froze into solid ice, a shield against the dozen swiftly formed Wind Darts which had already begun to rise through the air—and over the newly formed Frostrampart.

Qin Ruo felt his heart thumping wildly in his chest, realizing that he would be a fool to think he could protect himself from such an attack using just Frostramparts.

It was only Tier 2 magic—if it had been anyone else, there was no way such a spell could pose any real threat to Qin Ruo. However, under the direction of the Tier 5 supreme champion named Dark Dragon, everything was different—a ten-fold volley of Tier 2 spells were more than enough to shred through his Frost Barrier, and perhaps even bring him instant death!

However, Qin Ruo had consumed a Darkfrost Potion in advance. Poochie bounded up into the air, raised its great golden tail, and then swatted it down across the entire row of hovering Wind Darts. It crouched as it hit the ground and then, without a moment’s pause, it sprang to attack Dark Dragon.

With a series of movements as quick as lightning, not even someone of Dark Dragon’s ability could react in time. Through his Elemental Perception, he only sensed that he’d lost most of his Wind Darts, with just two remaining—and then next thing he knew, there was a little brown comet streaking toward him with unnatural speed.

At the same time, Dark Dragon sensed Qin Ruo lowering his body to sprint out from behind the cover of the tree, facing him head-on with a magic scroll already unfurling in his hand!

“Snow Eagle Dive!” he roared, his whole body pushed to the limit. The trepidation and excitement of fighting a Tier 5 supreme champion set his blood on boil, and he could feel the rush through every fiber of his being.

Dark Dragon had no chance to do anything in response. Suddenly he was hearing a system notification, informing him that his Wind Barrier had been destroyed. And then, right before his disbelieving eyes, the pure white snow eagle, cold as a mountain’s peak, materialized in the air and then dove toward him!

The group of players watching the battle could hardly believe their own eyes.

A Tier 4 Aquamancer, facing a Tier 5 pro in battle, had successfully pulled off a counter-attack!

With eyes full of shock and disbelief, others were watching as Dark Dragon was knocked off his feet by the snow eagle.

All was silent beneath the trees.

There were players from both the Angel as well as Demon Factions, drawn to the area by the spectacle of two consecutive Tier 5 AoE spells going off. Now they watched, from a distance.

Dark Dragon was easily recognized: with a full set of shimmering Legendary-quality equipment, along with his terrifying speed, it was easy to see how this Tier 5 supreme champion had earned the name “Dark Dragon of the Winds”.

But that attack from Qin Ruo had completely overturned the expectations of the gathered audience, who had come to witness the power of a Tier 5 supreme champion.

In a solo duel with a Tier 4 Aquamancer, he had been stripped of his Barrier, and dealt a direct hit!

Many of them were still reeling with astonishment at the sight.

It was an incredible sensation—particularly for White Wine and company, who had front-row seats to the action. When they saw Dark Dragon getting bowled over at close range by the snow eagle, their eyes nearly fell out of their skulls, while their jaws hung slack toward the ground.

The only ones not getting caught up in the moment would probably be Qin Ruo and Dark Dragon themselves.

Qin Ruo knew that he’d only been able to accomplish this miraculous fluke because of Poochie, the Darkfrost Potion, and Dark Dragon’s own carelessness.

No one could have imagined that a Tier 4 Aquamancer, fleeing for his life from a Tier 5 supreme champion, would suddenly risk himself with a counter-attack—and had the aid of a Pet with Magic Penetration abilities.

Besides that, Qin Ruo was even more ill at ease than ever, because in the instant that the Snow Eagle Dive had struck Dark Dragon, he’d received a System Notification that sent a shiver down his spine!

His max-level Snow Eagle Dive, enhanced by an additional 8% Affinity from the Darkfrost Potion, for a Magic Attack of up to 200 via a Tier 4 single-target attack spell... it had only managed to deal 36 damage to Dark Dragon.

No more than 36 damage!

If not for the Darkfrost Potion raising his Magic Attack by an entire 24%, along with a guaranteed Stun effect... the spell might have dealt even less damage to him!

Though he thought he’d done so well, Qin Ruo was now deep in despair. Summoning Poochie back to him, he turned and fled!

The difference between them was just too much!

Meanwhile, fearing Qin Ruo’s strange and terrifying Pet, although he was still under the Stunned condition, Dark Dragon used a skill which left all the spectating players in dumbstruck awe.

Teleport!

Knocked into the air by the snow eagle, his airborne body suddenly lit up with bright light, and then reappeared somewhere fifteen meters back.

Both combatants had simultaneously chosen to withdraw, backing away from one another—but Dark Dragon’s expression instantly turned grim. The murderous intent stronger than ever, he threw back his shoulders and used Windwalk again!

Anyone could see that Dark Dragon was furious, and this time he would be fighting for real.

But it was just then that something inexplicable happened!