Phi-Fic Chapter 51 Returning to Before Liberation
Chapter 51 Returning to Before Liberation
As soon as Chu Qiuchi stepped into the dormitory, he saw Long Yueze sitting casually in the living room, enjoying his food with gusto. He looked up, saw Chu Qiuchi had returned, raised an eyebrow, and asked leisurely, "Little Qiuchi, how's your second skill? Want to spar with your older brother?"
Chu Qiuchi rolled her eyes in annoyance and teased, "What's with all the sparring? Have you forgotten the academy's rules? Private fights are forbidden. If we start fighting here, are we planning to sleep on the streets together afterward?"
Long Yueze sighed in boredom, "I'm so bored I could die. My hands are itching to fight, and my feet are itching to go out and play. Xiao Qiuchi, can you give your brother a good idea?"
Chu Qiuchi shook his head and said with a smile, "It seems you've recovered quite well this year, but if you show off your skills in front of others, wouldn't you be exposed? You'd better hold back for now! Going out to play isn't realistic right now; the surveillance at the academy's gate is watertight. Have you forgotten how you almost got caught sneaking out last time? You were only able to get in because you were seriously injured and unconscious, with no magic power left, which allowed you to escape the monitors. Now, if you want to go out, unless you have a way to make the monitors unable to detect your magic power, you'll have to stay put!"
Long Yueze's lips curled into a bitter smile, his eyes revealing a hint of helplessness: "I never expected that after my injuries healed and my cultivation was restored, I would become a caged bird."
Chu Qiuchi gently patted Long Yueze's shoulder and comforted him, "We need to be patient and take it slow. I will find an opportunity to study the academy's monitoring system in depth. Maybe I can find a backdoor or something. Just stay home and focus on your cultivation. Try to reach adulthood as soon as possible. Don't become someone else's target as soon as you step out of the academy."
Long Yueze sighed, "I finally made it to the human territory, and I haven't even had a chance to properly explore it yet. What a pity. Oh well, I'll just continue cultivating. You're right!"
After their casual conversation, the two returned to their respective rooms and immersed themselves in cultivation. As soon as Chu Qiuchi entered her room, she immediately focused her mental energy, meticulously inscribing the incantation on the magic orb. Time slipped away quietly as she concentrated, and when she finally finished inscribing the incantation, it was already the morning of the next day. She took out her staff, carefully infused it with magic power, and prepared to test the number of cycles of her second skill.
The test results delighted her; her skill could actually cycle up to five times! Imagine, a single attack could simultaneously inflict damage on twenty targets, all of which would be converted into a defensive shield. Others might attack for ages without even scratching her, as all the damage would be absorbed by the shield. It was incredibly exciting! She secretly rejoiced; such an ability would be a tremendous advantage, both in combat and in self-protection.
After the test, Chu Qiuchi, looking refreshed and energetic, excitedly went to find her teammates to begin today's daily training. During the afternoon's practical training, her teammates were once again amazed by Chu Qiuchi's second skill—a perfect display of both offense and defense. If she were to fully develop, she would undoubtedly become the strongest area-of-effect mage in history.
Previously, area-of-effect (AoE) mages weren't as effective as single-target mages in a team. While they could attack multiple targets, their damage output was relatively low, primarily serving to support single-target mages and finish off weakened enemies. However, Chu Qiuchi's AoE skills have a critical hit rate bonus. Once a critical hit is triggered, her attack power rivals that of a single-target mage's skill. Furthermore, the sheer number of targets she can attack increases the chance of a critical hit, instantly relegating Ji Moyu, who was originally a single-target specialist, to a support role.
Watching Chu Qiuchi's performance, her teammates couldn't help but marvel; she had truly single-handedly changed the role of area-of-effect mages in battle. They excitedly huddled together, discussing how to astound everyone with their amazing power in the upcoming match. However, Chu Qiuchi's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing their enthusiasm.
Chu Qiuchi coughed twice, sounding slightly apologetic, and said, "Well... I'm afraid I can't use such a powerful area-of-effect skill in the competition. If it's exposed, it might cause unnecessary trouble. After all, my strength isn't enough to protect myself." There was a hint of helplessness in her tone.
Chu Yichen immediately reassured her, "Sister, don't worry. Even without using your advanced area-of-effect skill, our strength is not to be underestimated. Ordinary area-of-effect skills are enough to handle it! And don't forget, we have three mages in our team, so our win rate is still very high!"
Nalan Xingyao continued Chu Yichen's words with a hint of encouragement: "Yes, Qiuchi, it's okay. The academy competition is different from the monster hordes we face in the simulator. In the competition, a team can only have a maximum of five people, so your super powerful area-of-effect skills may not be able to be fully utilized. Even without using the advanced version of the skills, the difference in strength between us won't be too great. Next, let's practice how to better coordinate when you use your normal skills."
Hearing Chu Yichen and Nalan Xingyao's words, the others nodded in agreement, their morale reignited. They believed that even without relying on Chu Qiuchi's exceptional skills, their teamwork and strength were enough to achieve excellent results in the competition.
They then headed together to the Level 2 Monster Zone, their target the Crimson-Tailed Scorpion's lair. The Crimson-Tailed Scorpion, a Level 2 monster, is renowned for its bloodthirsty sting attack from its tail, capable of inflicting massive damage on a single target and inflicting a potent poison effect, causing the target to lose 5% of their mana per second. Upon reaching the safe zone, they discussed and finalized the Thunder Array they would use before entering the lair's combat area.
The Thunderclap Array is a hybrid magic array, containing two attack positions and three defensive positions. Upon entering the battle zone, Chu Qiuchi swiftly unleashed her second skill—Moon Spirit Dance. Subtle ripples began to appear in the air, as if invisible waves were spreading. Suddenly, streaks of silvery-white light burst forth from the magic circle in her hand, like moonlight piercing the night, illuminating the surroundings. These rays intertwined and swirled in the air, gradually coalescing into four dazzling crescent moons, radiating a cold and mysterious glow.
Each crescent moon revolved around Chu Qiuchi, forming a dynamic defensive barrier around her. These crescent moons were not only beautiful but also contained powerful magical energy, their edges sharp as blades, capable of easily tearing through an enemy's defenses. When Chu Qiuchi waved her staff, these crescent moons seemed to come alive, tracing graceful arcs in the air as they attacked the enemy.
After the attack ended, the defensive barriers formed by the crescent moons did not dissipate as expected. They seemed to be guardian spirits endowed with intelligence, able to flexibly adjust their defensive capabilities based on the damage dealt to the enemy. Whenever the crescent moons inflicted a certain amount of damage on the target, they would absorb and block a corresponding amount of damage for Chu Qiuchi, until the absorbed damage equaled the damage dealt, before dissipating into the air.
The only drawback is that, starting with the second skill, each new skill the mage gains has a cooldown period after activation. For Chu Qiuchi's second skill—Moonlight Dance—the cooldown is 60 seconds. This means that after each use of this skill, she must patiently wait one minute before it can be used again.
As Chu Qiuchi's Moon Spirit Dance came to a perfect end, Ji Moyu swiftly joined the battle, unleashing his second skill—Netherworld Chains. Streams of dark light, like phantoms in the night, surged from the tip of his staff, rapidly weaving in the air to form a chain almost invisible to the naked eye. These chains silently entangled their enemies, and once they locked onto a target, they would erupt with a deep purple light the instant they bound, like lightning in the dark night, awe-inspiring and terrifying.
Immediately afterwards, strange runes appeared on the chain, shimmering with a cold light as if containing boundless power, firmly binding the target in place. These runes not only restricted the enemy's movements but also caused the target to lose 1% of its mana every second.
After Ji Moyu finished using her skill, Chu Qiuchi followed closely behind, delivering the fatal blow with her first skill—Endless Fireballs. Four blazing fireballs shot from the tip of her staff, streaking across the night sky like meteors, swiftly and accurately striking their targets. The moment the fireballs exploded, flames engulfed everything, bringing devastating damage.
The five worked together like a meticulously choreographed dance, each movement precise and efficient. Despite their ferocity, the Red-tailed Scorpions were no match for their combined power. Soon, one Red-tailed Scorpions after another fell, eventually disappearing completely.
With the disappearance of the last Crimson-tailed Poison Scorpion, a brief silence fell over the battlefield. The group stood still, patiently waiting, hoping that a Lord-level magical beast would appear in the center, bringing the battle to a perfect close.
However, as time ticked by, the lord-level magical beast did not appear as expected. Nevertheless, they did not show any disappointment.
Instead, they decided to retreat to the safe zone, preparing to challenge the monsters in the Crimson-Tailed Scorpion's lair again after they recovered. They continuously honed their teamwork and improved their individual combat skills through battles. Only when their magic power was exhausted did they reluctantly exit the simulator.